Across the Stars

by India Masters

  Raav stood as she turned to leave, and she stopped. “Follow me at your peril, Asirian. I am in no mood to play.”

  Chapter Five

  Several people looked up as Solae entered the gym. She acknowledged them with a terse nod and went straight to the old-fashioned punching bag to begin her workout. She donned a set of boxing gloves and threw her first punch. Oh, how she wished the bag was Fyn Du-ket! He had done this to her, turned her into something less than whole. With each thought of him, visions of what he’d done to her family assaulted her. The knowledge it was her fault only intensified the pain and drove her to greater and greater feats of recklessness, spurred her to bring in the worst of the worst. She rained a flurry of punches on the bag, remembering.

  The transport had been delayed, and her mother hadn’t been there to meet her at the docking station. A tad unusual, yes, but she hadn’t given it much thought. When she’d tried hailing her, Falon O’bora hadn’t answered, so she’d waited a bit longer. Then she had taken an air taxi home.

  Solae could still recall the eerie feeling she’d had when she’d walked into the house. It was too quiet for a home with a precocious five year old. Where had everyone gone? Anxiety had turned to outright fear when she called her mother’s name and received no answer. Panicked, she’d raced up the stairs and into her mother’s room.

  Solae continued to dance around the bag, throwing punches that would devastate a human opponent. The bag was Fyn Du-ket and she wanted to kill him. Wanted to beat him to death with her bare hands. She swallowed an agonized sob as the memories rolled through her mind like old newsreel footage.

  Her mother lay dead on the bed, beaten, raped, and strangled. A hard enough thing for a sixteen-year-old girl to see. But it was the sight of Sirius that sent her over the edge. Her beautiful little sister had been pinned to the wall with a sword through her heart. He’d used her as his own personal bulletin board, skewering a note to her little body.

  Ambassador O’bora:

  Your lovely daughter wasn’t at school today, so I came here looking for her. Pity she wasn’t at home, wouldn’t you say?

  Fyn Du-ket

  Sweat poured from her, making the floor around the punching bag slippery.

  “Solae,” Raav said softly.

  She felt a hand on her shoulder, whipped around and threw a punch, knocking him on his ass. She looked at him dispassionately. “I told you to leave me alone.”

  “So you did.” He shook off the punch and got to his feet, turning to address the crewmembers in the gym. “Out!”

  * * * * *

  Raav rubbed his aching jaw. He’d have one hell of a bruise soon. His little bounty hunter packed quite a wallop. “You want to take me on, aschema? Take off those gloves and fight me the way you were trained to fight.”

  It was all he could do not to laugh when she cocked an eyebrow and looked down her nose at him. Stars! She actually thought she could beat him!

  His eyes followed her as she pulled off the gloves and shoved them back in their cubby. He gestured to the mats, watching as she settled into her stance. She had good form, he noticed, with her feet somewhat spread for balance. Her arms relaxed, hands resting lightly on her hips.

  Raav felt a moment of apprehension. Solae was prepared to do battle. He didn’t want to hurt her, but she needed to release the demons pursuing her before confronting Du-ket. He nodded, then began circling her, looking for an opening. She didn’t provide him with one, so he simply lunged at her.

  He grunted in surprise as she reached over his arms and fisted her hands in his shirt, yanking him toward her. As she fell backward, a foot to his stomach had him flying over her head to land on his back. She immediately rolled to her feet and regained her stance.

  “Nice, aschema.” He immediately rushed her again, but she dropped onto one knee, grabbed his knees, and planted her shoulder into his stomach, lifting him off his feet. With her hand on his lower back, she yanked his legs out from under him and dropped him to the mat. Again, she scrambled away.

  Several rounds later, Raav was sweaty, his blood was pumping, and he’d swear he’d never felt so alive. He laughed. “You’re good, aschema, but how are you at offense, eh? It’s easy enough to take a man down when you’re expecting him to attack, but what if you have to go after him?’

  “Let’s see, shall we?”

  Raav kept close watch on her as she approached him from the side. As she raised her leg to deliver a kick, he swung his leg around behind her knees, blocking her. He scissored his legs around hers and brought her down.

