SARA AND THE SPYMASTER

A SCIFI ALIEN ROMANCE (ALIEN ABDUCTION BOOK 19)

HONEY PHILLIPS

Copyright © 2023 by Honey Phillips

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author.

Disclaimer

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or people, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Cover by Maria Spada Book Cover Design

Edited by Lindsay York at LY Publishing Services

Created with Vellum

CONTENTS

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Epilogue

Author’s Note

Other Titles

About the Author

CHAPTER ONE

The burning pain in her neck was the first thing that penetrated Sara’s consciousness. The next was the hard surface beneath her.

She forced her eyes open, then immediately winced and closed them again, blinded by the harsh overhead lights.

What the hell? Am I in the hospital?

She cautiously pried her eyes open again, blinking rapidly until her sight adjusted. A white metal ceiling on the other side of… bars? Her eyes widened as she sat up, her stomach churning at the sudden movement.

A cage. I’m in a goddamn cage.

Maybe six feet by six feet in all directions, the cage was one of a line of cages that occupied both sides of a long corridor that curved out of sight in both directions. A bowl of water and a bowl of crackers were attached to the bars at the front, and a narrow stream of liquid flowed along the back of the cage. Most of the other cages were occupied by animals of various kinds, none of which she recognized. The one to her right held what looked like a fluffy white cat—except for the wings.

“I must be hallucinating,” she muttered, trying to remember the last thing she’d eaten.

A soft noise from her left made her whip her head around, fighting down a sudden surge of nausea before she recognized the figure curled on the floor of that cage.

“Tammy! Oh my God, Tammy! Are you all right?”

Her friend didn’t respond, but Sara could see her chest rising and falling beneath a brief white shift. A garment identical to the one she was wearing as well.

“What have I done?” she whispered as the memories came rushing back.

SHE’D BEEN PACKING for their vacation, trying to decide between a cute sundress with a skirt that could be unbuttoned to show off her hopefully tanned legs or a pair of equally cute jean shorts with strategically frayed patches. She’d just decided to take both of them when the door to the condo flew open and Tammy came rushing in.

Her friend was usually the calm one—the yin to Sara’s more frantic yang—but that calm was nowhere in evidence. Her long brown hair had escaped its usual neat braid and her pretty face was so pale that her freckles stood out in sharp relief.

“What’s wrong?” Sara demanded.

“It’s Rita. She’s missing!”

Rita taught at the same elementary school where all three of them worked.

“What do you mean missing? I just talked to her yesterday while she was cleaning up her classroom before spring break.”

“I saw her yesterday too, but I had to go to the post office to mail off the donation requests so I didn’t have time to talk to her.”

Sara did her best not to roll her eyes. Tammy was a sucker for every charity organization that came her way, even though Sara frequently tried to warn her that most of them spent more money on themselves than their alleged victims.

“Maybe,” Tammy would say, shrugging. “But as long as some of it goes to people who really need help, I’m happy to contribute.”

“Don’t forget helping animals and plants,” she muttered, but Tammy only laughed.

“Everything needs a little help sometimes.”

But now Tammy—and apparently Rita—needed help.

“Just take a deep breath, and tell me what happened,” she ordered, guiding her friend over to a chair and gently pushing her down.

“I was just looking at my bags this morning—” Tammy had packed two days ago “—and I felt really bad that she was going to be here on her own, so I decided to try and change her mind.”

“I tried too, but I think she really wanted to work on her house.”

Her friend sighed. “I know. I just thought that if I offered to help after we got back, she might come with us for at least a couple of days. But when I got to her house, her neighbor practically tackled me. Rita took her dog for a walk yesterday afternoon, but the dog came back alone. And she hasn’t seen Rita since!”

The last words were practically a wail, and Sara automatically put her arm around her friend as she considered the implications. Dread curled in the pit of her stomach, but she forced herself to think.

“Did her neighbor go to the police?”

“She said she tried, but she didn’t think they took her seriously. They did go to the park but didn’t find anything suspicious. They told Mrs. Alvarez that she probably just ran into a friend.”

Sara snorted. “And left the dog to find his own way home? She’d never do that. Come on.”

“Where are we going?”

“To talk to the police ourselves. After I get dressed,” she added, looking down.

The cami and panties she slept in might get a cop’s attention, but it wouldn’t be the kind they needed. For this, she’d even pull out one of her old power suits.

But despite the power suit and the very nice cop who obviously felt sorry for Tammy, they didn’t get anywhere. A small town with a small police force wasn’t equipped for a massive manhunt. He told them that it was difficult to call in other resources unless they had evidence of foul play, especially since it had been such a short time since her disappearance.

After their ineffective visit to the police they went to see Mrs. Alvarez, but she didn’t have any additional information. Rita’s house was still empty, everything for her kitchen project still neatly ready and waiting. By that time it was late afternoon, and Sara tapped her nails thoughtfully on the bare kitchen counter.

“We should go to the park.”

“The park? Why?”

“To see if we can find any clues.”

“Clues that the police missed?” Tammy asked doubtfully. “They’re the experts.”

“I know—but we’re her friends. Maybe we’ll see something they didn’t. I just want to do something.”

Her friend nodded. “I know. I feel the same way. Let’s go and take a look. If we don’t find anything, maybe we could start a social media campaign and spread the word?”

It was an excellent suggestion, but Sara still felt the need for some kind of physical action first.

“As soon as we finish in the park,” she promised.

They searched until afternoon turned to dusk and Sara’s feet started to complain. After three years as an elementary school drama teacher, she was no longer used to wearing heels for anything other than an occasional Friday night date.

“All right,” she sighed as they met next to the fountain in the center of the park. “I give up. Let’s try social media.”

Tammy looked around and shivered.

“This must have been about the time it happened. I wouldn’t like being out here by myself. It’s so quiet.”

Tammy was right—it was unusually quiet, and a thin mist was creeping along the base of the trees. The skin on the back of her neck prickled, and she gave a decisive nod.

“Time to go.”

But it was too late. A foul stench wafted across her face just as a dark figure loomed up behind Tammy. She started to yell a warning, but a big palm clamped down over her mouth as something sharp plunged into her neck. The wave of agony from the stab was replaced almost immediately by dizziness. The shadowy park seemed to spin around her, and then everything went dark.

CHAPTER TWO

And now here we are, Sara thought bitterly. Not only had she ended up as a captive on what she strongly suspected was an alien spaceship, but her insistence on searching the park had resulted in Tammy being taken as well.

“I’ll get you out of this,” she promised her still unconscious friend, even though she had no idea how she was going to accomplish that. “I’ll get us both…”

Both? Unless this was the kind of coincidence she didn’t believe in, Rita must have been taken by these same aliens. She climbed to her feet, standing on tiptoes as she searched the cages in both directions for any sign of her friend. Nothing. But the corridor curved rapidly enough that Rita could still be close by. Only one way to find out…

“Rita!” she yelled. “Rita, are you there? Answer me!”

Unfortunately, she barely made it past the first word before she was drowned out by a cacophony of sound as the various animals in the cages echoed her cry. The flying cat next to her hissed and yowled, followed by a succession of barks, growls, and disturbingly human-sounding screams. Damn.

Before she could decide if she should try again, a short, stocky man in stained coveralls came down the corridor. It wasn’t until he drew closer that she noticed the heavy brow and the thick pelt of hair, the red eyes and the different bone structure. Not human.

“Who are you?” she demanded. “Let us go at once.”

He shook his head, glancing back over his shoulder.

“Be quiet, female. The sooner you realize you are in no position to make demands, the better.”

She understood every word, even though she could hear faint growling sounds underlying them. A translator. Good. That made it easier for her to get her point across. She crossed her arms and glared at him.

“I have no intention of keeping quiet. And what did you do with my friend? Where is she?”

“Are you blind as well as annoyingly loud? She’s right there.”

“Not her. The other one. The one you took the day before you took us.”

He frowned, but before he could respond another alien male came stomping down the aisle towards them. He was carrying a long stick with a glowing end that he slammed against the cage of any animal still making noise.

“Unless you want to be punished, don’t challenge him,” the first guard said urgently. “Just keep your mouth shut.”

Punished? A chill ran down her spine as the second guard approached, and the winged cat in the cage next to hers mewled and crouched in the farthest corner of its cage.

“What happened, Patra?” the newcomer snarled.

“Nothing. One of the linae challenged the marsga next to him. It set them all off.”

“Really?” The second guard was clearly skeptical, eyeing her with a sadistic gleam that made her skin crawl. “Are you sure it wasn’t this female? She looks like she needs to be taught a lesson.”

Clenching her fists, she quickly dropped her eyes, doing her best to act quiet and submissive. Courage was one thing, stupidity was another, and even though the guard was an inch or two shorter than her, his thickset build argued a strength she couldn’t match.

“I’m sure, Crot,” Patra said. “Has the captain decided on the trade route yet?”

The diversion was successful. Crot scowled and began complaining—something about wasted opportunities and issues with the Fleet—and the pair moved away. She suddenly realized that her legs were shaking and collapsed down in a corner of the cage, the reality of their situation crashing over her.

The irony of it didn’t escape her. She’d spent most of her adult life trying to break free from the restrictions of her childhood, only to find herself caged on an alien spaceship. Despite her best efforts, tears threatened to slip down her cheeks.

A cold nose nudged her hand, and she looked down to find the winged cat pressed up against the bars separating them.

“Hello there.” Big blue eyes looked back at her, and she sighed. “I guess you’re pretty miserable too, aren’t you?”

The bars were only a few inches apart, but she managed to slip two fingers between them and carefully stroke the soft fur of its nose. It responded with a quiet purr, just like an Earth cat, and somehow that made her feel better. They sat there like that until Tammy finally began to stir and she quickly moved to the other side of the cell.

“S… Sara? What happened?” Tammy whispered as she sat up, swaying dizzily.

“I think we found out what happened to Rita,” she said grimly. “Apparently we ran into some aliens out hunting for humans.”

“Hunting for humans?” Tammy looked so lost that her heart ached. “But why?”

She suspected she knew exactly why they were taking human females—she certainly didn’t think it was a coincidence that all three of them were relatively young and attractive—but she tried to put a better spin on it for Tammy’s sake.

“I don’t know, but maybe some kind of zoo? There’s quite a variety here.”

Tammy’s eyes widened as she followed Sara’s gesture, then she looked even more distressed.

“All these poor animals. We have to do something to help them.”

“And ourselves,” she said dryly.

“That too.” Tammy gave her a shaky smile before she looked around again. “Where’s Rita?”

“I don’t know.”

“But you think she’s here?”

“Under the circumstances, it’s the obvious conclusion. Three missing women in two days? I’ll bet even Officer Dove would feel justified in calling in additional resources now,” she muttered.

Tammy sighed.

“Even if he’d called them in earlier, it wouldn’t have made any difference. I don’t think anyone has a Kidnapped by Aliens division.”

“They might. You know the government keeps everything a secret.”

“Do you really think so?”

“Do I think they have a division that looks into cases like ours? It certainly wouldn’t surprise me.” She sighed. “Do I think they could help us? No. They’re back on Earth and we’re here.”

“But where is here? And what happens now?”

“I wish I knew, Tammy. I wish I knew.”

For a long time the answer was nothing. Days—weeks—passed with almost no change. Their water and crackers were refilled each day, and the lights dimmed each evening. The guards who refilled their bowls rotated, but Patra came most frequently. She wouldn’t have called him nice, but he was the most bearable, simply attending to his duties without leering or making obscene remarks. He’d even answer one of her questions occasionally. Crot was the worst, deliberately looking for ways to punish them, but she’d warned Tammy and she managed to keep her own temper under control.

In between their feedings she did her best to keep their spirits up, but even Tammy’s natural optimism was challenged by the endless monotony and the fear of what awaited them. The guards’ comments had left little doubt as to their eventual fate. The presence of the winged cat, who she named Aqbar, was surprisingly comforting. She frequently woke to find herself pressed against the bars between their cages with his body against her back on the other side.

Once the monotony was broken by a surge of activity. Some of the cages were removed, hoisted in the air and hauled out of sight. New cages replaced them—some of them empty and some with new occupants. There was a furious discussion during their stop between Crot, Patra, and one of the other guards. They were too far away for her to hear anything, but since they were looking and gesturing at her and Tammy, she was quite sure they were the subject.

“What was that argument about?” she asked Patra the next day when the normal routine resumed.

“None of your business,” he snapped.

She maintained a hopeful silence and he eventually sighed.

“Crot is impatient. He wants his profits now. The captain believes that by selling you individually, you are more unique and therefore more valuable.”

“A rare commodity,” she said bitterly, and he shot her a look she couldn’t read.

“It is to your advantage to have more value. You are less likely to be… damaged.”

Less likely, but not impossible—and damage was relative. Still, he had a point and she nodded.

“I understand.”

Did he look regretful? She couldn’t tell, and he only finished with the bowls and moved on.

Unfortunately, the fact that Crot didn’t get his way only made him more vicious. They did their best to avoid provoking him, but a few days later he scowled down at Tammy’s food bowl. The biscuits upset her stomach and she’d been eating less and less as the days passed.

“Our food not good enough for you? Would you rather starve?”

Tammy didn’t answer, but this time that wasn’t enough.

“I’m talking to you, female,” he snarled, smacking his shock stick against a meaty palm. “Answer me.”

“It upsets my stomach,” Tammy said quietly.

“I don’t fucking care. Eat it or you won’t get any more.”

Tammy gave her a despairing glance, and she clenched her fists in helpless frustration, afraid that trying to interfere would only make it worse. Her friend managed to choke down a couple of the biscuits, but Crot grew impatient. He reached through the bars and snatched her hair, yanking her closer to the bars.

“I said eat.”

When Tammy tried to answer him, he shoved a handful in her mouth, and she promptly threw up all over him. He roared, raising his shock stick.

“No! Leave her alone, you bastard!” she cried.

He jabbed the shock stick at her, hitting her forearm as she jerked back. An agonizing pain spread from the contact and she swayed, but she refused to give him the satisfaction of crying out. He gave her a sadistic grin and pressed a control on his belt. The bars at the front of Tammy’s cage started to rise into the air. Her friend’s mouth trembled, but she pressed her lips together, not uttering a sound.

“I’m going to let you watch while I teach her a lesson,” Crot snarled at Sara. “That way you’ll know what to expect when it’s your turn.”

“No! She didn’t do anything!”

He unfastened the front of his coveralls, still grinning, as she wrenched desperately at the bars of her own cage, blood thundering in her ears. She finally realized that it wasn’t just her heart and snatched her eyes away from Tammy’s face long enough to look down the corridor, hoping to see Patra. Instead, an army of demons marched towards them, their boots thundering on the metal floor.

CHAPTER THREE

Lord S’chen Tanaca, Senior Advisor to Emperor Karthajin, Supreme Leader of the Kaisarian Empire, Defender of the Nine Gods, Chosen of Napisten, and Ruler of the Crystal Throne, frowned down at the latest report he’d received about the activity of the Galactic Trade Alliance. According to the report they were in perfect compliance with all Imperial regulations—and that in itself made him suspicious. Of course, these days everything made him suspicious.

Which is why I’m so good at my job, he reminded himself. He had risen rapidly through the ranks to become personal advisor to the current emperor’s grandfather and then—for a fortunately brief period—to his father. Karthajin’s grandfather had been a ruthless old bastard, but he had created a peaceful, prosperous Empire. Karthajin’s father would have destroyed it. Fortunately, Karthajin was both a good male and a good emperor, and Tanaca was determined to make sure he remained in control. Which brought him back to the GTA.

He was quite sure that the merchants were brewing trouble, but he had yet to determine exactly what type of threat they represented. As a result he’d decided to make a personal visit to Ratoria, the planet they had chosen as their headquarters, deliberately choosing one of the most impressive ships in the Royal Fleet for the trip. But I need more information. He sent messages to several of his operatives to investigate the personal backgrounds of the GTA Council, and moved on to the next report.

The door alarm chimed, the screen revealing Sub Commander Laterra, second-in-command on the Triumph, and a supremely annoying male.

“Come,” he ordered.

“Lord Tanaca, we have just intercepted an Ithyian ship containing illegal trade items.”

Laterra looked as if he were expecting praise, but Tanaca only sighed internally. This was another complication that he didn’t need. Still it was an opportunity to acquire what he valued most—information.

“Catalog the cargo,” he ordered. “Take the captain to the interview room.”

“Yes, sir. And the females?”

He swore under his breath, although, as always, he kept his voice controlled.

“What type of females?”

“I believe they are human, sir.”

He suppressed another sigh.

“Very well. Put them in the second interview room.”

“Sir?”

“Offer them food and water.”

Laterra looked as if he wished to say something else, but when Tanaca raised an eyebrow, he gulped and hurried away instead. As soon as the door closed behind him, Tanaca drummed his fingers on his desk. The presence of human females on an Ithyian ship was annoying for several reasons. The first was that he had promised the Emperor—and his human consort—that he would bring an end to the illegal traffic. He had not yet succeeded, and he despised failure.

But the second reason was that he considered them dangerous. Oh, not on a physical level—they were pathetically weak and defenseless—but they frequently had a disturbing effect on the males with whom they came in contact. The Emperor’s consort was a perfect example. He had nothing against Ella personally—she was an attractive, intelligent female who was completely devoted to the Emperor—but he worried about her influence on the Emperor. He was well aware that Karthajin would always defer to her wishes should she decide to intercede.

The Emperor was not the only one who had fallen prey to a human female, but it would not happen on his watch. He rose to his feet and, after a brief hesitation, pulled on his formal robes before leaving his quarters. As he strode down the corridor, he considered the best way to keep the females relatively comfortable, but isolated from the crew.

He hadn’t yet come to a conclusion when a junior officer came hurrying towards him.

“Umm, sir, we seem to have a slight problem,” the young male said nervously.

“Well? What is it?”

“There is a situation in the second interview room, with the human females.”

As I said, dangerous. These wretched females were capable of creating chaos wherever they went.

“Show me.”

The officer gulped and led him to the viewing room. A one way glass panel revealed the brightly lit interview room. A metal table was bolted to the floor in the center of the room and one of the females was seated next to it, her face pale and drawn. A Kaisarian officer stood guard over her. From the guard’s posture, he appeared to be more intent on defending her than restraining her, but Tanaca quickly dismissed her as a threat.

He turned to the other female. Tall for a human female, her head reaching almost to the guard’s shoulder, she had hair as bright as Napisten’s flames and eyes the color of the moss in the Emperor’s private gardens. Long, graceful fingers curled around the butt of the blaster she had jammed into the second guard’s side.

“Well?” she demanded, staring directly at the glass as if she could see him behind it. “Do we get some answers, or do I start making holes in things?”

The Elginar had separated into two castes many generations ago, dividing themselves into intellectual scholars and more physical workers. He came from a long line of scholars—cool, restrained, ascetic—but as he met that bright, challenging look, generations of restraint suddenly vanished. His shaft stiffened as an atavistic need surged through his veins—the need to claim this female as his own.

Fuck.

CHAPTER FOUR

Sara shoved the gun harder against the guard’s side as she waited for a response, trying not to wince when he flinched. She still couldn’t believe she’d taken him by surprise, but apparently he’d never considered the possibility that she might be a threat. Despite his demonic appearance, complete with red skin and dark horns, and his intimidating size, she suspected he was a relatively new soldier.

When the army of soldiers appeared on the ship, she wasn’t sure if their situation had improved or not. The fact that they knocked Crot out and hauled him away was definitely in their favor. The fact that they had gruffly ordered her and Tammy to accompany them, without answering any of her questions was not. Putting them into what was clearly an interrogation room hadn’t helped, even though there was water and a platter of what looked like sandwiches on the table.

Tammy had slumped down in a chair, clearly at the end of her strength. The big, brutal-looking guard who had accompanied her immediately bent over her, while Sara’s guard gave him a worried look. She’d used his distraction to snatch the weapon out of its holster and press it against his side. The other guard immediately stepped protectively in front of Tammy—as if she’d ever hurt her friend.

“Now,” she hissed. “Who’s in charge?”

“Commander Orlon?” her prisoner said doubtfully. “Or maybe Lord Tanaca.”

“Get one of them here. Now.”

“I have to use my comm.”

“I doubt that. I’m sure there’s someone on the other side of that glass.” She glared at it. “I want to talk to whoever is in charge.”

“Very well,” a mechanical voice responded.

The minutes ticked by. Tammy was growing paler by the second, and her huge guard kept giving her worried looks. Sara wanted to urge her to eat something but she didn’t trust even the innocuous looking sandwiches.

Then something changed in the atmosphere of the room, and she was suddenly quite sure that there was someone new, someone important on the other side of the mirror.

“Well?” she demanded, staring directly at the glass as if she could see him behind it. “Do we get some answers or do I start making holes in things?”

A shiver ran down her spine, even though there was no immediate response. A minute later the door slid open and the most handsome man—alien—she had ever seen walked in. Dark robes made a striking contrast to pale blue skin and long white hair, pulled back with small intricate braids. He had angular features and cool silver eyes that suddenly made her conscious of the thin fabric of the slave garment, her body humming with something that wasn’t exactly fear.

Although he was tall and lean, without the massive bulk of the red-skinned guards, she didn’t for one second make the mistake of thinking that made him less of a threat. He had the sinuous grace of a jungle cat. The image made her think of Aqbar—what had they done to him?—and her spine stiffened.

“Who are you?” she demanded.

“Lord S’chen Tanaca, Senior Advisor to Emperor Karthajin, Supreme Leader of the Kaisarian Empire, Defender of the Nine Gods, Chosen of Napisten, and Ruler of the Crystal Throne. Is there any particular reason you are holding one of these not very capable guards at gunpoint?”

His voice was cool, amused, but she didn’t miss the way his eyes flicked to her hand.

“Because it seems to be the only way I’m going to get any answers. Are you slavers too?”

“No. Were you not informed that this ship is part of the Royal Fleet?”

She started to wave a dismissive hand, forgetting about the weapon, and the guard grunted. Hastily adjusting her position, she glared at Tanaca.

“So? Your minions said you were rescuing us. This doesn’t look like a damn rescue to me. All you did was put us in a bigger cage.”

“You would rather return to the Ithyian ship?” he asked calmly.

“No, I’d rather be returned to our own fucking planet!”

“That is not going to happen. Your civilization would be unduly influenced by knowledge of our presence.”

“Yeah, right. Like they’re going to believe three women who say they were kidnapped by aliens. We’re no risk to you.”

He frowned. “Three?”

“You didn’t find another woman on the ship?”

He shook his head, and Tammy gave a quiet sob. Her big guard dropped a hand on her shoulder before hastily snapping back to attention when Tanaca raised a brow.

“There was another female with you?” Tanaca asked, turning back to her.

“Yes—at least I think so. She disappeared the day before we did at about the same time and place.”

“So you decided to repeat her error?”

“She’s our friend. We were looking for her!” Even though she glared at him, she couldn’t completely suppress her sense of guilt. It was her fault that Tammy had been taken. But guilt would have to wait. “If we aren’t slaves and we can’t go back to Earth, what are you going to do with us?”

He hesitated for a fraction of a second, and she could almost see him considering and discarding answers before he replied.

“You will be taken to a sanctuary planet that does not permit slavery.”

“And then what?”

