by Anne Kane
He checked the relays to make sure there wasn’t a problem with his system, and then sighed. Hopefully, Mr. Keiro hadn’t found himself a new distraction. Roark had been counting on that bounty, and he wasn’t sure he’d be callous enough to put Breanne up for auction if her bond-master refused to pay for her return.
Shrugging in annoyance at the pitfalls of his trade, he passed his hand over the control panel and called up the brig surveillance display to see how his cargo was faring. A three-dimensional display of the brig shimmered into view, and his gaze fixated on the Stargazer’s fabulous legs flashing enticingly as she paced the length of the small room. She didn’t look thrilled to find herself alone in the brig.
He felt a wry smile curve the corner of his mouth. No doubt she’d thought she could seduce him and use the resultant energy to enable her to escape while he slept it off. Unfortunately for her, he knew how Stargazers operated. He’d spent enough time on an ore cruiser with a resident one when he’d first taken to space. He’d been more than willing to take his turn supplying the nubile female with the energy she needed, but he’d also learned how to use his cybernetic implants to block her before she drained him completely.
He watched the woman slam her hands against the locked door. “What the hell are you?” She glared around the room, as if expecting him to materialize at any moment. From her bearing, he’d be willing to bet hard credits that she wasn’t used to being thwarted. The thought of going down there and forcing the blue-eyed witch to submit to him made his cock jerk in anticipation. He wondered how her bond-master managed to control her, and then shrugged. It really wasn’t his problem. He just needed to deliver her and collect the bounty.
Turning his attention to the control panel, he keyed in jump coordinates. Sitting dead still in the heavily traveled shipping lanes was an invitation to disaster. He’d take the Blazing Star out into space, and wait for Mr. Keiro to reply.
He reached up to pull the safety netting over his seat, and opened the brig’s com-link. “We’re on countdown to launch. I’d advise you to buckle in.”
The woman’s head came up and she scanned the walls of her prison. “Damn cyborgs! That’s what you are, aren’t you?” She paced across the small room, stopping in front of the launch chair. “Only a cyborg would be able to walk away after last night.”
Roark chuckled. It hadn’t taken her long to figure that out. He had to give her credit. Most women, when confronted with the reality of a cyborg, would be terrified, or at least scared. He’d had more than one working girl run when they realized what he was. Breanne was just plain mad. “If it makes you feel better, my legs were just a wee bit shaky. You’re an even better lover than the last Stargazer I bedded.”
The anger on her face turned to thoughtful calculation. “So you’ve had occasion to consort with some of my sisters. Then you must know about Star Haven and the Triad.” Her gaze drifted around the room as if trying to locate him. “The Triad of which I am a member.”
“I’ve heard tales. A mythical planet that only the Stargazers can find.” He watched the annoyance flash across her face. “As for the Triad, to the best of my knowledge, no one has ever seen them so your claim to be one of the three is pointless. I told you we’re about to make the jump to hyper-space, so unless you want to find yourself thrown around that cell, I’d advise you to strap yourself in.”
He cut the audio link to the brig before she could respond. It never paid to let a witch get in the last word.
* * *
“It’s not mythical, it’s hidden and for good reason. Men like you would love to get your hands on a whole planet full of Stargazers.” Breanne glared around the room, wondering where the surveillance bots were hiding. It galled her to follow orders but her common sense overrode her stubborn nature and she plunked herself into the chair and pulled the safely netting over her. She could feel the deck beneath her feet starting to vibrate as the engines revved up for the jump.
Time for Plan B. Pity she didn’t have one.
She settled herself into the seat and made sure the harness was snug. The whining of the hyper drive engines hit an excruciatingly high note just before the ship flung itself into the vast void of space. Breanne found herself plastered against the netting for a brief second before the artificial gravity field kicked in and her body fell back into the seat. Lord, how she hated the first few seconds of a hyper drive flight!
