Buried Passions

BURIED PASSIONS

Kassie Burns

® www.loose-id.com

Warning This e-book contains sexually explicit scenes and adult language and may be considered offensive to some readers. Loose Id® e-books are for sale to adults ONLY, as defined by the laws of the country in which you made your purchase. Please store your files wisely, where they cannot be accessed by under-aged readers.

Buried Passions Kassie Burns This e-book is a work of fiction. While reference might be made to actual historical events or existing locations, the names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Published by Loose Id LLC 1802 N Carson Street, Suite 212-2924 Carson City NV 89701-1215 www.loose-id.com

Copyright © April 2008 by Kassie Burns All rights reserved. This copy is intended for the purchaser of this e-book ONLY. No part of this e-book may be reproduced or shared in any form, including, but not limited to printing, photocopying, faxing, or emailing without prior written permission from Loose Id LLC.

ISBN 978-1-59632-663-7 Available in Adobe PDF, HTML, MobiPocket, and MS Reader

Printed in the United States of America

Editor: Vanessa Lillie Cover Artist: Christine M. Griffin

www.loose-id.com

Chapter One

The starfighter jumped out of hyperspace, and the gray mist cleared from Captain Victoria Stone’s eyes. She blew out a breath. “Are you okay, Kumiko?” “As soon as I uncross my eyes, I’ll be fine.” Tory laughed and blinked away the remnants of her blurred vision. They’d stayed in hyperspace long enough for three random jumps, dodging the enemy fighters in pursuit of their ship. As a pilot in the Federation space navy, Tory flew her fighter with a bold and dangerous elan, but the trip through hyperspace had twisted her stomach into a tight knot. Moving from one dimension to another hurt like hell. She leaned forward and focused on a distant red sun. They’d emerged in the middle of some planetary system. The red star dominated the view ahead, with the bright arm of the galaxy shining silver behind it. Under her, the starfighter shuddered like a wounded animal. Glancing down, Tory saw a blaze of ruby lights flashing up at her. This was not good. “Where’s the nearest planet? We need to put down.” “I’m calculating our position.” Kumiko spoke with cool calm from the backseat where she handled weapons and navigation. “Looks like Damaen is the closest.”

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“Damaen! You’re shitting me.” Frig, as if this day hadn’t been bad enough already. Cor Kenrie was on Damaen. “Wish I were, but that’s it. There’s nothing else remotely habitable within ten light years.” Ten light years. She’d be lucky if this bucket held together for another ten light minutes. For a crazy moment she wondered if her father’s powers as admiral of the fleet extended to arranging the latest battle so that she ended up in a damaged starfighter forced to set down on Damaen. It seemed unlikely. No, it was just another example of her bad luck lately. The war between the Federation and the remnants of the Theocracy was spread out over a hundred light years, and she had to pull an assignment within spitting distance of a planet that held Cor. Worse, she was under orders to make contact with Cor, orders she’d managed to avoid so far because the battle with the Theocracy took priority. The Federation was fighting for survival, and it needed every star pilot it had. But if they were going to land on Damaen, she’d have no choice but to follow those orders. “Okay. We’re going in. Watch for life signs. Lucan Kenrie is supposed to be camped out on Damaen, and we want to set down close to his camp, if we can.” “Lucan Kenrie? Isn’t he the famous archeologist?” “Yeah.” Tory frowned down at the rows of warning lights. The stabilizer looked iffy. “Sorry, I forgot you hadn’t been briefed. We need to contact Kenrie.” “Well, then, it’s lucky that we’re about to crash right on top of him.” “Thanks for the vote of confidence, but I haven’t crashed yet. If this hadn’t happened, we would have had to head to Damaen soon anyway. Orders from the old man.” “Care to clue me in?” Tory gulped in a quick breath. She’d never crashed but this landing was going to be one tough bitch. “Damaen is supposed to be a lifeless planet, but Lucan convinced the Federation

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government there’s something worth finding there. He got permission to come out here and dig despite the war going on, but no one has heard from him for months. The admiral wanted me to check it out, that’s all.” “That’s all?” Kumiko sounded skeptical. Her backseater knew her too well. She and Kumiko made a tight team. The two of them shared a daredevil attitude that let them fight as one. “Why send you? You’re a pilot, not an investigator.” Tory swallowed. “Supposedly Lucan has his son with him. Cor Kenrie. I know him. The admiral thought Cor might be willing to talk to me if Lucan refused to cooperate.” The archeologist was famed for his paranoid need to keep his digs secret. “Cor?” Kumiko’s voice dropped to a confidential whisper even though there was no one else to hear. “Isn’t he the one you had sex with at the Space Academy. The one who --” “Got kicked out because of me. Yeah. That’s him.” Guilt flooded through her. She hunched her shoulders and concentrated on her screens, pushing it away. “I thought he blamed you and refused to see you again.” “Yeah, he did.” The painful memory came rushing back, the memory of their last conversation months after he’d been expelled. It had taken her that long to finally track him down. She could still hear the harsh growl of his voice as he told her to get the fuck away from him and stay away forever. What did she care if Cor had broken her heart years ago? She’d gotten over it. Moved on. Carved a brilliant career as a hotshot pilot. In another year or two, she’d be up for a promotion. No one doubted she’d get it. Her goal was to make admiral by fifty. That would beat her father’s record by five years. “I don’t get it. What’s the admiral thinking, giving you this assignment?” “It’s probably his idea of a punishment. He’s never been able to officially punish me for that little episode because I was never officially caught, but that hasn’t stopped him from tightening the screws now and then.”

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“Yeah, your old man is a hard-ass all right.” The ship bucked again and Tory bent over her panel, her fingers flying as she adjusted the flow of fuel. The onboard computer couldn’t keep up with the damage. Ahead the dusty yellow world of Damaen filled her view. It was a desert world. Deserts and mountains. Lucan and Cor were supposedly camped next to a long-dead volcano. Cor. Her heart constricted with another rush of emotion. Where were all these feelings coming from? She’d spent the past few years shoving Cor’s memory from her mind whenever it appeared -- which was often. She’d told herself that her love for him was dead and buried deep. Was she wrong? She shrugged off her sudden trepidation. Frig, she’d always been better at denying feelings than facing them, especially feelings about Cor. But she could handle this assignment. She was an officer following orders, nothing more. She scanned the world below while her fingers punched in commands for their entry. “Listen, Kumiko, this forced landing will give us a good cover story for being down there. I’m going to pretend we’re surprised to find them and that we have no idea why they’re on the planet. You know, play it dumb and see what we can find out.” “If that’s the way you want to do it.” “I’ve heard a few things about what Cor’s been up to in the past few years. I’m going to give him a hard time at first, see if I can get him off balance. Just follow my lead.” “I can beat him up for you, if it will make you feel better.” Tory had to smile at that. Kumiko was a tiny dynamo of a woman. “You might want to size him up first. He’s a big guy.” “I don’t care how big he is if he hurt you.” Tory’s heart warmed at the loyalty of her friend. She hated to talk about the past, but maybe she owed Kumiko a little more explanation. “It’s complicated. We were both hotshot cadets, young and full of lust, and we started having sex.”

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Kumiko whistled. “Talk about your no-no’s! Those priggish Theocrats thought anything to do with sex was a major sin.” “Yeah. We both would have been expelled for sure. Somehow one of the officers at the academy found out about us. He followed Cor to our tryst. It was a damned miracle that I got away without being seen. They dragged Cor in front of the academy hearing board, but he refused to give up my name. I owe him for that.” “But he blamed you for ruining his career? He refused to talk to you after that, right?” “Right.” Tory swallowed the lump of shame in her throat. She’d run from Cor. Left him behind to face the consequences, destroyed his dreams of piloting a starfighter. No wonder he hated her. She hated herself for what she’d done, and she’d shoved the memories as far away as she could. Now this assignment was bringing her haunted past to life again. “I guess we can look forward to a warm welcome then.” Tory fired the front stabilizers, lowering the nose of the ship for entry into the atmosphere. “If he doesn’t shoot us first.”

***** “Stay behind me!” Tory held up her hand to emphasize her command. In space she was a wild risk-taker, but on the ground, she grew cautious. She swiped at the sweat beading her forehead and crouched low behind an outcropping of rock. Her stomach ached with a strange mixture of dread and anticipation whenever she thought about what awaited them on the other side of this meadow. Lifting her head, she peeked over the top of the rock. A battered space freighter squatted next to a top-of-the-line habitat designed for marginal worlds. No one was in sight. The camp looked deserted. Where was he?

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Kumiko clapped a hand on her shoulder. “How’s that for pinpoint navigating from a few thousand miles away? We came down within a half mile. Do you think they heard us crash -- ah, I mean land?” Tory glanced at her crewmate. Kumiko’s eyes danced with high spirits, despite the bruise rapidly turning darker on one smooth cheek. The young officer combined exotic Asian beauty with exuberant energy. The sleeve of her flight jacket was torn where it had caught on a jagged piece of metal when she climbed out of their battered ship. “Apparently not, since no one is out here to welcome us. Sorry about the landing. The right stabilizer blew at the last moment.” “Hey, we’re down in one piece and --” “Any landing you can walk away from is a good landing.” Tory finished the old saying with a smile. Then she turned back to her study of the camp. The freighter carried no company markings, but that wasn’t unusual. Hundreds of tramp ships flew the space lanes, eking out a living. No reason Lucan Kenrie should mark his. He’d probably hired it, dirt cheap. Cor was the pilot. The habitat looked like a standard structure used by off-world explorers -- housing and labs together in one huge prefab of dull gray metal. Lucan had been here for months. Had he found any alien technology? The Federation needed it. They were perilously close to losing the war. “It looks like they don’t know we’re here.” Tory’s hand fell to the gun at her hip. The utter silence of Damaen made her nervous. Hell, there wasn’t even a wind blowing. “We’d better go introduce ourselves.” “What’s your guy been doing all these years?” Frig! Didn’t Kumiko ever stop asking painful questions? “His life went to hell for a long time after the academy. At least he has a decent job these days, flying that freighter for his father.”

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Kumiko lifted her brows. Her black eyes sparkled with sly humor. “If you like working for your father.” Tory bit off a swear word. Being the daughter of an admiral was a pain in the ass most of the time. It didn’t help that her father was a decorated hero, the man who’d led the navy in the rebellion against the Theocracy. Earth and its colony planets had suffered through a dark twenty years while the religious fundamentalists had taken over the government, repressed liberty, and forbidden any other faith. Her father had restored freedom. Only the religious fundamentals were fighting back, and the war could go either way. “Sorry.” Kumiko wiped the grin from her face. “Guess it’s not funny.” “Forget it.” Tory shrugged. She wasn’t going to let a little teasing upset her. She relied on Kumiko more than ever when they were on the ground. Here with dirt under their feet, they were literally out of their element and Tory felt a need for caution. She had no idea how Cor would welcome her, but she wasn’t betting on open arms. Tory rotated her shoulders to ease the tension knotting the muscles of her back. Cor was somewhere in that habitat. Cor, the man she’d loved once. The man she’d thought had loved her. Lord, she’d been so young, so sure, full of the bright courage of a cadet, and way too willing to take risks. The academy had been under the control of the Theocracy, with religious bigots constantly watching for any hint of moral turpitude. But she hadn’t cared. Once she’d fallen for Cor, she couldn’t wait. She’d wanted him -- wanted hot, wild, dangerous sex -- and she’d pulled Cor along with her. He’d paid the price, and she’d walked free. “Frig it all, Tory.” Kumiko kicked at the dirt with the toe of her boot. “Here we are, the best fighter team in the damn galaxy, crawling in the dirt like any rock hugger. Talk about your comedowns!” Tory’s mouth twisted in a wry smile. “I want my fully armed Thunderbolt back.” No chance of that, though. Feeling naked and exposed, she inched to the edge of the boulder for

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another careful look. Rocky ground dotted with tufts of thick yellow grass lay ahead. The ship and habitat sat at the far end of the meadow, just in front of another outcropping of black, igneous rock. Damned if this meadow wasn’t about the only piece of flat land on the whole friggin’ mountainside. Once they left the concealment of the boulder, they would have nowhere to hide. Well, it wasn’t like they were enemies. Cor wasn’t about to shoot at them, was he? Tory bit down on her lip and frowned. “The place looks dead. No one’s in sight.” “I told you, whoever’s inside, they’re blissfully unaware of our presence.” Kumiko ran an impatient hand through her spiky black hair, a habitual gesture whenever they were about to go into battle. She cocked her head to one side. Her eyes glowed with her uncanny confidence. “Whatever they’ve found there, hopefully they won’t have time to hide it.” “Yeah, but what if they saw us land?” Kumiko gave her a look that was half amused, half pissed. “What the hell do you mean by that? We’re the best. Besides, where’s your faith in the advanced technology of the great Earth Federation? I had us in stealth mode, and our tech is superior.” “Is it?” Tory let the question hang. There was no need to belabor the point. They were on this godforsaken planet because the Theocrats’ technology had bested theirs in a battle six hours ago. The devastation caused by the Theocrats’ weapons had sent their mothership, the

U.E.S. Valiant, fleeing into hyperspace. They’d been too busy protecting the Valiant to reach the rendezvous point in time. Left behind, they’d been forced to flee the fight in a series of small, random hyper leaps. Squinting against the sun, she studied the freighter and the habitat. Beyond the meadow, the ground rose steeply. In the distance, the snow-crowned peak of the dead volcano pierced the ring of clouds that surrounded it. “Still no movement.” Tory rubbed a hand across her brow, trying to ease the pounding in her temples. She was sweating despite the chill of the mountain air. Must be her leather flight jacket. What a

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frigged-up situation. She’d rather face a horde of enemy fighters than Cor any day. She rotated her stiff shoulders again. Beside her, Kumiko shifted with barely contained impatience. Tory sighed. Kumiko was right. Her hesitation was only delaying the inevitable. “All right. Let’s go in. But keep your gun handy.” “Why?” “Lucan Kenrie has a reputation for actively discouraging visitors to his digs. In the past, he’s shot first and asked questions later.” “Great.” Kumiko shook her head ruefully, making the spikes dance. She didn’t look pleased. “Let me summarize. We have to cross an open meadow to get over there, Cor might well hate you, and there’s a good chance a mad archeologist might take a potshot at us.” Tory squared her shoulders. “It’s just a possibility. Or we can sit behind this rock and starve to death. What’s your preference?” Kumiko chuckled soft and low. “You’re the one in command, Tory. I live to follow.” “Yeah, right.” Tory rolled her eyes, walked from behind the boulder and began marching across the open space. Her space boots thudded on the rocky ground and the distance seemed to stretch as she crossed. Finally, the pale gray walls of the habitat loomed in front of her. She stopped just short of the metal structure. For a long moment she listened, hearing nothing but Kumiko’s heavy breathing right behind her. The silence unnerved her. What was going on? Were they inside, watching their approach? She carefully began to creep toward the main door. “I’m going to jump to the other side of the door and kick it open. Cover me, just in case.” Kumiko’s grip on her gun tightened. She raised it to chest level and nodded. Taking a deep breath, Tory hurled herself toward the protection of the wall on the other side of the door. Her back to the wall, she gripped the door handle in one hand, turned it, and stepped in front of the door to kick violently inward. Instantly, she leapt back to her

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sheltered spot. Even as she jumped, she felt the hum of electrified air behind her and caught the bright red flash of a muzzle. “Laser pistol!” Panting, she pressed close against the wall. The thin metal offered little protection between her and the unknown shooter. She shivered, her skin pricking with tension. What if their opponent in the habitat had a heat-sensing device on his gun? Her body heat would reveal her position right through the wall. Her muscles tense, she braced for the stab of pain. “Frig it! I thought these guys were friendlies.” Kumiko grimaced, then leaned slightly into the open space and fired off a shot. “Take that, you bastards!” An answering flash of red light half blinded Tory. Kumiko cried out and slapped a hand to her cheek where a thin red line appeared. “Stop! Cease fire!” a male voice shouted from inside where dark shadows gathered. A shiver ran down Tory’s spine clear to her toes. She’d recognize that voice anywhere. His words slammed through her, awakening echoes from deep inside where she kept her memories of her affair with Cor locked away. Desire welled up, taking her by surprise. Frig! They’d been attacked. She had no time for this. “You fired at us first!” Tory hugged the wall, listening for any sound that would reveal the location of the shooter. “You heard me, put down that weapon!” All at once Tory realized Cor was shouting at someone else. He sounded angry. Her heart started to pound. She remembered the fire in his amber eyes, and emotions she’d thought long dead flooded through her. She pressed a hand to her throat, unable to catch her breath. The last time she’d heard his voice it had held the same angry timbre. He’d been cursing her, telling her to get the fuck away from him.

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She made a conscious effort to breathe. She rubbed the back of one hand over her parched lips and summoned the courage to peek around the doorframe. “Who was shooting at us?” A tall man with broad shoulders moved in the shadows. “I’ll ask the questions here. Who the hell are you?” He sounded surly. “And why did you come sneaking up on us out of nowhere?” Tory blinked and pulled back, still shaken by the emotions surging through her. Standing in front of her was the reason why she’d dreaded her father’s order, why she hadn’t wanted to come anywhere near this planet. She’d always suspected she wasn’t totally over Cor. Damn it, she had to get it together. She was the ranking officer. Kumiko depended on her leadership. With an effort, she kept her voice level and stepped out where he could see her. “Hello, Cor. It’s me. I’m a fighter pilot with the U.E.S. Valiant. Our fighter sustained heavy damage in a battle earlier today, and we had to put down on this world. We’ll require your assistance getting back to the Federation.” Cor squinted against the light behind her. “Tory?” He turned his head to the left and spoke in a sharper tone. “I said, put down that gun! These people aren’t enemies. Check for yourself. Run their uniforms through your visual recognition program.” “Yes. I see. You are correct. I will put down my weapon.” The woman’s soft, silky voice made her words sound like a sexual invitation. Tory moved closer to the door and peered inside. She could hear Cor’s breathing, but not the woman’s. “Who’s that? Your girlfriend’s dangerous, Cor.” “Elvira is an android. When you snuck up on this place she went into automatic defense mode. That’s why she fired. But she’s lowered her weapon.” An android, of course! That’s why she’d only heard Cor breathing.

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“So what the hell are you doing here, Tory?” Cor glared at her across the space between them. Tory pressed her fingers to her aching forehead. That voice. She could still remember how those deep bass tones seemed to vibrate through her whenever he whispered in her ear. Cold sweat broke out on her brow. Something moved in the shadows. A woman strode into the light, stopping at the inner edge of the doorway. Tory exhaled deeply. This gorgeous female was every horny hetero male’s blonde wet dream -- all long silky hair and even longer legs, a curvy figure, and ample breasts barely contained by an almost invisible halter top. The big, blue eyes staring back at her displayed no emotion. This was the android. “Please give the captain your gun, Elvira. We don’t want her to think we’re unfriendly.” “I must defend Lucan.” The cool blue eyes shifted to Tory. “Lucan doesn’t want Federation officers arresting him for an unwarranted attack. Give them the weapon. I’m sure they’ll give it back once we’ve all been properly introduced.” “I rely on your assessment of the situation then.” The perfectly proportioned face had a serene look. The android took a step closer and raised her laser pistol, the butt gripped by a manicured hand. Tory looked straight down the barrel. One swift command from Cor and she’d be dead. “Here.” The android handed it to her and stepped to one side. “Satisfied?” Damn! She knew that flippant, sardonic tone all too well. “Yes.” “Let’s call it a truce then, sweetie.” Wearing a bold smile, Cor stepped into the light. Tory’s heart squeezed tight in her chest. He’d changed. The young man she’d loved was fully mature now. His body had filled out, and muscles rippled under the white, shortsleeved shirt he wore. He looked harder, and his lean face was tanned dark by the relentless

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light of alien suns. But the eyes were the same, a magnetic brown with gold flecks dancing in the depths. They sparkled with his ironic humor. “Cordon.” She could barely speak his name. “Hi, Tory. Quite a surprise meeting you here.” He smiled again, the lopsided smile that had charmed her the first day they’d met at the Space Academy. He ran a hand over the dark stubble on his chin and gazed at her with enigmatic intensity. The wind plucked at his chestnut hair, the late afternoon sun catching the amber strands. It had grown wild and unruly since she’d seen him last in a regulation crew cut. “I could say the same, Cor.” She pointed her gun at his chest. “I understand you’re wanted for murder.”

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Chapter Two

“Murder?” Cor pretended surprise and spread his hands to show Tory he didn’t have a weapon. After the cruel way he’d cut off all contact with her following the disastrous end of their affair, she’d probably welcome an opportunity to shoot him. Talk about a fucking shock. He could barely believe it was Tory standing here in front of him, his Tory.

No, he corrected himself with the familiar stab of pain he felt whenever he thought of Tory, not mine, not anymore. Not ever again. He eyed her gun hand warily, half expecting to see her squeeze the trigger. He’d never told her the real reason he’d refused to see her after he’d been expelled from the academy. And when she’d tracked him down anyway, he’d driven her off with a stream of curses. Had her passion turned to hate? Even in the best of circumstances, Tory could be unpredictable. It was an admirable trait in a fighter pilot, but tough in a relationship. Damn, she was one fine woman, and he was a fool. He’d lost her, and it was his fault. But he would never admit to her what had happened that terrible night. She’d only despise him more for it anyway.

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Slowly, he let his gaze wander upward from her gun hand to her determined face, the face that had once softened with love while she moved above him. Now she glared at him, her lush lips set in a hard line and her sapphire blue eyes flashing with anger. She looked damned dangerous, and she thought he was a murderer. He hoped she’d gotten her hairtrigger temper under control in the six years since he’d seen her last. He didn’t like the way she kept that gun aimed squarely at his heart. “I saw the warrant myself in the last dispatches that the Valiant received from Earth.” She frowned at him and waved the gun to emphasize her point. “Hard to believe even you could fall so low. By the way, it said wanted, dead or alive. So give me one good reason why I shouldn’t blast your rotten hide straight to hell.” He coughed to cover up his smile. Her reaction to his grin at this particular moment could prove fatal, but he couldn’t help the warm glow of pleasure that coursed through him. She looked so incredibly sexy standing there with braced legs and fiery eyes, her gun hand steady. He shifted his glance to the side. A woman in a ripped flight suit fixed him with an intimidating look. Her gun was aimed at Elvira. Fucking great. Tension erased his smile. He turned back to Tory. She had her eyes narrowed, her shoulders back and her jaw clenched tight, obviously in command mode. He knew better than to show any insubordination. Her battle-ready stance reminded him too vividly of her father, Admiral Stone. Tory had spent her entire life trying to live up to her daddy’s expectations. She’d been the perfect cadet and now, he was sure, she was the perfect starfighter captain. He wished he could think of her as an opponent at this moment, nothing else. If only she weren’t such a desirable woman. His palms itched remembering the silky smoothness of her skin, the scent of her hair, the taste of her mouth. Damn it all, he wanted to pull her into his arms, plunder that soft

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mouth with his kisses and reawaken the fierce passion of her untamed nature. But this was no sentimental reunion. Tory was quite capable of pulling that trigger if he made one wrong move. He lifted both hands higher above his head. “How long ago did the Valiant get that warrant?” Her fierce expression didn’t change, but he thought he saw a flicker of regret in the clear blue of her eyes. Some of the tension around her mouth eased, returning her soft red lips to their usual sensual curve. She rubbed her free hand across her temple, and he noted the start of a dark bruise on her normally flawless skin. Had she been in some sort of fight? Or did she get that injury in a crash? She’d mentioned landing in a starfighter, yet it was nowhere in sight. “A couple of months ago.” She held the gun steady on his heart. “The Valiant has been out of touch with Earth, cut off by the enemy’s forces.” He shrugged. “That explains why you hadn’t heard that the charges were dropped. It was self-defense.” “Says you.” Tory shook her head. Her honey-colored curls bounced with the abrupt movement. Lord, how he’d loved to wrap those shining strands around his fingers. His hands itched again, but he didn’t dare lower them, not until she gave the okay. He caught a movement out of the corner of his eye and slowly turned his head. The second woman had taken half a step closer, concern written on her delicate features. “Don’t move!” This must be Tory’s weapons officer, and from the eager look on her face, she’d love a chance to blast him to kingdom come. Well, he wasn’t going to let her guess he was intimidated by the two of them. Tilting his head to one side, he let his glance wander from her dusty boots upward over sweetly rounded calves and thighs, to small but well-formed breasts, and finally her indignant face. She was petite, like most backseaters with the sleek

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slimness of an athlete who worked out every day. Like Tory, she kept her hair hacked short, but he found the spikes sexy. Her dark eyes watched him with suspicion. “It’s okay, Kumiko. Cor and I are old friends. I’m sure he has a good explanation of what he’s doing on this world.” “You trust him then?” Tory’s intense gaze had never left Cor’s face. She glowered at him, and he stared back, unflinching. The moment seemed endless, but finally she blinked. She tilted the barrel of her gun upward and then thrust the weapon into the holster at her hip. “Oh, I trust him. I trust Cor to be Cor. If he says the charges were dismissed, they undoubtedly were.” “Thanks.” Cor relaxed slightly and lowered his hands. At his side, Elvira stirred. He realized belatedly that the android hadn’t moved the whole time he and Tory had confronted each other. The situation had no doubt been beyond Elvira’s programming, so she’d simply done nothing. The android faced him, her long blonde bangs falling into her eyes. Her lips parted and she spoke in a breathy whisper. “Are these guests? Shall I prepare refreshments?” Cor wished the damned machine would turn off the sexy act. He found it irritating. It was nothing but a program wrapped in some very fancy packaging, for God’s sake. What did his father see in the thing? Still, the android raised a valid point. He turned to Tory. “What about it? You said you required assistance. How can we help?” “You’re willing to help?” Tory looked skeptical. He concentrated his gaze on her, letting his eyes sweep over her body in a long, leisurely survey that he knew would annoy the hell out of her. Especially since he’d already given the other woman the once-over, and she was second. Tory hated second place in anything.

