Codename Winter

Codename Winter Aubrey Ross Undercover Embassy, Book Two

After the Gathosians invade Earth and enslave its surviving population, Winter is forced to work in an alien-run refinery. When Ulrick Brant rescues her from an even worse fate, she has a new choice—become an “ambassador”, a sex slave to the invaders. Quickly recruited as a spy for the Resistance, Winter has her first task—seduce Ulrick, the Gathosians’ enforcer on Earth, to learn the location of Earth’s potential savior. Ulrick hates the Gathosians, who force him to enslave world after world against his will. He doesn’t mind helping the Resistance, but he won’t be used. Before Winter realizes he’s discovered her deception, he has her naked and in restraints. Even through his anger, he can’t fight the electric attraction between them. But if he agrees to aid the Resistance, it will be on his terms. Winter is dazzled by the pleasure they share but the Resistance won’t wait forever. Danger is closing in, and Ulrick must choose his final role—ruthless invader or freedom fighter.

CODENAME WINTER Aubrey Ross

Aubrey Ross

Chapter One Flipping up his collar against the humid chill, Ulrick Brant strode along the rainsoaked walkway. Twisting tubes and lighted towers stabbed the gloomy sky and stretched out toward the far horizon. The complex spanned Montauk Point like a ravenous beast crouched atop the tip of Long Island. He didn’t understand how Gathosian technology worked, but he understood what it accomplished. The ruthless aliens were stripping salt from Earth’s oceans—and decimating countless ecosystems in the process. Earth was the eleventh planet the Gathosians had ravaged in the past thirteen years. Valtory had been the first. Ulrick had been helpless to stop the destruction of his home world, and he had nothing to offer these humans. He’d seen what happened to those who disobeyed. The images haunted him night and day. Ulrick shook away the depressing thought and sped his steps. He wasn’t here to liberate his subordinates. He was here to investigate reports of abuse. The stark industrial clutter of the refinery gave way to an artificial tranquility as Ulrick stepped into the lobby of the office building. “Welcome, Mr. Brant. Please go right in. Mr. Tomlinson is expecting you.” The receptionist motioned toward the double doors on his left without leaving his highbacked chair. With a stiff nod to the receptionist, Ulrick strode toward the doors and they swung inward with a soft swoosh. “So what can I do for you, Mr. Brant?” Chet Tomlinson asked from behind his glass-topped desk. “It’s not often I get requests from one of the heads of the Protectorate.”

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The Protectorate enforced the will of the Gathosians, regardless of their personal feelings on the matter. Addiction to the compound ensured that members of the Protectorate remained loyal to their masters. No, not loyal. He felt only loathing for the Gathosians. The compound ensured his obedience, nothing more. Not one to mince words, Ulrick came right to the point. “Some allegations reached my office. I felt they warranted a cursory investigation.” “Fair enough.” Chet folded his hands on top of his considerable belly, leaning back slightly in his chair. “What are the allegations?” “When was the last time a female was assigned to your crew?” His forehead creased and surprise made his dark eyes gleam. “It’s been at least a year. Transfers of any kind are rare. What’s this about?” He met Ulrick’s gaze directly without guilt or deception. “How are females processed?” “Like any other worker.” Tomlinson shrugged. “They’re examined by medical, sent through orientation, and released into the general population.” Annoyed by Tomlinson’s evasiveness, Ulrick prompted, “What happens after that? Walk me through it step-by-step.” Chet scooted closer, folding his arms on the desktop. “Each complex has their own code, so I can only tell you how it works here.” “I understand that.” “I run four pods. Each pod is responsible for a dozen drying fields. I give them production quotas depending on initial saturation and—” “I’m interested in social dynamics, not the specifics of production.” “All right. Each pod has a captain, and the strongest of the four captains is declared king. I deal exclusively with the king. The king keeps the captains in line and the captains run their pods.”

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Ulrick didn’t have the patience for Chet’s meandering pace. “So a female worker would be given to the king?” “Yeah. If he already had a woman, he’d decide who got the girl or he’d open it up for challenges.” “Is the female never given a say in where she goes?” Chet chuckled, rubbing the bridge of his nose. “She can say all she wants, but unless the man she prefers is strong enough to win her, it won’t matter in the end.” The concept was not uncommon. Valtorian women had been claimed by the strongest of their suitors for centuries. He wasn’t sure why human females disapproved of the system, but four years on this planet had taught him enough about their culture to know they would. “Are the women protected once they are claimed?” “For the most part. There have been a few challenges after a woman was awarded, but they’re the exceptions not the rule.” Ulrick paused. He suspected Noirte’s reports had been exaggerated. The general hadn’t intentionally lied to him, but the females who claimed to have been gang-raped night after night must have— A shrill alarm cut through Ulrick’s musings. Chet reached over and deactivated the alarm. “This is Operations. What the hell is going on down there?” “Sorry to disturb you, sir, but they’ve got Winters’ cub and things are getting ugly fast.” Chet shoved back from his desk and stood. “Who has the boy? Is he hurt?” “That’s just it, sir. Cub ain’t no boy. Winters’ been hiding a woman under all that grime, and the captains are ready to tear each other apart.” “I’m on my way.” Without asking permission, Ulrick fell into step beside the refinery boss.

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***** Clutching Grizzly Winters’ burly body to her naked breasts, Cub rocked her protector back and forth as tears streamed down her face. Fear had given way to rage, and finally anguish as the life faded from his pale-blue eyes. “Don’t you die on me. Don’t you dare! Please, Grizzly. Talk to me.” Cub’s surroundings faded in and out of focus—metal walkways, exposed pipes and endless miles of concrete. And all the dirty, leering faces, staring, waiting, entertained by her tragedy. “You knew about this! Didn’t you?” The captains circled Vik like sharks attracted to blood in the water. “You’re king. You had to know.” “I swear, Grizzly told no one,” Vik insisted. “Was he fucking her?” The question sent a fresh wave of fury stabbing into Cub. “You disgusting pigs! You’re all so worried about fucking. You can’t think of anything else! He was like a pa to me! He took care of me and taught me, but he never laid a hand on me.” She buried her face in Grizzly’s wiry hair as hard sobs robbed her of speech. “Vik, tell me exactly what happened. How was it discovered that Cub was female and who killed Grizzly?” She was used to hearing Tomlinson’s voice over the loudspeaker, but she wasn’t surprised to find him here. Tomlinson always turned up when things went wrong. Holding Grizzly close, she waited to see if Vik would tell it true, or if she’d need to step in and set things straight. “Griz heard Cub screaming and went to see what was wrong.” Vik looked at her, eyes hot and hungry. “Greg and Toad had Cub down on the floor. They was gonna take a poke at him, but when they got his pants off the surprise was on them.” Everyone started laughing, and Cub pressed her fists over her ears, screaming, “It ain’t funny! If I’d been a boy, they’d have hurt me bad.”

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Tomlinson moved toward her, all clean pressed suit and fake smiles. “None of this is funny, Cub. You’ve been very brave.” As quick as his compassion appeared it evaporated. He turned back to Vik and she was all but forgotten. “Who killed Grizzly?” “He went after Greg and Toad. No one blames him for that, but he wouldn’t stop. His captain warned him to stop. Even I warned him. He left us no choice.” “He knew it had been for nothing.” She paused for a sneer. “Griz promised my pa he’d protect me or die trying. Looks like he kept his word.” She wiped her nose on the back of her hand. “He went down swinging ‘cause those two wouldn’t jerk off like everyone else!” A man stepped out of the shadows beyond Tomlinson and the breath caught in Cub’s throat. His hair was light, golden even in the underground, yet his eyes were darker than midnight. Tomlinson moved with authority and purpose evident in each step. This man looked so damn comfortable it was as if he owned the world. “Who are you?” she whispered. He stepped up beside the boss and held out his hand. “My name is Ulrick Brant. I’m sorry for your loss.” She glanced down at her filthy hand then crossed her arms over her breasts. Tears blurred her vision and burned her throat. Why was this stranger the only one who realized she was in pain? No one else seemed to care that the only person in this godforsaken place who ever gave a damn about her lay lifeless—because of her! The stranger shrugged out of his fancy coat and knelt beside her. “Is the blood on your chest his, or are you hurt as well?” He placed the coat around her shoulders and eased Grizzly farther down her legs. “I ain’t hurt, thanks to Grizzly.” As soon as she let go, he rolled Grizzly’s body to the side and helped her to her feet. She quickly slipped her arms into the sleeves and buttoned a few of the buttons, then gathered the long coat around her trembling legs. “Thank you.” “You’re welcome.” 8

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She dragged her gaze away from his handsome face and looked back at Grizzly. He lay on his side now, all peaceful, as if he was sleeping. “Get her cleaned up so we can see if she’s worth fighting for.” She didn’t know who said it, but it snapped her head back around. “I belong to Griz! I’m Grizzly Winters’ Cub!” “Griz is dead, Cub,” Vik reminded her. As if she could forget. “You know the rules. Women must be claimed. There are no exceptions.” “How old is she?” Tomlinson asked his bushy brows scrunching together over his nose. “She might not be ready for breeding.” “She’s more than ready.” That hot, hungry look came back into Vik’s eyes. “We all thought he was—she was just a kid, but naked bodies don’t lie. Cub’s a full-grown woman.” The stranger wrapped his fingers around her upper arm and drew her toward him. “Chet, she’s perfect for my investigation. I’ll return her in a day or so.” “Wait a goddamn minute! Who the fuck are you?” Vik took a menacing step forward. Tomlinson blocked Vik’s path. “Mr. Brant is the Civilian Head of the Protectorate. He can interview anyone he likes for as long as he likes. Step aside.” To Cub’s astonishment Vik did exactly that. Vik didn’t back down for anyone, so why was he being so cooperative? She wasn’t sure what the “Civilian Head of the Protectorate” was, but Vik and Tomlinson were sure acting weird. She took two steps forward before her numbed brain reengaged. “Wait! What about Griz?” “I’ll see that he is sent off with all the honor he deserves.” On any other day she wouldn’t have believed anything Tomlinson said, but he was bending over backward to accommodate the stranger. And the stranger had taken an interest in her.

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In a muddled stupor, she followed the stranger across the common room and down the corridor leading to the elevators. Ulrick. He’d said his name was Ulrick Brant. She looked up at him and shivered. Even in profile he looked amazing, attractive, interesting and dangerous. What did the Civilian Head of the Protectorate want with someone like her? “Where are you taking me?” It was foolish to care, but she couldn’t silence the question. “Away from here.” His tone was low and amused. “Do you really care where we go?” He echoed her thought as he slid the safety gate open and motioned her inside. She hesitated. “It depends what you expect from me in return.” “Then stay here and take your chances with them.” Annoyance rolled up her spine. “You don’t have to threaten me. I’m just trying to understand what you want.” “I want to talk to you. I want to see who’s living under all that dirt. Beyond that, I honestly don’t know.” He moved into the elevator and grabbed the safety gate. “In or out. It’s up to you.”

***** Autumn lay on her side, snuggled against Ra’jen’s warm body. His hair streamed across her shoulders and along her side. Each time she moved against him the silky strands caressed her skin, making her restless for more of what they’d just shared. She traced the bright-blue pattern on his chest, thrilled that she excited him enough to make his tellimon flare. Only his true mate could arouse him this deeply; yet she was human, not Pryett like her “warrior elf”. Situated just off the Mall in Washington DC, the embassy’s central location made it easy for Ra’jen to slip away and spend the night with Autumn. His visits hadn’t gone unnoticed, however, and news of the affair quickly spread through the fleet. General

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Noirte had staked his claim on a pleasure ambassador. No one believed the rumors at first, but the proof was undeniable. The gossip didn’t bother Autumn or Ra’jen. It had been their intention from the beginning that others learn of their relationship. In fact, the development was vital to their plans. Had it only been three weeks? Ra’jen was so much a part of her life, she couldn’t imagine being without him. His responsibilities as Military Head of the Protectorate kept him occupied more often than either of them liked, so they savored every moment they had together and enjoyed their nights to the fullest. “Have you located a female for Ulrick Brant?” His warm hand swept along her side, teasing the outer swell of her breast. “If you take too long, he’ll forget about the offer.” A subtle impatience cut through Ra’jen’s sleepy tone. She looked up from his chest and sighed. “I know this is important, but it’s more complicated than I first thought.” “How so?” His fingers played across her shoulder and down her arm, soothing her with the simple contact. Like everything in the embassy, her bedroom was elegant and luxurious, and Ra’jen’s exotic presence only made her feel more decadent. “I’ve reviewed the ambassadors at all the embassies, and there is no one who would turn his head.” “So recruit someone new.” It was the obvious answer, but everything within her resisted the idea. Pushing away from his warmth, she sat beside him on the bed. “Anyone I would recruit at this point would have survived the past four years without—” “Selling their bodies to the enemy?” He sat as well and rested back against the pillows. “Weren’t you the one who told me we need to accept our roles? You said it doesn’t matter what others think or say. You’re a madam, manager of the most profitable brothel in North America, and I’m your faithful customer.”

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“I’m well aware of our respective roles,” she grumbled. “And Brant is nearly as untrusting as I am.” His features sharpened as he stared at her, eyes deepening from smoke to charcoal. “He has information we must have, and he might confide in a lover. The only lovers available to members of the Protectorate are pleasure ambassadors. I see no other alternative.” “I understand the mission. That’s not what’s holding me back.” “Then what is the holdup?” “Every ambassador currently employed chose this life before I took charge of the embassy. I can’t bring myself to convince anyone else that this is their best option.” “You don’t need to convince them of anything. You’re offering a position. It’s entirely up to them whether or not to accept it. All you need to do is analyze their attributes, both physical and emotional, determine which will appeal to your customers and which have the emotional fortitude to survive this sort of life.” From that perspective, the task was more bearable—barely. “It’s hard to perpetuate a lifestyle I find intolerable.” He pulled her toward him. She quickly swung one of her legs over his thighs and straddled his lap. “If we succeed with our long-term goals, all of these women will have better choices. There will be more to life than obeying orders and staying alive.” She couldn’t argue with that conclusion. Between addiction to the compound and various forms of manipulation, the Gathosians robbed everyone of anything resembling free will. Until they were driven back to their own dimension or obliterated, everyone must remain focused on survival. He lightly cupped her breast, thumb brushing over her nipple. “Have the ambassadors accepted the transition? Many of them have been here much longer than you have. Did you encounter any resistance?”

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“Not openly.” She shifted her weight to her knees and rocked her hips, rubbing her damp folds over his burgeoning shaft. “Who would dare defy General Noirte’s woman?” “Is there someone you can trust to keep you informed of what is said behind your back?” She reached between her thighs and guided him to her entrance, needing the fullness of their joining again. He pushed away from the pillows and sat as well, wrapping her legs around his waist as he drew her closer. His cock drove into her pussy, and she closed her eyes, savoring the completeness she only experienced with him. He nipped at her lower lip, his hands settling low on her hips. “Have you recruited informants?” he persisted. “Celinna, the head trainer, and a few others keep me well informed.” “Good. You cannot let even the smallest show of disrespect or rebellion go unanswered.” “Yes sir.” She leaned back and braced her hands against his legs, undulating her hips. It had been much easier for her to move in the other position, which was the reason he’d changed their arrangement. Ra’jen was dominant to the marrow of his bones. He bent to her breasts, suckling one and then the other. His mouth drew firmly and sharp darts of sensation shot from her breast to her clit. She arched, pressing deeper into his mouth. No matter how often they made love, or how many times they reached orgasm, they always wanted more. His tellimon flared as he drove into her with strong, steady thrusts. She tightened her internal muscles, hugging him with her pussy and her thighs. He grew harder, increasing the pressure and the pleasure as his shaft dragged across her sensitive nub. A rhythmic beeping emanated from the companel on the nightstand.

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“I told them we were not to be disturbed,” Autumn muttered, but her gaze shot to the flashing red light. Ra’jen stopped moving, but he didn’t pull out. “Do you need to respond?” “Mistress, I’m so sorry to interrupt, but I think you should come down here.” Celinna sounded frazzled. With obvious reluctance, Ra’jen brushed his lips over hers then separated their bodies. “Duty calls. Shall I come with you?” “Keep the bed warm and hopefully we’ll come together,” she countered with a playful smile. After donning a velvet robe and a pair of matching slippers, Autumn blew Ra’jen a kiss and made her way downstairs. Many of the ambassadors were in the third-floor ballroom, which had been reserved for the entire night. The emergency interrupt could only be triggered from inside her office and the only person—other than herself—who had access to her office was Celinna. The main floor of the embassy was lavish, an ostentatious showcase for her girls. Autumn hurried down the sweeping marble staircase and across the expansive main lobby. Angry voices reached her ears as she turned the final corner. One sharp, female voice was much louder than the others. Had one of the customers upset one of the ambassadors? She hurried her steps. The door to her office stood ajar, so she pushed it open, then froze. Ulrick Brant stood beside a visibly flustered Celinna and they both faced a…transient? “I ain’t no whore!” the unfortunate female cried as she took a hurried step backward. “That’s not why I brought you here,” Ulrick insisted. He moved forward and his companion literally backed herself into the nearest corner. “Cub, you’re not listening to me.”

