The Price of Pleasure

Chapter 13

Bitch.

Seth lifted his glass of bakrah and took a long swig. The lovely blond sitting in the booth beside him reached over and tried to fondle his leg, but he pushed her hand away. He didn’t want her, he wanted Calla—six bloody months since Jax had rescued him from the asteroid, and he hadn’t been able to think of anything else. It was killing him. With a frustrated sigh, he gestured for the woman to leave him alone.

Calla’s presence was with him always. the smell of her hair, her smile. The feel of her tight opening around his cock and the little noises she made when she came. Was she making those little noises for Jess now? Seth clenched his fist around the glass, his vision clouding over with black rage.

Bitch.

She’d left him to die, and now she haunted his every step. He could hunt her down; he’d thought about it a thousand times. But what would be the point? She didn’t want to be with him, and he didn’t want to be with her. At least, that’s what he kept telling himself. At night, though, he ached for her touch...

It had been a hard six months. He had spent the first seven weeks recovering from his injuries, a process made more difficult by the constant stream of Saurellian intelligence analysts sent to pick his brains for information on the Pilgrims. Then he had joined his brother warriors in the fight. They were successful and the rebellion was over, at least for now. But casualties had been heavy on both sides, and the Pilgrims were still out there. They were hiding, licking their wounds and preparing to fight again.

Once upon a time, Seth had found the thought of new battles and new enemies exhilarating. Now he was simply tired.

A whooping cry came from across the seedy tavern, startling him out of his thoughts. Seth looked up at the source of the noise with little interest. Jax and the others were excited, slapping each other on the back and laughing. Whatever it was, Seth didn’t care. He drained the rest of his glass, threw a credit down on the table and got up to leave.

As he made his way across the room, Jax caught sight of him and bounded over, literally leaping over a table to get to him.

“Seth, I have great news!” Jax yelled, grabbing his arm. Seth shook him off, disinterested. “No, you need to hear this! Sit down.”

Realizing he wasn’t going to get rid of Jax that easily, Seth resigned himself and dropped into a chair.

“What is it?”

“Something wonderful has happened,” Jax said. His face was flushed with excitement, and something else. Hope? “You’ve heard of General Nikolas Tresky, haven’t you?”

Seth nodded tightly. Tresky had been among the leaders who negotiated the truce with the emperor. He had a solid reputation.

“Well, several years ago, before the war started, Tresky met a woman during a diplomatic mission to the Imperial court on Tyre, the capital planet,” Jax said excitedly.

Seth glanced at his time piece, willing Jax to go away. He had no interest in the younger man’s stories. “He had a brief affair with her. I guess he was never really able to shake the thought of her, and after the war he hunted her down. Guess what he found? She had a child by him, a girl no less, and the baby is Saurellian! He found a life mate who wasn’t Saurellian!”

Jax’s words caught Seth off guard. No Saurellian man had ever found a life mate outside their homeworld.

“Are you sure?” he whispered. If what Jax said was true, the implications were incredible. Suddenly there was new hope for all of them.

“Yes, the news came in an official dispatch from the Temple of the Goddess on Saurellia. Apparently he took her there to confirm their bond in front of the priestesses,”

Jax said breathlessly. “Do you know what this means? We have a chance! We could all find life mates. It’s almost too much to imagine.”

The younger man fell back against his chair, all but glowing with happiness. Jax’s words kept running through Seth’s mind again and again. There was hope. Maybe he could have Calla, if she was his life mate. Some of his anger fled at the thought of holding her, thrusting into her warm flesh. He wanted her so badly...

“Tell me about this woman,” Seth said suddenly, leaning forward. “Where did she come from? What do the priestesses say about this?”

“Well, she didn’t look Saurellian, but they did a genetic analysis, and she’s definitely of Saurellian stock,” Jax said, grimacing. “I know, it sounds incredible, but she was actually the daughter of two freed slaves. Genetically she’s a real mish-mash, because both her parents came from an imperial slave farm. But somewhere in there was a Saurellian. Thank the Goddess for dominant genes!”

“Calla came from a slave farm,” Seth said softly. Jax stared hard at him.

“She left you to die,” he said harshly after a minute. “You can’t think that she might be-“

“Maybe,” Seth said. He looked down and realized his hand was trembling. He held it up before him, fascinated at his reaction. “I haven’t been with another woman since I was with her. I can’t stop thinking about her. And when we were together, I wanted to stay with her, even after months of only one woman. Doesn’t that sound like a life mate?”

“Yes,” Jax said slowly. “But Seth, she lied to you. For all you know she’s already married to that slave rebel. I know she told you she wasn’t, but she lied to you all along.

If she was your life-mate, she wouldn’t even contemplate being with another man after meeting you.”

“But how else do you explain it?” Seth said after a moment’s thought. “Being with her felt so right, so different from any other women I’ve ever been around. She came from a slave farm. Maybe the Goddess chose her for me.”

Jax sat quietly for a minute, then looked up at him.

“If what you say is true, you have to go get her,” he said finally. “You have to know the truth. But why would the Goddess pair you with a woman you could never trust?”

“The Goddess has ordained stranger things,” Seth replied thoughtfully. “If she’s truly my life mate, I’ll simply have to learn to deal with it. And if I find Jess, I’ll take care of him, too. But if she’s really my life mate, then maybe she was telling the truth about him. I can’t imagine the Goddess would give me a woman who already belongs to another man.”

“She’s yours by law,” Jax said, warming to the idea. “You have the right to take her, regardless of whether she’s already with another man. If it’s the Goddess’ will, you don’t have a choice.”

No, he didn’t, Seth thought. He was filled with the most amazing sensation. Sudden joy ran through him as he realized that he, too, might have children. He could build a life for himself, rejoin his brother on Saurellia. He could have Calla. The thought of her, with her soft skin covered in freckles and her long, brown hair wrapped around his fingers made him instantly hard. He had known from the start she was his, he realized, there was simply no doubt about it. He just hadn’t believed such a thing was possible.

Now all he had to do was go and get her.

Jax read his thoughts. “I take it you’re going after her?” he asked with a grin.

“Oh, yes,” Seth said with dark determination.

“Want some company?” Jax asked. “I’m ready for another trip. Beside, the more I travel, the more likely it is I’ll run into my life mate. I want her, Seth. I’m ready for her, wherever she is.”

“Then let’s go.”

“Any ideas where to start?” Jax asked.

“I’ll start by tracing the ship,” Seth said with a smile. “It shouldn’t be too hard to find out where they sold it. We’ll take it from there. Neither of them had ever been out of the system before. They’ll stick out no matter where they go. We’ll find them.”

Chapter 14

Damn, it was hot. Jax wiped one arm across his brow. It came away wet with sweat.

Why the hell had Seth’s life mate chosen a planet like Hector Prime to live on? Granted, it was a nature preserve and kind of pretty in its own way. But she could have chosen to live in the north, where it wasn’t so hot and humid.

Looking around him with disgust, Jax studied the small slip of paper one last time.

She was living with a woman named Sarai, a Pilgrim. Sarai probably wasn’t a threat, but Jax wasn’t so sure. Pilgrims couldn’t be trusted. They had all learned that the hard way.

He’d keep a close eye on this Sarai while they were there, because the last thing Seth needed was a knife in his back. From Seth’s descriptions, she was one tough bitch. She had even killed her own husband.

Jax pushed through the door of the hostel. Seth had asked him to check things out before he contacted Calla, which had seemed a solid plan back on the ship. That was before Jax had realized how damn hot it would be. Now he was doing the grunt work while Seth waited for a full report in comfort.

The hostel’s lobby was even hotter than the street outside, if such a thing was possible. He could feel a bead of sweat running down his back–what had ever possessed him to come here with Seth? This planet was a hell-hole … The hostel’s entryway was small, with a counter across from the door where presumably the women served their customers. No one was behind it, though. In fact, there were no signs of life at all in the hostel.

“Hello?” Jax called. “Is there anybody here? I’m looking for a room.”

Thank the Goddess he wouldn’t actually have to sleep here, Jax thought as he looked around them. They had rooms booked in a comfortable inn at the center of town.

Rooms with climate control.

Jax called out again, but there still wasn’t any response. After a few minutes waiting, he decided to go and find someone. There were two choices–a stairway that went upstairs and a hallway behind the counter. The stairs seemed more public, so they probably provided access to the guest rooms. The hall seemed a better bet.

Making his way down the hall, Jax stuck his head in several rooms along the way.