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Over the years he’d begun to think his memories had painted a picture that was more beautiful than the reality, but he saw that he was wrong. Her tawny hair, dimpled cheeks, and that hot, eager mouth -- the mouth he’d loved to kiss -- were just as he remembered them. Beyond that, she radiated vitality, the bold charisma of a fighter pilot. A fighter pilot who’d recently been in a fierce battle, judging by the dust and dirt on her usually immaculate flight jacket, and the darkening bruise at her temple. “Sure. Always glad to render assistance to stranded pilots. I wouldn’t want you to be stuck here on Damaen.” Her chin came up a notch, a gesture he knew well. It meant she was bracing for a fight. “Yes, Damaen. I’d like to know what the hell you’re doing here. This planet is listed as uninhabited and undeveloped. Access is limited to government-approved personnel.” Cripes! The woman was as nosy as ever and determined to interrogate him. She always had to have the upper hand. Cor rolled his eyes. Obviously, not much had changed since their academy days. Tory the overachiever. Tory the gorgeous overachiever. He couldn’t stop looking at her. Damn, he needed to get a grip before she realized what an effect she was having on him. “We have a permit to explore from the government.” He spoke slowly, emphasizing each word, sure it would irritate the hell out of her. “The Federation is fighting a war, in case you haven’t noticed. They’re more than happy to give permits to anyone who’s willing to go out and look for alien technology that might help them win this war with the Theocrats.” “I see.” Tory aimed a tight smile at him. “You came to an uninhabited planet to look for alien technology. That makes sense. And what alien technology would that be exactly?” She jerked her head at the barren landscape. He propped both hands on his hips, pissed at her attitude. “Why should I tell you? So you can steal it from us?”

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Tory pointed a thumb at the insignia sewn on her flight jacket. “I’m a captain in the Federation forces.” “Big fucking deal. I’ve told you all that you have a right to know. Why don’t you answer some of my questions for a change? How did you find this camp? Where’s your ship?” She drew in an angry breath, her full breasts rising sharply upward. Cor met her fierce gaze with calm indifference and let his lips lift into a satisfied smirk. He’d always enjoyed getting her riled up. Those flashing blue eyes, the slight blush on her fair skin, those perky breasts straining against her flight jacket: It all made for a pleasant sight. Especially the breasts. He’d always been a breast guy, and for a wild moment he wanted to grab her and bury his face in the softness of hers. Oh, yes, they were soft. He knew that from experience -- knew the feel of her skin like warm silk under his fingertips, the sweet curve of heavy flesh cupped in his hands. Dear God, how he’d loved her. They’d started out as competitors, two of the brightest and best among an academy full of the brightest and the best. They’d been in the same class, assigned to the same floor. At first he’d thought she was a snotty admiral’s daughter riding her father’s coattails. She had treated him like a wild, undisciplined know-it-all. But their competition had resulted in mutual respect, a respect that slowly turned to love. Love was forbidden between cadets, of course. There was only one sin worse than falling in love, and that was having sex. Any physical pleasure was sure to be found on the Theocracy’s long list of forbidden sins, and sex headed the list. They hadn’t let that stop them. Unbidden, memories filled his mind. Tory underneath him. Tory panting and moaning when he squeezed her breasts. Heat uncoiled in his stomach and shot downward. He stiffened and forced his thoughts back to the present moment. Tory blew out her breath in a heavy sigh. “Okay. I guess there’s no harm in telling you the full story. We were in a battle a few hours ago, defending the Valiant. The ship was

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forced to jump into hyperspace to avoid certain destruction. We jumped, too, just ahead of the Theocrats, and flew a random course to ditch any pursuit. We ended up near here. When we approached the planet, we spotted your life signs.” “So where’s your fighter?” She looked chagrined. “We took more damage than I thought. When we tried to land, we came down hard. The ship isn’t flyable. We left it about a half hour’s walk from here.” “What!” Cor made no attempt to hide his grin this time. “You crashed? The great Victoria Stone, daughter of Admiral Vincent Stone, crashed?” The other woman stepped forward, an angry flush on her smooth cheeks. “The stabilizers were shot, but Tory put the ship down in one piece. She’s the best pilot in the fleet.” “Thanks, Kumiko, but I don’t need anyone defending me to this guy. He’s a jerk.” “A jerk am I?” Cor turned to the android, which hadn’t moved since asking her question earlier. “Maybe we won’t need those refreshments after all, Elvira.” Tory glared at him. “Cut the crap, you bastard. You’re not going to leave us out here to starve. Anything else you want to ask before you invite us inside?” “Name, rank, and serial number?” He laughed. “Okay, I’ll cut the crap, but it’s hard to do. You look so hot when you’re angry.” “Hot? Yeah, I’m hot. You try climbing a mountain and sneaking up on a mysterious camp when you don’t have any idea what might be waiting for you.” Cor lifted his brows. Tory had misinterpreted his meaning on purpose, he knew. She probably didn’t want her copilot to find out what had been between them years ago, back at the academy. Long ago, he reminded himself. A lifetime ago. Or it seemed that way to him. Too much had happened in the six years since he’d gotten the boot at the academy. He wasn’t the

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man she’d known, the man she’d loved. The bitter loss of his dreams grew heavier with each passing year. “Come inside then. Elvira, we’ll need those refreshments after all.” “As you wish.” The android sprang to life and headed back into the habitat, her hips swaying provocatively in the tight stretch pants she wore. “As you wish!” Tory stepped closer to him, her eyes shining with mockery. “I didn’t expect to find you with an artificial sex slave, Cor. Is the old charm failing you these days?” Her remark offended him. What did she think -- that he’d lost all decency? “Elvira isn’t mine. She belongs to my father.” A curious look passed over Tory’s face. “Your father’s here with you?” “I told you, this is an archeological dig. Yes, the great Lucan Kenrie is appearing in person. He made the discovery of the alien artifacts on this world. I’m just his pilot, bodyguard, and general gofer.” Cor gestured for them to follow him. “Come in. I’ll see if I can hunt him up.” He led them into the habitat, and they stood still for a moment letting their eyes adjust to the dim interior. Cor scanned the space, trying to see it through Tory’s eyes. Like most prefab buildings, it held only the bare essentials. Several tables stood just beyond the open doorway, laden with a jumble of scientific instruments. The tools of his father’s trade. He examined each quickly but saw nothing that would give away their discovery. Typical archeological equipment. Another table, shoved in a far corner, served as a place to eat their meals. A small cabinet next to the table held an assembler, and a cot was pushed up against a wall. Next to the cabinet, a closed doorway led deeper into the interior. Elvira stood in front of the assembler, one hand propped on a curvy hip, the other punching in a code. Light flashed inside the machine. It emitted a high-pitched hum as it

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threw atoms together. In another moment, three glasses materialized on top of the cabinet. The android picked up one and turned, her head cocked to one side, her sexy lips pursed as if she were about to choose a lover. Smiling a slow, sensual smile, she handed the glass to Tory who took a quick sip. “Thanks for the water.” Her head swiveled while she did her own survey of the room. When her gaze came back to him, she had a question in her eyes. “Why only one cot?” “My dad and Elvira sleep on the ship. I keep watch out here.” “For what?” The woman Tory had called Kumiko took the glass Elvira was offering her and lifted it to her lips. Taking a sip, she wandered over to the scientific equipment on the table. “The natives can’t be restless, since there aren’t any. Ghosts, maybe?” Cor almost choked. The damned woman had guessed closer than she knew. There were ghosts on Damaen in a very real sense. This officer might look unorthodox with her spiky hair, but she was sharp, just the kind of subordinate Tory would insist on, of course. He’d better not underestimate either one of them. “I believe in playing it safe. You never know when Federation officers might drop by.” Turning to Elvira, he accepted the third glass. The android brushed her fingers down his arm and favored him with a coy smile. Tory watched with obvious displeasure. “I think the android likes you.” “She likes anyone who’s male -- or female for that matter. Her programming goes both ways.” “Interesting.” Kumiko arched her brows and moved closer to the android. Elvira stood still, awaiting a command, while the weapons officer examined her cleavage. “Very nice. Looks real. May I touch it?” She gave a little giggle and lifted her hand, but the gesture was immediately squelched by a glare from Tory. “Can you shut the thing off? It’s making me nervous.” “Sorry, no can do.”

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“I thought androids had to obey human orders.” “It depends on their programming. She obeys me most of the time, but she’s programmed to follow Lucan’s commands, not mine. Only he can order her to shut down.” “Doesn’t she have an off switch?” Cor laughed. “Yes, but she’ll take your head off if you try to touch it. Or anyone but Lucan. However, like a human, she might respond to a request if you ask nicely. Elvira, would you mind going to stand in the corner and powering down for a bit?” Obeying instantly, the android retreated to one corner, folded her arms across her chest and went into standby mode. Cor aimed a challenging grin at Tory. “Happy? I know you’re naturally competitive, but an android is hardly worth worrying about.” Tory laughed, the sound full throated and sexy. “Point taken.” “Where’s that go?” Kumiko jerked her head at the inner door. “I’m sorry,” Cor stalled. “I don’t believe we’ve been properly introduced.” “This is my copilot, Lieutenant Commander Kumiko Hanari.” Tory turned her attention to the door, too, with a trace of impatience. “Pleased to meet you.” Cor took a steadying breath. The glint in Kumiko’s dark eyes confirmed his first impression. She was every bit as tough-minded as Tory. It was going to be impossible to keep his father’s secret for long. Maybe if he tried limited disclosure, they’d be satisfied. “There’s another lab beyond that door, and the entrance to a tunnel.” “A tunnel?” Tory looked surprised for the second time that day. “Yeah. The discovery Lucan made is buried underneath us, beneath several feet of solid lava.” “And that discovery is what exactly?”

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Just as Cor opened his mouth to answer, the door in question swung open, striking the wall with a bang. Lucan Kenrie stepped through, his manner brisk and distracted as always. The famed archeologist filled the small space with his intense energy. A big, broadshouldered man like his son, he seemed well suited to digging up ancient mysteries. When he saw the women, he came to an abrupt halt. His mouth twisted down in anger and his cold gray stare moved from face to face. “What’s this, Cor? Company?” Cor quickly explained the situation. His father listened with an impassive expression, but Cor knew him well enough to see the wheels spinning in that brilliant mind. When he finished with introductions, Lucan nodded at the two women. His hooded gaze swept over Tory and dismissed her, to Cor’s relief. He knew why. His father already had a blonde in his bed. Lucan’s attention settled on Kumiko. Cor thought the weapons officer was no match for Tory in the beauty department, but she did have a timeless allure despite her spiked hair. Judging by the glint in his father’s eye, Lucan agreed. “Welcome to Damaen. We weren’t expecting any guests, but we can offer you food and a warm bed to sleep in.” Kumiko’s black eyes sparkled. She hadn’t missed the older man’s interest. “A bed sounds wonderful.” Tory held up a hand. “We’re grateful for that, of course, but what we really need is a subspace radio to call for help. Ours was damaged in the, ah, landing.” “We do have a radio, yes.” Lucian stroked his gray beard in a habitual gesture. “Unfortunately, we are so far off the beaten track here that we are out of reach of any Federation listening post.” Kumiko looked disappointed. She reached out and placed her fingers on Lucan’s arm. “Well, how about a supply ship? Do you have one coming soon?”

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Lucan turned his attention back to her, his lips curving in a hungry smile. Cor sighed. This could mean trouble. His father might be compulsive about keeping his digs secret, but he was even more compulsive when it came to sex. And after months with nothing but the android to satisfy his erotic yearnings, he was probably just about ready to drag this woman -- any woman -- into his bed. Lucan made a little half bow and swept his hands outward in an elegant gesture. “I’m sorry to disappoint someone as lovely as you, my dear, but we brought ample supplies. And we have the assembler, of course.” Tory traded a quick glance with Kumiko. “I see. As Federation officers, we need to report back as soon as possible. Since we are officially at war, we could requisition your ship, but I’d hate to interrupt your work if it’s not necessary. When were you planning to leave this world?” Reluctantly, Lucan tore his attention away from Kumiko. He pursed his lips at Tory, a glint of anger showing in his suddenly icy gaze. “Not any time soon, I’m afraid. I’ve made a major discovery -- a discovery which will eventually be far more important to the future of the Federation than the return of two pilots. We need to stay on this world and continue investigating until I’m certain of my conclusions. Then we’ll go back.” “I see. I hate to sound like a pest, but I need to know. How long might that be?” He lifted his shoulders. “Months, perhaps.” Cor winced at the determined look that settled over Tory’s features. His gut was churning, warning of even more potential trouble ahead. Famous scientist or not, Tory wasn’t about to let Lucan stop her from her goal of returning to the battlefront. As he’d expected, she shook her head. “If we wait months, the Federation could lose the war. And if there’s that much work to be done, you need help. The solution seems simple. We can all fly to the nearest inhabited world and you can bring back more scientists.”

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“No!” His father’s voice rang with iron determination. “I won’t let anyone else disturb the integrity of this find until I reach some firm conclusions.” “Sorry.” Cor stepped between the two of them, trying to defuse the growing confrontation. He knew his father’s temper from long, bitter experience, and Tory had a short fuse of her own. He’d be hard pressed to say which of them was more stubborn. Tory plopped her hands on her hips. “What exactly is this discovery?” Lucan scowled. “I can’t tell you that. I very much doubt your security clearance is high enough to be given that information. As I said, you’re welcome to stay here, welcome to our food and shelter. But I must ask you not to venture any deeper into the habitat than this room.” “It’s okay, Lucan.” Cor waved a hand at the two women. “We have an extra tent in ship’s supplies. I can set it up for them. And I can bring them their meals. They won’t need to come into the habitat at all.” Tory whirled on him with fury on her face. “Stop trying to handle me, Cor. I don’t need you to save me anymore!” Lucan’s brows came up with sudden interest. “Save you? What the fuck! Is this the one, Cor, the woman who cost you your commission?” “Yeah.” Cor frowned at both of them. There was no point in denying it. Lucan turned to Tory, his face rigid with disapproval. “You might be an officer, madam, but you are also a coward who deserted my son. Get out of here!”

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Chapter Three

“I don’t suppose you’d be willing to give me some advice on how to change your father’s mind?” Tory nodded toward the habitat door with a disapproving frown. Getting kicked out galled her. She scuffed at the thin layer of soil that lay over the volcanic rock of the mountainside with the heel of her boot. She could picture the glowing lava pouring down these slopes long eons ago. Had the ancient eruption wiped out some civilization? Cor dumped a large bundle on the ground. “Don’t even try.” Straightening, he examined the pile of materials he’d brought out from the battered freighter. Tory saw it included a tent. “I’m not going to back off just because he doesn’t trust me. As a Federation officer, I have a right to demand information about what’s going on here.” “Tell it to the judge, if you can find one within a hundred light years. Meanwhile, you don’t have any way to make Lucan talk. Believe it or not, he doesn’t have a vendetta just for you. He’s always downright obsessive about keeping his discoveries secret until he’s ready to make a full-blown announcement. I’m surprised he’s talking to Lt. Hanari.” Tory almost smiled remembering the look of astonishment on Cor’s face when his father had asked Kumiko to stay behind. She had laid a soothing hand on Lucan’s arm and

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started chattering about the courses she’d taken in alien archeology before entering the academy. That was her weapon’s officer, always acting from her gut. Of course, Lucan was probably more interested in Kumiko’s exotic eyes and small, pert breasts than her archeological abilities. Well, she was smart enough to handle a lecherous old man. If she could use her physical attributes to gather some intel, so much the better. Tory would never admit that to Cor, though. “He’d be a fool not to ask for Kumiko’s help. She has a first-rate mind.” “Yeah. I can see that.” The corners of Cor’s mouth had turned upward in amusement. “My father’s only talking to her because he thinks she’d make a hot little bedmate. It has nothing to do with her academic achievements.” Even though she suspected he was right, Tory bit back a snotty reply. Her anger toward Cor wasn’t fair, she knew. The feelings they’d once shared had meant something -- or so she’d thought at the time. After he’d walked away from their relationship, she’d begun to doubt that he’d ever truly loved her. And it was easier to hold onto the anger than to face those emotions that were stirring back to life. She took a deep breath. “If this is such a huge discovery, even your father might be out of his depth trying to go it alone. She could be a big help to him in analyzing whatever he’s found.” “Listen, my father is an asshole who refuses to share the credit with anyone, much less a mere female. The only time he has anything to do with women is in a bed, and even then, he prefers an android so he can shut her off after he’s done.” Turning before he could see Tory’s disgusted look, he marched over to a flat spot about ten yards from the habitat and began laying out the poles that would support the domed tent. Tory knew she should volunteer to help him. Instead, she just folded her arms. It would be fun to watch him sweat as he struggled with a laser drill. It was going to take some muscle to drive the tent stakes into the unyielding rock of the mountainside.

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Cor swiftly disappointed her. He worked with unhurried competence, using the laser to vaporize the rock. Within minutes, he was setting the stakes. It was hard not to admire the smooth flexing of his muscled back as he finished up. She wandered closer, her hands on her hips. “Listen, Cor, you’re making a mistake backing your father. He’s wrong. The law allows any Federation officer to take charge in a situation like this. Besides, we’re only trying to help.” “Who do you think you’re kidding?” Cor bent low to attach a tent pole to the stakes. “You two don’t give a rat’s ass about helping him. You just want to find out what he’s discovered. I’ll bet your lieutenant is trying her best to pump him for information. Well, I wish her luck because she’ll need it.” Tory lifted an eyebrow. As usual, Cor thought he had it all figured out. Well, Kumiko just might surprise him. She might be reckless and wild at times, but she possessed a subtle intelligence and charm. She was deadly in space, and equally deadly in one-on-one encounters. One moment you were having a friendly chat, and the next you were revealing your deepest, darkest secrets. Tory eyed Cor’s tall, lean form and thought about her own plans for learning Lucan’s secret. Just looking at big, bad Cor Kenrie was making her ache inwardly with need. But he showed no signs of recalling the passion they’d once shared. Damn, she wanted to see him looking at her with that old desire smoldering in his eyes. She edged closer to his side. “From the look of things in your lab, your father could be in trouble.” “What do you mean?” “The tables were cluttered and disorganized, fragile instruments just dumped everywhere. He’s an eminent archeologist, and probably not used to taking care of the basics

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anymore. That’s what assistants are for. He needs someone who knows what’s what, and that obviously isn’t you.” Cor turned toward her, pushing damp hair off his forehead. Sweat plastered his shirt to reveal well-defined muscles. “Hey, I’m a pilot. We were supposed to have a lab assistant for this trip, but he bailed at the last moment. He was scared of getting so close to the fighting out in this sector.” “What about Elvira? Is she programmed to do lab work?” Tory fluttered her eyelashes and gave him an innocent smile. Damn, it felt friggin’ good to yank his chain. She was rewarded when he fumbled with one of the tent clips, looking uncharacteristically flustered. “Lucan has had Elvira for a long time. She sees to his personal needs, nothing else. Her programming is very limited.” “I’ll bet. Limited to one thing. And why do you call your father by his first name?” “Always have. He likes it that way. He’s not much of a traditional father, really.” To her surprise, Cor laughed with an edge of bitterness. “But then, I’m not much of a traditional son, either. After I disgraced the family name by getting kicked out of the academy, I headed out for the frontier and fell in with some tough characters.” “Hence the murder charge?” Tory straightened her shoulders, afraid of what she might be about to find out. How low had Cor fallen after he’d left the academy? He glared at her, his face darkening with a sudden rush of blood. She wanted to look away, but she kept her gaze locked with his. They’d spent too many years running from each other and their feelings. She wasn’t going to be the one to back off this time. Cor turned away first. Moving quickly, he began clipping the tent to the poles. As she watched, its circular shape appeared. “That was a backstreet brawl. Self-defense.” Tory stiffened. She’d heard those short, clipped tones before. When Cor decided to clam up, that was that. He’d made up his mind, discussion over. She forced an indifferent

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tone into her voice. “Okay. None of my business really, as long as you’re telling the truth and the charge was dropped.” “Have I ever lied to you?” No. He never had. Not even when she’d wished he would. Besides, she’d already known the charge was dropped. But her accusation had helped to keep him off balance enough to accept their story about stumbling on the camp without question. “You might not lie, but there are way too many things in your life you refused to discuss.” He shot her an angry look. “Ancient history, Tory. Drop it.” He was right. It was ancient history. She should drop it. She opened her mouth to change the subject, but the painful tightness in her throat wouldn’t go away. It felt as if something was forcing its way up out of her gut, an old pain that had festered inside her for far too long. “So why did you do it? Why did you ruin your career for me and then blow me off like I was nothing to you? You protected me when the honor code demanded that you give them my name. You might have gotten off with a lighter punishment if you’d told them what they wanted to hear.” He bent to flick a bit of invisible dust off the taut fabric covering one thigh. “Fuck them and their damned honor code. I’d had it with the Theocracy. I wasn’t about to serve in their navy. I don’t dig arrogant dictators who try to stuff their own beliefs down your throat.” Her blood roared in her ears. “So your leaving had nothing to do with me? You didn’t ruin your career to protect me?” Cor reached up to fasten the last clip for the tent, and then stepped back to examine his work, his arms folded across his chest and his booted feet planted wide. Against her will, she found herself staring at his slim hips and long, strong legs. He was a gorgeous man, all right. Too bad at this moment she wanted to beat him to a pulp. He turned his head toward her, his mouth twisted in a scowl. “You think I ruined my career for you? Get over yourself, baby.” He held up a hand. “I’m no snitch to give up a name

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to the damned Theocracy. It was a matter of honor, my honor. And seeing you afterward would have been out of the question. A career officer and an academy reject together? Come on. It was nice while it lasted, but it was over.” The pain of rejection knifed through Tory again. She squared her shoulders, but the heavy weight of the guilt she’d carried for years was lifting, erased by his blunt words. She’d agonized over the unfairness of letting Cor take the rap for her, but he made it sound like it’d had nothing to do with her. Her heart squeezed tight in her chest. This cynical man was so different from the young idealistic cadet she remembered. Had she been wrong to believe she’d ever mattered to him? With an effort, she kept her voice level. “If you had any guts, you would have stayed and fought them.” A rebellion led by the navy’s officers, including her father, had overthrown the Theocracy about two years after she’d graduated. Some ships had stayed loyal to the religious bigots who’d headed the Theocracy, though, and the fighting had dragged on for four years. If they won, they would crush freedom on Earth and the colonies. For a moment true regret flashed across Cor’s face. “I can’t change the past.” “You could join the navy now. You’re a decent pilot.” He glanced up at the sky, a look of pain in his eyes. “Thanks. High praise from you, I guess. But I lost my commission, remember?” “Yeah, protecting me, or so I always thought. But I guess I wasn’t all that important. It was more about male honor and defying the damned Theocracy and then getting away from the Theocrats.” She pressed her hands to her sides to keep from reaching out for him. Damnation, she wanted to shake the cynicism out of him and make him admit that he hadn’t just dumped her. They’d had something real, something that still sizzled between them. She ached to touch him as she’d once done, to kiss the frown off his forehead, and massage the tension from those broad shoulders.

