by Aubrey Ross
Korbin stepped up beside Sharon as she activated the video file. “Unbefuckinglievable!” Korbin watched in helpless fury as his stepmother and her cohort foiled their entire operation. He’d known Meredith was up to no good when she showed up this morning, so he told Foster to tail her. “Has Foster checked in?”
“He’s not scheduled to for another hour or so. Do you recognize her?”
“Unfortunately.” He turned from the screen with another curse and raked his fingers through his hair. “How long ago did this happen?”
“About twenty minutes.”
“Is anyone else missing?”
She raised both hands in frustration. “Not that I know of. I’ll send out a shift-wide page.”
“Have any ships launched in the past twenty minutes?”
“Nope. They’re still here somewhere.”
“Then I’ll find them.” He paused long enough to give her shoulder an encouraging squeeze.
He should have thrown Meredith’s autocratic ass in a cell the moment she arrived. Corry’s disappearance had distracted him, made him careless. It wouldn’t happen again!
He marched to the warden’s office and told his executive assistant there was an emergency.
“What’s so urgent?” Restien asked as Korbin was ushered into his office.
“I have reason to believe there will be an escape attempt within the hour. Please order a lockdown. It will give me a better chance of locating who’s behind this.”
Restien simply nodded and entered the code that put all transport stations on alert. “No one in or out until I hear from you.”
“Thanks.” Korbin left without further explanation.
Too impatient to wait for the elevator, Korbin sprinted down the stairs and rushed out of the office building. He’d start at the construction site. Guards were posted at each entrance. He had to make sure his people were—
“Freeze.” He’d almost reached his hovercraft when he heard the ominous command. Recognizing Meredith’s voice only made the situation more infuriating. Korbin skidded to a halt beside his ship.
“Put your hands behind your head and turn around.”
Her pulse pistol pointed at his chest and the cold purpose in her dark eyes assured him she’d use it. “Mother.” The word was half taunt and half curse.
“NëvouS.” She mimicked his tone.
She motioned toward the trees lining the small shuttle lot. A ship waited just beyond the decorative perimeter. Korbin took two steps toward the ship, spun and kicked out with one foot while he grabbed for the pulse pistol.
His fingers closed around her wrist, but she intentionally dropped the weapon, deftly catching it with her other hand. He wrapped his arms around her torso. She slammed her boot heel down on his instep.
Pain shot up his leg and he jerked her to one side, hoping to dislodge the gun.
“If I have to blast you, Korbin, you’ll really piss me off,” she snarled. “Where the hell are you going to run?”
It took all his self-control not to snap her scrawny neck. He shoved her forward as he wrested the gun from her hand. She twisted as she fell, landing on her back with one leg drawn up protectively.
He aimed the gun at her chest, fury burning in his heart. Pain blinded him and he screamed. His hand went numb and fire burst in his thigh, spreading out to buckle his knee. He caught himself before he collapsed completely and managed to turn his head to the side. The man he’d seen on the vidfile stood to his right, a disrupter pistol still pointed at him.
Meredith snatched her gun from the ground near Korbin and scrambled to her feet. “Thank you, Hamilton.”
“My pleasure, Major.”
Korbin frantically rubbed at his cramping muscles. “You fucking bitch! Did you volunteer for this mission?”
She panted. “Get him on the ship.”
Hamilton half led, half-dragged Korbin onto the waiting transport. Each step he took sent echoes of agony crawling the length of his leg.
Palmer stood in the hatchway, watching with a smug little smile.
“Say something, NëvouS,” Meredith prompted. “I understand you haven’t been properly introduced.”
Palmer stepped back as Hamilton pulled Korbin into the interior of the ship. “Fuck off and die.”
“That’s him,” Palmer confirmed cheerfully.
Korbin didn’t look at Danette, couldn’t bear what he’d find in her gaze.
“In back,” Meredith directed.
Two tiny cells comprised the “back” of the ship. When Korbin hesitated, Hamilton shoved him into one of the closet-sized cells and closed the grate.
“A cage?” he sneered. “How primitive.”
“Alloy bars don’t rely on a power source,” Hamilton pointed out.
“You’ll never get off this outpost,” he predicted.
“Care to wager on that?” Hamilton moved to the bow and took his place at the helm, his fingers flying over the smooth control panel.
“Warden Restien,” Korbin heard Meredith say, “I’ve just transmitted my official authorization and identification. I need to leave your outpost immediately.”
Korbin couldn’t see the vidscreen, but he heard Restien’s reply. “I must confirm this authorization, Major. I was warned of a possible escape attempt.”
“Fine,” Meredith snapped.
She turned her head and looked at a different display. Something had caught her attention, but Korbin couldn’t see what had caused her reaction.
“You idiot,” she yelled. “Call off your men, Warden, or I will open fire.”
“This is by far the most imaginative attempt I’ve ever witnessed, but I’m afraid I was forewarned.”
“You were forewarned by the person I’m here to arrest. Premier VinDerley has authorized whatever means I deem necessary to apprehend certain classified persons.”
“If this is official coalition business, why wasn’t I contacted?”
