12 days until Zan! To celebrate, I've posted chapter one of
No Mercy. Enjoy!
Chapter One
“Another
drink, Gia?”
Gia dragged
her gaze away from the well-muscled arms of the bartender, Los, and looked up
into his pretty brown eyes. “I’m not sure that’s smart. I’m starting to
fantasize about you naked again.”
He winked
at her as he poured a shot of some green liquid into the bottom of a coffee
mug. “How about a hit of wake-up juice?”
She cradled
the cup between her palms and inhaled. Though it was cool to the touch, it
smelled like the richest French Roast she’d ever had the pleasure to drink. She
thanked him and didn’t even try to present her credit chip. So far from earth,
this planet didn’t exchange currency, instead relying on the barter system. Scratch
my back and I’ll scratch yours. Unfortunately her back wasn’t the part of her
anatomy in need of attention right now.
“Do you want
to come back to my ship for the night?” It had been weeks since she’d enjoyed
male company and with no missions to fly she was totally out of her element.
And Los was as fine a specimen of male perfection as she’d ever seen.
He placed
his warm hand over her cold ones “I told
you, I’m looking for something more. A real connection. Until you have that to
offer, I must regretfully decline.”
No surprise there, yet she was still
disappointed. Gia’s upfront no strings attached approach had helped her out all
her adult life. Men appreciated her candor, enjoyed her body, content with the
knowledge that was all she was offering. Not Los though. The first time she’d
hit on him he seemed flattered, but disinterested. She’d asked if he was gay
and he’d assured her that wasn’t the case even as he’d provided her with
another drink to ease the sting of rejection. The same held true for every
other man on this planet, or at least those she’d propositioned. They all
wanted more than a quick nail and bail. More than Gia had to give. So she’d
changed her strategy and focused on Los, thinking she could wear him down.
Unfortunately, it had the nasty side effect of making her feel pathetic.
He smiled
at her kindly. Los was too nice for her. Everyone on this world
fit into that category. Too kind for the
likes of Gia. A reasonable person would love this place, filled with
honest, caring people who wanted nothing more than to be close with their
friends and family. Gia shuddered at the prospect. “Are you sure I can’t pay
you for the drinks? I have plenty of supplies on my ship—”
She cut
herself off at his shaking head. He knew what she intended and she felt like
some sort of letch for even trying it, a pervert offering candy. This whole
place, full of decent, honest people made her feel like a shallow slut.
Grabbing her jacket, she headed toward the door before she disgraced herself
further. “Night, Los.”
The cool
breeze off the shimmering ocean lifted her hair off the back of her neck. She
inhaled deeply, savoring the salty tang off the purple sea. She focused on the
distant landmass, another island of some sort. The topography of this planet
was filled with various size islands, interconnected like an archipelago. All
tropical all the time, the world having found a perfect balance within itself,
just like its inhabitants.
Well, most
of the people here had found balance. Pivoting on her heel, Gia started back
toward her ship, kicking stray rocks out of her path with a viciousness born of
sexual frustration and general ennui. She needed to do something, be active and have a purpose. Daily runs on the beach
kept her in shape but in shape for what? A few cargo shipments a month
swallowed by a host of mind numbing downtime? What was the point, other than
feeling like an outcast, the serpent in the Garden of Eden?
A high-pitched
distinctly artificial chirp woke her from her reverie. She fumbled for a minute,
retrieving her comm. link from her jacket pocket. “’Lo?” The word came out slurred. Maybe she
should have had another hit of Los’s wake-up juice.
“Hey, Gia
how are you?” Gen’s smiling face filled the small screen.
Gia
couldn’t help but smile back. It was so nice to see her best friend really
happy after all she’d been through. She took to this place like a duck to
water, more than suited to Rhys, the empath she’d fallen for and his touchy
feely way of life. “Not as well as you, I imagine. How’s Rhys?”
“Divine,”
Gen breathed the word like a woman coming off an orgasm. Which she probably
was. Jealousy reared up, the ugly green eyes burning through to her soul. Not
that Gia begrudged Gen her happiness. Her friend had gone through a dry spell
for most of her adult life, where Gia had bathed in the pool of decadence.
Until recently anyway.
“Why don’t
you fly over here, stay out on the island? It’s private and we could spend some
time together. I feel like we’ve hardly talked at all in the last month.”
