“Got it,” Logan replied in agreement, shooting the younger man beside him a mocking look. “Hear that, Jed?”
Jed mumbled his agreement, flicking his weapon to stun setting. “How reliable is this tip, Tris?”
“So far, our source has come through for us every time. The only time things went wrong was on Exeter, when the Pagans got there before we did.” Tristan’s lips tightened at the memory. They’d lost twenty of their people when the Pagans beat them to the remote outpost. They had fought, even though they were outnumbered, but they had failed their mission. “It won’t happen again.”
Tristan glanced at the Pleasure Palace. The building was low and sprawling, spreading wide with various wings and sections. In front of the gilt-edged entry was a sculpture of two figures coupling. His eyebrows rose as the lifelike carvings switched from one explicit position to another every few minutes. The attention to detail was amazing. The female sculpture’s pussy looked remarkably real, down to the clitoris that was briefly revealed as the couple changed positions. Well, there’s no mistaking what kind of place this is.
The opaque glass doors opened automatically for clients to pass through. Two burly men stood guard on either side, primitive laser stunners holstered to their sides. They’re clear, Jed reported through their com-link. For security purposes, Cyborgs had the ability to communicate silently through microchips implanted in their ears. I scanned them and they have no other weapons.
Tristan nodded and signaled the two to follow him inside. One of the guards gave them a cursory glance as they entered the resort, but didn’t stop their progress. Inside, the temperature was noticeably cooler. The natural inlaid flooring was polished to a high shine, muting their footsteps. It was also darker, the lighting subdued and strategically placed. The air was fragrant with a soft, pleasing scent. Logan sniffed experimentally. My scanner indicates that the air coming from the vents above is mixed with some kind of relaxing agent. It’s harmless. 63
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Indigenous plants provided a touch of nature amidst deep-cushioned seats available for lounging. Elegant and refined, one would hardly suspect it was a pleasure resort designed to cater to every sexual fantasy. Flat viewing screens flashed a welcome message and instructions in various languages. Humans mingled with different species in the foyer. It was easy to discern the clients from the resort workers, who wore short, silky tunics belted loosely at the waist.
Wow, Jed’s surprise was clear over the com-link. I had no idea Erosians were so beautiful.
Tristan stifled a grin, his gaze following the voluptuous female Jed was currently admiring. Her breasts pushed against the soft fabric of the tunic, the thin material outlining the large mounds and leaving nothing to the imagination. Logan rolled his eyes. Down, boy. We’re on a mission here. Jed threw Tristan a hopeful look. Maybe we can find time for some R&R after we complete our mission?
We’ll see. For now we have to find out where our targets are. Logan’s snicker came loud and clear over the link. Oh, to be young and perpetually horny.
The younger man threw Logan a mild look. I’m only a few years younger than you, remember?
Let’s concentrate on the mission at hand, Tristan instructed. The informer didn’t give us a specific location. We just have to do our own surveillance and keep scanning. He strode to the bar area just off the main foyer.
Heads turned when they walked into the lounge of the Pleasure Palace. Though they dressed in clothing suited to blending in, there was no mistaking the hard physique under their dark cloaks. Their height alone placed them head and shoulders above others present. One glance at their faces, revealed by the cowls they pushed back, convinced observers that these men were not to be trifled with. The male patrons cast wary looks their way, fidgeting on their seats and surreptitiously groping for their weapons. The women cast covetous glances at them, sexual interest in their eyes. So much for not attracting attention, Jed commented dryly. It’s your ugly face, Logan snickered. They can’t help but gawk at you. I have it on good authority that I’m handsome and irresistible, Jed shot back with a grin. Who told you that? The women you have at every space station?
Jed grinned. I’ll be glad to throw one your way, Logan. Just let me know. Enough. Logan, scan for Karn’alian life force, Tristan ordered. His gaze swept the length of the room. With the different life forms that frequented the pleasure resort, they’d have to be careful and be on guard. A place like this didn’t distinguish the good guys from the bad. The Pagans could be here as well.