He saw an office and a small living area before the hall opened into a large kitchen. It, too, was empty. Against the back wall was a door, however, and the faint sound of a woman singing. Jax went to the door, pushing it open quietly. A small, walled garden was revealed, filled with lush tropical plants and rows of vegetables. A woman was kneeling among the vegetables, facing away from him. Her song was light and happy, and while her voice wasn’t strong, it was pretty.

What caught his attention, however, was her heart-shaped ass. She wore a long, sturdy gray skirt. In kneeling, the fabric was pulled tight, clearly outlining the shape of that enticing butt. She leaned forward on her knees, pulling the fabric even tighter, and his cock leapt to attention. Jax’s breath stopped momentarily. He felt dizzy. He grasped the door frame to steady himself and his eyes narrowed. The sound of her soft singing wound its way through him, and his gut clenched in excitement.

He was struck by the urge to stalk across the garden, push her down in the dirt and fuck her hard right on the spot. He could just imagine what her tight little cunt would feel like, how that tinkling singing voice would sound when she screamed in pleasure.

He would do her quick and dirty first, then slow and hard. The thought brought a smile to his face. She would be startled, when he grabbed her, but then she’d sigh in satisfaction at his touch. He’d take her home, and they would …

Jax caught himself up short. What the hell was he thinking? For all he knew, this woman could be Calla. Sure, he had stayed at the same hostel where she was a slave back at Discovery Station, but he hadn’t noticed her. She had been one slave among many. If this woman was Calla, he was a pervert, and a bad friend. Shaking his head, he tried to will his erection away and then cleared his throat.

“Excuse me,” he said. The woman’s song broke off and she turned to face him, startled by his presence. Then she gave him a friendly smile, and his teeth clenched as another wave of arousal coursed through him. This was going to be difficult.

“Can I help you?” she called. “I’m sorry; most of our guests come at the beginning of the academic term, so we don’t man the front desk all the time. Are you looking for a room?”

“Um, yes,” Jax said. “I need a room. Do you have anything available?”

“Of course,” she replied. “We’re pretty full, but we almost always have one or two empties. Let me get cleaned up, and I’ll be right in to help you.”

Jax nodded, then moved back into the kitchen. What was wrong with him? It was taking every bit of his control not to run out there and jump the poor woman. Forcing himself to breath evenly, he made his way back down the hall and into the lobby. He waited impatiently, wanting to see her again. Was she Calla or Sarai? The thought of her being Calla, of her lying under Seth’s hard body, send a wave of rage through him. His vision grew red around the edges, and he imagined what it would feel like to drive his fist into Seth’s face. Shaking his head, he caught himself. What was going on?

“I’m sorry you had to wait,” she said, walking into the room briskly. She was relatively tall, with light blond hair tied back loosely in a bun. Her eyes were green and sparkling, and for several long seconds Jax just stared into them. She blushed prettily, then cleared her throat. There was a smudge of dirt on her cheek. Without pausing to think, Jax leaned across the counter and lifted one finger to the smudge, touching her lightly. A jolt went through him as he made contact, and she looked startled.

“You have some dirt,” he said quietly. The woman lifted one hand to her cheek, then blushed again.

“It’s from the garden,” she whispered, then she shook her head a little. Jax felt the spell that was over them lift a little, and they both stepped back. “I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your name?”

“I’m Jax Falconer,” he said. “And I need a room for the night. What’s your name?”

“I’m Sarai,” she said, smiling at him. Relief flooded through Jax–this woman wouldn’t be claimed by Seth. “My friend Calla and I own the hostel. Where are you from?”

“Saurellia, at least originally,” he said. She looked up at him sharply. He smiled, trying to look innocent. “I haven’t been there in years, though.”

He looked at her face again, and she caught one light pink lip nervously in her teeth.

She seemed unable to meet his gaze, and Jax knew instinctively that she was every bit as attracted to him as he was to her. But she was scared, too. He was going to have her, he decided. Whatever it took, he wasn’t going to leave until he had her and was tired of her. Seth wouldn’t need him once he had Calla, anyway.

“I’ll take a room for at least a week,” Jax said tightly, trying to control himself. His cocked throbbed with anticipation. “Perhaps longer, depending how things go.”

“It is just you, or do you have a wife or family with you?” Sarai asked, entering his name into her terminal. She wasn’t looking at him, but he could see her hand tremble on the keyboard. Definitely interested, he thought with satisfaction.

“I’m alone,” Jax said, and she let out a breath of relief. Then she blushed yet again, and Jax had to stifle a chuckle. Seducing her wouldn’t take long, which was good. He didn’t know how long he would be able to stand the damned heat of this blasted planet.

He was willing to bet, however, that it wouldn’t seem so oppressive from the comfort of her bed…

“We ask you to pay at least one night in advance, although there’s a discount if you choose to pay for the entire week up front,” she said, looking up at him nervously.

“I’ll pay for the entire week,” Jax said, holding out a credit chit. She reached for it and their fingers brushed against each other. That spark of electricity arched between them again, and she gasped. Both of them were breathing heavily now, and the tension stretched out for several long, silent seconds before she took the chit and slid it into the computer terminal. Once the credits were deducted, she printed out a receipt and handed him an access card.

“Just take this and use it to program your palm print into the room,” she said.

“Climate control is optional, although I think you’ll find that you get used to the heat pretty quickly. We don’t usually even bother with the cooling system any more.”

Jax gave a sigh of relief at that welcome information. He had no intention of sticking around long enough to acclimate to the heat, but he definitely planned to use his role as a guest to get closer to Sarai. A climate control system would go a long way toward making that wait more comfortable. Of course, the passion would burn itself out quickly once he bedded her, he knew that from experience. Until then, things would be very pleasant for both of them. He knew how to please a woman.

“Can you show me the room?” he asked, glancing toward the stairs. Sarai looked startled, then nodded.

“Yes, please follow me,” she said, moving quickly from behind the counter and across the room. She moved lightly up the stairs in front of him, giving him an excellent view of that shapely bottom. The hard length of his arousal stirred in response, and he all but groaned aloud. He needed to get in this lady’s pants fast, he thought. This was ridiculous.

“Here’s your room,” she said, pushing open the third door on the right. Jax followed her in, pleasantly surprised by the accommodations. There was a large bed with a wicker frame, as well as a desk and several chairs. There was a large window as well, and a ceiling fan stirred the air. Sarai walked across to the window, then turned to look at him.

“It’s a rather nice view from here,” she said. “You can see across the garden to the forest. At night, if you open it, you’ll be able to hear all kinds of animals. A lot of the students who stay with us like it here because we’re so close to nature.”

Jax nodded, disinterested. How far was her room, he wondered? Sarai walked across to one of two doors on the wall. She pushed one open and stepped in. Jax followed behind her, then stopped short when he realized the small room wouldn’t accommodate both of them.

“This is the fresher,” she said, turning back around. He was still standing behind her, and she almost ran into him before she realized he was there. She was so startled that she threw up her hands to catch herself, and both palms came to rest firmly against his chest. That exquisite sensation ran through Jax again, and he smiled.

“I can see that,” Jax said, reaching his own hands up to cradle her head with them.

Her eyes, wide with surprise, gazed up at him. Her pink lips were open in a small “o”

of surprise. She was so beautiful that he couldn’t think. He had to kiss her.

His lips closed over hers and her hands clenched against his chest reflexively. She was soft and warm, and Jax slanted his head against hers, hoping to probe her more deeply. He thrust his tongue into her mouth and she moaned. His loins surged in response, and his grasp on her tightened.

Grinding his mouth over hers, Jax pressed her back against the wall. She slid her hands up around his neck and pulled at him, whimpering against his mouth. The sound almost undid him, and he thrust against her lower body with his rock-hard erection.

What would her hot flesh feel like closing around his length? He couldn’t wait to find out.

Continuing to hold her head with one hand, he reached the other down to the rounded globes of her ass, which he’d admired in the garden. Her muscles were sleek and firm, and he dug his fingers into them, pressing her against his body. Wrenching his mouth away from hers, he swept her up in his arms and carried her purposefully across the room to the bed. He set her down, coming down on top of her and kneeing her legs roughly apart. Then he fell on her like a starving man, plunging his tongue into her mouth. She moaned and bucked against him. He felt like he was going to explode in his pants. He had to get into her tight cunt or he was going to die.

“Mommy?” a child’s voice called. “Mommy, where are you?”

