by Joanna Wylde
“Will I?” Calla asked archly. “We’ll just have to see. I’ll start. Sit back on the bed and watch.”
Seth followed her instructions, leaning back against the head-board. He had a smug look on his face, and for a moment Calla questioned whether her challenge had been a good idea. He had been acting so cocky she hadn’t been able to resist, though. Taking a deep breath, she stood up and looked him in the eyes.
While he was fully clothed, she had been sleeping in the nude which proved a distinct disadvantage. It would be nice to start with a strip-tease, but that wouldn’t be possible. She’d have to bring out the heavy artillery right away…
“Computer, turn the lights up by 50 percent,” she said softly. “And soft music, something classical.”
Gazing at him with all the longing she felt in his presence, she slowly lifted her hands and ran them loosely, through her hair. The curly locks fell around her body, partially obscuring her breasts. Then she stretched in slow pleasure, allowing herself to revel in the sensation of every muscle pulling and relaxing. Seth continued to watch her with amusement, although she detected a slight tightening of his features…
Turning away from him, Calla faced the mirror on the bedroom wall. He was clearly visible in it, just as her reflection was visible to him. Perfect, she thought. Reaching both hands up to her breasts, she started to massage them slowly, paying special attention to the stiffening peaks. She knew how much he loved the sight of her breasts, loved the feeling of those tight nubs against his chest. Now he could see them in the mirror, but just barely. Her hair provided a protective veil, and she shivered as a strand of hair grazed her nipple.
In the background, Seth shifted, raising one knee. Calla fought to hide her smile, then leaned her head back and shook out her hair. The reflection of her aroused breasts was now fully visible to him. She stretched once again, both arms over her head. Her breasts quivered at the movement. Still stretching, she leaned to one side and then the other, before allowing her body to drape forward from the waist. Resting both hands flat on the floor, she spread her legs slightly. The movement opened them to Seth’s gaze, and she thought she heard his breath catch. She could feel his gaze on her exposed cunt.
“I find that stretching is important before any physical exertion,” she said. “What do you think?”
“You’re right,” Seth said in a strained voice. “Stretching is important.”
“I’m so glad we can agree,” she replied. Then she moved one hand from its position on the floor and ran it up the inside of her leg experimentally. “That feels good,” she whispered. “Does it look good, too?”
Seth didn’t answer, so she ran the other hand up her leg, allowing her fingers to drift delicately over her flesh. A tingle of sensation followed each finger, and little trails of sparkling desire ran through her. Moisture gathered between her legs.
“This feels so good, I could just do it forever,” she finally said. “But I think you probably need more of a show than that.”
Seth watched with gritted teeth as Devora stood up, turning to face him. He was rock-hard in the flimsy jumpsuit he wore, although he had raised one knee to hide the evidence. Despite his confident words, he wanted her so badly that it took every ounce of strength to keep from grabbing her and rolling her body under his. Just the thought of thrusting into her hot, wet flesh made his cock leap, and he bit down a moan. Against his will, one hand drifted between his legs, grasping his hard length. It was exquisite, but nowhere near as good as Devora’s flesh would feel.
She smiled broadly at him, then gently rested a finger on her mouth. Her lips were closed, but the finger pressed against them and after a second disappeared into the warm, wet opening. She drew it out again slowly, then opened her mouth and ran her tongue around the finger.
The night before she had done the same thing to his cock, licking and sucking at it like it was candy until he’d exploded like a rocket. His fingers squeezed his hard length restlessly in memory. Nothing was as hot as Devora’s mouth, unless it was her cunt…
She seemed to read his mind, because her other hand dropped to the moist spot between her legs. One finger rubbed gently against her clit, and she shivered. Continuing to suck her finger, she pulled it deeply into her mouth, then allowed her cheeks to hollow with the suction as she slowly pulled it out again. All the while she worked her clit, shivering as the delicate skin swelled under her fingers, gazing deeply into his eyes.