It took only a moment to perform the scan before Logan spoke. Negative. No sign of Karn’alian life in this room. Negative Pagan presence. 64
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With an imperceptible nod, Tristan strode past the long, curving, smoked glass bar that extended from one end of the room to the other. A full complement of workers busily dispensed colorful drinks in different-sized containers to the numerous servers who wandered around the lounge. He commandeered a table at the rear of the room, the position giving them an excellent vantage point.
Logan signaled a waitress. Why don’t we start by ordering a drink? Let’s see what information we can get.
A buxom server came over and gave them all a sultry smile. “What can I get for you?”
Tristan watched as Jed turned on the charm, the younger man’s slow grin revealing gleaming white teeth, his light green eyes crinkling at the corners. His ability to charm the female species had proven invaluable on different occasions. “What are you offering?” Jed asked.
Logan’s groan echoed in the com-link. The woman bent closer. Her breasts were in serious danger of popping out of her tight top. “Anything you like, stranger.”
Jed’s eyes took in the view with appropriate male appreciation. “Maybe a body shot would be suitable.”
She threw her head back and laughed. “Why don’t you come see me later? I get off in a couple of hours. How about I get you three a round of Neehaleese ale? It’s the best in three galaxies. So smooth and so good, you’ll never want to stop drinking it.”
“That’ll be fine,” Logan nodded. When she left, he turned to Jed. “Can’t you lay off the women even for a little while? We’re here on a mission.”
“She might prove useful—give us information,” Jed countered. “We are on Pleasure Planet, the biggest playground in the galaxy.”
“Jed’s right,” Tristan agreed. “We can’t call attention to ourselves. We have to appear as if we’re seeking pleasure ourselves.”
The waitress brought their ale and deposited it on the table with a suggestive wink at Jed. With a naughty grin, he returned her wink and ogled her ass as she walked away.
Tristan surveyed the room. His senses were on high alert and he knew that his men were the same, despite their casual stance. Every mission was of the highest importance, whether they retrieved two Karn’alians or two hundred. Their race was in danger of extinction if they didn’t increase their numbers. Millions of people had died during the Pagan occupation and the resulting Pagan War. An unknown number of Karn’alians had escaped to make a new life in other worlds. It was now up to the elite force of Cyborgs to find them and bring them back.
His lips curled with anger. The Pagans had enslaved his people, putting them to work in the iridium mines, then systematically slaughtering them when their usefulness ran out. The women had been raped and brutalized over and over again. And the children? Tristan seethed with a bitter fury. The Pagans had maimed the children to ensure they wouldn’t be useful as soldiers someday. It had been a source of amusement 65
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for the Pagans to decide which body part of a Karn’alian child to amputate—an arm, a leg or a foot. He flexed the muscles in his right arm. A glance would show a heavily muscled arm, nothing out of the ordinary. But underneath the tanned skin was an intricate robotic arm, powered by a computer chip implanted at the base of his skull, able to perform a myriad of functions to aid him in battle. From the children ma
imed and rendered crippled, a handful of surviving Karn’alian scientists, with the help of leading doctors and renowned scientists from the planet Dakara, had created an army of Cyborgs—faster, stronger and smarter than the wretched Pagans. Tristan had been one of the commanders that led the uprising and the subsequent defeat of the enemy. His bitterness at his fate, as well as his mother’s death, had proved to be a strong motivator to fight. The Pagans were eventually pushed out of Karn’al and freedom was once again theirs.
He subdued the bitter anger that still festered within him and brought it under cold control. He wouldn’t hesitate to kill a Pagan the moment he detected one. But first things first. He had to find his people and bring them home. His gaze roamed the lounge. In stark contrast to the elegant simplicity of the foyer, the lounge was gaudy, bawdy and ostentatious. Garish artwork featuring females of all shapes and sizes in varying states of undress hung on the walls, clashing with the deep red wallpaper. The Pleasure Palace was a sprawling resort complex that attracted every kind of human and alien alike, all looking for sexual relief. Logan indicated the buttons on top of the table. “Why don’t we check what they offer here at Pleasure Palace? That’s a good place to start searching.”