“The details of my mission are available on a need-to-know basis. My departure in no way compromises this outpost. You have no need to know anything more than I’ve already told you.”
“I disagree. I have not yet verified your identity and you’re holding one of my employees against his will. You will be treated as a fugitive until I have information confirming your story.”
“Have it your way!”
“If you attempt to—”
She cut off the comlink and turned back to the control panel. “Buckle up, people, we’re going to have to fight our way out.”
There were no safety restraints in the holding cell and Korbin’s leg still burned from the disruption pulse. He sat on the narrow bench and braced his good leg against the grate. Quick and agile, Meredith’s ship outmaneuvered the outpost troopers.
“Restien is sure as hell going to regret this tomorrow.” Hamilton took the ship into a sudden dive and Meredith laughed triumphantly.
Korbin slammed against the grate, despite his braced leg, so he stood and found a more secure position. Grasping the bars with both hands, he pressed out against the walls of the cell with his feet. His abused thigh protested the pressure. He accepted the pain, drawing it inward as he focused beyond his rage.
The bitch was enjoying this! She laughed again and fired in rapid succession. One of the troopers burst into flames.
“Yes!”
Danette and Palmer exchanged worried glances.
Clutching the grate with all his strength, Korbin concentrated on his breathing as Hamilton continued his reckless maneuvers. The ship rolled to the right then shot straight up, directly in front of one of the troopers. Meredith took out the second ship with her aft cannons and Korbin released his breath in a frustrated hiss.
“Two down,” she announced, “one to go.”
The third ship suddenly abandoned its pursuit and headed back toward Borrelly.
“Why did it turn around?” Danette asked.
“The warden must have called him off,” Meredith muttered. “Troopers don�
��t turn tail and run.”
“Why would he call off the attack when he ordered it in the first place?”
Meredith shot Danette an impatient glare. “He must have received confirmation of my identity.”
Danette accepted the explanation with a silent nod. Palmer sat beside Danette, watching Meredith with fascination and awe. Korbin bristled. He remembered similar expressions on Corry’s face as she struggled to gain this woman’s attention.
Had Meredith located Corry? Had others been dispatched by the premier? Meredith turned from the control panel and grinned at him. “You’re really not very good at this, are you, NëvouS?”
Korbin didn’t reply. He stepped back from the bars and sat, unable to stomach her smug expression.
“How’d Ashton slip through your fingers?” she asked.
“He didn’t,” Korbin said. “I had him moved. It was too risky to hold all the hostages on the same outpost.”
“Sure you did. Let me guess. Corry isn’t missing, she’s relocating VinDerley.”
“You’re too smart for me.”
Korbin propped his boot against the grate and finally glanced at Danette. His chest clenched so tightly he couldn’t breathe. Her luminous gaze surrounded him, inscrutable and intense. This was the first time she’d seen his face. Even at the Pleasure Palace he’d been masked.
Tears gathered in her eyes, and Korbin tore his gaze away. He was in a freaking cage! What did she expect him to do?
Chapter Seven
Danette stared out her bedroom window into the gathering twilight. She was home, safe and sound, and she had never been more miserable in her life.
Korbin hadn’t so much as glanced her way as Major Caperelli’s ship sped them toward Halley Prime. It felt odd to think of him by name. She tried not to stare, but the temptation had been too much. Danette had never seen Korbin’s face before, never imagined she would find his appearance so evocative.
Far too intense to be termed classically handsome, Korbin commanded attention with his piercing green eyes and wavy brown hair. She wanted to run her fingers through his hair, to gaze into those vivid eyes, and kiss the frown from his mouth. If only she could talk to him. She’d assure him she would do everything in her power to set him free. Everything in her power. That was the problem. She was as powerless as Korbin.
Major Caperelli dragged him off her ship at weapon’s point moments after they docked on Halley Prime. Danette watched their departure while her heart cried out in anguish. Would she ever see him again?
Her father waited with his customary entourage. His embrace surprised her. Admiral Tiptonn wasn’t one for public shows of affection. The relief in his expression was destined to be short-lived however. She had refused to press charges, swearing Korbin was her lover and she was a willing participant in the rebellion. Outraged and humiliated, her father demanded a complete physical and psychological workup.
She was scanned and questioned, poked and prodded, and it had all been for naught. Nothing she said or did had protected Korbin from the coalition. They intended to make an example of him. To discourage other would-be rebels.
Her mother met Danette at the front door as she was escorted into her father’s estate. After a quick hug, Danette went to her bedroom and found all communication capabilities now required an access code. A code she had been denied. Her cage might be more comfortable, but she was still a prisoner.
Say my name.
The words echoed through her mind, tearing at her heart and drawing her thoughts inward. Fantasy was the only escape left for her now. She closed her eyes and leaned against the window frame. Their separation had been so abrupt. He’d told her he wouldn’t return, but part of her hadn’t believed him. She hadn’t been able to prepare herself emotionally for the prospect of living without him.
Her surroundings faded and an image of the holding cell formed within her mind. She stood in the center of the room, her arms stretched overhead and secured with manacles. Her naked body trembled and ached, waiting for the brush of her Master’s hands.
