“We can’t just leave him in there,” Sam whispered. “He didn’t do anything wrong.”
“We don’t really have a choice.” Evan placed a hand on her bare shoulder and squeezed. Falke felt his body leaping with jealousy. Sam patted the man’s hand lightly and nodded. Falke’s grip on the bars tightened until he felt as if he could crush the metal with his hands.
“Fine,” Sam muttered. Then, she surprised him. Falke watched her face harden. With authority in her tone, she said, “Evan, go see what’s keeping Rick. Tell him to chart a course for Qurilixen. Viktor check our supplies. Lucien, go monitor communications. See if anyone from his planet is following us or trying to contact us. Dev, I’m going to need a change of clothes for the prince. You’re about his size.”
Falke felt his lip threaten to lift into an impressed smile. He didn’t think he could’ve found her any more appealing, but the way she ordered the men around really was a turn on. Perhaps it would be fun to let her play commander with him. He might actually enjoy following her orders. This time when desire flooded him he couldn’t keep it down.
Sam’s violet eyes met his from across the room. She looked as if she wanted to say something, but held back. The men were leaving, going to do as she said. When they were alone, she stepped toward him.
“I am sorry about this.” Her voice was soft, barely audible.
“Then let me out. You say I’m no prisoner.”
“I can’t...Dev—”
“I thought you were in command of this ship,” Falke challenged.
“I am...sort of. The ship is mine and legally that makes me the captain, but we’re more of a democracy.”
“I see.” Falke nodded. Now that made sense. He wasn’t sure if he should be impressed or upset by his capture. He was leaning toward upset. How was it these inept creatures managed to kidnap him? Sacred cats! First Myrddin and now this? It was too much. He must be losing his edge. He was fast becoming a disgrace to his title and position. “What do you want with me?”
“Well, you know how it is. We were drinking too much last night, one thing led to another, there’s this Scavenger Hunt.” Sam paused, studying him. She seemed nervous. Well, good. She should be. Fidgeting, she glanced around the room as if trying to find anything to do that would take her attention off him and their conversation. “Okay, maybe you don’t know how it is.”
“Your Highness,” Falke began. “As one royal to another, I give you my word of honor that I will not harm you as long as you take me home, now.”
“How…?” Sam blinked, getting caught up in his eyes. “Oh, the computer. That’s why you think...I’m not royalty. It’s a joke.”
“I fail to see the humor in impersonating royalty,” Falke answered.
“Well,” Sam mumbled, rolling her eyes as she crossed past his cage to her living area. “You probably would.”
Falke cleared his throat, moving around the cage to watch her. Behind him was a small living area. The black couches were long and wide, with short backs. Red cushions were thrown haphazardly over them. He watched as Sam kicked off her shoes, baring her feet, before dropping onto the couch.
“Thank you for ordering the clothes,” Falke said, wanting her attention back on him and off whatever it was she stared at. Sam glanced at him and shrugged.
“Why are you naked anyway?” she asked, looking at her hand.
Falke wasn’t sure how to answer without telling her he was a shifter. He didn’t want to make the slave auctions more tempting of an idea. “I was...exercising.”
“Hum,” Sam mumbled, making an exaggerated face of disbelief. She rolled her eyes. “If that’s what you want to call it.”
“What?”
“Well, there are only a few reasons men strip down. One to bathe and the other to…” Sam paused, and Falke swore she was blushing.
“To…?” he prompted.
“Mating,” Sam said, her tone forced as if the very idea of saying the word embarrassed her. He watched her carefully. “They strip for mating.”
“Mating,” Falke repeated, letting his voice dip low. To his delight, she shivered. Ah, so the little captain wasn’t completely immune to him. Her sugary fragrance filled his head. “Tell me, Captain, do you ever mate?”
“No.”
Falke blinked, expecting her to laugh. She didn’t. She was serious. Very practical, he offered, “Why don’t you give me the opportunity to change your answer? I can smell that you desire me. I need release. You have the manacles if you don’t trust me to behave.”
