Price of Passion (3-in-1 Collection)

by Aubrey Ross

  “What can I get you?” the bartender asked. Her voice had the synthesized timbre mandated for every IA, which was a damn good thing because she looked completely organic.

  “House ale is fine. I’m not going to be here long.” He’d reserved two public pets for the entire night, an extravagance few could afford.

  “Pity.” She flashed a flirtatious smile that was completely wasted on Arrik, then went to fetch his beverage.

  His audiocom vibrated and he looked at the tiny display to see who had dared to interrupt his leisure outing. His communications officer stared back at him, patiently waiting for a response. Arrik sighed and opened the link.

  “This had better be important. I haven’t been off-duty for sixteen months.”

  “I honestly couldn’t say. An audio transmission arrived a few minutes ago from the magistrate of some place called Ceallon. It is addressed to you and you alone.”

  Arrik’s heart lurched for an instant before resuming a regular rhythm. “Send it to suite thirty-nine at the Cosmic Cabaret.”

  * * *

  Treena snuggled against Jazz’s side as she struggled to catch her breath. He’d turned around and pulled her into his arms moments after his shattering climax. She didn’t want to move, was nearly afraid to blink or find it had been a spectacular fantasy.

  All of her life she’d dreamed of finding her perfect mate, the other half of her soul. She’d longed to be rescued and protected, cared for and loved. After her years with the Bastard, she’d dismissed the concept as romantic nonsense. Yet that shriveled part of her soul had flickered back to life when she woke up between two Limbarians.

  The cabin vibrated and swayed, abolishing her dreamy thoughts. She sat up and tucked her hair behind her ears. “Did we just take off?”

  “Felt that way.”

  “Where are we going?” Uncertainty made the question sharper than she’d intended. She couldn’t let emotion cloud her thinking. Jazz had been nothing but kind and giving. Still, she had to protect herself against the rest of the crew. “Doesn’t your charter prohibit passengers?”

  He folded his hands behind his head and smiled at her. “I guess you just joined the crew.”

  “I don’t want to…” She shuddered and averted her face. “I’m not a public pet.”

  Jazz sat as well, stroking the side of her face with his knuckles. “That’s not going to happen.”

  “Not if you contract me first.” She couldn’t trust the affection she saw in his eyes or the answering warmth in her heart. Regardless of his easy charm, she needed a contract.

  “If Bluz accepted --”

  “I will not be left at the mercy of the crew.”

  “Do you honestly think a contract will stop a bunch of sex-crazed men if they decide to rape you?”

  She sensed compassion, not mockery. Still, she couldn’t quail a lifetime of fear in an instant. One of the few things she appreciated about the Sabrotine Federation was their swift and decisive punishments. A pet must submit to anything their master demanded of them, but if a pet was taken against their will, by anyone other than their master, the penalty was dishonorable discharge and chemical castration.

  “I wanted this settled before we took off. I don’t want…”

  He pulled her back into his arms. “No one on this ship is going to hurt you. If a contract will make you feel more comfortable, then I’ll contract you.” He kissed her brow before he admitted, “I have no idea how it’s done.”

  “I’m sorry to be so insistent. I want to relax and enjoy being with you. This will be the first step toward disentangling myself from my past.”

  “I understand.”

  “Is there a ship’s log?”

  “Of course.”

  “Make an entry in the ship’s log, stating the conditions and duration of our contract.”

  Releasing her with obvious reluctance, he crossed to his workstation. She watched the fluid movement of his lean body, soothed by his willingness to indulge her. With his easygoing personality and selfless attitude, he would be a rare and wonderful Master.

  “Ship’s log, official entry, Security Chief Jazz Averel. Pause entry.” He looked back at her with a helpless smile. “What are the conditions and duration?”

  “Just say standard compensation for an officer’s pet and six months is the shortest acceptable duration.”

  “What’s your full name, sweetheart? Somehow I don’t think Treena sounds very official.”

  “PaTreena Effyeh tect Moreno.”

  He chuckled. “That’s quite a name.”

