Flames Of Arousal

An Ellora’s Cave Romantica Publication

www.ellorascave.com

Flames of Arousal ISBN # 1-4199-0742-5 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Flames of Arousal Copyright© 2006 Ruth D. Kerce Edited by Pamela Campbell. Cover art by Syneca. Electronic book Publication: October 2006

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 443103502. 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.

Content Advisory: The following material contains graphic sexual content meant for mature readers. This story has been rated E–rotic by a minimum of three independent reviewers. Ellora’s Cave Publishing offers three levels of Romantica™ reading entertainment: S (S-ensuous), E (Erotic), and X (X-treme). S-ensuous love scenes are explicit and leave nothing to the imagination. E-rotic love scenes are explicit, leave nothing to the imagination, and are high in volume per the overall word count. In addition, some E-rated titles might contain fantasy material that some readers find objectionable, such as bondage, submission, same sex encounters, forced seductions, and so forth. E-rated titles are the most graphic titles we carry; it is common, for instance, for an author to use words such as “fucking”, “cock”, “pussy”, and such within their work of literature. X-treme titles differ from E-rated titles only in plot premise and storyline execution. Unlike E-rated titles, stories designated with the letter X tend to contain controversial subject matter not for the faint of heart.

XYLON WARRIORS: FLAMES OF AROUSAL Ruth D. Kerce

Ruth D. Kerce

Prologue Sand Moon

A clunking sound echoed inside the ship. Halah Shirota’s gaze flew toward the hatch of her downed and disabled flight vessel. Someone, or something, wanted inside… “Damn it. Not now.” After several months on the Sand Moon, her disruptor no longer worked. The surge-rifle had lost power a week ago, and she’d used up all the energy balls on board. She engaged the ship’s vid-system, scanning the area outside the orbiter. “Where are you?” She didn’t need to question whether the intruder was friend or foe. On the Sand Moon, one of four prison colonies in the system, the concept of “friend” didn’t exist. At least her personal protection system remained intact. Bare hand or foot contact allowed an electrical charge to transfer from her body to another person or object, at her will, rendering whatever she touched useless. She kept the power pack housed safely inside her jacket, which she rarely removed anymore. Even without the jacket on, she always retained a bit of electricity in her body. She just didn’t like getting that close to an enemy to use the power, unless forced into it. If cornered though, she had no qualms about defending herself. Not a novice at hand-to-hand combat and specially trained for electrical transference, she would certainly do whatever necessary to survive. For Josella. These days, only the hope of finding her younger sister, her last remaining family member, kept her going. Nobody stood beside her any longer to help her or to rely on. She fought on her own, for her own interests. The clunking sound continued in a steady rhythm. Whoever was outside had to be purposely evading the range of her monitors. “Wily bastard!” At least she took comfort in knowing the orbiter was well sealed. As long as she didn’t break the hatch connection and the on-board energy pack didn’t fail, she should remain safe inside. She glanced toward the copilot’s empty seat, almost expecting to see Dak there, with his reassuring smile. Dak—a true friend, one of only a few in her life. “I miss you, Dak.” More than she ever believed she would. Pain and loneliness squeezed her heart. An Egesa gang had attacked and killed Dak not long after they crashed on the moon. While searching for ship parts, one of the moon’s violent and numerous storms had trapped the man too close to an Egesa camp. The half humanoid, half lizard-like

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creatures stole his weapons and tore his body apart. She’d found his remains the next day, while the Egesa gang slept. Untrained for the most part, her friend had probably gone down without much of a fight. He’d only been a WAIT—Warrior in Training—when he’d defected from Xylon. As ranking officer, his safety had been her responsibility. His death…her fault. She’d never forgive herself for allowing him to go off alone to search for replacement parts to repair the ship. “I should have known he’d venture farther than promised.” After they’d attacked, Halah hoped the Egesa hadn’t allowed Dak to linger, lying in pain, feeling cold and alone, before they tore him apart. She shook her head, knowing her thoughts served no purpose. She couldn’t change what had happened. “I can’t keep dwelling on him like this. It’s done.” While in space, they’d barely survived an onboard assassination attempt. A bomb had been placed on their ship by persons unknown. Damn, how she wished she knew who had rigged the device—more than one of her enemies possessed the skill, opportunity and motive. Only her advanced weapons’ training had allowed her to disarm the device in time. Then when they’d thought they were free and clear, the ship had mysteriously run out of fuel, forcing them to crash-land. The Sand Moon had been their planned destination. Josella was here…somewhere. But beyond reaching the location, all their other plans had quickly gone to hell. No legal air-to-space travel existed on the Sand Moon, except for prison vessels dropping off criminals, or the occasional off-moon Medical or Scientific Mission Transport with special security clearance. So locating spare ship parts here had ended up being more difficult than expected. Because her ship wasn’t cleared for landing, she’d had to jam any incoming security probes with her vessel’s remaining power. Although those banished here were given mostly free rein within their assigned zones, if an un-cleared ship got picked up by the moon’s security forces, she’d be arrested, or at least placed aboard a prison transport and forced to leave the surface, whether she’d found her sister or not. So many depressing thoughts. And the longer she remained stuck on the Sand Moon, the more maudlin her thoughts became. She forced back a sniffle. “No.” With renewed conviction, she hardened her heart. “I won’t break down.” Soft feelings made a person weak. Years ago, she’d eliminated soft from her vocabulary and from her mode of living. She wouldn’t revert now. She was a survivor! The hatch whooshed open. She jumped to her feet, her heart thudding painfully against her ribs. How? Nobody should have been able to get that hatch open. Unless…

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As soon as he stepped inside she recognized him. Tall. Muscular. Blond. Light blue eyes. A Xylon Warrior—one with a special knowledge of operational codes. “You…” Kam Nextor, a trained Class 2 Warrior. As a former Class 1, she possessed greater skills, but even so she knew to engage this man with caution. The intense look in his eyes set her immediately on edge and she took a step backward. He wasn’t here to help her. Not that she wanted or even expected his help. Kam had betrayed her months before, almost gotten her killed, in fact. She’d never trust him again. “Halah,” his voice rumbled. The hatch slid closed behind him, sealing them in. “You survived.” A smile tugged at his lips. When his gaze traveled slowly down her body, she felt her nipples harden and her pussy began to throb. Damn her reaction to his presence. She didn’t care how sexy the man was. “How did you find me?” “I will always find you, Halah. No matter where you go.” A shiver rushed down her spine. Suddenly the ship seemed much too small. He stepped toward her. She refused to retreat further and appear weak or frightened. He stopped, standing close, his six-foot-plus frame looming over her. She noted the respect reflected in his eyes and felt a sense of personal pride at standing her ground. She’d helped Kam and two other Warriors steal highly classified information from Marid, the main moon of Xylon, held and control by Daegal and the Egesa—Xylon’s chief enemies. Along with the information, they’d stolen a sample of Daegal’s sterilization formula for study. Then she’d aided them in escaping the Dome, Daegal’s underground headquarters, in exchange for the exact location of her sister, who’d been kidnapped by the Egesa Slave Masters. Xylon’s leader, Braden Koll, had promised her the information in exchange for her help. However, other than telling her that Josella was last seen on the Sand Moon—one of four Banishment Zones in the system, and the most dangerous of the prison colony moons orbiting Xylon—they’d told her nothing more specific. “You should have stayed away.” The memory of the Warriors’ betrayal fueled her anger, and she reached forward to zap Kam. She wanted him out of commission before he could hurt her again. Undeterred by her offensive move, he grabbed her hand and twisted her arm behind her back. “Stand down. I’m not here to fight you.” She groaned in pain. How in hell had he done that? He should be writhing on the deck right now. “Why are you here then?” she forced out, struggling against his hold. “You are my woman,” he rumbled in her ear. “My breeder-mate. I’ve come to claim you.” Breeder-mate? Was he crazy? Breeder-mates were destined, signs existed, and Xylon’s Council needed to approve the match. He’d obviously lost his mind. She tried

