Stripper: The Fringe, Book 4

by Anitra Lynn McLeod

  “I’ll give you a moment to let that sink in.” Doc Murphy’s beaming smile seemed to light up the entire room. Considering what he’d accomplished, he had a right to be pleased with himself. Doc Murphy rose from behind his desk, walked around the edge, patted Diane’s shoulder, then left them alone, closing his office door firmly behind him.

  Diane looked over at Duster, but her eyes were unfocused and slightly terrified. “I’m sitting down?”

  Duster left his seat and crouched next to her. He took her hand in his. “We can do this.”

  “We?”

  “Well, I can help you do this.”

  Diane took a very long, slow and deep breath. “Duster, I love you, but you simply can’t help me carry or give birth to seven kids.”

  “Yeah.” He patted her hand. “But I swear I’ll do everything I can to…” He trailed off, trying to think of the right thing to say. “Help. I’ll do everything I can to help,” he finished lamely. Even to his own ears, that sounded asinine. Everything was on Diane for this part of it and they both knew it. Overcoming her fears of childbirth probably paled next to the sheer terror of carrying seven children.

  Diane looked down at her still flat belly. “Oh God, it’s like what Scott asked Rena, about how many she was going to have. I’m going to give birth to a litter!” As her voice rose in pitch, it lessened in volume until she was practically squeaking.

  “Calm down.” Duster patted her hand mainly because he didn’t know what else to do. “Doc Murphy said that with the advances in technology, we’ll be able to bring all of them to full term.”

  “There’s that we again.” Diane’s eyes were focused somewhere far beyond the room they were sitting in.

  “Diane, look at me.”

  Slowly, she turned her head, but she was looking right through him. Patiently, he waited for her to focus. When she didn’t, he touched her chin and kissed her softly. After a lingering smooch, he felt her smile below his lips.

  “That’s how we got into this situation.” Diane finally met his gaze, and her eyes focused. There was still a hint of fear in them but not the stunned terror that had lurked there before.

  “We’re going to be okay.” Duster made his voice as reassuring as he could. Right now he needed to be strong for Diane, no matter how terrified he was inside. “We can do this.”

  Diane nodded. “Yes. We can.” She gripped his hand and grinned. “And as I’ve always said, seven seems to be our number.”

  About the Author

  Reading, writing, and white-water rafting are the three things Anitra Lynn McLeod enjoys the most. You can visit her at www.anitramcleod.com.

  Look for these titles by Anitra Lynn McLeod

  Now Available:

  The Fringe

  Thief

  Overlord

  Runner

  Onic Empire

  Wicked Empress

  Dark Empress

  Far Too Human

  There’s always a loophole. Just don’t let it close around your neck.

  Runner

  © 2011 Anitra Lynn McLeod

  The Fringe, Book 3

  Bounty hunter Foster Nash is a ruthless bastard—just ask him. Thanks to an ex-girlfriend who robbed him blind, and another who nearly bit off his trigger finger, he’s not too high on women in general right now.

  Desperate for funds to refill his retirement coffers, he jumps at a very lucrative contract: to bring in the doctor who created the Tyaa plague. Except his voluptuous target doesn’t behave like a criminal. Instead of rattling the bars, she accepts her fate with cool, cultured aplomb.

  Jynx Brennan toiled for three years to save humanity from a disease she’s now blamed for creating. Since she refuses to use her psi ability as a weapon, it doesn’t help her escape Never-Fail Nash. In a moment of clarity, she decides there’s no point in denying herself a last fling with a living, breathing erotic fantasy.

  After he recovers his surprise, Nash indulges the full depth of his physical needs upon her body—often, and to their mutual pleasure. But when it leads to unexpected emotional intimacy, he finds himself willing to risk everything to break a contract that will force him to deliver her to certain execution.

  Warning: Contains one bad-ass bounty hunter, a refined lady doctor, a ship with a vile history, a villain with a viler history, and a wide black leather belt, slung low.