She closed her eyes and considered her options. Obviously, seducing the bounty hunter wasn’t going to work, although their lovemaking had boosted her energy levels, and she had to admit she’d enjoyed herself immensely. He might be a cyborg but he certainly knew his way around a woman’s body. Those big hands of his were just the right size to… She shook her head and tried to concentrate on the problem at hand. The longer she stayed here, the smaller her chances of finding and helping Talia.
The sound of the engines faded into the background as the ship settled into hyperspace, and the gravity field leveled off. She released the safety net and stood, stretching her arms above her head. Her only hope was that they’d reach their destination quickly and the bond-master would verify what she’d already told Roark. He had the wrong woman.
“So what does one do for food around here?” It had been ages since her last meal on the station, and her stomach was making its needs known. She wandered the perimeter of the small cell, running her hands along the smooth metal walls. If there was a food synthesizer anywhere, she had yet to locate it. “Are you listening to me?”
“But of course.” The bounty hunter’s deep voice sounded from behind her. Breanne whirled around to see Roark lounging insolently in the open doorway. A sexy smile curved the smooth lines of his lips. “There’s only one food synthesizer on my ship, and it’s in the galley. This isn’t a pleasure cruiser. Do you want to come get some dinner, or would you like to spend a little more time cursing me?”
Determined not to let him see how much he rattled her, she stalked across the small space with her head held high. “I’m sure I’ll have plenty of time to curse you later. Which way to the galley?” She refused to acknowledge the deep male chuckle that rumbled up from his chest.
“Not so fast.” He extended an arm to grasp her wrist as she tried to sweep past him. “You really don’t think I’m going to let a Stargazer wander around my ship unrestrained.” He drew her up against his hard body. “Especially one who’s recently absorbed a good deal of energy from me. I’m not an idiot.”
“Really?” Breanne held her chin high, refusing to acknowledge the heat flooding her skin at his proximity. “Then you might want to consider that I’m not the woman you were sent to recover, and you are holding a member of the Triad against her will.”
“A member of the mythical Triad? How naughty of me.” A hint of disbelieving mockery tinged his voice as he ran a hand down her back to rest on her buttocks, the contact sending a wave of lust rolling through her belly. “If you promise not to do anything to disrupt the ship, I’ll leave the restraints off.”
She arched a brow and gave him a look she hoped showed her distain. “I’m not a complete fool. If I damage the ship, I’ll be stuck out here in the middle of space with you. Not a fate I’d deliberately court.”
A sinfully dark smile crossed his lips, and his strong arms wrapped around her, drawing her up against him until she could feel his thick shaft pressed into her belly. “And would that really be such a hardship?” He dipped his head and his lips brushed across hers, scattering all thoughts of food.
As the familiar heat started to coil deep inside her, she closed her eyes, parting her lips to allow him to plunder at will. She’d never reacted this strongly to a male before, never felt this overwhelming urge to surrender, to let him do whatever he wanted with her. His tongue probed deep and she tilted her head to accommodate it, bringing her arms up to wrap around his neck. Arching her back, she pressed her breasts against him and felt his cock jerk in response.
“You have got to be the hottest fe
male this side of the Nebula.” He muttered the words against her lips while his hands roamed her body, pushing impatiently against her clothing. “I can barely resist the urge to rip that uni-suit off you and bury myself deep inside you, even though I know your kind just use men to gather energy.”
He went still against her, and Breanne opened her eyes. His smoke-gray eyes narrowed, studying her. “Are you bonded to your master? Is that why you ran, to escape his hold?”
The tension in his body as he waited for her answer puzzled her. Why would he care? “I don’t have a master. I told you, you have the wrong woman. I’m not bonded to anyone, and I intend to keep it that way. The last thing I want is some dumb-assed male trying to dictate to me.”
The tension in his body increased, and he picked her up and turned to press her back against the wall. “Maybe you need someone to take a little of that attitude from you.” He drew her arms up over her head, caging them with one big hand while he nudged her legs apart with his knee.