His pulse pounded in his ears, and he could feel blood rushing to his face. He felt hot, and he knew he had to have her.
She suddenly dropped her hands and smiled at him.
“So, how are you feeling, Seth?” she asked sweetly, innocence written all over her face. “Feel like doing anything? Or are you too much of a warrior to give in to your desire? I’m willing to be a gracious winner.”
“Fuck,” Seth said, dropping his head back against the wall. She had him by the balls. His cock was poised to go off in his pants like a boy’s, yet she stood before him with laughter in her eyes. It was time for payback.
“Sit down, it’s my turn,” he said darkly, rolling to his feet.
Calla forced her expression to remain nonchalant, and sat down on the bed. It had taken every ounce of self control to keep herself from jumping on him, yet she’d be damned if she would let him win that easily. If he had any idea how hungry she was for his touch…
Seth stood before her, one hand wrapped around the long, hard bulge at his groin. He was heavily aroused, yet he massaged himself almost absently.
If she hadn’t seen the glint of desire in his eyes, she would never have guessed how much he wanted her. His eyes, though, were hard with a need that couldn’t be denied.
He grasped the zipper of his coverall, pulling it down slowly to his waist.
The beauty of his dark chest, sprinkled with hair, made her breath catch. He was the most magnificent man she’d ever seen. A twist of desire caught her off-guard, and she moaned. She watched his face light up in triumph, and she scowled in response. He was so sure of himself, it wasn’t fair, she thought to herself.
He shrugged one shoulder out of the suit, exposing his muscular arm and shoulder.
Those arms had held her so many times, imprisoning her as he pleasured her, cradling her as she returned the favor. She felt so safe when they held her close, like nothing could ever hurt her. She caught herself leaning toward him, ready to accept his embrace.
He raised one finger and twitched it in reproof.
“Ready to give in so soon, Devora?” he asked in a silky voice. “I know I’ll win, but I thought you’d last a little longer than this…”
Calla scowled at him, disgusted at her own weakness. It was time to fight fire with fire, she decided. Scooting down the bed, she stretched out comfortably, head propped up on a pillow so she could continue to watch him easily. Then she started massaging her clit with one hand, legs spread wide open.
“Oh, I’m not ready to give in,” she said huskily. “I’m just settling in to enjoy the show.”
She noted with satisfaction that the sight made him gulp, but he quickly shrugged off his suit, exposing the proud jut of his cock. Then it was her turn to gulp.
He was long and hard, and the smooth, helmet-like head flushed red with arousal. One hand continued to stroke slowly up and down, and he flinched slightly as he grazed the sensitive notch on the under-side.
Calla closed her eyes, it was too much.
“Oh, no you don’t,” Seth said huskily. “You watch me every second, just like I had to watch you.”
Calla forced her eyes open, and another shock of arousal struck her at the sight of him standing there, a drop of pearly moisture hanging on the end of his proud length. Her body convulsed in response and her fingers moved more frantically between her legs, the familiar pressure building.
“Ah…” Seth said, continuing his own long, slow strokes. His face was tight and his breathing harsh, but every movement was tightly controlled. “I
f you come, first, that means I win. Are you ready to give up?”
Calla shook her head furiously, but her hand refused to stop moving. Seth moved closer to the bed, standing over her as he worked his own sensitive flesh. The veins on his neck stood out with tension.
“When I do this,” Seth whispered. “I’m thinking about what it would be like to thrust into you. I’m thinking about how hot and tight you are, about shooting into you and exploding over and over until neither of us can move. That’s what I want to do to you right now.”
“I’m thinking about it, too,” Calla said, mesmerized. She couldn’t quite remember why they weren’t already doing that… What was she trying to prove anyway?
Seth seemed to read her thoughts, because his eyes lit with triumph.
“Tell me to come to you, Devora,” he said. His soft, smooth request wove through her consciousness, and he watched with anticipation as she twisted in desire. “Tell me you want me inside of you. Tell me there aren’t any others who can fill you like I do.”
