by Aubrey Ross
The audiocom hooked over Clayton’s ear chimed and he touched the tiny device. “Go ahead.” His brow arched and a cruel smile bowed his lips. “Copy.”
“What was that?” her mother asked.
Clayton’s gaze gleamed with smug satisfaction and Ivy’s blood ran cold. Her heartbeat thundered in her ears and she clutched the sheet to her chest.
“Your lover roused before they reached the detention center. He tried to escape and my men had no choice but to open fire. This will save us all a costly and time consuming trial. Traborn Morel is dead.”
Chapter One
Nine years later
Ivy held her breath as her ship slipped past the Sabrotine blockade. Black market shields assured the patrol cruisers were unable to detect the nimble Chrysalis. Still, Ivy never breathed easy until they were well out of range.
“Almost there,” Bluz said.
The previous owner of the Chrysalis had offered to throw in the indenture contracts of Bluz and his brother Jazz, if Ivy would pay full price for the spaceship. The brothers knew more about the Chrysalis than anyone alive, so Ivy had reluctantly agreed. When the terms of their contracts matured, Ivy offered them paid positions and they had been the heart of her twelve-man crew ever since.
“All clear, captain.” Bluz winked at her. “You can exhale.”
She smiled and blew out an exaggerated breath.
“Jazz to Slane,” an agitated voice transmitted over the general comlink. “We’ve got a slight… complication.” Jazz was head of security and he was extremely hard to rattle, so his obvious hesitation sent a chill down Ivy’s spine.
“What’s the nature of this complication?” She glanced at Bluz. He shrugged his broad shoulders and turned back to his scanner console, likely identifying his brother’s exact location.
“We have a stowaway.”
“A what?”
“An unauthorized passenger in cargo bay three.”
Any passenger would be unauthorized. The Chrysalis was strictly a cargo ship. “I’ll be right there.”
Jazz had the stowaway backed against a waist-high crate. The cavernous bay was nearly empty as they had just off-loaded on Palonti. All Ivy could see was sleek black hair and the person’s upraised hands. The echo of her boot heels against the textured alloy floor drew a quick glance from her head of security.
“He hasn’t said a word,” Jazz informed her. “I’m not sure he understands Standard.”
Ivy approached cautiously, making sure Jazz had a clear shot at their uninvited guest. Tall and lean, the man shared the rich bronzed skin of those native to Palonti. Thick-lashed pastel blue eyes and the most sensual mouth Ivy had ever seen momentarily muddled her thoughts. He was saved from being pretty by a firm jaw and broad shoulders, but her nipples tightened and her body stirred just looking at the man.
“Are you able to understand me?” She spoke in a calm, non-threatening tone.
“Aletro din rakins tro’slen mentle?”
She recognized the cadence of the Palontian language, but she didn’t comprehend his words. The Sabrotine Federation had been in the process of incorporating Palonti into their mighty empire when the local government rebelled. Would he understand Sabrotine?
“Do you know these words?”
“No Palontian willingly utilizes them, but we appear to have no alternative.” He spoke Sabrotine with an intriguing accent, which only added to his exotic appeal. His dark blue jacket was elaborately embroidered in gold and left open, displaying the firm planes and rippling definition of his torso. Similar embroidery ran down the side seams of his formfitting pants and a golden cord crisscrossed from waist to crotch, accenting the considerable bulge beneath. The gaudy outfit, and his haughty stance, reminded her of an ancient matador.
She dragged her gaze back to his face and inclined her head. “I’m Captain Ivy Slane and your presence here is a violation of --”
“You command this vessel?” He glanced at Jazz and made a derisive sound. “Are there no able bodied males for such duties?”
“Sorry. You’re stuck with me.” She pretended indifference to his arrogance. “I’m within my rights to shove you out the nearest airlock. Do you realize that?”
“You will not.” He made the statement with absolute confidence. “I am far too valuable.”
“Valuable to whom?”
“Take me to your quarters and I’ll demonstrate.”