Jax stilled at the sound, and Sarai frantically tried to push him off her. “Get up,” she hissed. “That’s my son. I can’t have him find me like this.”

Jax rolled to one side, and she stood up quickly. Running her hands over her clothing, Sarai turned to the door. A small boy was standing there, watching them.

“Mommy, I want to get a snack,” the boy said, looking at Jax suspiciously. “Is that all right with you?”

“Yes, sweetheart,” Sarai said, her voice trembling.

“Will you come with me?” the boy asked. From the child’s glare, Jax knew he suspected something was wrong about the situation. He was trying to protect his mother from a strange man, Jax realized.

“Thank you for showing me my room, Sarai,” he said, trying to sound innocent. The boy gazed at him coldly, then turned to his mother and held out his hand to her.

“Of course,” Sarai said. “Please let me know if you need anything.” Then she walked out of the room with her son. Jax lay on his back for several minutes, watching the fan on the ceiling. Her smell was still in the air, like flowers, and his aroused cock throbbed with frustrated desire. He had never wanted a woman so badly. She wanted him, too, he knew it. It was just a matter of time before he would be able to take her, he told himself. Otherwise she might be the death of him.

Chapter 15

“Calla, I need to take a rest,” Mali whimpered. The little girl had already taken several “rests” along the way, but she was weak. In another six months, Calla hoped she would be strong enough to skip along beside her. Until then, she was content to take as many rests as the child needed.

The gravity on Hector Prime was slightly higher than any of them were used to, but the nature preserve had been the perfect place to start over in every other way. Erika’s aunt had welcomed them with open arms, insisting that they stay with her until they were on their feet. The money from the ship had been more than enough for them to buy a little hostel in one of the many tourist towns hugging the vast rainforests.

All that Erika and her mother had told them was true. Hector Prime was an ecologist’s dream, and it attracted hundreds of thousands of students each year. All of them needed inexpensive places to stay for a few months while they took classes. These young men and women were the ideal guests for their hostel. Many were homesick, and they were happy to be “adopted” into Calla and Sarai’s small family unit.

Calla had even offered a reduced rate to one of them in exchange for tutoring the children. For the first time in their young lives, Mali and Able had started school. She and Sarai studied with them. Things would have been perfect if she could just stop thinking about Seth.

“Come on, Mali,” Calla said, rousing the girl. Mali smiled up at her sweetly.

“Can I get a candy?” Mali asked, pointing to a little shop across the street. They almost always stopped off there on their way home, so the child’s request wasn’t a surprise.

“Will you get one for Able, too?” Calla asked.

“Yes, m’am,” Mali said, trying to hide her excitement. It was amazing to Calla just how much joy the simplest things gave the children. They had never tasted candy before.

“Then yes, you may,” Calla said. She handed Mali a credit chip, trying to push down the twinge of guilt she felt every time she spent money.

They’d made a tidy sum from selling the ship, but she’d paid a high emotional price. She would never forget the sight of Seth standing there on the asteroid’s surface. I did what I had to do, she reminded herself firmly. We sent someone to rescue him, and someday we’ll pay him back. Both she and Sarai agreed on that. From the first, they’d set aside a percentage of every credit they earned in a fund to repay Seth. It might take them years, but they would get him his money. Credits would never be enough to repair the damage she’d done, though. Calla knew that instinctively.

The thought of Seth made her ache, both in her heart and in other places. Every other man paled in comparison to him. Not long after they’d arrived, one of her male neighbors had invited her out for dinner. Just the thought of spending time with him made her long for Seth. Deep in her heart, she knew she’d never get over him. At times, the knowledge was almost too much to bear. She wanted children, she wanted a husband. But at least she had her freedom, and Sarai and her children had gotten a chance at life. It was more than any of them could have dreamed of a year ago.

She and Mali arrived home to find Sarai working in the small garden behind the hostel. One of the students showed them how to plant some vegetables and flowers, and all four of them were still amazed at how the little plants pushed themselves through the dirt and into the bright, natural light of the sun. None of them had ever lived anywhere that plants would grow before; that small miracle of life was just one of many they encountered every day in their new home.

Sarai saw her and rose to her feet, wiping the dirt off her hands on to her apron as she stood.

“We have a new guest,” she said as Calla came up next to her. She blushed as she spoke, piquing Calla’s interest. “Did you get a candy, Mali? Why don’t you take it over to Able.”

Mali nodded her head happily, then scampered off to find her brother. Sarai waited until she was out of hearing, then said, “He’s Saurellian.”

Calla felt a coldness rush through her. Then reason took over, and she fought her panic back.

“There are millions of them all over the quadrant,” she said. “I’m sure it’s nothing to worry about. We’ve checked the criminal alerts–they aren’t looking for us.”

“Well, I just wanted to let you know,” Sarai said, blushing more deeply. “His name is Jax Falconer, and he said he’ll be with us for at least a week.”

Jax. She recognized that name–Dani had had a client named Jax, back on Discovery station. Of course, there were probably thousands of Saurellians named Jax. Don’t let it bother you, she told herself firmly. She couldn’t live the rest of her life in fear.

They were all the way across the quadrant from where she’d left Seth. They’d traveled through ten ports after selling the ship to cover their tracks. She and Sarai would be safe here, in the back of beyond. Hector Prime was so insignificant that neither the Empire nor the Saurellians had bothered to send an occupation force. Then she noticed Sarai was blushing so much she was bright red.

“What’s up with you?” Calla asked suspiciously.

“He, well,” Sarai gave a girlish giggle, and Calla stared in astonishment. “He kissed me, up in his room!”

“Who did?” Calla asked in confusion.

“The Saurellian. Jax.”

“Watch your step, girl,” Calla replied. “Those men are hard to handle. Trust me on this one.”

Sarai gave another giggle, then looked away. Calla sighed. What was it about those Saurellian men, anyway?

Chapter 16

“Well, at least we’ve found her,” Seth said tightly. The two men sat in a bar, sipping bakrah and discussing their next move.

“They’re set up pretty nice,” Jax said. “They seem to have a lot of students staying with them. I took one of them out to a bar this afternoon, bought him a few drinks. He can’t say enough good things about them. They take good care of their guests, are quiet, the children seem happy. And no men, either.”

Jax seemed uncharacteristically pensive as he made his report, and Seth stared at him suspiciously. What the hell was he up to this time? It didn’t matter, of course.

Nothing mattered but finding Calla.

It was a good thing there weren’t any men, Seth thought darkly. He didn’t want to have to kill anyone, but he’d long since come to the realization that anyone who touched Calla would face his wrath. The very fact that she was running a hostel was more than he’d hoped for–a small part of him had been terrified that she’d decide to continue her career as a pleasure worker. Normally a life mate wouldn’t be capable of being with another man, but the whole concept of mating with non-Saurellian women was too new to know if the old rules would hold true.

“So what do you want to do now?” Jax asked.

“We’ll go and get her tonight,” Seth replied thickly. The realization that within hours she would be his again was almost too much for him. He leaned his head back and took a deep breath. “I need her.”

Jax looked at him sympathetically.

“It’s going to be hard,” he said quietly. “Somehow you’re going to have to work through all that’s happened if you ever want to have a decent life for yourselves. It’s not a good thing to be at war with your life mate. You have to let your anger go.”

“I know,” Seth said. “But it’s not that easy. Even if she comes with me voluntarily, I don’t know that I’ll ever be able to trust her again.”

“At least you have a life mate,” Jax said after a long pause. His customary good humor seemed to be fading. “The Goddess is merciful, but there are still so many of us who can only hope.”

“Well, we have hope, now,” Seth said. “So many of our brothers have gone to their deaths without even that much.”

Jax took another long drink of his bakrah without responding. Seth gave him another penetrating look, but the younger man refused to look at him. With a shrug, Seth turned back to his own drink, content to think about his reunion with Calla.

Jax hadn’t come home that night, although Calla had monitored their guests’ arrival from the office all afternoon and evening. It was paranoia, she told herself wearily, but she just couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong. Until she saw for herself that he wasn’t one of the Saurellians who had been at Jenner’s hostel, she wouldn’t be happy.

Finally, though, she needed to sleep. Sarai and the children had retired hours earlier. The alarms were set; the door was locked. It was time to go to bed.

After making sure all was secure, she made her way to the private part of the hostel.

