by Aubrey Ross
Tarhee turned her to face him, curiosity clear in his expression. Though his features were well-formed, they revealed the darkness of his nature. He stroked his goatee as he slowly circled her, his gaze boldly assessing her body.
“How did you find the priest?” The prince returned to the earlier topic.
“I had a vision,” she admitted. “I sensed the girl’s terror and followed it to the cabin.”
“Did the priest rape you?” Tarhee persisted.
She wasn’t sure why he was so obsessed with the detail, but she saw no advantage in denial. “Yes.”
“Then he is dead.”
The simple statement shocked her. Was he trying to endear himself to her? “I was one of many. As your partner is well aware.” She glared at Xyell.
“Tell me something about myself that no one else knows.”
Her gift seldom worked on command, but she saw an intangible stream of energy pulsing between the two men. Almost like a soul bond. “You and Xyell are lovers, have been for years.” It was a guess, but the prince didn’t know that.
The men exchanged startled glances and she knew she’d found the mark. Without warning, other images, violent flashes and impressions, flooded her mind. She closed her eyes and fought the nausea twisting her stomach.
“What else do you see?” the prince demanded.
“Nothing.” She panted, refusing to use her weapons prematurely.
“Then what’s wrong with you?”
“What’s wrong with me?” She laughed and opened her eyes. “I was snatched from my home without warning by beings whose abilities rival the gods. I just found out the man who abused me is not dead as I had thought, and I still don’t know what you want with me.”
“Did you convince Thrax to hide you or was he the aggressor?”
Xyell stood back while the prince asked the questions. She kept her attention focused on Tarhee. “He claimed to be an agent of Venus and I told him he was full of shit.” The prince smiled, clearly approving of her spirit. “He asked for my assistance with the orientations and I came to the conclusion that assisting him was the best thing for my people.”
“Your people?” Xyell challenged. “I believe the people of New Pompeii belong to us.”
She didn’t argue. Her first priority had to be securing a place within the new community. She had to prove herself valuable without posing too much of a threat. Aiden had realized her presence gave instant credibility to his claims and Xyell had proposed a similar arrangement. “I have been called to serve these people. I am a true emissary of Venus.”
“Do you still believe in the gods?” The prince moved closer, his gaze searching hers. “We allowed a few of the gladiators to see Fedoros and it shook their belief system to its foundation.”
“I am not so easily shaken. I know Venus is real. How else do you explain my abilities?” She met his gaze directly, allowing him to see nothing but determination.
“If you are a true emissary of Venus, then you know we are not acting on her behalf. What is to keep you from spreading dissent among your people?”
“It is better that they believe they have been whisked away to a safe haven by a loving deity than to know that they are being manipulated by greedy men.”
Another peal of laughter escaped Tarhee. “You’re delightful. So fierce and feisty in the face of death.”
The subtle threat didn’t go unnoticed. “I can help you. Aiden understood the advantage of my support. I can offer you the same.”
“Aiden understood the advantage of your tight little pussy,” Xyell countered. “Will you offer us the same?”
Lust heated the prince’s gaze as they waited for her answer. She had to stand up to them or she would be their puppet for the rest of her life. More than her life hung in the balance. She couldn’t leave her people unprotected. They had to have an ambassador, someone to champion their cause and warn them of danger. And there was nobody else.
“If you take me, it will be rape, and if you rape me, I will not help you.”
Tarhee grasped her chin, tilting her face up to his. “I think you’re dangerous. I say we enjoy you tonight and dispose of you in the morning.”
“Your success depends upon the inadvertent cooperation of your captives.” She spoke calmly, despite the frantic pounding of her heart. “They will obey you if they believe you are carrying out the will of their goddess. I can reinforce this concept.”
“Or you could start a war,” the prince drawled.
“We must give her a damn good reason not to betray us,” Xyell suggested.
Releasing her chin, Tarhee looked at his partner and asked, “Such as?”
“The handsome doctor of course. He offered to join our staff so he could be with her in New Pompeii. I say we let him.”
“He agreed to the ten-year commitment?”
“You don’t need to coerce me,” Felicia insisted. “I’m freely offering my services.”
“We understand your offer,” the prince told her. “We’re not convinced of your sincerity.”
Muffled shouts and crashes sounded in another part of the palace. Footfalls echoed down the corridor and then Aiden and Quade flew through the archway, followed immediately by Laetif. Palace guards ran after them, armor rattling and swords drawn.
“Halt,” Tarhee called. “Do not hurt them.”
The uniformed guards slid to a halt then took up posts on either side of the archway.
“What are you doing here?” Xyell asked his wife.
“I have a message from my father,” she sneered, holding out a datapad.
Xyell snatched it from her hand, his eyes narrowed and hostile. “This has nothing to do with you.”
“I disagree. And so does my father.”
Silence fell over the room as Xyell read the message. “You can’t be serious.”
“What does it say?” Tarhee asked.
“Our silent partner has decided to step out of the shadows and exert his authority.”
“I have controlling interest,” Tarhee reminded. “I can veto any of his dictates.”