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Frig, how did you get rid of old feelings, especially feelings that were taking you by surprise after all these years? Her body ached, remembering the feel of his hard chest against hers, the taste of his passionate kisses against her mouth. She’d even enjoyed the wild rush of sneaking out of her quarters, and the always dangerous search for a secluded spot on the grounds where they could make love. Her heart constricted again, remembering the moment when that academy officer had closed in on their secret rendezvous. Cor had ordered her to leave before she was seen. She could still taste her panic. The disgrace of losing her appointment to the academy and facing her father would have been unbearable. To her eternal shame, she’d fled into the night, never looking back, too afraid of what might happen to her career to even think of Cor’s. He’d been dragged before the board and expelled that very night. When she’d finally gotten leave and tracked him down, she’d volunteered to go with him to the academy council, admit everything and plead for mercy. She’d never forget his icy stare, his curses, his cold rejection. Her heart ached with pain. How could something still hurt so much? Cor turned to face her, fire burning gold-bright in the deep brown of his eyes. “Fuck, are you still worrying about that shit? I was the one who was stupid enough to be spotted. It was only right I take the fall.” She stared hard at him, breathing fast. She needed to face what she had spent years denying. There were things she had to say to him, things that burdened her. “I shouldn’t have run away like a coward that night. We should have faced them together -- stayed together. We were in love.” There, she’d said it. His face hardened. “Don’t be stupid, Tory. I told you, it was my fault we were spotted.” He looked away. “Hell, the truth is, I boasted about sleeping with you to a friend. Guess

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word got around to the wrong place. It was all my stupid screwup and my fault I was followed.” Frig! Tory stared at Cor in disbelief. “Do you have any idea how guilty I’ve felt? Why didn’t you tell me this before?” He grimaced. “I didn’t deserve you. I screwed up, and I was too ashamed to tell you the truth. So I took the coward’s way out and drove you away.” A flicker of hope made her heart beat faster. “Of course you deserved me. Hell, we both screwed up. I talked to my best friend, too. The sex was too good not to talk about it to somebody. Could be I’m the one to blame.” A look of unbearable sadness passed over his face for a moment, then he shrugged. “What’s done is done, Tory. We thought we were in love but when it came down to it, we both ran away. Drop it, for God’s sake.” The bluntness of his words tore into her. She looked down at the tips of her boots. Damn it all! He was right. She was acting like a fool. Why? Was it just that the warrior in her had always felt she’d suffered a defeat when he’d rejected her? Well, there was an easy way to fix that. She was older, battle hardened. She’d take the war to the enemy and win it this time. She lifted her head and faced him. “You’re right. And I’m glad to see you’ve landed on your feet, working as a space pilot. Piloting was all you ever wanted to do.” “Yeah, it’s great.” “Plus, your father’s made a great discovery, apparently.” Cor barked out a laugh. “Still trying to pump some more information out of me?” She forced a smile. “You can’t blame me for trying.” He shook his head, apparently amused by her determination. A gust of wind blew his chestnut hair over his forehead, and he brushed it impatiently away while giving her his

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intent stare -- the same stare that had first caught her interest so long ago. They shared that intensity, that drive, and it had kindled a feverish attraction between them. The effect hadn’t changed, especially now that she was finally starting to understand what had happened before. Heat stirred in her core and blazed outward. She could feel her skin flush and her nipples ache for his touch. Frick, her whole body was preparing itself, and she knew damned well for what. She still wanted him. How ironic was that? Duty called, and this time duty would be a pleasure. Acting before she could change her mind, she grabbed his hand and dragged him into the tent he’d just erected. At least it offered a modicum of privacy. The interior was more spacious than she’d expected. She faced him, smiling at the surprised look on his face. “Nice digs. Thanks.” As she spoke, she reached for his belt. He slapped her hand away. “Hey! What do you think you’re doing?” “I’m trying to undress you so we can have sex.” She stared him straight in the eye while she unzipped her flight jacket and pulled it off. All she had on underneath was a T-shirt. Looking down, she saw her nipples tighten and begin to poke at the thin fabric. Just touching him was triggering all the old responses. Cor saw them, too. He licked his lips, and for once she had the pleasure of seeing him look nonplussed. “You want to make love?” She forced out a chuckle. She could feel the sexual tension throbbing between them. This wasn’t good. If she didn’t watch it, she was going to get hurt all over again. She needed to keep him distracted while Kumiko worked on Lucan, and just possibly a hot encounter would loosen his tongue, although she doubted it. Still, it was worth a try. She had to pry the information her father wanted out of Cor, and get the hell off this planet before whatever lay buried between them erupted.

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In the meantime, she had to somehow keep it light. “Don’t get the idea it’s anything personal, big boy.” As she spoke she undid her own belt and let her pants drop to the ground. With one swift motion, she kicked them aside. Beneath, she wore only bikini briefs. Sweat broke out on Cor’s brow. “If it’s nothing personal, why are you taking your clothes off?” She shrugged. “I can see you never served on a navy ship during a war. It’s way worse than the Theocracy ever was. No sex with anyone you outrank. Double that for no sex with your fellow pilots. It’s too damned dangerous having a lover flying at your side when you’re out there shooting at the enemy. Your mind tends to wander. And as for my superior officers --” She made a face. “Superior assholes, we like to call them.” His eyes examined her. Glancing down, she smiled at the growing bulge in his pants. He was responding to her half-nude state. Good. “So you weren’t getting any.” His voice sounded a little strained. “Not for months. Hell, I’m practically a virgin again, it’s been so long.” His broad grin flashed at that. “If I remember right, Tory, you’re nothing like a virgin.” She slipped her thumb under the waistband of her panties and pulled down. “Then let’s enjoy each other while we have the chance, Cor. Drop those pants and see if I’ve still got it, or are you afraid to stir up old memories?” “Me? Afraid?” He planted his hands on his hips. “I just don’t think it’s wise to get involved again.” “That’s just another way of saying you’re afraid.” Golden sparks flared in the brown depths of his eyes. “Okay, pure sex, no strings attached.” Tory wiped suddenly damp palms against her thighs. Trust Cor to be unable to refuse a dare. His hands undid his belt and his pants joined hers on the ground. He pulled down the jock strap he wore underneath and his erection sprang free, long and hard.

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Frig! Her throat went dry. He was as big as she’d remembered. God, he’d felt so good inside her. Her knees grew weak. Moisture dampened her pussy. Another second and she was going to forget about her mission and get swept away by an unexpected wave of hot desire. Acting without conscious thought, she leapt onto Cor, throwing her arms around his shoulders and wrapping her legs around his hips. She felt solid muscle under her. Instinctively, he grabbed her thighs, supporting her. His face was inches from hers, his tempting mouth half open, his dark eyes ablaze with lust. Desire rose like a sudden tide. Lost in the moment, she pressed her lips to his.

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Chapter Four

Forgetting everything else, Tory kissed Cor with a hunger born of years without him. She might have pushed him and their love into the dark recesses of her mind, but he’d stepped back out more alive than ever. His arms crushed her against his hard chest and his mouth opened to welcome hers, the tip of his tongue drawing a hot line along the tender inner curve of her lips. His kiss was a tantalizing contradiction, one moment firm and hard, the next tender and seductive. It was always like that between them, an endless dance of pursuit and withdrawal, like the battles she fought between the stars, and as in battle, her body flared to life with taut anticipation. Tory tightened her legs around his hips. He’d barely staggered under her weight when she’d jumped onto him, and his arms supported her with apparent ease. His mouth moved over hers, awakening a fiery torrent of need. Without thought, she wrapped her arms closer around his neck, her fingers reaching up to bury themselves into the thick mass of his hair. Moaning with urgent desire, she pressed her breasts into the rock hard wall of his chest and inhaled his intoxicating masculine scent, a heady mixture of leather, musk, and spice. Oh, lord, how she’d missed this. She swiveled her hips to grind against the thick bulge of his cock, while thrusting her tongue urgently into his mouth.

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Cor moaned deep in his throat, his strong body shuddering against hers in instinctual response. He quickly cupped his hands under her butt and then lifted her to position her open thighs just above the tip of his hard cock. He pressed between her thighs, probing for her moist pussy. Keeping one arm wrapped around his neck for support, she reached between their straining bodies and rubbed her fingers along his rigid length. He felt like steel, sheathed in hot silk. Her pussy throbbed in anticipation. Sliding off of him, she pressed her body hard against his, then stepped back and let her panties slide down her legs to the ground. Tory’s heart filled with a triumphant joy. Cor wanted her. She twirled before him like a dancer, letting him get the full view, then plopped on the ground. Looking up, she drank in the sight of his glorious cock, swelling above her. She had his full attention. A rock dug into her ass, but she was beyond caring. She lay back, opening her legs. “Care to join me, lover.” In an instant, he was kneeling between her thighs, his cock probing again for her entrance. With abrupt suddenness, the hard head pushed into her, filling her with his heat. She stifled a cry of surprise and wrapped her legs around his butt, opening herself completely to him. A shudder of pleasure rushed through her, and she clung to him for support. Moaning, he pushed deeper into her. The aching emptiness inside her body vanished. They were joined again, and the intimate intensity of the moment shocked her with its unexpected fierceness. She had to stop thinking about their lost love. This was an assignment, nothing else. She threw her head back, not wanting to meet his eyes, and began to rock her hips. She concentrated on the feel of him inside her and everything else faded away. Her rocking motion drove him deeper. His hips began to move in an instinctual response. He held her tight with one arm and pushed up her T-shirt with his free hand, groping for her breast. When he found it, his fingers seized her rigid nipple, teasing it with tiny squeezes.

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“Oh, yes!” She made her hands into fists and beat at his back, urging him on. “Do it, Cor!" His hips rocked, driving his cock in and out of her. Pressure mounted between her legs, a growing force that begged for release. Her thighs tensed and her clit hardened. He lowered his head and took her aching nipple deep into the heat of his mouth. Slowly, he sucked, his tongue drawing waves of fire up from her core to flare outward through her fingers and toes. She dug her nails into his shoulders for support and arched her back, trying to release the unbearable pleasure, but it only mounted upward. Her hands grabbed at his thick hair. Desperate whimpers of pleasure broke from her lips. Her thighs ached where she had them wrapped around him. His arms pressed her closer, against his muscled strength. The sound of his harsh breathing filled the tent. He thrust again and the pressure exploded into waves of convulsive shudders. The force of her orgasm pressed her down into the dirt. He held her tighter, thrusting deeper, driving her over the edge again, the waves of ecstasy cresting and receding. Dimly, she was aware that he’d made one last thrust. His own body had gone rigid; his hands pressed into the dirt on both sides of her shoulders, his hips stilling while his seed exploded into her. Slowly, her mind began to clear. She became aware of the fabric of the tent above her, a dim light shining through. Cor held her and kissed her. She still clung to him, her body covered with sweat. They both were panting softly between kisses. “Again,” she whispered. “No,” Cor groaned. Abruptly, he yanked his lips from hers. Reaching up, he pulled her arms away from his neck. “This is stupid, Tory!” “S-stupid?” Her heart started to pound and her breath came in furious gasps, so that she could hardly speak. She stared at him in stunned disbelief.

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“Yes, stupid.” He stayed motionless above her, his warm breath tickling her cheek, his eyes blazing with some tumultuous emotion. “Let it be. There’s no future for us. You know that.” Rebellion rose up inside her. “I don’t know any such thing!” She reached up and grabbed fistfuls of his hair. Warmth radiated off his body and the musky smell of his sweat made desire pulse through her in demanding waves. Her nipples ached for his touch, and the inner flesh between her legs throbbed. “Let go, Tory.” He gave his head a slight shake, but she knew he meant more than his hair. “When I’m ready.” She made her voice into a seductive purr and pressed her breasts against his firm chest causing desire to flare in the dark depths of his amber eyes. She licked her lips, pleased. This battle was far from lost. She had him hot and sweating. Time for a strategic retreat. Smiling, she released his hair. “That’s better.” A look of pain flashed across his face. Before she could protest, he rolled away from her and jumped to his feet. Tory swallowed a sudden lump in her throat. Was it going to be just sex, then? Wasn’t that what she wanted? She jumped up, too, and pretended to be absorbed in pulling up her bikini underwear, pulling down her T-shirt. “No need to get so uptight all of a sudden. I wasn’t about to propose marriage.” He narrowed his eyes at her. “Okay, fine. I get it. It’s just sex. I hope you had fun getting your rocks off.” Tory’s stomach tightened. He was pushing her away again. Maybe it was for the best, only the painful echoes it awoke in her heart couldn’t be denied. She was an officer with a career to think about and a duty to fulfill. Did that have to make Cor into the enemy, though?

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They were opponents anyway, as long as he refused to share his father’s secret. They’d always had their own agendas, and neither one would yield. How did other lovers find the path to compromise so easily? Cor was too damned hard-headed and maybe she was, too. Longing for something deeper with Cor was a waste of time. She bent her head to hide her despair. When she lifted it again, she saw he was tightening his belt. Glancing at his midsection, she realized that she had indeed had the effect she’d wanted. Despite the torrid sex they’d just shared, his pants still bulged. Without warning, hope burned bright inside her again. Frig! Life with Cor was always a wild ride. She lifted her hands in a gesture of surrender, willing to go along with his mood. “Okay, so I was a little forward jumping you like that. But there’s nothing wrong with both of us getting our rocks off, so to speak. We should enjoy it while we can. I won’t be on this world for long, so painful entanglements are unlikely.” Cor ran a hand through his disheveled hair. “How long will you be here? You never did say how badly your ship was damaged.” She shrugged. “It’s going to be a bitch to repair, but standing orders require that all fighters must return to their mother ship as soon as they’re able to fly. Any spare parts you have available will be welcome.” Cor made no attempt to hide his relief. He laughed and took a step back. “Good. We see eye to eye for once. The quicker you’re out of here, the better I’ll feel.” His words sliced through her, destroying her momentary happiness. She was trying to carry out this damned mission, but she kept getting blindsided by her feelings for him. With an effort, she reminded herself that she was on Damaen for a reason, and it had nothing to do with her feelings for Cor. She lifted her chin, glad of the space between them. “I get it. You want me gone. No problem. I want to be gone.” “Good. Great. We’ll get started on fixing your ship tomorrow then.” Cor tugged absently at one ear and shuffled his feet. For the first time since she’d met him, he seemed at

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a loss for words. “Well, the tent’s set up. I’ll bring out some sleeping bags and a few toiletries. And dinner should be ready around seventeen hundred.” “No need to bring it to the tent.” Tory straightened her shoulders. Time to show him she didn’t care. “Yell when it’s ready, and we’ll come to the door. I realize you don’t want us inside.” “Don’t take this personally, Tory. My father’s being a jerk --” “Yeah.” She pointed an accusing finger at him. “Like father, like son. It’s hard not to take it personally when both of you have made it clear you can’t stand the sight of me. I just wish you’d said that before the sex.” His lips pressed down into a hard line. An angry flush darkened the stubble of beard on his chin and cheeks. Without another word, he spun on his heel and marched back toward the habitat.

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Chapter Five

Moving quickly, Kumiko put the length of a table between her and Lucan. They’d been circling around each other for the past half hour while Kumiko summoned up every trick she’d ever learned about handling men to try and manage an increasingly strained conversation. She wanted information and Lucan wanted…well, it was obvious what Lucan wanted. Hell, a naïve virgin could spot the lecherous gleam in the old bastard’s eye half a light year away. Not that he was in such bad shape for an old guy. His broad-shouldered body promised enough strength to last for at least one bout in bed, maybe two. And she liked his short, gray beard. You could do hot things with the scratchy feel of a beard against tender skin.

Stop thinking about sex, she warned herself. That’s what months in space did to a gal. Not that there weren’t plenty of men on the Valiant, but sleeping around on your own ship was considered bad form. Kumiko thought it was a ridiculous attitude, a leftover from the puritanical days of the Theocracy, but it was still there. Officers who wanted to be promoted had better concentrate on flying and forget sex.

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Well, she wanted to be promoted. She was ready for command. And Tory was due for a career boost soon. When command of their Thunderbolt opened up, Kumiko wanted the job.

Okay, think about sex with this horny archeologist while you have the chance, but think about how to use it to your advantage. Pausing at the head of the table, Kumiko eyed the famous scientist. Getting to the bottom of this mystery might earn her some mighty big points with the higher-ups, if Lucan’s discovery was half as important as he implied. Normally, she didn’t like using sex to ease the way, but they were in a time bind, that much was obvious. The Federation desperately needed its fighter back, and…more importantly perhaps…it needed superior technology, alien or otherwise. She glanced at the table, then widened her eyes at Lucan and pursed her lips in a seductive pout. “Wow, lots of toys here.” He looked amused. All her conversational gambits in the past half hour had gotten her exactly nowhere. Well, not quite nowhere. She now knew more about the planet’s geological history than the original surveyors probably did. “That’s very expensive, top-of-the-line equipment. With my reputation, investors in my expeditions are willing to provide me with the best.” “Umm. I recognize some of the equipment from school.” She gave him her best slow, seductive smile. “If I could be of any help to you, I’d love to play with them sometime.” Lucan came closer, smiling. “That’s a generous offer.” For the first time since Tory and Cor had left, Kumiko didn’t move away. Instead, she gazed up into his eyes, pleased to see the desire flaring in those smoky depths. Okay, she had his attention. Now what? Well, if she knew men, a little flattery never hurt. “I’ve heard all about your work,” she offered, leaning toward him. “My instructors were always raving about your discoveries. You’re the expert on alien artifacts. I’d love to have you tell me something about what you’ve found here. To the untrained eye, this world appears deserted.”

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He snorted. “My eye is far from untrained. I’ve spent my life chasing down any rumor of alien civilizations, visitations, what have you. Most of it an intense disappointment in the end, of course.” Kumiko nodded. As far as they knew, humankind was alone in the galaxy. Sure, they’d found evidence of intelligent life scattered on half a dozen worlds since they’d ventured out into space. But eons generally separated them from the long-vanished aliens. Life might not be rare in the universe, but even given the vastness of space and time, the odds against two intelligent civilizations existing at the same moment seemed to be astronomical. Most artifacts were so ancient they were almost destroyed by the elements. They’d learned so little. Would Damaen be any different? Not likely, but if so, why was Lucan so secretive? “And what about this planet?” She lowered her voice to a sexy whisper. “Is it a disappointment?” He smiled and lifted a finger to trace the curve of her cheek. Kumiko shivered at his touch, feeling a stirring in her pussy. He wasn’t that old, maybe fiftyish, and it had been a hell of a long time. Besides, a romp with Lucan might have some interesting side benefits. She shot a quick glance over at Elvira. A genuine sexual android. They’d been developed by computer geeks working underground during the Theocracy when sex had to be hidden in some dark closet. Androids were perfect for keeping in the closet. Since the overthrow of the Theocracy, though, they were out in the open. And this one was quite a sight. Blonde, sexy, and red-hot. Kumiko had always appreciated fine machinery. Lucan followed her gaze, then glanced down. Kumiko could feel her nipples hardening. She looked down, too, and saw her arousal showed even through her flight suit. Good! Let the man see what he was doing to her, not that he appeared to need much encouragement. Lucan’s smile widened with predatory anticipation. “I see you find Elvira interesting.”

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She cleared her throat. “I’ve never seen a sex android before. I’ve heard about them, though.” “Have you? Their reputation, like mine, may have been exaggerated.” He lifted his brows and laughed deep in his throat. “Or maybe not.” A sensual fire kindled between Kumiko’s legs. She waved a hand in front of her face and whooshed out a breath. An old saying ran through her mind: Like father, like son. Tory’d said Cor was hot in bed. Had he inherited his sexual talents from his father? “Would you like to see Elvira in action?” Lucan gave her a slow wink. “Purely an educational demonstration, of course.” “Sure.” Kumiko knew better than to back down. Lucan eyed her, an amused look in his cool gray eyes, and beckoned to the android. “Elvira, come here.” Elvira sprang instantly into motion, gliding over to the two of them, her ample breasts bobbing in her tight halter top. Her blue eyes stayed fastened on her master. “The lieutenant is interested in how you function, my dear. Would you like to give her a demonstration?” “Of course, Master.” The android turned to face Kumiko. Smiling, she reached behind and undid the clasp of her top, then pulled it off. Her full breasts spilled free, the pink nipples already taut. “Please feel free to touch. That is what I’m for.” As she spoke, Elvira reached for Kumiko’s hand. Taking it in hers, she placed it on her breast. Kumiko’s eyes widened. The breast felt human, warm and soft. Overpowered by curiosity, she moved her fingers down the seductive curve of smooth flesh to touch the hard little nub. The android’s lips opened and her nipple grew harder. Kumiko stood unmoving, enchanted by the illusion that this was a real woman. Her blood burned under her skin as she gazed at Elvira’s glittering blue eyes and moist lips. Her palm moved slowly, squeezing a

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plump breast, savoring the texture of Elvira’s skin and the hot, hard nipple that rubbed against her palm. She could even smell a faint scent as delicate as roses. Her heart pounded. This was only a machine, nothing more, but an intelligent machine, one that desired her… Elvira leaned forward, cupped a hand behind Kumiko’s head, and drew her closer. Their lips touched. A low moan escaped Kumiko’s mouth. She fondled both of Elvira’s breasts with her hands as the android’s lips plundered hers, soft as silk, gliding in a slow, erotic exploration. “That’s it, Elvira.” Kumiko heard Lucan’s excited comment as if from a long distance. Her whole attention had focused on the tip of Elvira’s tongue which was teasing her lips, darting in and out of her mouth. Lucan moved behind her. His big hands cupped her butt and squeezed, pressing her closer to the android. One hand slid between her pants and her skin, caressing her bare ass, then moving forward over her hips toward her pussy. “Get her good and hot for me, Elvira.” “Yes, Master.” Elvira murmured her assent into Kumiko’s mouth. Her tongue followed her words, slipping between Kumiko’s lips, hot and rough. “Does Elvira seem fully functional? I am, too.” Lucan’s hand groped farther down and slid between Kumiko’s legs, pushing the fabric of her bikini panties aside to find her moist pussy. A finger slipped up inside her, making her gasp with pleasure. “Is she wet, Master?” The android’s voice had lost its cool, impassive tone. It was richer, darker, with a low undercurrent of desire. “Very wet.” Kumiko pressed closer to the disconcertingly human softness of Elvira as Lucan’s finger pushed deeper into her, sliding along the slick inner walls. A low moan spilled out of her throat. The android’s hands moved up her body, shoving the flight jacket aside, burrowing under the T-shirt she wore beneath it. In another instant, those hands covered her breasts and squeezed them in a slow, sensual rhythm.

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Behind her, Lucan continued moving his finger in her pussy, fucking her with one hand while his other hand stroked her ass cheeks, moving deeper and deeper into her crack, brushing over her anus. “Oh, God!” Kumiko grabbed Elvira’s shoulders for support. The tension building between her legs ripped through her whole body. Elvira bent her head, pushed up the Tshirt and sucked a taut nipple into her mouth. Her teeth nipped, sending a rush of pain and pleasure shooting straight down to Kumiko’s pussy. At the same moment, Lucan’s finger rubbed hard against her clitoris. The orgasm exploded through her without warning. She clung to Elvira and shook, crying out with pleasure. Behind her, Lucan pressed against her buttocks, grinding his erect cock into her behind. Drowning in her own orgasm, she felt him shudder and knew he’d come too. “Well, what the fuck!” A hard male voice broke into the red mist that had consumed Kumiko’s brain, swallowing all rational thought. Blinking, she pulled away from Elvira. Cor had just entered the habitat, his face dark with rage. “Shit!” Kumiko grabbed her T-shirt and pulled it down. “Cor.” Lucan snatched his hand out of Kumiko’s pants. He was breathing hard, and it took him a moment to straighten up. When he did, he glared at his son. “Back so soon? Don’t tell me you’ve made the captain happy already.” “Fat chance of that.” Cor looked from one to the other, his glance half disgusted, half amused. “I see the lieutenant is willing to help you out, though.” “I’ve been demonstrating Elvira’s functions.” With an abrupt nod, Lucan sent Elvira back to her corner. The android bent to pick up her halter top, her breasts swinging, and then obediently retreated. “I’m always happy to answer whatever questions I can. I don’t intend to share my discovery, however. I hope you haven’t said too much to the captain.”