She and Sarai had rooms that were separate from the guests rooms. Her room–a luxury that always sent a thrill through her–was cool and dark as she stepped inside and locked her door. She kept a window open in the evenings because she loved the sounds of the animals in the darkness. Small insects chirped, and occasionally a night-loving bird would call in the distance. She would never get over the simple pleasure that came from living on a planet.

Pulling her dress off, Calla stepped over to the window wearing only her shift. The darkness was alive, she could feel it outside. Their small hostel was on the outskirts of town, and she could see the rainforest behind their small, walled garden. At first, the sight of all that teeming wildness had frightened her. Now she loved it. She raised her arms and stretched, enjoying the stretching sensation that raced through her muscles.

This was freedom.

“Hello, Calla,” a smooth, familiar voice said in the darkness. Her heart stopped, and she froze, excitement coursing through her. It was Seth, somehow he was there, in the room with her. Her eyes moved frantically over the window, trying to decide if she could jump to the ground. Was it was too far?

“Jax is out there, just in case you try something stupid,” Seth said softly. “Why don’t you turn around so we can talk.”

Slowly, Calla turned. She couldn’t find him at first, then she realized he was actually lying on her bed, leaning back comfortably against her pillows. How long had he been waiting for her?

“What do you want?” she asked, feeling foolish. The sight of him sent a tingle of sensation through her traitorous senses. She knew his presence wasn’t good, but her body was overjoyed to see him again. She wanted him.

His face was like stone in the darkness. He simply stared at her for a long moment, and the tension rose between them. He wanted her, too.

“We never finished things, Calla,” he said.

“Seth, I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I did what I had to do. We’ll pay you back for the ship, I promise.”

“I don’t care about the damn ship,” he said tightly. “I have enough money to buy a hundred ships. What I care about is the fact that you lied to me, that you left me behind.

Why didn’t you trust me? I would have helped you.”

Calla snorted in disbelief.

“Right, like I should believe that,” she muttered. “You were plenty interested in fucking a slave, but I didn’t see you offering to set me free.”

“You never gave me that option,” he said quietly.

“Why would I take that chance?” Calla replied. “Do you have any idea what happened to slaves who didn’t meet Jenner’s standards of morality? They got sold to pimps. Would you risk dying on your back in a mining camp to have a fling with guest in a hostel?”

Seth caught his breath; the thought of her being subject to men like Calvin made his skin crawl.

“No, I can understand that,” he said finally. “But all that time together–why didn’t you confide in me then? You can’t believe I would have sent you back to her.”

“I had to think with my head, not my heart,” Calla said bitterly. “And I had to rescue Jess. Would you have understood that?”

A flash of jealous anger went through him at the name.

“Jess,” he said slowly, dragging the name out on his tongue. “What about Jess? Did you ever find him? Did he send you away? How is your husband?”

“I didn’t try to find him,” Calla said quietly. “I had no idea where to begin looking, and Sarai and I needed to get away. It was enough to know he had escaped.”

“You would leave behind a man you love so easily?”

“Jess is not my husband. I already told you that. He was my crèche-brother, we were raised together on the slave farm. He always wanted to escape, but he wouldn’t go without me. If I hadn’t been so scared he never would have ended up in that mining camp. That’s why I had to find him.”

“He was never more than a brother to you?” Seth asked, jaw tight. His tension was a palpable presence in the room.

“No, never,” Calla said, willing him to believe her. “Even when we were younger, we never experimented together. We were too close for that, even if we weren’t related biologically. Of course we might have been, for all I know. Both of us were synthesized out of the same genetic material.”

“I don’t know whether to believe you or not,” Seth said finally. He sat up and swung his legs down off the bed.

Calla sank to the floor, trying not to look too closely at him. It was too hard to be in the same room as him, feeling his hatred. He remained silent for several minutes, contemplating her as she sat. Then she grew angry. Who was he to judge her?

“Why should you care whether or not I’m telling the truth, now or then?” she finally asked. “All we had was a contract. I provided you with sex, you provided me with money. I know it didn’t work out quite right and that I still owe you, but in the long run why should you care, as long as I repay you? It’s not like we could ever have had anything more together. You must have told me a hundred times that a Saurellian could never stay with a non-Saurellian woman.”

“Maybe I was trying to convince myself of that,” Seth said finally. “But it didn’t feel that way. I wanted to stay with you.”

Calla stared at him, unsure of what to say. Part of her thrilled to his statement, but another part wondered if it was just some vengeful game he was playing.

“Well, you never told me that,” she said finally. “How was I supposed to know? If I’d told you the truth, I would have been totally in your power. I’ve seen what men can do to women. And I noticed you didn’t do a damn thing to help Sarai or her children.

Why should I believe anything you say?”

“I needed to get information from Calvin,” Seth said after a long pause. “I wasn’t going to let him seriously harm Sarai, and I was going to help her escape from him.”

“After you’d gotten what you needed from Calvin, right?” Calla said skeptically.

“And just when, exactly, was that magic moment going to arrive? Did you see the bruises on her face? I don’t know how you could have missed them.”

“I saw them,” he replied. “I’m sorry to have to say this, but the information was more important. I needed to know if the Pilgrims were a threat to the occupation.”

“Well, it looked to me like the Pilgrims were all dead,” Calla muttered. “Sarai and her children were still alive, but at the rate Calvin was going they wouldn’t have been for long. I don’t regret what I did.”

“The Pilgrims weren’t all dead,” Seth said, eyes glittering with anger. “They arrived not too long after you left, actually. Bragan and I had to hide out in the mines to survive.

Oh, he’s dead by the way. He died saving my life, no thanks to you.

“And this may interest you, too,” he said, growing harsher. “They also attacked Discovery station. More than a hundred people died in that attack alone. It might have been prevented if I had been able to get more information back to the Saurellian council in time. It took us six months to regain control of the system. In fact, they’re still out there, just waiting for us to show a weakness. Then they’ll attack again.”

Calla’s face turned pale in shock.

“W-was anyone from the pleasure house injured, or the hostel?” she whispered, thinking of her friends.

“Not that I know of,” Seth said, sighing heavily. His anger seemed to evaporate in the face of her distress. “Most of those killed were Pilgrims.”

“What about Mistress Jenner,” Calla said. “Was she part of it? She’s a Pilgrim.”

“I don’t know what happened to her,” he replied. “I heard she disappeared shortly after the attack. They were coming to arrest her.”

“I’m so sorry,” she whispered. “I didn’t know.”

“Well, I did,” Seth said. “All you had to do was trust me.”

“And all you had to do was trust me,” she whispered back. “So, now what? Do you want your money back? We can sell the hostel. Or are you going to turn me in as a runaway slave?”

“Come here,” Seth said, patting the bed next to him. “What I really want to do is touch you again.”

Calla gave a brittle laugh. “Well, sex is certainly one thing we’ve always been good at. But forgive me if I say I’m not in the mood. I’m a little preoccupied with what you plan to do. How did you find me, anyway?”

Seth decided to ignore her little bit of rebellion. “It wasn’t hard,” Seth said. “The only time we had any trouble at all was with your friends at the hostel on Calindra Station. They managed to throw us off the trail, at least for a while. But you and Sarai were pretty noticeable no matter where you traveled. I guess people took note when neither of you understood how to do simple things, like catch a flight or use a credit transfer chit.”

He was right, Calla thought with disgust. They’d had to ask for directions and help no matter where they went. Neither had traveled before, never mind selling a space craft. It had been naive to think they hadn’t left a trail a quadrant wide.

“So, you didn’t answer my question,” she said. “What are you going to do?

Whatever it is, I hope you’ll let Sarai and the children go. She was only trying to protect herself and the kids. The whole thing was my idea.”

“No, as far as I can tell, the whole thing was Bragan’s idea,” Seth said with a harsh laugh. “He and I had plenty of opportunities to discuss your actions while we were hiding out together. And as for Sarai, I don’t blame her for what she did. I can understand it.”

Then why can’t you understand why I did what I did? Calla felt like asking, but she didn’t want to push him.

“Come here,” Seth said again. His voice was smooth and persuasive. She wanted to sink into his arms, have him hold her. Realizing she had nothing to lose, she stood and made her way over to the bed. If she was headed back to slavery, at least she would feel his arms around her one more time.

Seth pulled her down on top of him as he stretched back on the bed, reaching both hands up to cup her face. She could barely see him in the moonlight, but she could feel the tense urgency in his body. He was rock-hard against her, and she felt an answering rush of sensation course through her own body.