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Cub? Had he just called the girl Cub? Dark hair hung about her shoulders in a tangled mass, and her face was coated with streaked filth and—was that blood? “What is going on here?” “Mistress, thank God.” Celinna hurried to her side and continued in a quiet yet urgent tone. “Please tell Mr. Brant that we are not a homeless shelter.” She would ferret out the details in due course, but the poor girl’s fears were easily allayed. Ignoring Celinna’s panic, Autumn moved to stand beside Ulrick. “Cub, what an unusual name. My name is Autumn, and I operate this establishment.” “I ain’t no whore.” Her tone was softer, though no less insistent. “And I ain’t gonna turn into one for nobody.” “I have a waiting list of trained ambassadors who want to transfer to my embassy. I assure you, no one is forced to work for me.” “I apologize for the uproar,” Ulrick said with a dashing smile. He was every bit as debonair as he had been when she first met him, though tonight he was a bit tousled. “I wasn’t sure what else to do with her.” Celinna crept forward, gaze filled with objections. “That will be all, Celinna. Thank you.” Left with no other option, the trainer nodded and departed. “Now, why don’t we sit and have a chat. Would either of you care for something to drink?” “It might be best if we spoke alone,” Ulrick told her. “If what you have to say is regarding Cub, she has the right to hear it.” That caught the girl’s attention. She looked at Ulrick and then shifted her wary gaze back to Autumn. “Please have a seat.” She motioned to the row of chairs adjacent to her desk. Ulrick accepted the invitation, but the girl pressed even farther into the corner. Rather than distinguishing herself by sitting in her large desk chair, she swung the last chair in the row around to face him and then sat. “What brings you here, Mr. Brant?” “Ulrick, please.”

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“All right, Ulrick. Same question.” “I was at the Long Island refinery investigating the allegations General Noirte brought to my attention.” “Which allegations do you mean?” She didn’t quite suppress her pleased smile. “As if you don’t know.” His gaze darted to Cub, who had yet to leave the safety of her corner. “I thought I had wasted my time and was preparing to leave when the refinery boss responded to a frantic call from one of his supervisors.” “What was the nature of the emergency?” “That would be me.” Cub’s voice was steady now, and curiosity had replaced the hostility in her gaze. “Can you tell me what happened, or is it all right if Ulrick catches me up?” Cub moved to the remaining chair and perched on the edge of the seat as if she were afraid of soiling the upholstery. Which wasn’t an unreasonable concern; the girl was filthy. “He can tell you.” Ulrick explained about the interrupted attack and the loss of Cub’s protector. “When they started talking about claiming her, I had to do something. She’d just been attacked and her best friend had died in her arms, and all they were concerned with was whether or not she was old enough to breed. I was disgusted.” “Why?” Cub didn’t look at him, but challenge rang through the question. “Women is always claimed by the strongest man. It’s better than being passed around.” “Do you want to go back?” He threw up his hands and shook his head. “I thought I rescued her from a fate worse than death, and now she’s defending them.” “She’s hurt, and angry, and grieving,” Autumn reminded him. “You can’t expect her to be logical.” “This is why I brought her here. I figured you are much better equipped to deal with a traumatized female. I would like to interview her once she’s recovered enough to

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be civil.” He exhaled then ran his hand through his hair. “If you’re willing to accept the challenge, I’ll leave her in your capable hands.” “You’re dumping me here?” Tears swam behind Cub’s long lashes, making her look especially pathetic. To Autumn’s surprise Ulrick turned and caught one of Cub’s hands, giving it a careful squeeze. “Mistress Autumn is kind and generous. She’ll take care of you until you figure out what you want to do with the rest of your life.” Autumn wanted to laugh. As if there were any real choices left for women on Earth. If Cub had escaped from a refinery, she likely would have ended up in one of the embassies eventually anyway. Autumn kept the thoughts to herself and watched the ragamuffin react to Ulrick. It might not be anything more than savior syndrome, but there was some sort of connection between the two. “I want to stay with you,” Cub whispered. Ulrick brushed a quick kiss against her grimy knuckles. “Relax and let Mistress Autumn pamper you. I’ll come see you in a couple of days.” Tears escaped the corners of her eyes, but she only nodded. “Stay here, Cub. I’ll be right back.” Autumn walked Ulrick to the front door. “Are you really coming back for her? I don’t want to give her false hope.” “At the very least I’d like to interview her. I’m not sure when I’ll have time, but I will be back.” He paused, concern creasing his brow. “I skimmed the surface of what she went through because I didn’t want to upset her again. She was jumped by two coworkers determined to ass-fuck what they thought was a boy. I’m not sure how far it went once they realized she was female, but she was naked when I first saw her.” “You think she was raped?” She was surprised he found the possibility distressing. So many men had become completely desensitized to the brutality of the crime.

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“I’m not sure, but I don’t think the actual act would have been any more traumatizing. Her protector killed her attackers, and then the pack alpha killed her protector. It was all very strange.” “Do you know her real name? I can’t keep calling her Cub.” He shook his head. “You’ll have to ask her.” “I will.” “Thank you for doing this.” He kissed her cheeks then paused for a quick hug. “Tell Ra’jen I said hello. I owe you for this.” She smiled. She wasn’t sure how or when, but she had every intention of collecting on that debt. After closing the door behind him, Autumn returned to her office. Cub was standing again, arms folded over her chest. She was wearing a trench coat that was obviously not hers. Before she could ask Cub about the garment the girl said, “He ain’t coming back, is he?” “He said he is, and I have no reason to doubt him.” She motioned the girl toward the door. “First order of business, we have to get you cleaned up!”

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Chapter Two Screaming in frustration, Evard absorbed the pain radiating out from his brain. Fiery sensations rolled down his spine and spilled into his arms and legs. His belly cramped, his arms burned and his cock pulsed with demanding pressure. He threw back his head and yelled again, crossing his arms over his aching groin as he frantically shoved at his mental tormentor. His struggles were pointless, useless. And they both knew it. How could any humanoid win a battle with an incorporeal being? Inwatta could blast into his mind in an instant, or render him unconscious while she took control of his body. He would awaken with a faint sense of disorientation and several hours of missing time. Are you finished fighting me yet? Is your foolish pride appeased? The mocking tone only made him fight harder. He was so tired of her smugness and manipulation. Inwatta had chosen a female voice today, but just as often the tone was deep and commanding, more inherently male. Gender was a physical concept, one of many Inwatta was using Evard to explore. Her official designation was Sector Three Supervisor, but she spent very little time overseeing her sector. She was far more absorbed with her personal obsessions—physical sensations and the complexities of humanoid interaction. I’ve used your body to do everything I can imagine. I think it’s time for you, personally, to amuse me. “You can use this body like a tool, but you can’t make me do anything.” He clenched his hands and closed his eyes. But the voice was inside his head. Oh, this will be so much fun! I’ll even give you a choice, exotic or innocent.

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“Get out of my head. I can’t control what you do with my body, but I will not willingly play these sick games.” Choose or I’ll choose for you. He clenched his fists, hating her and despising his helplessness. There had to be a way to resist, a way to…there was nothing. He’d tried everything. Starvation, sleep deprivation, meditation, open rebellion in the hopes that she’d kill him. She had no intention of depriving herself of her conduit to the physical world. Gathosians couldn’t link with humans. In fact, there were very few species who could survive extended exposure to their energy. That’s why they dragged him along, campaign after campaign, world after world, until his life had become a meaningless blur of carnage and ruin. “What do you want me to do, and what are my alternatives?” I want you to fuck me of your own free will. I will form a temporary link with a female and take control of her body. You will bring me pleasure as many times as possible, for as long as I am able to maintain the link, knowing that I am in full control of the body. Disgust rolled through him and her laughter filled his head. Exactly! You despise me. You would rather fuck any other female on this planet and yet you will humble yourself and pleasure me, in any way I choose. And I will not compel you to do so. It must be your choice, a tribute freely offered. “I won’t. I’ll die before I give you pleasure!” Inwatta took control of his voice and called, “Guards, bring her in!” Two guards escorted a girl into the room. A tall man stood behind the girl and a female guard stood at the girl’s side, openly glaring at Evard. He was unfamiliar with the female guard’s species, but she looked decidedly reptilian. He immediately understood her animosity, however. The girl was lovely. Golden ringlets rested on her shoulders and tears rimmed her sky-blue eyes. But one glance at her barely discernible breasts confirmed his suspicion. She couldn’t be more than twelve or thirteen.

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This is the female you want me to fuck? He let the angry question ring through his mind, doing nothing to temper his hostility. The choice is yours. Fuck the girl, or fuck the guard. More laughter followed. Either way it’s just a vessel. You’ll be fucking me. He pressed his fists to his temples and closed his eyes. I won’t do it! I can’t. Foreboding closed in around him, clogging his lungs and speeding his pulse. She never set out without the end in mind. His heart hammered and his mouth dried out as he waited for her ultimatum. Well, if you don’t, I’ll lock the door and take control of the male guard. He’s a burly brute, you might have noticed. He’ll start by raping the female guard, so the girl will be good and terrified when he forces himself on her. Then he’s going to bend you over your favorite workspace and make you take it up the ass. Every time you glance at the workspace your body will burn, and your mind will relive the humiliation and the pain. Doesn’t that sound like fun? Shaking with useless fury, Evard opened his eyes and lowered his arms. The male guard was tall and muscular, just like Inwatta had said. Even if Evard found a weapon, it was doubtful he could overpower the guard before he harmed one or both of the females. If he managed to overpower the guard at all. Evard had to be realistic. He wasn’t a warrior. He was a scientist. If his body were the only one at risk, he might be tempted to rebel and deprive Inwatta of her victory. But two innocent people hung in the balance. No, make that three. Inwatta could easily leave the male guard with memories of the crimes, even arrange for him to be executed for her actions. The bitch was right. Evard had no real choice. “Where did you get this child?” he asked the female guard. “Genetics lab.” Her impatience implied the answer was self-evident. How do you form the link? he asked Inwatta. Do I have to be touching her? You have to be inside her. He recognized the challenging lilt in her tone and asked, Will a deep kiss do? 21

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You’re learning. Yes, I can flow from your body into hers if your tongue is in her mouth. And how long can you maintain the link? Kiss her and we’ll find out. Evard took a deep breath and prepared for the performance of a lifetime. Inwatta sank to the back of his mind, hovering, siphoning sensation without influencing or assisting him. “I’m seriously stir-crazy here, but she is way too young for what I have in mind.” “Glad to hear it—sir.” The woman added the title with belated deference as her animosity began to thaw. No one would label him promiscuous, but he suddenly felt significantly underqualified for the coming task. The vast majority of his lovers had been Bartonese, like him. The few who had not had been humanoid and physically similar to the Bartonese. This guard was anything but. He had to be bold, or at least seem desperate enough to swim into uncharted territory. He cleared his throat and focused on the woman. “Too bad you’re on duty. I can think of all sorts of things we could do together.” “Seriously, sir?” The man chuckled, and the woman glared at him over the little girl’s head. “A few of the men got desperate enough to ride the lizard, and they came back with serious scratches on their…um, backsides. No one has braved the waters ever since.” “I’m not afraid of a few scratches.” He focused on the girl for a moment and reinforced his determination. “When are you off duty?” he asked the woman. “Our shift ends in twenty minutes,” the man answered for her. “If she’s in the mood to amuse you, I’ll return the kid to the genetics lab and log out for both of us.” “Thanks.” The woman grinned, her solid black eyes flashing. “It’s been weeks since I ‘amused’ anyone. This should be fun.”

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Evard only wished it were that simple. A quick, anonymous fuck, he could force his conscience to accept, but Inwatta had something altogether different in mind. She wanted to humiliate him, to watch him debase himself before the enemy. He must literally offer his body as a willing sacrifice to one of the creatures who had destroyed his world and killed everyone he ever loved. The lab door whooshed closed behind the male guard, leaving him alone with two females, one standing in front of him, and one stirring restlessly in the back of his mind. Bile rose to the back of his throat and his belly tensed. How the hell was he going to maintain an erection when he loathed everything about this? “What’s the matter, sir?” The guard clasped her hands behind her back. “You don’t seem certain anymore.” His authority over the soldiers was indirect. He wasn’t a member of the Protectorate. But they knew Inwatta’s power, and they knew he had a direct line to Inwatta. “I’ve never…” She shook her head, the green tone over her cheeks deepening. “May I speak frankly, sir?” “Please do.” “Humanoids are incredibly arrogant. For the record, my perfect male is hairless and dark green. On his worst day, he can fuck me better than you’ll ever be able to simply because he has equipment you don’t possess.” “Then why’d you agree to this?” If she refused him, Inwatta couldn’t blame the failure on him. “I’m bored. Same as you.” Damn. “Are we compatible?” His last hope was that she’d say they weren’t, but the guard’s crack about “riding the lizard” didn’t give him much hope. “More or less. I’ve got an opening you can stick your cock in, and if you shove really hard, at just the right angle, you can reach my rowplintasta—my species’ version

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of a clit. There’s no reason to go down on me, so I won’t be putting your cock in my mouth. I find kissing humans disgusting, so this will be a good old ‘wham, bam, thank you ma’am’. If that’s all right with you, sir.” Tell her yes. I’ll make you hard enough to get inside. Lust poured into Evard’s groin, and his shaft hardened so fast, and so completely, he flinched, struggling to disguise his moan as a dry cough. “Works for me.” “Good.” She suddenly lost the “sir”. “Would you tell me your name?” “I really don’t see the point.” Without further explanation, she unbuckled her gun belt and carefully set it aside. Stooping, she untied her boots and left her socks on. Then she casually tugged her underwear down with her fatigues and paused facing him. “Go ahead. Everyone stares when they first see my legs.” Despite their mottled green color, her legs were well-shaped and not significantly different from a humanoid’s…except for the extra joint between her knees and ankles. Balancing on one foot, she lifted her leg and curved her other leg inward. The extra joint allowed her foot to rest on her inner thigh. “Handy,” he muttered. “It can be.” The hem of her shirt covered her crotch, and she made no move to show him the mysterious opening. “How do you want to do this?” Let her mount you. I want to be on top. If he refused, Inwatta would wrestle him into position as soon as she took control of the guard’s body. “You’ve been down this road before. I’ll let you drive.” Her mouth curved in what he presumed was a smile though she didn’t really have lips. A tiny nose was formed at the front of her rounded head, but she had no ears or discernible chin. Long black hair softened her reptilian appearance, yet he suspected it was a wig. Had Inwatta chosen this particular guard because she was so different from him?

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It didn’t matter. The alternative had been unthinkable. Without further ado, he opened his pants and took out his cock, eager to have this finished. His balls were tight, his shaft painfully engorged, and still he felt no emotional connection, not a hint of attraction. Stop thinking about her. Stroke yourself, and imagine the nurse we fucked last week. I didn’t need to make you hard for that one. “Take your pants off,” the guard advised. “It works better if we’re both naked below the waist.” He wasn’t sure why it would matter if she was going to ride him, but he didn’t argue. He kicked off his shoes and shucked his pants, pulling off his underwear at the same time. “On the floor. Unless you have a bed stashed in the back somewhere.” “Sorry, no bed.” He took off his lab coat and spread it on the floor then lay on his back and waited for the guard’s next move. Dread coiled within him, compounding his tension. He closed his eyes and thought of the nurse. She’d been a welcome reprieve from the drudgery of his life. A viral outbreak had swept through the Protectorate in sector six, and he’d needed assistance with his regular duties while he developed an antiviral to curtail the spread. That’s right. Picture her smile and her big blue eyes. The guard lifted his shirt and warm air wafted across his genitals. “Well, this is encouraging.” She straddled his hips, her thighs cool against his legs. Her fingers lifted his shaft and he tried not to cringe. Something warm and snug closed around the head of his cock. He turned his head to the side, keeping his breathing deep and even. She grasped his hips and drew him up as she pushed down onto his erection. “Holy fuck! Are you…always so tight?” He panted, gritting his teeth against the pleasure-pain. “Our males have armor on their cocks. Without a firm grip, they feel nothing.”

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“Shit! I’m not sure I can stay hard.” You will stay hard until I allow you to come! The compulsion lodged in his brain and fire rushed through his veins, pooling in his groin. He cried out and arched, shoving his cock deeper into her ultra-tight passage. “Oh yes!” She moved her hands up his sides, her nails dragging across his skin. Not quite a scratch, the added stimulation accentuated the urgency building inside him. Despite his anger and resentment, his body understood these signals. “Move. I need motion.” She pulled her hips up then slammed down, impaling herself again and again. She might have been reluctant to begin with, but she was into it now. Evard had never experienced anything like it. There was nothing smooth or rolling about the way she fucked him. It was violent and raw, and arousing. She crammed his cock as deep as she could with each thrust, hoping to hit her internal trigger. All the while her strong internal muscles incited his lust like never before. I can’t reach her! Her mind is primitive, instinctive. You must help me. Adjust your rhythm to hers. Allow your instincts to surface. Give in to your anger and your lust. He had no intention of helping Inwatta. If she couldn’t make the transition, that was her loss. He thought of the nurse, her teasing smile and tender caresses. Karen. Her name had been Karen. Stop it! Relaxing beneath the guard, he focused on Karen. He pictured her above him, smiling sweetly as she smoothly rode his cock. Her pert little breasts would jiggle and a lock of her blonde hair would stick to her damp cheek. Suddenly the guard wrapped her legs around his hips and dug her toes into his ass. Her claws must have shot right through her socks! The sting nearly robbed him of his erection, but the rhythmic clenching of her cunt forced his balls to contract. His seed burst out in hot spurts as he shuddered helplessly within the circle of her strong legs.

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A moment passed in awkward silence. This was by far the strangest sexual experience of his life. He had no idea what he should say to her. She’d refused to even tell him her name. The guard carefully separated their bodies and stood. She quickly dressed and picked up her gun belt, fastening it on as she said, “Enjoy the rest of your evening, sir.” Before he could formulate an appropriate reply, she was gone. He draped his forearm over his eyes, no longer caring that he was sprawled halfnaked on the floor of his lab. His ass stung, the puncture wounds throbbing with the rhythm of his heart. He should swab them with disinfectant just to make sure— You think you bested me, don’t you? If he escaped this fiasco with nothing but a few claw marks on his ass, he definitely considered it a win. You disobeyed me, Evard. I can’t ignore your insubordination. Pulling his arm away from his face, he sat. “I got caught up in the moment. If I hadn’t focused on the nurse, I would have lost my erection.” He spoke aloud in an attempt to distance himself from his unwanted passenger. She smoldered and stewed, the heat of her animosity singeing his mind. We will have a rematch. You can count on it. But for now, you have work to do. Her presence faded and he pushed his hands through his hair, indulging in a ragged sigh. She left him alone less and less often these days. He had to utilize every moment to the fullest. Shaking away the emotional remnants of the near disaster, he dressed and returned to his workstation. He was so close to mapping the chemical makeup of the Gathosians’ compound. They used it to ensure the obedience of their subordinates. Every member of the Protectorate and every person on the workforce was addicted to this despicable compound.

