Pirate's Price

by Aubrey Ross

  Pirate’s Price

  By Aubrey Ross

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

  Smashwords Edition

  Copyright © 2013 Aubrey Ross.

  Cover art by Dar Albert

  Electronic book Publication, July 2013

  Other Smashwords books by Aubrey Ross

  Smashwords Edition, License Notes

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  This e-book file contains sexually explicit scenes and adult language which some may find offensive and which is not appropriate for a young audience. Please store your files wisely, where they cannot be accessed by under-aged readers.

  Pirate’s Price

  Aubrey Ross

  Vihlok is a dashing, though somewhat unscrupulous, Sabrotine privateer. He offers a variety of less than legal services for outlandish fees. When an anonymous client asks him to kidnap a young woman during her wedding and sully her reputation so badly the groom will no longer want her, he’s intrigued.

  A past indiscretion leaves Rana Jabulayni little choice but to accept an unwanted marriage. Yet one night alone with her fiancé convinces Rana anything is better than being bartered as part of a trade agreement. Seeing no other option, Rana arranges her own kidnapping.

  Vihlok has dreamed of repaying the corrupt House of Jabulayni for their utter indifference to his people ever since the war ended. A quirk of fate has left his enemy at his mercy and the day of reckoning is long overdue. Hoping to shock and scandalize the sheltered princess, Vihlok agrees to kidnap/rescue her. But Princess Rana is not nearly as sheltered as Vihlok presumes and erotic heat soon turns to something deeper.

  If you enjoy Pirate’s Price, check out Price of Passion, a 3-in-1 collection of space pirate stories for only $2.99!

  From Aubrey: This book was originally published as part of a multi-author series. I try to play well with others, but I also feel constrained when there are too many rules. While revising this book, I centered the story more fully on the two main characters and I’m happier with the result. This lusty romp is part capture fantasy, part revenge adventure, and part sci-fi romance. The sex scenes are hot and there is an instance of ménage action, though that is not the focus of this story. Enjoy!

  Chapter One

  “Are the conditions acceptable?” King Vega of Peronite raised his chin, challenge gleaming in his dark eyes.

  Everything about “His Highness” annoyed Rana Jabulayni. From his artfully outlined eyes, to his flamboyant attire, he flaunted his power and wealth. Gems sparkled on his fingers and the chunky jewels adorning his elaborate necklace had to strain his narrow shoulders. Thick silver hair flowed away from his sharp-featured face and an immaculate goatee accented his pointed chin. Some might find him handsome, for a man well past his prime. But Rana saw cruelty in the firm press of his thin lips and the frequent fisting of his long-fingered hands.

  “We welcome the technological advancements you have proposed and the bride price is more than adequate.” Empress Bakula wisely avoided Rana’s gaze as she added, “My daughter is honored by your generosity.”

  Honored to be sold like a brood mare to a man twice her age? Honored to save her mother from financial ruin with a lifetime of subjugation and discontent? If Rana’s father hadn’t instilled a sense of responsibility and pride in Rana, she would have turned her back on her manipulative mother long ago. However, Rana knew exorbitant taxes and unfair policies were crippling the people of Devaunt. After exhausting her other options, Rana had agreed to participate in this negotiation in exchange for key economic reforms. Once King Vega’s generous bride price refilled Devaunt’s coffers, the empress could afford to be humane again.

  “Shall we move on to the second phase of the negotiation?” King Vega asked.

  Rana perched on the edge of a high-backed chair, the only position that allowed her to breathe in the stifling gown. The shimmering material appeared delicate and feminine, but the fabric pressed against her torso with amazing inflexibility. Her figure dipped dramatically at her waist and swelled into an exaggerated décolletage. Before coming to Peronite, she had only seen garments this impractical in history vids.

  “Our sexual compatibility must be established. I have selected my witness. Have you done the same?” He spoke to the empress not Rana. Another annoying habit.

  Let them determine if they were sexually compatible. The entire ordeal was a pointless humiliation. Vega had insisted Rana be examined by his physician before the negotiations began. There was no physical reason she couldn’t bear children. She had to allow Vega to fuck her; she didn’t have to enjoy it.

  Empress Bakula finally met her daughter’s gaze. “Who did you select?”

  “Kashi.”

  “She’s a servant. I hardly think --”

  “I was led to believe the choice was mine.” The Peronite found eye contact combative, so she lowered her gaze to her hands before adding, “I would be more comfortable if this were a private exchange between my betrothed and myself.”

  A chair scraped over floorboards and a blur of purple warned her that Vega was in motion. “This is a political union, my dear. The treaty will benefit both our worlds.” He moved in front of her and pressed one of her hands between his. The gaudy sparkle of multiple rings threatened to hypnotize her. “My first marriage was a love match, yet she was unable to give me sons. Perhaps we will be better suited for procreation. Our compatibility must be witnessed, but the details are up to us. If you fancy a servant as your witness, I have no objection.”

  An odd undercurrent hinted at hidden meanings. Did he often fancy servants? “I appreciate your understanding.”