“Oh, Seth,” she moaned. “Oh, Goddess, I’m so close.”
“That’s good enough for me,” Seth muttered. He fell on her like a man starved, his mouth crushing against hers. One strong arm was braced above her head, and the other worked its way underneath her body. Then he was pulling her to him and thrusting into her flesh.
The shock of contact swept through her, and she came in a burst of pleasure so intense she screamed against his mouth.
As Devora convulsed around his taut flesh, Seth surged forward in search of his own pleasure. The feel of her tight body gloving his was like hot silk, and every stroke brought him closer to the ecstasy he knew was waiting for him. Then he pressed home one last time and orgasm ripped through him. He cried out, then collapsed against her. She held him tightly, wrapping his body with her arms and legs.
After a minute, she asked him quietly, “So, who won the contest?”
Seth laughed, amazed at the feeling of contentment and joy that filled him.
“I think we both won,” he said finally, kissing her soft, swollen lips gently. “Or at the very least, we both got the prize.”
* * * * *
Later that day, as she was preparing their evening meal, Calla reflected on how much her life had changed since she’d joined Seth. Four months had passed since they’d left the mining station. They were the best months of Calla’s life, so pleasant that she felt guilty at times. Jess’ survival was hanging in the balance and what was she doing? Falling in love. And it was love—she had resigned herself to it by now.
Travelling with Seth from outpost to outpost might have seemed tedious to a more experienced woman, but to Calla each day was a new adventure. They’d visited twelve groups of miners so far, their homes ranging from one-man operations to a corporate mine employing more than 100 managers and a thousand slaves.
The corporate outpost had been the hardest stop for Calla, both logistically and emotionally. Each time they arrived at a station, she anxiously scanned the faces of those around her, seeking Jess. Several times she’d shown his picture to groups of slaves, always careful to keep her activities a secret from Seth. So far he suspected nothing, but she couldn’t afford to take anything for granted.
The corporate mine had been too large for her to question the slaves; even if she’d had the time to talk to all of them, the security was too tight. She’d taken another route instead, cozying up to the personnel manager while Seth was taking a tour. She’d created a cover story, telling the manager that the slave, Jess, had been sold by accident. According to her story, Mistress Jenner had regretted selling him within days of his departure. Devora, as Mistress Jenner’s friend, had agreed to keep an eye out for the young man during her tour of the asteroid field. She would, of course, offer generous compensation for Jess’ return.
The manager had looked through his books, scanning the transactions to see if he had any workers who fit Jess’ description. He even had a series of holos of each “unit,” as he called the slaves. Calla scanned the most recent purchases carefully, but none looked like Jess.
“I didn’t think we’d have the unit you’re looking for,” he told her after she’d examined the last of the holos. “We buy most of our units in lots, so unless it’d been resold to a wholesaler, odds are we wouldn’t see it. I think you’ll have better luck checking with smaller operations.”
His callous attitude toward the men who lived and died under his care horrified Calla, but she was careful to keep a casual smile on her face. The last thing she wanted to do was arouse suspicion by betraying her emotions. You’re a free woman now, she reminded herself. The fate of slaves is unimportant to you.
But the faces of the captive men, filled with fear and trepidation, haunted her. Most of them would be dead within a year, none would ever leave the asteroid belt. Death, Calla thought sadly, would be merciful for these men.
And now Jess was one of them.
* * * * *
Seth gently guided the sleek ship toward the remote asteroid, eyes scanning its surface for a place to land. He’d heard from some miners at his last stop that there was an encampment here, although no mining claim had ever been registered. They’d warned him not to go there because the miners were crazy. According to Seth’s sources, they’d spent too much time in the middle of nowhere; they were paranoid. Once they’d even fired on one of the harmless peddlers who worked the asteroid fields, carrying supplies and trading among the camps and stations.