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Whenever Inwatta invaded his mind, he concentrated on how much he hated her, keeping his thoughts firmly focused in the moment and away from his mutinous side project. Evard was determined to unlock the compound’s secrets and free everyone from its addictive properties. With the chains of addiction broken, victims of the Gathosians could band together and drive the wretched creatures back to their own dimension—or destroy them utterly.

***** Cub followed Autumn through the embassy, too dazed to speak and too exhausted to cry. The tense emptiness in her belly hadn’t eased since she turned loose of Griz and left her old life behind. She looked around as they walked, amazed by the beauty of the building. Did all the embassies look like this? No wonder so many women chose this life over what went on in the refineries. Autumn slowed her pace, walking beside Cub rather than leading her. “Ulrick told me a little more about what happened.” Her voice was smooth and cultured, sending sparks through Cub’s memory. There had been a time in her life when everyone spoke like that, when people were polite and courteous. “Do you need medical attention before you bathe? It would only take a minute to contact someone.” She shook her head. “I got a few scrapes and bruises. Nothing a doctor needs to see.” “All right. I’ll get you settled in one of the guest suites. Would you like something to eat while you soak?” Soak? She’d be allowed to submerge her aching body in a bathtub and soak, without worrying about being discovered, or punished for her laziness? The thought brought a fresh wave of emotion, and all her stubbornness couldn’t stem the flow of tears. Her chin quivered and her shoulders shook, and her legs began to wobble. Autumn took Cub by the hand and hurried her along as harsh sobs tore from her raw throat.

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They dashed up a massive staircase, Cub’s surroundings passing in a blur of ivory and gold. A door closed behind them and Cub’s knees buckled. She sank to thick carpet and buried her face in her hands. Grief and anxiety crashed down upon her. She could hardly breathe for the choking pain. Autumn knelt beside her, patting her back lightly. “It’s all right. Everything is going to be fine.” “Don’t touch me,” she wailed. “I’m dirty and I…” Sorrow closed her throat completely, and she pressed her hands to her throat. Griz was dead because of her. It was only right that she follow. Death loomed before her, black and numbing, a welcome reprieve from the horror life had become. Someone touched her face and soothing heat spread across her skin. She turned her head, looking into strange, gray-blue eyes. Relax. A deep, faintly accented voice sounded in her mind, and immediately her cramping muscles relaxed. Air rushed in and lights burst behind her eyes. You are calm now. No one will hurt you. You are safe. Warmth and well-being flowed through her and reality expanded. She knelt in the middle of a richly furnished bedroom, Ulrick’s coat pooling around her legs. Autumn knelt on one side of her, gently rubbing her back, and the extraordinary stranger had bent to one knee in front of her. His features were angular, his skin impossibly fair, making his eyes gleam and shimmer. They had seemed more blue than gray when she first looked at him, but they had darkened with all the colors of twilight. “Who are you?” she whispered. His presence eclipsed the room, and his smile didn’t fool her for a moment. This was a very dangerous man. “A friend.” Pushing back to his feet, he tossed back his long multicolored hair, and she noticed he was nearly naked. A pair of black pants hugged his lean hips, but his sculpted torso and arms were bare to her appreciative gaze. “How did you know she was in trouble?” Autumn drew his attention.

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“I sensed your fear.” His gaze locked on Autumn and those changeable eyes erupted with fire and longing. Whoever he was, his interest was solidly focused on the lovely redhead. “We need to talk about what you just did.” How could Autumn not be intimidated by someone so obviously powerful? “Then you better get moving.” His smile was slow and sexy now, adding to his rakish appeal. “I need to leave in less than an hour.” Cub watched him walk from the room, politely closing the door behind him. Was every member of the Protectorate gorgeous? Ulrick Brant certainly qualified. If a man ever looked at her the way the stranger looked at Autumn, Cub would melt into a puddle at his feet. “Let’s get you settled,” Autumn prompted. “I want to speak with Ra’jen before he leaves.” “His name is Ra’jen? Who is he?” Cub followed Autumn into the bathroom, struggling to understand what had just happened. “You didn’t realize he could do that?” “That was General Ra’jen Noirte. He’s the Military Head of the Protectorate. And I’ve never met a more secretive man. I suspect there are many things he can do that he hasn’t told me about.” “But you’re lovers, aren’t you?” “We are, but it’s a relatively new relationship.” Autumn paused to activate the shower. “Scrub really well before you get in the bathtub. It’s not healthy to soak in dirty water, and you look undernourished as it is.” Autumn’s kindness was humbling, and suspicious. “Why are you doing this?” She hated the cynicism that made her ask, but everyone had ulterior motives these days. “We are both human females. Do you really need to ask?”

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Autumn slipped back into her bedroom and sighed. Ra’jen was dressed and ready to depart. “It was either talk or finish what we’d started. And I suspected, in this instance, you’d want to talk.” He strapped on his gun belt as he waited for her reply. He wasn’t wearing armor today, but he never left his headquarters unarmed. “Unfortunately, you’re right. What did you do to her? She was in the midst of a full-fledged anxiety attack and as soon as you touched her face her entire body relaxed.” “It wasn’t my touch, it was my voice.” “But you didn’t say anything.” His eyebrow arched in a familiar expression. “Are you sure?” “I thought you couldn’t communicate telepathically unless you’d formed a link.” “A link is necessary for ongoing or interactive communication, but I’m able to push my thoughts into most anyone’s mind.” Her surprise must have shown because he chuckled. “Come now, love. Why do you think the Gathosians kept me alive while billions of my people were slaughtered? This can’t be that shocking to you.” She hadn’t really thought about it, but she should have. The Gathosians were task oriented and brutally intolerant. “You just told her to calm down, and she did?” “It’s a bit more complicated than that. My mind identifies the pattern of her brainwaves then emulates them as I send the command. She responds as if the order came from her own brain.” “And you can do this with anyone, at any time.” Had he used the technique on her? Was this why she’d fallen for him so hard so fast? His gaze narrowed, and he retreated behind his professional mask—hard, cold, utterly expressionless. “I allowed you to choose every step of the way. I have done nothing to deserve your suspicion.” “I’m sorry. Humans aren’t able to do things like this. It’s intimidating as hell.”

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Without softening his expression, he grasped her upper arms and drew her toward him. “I think you’d be surprised what some humans can do.” He sighed, then his gaze locked with hers. “I will never hurt you. I thought you had accepted that fact.” “I have. I just don’t like being helpless.” “You’re never truly helpless with me. I ache to be inside you constantly, and every instinct I possess demands that I protect you. I honestly want you to be happy.” He pressed a kiss to the corners of her mouth then stepped back. “My abilities are tools, nothing more. They need not be any more intimidating than my sidearm. My pulse pistol could end your life far more effectively than a mental compulsion, yet you don’t fear that I’m going to shoot you.” She nodded, feeling silly now that she’d had a moment to adjust to the idea. “Will her emotions resurge, or did you mute them permanently?” He pulled his hair back and bound it with a black cord. “That would make her an emotional zombie. All I did was defuse her hysteria. If you’re truly fascinated by the technique, I’ll send Saroji to you. She is far more skilled than I am.” “Who is Saroji?” “My half sister. She works as a counselor for the Protectorate. She’s been anxious to meet you anyway.” Disappointment dampened her already turbulent mood. “You never told me you had a sister.” Despite his insistence that her trust be unconditional, he was still frustratingly secretive. “All in good time, my love.” He leaned down and kissed her, passing tenderness across their psychic link.

***** Cub held her breath as the tall, leggy blonde cut another thick snarl out of her hair. “If you don’t relax, you’ll fall off the stool,” the blonde warned. “I’m not going to hurt you. We just need to make some sense of this mess.” 32

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“You look much improved.” Autumn’s observation made Cub look toward the open doorway. “And she smells a whole hell of a lot better,” the blonde muttered. “That’s unkind, Celinna. Our guest was not responsible for her circumstances. Surely you understand what that’s like.” “Yes, Mistress.” Celinna tucked a strand of her sleek platinum bob behind her ear as she stepped in front of Cub. “I’m sorry if I’ve been less than hospitable. Many of us have done our best to capture Mr. Brant’s attention. We have all failed.” Cub assessed Celinna’s curvaceous figure and indulged in a sad little laugh. “He don’t think of me like that.” She looked from Celinna to Autumn and back. “He saw someone kicking a stray dog and took it to an animal shelter.” Autumn smiled, strolling farther into the bedroom. “I understand the comparison, though I rather resent being labeled a dog.” “That makes me a dog trainer.” Celinna laughed and returned her attention to Cub’s ruined hair. “Make that dog groomer.” “Would it upset you if Mr. Brant was attracted to you on some level?” Autumn asked. “Don’t matter. He ain’t.” “Her grammar is atrocious,” Celinna said to Autumn. “She has to have a language infusion even if she’s just going to sweep the floors. We have standards after all.” “I’m not sure an infusion is necessary. I don’t trust Gathosian technology.” “It’s harmless,” Celinna insisted. “I’ve used the infuser on half the ambassadors in residence.” “What’s an infuser?” Cub asked. They were talking around her, acting as if she weren’t even there. “It’s a Gathosian device I’d rather not use,” Autumn insisted. “Tell me about your life before the invasion.” 33

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Cub licked her lips and tried to sit still. Celinna was still hacking away at her hair, and Autumn obviously expected something from her she didn’t understand. “That world don’t…doesn’t exist anymore.” “I understand that, but the past is part of us, whether we accept the fact or not. We must choose to use every event to strengthen us rather than allowing it to destroy us.” Grizzly’s kind face and warm gaze immediately came to mind. Her heart clenched, and she pressed her lips together. “I don’t want to talk about that right now.” “Don’t think about today,” a stranger coaxed. “Tell her about yesteryear.” The image immediately dissolved and Cub’s emotions calmed. She turned her head toward the doorway again and found an ethereal apparition standing there. The woman couldn’t be real. Nothing that beautiful could exist in this reality. Pale-blonde hair flowed past her shoulders and down her back. Her delicate features seemed familiar somehow, but Cub didn’t make the connection—until she looked into the newcomer’s eyes. “You have his eyes,” she murmured. The woman smiled and blue overtook the other colors in her gaze. “Actually, we both have our father’s eyes.” “You’re General Noirte’s sister?” Celinna asked. Celinna had never met her before? How odd. “This is Saroji,” Autumn explained as the slender young woman glided across the floor. “She’s Ra’jen’s half sister, and she’s here to help you heal.” Excitement sped Cub’s heart, yet anxiety tightened her belly. She’d never realized hope could be so painful. She still wasn’t convinced these women wouldn’t demand some form of payment, but this was as close to security as she’d come in a very long time. Cub spent the better part of the next two weeks with Saroji learning how to cope with her loss and the rapid-fire changes her life was undergoing. Unlike her brother,

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who had blazed into Cub’s mind, Saroji used a touch so gentle, so skilled, all Cub felt was the reaction of her emotions. Cub was able to self-correct her speech pattern without needing a language infusion. She’d been a college senior when the Gathosians arrived and accessing those memories allowed her to shed her “refinery persona”. “We can’t keep calling you Cub,” Autumn decided one night at dinner. She had to admit that she felt like an entirely different person from the filthy ragamuffin Ulrick had rescued that day. “I don’t want to go back to my birth name. I’m not that person either.” “Then choose another name,” Autumn suggested. “You’re about to launch the next stage of your life. It might be best if you separate it completely in your mind.” “I want to be called Winter,” she said emphatically. Autumn smiled, wiping her mouth with a lace-edged napkin. “Is there a reason for your choice?” “Grizzly’s last name was Winters. I’m leaving Cub behind, but I’d like to take a small piece of my friend with me.” Autumn nodded, her blue eyes warm and encouraging. “An excellent choice.”

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Chapter Three The conversation Winter had been dreading came the following Wednesday night. Saroji had returned to the army base two days before, so Winter knew her emotional recovery had been deemed sufficient, if not complete. Autumn had mentioned the “new stage” of Winter’s life several times, but they had yet to define what the stage would entail. Winter smoothed down the narrow skirt of her dress as she took a seat in front of Autumn’s desk. Each time she looked in a mirror, she still felt as if someone else was staring back at her. Her features had matured in the four years she’d spent at the refinery. As had her body. The curves she’d fought so hard to conceal were now a valuable asset. Autumn folded her hands on the desktop, her gaze assessing. “How are you feeling? Have your sessions with Saroji been effective?” “Very much so.” Winter kept her knees pressed together and placed her hands on the armrests, hoping her anxiety didn’t show. A gentle smile curved Autumn’s lips, and her gaze warmed. “Your transformation has been astounding.” “Thank you.” Despite her determination to appear calm and composed, Winter’s voice sounded tight and tremulous. “Relax. You look as if you’re waiting for a sentence at the end of a grueling trial.” The description wasn’t far off. Winter rested back in the chair and crossed her legs. “I don’t want to be a pleasure ambassador, yet returning to the workforce holds even less appeal. Are there any other options?” “For you there might be.” Autumn pushed back her chair and came around to the front of the desk, sitting beside Winter. “You’re in a unique position, as was I.” 36

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“I don’t understand.” “I chose to become an ambassador over joining the workforce. I figured my body was no longer my own regardless of where I went. The embassies enforce rules and codes of conduct on the men who would have access to me. I figured it would be safer.” “But?” There was obviously more to the story. “But when my training was complete and I was faced with the reality of selling myself, I couldn’t do it. I became a whipping girl instead.” Winter felt her mouth gape. Had she meant it in the literal sense? “You were punished in place of one of the ambassadors?” “It was an act meant to tease and titillate the customers, but my partner altered the whip and beat me senseless. That’s when I met Ra’jen. He healed me, and our attraction was instantaneous and powerful.” Winter took a deep breath. It didn’t take a detective to see where this was leading. “You’re hoping a similar attraction will develop between Mr. Brant and me?” “Are you attracted to him?” Though Autumn’s expression remained serene, her blue gaze penetrated. “I hardly remember him.” Winter glanced away, unable to maintain a straight face as the lie crossed her lips. His face haunted her dreams, and the memory of his kindness meant more than she cared to admit. If Ulrick hadn’t been there that day, she would be the subjugated chattel of one of the pod captains right now. “Well, he remembers you. He calls every day for an update, and he’s anxious to interview you. I suspect that the interview is merely an excuse so he can see you again.” “So I become Mr. Brant’s mistress. I entertain him until he tires of me, then what?” Resentment welled within her, making her reckless and bold. “I don’t want to become a madam. I think what you’re doing is just as degrading as what your girls are subjected to.”

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Surprisingly, Autumn didn’t take offense. “Would you object to people believing you were an ambassador if you didn’t actually fuck your customers?” Winter uncrossed her legs and scooted to the edge of the chair. Every scenario she’d imagined led to her losing control over her body. “I’m listening.” Autumn returned to her desk and opened one of the drawers. She took out a small case and opened it, setting it on the desk in front of Winter. “This is a brainwave modulator. I call it a succubus. It allows a person to create waking dreams—images and sensations so intense they’re indistinguishable from reality.” “I thought you didn’t trust Gathosian technology.” This sounded far more invasive than the language infuser. “I don’t. This is Pryett technology.” “I’ve never heard of the Pryett.” Winter pulled the case toward her and looked at the device. It had two parts, both slim and rectangular, one about the size of a postage stamp, the other slightly larger. “Ra’jen and Saroji are Pryett. When their world was decimated by the Gathosians, they were able to rescue a few of their extraordinary gadgets.” Lifting the smaller piece out of the contoured case, Autumn handed it to Winter. “The technology is patterned after their ability. It allows us to do what they do naturally—to some extent. These are extremely rare and valuable.” “If I break it I buy it?” “If you break it, it can never be replaced. The engineers who designed it are all long dead.” The tiny device suddenly felt heavy. “How will creating waking dreams enable me to be a pleasure ambassador without actually having sex with my clients?” Autumn retrieved the larger piece of the device and handed it to Winter as well. “Master and slave. The larger one takes control of the smaller one, guiding the images and controlling the outcome.”

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“Like Saroji did during our sessions,” Winter murmured, beginning to understand. “So I’d put the smaller one on the client and use the larger one to guide him through all the things we did together.” “Exactly. He’ll remember everything as if it really happened.” “How do we prevent him from remembering that I used this device on him? For that matter, how do I get the device on him in the first place?” “I have a mist that creates a momentary stupor. The device is self-adhering, so a moment is all you’ll need. As for remembering the procedure, the device is programmed to create a few moments of delta waves as it initializes and again as it disengages. All your target will remember is the dream.” “What do delta waves do?” “The brain produces delta waves when a person is deeply asleep, and theta waves while they dream. There are beta and alpha waves as well, but our primary concern is theta.” “This is safe?” Winter turned the pieces over, studying them from every angle. They were slightly flexible and basically smooth. There were no prongs or visible circuitry. “Have you used this thing?” “I’ve created solo images, and Celinna and I have been taking turns ‘commanding’ each other. It’s really extraordinary.” Agitation threaded through Winter’s excitement. She wanted to believe this was a viable option, but there was a gaping hole in the explanation. She returned the succubus to its case and looked at Autumn. “What is gained by all this? You have a waiting list of women who are willing to fuck these men for real. Why bother with someone like me?” Autumn leaned her hip against the desk and smiled. “Ulrick hasn’t called my office asking about anyone else.” “You expect me to use that thing on Ulrick Brant?” “Only if you don’t want to have sex with him, which I think you do.”