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to flip him over her shoulder, but he again countered her move. Shit. Since leaving behind most of her training, she knew her skills had gotten rusty, but still… No way could he outfight or outmaneuver her. “Let me go, you asshole!” “Temper, temper.” Crumpling her knees under her with a well-placed push of his boot, he forced her down to the hard deck onto her stomach. “What are you doing?” she ground out, kicking at him, but not connecting with any force due to the angle of her body. Using his greater weight, he held her in place. “Taking what’s fated as mine.” He pulled at her clothing, trying to get her leggings past her hips. Finally, he just ripped them off her. “Kam! Have you lost your mind?” The man she knew would never treat a woman like this. Sexual violence went against the Warrior Code. She looked over her shoulder, trying to see into his eyes. “Kam, listen to me.” Her mind raced as she realized what must be affecting him. “It’s the headaches. You have one right now, don’t you? Don’t do this. This isn’t you.” She knew he suffered from a biological imbalance due to his breeding. Some time back, Dak had come across the information while doing research and informed her of Kam’s specific condition. The resulting headaches he suffered, untreated, caused him great pain and had to be the reason for his actions. That’s the only thing that made sense to her. “Quiet. You cannot deny me.” He opened the front of his sleek, black uniform, and with his knees, he forced her thighs apart. She felt the cabin air on her bare pussy. She couldn’t believe this was happening. “Stop! I don’t accept you as my breeder-mate.” A low chuckle drew her attention. Her eyes snapped to the side. Another Class 2 Warrior! Pitch Pantera. How had he gotten aboard? He hadn’t come in with Kam. The hatch hadn’t reopened, and the ship was shielded against inter-transport capabilities. Pitch’s uniform hung open. His hand stroked his cock. “Get ready, Halah. We’re going to fuck you good. We’ve been looking forward to teaming up on you for a long time now. I get your pussy. Kam wants your ass. You’re going to love our fat cocks pumping like mad inside you.” Halah’s whole body tensed. No way would she allow this to happen! The protest she’d prepared to let fly stuck in her throat. She sucked in too much air and coughed until her chest ached. “Back off, Pantera!” Kam rubbed her back in soothing strokes. “She’s mine, and I’m taking her first. Alone.” His fingers grazed her pussy almost reverently. The tip of his cock pressed against her entrance. At his easy touch, she moaned, then bit her lip, ashamed of the desire flooding her body. Her cunt. What was wrong with them?

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What was wrong with her? Both men’s cocks were large, thick, rock-hard, and ready to fuck her. Her body wanted it. Her mind rebelled against it. She surged up with as much strength as she could gather, catching Kam under the chin with her elbow. He grunted and toppled to the side… She rolled over and sat up quickly, feeling dizzy. Wait. After a moment, she focused more clearly. What the hell? She sat alone on a bunk on the ship. “Damn it!” Another one of her disturbing dreams. Her muscles slowly relaxed, and she released a tight breath, trying to calm her pounding heart. She’d been having the visions more often lately, and each time they seemed more real. Pitch had never made an appearance before. Strange. She barely even knew of the man—only from his file and some remote vid-feeds she’d seen of him. Why would she conjure him up as a participant? These types of visions, when this real, meant something to a Warrior, to breedermates. Breeder-mate—the term rattled around in her head. She’d never seriously pictured herself finding a breeder-mate…until now. She shook her head. “No.” Impossible. “I’m not a Warrior anymore.” After her sister was taken, and the Xylon Council had refused to send in a team to rescue her, Halah had left the planet and her duties as a Warrior behind. “So the visions mean nothing and are just caused by stress and anger and frustration.” Strangely, her visions were not only sexual, but involved force, which wasn’t customary for true breeder-mate visions, and certainly didn’t fit in with Kam’s personality. Rock-solid proof they couldn’t be real, in her estimation. She’d only been experiencing the odd visions since helping Kam with his headache that one night on Marid. She’d sent a gentle electrical charge through his temples, easing his pain. After she’d helped him, she’d asked Kam not to betray her, and he’d said he wouldn’t. Then they had slept in each other’s arms, but hadn’t been intimate, even though she’d wanted him fiercely. The next morning, he’d gone against his word by allowing her to believe he still intended to give her the information on her sister, when Josella’s exact coordinates were actually unknown to him. She’d kept her word and saw him safely off Marid, and in return, he’d betrayed her. She tapped a metal cabinet over her head. A spark flew. “Yes. Just a dream.” Feeling bare skin against the blanket, she glanced down at herself, then at the floor. The sight of her black leggings, ripped and crumpled on the deck, caused her heart to skip a beat. She must have torn then wiggled out of them somehow while she slept. She leaned over and picked up the leggings, her fingers trembling.

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Her thoughts returned to Kam, and she felt moisture between her thighs. “Forget about him!” She refused to acknowledge any connection between herself and the Xylon Warrior. She couldn’t possibly have feelings, sexual or otherwise, for a man she couldn’t trust. “Nothing but a dream—a fantasy.” A clunking sound echoed inside the ship. Halah Shirota’s gaze flew toward the hatch of her downed and disabled flight vessel. Someone, or something, wanted inside…

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Chapter One

Xylon’s upper atmosphere “Nextor 66678, you are ordered to return to the docking terminal immediately,” a female voice crackled over the orbiter’s communication system. “L-SACS has just declared a Code Orange Alert. Personal transports are no longer cleared for interplanetary travel. PTOs have been restricted to hover level only. All atmospheric and space lanes are now closed, except to fighter-status vessels.” “They’ve got us on tracking,” Pitch Pantera relayed into the back of the personal transport orbiter. “A Code Orange. Shit! We need to head back before the planet goes Red. Changing course now.” “Hold that change!” Kam hustled into the pilot’s seat. L-SACS was the Lair Security Auto-Command System, a computerized system which monitored space, air, ground, and underground activity. With few personnel left, he’d hoped Xylon, and L-SACS, wouldn’t bother with the departure of one small ship. He certainly hadn’t expected a Code Orange to be issued…yet. What lousy timing! A Code Orange meant not only an impending enemy strike, but also a major breach in the Lair itself—the underground headquarters from where the men and women commissioned to protect the planet lived and maintained Xylon’s security. He’d known the alert was imminent, but had hoped for more time. If the planet went Red, that meant war. “Stay on course. We’re not turning back.” “If a strike occurs, Xylon is going to need all the fighters it can get. You know the Lair lost most of its high-level pilots in the last uprising. If we don’t turn back, we’ll be tagged as defectors.” Pitch fed a sequence of numbers into the navigation and tracking system. “Damn it! There they are, on the echo screen. Look. Enemy fighters from Marid just beyond Xylon’s outer boundaries. Out of range, but positioning.” “Strap in.” With a grumble, Pitch pulled a security strap tightly across his chest. “Kam—” “We are not turning back. Stay out of the tracking field of those fighters. Eject a target-decoy drone-bot to draw them away from us if they get too close. And bring our weapons online.” No matter what, he intended to follow the orders he’d received and complete this mission. “If Xylon is taken by Daegal and the Egesa Slave Masters, it’s all over, Kam. Not just for Xylon. For the whole system. Maybe even beyond. You know that. We can’t leave the planet when they need us.” A sharp beep broke into their conversation. “Ship’s weapons armed,” an electronic female voice announced.