She looked at Jazz. He didn’t speak Sabrotine fluently, but his grin assured her he’d picked up enough to understand the offer.
“I’m not interested in any demonstration that requires privacy.” She crossed her arms over her chest, hiding her hardened nipples. “Why did you sneak aboard my ship?”
“To escape a dishonorable master.”
“You’re a slave?”
“I am a Vontralirian.”
“I’m not familiar with that term.”
“It’s not a term. It’s a vocation. Many aspire to the status, but few succeed. A Vontralirian is a pleasure giver so rare and perfect that many have killed to possess one for only a night.”
Ivy did her best to hide her smile. Was this arrogance taught or inherited? “I’ll have to take your word for it. Avoiding conflicts is more my style.” She turned to Jazz and switched back to Standard. “Aside from a galactic ego, I think he’s harmless. Lower your weapon and we’ll figure out what to do with him.”
“Is he claiming to be a Vontralirian?” Jazz fixed his gaze on the stowaway with obvious interest. “You should verify his credentials. They’re worth a fortune.”
“I don’t care if he’s the best fuck in the galaxy. He has no right to be on my ship.”
Jazz smiled at her vehemence and lowered his pulse pistol, though it remained firmly in his grasp. “He has to find some way to earn his keep until we dump his pampered ass at the nearest spaceport. No one rides for free.”
It was one of the fundamental rules governing their operation. They smuggled cargo plain and simple, no passengers. People created complications and Ivy had dedicated her life to avoiding complications.
Tension enveloped the cargo bay until the distant rumble of the engines was the only sound. Ivy shifted her stance. Her boots creaked and she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear as she studied the stowaway.
“I can reimburse you for my passage, but I would much prefer to barter.” The sudden gleam in his gaze made her fidget. Was desire or calculation making his eyes shine?
“You obviously understand Standard, so why did you refuse to speak to my security officer?”
“Standard is the language of the common class,” he responded in Sabrotine. “My tongue was meant for finer things.”
Unable to maintain her composure, she turned aside and laughed. He might well be the most conceited person she’d ever encountered, so why was her body humming with anticipation? She didn’t even need to close her eyes to imagine all the “finer things” his tongue could do to her.
“You mock me?” He stepped forward and Jazz slammed him back against the crate. With obvious affront, the stowaway glared at her. “Tell this person to remove his hands from me.”
“Or what? Look around you, fancy-pants. No one is impressed by your vocation.”
He continued to glare for a long, silent moment, then his gaze narrowed and the corners of his mouth curved upward in a sexy smile. “I offer you a challenge.”
“I have no reason to accept a challenge. I have nothing to gain.”
“How do you know until you’ve heard the challenge?”
“I don’t have time for this.” She pointed toward the supply closet on the far side of the empty bay. “You’ve left me with one hell of a dilemma… What’s your name?”
“You may call me Kade.”
“Why, thank you, Kade. That closet is the closest thing I’ve got to a brig. I can have Jazz lock you in there until I figure out what to do with you or I can --”
“I would prefer to await judgment in suitable quarters.”
&n
bsp; “I’m sure you would, but I doubt you’d find any of the accommodations on this ship suitable.”
“What becomes of your crewmembers if they misbehave?”
“In most cases their contract is terminated and I find a replacement at our next port of call. This crew is small and works well as a team.”
“One kiss.”
His seductive tone washed over her like summer rain. “What did you say?”
“Let me kiss you. If you still want to lock me in the closet, I’ll go willingly.”
This was ridiculous. She looked at his mouth and felt her tongue touch her bottom lip. Damn, the man was tempting. As long as he didn’t speak! That arrogance could definitely use a pummeling. Still, a pleasure giver was sure to know his trade and… “Not a chance. How do I know you won’t try and snap my neck or burst something toxic inside your mouth?”
He smiled, his gaze descending to her lips. “Wouldn’t that kill me too?”
“The point is, I have no reason to trust you and until I do you’re not touching me.”