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Winter shot to her feet and moved away from Autumn. There had to be more to this than she was saying. It didn’t make sense that a madam would accommodate her reluctance. “What do you really want from me?” “It’s not what I want from you. It’s what I want from him.” “I’ll bite. What do you want?” She crossed her arms over her chest and studied Autumn’s face, looking for any hint of deceit or insincerity. “Information.” The word rang with import and implications. “Brant is entrusted with locations and Gathosian activities that are crucial to our cause.” “Our cause? What cause is that, and who are you including in ‘our’?” Autumn moved back behind her desk and sat. “One step at a time. If you’re interested in working with me, Ulrick will be your first assignment.” None of this seemed quite real. It was all happening so quickly, and nothing good ever came without a cost. “Is there something specific you need him to tell me?” “There are all sorts of things he would be able to tell us, but our top priority is the location of Evard Keenan.” “Who is Evard Keenan?” “He’s a chemist who specializes in the compound. Ra’jen believes our best hope of escaping this infernal addiction is to find this man and gain his cooperation.” “And Mr. Brant knows where to find him?” “That’s our hope.” Winter nodded, still struggling to believe this was actually happening. “If I agree, what’s the next step?” “I’ll let Ulrick know you’re ready to be interviewed, and we’ll see how it goes. In the meantime, I’d like you to work with Celinna. We need to accelerate your training, make you more comfortable with your sexuality. These men must believe you’re a pleasure ambassador, even if we know your true purpose.” She closed the case and held it out. 40

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With trembling hands Winter took the succubus from Autumn. “How long do I have to decide?” “What are your other options?” The question wasn’t meant to be cruel, but it cut into Winter like a blade. No matter where she turned the ending was the same—she became the sexual plaything of some random man. This was her only hope of regaining some measure of control. “I’ll do it.” Her heart lurched at the thought. She’d just agreed to be a spy, an agent of some nameless force, using her sexuality as a weapon. At least she would be wielding the weapon, and her efforts would harm the bastards who’d brought her to this point. “Wonderful. I’ll let Ulrick know you’re available.”

***** Not wanting to seem too anxious, Ulrick scheduled his meeting with Winter for the following afternoon. He had expected Autumn to change Cub’s name, but Winter? Was that really any better than Cub? He shook away the thought and watched for her arrival on his security screen. A nondescript skimmer floated to a stop in front of his house. The passenger door swung open and long legs, sporting high heels and clad in black silk stockings, gracefully extended from inside the small hovercraft. Had one of the ambassadors accompanied Cub—no, Winter. Her name was Winter now. The woman placed her feet on the pavement and stood, pausing to look around. Sunlight gleamed off her sleek dark hair, which barely brushed her shoulders. A blackand-white dress skimmed her curves, hinting at her figure rather than displaying it. He caught a glimpse of her profile as she headed for the front door, but the wide view camera was at the wrong angle to show him her face. Quickly accessing the camera near the door, Ulrick studied her features. Thicklashed dark eyes were all that remained of the traumatized child he’d dragged from the 41

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refinery. She was lovely, elegant, yet sensual. A touch of color accentuated her high cheekbones and sculpted mouth. Her lips appeared soft, slightly pouty. He’d suspected she would clean up well, but this was amazing. She pressed the buzzer and looked around for the camera. “Hello? Mr. Brant is expecting me.” Her voice seemed softer now, her speech pattern corrected. How had Autumn accomplished all this in less than a month? He deactivated the lock and pulled the door open. “Right on time. Welcome.” He swept his arm toward the interior of his home. Curiosity burrowed deeper, stirring intrigue and the elemental awareness of a man for a beautiful woman. Winter stepped through the doorway, offering him a tentative smile. The foyer opened onto a large living room. Her gaze took it all in without obvious reaction. “You look amazing.” He closed and locked the door then led her farther into the room. “I had no idea you were so beautiful.” “Thank you.” She seemed uncomfortable with the praise. “I hadn’t seen myself in almost four years. It’s all rather disconcerting.” She strolled toward the windows on the far side of the spacious room, and the subtle roll of her hips drew his gaze to the distinct curve of her ass. Was she naked beneath the dress? Most ambassadors didn’t bother with undergarments. They wanted their customers to have access to… She wasn’t an ambassador! He had to stop thinking of her in that light. She was here to answer his questions, not ride his cock. “Would you like something to drink?” “A glass of wine would be lovely, if you have it.” “White or red?” Resentment sparked in her gaze, and she quickly looked out the window. “White.” He knew what she was thinking. Only officers of the Protectorate enjoyed luxuries once available to the masses. Coffee, wine, even medications had been confiscated and were now carefully rationed. He crossed to the bar and poured two glasses of wine.

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“Shall we sit?” He motioned her to the sofa and handed her one of the glasses as they sat. “I knew Autumn was the best person to take care of you, but how did she reinvent you in so short a time?” Her lips quirked and she paused for a sip of wine. “Trade secrets.” Trade secrets? Was she inferring she now shared Autumn’s vocation? He wasn’t at all sure how he felt about that. Extending his arm along the back of the sofa, he turned toward her. “I don’t want to reopen old wounds, but I need to know more about the refinery.” “I can talk about it without breaking down.” She lowered the glass to her lap and met his gaze. “What would you like to know?” “Was what happened to you the exception or the rule?” “Which part?” “If I hadn’t interfered, what would have happened to you?” He had a pretty good idea of how it all worked, but he wanted to hear her perspective. “The pod captains would have fought and whichever one overpowered the others would have claimed me. Most of the captains already have women, so I would have been used as a reward or a motivation for one of their men.” It didn’t sound that different from Valtorian mating rituals. As long as the female was protected, he had no problem with the arrangement. “Once a woman is claimed, do other males have access to her?” “It depends who claims her. There are several females who are shared by three or four men, but only those three or four are allowed to have her. I’ve seen women traded temporarily to another man when that man had something her owner wanted. It’s also common for a woman to be shunned by her owner as punishment for wrongdoing.” The sudden despondency in her tone revealed how upsetting she found the topic. He needed to move on quickly, but he’d never heard of shunning before. “What happens to the woman when she is shunned?”

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“She’s fair game for anyone who wants her, and the men take full advantage of the opportunity.” She ran her finger around the rim of the wineglass, her gaze following her finger. “A few days of such abuse are usually enough to curtail the woman’s misbehavior, but occasionally a man will release his claim and someone else will be allowed to claim her.” “How were mates chosen before the Gathosians arrived?” What she described was unacceptable, even by Valtorian standards. Females must be protected, not abused. “A couple would meet and gradually explore their attraction. But that was a different world. The ratio of men to women was far more balanced.” She set her glass aside and licked her lips. “What did the Gathosians expect when they slaughtered so many women?” It was a valid point. “I can’t undo the devastation. However, I can fine-tune the current system. The claiming is unavoidable, but any man who doesn’t protect his woman doesn’t deserve her.” “How romantic,” she muttered, absently fingering the pendant encircling her slender neck. He set his glass aside as well and released a frustrated sigh. “Romance abandoned Earth the day we arrived.” “That sounds almost like you miss it.” She shot him a sidelong glance filled with warmth and mischief. “Are you lonely, Mr. Brant?” “Are you offering to keep me company, Mistress Winter?” Desire burst through his good intentions with shocking intensity. He’d asked her here to talk, nothing more. He wanted to make sure she had recovered and was adjusting to her new life. That wasn’t exactly true. He’d thought about her constantly, wondered what she was doing, and if she was happy. And it wasn’t like him at all. Life as a Gathosian henchman made it almost impossible to develop relationships. He was despised and feared everywhere he went. So why was this woman comfortable with him? 44

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He shifted position, embarrassed by his instantaneous erection. His body had never reacted this fast or this intensely to the casual flirting of a female. “I’m still deciding.” A lazy smile curved her lips and she lowered her lashes. “Autumn wants to create an elite class of ambassadors, a second tier, who only accept one customer at a time. They will be reserved for those willing to pay extra for a longterm, exclusive association.” “Like she has with General Noirte?” “Exactly. It’s her relationship with General Noirte that made her wonder if other highly placed officers would be interested in a similar arrangement.” He lightly cupped her chin, turning her face toward him. “And you thought of me?” “Mistress Autumn suggested it, but I’m not opposed to the idea.” Another surge of need threatened his composure. He wanted to push up her dress and fuck her right here, right now. “Why?” “You cared enough about Cub to take on half of the refinery.” “My position makes that easy. Don’t mistake me for a hero.” He explored the underside of her jaw. Her skin was incredibly soft. “I’m no one’s idea of a hero. I’m not even nice most of the time.” “I can’t go back to the workforce. I know I wouldn’t survive.” Her eyes were wide and guileless. She was so open, so damn innocent. “An embassy is my only alternative, and I don’t want to be passed around from man to man. I’m not sure I’d survive that either.” “So I’m the lesser of two evils?” She didn’t reply. He hadn’t really expected an answer. His thumb brushed over her lower lip, and he searched her expression for any hint of ulterior motives. He saw only anxiety and anticipation. “Are you a virgin?” Rebellion flashed and he thought she’d refuse to answer. “I’ve had two lovers. The boy who took my virginity and my college sweetheart.”

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“I admit having exclusive claim to a woman is very appealing. Valtorians are possessive by nature. We don’t like to share.” He slipped his hand around the back of her neck and drew her closer. Through her warm, clean scent he detected a tinge of fear. “You’re soft and sweet. I’m not sure you’re ready to meet my needs.” She raised her hands to his chest and whispered, “I learn quickly, just give me a chance and I’ll surprise you.”

“Take off the dress. I want to see what you’re offering.” Ulrick’s order sent a jolt of excitement through Winter. A warm, melting rush passed through her abdomen and pooled between her thighs. This was the crossroads, the launch point for her first mission. Could she submit to his desire, or should she use the succubus? Her hand rose to the pendant Autumn had given her. With a firm squeeze it would emit a cloud of sedating mist. But did she need to use it? Ulrick was even more attractive than she remembered, his night-black eyes contrasting sharply with his golden hair. And the danger lurking beneath his polished façade drew her like a magnet to steel. Having sex with him held undeniable appeal. Even so, using the succubus offered more control over the situation. “If you’re not sure about this, you should probably leave.” He removed his hand from the nape of her neck and returned it to the back of the sofa. “Obedience is crucial for my satisfaction. Do you understand what that means?” She stood and faced him, kicking off her shoes as she reached under her arm to unzip her dress. “You only find pleasure with a submissive.” “Dominant and submissive are human labels, but you’re on the right track.” Pulling her arms from the sleeves, she slowly lowered the dress, revealing her body by teasing degrees. She’d hoped the interview would lead to this opportunity and she’d dressed accordingly. Her lingerie was white and lacy, displaying her figure to perfection. 46

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The succubus was tucked away in the pocket of her dress, so she placed the garment on the floor within easy reach of the sofa. His gaze moved boldly over her body, lingering on the swell of her breasts and the scrap of lace covering her sex. “Turn around.” This was so awkward, so humiliating. At least she’d expected it to be. But his gaze continued to caress her, his appreciation obvious. She slowly turned, knowing the thong left her ass bare. What would she do if he found her body lacking? A knot of uncertainty formed in the pit of her stomach. She paused with her back toward him, waiting for another directive. A fingertip touched her spine, and she gasped. She hadn’t heard him move. “I still smell fear.” He moved closer, his body heat warming her skin. “Last chance for escape. I won’t ask again. Is this really what you want?” Her nipples peaked and heat curled through her belly. “Yes.” Surprisingly, it was true. She wanted his hands on her naked flesh and his mouth plundering hers. Celinna had used his image during their training sessions, hoping to make Winter more comfortable with what she was about to attempt. And just as Autumn said, the succubus created situations every bit as real as this moment. With a deft flick of his fingers, he released her bra. She let the straps slide down her arms and then tossed it aside. He cupped her breasts with firm, warm hands as he pressed against her back. His breath stirred the hair above her ear, and the thick ridge of his cock was unmistakable. Rather than pull her panties down, he ripped the thin straps in half and pulled the material out from between her legs. Through it all the only sound he made was his ragged breathing. She turned her head, trying to look at him. He used both hands to turn her head back around. “Don’t.” His voice sounded odd, harsh and gravelly. Fear tingled down her spine.

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She stood passively as he touched her, rolling her nipples and then squeezing her mound. His hands skated over her body, never lingering in one place long. This was so different from her fantasies. Her imagination had pictured them face-to-face, allowing her to assess his reactions and the pleasure they found in each other. He slipped his hand between her thighs from behind and nudged her legs farther apart. She didn’t resist, even tried to respond, but the position—and his silence—kept them isolated, disconnected from each other. He traced her slit with his fingertips, softly stroking her clit in the process. She shivered and gasped each time he passed over the sensitive nub and soon his touch focused on the trigger. She didn’t want to come like this. She wanted him over her, pressing her down and drilling into her. Her hips rocked as she rubbed against his fingers. Tension coiled tighter, pulling the pleasure down as it prepared to spring free. She rested her head against his chest and closed her eyes, waiting, ready. And he moved his hand out from between her thighs. Her frustrated cry broke the silence as he turned her to face the sofa then urged her to her knees. She rested her forearms on the seat cushions, one knee on the edge of her dress. If she was going to use the succubus, now was the perfect opportunity. She wasn’t avoiding sex. Her body ached for his fullness. She needed to question him, and the succubus would make him susceptible to suggestions. He gripped the back of her neck, holding her still. Dark, primal longings expanded within her, making her restless and hot. She wanted to struggle, to buck and wiggle, not to escape but to test his strength, his ability to control her. Then his other hand eased between her thighs, lightly stroking her folds. She knew she was wet, had felt her body melt with his first command, but she had no idea how wet. A guttural sound, part moan and part growl, rumbled in his throat. She stilled, waiting for the fast deep thrust of his cock, wanting it. Needing it. Her eyes flew open at the thought. He wasn’t even inside her yet, and she was thinking like a sex slave!

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He pushed two long fingers into her pussy. She echoed his throaty moan and moved her legs farther apart. It was a teasing hint of what his cock would feel like, but her body was thrilled by the fullness. His fingers slid smoothly, driving in and out with steady strokes. God, it felt good. She had to stop this, had to regain control of the situation. Pushing back against him, she felt for the dress, but it remained just out of reach. He released her neck, moving his hand to the front of her body so he could accelerate her arousal. She wiggled and arched, hiding her true purpose with gasps and moans. Her fingertips finally located her dress and she frantically felt for the telltale hardness. She quickly found the device, but it took a moment longer to free it from her pocket. Tucking the succubus under the sofa’s cushion, she fumbled for the release on her pendant. The dispenser was tiny. She’d only get one shot, so she’d better make it count. Using the momentum created by his hand, she lunged forward then twisted sharply. She brought up her hand as she looked into his face. Her fingers squeezed the mister as she screamed in helpless fright. His features had transformed, his brow ridged, cheeks jutting. The mist hit his glowing amber eyes and he shook his head, his harsh growl revealing sharp white teeth. She crawled away, terrified that the mist would have no effect. He clamped his hand around her ankle and shook his head again. She tugged against his hold, her pulse thudding in her ears. “Let go! Please, let go.” He ignored her pleading, but his head drooped, and he blinked repeatedly. His fingers loosened, and he slumped to the floor beside her. “Thank God,” she whispered as she disentangled her foot from his lax grip. Wasting no time, she rolled him to his back and retrieved the two halves of the succubus. She pressed the smaller one to his temple and tucked her hair behind her ears. Picking up the transmitter, she felt on her own head for the best place to attach it.

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Ulrick roused with a furious growl. He slapped the succubus off his skin and shoved her over onto her back. She cried out sharply as his big body came down on top of her. “Is this what you meant by surprising me?” He snatched the transmitter from her hand and tossed it out of reach. “Who sent you? And what the fuck is that thing?” So close! She’d been so damn close to fulfilling her first mission. “It wouldn’t have hurt you.” “Well, I can’t promise the same.” He snarled as he dragged her up off the floor and flung her over his shoulder. Each of his angry steps drove his shoulder into her belly, making it hard to breathe. She kicked and twisted, hoping to dislodge herself, but he only tightened his hold on her thighs. “I can’t…breathe!” “If you can’t breathe, you can’t talk. Save the complaints for later.” He walked into the large bedroom at the end of the hallway, but he didn’t toss her onto the bed as she’d expected. He activated a sliding door on the far side of the bed and took her into the small adjoining room. Lights didn’t cycle on as he entered, leaving them in relative darkness as he set her down in the middle of the room. “I wasn’t going to—” His hand collared her throat, an unmistakable warning. “You will speak when I ask you a question and not before.” He caught her hand and pulled her arm above her head, cuffing her wrist before her terrified mind could anticipate his intention. She twisted and kicked as he reached for her other hand. Why hadn’t Autumn warned her that Ulrick was crazy? With minimal effort he secured her other wrist then stepped back and turned on the lights. She looked around the room, dread cramping her belly. Though not large, the playroom was well furnished. A variety of whips hung along one wall, a selection of paddles displayed below. As well as the cable-and-cuff system he’d used to restrain her, there was an adjustable bench off to the side, and old-fashioned manacles bolted to one wall.