To Seth’s mind, it sounded like they might be exactly who he was searching for. Intelligence reports indicated that a group of extremists was hoarding weapons in preparation for some kind of holy war against the Saurellians. The whole thing sounded ridiculous to him, but his source insisted that the threat was real. The whole purpose of his mission was to find these people, and return to his superiors with a report on how to control the threat they represented to the Saurellian occupation.
As he approached the asteroid, however, he felt a twinge of unease. He didn’t like the idea of bringing Devora to a potentially dangerous place. Having a willing woman with him seemed like a good idea when they’d left Discovery station, but now he was less sure of his decision. He had long since realized she was the best thing that had ever happened to him; he was happier with her than he’d been since he was a child. He didn’t understand why, but even the thought of her in danger was enough bring cold sweat to his skin.
He didn’t have any other option, though. He’d seen the way men’s eyes followed her at their stops so far. Women were hard to come by in the mining fields; he had little doubt that if he dropped her off at even the most civilized of posts she wouldn’t be safe. He’d allowed her to move about freely at their previous destinations, but this time he was going to have to keep her on a short leash. Otherwise he could lose her, and that simply wasn’t an option.
“Are we almost there?” Devora called up to him from the base of the ladder. “Do you mind if I come up? I’d like to watch as we approach.”
“That’s fine,” he said lightly. “Make sure you stow everything first. I don’t know what the gravity will be like on this thing, so we could get bumped around a bit until the ship compensates for it.”
She still always asked permission to come up into the cockpit, although he’d long since stopped worrying about her moving or damaging anything. She was a puzzle, Seth mused. Half the time she was a self-confident seductress; the rest of the time she was almost pathetically eager to please. She took care not to intrude on his space and was constantly doing little things to make him more comfortable. Most of the pleasure workers he’d known in his life were prima donnas. They might do almost anything to bring physical pleasure to their clients, but they wouldn’t dream of cleaning. At times he had to force Devora to stop working. It was strange… it wasn’t that he didn’t enjoy being cared for, but she did more than her fair share. It wasn’t right, and it wasn’t part of their contract.
The thought of that damned
contract made him wince. He didn’t like the idea that Devora was only with him for his money. Not that she didn’t enjoy his company. He could tell she genuinely liked being with him, and not just because they had great sex. They’d spent countless hours studying the holo-maps together, discussing politics and swapping stories. She had remarkably little understanding of the war between the Empire and the Federation, but she was eager to learn. In the evenings they would play card games and even read books to each other. One night they got drunk on bakrah and chased each other around the ship like wild children. Seth had never spent time doing such mundane things with a woman, yet he was never bored. Sometimes they didn’t even have sex. His friends wouldn’t believe him if he told them that, he realized with amusement.
“All right, everything is stowed,” Devora yelled from below, then he could hear her climbing the ladder. She sat down beside him, looking eagerly out the window. “So, who are we visiting here? Is it another corporate mine, or something smaller?”
“I don’t really know what we’re going to find here,” he replied after a brief pause. They were getting closer, and he could see what might have been a habitation bubble on the surface, but it was hard to tell. “This one isn’t actually on the charts, and there’s no official claim filed. I think they might be members of a survivalist group.”
His words sent a shiver through Calla. What kind of survivalist group, she wondered. Were they Pilgrims, like Jenner? If so, this stop might lead her to Jess. But she’d have to watch her step. She had met hundreds of Pilgrims at the hostel—they came for meetings once or twice a year, although she’d never learned what they were meeting about. They were extremely private, and didn’t even allow the slaves in to serve them food.
“What kind of survivalists?” she asked, trying not to sound too interested in his answer.
“Well, I’m not sure,” he said after a second. They were getting closer to the asteroid, and his maneuvering was becoming more complicated as several smaller asteroids brushed by their path. “I think they might be part of a group called the “Pilgrims of the Apocalypse,’ ever heard of them?”