Falke was very serious in his offer. There was no modesty in sexual things for the Var. Sex was as natural as breathing. Although many of the women on his planet were not Var by blood, they usually adopted the Var ways as their own, becoming free in the bedroom. Besides, the Roane half of him drew energy from sexual pleasures.
“Ahh,” Sam looked around, appearing almost helpless as she didn’t answer him. Almost desperately, her eyes fell on the wall. Her tone rushed, she ordered, “Computer, play recordings.”
“Yes, Your Highness,” the computer answered. Sam closed her eyes briefly and shook her head. Low music began to play in the background, and Falke saw a bluish light reflecting off her delicate features.
“Did I say something?” he asked. It was clear to see she was desperately trying to avoid continuing the conversation with him at any cost.
“Shh, stop talking. I’ve never seen this film.”
“Film?” Falke asked. The music stopped, and people began talking. He watched. “Who is there? Do you have a communication open?”
“Shh,” she hissed, frantically waving her hand at him to be quiet. Sam pulled a pillow to her stomach and drew her legs up on the couch. “It’s Old Earth television.”
“Ah, like plays,” Falke said, remembering hearing of such things from the harem women. Jarek and Reid’s mother had enjoyed such things when she was alive.
“Yeah, like plays,” Sam said, not turning to him.
“What play is it?” Falke wanted her attention back on him.
Sam sighed heavily and turned to look at him. “Do you want a pillow or something?”
Falke nodded.
“Maybe a blanket, too, so you can cover up?”
“Why? Does my nudity bother you?” Falke teased. The woman looked mortified. Obviously, she didn’t get the joke. That happened to him a lot. He couldn’t help it if his face wasn’t as expressive as his brothers’. He tried grinning on purpose once to be friendly and ended up scaring a group of young Var boys back to their homes. They’d been convinced the commander prince wanted to eat them.
A throat clearing saved her from answering. Evan walked in with the food. He was soon followed by Dev.
“Recording off,” Sam said, grimacing as the computer answered her.
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“What ya watching?” Evan asked. His tray was weighed down with food. When her brow rose, he shrugged. “We forgot to ask what he ate.”
“He eats food,” Falke put forth in great irritation.
Evan hesitated, glancing from his tray to the cage. Falke lowered his chin, silently daring the man to step closer. Dev was unafraid as he moved to the cell. He’d been the only one to approach close enough for him to grab. Falke held back, biding his time. He wanted to get his hands on the captain. He had a feeling that these men might risk Dev’s safety, but would easily be distracted if the little female was in jeopardy.
Dev slid the clothes through the bars and set them on the floor. Then, without being asked, he took the tray from Evan. Falke didn’t move. The man’s black eyes glanced up briefly to watch him as he kneeled. Lifting his hand to the door scanner, the cage popped open, and he quickly slid the tray in, pushing the door shut just as fast. He stood, turning to leave without comment.
“Ah, Dev?” Sam called. Dev stopped. “Wait, I want to talk to you.”
Falke watched in disappointment as all three left him alone. Then, looking around his cage, he sighed. H
e might as well eat and get dressed since there was nothing better to do. As he moved to see what they’d brought him, he couldn’t help but notice the room suddenly seemed dismal without Captain Sam.
7
“Captain, we got us a small problem,” Viktor said, stepping into the large cockpit where Sam and Rick were checking out a bunch of holographic star maps.
“I know, I know,” Sam sighed in exasperation. “And I’ll tell you like I told Lucien, Evan, and Rick here. I’m sorry for darting the prince. I don’t know what I was thinking, or why he’s now in my room. Yes, I still want to make the Scavenger Hunt, and I still want to win that prize money. No, I don’t think I stripped him of his clothes. He was naked when we found him.”
“Yeah, see, I’d call the prince thing a big problem not a small one,” Viktor said. “But, your speech was pretty and all.”
Sam frowned. She stretched her arms over her head. She’d used the personal medic again, and her hangover pain was almost completely gone though her mind was still foggy. “What else could possibly be wrong?”