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“I warned you that you weren’t ready for me.” His features smoothed, leaving only the incandescent amber of his eyes to hint at his transformation. “I should have realized you were up to something. No one goes from victim to courtesan in less than a month.” She wanted to explain, but what could she say that wouldn’t reveal Autumn’s secrets? Besides, Ulrick had told her to remain silent unless he asked a question. He circled her, gaze narrowed and bright. If he’d meant to kill her he could have snapped her neck in the living room. Yet that didn’t mean he wouldn’t hurt her. Her gaze shifted to the whips and an odd flutter passed through her abdomen. She was utterly helpless—so why was her fear easing? She’d known a moment of terror when she saw his face, but the emotion quickly dissipated. Despite his fierce appearance, he hadn’t hurt her. Even as he carried her to this room, he’d been careful to restrain his strength. Is this why he’d remained out of sight while he touched her? Had he not wanted to frighten her with his transformation? He faced her again and lightly fisted one hand in the back of her hair. “You might be more suited to this than I thought.” His lips brushed against hers, teasing and arousing. “I don’t smell fear anymore.” She parted her lips, needing to speak, wanting to ask him if her conclusion had been accurate. His free hand grasped her nipple, holding the tender peak between his thumb and forefinger. “Who sent you?” “I don’t know.” He squeezed, and she cried out, but pleasure rippled through her chest, and her clit twitched. Damn it. She wasn’t supposed to enjoy this. Was she? “Who gave you the device?” He tugged on her other nipple as he waited for her answer. She rode the sensation until pleasure spiked into pain. “I can’t tell you!”

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He chuckled. “That’s honest at least.” Bending to her breasts, he soothed her nipples with his tongue. The warm wet stroke felt wonderful on her heated flesh. She relaxed and her senses expanded. Cool air currents teased over her skin and the inflexible pressure of the cuffs hugged her wrists. Reaching up, she grasped the cables connected to the cuffs, feeling weightless and…secure? Why would helplessness make her feel safe? It didn’t make sense. She swallowed hard, not wanting to admit where this line of reasoning led. But the conclusion wouldn’t be silenced. The cuffs didn’t make her feel safe. Ulrick made her feel safe. He sucked one breast and then the other, drawing long and deep. Her nipples tightened against his tongue and her breasts swelled. Her pussy ached for fullness and motion. “You like being bound.” It wasn’t a question. He was simply stating what they both already knew. Releasing her neck, he slipped his hand between her thighs and lightly touched her wet folds. “Oh yeah.” He pushed his long middle finger up inside her. “So fucking hot. Want more?” “I don’t want to do this if you’re still angry.” He met her gaze as his hand pumped between her thighs. “No escape, remember? You agreed to let me fuck you for as long as I want you.” “But that was before—” “Then tell me what you tried to do to me!” “It wouldn’t have hurt you.” “That’s not what I asked.” He added a second finger and thrust faster. “If you want me to stop, all you have to do is start explaining.” He watched her eyes, his gaze hot and penetrating. His thumb brushed across her clit, launching sensations through her abdomen. She jerked, her inner muscles clamping

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down hard. His thumb immediately left her clit and she arched and wiggled, desperately searching for his thumb.

Ulrick felt his transformation barreling toward him and started to turn away. No, her fear would work to his advantage. He needed to know what the device did and she was enjoying this a lot more than he’d expected. Her cream had soaked his fingers and pooled in his palm. He wanted to spread it over his chest and lick it off her inner thighs before he fucked her with his tongue. The smell alone was driving him crazy. His eyes transformed first, erupting in a burst of stinging heat. Then the change rolled across his features, creasing his forehead and sharpening his cheekbones. His senses expanded and intensified. Urges and longings that simmered before now blazed, consuming everything in their path. Lust and possessive hunger surged within him. He needed to be inside her, now! Abandoning her just long enough to strip off his pants, he slipped his arm under her knee and lifted her leg up and out. She didn’t struggle, nor did she assist him as he draped her other leg over his forearm and lifted her off the floor. His cock found her opening without assistance, but her body resisted his entry. She was sopping wet, but her passage was narrow, and he was unusually hard. She needed to relax, to soften around him. “Kiss me.” He growled the command against her lips, supporting her weight with his hands. Her lips parted and her tongue tentatively ventured into his mouth, bringing her taste with it. He wrapped his tongue around hers and took control of the kiss, eager for more of her sweetness. Her inner muscles gradually relaxed and his cock slipped deeper into her pussy. He didn’t rush her. Instead, he concentrated on the grip of her cunt around his cock head, and the silken slide of her tongue over his.

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She angled her head and inhaled his breath, taking his scent deep inside her. She was supposed to be intimidated by his aggression. Sexual interrogation was pointless if she reveled in the intensity. Who was he kidding? This was no interrogation. He’d wanted her bound and naked since she walked through his front door. Her ass cheeks flexed within the cradle of his palms and her breasts quivered. Deeper and deeper he sank, until his balls pressed against her damp skin. He savored the heat and the pressure until his body demanded more. Pulling back slowly, he paused then thrust his entire length back inside her. She cried out against his mouth, but the rhythmic tightening of her body assured him he hadn’t hurt her. Her gaze was passion-bright and muddled as she pulled back and looked at him. He could see confusion in her gaze as well as a touch of wonder. Apparently her “college sweetheart” had been a very unimaginative lover. “Wrap your legs around my waist.” She did, and he moved his hands to the outside of her legs and firmly grasped her ass. Then he thrust strong and steady into her slick depths. “So good.” She squeezed him again, the tightening intentional this time. “Can you come again?” “I don’t know,” she murmured. “It’s never felt like this before.” Thrilled by her admission, he eased his hand between them and gently circled her clit. His finger slid in her cream, her nub swollen and hot. He wanted to close his lips around it and listen to her scream in pleasure. He wanted her mouth, and her breasts, and her ass. He wanted his scent so strong upon her that everyone would know she was his. Her thighs tightened against his sides and her inner walls contracted so tight he groaned. He moved faster, thrusting up into her with wild abandon. His eyes burned and his balls tightened, demanding release. He fought back the urge, not ready for it to end. It felt too damn good.

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But she arched, thrusting her breasts toward him as she succumbed to the intensity. Her pussy rippled around his shaft and she whispered his name over and over, a litany of sweet surrender. He threw back his head and roared. Pleasure burst from his body and saturated his mind as his seed jetted deep inside her. He clutched her against him, his legs shaking, as he rode out the shuddering sensations. As the bliss receded, he nipped her bottom lip and stared into her eyes. “Are you going to tell me what the device does now, or do I get to fuck your ass?”

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Chapter Four Ulrick let his semi-playful threat resonate as he returned to the living room. They’d showered together, exploring each other’s bodies with soapy hands. She’d rubbed against him, her bold touches and passion-dark eyes making it obvious she was receptive to another round of love play. But he didn’t want to take her again until he knew whether or not he could trust her. Rather than allowing her to slip to her knees and “take care” of his massive erection, he’d suggested she take a bath. She’d reluctantly agreed. He slipped on a clean pair of pants and ran a comb through his hair before returning to the living room. There had been two parts to the device. She’d stuck one to the side of his head and the larger part had still been in her hand when he fought his way through the mist-induced stupor. If he hadn’t been in his primal state when she drugged him, this drama might have had an entirely different ending. The smaller piece was lying in plain sight, but it took him a few minutes of searching to locate the larger one. He’d been pissed when he threw it. He was surprised it hadn’t lodged in the wall. His office appeared messy and cluttered, but he knew where everything was. The domestic staff wasn’t allowed in here, and his executive assistant had his hands full keeping Ulrick’s main office organized. He slipped in behind his desk and activated his access terminal with a voice command. After arranging the device on his desk, he said, “Scan objects and identify.” A green beam emerged from the desktop, passing over the device. He turned the pieces over and the beam swept back in the other direction. “One moment, please.”

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Having access to the Gathosian database was one of the few aspects of his position that he enjoyed. They hoarded information, compiling facts and statistics from all over the universe. While he waited for the computer’s response he sent a message to Autumn, letting her know Winter would be spending the night. At least one night, he thought with a smile. He wasn’t sure he’d ever sate his hunger for the lovely human. Even when faced with his complete transformation, she’d responded without reserve. “Object identified.” “Go on,” he prompted. “Brainwave modulator. Likely origin, Pryett.” Noirte! He should have known the general was involved in this. They butted heads at every turn. “What is the purpose of the device?” “To modulate brainwaves.” Way to state the obvious. He’d figured out that much from the name. “To what end? What can be accomplished with modulation?” “No other information is available. Shall I hypothesize?” He could hypothesize without the help of a computer. Besides, he had a bona fide operator in the other room. “Not necessary.” “Shall I scan other sources?” Accessing the off-world network would alert the Gathosians, and he was pretty sure this wasn’t going in his next report. “Negative.” He told his terminal to power down and snatched the device off his desktop, his mind whirling with speculation. Not yet ready to let her leave, he’d locked Winter in his bedroom. It was likely she was still in the bathtub. A slow, predatory grin parted his lips. The tub was as good a place as any for their next round. She looked up and smiled as he entered the humid room. “Feel good?” he asked. 57

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“It feels wonderful.” She sank deeper into the water, concealing herself beneath a massive mound of bubbles. He held up the larger piece of the device and met her gaze. “Brainwave modulator? Did Noirte give it to you, or is he using Autumn like a puppet?” Winter swallowed and picked up a handful of bubbles, suddenly fascinated by the iridescent mass. “What makes you think General Noirte had anything to do with it?” “The technology is Pryett, and so is he. Coincidence? I don’t think so.” He placed both halves on the counter and knelt beside the tub, crossing his forearms on the high rim. “Talk to me, Winter. I don’t want to interrogate you.” She bit her bottom lip and slanted him a flirtatious look. “I thought you enjoyed interrogating me.” “What happened in the playroom wasn’t a true interrogation. Trust me, there’s a difference.” He caught her chin and tilted her face up until she looked into his eyes. “Autumn gave you the device?” “Yes, but I honestly don’t know who she works for. She wouldn’t tell me.” “What does the gadget do?” She sighed, her lashes sweeping down to shadow her gaze. “Are you going to turn me in?” He lowered his hand and echoed her sigh. “What would be the point? If I turned you over to Protectorate enforcers, you’d end up in Noirte’s lap.” “Not such a bad place to land.” She grinned. “Yes, I know women swoon whenever he walks in a room.” He rolled his eyes and stood. “I just expected you to have better taste than most.” She sat up straighter, one pink nipple peeking out from beneath her bubble blanket. “Then what are you going to do with me?”

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“You want a list?” She just stared at him, eyes wide and searching, skin rosy and silky smooth. Gods, she was beautiful. “You haven’t answered my question. What does the gadget do?” After a moment of conflicted silence, she explained, “We call it a succubus. It allows us to create waking dreams that are indistinguishable from reality.” He crossed his arms over his bare chest, eyes narrowed on her face. “What were you going to make me dream? And what were you going to do while I was lost in this artificial reality?” “The answer to the first is obvious, and I can’t tell you anything else.” She was playing with the bubbles again, keeping her gaze averted. Silence spread between them, tense and oppressive. He wanted to shake her, demand that she stop beating around the bush and tell him what she was after. If she’d meant to use the succubus, then she’d never intended to fuck him. The realization chafed. She’d sure as hell enjoyed it once he’d taken control, but he would have preferred that she’d surrendered from the start. “You’re a good man, Ulrick. How can you willingly serve them?” Her voice was barely a whisper, but the question cracked like a whip. “No one willingly serves them! We are all slaves.” He expected her to back down, to sink into the water and ignore him. Instead she lifted her face and looked into his eyes. “You’re more than a slave and you know it. After the viruses ravage each world, General Noirte sweeps in and subjugates anyone foolish enough to rebel. Then you and the negotiators gather the world leaders and captains of industry, and develop treaties that forever change the fundamental makeup of each world. You’re not a mindless drone. You’re an accomplice.” His eyes burned and an amber haze filled his vision. Who the fuck did she think she was? He grabbed her forearms and yanked her up out of the water. With her standing in the tub, and him on the floor, they stood eye to eye. “I was twenty-two when the

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Gathosians attacked Valtory. My wife and daughter died in the pandemic, but my brothers all survived.” She rested her hands on his chest, smart enough to remain quiet. “We are fierce fighters, so many of our trained soldiers were selected for the Protectorate. On the second planet we invaded one of my brothers was captured by a band of rebels. I suspected he was a participant, not a true hostage, but the Gathosians didn’t know that at the time.” He paused for a deep breath as the familiar pain rolled through his being. No matter how hard he fought, or how many years passed, his regret was still consuming. “I have an ear for languages. Always have. I don’t know why. I was sent to translate for the negotiator. The Gathosians figured my brother would motivate me to help in any way I could. Addiction is not the Gathosians’ only form of incentive. They are master manipulators.” “Were you successful? Did you free your brother?” She was shivering and still she didn’t complain. He grabbed the sprayer and rinsed the suds from her body, allowing the simple pleasure to calm his temper. “There were four of us. Two older, one younger. We all advanced rapidly and tried to watch out for each other. Joss was the oldest.” “Joss was the one you rescued?” “Yes, but the Gathosians soon learned he was aiding the rebels and summoned him to a tribunal. He was found guilty and they executed him. We were forced to watch.” She touched his arm, pushing the spray away from her body. “I’m sorry. That must have been horrible for all of you.” Her pity infuriated him. He snarled, dropped the sprayer, turned off the water then dragged her from the tub. “You don’t know the half of it,” he snapped, pain slicing through his anger. “They skinned him. It took hours for him to die. All I have to do is close my eyes and I can see his face, smell the blood and hear his screams.” “But this is all the more reason for you to hate them, try to do something—”

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“You don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about!” He shoved her away and ran his hands through his hair. Fuck! He hadn’t talked about Joss in years. Why was he trusting this human with the blackest moments of his life?

Winter was afraid to touch him, yet afraid not to. It was obvious he was holding on by a thread. His features were still smooth but his eyes glowed, revealing the depth of his anger, and pain. He leaned back against the counter, hands braced on either side of his hips, chest rippling with each deep breath. “They realized I was more valuable to them as a translator than a soldier, so I was transferred to the business side of the Protectorate.” His voice was quiet yet harsh, and he stared straight ahead. “I refused to cooperate with anything they told me to do.” She dragged a towel off the rack and wrapped it around her, tucking one corner down between her breasts. “Were you punished?” “They beat me, starved me, isolated me, and withheld the compound until I slipped into a coma. All it did was help them see that indirect punishment was more effective with me.” “Indirect?” She shivered, not sure she wanted to know the rest. “They had lots of soldiers. Pryett had been conquered by then, and Noirte was making quite a name for himself. So they summoned my other two brothers. They put Aric in stasis and took me to a room where they had Lynkon bound to a wall.” Unable to bear the anguish burning in his eyes, she went to him and wrapped her arms around his waist. She buried her face against his chest and whispered, “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” “They tortured him in ways that made Joss’s death seem merciful. Lynkon begged me to let them kill him, but that wasn’t what they had in mind. It took fourteen hours for me to give in and agree to whatever they wanted.”

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She eased away from him without releasing him completely. “Are your brothers still alive?” “The second time they used Lynkon he didn’t survive. They still have Aric in stasis. I can’t have his death on my conscience. I just can’t.” Pressing her hand to the side of his face, she frantically blinked back tears. “I should have realized. You’re kind and good. I should have known you wouldn’t—” He pushed her hand away and shook his head. “I’m not kind or good. I’m a coward. I couldn’t bear to see my brother’s pain so I allowed… I helped them…” He fisted her hair and crushed her lips beneath his. His tongue thrust into her mouth, hot and demanding. She wasn’t afraid of his aggression, understood the pain driving it. He needed comfort, needed to forget everything for just a little while. With a jerk, he stripped the towel from her body and dropped it on the floor. His hands caressed and conquered while his lips and tongue staked their claim on her mouth. She sighed and rubbed against him, wanting him to understand he wasn’t alone. He’d sheltered her in her hour of need, and now it was her turn to be there for him. She pulled away slowly and sank to the floor, the thick towel cushioning her knees. He caught her wrists as she reached for his pants, his gaze burning into hers. “Please,” she whispered. “Let me do this for you.” He moved his hands to the counter behind him and closed his eyes. Her fingers shook as she opened his pants, then his cock sprang free, long and thick. She curved her fingers around his shaft and stroked. All this had been inside her? It was still hard to believe. Her pussy clenched at the memory of the fullness, and her hand moved faster. She pushed his pants to his ankles with her free hand and he kicked them aside. He’d allowed her to touch him in the shower, but this was different. She wasn’t distracted by his wandering hands. Her focus centered on him and the comfort he needed so desperately. 62

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His hips began to rock into her fist and his shaft grew even harder beneath her fingers. The tip of his cock flushed, and the thick vein on the underside expanded. She bent and dragged her tongue down the length of his cock, from tip to balls in one slow caress. “Suck me,” he growled, his hands pushing into her hair. She’d known he wouldn’t stay passive long. It was his nature to dominate. Closing her lips around the flared head, she sucked and swirled until he growled again. “More.” She took him deeper, moving her hand to his balls as her lips slid up and down the length of his shaft. Each throaty moan and sharp gasp pleased her and urged her on. He rocked his hips, moving in and out while his hands caressed her face. He stared down into her face, his body tense as he battled his need to come. Feminine power tingled down her spine. He needed this, wanted her so badly he was trembling. She steadied herself against his hips and tilted her head back, taking him deeper, and sucking harder, as his tempo accelerated. Desire burned away the pain in his eyes. His eyelids drooped and his thumbs framed her mouth, focusing her attention on the steady slide of his cock against her lips. His forehead ridged and his cheekbones jutted, then he thrust to the back of her mouth. Hot come splashed against her throat and she swallowed. Salty, exotic, unique, his taste filled her mouth and intensified her hunger. He’d trusted her with his pleasure, allowed her to watch him lose control. She sucked and licked, not willing to lose a single drop. Long moments later, he drew her to her feet and pressed her against his chest. His mouth settled over hers, hot and commanding. His lips moved and his tongue slid, undeterred by his taste in her mouth. He picked her up, cradling her in his arms as the kiss went on and on. He started walking without ending the kiss and her foot hit the doorframe. She laughed against his parted lips. “You might want to watch where you’re going.”

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“I’d rather watch you coming.” He nipped her ear then hurried across the bedroom and sat her down on the side of the bed. “Scoot back and open for me. I want to taste your soft, wet pussy.”