Jed fiddled with the buttons and grinned. “What do you fancy, Captain? Pleasure Palace has the widest array of humanoids and alien species known to the galaxy. Even mechanical females and blow-up dolls, if you’re into that stuff.”
Tristan shook his head with a faint grimace. “No, thanks. I don’t find it appealing to slip my cock into a fake pussy.”
A three-dimensional image of a scantily dressed female rose between them, her melodious voice loud and clear as she recited a lengthy welcome message. “Why don’t we summon the hostess to show us around? Maybe she’d be more help.” Logan signaled a buxom female dressed in a sheer, diaphanous tunic. The hostess glided over to their table, her golden gaze underlined by a subtle sexual interest. “Greetings.” She acknowledged Tristan with an inclination of her head, her gaze lingering for a fraction of a second on Logan before sliding to Jed. “My name is Ampara.”
Although she was attractive, Tristan felt no more than a kindling of interest. A check on his monitor showed that Logan, on the other hand, experienced a definite spike in his body temperature. As for Jed—well, Jed was interested in anything female.
“Would you care for a tour of what Pleasure Palace has to offer?” Ampara asked. Logan was the first to stand up, not bothering to disguise his interest. “Lead the way. I’d be willing to follow you…anywhere.”
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Ampara’s expression was lined with faint awe as they stood before her. Tristan was used to that kind of reaction from everyone they met. All of them were extraordinarily tall, their bodies packed with hard muscle. Although a couple of inches shorter than Tristan, Logan nevertheless looked just as menacing and dangerous. On the other hand, Jed’s easy grin and good looks hid a skilled and ruthless warrior, a trait which had served him well numerous times in battle.
Ampara blinked before gracefully inclining her head. “Follow me, please.” She led the way down the spacious hall. In this part of the resort, the plush carpeting muffled their footsteps. Sconces lit the way, their muted light casting shadows on the walls. Glass-walled rooms lined either side of the hallway, velvet drapes pulled back with gold tassels to enable them to look inside. A cacophony of ecstatic moans and pleasureroughened groans filled the air. With a graceful gesture, Ampara pointed to the first room on the left. “This is our vanilla package.”
“Vanilla?” Jed asked curiously.
Tristan peered inside. The woman on the other side of the glass was lying flat on the edge of the bed, her head thrown back and her wet lips parted. A light flush covered her sweat-slicked skin and her perky breasts quivered. A man stood between her legs and fucked her vigorously.
Ampara gestured with her hand. “This package is for those who just want straight man-woman sex.” She threw them an inquiring glance, her gaze containing more than a touch of curiosity. “I trust you’re all looking for more than that?”
The eagerness with which Jed agreed was amusing. “Definitely. Vanilla sex is boring. I like my sex spicy and kinky.”
“What about you, Ampara?” Logan suddenly asked, his voice carrying a hint of challenge.
A faint blush covered her creamy cheeks. “I like lots of things,” was her brief answer before she moved on to the next glass lined room. Be careful you don’t crash and burn, Logan, Tristan’s amused voice murmured over the com-link.
Ampara spoke again, shooting Logan a sharp glance. “This is the other vanilla package. As you can see, the room is divided into two. One is for man-on-man sex, the other for woman-on-woman sex.”
With a dismissive glance at the man-on-man display, Tristan gazed with interest at the two women going at it on a red divan. One woman was on her knees, licking and lapping at the other’s pussy with uninhibited enthusiasm. Ampara raised one perfectly shaped eyebrow at Logan. “Find anything to your liking here?”
Logan chuckled. He stepped closer to her and rubbed his hard cock against her hip.
“This is strictly for the ladies, Ampara. Would you care to find out?”
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She turned red as the ruby pendant she wore around her neck, but didn’t deign to answer. “This next package is the bondage room.”