“Say my name.” Completely immersed in the fantasy, she welcomed the velvet command. He stood behind her, close enough to warm her skin with his body without actually touching her.
This is how the interrogation had ended in reality. She’d objected to his manipulation and Korbin had vanquished Pleasure Master Nine. But what if it had been the other way around? What if her Master had sent away the rebel?
Needing the bittersweet glimpse of possibility, she held on to the images and moved to the chaise lounge situated beside the window. She didn’t care if her rooms were monitored. This ache was unbearable. Reaching under her skirt, she slipped off her panties and lay down on the lounge.
She cupped her mound and whimpered. Her pussy was hot, her folds slick and sensitive from thinking about him. Keeping her touch light and teasing, she reconstructed the fantasy.
Naked, bound and waiting, she was his captive again. His arm circled her waist, his mouth nibbling the side of her neck.
“Who is touching you?” he whispered into her ear. “Who is going to fuck you until you beg for sleep?”
“My Master. Only my Master.”
“They will come for you soon.” He cupped her breast and rolled her nipple, keeping his voice soft and low. “What shall I do with you then?”
“Anything you please. I am yours to command.”
“Would it please you to escape with me? I’m moving my base of operation. Would you like to accompany me?”
Danette curved two fingers into her core, keeping pressure on her mound. Tears slipped out from under her closed eyelids. Why was she torturing herself with things that could never be?
Her fantasy Master pinched her nipples and rubbed his erection against the small of her back. “I asked you a question.”
“I want nothing more. But they will never let us be together.”
“It’s not their decision to make! If you want me as much as I want you, we will find a way.”
“I do. You know I do, but…”
“Show me with your cries of pleasure and the eager grip of your cunt. Offer me everything without reservation. I will tolerate no hesitation in my slave.”
She pressed her lips together, fighting back her sobs. Her imagination was cruel in its accuracy. She could picture the scene perfectly, each sensation, each emotion taunted her mind and titillated her body.
“Spread your legs. Let me feel how much you want me.” Her Master’s voice drew her deeper into the fantasy.
Opening for him, she made room for his hand between her thighs. His fingers pushed into her slick pussy and she cried out. “Yes!” He rocked her forward with each forceful thrust. Her breasts jostled and her wrists strained against the cuffs. She welcomed the discomfort, desperate to feel anything but this agonizing loss.
He reached around her and rubbed her clit as he had in the shower. She rested her head against his shoulder and tightened her inner muscles. His skilled touch drove her quickly toward release.
Danette moved her legs to either side of the lounge and moaned as pressure gathered in her abdomen. The shallow slide of her fingers would never feel like his. They had just begun to explore their connection when fate ripped them from each other’s arms. They needed more time. She needed more of him.
Cream soaked her fingers and made her inner thighs slippery. Still her orgasm remained just out of reach. Perhaps if she imagined him here…
Her fantasy Master knelt at the bottom of the lounge, his gaze ravenous. “I want the taste of your cream on my tongue for as long as I can keep it there.” He grasped her knees and pulled her down along the padded surface until her legs draped his shoulders. “Your thighs are slick and shiny. Is all this for me?”
He slipped his hands beneath her hips and raised her pussy to his mouth. She tried to simulate the skillful stroke of his tongue with her fingers, but the sensation wasn’t the same. He licked and nibbled, sucked and flicked. All she could do was rub or gently t
ug.
With a frustrated curse, she concentrated on the fantasy, abandoning her attempt to make them correspond. She was bound again, naked and helpless as he slowly circled her.
“What do you want most in all the world?” His tone was more growl than whisper.
“I want you inside me.”
Bending slightly, he wrapped his arm around her thighs, just below her behind, and raised her up until her breasts were level with his mouth. He suckled her nipples, leaving one wet and rosy while he enjoyed its twin.
“Wrap your legs around my waist. I want your pussy and I want it now.”
He held her up so she could make the adjustment then slowly lowered her onto his cock. She squeezed him, caressing him the only way she could. For a long moment he stared into her eyes, those beautiful green eyes that she remembered from the Pleasure Palace.
The fantasy started to fade and Danette whimpered. They had never made love like that. Their encounters had been stolen in the dark and tainted by the knowledge of how soon it would end. Would he take her hard and fast or tease her to dizzying heights before he finally let her come?
With stubborn determination, she circled her clit, needing what little relief she could find. She would see him again. If there were no other options, she would pay criminals to break him out of the detention center. She would not let it end like this!
She bit back a cry as she came, her orgasm sharp and sudden. A bit of the tension drained from her aching body. Several seconds passed in languid silence then she snatched her damp panties off the floor and retreated to the bathroom to compose herself.
After splashing cool water on her face and running a comb through her hair, she donned a fresh pair of panties and returned to her bedroom.
About twenty minutes later, a firm tapping drew her attention toward the large arched door. “Sweetheart, it’s me,” her mother called through the barrier. “May I come in?”
She unlocked the panel with a voice command. “It’s open.” Locks weren’t really necessary when a full security contingent waited to ensure her welfare. One guard was posted outside her bedroom door and the other three patrolled near the exits.