With a siren’s smile bowing her lips, Winter scooted back on the bed and raised her heels to the edge of the mattress. She propped herself up on her elbows and let her legs fall open. Ulrick let his gaze drift down along her body, the need inside him winding tighter and tighter. He wanted to touch her, taste her, claim her—and never let her go. Her scent reached his nose, warm, musky and enticing. His features had smoothed, but his eyes hadn’t stopped glowing since she offered to cure his loneliness. She didn’t seem to mind his transformation, which allowed him to relax and concentrate on the pleasure. He knelt beside the bed and stroked her inner thighs. Her pussy was flushed and moist, more than ready for his kiss, or his cock. Still, he wouldn’t be rushed. He intended to savor every moment, every texture, every sound. Pressing his lips against her knee for a moment, he then kissed his way down the inside of her thigh. She murmured and arched, lifting herself toward his wandering mouth. He reached the crease where her leg met her pelvis and traced the delicate line with his tongue. She reached for his hair but he growled a warning, and she immediately pulled her hand back. He wanted this to last as long as possible and her touch was too exciting. “Lie back, hands over your head.” He waited until she obeyed before he returned his attention to her pussy. Her scent pulled him nearer, inflaming his senses. He rested his hands on her inner thighs and covered her sex with his mouth. She was so soft and unbelievably hot. His tongue traced her slit and tenderness welled within him. The emotion was new, almost alien. He pushed it aside, concentrating instead on familiar sensations, possessiveness and carnal hunger. Now those impulses he understood. 64

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He lapped up her cream and carefully sucked her folds, loving the way she gasped and shivered. Then he pushed two fingers deep into her passage and watched her react. She rocked against his fingers, her inner muscles squeezing him. His cock stirred, hardening and lengthening—reaching for her. Lazily pumping his hand, he watched his fingers disappear inside her body and reappear covered with cream. She was delectable, a passionate beauty designed especially for him. Only for him. He thrust his fingers deep and found her clit with his tongue, circling and flicking until she trembled with her need to come. Then he slowly drew his fingers out, curving them so they dragged the front wall of her passage. She cried out sharply and bucked, her inner walls contracting with rhythmic spasms. Her pleasure drove him wild. He wanted more, wanted all of her. With his fingers wet from her pussy, he slid his hand lower, teasing her other opening. The tiny star was tight and stubborn, which made him more determined to conquer the portal. “Ulrick?” She stilled as he breached her sphincter, her body clamping onto his finger. “I’ll be careful, I promise. I’ll do everything I can not to hurt you.” But demanding desire consumed him, propelling him onward. Rather than reply, she pushed his hand back, rejecting his touch in the process. Disappointment flared to life, but she didn’t give it long to burn. She turned over and folded her legs beneath her, giving him better access to his target. His chest tightened and his balls tingled, her submissive pose thrilling him to the marrow of his bones. She understood his needs, and offered herself without reservation. He brushed the backs of her thighs and squeezed her ass cheeks, praising and reassuring her. She could likely enjoy his fingers with nothing more than her body’s lubrication, but cream would never allow her to take his cock without pain. He leaned over and pulled open the nightstand’s top drawer, grabbing the bottle of lube he kept there. 65

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A butt plug rolled into view and that pesky tenderness made him pause. If he took her without training her body first, she would likely feel only pain. He needed to take this one step at a time, unless he was willing to selfishly ravage her. He grabbed the toy as well and shut the drawer, annoyed by this new facet of his nature. Drizzling lube into her crease, he smoothed it over and into her anus. She tensed each time his finger pushed inside her, reinforcing his decision to wait. Patience would overcome her uncertainty. All he had to do was give her time. “Try to relax, love,” he coaxed. “Let your body respond to my touch.”

Winter clutched the bedspread and tried not to shrink away from Ulrick’s invading finger. It felt so strange, so intrusive. He’d promised not to hurt her. No, he’d promised to do everything he could not to hurt her. His cock was huge. There was no way she could take him without pain. Anxiety washed over her, threading through her desire and speeding her pulse. He added a second finger and the pressure made her squirm. Her pussy ached and her clit tingled, needing his touch. Unable to remain still, she moved with him, pushing back onto his fingers. Heat spiraled up through her back passage and expanded in her belly. Oh that was nice. “If it helps to move, move. I want you to enjoy this.” She whimpered. She wanted to enjoy it too. She just wasn’t sure how. Moving her legs a little farther apart, she rolled her hips, accentuating each of his strokes. Long, slow motions created the most pleasurable sensations, so she told him. “Slow and deep.” Immediately his motion changed. He pushed in as far as he could and pulled back slowly, allowing her to feel every millimeter of his long fingers. “Better?” “Yes.” She gasped, and he did it again, and again.

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His free hand slipped between her thighs, circling her other opening before focusing on her clit. Sensations gathered beneath his fingertips then radiated outward. Her womb tightened and her pussy clenched. She teetered on the brink of release, and then his fingers stilled. “Ulrick! I really need to come.” “Not yet.” He slowly drew his fingers out and her arousal spiked, making her gasp. “Take this, and then I’ll fuck you as long and as hard as you like.” She wasn’t sure what “this” was, but the long, hard fucking part sounded pretty damn perfect. Something pressed against her back entrance, blunt and cool, obviously not his cock. “What is that?” “A toy. It will help you take me.” Looking back over her shoulder, she tried to capture his gaze, but his attention was squarely focused on her ass. “You’re not going to…” “Not yet. You’re too tight.” “No, you’re too big.” Her assertion made him smile. Then he drove the mysterious toy inward and she groaned. The pressure stopped just short of pain, but it made her damn glad he’d given her a reprieve. He rotated the toy, stimulating her nerve endings before he pushed deeper. She lowered her forehead to her folded arms and let the sensations wash over her. Another firm push and her body adjusted, closing around a distinct narrowing. It was a butt plug. She’d seen them before but had never been brave enough to use one. “How’s that feel?” “Odd.” She shifted her hips and tightened her muscles around the plug. “It’s making me…restless as hell.” “Turn over.” She rolled to her back and stretched her arms overhead, feeling decadent and naughty. “I never thought of that part of my body as sensitive, but this is wild.”

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He smiled and lifted her legs to his shoulders, desire burning in his eyes. His tongue thrust into her pussy and she arched her back, wanting him deeper, wanting more. He coated his tongue then sucked her cream directly into his mouth. He was so demanding, so ravenous. It was as if her essence sustained him. Then he calmed and his lips closed around her clit, sucking with slow, careful pulls. Her pussy clenched so hard she cried out, the pressure in her ass unbearable. Tossing her head from side to side, she clawed at the bedding as his persistent lips drove the pleasure higher. Her back bowed and her toes curled as she came in tight, rolling spasms. He shifted her legs to the bend of his elbows as he struggled to his feet. Pulling her closer to the edge of the bed, he positioned his cock at her entrance. “Look at me.” She moved her gaze to his face and shivered. His transformed features didn’t frighten her now. He looked ferocious, but she understood what caused the change. He wanted her, needed her, and he would protect and care for her. “Who do you belong to?” His voice was more like a growl. “You. Only you.” He drove into her slowly, his gaze every bit as penetrating as his cock. She relaxed and accepted him, savoring the immense fullness, and the obvious effort it took to restrain his need. Even in the midst of ravenous hunger he was careful with her. Tender. “Okay?” He ground out the question between clenched teeth, his fingers digging into her hips. “Oh yes.” She squeezed his cock and he shuddered, launched into action by her encouragement. His hips pulled back then lunged forward, thrusting his full length into her eager core. The pressure in her ass made her pussy that much tighter. But there was no pain,

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just blissful fullness and smooth motion that quickly had her panting and rocking into each firm stroke. Suddenly he released her legs and pulled her pelvis flush with his. “Grab my neck.” The second her arms grasped him, he lifted her off the bed and turned. He sat on the edge of the bed and she folded her legs on either side of his hips. “Ride me.” She needed no other encouragement. His mouth fastened onto one of her nipples as she raised her body upward. Her pussy clung to his cock, as if it wasn’t ready to let him go. Then she pushed down, impaling herself on his length. He moved his mouth from one breast to the other as she found the depth and angle that created the most intense sensations. Needing the warm intimacy of his kiss, she dragged his face away from her breast and licked her lips. He understood her invitation and framed her face with his hands. Their mouths met and melded, tongues tangling as she maintained a steady rhythm with her hips. He began to move with her, thrusting up as she drove down. It increased the impact and the pressure on her clit. She gasped, momentarily losing the rhythm. His hands dropped from her face and grasped her hips, steadying her as they moved together. Another orgasm built deep inside her, spreading like wildfire in a drought. He thrust his cock deep into her rippling passage and came with a muffled shout. The hot spurt of his seed pushed her over the edge and lights danced before her eyes. They soared together, clinging to one another as the pleasure swept them along. Winter settled on her knees, feeling content and sleepy. “I saw stars.” She smiled and looked away from his intense eyes. “Do you always come that hard?” He kissed the tip of her nose. “Only with you.” His features gradually smoothed and the heat in his gaze simmered. “It’s never been like this before.” Without warning, he grasped her hips and stood, then turned and laid her back across the bed. “Don’t move.” 69

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She groaned as he separated their bodies and her face burned when he carefully removed the butt plug. She hadn’t been embarrassed when he inserted it, but she wasn’t desperate for an orgasm now. He walked into the bathroom and tossed the toy in one of the sinks then returned with a damp towel. He wasn’t going to… Yes, he was. She covered her face with her hands as he cleaned up the mess they’d made. “Would you prefer I bathe you with my tongue?” he teased. “That didn’t seem to embarrass you.” She took a deep breath and lowered her hands. Her belated modesty was seriously silly. “I’m just not used to being this intimate with anyone.” He pulled down the bedding and she crawled between the sheets. “Tell me about Earth before this all happened. What was your world like back then?” He stretched out on his back and she snuggled against his side, head resting on his shoulder. “Everyone was in a hurry. Fast food and instant gratification. We all worked too hard and seldom focused on the things that really mattered. None of us ever imagined how fast it could change.” “Were the Gathosians your first contact with other beings?” “Yes. We’d learned enough to suspect we were far from alone, but our manned space missions never left our solar system.” He brushed the hair back from her face, his gaze searching hers. “What were you like? Were you still living with your parents?” “I was about to graduate from college. I had accepted the fact that my lover was not the man I wanted to spend the rest of my life with, but I hadn’t figured out how to tell him.” Light sparked in his eyes and he pulled her closer. “Thinking of you with anyone else makes me crazy. It’s better if you don’t mention it again.”

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“I have no problem with that. I think about the past, and it seems like a dream. That college student isn’t any more real to me than Cub. I’m Winter now. And Winter is determined to take each day as it comes.” “A wise strategy, as long as the Gathosians are in control.” Silence followed his statement, sadness tainting the tranquility. “What if they weren’t?” She knew what-ifs were pointless, but the question just slipped out. “They are,” he said emphatically. “And we’re both locked into behaviors that we find intolerable.” She propped her head on her hand, looking down into his face. “My situation has become far more tolerable recently. Now we need to work on yours.” He smiled, but his eyes remained wary and somewhat cold. “Did the brainwave modulator have something to do with your remarkable recovery?” The device was patterned after Saroji’s ability. “Maybe.” “You don’t trust me? After all this, you still don’t trust me?” “I trust you with my body and my life, but these secrets involve other people. It should be their choice when to take you into their confidence.” He was obviously annoyed by her answer, but he let it go. “So what happens now? Do I need to sign a contract or something?” Her heart lurched at the concept. She had almost forgotten she was an ambassador, a paid companion—a whore. “Don’t look at me like that. I just want to make damn sure no one else can touch you.” “I understand, and you’re right. It just caught me by surprise.” She took a deep breath and forced herself past the sorrow welling in her heart. This was reality, and all the orgasms in the world wouldn’t change it. “I’ll speak with Mistress Autumn in the morning and find out what needs to be done.”

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Chapter Five The following morning Winter returned to the embassy in Ulrick’s private skimmer. He’d already left for work when she awoke, so she hadn’t lingered in his house. It felt cold and empty without him there and she had to attend to business. After a long hot shower and a change of clothes, she went in search of Autumn. She wasn’t sure how to explain what had happened without admitting that her first mission had been a miserable failure. She sat in Autumn’s office, fiddling with the hem of her blouse when she realized what needed to be said. Autumn joined her a few minutes later. “Ulrick’s message only said you’d be spending the night. Did you seduce him outright, or use the succubus?” “I’m not sure who seduced whom, but the succubus wasn’t necessary.” “I see.” Autumn sat beside her rather than accessing the power position behind her desk. The madam’s approachable demeanor was one of the things Winter liked best about her boss. “Were you able to learn the location of Evard Keenan?” “Not last night, but I know how to motivate Ulrick into telling us anything we want to know.” Autumn smiled. “That’s a rather bold statement.” Winter chose her words carefully, not wanting to hint at the bond rapidly forming between her and her protector. “I found out how the Gathosians control him. They have his brother locked in stasis, and Ulrick does their bidding to ensure his brother’s safety.” “So if we whisk his brother beyond their grasp, he’ll be less likely to do their bidding?”

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Winter scooted to the edge of her chair and pivoted toward Autumn. “Not less likely, it’s guaranteed. Like Earth, his home world was devastated by the Gathosians.” Autumn wasn’t nearly as impressed as Winter had hoped. “That’s true of every member in the Protectorate.” “But they made it personal with Ulrick. He has suffered things you can’t imagine.” After a thoughtful pause, Autumn said, “I’ll run this by Ra’jen, see if he knows anything about Ulrick’s brother.” “Thank you.” Winter started to stand, and then realized there was one detail left. “Ulrick wants to know if he needs to sign a contract or something to make sure no one else comes near me.” Autumn snickered. “Ra’jen took a more direct approach. He bent me over the back of a couch and fucked me in the lobby. Word of our relationship spread like a virus.” Winter’s body warmed at the idea of being so consumed by desire she didn’t care who was watching. “I don’t think that would work for us. Ulrick is intensely possessive. He doesn’t want anyone looking at me, much less watching us fuck.” “Understood. I’ll work up a contract and send it over before the day is through.” “Thanks.” Winter pushed to her feet and prepared to leave, but Autumn caught her hand. “How are you adjusting to all this? Do you have feelings for Ulrick?” “He’s…amazing.” She sighed. “I just wish I could give him more than mindblowing sex.”

***** Evard drew his legs toward his chest and wrapped his arms around his knees, trying to conserve his body heat. Last night the tiny cell that served as his bedroom had been so hot he’d slept on the floor in the adjoining laboratory. Tonight Inwatta had chosen cold to torment him. The bedding had mysteriously disappeared off his cot, and she’d included the lab in her efforts. Luckily none of his 73

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experiments were temperature sensitive. Unfortunately, there was no retreating from the bone-chilling cold. How long had he been locked in this battle of wills? Weeks? Months? He honestly couldn’t remember. She’d started simply. Two days passed without a meal tray being delivered, but hunger affected his productivity. His Gathosian mistress couldn’t allow his insubordination to reach the mind of her supervisors, so she had no choice but to relent. The lavatory door malfunctioned next, forcing him to deal with his bodily needs in creative, and humiliating, ways. Apparently she’d grown bored as soon as he’d grown desensitized to having his privacy obliterated. That had only lasted about a week. At least the majority of her games took place at night. Each day remained an endless routine of experiments, research and mind-numbing documentation. The biggest drawback of their ridiculous war was how much her games cut into his secret agenda. Determining the compound’s exact formula was basically on hold until his “supervisor” finished her temper tantrum. Or he gave in and fucked her. Why do you have to be so stubborn? He didn’t feel her in his mind, but she was not yet visible either. “I’m your prisoner,” he reminded, watching the corners of the room where she preferred to appear. “Why would I want to do anything that gives you pleasure?” A thin stream of light appeared to his right, expanding gradually until it took on the basic outline of a person. The light pulsed and shimmered, like fireflies tossed into a harvest sunset. How could something so beautiful be so malevolent? “My supervisors told me to kill you if you don’t do what I say. They insist there are others with your level of experience.” “I’m still alive, so you must disagree.” She ignored his comment. “All I want is to experience sex from a different perspective. Why is this so different from what I’ve made you do in the past?”

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“The answer is in the question.” “What does that mean?” she snapped, growing darker, less sparkly. “You controlled my body before. I didn’t have a choice.” “You don’t have a choice now.” “Yes, I do. I can refuse, and you’ll likely kill me, or I can give in and wish I were dead. The fact is I’m no longer afraid to die, so you’ve lost your best weapon.” “Then I’ll find another.” Her cold laughter echoed off the walls. “Sweet dreams, my love. We’ll see how you feel in the morning.”

***** Winter opened her bedroom door, expecting Celinna or perhaps Saroji. Autumn stood in the hallway, Ra’jen’s arm wrapped around her waist. “May we come in?” As if she needed to ask. Autumn basically owned the embassy. “Of course.” She pulled the door wider and ushered them inside, closing the door behind them. “What’s up?” Ra’jen released Autumn as he faced her. “Does Brant know about the succubus?” Shit! Her gaze darted to Autumn then returned to the handsome general. How had he known? “What makes you ask?” His lips quirked and his eyes lightened from gray to silver. “I’ve known Ulrick for years. It would have been a miracle if you had bested him.” Resentment straightened her back and narrowed her eyes. “If you expected me to fail, why give me the mission?” He clasped his hands behind his back, his features locked in an expressionless mask. “There are degrees of failure. You’ve been accepted into his life. Earning his trust is every bit as important as anything you could have accomplished with the succubus. However, I need to know what you told him.”