“I was so angry with you,” Seth said quietly. “I told myself that if I ever saw you again I’d strangle you. But now that I’m here, now that I can feel you, all I want to do is be with you. Do you know what that means for a man of my culture? To only want to be with one woman?”

Calla shook her head. She had no idea, but she understood how he felt. Just touching him was enough to bring her to life again. This time there were no lies between them, and whatever the morning held was no longer important. She dropped her lips against his, pressing little kisses against his mouth. He kissed her back hungrily, then broke off the kiss.

“Usually, when a man and woman in Saurellia feel this way about each other, it’s because they’re life mates,” he said.

“What are you saying?” she whispered. Horror filled her; he had come to get his revenge. Nothing else could explain such cruel teasing.

“Not long ago, our priestesses confirmed that at least one Saurellian has found his life-mate outside of Saurellia,” Seth said. “She was the daughter of slaves. Imperial slaves.”

Tears welled up in Calla’s eyes. “Please tell me this isn’t some kind of joke. Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”

“It’s not a joke,” Seth said. He lifted his head to kiss her lightly. “You’re my life mate. I knew it before, but I just couldn’t bring myself to believe it. But now I know. The Goddess created us for each other.”

“So what does that mean? What do we do now?”

“I would like it if you’d come back with me to Saurellia,” Seth said. “Once we have a child, we can be officially bonded at the temple. That’s what any other Saurellian couple would do.”

“But we’re not just any other couple,” Calla said after a brief pause. Seth’s body tensed under hers. “We’ve both lied to each other, and we’ve both hurt each other.”

“I guess we’d have to learn to trust each other,” he replied slowly. “I’m willing to try if you are.”

“Do I have a choice?” Calla asked, gazing deeply into his eyes. “It seems like I’ve never had a choice before. Do I have one now, or are you simply going to take me with you whether I want to go or not?”

Seth’s jaw clenched. He hadn’t considered that she might not want to go with him.

“I can offer you a great deal,” he finally said slowly. “My family is one of the foremost in Saurellian society, and we would have our own estate. You would always be well cared for; our children would have every opportunity to succeed in life. It’s more than you’ll ever get here.”

“But do I have a choice?” Calla asked again.

“Yes,” Seth said tightly. He stared up at her, begging her with his eyes to come with him. If she said no, he was lost.

“Seth, I love you,” she said quietly. “But I don’t want to go with you unless you feel you could love me, too. I’d rather stay here than live with someone who hates me, despite whatever quirk of the Goddess has made us biologically compatible. Can you understand that?”

Seth blinked up at her in confusion. What kind of question was that? She’d felt his response to her a thousand times. What more did she need?

“Of course I love you,” he said after a second’s hesitation. “Why else would I have let you go as long as I did? I would have hunted down anyone else who did what you did and punished them. I would never have let you get away. I only came for you when I realized I had something to offer you.”

“Are you serious?” Calla whispered, still unable to fully believe him. It was too much like a dream, and a part of her expected to wake at any minute.

“Goddess, what do I have to do to convince you?” he muttered. “I’ve traveled across the quadrant for you. I’ve spent three times what the ship was worth to find you. I haven’t been able to think of anyone but you since we parted. What will it take?”

Calla opened her mouth to reply, but before she could say anything he crushed her mouth against his. His kiss was hard and harsh, completely different from those light kisses he’d given her just moments earlier. Then he released her mouth, rolling her under him in one smooth motion. His knees thrust between her legs, and he ground his aroused flesh against her desperately. He had to show her, he had to prove himself. If she refused to come with him, he wouldn’t want to live.

Calla tried to speak again, but once more he crushed her mouth against his even as he reached down with one arm to pull up her shift above her breasts, revealing all that he had been denied for so many months. Unable to speak, she threw her arms around his neck, then brought her legs up to clasp his body. His rock-hard cock pushed against her moist opening, and she gasped under his movements. Then he released her mouth and dropped his head against her shoulder.

“I’m sorry,” he said in a rasping voice. “It’s just been so long since I’ve felt you against me. I need you.”

“I need you, too,” she whispered. He looked at her, hope in his eyes.

“Then you’ll come with me to Saurellia?”

“Yes,” Calla whispered. “I would be honored to come with you.”

“I promise, I’ll never mislead you again,” he said, dropping hot kisses across her face. He brushed against her eyelids, then down to her lips again. They kissed for several more minutes, then paused for breath.

“And I promise I’ll never lie to you again, either,” she said.

“I’ll always take care of you, you never need to be afraid again,” he replied touching her face in wonder. “You’re so beautiful, Calla.”

“I’ll always take care of you, too,” she replied. A smirk came over her face. “It seems like you have a pressing problem that needs urgent care right now.” She moved against him suggestively.

Seth groaned at the sensation, his hips moving involuntarily in response. “What do you suggest?” he asked.

“I suggest you take off your clothes, then come show me what it means to have a Saurellian life-mate.”

“I’m happy to oblige,” he said, kissing her again deeply. He pushed himself up off the bed, standing quickly and stripping off his clothing. Then he reached down and pulled her shift over her head, letting it drop to the floor. She lay before him, open and trusting in the darkness. In what little moonlight there was, he could see her breasts rising and falling in time with her breath. She was just as aroused as he was, he noted with satisfaction.

He lowered himself to the bed between her splayed knees. He dropped his mouth to her breasts, but she thrust one hand into his hair and pulled his face to hers.

“I’m way past needing that,” she said thickly. “I want you in me, now.”

“Oh, giving orders now, are we?” he asked archly. “I think that you need to learn a little patience. After all, I’ve been waiting for this very patiently for months.”

“And I haven’t been?” Calla whimpered. “Seth, I need you.”

But he merely smiled, then dropped his head to her breasts. He laved her nipple slowly, circling the pink nub with the tip of his tongue. Her stomach clenched in tension, and she gasped. Seth lifted his head and gave her a slow smile.

“I take it you like that?” he said. “How about this? Do you like this?”

He slid lower on the bed, dropping small kisses across her stomach as he moved toward her waiting clit. After what seemed an eternity, he reached the small nub that was the center of her pleasure. Using both his thumbs, he held her exposed to his view, then blew softly on the sensitive flesh. Calla rolled her head back and forth, then lifted her hips toward him, begging for more.

Seth chuckled, then allowed his tongue to graze her flesh. Calla stiffened, pleading with him wordlessly for more. Lowering his head, Seth allowed his tongue to play with her clit, flicking it sensuously. She pressed up against him once more, and with a sigh he sucked her into his mouth.

She gasped. “Oh Goddess, don’t stop,” Calla said, twisting against him. Waves of desire built in her, and she strained to achieve that pinnacle of pleasure she knew was waiting for her.

Seth laughed again, and the vibrations from his laughter stimulated her almost beyond endurance. Then he leaned back abruptly.

“I don’t want to make this too easy for you,” he said. “I think you need to earn your pleasure. Make it worth my while to finish things.”

Leaning up on her elbows, Calla stared at him blankly.

“What do you want?” she finally said, her voice husky with desire. “I’ll do anything for you. Anything.”

Her words sent a twist of agonized longing through his groin. She was so beautiful, lying there with her legs splayed wide open and her eyes glazed with lust. She was fully his, he realized. This was his life mate, right in front of him, and she wanted to bring him pleasure. It was more wonderful that anything he could have imagined.

“I’ll let you decide,” he said finally. “You do whatever you feel you need to do. I’ll trust you to be fair,” he added with a smile.

“I’m honored that you would trust me,” she whispered. “I won’t betray that trust, now or ever. Now come up here.”

She gestured imperiously to the bed, and he bounded up beside her. Pushing him back against the covers with one hand on his chest, Calla knelt between his legs.

“I think you need a taste of your own medicine,” she said, looking up at him slyly.

Then she allowed her head to drop slowly toward his jutting cock. It pulsed in anticipation, and Seth let out of a low groan. When she was just an inch from the head, she stopped moving. Then she slowly flicked out her tongue, allowing the tip to swirl lightly around the swollen helmet.

Seth gasped, then reached his hand toward her head. She looked up at him, abandoning his hard length to glare at him warningly. He dropped the hand to his side and let his head fall back with a sigh.

“That’s better,” she whispered. Reaching out with her tongue, she found the small groove on the underside of his penis, exploring it for several seconds. Seth gasped, then thrust his hips up at her.

“Take all of me,” he gasped. Calla laughed huskily, then allowed her mouth to encase his length. Massaging the base of his cock with one hand, she bobbed her head quickly up and down on him, sucking steadily to give him as much pleasure as she could. She could feel him tensing beneath her, and realized he was close to coming.