“I didn’t
want to interfere,” Gia hedged. Or be the useless third stabilizer on a two
engine rig. Gen had finally found her bliss and Gia didn’t want to sour her
daiquiri. “You guys are like newlyweds, or the empathic equivalent of it. You
need alone time, to bond.”
“If we bond
any more we’ll be permanently fused together.”
“Showoff,”
Gia said with a wink, to take the bitterness out of her quip. “You know what I
need? To be fucked, good and hard by someone who doesn’t give a fig what’s
going on in my head. Abstinence is total balls.”
Gen winced
visibly. “Maybe you could try getting to know someone. It’s better when there
are feelings beyond oh baby, right there,
that’s the spot.”
Gia stopped
and leaned up against a large rock. “Hey, that was pretty good. Maybe you can
talk dirty to me and help me out of this funk.”
Shaking her
head Gen sighed, “You’re hopeless, you know that?”
“But you
love me anyway, right?” Gia hoped so. Alienated from everyone and everything
familiar, Gia needed her friend now more than ever.
“Of course.
I know what you gave up to help us, Gia. Your career and your home, all your
friends, it’s all gone because you chose to side with us.”
“At least I
still have my stinger.” Gia gazed out at the empty field where her
stinger-class starship waited patiently for her return. Pride made her chest
expand, just like the first time she’d seen the stealth weapon that would
become her home. Small and streamlined for maximum efficiency, the stinger
could travel for over a billion miles on its cold fusion energy pack. The
weapons and navigational systems were state of the art and while she couldn’t
take down an armada, any single ship in the galaxy would think twice about
messing with her. Providing shelter, transportation, basic foodstuffs from the
synthesizer, and protection, the stinger gave her an instant family. It was the
only thing Gia let herself count on. The one constant she couldn’t afford to
lose.
Gen spoke
the truth, she had sacrificed a great
deal. Not just her place in the stinger squadron, but her reputation as well.
By going against orders, Gia had branded herself a traitor. And given the
choice she’d do it again, no matter the personal cost.
Refocusing
on Gen, Gia said, “I promise I’ll come over soon. Now, I need to take some time
to figure out what my next move ought to be. Send coordinates to my comm. unit.
And say hi to Rhys for me.”
“Will do.”
Gen’s face shrank to a tiny point of light and then blinked out altogether.
“And then
there was one,” she breathed, unsure of whether it was relief or disappointment
in her belly.
“That ain’t
quite true.” The deep timber of a male voice spoke from behind her, rumbling
with menace. Gia shivered even as she reached for her laser pistol. Whirling
around, she met the golden-eyed gaze of the one man she never thought she’d see
again.
His focus
dropped to where her fingers curled around the smooth, hard casing of her
handheld. “No need for weapons. I’m unarmed.”
“Zan,” Gia
kept her hand where it was as her heart beat faster against her ribcage. “What
are you doing here?”
The corner
of his mouth curled up into a half smile. “Happy to see me?”
Parts of
her defiantly were, specifically the non-thinking, needy woman parts that
sensed this giant of a man with his long black braid and smoldering eyes could
fulfill her every sexual fantasy. Where Los the empathic bartender would have
been a gentle ride, Zan was a wild stallion. Gia knew better than to indulge.
Didn’t she? “Surprised is more like it. I thought you were on your way to loot
and pillage the empath’s treasure planet.”
The last
time she’d seen the golden-eyed pirate, he stood on the gangplank of his ship,
ready to sail off to the stars and his next adventure. She’d been relieved to
see him go, even if it did mean he was free to accost innocent civilians. She
was no longer in a position to arrest him for his criminal behavior. And though
he was a feast for the senses, his air of entitlement combined with this
horrific grammar set her teeth on edge. Still, he was a magnificent beast to
behold.
He moved
closer, a large predator stalking his pray. “As I recollect, we were invited.
It ain’t exactly looting and pillaging when the owners tell me to help myself.”
He raised his hand and trailed a finger down the side of her neck. She shivered
again.
The words help yourself almost slipped past her
lips. This close she scented leather and male spice, a unique blend she
couldn’t compare to anything she’d ever known and it made her mouth water.
“I heard
your conversation.” His hand trailed down around the scalloped edge of her
jumpsuit, stopping right above the swells of her breasts. “You’re in a bad way,
too.”