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“I didn’t tell him anything.” Ra’jen had been so kind before, caring, almost gentle. This was General Noirte, unbending head of the Protectorate. “Then how did he know about the succubus?” Autumn asked, her expression nearly as cold as the general’s. “Ulrick…” Did they know about his ability to transform? How did she retain the trust of her superiors without betraying the trust of her lover? Autumn touched her arm, drawing Winter’s gaze back to her. “You’re not in trouble. You performed incredibly well, given the circumstances.” Winter tried to relax, but Ra’jen emanated menace. “Ra’jen has been monitoring Ulrick’s access link for quite a while now. We know he used his computer to identify the succubus. How did he get it away from you?” “The mist wore off almost immediately. I wasn’t able to activate it before he roused.” That much was true. “Was he primal at the time?” Ra’jen asked. Okay, so it wasn’t a secret. “Primal?” Autumn turned to her lover. “What are you talking about?” “Strong emotions transform Valtorians, bring out their inner beast.” He said the last with playful drama, his lips parting in a lazy smile. The icy general melted whenever he looked at Autumn, but the flash of heat reversed as soon as she left his field of vision. “Was he?” “He was behind me, so I didn’t see his face until after I’d squeezed the dispenser.” Ra’jen just stared at her in silence for a moment. Winter had slipped on a satin robe before opening the door, but she still felt exposed and vulnerable. “It was obvious I’d gotten the device from Autumn, but I refused to confirm anything else.” “The technology will lead him to Pryett, which will lead him to me.” Ra’jen didn’t seem overly concerned with the conclusion, but he was incredibly hard to read. “How did he react to the discovery? Was he angry, or intrigued? Did he report his findings?”

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“No, at least not in front of me. But he hates the Gathosians as much as we do, maybe more.” Ra’jen nodded. “I’ve watched him for a long time, hoping for a peek beneath his mask. The techniques the Gathosians used to break the will of my people were perfected on the Valtorians.” “But you’re not broken.” “The Gathosians don’t know that.” He offered her a rare and fleeting smile. “I’d started to fear Ulrick was a hopeless cause, and in one night you managed to learn what really drives him.” Winter exhaled a long, slow breath. That had sounded remarkably similar to praise. “Do you know where they’re keeping his brother?” “I found a patient who is only identified by case number, but the dates line up.” “Is there any way to verify his identity?” Winter’s stomach tensed and she tried not to fidget. “I located an image of Aric Brant, but the only way to determine if he is patient two-six-seven-four is to bring the patient out of stasis.” “And how do we accomplish that?” “The only facility on this continent with stasis capabilities is Med Center B. It stands to reason that they would keep Aric close in case Ulrick misbehaves, but again the only way to know for sure is to verify the identity of the unnamed patient.” “Med Center B has a standing order for two ambassadors every Saturday night,” Autumn told her. “We’ve located a female physician willing to accompany you, but you will be team leader. Her primary focus will be the patient. You’ll need to handle the guards.” Her heart sank and she pressed her lips together. Ulrick still had the succubus. She’d hoped to avoid this particular detail until she convinced him to give it back. “I… Is there more than one succubus? Ulrick still has the one you gave me.”

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Autumn looked at Ra’jen, some silent message passing between them. “There are a total of three. I’ll give you another, but you must get yours back from him.” “I will.” She straightened her shoulders and moved on to other details. “The succubus can only be used on one person at a time. How many guards will I be handling?” “Hopefully two.” The concern in Autumn’s gaze didn’t allay Winter’s anxiety. The one and only time she’d tried to use the succubus on a client she’d failed miserably. Well, this was her opportunity to redeem herself. “You’ll be accompanied by an armed escort. That’s embassy policy. Your escort will incapacitate one of the guards while you implant a false memory in the other. We’ll select one of the guards to take Aric’s place in the stasis chamber, and you’ll convince the other guard that he was alone during the entire shift. Except for his visit from the ambassadors, of course.” “I’ve never used the succubus to alter memories, only create new ones.” “It’s the same procedure. Just start the false memory far enough back that it overwrites what really happened. You should probably practice with Celinna.” Ra’jen shot her a sidelong look. “If you keep practicing on Celinna, her mind will fragment. This technology cannot be taken lightly.” “Well, I can’t send these girls out into the field without any practical experience.” “I’ll give you Saroji for another week, but her absence is starting to cause speculation.” “Saturday night?” Winter muttered. “That only gives me three days to work with Saroji.” The tension in her stomach knotted and her mouth went dry. She had to make this work. Ulrick deserved a little happiness in his life. “Is there a reason you’d rather wait?” Autumn asked. “No. The sooner the better.” “Ulrick cannot know about this.” Ra’jen’s tone rang with warning. “It would be too painful for him if we fail.”

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***** Ulrick drove his cock into Winter’s wet pussy, groaning at the pleasure of her snug passage. He would never tire of her smell, her taste or the way her inner muscles caressed him. They’d been at this off and on for the past three days, enjoying every position he knew, and inventing a couple of new ones. He’d taken her with desperate urgency over the back of the couch moments after she arrived Wednesday night. Their romantic dinner on Thursday had been interrupted by another bout of frantic lovemaking right there on the dining room floor. Neither of them could ever seem to get enough. Now it was Friday and they’d managed to make it to the bedroom, but sleep was the furthest thing from their minds. Her legs drew up high against his sides, opening her body without hampering his thrusts. She liked it slow and deep until her arousal built and then fast and hard until they came together. His primal nature surged, speeding his hips and intensifying the pleasure. Grasping the back of her knees, he pushed her legs toward her shoulders, rolling her hips up off the bed. He arched over her, pounding down into her, pinning her with her own body. She cried out, her cunt squeezing him tightly as she responded to his sudden aggression. He watched her face, mesmerized by the beauty of her uninhibited response. His balls tightened, tingling in preparation for his release. He fought back the urge, wanting this to last forever, but his body had other ideas. Releasing her legs, he clasped her hips and ground his pelvis against hers. Sensations burst deep inside him, propelling his seed deep into her trembling body. He shuddered and groaned, his ass clenching, as he surrendered to the power of their bond. He settled his weight on his knees and panted, waiting for her passion-glazed eyes to focus. “I want you here with me.” He hadn’t meant the statement to sound so demanding, but his primal nature hadn’t subsided. 79

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“I’ve responded immediately to each of your calls. How have I disappointed you?” “Oh gods, Winter, you’re anything but a disappointment.” He rolled to his side, taking her with him, his cock firmly lodged inside her. She raised one leg to his hip, settling their pelvises closer together. “I want you here when I wake up and here when I return from the office. I want you here in this house, in this bed.” Her expression tensed, and she looked away, her scent subtly changing. “I want that too, more than you know, but it’s too soon. There are things I need to resolve before I can… I just need a few days, perhaps a week.” “What things?” Another ripple of primal energy kept his features sharp and his emotions raw. “I’ve contracted you exclusively. You belong to me.” She stilled, anger and uncertainty warring within her expression. “The contract is a formality. I won’t be treated like a whore.” He closed his eyes, frustrated by his inability to reverse the change. “I need you near me. You’re my lover, not my whore.” Her warm hand touched his face, her thumb brushing over his cheekbone and across the ridges on his forehead. “Don’t be angry. I’m arranging a surprise for you and it’s taking more time than I’d hoped. It will be worth waiting for, I promise.” He turned into her touch, soothed by the soft pressure of her fingertips. “What’s the surprise?” She laughed, and her breasts jiggled, immediately drawing his attention. “It wouldn’t be a surprise if I told you.” “The last time you promised to surprise me you sprayed a sleeping mist in my face.” “It’s nothing like that. Honestly.” Rolling to his back, he pulled her up along his body until her breasts were directly over his mouth. He sucked one tight, pink nipple and then the other. “I’m getting hard again. How do you do this to me? I’ve never been this insatiable.”

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He drew her farther up his body, and she started to struggle. “Let’s take a shower before we—” “Now!” Moving her knees to either side of his head, he pushed her legs outward until her wet pussy hovered over his face. “Sex is messy, and noisy, and savage.” He pushed two fingers into her core and growled, “Get used to it.”

Winter grasped the top rail of the headboard and shivered as her body came alive again. Insatiable was right. She’d never wanted anyone as much as she wanted Ulrick, not even close. He slowly finger-fucked her pussy while his tongue teased over her folds. It felt so damn good. Everything they did together felt like heaven. Then his mouth focused on her clit and his fingers migrated to her other opening. He loved using his fingers in her ass and she’d quickly adjusted to the concept of anal pleasure. He’d inserted the butt plug again last night, but he hadn’t mentioned wanting to fuck her like that. Slick with her cream, his fingers pushed into her tight back passage. Sensations curled up through her and her clit twitched against his tongue. Would his cock feel as good as his fingers? She tightened and he pushed deeper, drawing the pleasure down through her as he pulled back. “Oh!” She shivered, an orgasm building low in her belly. She wanted to come around his cock and feel his seed explode deep inside her ass. She wanted to share everything with him, take him in every way a woman could take a man. “I think I’m ready.” She whispered the offer, hoping he’d understand. “Are you sure?” His lips moved against her folds, keeping her body simmering. “Yes. I want your cock inside me.” He shifted her back as he pulled his fingers out. She sat on his chest and he moved his hands to her hips. “Say it out loud. Tell me exactly what you want.” “I want you to fuck my ass.”

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His gaze glowed brighter than ever before, his primal features fully transformed. “Hands and knees, in front of me.” As she moved into position, he retrieved the bottle of lube. Excitement twisted through her, speeding her pulse and compounding the tension already knotting her stomach. His warm hands stroked over her hips and across her lower back. Then his lips pressed light kisses across her ass. He eased his hand between her thighs and lightly rubbed her clit, building her arousal and easing her anxiety. “I won’t hurt you, love. We’ll take it really slow.” His fingers pushed back into her ass and she sighed at the familiar fullness. He’d taught her how good this could feel. Spreading his strong fingers and twisting his wrist, he stretched her and prepared her for a much more substantial penetration. She wanted this, needed the exotic joining as much as he did. He slid his fingers free and positioned his cock against her rippled opening. “Ready?” He growled the word, part demand, part plea. She folded her arms and lowered her head, then pushed back against him. Her body opened before him, spreading around his cock head by slow degrees. Hot and hard, his shaft felt so much different than the toy. She pushed harder, taking him deeper, and a strangled cry tore from his throat. She smiled, thrilled by his obvious pleasure. The pressure was intrusive, overwhelming yet wonderfully intense. She arched her back and bit her lip, fighting back a spontaneous scream. There was no pain, just raw emotions and the inescapable fullness of his cock. He slipped his arms around her, caressing her breasts and her clit. She raised her head and tossed her hair out of her eyes. “Okay?” “Perfect.” She coupled the assurance with a firm squeeze. “Holy fuck! You’re tight enough. Try to relax or I’ll never be able to move.”

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“Wanna bet?” She rocked forward, dragging her body nearly off his cock, then reversed direction and impaled herself just as slowly. It was heady, unlike anything she’d experienced before. She felt liberated by sampling a taboo, freed to experience whatever life had in store. With one hand lightly teasing her pussy and the other grasping her hip, he moved in and out of her ass. The long, slow strokes took her breath away then gave it back with each burst of sensation. She moved with him and around him, giving and taking without hesitation or reserve. Passion flowed between them, intensified by each gasp and amplified with each rotation. Soon both his hands steadied her hips and his strokes grew sharper and faster. His balls slapped against her pussy, the impact stimulating her clit. She was surrounded by him and filled with him, and she never wanted it to end. He growled, the sound perfectly echoing the feelings surging through her. She felt primal, savage, his equal in every way. She gasped and slammed back against him, taking his full length with each forceful lunge. Leaning down, he opened his mouth wide against the curve of her shoulder. His sharp teeth pressed into her flesh, the pricks of pain only heightening the pleasure. She threw back her head and screamed as all the sensations coalesced within her. His arms wrapped around her body and his cock rammed home one final time. They shook and panted as pleasure swept reality from their minds. For one perfect moment they hung suspended beyond place and time, aware only of each other and the significance of their joining. Ulrick rolled them to their sides, drawing them back to reality. Winter blinked into the darkness, stunned beyond words. His hand stroked along her side, coming to rest on her hip. “This is so much more than sex,” he whispered, sounding rather confused. She smiled, biting her bottom lip to keep from laughing. “Is that going to be a problem for you?” She was so sleepy she couldn’t keep her eyes open. 83

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He carefully separated their bodies and rolled her to her back. Slipping one arm under her neck, he stared down into her eyes. “Valtorians mate for life. Is that going to be a problem for you?” he countered. “Not as long as the Valtorian is you.” She pulled his face down to hers and kissed him with all the joy bubbling in her heart. “This is unexpected, but certainly not unwelcome.” “So tell me about this surprise.” She laughed at his tenacity. “I’m not sure I can pull it off. That’s the only reason I won’t tell you. The good news is you don’t have long to wait. It will either happen tomorrow, or my plans will fall apart, and I’ll have to think of another surprise.” “What’s the bad news?” His features finally smoothed, the incandescence fading from his eyes. “Does there have to be bad news?” “No, but fate seldom offers one without the other.” It was a valid point, but she didn’t let it ruin the playful mood. “The bad news is you’ll have to live without me for one night. I’ll see you again on Sunday.” “This better be some surprise,” he grumbled, then lowered his mouth for another kiss.

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Chapter Six “Is this really necessary?” Dr. Jocelyn Grier fiddled with the long black wig concealing her chestnut hair. “Yes!” Autumn and Celinna chorused. Winter sat in an armchair in the corner of Celinna’s luxurious suite and enjoyed the show. Watching someone else’s transformation was far more fun than experiencing the transformation firsthand. The doctor was younger than Winter had expected and much prettier. Jocelyn’s black T-shirt and khaki fatigues had been replaced with a slim skirt and quilted bustier. She refused to consider high heels, so Celinna rummaged through her massive walk-in closet and found a pair of thigh-high boots. Even having watched the transformation every step of the way, Winter was having trouble finding any trace of the doctor in the woman standing in front of her now. “Surveillance is unavoidable,” Autumn reminded. “You’ll end up on the security feed somewhere, so hide behind your hair as much as you can. Ra’jen will kill me if you’re identified.” Tugging at the top edge of her bustier, Jocelyn frowned. “Well, this is certainly a departure from my usual look.” “Our escort’s name is Mick.” Winter stood and crossed to the three-paneled mirror in front of which the others had congregated. “He’s sharp, fast, and accurate. We’ll be in and out before you know it.” The observations were as much a reminder to her fluttering stomach as encouragement for her nervous partner. Winter had worked with Saroji for several hours each afternoon for the past three days, and then tested her skills on three different guards. Saroji was pleased with Winter’s progress, and Winter felt a lot more prepared for this mission than she had for her first. 85

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Winter’s outfit was similar to Jocelyn’s—short skirt and revealing neckline. She’d also donned a wig to disguise her true appearance. The style was short and sassy, the color flame red. Rather than trust a one-shot mister as she had with Ulrick, Winter had stashed everything she’d need in a satin clutch. “We’ve been over the plan twice. Do either of you have any questions?” Autumn glanced at Winter, brow raised quizzically. “I just want to get this over with,” Jocelyn murmured. Celinna smiled then winked at Winter. “The first trick is always the hardest.” Winter was sure that was true, but she never intended to find out. With Mick piloting the skimmer, they headed out a few minutes later. It took fortyfive minutes to reach Med Center B, so Winter tried to keep Jocelyn’s mind occupied. “How long have you served in the Protectorate?” “Three years.” She stared out the viewport, her profile partially hidden by her hair. “You’re human?” Glancing away from the passing scenery, Jocelyn asked, “Aren’t you?” “I am. I just didn’t realize the Protectorate had drafted anyone that recently.” “One of the lesser generals spotted me during the pandemic and presented me to General Noirte as a gift. Luckily for me, General Noirte wasn’t amused. He assigned me to work with Saroji, and I’ve been at the clinic ever since.” This was the most Jocelyn had said since her arrival at the embassy. Unfortunately it left Winter with more questions than answers. “You are familiar with Gathosian technology, aren’t you?” “General Noirte knows what he’s doing,” Jocelyn muttered as she turned back to the viewport. So much for small talk. There was obviously more to the story but Winter wasn’t going to pry. The doctor was already uncomfortable. Winter relaxed back in her seat and closed her eyes, running through the coming events in her mind. 86

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Their arrival was uneventful. Mick left the skimmer near the only side entrance accessible to visitors. They still had to pass through a security checkpoint, but the scanner was automated, its target parameters very specific. “Why didn’t Mick’s pistol set off the alarm?” Jocelyn whispered as they hurried down the stark white corridor. “All of my weapons are registered,” Mick explained. “A chip in the handle tells the scanner I have legitimate reasons for needing them.” “You can pass through any checkpoint without question?” The doctor seemed surprised. “If the station is manned, guards usually ask for identification.” “These are standard Protectorate policies,” Winter told her. “Do they have you stashed away in a cave somewhere?” This sure as hell wasn’t boosting her confidence in the good doctor. “Just about.” They lapsed into silence as they took an elevator to the fifth floor. Winter took a deep breath and retrieved the mist canister from her clutch. According to the information Ra’jen had provided, the stasis tubes were the only thing on the entire floor. It was impossible to walk into any building on Earth and not find vacant rooms. The phenomenon should work to their advantage. Personnel would be minimal, and there was no surveillance except in the shuttle lots and lobbies. Mick fell back as they exited the elevator. Security escorts were trained to be unobtrusive. Winter looked at Jocelyn and smiled. “I’ll do the majority of the talking, but try not to look quite so terrified.” “I’m not afraid,” Jocelyn insisted, but her face was unusually pale, and her hands were fisted at her sides. It didn’t matter. With her breasts pushed up by the bustier and her long, shapely legs on display, the guards wouldn’t be looking at her face.