Then he gave a stifled moan, grasped her arms and dragged her up his body.

“Cover me,” he said, looking in her eyes fiercely, then he slanted his mouth across hers in a powerful kiss. She pressed down against him, teasing his cock with her hot, wet lips. He felt so good, and as she slid down his length she felt tears build in her eyes.

Then, fully impaled, she rocked vigorously against him, still locked in his embrace as he kissed her. His cock thrust high and hard, right to her womb. It was too much to bear.

With a cry, orgasm washed over her.

“I love you,” she moaned as she spasmed against him.

“I love you, too,” he grunted, thrusting as hard as he could. She was going wild on top of him, and it was all he could do not to come on the spot.

“Seth, there’s something I should tell you,” she gasped.

“What?”

“My birth control implant is expired,” she said.

An image of her stomach swelling with their child washed over him, and it was too much. He came in a burst, collapsing under her. “I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I guess it’s been a little too long.”

“I don’t think that will be a problem,” she said, flexing her muscles around his length. He hardened instantly, then moved against her experimentally.

“No, I guess it won’t be,” he replied with an answering smile, then he rolled both of them over, so she was lying under him. He gave an experimental thrust, his sex still fully erect within her.

“Oh, that feels good,” she whispered. She raised her legs around his waist, cradling him with her body.

Taking the hint, he started moving rhythmically within her. With each thrust, his length scraped along her engorged clit. She was so stimulated by the exquisite sensation that she felt as if she might explode. Then another orgasm hit her, and her body arched beneath his.

Seth laughed triumphantly as she came, then thrust against her even harder. He knew he wouldn’t be able to last too much longer. The feeling of her muscles locking up around him as she took her pleasure was beyond anything he’d ever felt. If he could just get her to come one more time before he exploded...

He reached down with one hand, grasping her hip and adjusting the angle slightly.

She gasped in response, and he pressed his advantage. Within seconds she was coming again, screaming out her pleasure and milking him with her internal muscles.

Finally, when it seemed he could hardly breath, he gave in to the pleasure. As his sperm shot deep into her body, he thought about their child; a child who might be created that very moment. Tears of joy ran down his face as he collapsed on her. She was crying too, whispering his name over and over. He rolled one side, cradling her against his body, and sighed. Then they were both asleep.

Sarai couldn’t sleep. She was restless, almost as if she was waiting for something.

Jax? She still couldn’t believe what she’d done with him, what it made her feel like when he’d touched her. It was so different than anything she’d ever experienced before…

For the first time, she had some small understanding of the power that Seth had held over Calla. Calla still missed him; Sarai could see it in her eyes every day. A woman who got involved with a man like Jax would be left mourning, too. He was dangerous.

Too dangerous to allow herself to have any further contact with, she thought sadly.

After several hours of tossing and turning in bed, Sarai sat up and pulled on a light robe. She would go out to the garden. The night air never failed to calm her, and the soft sounds of night insects enchanted her. She had missed so much, growing up in the mining belt. Not a day passed when she wasn’t grateful that Able and Mali would have more in their childhood than she had dreamt possible.

Her room was on the ground floor of the hostel, the only one with a private entrance to the side garden. It was a small, overgrown area they had yet to tame, but Sarai liked it that way. The air was heavy with the scent of tropical blossoms. Small creatures rustled in the bushes, little furry things that she secretly fed scraps from the kitchen. With their brown eyes and fluffy tails, the animals had quickly grown used to her presence, at times following her and begging for treats.

She wandered over to a small bench, seated herself and looked up at the stars.

Somewhere, among that glittering trail, was the asteroid belt. Somewhere there were more Pilgrims, more children raised without joy and married off at early ages. It all seemed so far away, now… Her life with Calvin was more of a vague nightmare than reality.

“Hello, Sarai,” a deep voice said softly in the darkness. Sarai’s head whipped around, and fear ran through her. Who was out there?

“Don’t worry,” the voice said. “It’s just me, Jax.” His tall, solid form materialized from the overgrown foliage. His face was shadowed, and the pale, glistening moonlight made him look almost unreal. What was he doing here, in her garden?

“I couldn’t sleep,” he said, as if reading her thoughts. “I thought the night air might refresh me. Are you having trouble sleeping, too?”

“No,” she said quickly, trying not to look at him. The last thing she wanted was for him to realize how much he had disconcerted her. Of course, as soon as she said it she realized how silly it sounded.

“So you often wander the garden in the night?” Jax asked, his voice filled with gentle humor.

“Yes,” she said tightly. He sat down beside her on the bench. She kept her eyes fixed straight ahead, but she could sense his imposing presence next to her. His smell, masculine and slightly sweaty, filled her nose. Her body clenched, and a wave of lust swept through her. She remembered the feel of his lips against hers that afternoon. He had all but taken her in his room, would have taken her if it wasn’t for Able.

“About this afternoon…” she started, but he cut her off.

“Sarai, look at me,” he said.

Reluctantly, she turned to him, looking up at his face. The moonlight was reflected in his eyes - eyes hard and filled with desire. Without realizing what she was doing, Sarai gave a small whimper.

Jax’s arms came around her and his lips came down on hers, hard.

He thrust his tongue into her mouth, sweeping the inside of her mouth with rough determination. His arms were like bands of steel around her body. She whimpered a half-hearted protest, but he pulled her roughly across his lap, head slanting against hers.

He kissed her with a desperate energy, refusing to let her free long enough to catch her breath or consider the consequences of her actions. One hand pulled apart her robe, then reached down into the neckline of her gown. He found her breast, rolling the nipple between his fingers until it tightened with need.

It was as if there was a direct line between her breast and the sensitive area between her legs, because the need his touch created in her was almost agonizing in its intensity.

She moaned against his mouth.

He responded by standing quickly, pushing her robe off her shoulders. His mouth left hers long enough for him to pull her gown over her head, then he pulled her to the ground. Within seconds, he was on top of her. He kissed her again, one hand moving between her legs to massage her clit.

It felt like nothing she had ever experienced before. Sarai was out of control, there was a need building in her for something, but what was a mystery to her. Sex with Calvin had been nothing like this. She wanted more of Jax, and pressed herself against him. She twisted wantonly, searching for some kind of release that she knew instinctively only he could provide.

“Please,” she gasped. “Jax, please, help me.”

Jax muttered something, then his hand left her clit for a moment. She cried out in protest, but he kissed her, promising it would be better soon. She could feel him fumbling with the fastening of his pants. Then the hard, hot length of his shaft pressed against her and she gasped.

He pressed down, skewering her with his cock.

Sarai realized that Jax was much larger than Calvin, and the stretching sensation of his entrance both hurt and gave her unbearable pleasure. She twisted against him, and he stilled, resting his chin against her forehead and breathing heavily.

“Do you need me to stop,” he asked, pain etched in his words. “Because if you do, you’d better say so right now.”

“Oh, Goddess,” she whispered. “No, I need more, Jax. Fill me more.”

He growled in triumph, then thrust his entire length into her in one fierce motion.

She tried to scream, but he swallowed the sound with his mouth, slamming into her again and again. Her body felt as if it might split from the force of him, but her clit was hard with arousal and every movement sent waves of agonizing stimulation coursing through her body.

Then it hit her–the most incredible sensation she had ever experienced. It felt as if she was shattering into a thousand pieces, the world seemed to dissolve around her. Her entire body stiffened in ecstasy, every muscle spasming simultaneously. A part of her realized that Jax, too, was in the throes of orgasm. She could hear his cry, and somewhere deep in her body she could feel his seed entering her. It was too much to take in, though, so she simply let the waves of her own pleasure wash over her.

Sarai came back to herself after a few minutes, realizing she was lying naked on her back in the garden. Jax, still fully clothed, pinned her to the ground with both the weight of his body and his still-hard cock. He was gasping for breath, cradling her face against his chest with one strong arm. The other was supporting his upper body so she wouldn’t be crushed.

“Did I hurt you?” he asked. She stretched experimentally, trying to tell. She would be sore in the morning. His still felt massive within her–how had she taken it all inside?

Yet she was all right, she realized. He hadn’t injured her.

“I’m fine,” she said quietly, trying to process what had just happened between them.

“Could you get off me, please?”

He rolled to one side, and she sat up, nervously crossing her arms across her breasts. Horror filled her. She was naked, had rolled in the dirt with a strange man like a complete wanton. What had come over her?