  Enjoy the following excerpt for Runner:

  Foster leaned back from the main console, stretched his arms over his head and groaned. What he wouldn’t give for a solid eight hours of sleep. Not that finding Jynx Brennan had taxed his considerable skills. But damn, he hurt.

  He checked his finger and thought of his last package. When he’d been forced to gag her foul mouth, Scary Mary had chomped his right index finger. The wound had looked bad two weeks ago, but it looked a hell of a lot worse now. He shook his head. Another woman, like Laura, his ex-girlfriend. He began to think none of them could be trusted.

  Using his unbitten middle finger, he tapped up the audvid to the cell where he’d left his current package. Jynx slept curled up on the top of the bunk. Her short-hacked blonde hair fell across her tear-streaked face, making her seem broken, vulnerable and very pretty. She’d clean up something spectacular.

  “You’ll want to do her when you see her,” Roberts had insisted with gleaming eyes.

  Foster shook his head. “All I do is deliver for the agreed-upon price.”

  Nonetheless, Roberts put the bonus clause in the contract. Roberts wanted Foster to play Jynx Brennan. Roberts wanted him to bed her for sport and earn some extra credits. As pretty as Jynx was, and despite his thoroughly disreputable reputation, that wasn’t one of his contractible skills. He didn’t bed for bonus. That’s why he generally didn’t apprehend females—the temptation was too great.

  Foster set his ship, the Damn You, on autopilot, then made his way to the galley. Tossing a premade dinner into the micro, he set the table and ate without tasting. He didn’t need a cook. He liked his solitude. He enjoyed not having to worry about anyone but himself.

  Sometimes, when he didn’t have a package onboard, he talked to himself. On those days, he admitted to being lonely, and he thought about getting a dog, but he promptly dropped the idea. He’d have to disable the autofires all over the ship, and that would give any prisoner a clear advantage if they managed to escape the cells. He’d programmed the units to recognize him, but he didn’t want the hassle of reprogramming them to recognize a dog.

  “They didn’t recognize Laura as a dog.” He considered. “Well, more so a wolf in sheep’s clothing.”

  Disgusted that he was talking to himself yet again, he yanked a beer from the pantry, popped the cap and sipped. He checked the kitchen audvid. Jynx hadn’t moved. She had nice legs. Her sandal-clad feet were grungy, but one quick shower, a fresh dress—she rolled onto her back. A long, low growl rumbled through his chest.

  “Nice rack.”

  Not too big, not too small, her breasts would just about fill his large hands. Lilac motton clung to her body like a drawn-out caress. Her lacy bra pressed against her thin layer of clothing like an inviting whisper.

  “Must be exhausted. Poor, evil IWOG doctor on the run for three weeks.” Sipping from his long-necked bottle, he watched her sleep.

  Jynx hadn’t gotten far from her lab on Banna. Hell, she could have traded one tumble for a ride off Corona on any trader’s ship.

  Knocking back a swallow of beer, he decided she just wasn’t the sort to trade with her body. Regardless of what Roberts said, Jynx was a lady. Foster could tell by the way she spoke and carried herself. She might be an evil doctor, but she was still a lady. An IWOG lady.

  “Don’t think I’ve ever met one of those out here.”

  Tossing his head back, he polished off his beer and chucked the bottle to recyc. After shutting down the kitchen, he went to his bedroom.

  “Not a whole lot of bona fide IWOG ladies on the Fringe.”

  Not that her
status mattered. He’d deliver his package in a week and be off on another job. Gods knew how he needed the money.

  Foster lingered at the audvid in his bedroom as he cleaned his teeth. Would be interesting to make it with an IWOG lady. Just once. Just to see if she was any different from any other woman in the Void.

  Frowning, he thought of Laura again. Not a lady by any stretch, but ex-IWOG consumer, like he was. Laura came on like gangbusters, then went suddenly, shockingly shy when he’d tried to close the deal. He wasted weeks on her. Even let her live on the ship for a while. He reprogrammed all the autofires to reassure her, and what had that bitch done? Robbed him blind. Laura swiped a fortune after balling him senseless. While he lay utterly spent, Laura removed everything that wasn’t bolted down on the Damn You, crammed it in a shuttle and took off.