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The corridor branched off in either direction, but they’d been told to go right. At the end of the main corridor they could only go left, so Winter didn’t hesitate. Their heels clicked an anxious tattoo as they rushed along. They passed through swinging double doors and entered a small reception area. Beyond the lobby was a massive bank of windows displaying rows and rows of stasis chambers in a cavernous room. Refusing to be distracted by the view, Winter focused on the guards. There were only two as they had expected. So far so good. Winter tucked her clutch up under her arm and sauntered toward the guards. They were seated at a small table, playing some sort of card game. “Good evening, gentlemen. I believe we have an appointment.” The smaller, meaner-looking guard stood and looked her over before he spoke. “What happened to Crystal and Vanessa?” “Crystal wasn’t feeling well, and I don’t know about Vanessa.” She crept closer, Mick on one side, Jocelyn on the other. “The embassy guarantee is always in effect. If you aren’t completely satisfied, Mistress Autumn will refund your credits.” “Show me your tits. If they’re not natural, this is a waste of time. I can’t stand plastic tits.” It was a test. Only a pleasure ambassador would be so uninhibited. Carefully hiding the mist canister behind her clutch, she handed both to Jocelyn. Then she unfastened her blouse button by button, her gaze fixed on the guard’s face. Lust ignited in his gaze as she parted the material and revealed her black lace bra. After a brief pause, she unfastened the front clasp and offered him an unobstructed view of her breasts. “See. No silicone in sight.” He lunged for Winter, hands outstretched, and Jocelyn shot the mist directly into his face. Set in motion by the first guard’s lunge, Mick rushed the other guard, knocking him unconscious with one well-placed punch. The guard slumped forward onto the table and Mick turned back to the women.

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“Go find Aric,” Winter told Jocelyn. “That was great work, by the way. We make one hell of a team.” Jocelyn handed her the canister and clutch then hurried into the large room beyond the guard station. “Which one is Gregory?” she asked Mick. Gregory had been chosen to replace Aric in the stasis tube and she was to implant the false memory in Keono’s mind. “That’s Gregory.” Mick pointed to the one slumped over the table. “The one with the big mouth is Keono.” She retrieved a second mister from her purse and held it beneath Gregory’s nose. Waiting for the guard’s next inhalation, she discharged the sedative. The last thing she needed was for him to wake up while she was working with Keono. Mick moved to the doorway, dividing his attention between the two women as Winter knelt beside Keono. Winter took out the succubus and pressed the master against her temple. After placing the slave on Keono, she waited for the device to initialize. The momentary jolt of disorientation was familiar now. She accepted the sensation, allowing the colorful rush to pull her consciousness onto the metaphysical plane. Keono stood there in the vast, gray void, features blank, waiting for her command. “You’re sitting at the card table, bored out of your mind. Gregory failed to report again and no one bothered to send a replacement.” “No surprise,” Keono muttered. “Gregory’s a lazy prick and it doesn’t take an army to guard vegetables.” He sounded alert, annoyed, but his features remained blank. “You play solitaire for a while, but time is passing so damn slowly.” “Then I remember it’s Saturday night.” He grinned. “Pussy should be on its way.” “Something catches your eye, and you look down the hallway beyond your table. Two ambassadors approach. One has long black hair, the other bright red.” “The redhead has great tits. Wonder if they’re real.”

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At least he was consistent. Winter took a step closer to the guard. “You ask about Crystal and Vanessa, and the redhead gives you some lame excuse.” “She’s younger than Crystal and prettier than Vanessa. This might not be so bad.” Winter shuddered. Hearing the details of what he was imagining was bad enough. Thank God she didn’t have to do the things he described. With subtle commands and patient questions, she guided him through the fantasy. By the time she eased from his mind, she craved a long, hot shower. Mick helped her arrange Keono at the card table where he’d awaken within an hour, feeling happy and satisfied. “Did Jocelyn find Aric?” Winter stashed everything back inside her clutch and stretched her back. “She has a patient more or less awake in there, but he’s pretty groggy.” “He hasn’t told her his name?” “He hasn’t said anything.” Winter understood the implication. Had prolonged stasis scrambled his brain? “Does he look like Aric’s image?” “It’s hard to tell.” His evasiveness was starting to piss her off. Rather than attempt to pry any more information out of Mick, she motioned toward Gregory. Mick grabbed him under the arms and Winter grabbed his legs. He was heavy. It was a good thing they weren’t going far. Hundreds of horizontal stasis tubes were lined up in neat rows, long, narrow aisles in between. Why were the Gathosians keeping all of these people in a living limbo? An infuriating possibility took shape within her mind. Ulrick was not the only one being motivated by threats and intimidation. “His vital signs are stable, but he’s really out of it,” Jocelyn said as they approached.

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Winter glanced at the patient and gasped. His face was a mass of bruises, one eye swollen shut. “He’s been in stasis for years. Why haven’t these wounds healed?” “Stasis completely arrests all bodily functions. It’s like being frozen in time.” The sleek alloy tube had been retracted, six telescoping sections sliding in on themselves. Jocelyn helped the patient scoot to the very end of the padded table and they placed Gregory on the section of the table the patient had just vacated. “I’ll find a wheelchair,” Mick volunteered. “It’s obvious he’s not walking out of here.” Jocelyn continued to monitor the patient and attempted to engage his mind, but he stared straight ahead, eyes glazed, features slack. Winter stood to one side, anxiety mounting with each passing moment. This was not how it was supposed to be. Even if this was Aric, she wasn’t sure she’d want Ulrick to know. Mick returned with a wheelchair and they continued in tense silence, each thinking what they weren’t willing to say. This had all been a waste of time. They dressed the patient in Gregory’s uniform and put the patient’s clothes on Gregory. Then they lowered the patient into the wheelchair and enclosed Gregory in the stasis tube. Jocelyn activated the unit and the switch was complete. With nothing to connect Gregory’s disappearance with the unnamed patient, it was unlikely they would search for the missing guard in the stasis tubes. Even if they did, Aric would be long gone before they unraveled the situation. Jocelyn contacted Saroji as soon as they were safely away from the medical center. She explained about the unexpected complication and asked for permission to bring the patient to their clinic. After checking with her brother, Saroji approved the request. They arrived a short time later and Saroji was waiting with a trauma team. Winter followed in their wake, trying not to feel useless.

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Seeing Jocelyn in her element gave Winter a completely different opinion of the doctor. She’d held her own as a spy, but this was where Jocelyn belonged. She directed her team with calm authority and made decisions without pause. The medical scans soon revealed the cause of the patient’s stupor. The beating had left him with a massive, deep concussion. “There are signs of hemorrhaging, but the bleeding has stopped. Controlling the swelling is our next obstacle. It could be several days before there is any change. Have Mick take you home. I’ll contact you as soon as I know anything new.” “Is he Aric Brant?” Jocelyn nodded, her expression grim. “I scanned his DNA. You might want to see if he survives before you tell Ulrick.” That had been her first reaction as well, but as she sat on the skimmer, headed back to the embassy, she had time to consider the alternatives. Ulrick had a right to know the truth. If his beloved brother was about to die, he’d want the opportunity to say goodbye.

***** Ulrick stared down into Aric’s face as grief and guilt buffeted him from opposite sides. “Can you save him?” The doctor was too damn young. Where was someone with some experience? “I believe he’ll survive,” the doctor told him. “The question now is one of functionality. His injuries are extensive.” “Would it have been better to leave him in stasis?” “It wouldn’t have made a difference to his recovery. Stasis simply postponed what he’s going through now.” He clenched his fists, needing to hit something, needing an outlet for these overwhelming emotions. “What can I do to help him?” He hated feeling this helpless. “There is not much any of us can do. It’s up to Aric.” 92

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“Can he hear me? Does he know I’m here?” “Stimulation at this point would be counterproductive to his recovery. He needs rest, and calm. I do have one alternative that you might consider.” “What?” “Do you believe in mystic healing? I have access to certain personnel who—” “As if Ra’jen would lift a finger to help me.” “I wasn’t referring to General Noirte, but the person I have in mind is also Pryett.” “Do you trust them?” “Implicitly.” “Then you have my permission.” “I must also ask for your discretion. As with General Noirte, the full scope of this person’s abilities is not widely known.” “If anyone learns that Aric is free, we’re both dead. I won’t say a word to anyone.” The doctor nodded and motioned toward the door. “You might want to take a few minutes and visit the embassy. Winter put her life on the line to make this happen, and she’s terrified you’ll blame her for Aric’s injuries.” “That’s ridiculous.” “Emotions are seldom logical. She must love you very much.” She was right, and the realization left him shaken. “You’ll let me know the moment there’s a change?” “Of course.” Winter was sequestered in Autumn’s office when Ulrick arrived at the embassy. Celinna told him to wait, and she went to see if they were willing to be interrupted. If she told him they weren’t, he’d just barge in on them. He needed to see Winter, to kiss her and tell her how grateful he was for this selfless gift. He paced beside the massive marble fireplace as he waited for his mate. Each time they made love, he felt the primal craving that only came with a permanent bond. He 93

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hadn’t wanted to intimidate her, hadn’t been sure he was ready to accept it himself. But she obviously loved him, and he was tired of downplaying what he felt for her. When Winter appeared a few minutes later, Autumn was at her side. He chuckled. Did they honestly fear he would be angry with Winter? He rushed to Winter and swept her into his arms, banishing her uncertainty with one passionate kiss. “Weren’t you supposed to give me a surprise today?” She laughed, her breath warm and sweet against his lips. “You weren’t surprised when you arrived at the clinic?” “Not really. You’re brave and selfless, and you want me to be happy. This was an obvious choice.” “I’ll try harder next time.” He growled and kissed her again, savoring the heat and softness of her willing mouth. “There better not be a next time. I will not have you putting yourself in danger for me.” “Could we speak in my office?” Autumn asked from behind him. He’d honestly forgotten she was standing there. “I suppose, though I’m rather anxious to take Winter upstairs.” “This won’t take long, I promise.” He wrapped his arm around Winter’s waist, not willing to be separated from her for even a moment. Autumn led them into her office and they sat on a small sofa facing her chair. “How is your brother?” Autumn asked. “He was stable when Winter left, but we haven’t been updated in quite a while.” “The doctor’s done everything she can, but she asked my permission to allow a Pryett to treat him.” Autumn nodded. “I was treated by a Pryett not long ago. Their abilities are extraordinary. I’m sure your brother will make a full recovery.” 94

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“I’m cautiously optimistic.” With a relieved sigh, he pushed Aric to the back of his mind. “Did you have anything to do with Winter’s adventure today?” Autumn smiled, her blue eyes twinkling. “It’s possible. Making you happy was obviously Winter’s primary motivation for her—adventure.” “Meaning she had a secondary motivation?” “It’s Winter’s hope that you’ll be willing to assist us from time to time if your brother’s life is not endangered by your actions.” He looked at Winter and she offered him an enigmatic smile. The brainwave modifier should have been his first clue that there was more than pleasure being exchanged at this embassy. “How many of your girls are spies, Mistress Autumn?” “Just a few very special ones.” “Does Noirte head the Resistance, or does this reach further than that? Do you have off-world support for this little rebellion?” Autumn shrugged. “The less you know about the specifics, the safer you’ll be.” He scoffed. “No, the less I know about the Resistance the safer you’ll be.” Winter squeezed his knee, drawing his attention away from the madam. “You don’t mean that. You’d never turn us in.” He sighed. “It’s been so long since I was free to choose what I wanted. I’ve almost forgotten how.” “We need the location of the chemist,” Autumn said without further ado. “Evard Keenan is the most closely guarded person on this planet. You’ll never get near him.” “Do you know where he’s being held?” Autumn persisted. “It doesn’t matter. He’s guarded by a team of eight—hand-selected by Inwatta herself. Even I don’t have access to him.” “If you give us his location and everything you know about his routine, we’ll figure out the rest.” 95

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He looked at Winter then back at Autumn. They couldn’t be serious. “You’ll get yourselves killed.” “It’s a risk we’re willing to take,” Winter told him. “This isn’t life. It’s survival. I’d rather die trying to win back my freedom than fade away as a Gathosian slave.” “You will have nothing to do with this.” He turned to Autumn and glared. “That’s my condition. If I give you Evard’s location and detail his routine, Winter will not be used for the rescue mission.” “Agreed. For that one mission, Winter is free from all obligations to the Resistance.” Autumn’s phrasing struck a dissonant chord with him. He looked at Winter, worry creasing his brow. “Is she making you take these missions? What did she mean by obligation?” “She isn’t making me do anything,” Winter assured him. “It was an unfortunate choice in words,” Autumn agreed. “Everyone who serves the Resistance does so willingly.” He looked at Winter and asked again, “Do I have your promise you’ll sit this one out?” “Can I offer indirect support?” Autumn laughed. “She’s my most enthusiastic agent. You won’t keep her sidelined for long.” “Give me your promise or I’m out of here.” Winter leaned over and kissed his cheek. “I promise.” “He’s in the basement of the Pentagon.” “The Pentagon is deserted.” Autumn moved to her desk and slipped into the tallbacked chair. “That’s what they want everyone to think.” “Can you be more specific? The Pentagon is mammoth.”

96

Codename Winter

“I’m not supposed to know that much, but I’ve heard the location too often to doubt the validity of the information.” He went on to detail Evard’s routine, but he refused to let Autumn document the facts in any way. “I’ll answer questions as they arise, but I really don’t know more than I’ve told you.” “This is far more than we had yesterday.” “Can I go fuck my wife now?” he asked with a brazen smile. Autumn laughed, but Winter looked at him, clearly shocked by the title. “Wife?” He drew her to her feet and led her from Autumn’s office. “Are you going to pretend you haven’t felt the difference each time I’m inside you?” “I’ve never been with a Valtorian before.” Her innocent tone wasn’t quite convincing. “How do I know you’re not all this intense?” He growled and pushed her up against the nearest wall. “You are mine, and mine alone. Do you understand me?” Undaunted by his aggression, she smiled into his eyes. “I am yours—and you are mine. Do you understand me?” He leaned down, meaning to demonstrate how well he understood. She turned her head at the last moment and his lips landed in her hair. “You are not fucking me in the lobby. Take me upstairs.” That was one command he was happy to obey.

97

About the Author When my parents realized I had an aptitude for storytelling—okay, even at an early age I was a consummate liar—they encouraged me to find constructive ways to put all that “creativity” to use. I wrote my first novel when I was in junior high school. It was a typical teenage girl’s fantasy about being kidnapped by a sexy rock star, finding out he was really a misunderstood millionaire’s son, and living happily ever after with the reformed rebel. Check out A Taste of Twilight if you’re curious to see what became of the story. Now I spend my days, and many of my nights, trying to keep up with the characters springing to life within my mind. I find creative ways of avoiding errands and housework because I can’t drag myself away from the dramas unfolding in my latest story. And every day I thank God I was able to quit my day job and actively pursue my dream! (I also write paranormal romances for Ellora’s Cave as Cyndi Friberg. They are still smoking hot, just less adventurous than Aubrey’s books.)

Aubrey welcomes comments from readers. You can find her website and email address on her author bio page at www.ellorascave.com.

Tell Us What You Think We appreciate hearing reader opinions about our books. You can email us at [email protected].

Also by Aubrey Ross Crimson Awakening Crimson Carousel 1: A Taste of Twilight Crimson Carousel 2: A Taste of Midnight Crimson Carousel 3: A Taste of Oblivion Crimson Carousel 4: A Taste of Dawn Crimson Prey Crimson Thrall Dream Warriors Ellora’s Cavemen: Flavors of Ecstasy IV anthology Enemy Embrace 1: Rebel Enemy Embrace 2: Toymaker Enemy Embrace 3: Replicant Enemy Embrace 4: Mystic Enemy Embrace 5: Madam Enslaved Hearts 1: Captives Enslaved Hearts 2: Pleasures Enslaved Hearts 3: Secrets Intimate Invasion 1: Forgotten Hope Intimate Invasion 2: Forsaken Desire Intimate Invasion 3: Forced Alliance Mystic Keepers 1: Refugee Mystic Keepers 2: Cayenne

Mystic Keepers 3: Krystle Mystic Keepers 4: Lorran Mystic Keepers 5: Rammi Mystic Keepers 6: Minuette Mystic Keepers 7: Elita Mystic Keepers 8: Felise Sensual Captivity 1: Seducer Sensual Captivity 2: Shifter Sensual Captivity 3: Sorcerer Sensual Captivity 4: Specter Sensual Captivity 5: Seer Something Wicked This Way Comes, Volume 2 anthology Sworn Protectors 1: Onset of Darkness Soul Kisses Undercover Embassy 1: Codename Autumn Velvet Deception

Print books by Aubrey Ross Candy Cravings anthology Dream Warriors Ellora’s Cavemen: Flavors of Ecstasy IV anthology Sensual Captivity 1: Seducer Sensual Captivity 2: Shifter

Sensual Captivity 3: Sorcerer Sensual Captivity 4: Specter Sensual Captivity 5: Seer Velvet Deception

Ellora’s Cave Publishing

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Codename Winter ISBN 9781419940750 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Codename Winter Copyright © 2012 Aubrey Ross Edited by Beverly Horne Cover design by Caitlin Fry Photo: Marisha Sha/Shutterstock.com Electronic book publication July 2012 The terms Romantica® and Quickies® are registered trademarks of Ellora’s Cave Publishing. With the exception of quotes used in reviews, this book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any means existing without written permission from the publisher, Ellora’s Cave Publishing, Inc.® 1056 Home Avenue, Akron OH 44310-3502. Warning: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be scanned, uploaded or distributed via the Internet or any other means, electronic or print, without the publisher’s permission. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000. (http://www.fbi.gov/ipr/). Please purchase only authorized electronic or print editions and do not participate in or encourage the electronic piracy of copyrighted material. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated. This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the authors’ imagination and used fictitiously. The publisher and author(s) acknowledge the trademark status and trademark ownership of all trademarks, service marks and word marks mentioned in this book. The publisher does not have any control over, and does not assume any responsibility for, author or third-party Web sites or their content.

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