“Indeed? And who might this one be?”
“Why, someone you’re all too familiar with, my dear. The pirate, Fyn Du-ket. He murdered several merchant families on Ohega 12 and Xat-Rah One before disappearing through the Xat-Rah wormhole. Last we heard of him, he’d kidnapped the daughters of two minor governors in the outlying colonies. He’s demanding hefty ransoms for the girls and the families simply don’t have the means to pay him. Of course, you know what will happen to the girls if they aren’t rescued.”
Solae gave him a grim look. She knew full well what would happen. They would be sold into the sex slave market, just as her schoolmates had been when Du-ket attacked her home planet. “And the Protectorate is willing to pay the ransoms for the girls?”
Uhorru handed her a disk containing the relevant information, including the pirate’s demands, background on his many crimes, and star charts pinpointing his most recent whereabouts. “The bounty is quite generous, Captain. You could retire on it if you bring the black-hearted bastard in.”
“And the bounty?”
“Ten million Alliance Marks, payable upon delivery. Dead or Alive.”
A smile twisted her lips. She would gladly kill the bastard for free, but ten million Alliance Marks would provide her with a life of luxury. “Excellent terms, Magistrate. Though I expect I’ll need some help bringing him in, and I’ll need to refit my ship’s defensive shields.”
“Yes, I thought as much. Actually, I have an excellent candidate for the job.” She raised an eyebrow as the magistrate cleared his throat. “In fact, the Protectorate insists on the partnership.”
“Do they indeed?”
“Indeed they do, aschema.”
Solae spun around, staring wide-eyed, as Raav ambled through the door. A shiver of delight and dread shot down her spine and straight to her pussy. She suppressed a shudder and cocked her head, pretending to study him. “Asirian,” she said with a nod, then turned to the magistrate. “He’ll do in a pinch, I suppose.” Behind her, the rich quality of his laugh made her pussy clench. Get a grip, O’bora. He’s just a man. “Put out the word I’ll personally be delivering the ransom, Magistrate Uhorru.”
Raav fisted his hands on his hips and leaned toward her. His voice came low and menacing. “You’re crazy, if you think I’m going to let you do that. Especially if what they say about the man is true.”
Solae gave him a tight little smile. “I’m not asking for your permission, Asirian, nor do I need it.” She turned the same smile on the magistrate. “Do it.”
Chapter Four
Solae and several members of her crew transported to the bridge of Raav’s ship, Nomad. There was no arguing the fact; an intergalactic transport cruiser possessed the tools needed to chase Du-ket across the stars and through dangerous wormholes. Not only that, Solae was practical enough to know upgrades to her long-range cruiser would take most of her hard earned credits, and she was mercenary enough to allow Asirian to take on the expense. After all, the man seemed to be made of money.
“Welcome aboard, Captain O’bora.” Raav greeted her with a predatory smile. The man had plans for her, no doubt about it. He nodded to her crew. “Allow me to introduce you to my First Officer, Jomar Phaeg.” At Solae’s nod, he continued, “Communications Officer, Lieutenant Tzo Blaq. And Navigation Specialist, Lieutenant Liam Olna.”
Solae nodded politely. She might have known he’d have an all-male bridge crew. “Gentlemen. I’ve brought my First Mate, Under-Captain Ceropa Pham, Free Programmer, Ensign Sharma Peca, and, Weapons Specialist, Cruz Zseo.” She turned to Raav. “Our quarters, Captain Asirian, so my crew can settle in?”
Raav bowed slightly. “Mr. Phaeg, please show Captain O’bora’s crew their quarters and provide them with electronic locators to guide them.” Placing a proprietary hand at the small of her back, he guided Solae to the door. “I’ll show the Captain to her quarters.”
As soon as the doors closed behind them, Solae took a deep breath and stepped away from Raav. Distance. She needed distance to prevent her from throwing herself into his arms. “Hands off the merchandise, Asirian. I don’t need to be led around like a child.”
“But I like touching you, Solae. Surely you know that by now.” He stroked his hand down her back, letting it come to rest on her ass.