Wordlessly, Jax handed her the discarded robe. She pulled it around her, and started to get up.

“Why don’t you lie in the grass with me for a while,” Jax said. “We’ve already had sex. I can see you’re upset how quickly it happened. Let’s take a little while to just be together and enjoy things, rather than you rushing back to your room to be angry with me.”

He pulled her back gently against him, and together they lay in tense silence, watching the stars. After a while, she felt some of that tension ease.

“Where is Saurellia?” she asked eventually.

Jax pointed to the northeast, where a patch of stars shone brightly.

“Right there,” he said. Then he pointed to another bright patch. “That’s the asteroid field where you and Calla came from.”

Sarai stiffened beside him, cold fear punching through her. “How do you know where we came from,” she whispered in horror. “I didn’t tell you that earlier. How do you know that?”

“Because Seth told me,” Jax said quietly. “He’s a good friend of mine.”

Sarai moaned wordlessly, realization rushing through her.

“Where is he?” she asked in a panicky whisper. “Is he with you? Are you here to punish us for what we did to him?” She sat up, scooting away from him as quickly as she could. She had to get the children, wake Calla. They had to escape right away, or they were finished. Where would they go this time?

Moving more quickly than she had ever seen a man move, Jax caught her and held her against him.

She struggled against him like a wild woman, lashing out with her fingernails and teeth. She had to get away! Jax was too strong for her, though. Within seconds he had her pinned to the ground. One leg was thrown across hers, and both wrists were bound firmly by his hands. He loomed over her in the moonlight, his face shadowed. Against her belly she could feel the hard length of his arousal, and she shivered with fear.

“I’m not going to hurt you,” he whispered harshly. “But I’m not going to let you run up there and ruin things for Seth.”

“He’s here, at the hostel?” she asked in a tremulous voice. “Jax, I have to protect my children! They aren’t safe.”

“Of course your children are safe,” Jax said. “Seth has no interest in your children.

He’s come for Calla.”

“What is he going to do to her?” Sarai asked. “You have to make him understand, it wasn’t all her fault. I made her do it.”

Jax laughed harshly. “He isn’t going to do anything to her,” he said. “Seth loves her.

She’s his life mate. He’s going to take her to Saurellia and marry her.”

“And what are you doing here?” Sarai asked suspiciously. “Why did you check in to the hostel this morning?”

“I was scouting things out for him,” Jax replied. “He didn’t want to scare the two of you off before he had a chance to talk to Calla, so he sent me to make sure we’d found the right women.”

Sarai was filled with understanding. Jax had tried to seduce her that afternoon, and successfully completed his task at the most crucial moment, while Seth had come for Calla. She was a fool. He’d used her to get to Calla, then distracted her while her friend needed her most. To her horror, tears started welling in her eyes. This was too much, too cold-blooded. She had to get away from this man.

“Let me go,” she said. “I’m not going to do anything, I promise.”

“Why would I believe that,” Jax said. “I’m staying with you for the rest of the night, whether you like it or not. How we spend that time is up to you, but I won’t let you interrupt Seth and Calla.”

Sarai tried to think what her options were. They seemed limited. Even if she could somehow overpower him and escape, he would be able to easily catch her. She was beaten, at least for now. She hated being manipulated by a man. It was like being with Calvin all over again…

“If you let me up, we can go back to my room,” she said finally. Her voice was cold with anger. “We can’t stay out here. The children almost always play in the garden before the rest of us wake up in the morning. I can’t have them finding us like this. I won’t have sex with you again, though, so you can just keep that out of your mind.

Unless you feel like rape?”

“If I want a woman, I don’t need to rape her,” Jax said, his voice equally cold. “Next time we do this, I’ll make you beg for it. And you will.”

He rolled off her, and they stood up. Sarai led the way to her room with dignity, refusing to give him the pleasure of seeing how upset she was. As far as she was concerned, Jax could go straight to hell. She was determined that there would not be a next time.

Chapter 17

Calla came awake slowly. She felt wonderful, but something was different. She could smell Seth, male and slightly spicy. He was with her, his arms holding her. What had happened? Memory flooded back to her, and she realized he still in her bed. She sat up, leaning on one elbow, and examined his face.

He was smiling in his sleep, but around his eyes were new wrinkles. The night before they had been in shadow, but now she could see that on one side of his face was a fine web of newly-healed scars. A similar grouping of scars covered his shoulder, and spread across his chest. A wave of sadness and guilt swept over her as she realized that she might have been the cause of that pain. Would he have been injured if she hadn’t left him on that asteroid?

She looked back up at his face to find his eyes following her.

“Good morning,” he whispered.

“Good morning,” she replied. “I thought last night was a dream at first, but it was real, wasn’t it?”

“Yes, it was,” he said. “Now that you realize it wasn’t a dream, do you still want to go with me to Saurellia?”

“More than anything in the world,” she replied, kissing him softly. He returned the kiss, pulling her over his body and rubbing against her sensuously.

“You may already be pregnant with my child,” he said with satisfaction, once they surfaced for air. “How do you feel about that?”

“There is nothing I would love more,” she said. Her hair had fallen forward in her face, and she pushed it back impatiently with one hand. “Although right now I would definitely enjoy a shower. Care to join me?”

Seth didn’t need to be asked twice. Together, they jumped out of bed and moved into the small fresher room attached to Calla’s room. Calla flicked on the warm water and stepped in. Before she could even turn around, Seth was with her, kissing the back of her neck. He reached both hands around her body to grasp her breasts, then pulled her back against him. His erection, already fierce, pressed against her backside as she wiggled against him and giggled. She pretended to try and escape, and he growled fiercely at her.

Turning in the circle of his arms, she reached up on her toes and kissed him. He responded by gripping her butt with both hands and lifting her. Then he slid her down over his rampant sex, bracing her against the wall of the shower. She wrapped him with both arms and both legs, then their mouths met again.

Starting slowly, he thrust in and out of her warm flesh. After a minute she stopped kissing him, too enthralled in the sensations between her legs to focus. He thrust faster and faster, until both of them were panting with exertion. She grunted rhythmically, then bit at his shoulder. The slight pain seemed to set him off, because he went wild, slamming into her again and again, until she thought she would explode.

Finally she did explode, a thousand stars breaking apart inside of her aching sex.

She clawed at his back in ecstasy, and he groaned in response. Then he came too, pinning her against the wall with all of his weight as he shot load after load of hot, potent seed into her waiting flesh.

He allowed her legs to slide down his body, and she stood shakily on her own. He continued to stand above her, bracing his arms against the wall on either side of her.

Gasping, he dropped his chin against the top of her head. They both stood for several minutes, then he shoved himself back and stood, facing her.

“When can we leave?” he asked, searching her face with his eyes. “I can’t wait to start our life together. I can’t wait for you to meet my family. And I can’t wait to have our union confirmed at the temple, although we’ll have to wait until you’re pregnant for that.”

Calla looked startled, then thought.

“I don’t know that there’s any reason I can’t leave right away,” she said slowly.

“Sarai needed help getting on her feet here, but she can run the hostel alone.”

“Then let’s leave today,” Seth said, pinning her with his dark gaze.

“Can I at least have some time to pack?” Calla said, laughing. “I’d like to say goodbye to our guests, too. How about tomorrow?”

“I’ll give you until then,” Seth said. He leaned down caught her mouth in a deep, soul-searching kiss. “But no longer.”

“All right,” Calla said happily.

She smiled up at him, and his heart caught. She was finally his. What would their child look like, he wondered. All Saurellian children looked similar, but Calla was different than any other Saurellian mother had ever been. Would they have a little girl?

Would she have freckles like her mother? Only time would tell...

“If we’re going to leave tomorrow, I have a lot to get done today,” Calla said. “First, I’ll need to tell Sarai and the kids. I think it might be better if you got out of here for a couple of hours. I’d like to tell her in private.

“All right,” Seth said. “But I’m coming back this afternoon, and I’m definitely staying here tonight. You’re never going to sleep alone again.”

“That’s something I can handle,” Calla replied with a laugh. “Now finish your shower and get out of here.”

“Are you sure you want to do this?” Sarai asked tightly. Jax had left her room early that morning. Unsure of what to do, she had started her day as usual, waiting for Calla to appear. Her friend had come in to the kitchen looking like Sarai felt–sore and worn out from being fucked long and hard. Calla, however, had a glow about her that made Sarai realize she was a lost cause. She was in love with Seth, and Sarai was going to lose her. It was too late to do anything to change the situation. Sorrow filled her heart.