“You will establish a new life.”

The words were quiet but utterly implacable, and her chest suddenly ached. She had suspected all along that they wouldn’t be returning to Earth, but his statement gave it an unexpected finality. Refusing to let him see how much that hurt, she gave him a challenging look.

“And what about Rita? Our friend?”

Once again he hesitated, then dipped his head.

“I will attempt to find her.”

“I guess that’s something. Thank you.”

“And now what? Do you intend to keep that weapon shoved against Bargal’s stomach for the rest of our journey? Not that he doesn’t deserve it, but I believe it will grow tiresome.”

The guard shivered at Tanaca’s icy tone, and she couldn’t blame him.

“We want food and drink. A room that is not a cell. And clothes,” she added.

His eyes suddenly gleamed silver as they drifted down her body, and this time she shivered.

“I attempted to provide you with food and drink,” he said, pointing to the table.

“How do we know it wasn’t drugged?”

His eyes gleamed again, this time with amusement, before he reached down and took a bite out of one of the sandwiches with very sharp, very white teeth. A delicious aroma filled the room, and she saw Tammy give it a longing glance, but…

“That was only one piece,” she said suspiciously.

“You are correct. Officer Vorkan, please prove to the other female—”

“Tammy,” she interrupted, and he nodded.

“To Mistress Tammy that the food is safe.”

The big guard immediately kneeled next to her friend. He broke another sandwich in half, then took a small bite out of each side before offering them to Tammy. She gave him a shy smile and took one, her eyes closing with pleasure as she nibbled at it.

“And as for you, Mistress…” Tanaca continued.

“I’m Sara, just Sara.”

“And as for you, Mistress Sara, what will it take to satisfy you?”

He couldn’t possibly mean that as seductively as it sounded, but she was still afraid she was blushing. Forcing down her embarrassment, and an unexpected surge of arousal, she gave him a considering look.

“Your word,” she said finally. “Your word that we are safe. Your word that we will have decent food and drink and a room that is not a cell.”

“You will trust my word?”

“Yes.”

“Then I swear by Napisten’s crown that it will be so.”

She hesitated, then sighed and lowered the weapon. Bargal immediately bowed.

“Lord Tanaca, I—”

“Leave. I will deal with you later.”

The icy note had returned to Tanaca’s voice, and the guard obeyed immediately. Tanaca turned to her and gently removed the weapon from her hand.

“If you would care to join your friend, I will make arrangements for your room.”

“Thank you.”

He looked down at her, and she was suddenly conscious of just how close they were. She could feel the heat of his body and catch a hint of a faint, tantalizing scent. The corner of his mouth suddenly twisted in what was almost a smile.

“It is a shame I am an honorable male.”

“What do you mean?”

“You forgot to include clothing in my oath.”

Her mouth dropped open as he disappeared in a swirl of black robes.

CHAPTER FIVE

Tanaca found himself staring at the monitor for the third time in as many hours. He hadn’t really considered the options when agreeing to Sara’s terms, but the only rooms on the ship that seemed suitable for the females were the guest quarters for visiting dignitaries. The rooms were luxurious, well equipped—and monitored. It was a routine procedure when providing transport to guests who were not part of the Fleet, but it meant that he only had to open the screen to see her.

Perhaps I should. Just to make sure she isn’t causing trouble…

His hand strayed towards the control, and then the door alarm chimed. He swore, uncertain if he was relieved or annoyed.

“Come.”

Officer Vorkan entered, standing at attention in front of his desk, and Tanaca studied him thoughtfully. He had at least a passing familiarity with every officer on board and a good many of the crew members. After the incident in the interview room, he had reviewed the information he had on Vorkan.

Brought up in the slums of Kaisar, he’d had a troubled youth but a friendly official had arranged for him to join the Royal Fleet and his record had been exemplary ever since.

“Yes, Officer Vorkan?”

“I came to apologize for my failure to prevent the human female from obtaining a weapon.”

“It wasn’t your weapon,” he pointed out.

“No, but I should have been more aware of the situation.”

“I have already dealt with Officer Bargal.” A month spent on garbage detail would teach him the value of attention to duty. “That is the end of the matter.”

“Yes, sir.”

When Vorkan didn’t move towards the door, Tanaca frowned at him.

“Was there something else?”

“It’s about the human females…”

“Yes?”

He knew his tone had turned forbidding, but Sara—rather, the females were not Vorkan’s concern. The other male did not take the hint.

“You said you planned to take them to a sanctuary planet.”

“That is correct,” he said, his voice even colder.

Although it was standard procedure, he found he disliked the idea—which was undoubtedly the best reason to proceed. The sooner the distracting female was gone, the better.

“It’s just… Who will protect her—them? How will they find shelter? Even a sanctuary planet has its dangers.”

“They will be provided with assistance.”

“I have another alternative.”

“What do you propose?”

Vorkan’s big body tensed, his eyes focused on Tanaca.

“I will take her as my mate.”

What? This oversized male thought he could claim his female? He had his hand on the knife hidden in his sleeve before he regained control.

“Unacceptable.”

“But why? I can provide for Tammy. She will want for nothing.”

Tammy? Of course. By Napisten’s elbow, how could he have been so blind? The other male had been focused on the brown-haired female since the first time he’d seen them. Tanaca’s relief was swiftly overcome by annoyance. The wretched females were causing more disturbance, and his own… reaction was equal proof. The sooner they were off the ship the better.

Ignoring his disquiet at the thought, he gave Vorkan an icy look.

“I said it was unacceptable. You are a serving officer—you do not have time for a mate. Not to mention that allowing you to claim a female taken as a slave creates the perception that the Fleet finds such activities acceptable,” he added, ignoring Vorkan’s muffled protest. “That is the end of the matter.”

Vorkan’s face darkened, his fists clenching. Once again Tanaca’s hand went to his knife, but after an obvious struggle, the other male sketched a brief salute, then pivoted on his heel and left. His rapid departure verged on insubordination, but Tanaca was willing to grant him a little—very little—license. He knew the real culprits were the human females.

Not that human females were the only ones capable of causing trouble. His own mother was a master of manipulation—a scheming mind behind a beautiful face, uncaring about anything except her own wishes. He had learned that lesson at a very young age, and he was not going to be manipulated.

He still needed answers about the Ithyians and the slave trade, and this time he wasn’t going to be distracted. It was time for his female to be the one answering the questions.

CHAPTER SIX

“You have to agree that this is better,” Sara said triumphantly as she looked around their new rooms.

Tanaca had provided them with an actual suite—a central living area flanked by a bedroom and bath on either side. The walls were paneled in golden wood, the floors covered with deep-pile blue carpet.

“It’s very nice,” Tammy said quietly.

“Are you all right? Sorry, that was dumb, I know you’re not. Is there anything I can do? Do you want anything else to eat?”

Their new quarters had even come with a bar-like area fully stocked with food and drink - not that she recognized any of it. Whatever they had been given to act as a translator didn’t extend to written language.

“No, thanks. I’m going to take a long, hot shower and then get some sleep. That is…” Her friend looked at the door, her eyes haunted. “Do you think it’s safe?”

“I think so,” she said slowly. “I believe Tanaca’s word.”

“That’s not like you.”

“I know. Maybe I’m being foolish.”

“No, I don’t think so. He seems like the uptight, honorable type.”

“Uptight isn’t the half of it. I wonder what it would take to get that stick out of his ass.”

Tammy smiled for the first time.

“Now that sounds like you. You never can resist a challenge.”

“Who, me?” she asked innocently, then grinned and gave her friend an impulsive hug.

“I think things are going to be better, I really do.”

“I do too.” Tammy shot another look at the door. “Vorkan said he’d look after me—us. Do you think he meant it?”

“Considering that he couldn’t take his eyes off you the entire time we were in that room?” she asked dryly. “Yes, I think he meant it.”

Tammy smiled again, and they both went off to shower in the luxurious bathrooms, but Sara could hear Tammy’s shower running long after she was finished. Despite Tanaca’s provocative words, there were some clothes in a wardrobe in the bedroom. Unfortunately, they were all the same black uniforms that his crew wore. Sighing, she pulled on one of the uniform tops. It reached almost to her knees, so after rolling up the sleeves over and over again she decided to call it good. She was still far more covered than she had been in the white slave gown.

A short time after her shower finally stopped, she peeked into Tammy’s room. Her friend was asleep, her face still tear stained, and she quietly backed away. Her initial excitement faded, worn away by her guilt about Tammy and her dread of the future. Overcoming the guard and sparring with Tanaca had muted that fear, but now, alone in the silence, it came rushing back.

The term sanctuary planet conjured up images of identical little houses in identical little rows with identical little people leading identical little lives—just like the childhood she had fought so hard to escape. Somehow she suspected this would be even worse. It wouldn’t surprise her if they were guards there as well. For our protection, of course, she thought sarcastically.

She had never been good at being unoccupied, and she stood up and started pacing around the room. Maybe she should go find Tanaca and demand more information. Not that she wanted to see him again, she assured herself, but she had no intention of waiting around in the dark.

Nodding decisively, she marched over to the door and put her hand on the panel, just as it opened. Tanaca was standing outside.

His face was as cold and remote as ever, but she saw the silver shimmer in his eyes as they flicked down over her bare legs. Her body responded to that heated look, and the resulting rush of arousal immediately made her go on the offensive.

“How the hell did you do that? I didn’t open the door.”

“I can enter any room on the ship,” he said calmly.

“If you think for one second you can just come and go in our room whenever you want, you are profoundly mistaken. If I find you sneaking in again, I’ll cut off your dick with a rusty knife.”

He raised an eyebrow.

“My… dick?”

In spite of her anger she could feel her cheeks heating.

“Your penis. Your male organ. Your cock. Assuming you have one.”

He leaned a fraction of an inch closer, but she refused to back down.

“I assure you, little flame, I do indeed have one. But you will not be getting anywhere close to it,” he added as he stepped back, his face hardening.

“We’ll just see about that,” she snapped, then put her hand over her face. “That didn’t come out right. I have no interest in your… parts.”

He suddenly smiled, the expression warming his cold face to such an extent that she actually felt her knees weaken. Damn. He might be an asshole, but he was a damn good-looking asshole.

“Why don’t we start again?” he suggested. “I will remember to alert you of my presence next time, and you can tell me where you were going in that outfit.”

His eyes drifted down over her legs again—which didn’t help the lingering arousal—but she gathered her composure and glared at him.

“This outfit—as you put it—is the one you provided.”

“To the best of my recollection, the uniform also includes pants.”

“Which are too long and too big. Now if I had something like your robe, I could just let it sweep out behind me.”

Something she couldn’t read flickered across his face before he inclined his head.

“A valid comment. I will see what other arrangements I can make.”

She was still blocking the doorway, but despite his size he managed to move past her and into the room with only a brief brush against her side, but the heat of that touch lingered as she turned to stare after him.

“Why don’t you make yourself at home?” she asked sarcastically.

“Thank you, I will.” He moved over to the bar area and poured a small amount of blue liquid in a crystal glass, then looked at her. “Would you care for a drink?”

“Maybe if I knew what any of those bottles contained. What are you drinking?”

“This is Foldaran liquor”

“Then I’ll have some of that.”

He hesitated. “It’s quite strong.”

The words sounded like a warning, but the raised eyebrow was definitely a challenge and she lifted her chin.

“I said I’ll have some of that.”

He hesitated again, then lifted his shoulder in a gesture that was too minimal to be called a shrug and poured a small quantity into a glass for her. She moved over to take it, and breathed in the scent of the liquor—orange and smoke and spices, with the faintest hint of Tanaca’s tantalizing scent beneath it.

“Cheers,” she said and clinked her glass against his.

“Cheers?”

“It’s a toast. Don’t you do those?”

“On formal occasions. They are usually addressed to the Emperor or the Empire.”

“How about something less formal?” She thought for a moment, then touched her glass softly against his again. “Thank you. Thank you for getting us off that ship.”

She saw the flicker of surprise before he managed to hide it, but he only nodded.

“You’re most welcome. Although it is part of my job,” he added.

“What exactly is your job?” she asked suspiciously and he sighed.

“Sara, can we have a drink before you start questioning me?”

She grinned and took a healthy sip. The liquor carved a fiery path through her mouth and down her throat, but it left behind a lingering warmth that settled comfortingly into her stomach.

He seemed completely unaffected by his own sip and she frowned at him.

“This packs quite a kick.”

“Kick?” His lips curved. “I believe I understand the analogy, but I did warn you it was strong. If you would prefer something else…”

“No, it’s delicious. Strong, but delicious.”

She took another, much smaller sip, more prepared for the fiery rush, and enjoyed the way the warmth spread down to her toes.

“Shall we sit?” he asked.

The furnishings consisted of a low padded couch and two more elaborately carved chairs. She curled into a corner of the couch, expecting him to take one of the chairs, but after another one of those minimal hesitations, he joined her on the couch. Even though he only hesitated for a second, she had the feeling he had appraised multiple options before making his choice. And his choice was to sit next to her on the couch. Interesting.

“Tell me about how you were taken,” he said.

“I already told you in that interrogation room.”

“It is an interview room and you didn’t provide details.” He studied her face. “Does it… trouble you to discuss it?”

“I suppose not, but there really isn’t much to tell.”

She recounted the events in the park again, shivering as she remembered the unnatural quiet. He kept asking her questions, encouraging her to remember details she had barely noticed at the time. She continued to sip the liquor as they talked, and by the time he finished her glass was empty and the room was filled with a warm rosy glow.

He was frowning into space, so she reached out and nudged his thigh with her bare foot. Damn, there were some serious muscles beneath that robe. She wiggled her foot a little closer, and he looked down, his hand closing over her ankle. She had a sudden wickedly erotic image of him clasping her ankle exactly that way as he spread her legs and…

AS IF HE guessed what she was thinking, his hand tightened around her ankle. It didn’t hurt, but she knew she couldn’t escape that firm grasp unless he released her, and the thought sent another spike of excitement down her spine.

“What are you doing, little flame?”

“Just trying to get your attention. What were you thinking?”

Another one of those minimal hesitations, and then he accepted the change of subject.

“The abductions occurred in deserted locations and usually at either dusk or dawn.”

She nodded. “Because they’re being cautious. They don’t want anyone to see them.”

“Exactly. It argues a somewhat unusual degree of restraint.”

“I heard something on the ship,” she yawned, her eyes growing heavy.

“What did you hear?”

His voice was a low, soothing murmur. His hand was still wrapped around her ankle but his thumb was moving slowly and seductively across her calf.

“Mmm, that feels nice.”

The thumb stopped moving, but when she murmured a protest it resumed, traveling a little farther up her calf.

“What did you hear, little flame?”

“The captain wanted to sell us indivish… individish… by ourselves. More valuable.” Her words were starting to slur, but she did her best. “The bad one just wanted his profits.”

“What bad one?”

The thumb paused again, and she wiggled her leg impatiently, sliding further into that strong warm grip.

“Crot. The one who tried to rape Tammy. And me.”

The reminder made her shiver as Tanaca’s hand clamped down on her leg.

“He what?”

“I don’t want to talk about it. Be nice to me.”

She wiggled her leg again and this time his hand slipped up far enough to brush against the underside of her thigh. Her nipples tingled beneath the uniform top and she would have reached up to cover them, but she was just so tired.

Tanaca said something, but his voice was distant and far away. She came to her senses long enough to realize she was being lifted into the air and then held against a hard, warm chest. She snuggled closer.

“You smell good,” she whispered.

“Thank you, little flame.”

He sounded amused and she wanted to frown, but it was just too much effort.

“So do you,” he added, and she was whirling through the air again before being settled on a smooth, soft surface. A bed, she realized.

“Sleep,” he said softly. “We will talk again later.”

“Is that a promise or threat?” she murmured, and the last thing she heard before she fell asleep was the sound of his laughter.

CHAPTER SEVEN

Tanaca strode back to his quarters, his face so cold that any crewmember he passed ducked nervously out of his way. His amusement had vanished the moment he realized that he was considering joining Sara in her bed. Accursed human females. He knew better, and yet he had almost fallen prey to her games.

I’m being irrational, he decided as he entered his own quarters, and that irritated him even more. As much as he wanted to blame Sara, he was the one who had offered her the liquor. He was the one who had been unable to resist the temptation of caressing that pale, silky skin. And he was the one who had looked down at her in that big bed and wanted to lie down next to her and hold her while she slept. Perhaps even while he slept.

Ridiculous. He paced to his desk and back. He’d had sex of course, although usually in pursuit of knowledge rather than desire, but he had never been foolish enough to spend the night with a female. His mother had taught him at a very early age that one was vulnerable when one was asleep, and there had never been anyone who interested enough to take that risk.

His mother had also taught him just how manipulative a female could be but despite his initial irritated thought, he didn’t really believe that Sara was trying to manipulate him. She was far too direct. And he had achieved his objective—he had obtained additional information about the kidnapping. And about their time on the Ithyian ship.

His fists clenched as he remembered her words, and he stalked over to his comm panel to contact the officer in charge of the prisoners.

“Have you identified a member of the crew called Crot?”

“Yes, Lord Tanaca. He has been somewhat… resistant to obeying orders. He has been isolated.”

“Good. I’m coming to see him.”

He removed his robes and pulled on a plain dark uniform, slipping his knives into their sheathes before he pulled his hair back in a tight braid. He would have been amused by the way the guards shrank back when he entered the detention area, but he was too busy trying to control the icy flame of his rage.

“Where is he?”

“This way.” The officer gulped and led him to the plain metal cell. The Ithyian was shackled to the far wall.

“He refuses to cooperate,” the officer said nervously.

“It is of no consequence. I am not here to extract information.”

He walked into the cell and closed the door behind him. The Ithyian looked up and scowled.

“A fucking scholar? You think a fucking scholar is going to scare me?”

“You should be scared of scholars,” he said coldly as he pulled out one of his knives, the overhead lights gleaming on the slim metal blade. “We know a thousand ways to make you die, and even more to make you wish you were dead.”

“I’m not scared of that pretty little blade either,” Crot growled, but his eyes revealed the lie.

“You will be.” He put the blade to the male’s neck. “The best you can hope for is a quick death. Did you touch any of the human females?”

“So what if I did? They’re just useless little fuck—” The words ended in a howl of agony as Tanaca sliced a line down his chest.

“Let’s try that again,” he said coldly.

Perhaps fortunately, the Ithyian gave in more quickly than he expected and Tanaca kept his word—it was a quick death. He cleaned his knife on the male’s clothes and returned it to its sheath before exiting the cell.

“Dispose of the body,” he ordered.

“Yes, Lord Tanaca. Do you wish to interview any of the other prisoners?”

“No.” Although he had every intention of verifying with his female that no other male had attempted to rape her. His female?

Fuck. How could he have behaved so irrationally? Or was it irrational? Word of his actions would spread, and the resulting fear could be used to his advantage. He had also reinforced the Emperor’s command that human females were under the Empire’s protection. But despite his rationalization, he knew that none of those motives had been what had driven him. He had been driven solely by the desire to avenge his female.

His female—that was the part that was irrational. What was it about her? About any of them? Although he retained his conviction that she wasn’t deliberately trying to manipulate him, perhaps there was another explanation. As soon as he returned to his quarters, he sent for the ship’s chief medic. Quincit was an Autan, a tall serious male with a wide range of medical knowledge.

“Have you examined the human females?” he asked.

Quincit raised a brow.

“Not personally. I have reviewed the scans that were taken when they were brought on board, of course.”

“Did they reveal anything?”

“They are both undernourished, especially the smaller one. But as long as they are treated well, there should be no lasting effect.”

Ignoring the emphasis on the word well, he frowned at the other male.

“Is there anything unusual in their biology?”

“Humans are still relatively rare within the Empire, but nothing I have encountered so far is outside the normal range of creatures who breathe oxygen and function in what we consider livable atmospheres.”

“No unusual hormones? Or perhaps pheromones?”

Quincit raised both brows at that.

“Are you asking if their biology affects how other species react to them?”

When he gave a reluctant nod, Quincit shook his head.

“As I said, there is nothing to indicate that. Perhaps with further testing…”

“What kind of testing?”

“Examining their bodily fluids—blood, saliva, and so on. Those would be minimally invasive.” He looked at Tanaca, his eyes steady. “I would not consent to anything beyond that, and I would only agree to that much if the females were willing.”

“Does that mean there are other types of tests?”

“I would not consent to anything beyond what I have already stated.”

It was not a no, but the fact that the medic had taken such a firm stand made him pause. No matter how frustrated he might be by his unwanted attraction, he would not subject Sara – either female - to such experimentation.

“Very well. I will arrange for samples.”

“And willing consent to such samples,” Quincit added. “Although I believe it is unnecessary. The factors that influence attraction are rarely as simple as biology.”

“I understand,” he said impatiently. “I will notify you in the morning when it has been arranged.”

Quincit gave him a far too discerning look, but nodded and left without another word.

He’d done many things in defense of the Emperor and the Empire. Not all of them would be perceived as honorable, but they had not troubled him. His conviction that he was serving the Empire had overruled any doubts. But this one small thing, testing these females, disturbed the conscience he would not have said existed.

Nonsense.

He set his alarms and went to bed, but he did not sleep well. His dreams were filled with erotic images of Sara beneath him, smiling up at him as he gripped her ankles and spread those long, tempting legs.

He woke with an aching head and an even more aching cock to the sound of someone banging their fist against his door. By Napisten’s elbow, who had the nerve to make such a racket. If he had been thinking clearly, he would have known long before he snatched the door panel open and saw her.

Sara.

CHAPTER EIGHT

Holy hotness, Batman.

Sara’s mouth dropped open as Tanaca finally answered the door. He’d been hot before, clad in formal robes, but now all he was wearing was a pair of thin silk sleep pants, leaving miles of sculpted chest on display. His hair was in a wild tangle around that lean, ascetic face—a face that was currently neither cold nor controlled but clearly furious. She automatically dropped her eyes to avoid that fiery gaze and realized just how low his pants sat on his hips. The thin fabric also did little to conceal a very impressive erection. Morning wood? That was more like morning tree.

“What are you doing here?” he demanded.

As always, the challenge put her back up. She dragged her eyes away from that fascinating erection and glared at him.

“You got me drunk.”

“I did no such thing.” His eyes snapped past her to Officer Darta. “What are you doing here?”

“It wasn’t his fault,” she said quickly, putting her hand on Tanaca’s arm as if she had any hope of restraining him. “I told him you wanted to see me.”

“Y-yes, Lord Tanaca—” the male began, but Tanaca cut him off.

“Leave. Now.”

His voice was ice cold once more, but his eyes still blazed silver as they dropped to her.

“Inside.”

She obeyed, sliding past him nowhere near as gracefully as he bypassed her the previous day. Her hips accidentally brushed against his erection, and she felt it flex. Perhaps she should be afraid, but all she felt was excitement.

As soon as she heard the door panel close, she whirled to face him and found him right behind her. Their bodies were only inches apart and her heart started to hammer.

“I did not get you intoxicated,” he growled.

“Yes you did. You knew what that liquor would do to me.”

“As I remember, I warned you but you insisted.”

His voice had turned icy again, but when she risked a quick glance down, his erection had not diminished in the slightest.

“You knew I’d take it as a challenge,” she said, refusing to admit defeat.