Her heart thundered in her chest as she stopped in her tracks. “You need to understand one thing very clearly. This is strictly a business arrangement. There will be no touching. Kindly get your hand off my ass.”
Raav grinned. “Then how will I manage to fuck you the way you like, if I’m not allowed to touch you?”
Shards of heat shot straight to her pussy, but she ignored her body’s traitorous reaction and focused her energies on strengthening her weakening knees. She whirled away from him. “There will be no fucking, Asirian. Are we clear on that?”
He lunged, forcing her against the wall. “I’m clear on the fact you believe it, but trust me, aschema.” His voice was thick as smoke as he nuzzled her neck. “I will come to your quarters tonight, and you will spread those gorgeous legs for me.”
She gave his chest a hard push. “I don’t think so,” she said through gritted teeth.
He stopped one door down from what she knew were his quarters, and drew a keycard from his pocket. “Your key and your quarters, Captain. Your belongings have already been delivered and unpacked. Feel free to explore the ship. Two levels up is the recreation deck. There’s a cocktail lounge, billiards tables, and a few doors down is a fully equipped gym.” He pulled her close, filling his hands with her ass. “I look forward to sparring with you once we’re underway.”
Her mouth went dry, as an image of grappling with him on a wrestling mat popped into her head unbidden. Heaven help her. “Have a care. I’m well known for my combat abilities.”
“So, I’ve heard, aschema. I look forward to testing your skill.”
Solae inserted the card into the slot, and the door whooshed open. Raav stopped her with a light touch. “By the way, you’ll be dining with me this evening. I believe you know the way.”
Solae sighed as the doors closed behind her. Damn his hide! There would be no peace from his relentless pursuit. Her quarters adjoined his, for god’s sake! He was going to make this journey as difficult as possible. Intimate dinners, sparring in the gym, and private strategy sessions.
Already, her pussy was throbbing in anticipation of his promised late-night visit. And she wanted him to come for her! Wanted the feel of his hands and mouth on her body. Wanted the satisfaction of that massive cock thrusting into her until she came in a flurry of passionate screams. It simply wasn’t fair!
Of all the men in the galaxy, the magistrate could have partnered her with, why did it have to be Raav Asirian? Of course, she knew the answer. He was the best man for the job. But that didn’t mean she had to like it. Nor did it mean she wouldn’t do everything in her power to avoid being alone with him.
* * * * *
Raav paced restlessly across the width of his quarters. What had made him believe she’d blithely accept his demand she dine with him? Or for that matter, his assertion that he would come to her quarters and make love to her. Make love? Where the hell had that come from?
He hadn’t actually made love since his first woman, back when he was a kid, still wet behind the ears. Moira Cintar had laughed at him when he’d declared his feelings. Devastated, he’d stolen his father’s trader and vanished into worlds yet unknown to him. Even now, he could hear her mocking words. “Love?” She laughed at him. “Boy, you should be thanking me for teaching you how to use that marvelous tool you have between your legs. Love? What would I want with a merchant’s spunk, when I have real men ready and waiting to lay entire planets at my feet? You were a distraction. Nothing more. Now run along home, I’m bored with you.” Raav closed his eyes, squeezing back the lingering pain. He’d run all right, and he’d never looked back.
Furious with himself for caring, and with Solae for ignoring him, he pun
ched in the code to the door adjoining her quarters with his. She looked up as the door opened, her expression neutral.
“I told you that you would be dining with me this evening,” he said with barely contained fury.
Her eyes were shuttered, a void. “And I chose to dine in the privacy of my quarters, Asirian. Is that a problem?”
His jaw clenched. “When I give an order, I expect it to be obeyed.”
Solae set aside the star charts she’d been studying and rose, giving him a smug little smile. “I see. Very well, I’ll be happy to join you for dinner. This petulant little boy aspect of your personality is so very charming, after all.”
Raav stepped aside and let her precede him into the room, taking note of her garment for the first time. His nostrils flared as he took in her bare feet and the sapphire silk tunic that barely covered her gently swaying ass. So, that’s how she dressed for bed. He’d often wondered.