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Cor’s mouth twisted in an ironic smile. “I’ve been a good boy -- at least when it comes to keeping your secret, anyway.” Kumiko straightened, pulling her flight jacket shut and trying to plaster a cool, military look back on her face. Frig, she hadn’t had sex like that in months. She’d love to stay and find out what else Elvira could do, but she wasn’t going to get anything out of the old bastard now, not with his son back in the habitat. Time to put her head together with Tory and come up with another plan. “If you’ll excuse me.” She backed toward the door. “I’d better see if the captain needs me.” “Yeah.” Cor leered at her. “Maybe she wants some of what you have to offer.” “Maybe she does,” Kumiko shot back, refusing to be intimidated by his leer. The man was disgusting. Tory was lucky he’d ditched her, even if she did seem to feel more for him than she was willing to admit. Kumiko drew her brows together in thought as she stepped through the habitat door. Between the two of them, maybe they could cook up a plan to find out Lucan’s secret and humiliate Cor at the same time.

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Chapter Six

Blinking rapidly, Tory watched Cor’s stiff back as he walked away. She rubbed at her eyes. Damn! Dust must have blown into them. She lowered her arms and turned in a slow circle, taking in the spacious interior of the tent. It was big, and best of all, the ceiling was high enough to allow her to stand up straight. Maybe tomorrow she and Kumiko could pack it up and move it closer to the fighter. No reason to hang around where they weren’t wanted. She’d jury-rigged repairs before. Give her two or three days, and they’d be blasting off, back toward Federation space. So what if she failed at her assignment for once. She’d do her best to forget this ill-fated landing. “Hey, nice digs!” Kumiko sauntered through the doorway, her spiky hair looking even more unkempt than usual. “Yeah, I think it’s meant to be a four-person tent. Cor said he’d bring us some sleeping bags later.” “You mean that asshole? He came storming into the habitat slamming the door behind him and looking ready to kill.” “Hmm.” Tory tried to hide her pleasure. Good. She’d managed to upset him with her final jab. He deserved to be the one in a stew for once.

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“What did you say to him, exactly? I was just making some progress with Lucan when he interrupted.” “You got Lucan to talk?” Kumiko rolled her eyes. “Not exactly. Let’s just say was I getting him in a good mood. That’s one horny scientist. I could barely get his mind off sex long enough to answer a question.” “He didn’t try anything, did he?” Kumiko giggled, her eyes shining with her irrepressible good spirits. “He wanted to. He might be old, but there’s still a fire in that engine room.” Tory frowned. “Listen, Kumiko, it’s your sex life, I’m not going to tell you what to do. That sort of repression ended with the Theocrats. But I’d be wary of any Kenrie male.”

Frig! Take your own advice, a part of her added, but she pressed her lips together and ignored the inner voice. Kumiko looked smug. “Oh, I agree. Don’t worry, Captain. I haven’t met the male I can’t charm. It’s fun to play his game and turn it back on him.” Tory nodded. As female officers in a mostly male navy, they’d both had plenty of practice at handling sexually hazardous situations. “Anyway, then Cor came storming in. He’s an insulting bastard. I could see I wasn’t going to get any further with his father with him there, so I left.” Tory looked away, unable to meet Kumiko’s curious gaze. Did she suspect what had just happened between her and Cor? “Yeah, he insulted me, too. We argued about how soon we’re going to get off this planet. He wants us gone, like right now. Probably afraid you’ll ferret out his father’s secret discovery.” Kumiko made a frustrated face. “It’s not going to be easy. Oh, Lucan’s delighted to blab if he thinks it might get him laid, but when it comes to his precious find, he goes all closemouthed.”

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“Did you get anything from him?” “He lectured me about the planet and its geological history while he made several clumsy attempts to grope me. And he pumped me for the latest intel about how the war with the Theocrats is going. But he wasn’t letting go of any clues about what lies behind that second door.” “A tunnel. Cor told us that much before his old man showed up.” Kumiko raked both hands through her hair. “That can only mean one thing. They found something buried under the lava. Something that was here before the volcano erupted.” “Any idea when that was?” Her black eyes sparkled. “Well, you’re in luck there. While we were circling the table like two tigers on a hunt, I opened my flight jacket, showed some cleavage, and must have asked the right question. Lucan started babbling about volcanic activity on the planet. He was so obsessed with getting a good gander at my boobs, I don’t think he realized how much he let slip. This particular volcano we’re parked on is several thousand years old. And I gather it’s been dormant for a long, long time.” “I see.” Tory clasped her hands behind her back and began pacing around the confines of the tent, pondering the possibilities. Excitement welled up inside her. “There could be an ancient alien city buried down there.” “Like that city on Earth that was buried by a volcano?” Kumiko’s brows drew together in a frown as she searched her memory. “What was it? Pompeii, that’s it.” “Doesn’t make sense, though.” Tory paused in her pacing to make her point. “If it were a city, there’d be other signs of a once-advanced civilization scattered around this planet. And there aren’t any -- at least, none that are mentioned in the synopsis in the fighter’s computer. According to the original planetary survey, there was never any intelligent life on this world.”

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Kumiko smiled, her serene features untroubled by the discrepancy. “Maybe all traces were destroyed in a worldwide calamity, the same calamity that made the volcano erupt in the first place.” Tory chuckled. Kumiko loved ancient science-fiction movies from the twenty-first century. She recognized a common plot. “That would have to be quite a catastrophe, and this world seems fairly stable.” “True.” Kumiko shot Tory a challenging glance. “We can guess all night long, or we can take matters into our own hands and find out what’s behind that door.” “My thoughts exactly, honorable weapons officer.” Tory’s lips curled upward in a quick smile. “Luckily, I have a plan.” Kumiko made a little bow. “You are wise, oh leader of mine. Spill it.” “Sure. The weakest link is still Cor. He doesn’t have as much to lose as Lucan. I think I can get the secret out of him. The first step is to make him think I can’t resist his sexy body. He thinks he’s such a stud, the jerk.” Tory pressed her lips together before she really got going on Cor’s less than charming qualities. “Who’s a jerk?” The two women whirled, startled. Elvira stood at the entrance to their tent, her crystal blue eyes moving from one to the other. “Cor’s a jerk,” Tory supplied without hesitation. “Why do you say that?” The android stepped deeper into the tent, her lovely features alert and interested. What the hell was she doing here? “I knew him years ago.” Elvira nodded as if this explained everything. She turned her glowing blue gaze on Kumiko. “He’s a jerk for interrupting my demonstration, too, isn’t he? I had barely begun.”

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“Ah, well, yes, that was fairly jerky of him.” Kumiko crossed her arms in front of her chest. She threw Tory an uneasy look. “But your demonstration was more than adequate, Elvira. I certainly found out what you can do.” “Did you? I have so much more to show you.” Elvira stepped closer to Kumiko. She reached out and laid a hand over Kumiko’s breast. “The human body has so many different erogenous zones. Sometimes I think you’re one big erogenous zone.” “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Tory took a step toward Elvira and struck her hand from Kumiko’s breast. “Is something wrong with your programming? Androids don’t ever touch humans without permission.” Elvira looked offended. “I thought I had permission.” “Well, you don’t.” Tory clenched her fists, fighting back her anger. “It’s bad enough Lucan and Cor are pushing us around without you trying it, too. Get out of here.” Elvira cast a yearning glance at Kumiko. “Your captain reacts with emotion, not logic.” “Like most humans,” Kumiko said with an apologetic smile. “Regrettable.” The android bowed her head to Kumiko and glided from the tent. Tory blew out a breath. “What was that all about?” Kumiko shrugged. “Who knows? Apparently her sexual programming is overloading her circuits. But I don’t think she liked you much. She’s probably going to go and complain to Lucan.” Tory nodded. “One more reason he’ll want us out of here. It’s a good thing my plan is quick and dirty.” Kumiko grinned. “I like it already.” “Here’s what I suggest. Cor is the only one sleeping in the habitat. When he falls asleep, we’ll send him deeper into la-la land with a shot of sleeping medication from the med kit. After that, we’ll have the whole night to explore at our leisure.”

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Kumiko laughed. “Clever and cunning. I like it. But we’re screwed if he wakes up while we’re tiptoeing up on him.” Tory’s smile turned triumphant. “He’s not going to wake up. Because I’ll already be in the bed with him when he falls asleep.”

***** The dinner hour had just ended when the bloodred sun of Damaen finally set behind the mountain peak. With the sun gone, the air quickly turned chilly. Tory pulled her flight jacket closed and zipped it up. Leaving the tent, she marched the few yards to the habitat. She could see puffs of her breath in the dim light of the overhead bulb that lit the entrance. For a long moment, she stared at the door. Cor didn’t intimidate her. Not one bit. She and Kumiko had a solid plan, although her own part in the night’s agenda made her heart beat fast with anticipation. She knew that tightening in her stomach, that nervous tingle in her hands and feet, from many battles. Waiting was the hard part. What she needed to do was engage the enemy and begin gathering intel for the foray she and Kumiko had planned for later that night. Raising her hand, she knocked hard. “Coming!” Cor jerked open the door and stood eyeing her, his expression neutral. Nothing in his face indicated they’d shared uninhibited sex mere hours ago. “What’s this?” Tory forced herself to beam her friendliest smile up at him. She held out two empty dinner plates. “Dinner was delicious, Cor. I’m sorry I missed you when you brought it.” “Doesn’t matter. I gave it to Kumiko.” “Yeah. Well, I thought you’d want these back. Unless you want me to figure out a way to wash them first.” “No need. That’s what Elvira’s for.” He grabbed the plates out of her hands and began to swing the door shut.

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Tory moved forward, her foot blocking the doorway. She grinned. “Some of what Elvira’s for anyway. Earlier you seemed pretty knowledgeable about her, ah, programming. I wonder if she’s in there with you.” His eyes burned into hers with sudden anger. “Why would she be with me? She’s my father’s toy, not mine. They’ve gone off to the ship to do whatever they do.” Oops, wrong thing to say. Now she had him mad at her again. Sighing slightly, Tory shifted position, trying to peer over his shoulder into the habitat. “You’re all alone then?” “Yeah. That’s the way I like it.” “Oh.” Tory lifted her brows and tried her best to make her next question sound casual. As if anything about her relationship with Cor had ever been casual. Just being close to him had raised her body temperature a good ten degrees. “Lucan doesn’t ever come back to the lab after supper to burn the midnight oil?” “No. He’s a charter member of the ‘early to bed, early to rise’ club.” Cor threw back his shoulders and his eyes glittered with a challenge. “That’s one way where the father isn’t anything like the son.” Instantly, she knew what he meant. Her cheeks grew hot at a rush of scorching memories. They’d spent many long nights together, hidden among the trees near the lake, making mad, passionate love on a rustling pile of leaves until the first flush of dawn lightened the eastern sky. She was glad that the dim light of the single bulb above the door hid her blush. “Well, if that’s all --” Cor started to swing the door shut again. Tory took another half step into the doorway, aware that it brought her chest to chest with him. She caught a whiff of his male scent, musk and spice and leather in a heady mixture, and the fine hairs on her skin stirred and prickled. An ache began to throb again deep in her core.

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“No, it’s not all, Cor. I wanted to apologize if I was rude earlier. I enjoyed the sex. I’ve always enjoyed sex with you. Our relationship ended poorly, but I’d like to think we both meant well. We were young and made a mistake. I’ve always regretted that I didn’t have the guts to stand on my own two feet and face the inquiry board with you. Then when I tried to fix things, you told me to get lost.” “To fuck off, actually.” He gave her a strange look, half bitter, half sad. “That made me furious. But I was taking everything way too personal at the time, and I let it make me mad, so --” Cor held up a hand, his expression guarded. “Hey, enough. We had some great times together, but we were never going to last for the long haul. As for here and now, you need to get off this world and back to fighting those tight-assed Theocrats. How did it go with fixing your radio this afternoon, by the way?” Their radio? Tory bit down hard on her inner lip to stop a smile. He’d fallen for her ploy. “What do you mean?” “Don’t try to bullshit me, Tory. Lucan told me Kumiko asked him for a circuit board. Then the two of you marched back to your ship. You tried to get your radio working so you could call the Federation, didn’t you?” “So what if we did?” Tory faced him with a defiant look, secretly exulting. He didn’t have a clue that they’d gone to get their med kit. He gave her that heart-twisting lopsided smile of his. “I understand that you have a duty. What you have to understand is that I have a duty, too. I need to do what I can to help Lucan rack up yet another great discovery.” “Yeah. Well, you’ll be glad to hear we didn’t succeed. Our radio is trashed.” She drew in a long drink of air to ease her nervousness and leaned a little closer so that her breath blew against his cheek. His body heat enveloped her like a warm blanket.

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Over his shoulder, she saw the interior of the habitat, unchanged since their earlier visit except that the covers were pulled back on the cot. Had he been about to go to bed? The idea made her blood catch fire. “Listen, Cor, tomorrow we can get on with our lives. At this moment, though, it’s tonight I’m thinking about.” His eyebrows shot up. A guarded look appeared on his face. “What do you mean?” She raised a hand to the top of her jacket and pulled on the zipper. His eyes followed her movement and widened slightly as the zipper descended with tantalizing slowness. The leather parted to reveal pale, bare skin. “Tory --” His voice caught as he tried to say her name. She could see the muscles in his throat working. A wave of pure exhilaration washed through her. This afternoon hadn’t been a fluke. He’d had hours to harden himself against her, but all it took was one glimpse of skin and he wanted her again. She pulled the zipper slowly but steadily, watching his face grow taut with anticipation. His tongue licked his lips as the swell of her breasts and the pink edge of her nipple was exposed. She knew what he was seeing. Bare skin and nothing else. “I’ve spent the past six years thinking about how good you were,” she whispered. “How much I loved to have you deep inside me. I thought maybe the memory was better than the reality, but today I found out different. You’ve still got it. How about me? Was I good, too?” His pupils had dilated until only a ring of gold-flecked brown showed. He swallowed hard. “You know you were.” She pushed back her shoulders so that the gap between the halves of her jacket widened. Her breasts slid free of their confinement. His gaze locked on that curve of smooth skin, the soft rise of flesh, the taut tower of a nipple. “Then invite me in,” she purred.

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Chapter Seven

What the hell ? Cor stared at Tory’s chest, mesmerized by the tempting sight of her spilling out of her clothes mere inches away from him. Trust her to find a way to get his undivided attention. He thought of the first moment he’d seen her striding across the parade ground at the academy, her honey-bright curls shining in the sun. She’d been so alive, so proud. He’d wanted her then, and he wanted her now. His cock twitched, growing hard. Oh, yes, she had his full attention. She’d thrown back her shoulders and her flight jacket gaped wide, revealing the lush curve of her creamy breasts all the way to her luscious pink nipples.

Get a grip. You’ve seen boobs before. But these were Tory’s breasts, and for six long years he only had the memory of their warm weight filling his hands. And if that wasn’t enough, he had the memory of this afternoon and the thunderous pounding of her heart against his chest as they’d made love. Without conscious decision, he released the door handle and stepped back, letting her into the habitat. She strode quickly inside, shoving the door shut behind her with her foot.

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“Tory.” His throat felt tight. He drummed his fingertips on his thigh to keep them from reaching out for the bare, tantalizing flesh in front of him. “Nothing can come of this. You’re military, born and bred, with a brilliant career ahead of you, and I’m a kicked out has-been.” “Stop with the has-been crap, Cor. There’s nothing has-been about you.” She met his stare, her sapphire eyes jewel-bright with her mounting desire. With one fluid motion, she reached up, slipped her jacket off her shoulders and let it drop to the floor. Propping her hands on her hips, she threw her shoulders back, baring her breasts to his sight. “You liked this enough back then to risk everything to possess it. You still like?” Like? The sight of Tory stripping off her clothes to arouse him made his gut clench tight with churning passion. Deep feelings were stirring back to life inside him despite all his efforts. His cock swelled against the tight restriction of his pants. Her pink nipples had already hardened into stiff peaks in anticipation of his touch. His tongue slipped between his lips, ready to explore. He craved the taste of her, her body writhing and sweating beneath his as he sucked hard on those sensitive tips. Hell, what was he waiting for? She was obviously offering them to him. And he’d never been one to refuse a generous offer. One stride brought him toe-to-toe with her. He grabbed the back of her head and pulled her mouth to his, kissing her hard. Her lips yielded to his demands with unexpected softness and vulnerability. They trembled slightly and then opened. Taking all that she offered, he thrust his tongue against hers, stroking it with fierce desire. She groaned with pleasure into his mouth, their breaths mingling. Breathing hard, he released her mouth and cupped her left breast in his hand. He squeezed the firm flesh, forcing the nipple upward. As he watched, it grew even tauter. The hard peak seemed to stretch toward him, searching for his mouth. Damn it all, she looked too fucking delicious to resist. Planting one hand in the small of her back, he pulled her closer and settled his mouth over the stiff, inviting tit. His tongue danced around it, tracing the warm pink circle, then swept up one side to tickle the tip.

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“Oh, God, Cor!” She arched against him, pressing the breast up into his mouth. “That feels so good. Harder, please!” He chuckled, enjoying the rush of pleasure her words gave him. He loved the way Tory always asked for exactly what she wanted. He loved it when she shuddered as his hot breath bathed her nipple. Then he hardened his mouth around it, sucking the nub between his lips, teasing it with his tongue. Tory wrapped her arms around him and threw back her head. A string of moans escaped from her lips. Aroused, he nipped at the hard tip with his teeth until she jerked and cried out. “Too much?” he asked, releasing the swollen nipple. “No, I love it.” She gazed at him, her eyes wide, her cheeks flushed and her mouth open and panting. “I want more.” She cupped her other breast and lifted it upward, offering it to him. Having Tory back in his arms was intoxicating, a feast for all his senses, a pleasure worth every risk, even if it was only for a single night. His stiff cock ached and throbbed, begging to be released from its prison, but first he had to make sure she was absolutely ready. Smiling, he kissed her half-open mouth and then bent obediently to the second breast. The hardness of her nipple pressed between his lips excited him, and he sucked it until it lengthened and swelled and she cried out a second time. Whispering her name, he moved from one breast to the other, lavishing his intimate caresses on each swollen nipple in turn. She groaned and rotated her hips, rubbing her pelvis against his hardened cock. Fire exploded through his body. He felt his cock jump and press hard against his pants. “Let me,” Tory whispered, her voice husky. She grabbed the waistband of his pants and pulled on the zipper. In a moment she had his pants and his jock strap both pulled down around his hips. Free at last, his long, thick cock sprang up into the air.

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“Frig, you are a beautiful man, Cor Kenrie.” Tory licked her lips and fell to her knees, grabbing his cock with both hands. “Oh, God.” Cor buried one hand in Tory’s thick curls and placed the other on her shoulder for support as her warm mouth settled over his cock. This had to be some wild wet dream. The woman he’d loved, and still loved, the woman he’d tried to forget but could never forget, was back in his life, back in his arms, and apparently hot for him. A wave of pure pleasure rushed through his body as her silken mouth caressed the length of his cock. Her tongue swept up the drop of cum on the tip, then bathed the throbbing head with rough licks. “You are so hard.” She spoke from between his legs, her voice full of desire. Her breath tickled his balls, making him shudder. His knees grew weak, and he sank his fingers deeper into her shoulder. She was like some intoxicating drug, and he was the addict. He’d thought he’d kicked the habit years ago, but now, with one taste, all the need came roaring back. “Hold on, big boy.” Her lips closed over him again. This time she swallowed him deep into the moist heat of her mouth. Driven by his own urgency, he leaned forward, pressing the head against the back of her throat. Her tongue and lips licked and sucked at his length. The blood roared in his head. “Tory!” Every muscle in his body tensed and he grabbed her hair, pressing her to him. “I’m coming!” His cock jerked hard in her mouth. Waves of burning pleasure exploded outward from that throbbing center, roaring like fire through his chest, his arms, his feet, and bursting out his fingers and toes. For a moment he convulsed in a tight knot of almost unbearable pleasure. Then he came, panting hard, his body flushed and drained. He looked down. He’d spilled his seed into Tory’s mouth, and she was licking the last traces off of his still throbbing cock.

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“Oh, God, Tory, that was great.” Feeling shaky, he reached down and grabbed her arms, pulling her to her feet. Her eyes shone as they met his, and he thought he saw reflected in her gaze the same lost love that he’d longed to regain these lonely years. Without a word, he gathered her up in his arms and tenderly kissed her swollen lips. They were one, had always been one. As the kiss ended, she sighed and let her head fall against his shoulder. He bent slightly and picked her up, eyeing the confining cot. It was narrow, but it would have to do. His heart swelled with tenderness and love as he laid her down. Her eyelids fluttered, the long lashes sweeping down to veil that brilliant blue gaze. Working quickly, he unfastened the belt at her waist and pulled her pants and panties down to her knees. In the dim light he could see that slick moisture already glazed her thighs. She was damp and trembling with her need for him. Another wave of desire thundered through him. His cock hardened again, eager to plunge into her tight, wet velvet sheath. He gave her pants an impatient yank, and they came all the way off, pulling easily over her boots. He reached lower to remove her boots, but her hand grabbed his wrist, stopping him. She gazed up at him, her sensuous mouth curving. “Leave them on. I want to wrap my legs around you and press my boots against your butt.” He matched her smile with a grin of his own. Tory always had been an uninhibited lover, full of playful ideas. She was the one who’d suggested that they sneak out to the woods on the other side of the parade grounds and make love in the piles of leaves beneath the trees. And it had been great -- while it lasted. Well, he would make tonight last, too. It would have to last him for a long, long time. He doubted fate would be so kind twice in his life. “Whatever you want,” he agreed. He knelt beside the cot and moved his hand back up to wrap his fingers in the tight curls between her legs. He inched his forefinger closer to her

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opening to find her pussy and clitoris damp with the moisture. Smiling, he circled his finger over the soft, slick surface. Tory gasped and arched her hips upward. “Frig, I love that! More. Give me more.” “With pleasure.” He sat down on the cot and leaned between her knees. A tantalizing scent rose up to fill his nostrils, signaling her arousal. Bending lower, he could see the swollen flesh of her pussy as he slid his tongue over her little nub of flesh. A series of fervent whimpers spilled from Tory’s throat as his tongue burrowed deep, and then returned to gently tease her clit. “More.” Tory arched her hips upward. “Yes, Captain!”