  He could tell she was getting tired, but the anger in her burned as brightly as ever. It was time to stop this and force her to voice what she’d been keeping inside for so long. In the end, he used the simplest technique available. When she threw another kick at him, he grabbed her heel and flipped her in the air. She landed hard, on her back, the wind knocked out of her. As she lay there, stunned, he pinned her.

  “Talk to me, Solae.”

  She howled, struggling to throw him off, her breath coming in frantic gulps. “Let me up!”

  He strengthened his hold on her. “Do you think Du-ket will let you up?” He shook his head. “I don’t think so. If he ever gets you in this position, he’ll rape you, then kill you.”

  “Good! He can finish what he started ten years ago!” she screamed, attempting to headbutt him.

  Raav shook his head, confused. “I thought it was a raid to supply the recreation ships with fresh women.”

  Solae howled with rage. “He wanted me, damn you! I wasn’t at the school so he went to my home! I wasn’t there so he killed my mother, and he drove a sword through my sister’s heart!”

  Raav sat up and pulled her into his arms as the words tumbled from her. “Don’t you see? I was late. It’s my fault.” He tightened his hold on her as sobs wracked her body. “It’s my fault.”

  Shocked and shaken, Raav rocked her in his arms. The haunted look in her eyes shook him to his soul. “Hush, aschema,” he crooned. “You were barely sixteen years old. The only person responsible for Du-ket’s actions is Du-ket himself.” He rose to his feet in a smooth motion, taking her with him.

  The hall was empty as he strode to the airlift, still holding her. When the lift stopped on the officer’s deck, he carried her into his quarters, and placed her on the bed. He stretched out beside her, holding her close. He tightened his hold on her as she wrapped herself around him, sobs wracking her body. As she fell into a deep sleep, he stroked her hair. “You will have your revenge, Solae, this I promise.”

  Hours later, Raav woke to the feel of Solae’s hand slipping beneath the waistband of his breeches to fondle him awake. He lay there for a moment, glorying in the feeling. For the first time, she was initiating sexual contact with him.

  “I know you’re awake, Asirian,” she murmured. “Lift up your hips and let me relieve you of this pesky garment. I’ve already disposed of mine.”

  Fascinated, Raav levered his hips up and Solae skimmed his pants off. Her hair tickled his thighs as she knelt between them to take him into her mouth. She was gentle, yet demanding, sucking the head of his cock, then moving to lick the entire length of him. She cupped his balls, taking the time to suck each one into her mouth, before returning to his rigid cock. Her greedy mouth took him deep, rising and falling as she sucked him.

  Raav groaned. Her mouth and hands were magic, but he needed to be inside her. “Solae, come ride me. Let me watch you ride my cock, aschema. I want to see your face when you come.”

  As she straddled him, he sat up, whipping his shirt over his head so he could feel her naked breasts press against his chest. He guided her, groaning as she sank down onto him. “Oh, yeah. Take it all, aschema.”

  Raav held her bottom in his hands as she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. It was another first for them, this gentle, passionate kiss. Before tonight, every joining had been punctuated by a barely concealed violence. But this was a side of Solae he’d bet no man h
ad seen before. She was making love to him, and he liked it.

  When she broke the kiss, she leaned back, offering him her breasts, and Raav took each in turn, drawing a taut nipple between his lips, pulling deeply. He considered himself an experienced lover, but no woman had ever made him feel the things Solae made him feel. He might know her for the rest of his life and, yet, never fully come to know every aspect of her.

  Her hips ground against him as she rode him, rising and falling in a rhythm they set together. “Yes, that’s right,” he whispered. “Take what you want, aschema.”

  He released his grip on her ass and cupped her breasts, pinching the nipples, making her cry out.

  Raav didn’t know how much longer he could hold himself in check. She was riding him hard, now, her breath coming in gasps as she rose up and slammed back down.

  “Oh…oh, it’s so good, Raav. Come on. Come with me, baby.”