  To his utter chagrin, he liquidated all his accounts to buy back his own electronic tricks at auction, and his shuttle, but at triple what he’d paid originally.

  Laura, forever after in his mind as “That Bitch”, stripped him so naked he couldn’t believe she’d left him a pair of boxers, let alone a pair of pants.

  Because he’d trusted someone, he’d opened himself to a world of hurt. Never in his life had he called a woman a bitch. But Laura’s deliberate playing of him earned her the title of “That Bitch”. If he ever laid eyes on her again, he’d shoot first and ask questions later. Laura made him doubt the motives of half the population by sheer virtue of being female.

  Laura reduced him from a major player with loads of cash to a man with a bare-bones ship and little else. After draining his accounts, he had the Damn You back at full-throttle and his reputation, but that was all. On the brink of retirement, he’d been forced to start all over with only his ship and his rep.

  Anger and embarrassment flared. He took a deep breath to push the uncomfortable emotions away. Foster blamed no one but himself. He never should have trusted Laura. She lucked out and caught him at a low, lonely point.

  “When I was using the little brain.” He glared down at his pants. “Ain’t putting you in charge again, buddy, no matter how much you sit up and beg.”

  He checked the audvid again. Jynx Brennan was small, blonde, delicate and lady-like. She had the softest, sweetest, most honey-rich voice he’d ever heard in his life. She was everything he’d lusted after in his youth on Banna.

  “Won’t be fooled again.” He undressed, shut off the audvid and tumbled into bed.

  Four people. One rope. Desire plunged into dangerous obsession.

  Dark Empress

  © 2011 Anitra Lynn McLeod

  Onic Empire, Book 5

  Errion Ald’Areed senses that his business partner’s passion for designing pleasure upgrades for service robots has cooled, but nothing he’s tried—men, women, exotic adventures—has lifted Lorren D’Buren’s ennui. Until he sees the look in Lorren’s eyes when the intergalactic ambassador from Diola crosses their path at a charity ball.

  Under the watchful eye of Gabriyel, her faithful bodyguard, Farjika is determined to live down her empress mother’s scandalous reputation for taking multiple lovers. Her instant attraction to Lorren, though, tempts her to cross her self-imposed bounds of propriety. And Gabriyel is shocked that his level-headed mistress has fallen so easily into a torrid affair.

  At first Errion is pleased that Farjika has roused Lorren out of his funk. When he notices the depth of the mutual fascination, though, he realizes he must act quickly—or lose his sometime lover and best friend.

  His plan to eliminate the threat is perfect in its beautiful complexity. Until one snag in his delicate web of seduction plunges them all into a potentially deadly tangle with no way out…

  Warning: Contains humor, masturbatory robots, mystical BDSM, stern punishments and more variations on m/m/m/f than the author can count. Sex toys are not included with purchase but are strongly recommended.

  Enjoy the following excerpt for Dark Empress:

  “Tell me, my lovely one, what do you hope to accomplish here on Avalith?” Errion knew the question was a light one. Any visitor would have a stock answer ready to spew out to satisfy any who asked, yet Farjika actually considered his question.

  Lifting her gaze to capture his, she softly informed him, “My world is isolated. We have been so for many hundreds of thousands of seasons. I hope by coming here, to Avalith, and donating a large portion of funds, to show the galactic community that we are concerned with our brethren. That we wish to break free from our self-imposed seclusion.”

  Errion wanted to capture her mouth, cutting off her words long before she could finish speaking them. Not only was she utterly lovely, but she was kind and sweet. Worse, she had a conscience. She wasn’t just repeating words she’d been told to say, she honestly believed in what she said. Red flashes of warning went off behind his eyes. This woman was dangerous. Farjika truly could sway Lorren from any path he might be on, and she could do it without much effort. Farjika was a woman who could steal a man’s soul without intention. Raylor’s bursting balls, but she’d effortlessly stolen Errion’s attention and yet seemed utterly unaware!

