Worlds Apart (Men of Orion Book 1)

by Laylah Roberts

  And Gisella, the leader of the small group, had bought her act. She actually thought that the men were Kalia’s slaves. She’d told Gisella the story they’d come up with—that one of Kalia’s slaves had escaped with this ship and she’d come to retrieve him.

  Gisella had nodded calmly and invited Kalia back to their camp. Kalia just hoped it wasn’t so she could eat them.

  A horse had been produced for her. It was a huge, black horse that she hadn’t a hope of getting on by herself. Gisella had ordered one of her own men, a pale-skinned, thin, blond man to act as a stool so Kalia could step onto his back and climb on the horse.

  She was thankful that her father insisted she and her sisters learn to ride, not that she was used to riding bareback, but she’d managed to hang on as they made their way through the jungle, the women riding, the men on foot.

  All the men that Gisella and the women had with them were naked. Some, Kalia had noted while trying to hide her embarrassment, had large plugs in their asses.

  She glanced back at her own men from time to time, checking on them. They remained quiet, but Garret sent her a small nod of encouragement.

  Gisella and her women wore a piece of fur like a skirt, covering their privates and leaving their breasts bobbing free

  After about an hour of travel, they came upon a large clearing with several shelters set up around a big fire. This must be their camp. Gisella moved off her horse with a grace that Kalia envied. There was no way she was getting off her huge stallion without some help.

  “Garret,” she called out, hoping her voice came out commanding enough. “Come help me down.”

  Immediately he was there, his hands circling her waist as he lifted her to the ground. She took a moment to breathe in his scent, letting it surround her.

  He stepped back and she was faced with Gisella once more. She glanced suspiciously at both of them and Kalia was afraid for a moment that she’d given herself away.

  “He is your favorite?” Gisella asked in a harsh voice.

  “Yes,” she replied after a slight hesitation.

  Gisella nodded. “We all have our favorites. He gave you the baby?”

  “No,” she said truthfully, figuring she needed to stick to the truth as much as possible. “That was another. He’s no longer alive.”

  Gisella nodded. “Come, let us talk.”

  She followed Gisella through the large camp. Everyone seemed to be very busy. Rather than looking downtrodden and cowed, the men seemed content, even happy. Gisella stopped every now and then, cupping a man’s cheek, kissing the top of his head. The women were tall, muscular, they made the men seem soft and gentle by comparison. Most of the men were shorter than the women.

  “Please sit,” Gisella said as they stopped by some large logs placed around a fire.

  Kalia sat on one log, glancing behind her to make sure the men were following. They kneeled beside her, Garret choosing to sit closest, nearly touching her. She welcomed his closeness.

  Another man brought Kalia a cup. Inside was some blue liquid.

  “Thank you,” Kalia said, before freezing, realizing her mistake. Garret stiffened beside her.

  Shoot.

  She glanced over at Gisella and smiled, hoping the other woman would think that Kalia had been thanking her and not her slave. “I’m very grateful for your hospitality. It’s been a long trip to find my runaway slave.”

  She took a small sip of the liquid and found it surprisingly refreshing.

  Gisella nodded. “Your men will go with Nolan. He will take care of them.”

  Kalia felt a surge of panic at the idea of being separated from the others, but nodded.

  “Go with this man,” Kalia ordered, waving her hand at Nolan who stood patiently waiting.

  The others stood, but Garret stayed where he was.

  “Garret, go,” she said harshly, knowing Gisella would lose all respect for her if she didn’t take a tough stance. Please move, Garret. Please.

  Garret rose and moved away, but when he was out of Gisella’s sight he turned to give her a firm look. She knew he wasn’t happy at leaving her alone.

  “Your men are very well behaved,” Kalia said to Gisella. What was she doing? She didn’t know how to act or what to say.

  Luckily, Gisella nodded, taking her words as sincere. “Thank you. Where do you come from?”

  Kalia named a planet that was located in a different galaxy. It was matriarch ruled, but nothing like this planet. Hopefully, Gisella had never met anyone from there or she’d know that the women on that planet all had lavender-hued skin.