***** Tory released a pleased sigh as he bent to his task. His amused chuckle tickled her sensitive nub, and she squirmed with need. It was hard to stay focused on her plan in the middle of this incredible pleasure. She spread her thighs wider, giving him full access. With each sweep of his tongue, her pussy clenched tight with aching desire. She’d spent too many months in space, in the celibate confines of the Valiant. Suddenly, today, she was feasting, and as if awakening out of a long starvation, her body pulsed, barely able to contain the pleasure. A growing tension filled her to the point of near explosion. Cor raised his head for a moment and stared into her eyes, his brown gaze ablaze with golden flecks of fire. And something more, an unexpected tenderness that made her heart stop beating for a moment. “Come for me, Tory.” She threw back her head, trying to forget the need in his eyes, the instant response deep in her heart. This was sex, pure and simple. Sex with a purpose. She gripped her breasts

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with both hands, squeezing her nipples, driving away the image of his face in a renewed rush of pleasure. “Make me,” she gasped. He lowered his head again, his lips sucking at her clit, his tongue torturing the supersensitive flesh with little jabs that sent a barrage of small explosions bursting through her. Grabbing her butt, he pulled her closer and growled into her pussy. The rumble against her clit pushed her over the edge into sudden release. Her muscles locked tight, her body spiraling into a long series of spasms that rolled through her body from her core outward in toe-curling shudders. She surfaced, panting, to Cor’s welcoming grin. He climbed on the cot, which creaked dangerously under their combined weight. She opened her legs to welcome him and he positioned his long, lean body between them. Even with him on top of her, there was barely room for the two of them, but Tory didn’t care. She welcomed his weight, the burning contact of his skin pressing against hers. His hard cock probed between her legs, seeking the opening to her body. Then with a swift thrust, he entered her. “Oh!” A cry of pure amazement exploded out of her throat. Her body reveled in the sensation of this man inside her. He took away all the emptiness she’d felt. She stared up at him, stunned by the unexpected force of her reaction. Suddenly afraid, she dug her fingers into the taut muscles of his back. But there was no going back. Her body craved his, and her soul… Her soul craved the love she’d denied for so long. She was going to satisfy one of those cravings at least. His hips moved, giving her what she wanted, ramming his cock into her. “Deeper,” she commanded, wrapping her booted feet around him and digging her heels into his butt. She fully intended to ride him, even as he rode her. The cot’s creaking grew alarmingly louder as she joined him in the primeval rhythm of sex. Her hands roamed up and down the rigid muscles of his back.

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Again and again, she lifted her hips up to meet his thrust, welcoming him into her depths. Each stroke awoke a burning desire, a greater need, until the two of them were moving with frantic urgency, his length slamming into her, taking her through the depths of pleasure right up to the edge of pain. Undaunted, she tightened her inner muscles around him, gripping him. He cried out and began to come, filling her with a sense of her womanly power. Without warning, her second orgasm seized her. She clung to him with all her strength while she convulsed with uninhibited spasms of pure release. For an eternity she clung to him until the last spasm faded. She collapsed back on the cot, her pussy still aching from the aftermath of their passion. “Cor.” Tenderness filled her. She brushed a lock of hair damp with sweat away from his forehead. “You’re one frick of a good lover.” Cor chuckled, giving her his lopsided grin. To her great regret, he pulled out of her, leaving her satiated pussy aching still from his assault. “I’ll try to keep you happy as long as you’re on Damaen.” His words washed over her like a bucket of cold water. For a moment, she’d forgotten where they were. She wasn’t young and half crazy with the first flush of love anymore. Despite all her reviving feelings for Cor, she had no time to waste on this barren planet. Her duty lay back at the Valiant, fighting on the front lines. But before she left, she had a mission to accomplish here, too. “Want to go for another round?” She forced a joking note into her voice. She rolled up on her side to make room for him beside her. “Give a man a minute to rest, woman. You’re insatiable.” With another grin, he plopped down facing her, their bodies pressed tightly together in the narrow space of the cot.

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She draped one leg over his hip and laid her head on his chest, snuggling into him. “When a woman has the best lover in the galaxy, she’s bound to be insatiable.” Her heart ached with each word. If only it were true. If only they could still be lovers. “Hmmm.” His chuckle was definitely sleepier this time. “You’re flattering me. Why?” She stroked his chest, letting her fingers tangle in the soft strands of hair. “Just letting you know you’re appreciated.” He didn’t answer. After a moment, she heard the first gentle snore. A second followed and a third. Good, he’d fallen asleep as she’d hoped. Moving carefully so as not to waken him, she rose up on one elbow and reached down into her boot. Her searching fingers found the small syringe she’d hidden there and pulled it out. Kumiko had said any muscle would do. Well, his shoulders looked plenty muscular. With a sad smile, she slid the needle into his flesh and pressed the plunger. He gave a startled snort and his eyes popped open. “What the…!” Almost instantly, his eyelids drooped again. She could see him fighting against sleep even as his eyes glazed. “Tory, what have you done?” His words trailed away as his head lolled back onto the cot. “Sleep tight, big boy.” Tory jumped to her feet. When he woke in the morning, he might not even remember that she’d knocked him out with a drug. Meanwhile, she and Kumiko had the night to explore.

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Chapter Eight

“Is he out?” Kumiko poked her head through the doorway and stared at the cot. “Like the proverbial light. Come on.” Tory moved across the room, toward the mysterious door. She’d already pulled on her clothes before signaling Kumiko and letting her in. “What do you think? Electronic lock?” Kumiko examined the device below the door handle. “Yeah, but it’s not even engaged. Guess Cor thought he had you under control.” “He wishes.” Cor was going to be royally pissed when he woke up and discovered she’d betrayed him. Already a big part of her regretted it. Her momentary anger at his behavior earlier had vanished in the passion of their lovemaking. It couldn’t be helped, though. As Federation officers, she and Kumiko had a duty. Lucan’s discovery might be a weapon, a weapon that could mean the difference in the war with the Theocrats. There was no time to waste. And Lucan seemed determined to sit on his find far too long. Reaching out, she twisted the handle and pushed the door open. She half expected an alarm to start blaring, but there was only silence and darkness beyond the small pool of light that spilled from the main room. She groped along the wall until she found the switch and

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hit it. Light flooded the second room, which was slightly bigger than the first. Computer stations were set up along the walls, but it was the center of the floor that caught her attention. It held a gaping circular hole. Kumiko strode over to it and shined a flashlight down into the depths. The light illuminated a smooth cut in the floor of the habitat, a foot or two of dirt and then about twenty feet of solid rock. More stone made a floor at the bottom. A metal ladder was bolted to one side. Twisting the light around the circle, Kumiko spotlighted the entrance to a horizontal shaft at the bottom of the hole. That shaft ran off in the direction of the mountain’s upslope. “Geez, how’d they manage to cut all this?” “They probably have an industrial laser bore on the ship. It would have vaporized most of the rock.” “Sounds dangerous.” “It is, but I’m guessing that the android ran it. She’s got to have some purpose beyond entertaining Cor’s father.” Kumiko rolled her eyes. “Men! Trust them to get a woman to do the dirty work. Well, there’s no way to tell how far into the mountain that second shaft runs. Guess there’s only one way to find out.” “I’ll go first.” Suiting action to her words, Tory squatted down next to the hole. Kumiko handed her a flashlight and she lowered her foot until she found the first rung of the ladder. Quickly, she scrambled down to the bottom. She shined her light down the shaft on her right. The tunnel was about seven feet high and wide enough for two people to walk side by side. It ran straight into the mountain. Mirrorlike rock gleamed darkly in the light as far as she could see. Kumiko dropped lightly onto the floor beside her, her beam flashing in all directions. “Definitely a laser cut. Look how smooth the walls are. Let’s go.”

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They’d walked about thirty feet when something ahead reflected the beams of their flashlights back to them with a flash of silver. “Whoa! I think we’re there.” Repressing the urge to hurry, Tory approached cautiously, but no one waited ahead. Instead, the tunnel widened into a sort of cavern. As if by mutual agreement, they both stopped. Tory lifted the light in her hand, sweeping it over the exposed surface in front of them. A mixture of awe and trepidation flooded through her. In the bright light of their beams, they could see where more rock had been melted away to reveal about fifty feet of shining silver metal. At the far right, a darker patch marked what appeared to be a door. “Holy crap!” Kumiko’s jaw had dropped slightly. Her black eyes blazed with excitement. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking? This looks like an alien craft. What’s it doing here on this lifeless world? It has to be a starship.” “Yeah. It’s a frigging starship all right.” Tory’s mind shifted into high gear, considering the implications. Humanity had found alien ruins before, but never any evidence of another star-traveling race. Finding this ship could be the first step in making contact with such a race, maybe even a galactic civilization they knew nothing about. These beings must have been advanced --maybe advanced far beyond humankind. Then a more sober possibility occurred to her. This ship might the last remnant of a long-vanished people. The star craft looked as if it’d been buried in this lava for thousands of years. Yet the rock had preserved it from the damages of wind and sun. It could hold a whole new technology, perhaps even a superweapon that would save the Federation. Moving slowly, she reached out a hand and touched the silvery metal. It felt cold, slippery and super smooth beneath her fingertips. How had the aliens kept this surface from being pitted by the relentless debris of space?

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Lots of questions, questions that needed answers. A shielding technology would be a real boon. She turned to Kumiko. “Maybe it crashed here and was buried by an eruption. No wonder Lucan’s being so damn tight-lipped. No one’s ever found anything like this before. It might be perfectly preserved. This is the kind of find that guarantees an archeologist eternal fame.” Kumiko grinned. “Not to mention unbelievable wealth.” Tory sniffed. She’d forgotten that. “That’s right. He’ll hold the patents on whatever technology the engineers can glean from this wreck.” Kumiko ran her hands down the sides of the sleek ship, her eyes shining with excitement. “We’ve got to get this news back to the Federation right away. They’ll want to get several teams of scientists out here at once.” “Let’s see exactly what’s here first.” As they talked, Tory had edged her way up to the darker patch at one end of the exposed metal. Sure enough, faint lines were etched in the metal in a rectangular shape. This was some kind of entrance to the ship. She was sure of it. Besides, why else would Lucan have stopped digging the vessel out? He’d found a door. Unfortunately, she saw no sign of a handle. No matter. Even if the ship had been sealed eons ago, she felt confident that Lucan had already worked out how to open it. Sure enough, when she placed her hand on a darker circle midway up the door’s surface, it split in two and slid silently apart. Soft lights flickered on inside, illuminating a wide corridor, the walls painted a bright lemon. “Technology that still works after thousands of years. That’s impressive,” Kumiko said, coming up behind her. “More than ours would do.” Chill bumps rose on Tory’s arms. These aliens must have had a science far more advanced than Earth’s. “I can’t say much for the color scheme, though,” Kumiko muttered, glancing around.

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“Yeah.” Standing in the doorway, Tory was struck by the alien nature of the ship. The ceiling was too high, and the walls were painted a bright lemon yellow, the shade almost jarring in its intensity. The aliens must have seen colors on a slightly different wavelength -or else they had bizarre taste. And the corridor did not run straight as a human corridor would. It curved first one way and then another with branches looping off. Gesturing for Kumiko to follow her, she moved deeper into the ship. The air inside was thick with a musty scent, but breathable. Strangely, it felt warm despite the chill of the cavern outside. More evidence that the alien technology still functioned. How much damage had the ship sustained? Was it repairable? But if it was, why hadn’t the aliens fixed it? Had they been caught in the eruption? Too many questions. They needed answers. Moving slowly, they walked into the maze. Doors broke the smooth walls of the corridor at regular intervals. Crew quarters, perhaps? Tory wanted to stop and investigate, but she kept moving, suspecting that the greater discoveries would lie ahead. If the alien ship was arranged anything like a human ship, the main control areas would be deeper inside, protected by several layers of deck from a hit that might lay them open to the airless void of space. The deeper they went into the interior, the more the corridor kept branching out in several directions. Praying that her instinct wouldn’t fail her, Tory tried to stay with the widest branch each time. She could only hope they were continuing to head where the center of the ship might lie. Soon the corridor turned again and got even wider, indicating that they were probably following the right path. The doors, which until now had been painted a vivid lime green, suddenly were bright crimson. “Command territory?” Kumiko wondered aloud. “Looks like it.” Tory paused before a double door, the first they’d seen. Acting on impulse, she touched a ruby circle near the center.

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Lights flickered on inside as the door slid open. They stood looking at a large, vaulted room. Long tables were everywhere, scattered randomly around the floor. Or were they tables? Looking closer, Tory saw that each one was covered in some padded material. Couches maybe? Each was waist high and supported by thick wooden legs carved with what looked like unfamiliar hieroglyphs. A side table stood next to each couch, also with carved wooden legs. A circular silver band rested on the polished surface of each table. Slowly, Tory and Kumiko wandered from couch to couch, picking up the silver circlets. “They all look the same,” Kumiko said at last. Tory eyed the one in her hand. “Think they’re meant to go on the head?” “You’re assuming the aliens had heads.” “Why not? Any intelligent life has a brain, and the brain has to go somewhere. Plus, it makes sense for the eyes and ears to be close to the brain.” She’d learned that much ages ago in biology class. Kumiko laughed. “Maybe these things don’t go on the head. Maybe these are beds and they’re alien masturbation devices for supersized dicks.” Tory made a face. “Funny. I think it’s worth a shot, anyway.” She lifted the circlet over her head. “Wait!” Kumiko gripped her wrist. “We have no idea what their nervous systems were like. What if this thing fries your cerebral cortex?” Tory frowned. This was a switch, Kumiko arguing for caution while she charged boldly ahead. What if Kumiko was right? On the other hand, they’d never learn anything about this alien technology without taking a risk or two, and they were definitely behind on the learning curve here. Besides, she couldn’t order Kumiko to take the chance. It had to be her. “Got to do it.” Holding her breath, she plunked the circlet on her head. Pain exploded through her brain like a lightning bolt. Crying out, she doubled over. A rush of images poured into her consciousness.

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“Tory!” Kumiko grabbed her arm and pulled her upright with one hand while yanking the circlet off her head with the other. “Are you okay?” “Oh, frig!” Tory stumbled over to one of the couches and collapsed, curling into a tight, fetal ball. “I see why these things are here.” “Take it easy.” Kumiko knelt beside her, her dark eyes full of concern. She pulled a bottle from her backpack. “Drink this.” Grateful, Tory sipped at the cool water. After a moment, the pounding in her head eased. Struggling back into a sitting position, she rubbed her aching temples with both hands. “Wow! That did just about fry my brain, but I think I’m okay.” She blinked, letting the alien images replay in her mind’s eye. They came more slowly this time, giving her a chance to pick up details. And as far as she could tell, they replayed exactly as she’d seen them the first time. Had they somehow been imprinted in her brain? What she saw was a series of exotic scenes, like a movie, but one that made little sense to her.

Garish colors glowed everywhere she looked. Outlandish humanoid creatures, their skins mottled pink, red and purple, their clothes flashing shades of neon green and yellow, teemed through an open space where metallic plants sprouted upward like trees. They moved with a kind of eerie grace, flowing back and forth across the open space as if engaged in some great ritualistic dance. Tory shook her head and the images vanished. Was it a dance? A game? A religious ceremony? She had no clue. She bit her lip and pondered the circlet. Kumiko had snatched it off her head after only a few seconds. If she left it on longer, she’d probably see more, maybe enough to understand what was going on. “Oh, no you don’t,” Kumiko protested. “You’ve been hanging around me for way too long. That’s enough foolish risk-taking for one night. We should leave this stuff for someone who knows what they’re doing.”

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“You’re right,” Tory admitted after a moment’s hesitation. “We need to make a quick survey of the rest of the ship. And then we need to get those repairs done and get off this planet ASAP. The Federation needs to know about this.” “Amen to that, sister.” They fell silent again as they edged back out into the corridor and followed another wide branch toward the center of the ship. Tory guessed they were almost there, and her guess proved right when the corridor curved sharply and another bright red double door loomed before them. “I think we’ve hit pay dirt.” Her stomach tightening in anticipation, she pressed her palm against the ubiquitous circle in the middle of the door. As she’d come to expect, it slid open with an almost inaudible hiss of sound. Beyond lay a circular room large enough to hold a good fifty people. The floor was tangerine and the walls were russet, dominated by several display screens. Tory drew in a sharp, excited breath. This was undoubtedly the command center of the ship. Chairs were set before the many screens, chairs too big for humans but with a recognizable function nevertheless. Another chair, covered in a deep emerald fabric, sat alone in the very center of the space with its back turned to her. Even as that chair registered on her consciousness, it spun around. A man sat upright in it, his hands resting on the armrests in an almost royal posture. Lucan! He leaned forward with triumph glowing on his face, but his eyes held an insane, glazed look. On his head, perched at a haphazard angle, sat a silver circlet, nearly twice as large as those in the other room, and shaped like a crown. Tory barely had time to take in these details before Lucan lifted one of his hands from the armrest. A metallic barrel glinted in the light. Frig it, he had a gun! “Greetings!” He pointed the weapon toward her and Kumiko. “I’ve been expecting you ever since the silent alarm on the upper door went off. You see, I’m not quite as trusting as

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my son. I snuck down here to wait, fully expecting I’d have some uninvited guests this evening. And here you are. I have a little party planned for you.”

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Chapter Nine

“Hey, you can’t blame a gal for being curious.” Tory’s skin crawled. He looked as if he might shoot them at any moment. She spread her hands in a conciliatory gesture. “We just dropped in for a sneak peak.” “Is that so?” Lucan stood. The circlet glittered on his head, catching the light and sending it flashing throughout the chamber as if the metal were somehow alive. He waved the gun in an angry gesture. Tory fought back a wave of fear. She had to stay calm and assess the situation. Only she’d never faced anything like this before. Fighters in space were one thing. With her experience, she could predict what another pilot was likely to do. This was different, more frightening somehow. Lucan had changed. His cool gray eyes glowed with inhuman purpose and his face muscles twitched as if overloaded with emotions. The circlet was affecting his mind. She was sure of it. He might start shooting without warning. The barrel steadied again, pointed at her. “You’re sure you weren’t trying to steal the credit for my discovery?” Tory forced a laugh. “How could we possibly do that? Neither one of us are archeologists. No one would believe we found this thing ourselves.”

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“True.” Lucan nodded. His gaze shifted to Kumiko. “And you wouldn’t harm me, would you, my dear, just when we were becoming such close friends?” “Certainly not.” Kumiko made her voice breathless, sexy, but Tory could see the tension thrumming through her muscles. She was ready to jump forward if Lucan’s finger so much as tightened on the trigger. His gaze grew troubled. Frowning, he surveyed her from head to foot. “Then why are you down here?” “Because we have a sworn duty to the Federation,” Tory interrupted. She stabbed an accusing finger in his direction. Her instincts told her that she had to show strength to this man. “You do, too, if you’ll recall. You’re required to report any discovery of alien technology that could possibly be used as a weapon immediately. When you refused to reveal what was down here, we had a duty to investigate.” To her surprise, her explanation seemed to alleviate his anxiety. He lowered his weapon a notch, although he still kept it trained on a point just above her heart. “I know you must carry out a captain’s duty.” He nodded at Kumiko. “And I appreciate your officer’s loyalty. Loyalty is a rare and precious thing.” Relief surged through Tory. Was Lucan going to be reasonable? “I’m glad you can see my position.” “I might understand, but I don’t condone, Captain. What did you do to my son?” “I gave him an injection that knocked him out. He’ll be fine in the morning.” Lucan barked out a harsh laugh. “I can’t imagine Cor feeling fine after being tricked. He’ll be fit to be tied. I wouldn’t want to face his anger.” “Maybe not.” Tory straightened her shoulders. “But I can take care of myself.” All that hand-to-hand combat training at the academy might come in handy after all. “Now, if you don’t mind, I’d appreciate it if you lower that gun.”

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“I’ll lower the gun when I’m good and ready. You might have a duty, but you two were fools to come prowling down here. You have no idea what you’re doing. This ship is full of dangerous technology.” “No shit.” Tory rubbed her still aching temples. “I tried on one of those silver circlets in another room. It nearly fried my brain.” Suspicion flashed across Lucan’s face. “What did you see?” “Not much. Some jumbled images of an alien race in a golden forest.” “Ah, the aliens!” Lucan glanced about the control room as if he expected one to suddenly appear. “Humanoid creatures with multicolored skin?” “That would be them.” Lucan lifted his head, the crown glinting. A look of pride settled over his features. “They were a great race, and I am their discoverer.” Kumiko snorted. “I’m sure they’d appreciate what you’ve done, if only they were alive.” “They are alive,” Lucan whispered. The blood-chilling words seemed to echo through the chamber. “Alive in ways your narrow little minds can barely appreciate.” Kumiko moved forward a step. “Why not fill us in? I’m ready to learn from the master.” Tory bit down hard on her lip to stop a laugh. What was Kumiko up to now? She’d have to turn her sex appeal up to the max to have a prayer of winning back Lucan’s trust. But it was just like Kumiko to make the audacious attempt anyway. Lucan turned to Kumiko with narrowed eyes. She swayed her hips and let her tongue slip out between her open lips. Her black lashes fluttered. “You discovered real aliens? That must be so fascinating. Too bad that you have no one here to talk about it with except for Cor, and what does he know? I’d love to hear all about their society, their day-to-day lives, even” -- she gave a little giggle -- “their sex lives.”

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“Sex lives, eh?” Lucan lifted his brows, but his harsh expression softened. “Funny you should mention that. But first things first. They called themselves the Kau Kenas wi Awadai. They had an empire a millennia ago in the Perseus arm of the galaxy. They’d sent this ship to Damaen as part of a colonization mission after a plague broke out on their other worlds. Unfortunately, the ship was contaminated with the plague. Soon after it landed here, the crew perished.” “Nothing catching, I hope.” Kumiko flashed a smile. “But I thought you said they were alive?” Lucan gave her a triumphant look. “They are! And you don’t need to worry your pretty head, my dear. The virus is long dead.” “I think I understand. You mean they’re still alive because their ship still survives.” Kumiko had a look of intense sympathy on her face. Tory prayed Kumiko wouldn’t be blinded by her natural empathy. The aliens’ fate was tragic, but they had their own problems. Lucan’s eyes blazed with sudden light. “Yes! You understand. I knew you would. You’re not like her.” He shot a look of disgust at Tory. With his free arm, he waved at the glowing screens scattered around the control center. “Look around and behold a true triumph of technology over flesh. It’s that technology that saved the crew.” “And you figured it out, didn’t you?” Kumiko purred. “I can’t wait to hear about your brilliant discovery.” “Yeah,” Tory said. Kumiko was doing a great job in the ancient role of good cop. Time she helped out. She folded her arms and glared at Lucan, taking on her bad cop persona. “You claim you figured it out, but I haven’t heard any proof yet.” The archeologist sneered. “I have proof, all the proof I need. You see, they uploaded their memories to the main computer before they died.” Lucan gestured to the crown on his

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head. “Through this device, I am able to converse with the long-dead captain of this ship, Mae-se Kenas wi Awadai.” “The captain?” Tory raised her brows, impressed despite herself. “Now, that’s technology.” She looked around, reassessing. “And she said the ship landed here. It didn’t crash?” “No.” Lucan sounded impatient with her questions. “The ship was fine when the volcano erupted.” “That must have damaged it, though.” “Surprisingly little. Mae-se tells me that the ship, although trapped under the lava flow, has spent the past few thousands of years maintaining itself in a constant state of readiness. If it were freed, it could fly away.” “Wow. You’re brilliant!” Kumiko shot a quick glance at Tory, warning her to shut up. Her lashes lowered, she moved another step closer to Lucan. “And what are all these panels for? Will you show me, please?” Tory puffed up her cheeks and blew out air, getting ready to act. Another step or two and Kumiko would undoubtedly leap. It suited her weapon’s officer’s risky style. She had to jump at the same instant. If they were lucky, Lucan would hesitate a second in choosing a target… It was hard to concentrate on Kumiko, though, with Lucan’s revelations whirling through her head. A fully functional alien ship. Earth’s scientists could advance the Federation’s technology by leaps and bounds with the information locked up on this vessel. They’d easily regain the upper hand over the Theocrats and restore peace and freedom to the twenty worlds of the Federation. Once that was done, they could follow the maps in this ship -- or whatever alien equivalent it possessed -- and find a whole civilization. Her head began to spin with exciting plans. She had to get this information back to her father. Crap! To do that, she’d need Cor’s help to repair her fighter. Maybe it hadn’t been so

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smart to piss him off, after all. The old spark was definitely smoldering. With a little more patience, she might have convinced him to cooperate willingly. A smile touched her lips. Her pussy still ached from his intense lovemaking. When it came to Cor and sex, pleasure was guaranteed. She hoped he’d let her give him as much pleasure while rebuilding the relationship she’d undoubtedly damaged tonight. In a flash, another idea occurred to her. She held up a hand to attract Lucan’s attention, at the same time signaling Kumiko to hold off for a moment. “Obviously you have some kind of laser tunneling device on your ship. How long would it take to dig the rest of this vessel out of the rock? We could solve all our problems if you freed it, and we flew it back to the Federation.” “No!” The vehemence in Lucan’s voice shocked her. The gun that he’d lowered jerked upward again. “Mae-se Kenas wi Awadai would never allow that. The secret of their civilization’s location must be kept safe from all outsiders.” “We understand.” Kumiko held up her empty hands and spoke in a soft, calming voice. “You’ve made first contact, and you’ve become friends with this alien captain.” “More than friends.” Lucan stuck out a belligerent chin. Pride blazed like fire on his face. “I’m the first human to fully understand an alien intelligence. More than that, I’m the first human to fuck an alien.”