“Did I? Then why didn’t you turn it down?”

She sighed, and her anger started to disappear. As much as she hated to admit it, he was right. But when she’d woken up in the bed, the memories of his hand on her leg and how she had snuggled against him had flooded over her. She’d been both embarrassed and aroused, and it had been easier to blame him than blame herself.

She scowled up at him, then reluctantly nodded.

“Yeah, you’re right. I should have known better.”

“You’re an intelligent female. Why did you take the drink?”

“You said we would be safe. I… trusted you.”

And wasn’t that a shocker? Trust wasn’t something she gave easily.

The heat in his eyes died away completely and he dipped his head.

“I am honored.” Then his gaze dropped to her bare legs. “I see you did not choose to take advantage of the clothing you requested.”

“What clothing?”

“The clothing that is now in your wardrobe. It was delivered via an internal transport system. No one entered your bedroom,” he added, obviously anticipating her objection.

“Oh. I mean, thank you. I didn’t even think to look.”

He leaned forward.

“Always think before you leap, little flame,” he murmured in her ear.

Her whole body shuddered as the warmth of his breath caressed the sensitive area. She was on the verge of doing something foolish like leaning into him when he straightened abruptly.

“You will remain for the morning meal,” he ordered. “I will arrange for an outfit to be brought for you while I am dressing.”

“You don’t need to do that on my account,” she said provocatively, annoyed by his rapid transition back to stern official.

“It is precisely on your account that I am arranging for clothing,” he said, vanishing through a set of doors on the far side of the room.

“Bastard,” she said without heat. “Always getting the last word.”

“Precisely,” he called from behind the door. “And I have excellent hearing, so don’t touch anything.”

She would have been tempted to pick up the nearest object and throw it at his closed door, except there were no objects. The room was almost completely bare. At one end of the room a huge desk stood in front of a bank of screens. The desk was a single slab of polished wood, beautifully polished and utterly bare. A matching piece of sculpture might have been a chair, but it had neither back nor arms.

The central part of the room contained a wide bench covered with white fabric. It appeared perfectly plain, but when she examined it more closely, she discovered an intricate pattern woven into the material. The only exceptions to the sterile decor were what looked like a roughly carved tree trunk that must serve as a coffee table, and a scroll hanging from the bare wall. On closer examination, the walls were not bare either—they were formed from panels of wood with a grain so subtle it was impossible to detect unless she was standing directly in front of it.

“I bet subtle is his middle name,” she muttered as she ran her hand down the smooth wood. It wasn’t an attribute that had ever applied to her.

“No. My middle name is Emez,” he said from directly behind her, and she squeaked.

“Stop sneaking up on me!”

“But you make such a delightful sound when I do.”

She glared at him, then deliberately changed the subject.

“Are those words on the scroll or just a pattern?”

“They are words in the old language.”

“So what does it say?”

“It is a saying attributed to Napisten—he who waits, perishes. It’s our family motto.”

A shadow crossed his face and he turned away.

“There is clothing waiting for you on the bed if you wish to change.”

“For your sake?”

“Perhaps.”

He had put on a plain black outfit, but it wasn’t the uniform the crew members wore. The cut was different, and it had a subtle elegance that enhanced his tall, lean figure. But despite the restrained clothing, the image of the way he had looked when he answered the door was permanently embedded in her brain.

“Then I suppose I’d better change.”

His bedroom was as minimal as his living area. A huge mattress covered in more plain yet expensive fabric rested on a low platform. The wall behind the bed was composed of gleaming dark wood and when she looked closer, she could see the faint pattern indicating it contained a series of different size compartments. She was extremely tempted to snoop, but decided not to push her luck.

She picked up the bundle of clothing on the bed and carried it into the bathroom. It was another beautiful, elegant space lined with natural stone tiles, but she was more interested in the functionality. She had a very quick wash, doing her best not to think about him walking in on her while she was naked. But despite her best efforts, her nipples were stiff little peaks by the time she pulled the upper part of the outfit over her head.

The top was a short vest with tiny embroidered flowers on a pale green background, fastened with matching flower buttons. The neckline came down farther than she would have expected, but given her minimal cleavage, she decided it didn’t make much difference. A soft, matching skirt was slit up each side to her upper thigh and felt wonderful floating around her legs.

“Much better,” she decided, straining to see herself in the ridiculously small bathroom mirror. The third piece of the outfit was a long white tunic type thing, but she wasn’t in the least bit cold so she tossed it back on the bed as she went to rejoin him.

“There. Is this better?” she asked triumphantly, twirling in front of him. To her surprise, his face hardened.

“Every time I convince myself that you are not a manipulative female, you do something like this,” he growled, stalking towards her.

CHAPTER NINE

Anger and lust fought for dominance in Tanaca’s head as he stalked over to the annoying female. His instructions for her clothing had been quite explicit: pretty, tasteful, and modest. Instead she had appeared in an outfit that was almost as erotic as the slave gown. The top of the vest dipped low enough to reveal the slight swell of her small breasts. The hem hovered just under her ribs, revealing a tempting patch of pale stomach between the vest and the skirt. The slits on the skirt rose high enough for him to catch a glimpse of long, curvy legs as she spun.

“Where’s the rest of it?” he growled.

She actually looked genuinely confused.

“You mean the tunic? It’s not cold enough to put anything over this.”

Napisten, give me strength.

“It is not an outer garment.,” he ground out between clenched teeth. “It is an undergarment. Which means it does under the outfit you are wearing.”

“Really? You thought I was going to wear a tunic underneath my dress?” Her eyes suddenly narrowed and she poked her finger at his chest, emphasizing her words. “Listen, buddy. I put up with enough of that from my parents. No one is going to tell me what I can wear. It’s pretty, it covers all the important bits, and I like it. So live with it.”

He opened his mouth, but before he could respond she hurried on.

“And considering your society doesn’t hesitate to parade women around those flimsy little white outfits, you can’t convince me that you’re that worried about modesty.”

She was correct. Correct that her outfit was perfectly appropriate—he had seen ladies of the court wearing far less—but also correct about the underlying hypocrisy when it came to the way slaves were treated in the Empire. Imperial law dictated that they be provided with sufficient clothing to protect them from the elements. It said nothing about protecting them from being on display.

“I apologize,” he said stiffly. “I have no right to judge your choices.”

“Especially when you’re the one who provided the choices.” Her expressive face suddenly softened. “Typical man.”

“I am not a man.”

“Okay—typical male.” She grinned up at him. “Now can we stop arguing and have breakfast?”

An unusual pang of guilt hit him as he was reminded of the medic’s words.

“Of course.”

He escorted her to the cushions that had been placed in front of the low table, but she gave the bench a longing look.

“Can we sit there instead? I’ve never been a big fan of eating on the floor.”

“Of course.”

He assured himself that the only reason he ended up sitting right next to her was so that he could assist her with the food choices.

“So what is all this stuff?” she asked, looking at the array of small dishes, each designed to perfectly present the food.

“This is rashat, with a simin sauce, topped with micro greens,” he began, but she laughed and held up her hand.

“Let’s make it a little simpler. Sweet? Savory? Salty?”

“There are… nuances.”

She rolled her eyes.

“I’m sure there are. Is there something that can pass for some kind of smoked meat?”

He silently handed her a dish of salt-cured deskar, forcing himself not to describe the heritage and technique. She took a cautious bite, then nodded enthusiastically.

“Perfect. Now wasn’t that much simpler?”

He shook his head, but he couldn’t completely control his expression and she grinned triumphantly.

“I saw that. You almost smiled.”

“I did nothing of the kind,” he said with as much dignity as possible. “What else do you enjoy when you break your fast?”

Despite her distaste for explanations, she turned out to have a surprisingly discerning palate. He found himself eating almost nothing, preferring to watch the variety of expressions crossing her face as she sampled each of the dishes. They were almost finished when she suddenly gave him a guilty look.

“Oh my gosh, Tammy. She was asleep when I left, but she’s probably awake by now. And hungry.”

“I sent Officer Vorkan to your quarters with food for her when she awakens.” He wasn’t entirely sure that it was the correct decision, but the other female seemed to trust the officer and hopefully that would encourage her to eat.

“He’s not going to mess with her, is he? I mean, take advantage of her?”

“He is waiting outside the door. When the system indicates that she has entered the living area, he will wait for permission to enter. Does that satisfy you?”

“You mean he won’t just go charging him like some people do?”

She gave him a challenging look, but he only shook his head.

“You said you had questions?”

“I do, mainly about this sanctuary planet of yours, but before that… what’s going to happen to the crew?”

“If you are concerned about the male who attacked you, you do not need to be. He will never bother another female,” he said grimly.

“Why not?”

“Because he is dead.”

Her eyes widened.

“Did you kill him?”

“Yes.”

He had no regrets about his actions, but he was suddenly concerned that she would be upset. His fierce little flame did not disappoint him.

“Good,” she said firmly, then hesitated. “But they’re not all bad. Patra tried to help. He lied to Crot to protect me, and he brought Tammy other food a couple times.”

“You care for this male?”

His voice would have frozen metal, and she gave him a startled look as she shook her head.

“Of course not. I just don’t think he’s as bad as the others. He doesn’t deserve to die.”

“Despite his… lack of cruelty, he was still involved in an activity that is expressly forbidden under Imperial law.”

“I know, but maybe he was desperate. I’m not saying he shouldn’t be punished, but I don’t think he should be killed.”

Despite his irritation at both her defense of the male and his own response, he forced himself to nod.

“I will consider the matter.”

“Thank you. Now tell me about the sanctuary planet.”

“I intend to take you to Sherae instead,” he said, deciding as he spoke. It was not an official sanctuary planet, but it would be safe for her.

“Sherae?”

“An ocean planet composed primarily of small islands. It has a temperate climate and a gentle populace. The ruler has also taken a human female as his consort.”

King Rastrath was also related to Emperor Karthajin, which meant that Tanaca would have reason to visit, but he decided not to mention that.

“That doesn’t sound too bad, I guess. Better than suburbia anyway.” Before he could ask, she hurried on. “What’s going to happen to the animals?”

“Most of them will be returned to their planets.” Eventually.

Her eyes narrowed, obviously picking up on his unspoken words.

“When?”

“When a ship is headed in that destination,” he said truthfully. “And as long as we can determine their point of origin—and as long as they are equipped to survive on their own. Some of them may simply have been bred to sell.”

“I see. So it’s not a quick and easy solution.”

He shook his head. “No, unfortunately not. But we will do our best to provide a safe environment for them until we can arrange for their return.”

“In that case, I want the cat creature from the cage next to me to stay with me until then.”

“The Orosz? They can be dangerous.”

“Dangerous? Don’t be ridiculous. Aqbar is a sweetie.”

“And you want to keep him with you?”

“I really do. He was a lot of comfort for me.”

He knew it was foolish. The animal was no doubt untrained and would wreak as much havoc as his—the female, he couldn’t resist that pleading look.

“Very well.”

She gave another one of those excited squeaks and threw her arms around his neck, her slender curves leaning against him as she pressed her lips against his. He had every intention of removing her. Soon…

But then she gave a soft little sigh and her lips parted. Unable to resist, he slipped his tongue into her hot little mouth. As soon as he tasted her sweetness, he was lost.

CHAPTER TEN

The impulsive thank-you kiss that Sara had intended rapidly flared into something completely different. Tanaca’s hand came up to hold her head in place as he took over the kiss. The firm pressure only added to her excitement, and she surrendered willingly to that demanding touch.

His other hand skated up her side, then closed firmly over her breast. She gasped into his mouth, and he gave a little purr of satisfaction as he took advantage of her open mouth to deepen the kiss. Those long fingers plucked at her nipple as she arched against him—and then his body suddenly tensed.

He pulled away, looking down at her with an expression she couldn’t read on his face, then gently but implacably unwound her arms from around his neck.

“I think you should leave,” he said coldly, rising to his feet and striding away from her.

She stared at his back in stunned silence for a moment before her shock was replaced by anger. What the hell had just happened?

Before she could demand an answer, a soft chime sounded. His back stiffened as he walked over to his desk and pressed a hidden control. Several of his monitors lit up, and he studied them briefly before finally turning back to her.

“These matters cannot wait. Do you require an escort back to your cabin?”

She really wished there was something in the cabin she could throw at him. Instead she gave him her sweetest and most artificial smile.

“No, thank you. I’m sure that there are plenty of crew members around if I get lost.”

“Sara—”

Another chime sounded. His frustration was easy to see as he looked from her to his desk, but she had no intention of waiting for him to make a decision.

“Bye now.”

She gave him a cheery wave and walked out.

As soon as the door closed behind her, she leaned against the wall, trying to bring her jumble of emotions under control. She was annoyed and frustrated and hurt - and embarrassed.

“Why should I be embarrassed?” she muttered. “He’s the one who kissed me back. And felt me up.”

“Err, Mistress Sara?”

The deep voice interrupted her mini rant. Wincing, she turned to find Vorkan standing behind her. For a seven-foot-tall demon warrior covered in brutal scars, he looked surprisingly embarrassed.

“Don’t mind me. I was just thinking aloud. Is something wrong? I thought you were giving Tammy breakfast.”

“I did, although she ate very little.” He shook his head, clearly concerned. “Tammy, I mean Mistress Tammy, was worried about you so I came to find you.”

“She doesn’t need to worry about me, but I’ll go back to the cabin right now.”

“You are sure that everything is all right?”

Those dark eyes were a little too discerning, but she pasted another artificial smile on her face.

“Everything is just peachy. That means it’s fine,” she added at his confused look.

He didn’t look as though he believed her but he didn’t pursue the subject, merely accompanying her silently back to her quarters. She opened the door, but he didn’t follow her into the room.

“Don’t you want to come in?”

“Yes. I mean, no. I want to, but… I mean, I shouldn’t…”

A frustrated look crossed his face and she nodded.

“I understand.” And she did—his jumbled explanation mirrored her own feelings about charging off to see Tanaca again and demanding answers. “Maybe you could bring some more food later? Tammy does need to eat.”

His eyes gleamed with an almost fanatical zeal.

“I will make sure that she has everything she needs.”

He saluted and marched off. She shook her head and closed the door, moving quietly through the main room to peek into Tammy’s bedroom. Her friend was lying on the bed, but her eyes were open so she knocked softly.

“Hey. Do you want some company?”

Tammy sat up and smiled at her. She was still too pale, but she no longer seemed as fragile as she had the previous day.

“Of course I do. Where were you?”

“I went to see the arrogant bastard.”

“You mean the sexy alien elf who can’t keep his eyes off of you?”

She couldn’t quite hide her rush of pleasure at the thought.

“I’m sure that’s not true. He watches everyone.”

Tammy shrugged.

“I noticed that, but you’re the one he was really focused on.”

She sighed and flung herself down on the bed next to her friend.

“Maybe, but he sure does run hot and cold.”

“Hot, hmm? Tell me all about it.”

“He kissed me. Well, I kissed him—just an innocent little peck—and then he really kissed me.” She fanned the air with her hand. “And he may be an arrogant bastard, but he’s the best kisser I ever met.”

“Do you think all aliens kiss?” Tammy asked thoughtfully.

“If they have mouths and it feels good, why not?” Nudging her friend’s leg, she grinned at her. “Did you have any particular alien in mind? Like a big scary-looking demon?”

“He’s not scary! And he’s not a demon.” Tammy glared at her, then blushed and looked away. “I’m sure I don’t know who you’re talking about.”

She waited silently until Tammy sighed.

“He makes me feel safe—which I know is crazy. He could probably kill me with his little finger if he wanted to.”

“But he doesn’t want to. Right now he seems determined to feed you.”

Her friend’s lips twitched, and then she giggled.

“I swear he watched every single bite I put in my mouth.”

“Maybe he was thinking about putting something else there,” she teased, then winced. Was it too soon?

But although Tammy blushed, she looked intrigued rather than scared.

“I can’t imagine. If he’s as big there as he is everywhere else…”

“I always say bigger is better. Not that I’ve had much experience with either lately.”

The image of Tanaca’s cock tenting his pants flicked through her mind. He was certainly bigger, and if his kiss was anything to go by, he would be better as well…

“I don’t believe it—you’re blushing.” Tammy giggled again. “Is there something you aren’t telling me?”

She sighed.

“No. He just kissed me and then he threw me out.”

“Really? No wonder you said he was a bastard.”

That immediately put her on the defensive.

“I really don’t think he is,” she said immediately. “He’s very busy. And I’m not sure he’s used to women.”

Tammy gave her a thoughtful look.

“You like him, don’t you?”

“Kind of,” she muttered.

“So to sum up, you like him and he likes you, but neither one of you want to admit it?”

“Do you really think he likes me? Never mind, don’t answer that. I feel like I’m back in high school.”

Except in her high school days, boys were quite out of the question.

“If we had a notebook, you could write S+T on the cover and draw a heart around it,” Tammy teased, and Sara pushed her over on the bed.

Then she flopped back next to her and stared at the ceiling. For a moment it had all felt so normal. Other than the minor detail that the men—males—they were discussing were aliens, they could have been back in her condo gossiping about their latest dates. She suspected Tammy felt the same way because her friend reached over and grabbed her hand.

“What’s going to happen to us, Sara?” she asked softly.

“Tanaca said he’s taking us to a planet called Sherae. He said it had a nice climate and lots of little islands so we might get our beach vacation after all.”

“But they’re just going to leave us there, aren’t they?”

“It sounds like it, but we’ll still be together. And Tanaca said he would try and find Rita too.”

Although she’d forgotten to ask him about her. Maybe she should go back…

The door alarm chimed.

Tanaca!

She jumped up, then noticed that Tammy had paled again.

“I’m sure it’s fine,” she said soothingly. “Bad guys don’t usually ring the bell. It’s probably just my annoying alien.”

Not that he seemed big on knocking either, but that didn’t stop her from hurrying to the door.

Instead of Tanaca, one of the red-skinned crew members stood there, bleeding from several nasty looking scratches as he held out Aqbar at arm’s length.

“Lord Tanaca said you wanted this… animal.”

Aqbar mewled and flew into her arms. She buried her head in his soft fur and burst into tears.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Tanaca started to drum his fingers on his desk, then forced himself to remain still. Even the slightest betrayal could provide ammunition to an opponent—and he was quite sure that Bartron, the leader of the Galactic Trade Alliance, was an opponent despite his smooth smile and ingratiating ways.

“I do apologize for the short notice, Lord Tanaca,” Bartron continued. “Of course, we completely understand if you are unable to attend.”

“On the contrary. As it happens, I am quite near to your sector. I will be happy to attend your council meeting.”

Bartron’s fist clenched, and Tanaca suppressed a smile—betraying indeed.

“I’m so glad,” Bartron lied. “But I must tell you that there are also a number of social events around the meeting, and I know you are not fond of such activities.”

“Not at all. I find them most… relaxing.”

They both knew it was a lie, but the merchant accepted his defeat with an almost genuine-looking smile.

“Then we will look forward to your presence.”

Tanaca closed the screen and sighed. Was he being foolish in attending? The messages he had received earlier indicated that something was brewing with the GTA, but none of his informants had any specifics. Even though the council would be on their guard, this would be a perfect opportunity to gather information directly.

Due to the timing of the event, the detour also meant that he would be unable to proceed directly to Sherae and rid himself of these dangerous human females.

Dangerously tempting, his inner voice prompted, even as his cock throbbed with frustrated desire. Every aspect of his life was about control, discipline, restraint—but none of them had been sufficient to prevent the memory of Sara in his arms from replaying over and over in his head. She had been so passionate, so unrestrained, and he’d wanted nothing more than to forget all of his duties and all of his responsibilities and carry her to his bed and explore every inch of that tempting body.

That knowledge had been what shocked enough sense into his head to stop kissing her. But when he told her to leave, the hurt on her face had felt like a knife in his guts. He still wasn’t entirely sure what he would have done if the comm hadn’t sounded.

Perhaps it was for the best. Perhaps his rejection meant that she would stay away from him for the rest of the voyage and he could concentrate on his mission. Although perhaps he should at least have the courtesy to inform her of the delay…

The door alarm chimed. He did his best to ignore the swift rush of desire when he saw she was outside.

“Come,” he ordered as he released the door lock, forcing his voice into its usual coldness.

“Interesting choice of words,” she muttered as she entered, and he wasn’t quite sure if she intended him to hear her words or not.

For the sake of his sanity, he ignored them.

“Mistress Sara. To what do I owe this honor?”

She glared at him.

“Mistress Sara? Really? Don’t you think that’s a little formal considering you had your tongue down my throat a few hours ago?”

Napisten save him, his cock immediately jumped at the thought of doing so again.

“I apologize for my lack of control,” he said stiffly.

“At least you didn’t try and blame it on my provocative clothing. But just to be on the safe side, I’m completely covered this time.”

For the first time he noticed what she was wearing, and he almost choked. She had put on the undertunic, and it was true that all of her skin was covered by fabric. But because the undertunic was designed to be worn under other garments, it was composed of a thin, silky material clung to every inch of her delicious body. He could see the stiff peaks of her nipples and even the small indentation of her naval beneath it.

“I do not believe you understand what that word means. You might as well be naked.”

She had the nerve to give him a taunting smile.

“I don’t see why you would care. You made it quite clear that you’re not interested.”

He rose and stalked towards her. She didn’t even have the grace to look afraid. Instead, he caught the sweet scent of her arousal. He stopped in his tracks, remembering his theory.

“Our medic wishes to examine you,” he said abruptly.

“Why?”

“To ensure your health.”

She shrugged. “I don’t think that’s necessary. I feel fine.”

“He wishes to take samples.”

“What kind of samples?”

“Blood, saliva, other bodily fluids. To make sure you’re… safe.”

“You have got to be kidding me.” She glared at him, then marched over to him, jabbing her finger at his chest again. “Listen to me, you arrogant bastard. Just because I’m human doesn’t mean I have cooties. If you don’t want to touch me, don’t touch me, but don’t expect me to let your doctor experiment on me.”

“I do want to touch you,” he ground out. “It’s… unnatural.”

She gave him a shocked look, then an unexpected smile spread across her face.

“Unnatural? You mean you’re having dirty, wicked thoughts about me? About what a primitive little human might feel like?”

The finger that had been poking him trailed lightly down his chest before hovering over his painfully engorged cock. Despite the teasing touch, her eyes were bright, her nipples ripe buds beneath the thin fabric, and the heady fragrance of her arousal filled his head.

“Yes,” he groaned and kissed her.

For one glorious second she kissed him back, then she grabbed his cock and twisted it, hard. Shocked, he released her, and she gave him a sweet, dangerous smile.

“That’s what a human feels like. I’m not some exotic little plaything.”

“That was not what I meant.”

“What did you mean?”

“It is… unnatural for me to have such thoughts about any female. I have devoted my life to the Empire. But you…” He refused to continue, drawing the shattered remnants of his dignity back around him as he stepped back. “Was there a reason for this visit?”

For once he couldn’t read the expression on her face, but to his relief, she accepted the change of subject.

“Yes, actually. First of all, I wanted to thank you for sending Aqbar to me.”

“I told you that I would.”

“And you kept your word. Don’t worry. I’m not going to kiss you again, but I am very grateful.”

He certainly did not regret her assurance that she would not kiss him again.