She walked casually to the table, taking note of the candles and fine china. She watched him approach, one eyebrow raised. “Candles? I wouldn’t have thought you capable of such a…gesture.”
To her credit, she never flinched when his hand grasped her by the throat, pulling her against him. “Perhaps my intent was to fuck your lovely ass with one. What do you say to that?”
Her eyes widened as he reached behind her and yanked the tablecloth off the table, scattering food and dishes everywhere. Her lips parted, and she leaned forward, licking his clenched jaw. “I say you probably have something better than a candle to fuck me with.”
A bark of laugher escaped him, and his hand left her throat to rip open the delicate silk tunic, baring her completely. “You don’t scare worth a damn, Solae.” He spun her around and shoved her down on the table, kicking her legs apart. Her breath hitched as he fumbled with his breeches, freeing his cock. With a growl, he plunged deep, burying himself to the hilt.
She groaned. “The only thing scaring me, Asirian, is you might be inclined to stop.”
He withdrew and drove into her again. “Never going to happen, aschema.” He leaned forward, grabbing the edge of the table for support and began to pump with long hard strokes.
She ignited a fire that burned inside him, one he couldn’t put out, no matter how hard he tried. He’d wanted her for so long, and now he had her, he couldn’t get enough. Her cries of encouragement drove him into a frenzy, and he increased his pace, fucking her hard and fast as her fists pounded the table.
“Oh...it’s!” Solae cried. “I…oooh…Raaavvv!”
Her pussy gripped him, contracting around him, drawing him into his own release before he even realized it was on him. “You…are…mine!” he roared, each word punctuated by a hard, deep thrust that brought him to culmination.
In the awkward stillness that followed, Raav kissed her neck and withdrew. Her legs trembled as she pushed away from the table, and he picked her up and carried her to the bed. He stretched out beside her, pulling her close as she curled against him. “I’m sorry, Solae.” He kissed her damp forehead. “When you didn’t come to me…I went a little crazy. Did I hurt you?”
She snorted, but gave him a cat-that-ate-the-canary smile. “You aren’t that big, Asirian,” she teased, then pinched his nipple.
“Ow!” he yelped, then kissed the top of her head. “Are you angry?”
“Hell, yes, I’m angry! Must you always rip my clothes?”
In the aftermath of another breathtaking round of sexual acrobatics, star charts lay scattered across the room, along with the remnants of the ruined meal they’d neglected to clean up. They sat cross-legged on the bed, eating ice cream and studying the latest coordinates Lt. Olna sent to Raav’s computer.
“Right there,” Solae said, tapping the stylus on the monitor. The Xat-Rah sector appeared on the screen. “That, my friend, is where he’ll be hiding.”
Raav frowned. “He’s going to hide in a bunch of space dust?”
Solae laughed and fed him a spoonful of cinnamon ice cream. “You’ve never been to this sector have you?”
“No, but I know a nebula when I see one.”
“Quite right, Asirian, but —” She paused to accept a spoonful of his chocolate ice cream, licking the spoon suggestively, then winced. “Yeow, brain freeze.” Raav laughed and she continued, “As I was saying, what few people know is there are several small asteroids behind that bunch of space dust.”
He opened his mouth to comment, but she cut him off by shoveling in another spoonful of ice cream. She laughed and followed up with a leisurely kiss, and he thought she might be getting the hang of this romance thing.
“Honestly, the only way to keep you quiet is to put food in your mouth. Now, my theory is the combined magnetic and gravitational fields of the planet and the wormhole keep them stationary somehow.”
She demonstrated by curling her fingers and hooking them together, then pulling in opposite directions. “It’s the perfect spot for an ambush. The increased magnetism plays havoc with the less sophisticated merchant ship’s scanners and communication devices. They’re sitting ducks, and none of them have lived to tell about it.” She leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to his lips. “He almost caught me once, you know. But I slipped into the wormhole. When he came out the other side and saw I was ready to fight, the coward ran.”