She and Calla sat at the kitchen table. The children had already eaten their breakfast and had gone outside to play. Calla had decided to take them out for treats later that morning and tell them.

“I’m sure,” she said. “I love him, Sarai. He had good reasons for behaving like he did before. If I had trusted him, none of this would have happened.”

“If he had trusted you, none of it would have happened, either,” Sarai muttered darkly.

“Well, we have a choice,” Calla said briskly. “Seth and I can spend the rest of our lives hating each other for what happened, or we can learn from our mistakes. We choose to forgive ourselves and start over. I want happiness, Sarai, and Seth and I will only find it together. It’s time to put the past behind us.”

“I’ll miss you,” Sarai said, dropping her composed facade. Losing Calla was almost too much to bear. “Oh, Calla, you’ve been like a sister to me. I don’t know what the children and I will do without you!”

“Oh, I think you’ll do just fine,” Calla said. “Sarai, you’re a new woman now. You own your own business, and your children have a future, just take life one step at a time. And remember, we can always visit.”

“I guess I just don’t want anything to change,” Sarai said with a sigh. She would save her tears for later, when Calla couldn’t see them. “Are you sure you can trust him?

A bad marriage is a terrible thing, Calla. I don’t wish this upon you. It would be better if you stayed here with us, where it’s safe.”

“I’ll be safe with him,” Calla said, tears building in her eyes. She and Sarai stood and held each other for several long minutes. Then Able burst through the door. They both jumped in surprise.

“Think about it, Calla,” Sarai whispered. “It isn’t too late to change your mind.”

“My mind’s been made up from the minute I saw him,” Calla replied, smiling happily. Sarai didn’t return the smile. Instead, she held out her arms to her son.

“Sweetheart, go get your sister,” Sarai said, giving him a quick hug. “Calla is taking you out for a treat. There’s something she needs to tell you.”

Able turned and ran out the door, and Calla followed. Sarai waited until they were gone, then sat down at the table. She lay her head down on her hands and let the tears flow. The thought of Calla leaving was too horrible. Worse yet, she was leaving so soon.

She would be alone with the children again, all by herself against the whole world.

“Sarai?” a male voice asked. She whipped her head up–Jax had come into the kitchen so quietly she hadn’t heard him at all. Sarai quickly wiped her face, then looked away from him. She didn’t like looking weak in front of any man, let alone this one. He was too quick to take advantage of a woman’s weakness.

“You’re upset because Calla’s leaving, aren’t you?” Jax asked softly, coming to over to her bench. He swung one leg over, settling himself in a straddling position facing her.

“It’s going to be all right. She’s his life mate–in Saurellia there is no greater bond that can exist between two people. They’ll be happy together, they’ll make each other complete.”

“I don’t care,” Sarai said, still refusing to look at him. Bastard. He’d used her, and now he had the nerve to try and comfort her. “I’m going to miss her, and I don’t like him.

He’s not good enough for her.”

“Seth is a good man,” Jax said softly. “I’ve known him for more than ten years, and I know that he’ll always love her.”

“You know, I’m sick and tired of men who think they need to take care of women,”

Sarai said harshly, finally looking at him. Her eyes blazed with the force of her emotions.

“I had a husband who ‘took care’ of me regularly, and I wouldn’t wish marriage on any woman. It’s a trap, and Calla’s falling into it. It’s a trap.” She repeated quietly, more to herself than to Jax.

“That’s not true,” Jess replied. “For a Saurellian-“

“Don’t give me your crap,” Sarai said, standing abruptly. She paced across the kitchen, then turned to lean against the counter with her arms folded in front of her. “Get out of my kitchen, get out of my hostel. You brought him here, you’re responsible for this. Go back to Saurellia, because I don’t ever want to see you again.”

“I can’t do that, Sarai,” Jax said with determination. The intensity of his gaze frightened her. She turned away from him, willing him to disappear. He came up behind her, she could feel his presence, just as any creature can feel the presence of a predator.

Taking a deep breath, she turned back to confront him.

“Get out,” she repeated coldly, staring at a spot in the middle of his chest. “If you don’t leave right now, I’m calling the authorities to remove you.”

It was an idle threat, they both knew it. She couldn’t move more than a few inches without running into him, and Jax was more than powerful enough to stop her. But he stepped back, raising his arms in mock surrender.

“I’ll give you some space, Sarai,” Jax said. “But I’m not ready to leave Hector Prime just yet. I’ll see you again.”

“Don’t threaten me,” Sarai gritted out between clenched teeth.

“I would never threaten you,” Jax replied with a strange smile. “And I’ll never lie, either. I’m not your ex-husband, Sarai. I’m a good man, and I won’t hurt you.”

With that, he turned on his heels and strode out of the kitchen.

The next day, after all the hugs were given and all the tears were shed, Calla and Seth sat alone in the cockpit of his new ship. It was bigger than the old one, with a more sophisticated design. The cockpit in particular was larger, with a small, cushioned couch behind the pilots’ seats. Calla raised one eyebrow in question when she saw it, and Seth laughed.

“I decided that we could improve on the old design a little,” he said with a shrug.

“If I remember correctly, we could have used something like that several times in the old ship.”

“It sounds like a great idea to me,” Calla replied archly. “Of course, we’ll need to do some testing, to make sure it works properly.”

“By the Goddess, woman, can’t you give me a break long enough for us to take off?”

Seth asked, groaning in mock exhaustion.

“Oh, we can wait as long as you like,” Calla replied with laughter. “Besides, if we don’t take off pretty soon we’ll miss our launch window. That could delay us for up to a day.”

As she spoke, she deliberately propped both legs up on the control panel. Then she leaned back in her chair and stretched her arms above her head, causing the fabric of her shirt to tighten across her breasts. Seth growled warningly, and she laughed, reveling in her ability to arouse him.

“You know,” she said languidly. “A good friend once told me that all men think with their cocks. Particularly Saurellian men. Is that true?”

Seth stared straight ahead, starting his checklist for take-off without replying. Calla took one toe and delicately pushed a small clip off the control panel, causing it to fall to the floor with a pinging noise.

“Oops, I dropped something,” she whispered. Then she stood up, and turned away from him before slowly and calculatedly bending from the waist to pick it up. Seth breathed heavily as he watched her, and Calla had to bite her lip to keep from laughing.

Then she sat down again, turning to meet his gaze.

“It’s true,” Seth said.

Calla looked at him with surprise.

“Right now, my cock must be doing the thinking,” Seth said, giving her a slow smile. “Because I don’t give a damn if we miss our launch window. Let’s see how efficient the new cockpit design is. Come over here.”

“Why don’t you come and get me?” Calla asked. Then she scrambled off her chair and over to the low couch. Seth came after her, laughing like a child, and they rolled together like puppies. Then Seth caught her mouth with his, and they kissed long and slow.

“Can you feel how much I love you?” he asked.

“Oh, yes,” Calla replied. “But I think a demonstration is in order.”

“If the lady insists,” Seth said. He kneed her legs apart, grinding his large erection against her already-moist cunt. Calla sighed with pleasure, arching against him. “Let’s get rid of these clothes.”

They sat up, pulling at their clothes; each drinking in the sight of the other. Calla finished first, falling back against the couch.

“Come and get me, Seth,” she said. “I’m ready for you.”

Seth lowered himself over her waiting body, carefully placing his length at the mouth of her opening. Then, catching her mouth with his, he slowly pressed his rock hard cock into her. She gasped at the sensation, whimpering with pleasure as he moved within her. Then he stopped moving altogether, and raised his head.

“Thank you,” he said.

“For what?” Calla asked in confusion.

“For giving us another chance,” Seth said.

“Thank you, too,” she replied. Then she pulled his head back down to hers. He started moving again, and the pressure built in both of them. Within minutes, Calla’s orgasm hit her. She cried out, squeezing Seth with her internal muscles.

It was too much for him to hold back, and he joined her, shouting out his own pleasure. He collapsed to her side, then leaned up on one elbow to look at the control panel.

“We’ve missed our launch window,” he said idly, tracing a pattern on her face with one finger. “What are we going to do to pass the time?”

“I’ve got some ideas,” Calla said. “Just trust me, I’ll take care of it.”

“I’ll trust you,” Seth replied with a smile. “I’ll trust you for the rest of my life.”