“I give my word of honor that I will not intentionally harm you or any of your crew. I vow to cause no more trouble than I have already brought your way.”
She wasn’t sure she liked that distinction. They had detected no pursuit -- yet. Was his “dishonorable master” likely to hunt down his precious pet?
“I appreciate the sentiment, but your honor has yet to be determined.”
“Where do you want me to put him?” Jazz asked.
“That’s what I’m trying to figure out.” She was wasting time they couldn’t afford. She needed to find out if anyone was looking for Kade and determine when and where they could set him ashore. “Just lock him in my cabin. I’ll deactivate the control and communication consoles. That will have to do for now.”
Ivy returned to the bridge, the image of Kade’s crystal blue eyes lingering in her mind. He was haughty and incorrigible, yet beneath the arrogance she sensed vulnerability. His impeccable appearance and expensive clothing hinted at the life he’d led. What would have driven him to sneak onto a random cargo ship? It wasn’t like she had registered with the spaceport and logged a flight plan. He obviously didn’t care about their destination.
“What was that about?” Bluz asked as she stepped through the security hatch. Mixing every shade from midnight to powder blue, his silky hair flowed halfway down his back. The color of his eyes was equally changeable, flashing with sapphire intensity when he was angry, then mellowing to soft, baby blue when he smiled.
“Have you ever heard of a Vontralirian?” she asked as she crossed the bridge.
Though Bluz was Limbarian -- a cautious, semi-separatist people -- his extensive travels had allowed him to amass an understanding of countless cultures and societies. “Our stowaway is one of the Vontralirian?” A curious combination of awe and dread threaded through his tone. “Did he tell you his name?”
“You know them all by name?” Jazz had said a Vontralirian would be worth a fortune. Maybe Kade’s arrogance was justified. “How many are there?”
“Their names represent a sort of standing within the Pleasure Guild.”
“He said I could call him Kade.”
“Holy fuck.” Bluz turned to face her, a faint blue haze creeping across his ivory skin. “We have to get rid of him now, or better yet, return him to Palonti. There are only four Kades and the potentate owns them all.”
“My stowaway is the property of Potentate Chaya?” Ivy was too stunned to do more than stare at Bluz for a long silent moment. It was the insatiable appetite of the potentate’s courtiers that kept Ivy in business. He harbored her and provided her with the intel she needed to slip through the Sabrotine blockade in exchange for the luxuries his people craved. She couldn’t afford to jeopardize her operation for one man. “The scanners are still clear? There’s no indication that… My God, what if Chaya thinks we stole Kade? Those Sabrotine bastards will be the least of our worries.”
“Find out if he is who he claims.” The color faded from Bluz’s face, leaving his skin smooth and pale again. “No sense getting all worked up until we know for certain that we’re screwed.”
“How do you suggest I do that?” The image of Kade on his knees with his face pressed between her breasts and his hands cupping her ass flashed through her mind. Even if he was a phenomenal lover, it wouldn’t prove he was one of the famed Kades.
“Each Vontralirian is branded with the Pleasure Guild’s crest and their individual insignia. The insignia is a stylized version of their name. If he truly is a Vontralirian, he’ll bear these marks.”
“Branded?” Ivy shuddered. “As in burning the mark into the flesh?”
“They consider it a badge of honor and embrace the pain gladly.”
Ivy rubbed her arms and meandered to the security console. “Any chance he’s dangerous?” Entering her personal bypass code, she accessed surveillance in her cabin. Kade stood in front of the viewport with his hands clasped behind his back. They had already entered hyperspace and subtle streaks of light were the only disruption to the endless field of black.
“That depends why he ran and what you intend to do with him.” Bluz stepped up beside her and whistled long and low. “He’s pretty enough to be a Kade.”
“As long as he thinks I’m his only ticket out of this star system, he has no reason to hurt me.”
“He has no reason to do anything but please you.” Bluz chuckled and slapped her on the back. “If I were standing in your boots, Captain, he’d already have my cock in his mouth.”