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“Weapons confirmed. The computer is now changing our angle of ascent for maximum shielding. Do you want to continue on this heading or…” Pitch let the sentence hang. “We’re leaving. If you don’t like it, feel free to step out.” “Step out. Funny. If the ship had an escape pod, I’d take you up on it, Nextor.” Ignoring Pitch’s comment, Kam checked their fuel and laser capacity. Average at best. The ship was capable of defense, but not supplied for a major conflict. A personal transport orbiter was no match for a fully-armed fighter. He’d been delayed longer than expected in the Lair, or they would have been out of orbit before the alert was issued and personal transports grounded. He cursed under his breath, and his frustration level built to a point he rarely experienced. He winced from the pain. The additional pain, from the continual pounding in his head, didn’t help. The health problems that plagued him due to his half-Xylon, half-Tamarian genetics drove him almost over the edge of sanity at times, and this was one of those times. He’d confiscated vials of formula from the Chief Healer’s quarters before leaving. Unauthorized formula. He rubbed his temple. He needed one of those specially designed shots now, but he couldn’t take the time to administer it. They needed to get clear of the planet and any Marid fighters first. Down in the Lair, Pantera had caught him taking the medication. He’d had to think fast to stop from being put into a security hold. He wouldn’t have survived in isolation for long in his current state. Soon he’d acquire more effective medicine, and he wouldn’t have to suffer like this any longer. Then there was the power promised him… He’d managed to convince Pitch to come with him. He knew the man had only agreed to keep quiet, and ultimately decided to join him, because Josella was involved in a roundabout way. The Warrior had developed a soft spot for the young woman and felt responsible for her welfare, having secured her in his custody, then losing her, several months ago on the Sand Moon. A failed mission looked bad on his record. He wanted to make good on the failure and return her to Xylon if at all possible. For himself, and for her own safety. Since the orbiter was headed to the Sand Moon, this partnership worked well for them both. “Nextor 66678, ground-to-space lasers are now armed. Respond, or we will open fire.” “Damn it,” Pitch replied. “No matter my personal feelings, I should have stopped you from doing this and turned your butt in to the Security Chief. I know better.” “You are the Security Chief.” “Oh, yeah.” A half-smile crossed his face. “I’m still not used to that damn position. Tara Koll never should have been demoted. I liked being her Assistant Chief much better. Fewer e-reports to file.” “Tara needs to learn to control her temper.”

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“She needs to distance herself from her brother. The Council has not been making rational decisions lately, in my opinion, and they only stripped her rank down because of their ongoing vendetta against Torque for refusing to become a Dispenser and for him torching that training facility. Her constant defense of him killed any sympathy they may have had for her situation when she got brought up on disciplinary charges for disobeying orders.” “That’s probably true.” Kam nodded in agreement. A Xylon Dispenser was the equivalent of one of Marid’s Pain Masters. A torture specialist, who tracked down and interrogated operatives and criminals working against the current powers in charge. He couldn’t blame Torque for refusing. Very few Warriors possessed the stomach for that sort of work. The man’s respectability had jumped several notches in Kam’s mind after he’d told the Xylon Council what they could do with their offer. Unfortunately, he’d been banished to the Sand Moon for his insolence and subsequent actions. Now back on Xylon after serving only part of his sentence, Torque continued to test the Council’s patience. As did Tara with her continual defiance of regulations. “This is your last warning, Nextor 66678. Respond.” “We’re both going to end up dead. Why don’t we at least acknowledge their transmission? Explain to them what we’re doing. Even if we’re not authorized, at least they won’t shoot us down. They can contact Erik to get us the needed clearance. Let’s do this right.” When an alarm blared, Pitch called up a screen on his side panel. “LSACS weapons are locking on.” Kam couldn’t outdistance the ground-to-space lasers in time, but he had an alternate plan. First, he adjusted their heading to take them even farther from the Marid fighters’ flight zone. Though once they neared the moon, they’d need to return to their preprogrammed and pre-cleared coordinates before landing, or moon defense would flag the orbiter as a security risk and turn them back with their own Flight Guard Fleet. “Kam? What about contacting Erik?” Erik Rhodes, the Lair’s leader after Braden Koll disappeared, couldn’t help them now. Besides, Pitch didn’t know the real truth behind this mission. And Kam couldn’t tell him. “You know if we reply or send any sort of message, Command will lock on to the signal and bring us down by auto-control. This mission cannot be scratched.” “Yeah? How about telling me what this damn mission is really about then, so I know what I’ve gotten myself into?” “I already told you. The mission is an IDR, and I can’t say anything more.” An IDR was an infiltrate, destroy, and recover mission. That covered a lot of ground, but he couldn’t be more specific. The more people who knew, the more likely failure became. He almost wished he’d never been made privy to the knowledge he was acting upon. By the fates, if he’d been lied to… “Feed code 24-138 into Xylon’s main, internal weapons computer.” “What’s that?”

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“Our salvation.” Provided by a man he wasn’t even sure he could trust. He’d been told too much, without enough time to digest all the information thoroughly. So right now, he was working purely on instinct, hoping his actions didn’t cost lives in the process.

***** Lair of Xylon “Kill that alarm!” Torque Koll shouted, as he rushed into Command Center, still disheveled from the fuck he’d been in the middle of when the warning sounded. “What the hell is going on?” His gaze immediately went to the security board. “We’ve got a Code Orange issued by L-SACS,” Tara, his twin, responded. She flipped a switch on a nearby panel, and the room fell silent. “Xylon is under attack, internally and externally.” Shit. “From Daegal?” He made the assumption immediately, since Daegal was their nearest, strongest, and most-likely enemy. “Affirmative.” With the help of the Egesa Slave Masters, Torque knew Daegal wanted to extinguish or enslave all Xylons. Once no Warriors remained to protect the system, he could take control of the quadrant, then expand his empire to more systems, enslaving the inhabitants, planet by planet, until he reigned supreme. Daegal had never tried to keep his intent secret. Only the man’s timing was unknown. “We’re not prepared.” Their security and operational forces sat at less than half strength right now. Evidence of that hit him squarely in the face, for he and Tara were the only two Warriors in Command Center. Torque slid into a metal chair and pulled up his information screens. Multiple system problems registered immediately, ranging from simple malfunctions to complete failures. Damn. This was not good. “Where’s Eric? He’s in charge. Get his ass down here.” “Eric is gone.” Torque swiveled around and looked at his sister. Gone? When she said nothing further, he barked, “What do you mean gone? Explain that,” not believing Tara had really meant what she’d said. “He’s disappeared. So has Leila.” No fucking way! Leila was Erik’s mate, though only a few select Warriors knew about their joining. They’d gone against the Xylon Council’s orders, and Erik had branded the Class 3 Warrior as his in a private ceremony, with no witnesses and no official record of the rite. Leila was also the Lair’s Chief Healer. Her disappearance would greatly compromise med-care. And now with Erik gone—one of only a few Class 1 Warriors remaining on planet—their whole leadership system could crumble. “Why wasn’t I informed?” 13

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“I’m informing you.” He grunted. “Status on locating them?” “We’re searching, but nothing yet.” “Our last three leaders and their mates have disappeared within a short amount of time, relatively speaking. Coincidence?” “Doubtful. I’ll keep you informed as I learn more, but I don’t have anything to report as of yet. We only know that Erik and Leila are missing and have been for several hours.” “Several hours? Why wasn’t an alert issued?” “It was, but only for certain personnel.” Meaning, not him. “Great.” Torque frowned and turned back to his screens. He checked the atmospheric tracking data on his panel, looking for abnormalities, as per procedure during a Code Red. “Since when do we heed regulations with each other, Tara?” “Sorry. I beeped you as soon as the Code Orange was issued. My hands were tied before that. Brianna was breathing down my neck. She’s in charge of the Lair now, officially, except she left to check out a security issue and got trapped down in the Initiation Chambers. After the doors sealed, cutting her off, and systems all over the Lair began destabilizing, the code sounded.” “Communication with her?” “Sporadic.” He swore under his breath. Brianna was their younger sister and twin to Braden. Braden and his mate, Alexa, had disappeared several months ago under mysterious circumstances. That’s when Erik had taken over. Now with Erik gone too, Brianna was next ranking officer. She had worked her way up the chain of command over him and Tara. She took her status, position, and duty more seriously than any female Warrior he’d ever worked with. Though he disagreed with her on many issues, he respected her greatly. “Send an engineering team down there to cut her out. Send her personal security team, too. We need her protected once she’s freed.” “Already handled. Her team accompanied her down to the chambers when she went, but she got trapped on the other side without them.” “Why was her team already assembled before the alert sounded?” Personal security teams didn’t serve duty on a day-to-day basis. Only during a high alert. “They were conducting a training exercise, so she took them with her when we spotted the possible problem. They’ve been ordered to wait there until she’s out and to see her safely back to Command. Engineers are already down there working to get her free.” “Good.”