Raav took her dish and set it on the bedside table with his, then pulled her into his arms. “Will it be enough? Catching him?” He pressed her down to the bed and rolled on top of her, searching her face. “When he’s out of the way, will you be able to breathe again, aschema? Can you live without the chase?”
Her eyes welled with tears. “I don’t know, Raav. He’s been my reason for breathing for ten years. The rest has been a means to an end. How can I know until I have him? And I must have him. You understand?”
He dipped his head and kissed her. “I understand.” His cock swelled as he lowered his head to kiss her again, then groaned as the com signal sounded. “Yes, Mr. Blaq?”
“We’re ready for Captain O’bora in the lounge, sir. As soon as she’s ready, we can record her message to the kidnapper.”
Raav sighed. “Be right there, Mr. Blaq.” He gave Solae a quick kiss and got up. “Better go get dressed. And, aschema, I can’t believe I’m going to say this, wear something sexy.”
* * * * *
Solae walked into the lounge and the whole place went quiet. She fit the image of the bad girl bounty hunter most of Raav’s men had heard about. Skintight black leather pants hugged her, and the black corset made her breasts look as though they would spill over the straight bust line. Thigh-high boots with back lacing encased her long legs.
“Tongues back in your heads, gentlemen,” she teased, swinging her hips as she strode across the room on four-inch heels. She stopped in front of Raav. “Sexy enough for you, Captain?” She laughed as he choked on his words. “Somebody fix me a dirty martini and let’s get this show on the road.”
When she sat down on a sofa, Raav leaned down to whisper in her ear. “I’ll pay you five thousand republic marks if you’ll let me fuck you wearing nothing but the corset and those boots.” Solae laughed softly and bit his earlobe. “I think we can work something out. Now, come sit beside me like a good boy and let me entice our prey.”
Ceropa, her First Mate, handed her a dirty martini with a shake of her head. “Your showmanship never ceases to amaze,” she said mildly. “Reel him in, Captain.”
When the recorder’s red light came on, Solae leaned forward and set her drink on a table. She rested her forearms on her thighs, hands dangling between her parted legs, and began to speak. “This is your lucky day, Du-ket. The Mercantile Protectorate decided to meet your demands. Naturally, I volunteered to deliver the ransom.” She reached out for her drink and took a long sip. “Dirty Martini. I’d offer you one but it’s a civilized drink, and we both know there’s not a civilized bone in your body. I’m en route to your location, in the fine company of Captain Asirian.” She turned to Raav, who
nodded, head cocked, then back to the camera. “When we get there, I’ll expect to see proof of life. Don’t disappoint me, darling.” She held her glass up in salute. “See you soon.”
Solae slumped back in her seat and gulped down her drink. “I swear, I feel dirty just sending the pig a message.” She plucked the olive out of her martini and chewed it slowly, savoring the taste.
“It’s not too late to change your mind,” Raav said.
“It was too late the day he killed my mother and my baby sister. Sirius was five years old. Too young to be of any monetary value.” Even now, the fury she felt toward the notorious pirate threatened to overwhelm her. She stood up. “I’m going to change. I need to workout.” She hurried from the room, practically running for the airlift when the doors closed behind her.
Thank the stars; she made it to her quarters before anyone saw her. Thinking of Sirius always caused the same reaction. She reached the bathroom in the nick of time, and heaved the contents of her stomach into the commode.
“Are you all right?”
Raav. She didn’t want anyone seeing her like this, especially him, but she’d already learned he wasn’t a man to be put off. He ran the water and handed her a damp cloth.
“I’m fine.” She rose on shaky legs. “Thank you.”
“You should rest.”
“I said I’m fine!” She shoved past him and sat on the bed, unlacing the boots that had so fascinated him, tossing them across the room. She glared at him when he sat down next to her and began unlacing her corset. “Stop being so fucking nice to me, Asirian!”
She flung the corset and stomped to the storage bay, yanking her workout clothes from a cubby. The tight flexible bodice had wide straps and hooked between her breasts, offering support and freedom of movement. She discarded the leather breeches in exchange for exercise pants of soft cotton, then pulled on a pair of supple, foot-molding shoes.
Across the Stars Page 3