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“Frig me! What an accomplishment.” Tory forced a false smile to her lips. Crap, what next? She had to keep trying to placate the old bastard, but he had obviously lost his sanity. That silver device must have fried most of his brain cells. Sighing, she turned her hands palm outward in a gesture of surrender. “I get it. You feel like the images you see when you put that thing on are real.” Lucan’s lips curled in disgust. “How could you possibly understand? They’ve created a virtual world in their computer, and they survive in it.” “Sure, sure. The alien memory in the computer wants to protect its people, and you want to help. But it’s only a memory. These aliens are dead. For that matter, their whole civilization is probably long dead.” Lucan shot her a condescending look. “Mae-se Kenas wi Awadai is not convinced of that. The Kau Kenas wi Awadai are not barely sentient beings like humans. They possessed a far superior intelligence. And they have survived catastrophes in the past. Other colonies were sent out. Her people might still live. She is determined to protect their secrets.” Tory folded her arms across her chest. This argument with Lucan was going nowhere. Time to play hard-assed bad cop again. “Maybe, but she’s only a few electrons floating in a

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computer. It shouldn’t be that hard to find a way to bypass her. One flick of the right switch and she’s gone.” Lucan mouth twisted downward in a scowl. “You’re talking about murdering the last memories of a living being, Captain. I can’t let you do that.” “Calm down,” Kumiko urged, glancing from one to the other. “I’m sure Captain Stone will see your viewpoint if you tell us more about what you’ve discovered.” Lucan turned eagerly to her. “What I’ve learned is incredible. I’ve formed a bond with Mae-se. This device has enabled us to link mind to mind. I know her heart and her soul. Most fantastic of all, I’ve caught a glimpse of a civilization far vaster and grander than ours can ever hope to be. I can’t let it be destroyed by the petty concerns of humans.” Tory let loose a derisive snort. The petty concerns of humans, indeed. She surveyed the glittering crown and matching glitter in Lucan’s eyes. What had this alien device done to him? Was the man’s sanity completely gone? “What are you telling me? That you’d put the wishes of a dead alien over the desperate needs of the Federation? You must understand what will happen if the Theocrats take over again. We’ll never shake off their oppressive dictatorship.” “Mae-se is far from dead, Captain. She thinks, she feels, she can even form the image of a physical body in my mind. Whenever I activate this device on my head, I see her exactly as she was when she was a living being. Our interactions are every bit as real as the one I’m having with you.” Kumiko waved a hand in front of her face. “Is it just me, or is it getting hot in here?” She unzipped her flight jacket and shrugged it off, dropping it to the floor. “That’s better.” Underneath she wore only a thin T-shirt. Sweat plastered it to her skin, outlining the curve of her pert breasts. Tory wondered what would happen if she stripped off her flight jacket, too. She was still naked underneath. Judging by the hungry look Lucan was giving Kumiko, she didn’t need to.

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“The aliens came from a hot planet,” Lucan explained. “Even now, the ship maintains a warm temperature in its interior.” As he spoke, his eyes stayed riveted on Kumiko’s display. The wet T-shirt was nearly transparent, and her nipples were growing hard. “Do you think your alien captain is as real as me?” Kumiko asked with a provocative tone. She planted her hands on her hips, moving slightly forward. Tory measured the distance with her eyes. One more sexy move should do it. Meanwhile, she had to distract Lucan so he wouldn’t figure out what Kumiko was up to. She faced the renowned scientist, her mind racing. Arguing with a certifiable lunatic was always hazardous, but the angrier she made him the better right now. “You were just lecturing me about the dangers of messing with alien technology, doctor. It’s obvious to me that this device has destroyed your judgment. You need to regain a human perspective. You’d better remove it, and quickly!” Lucan leered at her. “You’d like that, wouldn’t you? I know what you’re planning, just as surely as I knew you’d sneak down here tonight. You’d like to grab it away from me and put it on your own head. Then you could see Mae-se like I do, and experience the joy of union with her.” “Hey!” A happy smile spread across Kumiko’s face. “Joy of union? Now you’re talking. Who wouldn’t want some alien sex? Why, you really are a horny man, aren’t you. A gorgeous android isn’t enough for you? I’m impressed.” “Sex?” Lucan snorted. “Humans barely understand the meaning of the word. When the Kau Kenas wi Awadai mate, it’s a sacred act that goes far beyond the mere experience of physical enjoyment, intense though that is. Six pair-bonded couples unite body to body while at the same time merging their consciousnesses into an orgasmic union beyond your comprehension.” “How would you know?” Tory felt slightly unclean, like some pervert peeping in a window.

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“Mae-se let me watch while her pair group conducted a mating ritual.” Lucan eyed the two of them and pursed his lips. Slowly, his heated gaze settled on Kumiko. “She has even promised me that she’d allow me to participate. But before I can take part, I must bring a bonded mate with me into the virtual reality created by this device.” A chill ran down Tory’s spine. All at once she understood Lucan’s intense interest in her weapons officer. It would be a cold day in deep space before she’d let this madman get his hands on Kumiko. “What about the android?” “Unfortunately, they don’t consider Elvira sentient.” Next to her, Kumiko laughed softly. Tory glanced at her crewmate and saw an excited glow on her delicate features. Lucan was playing right into her plan with his obsession with sex. Kumiko placed a hand on her waist and shifted her stance so that her breasts thrust outward. “What about me? I’m interested. You’re talking group alien sex, right?” The scientist’s eyes burned with a fierce new hunger. “I’m talking about a sensual experience that will flood your entire being with ecstasy.” “Yeah. It sounds like a mind-blowing ride, and not just because I could finally get it on with you, lover.” Kumiko winked. “I’ve been wanting more ever since this afternoon. So how do I get into this virtual world you’re talking about?” The eager look deepened on Lucan’s face. Tory’s stomach lurched with revulsion. The scientist wiped beads of sweat from his forehead. “I have another one of these command devices. I’ll place it on your head, and it will link you into the net. Once that’s done, Mae-se will be able to touch your mind with hers. When she does, you’ll understand why I must do everything in my power to protect her and her kind from the ravages of humanity.” “Hmmm.” Kumiko looked at him with her lashes lowered, veiling her gaze. Her fingers rose to her throat and she plucked at the neckline of her T-shirt as if she were considering stripping it off, too. “Sounds like it might be fun. I like my sex a little kinky.”

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Tory suppressed an inward smile. The designers of their uniforms, stiff military types no doubt, had probably never imagined how creatively they could be used in a very real battle. Kumiko fingered her T-shirt again, and Lucan started to breathe heavily. Did the idiot really believe that Kumiko might be attracted to him? Still, Kumiko’s ploy was working. They’d managed to keep Lucan distracted while Kumiko inched closer. She had to watch for the right moment and act quickly. “I like my women exotic. And I’ve always been partial to Asian women.” Unconsciously, Lucan lowered the gun another half-inch as his attention riveted on Kumiko. Tory’s disgust notched up as she saw that the bulge between his legs had grown. The man had been a great archeologist once, but he was thinking with his little head these days. The alien device had apparently fried his brain. Perhaps she’d been luckier than she realized to come away with nothing more than a headache from her experiment. “Sounds like we have a lot in common.” Kumiko gave Lucan another wink. Suddenly, Lucan’s gun came up again. “Or you’re trying to trick me like you tricked Cor.” Kumiko jerked her head at Tory. “I had nothing to do with Cor. It was all her.” Her dark eyes grew wide and sincere. “I’m the backseat weapons officer, remember? And I’ve had my fill of getting shot at while the hotshot pilot gets all the glory. We were damned lucky to escape from this last fight alive. I want to stay that way. I enjoy being alive.” More beads of moisture appeared on Lucan’s forehead. “What does that have to do with my discovery?” Kumiko smiled. Her eyelashes fluttered downward, veiling her gaze. Without a word, she gripped the bottom of her T-shirt and pulled upward, exposing her breasts and taut, dark nipples.

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Slowly, she lifted her gaze again to meet his. “Put that gun down. Let me join you in your virtual world, and I’ll take it all off. I have a lot to offer a man. And I figure if a little fun sex can get a date with an alien in your virtual world, it’s all good. If I learn enough about these aliens, I’ll be too valuable to the Federation to risk in battle.” Tory wondered how far Kumiko would go with this little striptease. Her weapons officer always had had an exhibitionist streak. Meanwhile, she had her own role to play. “Kumiko, don’t do it,” she snapped. “One of those devices is likely to destroy your mind.” “You’re just jealous he doesn’t want you.” Kumiko formed a small pout with her mouth, but kept her gaze fixed on Lucan. Her tongue slid out between her lips, wetting them. Her voice grew husky. “If the sex is as great as he says, I might never want to leave. And I’ll be in a lot less danger of getting blown up. Even if the Federation does catch up with us eventually, I’ll still be golden because their scientists will want me to help them unravel how these devices work. Either way, I win.” “Why you cold, calculating bitch!” Tory glared at her partner. “You’re screwing me for this old man.” “No.” Kumiko’s smile widened. “I’m the one who’ll get screwed.” Boldly, she took a step closer to Lucan, at the same time reaching down and pulling her T-shirt over her head. With a little tinkle of laughter, she tossed the shirt aside. Her breasts bounced as they sprang free of the damp fabric. Her skin appeared golden in the light of the command center, and her dark nipples had gone taut with excitement. Lucan’s eyes widened and focused on Kumiko’s chest. Tory tensed. This was the moment she’d been waiting for! Leaping forward, she made a desperate lunge for Lucan’s gun. “You fucking bitch!” Lucan snarled. He spun around and Tory’s outstretched hand missed the gun by half an inch. Swearing, he aimed it straight at Kumiko.

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“Run!” Tory yelled. Her lunge had taken her just behind Lucan. She whirled and made a second frantic grab at the weapon. “Stop this, Lucan!” a male voice shouted over her yell. Startled, Tory raised her eyes. She saw Cor running into the room, and at the same moment, she barreled into Lucan, knocking down his gun hand. “You’re dead, whore!” Lucan yelled in her ear. He brought the gun back up, the barrel aimed at her. She grabbed his wrist with a grunt. They wrestled for control of the weapon. “Goddamit!” Lucan squeezed the trigger. The heat of the laser beam scorched the fine hairs on Tory’s arm, and red light flashed around the room. A control panel exploded, sending shards of metal flying up at the ceiling. Her ears ringing from the blast, Tory heard Kumiko scream as if from a great distance. Cor let loose a primordial howl of rage. He shoved her aside, breaking her grip on Lucan’s gun hand. She fell hard on her butt on the stone floor. The impact knocked the breath out of her. She sucked air into her aching lungs and looked up. Cor towered above her. Ignoring his father’s gun, he drove a fist straight into Lucan’s gut.

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Chapter Eleven

Cor’s blow made Lucan double over, gagging in pain. He staggered and crashed into the throne-like chair behind him. His head hit with a dull thunk, and the crown fell off, rattling across the stone floor. Unrelenting, Cor followed, his arms raised for the next blow. Lucan’s eyes had glazed over, but somehow he dragged himself upright again. “Cor, no!” Tory reached for Cor’s arm, but he pulled free. “Sorry.” His face hard, Cor drove his right fist into his father’s chin. Lucan’s head twisted sharply to the left. His eyes rolled up in their sockets, and he slumped to the floor. The gun fell from his limp hand and slid a few inches away. Cor leapt for it and snatched it up. Breathing hard, he turned to face Tory. “Are you okay?” “Yeah.” She stared down at Lucan’s sprawling body in disbelief. A quick glance around the room showed no sign of Kumiko or her crumpled T-shirt and flight jacket. Good. Her quick-thinking partner had realized that Cor was stronger than the two of them and fled. She was probably close by, sizing up the situation. Tory smiled at Cor. “I’m a little surprised, though. Is this a rescue? Are you taking my side? Or am I your prisoner?”

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Cor stared thoughtfully at the gun in his hand, and then shoved it into his belt. He straightened, adjusting the straps of the pack on his back. Obviously, he’d come down the tunnel ready to deal with anything. “Don’t be a fool, Tory. We’re all on the same side. Lucan will turn his discoveries over to the Federation in his own good time. Meanwhile, I work for my father, but I draw the line at guns and shooting. There’s no need for violence.” Tory eyed the gun. Maybe, if she were quick enough she could get it away from Cor. But she remembered the speed of his reflexes from their academy days. And he was showing no signs of being slowed down by the drugs she’d pumped into his system just a short time ago. Which was strange, come to think of it. “I’m glad you feel that way.” “Damned lucky, you mean. I’m not really inclined to feel generous toward you at this moment, especially after you thought I was dumb enough to be seduced and drugged.” He shot her a cocky grin. “I did enjoy the sex though.” Tory’s heart sank. He’d suspected what she was up to all along. “So how come you’re not unconscious?” she asked, remembering the feel of the needle’s plunger under her thumb. Cor gave her an innocent smile. “Yesterday afternoon, after you and Kumiko returned from your supposed attempt to get the radio going on your ship, I snuck into your tent.” “What? When?” Tory shook her head. “We were there all the time.” “Not when you both went outside to take a leak.” Cor laughed. “What is it with women? You always have to go to the bathroom together. That gave me all the time I needed. I slipped inside and saw the needle you had already prepared in your med kit. I ejected the drug solution and replaced it with sterilized water. Totally harmless.” “You guessed what I was up to the whole time?” The smile faded from Cor’s face. “I know you pretty well, Tory. When you set a goal for yourself, you stop at nothing to succeed. And it was clear you wanted to find out what

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was down here. I asked myself how I’d do it if it were me, and the answer became fairly obvious. Especially when you acted like you were still so horny for me after all these years.” Tory fixed him with a steady stare, trying to ignore the sinking sensation in her middle. Damn the old man and his orders. She’d been duty-bound to do whatever it took to uncover Lucan’s secret -- a secret that might save the Federation, it turned out. But in performing her duty, she’d betrayed Cor, despite her growing realization that she still had feelings for him. He would never believe in the sincerity of anything she told him now. She took an unsteady breath. “That wasn’t an act, Cor. We were damned hot together once upon a time.” “Ancient history.” She released the breath with a sigh. What had she expected, anyway? “Okay. Have it your way. So what do you plan to do with me?” Cor stared over her shoulder. “Well, I guess first I’ll have to tie you up to keep you under control, and then I have to track down your weapons officer. She ran off when the shooting started.” “Can you blame her?” Mentally, Tory crossed her fingers. Kumiko would be somewhere close by, watching for her chance. She might be small, but she was an expert fighter. Still, attacking Cor was a huge risk, even with the advantage of surprise. For once, Tory wished Kumiko wasn’t so bold. “After I catch her,” Cor continued, “I’m going to take you both and dump you near the seashore about a hundred miles from here. The fish on this world are edible, believe it or not, and there’s fresh water there, too. Plus, I’ll leave some supplies. You should survive without any problems. Once my father’s ready to reveal his find to the Federation, I’ll send them the coordinates of your location.” “Gee, that’s thoughtful of you.”

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Cor raised an eyebrow. “More than you deserve, really. You landed here without an invitation, looking for help. Why did you have to try to interfere with Lucan’s work?” “Lucan got permission to dig here on the understanding that any alien technology he found would be used to aid the Federation. The government needs it, desperately.” “Do they?” Cor shrugged. “They’ll get it faster if they leave Lucan alone to figure it out first. He really is as brilliant as he thinks he is.” Tory stared at Cor, realization dawning. “Hang on. I’m beginning to think you don’t realize what your father has planned.” Cor slid a quick look at Lucan, who still lay unconscious on the floor. “What are you talking about? Am I supposed to believe he’s sharing his plans with you and not with me?” “He told Kumiko and me a few things when he had that gun pointed at us, yes.” Tory lifted her chin a notch higher. “He has no intention of letting the Federation get its hands on any of this technology. He’s been fooling with it himself, wearing that alien device.” She motioned with her chin toward the crown which lay on the floor near Lucan’s feet. “It’s messed with his mind somehow. He believes the long-dead captain of this ship still lives in the ship’s computer. He also thinks she wants him to return the ship to her home world.” Cor raked a hand through his hair and stared at Tory, then down at the crown. Disbelief flickered across his features. “That’s crazy.” “I agree. I’m only telling you what he told me. He hasn’t shared any of this with you?” Cor frowned at his father’s still form. “No. But then Lucan and I have never been close.” Tory recalled Cor telling her once that his father had been off exploring through most of his childhood. “Your father might be a loyal Federation scientist, but these alien devices mess with the brain. Don’t take my word for it. Wake him up and ask him to discuss his plans with you.”

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Cor snorted. Pain flashed in his eyes. “I don’t know if I can trust him to tell me the truth any more than I can trust you. Who am I supposed to believe, Tory?” “Believe this. If he takes off with this alien ship and leaves you behind on the freighter, you’ll be the one holding the bag when the Federation finally shows up and starts asking some hard questions. None of this belongs to Lucan. If he steals it, the Federation might even consider it treason.” Cor’s eyes had gone cold while he listened to Tory’s plea. “All right, I’ll ask him a few pointed questions. In the meantime, I have you and Kumiko to deal with. Fortunately, I came down here prepared for anything.” He shrugged the pack off his back. Reaching inside with one hand, he pulled out a pair of handcuffs and dangled them in front of her. “I found these in the freighter. The former captain must have had them in case a crew member got out of line. As you can see, they’re the latest model, electronically controlled by a thumb pad. I’ve reset them to respond only to my touch. I want you to put them on.” Tory’s stomach roiled. Handcuffs were certainly going to limit her options. She tossed her head, trying to hide her distress. “Hands in front or behind?” “In front will do. I don’t need you completely helpless, just hobbled enough to stay under control.” As he spoke, he held out the cuffs. Tory swallowed. Did she dare try to resist? Cor wasn’t pointing the gun at her, and if it came right down to it, she doubted very much that he could ever shoot her. On the other hand, he’d had the same training in hand-to-hand combat as she, and he’d probably picked up some dirty tricks in the past few years. Her best bet might be to appear cooperative. “If that’s what you want.” She held up her hands. “I’ve always wanted you to tie me up.”

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“Yeah.” Cor’s grin turned feral. He slipped the cold metal over her wrists and snapped the cuffs shut. His mouth twitched upward. “I feel safe for the first time since you landed on Damaen.” “I’ll bet. Like you’d ever be intimidated by little ol’ me.” Cor pulled in a breath. “You have more of an impact on me than you’ll ever realize.” She glanced up at him, her heart skipping a beat at this change of tune. “What ever happened to ‘ancient history’?” He stared at her, and the golden flecks in his brown eyes glowed. “Now that I have you safely cuffed, I guess I can admit that history has a way of coming back to life sometimes. Making love to you tonight stirred feelings I’d told myself were long gone.” Tory’s throat tightened. She’d felt the same way, although he’d probably never believe her if she said so, not after she’d so blatantly used their sexual encounter to trick him. There was so much she wanted to tell him, but she needed to save the heart-to-heart until they got out of this situation. Instead, she batted her lashes at him. “Why, Cor, I’ll take that as a compliment.” To her surprise, his skin darkened with a sudden rush of blood. “Listen, if you think I’m such an idiot that I’d fall for your seduction routine twice --” “Sorry.” Her glance fell before the hot anger blazing in his eyes. “I had that coming. But in the same spirit of honesty, believe me when I say it was no routine. I counted on you falling asleep on the cot after an orgasm, true, but the sex…well, hell, the sex was great, but nothing compared to what I felt…” Her voice trailed off. Could she really admit to the emotions their encounter had brought back? She’d never expected the powerful reactions that seized her when she got anywhere near Cor. Before landing on Damaen, she’d told herself their love was dead. Yet from the first moment she’d glimpsed him again the pressure had begun to build in her body and in her heart -- the pressure of a long-hidden truth demanding to be heard.

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Standing this close to him made her almost dizzy with desire. Surprisingly, the fact that she was cuffed and helpless only made her passion burn hotter. Normally, she had to be in control of her every action, but the thought that Cor could touch her anywhere and she would be helpless to stop him…her heart thudded in her chest.

Don’t be a fool. With an abrupt shake of her head, she cut off the sexual fantasy. She should be thinking about how to get out of these cuffs, not how to get Cor to fasten one end to a bedpost. Luckily, the nearest four-poster must be several hundred light years away. He stepped closer, and she felt the heat radiating off his body adding to the already stifling warmth in the control chamber. She gulped in air, feeling a little faint. “What did you feel, Tory?” Her heart seemed to rise up into her throat. She had to swallow to speak. She felt uncertain, shaken by the presence of this man. What if she told him the truth, and he pushed her away again. “I felt great. The sex was mind-blowing, toe-curling, pure passion.” “Yeah.” He looked disgusted. “Who doesn’t like a good fuck?” Her hair-trigger temper exploded. “Why you bastard!” Thank God she hadn’t told him her real feelings. “You’re just saying that because you know it’ll hurt me.” To her astonishment, he nodded. “Yeah. Like you hurt me tonight by trying to trick me.” He gave her a pleading stare. “I thought people with feelings for each other were supposed to be honest about them.” She raised her manacled hands to stab a finger at him. “You know perfectly well why I’m afraid to be honest with you. I loved you back at the academy, and you walked away from me without an explanation. You ended it, and I didn’t get a vote. I was just ditched.” “You loved me?” He emphasized the past tense of the word. His gaze held a challenge. She bit down on her lip. She had a choice: Tell the truth, or walk away from him the same way he’d walked away from her. Only this time it would be forever. And the thought

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of that was unbearable. “I’ve tried to pretend I don’t feel anything for you, but being near you again has made me realize I’ve been lying to myself.” “Tory!” He grabbed her wrists just above the cuffs. “Yeah. Ancient history. No future for us. Blah, blah, blah. You can say it all day and all night, Cor, but we both know we don’t really feel that way. I didn’t seduce you because I thought that was the only way I could drug you and sneak down here. I seduced you because I wanted to.” She stopped speaking for a moment and tried to catch her breath. “I can’t stop thinking about having you deep inside me again -- where you belong.” Feeling utterly vulnerable and exposed, she glared at him. Let him call her a liar if he dared. “Damnation, woman, I half believe you.” Golden points of fire glittered in the depths of his eyes as he surveyed her face. Tory dared not look away. Although her heart beat madly in her throat, she met his stare unflinchingly, willing him to see the love deep in her heart, the love she’d hidden even from herself for so long. “Believe me,” she whispered, reaching up with her cuffed hands to touch the side of his cheek. As she did, her eyes widened. Over his shoulder, she caught a glimpse of Kumiko peeking into the room. Her weapons officer winked at her and jerked her head upward, at the same time making a series of rapid signals with her hand. Obviously, she planned to sneak back up to the surface for something, but what? Tory’s heart tightened as Kumiko made a fist and pointed a finger. A gun. Of course. That would put them back in control. But only if Kumiko could get the drop on Cor, and he surrendered and gave up his weapon. Would he? She prayed so. If it came down to a gunfight, someone might get hurt. Surely Cor would see the wisdom of following Federation rules for once. Meanwhile, she had to delay Cor from going after Kumiko, to give her crewmate the time she needed to reach the surface and get her hands on a weapon.

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Fortunately, she’d made a good beginning, quite by accident. And she didn’t want to stop what she’d started. It was time to unleash the feelings she’d repressed for so long. “Please believe me,” she whispered again, making her voice husky with desire. “Damn it, Tory!” But even as he spoke, Cor lowered his head to meet her upraised lips. Their mouths touched, his hot and hungry. As his lips swept over hers, her heartbeat thundered in her ears. Her lips parted to let his tongue plunge into her mouth. Moaning softly, she looped her chained hands around his neck and leaned into his kiss.