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“Also Kam Nextor appears to be fleeing the planet. We have him on tracking. Check your L90. He refuses to answer or return. We don’t know for certain that it’s actually him up there though. Someone may have stolen his personal transport. I really can’t believe he’d defect. However, I can’t locate him in the Lair, and no reports exist of his presence on Xylon’s surface.” Torque checked the L90 sector on his screen. “Fuck. His personal tracking chip would identify his location, then we’d know without a doubt. All of our people’s locations could be determined, if they were within range. But that shitty system is still down!” And every time the tracker did reengage, the system never stayed online for long. At birth, every upper-class Xylon—Warriors and Breeders, for the most part— received an implant in their brain, used for tracking their location. A handy technology and often used, but highly unstable as of late. “I know. We’ve run every diagnostic we can. The techs are continuing to try debugging procedures, but finding a solution any time soon is not looking good.” “Has the Lair actually been breached by the Egesa or just plagued by malfunctions?” “You mean sabotage.” Sabotage. He repeated the word to himself, finding the reality hard to believe. Any Warrior who gave one of their enemies, especially Daegal, the information they’d need to carry out such a plan against them guaranteed their own execution, if caught. “Yeah, I mean sabotage.” “I haven’t picked up any definite Egesa genetics, but the equipment might not be fully functional, given the circumstances. A possible hit registered earlier, which is what Brianna and her team went to check out. Agents could be here as well, Torque. Probably are, actually. Without our tracking system fully-functioning, there’s no way to weed them out from true Warriors.” Agents—former Warriors who’d defected to serve Daegal. Those men and women sickened Torque. He flipped on his communication panel. “Nextor, if you don’t respond, we’re shooting your ass down.” He flipped the comm to mute. Kam always had been the loner of the group. Still, Torque didn’t believe the man had defected. Something else was going on. Kam always kept secrets, which usually didn’t play out well as far as Torque was concerned. And he was certain this time would prove no different. “Disable him, but don’t destroy the ship.” “Unable to do so. Our ground-to-space lasers started malfunctioning a few minutes ago.” “Bring him down by—” “We can’t bring him down by auto-control without a direct signal feed, so don’t ask me to do so.” As usual, Tara remained one step ahead of him. “What proof do we have that the breaches have been caused by Daegal’s people?” He didn’t doubt Daegal was behind this, but he wanted all the information Tara had gathered on the situation. 15

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“L-SACS is tracking a squadron of Marid fighters just outside our outer boundary. No hostile movement yet, but just the fact that they’re there, combined with the possible Egesa picked up in the Lair earlier—” “Yeah, all right. Get our fighters up. How many do we have? And how many do they have?” “Working on it. I’ll send numbers to your terminal in a few minutes. They’re attempting to cloak, so it’s difficult to pinpoint exacts. And we have more ships than pilots, so actual numbers aren’t matching our system records.” “Once they’re up, have one of our fighters check on Kam’s ship. Where’s Pitch Pantera? I need him to report on the Lair’s border security, and to assign teams to our vulnerable areas.” “Disappeared also. I’ve already done the team assignments. I know those men and women better than anybody.” Yes, she did. Tara had been the Class 1 Security Chief for the last two years before being demoted to a Class 2, and then to a Class 3, and removed from her station. He felt bad for his sister. She hadn’t been treated fairly. He supposed she was lucky not to have been completely stripped of rank. Already not the Council’s favorite Warrior, when the Council refused to issue a search order for Braden, believing he’d left of his own free will, Tara had dug herself into an even deeper hole. She overtly disobeyed orders, splitting her teams into search parties, instead of working secretly like the rest of the Warriors trying to locate Braden and Alexa. She also had a devil of a temper on her and wouldn’t listen to anyone when they’d tried to dissuade her actions, but still… Overall, she knew her job and performed her duties well, in his opinion. The Council had taken great joy in punishing him, for not complying with their orders to assume the duties of a Dispenser, but at least they hadn’t stripped him of his Class 1 status, although officially he could no longer command. Unofficially, he’d taken charge in more than one situation and would continue to do so whenever he felt it necessary. “Hell, is anybody left?” “Yeah, the Council members—some of them, at least. I’ve been informed they’ll be convening shortly regarding our alert status and will compile their suggestions for our response.” Torque snorted. Sometimes those asses seemed more of an enemy to the operation of the Lair and the survival of Xylon than any external force. “I can hardly wait.”

***** Brianna smashed her hand against the large steel door. She’d gotten separated from her security team and trapped in the Initiation Chambers, following what looked like an Egesa signal on her handheld tracker. “Damn it. Get this thing open!” she yelled into

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the comm system. She didn’t even know if the engineering team could hear her. Communications kept going out. She checked the power on her vid-cell for the third time. Still showing interference, so she couldn’t even use her private comm device. A Code Orange. She needed to get back up to Command Center. Torque had probably taken over—she knew her brother. But if the Council found out she was trapped, one of them would assume command since Torque was no longer cleared to give orders. Then everything would really go to hell. The only remaining Council members were stiff old men, politicians who thought they knew better than any Warrior how to run security operations. “Brianna!” a female tech yelled, running down the corridor toward her. The woman looked desperate, her emotions clearly showing on her face. What now? They didn’t need any more problems. “Report?” The tech took a breath before speaking. When she did start to explain, her words came out haltingly. “There’s trouble…with…an Initiation.” Brianna heaved a sigh of relief, not overly concerned with that type of problem. “I have more important issues to deal with at the moment. Handle the situation yourself.” Initiations of Warriors and Breeders were important, but not as important as the survival of the Lair and Xylon’s security. “This is a high-priority Initiation. The situation is serious. Possibly life-threatening.” “Life-threatening?” Hell, she’d better check on the status and find out what was going on. They needed every Warrior they could get, even a newly-initiated one, to be healthy and able to fight. She followed the tech to one of the five Initiation Chambers and looked inside the observation portal. A tall, muscular, and very naked man was going berserk, throwing things around the room and yelling. “What happened?” She admired the stranger’s physique and wondered who he was. “He’s having a negative reaction to the Initiation chemicals.” “Did you allow too much time to pass after the chemicals were administered?” The chemicals enhanced desire to aid in the completion of the Lair’s Sexual Initiation Rite. If the initiate wasn’t adequately sated in a timely manner, his or her mind could snap, causing insanity or even death. “Not at all. When the chemicals should have been taking effect, increasing his sexual desire, that’s when he started going crazy. The reaction was immediate. We, um, did a liquid ingestion, instead of the normal transfer.” “What? Why?” The normal transfer was oral, but from a chemical coating, not a liquid. Their Healers had searched for alternate ways to administer the chemicals in the past, but nothing worked as effectively as the old ways, so they’d relented. The Lair’s Initiation Ceremony was an ancient rite—a protection and bonding ceremony, full of tradition and very powerful—not to be changed or altered in the name of progress.