  She swung her legs over the side of the bed and joined him, trying to be as comfortable with her nudity as he was. “Just get it started and I’ll fill in the blanks.”

  “That I can do. Resume entry. I, Jazz Averel, officially contract…”

  “Officer’s pet 26-93-3169, also known as PaTreena Effyeh tect Moreno.”

  “For the duration of six months or until we mutually agree to part ways. I agree to the standard compensation for an officer’s pet and all expenses for the proper care and pleasuring of my pet.” He halted the recording and asked, “Anything else?”

  “That’s perfect.” Emotion choked her and tears blurred her eyes. Just let him be as wonderful as he seems.

  “End log entry.” He kissed her gently on the lips.

  A chime drew her attention to the door.

  “It’s Bluz.”

  “How do you know?”

  He snatched his shirt off the floor and tossed it to her, then pulled on his pants. After making sure she’d had enough time to don the shirt, he triggered the door.

  Bluz strolled into the room with his hands clasped behind his back. He’d pulled his hair back from his face and bound it at the nape of his neck. Even with the colorful strands confined, he had an ethereal air about him. His gaze settled on her face and she spotted shards of gray she’d never noticed before.

  “Who is Arrik McGuire?” he asked without preamble.

  Treena pressed her hand to her throat, unable to hide her astonishment. “Where did you hear that name?” The obvious answer reared its head and she glared at him. “You were spying on us.”

  “That’s not how I heard the name.”

  “But you don’t deny spying?”

  “Answer the question.”

  Jazz moved in front of her, blocking his brother’s piercing stare. “What is this about?”

  “Do you recognize the name?” Even without his fierce expression, his tone made her tense.

  Glancing over his shoulder, Jazz asked, “Isn’t that the Bastard’s name?”

  She stepped out from behind Jazz, refusing to let the commander’s surly mood intimidate her. “He stranded me on Ceallon. Why did you ask me about him?”

  “Our science officer intercepted a message meant for him.”

  “What did the message say?”

  “We weren’t able to decipher it. The encryption algorithm was too distorted.”

  “Will he have the same problem unscrambling the message?” she asked hopefully.

  “Not if he has the encryption key.” He took a step toward her.

  “Who sent the transmission?” Only two people on Ceallon had interacted with the Bastard. Unless he’d managed to plant a spy.

  “The magistrate,” Bluz told her.

  She shuddered as the memory of his cruel eyes and sneering features appeared in her mind. “I wonder if he was reporting my failed drowning or my escape.”

  “Why would McGuire care if you left the planet? He abandoned you there.”

  A twinge of shame compressed her heart. It sounded so much worse when he said it in that terse tone. “I always suspected he meant to return for me.”

  “You don’t sound pleased by the prospect.”

  “I think I’d rather have drowned.” She was shocked by the truth of her statement. She hadn’t thought too much about it, but almost anything would have been better than being under the Bastard’s control again. “Drowning
would have been faster.”

  “If he learns you’ve escaped, will he search for you?”

  “I don’t know.”

  Bluz turned his shimmering gaze on his brother as he went on, “I contacted Traborn and asked how concerned we need to be about McGuire.”

  “Who is Traborn?” Treena asked.

  “Remember Ivy, the woman who last owned the Chrysalis?” Jazz slipped his arm around her waist and pulled her close against his side. “Traborn is her mate. He’s also responsible for having the charges against us dropped.”

  “In exchange for five years of service to the Federation,” Bluz clarified. “Five years of obedient, uneventful service. Traborn said McGuire is one ruthless bastard. Most believe he killed his commander after being passed over for a promotion.”

  The promotion she was supposed to help him attain. If he’d killed the commander, did that mean… “He commands his own ship now?”

  “Not only does he captain his own ship, he’s become one of the commandant’s favorites.”

  “None of which has anything to do with Treena,” Jazz insisted. “She didn’t ask to be rescued. I all but forced my assistance on her.”

  “Did you force her to become your pet?”

  Treena gasped. “You were spying on us!”