“You are most welcome. And the other reason?”

Her fingers plucked at her skirt as she looked down.

“How long will it be until we reach Sherae?”

“Longer than I originally intended. As a result of the communications I received this morning, I will be required to attend a gathering of the Galactic Trade Alliance. I apologize, but that will delay our arrival on Sherae.”

She shrugged.

“I’m not in any hurry to reach your sanctuary planet, no matter how appealing you tried to make it sound. But why the urgency?”

He hesitated, but decided there was no real harm in discussing his concerns.

“The Galactic Trade Alliance is a consortium of merchants. They have existed for many years, but they have risen into greater prominence—much greater prominence—over the past decade.”

“Is that suspicious?”

“Not necessarily. Since Karthajin became Emperor, he has encouraged a greater diversity of interests.”

“But you don’t like it?”

“They have complied with every Imperial law.”

“So they’re probably up to no good.”

She grinned at his startled look, and shrugged.

“Every time I researched a company with spotless credentials, I found some dirt had been swept under the rug.”

“You said you were a drama teacher.”

“Now.” She waved a casual hand. “But I started off as a stockbroker—until I realized that making a bunch of money didn’t make me any less trapped.”

Before he could ask any questions, she tapped her chin thoughtfully.

“And you think by attending this gathering you’ll be able to ferret out their secrets?”

“I am extremely good at detecting secrets,” he said stiffly, oddly insulted by the doubt in her voice.

She ignored him, still looking thoughtful.

“What’s going to happen at this gathering?”

“Their council will meet, and there will be some smaller business meetings as well as some social events.”

“Social events? You?”

He nodded reluctantly.

“It is not my preference, but I will use it as an opportunity to gather information. People are often more revealing in such circumstances.”

“Not when talking to a male who never smiles,” she said dryly, then suddenly grinned at him. “I know. You should take me with you.”

CHAPTER TWELVE

“Absolutely out of the question,” Tanaca said immediately, but Sara wasn’t going to be deterred that easily.

If she was going to be spending the rest of her life on some stupid little sanctuary planet, she might as well have some fun first. And the thought of spending more time with the annoying, sexy bastard didn’t exactly deter her.

“Why? You said yourself that you want information. Don’t you think people are far more likely to talk to someone who looks like he’s there to have a good time? Someone who brings a date?”

“A date?” he asked, shaking his head. “Don’t you realize they will assume you’re my human sex slave?”

“So?”

“It is against Imperial law.”

“That’s even better. If they think you’re acting illegally, they won’t be on their guard.”

“You are oversimplifying the situation,” he muttered. “But you have a point.”

“So it’s settled?”

He sighed, finally relenting. “Very well. I will make the arrangements for our departure tomorrow morning.”

She grinned, feeling a surge of excitement as she realized that she was going to have an adventure after all.

“I’m going to need more clothes. Unless sex slaves just walk around naked?”

Not that she had any intention of doing any such thing, but as she expected, the silver flared in his eyes.

“You will be fully clothed. In modest, appropriate clothing.”

“You mean like this?” His face hardened so she hurried on. “I doubt that modesty is the main consideration for a sex slave’s clothing, but maybe we can compromise. Where did the outfits you provided come from?”

“We have a replicator onboard that is capable of producing clothing.”

“How does it know what to make?”

“It has an extensive database of clothing styles.”

She was starting to recognize the slight indications he was uncomfortable with the topic, but she kept going.

“Okay, but how does it know specifically what to make?”

He sighed.

“I provided it with… suggestions, and then it used the scans from when you were brought on board to determine the correct sizes.”

“So you picked out my clothing?”

Yes, he definitely looked uncomfortable.

“I simply provided a few general instructions.”

Did he sound defensive? She really wanted to push him further, but she decided that would have to wait.

“So this time, I’ll provide the instructions. That is, do I need to be able to read your language?”

“Not really. I can show you what you need to know. Am I going to regret this?”

She patted his arm and smiled up at him.

“Not at all. I will be dressed as the perfect little human sex slave.”

He actually ground his teeth together.

“You will be accompanying me. That means I expect you to act with dignity and restraint.”

“Of course,” she said, giving him her most innocent smile.

“Napisten save me,” he muttered, but he still showed her how to use the replicator.

The process turned out to be a huge amount of fun. It even displayed a picture of her on screen so that she could try on the outfits digitally, like a life-size Barbie doll. Tanaca went to speak to the captain about the change in their course and when he returned, she was still playing with the replicator.

“Are you having issues with the replicator?”

“No. I was enjoying myself. In fact, I may have gone a little overboard,” she admitted, but he only shrugged.

“Most members of the Royal Court travel with vast quantities of luggage. I will arrange for it to be transferred to our shuttle.”

“We’re leaving this ship?”

“As you said, we want them to feel comfortable. I doubt they will feel that way with an Imperial battle cruiser on their landing field,” he said dryly.

“True.” She hummed thoughtfully. “What else can you tell me about this Galactic Trade thing? For that matter, about any kind of trade in the Empire?”

“Why?” he asked suspiciously.

“Partially because I’d like to have some idea of what we’re walking into. But also just because I’m interested in how similar it is to the way things are done on Earth.”

He studied her face for a moment, then nodded.

“Very well. More information is always helpful.”

He turned out to be a surprisingly good teacher—knowledgeable, thorough, and entertaining. Her background meant that she could quickly pick up on the information, and she enjoyed herself immensely until one of his damn alarms chimed and he sighed.

“That brings our lesson to an end.”

“I could wait,” she suggested, but he shook his head.

“Another time. I have to make preparations for our departure.”

“And I should go and tell Tammy what’s going on.”

He nodded and escorted her to the door.

“You don’t have to do this, little flame.”

“I know, but I really do want to go with you.”

She rose up on her tiptoes, and brushed a quick kiss against his mouth, then hurried away. Interesting. He hadn’t responded, but neither had he pulled away. Perhaps she was making progress after all. She danced back to the cabin happily anticipating the trip.

Tammy was nowhere near as sanguine.

“Are you sure about this, Sara?” she asked for at least the tenth time the next morning.

“Of course, I am. I think it’s going to be fun.”

“No, it’s not! It’s going to be dangerous. Maybe I should come with you.”

“Absolutely not. If anything happened to you it would be my fault. Again.”

“I keep telling you it wasn’t your fault. I wanted to find Rita too.”

“It was still my stupid idea that got you into this mess. Please just stay here where you’re safe. And watch over Aqbar for me,” she added, stroking his soft nose until he purred.

“I will.” Tammy sighed. “I just don’t like being separated from you—I keep thinking I’m never going to see you again.”

“Nonsense. I’ll be back before you know it.”

She hugged Tammy, gave Aqbar one last pet, and hurried out of the room before she burst into tears. She understood exactly what Tammy meant, but suspected that her friend would be much safer on the ship than at the GTA gathering. Oddly enough, she wasn’t worried about her own safety—she had no doubt that Tanaca would protect her.

But who will protect him, she wondered a short time later after they landed on Ratoria. As she walked next to him, her eyes demurely lowered, she couldn’t help noticing the number of suspicious and even hostile glances cast in his direction.

“Lord Tanaca.”

A pink skinned male came hurrying over to meet them as they entered a large, beautifully landscaped courtyard. Impressive buildings built from white stone surrounded the courtyard. Graceful balconies and cascades of flowering plants adorned their facades, and it all looked very peaceful and prosperous—too peaceful and prosperous. More like a movie set than a real place, she decided, remembering Tanaca’s comment about their records being too perfect.

“Leader Bartron,” Tanaca said coolly, and she gave the pink male a quick look from under her lashes.

He had a thick build and distinctly bovine features, but there was nothing dull-witted about his appraising glance, first at Tanaca and then at her. His eyes widened as he studied her, and she did her best not to react.

She had chosen a long coat in a dark brocade fabric with a high collar and wide, flowing sleeves. The collar, sleeves, and opening were all edged with a thin strip of red silk. The coat was every bit as conservative as Tanaca could have wished—but what she was wearing under it was not, and it was clearly visible since the coat was open down the front. Beneath it she was wearing an extremely skimpy halter top and thin, silky pants that sat low on her hips, both in the same red as the edging on the coat.

Tanaca had sighed when she appeared in the outfit, but the silver had flickered in his eyes and he hadn’t insisted that she change. She’d almost had second thoughts when she accompanied him to the shuttle and saw the way the crew members looked at her.

One of them had been Tammy’s Vorkan, but he had looked appalled rather than interested. Annoyed at the disgust on his face, she dropped back a pace behind Tanaca and bowed her head submissively. Slavery was part of his society, not hers.

She did the same thing now as the strange male studied her, dropping her head and keeping her face blank.

“I didn’t realize you had a human slave, Lord Tanaca.”

“Of course I don’t. That would be illegal. Sara is here of her own volition, aren’t you, pet?”

His hand closed around her arm in what would look like a warning grip to anyone else and she meekly bowed her head.

“Yes, Mas—I mean, Lord Tanaca,” she said softly.

“I see…” Bartron suddenly smiled, the wide, insincere smile of a used car salesman. “This should prove to be a very rewarding gathering for all of us.”

Bartron snapped his fingers and a small, meek looking male with blue fur hurried over.

“Show Lord Tanaca and his… guest to the Blue Suite.”

“Yes, sir. This way, please.”

The blue suite was quite literally blue from the dark blue patterned floor tiles to the blue damask wallpaper to the layers of blue pillows and blankets piled on the bed. The only bed, she noticed. Like the rest of the rooms, it was opulent almost to the point of excess, but it was still a beautiful room. The wide windows looking out over the surrounding gardens provided a welcome relief from the intense color.

As soon as their escort left, she shrugged off the coat, then turned to him and grinned.

“This is certainly—”

That was as far as she got before he put his hand over her mouth.

“Did I give you permission to speak?”

What the hell? She started to glare at him, and his fingers tightened warningly as he leaned closer.

“Follow my lead,” he breathed in her ear, the words barely audible.

As he pulled back, he casually brushed his finger across his mouth and then his ear. Ah. He suspected that the suite was bugged. As soon as she nodded, he removed his hand.

“You did not behave appropriately,” he said coldly.

She bowed her head. “No, Master. I’m sorry, Master.”

“Lord Tanaca. That is what you are to call me while we are here.”

“Yes, Lord Tanaca.”

“If you make any more mistakes, pet, I will be forced to punish you.”

Her shiver was not entirely acting, but it was not from fear. She enjoyed the thought of playing those types of games with him more than she should have done.

“I will give you the opportunity to make up for your behavior. You have my permission to wash me. If you please me, you will be rewarded.”

“Yes, Lord Tanaca,” she murmured submissively, even though her pulse was racing. He didn’t really mean for them to shower together, did he?

Apparently he did, because when she followed him meekly into the adjoining bathing facility, he turned on the numerous sprays in the very large shower and then turned to her.

“Remove my clothing.”

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

She really is an excellent actress, Tanaca thought, watching Sara as she stood at the entrance to the bathing room, the picture of a subdued female. Only the sparkle in her eyes gave away how much she was enjoying herself, and hopefully any hidden cameras would not pick that up.

To her credit, she didn’t hesitate at his command. She walked over to join him, her hips swaying provocatively.

“Yes, Lord Tanaca.”

The meek tone didn’t match the teasing look in her eyes, but the combination was even more appealing and his cock stiffened. He did his best to ignore it as she carefully removed his robes, her fingers trailing over the thin shirt he wore beneath it. She leaned closer as she carefully unfastened each button down the front of his shirt, her breath warm against his skin despite the steam beginning to fill the air.

Her hands were on his belt before he decided that there was enough steam in the room to obscure any visual images and put a restraining hand over hers. Instead, he pulled her closer and bent down to whisper in her ear. To a casual observer, they would appear to be embracing, especially since she leaned into him, her silk-covered breasts a tantalizing pressure against his chest.

“That’s far enough,” he murmured in her ear.

“Are you sure? I’m happy to keep going.”

This female was going to be the death of him.

“It is not necessary. The steam will interfere with a visual feed, and other types of scans will only detect that our bodies are close together.”

Her eyes widened.

“Do you really think they would go that far?”

“Yes. I would expect both visual and auditory surveillance. For now, the steam and the sound of the water should cover our conversation. Afterwards, I will use this.” He showed her the small button-like object on his belt as he pulled it free. “This is one of the most powerful anti-surveillance devices available.”

“So you can disable all the monitors?”

“Only partially. There are… nuances.”

“Of course there are.” She rolled her eyes, but smiled up at him encouragingly. “Go on. Tell me about the nuances.”

“They know I will expect this suite to be under surveillance. They will also expect me to disable those monitors, so they will have planted an initial set of easily detectable devices. I will disable those, along with a few of the ones they did not expect me to find—but I won’t disable all of them.”

“Hmm. Because it gives you a chance to feed them false information?”

He couldn’t help an approving nod. Clever little female.

“That’s one reason. The other reason is that it gives them the illusion of superiority. And an enemy who thinks he is superior is far more likely to make mistakes.”

“That makes sense. As you said, nuances.”

“Yes. Now we will shower.”

“We will? But…”

“I have not disabled anything yet. I wish to give the impression that I am so eager to indulge my… appetites that I haven’t bothered to take those precautions.”

A statement that was a little too close to the truth for his peace of mind.

She gave him a thoughtful look, then shrugged.

“I suppose if we must, we must.”

Her hands went to the back of her top, tugging at one of the thin straps that kept it in place.

“Stop that,” he ordered, his hand clamping down over hers. He almost groaned at the feel of all that warm, naked skin, but he made himself concentrate.

She gave him a wide-eyed innocent look that he didn’t believe for a moment.

“You just said we were going to take a shower. Don’t you want me naked?”

Yes. He forced himself to shake his head instead.

“It is unnecessary if there are no direct images.”

“But fun.”

“Enough,” he growled.

He turned her towards the shower, snacking the soft curve of her ass. She jumped and gave one of those tantalizing little squeaks, but then she gave him a provocative look and he caught the sweet scent of her arousal.

“I’m not sure that’s the best way to encourage me to behave.”

Fuck.

His expression must have given him away, because she grinned and tugged on his hand.

“Please let me have the honor of washing you, Lord Tanaca,” she said in a normal voice, obviously intending the words to be overheard.

He followed her into the shower and immediately realized he had made a mistake. He had assumed that leaving their clothing on would render the situation less provocative. It did not. As soon as the water streamed down over her body, the thin silk became almost translucent, clinging so tightly to her skin that he could detect the areolae surrounding her stiff little nipples.

The material of his pants was thicker, but not thick enough to conceal the rigid outline of his cock beneath the wet fabric. Her eyes dropped down to it, and then her small pink tongue traced her lips. He didn’t even think she was trying to be seductive, but it didn’t stop his body from reacting.

“Where’s the soap? I can see I have a lot to wash,” she murmured softly.

He silently handed her the soap, forcing himself to remain motionless as she ran those graceful hands over his back and arms, then swirled them over his chest and abdomen. Her fingers skated along the edge of his pants, and then she dropped abruptly to her knees.

He almost protested, but she gave him a warning look as she started moving over his still cloth covered legs. She was right—in the scenario he had created, this was the logical progression.

I must have been mad.

How had he not considered the effect it would have on him as she slid her hands over his ass, as she nuzzled her face against his aching erection? Despite the fabric separating them, he could feel the soft pressure of her face against his cock. When she actually nipped his shaft through the fabric, he’d had enough and hauled her to her feet, barely remembering to keep her pressed against him.

“No,” he growled in her ear.

“Didn’t you like it?”

Despite the challenge in her words, her face was flushed, her nipples like tiny pebbles against his chest. She was aroused, he realized, and that only fueled his own excitement. He pushed her against the shower wall, trapping her there with his body.

“It is not an act I enjoy,” he said truthfully, although the thought of her sweet little mouth surrounding his cock made him even harder as he began rocking against her.

“Why not? It’s not forbidden or anything is it?” she asked, then moaned as his cock lodged between her thighs, rubbing against her delicate folds.

“No. Now act as if you’re climaxing.”

“It won’t be an act if you keep that up,” she gasped.

He couldn’t resist. He lifted her higher up against the wall, gripping her ass as her legs came up to circle his waist. Even through the fabric still separating their bodies, he could feel the heat of her cunt against his throbbing erection. Her eyes widened as it began vibrating against her and then her nails bit into his shoulders as she climaxed with a long wailing cry.

Her ecstatic expression, the heady scent of her arousal, the way she clung to him - it was too much and he shuddered as his own release followed hers, escaping his control for the first time since his adolescence. He cradled her against him as his body quieted, biting back the words of praise, of satisfaction.

“Mmm,” she whispered, her fingers buried in the long strands of his hair. “That was amazing.”

As much as he wanted to agree, he couldn’t encourage this feeling of closeness, of… vulnerability.

“An excellent performance,” he said coldly.

Her fists clenched in his hair, tugging painfully.

“Have I mentioned that you are an arrogant bastard?” she whispered angrily, then deliberately rocked against his diminishing erection. “And that’s certainly not soap on my stomach. You enjoyed it too.”

He sighed as he lowered her back to her feet and saw that he had indeed left traces of his seed on her pale stomach. The sight of it pleased him much more than it should have done and he almost protested when she turned to wash it away. Instead, he joined her, sliding his arms around her from behind and running his hands over the soft swell of her stomach. He wished he were rubbing his seed into her skin instead of washing it away.

“I don’t believe enjoy is the right word,” he said quietly. “But you are correct. I was an equal participant.”

Her tense body softened.

“Why do you do that? Push me away?”

“It is not safe for anyone to be close to me.”

The words came out more truthfully than he intended, but she didn’t answer. She sighed and leaned back against him, letting him wash her stomach. It wasn’t until his thumbs brushed the undersides of her breasts that he realized he was lingering far too long.

“You should dress for the banquet,” he said, raising his voice slightly. “I expect you to look and behave correctly.”

“Of course, Lord Tanaca.”

She stepped out of the shower, then gave him a defiant look as she immediately removed the wet outfit. Fuck, she was beautiful, all long, slender curves. Her skin was still flushed and glowing from the shower, her stiff nipples like tempting little berries atop the small mounds of her breasts. A tantalizing patch of dark red curls veiled her delicate cunt.

He couldn’t tear his eyes away, and she let him look, even though the flush on her face increased, spreading down over her neck and chest to the top of her beautiful breasts. Very deliberately, he turned off the water and joined her, picking up one of the waiting towels and wrapping it around her body. He smoothed it over her skin, drying her as she quivered under his touch.

“You are playing with fire, little flame,” he warned softly as he ran the towel across her breasts.

“Fire? Or ice?”

Despite her response to him, she still gave him a challenging look, and he couldn’t help smiling.

“Perhaps both. Now go and get dressed.”

“If you insist.”

She started to turn away, then frowned up at him.

“Do you really not enjoy blow jobs?”

“Blow job?”

“My mouth on your… you know.”

She gestured downwards, and once again his body reacted to the idea. He wanted to repeat his earlier denial, but found himself telling her the truth instead.

“It is a… vulnerable act.” One that left him feeling as if he were not in control.

She nodded thoughtfully.

“I can see that. And this is probably not the time.” She headed for the bedroom, then gave him a provocative look back over her shoulder. “Of course, I don’t mind being vulnerable in the least.”

At the thought of burying his face between her legs and feasting on her sweet cunt, his cock throbbed so painfully that he felt dizzy. He must have revealed something of his reaction in his expression, because her smile only grew larger before she walked away.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

By the time they returned to that suite later that evening Sara knew Tanaca was in a towering rage, even though he had only grown icier and more frigid as the night progressed. Since she knew she was at least partially responsible, she supposed she should feel guilty. Instead, she felt oddly expectant.

It began with the dress she had picked out for the evening. The front was innocent enough—a simple sheath of dark green satin with a draped neckline that dipped low enough to hint at her breasts but didn’t reveal too much—and he gave her an approving nod. And then she turned around. The back of her dress was also draped, but it dipped down so far that her entire back was exposed from her neck to the upper swell of her buttocks.

“Absolutely not,” he hissed.

“It’s perfectly respectable.”

She kept her voice equally low. He’d disabled all of the visual monitors but left two audio signals in place.

“Respectable? If you think for—”

Before he could tell her what she thought, a discreet knock heralded the servant to escort them to the banquet. Tanaca’s face immediately assumed its usual icy expression as he nodded and put his hand on her back to escort her.

Oh my. The feel of that big warm hand low on her lower back immediately made her nipples stiffen. She hadn’t anticipated that the dress would be as arousing for her as she hoped it would be for him. Her skin quivered under his hand, and he looked down at her, his lips curving slightly. Then his hand slipped lower, resting against the upper swell of her buttocks.

“Two can play at this game, little flame,” he murmured.

That was the last time he showed any hint of humor. The banquet was served in a long rectangular room. Instead of tables, low couches lined both sides of a pretty fountain with the guests reclining on the couches like ancient Romans—alien Romans. She noticed from under her lashes that sometimes the guest’s dining partner would be next to them but more frequently, their partner would be on a pile of cushions in front of their couch. When their guide escorted them to the couch next to Bartron, cushions were waiting for her.

Bartron greeted Tanaca cheerfully as she did her best to lower herself gracefully to the cushions. Although it was obvious that the position indicated her presumed status, she didn’t really mind. It gave her an opportunity to observe the other guests—and Tanaca was a reassuring presence behind her. She curled up and prepared to enjoy the evening.

A succession of servants began circulating, offering platters of food, none of which she recognized. A vast array of alien delicacies was presented, from dishes of glowing iridescent fruits to savory morsels that burst into color when touched with a fork, each housed in a vessel designed to enhance the contents.

The dishes were offered first to Tanaca, and he indicated which ones should then be presented to her. Everything he chose for her was delicious, but by the time she was offered a selection of sweets coated in delicately spun webs, she was feeling both full and overwhelmed. She shook her head and took another sip of the tangy sparkling juice Tanaca had handed her.

Her head was spinning, and she leaned back against the chaise. His hand immediately dropped to her shoulder, his fingers lightly stroking her bare neck, and she shivered.

Up until then the conversation had been mostly light and humorous, gossip about people and places that were strange to her, along with an occasional complaint about prices or markets. She’d also heard a few muttered comments about “primitive” humans, but she’d done her best to ignore them.

Tanaca had been icily courteous, although he’d contributed little to the conversation. But she’d also noticed the way his cool gaze would occasionally focus on a speaker, clearly making notes in that impressive brain of his. His gaze had also frequently dropped to her, and every time it did, warmth hummed through her veins. She couldn’t decide if it was a challenge or a promise, but she was ready for either.

As the dishes were cleared away, another tray was offered—this one with small crystal glasses filled with… smoke? Intrigued, she reached for one, but Tanaca intercepted her.

Bartron gave his false hearty laugh.

“Bad manners, of course, but you should let your pet try it. It seems to have a very positive effect on these humans.”

Tanaca’s hand tightened almost imperceptibly around hers, but she understood the implication. It wasn’t the first time the merchant leader had been around human slaves.

After another one of his minimal hesitations, Tanaca shrugged.

“I have never found such enhancements necessary, but I am curious. You may drink, pet.”