  As he drew her into the main room, her gaze slid around, appreciating the paintings, sculptures, rugs and the furniture. She finally settled her gaze on Errion. “I am impressed by your estate. You clearly have a unique turn toward art.”

  He nodded, offering her a drink, which she cupped lightly in her hand.

  “How long will you stay on Avalith?”

  She took a sip to give herself time to think of her answer, and he realized she honestly didn’t know. Her hesitation worried him. His gut told him her stay depended on what happened with Lorren.

  “I find I am intrigued by your planet. I would like to stay and learn more about your culture even after my official visit has come to a close.”

  As she spoke, he noticed she kept taking surreptitious glances at one sculpture in particular. He had to work hard to suppress a lusty grin.

  “Where are you staying?” Casually, he maneuvered himself across the room until he was standing near the life-sized rendering of an intricately bound woman. Between her parted legs, a man thrust deeply into her. The woman’s head was bowed in submission; however, her face was still visible as her hair was drawn away. The man’s head was flung back in ecstasy, his lips peeling away from his teeth with an artfully captured snarl of possession.

  “I am staying in my skip.” When he tilted his head, she offered, “A small planet-safe ship while my larger spacecraft remains in orbit.” She took another sip of her drink that turned into more of a gulp when she drew her eyes away from him and the erotic rendering. “Master D’Buren graciously offered one of his fallow fields to station the craft.”

  “Lorren’s father is always so generous with visiting dignitaries.” Usually so he could finagle an exclusive marketing contract for his robotic servants. Wouldn’t he be surprised when he realized Diola had no desire for mechanization? “Is something wrong?”

  Darting her gaze to the entwined figures, then away, she whispered, “Are all of your statues so explicit?”

  Errion laughed.

  Her head stayed low as her gazed traveled up. She seemed unsure if he were laughing at her or at what she’d said.

  “Explicit?” He chuckled as he slapped his hand to the man’s muscular ass. “He’s fucking her as she wishes.”

  Eyes widening at the vulgarity, Farjika cupped the fragile glass, which trembled in her hand. He could tell she struggled with the idea of whether she should say something or not. In the end, her curiosity got the better of her. Darting her gaze around to ensure they were alone, she asked, “If she wants him, then why is she bound?”

  The woman’s arms were artfully tied behind her back, and she used them to leverage herself up. Her legs embraced the man who had his head back in the throes of release.

  Lowering his gaze, pinning her where she stood, Errion murmured, “She is bound because she finds pleasure in giving control to the man.�
� Softly, he asked, “Haven’t you ever let a lover tie you up?”

  Farjika’s gaze met his, her pupils dilating. In that moment, he saw the hunger in her eyes. A dark hunger for something that Lorren would never give her but Errion could.

  Before she could answer, he deftly removed his jacket, tossing it casually on a nearby chair. “I would think a future empress would be well schooled in the art of lust.” He turned, giving her an excellent view of his bulging trousers. Pleasure rippled across his tense muscles when she looked down then quickly away. Slowly and deliberately, he looked at her chest, making sure she saw him looking. He noticed her nipples pressed tightly against the fabric, twin bits of tightened flesh. “I understand that on Diola, sex is practically your religion.”

  “That is not true.” She frowned at what he’d said. Her displeasure deepened when she noticed the way he was looking at her. Setting her drink upon the closest table, she said, “Sadly, many seem to think that it is, but I assure you—”

  “How did it feel when he slid his tongue into you?”

  Caught off guard by the question, she sputtered in shock, then turned her gaze around the room again. “Where is Lorren?”

  Running his finger down the rope that bound the woman’s breasts, he murmured, “He’s a little tied up at the moment.”

  He could tell that Farjika was trying to determine if he were being literal or not.

  “I think I should go.” Her skirt flared around her legs as she spun toward the door.

  “Without a word to Lorren? That’s hardly courteous behavior,” he scoffed, continuing to stroke the rope that trailed down the woman’s torso. The metal felt cool below the heat of his hand. “Especially after all the trouble he went to for you.”

  She stopped in midstride, apparently thinking over what she should do. He’d hit his mark well; she did not wish to appear ungracious or rude, not to the object of her affection.