“Well, you know when we took that small detour to the mining colonies back in the X?” Viktor asked.
Sam sighed. They’d gone to the X Quadrant to see the Galaxy Playmates, or more correctly, the guys had pouted for a week until she took them to the X Quadrant to see the Galaxy Playmates. She didn’t care. The men went off, got laid, and came back in better moods. She was afforded alone time on the ship. It worked out well for everyone. “I don’t have time for this now. If you’re that bound up, go to the lavatory and use one of your magazines. I am not detouring to go and watch strippers.”
Rick began to laugh. Viktor smirked.
“Well, actually, it sucks that we can’t go and see strippers,” Viktor answered. “But, what I’m getting at is...well, specific women at the mining colony cost a certain number of space credits and a few of us, now, I’m not mentioning names, a few of us didn’t have our cards with us, you know, in case they were ID checking or there was a riot.”
Sam looked at him dispassionately, and mumbled, “Go on.”
“You’re going to laugh,” Viktor said, suddenly fighting her stare. “It’s really kind of funny.”
Rick snickered and didn’t even pretend to look away from the conversation.
“Humor me then,” Sam said. Viktor was avoiding. This was never good. “Just be blunt.”
“We traded the extra fuel reserves for sex,” Viktor stated. “We siphoned it out the next morning when you were still sleeping.”
“You what?” Sam yelled.
“It was good sex,” Viktor offered, weakly.
“Really good sex,” Rick chimed in. “Great, fantastic, supermodel sex. You would’ve done the same thing.”
“Shut it, Rick,” Sam growled. She glared at both of them in turn. “So, you’re telling me we’re out of fuel? In the middle of deep space? And all because you guys wanted to get laid by super sluts?”
“Hey, they’re performance artists, really hot performance artists with really big...” Rick let his words trail off as he held his hand up to mimic gigantic breasts. He nodded his head in feigned longing. Sam continued to glare, not amused.
“No, no, we’re not out,” Viktor said, his tone placating. “We made sure we’d have enough to get to Torgan where we could refuel without your knowing about it.”
Sam didn’t know what pissed her off the most. The fact that they had done it, or the fact that they weren’t going to tell her they’d done it. They were a team, friends. They shouldn’t have kept that from her.
“It’s worked before,” Viktor defended at her look.
Sam didn’t even want to touch that comment.
“So, what you’re saying is that if we turn around and drop the prince off we won’t have enough fuel to get anywhere?” Sam asked, feeling sick to her stomach.
“Yeah, that pretty much sums it up,” Viktor said. “Believe me, I checked before I had to come and tell you. I knew you’d be mad about it.”
“You do realize that not only do we not have fuel, but we’re broke.” Sam sighed. She’d sold the last of her jewels a few months ago. “Dead broke.”
“What you want to do, cap?” Rick asked.
“What else can we do at this point? Keep going to Torgan.” Sam ran her hand through her purple and blonde locks, growling in frustration. “We’ll just have to figure out some way to keep the prince happy until we can get him back.”
“I have a suggestion,” Rick said. “He seems to like you.”
Sam’s eyes narrowed.
“Just listen for a second. The guy likes you, and he’s, ah, equipped.” Rick nodded enthusiastically.
Sam’s lips pressed together. This was Rick being subtle.
“I mean, your shots are up to date, aren’t they?” Rick insisted.
One of Sam’s brows arched up on her forehead.
“I can check your medical file if you want me to,” Viktor interjected. “You know it might not be a bad plan. You haven’t—”
Sam turned her sharp expression on him, daring him to finish the sentence.
“Ah, chrissakes, Sam! We all know you haven’t been laid in like a millennia,” Rick said. “We feel kind of bad for you. I mean, if you won’t let one of us help you out...”
Sam closed her eyes. Sure, she got frustrated, and sure sometimes the men on the ship started to look like appealing bed partners, but their friendship meant more to her. She wouldn’t create that kind of tension on the ship.
“You want me to sleep with the prince to keep him happy?” Sam summarized carefully.