She
narrowed her eyes at him. “You’re not suggesting what I think you’re
suggesting. Because that’s plum crazy.”
His grin
blossomed into full-fledged wicked. “You and me. Mighty interesting
proposition, ain’t it?”
She sucked
in a sharp breath as his hand trailed lower, beneath the fabric to stroke her
breast. The thought that she should stop this came and went as his fingertip
made contact with a beaded nipple. The light touch ignited the kindling in her
belly, making her blood burn. “You’re the embodiment of everything I’ve spent
my life fighting. Interesting is not the word I’d choose.”
“That may
be the case,” he whispered in a low, seductive voice that coiled around her
like a snake, ready to squeeze the fight out of her. “Me and you, it’s wrong
but feels right. Go with your gut on this one, Gia.”
He was
right, damn it. How could a man she’d just met in passing see so much about her
inner workings? His offer tempted her far more than it should. Liquid heat
pooled in her belly. She bit her lip, torn between what she wanted and what she
thought she should do. Her hand fell away from her weapon so she could clutch
his leather vest with both hands. “Get this straight, if I weren’t absolutely
desperate, this would never happen. I’m way
out of your league. And if you tell anyone, I’ll cut your tongue out.”
Golden eyes
sparkled. “Damn, you are fine when you’re fired up.”
Walking
backward, she pulled him aboard the stinger. The space was tight for two
people, intimate. As soon as the access door sealed behind them, Gia toyed with
the zipper on her flight suit. “Kiss me before I change my mind.”
His mouth
crashed down on hers. Zan claimed her lips, thrusting his tongue beyond the
barrier of her teeth to tangle with hers, all marauding pirate. Hot, wet and
brimming with desire, a heady concoction that made her ache. His hands, those broad,
calloused digits tracked down her shoulder blades, following the bumps in her
spine in a slow, lulling rhythm. Her eyelids grew heavy and she swayed on her
feet. Zan cupped her ass cheeks, one in either hand and pulled her closer to him.
His vest slithered to the floor with a soft whisk.
As he leaned down, his dark braid
slipped over his shoulder and she couldn’t help but reach out and touch it. The
smooth, silky texture captivated her, such a contrast to the rest of his rugged
appearance. His fingers found the zipper pull on her jumpsuit. The evidence of
his arousal pressed into her belly.
It was easy to follow his lead in this
seductive dance. Gia knew all the steps, but Zan was a strong partner and
guided her through each turn and dip, making progress at the same time he
lingered in just the right places. He removed his boots, his pants, and stood
before her naked. Gloriously so. She needed this, needed him. Just once to satisfy the hunger that gnawed on her and then
they could go their separate ways. With a laugh she activated her health guard,
the electromagnetic shield she’d been fitted with at puberty. It would act as a
barrier between them, preventing fluid from being transferred, along with any
potential health hazards. He grinned as he reached for her again.
The zipper pull stopped at her waist
and Gia shrugged her arms out of the sleeves, baring her breasts to him at the
same time she reached for his swollen shaft. He jolted under her touch, as though
her boldness had startled him. Like no one had ever been so forward with him
before.
She met and held his gaze while she
stroked him, swirling the bead of precum around with her thumb. Then, cupping
him lower, she closed her hand around his erection and stroked upward in a firm
pull. His hips began to rock in time with her glides, but he stopped and
forcibly removed her hand. “This will be over before it starts if you keep on
with that.”
She felt one eyebrow go up. “You’re
willing to admit defeat so easily?”
“Just begging for leniency is all.” Falling
to his knees, he met and held her gaze while he sucked the tip of her breast
between his lips.
Arching more fully into the welcoming
heat of his mouth, Gia let out a groan. Slow and languid fell by the wayside of
the fire building low in her belly, the blaze he stoked oh so precisely. Zan’s
hands pushed her jumpsuit down, even as he tongued the stiffened peak in sharp
flicks. Tension spiraled in her core as he switched to the other breast,
cupping her bottom in both hands to hold her close. His finger slid down her
crease in a self-assured manner. He knew he had her at his mercy and he so obviously
had none.
In a swift move, Zan tumbled her into
his arms. Her lips parted on a gasp and he was there pushing his tongue into
her mouth, invading her every sense. A dark kiss, full of unspeakable
pleasures. The caress of his tongue, the forceful exploration made her wetter
than everything that had come before. He tasted of spices, foreign and
flavorful and she sucked on his tongue, eager for more.