She opened her mouth to object, and he brought his head down to sear a soul-destroying kiss across her lips before he proceeded to strip the clothing off both of them.
“Maybe I’ll just keep you naked and available for the rest of the journey.” His eyes smoldered with lust. “It would save a lot of time.”
“Mmmmm.” That sounded like an excellent idea to her. He leaned into her, and the slide of his flesh against her bared breasts sent want coiling through her like warm honey. “Aren’t you afraid I’ll drain your energy?”
“Not sure I care at the moment.” He picked her up and held her against him, her feet dangling in the air as he positioned her sex a hairsbreadth above his engorged shaft.
Breanne wrapped her legs around his waist, locking her ankles behind him as Roark slid his hands down to her butt to steady her. He stared into her eyes as he lowered her onto his cock with agonizing slowness.
She moaned softly as his hot flesh stretched her inch by inch. The cold metal wall at her back contrasted sharply with the hot slide of his muscular chest against the sensitive flesh of her breasts. Darts of erotic heat danced along her every nerve, and she writhed against him, wanting to feel more. More of his hard male body. More of his thick pulsing cock. More of his big hands on her soft flesh. More.
He rocked on the balls of his feet, using his hands on her butt to hold her in place while he rammed his shaft into her again and again. He picked up the pace, sending her lust spiraling higher as he plunged in and out of her slick sex.
It felt so good. Pleasure so intense it bordered on pain slid along every nerve, and she squirmed against him. The feel of his hard body, his big hands holding her, his warm male presence, drove her lust to a fever pitch.
Reality narrowed and Breanne lost track of everything but the feel of his cock in her slick channel. Heat flared in every cell of her body and she felt her orgasm building, rolling over her with the strength of a moon-called tidal wave. She threw her head back and screamed, giving voice to the overwhelming feelings.
Roark’s deep growl mingled with her scream and she felt his hot seed jetting into her. She arched her back, tightening the muscles of her sex around his enormous shaft as she greedily milked every last bit of his seed.
Finally spent, she released her ankles and let her legs sink to the floor, glad that he kept a firm grip on her, holding her upright. She had a feeling that if he let her go she’d sink to the floor, her legs unable to hold her.
“That was incredible.” She looked up into those smoky gray eyes, still clouded with passion. “No one’s ever managed to make me come twice in such a short time.”
“Glad to be of service.” The gruff sound of his voice told her he was every bit as surprised as she was. “I can see why your bond-master is in such a hurry to get you back.” He paused and an odd look crossed his face.
“Not having second thoughts about dragging me to see this guy, are you?” She let herself hope. “I’m not lying. I’m the wrong woman and this trip is a waste of time for both of us. If the money’s a problem, I can match whatever he’s offering.”
Roark shook his head but continued to stroke her hair in a calming rhythm. “I’m the best bounty hunter in this quadrant. I’m not going to risk my reputation by letting you go, so you can forget that. Besides, he’s offering a small fortune -- ten thousand credits for your safe return. I’m just wondering why he hasn’t responded to my hail. I told him I’d apprehended you, and given how frantic he appeared when he put the bounty out, I would have expected him to be chomping at the bit to get you back.”
“He isn’t responding to your hail?” Breanne felt a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. “Did it ever occur to you that this might just be a ruse to get me out of the way?”
“Out of whose way?”
Breanne hesitated, not sure how much she should tell this man. He seemed like an honorable sort, for a bounty hunter. She decided to risk putting her mission on the line. “I’ve been tracking a pirate ship that’s got a Stargazer on board. Rumor has it she’s not there by choice, and it’s my job to make sure she isn’t being held against her will, or to free her if she is.”
His eyebrows shot skyward. “And why would that be any of your business? If they’re holding her illegally, the pirates aren’t going to turn her loose without a fight.” His gaze slid down her slim figure. “No offence, but you aren’t going to be able to defeat a ship full of pirates, even if that Triad thing is true.”