“He’s a guy, isn’t he? Trust me. If he’s getting laid by a pretty thing like you, he’ll be happy.” Rick nodded as if he spoke nothing but pure scientific fact.
“No,” Sam stated, her tone so flat the subject was automatically over.
“What about the Scavenger Hunt? Can we still enter?” Viktor asked.
“We can enter, but I don’t think we can win. I mean, we should enter because we have a great shot at winning with what we’ve got, but we’re an animal short. You know the live transports earn the most points. If anything, we should be able to sell what we’ve got at the market.” Sam was glad they’d dropped her sex life, as she absently pressed buttons on the display to bring up the map of Torgan. Three rings spun at odd angles around a brown-gray planet. “We could all really use the credits.”
“What about your father? Ticaron is on the way there. We have enough fuel to stop and still make it to Torgan,” Viktor said. “Could he give us a loan? I mean he is—”
Sam’s glare cut him off. Even Rick’s look turned sour. “Sam, you don’t have to go groveling to your father. We don’t need his help. We’ll figure out a way. We always do.”
“I’m going to have a workout,” Sam said, slowly walking toward the door.
As she rounded the corner, she heard Rick say, “Damn it, Viktor! Why’d you have to go and mention her father? You’ve heard what the man’s like.”
“Well, he is on the way,” Viktor answered. “She should face him sometime. Maybe he’s not so bad. Time has a way of changing people.”
Sam closed her eyes briefly and then hurried away. She didn’t want to hear anymore.
8
Like a coward, Sam stayed away from her room all day. She didn’t even make it to her workout. Instead, she sent Dev to make sure the prince had everything he needed. As evening approached her head started to clear, much to her relief. It was like a haze being lifted from her senses. She hadn’t realized how dull sound was, or how drab the colors around her had become.
As she finished eating supper, she knew she’d have to go back. The idea of sleeping in the same room as the Var prince was a little disconcerting, even if he was behind bars. Looking at her crew, she knew they’d all be going to bed soon. They looked beat from drinking themselves into oblivion the night before. Sam could definitely relate.
Unable to put off the inevitable, she walked back to her
room. The light inside was still dim. Automatically, her eyes went to her captive. She didn’t know how she was going to tell him they couldn’t take him straight home. Though, she had two ideas. The first was to say they were lost in space. The second was to drug his food so he didn’t know there’d been a time lapse until he was back.
The prince sat with his back to the bars. He faced the front door, his knees drawn up, his arms resting on his knees to dangle forward. The unfortunate man looked bored out of his mind. When he saw her, he didn’t move from his place.
He was dressed in black, compliments of Dev’s uninventive wardrobe. She’d thought having him covered would’ve calmed her interest in him a little. That apparently wasn’t the case. Her breathing deepened and she instantly felt warm all over. Never had just looking someone in the eye made her heart pound like that.
His chest looked a little broader on top than Dev’s was, so the thin cotton shirt hugged to his body, fitting snugly across the shoulders and upper arms. His hair was pulled back from his chiseled features, drawing attention to the squareness of his jaw, the firm yet stubborn set of his lips, the chocolate pools of his deep-set eyes.
Sam wished he’d smile at her. She realized that though his lips did curl slightly, and his eyes lit with what could be called amusement, she’d never actually seen him grin, not that he had anything to be happy about. The sense of guilt she’d felt all day intensified. None of this was fair to him. He hadn’t done anything, which she knew of, to deserve being imprisoned.
“I missed you today,” Falke said, his voice soft.
Sam blinked in surprise at the admission. Her eyes narrowed. “You don’t know me. How could you miss me?”
“You’re something to do.”
Sam took a deep breath. Instantly, her stomach tightened radiating the sensation all the way down her thighs. She felt herself tingle, becoming wet. Purposefully misunderstanding the innuendo, she said, “You had Dev checking on you.”
“He’s not beautiful. I don’t like looking at him.” Though his words were soft and intimate, his face was unemotional and unmoving. “Neither are those little cleaning units that come out when you leave.”
The Bound Prince Page 5