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The tech handed her the man’s file. “You better read this.” She flipped on the handheld device and quickly scanned the file. What the fuck? She glanced back at the man in the room. “He’s from Earth?” “Yes, ma’am.” “Why the hell are we initiating an Earth man?” They initiated Earth women for breeding purposes, those with the proper DNA, but never men. This didn’t make sense. Although Xylon Warriors, males and females, were initiated to protect them from sexually-transferred diseases and poisons, this man wasn’t a Xylon Warrior. From his records, he didn’t seem to have any Xylon blood in him at all. Not that was noted in the e-file, anyhow. “It’s a special project,” the tech informed her. “Ordered by whom?” “Um…Laszlo.” She pointed to the clearance icon on the bottom corner of the screen. Laszlo—the Lair’s leader prior to Braden, a powerful man—a rumored Visionary as well as a former Healer, who’d disappeared shortly after a trip to Earth when Alexa was brought back for breeding with Brianna’s twin brother. Oh, this just got better and better. The order had been issued and entered into the Lair’s database before Laszlo disappeared, she saw in the file. The fact that the order had been carried out surprised her. She thought the Council would have killed the project, as was standard operating procedure with a change of command—according to Lair regulations, at least. Unless the Council knew nothing about Laszlo’s project. Or too much maybe… She couldn’t remember a time when Laszlo wasn’t in control of the Lair, and even the Council itself, before his recent disappearance. No records existed on the Lair’s previous leaders, and nobody ever spoke about those times. An oddity, since the Lair had supposedly been in existence for hundreds of years. How long exactly, she wasn’t certain. Xylon’s historical records, due to past wars and the resulting destruction, were sketchy at best. A roar from the Initiation Chamber pulled her thoughts back to the situation at hand. The Earth man was definitely large enough to do himself and others harm. “Sedate him.” “We tried. The sedation didn’t work, and none of the Healers can materialize down here with anything stronger for us to use. The transport-connectors aren’t functional right now. What should we do?” Hell, nothing was functioning right now. She hoped Tara had their security forces in place. Somehow Daegal must have gained control of their entire technical system. Someone had betrayed them, giving over Xylon’s control codes. That was the only explanation. Not many people had special knowledge of those operational codes. Whoever had sold them out could look forward to a slow and tortuous death once caught.

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She needed to find an override to regain control before Daegal shut down their whole network. Unfortunately, while stuck in Initiation, her hands were tied. She glanced back at the information on the small screen she held. Earth. Military. Air Force Pilot. Lieutenant Colonel Samuel “Ramrod” Briggs. Special Project ACE. ACE? No explanation noted on its meaning. She was getting a bad feeling about this.

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Chapter Two When Kam stepped out of the orbiter, the intense heat hit him in waves. “Damn.” Without warning, something in the air, beyond the oppressive heat even, began to affect his breathing, his thinking. “What the hell?” Disoriented, he stumbled forward through a cloud of hot fog. Where was he? He turned, circling back around. Or so he thought. He couldn’t see the orbiter anymore, and he’d barely walked a few steps. He again turned, moving sharply back and forth, trying to get his bearings. “Kam?” someone called. Not Pitch. That was a female’s voice. The one he was supposed to meet, perhaps? “Here.” He squinted, trying to see. Where was she? Her voice and his seemed to echo in the air. Finally, she stepped through the fog. Not believing the vision in front of him, he wiped his eyes. But he wasn’t hallucinating. The woman strolled toward him with easy steps, gliding really. Her short black hair seemed to float around her face. Gorgeous, even though eerily strange. She wore some sort of pelts, which showed off her long legs to perfection. Of course, he recognized the beauty at first sight. Not who he’d expected. “Halah?” Finding her this quickly seemed impossible. Had she been waiting for him? Had she somehow known he was coming? She must have. Otherwise, this encounter would be too much of a coincidence. “I know everything. I will help you,” she said to him. “And you will help me.” Relief rolled through him. She had been informed. “Yes, of course I’ll help you.” They’d fulfill the mission, then get off this rock together. Her hands settled on his chest. “It’s so good to see you again, Kam.” “Is it?” He detected no anger in her, which puzzled him, given their last encounter. “You don’t believe me?” She rose up and pressed her soft, luscious mouth against his. Oh, yeah. His arms automatically slid around her back, and he held her close. So fucking hot, but then he’d always thought her so. The feel of her firm breasts against his chest made his fingers itch to caress them. He ached to suck her nipples. His tongue played with hers. She certainly knew how to greet a man and how to forgive. She pressed her pelvis against his groin, and his desire for her escalated to painful proportions. When she broke the kiss, she stepped back slightly. “We need to mate.”

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“Excuse me?” Her words took him so much by surprise that he barely managed to choke out the question. His cock had no such difficulty responding and hardened in anticipation. Mate… The image assailed him—yes! A picture of his cock pushing into her wet cunt burned through his body even more than the atmospheric heat. “It is destined.” She unhooked the bottom pelt she wore, exposing her pussy to him. Ah, beautiful. The dark hair covering her mound looked so silky that his fingers trembled with the need to stroke her. Her fingers tugged open his uniform. “I need you to fuck me, Kam, right now!” Her words rang in his ears—fuck me, Kam. No damn problem. His balls felt ready to explode. Not thinking about anything except his desire for her, he grabbed her around the waist and forced her down to the sand. He pushed her thighs wide and without any hesitation plunged his cock hard into her pussy, pushing into her as deeply as he could get. “Yes!” she screamed. Kam grunted and plunged into her again. And again. “Come!” He was ready. Ready to spill his seed inside her. And he needed to know that she was ready too. He jerked and the fog lifted. Pitch sat beside him. The lights from the orbiter’s controls flickered in front of him. He groaned his disappointment. He’d fallen asleep. For just a few minutes, according to the time gauge. He should have known those visions were a dream and too good to be true. But then, he wasn’t the only one fooled. His cock certainly thought them real. Down, boy. Something in the dream made him think twice. Halah had said, “It is destined.” Could that actually be true? He’d experienced too many dreams about her lately not to at least consider the possibility. Breeder-mate visions? “The Sand Moon is in range,” Pitch said, breaking into his thoughts. “Still no fighters on tracking. With the help of the drone-bot, we lost the Marid ships. That Xylon ship following us, which turned back, has not returned. How long will that code you had me feed into Xylon’s weapons computer keep the planet’s ground-to-space lasers out of commission?” “Not long. I just wanted to give us a little extra time to get out of range.” Kam took the controls, disengaging the computer’s auto-navigation. “Let’s land this thing.”

***** Dome of Marid “Are you prepared?” Daegal asked the female on the other end of the comm, needing to confirm their plans. “He should be arriving soon.”

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“Yes. We will meet at the prearranged location. Everything has been set up for his arrival and subsequent conversion.” Eagerness flowed through Daegal. If everything went smoothly, the Lair would be his. “Keep a close eye on this one. I don’t fully trust him. Even though we have lured him to our side, his ties are still strong.” “Which is why we need him.” “Yes. But still…don’t let your guard down around the man.” “I’ve never had problems controlling a man, Daegal. And I know this one. He won’t cause me any trouble.” Daegal chuckled. “Yes, of course, my dear. My apologies. I trust your abilities. I’ll check in with you later. Out.” He clicked off the speaker and settled back in his command chair. With the help of the turned Warrior he would be able to greatly expand his reign. The operational codes the man would provide would allow him to further access and finally control the entire Lair. And he would then be able to bring all of Laszlo’s Warriors to their knees. The female he’d sent to the Sand Moon had provided him with the base codes already. She’d been so clever stealing them years ago. Without those, his plans would not have been as easily achieved. He’d also obtained a few control codes over the years from various sources. Now with all the data combined, Xylon wouldn’t stand a chance. The power and control he’d gained over Marid and the Egesa Slave Masters, years ago, had become addictive, and for many years since he’d craved more. The time had come for him to act. Soon, he would rule the Xylon system. And then the entire quadrant. A deep laugh rumbled up from his throat. Once achieved, anyone who refused to serve him and his appointed governors would meet with a very unpleasant death.