  “Gisella, did you see the man who was on that ship that crashed?”

  “There were four men,” Gisella said. Thank Gods, so she had seen them.

  “Yes, but I’m only interested in one of the men,” Kalia said, describing Mikael. “The others are not mine and I have no interest in retrieving them.”

  “This slave must mean a lot to you,” Gisella said. She clicked her fingers and two men kneeled beside her. They leaned their heads against her thighs and she ran the fingers of her free hand through one man’s long hair. With the other hand, she held a cup of the blue liquid.

  Kalia tried not to drink it, not knowing what it was or if it was okay for the baby, but it was delicious and she’d drunk it all before she even noticed.

  “Not really,” Kalia told her, watching as one of the men moved between Gisella’s legs and started kissing along her thigh.

  Kalia might have been embarrassed if she wasn’t feeling so relaxed. Both men looked up at Gisella with adoring expressions. This wasn’t at all what she’d expected.

  Gisella widened her thighs and the man nuzzled aside the fur covering her pussy, pressing his face deep between her thighs. Kalia couldn’t see anything, but from the sounds the man was making, he was thoroughly enjoying himself. As was Gisella, whose face was growing flushed, her eyes glistening with arousal.

  “Can I offer you…” Gisella gestured to the other man at her side, who looked over at Kalia hungrily.

  “Oh no, thank you. I’ll wait for my men.”

  Gisella nodded.

  “My slave, have you got him, Gisella?” Kalia asked.

  Gisella shook her head. “I gave him to my sister. She’s out with a hunting party. He needed discipline. My sister likes to discipline naughty slaves. She has more patience than I. She will not want to let him go.”

  Kalia nodded. “I understand. But I have come a long way; I would like to see him if possible.”

  “My sister will return soon. I will talk to her.” Gisella threw her head back and let out a low moan. She placed her hand over the male’s head as he continued to lap at her pussy.

  “Faster, faster,” Gisella urged.

  Kalia watched in fascination as Gisella came right in front of her.

  The slave kept his head between her thighs until Gisella reached down and pulled him up, kissing him fiercely before gesturing him to kneel beside her once more.

  “Your slaves are very handsome,” Gisella said. “Would you sell one?”

  “Umm,” Kalia said before sending her an awkward smile. “I brought my most favored slaves with me; I’d be very reluctant to part with any of them.”

  Gods, she hoped that appeased the woman. If she decided she was going to keep them all there wasn’t much Kalia could do.

  Gisella just nodded.

  The knot in Kalia’s stomach still didn’t dissipate.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Garret didn’t like begin away from Kalia and he frowned as he followed the smaller male through the camp. This place gave him the creeps. Garret was a man who naturally took charge, he didn’t follow orders and he didn’t like his woman being alone.

  The little man who’d introduced himself as Nolan brought them to a river. There were about ten other men there already.

  Across from him a dark-haired male was getting a blow job. To his right another man was bent over, his hands resting on a downed log as another man
took him from behind, pushing his cock deep within the other man’s ass.

  “This is interesting,” Preston said dryly.

  “Do your mistresses know you do this here?” Griz asked Nolan.

  “Oh yes,” Nolan said. “Sometimes they like to watch. They know we need our release and it makes us more attentive to them if we take care of ourselves first. Would you like to wash?”

  “No, we washed just before we arrived,” Garret said.

  Nolan clapped his hands and some plates of food and drinks were brought over and placed on the ground.

  “Please sit,” Nolan said.

  They all sat down. Garret reached out and grabbed a drink, not wanting to look unhospitable although he had no intention of actually drinking anything.

  “Do you know the men who were on the space ship that crashed?” Preston asked. “Are they here?”

  Nolan nodded. “Yes. Why?”

  Garret told the story they’d concocted about Mikael being a runaway slave.

  Nolan shook his head, a look of grave disappointment on his face. “Why would he shame you all that way? Why would anyone run from his mistress?”