The reminder of her role annoyed her, but she gave him her sweetest smile as she took the glass. How did one drink smoke? She raised the glass cautiously to her mouth and let the smoke slide over her tongue. As soon as it touched her skin, it melted into a smoky liquid that flowed down her throat like liquid honey, leaving a sweet fire lingering in her mouth. She licked her lips to catch every drop and saw the silver flicker in his eyes.

The room seemed to tilt and Tanaca’s face became blurry for a moment. She swayed, shocked at the intensity of the sensation as the glass slipped from her fingers. He immediately lifted her onto the chaise, settling her against him as he turned back to Bartron.

“I trust this will not cause any harm,” he said, his voice icy.

“Of course not. Why risk damaging such valuable merchandise?” The merchant’s eyes traveled over with a lecherous look that made her skin crawl. “And I assure you it will only improve with time.”

Improve? What did he mean? The question seemed too much for her spinning head, so she nestled back against Tanaca instead. Mmm, he felt so good. Smelled so good. Each time she inhaled his delicious scent another surge of excitement coursed through her. Her nipples were so hard they ached, and her swollen clit pulsed with each breath.

She wiggled a little closer, delighted to feel the thick bar of his erection behind her. When they were in the shower, it had actually vibrated. How did that work? Did he have a switch somewhere she could turn on? She giggled at the thought and tried to wiggle again. His arm clamped her in place, but the firm restraint only added to her arousal and she tried to reach behind her to grab his cock. He tightened his grip and she heard Bartron laugh again.

“She’s at the ideal stage. You should take advantage of it.”

“As much as I appreciate my pet’s… enthusiasm, I never put pleasure before business. Tell me more about your proposal.”

Tanaca’s voice was as cold as ever, but his body wasn’t. His warmth surrounded her, oddly comforting in spite of the waves of desire that kept washing over her. Each time it hit, she would try and move, try and touch him, but he had her wrapped so tightly in his arms that the only satisfaction she received was the massive erection pressing so delightfully against her ass.

The waves began to diminish, replaced by a vast weariness. She yawned and tried to snuggle closer, not to seek out his cock but simply to sleep. His arms loosened as she tucked her head against his chest and closed her eyes.

“I look forward to seeing your projections.”

Tanaca’s voice penetrated her sleepy daze, and she realized he had risen with her in his arms.

“I’m sure you will find them satisfactory. I hope our conversation didn’t last too long for you to take advantage of the fusta smoke.”

“Don’t worry. I intend to take full advantage of my pet.”

His voice was an icy, threatening purr and she shivered, becoming more fully conscious. By the time he carried her back to their suite and closed the door behind them, she was completely awake.

He let her slip to the ground, looking down at her with a burning silver gaze - a mixture of anger and lust.

“Well, pet? Are you going to follow through after rubbing your luscious little ass against me all evening?”

It really wasn’t a difficult choice. She’d wanted this since the moment he’d stalked into the interview room, all cool, muscled elegance, and pinned her with that silver gaze.

“Yes,” she whispered, and reached for him.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Tanaca intercepted Sara’s hand, his anger beginning to fade as he pulled her closer and wrapped her arm around his waist. Most of his rage was not directed at her, although she certainly hadn’t helped matters with that cursed gown that revealed her vulnerable, elegant back. He could all too easily envision her on her hands and knees in front of him, her naked back exposed as he plunged his cock deep into her tight little cunt.

No. He couldn’t do this. Wouldn’t do this. He had long ago chosen a solitary path. Or had it forced upon him, an inner voice argued, but either way it was too late. His world of politics and deadly intrigue was not a suitable place for a fragile human female.

She nestled against him, rubbing her face over his chest with a contented little hum, but her pretty little nipples were still temptingly erect and the heady sweetness of her arousal had not diminished. She’d almost driven him mad with desire at the banquet, her soft curves and tantalizing fragrance an impossibly tempting distraction as he forced himself to listen to Bartron’s overblown promises and evasive answers.

He was more convinced than ever that the GTA was involved in the human slave trade, but Bartron was far too wily to admit to anything openly. He was actually surprised by how much the other male had revealed, but it appeared that Sara had been right—appearing with a human slave on his arm had certainly loosened the male’s lips.

But right now, he was far more interested in the tempting female in his arms. He stroked his hand down her back and beneath the fabric to grip the soft curve of her ass.

She gave a startled little mewl which went straight to his cock and pressed closer.

“You’ve been a very naughty little pet,” he growled, not entirely for the sake of any listeners.

“I’m so sorry, Master. Please let me make it up to you.”

Her eyes sparkled up at him as she reached between them and tried to close her hand around his cock. This time he let her, enjoying the feel of those long graceful fingers clasping him far too much.

“Do you really vibrate?” she whispered. “Or did I imagine that?”

In response, he let his cock pulse in her hand. Her eyes widened, and she wiggled against him like an excited pet. Would she move the same way when he was embedded inside her?

No, he reminded himself. He was not going to go that far. On the other hand, another climax would only add to the illusion they were creating. He lifted her into his arms, letting her rest directly over his lightly vibrating cock. She moaned, and by the time he reached the bed, he suspected she could come from that alone but he had other things in mind.

He dropped her onto the bed, tearing off that torturous dress in the process.

“You ripped my dress,” she muttered as he stripped off his own clothes.

“Yes. You’re lucky I didn’t set it on fire after all the agony it caused me.”

Her eyes sparkled again as he joined her on the bed.

“You didn’t like it?”

“You know exactly how much I liked it—but I can see we need to have another discussion about appropriate clothing.”

She giggled and he kissed her, not the hard, punishing kiss he’d originally intended, but lightly, playfully, as if they were actually lovers rather than actors. The thought made him stiffen, but she reached up and tangled her fingers in his hair, giving it a gentle tug.

“Stop thinking. It’s just the two of us.”

“And whoever is listening,” he said dryly, but he did let himself relax a little and she smiled up at him.

“Now where should we begin?”

“We are not going to begin anywhere. I am going to start with these very tempting little breasts.”

She bit her lip.

“They are kind of small.”

“They’re perfect.”

He proceeded to prove it, worshiping each breast until she was panting and clinging to him. He moved lower, his tongue teasing the sensitive skin as she urged him on. He gently urged her legs apart, exploring her with his fingers and mouth. Her sweetness flooded his tongue as he licked every inch of her delicate folds, and she cried out.

“Good girl,” he purred, smiling when she shuddered and bucked against him.

He had also pleasured a female before, but never for any reason except to gain information or some other advantage. With Sara the only things he wanted—he needed—were her exclamations of delight, her soft voice calling his name, her beautiful body writhing against him as she succumbed to the pleasure he had given her.

“Again,” he demanded, probing her small entrance with his finger.

When he slipped inside, the tight, wet heat almost made him give in to his own desire, but this was about her. Ruthlessly ignoring his aching cock, he concentrated on her reactions. He had never mapped an intelligence campaign as thoroughly as he mapped her responses, learning each place that made her shiver, made her cry out, made her convulse in pleasure so intense that she clamped down on his finger with an almost painful pressure.

When he finally relented, her body was completely limp and relaxed, a smile playing around her pretty mouth as he moved back up the bed and pulled her into his arms.

“Now sleep, my flame.”

He expected her to fall asleep immediately, but as she settled into his arms, her knee brushed against his erection and she suddenly frowned.

“What about you?”

“I’m fine.”

“No, you’re not. You’re still as hard as you were earlier. I don’t think it’s good for someone to have an erection that lasts that long.”

“It is irrelevant. Physical discomfort does not matter.”

Those intelligent green eyes were suddenly far too alert.

“But I don’t want you to be uncomfortable, especially since you made me feel so good.”

She shivered reminiscently as she spoke, and he almost groaned as those soft curves rubbed against his sensitized body. Her hand drifted over to his cock again, and although he put his hand over it, he didn’t quite have the self-discipline to remove it.

“I do not want to complicate this situation with intimacy. Additional intimacy,” he added when she gave him a skeptical look.

“There are levels of intimacy,” she said softly, her fingers massaging his aching cock. “Do you trust me?”

He honestly did not know how to answer her. His… heart did, but his brain had been so conditioned to suspect everyone and everything that he couldn’t force out an agreement.

“Somewhat,” he said eventually.

He expected her to be annoyed, but for once her fiery temper didn’t erupt. She smiled instead.

“I suppose that’s a start. Tell me if this hurts.”

He knew she was teasing him, but his fists clenched in the sheets anyway. She shook her head, the silky strands brushing drifting over him as she bent down and pressed a kiss to his chest, her mouth infinitely tender. He tensed even more, but he didn’t stop her as she worked her way slowly down between his pectorals and then further down across his abdomen.

His cock jerked with every kiss, pearls of liquid glistening on the tip by the time she reached it. She very delicately lapped at it and his whole body shuddered.

“Ssh,” she murmured, as if soothing a nervous animal.

He would have smiled if he hadn’t been so completely focused on the erotic sight of that small pink tongue gliding up and down his shaft. She replaced her mouth with her hands, caressing his shaft, as she lifted her head.

“Ready?”

Her eyes sparkled, watching his face as she leaned down and enclosed the entire head of his cock in the hot, tight, wet haven of her mouth, and he was lost. His hips bucked as his release crashed over him, pulse after pulse of seed erupting as she swallowed eagerly, taking every last drop until his body went limp.

His mind was blank, empty, filled with white static, as she pressed one last kiss to the sensitive head and slid back up to snuggle against him.

He had thought she was dangerous? He’d been wrong. She wasn’t dangerous—she was lethal, and yet he couldn’t prevent himself from pulling her closer as he fell asleep.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Tanaca was gone when Sara woke the next morning, but she wasn’t entirely surprised. He had woken her twice more during the night, feasting on her like a starving man as he wrung climax after climax from her exhausted body. He hadn’t let her touch him again. Remembering the unexpected vulnerability on his face the first time, she hadn’t pushed him. Although she really would have enjoyed waking him up with her mouth on his cock.

Sighing, she went to take a shower. Her nipples were still pink and swollen, as were the soft folds between her legs, but it only made them more sensitive and she returned to the bedroom feeling achy and aroused. Although she briefly contemplated the idea of taking care of the arousal herself, she decided to get dressed instead. She suspected her own hand would be a poor substitute for Tanaca’s amazing mouth.

After a quick search through her clothes, she selected a flirty, but not too provocative, blue dress that skimmed lightly over her minimal curves before flaring out around her upper thighs. After inspecting herself in the mirror, she nodded approvingly, then gave the room a resigned look. Now what?

She could almost hear Tanaca’s voice telling her not to go looking for him, and after the looks she’d received the previous day, she decided it was better to stay put. For a while she amused herself by looking out the window and watching the people scurrying around in the gardens below. They all seemed very industrious despite the peaceful surroundings, some rushing along on unknown errands and others deep in conversation.

Directly below her was a terrace surrounded by tall flowering shrubs that separated it from the rest of the gardens. She was studying it idly when Tanaca walked out. He wasn’t wearing his robes today, just the severe black uniform that accentuated his tall, lean figure, and her heart skipped a beat. Damn. This was not good. He’d been quite clear that her destination was a sanctuary planet while he would be returning to the court. But despite that knowledge, she was developing feelings for the sexy bastard.

Developing? She suspected that ship had long since sailed, but she had to try to maintain some distance between them. Despite that resolution, she began searching for a way to open the window and call down to him. Before she found it, a second figure walked out onto the terrace. Bartron.

She definitely didn’t want to attract his attention, and she took a step back as she watched them. They sat down together amiably enough, and she saw Tanaca choose some fruit from the platter Bartron offered him. At least he was getting some breakfast. She sighed and moved away from the window.

The next time she looked they were both gone, leaving her both bored and restless—and a tiny bit worried that Tanaca still hadn’t returned.

A timid knock sounded on the door just as she was on the verge of doing something foolish like going to look for him.

“Come in.”

A young female entered, a servant based on her simple dress, but a very pretty one. She had pale lavender skin and white hair that drifted around her head as if blown by a non-existent breeze.

“Master Bartron wishes you to join him for the noon meal,” the girl said softly.

“No, thank you. I prefer to wait for Tan—for my own master.”

The girl looked taken aback by her firm refusal and took another step into the room, casting a nervous look over her shoulder.

“He doesn’t like to be refused.”

“And my master likes for me to remain where he left me.”

The girl was clearly growing more upset, and Sara watched in fascination as her hair started to writhe, mimicking her agitation.

“Please, Mistress. Your master is there as well.”

“He is? Why didn’t you mention that before?” At least that made sense. The two of them had been together the last time she’d seen him.

“You should have said that to begin with,” she said impatiently. “Let’s go.”

The servant led her down two floors before halting in front of a pair of tall double doors. Once again the girl knocked timidly, then opened the door.

“I have brought her, Master.”

“Excellent.” Bartron gave her his wide used car salesman smile, but for the first time she noticed just how sharp his teeth were. “Have a seat.”

The fake geniality didn’t disguise the fact that it was clearly intended as an order, but she hesitated.

“I thought Tanaca—my master was here.”

“He is, but he is attending to some other business right now.”

Bartron’s eyes traveled over her with a lasciviousness that made her regret choosing the short dress. Perhaps she should have listened to Tanaca’s dictates about modest clothing.

“Sit down,” Bartron said again as the servant left, closing the door behind her.

This time it was quite clearly an order. She didn’t like it, but she obeyed, trying to assume her submissive act. It was a lot harder without Tanaca’s reassuring presence. She pretended not to see Bartron’s outstretched hand and perched gingerly on the edge of one of the ornate chairs flanking the couch. He muttered something under his breath, but when she looked up he was smiling.

“Why don’t you have something to eat while you wait?”

There was a platter of fruit on the low table and her stomach rumbled. She hesitated, but fruit seemed safe enough and she remembered watching Tanaca eat some of the small fruits that looked rather like orange grapes. She chose one and popped it in her mouth. It didn’t taste like a grape at all, more like a banana, but it was very tasty, and at Bartron’s urging she ate several more.

“How long have you been with Master Tanaca?” he asked a few minutes later.

“Not long… enough,” she said, feeling suddenly confused.

“Where did you come from?”

“From Earth. Taken by Ith… Ithyi…” She frowned as she stumbled over the word.

“You were taken by an Ithyian ship? I see. They are a little crude, but quite effective. Was that a recent acquisition?”

She had a feeling she shouldn’t tell him, although she couldn’t quite remember why not.

“Don’t know. Time is blurry.”

He chuckled, and the sound sent a chill down her spine.

“It is about to become even more so. Now let’s try this again. How long have you been with Tanaca?”

Before she could answer, there was another knock at the door, this one far more peremptory than the servant’s.

“What is it, Sarlat?” Bartron snapped as the door opened and another alien stepped inside. He was a new species—a very large species with brown fur and sharp horns curling over the top of his head.

“Are you a minotaur?” she asked, the words emerging without conscious decision.

The stranger gave her a brief glance but ignored her question, focusing on Bartron.

“We may have an issue, Leader Bartron.”

“Can’t it wait? I hired you to handle… issues, and I am occupied.”

“Yes, sir,” the minotaur answered, his face unreadable. “But it’s about the ship.”

Bartron swore, looked at her, then rose to his feet.

“I’ll come with you. She’ll be ready when I return.”

“Ready? Ready for what?” Her voice sounded odd, distant and far away, and he gave her that shark-like smile.

“Anything I want.”

She stared after him as the two males left the room. Anything he wanted? Who did he think he was? And where was Tanaca? She rose to her feet, her legs feeling strangely rubbery, and stumbled across to the open doors that led out onto the terrace. There was no one outside and she fought back the sudden urge to cry. Where had he gone?

“Come out, come out, wherever you are,” she sang as she wandered around behind Bartron’s desk to see if Tanaca was hiding there, then giggled at the thought of someone as big as him hiding there,

So big. All over. She sighed. This game was no fun at all. She was about to go and get some more of that yummy fruit when she noticed that one of the panels in the wall behind the desk was slightly askew. It reminded her of the kind of secret door she would have built into a stage set, and she giggled again.

“Shcret passage.”

She poked her fingers in the crack and tugged. To her surprise, the panel slid smoothly to one side. Behind it was a meeting room with chairs arranged around a big table. The curtains were drawn over the windows leading out to the terrace, but enough light came through that she could see a male seated on a chair in the window embrasure. His head was slumped forward and his arms tied behind his back, but his white hair gleamed in the dim light and her heart skipped a beat.

Tanaca.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Tanaca’s head jerked up as soon as he caught Sara’s scent. By Napisten’s elbow, what was she doing here?

“Sara, you need to leave here right now.”

“Shaving you.” The words came out slurred, and she frowned at him. “I mean saving you.”

“I do not need saving.”

“You’re a prisoner.”

She stumbled over to him, her legs suspiciously wobbly. She stumbled again as she reached him and she sat down on his lap.

“Mmm, you shmell good.”

“Sara,” he said urgently. “Did you take anything to eat or drink from Bartron?”

“Nope. Well, maybe shum of those grape thingies.”

He closed his eyes in despair as she snuggled closer.

“They were drugged, little flame.”

“You ate some.”

“I have developed a certain… immunity to some drugs.”

“Thash nice.”

She patted his chest, but the pat turned into strokes, long tormenting strokes up and down his chest.

“Mmm. Thish is nice too.”

His body inevitably responded to both her closeness and that tantalizing touch, his cock hardening between them. She didn’t seem to notice at first, but then she wiggled against his cock and giggled.

“Guesh you’re happy to shee me.”

“Usually yes, but not now. You need to leave before anyone comes back.”

“You don’t like me anymore?”

Tears filled those big green eyes.

“I like you very much, but you need to leave now.”

“I like you too.”

She kissed him, her small tongue probing eagerly at his lips until he groaned and let her in. He kissed her until she hummed happily, then resolutely tried to push her away.

“Now you have to go,” he said urgently, but she only snuggled closer.

Fuck. As much as he wanted information, it wasn’t worth risking her safety. He needed to get her out of this room and off the planet. I should never have allowed her to come with me in the first place, he thought, an entirely unaccustomed feeling of guilt washing over him.

He felt in his sleeve for the thin, flexible blade hidden in the seam. They had missed it when they searched him. Just as he touched it, the door slid open and Bartron appeared. It was too late to pretend that he was unconscious, but he let his face go blank as he worked the blade out of his shirt.

Bartron sighed.

“There you are. You human females are so annoying. Fuckable, but annoying.”

“I found him,” Sara mumbled triumphantly. “Can’t hide from me.”

“She seems remarkably attached to you for a mere slave,” Bartron said thoughtfully. “Is she really your slave, Tanaca?”

He felt the influence of the drug enough to want to speak the truth, but he was able to resist it.

“Yes,” he said, keeping his voice soft and his face vacant.

“I wonder. As helpful as it would be to have you as part of our enterprise, I’m not sure I’m going to take the chance.”

He remained silent, hoping the male would continue.

“Do you disapprove of the sale of human females?”

“No.”

There was enough of the truth in his answer that he hoped it would be convincing. Of course, he disapproved of the practice, but more because of the wastefulness and the opportunities for corruption than from any specific emotion. Until now. He automatically glanced down at the female curled so trustingly in his lap.

“Good girl,” she murmured. “Good little slave.”

Her voice didn’t sound quite as slurred. Were the effects of the truth serum wearing off already? Her metabolism had burned through the fusta smoke the previous night unusually quickly.

The door opened again and Randay entered. Now that was interesting. Randay did not take any obvious part in the leadership of the GTA, but Tanaca had suspected that his role was similar to his own—an advisor and source of information.

“Any luck, boss?” Randay asked, and Bartron sighed.

“I don’t know. He’s given me all the right answers, but I still do not trust him. As useful as he could be, I don’t think I want to bring him into our plans.”

“Never hurts to be cautious,” Randay agreed. “We didn’t get this far by being reckless about how much any individual knows about our operations. It’s dangerous enough sneaking slaves in right under the nose of the Royal Fleet.”

Tanaca sighed internally. Unfortunately, that confirmed his suspicions.

“Did Sarlat tell you about the issue on the ship?” the advisor continued. “Our contact is sure that the other officer overheard him.”

Bartron scowled. “Yeah, I told him to eliminate the problem.”

“He can’t. The other officer has disappeared.”

“Maybe he got scared and ran off.”

“He didn’t think so. He kept muttering something about the male’s honor. He’ll keep looking, but you may have to step in.”

Bartron nodded, then frowned over at them.

“What about these two? Are you sure they won’t remember anything once the drug wears off?”

“Not a thing. I’ll plant the suggestion that they had a pleasant lunch with you. Then you can ask the spymaster if he’s interested in something illegal but innocuous, like shipments of contraband Sheraen pearls.”

Bartron snorted, but his eyes were fixed on Sara.

“How long do I have?”

“Maybe as much as an hour, but I wouldn’t risk anything more than half of that. Why?”

“Because I want the female.”

“Now you’re talking. I want a turn too.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea. You have a disturbing tendency to damage your toys. We can’t explain away bruises.”

Tanaca felt the slightest tremor in the hand clutching his shirt. Fuck. As he’d suspected, the drug was wearing off. He wanted to reassure her, but he needed to keep the element of surprise on his side for as long as possible. He sliced through his bindings with the blade he’d retrieved but kept his hands behind his back. Despite its sharpness, the blade’s flexibility made it difficult to use as a weapon. For most people.

He smiled grimly as the two approached, still arguing about whether or not Randay would get a turn with Sara. Did they really think he’d ever let them touch her?

Bartron reached for her arm, clearly expecting her to comply but she dropped to the floor instead, rolling to one side and out of the way. His clever little female. But he didn’t have time to admire her intelligence. He surged up out of the chair. He grabbed Bartron’s hair and yanked his head back, slicing the blade across his throat. A gush of blood erupted, but he dropped the body and focused on Randay. The advisor had already danced back, reaching for the blade on his belt.

“I don’t think so,” Tanaca said coldly, and snapped his blade around the other male’s wrist. He didn’t sever the bone—not quite—but the hand dangled limply from Randay’s wrist as he gave a shocked cry. He took advantage of the moment, pulling Randay’s head back and slashing his throat as well.

The whole fight hadn’t taken more than a few seconds and Sara gave him a stunned look.

“You killed them.”

“Yes.”

“Both of them.”

“There was no reason to leave them alive.”

“Because they were bad aliens.”

She sounded as if she were trying to convince herself, but he nodded.

“They were. They had no hesitation about stealing females, including human females, as long as they made a profit.”

“And now that’s all over?”

He was an excellent liar, but he found he couldn’t lie to her about this, not when she was giving him such a hopeful look.

“I’m afraid not, my flame. This was one branch. I am sure there are others.”

“But you’ll stop them?”

“I am working on it. But enough about that right now. What are you doing here?” he demanded as he pulled her up into his arms.

“Bartron sent for me. I saw the two of you together earlier so when the girl told me that you were here, I believed her.”

“What girl?”

“One of the servants. It wasn’t her fault,” she said quickly. “I could tell she was terrified.”

“I don’t know whether to spank you or kiss you,” he growled, tightening his grip.

“Maybe both,” she suggested, already regaining her usual attitude, and he couldn’t help smiling.

“Perhaps, but not now.”

“What does happen now?”

“Now I call in the troops. They will confiscate everything these two have left behind, and escort us while I make an announcement at the Council meeting.” He was very much looking forward to that.