  “Everything that transpires onboard this ship is my concern. A security scan is not spying.”

  “You’re full of shit.” Jazz studied his brother’s expression for a long strained moment. “What’s really bothering you?”

  Bluz leaned in, his nose nearly bumping hers. “Speak one untrue word and I’ll slap you in restraints. Where were you born?”

  She licked her lips and looked at Jazz. Why was Bluz being such an ass? “What difference does that make?”

  “She was born on a mining colony,” Jazz answered for her. “New Cheyenne, I think she said.”

  “I asked her.”

  “It’s irrelevant,” Treena snapped.

  Bluz grabbed her wrist and pulled her toward the door. “I warned you.”

  Chapter Five

  “I haven’t said anything yet!” Treena dug her feet into the lightly textured tiles of the corridor, momentarily halting their progress.

  Bluz bent and shoved his shoulder against her abdomen, lifting her flailing body with relative ease. He ignored her thrashing legs and pounding fists, striding toward his cabin.

  “Are you pissed off about the contract or… Why are you so angry?” Jazz rushed after them, bare feet slapping the floor with each step.

  “Her planet of origin is anything but irrelevant. I told her not to lie.”

  “Why are you so certain she’s lying?”

  They reached his cabin. Jazz ducked through the opening before the door slid closed. Bluz didn’t object. Desire and frustration twisted through him, confusing and intense. It was probably better if Jazz was here to keep him from doing something they’d all regret. He felt wild and aggressive and he wasn’t sure why.

  He dumped her in the middle of his bed and stepped back, not trusting himself to touch her. “Let’s try this again. What is your planet of origin?”

  “Fuck you.” She kicked out at him, defiance blazing in her eyes. “I will not be threatened and treated like --”

  “A pet? You seemed anxious enough to be my brother’s fuck toy. Have you forgotten that I’m an officer too?”

  “Are you jealous?” Jazz grabbed his arm and swung him around. “The contract is a formality meant to protect her from the crew. You don’t understand the specifics of what she’s suffered.”

  He jerked free of his brother’s hold and stalked toward the bed. “Do you want to be restrained? Is that why you lied to me?” The bed was situated in one corner of his cabin. Even if she scrambled off the end before he caught her, where would she go?

  “What have I said that’s untrue?” Her tone calmed and her chin rose, belligerence turning to challenge. “Relevance is objective. I stand by my statement. My planet of origin has no bearing on the current situation.”

  “How long have you been passing yourself off as human?” He arched his brow, daring her to deny the truth.

  “I never claimed to be human.”

  “She’s not human?” Jazz stepped up beside him, consternation creasing his brow. “Your parents aren’t miners?”

  “My parents are dead -- to me. This conversation is pointless!” She got to her knees. Her breasts heaved and fear flashed through her anger.

  Focusing on the fear, Bluz softened his expression. It really wasn’t his intention to terrify her. “Did you have your wings removed or just reshape your ears? Why would an elf want anyone to believe she was human?”

  “Holy Mother Creator.” Jazz shook his head, his gaze filled with wonder as if he were seeing her for the first time. “The tilt of her eyes and the silver sparkle in her hair. Why didn’t we notice this before?”

  “Stop staring at me like I’m a freak.” She scooted back against the wall and clutched the front of the shirt. “How did you know I wasn’t human? In all the years I’ve been away, no one has ever figured out what I am.”

  “Which brings us back to my original question,” Bluz said. “Why are you passing yourself off as something you’re not?”

  “You didn’t ask me why. You asked me how long.”

  “Enough,” Jazz interjected. “Stop avoiding the issue. If you’re not human, what exactly are you?”

  “I’m an elemental elf,” she admitted. “My father was fire clan nobility and my mother was an air clan whore. I left home when I was fifteen and had my ears reshaped to avoid unwanted attention. I had no use for elvin traditions and pointless rituals, so I made a life for myself, on my own terms.”

  “At fifteen?” Jazz sounded forlorn, but his expression was pure compassion. “Didn’t anyone try and stop you?”