She rolled her eyes, frustration tempting her to stomp her foot in a childish display. The man just wasn’t paying attention. “The Triad thing, as you call it, is true. I’m one of the three, and it’s our sworn duty to protect all Stargazers.”
She didn’t bother to add that her current mission might have been ill-conceived. When she’d set out alone, she’d hoped to intercept Talia on the space station, where she’d be able to call on help from the authorities if she needed it. Thanks to the bounty hunter, she’d missed her chance. Even if he let her go now, she wasn’t naïve enough to think she could track the pirate ship and force them to set Talia free.
“Won’t do her much good if they take you too.” A hint of sympathy crept into his voice. “How about this? You promise to behave yourself while I wait to hear back from Mr. Keiro, and I’ll see what I can find out about your pirates. If they’re anywhere in this sector, I should be able to track their co-ordinates.
Breanne looked up at him. “You’d do that? Find the pirates for me?”
He shrugged, and the muscles on his massive chest rippled under her hands. “Sure. It’ll give me something to do while we wait. And…” a grim smile curved the corner of his lip, “if what you say is true, and the bounty is a ruse to get you off their tail, I’ll be wanting to talk to them. I don’t take kindly to being played for a fool.”
Chapter Three
Roark watched Breanne wander around the bridge. The sight of her trim figure sent the blood rushing to his groin despite his resolve to maintain his distance. Stargazers were bad news. You could become addicted to their sensual nature, and if he had any sense at all, he’d lock the little witch in the brig until he arranged to turn her over to Mr. Keiro. He felt a rueful smile curve his lips. Caution had never been his strong suit.
Dragging his attention away from the enticing sway of her hips, he placed his hands palm-down on the contact grids on either side of his chair. Sensors on the grids immediately accessed the cybernetic links placed just beneath his skin, allowing him to log on to the ship’s mainframe, and from there branch out to the ‘net.
It had been called the World Wide Web, back in the days when mankind was restricted to one planet. There were entire banks of files in the historical libraries devoted to the precursor of the universal ‘net. Over the last few centuries, the primitive electronics had been refined and expanded until a vast network of wireless signals crisscrossed the universe.
Years ago, the ore carrier he’d been working on had been hit by a stray meteor, and the med
-techs had used cybernetic technology to save his life. They’d placed his body in stasis while it adjusted to the cybernetic implants; and he’d spent countless hours roaming the ‘net.
Closing his eyes, he opened his consciousness to the multitudes of invisible lines. Years of practice allowed him to tune out the hum of mechanical traffic and concentrate on messages generated by sentient life forms. The most voluble contact came from the station they’d left behind, and he spent a few minutes sifting the routine traffic to make sure none of the messages bore the unique stamp of Mr. Keiro.
The little witch had sounded very convincing when she’d denied being a runaway. Combine that with the sudden lack of communication from the alleged bond-master, and he was starting to doubt the legitimacy of the bounty. It had seemed like an excessive amount at the time, but he’d put that down to a man’s desire to recapture that which he considered to be his.
Satisfied that the elusive Mr. Keiro wasn’t connected to the ‘net using any of the station portals, he turned his attention farther afield. The lines of the data stream flowed into him via the receptors in his hands, flashing along the cybernetic pathways to his brain. He could see the encrypted data from the Federation ships patrolling the mining posts. He paid more attention to the civilian messages from the passenger vessels, but they contained nothing of interest and he let his focus widen, searching for a change in the pattern, something out of place or a quiet spot where there should be noisy data traffic.
A faint tingle and a slight shimmer in the fabric of the ‘net had him tensing. A featherlight touch slipped along the edge of his consciousness, and he opened his eyes in amazement.
Breanne. She stood naked and spread-eagled in the center of the bridge, holding onto two scarves that she’d fastened to the light pods hanging from the roof. Her magnificent mane of hair streamed down her back, while her witch blue eyes stared straight ahead, unfocused. Her glorious breasts were proudly erect, the dusky nipples tilted upward as though reaching for the very stars in the sky. His cock hardened at the sight, even as he felt her presence in his mind.