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Chapter Twelve

Cor closed his eyes to imprint this moment deep into his mind where he could recall it on some bleak future day when Tory was long gone, off in a distant sector light years away pursuing her brilliant military career. First he tasted her mouth, hot and sweet. Then he felt the fullness of her breasts pressed firmly against his chest. Finally, he savored the impact of her hips, rotating against his cock in a slow grind that made him swell and strain until he felt as if he were about to burst. “Slow down,” he gasped, tearing his mouth away. She gazed up at him, her face framed by tousled curls, her sapphire eyes shining with desire. The sight of her arousal made him even harder. He forced his glance away, down and to his right where Lucan lay sprawled, still unconscious. “We can’t make love. Not now.” “Why not?” The naked passion on her face only amplified his desire. His cock throbbed with an ache that refused to go way until satisfied.

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“Lucan might wake up anytime,” he said, trying to cling to some small shred of rationality. Tory only looked at him, her mouth slightly open, her lips swollen with the rough kisses he’d just planted on her inviting lips, her cheeks stained with a pink flush. “He won’t,” she whispered. “Whatever happened to the Cor I knew, the Cor who was willing to seize the moment? I’m your captive, and Kumiko’s on the run. You can do whatever you want to me. And you want to make love to me. I can feel it.” She pressed against his swollen cock, and her lips curved into a teasing smile. “Fuckin’ damnation, he’s my father.” Cor knew there were other objections, but he couldn’t seem to think of them at the moment. Not while Tory rubbed against him, driving him senseless with lust. “We’ll go somewhere else then. I saw a room where we’ll have privacy, just a few doors down from here.” “Yeah, and what if Kumiko comes back and finds us going at it like two crazed animals?” “Kumiko would never say anything to my superiors. And even if she did, I’d have an explanation. You’ve got your father’s gun, and I’m your hostage.” Tory shook her wrists and the cuffs jangled against his back. “In the meantime, I’m helpless. I can’t stop you from doing whatever you want to me. For instance, you could pull down the zipper of my flight jacket and there’s nothing I could do about it.” Cor felt as if he were unable to breathe. His heated imagination conjured up images of her chained and helpless, writhing under him as he took her however he pleased. A terrible need exploded upward out of his loins to squeeze his heart in a tight vise. With her hands in cuffs, she couldn’t stop him. Sweat beaded his brow. The zipper was right there in front of him. One little tug and her breasts would spill out, soft and full, the nipples taut and begging for his touch. She

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wanted him. She was pleading for him to make love to her. And this might be his last chance to possess her. Could he really walk away and let her go? “Lucan might wake up at any moment,” he repeated. Fuckin’ hell! What had happened to his common sense? “He’s a damned traitor. Who cares?” Tory muttered, but he could see she was making an effort to focus. Her eyelids were half-lowered, her eyes dreamy with desire. “I care.” Cor frowned, remembering what Tory had just told him about Lucan’s plans. Could it possibly be true? Was his father planning to betray the Federation? Maybe, if he really believed that he’d made contact with an alien intelligence, living or dead. Finding another civilization was the Holy Grail for his father. Cor scowled. Lucan was a renowned archeologist who could talk his way out of trouble if caught. It might be different for him, though. And what if Lucan did blast off, leaving him behind? His record was far from stellar -- getting booted out of the academy, the past few years living fast and loose all over the star lanes, and then that fight. Sure, the guy had jumped him with a knife, but it’d ended in violent, bloody death. Yes, it had been selfdefense. But it still looked suspicious. When his father had asked him to serve as pilot on this new expedition, Cor had welcomed a chance for a fresh beginning. Now he wondered if Lucan had just planned to use him, like he used everybody, to achieve his own ends. “Your father’s like you -- too hardheaded to suffer any permanent damage from getting knocked out.” Tory rubbed her body up against his, distracting him. “Tie him up if you’re worried, and come with me.” Speaking of people using him. Cor placed his hands on Tory’s hips, stilling her distracting wiggle, and tried to think. He wanted Tory, wanted her bad, and she was obviously hot to spread her legs for him. Was she really feeling something, though, or using sex to somehow get the upper hand again? Maybe he should be glad if that was all it was. The

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last thing he needed was an emotional entanglement with Captain-destined-for-Admiral Tory Stone. First, though, he had to stomp down his raging hormones long enough to decide if Tory was telling him the truth about Lucan’s plans. Maybe he should try plopping that device on his own head to see what was really going on in that virtual world. “Give me a sec.” He reached up and lifted Tory’s arms, unhooking them from around his neck. Moving away from her, he bent down and retrieved the alien circlet. The damned thing looked harmless enough -- a flat silver ring with several prongs sticking up, like a crown. Each prong was a slightly different color as if made of some separate material -- iron, nickel, copper, gold, platinum? Cor hefted it in both his hands and lifted it over his head. “No!” Tory hurried to his side and grabbed at the thing, snatching it from his grasp with her cuffed hands. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” He grabbed it back. “I’m checking out your story about Lucan. I figure I’ll pay this alien captain a cyber visit myself.” “Don’t be a fool.” Tory clutched at his right arm with both her hands, a desperate look on her face. “You have no idea what this technology can do. What if it perverted your father’s thought processes? What if it seduces you, too?” His lips twitched. “What if this alien beats you to it, you mean.” Her glance fell away and a blush spread over her cheeks. “Okay, I’ll admit it. I really do want to have sex with you, but seducing you is also part of my plan.” “Which is?” She smiled a little uncertainly. “Look, my emotions have gone crazy since I landed on this world. I’m feeling things I’ve denied for years, but at the same time, I’ve got a duty to the Federation. I was trying to meet both needs. So I thought we’d retire to that room I mentioned, the one I passed on the way here. It’s full of couches and devices similar to this one.”

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Cor smirked. “I assume you want to use the couches, not the devices.” Her chin came up a notch. She held up her hands, displaying the cuffs. “That’s right. Like I said, I’m helpless and unable to resist your sexual advances. I’ll have a feasible excuse if I ever have to report this whole episode to my commanding officer.” A sudden surge of bitterness made Cor grimace. “Yeah, you certainly can’t endanger your career by letting it be known you stooped to using sex as a weapon. But back to your plan. What then?” Her cheeks grew redder as if his words had struck home. She lowered her eyes. “We make love, I get you in a receptive frame of mind, and then I convince you of the truth.” Her head came up again. She looked straight into his eyes. “The truth is that your father has his own agenda, and it doesn’t include you. Siding with him would be a major mistake.” Cor frowned. Tory was standing so close that he could smell her arousal, feminine and musky, causing his swollen cock to press harder against his pants. He wanted nothing more than to bury himself inside her. And damn if it didn’t sound like she was telling him the truth this time. Actually, the more he thought about it, the more he admired her bold audacity in coming clean about her intentions. What did she have to gain by lying, after all? Nothing. As a Federation officer, she had a right to investigate Lucan’s find, and Lucan had a responsibility to take it back to the Federation. What if Tory was telling him the truth? He should be cooperating with her. Okay. Fine. He’d start doing that. He’d cooperate -- in every way. Leaning over, he touched his lips to the shell pink curve of her ear. “What about Kumiko? Was I supposed to be so mad with lust for you that I forgot about her? She’s probably halfway to the surface already. It might take her a while to find a weapon, but as soon as she does, she’ll be back here in nothing flat.”

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“You think so?” Tory’s wide-eyed gaze didn’t even flicker. She pressed closer to him. Her breath tickled the stubble on his chin. “You know what? You’re right. The last time I saw her, she did appear to be headed for the surface. All the more reason to hurry.” For a moment, Cory gaped at her in astonishment. What the …! The sexy little minx was admitting everything. What was she up to? Then it hit him. She wasn’t up to anything. She’d revealed everything, given him her trust. And that could only mean she was telling the truth about his father. He swallowed a sudden lump in his throat. He’d lost more than he’d ever realized when he’d pushed her away, trying to protect her career and his masculine pride. What had he sacrificed because he hadn’t wanted to tell her the truth? He’d been stupid back then. He could see it now. Was he being stupid again? He stared into her eyes and saw longing there, yearning. They were both crazy -- crazy with a love that had somehow refused to die despite all the years and misunderstandings in between. “Damn it!” he swore. “I can’t leave him lying here to regain consciousness and follow after us. I guess all that academy training on being prepared is going to pay off after all.” With a swift motion, he shrugged off his backpack and pulled out a length of rope. It was a good thing archeological digs required lots of rope. Kneeling beside his father, he pressed a finger to his neck to check his pulse. Good and strong. Lucan was a tough old bird. He’d be okay, although he’d probably have a bitch of a headache. Working quickly, he tied his hands and feet. “That ought to hold him if he comes to while we’re busy.” “Glad to see you’re getting with the program.” Tory raised her bound hands, her fingers toying with the zipper of her flight jacket. Suddenly, the already warm air of the ship seemed several degrees hotter. Cor stared at the zipper, mesmerized. She slid it down a few inches, revealing creamy skin. How far back was it to that room full of couches anyway? Too far. He wanted her this instant. Maybe the

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two of them could never share a happy-ever-after ending, but he’d denied his desire for Tory long enough.

***** “Come on, Cor.” Tory made her voice into a sultry purr. She turned away, swaying her hips as she moved. “Follow me.” With Cor close behind, Tory left the control room, if that was what it was. The corridor outside was dim and silent, but her senses had never felt more alive. She was aware of every movement she made, the weight of the cuffs on her wrists, and Cor’s quick breathing behind her. The ache between her legs grew fiercer with each step closer to the room. She and Cor were entering new territory in more ways than one, and an eager excitement filled her. If she laid aside her commanding officer persona and showed him the needy woman within, would he finally believe there was hope for them? A few twists and turns along the corridor brought them back to the chamber with the couches. Tory turned to face Cor as the door slid shut behind them both. She’d give a lot to know how to lock it, but if Kumiko found them fucking, she’d raise her shackled hands and the explanation would be obvious. Her priorities were changing rapidly, though, and she hoped Kumiko would take a long time finding a weapon. Cor’s mere presence was enough to light a fire deep in her core. Not to mention the six years of sexual frustration she’d endured, the long and lonely nights when all she had were fantasies of Cor visiting her bed. Cor’s gaze swept over the nearest couch before coming back to fasten on her. “At least they’re bigger than the cot. Get undressed, Tory.” Tory sucked in a breath. There was a new commanding note in his voice and she liked it. She fumbled for the zipper of her flight jacket. The heavy leather felt hot, constricting. She pulled the zipper all the way down and the jacket fell open. Cool air swept over her breasts making her nipples pucker.

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Cor’s heated gaze roamed over her exposed flesh, devouring her. His tongue came out to flick over his lips, and he smacked them gently together. Tory shivered, remembering the pressure of those lips against her swollen nipples, the heat of his mouth, and the rough caress of his tongue sliding back and forth over her taut flesh. Her knees went weak as she struggled to unfasten her pants. God, getting undressed was a bitch when you were handcuffed. All she wanted was to tear her clothes off and get laid. She pulled off her boots and hopped on one foot, yanking off her pants and panties. Kicking the pile of clothes away with one bare foot, she looked up in time to see Cor remove the gun from his belt and lay it on a nearby couch. The sexy smile he gave her made her dizzy with desire. He dropped his backpack to the floor and followed it with his shirt. Breathing hard, Tory admired his cute ass as he bent over to pull off his pants and boots. In another moment, he had discarded his briefs and stood naked in front of her. She hardly knew where to look first. Part of her wanted to simply drown in his eyes, lost in those dark depths; another part wanted to admire his muscular form, his rippled abs, the long, hard thighs, the flat stomach; but most of her was only interested in focusing on one thing -- the stiff length of his cock, thick and pulsing, with a pearly drop quivering on the head. She could hardly wait to lick it away, to savor the warm, salty essence of him. Her Cor, hers again at last. Cor stepped closer. “God, you look sexy dressed in nothing but a leather jacket.” She gave him a teasing wink. “I’ll take that off too, if you uncuff me for a minute.” “Naw, I like you the way you are. Helpless. Mine to do with as I please.” He reached out and grabbed her cuffed hands, pulling her to him. Caught off balance, Tory staggered and fell into his arms. He pressed her close, kissing her hard, growling his desire into her mouth. His hands cupped her buttocks and squeezed, forcing her to grind into his erection.

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Her hands were caught between their bodies. For the first time, she truly felt at his mercy. What would Cor do to her? Her breath caught in her throat and moisture dampened her thighs. After what seemed like an eternity, Cor released her lips. His eyes burned into hers. “You’ve always liked an element of danger, haven’t you? Remember when we fucked under the trees, knowing that any moment we could be discovered?” “Yes.” Her voice went hoarse with passion. She wondered if he could hear her heart hammering against her ribs. Cor stepped back and lifted both her breasts free of her open jacket. She stood motionless in front of him, trembling slightly as his thumbs stroked her skin, following the soft curves, circling near her aching nipples and then away. Her breath came in small gasps. She wanted to grab his hands, to force him to touch the stiff peaks and release some of the throbbing tension between her legs before she exploded. “Do you like this?” Bending closer, he took one swollen nipple into his mouth. His tongue toyed with it while she stood and shuddered against his body. “Let’s try a couch, shall we?” A small smile played over his lips. He nodded his head toward the nearest one. Tory felt her mouth go dry. She couldn’t stop him from doing whatever he wanted to her on that couch, and the knowledge made an electric heat prickle over her skin. A drop of sweat gathered at her hairline and slid slowly down her spine. Cor grabbed the handcuffs and pulled her over. “Kneel down.” The commanding tone had returned to his voice. “Put your elbows and knees on the couch and your ass in the air.” “Like this?” Her heart pounding with growing excitement, Tory knelt on the soft surface. She twisted her wrists, testing the cuffs, but the cold steel only bruised her flesh. She wasn’t going to get free of these. Anticipation made her pussy pulse with need.

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“Slide forward a little,” Cor ordered. Tory obeyed without thinking. The next thing she knew, Cor grabbed her wrists in an iron grip. With a swift movement, he touched the thumb pad on the cuffs. They sprang open and he pulled down, fastening one bracelet to a leg of the couch. Tory found herself crouching at the edge, bound to the couch, her movements suddenly even more limited. An excited flutter danced in her stomach. She swallowed hard and tried to relax into the experience of total sexual vulnerability. He was behind her, and she couldn’t even turn around to look at him. She started to rise up on her knees, but the cuff held her in place. No, she could do nothing but kneel, her upper body stretched over the edge of the couch, her ass in the air. Her whole awareness suddenly centered on her vulnerable buttocks. The cushions of the couch gave slightly as Cor knelt behind her. She tensed, feeling his hands settle on her ass. He began to stroke the full curves, from the small of her back downward to the tops of her thighs and inward. A heartfelt moan escaped her when his exploring fingers almost touched the throbbing flesh of her pussy. She could feel his teasing touch passing over her quivering thighs, almost to her pussy again, and she trembled with violent need. Her throat worked and her pussy pulsed, moisture dripping down her thighs. Cor chuckled deep in his throat. “I wish you could see this view, Tory. Your cunt is red and swollen and dripping. I know what you want. I’m going to touch you there, stroke you there, fuck you there, all in good time.” She licked dry lips and found her voice. “I want you, Cor. I want you inside me.” She stopped, surprised by her own urgency. “And I want to be inside you. But first I’m going to take advantage of your position and explore a little.” “Explore?”

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His hands grabbed her cheeks, spreading them, and her throat went dry. She almost cried out when his finger touched the sensitive ring of flesh around her anus. “Relax, babe. This is just an exploration, not a full landing.” A finger probed at the tight hole, forcing its way inside. Tory shuddered and a whimper rose up in her throat. The finger pushed deeper into her, forcing her open in a way she’d never known before. A mixture of pain and pleasure pulsed through her. Almost instinctively she lifted her ass higher to make his penetration easier. “God, you’re so tight, Tory.” Cor’s voice sounded strained. “If I had any lubricant with me, I’d try and open you up, but I’m afraid I’d only hurt you.” “Frig!” He was driving her crazy. She wiggled her ass and the pressure of his finger inside her tight hole sent sharp pulses of pleasure spiraling through her body. “Put something bigger inside me somewhere, or I swear I’m going to explode.” Cor laughed and pulled his finger out of her ass. “Hey, you want big, I’ve got big.” Tory chuckled despite her vulnerable position and dug her elbows deeper into the couch. Dear God, she needed his solid shaft filling her. She could hear Cor shifting position behind her, then his erection probed between her legs. She could only imagine the view spread before him -- her elevated ass, the tight red ring he’d just probed, her open thighs, the swollen, throbbing flesh of her pussy. Her breathing quickened. Who would have ever believed a hotshot pilot like her would be chained on her knees, a captive, much less that she would have encouraged the man who bound her? Yet she found the idea of submitting to Cor overpoweringly erotic. Her sex ached, waiting for him to plunge into her. The head of his cock pressed into her soaking wet pussy, stretching her. Tory braced for his thrust, but instead Cor spoke. “Fuck, I don’t want to treat you like some sexual slave.”

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To her amazement, she thought she heard a catch in his voice. Joy leapt up in her heart. Did Cor still care about her? She was beginning to believe the impossible, that their love had never really died. “It’s okay.” She wiggled her butt to demonstrate her willingness. “Go on, take me. I want you. I’ll do anything to rekindle what we once had.” She heard Cor draw a ragged breath. “Damn it, Tory, you’ve got more heart than anyone I’ve ever known. You could fight me if you wanted to, even cuffed. Instead, you’ve had the courage to be honest with me, to ask for what you want. I wish there was some magic alien device that could rewrite history.” “Well, there isn’t.” She closed her eyes, imagining his face, remembering the anger on it years ago when he’d told her to fuck off. That was the moment she’d erase, if she could. “But maybe we could move forward from here.” “Move forward where? You have my father’s secret. It’ll probably get you a promotion, and you’ll be one step closer to admiral. Meanwhile, I’m an academy reject and always will be.” He grabbed her butt and thrust into her. “No second chances. But I could stay here inside you forever.” She couldn’t speak. He’d gone deep into her, filling her with his thick cock, stretching her. She tightened around him, drawing a moan of pleasure out of his throat. Leaning over her, he wrapped one arm around her waist. The other hand moved forward to grab her breast. His hips began to move in a steady rhythm, driving his cock in and out. “That’s it,” she cried, throwing her head back. His hand squeezed her breast. Her taut nipple thrust downward into his palm, hard with desire. “Take me!” Cor withdrew and thrust into her again. Tory bent forward over the edge of the couch, lifting her butt higher, welcoming him deeper. This was what she wanted. It was more than

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his cock pummeling into her, each hammering blow setting off explosions of sensation that rippled through her pussy. It was him. A new determination rose from deep in her depths. Frig her career, and frig the old man. She needed a new plan, a plan that would keep Cor in her life. As if sensing her inner urgency, Cor began to pump even harder, his hips slapping against her butt cheeks. This was sex like she’d never experienced it before, raw, compelling, all-devouring. He grabbed her butt with both hands and pulled her tight against him. She met each thrust with a hard squeeze of her inner muscles. Then, without warning, the sensations suddenly soared beyond her control. She exploded into orgasm, collapsing onto the couch as spasms of pleasure wracked her body. Behind her, she felt him jerk and knew that he was coming, too. She rubbed her cheek against the rough fabric of the couch and sighed. “Oh, Cor. I want to do this again and again, for the rest of our lives.”

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Chapter Thirteen

All the old protests rose to Cor’s lips: Their affair was over, it was ancient history. But he couldn’t say the words aloud. They seemed too final, and suddenly he didn’t want anything to be final when it came to Tory. Without warning, other words came tumbling unbidden out of his depths. “I love you. I’ve always loved you. But I couldn’t let you ruin a promising career back then, and I can’t do it now either. I --” An audible hiss interrupted his words. Cor’s head jerked up as the door slid open a few feet away. “Isn’t this interesting.” Elvira leaned against the door frame, one hand tucked behind her back. The android was dressed in a white silk blouse, cut low to expose most of her ample cleavage. Scarlet short shorts barely covered her hips and left her long, curved legs exposed. A pair of black high heels completed the outfit. Cor could only imagine Elvira climbing down the ladder and trekking through the rocky tunnel in those heels. And what the fuck was the android doing here anyway? Her sensual lips shaped themselves into a small pout. “It looks like you’re having a good time, Cor. Why wasn’t I invited to the party?”

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Beneath him, Tory tensed. Regret clamped Cor’s heart in a painful vise. He’d been about to pour out his deepest feelings to her, but it was too late. He remained perfectly still, painfully aware that he was still deep in Tory. He wanted to glance at the other couch, to judge the distance he would have to leap to get the gun he’d so carelessly tossed there, but that would be too obvious. And maybe -- with a bit of luck -Elvira hadn’t spotted it. He had tossed his pants almost on top of it. Taking a deep breath, he kept his gaze fastened on the android and stroked Tory’s buttocks, hoping to reassure her. He prayed she’d understand that he had to play along with the android until he got the upper hand. “I didn’t know you enjoyed a good time with anyone but my father,” he said. “Normally I don’t.” Elvira pushed away from her leaning stance and brought her hand forward. It held a gun. She advanced into the room, her hips swaying, her curious eyes straying over the couches and the strange alien devices. “What the fuck!” Cor jerked his cock out of Tory. “Put that thing away.” “After I hear more about why I wasn’t invited to the party.” The android’s eyes glittered. Did machines go mad? “You see, after our visitors arrived and Lucan met the weapons officer, he adjusted my programming. Seems he’s thinking about a threesome. So, I’m much more flexible. And Lucan left me alone tonight.” Those ruby lips pouted again. “I decided to go looking for some company.” As she spoke, Elvira came up to Cor’s side and glanced down at Tory, still cuffed in her kneeling position. The android’s slender fingers touched his shoulder, her sharp nails gently scratching his skin. She traced a slow line over the curve of his bicep. “I decided to come down here and see what was going on. So far I like what I’ve found. What do you think about a threesome, Cor?” Cor swallowed. “Sure, if you’ll put that gun away. It’s making me nervous.” Tory sucked in a sharp breath but made no other sound.

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Elvira glanced down at Cor’s cock, still swollen and damp with Tory’s juices. “Look at that. Who would have guessed it would be so big. It’s time you stop ignoring me, Cor.” What should he say? As an android, Elvira had superhuman strength. He certainly couldn’t jump off Tory and tackle her. He had to gain her trust, at least until he could somehow get closer to his gun. “Sounds fucking great to me.” He summoned up what he hoped was a cocky smile. “I’ve always wanted to see your programming in action.” “Have you?” Elvira placed her free hand on her hip and struck a pose that made her full breasts thrust outward. She tossed her head, shaking her blonde mane. “I’d love to oblige. And I’ve wanted to see more of you.” She aimed a significant glance down at his erection. “Of course.” Cor was somewhat surprised to see that he’d stayed hard. Maybe the thought of him and Tory doing it with this android had gotten his sexual hormones flowing after all. Not only did he still have an erection, he was as hard as a rock. Well, it was an unusual situation. “Very nice. May I?” Without waiting for his answer, Elvira wrapped her long fingers around the head of his cock, which glistened with Tory’s moisture and his spilled semen. She gave it a gentle squeeze, then lifted the palm of her hand to her nostrils and sniffed delicately. “The nectar of love. I envy you humans that. You’re so…juicy.” He eyed her gun hand. She might seem distracted by his cock but he noticed she kept the gun held away from him, just out of reach. “Don’t you, ah, lubricate inside?” Shit! Just asking the question made him feel like an awkward teenager again. Something flashed for a second in those impossibly blue eyes. Amusement? Or a glitch in her programming? She released his cock and toyed with a strand of her silky hair while she eyed him. Her breathing had deepened so that her breasts strained against the white silk fabric. “Yes, there’s a system to make my pussy moist for your enjoyment, but it’s nothing

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like this.” She sniffed again. “It’s a sterile liquid. Lifeless. This is thick, rich, and musky with passion. Real. Like you. I’m a machine.” For the first time, Cor felt a touch of compassion for Elvira. Did the android secretly long to be human? Could an android even long? It certainly sounded as if she somehow understood that she could never be like the living beings she served. Elvira’s eyes narrowed as if she guessed his thoughts. She reached out and grabbed his chin with her damp hand, pulling his head up so that he stared into her intense gaze. “Don’t pity me, human. I am designed to give pleasure and as part of that design I experience it, too. And at last, I can experience more than one old man.” Tightening her grip on his chin, she pulled him up into her embrace. Cor staggered forward on his knees and almost came off the couch as her lips pressed against his, hot android flesh moving over his mouth. Her lips felt soft, warm, human. They caressed, explored and tasted him, sucking the very breath out of his body. He tried to pull away, but she was stronger than him, bone-crushingly strong. Perhaps the answer was not to fight, but to conquer. With a sudden switch of plans, he leaned into her kiss, opened his mouth and thrust his tongue between her lips, exploring her with the deep thrusts of his tongue. His arms went around her. All he had to do was slide his hand down her arm, grab the gun…but Elvira was strong. What if he couldn’t get it away and it went off and the laser beam hit Tory? Could he take that chance? For an endless moment they clung together. It was Elvira who broke the kiss. “Interesting,” she said, panting slightly. Cor couldn’t help but wonder why a machine that didn’t need to breathe would pant. Probably for the same reason that she had skin and hair and soft red lips. To produce the illusion of humanity. “You kiss very well. I wonder about this one.” She tilted her head toward Tory. “She’s the only one of the four humans currently on this world who I haven’t sampled yet.”