***** Sand Moon Having evaded not only the Marid fighters, but a persistent Xylon fighter trying to lock on to them, Kam and Pitch were now free to land the orbiter in a remote area of the Sand Moon. By the time their planetary clearance expired and security sent out a team to check on them, they’d be gone. Until then, the temporary Scientific Mission permit Kam had electronically forged, allowing them landing and surface clearance, should keep the authorities off their asses. Once on the moon, Kam engaged the ship’s shield protection against intruders, then administered one of Leila’s specially-designed shots in his thigh, right through his uniform. He felt the effects immediately. His head still ached, but at least the severe

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pounding eased. Now he just needed to wait for the nausea to pass and his mind to clear. It didn’t take long, for which he was grateful. Feeling well enough, Kam left Pitch with the ship. Pitch’s duty was to protect the orbiter, program in their escape route, and remain ready for takeoff. When he returned, they would need to leave quickly. Pitch initially protested the assignment, but then agreed to stay, to do as asked, and while he waited, he’d use the ship’s locator device to search for Josella. Useful for short range only, the computer was still their best chance of finding her, Pitch had said. She didn’t have an implanted computer tracking chip like Xylon Warriors and Breeders, but her unique Sunevian genetics would register. Most Sunevians, like her sister, were of mixed blood, but Josella was full Sunevian—a rarity in the system. At least searching for her would keep Pitch occupied. Kam had promised the man, if he found Josella, they’d pick her up, before leaving the moon. He’d lied. Well, not technically, he supposed, because Pitch wouldn’t find the young woman. She was no longer on the moon. He simply hadn’t told Pitch that fact or what he knew of her location. Right now, he had to follow procedure, and a different woman occupied Kam’s mind and purpose at the moment. He checked the sensor on his wrist. The locator indicated his target’s position as underground. Standing in front of the cave entrance which matched the prearranged coordinates, he glanced around, making certain no Egesa or any other type of gang followed or watched. Non-military Egesa were mainly night rovers, but would come out during the day if they thought the effort important enough. All looked clear. He slid his disruptor into his coat, tucking the weapon safely away. His intent wasn’t hostile at this time. Nor did he want to appear so to the contact he needed to meet. He stepped through the opening. The dark, wet cavern shielded him from the harsh elements of the Sand Moon. Although a relief, the sharp contrast from the dry heat and brightness came as a shock to his system. He hesitated a moment, taking some time to adjust. After centering himself, he followed the line of stone deeper into the bowels of the moon. Artificial illuminators barely lit the way, creating more shadows than not. As he continued deeper, the air turned cool and musky. Drops of moisture clung to the walls. He slid his hands down into the pockets of his coat, grateful that he’d worn the heavier garment, mainly to conceal his weapon and cover his Xylon uniform in areas where he needed to blend, but the coat now served the additional purpose of warmth. Far into the tunnel, a steel gate loomed ahead of him. He stopped before the electronically-controlled entry. The multicolored lights running along the gray metal bars showed the power as active. His sensor vibrated, alerting him of another’s presence nearby. He’d programmed the device to specifically identify her, by using DNA samples the Lair had on file. He 23

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peered into the darkness on the other side of the gate. Yes, she’s definitely close. He felt her, sensed her wariness. A clunk echoed in the tunnel, and the gate slowly opened, allowing him passage. He continued forward until a voice stopped him in his tracks. A voice he recognized. “You came,” the soft tone echoed lightly in the cavern. “I said I would.” He’d sent a message, confirming his intentions. The gate closed with a metallic clang behind him. He glanced over his shoulder. No turning back now. “Daegal will be pleased. Someone of your ranking, who wishes to change sides, is always welcome. He has hoped you would come to us for some time now.” Not a surprise. As a Class 2, high but not the highest ranking, Daegal more than likely thought of him as the weakest link, among the group of mostly Class 1 Warriors he associated with, and easier access to information he needed. Well, Kam needed information, too. And more. He wasn’t as weak as others sometimes thought. This wasn’t the first time Daegal’s people had contacted him. But this was the first time he’d agreed to their exchange offer. “Why was this meeting arranged on the Sand Moon, instead of Marid?” “The Dome has been shut down to all but their security fighters and transports.” Pending war. She didn’t say it, but he heard it in her voice. Time was running out. “You can provide me with what I need?” “Yes, the medicine required to totally eliminate the effects of your genetic imbalance has been prepared.” “This medicine is safe?” “It’s safe.” “How did you discover the treatment? Why would the Dome even have a formula for this specific genetic imbalance?” No reason existed, to his knowledge, for them to do medical research in that area. “I am not a scientist. I don’t have those answers. I’m simply here to complete the deal. Do you want the medicine or not?” “I want the medicine, but I need some guarantees. Your cure could kill me.” Sometimes he believed that would be a better fate for him than living with the almost daily pain he experienced, which seemed to grow worse each year. “There are no guarantees in life. However, we have no reason to kill you. You are more valuable to us alive. As a double agent, you will serve us well.” While betraying Xylon, she might as well have said. Suddenly, he felt sick. “What about the power?” “Once you master your new ability as a Sonic, you will be able to explode a man’s head with the sound of your voice, should that be your desire.” He nodded. The promise of power was seductive and too tempting to resist. “This power does not require a certain genetic code?”

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“A simple implant only. In the back of your throat. Using specific pitches in your voice, you’ll be able to control sound waves—to soothe or to destroy. It’s still experimental, but shows high promise.” Experimental? And an implant. “I wasn’t told the power was experimental.” She shrugged. “The choice is yours. Do you wish to proceed?” Technical powers could be sabotaged, defeated, controlled from the outside. Still, the lure remained strong. Finally, he nodded. He needed to appear cooperative. “We have Healers standing by. After you’re re-initiated to serve us, the implant will be surgically placed. You will, of course, provide us with the information we require before the implant is placed.” “Of course. That was the agreement.” The woman stepped out of the shadows. Long black hair, tied and pulled away from her face, hung down to her waist. Her pale skin looked as smooth as Mesci stone. Striking blue eyes, filled with intelligence, pierced him. Though many years since he’d last seen her, she still was one of the most beautiful women he’d ever known. “Frost.” Inwardly, he cringed, as soon as the name passed his lips. That wasn’t her true name, just the nickname Torque had bestowed upon her years ago, given her personality. “Don’t worry, Kam. I’ve embraced the title. The image that name invokes has served me well, especially with my enemies. I’ve been using Frost since I started working for my…my new leader, Daegal.” She’d been about to say, “since I started working for myself,” before she’d caught herself. He was almost certain of it. He knew Daegal was in control here, but he wouldn’t be surprise to learn that Frost also had her own agenda. A gleam of evil shone in the woman’s eyes, so evil that he actually felt sorry for her. Well, almost. He’d need to be extra careful around her. “Hand your weapon over to me, Kam.” “Weapon?” “Please don’t insult me. You’ll never get through my security system with a firearm in tow. I’m sure the weapon carries a Xylon marker.” Yes. Of course. She was right. Knowing it useless to protest, he pulled out his disruptor and handed the weapon to her, butt first. “Is the re-initiation process difficult?” he asked, as she pulled the weapon’s powerpack from the chamber. He’d participated in a re-initiation before, though on Xylon, and he wasn’t the one being initiated at the time, but a female. The rite, sexual in nature as most of their ceremonies, played out differently for male initiates than females. The sexual fever that followed, however, was the same. The Dome’s ceremonies weren’t well documented, so he wasn’t certain what to expect. Would he lose his sanity? He was so far gone already that he wouldn’t be surprised, though he’d taken protective steps.