An hour later he marched into the assembly, flanked by a squadron of Imperial guards. He left Sara outside surrounded by another squadron.

The murmur of conversation died out completely as everyone stared at him. He rapidly surveyed their faces, noting who looked merely shocked and who looked nervous.

“I’m sure you will be appalled as I was to discover that Leader Bartron and his advisor were involved in the illegal trafficking of human slaves,” he said coldly. “Such violations of Imperial law are not permitted, and suitable punishment has been administered. I’m sure I do not need your assurance that the Galactic Trade Alliance will operate in full compliance with the law.”

There was a flurry of hurried nods as he turned around and marched out again. He could hear their voices rising behind him, but he was no longer interested. His warning had been quite clear. If they complied, excellent. If they chose to continue their activities instead, he would administer an equally stringent punishment.

Right now, the only thing he was interested in was returning to the ship and ensuring that Sara had recovered from the ordeal. As soon as the shuttle lifted off the landing field, he put his arm around her, and she nestled against him with a tired sigh.

“I feel like we’ve been gone for such a long time. I can’t wait to see Tammy and Aqbar again.”

“I’m sure they will be equally delighted,” he agreed, although he would have preferred to keep her entirely to himself.

Unfortunately, he got his wish. As soon as the shuttle docked and they left the hangar, they were greeted by an anxious Laterra.

“The other human female is missing—along with Officer Vorkan.”

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Sara’s knees threatened to give way, and Tanaca’s arm tightened around her.

“Gone?” she whispered.

“Report,” Tanaca ordered.

Laterra snapped to attention.

“Officer Vorkan did not report for his morning shift. The duty officer went to check on him and found his room empty. He then proceeded to check with the medical bay, but the medic had not seen him. At that point he instituted a search but found no trace of him. There was also no record of him on the monitors. It wasn’t until later that we realized that the other human female was missing as well.”

She clutched Tanaca’s hand, and he enclosed it in his warm, firm grip.

“Have any shuttles left the ship?”

“No, Lord Tanaca.”

“There are only two possibilities—they are either on the ship or they have left. I do not believe in magic.”

Laterra shifted uncomfortably, but didn’t respond.

“I will inspect the monitor records myself. Would you prefer to wait in my quarters?” he asked her.

“No. I want to know what’s happening.”

“Very well.”

The three of them proceeded to the communications center as she did her best to force her emotions under control. There had to be an explanation. She was almost positive that Tammy liked the big male. Maybe they had just gone for a short flight? The explanation sounded weak even to her, but she clung to it as they arrived at the center.

Three crew members were stationed in front of several banks of monitors, and they snapped to attention when they entered.

“I want to see the records from last night,” Tanaca ordered.

The three exchanged a glance, and then one of the crew members coughed nervously.

“If you are searching for Officer Vorkan’s activities, I’m afraid there is an issue. There are several blank areas in the files. Vorkan was unfortunately very familiar with our surveillance.”

“Not all of it,” Tanaca said grimly, and bent over one of the keyboards.

A moment later, a new set of images appeared on the monitors. The crew exchanged another look, this one shocked.

“Lord Tanaca?”

“These are my records. They are less comprehensive than the ship’s records, but I doubt Vorkan was able to tamper with them.”

He scrolled rapidly through the images, then paused at a somewhat distorted image.

“There.”

Vorkan was entering the hangar, Tammy over one shoulder and a bag in his other arm.

“She’s unconscious,’’ she whispered, her voice breaking. “And what else is he carrying?”

“I suspect that’s your pet.”

“He took Aqbar too? But why? Do you think he’s going to s-sell them?”

“No,” he sighed. “I think he believes he is protecting her. Perhaps both of them.”

“But why?”

“He was present when we left for the surface. He may have misinterpreted our actions.”

“You mean he thought you really did take me as a slave?”

“I’m afraid so.”

“And I made it worse by playing along. It’s all my fault.”

She burst into tears. He swore under his breath and picked her up, ignoring the shocked looks from the communications officers, and carried her back towards his rooms. When she realized where they were heading, she swiped at her cheeks and shook her head.

“Take me back to our rooms. I want to see if there’s anything that may give us a clue.”

“Your quarters were searched,” he said gently.

“By strangers. There might be something that only I recognize.”

He studied her face for a moment, then nodded.

As soon as he carried her inside and put her down, she wanted to cry again. The rooms felt so empty. She wandered around aimlessly, not quite sure what she was looking for. Everything in the living area looked the same as it had when she left so she took a deep breath and went into Tammy’s room.

The covers on the bed were pulled back, as if she’d just stepped out of it, and she fought back another sob.

“She always makes her bed when she gets up. Always. He took her while she was asleep.”

“We will find her,” he promised.

She looked around again, then walked over to the wardrobe, frowning at the contents.

“Did she take any clothes?”

“I’m not sure that was checked. Just a minute.” He pulled up his data tablet and made a few quick entries. “These items are missing.”

He showed her pictures of the missing items, and she bit her lip.

“She didn’t pack these.”

“How do you know?”

“Two nightgowns, a formal dress, and two sweaters? A male chose these.” Her lips quivered, but she attempted a smile. “At least he seems to want to keep her warm.”

“He assured me his intentions were honorable.”

“When?”

“The day the two of you arrived on the ship. He offered to claim her so she wouldn’t have to go to the sanctuary planet.”

“He asked you instead of her?”

“It is more accurate to say he asked my permission. I refused. Perhaps if I had not…”

She sighed and shook her head.

“I’m not sure it would have made any difference. He might have done the same thing when Tammy turned him down.”

“Would she have turned him down?” he asked quietly.

“Of course… I don’t know.”

She sighed and he put his arm around her shoulders again.

“Do you wish to remain here?”

“God, no. You’re not going to make me, are you?”

“No, little flame. You can come with me.”

“Thank you.”

She started to close the wardrobe doors again, then a faint smudge on the mirror caught her eye. She breathed on it, and the small image appeared in the fog from her breath: V+T, enclosed in a heart.

“What is that?”

“Something we do on Earth,” she said slowly. “When we like someone.”

“And you think it means that she liked Vorkan?”

“Yes. I don’t know that it means she likes him enough to want him to steal her out of her bed, but maybe enough not to feel so scared and alone.”

It wasn’t much to give her comfort, but it did help and she decided to focus on that instead of her fears. She turned to smile up at Tanaca and found him looking down at her, his eyes glowing.

“What is it?”

“Did you do the same thing, Sara? Did you create a symbol to indicate that you wanted to be with me?”

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Tanaca watched as a tide of pink covered Sara’s cheeks, but she met his gaze directly.

“No, I didn’t draw our initials inside a heart. But if you’re asking me if I like you, I do. Very much.”

Satisfaction filled him. She had been under the influence of the drug when she told him that before—which meant that it should have been the truth—but it was far more gratifying to hear it when she was completely herself, her eyes bright and fully aware.

“Good.”

He put his arm around her shoulders and began to usher her back towards the door and she came to an abrupt halt.

“What about you? Aren’t you going to tell me if you like me?”

Of course he did, but revealing such emotions could be deadly. He hesitated a moment too long, and she gave him a fierce scowl. The words of his scroll flashed through his mind—if the strength of her glare was anything to go by, he was indeed in danger of perishing.

“Yes, little flame, I do.”

Admitting it felt oddly freeing, but he pushed that thought aside to examine later as he tucked her under his arm and led her back to his quarters.

Once he had her there, his usual poise threatened to desert him. All he really wanted to do was to carry her to his bed, but this was not the appropriate time—and he had work to do.

“I need to prepare some reports about the events of the past two days and report to the Emperor. Since you are interested in drama, I thought perhaps you might enjoy seeing a recording of one of our popular plays.”

“That sounds interesting, although I’m sure it would be better if we watched it together so you could explain it to me.” She gave him a provocative look, and he was extremely tempted, but duty came first.

“I will join you later,” he promised and took her into the bedroom, showing her how to control the screen.

She settled back amongst the pillows to watch, looking almost unbearably tempting in his bed, but he forced himself to return to work. When he checked on her a short time later, she was asleep, and he decided it was a good time to contact the Emperor.

He quickly filled Karthajin in on the situation with the GTA and somewhat reluctantly told him about intercepting the Ithyian ship.

“In addition to the other illegal goods, there were three human females on board.”

Karthajin frowned.

“How do they keep getting through our barricades?”

“There is a great deal of space to be monitored,” he responded, not yet ready to share his suspicions that the slavers might be receiving assistance from within the Fleet.

“Are you taking the females to a sanctuary planet?”

He was tempted to let it go at that, but he had never attempted to deceive Karthajin. He sighed.

“There is only one female currently on board. One was apparently sold before we intercepted the ship. The second one has… disappeared.”

“You lost one?”

The combination of amusement and annoyance on Karthajin’s face, combined with his own sense of guilt, made him speak without thinking for the first time in years.

“I didn’t lose her. She was taken—although I’m sure Vorkan was just another victim of these infernal human females.”

“Infernal?” Karthajin’s face hardened. “Explain yourself.”

“I meant no disrespect, Your Imperial Majesty,” he said hastily. “The situation is… difficult.”

Karthajin studied him a moment longer, then moved on.

“And the remaining female?”

“She does not wish to go to a sanctuary planet. I thought that I would take her to Sherae instead.”

“Sherae? Why?”

Before he could respond, the First Consort appeared next to Karthajin. Even after almost a decade of marriage, she still looked barely out of her teens, but he knew the sharp mind behind the youthful facade all too well.

“Because Sherae is a lovely planet, of course,” she said cheerfully. “Although she might like to learn more about Kaisar. You could always bring her here.”

Ella’s expression was completely innocent, but he saw the sparkle in her eyes. Fuck. How the hell had she detected his feelings so quickly?

“Perhaps,” he said noncommittally. “In the meantime I’m searching for the other females.”

“Very well. Keep me apprised.”

“Of course, sire.”

He bowed his head and Karthajin ended the call. Tanaca stared at the blank screen for a moment, then sighed and returned to his reports. He checked on Sara several times but she didn’t wake.

By the time he was finished with his work, the ship’s lights were dimming in preparation for the night shift. That usually did not indicate an end to his day, but tonight he put aside his work, dimmed the remaining lights, and went to join his female. Her eyes fluttered open as he prepared for bed. The long sleep appeared to have done her good because she gave him a sleepy smile.

“Hi there,” she whispered.

“Hello, my flame. You have been asleep for a long time. Are you hungry?”

She shook her head. “Not really. Are you coming to bed?”

“Yes.”

He joined her in the bed and she snuggled contentedly against his side. Perhaps not surprisingly given the amount of sleep she’d gotten, she didn’t seem to be in any hurry to return to sleep. Instead, she stroked her hand thoughtfully up and down his chest.

“Do you have a family?” she asked at last.

He could feel himself tensing at the unwelcome subject, but he did his best to hide it as he shook his head.

“Not anymore. What about you?”

“Technically, yes, but they basically stopped speaking to me after I graduated from college and refused to return home. I moved to New York for my job and they were convinced I was moving to Sodom and Gomorrah. Legendary bad places,” she added. “I send them a Christmas card every year just to remind them I’m still alive.”

Her fingers drummed against his chest. “I wonder if they’ll even notice when they don’t get one this year.”

She shook her head as if pushing away the unpleasant memory and returned to questioning him.

“What happened to your father?”

He forced his voice to remain calm. “I don’t have one.”

“Doesn’t everyone have one?”

“In the sense that I have a biological parent, yes. When my mother decided she wanted a child, she chose the most desirable candidate, seduced him, and let him impregnate her.”

“What happened to him?”

“Knowing my mother, I suspect he was eliminated as soon as she found out she was pregnant.”

Her eyes went wide. “What?”

He shrugged. “She was a very practical female. I suspect she did not want anyone else making a claim on me or interfering with her plans with regard to me. She was also an amazingly ruthless female,” he added.

“She certainly was. To kill the father of her child?”

He wasn’t quite sure why, perhaps it was the indignation on her face, but he found himself telling her something that he had never told anyone before.

“She was just as ruthless with me. She sold me when I was seventeen.”

Her indignation was replaced by horror. “She did what?”

“It was a limited-time slave contract. It’s not uncommon, especially amongst the merchant houses. It is most often used to settle a debt, although Karthajin has been trying to place additional restrictions around it to ensure that the party entering the contract does so willingly. Of course, willing is a subject to interpretation,” he added. “Most of the merchant families raise their children to believe it is their duty to accept such a contract.”

“You mean they expect to go into debt? And to use their children to pay off those debts?”

“Not exactly, but trade can be a difficult business. An entire season’s profits can be lost on one wrong decision. It is perhaps more accurate to say that they were preparing for such an eventuality.”

She nodded. “I suppose that makes sense. A number of the companies I investigated went out of business within a few years.”

“Why did you choose such a profession? It seems very unlike you.”

She laughed bitterly. “It was, but it took me a while to realize it. My parents were very strict, very controlling. They had a very specific image of how my life should go. For a long time, I didn’t even think to question it. As you said, families tend to indoctrinate their children. But fortunately, their vision for my future included a college degree. Even though they chose the most conservative university they could find, once I was away from home I realized that there were other options. I just made the mistake of thinking that money would provide those options and chose the most lucrative profession I could find.”

“But it did not make you happy?”

She shook her head. “No. It was just as restrictive, although in a different way. Which is why I abandoned it. I used my savings to take some additional classes, then I bought a small condo in a small town and became a drama teacher instead.”

He felt a flash of envy. What would it have been like to have changed his life completely, not just once but twice?

She hesitated for a moment, then asked softly, “Did you enter the contract willingly?”

“No. I was not given a choice.”

“Your mother was in debt?”

“Of course not. She was interested in something far more valuable to her—information and a foothold in the court. The male who purchased my contract was a prince in one of the Royal Houses.”

“Why did he buy you?”

“For the reasons you might expect,” he said evenly. “Fortunately he developed a… medical condition that prevented him from acting on that desire.”

She looked at him for a long moment, then shocked him by smiling.

“You were responsible for that condition, weren’t you?”

“He was quite elderly.”

She snorted.

“I don’t believe in coincidence.”

“Fortunately, most people are more accepting.” He permitted himself a fraction of a shrug. “I will agree that the timing was… fortuitous. Equally fortunately, he was also interested in my… intellectual capabilities. He was heavily involved in politics and had an extensive network of informants. I learned from him.”

Just as his mother had foreseen. Not that that had ever made up for the betrayal he’d felt when she told what she’d done.

“I developed enough connections of my own that when my contract term was over, the old Emperor offered me a position.”

Although perhaps offered was not the correct word. Although no contract was involved, if the old Emperor asked you to do something, you did it.

“What was he like?”

“Brutal. Ruthless. Cruel. But he was a good emperor because he never allowed his personal desires to overrule what was best for the Empire.”

“And the new emperor? Is he a good emperor?”

“Yes.” He’d had his doubts originally, but Karthajin had taken after his grandfather—although he was far less brutal.

“He has a human consort,” he added.

“Really? Is she there voluntarily?”

“Definitely,” he said dryly.

Although he genuinely believed it was love rather than lust for power that had led Ella to Karthajin, he had a great deal of respect for the intelligence and determination behind her innocent facade.

She shot him a look he couldn’t read, but didn’t pursue the subject. Instead, she plucked at the blanket for a moment before she spoke.

“What happened to your mother?”

“She’s dead.”

As always, that knowledge filled him with a mixture of emotions that were far too complicated to simply be called grief.

“She made a mistake. She developed… feelings for a male she had been using for information. He took advantage of that, and she died as a result. I made sure he did not profit from his betrayal.”

“You killed him.” It was not a question.

“She was my mother. The court is a ruthless place, my flame.”

She nodded and fell silent, her breathing gradually slowing as she drifted off to sleep again. But he remained awake, savoring the unusual feeling of having a female in his bed—and not just any female, but Sara. But the feeling wasn’t going to last. He had promised to take her to Sherae. Although perhaps she would like to see Kaisar. Ella’s suggestion flitted through his mind, taunting him with the possibility of something he knew he could not have. No, better to concentrate on the current pleasure rather than focus on the empty future. He settled her more firmly into place and finally went to sleep.

Several hours later, he was startled awake by Sara kissing him. She had climbed on top of him and was pressing quick sweet kisses against his neck, but she raised her head when she felt him move. He had left a small light burning in case she awakened during the night and wasn’t sure where she was. In the soft glow he could see that her face was tearstained.

“What is it, little flame? Did you have disturbing dreams?”

“Yes. I was dreaming that I was talking to Tammy and she was telling me that we were always going to be together. I shouldn’t have left her. I was being selfish because I wanted adventure—and because I wanted to spend time with you.”

“I wanted you with me,” he admitted, “despite my doubts.”

She studied his face for a long moment.

“Make love to me, Tanaca,” she whispered.

He had never wanted anything more. All the reasons why it was a bad idea rushed through his head, but they all seemed distant and far away compared to the reality of the female in his arms.

“I…” For once in his life, he couldn’t think of anything to say.

“I know there are no promises, but can’t we pretend? Just for tonight?”

And then she kissed him.

CHAPTER TWENTY

For a moment Sara thought she might have pushed Tanaca too hard, but then his eyes flamed and he rolled her beneath him, his mouth crashing down over hers with a fierce, demanding passion.

She returned it with equal passion, savoring the taste of his desire as she wrapped her arms and legs around him and tried to pull him even closer. His hand stroked down her side and closed over her breast with a firm, wonderful pressure, his fingers tugging hard on her nipple, and she gasped into his mouth.

“More,” she demanded.

“When you’re ready.”

He looked almost amused, despite the tension she could feel in his body.

“I am ready.”

He slid his hand lower, and they both groaned as a big finger stroked through her damp folds. Her clit throbbed as his finger glided across it, already hot and swollen.

“Perhaps,” he agreed, probing at her entrance.

His thick finger slipped into her, and her channel clasped it greedily. His thumb stroked across her clit and then she was coming in short, hard pulses.

“Told you I was ready,” she said triumphantly as soon as she could speak. “I want you inside me. Now.”

He didn’t argue. She heard the sound of cloth ripping and then the head of his cock pushed against her, huge and hot. For a moment her body resisted, despite her excitement, but the slickness of her arousal eased the way and he pushed inside her. Holy fuck.

“You’re so big,” she gasped, and he froze.

“Too big?”

“There’s no such thing.”

She tightened her legs around him and raised her hips. Despite her assurance, he had to work his way slowly deeper, stretching her with that thick shaft. Her pussy quivered around him, the overwhelming stretch almost too much, but then his cock vibrated inside her and an electric jolt of pleasure swept through her.

“Do that again,” she demanded.

He complied, moving inside her with an intensity that made her breath come in gasps. She could feel his muscle straining, trying to keep himself under control as he drove deeper and deeper. And then he pressed down on the exposed bud of her clit, forcing it against his vibrating shaft, and her body exploded in fiery waves of pleasure so intense that sparks of light filled her vision.

She heard him swear, and then he was thrusting hard and deep into her still clenching channel, his movements wild and almost frantic. His control vanished completely and she could only cling to him until at last he plunged impossibly deeper, and a rush of heat filled her as he erupted with a hoarse cry, then collapsed down on top of her, his body shaking.

She stroked his back as their breathing slowed, keeping her legs wrapped around him and cradling him against her body. He suddenly tensed, and she braced herself for him to pull away, but then he sighed and rolled to his back, taking her with him.

“Why is it so different with you?” he murmured.

Because I love you. But she didn’t think he was ready to hear that.

“Didn’t you say I was casting a spell on you?” she asked lightly instead.

“Mmm. And I never did get you to give the medic samples.”

“Do you still want me to?”

He laughed. “We have an expression on Elginar—that ship has sailed.”

“We have the same expression. Isn’t that odd?” He nodded, but she could see that slight tension on his face that indicated he was about to start thinking too much. “What’s Elginar like?”

“It’s… nice, although in some ways I think you would find it as rigid as the life you described, especially for scholars. And their children.” There was a tinge of bitterness in his voice. “It has oceans, which is why we have sailing expressions, and I used to enjoy watching them from my window.”

“Just watching?”

“I had my studies and my training. They were far more important than anything as frivolous as a trip to the ocean.”

“What kind of training?”

She felt him shrug.

“Physical. Mental. Weapons. Fighting. Poisons. History. Languages. Technical skills.”

“As a child?”

“From as early as I can remember. I wouldn’t be surprised if my mother were whispering plots in my ear while I was in the womb.”

She gently stroked his chest.

“My childhood wasn’t quite that bad, although my parents didn’t believe in unstructured time either. I always had after school activities and summer camps and tutorials to fill my days. I was in college before I discovered what it was like just to go to the ocean and lie on the beach all day.” Her voice suddenly threatened to shake. “That’s where we were going to go before we were taken—on a trip to the beach.”

“I’m sorry, my flame.” He hesitated for a long moment. “Perhaps the ocean on Sherae will please you.”

Not without you, she wanted to scream, but he sounded like he was trying to convince himself.

“Perhaps you could come visit,” she whispered instead.

“Perhaps,” he said, and her heart skipped a beat.

But he didn’t say anything else. Instead, he started sliding his hand up and down her back, from the sensitive skin at the nape of her neck to the curve of her ass.

“Have I told you how much I like your back?”

“My back?” She smiled. “I don’t think that’s the part of a woman’s body that most males pick.”

At the bottom of the stroke he clamped down hard on her ass.

“I am not interested in what other males would prefer,” he growled.

“Neither am I,” she said breathlessly, wiggling against his hand. “But why my back?”

He didn’t respond in words. Instead, he flipped her over on her stomach, then began kissing his way down her back. She started quivering each time his mouth touched her skin, little ripples of excitement at each touch. The silky strands of his hair caressed her skin as he went, adding to her arousal. He pressed small sucking kisses to her buttocks as she pressed back against him, then he lifted her up on her knees as he moved behind her.

“I’ve been imagining you like this since you wore that dress. And now you’re mine.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Fuck. This was even better than Tanaca had imagined: the graceful lines of her body, that bare, vulnerable back, her ass pink and quivering from his kisses. He caressed the soft flesh and she gasped, pushing back against his hand. His cock throbbed eagerly, but he was determined to take his time.

“Patience, my flame.”

She shot him a look over her shoulder, half-amused, half-frustrated.

“In case you haven’t noticed, I am not a patient person.”

“Then I will teach you.”

“I don’t want to be taught, I want… Oh God!”

She cried out as he slid his hand beneath her and found the swollen nub of her clit, tugging lightly on it, and then slipping away.

She wiggled her ass in a lascivious dance, trying to make contact, but he continued to tease. A light stroke, a quick digit inside her hot little channel, another kiss to her soft flesh, harder this time.

“Tanaca!”

“Yes, my flame?”

“I’m about to do something drastic,” she warned him and he laughed.

But then he slid his cock between her legs, letting it vibrate directly against the ripe bud of her clit, and her threats vanished in incoherent cries as she came and came and came, coated his cock in her slickness. And when her cries were reduced to little more than harsh pants, he lifted her hips higher and drove inside her in one hard thrust, her sweet cunt clenching around him in tight endless pulses that drew his own climax from him in long racking shudders.

Completely drained, he sagged back down to the mattress, his body still trembling, and drew her into his arms.

“I’m not sure if that taught me to be patient,” she murmured sleepily. “But it’s a class I’m willing to take again and again and again.”