After locking out the surveillance feed, Ivy turned toward the hatch. “I’ll be in my quarters.”
“I’ll see that you’re not disturbed.”
Bluz and Jazz had both been eager to exploit Kade’s vocation. Ivy knew too well what it felt like to be objectified and mauled. Her mother had saved her from the final degradation, but the animal lust in Clayton’s eyes as he prepared to thrust into her body haunted her to this day. She didn’t care if Kade was a trained pleasure giver, she would not use his desperation to manipulate him.
She entered her cabin and paused as the privacy panel slid closed behind her. Though her quarters were the largest on the ship, the room had never felt so claustrophobic. The bunk was to her right, a compact workstation to her left. The viewport Kade was enjoying was directly ahead. He didn’t turn at her entry, though he had to know she was there. Without Jazz here to keep Kade in check, he seemed taller and more… masculine.
“Who is your master?”
He finally turned to face her. His hands remained clasped behind his back, which exposed even more smooth bronze skin. His chest was sculpted and hairless, his shoulders broad, and those crystal blue eyes watched her with shrewd calculation. “The accusation in your tone indicates that you already know.”
“I don’t have the patience for evasions. I need to fully understand the situation before I decide what I’m going to do with you.”
“Fair enough.” He released his grasp on his wrists and shifted into a more relaxed stance. “I was chosen by the Pleasure Guild when I was still a child. They groomed me, educated me and set me on the path of the Vontralirian.”
“You were never given a choice in this?”
“My parents were paid handsomely by the Guild and I was far too young to understand what was happening to me. The Guild has been in existence for hundreds of years. They choose the most physically appealing from a variety of races and mold each novice into whatever their clients require.”
“What did Potentate Chaya require?”
“Would you like a demonstration?” His gaze gleamed with sudden playfulness, but Ivy wasn’t fooled. It was another evasion.
“You said your master was dishonorable. I’ve dealt with Potentate Chaya extensively and found no fault with his character.”
“You provide something he wants and he pays you generously. There has been no reason for you to interact on any but the most superficial levels. What is h
is given name? How many wives does he have? How many children? How did he come to power and --”
“Point taken. I don’t really know the man. So educate me. What made Chaya so dishonorable that you would risk execution -- not to mention endanger every person on this ship -- to be free of him?”
“Chaya had six wives. Three he chose for himself, two were gifts from powerful allies, but the third was the only daughter of his most hated enemy. Chaya didn’t realize it when he had Kalleto taken, but females of her line have been genetically altered, giving them the ability to consciously control conception. They are able to decide the sex of each child and how often they become pregnant.”
“I’m guessing Kalleto refused to bear the child of her enemy.”
Kade inclined his head with the hint of a smile. He obviously approved of the reluctant bride’s actions. “After force, bribery, and coercion had no effect, Chaya turned to the Pleasure Guild. Chaya purchased me and gave me six months to convince Kalleto to accept his seed.”
Ivy tried not to imagine the techniques Kade had employed to convince the reluctant queen, but it was futile. Graphic images of Kade and a shadowy female flooded Ivy’s mind. He thrust his fingers into her pussy, while he flicked his tongue against her clit. She was bound and helpless as he fucked her with a tapered dildo, refusing to let her come. Then he held her ass cheeks apart and worked his cock into her tight back passage. Ivy managed to swallow despite her tight, dry throat. It had been so long since any lover controlled her, overwhelmed her, mastered her… She shook away the unwanted images and ignored the ache building in her core. Those longings belonged to another lifetime.
“Were you successful? Did Kalleto conceive?”
“They struck a bargain. Kalleto allowed me to arouse her to the very brink of madness, then Chaya took her quickly from behind. We all knew what she was pretending, but one night she called out my name as she found release. It infuriated the potentate and he ordered her execution.”
“That’s ridiculous. He gave you to her. How could he --”
“Her death did not appease his fury, so he ordered my castration.”