His fingers dabbled between her legs,
finding her overflowing well of desire. One hard digit plunged inside and she
rocked against him, begging for more. He gave it to her, adding a second finger
and swirling his thumb around her clit. She bucked in his arms, on the edge of
an all-consuming release. His fingers fucked her harder, faster and she
shattered, pushing against his shoulders needing to get away before he
incinerated her.
Zan released her lips, though he kept
his fingers in her sex. Those golden eyes glowed as he shifted her down onto
the discarded blanket. He removed her shoes and the flight suit tangled around
her ankles before shucking his own boots. His staff looked angry, purple and
veiny and she couldn’t wait until it stretched her, filled her up.
Without planning it, she reached for
him again, but he pinned her hands over her head. “I said no more of that now.”
“Who put you in charge?” she shot
back. Raising her hips, she brushed against the hard rod of flesh, beckoning
him down to her.
He cursed. “Not ‘til I say, damn it.”
She grinned. “You gonna take your toys
and go home?”
Gripping his shaft, he scowled down at
her. “I just might.”
Though she knew it was a hollow bluff,
her expression closed up. “No one’s forcing you here, pal. You’re the one who
suggested we do this in the first—”
Zan slid down her body until he could
lick her already drenched sex. His tongue traced the tender folds and with a
gasp, she drew her knees up, opening herself more. He accepted her invitation,
diving deep into her molten core. Her health guard crackled, and he backed off,
his chin wet with her lube. “You’re delicious.” he murmured, nuzzling her thigh
before delving back in for more.
Her head fell back against the deck
and she stared up at the falling light beyond the viewport sightlessly,
alternately hot and cold as he stroked her toward orgasm. Restless hands found
and caressed his braid. He paused mid-lick and pulled away from her. “Don’t
pull my hair.”
Gia almost retaliated by doing exactly
that, but darkness returned to his gaze. The silent please filled the small
space and something shifted. This wasn’t just about release anymore. The fragile
threads of connection wove through her heart and she reached her palm to his
face, caressing a whiskered cheek. “Okay.”
He returned to her, laving her clit
while filling her sex with those thick fingers again. Yet it was not enough. She
was ready to feel it all, what she’d been missing, craving these last few
months. “Come inside me now.”
She didn’t need to ask twice. Shifting
up, Zan poised his cock at her opening and pushed forward, nudging the head
between her slick folds. Her shield crackled again as it erased every trace of
him from her body even as he moved deeper insider her. He was so thick she felt
stretched. He withdrew and she sank her nails into his shoulders. “Don’t stop.”
“Wasn’t planning on it.” Instead he
rocked forward and back, soft smooth strokes that stretched her body in a
gentle way, lulling her to relax and accept him. Sliding her hand down, she
caressed the part of his shaft that hadn’t fit inside her yet.
His eyes slid shut. “You keep it up
and I’m going to come right now.”
“Do it,” she challenged him, tugging
harder until he pushed deeper inside her. With a muttered oath, his control
broke and he bucked forward, seating himself all the way into her slick passage.
Seeing him lose control, that final push sent her over, her inner muscles
spasming around him. Yelling out his release, he came with short sharp lunges
while her channel bathed him in a fresh tide of orgasm.
It was only after he pulled out that
she realized what had been missing from that cataclysmic release.
The snap and crackle of her health
guard.
No Rules is officially up for sale. I'm linking you to Amazon because hey, they've been good to me, but you can find it wherever Aphrodisia books are sold. I did a live blogtalk radio reading from the latest in the Illustra series on August 26. Thanks to all those who said they listened live. Anyone who missed it you can listen here.
The B Cubed trilogy will be made into audiobooks! The fabulous Hollie Jackson who produced Daisy Dominatrix for the other me is narrating. B Cubed Book 1: Born will be available on Amazon via audible and on iTunes in early November. And yes, it was always intended to be a trilogy, hence the "cubed" as in to the third power. Which means one more book to go! This is Dayen and Sage's story. Dayen is the grown son of Allora and Cormack from book one, also the reincarnated soul of Issac, Mel's first mate and has he ever got mad issues. Well, mostly issues with madness. Sage is the last hope of the endangered human race and she will do whatever it takes to see that her people survive, even tying herself to an insane cyborg hybrid. Good times ahead!