  Raav watched, mesmerized, as Solae threw back her head and howled her release, hips grinding against him, her pussy convulsing. He wrapped his arms around her waist, thrust one last time, and held her still as he came with a shout. He continued to hold her, long after their heart rates returned to normal, silently acknowledging that if he had his way, he would never let her go.

  Chapter Six

  Forty-five days of travel found the Nomad approaching the nine planets that made up the Komae sector. Solae stood on the bridge with Raav, giving the crew a brief lecture. “Eight of the planets host mining colonies and any manner of precious metals and stones are available for purchase on the merchant planet, which is Komae Nine. Most important of all the stones, and the reason we’re here, is anuiam crystals.” Anuiam crystals powered everything from the most sophisticated spacecraft to reading lamps in the lowliest crofter’s cottage, and more uses were found for them all the time.

  “Komae Nine is also a staging planet for expeditions to the farthest reaches of the solar system. Every cruiser, transport, or shipper traveling this way will spend several days on the planet.”

  Peace had been the norm for this sector of the galaxy for several millennia, so the Nomad crew had no reason to travel this far. A barely contained sense of excitement filled the crew. While the star charts didn’t read “Here there be monsters,” everyone knew, from what Solae and her crew had told them, they would be meeting individuals from races previously unknown to them.

  Once docked, the Nomad’s non-essential crew would leave with strict orders to return to the ship in four hours. They would relieve other crewmembers so they could also explore. Jomar, Raav’s First Mate, would stay aboard and oversee the loading of supplies along with Solae’s First mate, Ceropa. After leaving last minute instructions, Raav accompanied Solae to the airlift.

  “This Oseof character is trustworthy, isn’t he?” Raav asked for the third time.

  Solae snorted. “He’s about as honest as any merchant in this sector. But keep in mind, this is the last outpost before we leave this star system, so they can charge pretty much whatever they want for their trade goods.” When he frowned, Solae laughed. “Don’t worry about it, Asirian. As it happens, I saved Oseof’s life when he got into trouble with a U-beju warrior. He’s been indebted to me ever since. He’ll give you a fair price on your anuiam crystals.”

  “U-beju warrior?”

  “An avian race. They’re quadrupeds. Their eyes are on extendable stalks. Damned unusual looking, and they tend to be a bit…sensitive about their appearance. Oseof made the mistake of commenting on their curious looks.” She looked around the lift at the crew members. “Remember, don’t stare like you’re at a freak show. Let diplomacy be the key to your interactions here. And keep your eye on the time. There are two suns here, so there is no darkness.”

  The lift door opened and they stepped out into the docking bay area. Solae lowered her sun shades and looked around. “There’s Oseof,” she told Raav, then raised her hand in greeting.

  A gigantic saurian male hurried toward them, his blue green scales polished to a blinding luster. “Solae, darling, delectable as ever I see.”

  Solae gave him a flirty smile, extending her hand. “Oseof, still the same old sweet talker.”

  “How have you been? Will you be here long?”

  “I have been well, darling. Still collecting bounties so, no, I won’t be here long. Any sign of Fyn Du-ket?”

  A reptilian hiss escaped Oseof. “He was here two months back, the scum. Of course, we had no choice but to provide him with whatever he wanted. The bastard stole two Ru-Qut women on their way to Uza Six to be married to the king’s sons. Now there’s a threat of war between the two planets. Apparently, Ru-Qut thinks one of the princes planned the kidnapping. I’d avoid both sectors if possible.” His forked tongue slithered out to taste the back of her hand. “I’d hate to see anything happen to this delicate flesh.”

  Beside her, Raav frowned, his mouth opening to speak, but Oseof turned to him and smiled. “And who is this magnificent specimen with you, darling? We don’t get many of his caliber in the outposts.”

  Solae turned to Raav. “Raav Asirian, meet Oseof, Procurement Specialist for the Komae Sector. Oseof and his woman are trying to reproduce. For some reason, Osara thinks my DNA will make her eggs more fertile, so Oseof takes a small sample whenever we meet.”

  The giant reptile hissed a laugh. “Explaining yourself to a mere man, Solae? This must be serious.”