  “I was an embarrassment to my father and an inconvenience to my mother. No one gave a damn when I took off.”

  Jazz explained how she’d scraped out a living in Skarbone Valley telling fortunes and reading auras. Then she’d met the Bastard and become an officer’s pet. Bluz knew there was much his brother wasn’t saying, but the information gave him a glimpse into the psyche of their guest. Her inner strength amazed him. Many would have been crushed by the adversity she’d faced.

  “Your turn,” she said when Jazz had finished his recap. “How did you know I wasn’t human?”

  Taking Jazz by the shoulders, he tried to show her the mark on his back. “Turn around,” he ordered when Jazz refused to budge.

  “I’m not leaving you with her.”

  “I’m not turning you toward the door. I’m turning your back toward the bed.” He looked directly into Jazz’s eyes before he added, “She made you flare.”

  Jazz just gaped at him for a moment. Then he shook away the shock and asked, “What are you talking about?”

  “You know damn well what I’m talking about. You licked her pussy and your testadermis flared, vivid and intricate from your tailbone to the nape of your neck.”

  “That’s impossible.” Jazz craned his neck, trying in vain to see his back.

  Ignoring his stubbornness, Bluz finally turned him toward the bed. “It’s faint, but still visible. Tell him what you see.”

  “It’s beautiful. If I look closely enough there are four distinct shades of purple all woven together like vines. I’ve never responded to anyone as intensely as I responded to you. Does this affect my reactions as well?” She traced his spine and splayed her fingers across one shoulder blade. He shivered and arched into the light caress. “What exactly did I do that caused this?”

  “The hormones that produce pleasure, intensify attraction, and ultimately allow us to procreate are produced in the testaderum, a gland at the base of our skull,” Bluz explained. “Our bodies have developed a sort of genetic signal. We’re able to fuck whomever we choose, but only with the best possible match will our testadermis flare.”

  She snatched her hand away a
nd rocked back on her heels. “If Jazz and I have sex, I’ll get pregnant?”

  Her expression had been soft and dreamy until she made the connection. Her discomfort annoyed Bluz. Limbarian females were honored by the flare.

  They had just rescued Treena from an execution! What did he expect?

  “It’s not that simple,” he told her. “Conception is hard for our species. It never happens accidentally.”

  “I’ve never flared before.” Jazz rolled his shoulders with a silly grin.

  “Not for lack of trying.” Bluz shook his head. “What are we going to do with her now? I’d intended to buy her passage to wherever she wanted to go once we reached Limbaria.”

  “Why are we going to Limbaria?”

  “Omid needs parts. The injectors finally gave up the ghost.”

  “Aren’t you from Limbaria?” Treena asked. “Jazz sounded disapproving when he said the name.”

  “We were born on one of the lunar outposts, but neither of us considers Limbaria home.”

  “If Treena’s my testadermal match, she’s not going anywhere,” Jazz digressed. He crawled onto the bed and grinned at Bluz. “I say you lick her pussy.” He arched his brow, challenge unmistakable in his tone. “Let’s see if you flare too.”

  Bluz felt his heartbeat race at the possibility. Treena shifted her gaze from his face to Jazz and back. Women had no trouble accepting Jazz’s playful passion. His aggression was another matter entirely. Finding a true submissive was tricky enough. Finding one eager to abandon herself with them both had been beyond hope.

  Genadda had “subjected” herself to his dominance so she could “enjoy” herself with Jazz. Bluz would never make that mistake again.

  Jazz grabbed Treena’s ankles and pulled her down the bed. She gasped, her alarmed gaze darting back to Bluz.

  “Stop it,” he snapped. “She’s your pet, not mine.”

  Slipping beneath her torso, Jazz pulled her against his chest and quickly unfastened the front of her shirt. He parted the material and revealed her naked body. “Look at her, Bluz. Touch her.” He bent his knees and draped her legs over his, spreading her wide in overt invitation. “She liked it when we both touched her. She told me so.”