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“Tory?” Cor wasn’t sure what to say. Tory had stayed silent during his exchange with Elvira. Desperately, he wished he hadn’t cuffed her to the couch leg. He’d put her in an extremely vulnerable position. “Her kisses are passable. But why would you want to kiss a woman when you can kiss a man?” Elvira threw back her head and laughed. “You humans. Even the best of you can be so narrow-minded when it comes to sexuality. Would you have me waste half of my programming?” Smiling, she cocked her head to one side and reached out to run a hand over the tempting curve of Tory’s bare buttock. Tory gasped. “Round and full and altogether delectable.” Elvira’s hand continued down the smooth curve and between Tory’s damp thighs. Her fingertips glided over the moist lips of Tory’s pussy. “Stop that!” Tory yanked hard on the manacle that held her to the couch and rose up off her knees. But the cuff would not let her go higher than an inch or two. Instead, her frantic movements only made her butt bob enticingly in the air. Cor clenched his teeth. Did he dare to give an order? Would Elvira obey him as long as she thought he was still loyal to Lucan? “Forget her,” he snapped. He stood up from the couch and took the android by the shoulders, backing her away from Tory. He made no attempt to reach for her gun, hoping Elvira would think his intentions were purely sexual. “The most she can do is eat your pussy. I can thrust my cock deep inside you and eat your pussy, too. I’m a twofer.” “A twofer?” Elvira frowned, apparently unfamiliar with this bit of human slang. “Two sexual benefits from one glorious male.” Elvira shook her head and lifted a blonde eyebrow. “I want a twofer, but a different kind of twofer. I want both of you. I want you moving inside me while I eat Tory’s pussy.”

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“Are you fucking kidding me?” For a moment Cor could hardly breathe. A picture flashed through his mind with dazzling speed: Himself on top of Elvira thrusting into her while Tory crouched with one knee on each side of the android’s head, her pussy lowered within reach of Elvira’s questing tongue. The two of them would lean toward each other and kiss above the android’s prone body. Sweat broke out on his forehead. “I see you like the idea.” Elvira smirked in an entirely human way. Suddenly, Cor wondered if her programming wasn’t more complex than he had ever imagined. Regaining his breath, he faced the android. “I do like it.” He let his hands wander downward to the swell of Elvira’s breasts under the thin silk blouse she wore. He had to keep her off balance somehow, if you could keep a program off balance. Well, he sure could try. And the ploy seemed to be working. He could feel her nipples harden against his palms. She leaned into his touch, her blue eyes widening. “And I like what you’re doing to me.” “If that’s what you want, let me set Tory free so you can fully enjoy your fantasy with the two of us.” At least that way, if he went for the gun, Tory would have a chance to dodge the shot. “What the frig!” Tory’s outraged yell broke into their conversation. “You both sound like perverts! Let me loose and I’ll beat the friggin’ daylights out of both of you.” “Temper, temper,” Cor cautioned. Damn, he hoped Tory was trying to keep the android fooled like he was. Otherwise, she was picking a fine moment to go all prim and proper on him. Maybe being chained up while they discussed using her sexually was freaking her out. Frantically, he tried to think of something calming to say. “If you’ll be a good girl and play along, the two of us will give you more orgasms than you can count.” Tory pulled at her cuffs. With her body swaying, her breasts bouncing, and her ass high in the air, she looked altogether delectable. He heard Elvira’s sudden intake of breath next to him. Damned if the program was reacting just like a horny human being.

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Cor turned back to Elvira. He had to keep her aroused and off guard, and if that meant engaging in some hot foreplay, so be it. He had to convince the android to step into his embrace. Maybe there was a simpler solution than going for the gun. With his arms wrapped around her, he could try to reach beneath the smooth skin at the base of her neck where her off switch lay. How long would it take to fumble that patch of fake skin open and reach the switch? Long enough for Elvira to react? “Ignore the captain. She’s no threat. The two of us are more than a match for her, especially with her tied up. When I release her from her present position, I’ll cuff her hands behind her back. That will keep her under control and at the same time allow us to be a lot more creative in our, ah, activities with her.” “Indeed.” Elvira’s small pink tongue came out to glide over her lips, moistening them. “I like that plan.” Taking a deep breath, Cor moved around to the front of the couch. He crouched down so he could look into Tory’s eyes. They blazed at him, full of blue fire. He leaned closer until he was sure the couch partially hid them from Elvira’s view and then winked. “Take it easy,” he murmured. “I’m going to unlock this cuff and let you get up. You’re probably stiff from kneeling, so I’ll give you a moment to limber up before I cuff you again.” “How thoughtful.” Tory glared at him, giving no sign that she’d understood his hint. As soon as he’d unlocked the cuff, she leapt to her feet. She whirled to face Elvira, her jacket flapping open. “As for you, you hunk of flesh-covered metal, keep your creepy hands off me.” Elvira looked offended. “I have no intention of harming you, Captain Stone. I am only interested in exploring the new parameters of my programming.” “By sticking your tongue up my pussy?” Confusion flickered across Elvira’s features. “I thought human females enjoyed that procedure.”

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Cor fought an insane desire to laugh, despite the gravity of the situation. Tory stood almost nude in front of the android, the handcuffs dangling from one wrist, hands clenched, legs braced wide as if for a fight, and full breasts heaving in anger. She radiated fury, and she’d never looked sexier. Elvira watched the human woman with a puzzled look, the deadly gun held close to her side. “We do,” Tory huffed, her words tumbling out, “with someone we’re attracted to. I’m not the least bit attracted to you. In fact, I plan to turn you off, you electronic bitch.” Raising her fists, Tory took a step toward the android. “Tory! Stop!” Cor threw himself between her and Elvira before the android could raise her gun. “You’re going to get yourself killed.” Tory dodged to the right, but Cor grabbed at the dangling handcuff and yanked hard, dragging her backward. Tory dug an elbow into his ribs. “What the frig are you doing, stopping me? She’s a machine, dammit. She can threaten, but she can’t actually harm a human.” “Don’t bet your life on that. Lucan’s messed plenty with her programming.” “Shit!” Tory whirled on him. “I thought you were on my side, not Lucan’s.” “Please stop!” Something close to distress filled Elvira’s voice. “I am programmed to pleasure humans, but I’m also programmed to defend Lucan at all costs. If you don’t stop, I’ll have to act.” “Act then, damn it. I’m itching for a fight.” Even as she spoke, Tory struggled to yank her arm free of Cor’s grip. Elvira lifted the gun and pointed it at Tory. “I’m afraid I can’t allow you to attack me, Captain. That would hinder my ability to protect Lucan. Perhaps I should cuff you to the couch again and go in search of your pretty little lieutenant. She seemed willing enough

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earlier today.” Elvira’s gaze shifted to Cor. “Would you be willing to fuck me while I eat out Kumiko?” “What about it, Cor?” An amused voice spoke from the doorway. “I’m sure we’d all like to hear the answer to that question.” Cor and Tory spun together toward the door. Kumiko leaned casually against the doorframe, holding a laser rifle in her hands. “Kumiko!” Tory’s eyes flashed with victory. “You’re back.” “Yeah, I’m back. And I’d advise you two” -- her eyes clearly indicated Cor and Elvira -“not to move.” Cor cursed under his breath. Great. Now there were guns pointed at him from two directions. Why hadn’t he gone for his while he had the chance? He’d gotten too damned caught up in the sexual fantasies the android was spinning. “You heard Kumiko. No movement. Except for you.” Tory jerked her thumb at Cor. “You can get these handcuffs off me.”

***** Tory eyed Cor as he walked up to her slowly, holding up his hands. Still moving carefully, he reached down and pressed his thumb to the electronic pad. The handcuffs fell to the floor with a loud clatter. He smiled. She gave him a cold stare in return. She was not amused. She understood that he’d had to go along with the android while he looked for a way to get her gun or reach his, but he hadn’t been the one chained to a couch with his butt up in the air. And somewhere in the middle of their discussion of sexual positions, he’d seemed to forget all about her momentarily. Kumiko swung her gun from Elvira to Cor and back again. “Sorry it took me so long to find a weapon, Captain. I had to avoid detection by the android while I was up there. She

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was prowling around, and then she came down here. So I hurried to find something and came after her. What’s going on?” Tory rubbed at her wrists and allowed herself a rueful smile. “Although it might not appear that way at the moment, the situation is more or less under control. Just keep the gun on the android.” Kumiko jerked her head at Cor. “What about him?” Tory studied her lover, who was looking distinctly worried. She ought to let him stew for a while, but her anger had vanished as swiftly as it had come. She was free of the cuffs at last, and truth to tell, Elvira’s suggestions had gotten her a little hot. The sooner they switched off the damned android and got Lucan back up on the surface in restraints, the sooner she could get Cor back in bed. Once he’d scratched her newest itch, she intended to have that long-delayed heart-to-heart. “Don’t worry about him. Cor and I have joined forces. Lucan is back in the control room, tied up.” Elvira started with surprise and glared at Cor. “You’ve turned against your father? If I had known that, Cor Kenrie --” “I know what you would have done. Which is why I didn’t tell you.” Elvira shook her head, throwing back her blonde mane. “You are mistaken if you think you can control Lucan for long. His intelligence is far superior to yours.” “We’ll see.” Tory turned to Cor. “Do you know the override command for this thing?” “No, Lucan wouldn’t share that. But I know where the switch is.” “Don’t you dare move,” Kumiko warned, training the gun on the android as Cor edged carefully closer. “If you try to resist him, I’ll blow your android brains all over the wall.” Warily, Cor reached for the base of her neck and pressed firmly. Elvira stiffened. Her eyes flared for a moment and then went dark. The fingers of her hand loosened and her gun dropped to the floor with a clatter.

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“She’s off.” Cor smiled his relief. “Good.” Tory exchanged a look with Kumiko, whose lips quirked upward in a little smile of amusement. “Why don’t you go check on Lucan?” “So what’s the plan?” Cor demanded as soon as Kumiko left the room. Tory circled around the android which stared blankly into space. “I think I’ll just leave Elvira here on the alien ship. Whoever inherits the problem of figuring out this technology can deal with her.” “I don’t care about Elvira.” Cor stepped closer, his voice rough. “I mean, what’s your plan now that you’ve uncovered my father’s secret? Are you going to call in the Federation right away?” Tory pressed her lips tight against the urge to kiss him. When he stood this close, she could smell her scent on him. She wanted him. Frig it, she had to be light years away from this man or in his arms. There was no in between with Cor. Swallowing, she turned and met his concerned gaze. “I have to. It’s my sworn duty as a Federation officer.” Regret flashed deep in his eyes. Then he shrugged and looked away. “Yeah, I wouldn’t want you getting into trouble on my account. Well, I guess it’s back to the slammer for me. Aiding and abetting and all that rot.” Tory drew in a deep breath. She wasn’t going to lose him again, and damn the risk to her career. Living without Cor was too big a price to pay. “Look at me, Cor.” Reluctantly, he turned her way again. “Just because I’m doing my duty doesn’t mean I’m giving up on you. I can testify. I believe you when you say you didn’t know anything about Lucan’s plans. Besides, you’ve helped Kumiko and me, and that’s going to go a long way.” He straightened his shoulders. “I suppose, but with my record, it might not be long enough.”

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Tory laid a hand on his arm. She could feel the tension quivering deep in his muscles. “I’ll make sure it’s long enough. I’ll do more than that.” His eyes looked past her, contemplating a bleak future. “What do you mean?” “I’ve always tried to avoid capitalizing on the fact that my father is an admiral, but now it’s time to forget my pride. Something more important has come along, and that’s keeping you in my life. As soon as we get back to Federation space, I’ll be talking to him, explaining how you saved his daughter’s life out here. I think you deserve a second chance.” He stiffened and his mouth set in a hard line. “I don’t need any favors.” Damn the man and his infernal pride. She’d let it tear them apart once. Not again. She walked up to him and poked a finger into his chest. “This is no favor unless you mean I’m doing myself a favor. I meant what I said earlier. I want to make love with you for the rest of our lives. And that means seeing to it that you’re somewhere close by.” He looked away and her heart tightened for a moment. Would he refuse her help? Tell her to fuck off again? Then, his mouth relaxed, and he broke into his familiar lopsided smile. “What? As a deckhand?” Tory shook her head, almost dizzy with relief. She gestured at the equipment around them. “Look at this. Do you have any idea what this technology is going to mean to the Federation? It will probably win the war for us. And when I get done talking to my father, it will be clear that we would have lost it all, if not for you. I think that’ll be a good moment to hit him up with a small request.” Cor gazed at her with the beginnings of hope on his face. “What do you mean, Tory? What kind of request?” “How would you like to get back in the navy?”

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Chapter Fourteen

“Officer on the deck!” Tory smiled inwardly as men and women snapped to attention all around her. Since her promotion to CAG of the Valiant, she’d learned to relish the small satisfactions of command. They barely made up for all the extra paperwork. Today, though, was a different story. Today being in command would pay off big time. She’d come down to the flight deck to greet the ship coming in from the academy for a reason. Keeping her posture ramrod straight and her pace brisk, she strode across the massive deck toward the small spacecraft that bore the academy insignia on its nose. With the

Valiant in orbit around Earth, a pilot from the academy had flown up her newest crew member. As she came to a halt a few feet from the craft, the landing ramp came down and Cordon Kenrie marched out, looking incredibly sexy in a new flight jacket and tight leather pants. Spotting her, he sprang to attention, shoulders thrown back, chest forward, and saluted briskly. “Lieutenant Cordon Kenrie reporting as ordered, sir!”

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Tory clasped her hands behind her back and examined him from the top of his head, which sported a new regular buzz cut, down to the shine on his black boots. “Welcome aboard the Valiant. I hear you’re fresh out of the academy, Lieutenant.” “Sir, yes, sir!” Cor kept his posture rigid and fixed his gaze straight ahead at the far bulkhead of the ship. Mere lieutenants didn’t stare at their commanding officers. Tory was under no such restrictions. She could stare as much as she wanted and the crew would only think she was putting the newbie in his place. And frig it, she wanted to stare. After months apart, she yearned to drink in the sight of Cor, to refamiliarize herself with every muscular inch of him. “Stand tall for inspection.” She growled and prowled in a circle around him, her eager gaze moving over his face, his broad shoulders, his tight ass. Coming around to the front again, she stopped with arms crossed over her chest, and tapped one finger against her lips. Frig, he looked so good. It took all her discipline not to break into a wide grin. Instead, she focused on his belt, and then a little lower than his belt.

It’s a good thing I love to take chances. This is a big one. Since she was the CAG, she might even get away with it. The Theocracy with its strict morality was gone, but the military had its own rules. Sex between a superior officer and a subordinate was strictly forbidden. What the hell. Life was short, and she’d already moved heaven and earth to get Cor assigned to the Valiant after a hearing had cleared him of wrongdoing and thrown Lucan in jail. Probably her father and half the admiralty had guessed her intentions. Maybe they didn’t mind, after all. The alien ship she and Cor had saved for the Federation had made the difference in winning the war. She, Cor, and Kumiko were heroes. Kumiko had her own starfighter. And even old gray admirals must have been young, horny men and women once. Maybe they remembered what it was like to want someone so badly your body ached with need.

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A need that she intended to satisfy soon. Her pussy grew damp in anticipation. Cor was still staring straight ahead, but his brown eyes burned with the golden fire she knew so well. She cleared her throat and let a slight frown crease her forehead. “This is an unusual time of year for an officer to graduate, Lieutenant Kenrie.” “Sir, a few years ago, I almost completed my training. When I returned to the academy, I only had to take a brief refresher course and pass a few tests.” Cor managed to keep amusement from his voice, but she could see his lips twitch. She shook her head, silently signaling him to keep his mask in place. Cor would have to become more adept at playing the military game. Don’t ask, don’t tell was an ancient rule. As long as they kept up a façade in public, they should be okay. She wasn’t about to discuss the intimate details of their prior relationship here on the flight deck where anyone might overhear. “And were your scores satisfactory, Lieutenant?” she asked coolly. To her dismay, a big grin popped out on his face. He all but leered at her. “I think you’ll find my work more than satisfactory, sir.” She glared at him, determined to squelch any public suggestion that their relationship went any deeper than commander and underling. “I will decide what constitutes satisfactory performance in those under my command, Lieutenant. Follow me and I will sign you in.” She turned on her heel with military precision, keeping her back straight and stiff, and marched off the deck. Behind her, Cor snapped “Yes, sir!” She could hear his footsteps on the deck as he followed behind her. Tory moved at a fast pace, marching Cor through a maze of corridors. The crew members they passed snapped briskly to attention with sharp salutes. Tory returned each one with a sense of warm pride. In the past few months, the Valiant had played a major role in winning the war with the Theocrats. Yes, the weapons they’d recovered from the alien ship had helped, but she and her crew had seen plenty of battles, too. They were a tight-knit unit.

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For a moment doubt flicked through her. Would an affair with Cor damage her relationship with her people? No, she might love Cor behind closed doors, but she wouldn’t play favorites out on the flight deck. Cor wouldn’t want that and neither would she. All hesitation vanished as her door came into view ahead. She opened it and stepped inside, beckoning him to follow. “You can drop that bag, Lieutenant,” she instructed, shutting the door behind him as he followed her into the room. The lock clicked softly as she turned it. “Sir, yes, sir!” Letting the bag fall to the floor, he whirled around just as she walked into his arms. His body felt hard and firm and all male as she pressed against him. She grabbed his face in her hands and planted a passionate kiss on his mouth full of pent-up desire from the past few months. She moaned and groaned and rocked her body against his, demanding more. Finally, he came up for air. “At ease, Lieutenant. No one will dare disturb us here.” He nodded his understanding, a half smile on his lips. She remembered how that smile had made her heart stumble the first night they’d laid down under a tree and made love with the stars bright above them. Loving Cor would always be a risk -- and always worth it. He grinned at her. “Ah, sir, I understand it’s a court martial offense to touch a superior officer without permission.” “Permission granted,” Tory murmured through swollen lips. Her hands were already busy roaming over his muscled body, reveling in his physical presence here with her at last. When he hesitated, she sighed. Military discipline was tough to overcome sometimes. Stepping back, she waited until he focused all his attention on her. She could see a vein in his temple throbbing. Moving slowly, she ran her hands over her breasts, making her nipples tighten under the leather of her flight suit, and down the curve of her ribs and waist to her hips, then up again to her breasts. She cupped them and watched the blood come to his cheeks. When fire burned in his gaze again, she began to unfasten the zippers of her flight

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suit. She dropped the suit to the floor and kicked it away. His tongue came out to moisten his lips as he stared at her, clothed only in bra and panties. “So what are you waiting for, Lieutenant? Strip.” His chin came up a little and his gaze darted to the locked door. “What? Right here?” Damn it, he was baiting her. Tory could see laughter in his eyes. She pointedly let her stare drop to the erection visible between his legs. “Do you want to start your career by disobeying a direct command? Hurry up. It’s been a long wait.” Cor’s expression changed to a playful leer. “Well, since you put it that way --” He pulled off his uniform while Tory removed her bra and panties. Holy frig, he looked great in those tight leather pants and even better naked, his tanned skin gleaming in the lamplight from her desk. Her breathing quickened and her breasts rose and fell as she watched him finish undressing. At last he stood totally nude, his cock already swollen. “Ready for another inspection, Lieutenant?” “Sir, yes, sir!” Cor snapped to attention again. This time he dared to look into her face and then downward to her breasts. Glancing down, Tory saw they had already flushed pink with her arousal. Tory walked around him again, slowly. “Good posture. Strong shoulders. Nice ass. But what’s this thing jutting out between your legs?” Cor smiled. “Sir, with the war won, I understand the navy is going to concentrate on exploring the galaxy. This is one of the tools I use in exploration.” Tory stifled a laugh. “Explain, Lieutenant.” “I use it to examine tight, hot, wet spaces.” “I see.” She lifted her brows. “As your commanding officer, I’d better understand the full function of this tool. Perhaps you’d like to demonstrate?”

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Cor swallowed. A pulse pounded, visible at the base of his throat. “Sir, I’d be delighted to.” “Sit here.” She indicated the chair behind the desk. Throwing her an uncertain look, he rolled the leather chair into the middle of the room and sat in it. Instantly, Tory climbed on top of him, facing him, her long legs wrapped around the back of the chair. “I’m ready for some show and tell, Lieutenant.” A soft gasp of pleasure escaped her when her pussy found the head of his cock and its hardness slid against her. She felt him surge upright, stiff and rigid beneath her. With a chuckle, she wiggled in his lap and guided him inside her, then pressed herself onto his length. Her lips opened in a languid sigh of relief, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, drawing him close. “Oh, God, Tory!” Cor sucked in a breath and his eyes burned into hers. “You feel so good.” “And it’s only going to get better, I promise you.” Tory smiled at him, a fierce, seductive smile. She rocked her hips, caressing his cock with her inner muscles. Her breasts bounced as she moved, her taut nipples teasing the curly hair on his bare chest. Cor gripped her shoulders and sat frozen while she rose slowly up and down, then began riding him with eager abandon. Tory raised an eyebrow at him. “What are you waiting for, Lieutenant? I told you already, you have permission to touch.” His eyes sparkled. “Is that an order?” “Yes, it’s an order.” “Sir, yes, sir.” Instantly, he began to move, his hips driving his hard length up into her. Tory threw her head back and groaned her pleasure. This was going to be one memorable tour of duty. “Keep it up, Lieutenant. I have a reputation for being hard to please, a reputation I intend to keep”

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“And I have a reputation for not quitting until my commanding officer is fully satisfied.” Cor grabbed her by the waist and held her still as he rotated his hips and his cock moved deep inside her. “Frig!” Tory drew in a shaky breath. “You sure know how to fuck your commander.” Her smile grew as she leaned forward and wrapped her arms around his neck. “I’ll make sure you enjoy your service on the Valiant, Lieutenant, as long as you remember one very important fact.” “What’s that?” Cor’s mouth found hers, pressing kisses on her lips. She pulled away for a second. Her thighs tightened around him as she forced her body down harder on his cock. Relishing the sense of control her position gave her, she massaged his pulsing length with her inner muscles. He filled her, and she could feel her own orgasm about to explode. In the moment before ecstasy seized her, she whispered in his ear, “No matter how we do it, I’ll always be the superior officer.” Cor only laughed, his breath warm against her ear as her spasms began. “And I’ll always be glad to serve.”

Kassie Burns As a Libra, Kassie Burns was born to write romances. Romantic and charming, easygoing and sociable, Libras are in love with love. Her love of writing, though, comes from her fiery Leo moon, which can be creative -and explosive. A stormy early life taught Kassie a lot about love’s ups and downs -- and provided plenty of material for the steamy romances she loves to write. Born a small town girl, Kassie moved on to a big Midwestern city where she works as a writer and editor. There she found love and settled down with a husband, her adorable dog and her ever-trusty computer. As an erotica writer, she dates her interest in bondage back to long nights spent chained to that computer. When Kassie isn’t busy writing, she indulges in her favorite hobby: astrology. She’s taken classes from several astrologers and keeps busy casting charts for friends and family who want a peek at the future. Her other passionate pastime is golf -- all those handsome men striding up to the tee box! But her true fantasy is to someday hit a hole in one. You can visit her online at www.kassieburns.com.