  Solae laughed. “Nonsense. The Mercantile Protectorate teamed us up to catch Fyn Du-ket. I was merely saving you from having your tongue pulled out of your head. He’s never been this far out before, and I didn’t want him to think your behavior was threatening.”

  “I should have expected as much,” Oseof said. “Haven’t yet met the man who could tame you.” He turned back to Raav. “Oh, the stories I could tell you.” He chuckled. “But, you aren’t interested in gossip. You came here to purchase supplies. Rest assured, you will be dealt with fairly here. I’ve made it known to all the merchants.”

  Raav nodded. “Thank you.” He turned to Solae. “Where should I meet you when I’m done?”

  “I’ll be at The Open Flask. Oseof will tell you how to find it. Thought I might see if I can scare up a bounty or two while I’m here.”

  Oseof hissed. “Try The Harlot’s Den or The Virgin’s Blood, darling. There might be one or two possibilities there.” He put a clawed hand to his pointy snout and whispered. “But you never heard it from me.”

  As she turned to leave, Raav grasped her hand and pulled her against him, eyes smoldering with barely contained heat. “Be careful, aschema. I, too, would hate to see anything happen to that delicate skin.” He lowered his head to kiss her.

  Solae melted against him, wrapping her arms around his neck as she kissed him back. When he broke the kiss, she sighed, giving him a rueful smile. “Damn, Asirian. What have you done to me?” She didn’t give him a chance to answer, but turned on her booted heel and strode off into the crowd.

  Solae began her search at The Open Flask, greeting the owner heartily. “Alucard Ushan, my friend, how are you?”

  The muscled man set down his polishing rag and made his way toward her. He was tall, with wavy, silken hair the color of burnished iron. “Solae! Lovely as ever. How long has it been?”

  “Two years, at least, Alucard,” she said, taking in his formfitting black jumpsuit.

  Beady purple eyes twinkled at her as he took her hands and looked her over. “Tell me you’ve come to spend a night or two in my bed, kitten.”

  She gave him a disappointed smile. “Alas, not this trip, darling. I’m just here to get resupplied and then we’re off to the Xat-Rah system.”

  Alucard sobered. “One of these days, he’ll tire of this little game, my love, and when he does, he’ll kill you.”

  Solae pouted. “Have you so little faith in my abilities, Al? You never thought anyone would be able to bring you in alive, did you?”

  The big man laughed. “Truer words were never spoken, but then I ne
ver expected to be fucked into submission either.”

  “I take my pleasure where I can find it, darling.” She leaned in and pressed a kiss to his full lips. “And may I say, you pleasured me well?”

  “And I stand ready to do so again, anytime!” He smacked her on the ass and led her to the bar. “Sit! Try my newest creation. I call it Blue Thunder.”

  Solae watched as he put together his latest concoction. When he was done, he handed her a drink that glowed a pale blue, with cerulean flakes swirled through the thick liquid. She sniffed it. Pears? She took a sip, a wide smile curving her lips. “Why, it tastes like chocolate! However did you manage it?”

  “My secret recipe, love. If I told you, I’d have to kill you.”

  Solae sat at the bar, chatting with her friend, keeping a constant eye on the door as patrons entered and departed.

  “Looking for someone in particular?” Alucard asked.

  “Not really. Just figured if I found a bounty or two while I was here, I’d take the opportunity.”

  Her friend leaned across the bar. “The Virgin’s Blood. One of Du-ket’s men got left behind when he didn’t return to the ship as scheduled. Big guy with maroon stripes in his hair and a feather hanging from his ear. He’s shacked up with that bitch, Sheeba Valesti. Although I doubt you’ll run into Sheeba with two fleet ships in town. She’ll be upstairs humping to her black heart’s content.”

  Solae grinned. “Hmm. Interesting combination. A vampire and pirate.” She sat there for a moment, thinking of a way to disguise herself. The pirate might not recognize her, but Sheeba certainly would.

  As if he’d read her mind, Alucard gestured at the curtains hiding the stage. “Backstage, love. There are clothes and silicon hair coloring. May I suggest blonde? I’ve always wanted to see you as a blonde.”

  Solae hopped off her stool and blew him a kiss. “I adore you.” She headed backstage.