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She placed a hand on his arm. “There is no need to worry. Our Initiation Ceremony is very similar to the Rite of the Lair.” He nodded, knowing that was far from the truth. Her eyes revealed the lie. Regardless, he knew his path. “Very well then. I’m ready.” He intended to do what had to be done. “Are you? Let’s see how ready you actually are.” Deliberately, her hand slid from his arm, across his chest, inside his unbuttoned coat, and down to his cock. He stiffened, literally, and was careful not to move. This was an unexpected turn. “Hmm. Not bad at all.” She smiled up at him. “I hear those skilled in reading Sensor Screens give the best sex, and orgasms so strong that their partners have been known to pass out.” She undid the front of his uniform. “Is that true?” “Yes.” The fact was well-known. Even if it hadn’t been, he wouldn’t have denied such a talent. As a Sensor Reader, he knew what she was feeling and could use those feelings to his advantage. The ability to read a person’s feelings, and even intent, was a talent that made skilled Sensor Readers excellent lovers, if they chose to use the readings to enhance the pleasure given to their partners. Apparently, she wanted a sample. Her fingers curled around his semi-hard cock, and she lifted her lips to his. “Perhaps I could entice you to give me a demonstration.” She kissed him, easing her tongue into his mouth. He touched her tongue with his and kissed her back, pushing against her soft hand as he became fully erect. Staying on Frost’s good side was to his advantage. With an easy touch, his fingers skimmed her breast through the silky blue garment she wore. He sensed her excitement—he didn’t need to check his wrist sensor for that— but he also sensed her feelings that he was an easy mark. He needed to change strategy. Better for him to keep her interest level high. He pulled back. “You want a demonstration?” A chuckle rumbled up from low in his throat. “How about you get on your knees and demonstrate what you can do for me?” With his thumb, he grazed her bottom lip. “Lick my balls, Frost. Suck my cock all the way down and swallow my cum. If you’re good and make me come hard, then I’ll decide if I should give you a taste of what a Sensor Reader can do.” A look of shock crossed her face, but she immediately squelched it. He almost laughed at her reaction. He knew she’d never drop to her knees in front of him. That would be too submissive for her, unless the idea had been hers to begin with. But the sexual power struggle should appeal to her, given what he knew. Her eyes narrowed, and she uncurled her fingers, releasing his shaft. “Bastard,” she whispered, her voice strained. “For someone seeking power and medication, you’re out of line. I make the rules here.” “Really? And I thought Daegal did.” She had spoken angrily, but his sensor picked up her rising excitement at the challenge. Still, he reached down and refastened the front of his uniform, knowing for now their encounter was over. 26

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“Be careful, Kam.” Her voice hardened. “I do enjoy a good chase, as I’m sure you remember from our past and have read on your little machine there. But if you push me too far, you’ll find my wrath quite formidable.” Yes. He remembered her manipulation of Braden, then Torque. Using her body and intelligence to turn the men against each other, for her own selfish purposes. Because of her, the two brothers’ relationship had suffered for a long time. Frost was good at destroying relationships. She turned and stepped away from him, but then abruptly turned back. “Next time I ask for a fuck, Kam, your only response better be, how hard? Or instead of licking your balls, I’ll cut those balls off, and make you eat them right in front of me. Is that clear?”

***** Forests of Xylon Erik Rhodes paced the length of the small control room. Waves of frustration rolled off him, making the air tense with emotion. “This is fucking messed up! You know that?” Turning from a control board, Braden Koll faced his friend, feeling much the same. “I know. We need to be doing more.” Watching everything from a distance, sort of, made him feel useless. They were still on Xylon, but in a highly-secure underground chamber, deep inside the forest. “We should be down in the Lair, or up in our ships, fighting for and with our people. Not hiding out here, like defectors.” “You’re not hiding,” another male voice replied. “And you’re not defectors.” Erik and Braden turned toward the entry into the central hub of their new location. “What would you call it, Laszlo?” Erik barked. “We might as well not be Warriors.” Laszlo collapsed into his control chair. “Do you need Leila?” Braden asked. Laszlo raised his hand. “No. I’m fine. She needs to concentrate on Alexa. Her delivery time is approaching.” Soon he would be a father. Braden couldn’t be more excited…and concerned for his mate and children. Leila promised to let him know when the time came. After Alexa had disappeared, and he couldn’t track her, he’d feared the worst. Then Laszlo had snatched him up, through his transport-connector, just as he’d done with Alexa, and reunited them here. Laszlo had taken them from the Lair to save their lives. To save the future of Xylon. So he’d said. Braden still didn’t totally understand. Laszlo gave out his secrets slowly. Only his great respect for the leader, and for his power, kept Braden from rebelling and trying to find a way to the surface and back to the Lair. “What is Xylon’s status?” Laszlo asked.

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“Holding,” Braden answered. “Marid ships are in the area, but haven’t attacked yet. Communication, personal transport, and some weapons are offline. Technical problems as you predicted, but remaining major systems are still functioning. At the moment anyway. I’ll continue to monitor.” “Which weapons are offline?” “Ground-to-space lasers only, from what I can tell.” “That’s temporary. They’ll kick back on as soon as Marid moves their ships closer.” “How do you know?” Erik asked. Laszlo simply cocked an eyebrow in his direction. When Erik grumbled something under his breath, Laszlo switched his gaze back to the control board screen. “Kam?” “On the Sand Moon,” Braden replied. “Pitch Pantera is with him.” “Pantera?” Laszlo asked, his eyes narrowing. “Why?” “I don’t know. Something must have gone wrong in the Lair when he left.” “Hell,” Erik interjected. “Tell me something that’s gone right. Kam probably recruited Pitch to go along. Thinking he left Josella on the Sand Moon didn’t sit well with Pitch, so he probably was quite willing to follow through with Kam on this to correct what he viewed as his failure.” Braden felt bad for Pitch. None of them knew at the time that Laszlo had snatched up the young woman through a transport-connector she’d handled during her recovery mission. The team simply thought she’d escaped, and they’d been unable to find her. “Doubtful,” Laszlo said. “It wasn’t part of the plan. Kam wouldn’t deviate, unless he had no choice.” Laszlo’s face took on a contemplative look. “Well, Pitch’s presence shouldn’t affect anything adversely, as long as Kam doesn’t tell him too much. Has Kam met with Frost yet?” “Unknown,” Braden answered. Frost. The nickname suited her. The fact that she’d managed to fool him, ensnare him into her sexual web all those years ago, sent such rage through him that he felt ready to explode. If Laszlo was right, if the Lair ended up destroyed, if more Warriors died, the fault would lie on his head for trusting that bitch and not securing his access code the way he’d been trained to do. Her patience had been phenomenal. She’d waited until Xylon was at its weakest to use the knowledge she’d gained against them. Or maybe Daegal was the one who’d waited, after acquiring what he needed. Either way, the outcome was the same. Xylon’s survival or destruction hinged on what happened in the next few days, all in response to a takeover plan put into motion years ago. “Halah’s location on the moon? Braden?” Laszlo prompted. “Um, sorry. Also unknown. What if Halah won’t help Kam?” “She’ll help. Her training is still strongly ingrained in her.” “She’s already betrayed us by serving Daegal in the past,” Erik pointed out. “And after we didn’t give her Josella’s exact location the last time, she pretty much told us to go to hell.” 28

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“She left Xylon,” Laszlo replied. “But she never really served Daegal. Not in her heart. Kam will convince her to side with us. She wants her sister. That’s her motivation. As long as we have Josella, we have Halah. Where is the girl, by the way?” “With the other ladies,” Braden answered. “She’s not happy, but cooperating.”

***** Sand Moon Even through the strange fog, Halah saw him step out of the orbiter. Yes! Kam Nextor. He was here! “Damn.” She barely made out his curse, but knew his thoughts. The heat on the Sand Moon was stifling. Sweat rolled down her body, making her feel uncomfortably sticky. A cool shower with real water would feel so refreshing right about now. “What the hell?” Kam looked disoriented, as he turned and walked forward into the cloud of hot fog that was quickly enveloping the area. “Kam?” she called out, not wanting to lose him. It would be easy to get separated from each other. And she needed his help. He squinted, trying to see her. “Here.” She stepped through the fog toward him, and saw him wipe his eyes. She strolled forward, pushing her short black hair out of her face. She hated this pelt thing she was wearing and wished for a uniform like he wore. “Halah?” He sounded so surprised to see her here. “I know everything. I will help you,” she said to him. She’d seen the orbiter land and knew he couldn’t possibly have proper clearance, otherwise he’d be accompanied by a team. No Warrior came to the Sand Moon on a mission alone. Solitary missions to any Banishment Zone went against regulations. So that meant he would need her help getting off the moon. Or at least, she’d convince him that he did, so he would agree to help her in return. “And you will help me.” “Yes, of course I’ll help you.” Her hands settled on his chest, so broad and strong. “It’s good to see you again, Kam.” Even though he’d agreed, if she added a little incentive, he definitely wouldn’t refuse her later when the decision actually counted. “Is it?” She heard the doubt in his voice. “You don’t believe me?” She rose up and pressed her mouth against his. Ah, yes. Hot and sexy. She’d wanted to do that for too long. And much more.