He laughed and hugged her to him as she fell asleep.

TANACA WAS DREAMING. At first Sara was at his side, smiling up at him as they prepared to enter a banquet hall. Not on Ratoria this time, but one of the many elaborate halls in the Royal Palace. At first everything was fine, but then the people began to talk, malicious gossip washing over them. She turned pale, her smile disappearing. He angrily ordered everyone to silence, but when he turned back, she was gone.

The dream turned into a nightmare as he searched for her. Sometimes he would hear her laugh. but she was out of reach. Other times he would catch a glimpse of her—tortured or chained, helpless—and then she would vanish, leaving him running down the endless corridors of the palace.

He woke in a cold sweat, heart pounding, shaking for the first time since he was a child. Sara was still there, tucked against his side, and he tightened his arms around her until she made a faint protesting noise in her sleep and he forced himself to release her.

His heartbeat soon calmed, but the other effects of the dream were not so easy to overcome. He knew what life at court was like, knew about the endless gossip and speculation. He had used it to gather information for years, but he couldn’t stand the thought of Sara being part of it. She would be an obvious target. Because she was human—and because she was with him. He could not protect her from that.

But malicious talk was one thing. The court also had a far darker side, a side where people were willing to do anything, including kill, in order to gain power or improve their position. It was not as prevalent as it had been in the days of Karthajin’s grandfather, but it still existed, and once again association with him would make her a target.

I couldn’t even protect her on Ratoria—how can I protect her on Kaisar?

Despair washed over him as he stroked his hand down the delicate line of her back. So beautiful and so fragile. How could he expose her to those dangers?

The question haunted him for the rest of his sleepless night, and by the time the ship’s lights began to brighten he knew what he had to do. No matter how he felt about her, how much he wanted her to be part of his life, he had to let her go. It was the only way he could protect her.

And because he already knew the strength of her spirit, he had to make it a clean, hard break otherwise she would fight for him.

As the lights came up he rose from the bed, ignoring the fact that she reached for him, and turned away from the bed.

“This was a mistake.”

The words came out as cold and hard as he had intended, but he couldn’t make himself look at her. If he saw even a fraction of the pain he felt on her face, he wasn’t sure that he could go through with it. There was absolute silence from behind him.

“It cannot happen again,” he added, hating every word.

He half-expected her usual fiery outburst, but when she finally spoke, her voice was oddly calm.

“I see.”

When he finally glanced over his shoulder, her face was pale but surprisingly composed.

“I will leave now.”

She rose from the bed, not bothering to cover the graceful lines of her body, the marks of his possession still vivid on her neck and breasts, and calmly picked up her discarded gown. She pulled it over her head, tucked in the torn neckline, and left without another word.

The outer door closed with a quiet hiss, and the silence settled over him like a suffocating blanket. He was alone again. Alone as he had always been. Alone as he would always be.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

“Stupid, stupid male,” Sara muttered as she stalked down the corridor, surprising one of the crew members.

He gave her a nervous glance, but she only shook her head and kept moving. It annoyed her even more that she suspected that the reason for the nervous glance was because he was afraid of Tanaca, not her.

It didn’t take a genius to figure out that Tanaca was also afraid—quite possibly for her, given his oversized sense of responsibility—but also for himself. He had been open and loving and vulnerable last night. For a whole host of reasons that she suspected started with his mother and ended with his current profession, he found that unacceptable.

She hadn’t bothered wasting her breath arguing with him, in part because she was feeling pretty raw herself. She might understand why he’d rejected her, but that didn’t mean it didn’t hurt. Entering their quarters and seeing the open door to Tammy’s empty room only made it worse. She stripped off her dress, climbed into the shower and cried.

Once the storm passed, she slowly washed herself, trying to decide what to do. She couldn’t come up with any argument that she thought would convince him, and by the time she left the shower she was feeling just as depressed. As she reached for a towel, she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror.

Red marks peppered her skin, the evidence of his mouth on her body vivid against her pale skin like brands of ownership. Her body…

If words couldn’t convince him, perhaps actions could. She didn’t think he would succumb to an outright seduction, but perhaps a little… persuasion would help him overcome his fears. She pulled on a robe and started making plans.

Her campaign began that same evening. She waited until the late shift had started, then put on the most innocent of the nightgowns she had created. It was a pale, virginal blue with thin straps, completely unadorned except for a tiny bow between her breasts—a bow that whispered to be untied. Pulling on the matching robe, she headed for his quarters.

When he didn’t immediately answer the door, her heart sank, but then it slid aside. One quick glance from under her lashes assured her that he looked as tired and unhappy as she could have wished.

“I know you said there couldn’t be anything between us,” she said quickly, “but I just couldn’t stand being alone without Tammy.”

She gave him her most pitiful look, throwing in a trembling lip for good measure.

“Please don’t make me stay by myself.”

For a moment she thought he was going to refuse, but then he stepped away from the door and gestured her inside. She gave him her sweetest smile as she entered.

“Do you want—” he began.

“No, thank you.” She headed directly for the bedroom. “I’m so tired, but I know I’ll be able to sleep now.”

He followed her.

“I didn’t mean—”

“Thank you so much.” She let the robe slip to the ground, gave an only slightly exaggerated yawn as his eyes traveled down over the silky nightgown, and climbed into bed. “Good night.”

She snuggled against a pillow which smelled deliciously of him, closed her eyes, and went peacefully to sleep.

When she woke the next morning she felt surprisingly refreshed, and triumphant. As far as she could tell, he hadn’t joined her during the night, but neither had he carried her back to her room. She was willing to consider that progress.

But when she returned to the living area, he was frowning over a data tablet, looking even more strained than the previous night, and her heart ached.

This is for his own good, she told herself firmly. Even if she couldn’t convince him to accept her, he needed to learn to let someone into his life. The thought that it might be someone else made her frown, but she hastily pushed it aside.

“Good morning,” she said cheerfully. “I had a wonderful sleep.”

“I did not.”

“That’s a shame. You should have joined me. I won’t bite—unless you ask me to.” The silver flames flickered in his eyes, but she hurried on. “Any news about Tammy?”

“Yes and no. We were able to determine that she and Vorkan left on an illegally modified shuttle, but those modifications make it impossible to trace.”

“Where did that come from?”

“Vorkan apparently modified one of the ship’s shuttles. He has a somewhat… troubled past.”

Her eyes narrowed.

“What do you mean troubled?”

“His first encounters with Imperial law were on the other side.”

“You mean he’s a criminal? You let a criminal take my best friend?”

“I did not let him do anything,” he snapped. “I was too busy rescuing you.”

“I was the one rescuing you!”

He growled and she waited expectantly for him to snatch her into his arms, but then his mask dropped back into place.

“It is only a minor setback. It may take longer, but I will trace the vessel.”

“Longer for Tammy to be alone and afraid,” she muttered, annoyed at his restraint.

“Do you really think that is how she feels?”

“I don’t know,” she admitted. “She said he made her feel safe, but I know she didn’t leave voluntarily.”

But Tammy had also drawn the heart. She only hoped that meant her friend would be less upset about Vorkan taking her.

“Remember what I told you,” Tanaca said softly. “He said he wanted to mate her. That he only wanted to keep her safe. I honestly do not believe he means her harm.”

At least not all alien males were reluctant to show their feelings. She couldn’t help sighing. Tanaca apparently misinterpreted it and put his arm around her shoulders. She allowed herself to lean into him for the briefest moment, but as soon as she felt him stiffen she forced a smile on her face and stepped back before he could move away.

“So. What are we going to do today?”

“We are not going to do anything. I am going to work.”

“On the way here, you were teaching me about the various types of trade in the Empire.”

“At the time it was relevant. It is no longer relevant, and I have other matters to attend to,” he said stiffly.

“Yes, yes. I know you’re very busy and important.” Her tone verged on the edge of sarcastic, and he frowned. Ignoring his look, she hurried on. “But I’m still curious. Don’t you have some type of instructional videos? Books would be even better, but since I’m only a primitive human and I can’t read your language…”

“I never said you were primitive.”

“Those merchants did,” she said tartly. “They made it pretty clear how ignorant they thought I was.”

“You should have told me.”

“What good would it have done? Besides, it’s always an advantage when your opponent thinks you’re stupid.”

“The last thing you are is unintelligent,” he said, frowning. “I will locate a teaching program. After you get dressed,” he added, his eyes skimming back down over the thin nightgown.

“Yes, Master,” she murmured provocatively, and smiled as she heard him groan.

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Tanaca was not foolish enough not to recognize what Sara was doing, but he told himself that as long as she respected the boundary he had established there was no real harm in having her where he could keep an eye on her. He chose to ignore the fact that her presence filled his quarters with a warmth that he had never experienced.

A decision he was tempted to second guess when she reappeared a short time later clad only in one of his shirts. Fuck. The silky fabric covered more of her body, but it whispered tantalizingly across her slender figure and the dark color highlighted her pale skin and vibrant hair. The fact that she was wearing his clothing filled him with a primitive, possessive pride, but he forced himself to frown.

“I told you to get dressed.”

“I know, but you must have ordered all my clothes sent to my old room. I know you didn’t want me wearing my nightgown, so this was the only other choice. Of course, if you want me to take it off…”

Her hand went to the neckline, revealing a tempting glimpse of pale cleavage before he ordered her to stop.

“I will have your clothes sent here,” he said, teeth gritted.

“Oh, thank you. And until then…”

“You can leave that on.”

And he would do his best to ignore both how much he enjoyed seeing her wearing his clothes and how much he wanted to strip them off to reveal her delectable body.

He suspected it was a mistake to let her stay, especially since he had no intention of keeping her, but he wanted her there. For the first time in his life, he allowed himself to be driven by emotion and ignore logic. For now at least.

As she frowned over her teaching program, he did his best to focus on his work. He scanned the reports he’d received from his various operatives, then paused to study one again. As part of his efforts to eliminate the trade in illegal slaves, he had authorized several undercover operations. One of them involved a former Fleet officer who had come highly recommended despite his subsequent involvement in some… questionable activities. It was precisely those activities that made him an ideal candidate, especially since his source had assured him that he was still an honorable male.

But now the supposedly honorable male had disappeared, along with a human female. He had reported the slavers and then cut off all communication. He checked the timing. There was a distinct possibility that Sara’s other friend had been taken by this… Worvak. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully, then initiated a tracking protocol.

A few days later, he received a message that Worvak had been located. Days that had been frustrating, infuriating, and oddly satisfying.

Sara had remained with him. She had shown no indication of wishing to return to her own rooms and he… he had not insisted. She had slept in his bed every night. After that first night he had joined her, although he slept little, constantly aware of her presence. She had a disturbing tendency to turn to him in her sleep, and he had an equally disturbing tendency to let her, holding her close as he stared into the darkness and thought about his lonely future.

She was a constant presence during his days as well. He would hear her laughter as she watched one of the plays he had selected. He would look over from his desk and see her frowning over her language lessons. Sharing his meals with her and seeing her unfettered reactions was far more satisfying than eating in lonely splendor.

He had refused to allow any physical intimacies, and she claimed to have accepted it—but it didn’t stop her from touching him at every opportunity. She would come up behind him at his desk, leaning over him, her breasts pressing deliciously against his back. When they ate a meal together, she would feed him bites of her food, her fingers dancing across his lips. When she talked him into watching one of her plays with her, she would curl against his side, her slender curves and sweet fragrance an agonizing temptation.

And her clothes… She delighted in creating provocative clothing, and he soon learned that even when she appeared most innocent there was always something unexpected. A long gown that turned sheer when the light hit it at the right angle. A high-necked top that revealed a tempting glimpse of her breasts whenever she raised her arms—which she did frequently the day she wore it. The worst—and best—were the nightgowns she had started wearing, ones that left the long, graceful lines of her back exposed, just like the dress she had worn the first night they were together.

But even though he was almost constantly painfully erect, he hadn’t tried to put a stop to it. Not even that morning when she walked in on him in the shower.

“Oh, dear! I didn’t know you were in here.”

Her eyes were wide and innocent, but she didn’t leave. Instead, she leaned against the doorframe and let her eyes travel down over his body. When they reached his very erect cock, she licked her lips.

“That looks… painful. Do you need any assistance?”

“No,” he said through clenched teeth. “I can handle it.”

He fisted his cock, expecting her to leave. He should have known better. Her nipples stiffened beneath her thin top and she licked her lips again. He kept his eyes on her face as he slowly pumped his fist. Her lips parted, her face flushing as she watched him, and he remembered sliding his cock between those soft pink lips. The memory made him erupt in an embarrassingly short time, and she gasped as his seed sprayed the tiles. She took a half-step towards him, then turned and fled.

He still wasn’t sure who had come off better in that encounter, but he pushed the memory aside as he studied the message. He didn’t want to raise Sara’s hopes if Worvak didn’t have her friend so he waited until she was asleep before contacting the other male.

The big Harkan scowled at him from the screen, refusing to admit to the presence of any female on his ship, but his obvious protectiveness made it quite clear. Tanaca told him to let his female know that Sara wanted to speak to her and ended the call, then sat staring at the blank screen. How much simpler his life would have been if he had been a warrior instead of a scholar. If no one knew his name and if he and Sara could have lived peacefully on Sherae.

He indulged in the delightful prospect until one of his alarms pinged. The Arstal were plotting rebellion again. It had little chance of succeeding, but he didn’t intend to let it get far enough to cause any damage. He sighed and went to work.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Sara stared up at the ceiling of the bedroom, thinking about her plan. To a certain extent it was working. Tanaca had accepted her presence in his life with unexpected grace. She even believed that he was enjoying it. She could see—feel—her effect on him, and yet, they were still headed for Sherae.

Maybe she should ask him how much longer they had. She hadn’t quite dared so far. It seemed to be taking quite a long time, and she didn’t want him to think she was in any hurry to leave him.

Especially if he gives me another show like he did yesterday morning, she thought. A shiver of arousal ran through her body at the memory of his big hand wrapped around his even bigger cock—and the way he had looked at her as his pearly seed erupted. She’d wanted it on her, wanted to rub it into her skin as he watched her with those gleaming silver eyes.

She shivered again, then decided to hell with it. Slipping out of her nightgown, she ran her hands down over her breasts and across her stomach, imagining that they were Tanaca’s hands. Remembering the way he’d slid a thick finger between her legs that night on Ratoria. Her own finger brushed over her clit, already hot and swollen, and she gasped. Circling it, she imagined it was Tanaca, that he was watching her, that he was teasing her nipples with those long, skillful fingers…

Her other hand was tugging at her nipple when he suddenly entered the bedroom, and the heated look from those silver eyes pushed her over the edge. Even though she was sure her face was red, she did her best to act nonchalant.

“Just—how did you put it—handling myself. Not that I would have turned down some assistance.”

Damn. Her voice sounded way too shaky.

“Sara…”

He took a step towards her, then stopped, the strain clear on his face.

“I believe I have located your friend.”

His words were so unexpected that she could only stare at him.

“Tammy?” she finally whispered, her lips numb.

“No, your other friend. Rita.”

“Rita? Oh my God, where? Can I see her?”

“I have arranged for a video call.”

She jumped out of bed and flung herself at him.

“Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you. You’ve made me so happy! Where is she? Is she all right? Can I talk to her now?”

He stiffened—everywhere.

“You may wish to put some clothes on first.”

Oh. She’d forgotten that she was naked. She shrugged and pressed closer, loving the way his smooth uniform rubbed against her breasts as she grinned up at him.

“Rita won’t care. She’s seen me naked before.”

“I care,” he growled, his big hands curving over her ass. “Her mate will care.”

“Her mate?” She forced herself to concentrate even though she wanted to press back into that firm grip. “She doesn’t even date and now she has an alien mate?”

“I could be wrong.” He clearly didn’t think so. “But given Worvak’s actions and his protective attitude, I believe I am correct.”

“That’s wonderful. I think. Where is she going? Can I see her?”

“If you get dressed, you can ask her yourself.”

He turned her around and sent her towards the wardrobe with a smack on her ass. Mmm. She grinned at him over her shoulder.

“I’ll have to remember that move next time I need to… handle myself.”

His fists clenched, then he turned on his heel and marched out. She giggled as she searched for a more conservative outfit than the ones she had been teasing Tanaca with. She settled on a simple blue shift with flowers around the hem. The neckline was a little low, but not too outrageous, and she pulled it on and hurried into the main room.

Tanaca enlarged one of the screens behind his desk, then left the room. She didn’t for one moment believe he wasn’t monitoring the call, but she didn’t care. A moment later Rita appeared on the screen. She looked wonderful—and happy. Happier than Sara had ever seen her, and she smiled even as tears started to trickle down her cheeks.

Rita burst into tears as well, but assured her that she was fine. Not only fine, but in love. Sara’s heart started to ache even though she was thrilled for her friend. She assured Rita that Tanaca was taking care of her and joked about her special project, although she didn’t tell her it involved seducing her reluctant lover. She promised to try and meet her soon and then they signed off.

More tears started to flow as she stared at the blank screen. Rita was happy and in love. They had yet to find Tammy but based on that stupid heart, she suspected that Tammy was as well. And here she was, playing games with a male who might never be able to commit to her.

She was still crying when Tanaca returned. He immediately pulled her into his arms.

“What’s wrong? Is there something you need me to do?”

His very willingness to help only made her cry harder. They could be so happy together—if only he could let go of his fears. Maybe she just needed to stop trying. She scrubbed her face with her hands and took a step back. It was the first time she had ever moved away from him so quickly, and his grip tightened for a moment before he dropped his hands.

“I’m fine,” she said. “Tell me about this Worvak. Is he really a good man—male?”

“I believe so. He was part of an undercover investigation so I had him investigated at the time. He used to be in the Fleet, but resigned to… aid a friend.”

From the look on his face he wasn’t telling her everything, but she didn’t press him.

“He will protect her,” he continued, and she forced a smile.

“I’m sure he will. I’m going to go and work on my language lessons now.”

She saw him shoot a puzzled frown in her direction, but she was too heartsick to care. Her enthusiasm for their games had suddenly disappeared, and she stayed quietly on the couch pretending to pay attention to her lessons for most of the day. Lunch didn’t interest her and about half way through the afternoon, she suddenly stood up. She knew he’d been watching her and he immediately turned in her direction.

“I think I’ll sleep in my old rooms tonight.”

His mouth opened, and then he slowly shut it again. What else had she expected? She nodded and headed for the door without another word.

“Sara,” he said quietly behind her but she couldn’t, she just couldn’t.

She fled blindly into the corridor, tears blurring her eyes. When she finally got them under control, she was in a part of a ship she’d never been in before. Actually, she hadn’t seen most of the ship. She’d spent most of her time in either her rooms or Tanaca’s.

Maybe I should have a look around while I’m still here.

The thought didn’t really interest her, but anything was better than returning to her empty cabin alone. She seemed to be in the crew area but it was empty at the moment, and she guessed that most of the crew members were on duty or preparing for the evening meal. Shouts from up ahead caught her attention, and she caught a glimpse of a number of the crew cheering two males who were fighting each other. She shuddered and backed quickly away.

A little while later she stumbled on the door to the hangar. This she recognized. Was their shuttle in there, she wondered? The shuttle that had brought them back to the ship with Tanaca holding her so tenderly, back when she thought they might have a future.

Following a masochistic urge to see, she slipped inside. The large space was dim and shadowy. Two shuttles waited on the far side, but she couldn’t tell the difference between them. So much for that idea. A number of other vessels filled the space: sleek, dangerous-looking vehicles that she suspected were the alien equivalent of fighter jets, along with rectangular cargo carriers, and some small personal vessels. Had that been what Vorkan used to steal Tammy away?

More tears threatened, but she did her best to force them down as she wandered deeper into the hangar. Maybe I should steal one of them myself and go off on my own adventure, she thought defiantly. Unfortunately, her experiences to date did not encourage her to think that she would enjoy it. She sighed and was about to return to her cabin when she heard a low voice.

“No, they still haven’t found him.”

Found who? Vorkan?

She crept a little closer.

“Nothing’s come back on me either. I think we’re safe to continue.”

Her heart suddenly started to pound as a foggy memory tried to break free.

“Him?” The male snorted. “He was no great loss. More interested in indulging himself than running a business. He certainly didn’t care about what was happening here on the ship.”

The minotaur. She suddenly remembered seeing a minotaur. He had said something about a ship. And then later… She shivered, not quite sure why she was afraid, but another fragment of memory surfaced—Bartron and another male talking about a ship and a missing male. The missing male had to be Vorkan, the timing was just too close to be a coincidence.

I have to tell Tanaca.

Should she try and see who was speaking first? No. It was too much of a risk. Tanaca would find him. She started to back away quietly, but didn’t get as far as the end of the vessel when a crew member came around the other end, snapping a communicator closed.

He stopped dead in his tracks, staring at her, and she recognized him as one of the communication officers. Then a broad smile replaced his shocked expression.

“What do we have here? A little human spy?”

“I was just curious about the ships,” she said quickly as she took a step back. “But I have to get back now. Lord Tanaca is expecting me.”

“Is he? I heard you were seen running away from his quarters. Crying. Did he get tired of his pet?”

An expression of mock sympathy covered his face as he started to advance towards her. She gulped and took another step back.

“He did nothing of the kind. I’m sure he’s already looking for me.”

“Perhaps, but unfortunately the monitoring system in here is very untrustworthy. And thanks to your friend’s little escapade, I became aware of Tanaca’s little backup system. I’m afraid that is also unreliable these days.”

Moving with a speed she hadn’t anticipated, he leaped forward and grabbed her wrists, holding them painfully behind her.

“Vorkan managed to disappear with an entire ship. I don’t think I’ll have any problem getting rid of one little human.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Tanaca paced back and forth in the silent room, fighting the urge to go after Sara. How could he when nothing had changed? One of his alarms chimed, but he ignored it. All his plans and schemes, his subtle network of information and bribes and careful manipulation no longer seemed important. Why should he care if the Empire crashed and burned? It wouldn’t change the fact that he was alone.

I would let it all burn, for her.

The truth of those words slammed into him. Since Kaisar was too dangerous for her, then he would leave and take her somewhere else, somewhere safe. She was more important to him than his job, more important than the Empire he had served. He needed to talk to her, to make sure he hadn’t already lost her. She should be back in her quarters by now, but when he turned on the feed, her rooms were empty, all of them. Had she already forgiven him and decided to come back to him?

He searched the feeds for the corridors between their quarters. Nothing. She couldn’t possibly be lost, could she? Had one of the crew intercepted her? Attempted to woo his female? Icy rage filled him as he began a methodical search of the other feeds.

He finally saw her image, slipping down a set of back stairs. Alone. That helped to cool his anger, rapidly replaced by concern as he saw the tear stains on her face. He had to talk to her, convince her that he could keep her safe and make her happy.

She turned a corner and he lost her. When he tried to pull up the feed from the corridor, all he received was static. Incompetent idiots. There had been more than enough time to repair any damage that Vorkan had caused.

He brought up his private feed. He hadn’t covered every corridor but he could track her based on the last position where he’d seen her. Except he couldn’t. The only thing his feeds showed was empty corridors. He stared at them in frustration and finally caught the tiniest flutter. He enlarged the screen, then swore.