“The message says if we don’t accept his terms, he’ll withdraw our funding.” Tarhee shook his head. “He owns the banks holding all but one of our loans.”
“What are his terms?”
“He has just sold me his shares in New Pompeii, which guarantees me a seat on the board,” Laetif said with a triumphant smile. “I’m to choose a location for a clinic and outfit the temple according to Felicia’s specifications. Aiden has agreed to sign our contract with the stipulation that he answers to me. Felicia’s indenture is also to be transferred to me.” She walked up to Xyell and added, “And I’m keeping Quade!”
Xyell clenched his fists and pulled back his arm. Quade was there in an instant, hand clasping Xyell’s wrist. “Don’t even think about it.”
“What’s your sudden interest in our project?” Tarhee demanded.
“She’s fucking the other brother,” Xyell snapped, twisting his arm out of Quade’s hand. “Aren’t you, little whore?”
Quade shoved him away from Laetif, glaring in silent warning.
To Felicia’s surprise Laetif shrugged off the insult. “I’m no more a whore than you are, husband. But this has nothing to do with my sex life. I honestly believe in the concept of New Pompeii. If it is managed correctly, we are offering thousands of people a second chance at life. But there must be some form of checks and balances. You two cannot be allowed to run amuck.”
“And you’re going to stop us?” Tarhee laughed. “I’m not intimidated by your threats, Laetif. Bring it on!”
“This is not a battle,” she insisted. “At least it doesn’t have to be.”
“You want Quade?” Xyell asked. “Fine! I’ll sign over his contract. But the priestess is mine.”
Laetif shook her head. “Not good enough. Felicia is a valuable resource. I will not see her abilities squandered.”
Felicia had never seen Laetif like this before. She met
their gazes without flinching and stated her case with calm assurance.
“And I will not be dictated to by my wife!” Xyell flared.
“You will if you want her father’s money. And we all know that’s why you married me.”
Xyell didn’t argue. He looked at the prince for support and suggestions, but Tarhee just shrugged. “Let her play with the priestess. I see no real harm in it. There is one thing that must be agreed to and it is nonnegotiable.”
“What’s that?” Laetif asked.
“The noninterference clause. Everyone must adhere to the stipulation or all bets are off.”
“I’ve been meaning to ask you about that,” Aiden said. “I understand why technology must be curtailed, but everyone will know I’m from beyond the barrier. Is there any harm in utilizing medications they haven’t been exposed to before?”
Tarhee was silent for a moment, apparently considering the options. “One fast-spreading virus could wipe out the population. It’s in our best interest that the inhabitants be as healthy as possible. That means medications and healing compounds, no scanners or gadgetry.”
“I understand.”
“Then we are all in agreement?” Laetif prompted.
Tarhee held out his hand toward Aiden, cunning making his eyes gleam. “Welcome aboard. It’s sure to be a bumpy ride.”
Xyell faced his wife and lowered his voice to just above a whisper. “I know you, Laetif. Your soul is almost as dark as mine. This place will change you, twist you until you are every bit as jaded as we are.”
“Time will tell, I suppose.” She didn’t sound concerned.
“You will remain in the villa and appearances will be maintained.”
“Of course. My new interest in our project just might strengthen our marriage.” Sarcasm cut through her soft tone.
He snorted as he turned away. “Don’t count on it.”
* * * * *
Caleb prowled beside the shuttle, wondering what was taking them so long. Three times he tried to access Aiden’s mind, but the energy barrier was preventing the connection. He reached out again, anxious for any news regarding their progress.
Relax, bro. We’re almost there. The plan worked incredibly well.
Thank God!
Weapons weren’t allowed beyond the barrier, so their options had been extremely limited. Ordinarily he would have blasted the hell out of the enemy and flown away with the girl. Unfortunately, his standard strategy had been useless in this instance. The prince and Xyell were motivated by greed, so they’d used their greed against them.
Aiden and Felicia emerged from the visitor’s center first. Laetif and Quade followed a few minutes later. They crossed the shuttle lot to where he stood and Felicia hugged him.
“Thank you.” She kissed him on the cheek then went back to his brother.
“I’m just the getaway pilot. You owe your rescue to Laetif.”
“She already thanked me,” Laetif assured. “She hasn’t stopped thanking me.”
“I’ve never been that frightened in my life,” Felicia told him. “I tried to talk my way out of it, but I don’t think Tarhee was convinced.”
“You have a layer of protection now,” Caleb said. “But I’d stay on my toes.”
“I intend to.”
He motioned her toward the open hatch. “Where am I taking everyone?”
“Back to your ship, if that’s all right. We have plans to make.”
“Plans? I thought our mission was saving Felicia. What’s next on your agenda?”
“An exit strategy,” Laetif told him. They piled onto the shuttle and he set course for the spaceport before she continued. “This is just the beginning. Neither of those men is the kind to forgive and forget. We threw down the gauntlet and we are going to have to fight hard to stay one step ahead of them.”
“I agree,” Aiden said. “I got the impression they let us walk away because it suited their plans just as well as it suited ours.”