  “Intta, have Kashi brought to the gold salon.” He motioned for everyone to rise. “If all goes as I expect, we will set a date for the wedding in the morning.”

  The lump that had clogged Rana’s throat all morning dropped into the pit of her stomach. Her enjoyment of sexual pleasures had led her to this situation, now her ability to respond to a man she disliked would be the final hurdle. She couldn’t help but appreciate the irony.

  Vega took her hand and tucked it into the bend of his elbow. “I was hoping for a few moments alone with you.”

  “You had only to ask. My people have far fewer traditions than yours.” She hadn’t realized how rude the statements would sound until she heard her own words and felt his arm flex beneath her fingers. “I’m sorry. I meant no insult. I also wish we’d had the opportunity to become better acquainted.”

  She knew so little about him. His wife had died the previous winter after a long debilitating illness. His kingdom had a thriving economy and he was desperate for an heir. Beyond that, Vega was a mystery. And Peronite custom prevented her from indulging her curiosity. Females were supposed to be meek and subservient, respectful and… obedient. She glanced off into the distance as a smile bowed her lips. He was in for a rude awakening once the marriage was finalized.

  “You’re obviously used to speaking your mind. I have no objection to outspoken females, as long as they are respectful in mixed company.”

  They strolled along the main corridor in strained silence. Her heels clicked against the marble floor and echoed off the vaulted ceiling. Rana had been impressed and distressed by the opulence of Vega’s palace. She had always thought House Jabulayni extravagant until she saw this sprawling estate. At least Vega wasn’t starving his people to support his decadent taste
s.

  He guided her down an adjacent hallway then pushed open double doors, exposing the gold salon. Warm sunlight bathed the room, accenting the gilt and ivory décor. Though every bit as ornate as the other rooms, the salon had a certain elegance that appealed to Rana.

  “Our witnesses will join us shortly.” Vega left one of the doors ajar. “We shouldn’t squander this time.”

  “I didn’t mean to be rude earlier.”

  “And I’m not as offended as you’ve presumed.” He cupped her chin and tilted her head until their gazes met. “You’ve hardly spoken two words since you arrived. The flash of spirit caught me off guard.”

  “This treaty is extremely important to my people. I wasn’t willing to do anything to compromise the outcome.”

  He smiled and released her chin. “I have no doubt that’s true, but I fear it’s not the reason you’ve concealed your feistiness.”

  Not willing to risk further insult, she waited for him to explain the comment.

  “I’m not a fool, Rana. Your mother is manipulating you into this match. If you are not as spineless as I first thought, then she has something on you. There were whispers of a scandal, but I was unable to learn the details.” He clasped his hands behind his back and began a slow, interrogative orbit. “My physician told me you’ve never borne a child, so that can’t have been the nature of the scandal. Why did your mother object to your lover?”

  “Why do you presume the scandal had to do with sex?”

  “It’s apparent in the way you move and the sparkle in your eyes. You are a very passionate female.”

  “We told you from the onset that I wasn’t a virgin.”

  His beady gaze moved over her face, then swept the length of her body. “Was your lover a woman?”

  “No.” She sighed. It was probably better to tell him what happened than have him stirring up all the old rumors. “My mother caught me in bed with my bodyguard and his lover. I was only intimate with my bodyguard, but Mother didn’t see it that way.”

  “Were you only intimate with your bodyguard once?”

  She licked her lips and admitted, “We’d been lovers for several solar cycles.”

  “Was your bodyguard’s lover also male?”

  “Yes. It’s a long-standing practice to surround royal females with homosexual men.”

  “Obviously your bodyguard is bisexual.” She merely nodded. “Did you realize he had a lover when you began the affair?”

  “It was consensual on all sides. I would not have encouraged the attraction if it weren’t.”

  “Fascinating.”

  This wasn’t the reaction she’d expected from this straight-laced man. Her mother had been scandalized. She’d insisted no one would believe Rana participated willingly in something so brazen and threatened to have both men prosecuted. Rana knew the media frenzy would force both men into exile even if she testified on their behalf. Her mother’s real motivation had been control, but Rana seized the opportunity and forced some much needed reforms.

  “Would you like your lover brought to you here on Peronite?”

  Her startled gaze snapped back to his. Why would he make such an offer? “He was compensated for his discretion and allowed to relocate.”

  “How far had the act progressed when your mother interrupted?”

  She didn’t want to sully the memory of what she’d shared with Jaque. He’d been kind and tender and she missed him terribly. “I don’t see how the details are relevant to our relationship. I was candid because I hoped we could build our future on mutual respect.”

  His smile warmed and he slipped off his jacket. “The details are more relevant than you realize. I had only intended to offer clues and insinuations until after the wedding, but it appears we are better suited than I’d imagined.”

  A light tapping drew Rana’s attention to the doorway. Kashi stepped into the room followed by a dark-haired man. Rana had seen the man several times since her arrival. He’d been in the council chambers, but he wasn’t on the council. She’d immediately noticed his striking features and athletic build, yet the overt hostility in his stare left her cold.