The feeds were in a loop, simply broadcasting the same images over and over. Which meant that someone not only knew about his feeds, but had gone to the effort of intercepting them. A chill skated down his spine. The only reason to intercept them was to cover up illicit activities—illicit activities in the area Sara had entered.

He had thought his private feeds were secret—except he’d revealed them the day they were searching for Vorkan and Tammy. He raced to the door, calling up Laterra as he went.

“Meet me in the communications center. We have a security breach.”

“WHERE IS SHE?” Tanaca snarled at Erulo a short time later.

He hadn’t even had to interrogate the other communications officers, although he’d sent Laterra to question them. Instead, he’d run into Erulo as he was returning to duty. The male took one look at his face and ran. Tanaca had taken him down with a knife through his thigh. But despite the blood beginning to pool beneath him, the male refused to talk.

“Where is she?” he repeated, emphasizing the question with his blade. “I know she’s still on the ship.”

The outer cameras were still fully operational, and no vessel had left the ship since she’d disappeared.

“Not for much longer.” Erulo grinned at him through blood-stained teeth. “I’m going to purge your foolish obsession.”

Purge?

“The waste disposal cycle,” he said grimly. The machine was set to cycle every hour.

Erulo’s triumphant look faltered for an instant, long enough for him to know he was correct.

“Shut them off,” he ordered frantically, shouting into his communicator, and Erulo tried to smile again as he slumped over, but he was losing too much blood.

“No remote access. Too late.”

His eyes fluttered closed, but Tanaca was already gone. He ran for the maintenance room, his heart pounding, and the seconds ticking off in his head. He had to make it in time. The big maintenance room was empty, but the door to the ejection chamber was already closed, the timer clicking down. He snatched the door open, only to find that the space was… empty?

No! He was too late.

His tortured howl echoed through the space as he dropped to his knees. What had he done?

A metal object clattered behind him, but he didn’t care. Nothing mattered now.

“My knight in shining armor.” Sara’s voice had to be an illusion. “I knew you’d come.”

He spun around to see her walking towards him, her dress torn, her face dirty, but real and alive and smiling. Thank Napisten.

He rose to his feet as she ran towards him, and they slammed together before he collapsed back down, alternating between kissing her and lecturing her.

“You are never going to leave me again,” he ordered. “Do you understand? I love you, Sara, and I don’t care if we have to live on the farthest planet of the smallest system in the Empire. We stay together, always.”

She was crying and laughing and kissing him back, her arms so tight around his neck he could barely breathe, but then breathing was overrated.

“I love you too. I knew you’d come.”

He shuddered as the timer clicked over, and he heard the shaft open.

“I was almost too late.”

“But you weren’t.” She gave him a shaky smile. “I should have just waited in there instead of ruining my dress in that maintenance shaft.”

“I don’t understand. How did you get out?”

She triumphantly held up a small metal object.

“After our adventures on Ratoria, I decided that your hidden blade was a good idea so I had the replicator add it to the clothes I created. Not all of them,” she added. “Just the ones I was going to wear outside our cabin.”

“You should have one in everything,” he said immediately. “Although I don’t recognize the design.”

She laughed.

“I don’t know anything about knives so I modeled it after a nail file. You know, to shape your nails and make them look nice?”

“Your weapon is a piece of grooming equipment?”

She shrugged.

“It worked, didn’t it? I’ve used one as a screwdriver back on Earth and it finally occurred to me I could do the same thing here. I pried open the screws on the grate covering the maintenance shaft and crawled down it until I reached a hatch.”

“My smart, perfect, beautiful mate.”

He kissed her again, longer this time, and she moaned into his mouth, her hips rocking against his rapidly growing erection.

“I need you,” she whispered.

Fuck yes.

He freed his erection so quickly he heard fabric tear, but he didn’t care. As soon as his cock was free, he lifted her over it, then thrust up into her with one hard stroke. She cried out, her sweet cunt already fluttering around him. He couldn’t wait, thrusting mindlessly, his cock vibrating so hard that he could feel it in his spine. Fire raced through his veins as she buried her hands in his hair, urging him on with her cries, until he finally exploded in a mindless blaze of heat, his hips still bucking against her.

When his heart finally stopped pounding and his breathing finally slowed, he realized she was clinging to him, pressing soft little kisses to his chest. He put a finger under her chin, raising her face to his, and the warmth glowing in her eyes made his heart race all over again.

“Did you mean it? Do you really love me?”

“Of course, I do, you idiot. Probably from the moment you walked into that interrogation—”

“Interview.”

“Interrogation room with that stick up your ass. Although making me come five times in one night probably sealed the deal,” she added with a teasing look that made his cock jerk again.

“Six.”

“I think I know how many times I climaxed.”

“I’m sure you do, but you’re forgetting the shower.”

She rolled her eyes.

“All right, six. Although this last one was pretty amazing. I should get kidnapped more often.”

He shuddered.

“Do I have to lock you away to keep you safe?”

She bit her lip, then put her hand on his face.

“Don’t even joke about it. You’d kill me if you did that.”

“I’m sorry, my flame. I’ll do my best not to place too many boundaries around you.”

She nodded, but the serious look didn’t vanish.

“Is that what you meant about going to some backwater planet?”

“I may have overstated it. But I have decided to leave Kaisar. We will make our home somewhere far away from it.”

“Why? That’s the center of your network.”

“It is too dangerous.”

“I don’t understand. Why is it any more dangerous than anywhere else?”

“The members of the court are always seeking an advantage. I am a target, which makes you one as well, and they are far more ruthless than any slave traders. I couldn’t keep you safe on Ratoria or even on an Imperial battle cruiser. How could I keep you safe there?”

“But you did keep me safe, both times.”

“I did not. You were taken.”

She shrugged.

“But nothing bad happened. You killed those bastards on Ratoria and found me here.”

“I almost didn’t.”

“But you did. What happened to the male who took me?”

“He’s probably dead.”

If he wasn’t, Tanaca would finish the job later. Right now all he cared about was having his female in his arms.

“You see? You eliminated the threat and you found me. Not that I intend to go wandering off again, but if something did happen I know you would come for me.”

“But…”

“Your position, this network of yours? Maybe they do make you a target. Maybe they make me a target. But aren’t they also the best way to protect both of us? I’m sure you have monitors, informants…” She waved a hand. “Spy stuff. You know what’s happening, and if there’s a problem, you know the best way to handle it.”

She wasn’t wrong. Perhaps she would be safer on Kaisar. With him.

“I know you thought I’d be safer on Sherae, but what if you had sent me there by myself and something had happened?”

He frowned at her. “I would not allow it.”

“How would you have prevented it if you weren’t there? It’s taking us days just to reach the planet.”

“There are faster ways,” he said immediately, and saw her smile. Had she realized all along that he was trying to prolong their time together?

“I’m sure there are, but you couldn’t have been there in an hour like you were today.”

His pulse raced as he considered her reasoning. It was… logical.

“I am an idiot,” he said slowly.

She grinned.

“Well, I wasn’t going to come right out and say it again.”

“I thought I was making decisions about our future logically, but I wasn’t. I was making them out of emotion. Out of fear.”

Her hand tightened over his as he continued. “I was afraid that you would be hurt, but I was also afraid that I would be as well.”

“It’s frightening to love someone. To know your happiness is tied to theirs. But, Tanaca, I’d rather be happy with you for a short time than unhappy by myself.”

“And you would be happy on Kaisar?”

“As long as you’re there, yes.” Her hips began to move, teasing his still embedded cock back into a full erection. “And it sounds as if there are lots of people to meet and places to explore. I don’t think I’d get bored.”

Oh, fuck. He was going to have to expand his network even more, add additional monitors, increase the security in his rooms…

She tugged his head down but before he could kiss her, she bit down on his ear instead. Hard.

“Stop thinking. There will be time for all your complicated schemes later. Right now I just want you to love me.”

“I can do that,” he assured her and pushed aside everything except the overwhelming joy of making love to his mate.

EPILOGUE

Six months later…

TANACA RETURNED to his quarters to find his mate busily making notes on his tablet. As always, the sight of her in their rooms filled him with satisfaction, and he felt the tension leaving his body as he slipped off his formal robes and went to join her.

As usual, she was wearing something provocative—this time short pants that barely covered her ass and a shirt so sheer he could see the delicate pink of her nipples—but they both enjoyed her outfits and she was more conservative when they attended social events. Somewhat. Her idea of conservative was never going to agree with his, but he’d made sure that the males in the court knew to behave appropriately or suffer his wrath.

“I had a very interesting conversation with Lady Arkanta while I was at Ella’s event today,” she said casually, and he closed his eyes.

“I warned you about her.”

She waved a dismissive hand.

“You warned the entire court about me. I’m perfectly safe.”

No one was ever perfectly safe, although he had made it quite clear that anyone who caused her any distress would be punished. After a few very meaningful demonstrations of his sincerity, she had been left alone—not that he would ever relax his vigilance.

“Anyway, she was telling me that Prince Csalo is the father of her youngest child.”

“She told you that?” he asked skeptically.

“Not directly, but she let it drop that Csalo was one of her admirers, and then later she mentioned that her son Deral had his father’s skill at Jatek. You know that Csalo won the tournament earlier this month. I simply put two and two together.”

“Interesting.”

“It is, isn’t it?” Her eyes sparkled as she danced over to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Admit it. I’m good at this.”

“I told you not to get involved.”

She shrugged, her breasts rubbing deliciously against his chest. “What else am I going to do? Besides, you can’t be mated to the spymaster without being a little bit of a spy yourself.”

“I am not the spymaster. I am simply an advisor.”

“If you say so… Master.”

Her hand slid between their bodies to tease his already erect cock.

“Mmm. It feels like you’re happy to see me.”

“I am always happy to see you,” he said truthfully.

She smiled up at him, then freed his erection as she dropped to her knees.

“Sarah,” he groaned, his fingers tangling in the silky strands of her hair.

“You have to practice restraint, remember? Why don’t you tell me about your day, dear?” she suggested, then ran her soft pink tongue up the underside of his cock.

He shuddered but did his best to comply with her request.

“I met with a group of free traders about… Oh, fuck.” He groaned as she stretched her lips around the head of his cock, her mouth hot and wet and perfect.

She immediately released him and gave him a mock admonitory look.

“Control, remember?”

“I also investigated—” he began, and she smiled as she took him back into her mouth.

His words became more and more disjointed as she used her tongue to tease all of his most sensitive places, her hand stroking up his shaft to meet her mouth as she took him deeper. He finally abandoned the effort and gave himself over to the delights of his passionate mate pleasuring him.

He didn’t need to be in control. And it was that knowledge, as much as the love on her face when she looked up at him, that finally made him erupt in a rush of liquid heat.

She swallowed eagerly, then released him with a last teasing lick and grinned up at him.

“I think we’re going to have to try that again. I’m pretty sure I missed out on most of the important details.”

“You didn’t miss anything,” he assured her as he reached down and lifted her into his arms. “But now it’s my turn to be in control.”

She gave an excited little shiver, and he laughed and carried her off to their bed.

TANACA WASN’T in bed with Sara when she awakened a long time later, but she didn’t have far to look. He was standing at the open windows that led out into the enclosed courtyard garden, the serene space bathed in silvery light. The same moonlight gave an otherworldly glow to his white hair and highlighted his lean, defined muscles. He was naked, and she let her gaze drift appreciatively down over his body. Even though he had made love to her so thoroughly, a pulse of arousal began low in her stomach as she watched him.

“You should be sleeping,” he said without looking around, and she jumped.

“How did you know I was awake?”

“I know everything about you.”

He turned towards her, the silver flames glowing in his eyes, as she stretched lazily.

“You mean I have no mystery left?”

“You’ll always be a mystery to me, my flame.”

“That’s better.”

She gave him a seductive smile, and he crossed the room in two strides before pulling her into his arms and kissing her. But although the intensity of his kiss left her as breathless as always, she knew him as well as he knew her. She gave his shoulders a gentle push.

“Now tell me what’s going on.”

“I’ve been thinking.”

“You are always thinking. Can you be more specific?”

“The Empire, Kaisar, the Royal Court.”

He rolled over on his back, tugging her along with him.

“That’s a pretty comprehensive list.”

“It is,” he agreed. “Especially because I was also thinking about you, about us.”

Her heart skipped a beat.

“You’re scaring me. Don’t tell me you’re going to start obsessing about me being in danger again. I’m not leaving you.”

His arm immediately tightened reassuringly around her.

“You most definitely are not. But life here takes a toll.”

She couldn’t argue with him. On the whole she enjoyed life on Kaisar, but the politics, the social events, the constant scheming could be exhausting. She had become close to Ella and she trusted her, but there was no one else she was really comfortable with.

“I know,” she said softly. “But the information you gather is vital.”

“I agree.” He moved again, rolling over on top of her so he could look down at her face. “But perhaps that is not as restrictive as I thought.”

“What do you mean?”

“Do you remember when I introduced you to Lord Leavent?”

She nodded. At first glance she had taken him for another arrogant Kaisarian noble, but then she’d seen him with his sweet human wife and their adorable children and she’d revised her opinion.

“Of course I remember. I would’ve liked to have gotten to know his wife better, but they were only here for a short time.”

“Exactly. Leavent is an analyst who used to reside here in the court. Now that he’s mated, they spend much of their time on his home planet.”

“I don’t understand. What’s your point?”

“That his information is as thorough and effective as ever. He did not need to be here on Kaisar to do his job.”

“Are you trying to tell me you want to go back to Elginar?”

He shuddered.

“Absolutely not. But I believe that once I put the appropriate channels in place, we could spend considerable periods of time elsewhere.”

Her heart skipped another beat, joyfully this time.

“Where?”

“I thought perhaps Sherae.”

“The sanctuary planet you told me about? Sun and sand and sea?”

“Yes. And since King Rastrath is a member of the Royal House, it still maintains close connections to Kaisar.”

“Is that why you were going to take me there originally—so you could keep an eye on me?”

“Yes,” he said immediately. “Even though I hadn’t accepted my feelings, I knew I couldn’t just let you go.”

She tugged his head down for a kiss, then smiled up at him when he raised his head.

“When can we leave?”

He laughed.

“I will need time to make arrangements. Perhaps a month? If you are sure this is what you want to do?”

“Absolutely.”

Not only for herself, but for him. The only time he ever truly relaxed was when they were alone together, but hopefully once they were away from the court, they would have more times like that.

“I’ll miss Ella, of course, but we’ll still be spending a lot of time here, right?”

“Of course. There is something else,” he added.

“Yes? I thought perhaps… If we make a second home on Sherae…”

For once her smooth spymaster seemed to be at a loss for words.

“Yes?” she prompted him again.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, then focused on her face.

“I thought perhaps it would be a good place to start a family.”

She burst into tears.

“Oh, Napisten, no. Don’t cry,” he said frantically. “It was only a suggestion. If you don’t want to—”

“I want to,” she sobbed. “Right now.”

His cock immediately throbbed against her, but he still hesitated.

“Are you sure?”

“Of course I’m sure. I’ve been thinking about it for ages, but our lives are so busy and you never mentioned it.”

Not to mention his horrible experience with his own mother. She’d just assumed he had no interest in becoming a father.

A slow smile spread across his face.

“It appears I do not know you as well as I thought I did.”

“I’m still a mystery,” she said triumphantly as she wiggled against him. “Now stop talking and let’s make a baby.”

He groaned and adjusted his position. His cock slid into her one long smooth glide, already beginning to vibrate.

“I still have a control implant,” he muttered. “It will not happen this time.”

“I don’t care. This time can just be practice.” She rocked her hips against him as the vibrations intensified. “Next time it will be real. Next time we’ll be making a baby.”

He shuddered, and then his usual control vanished completely. His hands clamped down on her body, holding her in place as he thrust into her with hard, demanding strokes. Sparks of light danced across her vision as her body convulsed in a surge of ecstasy, but he didn’t stop, the vibrations intensifying and drawing out her climax until he finally buried himself impossibly deeper. Pulse after pulse of liquid heat flooded her body before he collapsed down on top of her.

“Mmm,” she murmured when she regained enough strength to speak. “You should pretend you’re getting me pregnant every time.”

“Next time it will not be a pretense,” he promised, and she smiled as she drifted back to sleep.

SEVEN MONTHS LATER…

TANACA SURE DIDN’T WASTE any time in getting what he wanted, Sara thought as she ran a thankful hand over the ever-increasing mound of her stomach. What we both wanted, she added as she looked out over the smooth pink sand and sparkling turquoise waters of their new house. Their part-time home.

Once Tanaca had completed his arrangements, they had spent several wonderful months on Sherae before returning to Kaisar. Although she was happy as long as they were together, she had to admit that she had missed their new island home. It was a long, low building located on a private island close to the capital city. The high-ceilinged rooms were bright and spacious and every room opened to a wide patio overlooking the ocean.

They had only just returned, but now that her pregnancy was more advanced, he promised they could remain here until after the baby was born. Our baby. She patted her stomach again and smiled.

Tanaca emerged from one of the tall glass doors that opened onto the patio that ran the length of their house, frowning down at his data tablet. A tablet he cast aside as soon as he saw her.

“My flame, what are you doing?”

She shrugged.

“Just getting some sun.”

“What are you wearing, or should I say not wearing?” he growled.

She shrugged again, knowing that it would make her breasts move enticingly beneath the thin strip of cloth. They had grown considerably with her pregnancy, and he was fascinated by the change. His eyes immediately focused on the soft mounds as her nipples stiffened and she smiled.

“It’s called a bikini. It’s very common on Earth.”

Although since Sherae didn’t seem to recognize the concept, she’d had to improvise with a thin scarf tied across her breasts and another across her hips.

“Don’t you like it?”

“I like it very much, but what if Lukan or Marla had come out?”

He had insisted on hiring the older Sheraen couple to help with the housework and the gardening. She rolled her eyes at him.

“First of all, I’m perfectly decent.” But she had no intention of staying that way. She gave him her best seductive smile. “Second of all, I gave them strict instructions to stay away from this side of the house.”

“Why?”

She stretched, and the scarf loosely tied around her breasts slipped lower, revealing one of her newly enlarged nipples.

“You’ve been working too hard. I thought you deserved a little fun.”

She brushed her thumb across her nipple, loving the way the silver flames appeared in his eyes.

“You are far too tempting, my flame.”

He joined her on the wide chaise and immediately fastened his mouth around the taut peak, hot and wet and wonderful. She arched into the delicious suction, her breasts so sensitive now she thought she could come from his mouth alone. A tingling sensation mingled with the seductive pull and he suddenly drew back, looking startled.

“What is it?”

“Look.”

He tugged on the distended tip and a small white drop appeared. He caught it with his finger and lifted it to his mouth.

“So sweet.”

“Milk,” she whispered.

“Yes. You are preparing to nourish our child.”

From the intensity of his gaze as he extracted another drop, she suspected he also had more immediate desires in mind. Her breasts tingled expectantly.

“Mmm. You should try the other side. Just to make sure it’s working too.”

He started to lower his head, then groaned and sat up.

“You are a dangerous female. I forget everything when we are together. Do you have a robe?”

“Over there. Why?”

Instead of answering her immediately, he helped her gently to her feet, then tied the silky kimono over her stomach.

“Because we are about to have visitors.”

She heard an excited squeal, and turned to see Tammy and Rita racing towards her. She blinked twice, unable to believe that she was finally seeing them in person. They had frequent video calls, but the times never seemed to work out for them to actually meet. Her eyes filled with tears as she turned back to him.

“Thank you, my love.”

And then she went to meet her friends, Tanaca strong and protective behind her.

AUTHOR’S NOTE

Thank you for reading Sara and the Spymaster! My goodness, Tanaka was a tough nut to crack - but thankfully Sara knew just where to apply pressure! I love seeing a cold, logical male succumb to passion - and I hope you enjoyed it too!

Whether you loved the book or not, it would mean the world to me if you left an honest review on Amazon. Word of mouth is incredibly helpful for authors and I’d love to know your thoughts!

Up next - Tammy and the Traitor!

Vorkan has taken Tammy away from the ship, from Sara, and from the new life they have been promised.

How can she trust him after such an act of betrayal? And what will happen when he learns all of her secrets?

Tammy and the Traitor is available on Amazon!

To make sure you don’t miss out on any new releases, deals, or updates, click here to sign up for my newsletter!

OTHER TITLES

KAISARIAN EMPIRE

The Alien Abduction Series

Anna and the Alien

Beth and the Barbarian

Cam and the Conqueror

Deb and the Demon

Ella and the Emperor

Faith and the Fighter

Greta and the Gargoyle

Hanna and the Hitman

Izzie and the Icebeast

Joan and the Juggernaut

Kate and the Kraken

Lily and the Lion

Mary and the Minotaur

Nancy and the Naga

Olivia and the Orc

Pandora and the Prisoner

Quinn and the Queller

Rita and the Raider

Sara and the Spymaster

Tammy and the Traitor

Stranded with an Alien

Sinta - A SciFi Holiday Tail

Folsom Planet Blues

Alien Most Wanted: Caged Beast

Alien Most Wanted: Prison Mate

Alien Most Wanted: Mastermind

Alien Most Wanted: Unchained

Treasured by the Alien

Mama and the Alien Warrior

A Son for the Alien Warrior

Daughter of the Alien Warrior

A Family for the Alien Warrior

The Nanny and the Alien Warrior

A Home for the Alien Warrior

A Gift for the Alien Warrior

A Treasure for the Alien Warrior

Three Babies and the Alien Warrior

HOMESTEAD WORLDS

Seven Brides for Seven Alien Brothers

Artek

Benjar

Callum

Drakkar

Endark

Frantor

Gilmat

You Got Alien Trouble!

Cosmic Fairy Tales

Jackie and the Giant

Blind Date with an Alien

Her Alien Farmhand

Exposed to the Elements

The Naked Alien

The Bare Essentials

A Nude Attitude

The Buff Beast

The Strip Down

The Alien Invasion Series

Alien Selection

Alien Conquest

Alien Prisoner

Alien Breeder

Alien Alliance

Alien Hope

Alien Castaway

Alien Chief

Alien Ruler

COZY MONSTERS

Monster Between the Sheets

Extra Virgin Gargoyle

Without a Stitch

Fairhaven Falls

Cupcakes for My Orc Enemy

Trouble for My Troll

Horned Holidays

Krampus and the Crone

A Gift for Nicholas

A Kiss of Frost

Cyborgs on Mars

High Plains Cyborg

The Good, the Bad, and the Cyborg

A Fistful of Cyborg

A Few Cyborgs More

The Magnificent Cyborg

The Outlaw Cyborg

The Cyborg with No Name

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Honey Phillips writes steamy science fiction stories about hot alien warriors and the human women they can’t resist. From abductions to invasions, the ride might be rough, but the end always satisfies.

Honey wrote and illustrated her first book at the tender age of five. Her writing has improved since then. Her drawing skills, unfortunately, have not. She loves writing, reading, traveling, cooking, and drinking champagne - not necessarily in that order.

Honey loves to hear from her wonderful readers! You can stalk her at any of the following locations…

www.facebook.com/HoneyPhillipsAuthor

www.bookbub.com/authors/honey-phillips

www.instagram.com/HoneyPhillipsAuthor

www.honeyphillips.com