“Right again. They’ll be watching Felicia like a hawk. They know she’s dangerous.”
“They have no idea how dangerous,” Felicia said with a weary smile. “My gift bombarded me with information about Prince Tarhee. The images didn’t make sense to me, but I suspect his father would know what it all meant.”
“That’s a card we hold on to until we’re backed into a corner,” Quade suggested.
“Absolutely,” Laetif agreed.
Caleb activated autopilot then turned to face the others. “So what’s the exit strategy?”
“You are,” Laetif told him. “You have to stay on the outside and provide us with an avenue of escape.”
“Not just for us,” Felicia put in. “As we find others who are threatened and need to escape, we’ll need you to take them to safety.”
“And how do I pay my crew while I’m being philanthropic?”
“You trade with the vendors setting up businesses in New Pompeii,” Laetif suggested. “That will give you a legitimate reason for coming in and out of the city.”
Caleb sighed. He wasn’t opposed to the idea. Having access to Laetif was definitely appealing. It would keep him in one place longer than he was accustomed to, but the supply runs would feed his wanderlust. Still, it felt like they were empowering the corruption rather than fighting against it. “Why don’t we just take this to the emperor and ask him to shut them down?”
Laetif shook her head. “We’d have to give him a better reason than ‘we think they’re corrupt monsters’.”
“What happened on the ship isn’t enough to prove they’re vile?”
“You tell me. Did port authority seem interested when you reported the incident?”
He cringed. “It was an utter waste of time.”
“Everyone involved stands to earn a pile of money once the city opens,” Laetif persisted. “All we can do is keep our eyes and ears open and deal with each individual crisis as we learn about it.”
“The plain truth is most of my people aren’t ready for your world,” Felicia added. “They need to transition gradually, be given options as their concept of reality expands and matures.”
Aiden grinned. “She’s not only beautiful, she brilliant.”
Caleb laughed as his gaze shifted to Laetif. “How long do we go with the flow, putting out fires along the way? A couple of months? A few years? How gradual does this transition need to be?”
“We’ll know when the time is right for liberation.” Laetif reached over and squeezed his hand. “Felicia will sense it and we’ll all be there to back her play.”
He looked from one face to the other until he’d made eye contact with each person on the shuttle. Then he grinned and said, “Let the games begin.”
Epilogue
Felicia entwined her fingers with Aiden’s as she moved on his cock. She liked this position best, straddling his hips and riding him like a stallion. It gave her a sense of control and kept the shadows at bay. He didn’t seem to mind. He had let her set the pace, rolling her hips and moving her pussy up and down the length of his shaft.
“You’re so beautiful.” His fingers squeezed hers and he rolled his hips, pushing deeper with her next downward thrust.
Her clit pressed against his pelvic bone and sensations swirled up through her body. “Oh yes,” she breathed, tightening her inner muscles.
“Yes, you’re beautiful?” he teased.
“Yes, your cock feels good inside me.” She released his hands and leaned forward so she could move faster.
He grasped her hips and hindered her movements, his gaze burning into her eyes. “We’ve got all night. I’m not going anywhere.”
“But I need to come.” She groaned.
“So come.” He slipped his hand in between their bodies and found her clit. “I’ll make it last long enough so you can come again.”
How could she argue with that? She arched her back and held still halfway up his cock as he skillfully worked her clit. It only took a few rotations and her orgasm
crested, sweeping through her body in powerful waves.
He sat up and wrapped her legs around his waist. She pressed her breast against his chest as his mouth covered hers. She always felt more alive with his cock inside her. It was addictive and invigorating. Their mouths locked while their tongue dueled, and his hand caressed her back.
“Have the other priestesses accepted you as their leader?” he whispered against her lips.
They had been so busy for the past two weeks they had not really had time to catch each other up on their individual progress. “You want to talk about his now?”
He grasped her bottom and dragged her up nearly off his cock. “I can multitask. Can’t you?”
His cock pushed deep again and she shivered. “Not when you do that.”
“I need to slow way down or I’m not going to keep my promise,” he warned.
“So come,” she echoed. “I want to watch your face when you lose control.”
He carefully lowered her to her back and hooked his arms beneath her knees. She was all right as long as he did not loom over her or hold her down. He filled her with long, steady thrusts. She canted her hips and watched his face, enthralled by the stark emotions.
He gasped and panted, his gaze locked with hers. So hot, so loving, so hers!
His hips rocked faster, shuttling his cock with dizzying speed. He cried out sharply and thrust his full length deep into her pussy. His features tensed with each distinct spasm and she felt the hot spurts of his seed.
“Now I owe you one,” he grumbled, pulling her with him as he spread out on his side. He drew her leg up onto his hip and kept his cock inside her as he stared into her eyes. “You are amazing. This is amazing.”
“‘This’ being my snug passage?” she asked with a playful smile.
“‘This’ being the way I feel about you. How quickly and completely I fell in love with you.”
She kissed the tip of his nose and traced his lips with her thumb. “I love you too, more than I ever dreamed possible.”
“Now can we talk about the temple?”
She laughed. “Now I’m sleepy.”