  “Is Kashi your handmaiden?” the king asked.

  “Yes.”

  “Do you trust her?”

  “Implicitly.”

  Vega closed the doors and moved to stand beside the other man. They exchanged a glance filled with meaning -- and hunger. “This is Umar. He was the queen’s protector and consort.”

  More like he was the royal consort. Sexual tension crackled between the two men.

  “It’s nice to meet you.”

  He acknowledged her greeting with the barely perceptible incline of his head.

  “Some in my kingdom presume my queen never conceived because I never shared her bed. For the first few solar cycles that wasn’t far from the truth. I am by far more attracted to men than women, but under certain circumstances I am able to function with a woman.”

  “Are you sure it’s wise to tell her all this?” Umar asked in an anxious whisper.

  Vega chuckled. “She will not be shocked by our relationship. Trust me.” He rested his hand on the younger man’s back with obvious familiarity. “I suspected the queen had taken a lover and I didn’t begrudge her the pleasure, but when I came face to face with the proof of her indiscretion I had a most unusual reaction.”

  “You were aroused?”

  “Quite. I had never seen anything so erotic as the pleasure Umar wrought in my queen.”

  She looked into Umar’s shimmering eyes. The hostility was gone, yet his shuttered expression was even more disconcerting. “Did you realize he was watching you?”

  “Oh, yes.” A smile curved his sensual lips.

  “What about the queen? Did she know she was being observed?”

  “Not at first,” Vega replied. “I summoned Umar and for a time he came to me after she fell asleep. There was a certain appeal to the secrecy, but she became suspicious.”

  “How did the relationship progress to the next level?”

  “I visited her chamber, knowing full well Umar was about to arrive. Her anxiety only added to my lust. I assured her I was not really angry. Then I ripped the clothes from her body and ‘forced’ her to fuck her lover while I watched. It was a game, you understand. I loved my queen deeply and would never have done anything to harm her.”

  Rana looked at Umar and felt her abdomen tighten. He was physically appealing, far more so than Vega, but this was not the sort of relationship she wanted with her husband. How could they ever mean anything to each other if the only way he could tolerate touching her was as part of a complex sexual game?

  “May I ask a potentially insulting question?”

  Vega chuckled and inclined his head. “I’ll do my best not to take offense.”

  “Why is all this necessary? Is homosexuality not tolerated by your people?”

  “A king may fuck whomever he chooses in whatever manner pleases him, but a king must also secure his dynasty with heirs.”

  “Technology makes it possible for you to --”

  “My people might turn a blind eye to unconventional appetites, but they would never accept a child created in a laboratory. My seed must take root in my queen the old-fashioned way, the way the creator intended.”

  “I see.”

  “Do you not find Umar attractive?” He took a moment to appreciate the other man’s attributes. “I thought you would be relieved by this development.”

  “I appreciate your honesty and I’ll do my best to find fulfillment in our union.”

  Vega’s gaze narrowed in disapproval. “Don’t patronize me. If you cannot accept this situation, tell me now.”

  There was far more at stake than Rana’s happiness. Her true weakness had been revealed by this debacle. If she did anything to sabotage the treaty, her mother would take it out on the people of Devaunt. Rana heaved a frustrated sigh. If only she were despicable enough to order her mother’s assassination, none of this would be
necessary. But Rana still had a soul and barring assassination, Vega was her best option.

  “My last relationship was complicated,” she told the king. “I was hoping for something simple and more conventional this time around. Again, I meant no insult.”

  “The choice is yours. The betrothal cannot proceed until we test the arrangement. If you are willing, have your maid undress you. If not, I understand.”

  Kashi shifted her worried gaze toward the door, the subtle gesture obvious to Rana. She smiled, trying to soothe her handmaiden’s fear, even though her own heart was pounding. Motioning Kashi forward, Rana turned her back on the men.

  “Are you sure you want to do this?” Kashi whispered.

  “What I want is irrelevant. My people must come first.” Kashi unfastened the back of the gown, while Rana stepped out of her shoes. “You don’t need to stay for this. In fact, I’d rather you didn’t.”

  “But what if this isn’t a game? Some men are aroused by violence.”

  “How would you assist me if this turns ugly? I don’t have a choice.”

  “I could sure as hell run for help.”

  “Stay in the hall. If I need help, I’ll make sure you know it’s not part of the game.”

  Kashi neatly draped the gown over the back of a chair and paused for a quick bow before reluctantly leaving the room.

  “She’s going to bear witness from the hallway, if that’s acceptable.” Rana arched one of her eyebrows in subtle challenge.

  “I suppose we can make this small concession.” Vega proffered a goblet of dark red wine. “A toast before we begin?”

  Umar had stripped to the waist as Kashi undressed Rana. His torso was lean and sleekly muscled. Their gazes locked as she took the goblet from Vega. Desire smoldered in Umar’s dark gaze, but smugness extinguished what little heat his expression aroused. He would always be first with Vega and he wanted to make sure she knew it.