The room was decorated like an old-fashioned dungeon with chains attached to the walls at different heights and locations. A woman was manacled to a pair of chains that hung from the ceiling. Clamps were pinned to her swollen nipples. Behind her, a beefy man methodically whipped her plump ass with a flogger. At every stroke, the leather strands kissed her skin with a crisp swat, making her moan in excitement. An automatic vibrator attached to leather straps bound to her upper thighs moved in and out of her pussy. Wetness slid down her thighs, glistening damply under the lights. Interesting. Tristan felt himself stir. There was something incredibly erotic about a bound and helpless woman, receptive to whatever pleasure her lover chose to give her. He dragged his gaze away and looked over at Logan. His second officer was looking at Ampara instead of the display. He smothered a grin. Logan had that familiar gleam in his eye that meant Ampara would be in his bed sooner or later. Judging from the wary look in the woman’s eyes, it would be much later if it was up to her. Ignoring the suggestive light in Logan’s brown eyes, the hostess wandered over to the next glass display. Inside, a woman was being worked by a green-skinned, musclebound, seven and a half foot alien. His two cocks slid rhythmically in and out of her sopping pussy and well-lubricated anus.
Jed was impressed. “You have a Barraccus?”
The alien with two cocks was rare in this galaxy. Hard to capture and hard to tame, the Barraccus could kill with one blow.
“Erosians are shape-shifters. That’s not a real Barraccus, but this scenario has proven to be very popular with the women,” Ampara replied.
“I’m sure,” piped in Logan in a dry voice.
Tristan took in the erotic display behind the glass. “She seems to be enjoying it very much.”
“Have you tried a Barraccus, Ampara?” Logan asked, watching her reaction with great interest.
She lifted her chin and stared Logan straight in the eye. “As a matter-of-fact, I have.”
Deep, boisterous laughter rumbled from Jed’s chest. He shifted behind Ampara and, with his hand, mimicked an aircraft crashing and burning. Logan gave him a baleful glare.
Tristan shook his head with an impatient sigh. This was not getting them anywhere. Somewhere in the pleasure resort were two of his people. He needed to find them before the Pagans did. With quick strides, he made his way to the end of the hallway and into another darkened lounge.
Tables and chairs surrounded a T-shaped platform set in the middle of the room. At the end of the platform were heavy drapes that were currently drawn closed, blocking 68
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out prying eyes. There was a barely leashed feeling of anticipation in the air, the conversation hushed and excited.
Logan stepped up behind Tristan and reported over the com-link, No sign of Karn’alian or Pagan life.
I’m glad you could tear your attention away from Ampara for a moment, Tristan drawled over their secure communication line. Turning to Ampara, he asked, “What’s going on here?”
As if on cue, the heavy beat of drums filled the air and gradually rose to a resounding crescendo. Every male in the lounge, human and alien, sat forward in eagerness, all eyes glued to the stage. Driven by an intense curiosity that he didn’t question, Tristan edged closer to the platform. The music switched to a stirring, sensual rhythm. A lone spotlight focused on the center of the platform. The curtains twitched then slowly parted.
A smooth, shapely leg appeared. A strange fluttering sensation started somewhere in Tristan’s chest. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. A voluptuous woman draped in thin veils swayed into view, dressed in sheer, loose pants and a top that barely contained her generous breasts. She undulated onto the stage, her smooth belly dipping and rippling with every sensuous movement.
Tristan’s cock hardened instantly. His breath stuck somewhere between his lungs and his throat. His computer monitor flashed, indicating a drastic change in his body temperature. He inhaled deeply, unable to take his eyes off the woman dancing on stage.
Long, golden-blonde hair fell down her back in glorious, tousled waves. Her lowered gaze hid the color of her eyes, the long lashes creating half-moon shadows on her cheeks. He was struck by the fullness of her rosebud lips and her small, perfect nose. The graceful arch of her neck invited a man’s touch. As she swayed and turned, her breasts were pulled taut by her outstretched arms, their heavy weight straining the thin material of her top.
Blood rushed to his cock, lengthening it to its full size. His system showed a marked increase in his pulse rate as she executed a graceful turn, the veils falling around her in a filmy cloud. Tristan stood as close as he could to the stage, unable to take his eyes off her. He was mesmerized by the sexy sway of her hips. Every shake of her soft body drew his eyes to her womanly hips and to the plump curves of her buttocks. She was lushly formed, generously shaped, perfect for fucking.
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