  Garret resisted pointing out all the reasons he could think of.

  “You enjoy it here, serving your mistress?” Siren asked.

  “Oh yes,” Nolan replied, nodding his head so quickly it was a wonder he didn’t get a headache. “My mistress is very kind. I worked hard to be able to serve her.”

  “You mean you wanted to serve her?” Griz asked.

  “Oh yes, my mistress only takes the best slaves as her own. She is far more beautiful, far stronger than any other. It is a great privilege to be allowed to serve her.”

  They really had these men brain-washed. Garret shook his head. Much as he’d like to set the other man straight, that wasn’t why they were here. He needed to find Mikael and then get Kalia and the others out of here.

  “So you’ve spoken to Mikael?” Preston asked.

  Nolan shook his head. “My mistress gave him to her sister because he needed more discipline. He is her slave. She has forbidden him to speak, because she did not like the noise coming from his mouth.”

  “And he obeyed her?” Preston said with disbelief.

  “He had no choice once she gagged him.” Nolan smiled slightly. “By the time his mistress is through with him he will be a model slave. His mistress enjoys a challenge. Come, it is time to go back.”

  They all stood and followed Nolan back to where the two women sat. Nolan immediately settled himself on his knees between Gisella’s open legs. Kalia glanced up at them and smiled, looking very relaxed.

  What was going on with her? Garret studied her carefully. Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes glazed. His gaze dropped to the cup in her hand. Damn, what had been in that stuff they’d given her? He hoped like hell she kept her wits about her.

  Garret knelt beside her, kissing her leg as she laid her hand on his head.

  “Good boy,” she said with a sigh. “So handsome.”

  Garret raised his eyebrows at her words. She was really getting into this role. He glanced over at Nolan as he heard a murmur of pleasure. His face was buried between Gisella’s thighs as she ran her hand through his hair, murmuring soft words to him.

  Kalia sighed and he glanced up to see she was watching, a hint of arousal in her gaze. Enjoying this, was she?

  When she saw him looking, she crooked a finger at him. She leaned down to kiss him, using her tongue to play with him, tease him. He jolted as he felt her hand on his chest. She twisted his nipple.

  When she pulled back, she licked her lips. “You’re so hot.”

  “Gisella!” a woman’s voice yelled, interrupting them.

  Probably just as well, Garret thought, because in the mood that Kalia was in right now he might very well have found himself between her thighs, licking her pussy.

  Not that he’d complain, but he didn’t want to do anything that might embarrass her later and he was pretty sure that she’d completely forgotten about Griz, Preston and Siren.

  “Tara!” Gisella called back, standing up. Nolan scrambled back, a look of disappointment on his face as he licked his glistening lips.

  A tall, muscular woman with dark, plaited hair strode toward them. The two women embraced, Gisella whacking the other woman on the back.

  “How are you, sister?” Gisella asked.

  “I’m good. I had a successful trip. We should have enough meat to last us through the winter now.”

  “And your new slave? How did he handle the trip?”

  The other woman rolled her eyes as they both sat. “Every time I allowed him to speak he had nothing but complaints. He tried to run away three times. Needless to say he’s going to find sitting quite difficult for a while.” The woman laughed.

  Garret looked over at Preston and raised his eyebrows. Maybe Mikael had ended up in exactly the right place.

  “This is Kalia,” Gisella said. “Kalia, my sister Tara. Kalia tracked her escaped slave here. She believes he is the slave I gave you.”

  “Really?” Tara raised her eyebrows. “I can believe it. He is very poorly disciplined.”

  Kalia nodded. “I agree. He was a new acquisition. I had yet to train him properly.”

  “But he is worth something to you or you would not be here.”

  “Yes,” Kalia said. “I guess it’s partly about pride. He must be punished for running from me or it sets a bad example.”

  Both of the other women nodded sagely.

  “I’ve grown surprisingly fond of him,” Tara said.

  “Tara likes the difficult ones,” Gisella added.

  Kalia was silent for a long moment. “If I could talk to him in private, I think we could come to some arrangement.”

  That wasn’t what they’d agreed, but Garret kept his gaze down, not wanting to give anything away.

  “That’s acceptable,” Tara said.

  “You can use my tent,” Gisella said, rising. “I will have Mikael brought to you, Tara and I have some tasks to see to. Come, this way.”

  “Thank you,” Kalia replied once they had reached a large tent. “Your hospitality has been much appreciated. We promise to be out of your way soon.”

  Gisella waved off her words as she left. Kalia entered the tent. Garret quickly followed her.

  Inside was basic, just a sleeping mat, two chairs and a small table. Kalia sat on one of the chairs.

  “The plan was to take him with us,” Preston said in a whisper as Siren took watch at the opening of the tent.

  “We’re clear,” he said.

  “I know,” Kalia replied. “But they’re not going to just give him up. If I insisted they might not have let us talk to him at all. I didn’t want to annoy them. Besides, I kind of think staying here might be a better punishment than anything we can think of. Sounds like Tara enjoys disciplining naughty slaves.”

  “She has a point, Preston,” Garret said.

  “He killed one of my men,” Preston said.

  “And now he’s paying for it,” Griz replied. “For a man used to getting his own way, I would say this place is his own personal hell.”

  Preston was silent for a long moment.

  “Here he comes,” Siren said.

  Two women pulled a gagged and bound Mikael through the opening of the tent, forcing him to his knees in front of Kalia. One of the women studied them carefully and Garret suddenly realized they weren’t acting like slaves. Garret had taken a defensive position in front of Kalia, as though he was protecting her. Preston and Griz stood on either side of her.

  “Slaves, kneel,” Kalia commanded. “Thank you,” she said to the other women. They left.

  Mikael’s gaze was wide, staring at them all. He let out a loud whimper, trying to rise. Griz quickly moved, slamming him back onto the ground on his knees.

  When Siren nodded that the coast was clear, Griz pulled the gag from Mikael’s mouth. He looked disheveled, with leaves in his hair and smears of dirt
on his skin.

  “What are you doing here?” Mikael said loudly. “I’ll pay you—” Griz slammed his hand over Mikael’s mouth as Preston stalked toward him.

  “Listen to me, you little bastard. We know you’re the one who bombed my place. You tried to kill me because your own father doesn’t trust you to run his empire.”

  Griz removed his hand.

  “My father is a stupid old man,” Mikael spat out. “I’ve spent years sucking up to that fat, old pig and what does he do? He makes you his heir. So yeah, I tried to kill you. What do you expect? Now get me off this hellish planet.”

  “You killed one of my men,” Preston said in a cold voice.

  Mikael shrugged. “Collateral damage.”

  Garret grabbed Preston’s arm as he clenched his fist, stopping him from hitting the little bastard.

  “So you were trying to kill Preston because he threatened your inheritance, what did that have to do with me?” Garret asked.

  “Because the bastard wouldn’t die,” Mikael spat out. “I had to make it look like an accident so my father didn’t get suspicious. My father has spies everywhere, including among my own men so I had to do this quietly. After the third attempt failed, I knew I had to change plans. I deal in information and I have a very good memory, I remembered someone telling me that you and St. Jonas don’t get along. So I came up with another plan. I hired those men who were guarding the warehouse in Goran. They were supposed to make it look like a set-up to kill you. Then I put the blame on James.”

  “What if Preston killed Garret?” Griz asked.

  Mikael shrugged. “No big loss.”

  “Pretty stupid plan,” Preston said. “If you’d done your homework properly you’d know I had no reason to kill Garret. No wonder the old man is leaving his empire to me. You’re too fucking stupid to be in charge.”

  Mikael snarled at him.

  “What about the anonymous tip I got that said I needed to talk to Garret?”

  “What tip? I didn’t send you a tip. That was probably one of my men. Those bastards have no loyalty.”

  “That’s quite a red ass you’ve got, boy,” Griz said with an evil grin, standing behind him. “You been misbehaving?”