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His arms automatically slid around her back, and he held her close. She wanted to rip off all their clothes and feel his bare chest against her breasts, his chest hair tickling her nipples. His tongue played with hers. Kam had such a great tongue and knew how to use it. She pressed her pelvis against his groin, trying to entice him further and also ease the ache she’d begun to feel between her thighs. An image of his tongue, not in her mouth, but in her pussy, licking her clit wildly, about drove her over the edge. When she broke the kiss, she stepped back, breathing hard. “We need to mate.” She couldn’t be much more blunt than that. “Excuse me?” His surprise registered on his face. She knew the exact things to say to convince him, to push him over the edge. “It is destined.” She unhooked the skirt-like pelt she wore, exposing her pussy to him. His gaze immediately shifted to stare between her legs. She saw his eyes dilate with growing passion. His reaction caused her desire for him to increase even more. Her fingers tugged open his uniform. “I need you to fuck me, Kam, right now!” His cock hardened at her words. He grabbed her around the waist and forced her down to the sand. He pushed her thighs wide and plunged his cock hard into her pussy, more deeply than she thought possible. “Yes!” she screamed. Oh, his cock felt so good inside her. Long, thick, and hard as stone. Kam grunted and plunged into her again. And again. “Come!” Oh, yes, yes, yes! Her hips bucked, forcing him deeper into her cunt. She was ready. Ready to feel his seed fill her. She jerked and the fog lifted. Bars appeared before her eyes. Damn it. She had fallen asleep. Not wise, considering where she was. And she’d had another dream about Kam. She shook her head, dismissing the visions of him that had become too common lately. She quickly changed positions, crouching in the corner of one of three large cages filled with female sex slaves. She needed to remain ready to move in case she felt in imminent danger. She couldn’t believe she was even here. When the hatch on her ship had slid open, somehow she’d expected Kam to step inside. He hadn’t. Rave—a Marid Pain Master, and one of her worst enemies—had entered instead. That woman may even have been the one who planted the bomb on her ship. At least, she was one of several possibilities. The only way Rave could have gotten aboard was if she’d acquired the Xylon codes to bypass the security hatch. A scary thought. That meant someone high up on Xylon, someone in the Lair, with access to top-secret data, had betrayed their people. Not every Warrior knew those secret codes. Only a select few, along with the Council members, were privy to the information.

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Once aboard, Rave had stunned her with an inducer before she could react. Damn that woman! Halah’s jacket shield would have protected her from a disruptor shot, but then Rave knew that, which was, no doubt, why she hadn’t used one. Halah had already cursed herself several times for being caught off guard. But at the time, she wasn’t certain if the situation were real or another damn dream. Shortly before the hatch opened, she’d felt dizzy and unsteady on her feet. She wondered if Rave had somehow pumped a substance into the orbiter before entering, causing the effect and slow response on her part. That made more sense to her than all of a sudden losing the skill to defend herself. She began to think more clearly as soon as they’d entered some sort of cave, where cooler air washed over her, making her feel refreshed. By then though, she’d already been shackled and collared. Her power pack was gone. Rave had stripped her of her jacket. So only her natural electrical abilities remained. She tugged at the hard, gray collar around her neck. No give at all. Unfortunately. The metal collar decreased her natural, electrical power to almost nothing. She’d been through this before, when captured on a Marid ship. She knew she couldn’t remove the collar by force. Only release codes would free her. If not for the collar, she might have been able to fight her way out of this prison. Her electrical capabilities, even greatly diminished, had always served her well. A group of Egesa loped by the cage. She pressed into the corner, making herself as small as possible, hoping they’d pass her by. She wouldn’t be able to fend them off in her current state, should they take an interest in her. Slavery. The very idea put a bad taste in her mouth, especially since she was the one being held captive. From what she’d overheard, a woman by the name of Frost ran this particular underground facility. The guards didn’t seem to feel the need to curb their tongues around the slaves, so she’d learned at least that much. She wondered why Rave was here, working for Frost, instead of serving Daegal like she had since being stripped of her Xylon rank. Certainly, finding out the reason would gain her some leverage. An Egesa glanced her way. She averted her eyes. Frost apparently allowed the Egesa to play with the sex slaves as a reward for serving her. Disgusting. She’d rather die than allow one of those half lizard-like, bald, yellow-eyed creatures with long, thin tongues to touch her sexually. She shuddered at the thought. A scream from a nearby cage indicated the ranking Egesa had made the choice. Again, she shivered and rubbed her arms, thinking about the poor woman selected. At least she had managed to elude their grotesque clutches. She hoped that Josella had been as lucky.

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Chapter Three Lair of Xylon

The heavy, silver-white door slid open. Brianna stepped inside the Initiation Chamber and hit the seal button on the wall. With a soft whirr, the wide panel eased closed, locking her in. The ventilation shaft circulated fresh air into the room, along with a slightly spicy scent she recognized as an aphrodisiac. The ceremony chamber, set up much like guest quarters, offered comfort by its familiar surroundings and helped ease any tension present in those performing or receiving the Rite of the Lair. In the middle of the room, and far from comforted, the man going berserk stopped. He looked her dead in the eye. Brianna froze. Her pulse did the exact opposite, kicking into a staccato rhythm. Face-to-face, she got a better look at him, and a sense of familiarity struck her hard. The intense brown eyes, the short brown hair, squared jaw with a shadow of whiskers, muscular body without an ounce of fat—she knew him. Her body knew him and responded to his nearness. Her nipples hardened, her pussy clenched, perspiration dotted her skin. A strong sense of need—for him—flooded her entire being. As she stared at him, the dark hair on his chest drew her attention. The soft-looking curls narrowed into a thin line, leading down to a more impressive cock than she’d expected on an Earth man. Oh, my. Semi-hard, in his anger, the purplish-red staff looked as thick and long as any Warrior’s. The wide head made her mouth water for a taste. Fully hard, he’d be…goodness. Her tongue eased out to moisten her bottom lip. A low growl filled the room. Her gaze snapped up to his. For a moment, she thought recognition flashed in his eyes. And lust. But no. Though he seemed familiar, she didn’t actually know him. She couldn’t. Her perception of him must be a mistake. She’d remember meeting this man, and all the details of such, if they’d ever really had any association with each other. And the lust was simply in reaction to the chemicals he’d been given—nothing more and perfectly expected. He put down the slat-backed metal chair he was holding, which he had been about to toss across the room. But the man still looked anything but relaxed. His breathing remained labored. His nostrils flared. His hands opened and closed, forming fists, then his fingers stretched to their full length, only to curl back into tight fists once again. He was definitely in great shape from whatever training he’d received on Earth. She wouldn’t underestimate him or his potential power.

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Brianna looked toward two Class 3 females on the far side of the room, standing warily in the corner, hovering near a panic button installed in each room for emergencies. “Where is your Class 1 leader?” They didn’t have the skills needed to initiate someone alone, especially not a high-priority case like this one, which had turned difficult. “We don’t have one, ma’am,” the short blonde-haired Warrior answered. Brianna’s eyes narrowed. “Explain.” Almost all lower ranks were assigned a leader. And almost all Initiations involved an Alliance of Three, as the Lair referred to the group of Warriors who performed this rite. “Tara Koll was our trainer. We haven’t been reassigned yet.” Ah. So Tara was supposed to lead the Initiation of this one, before her demotion. Now, she wouldn’t even be allowed to train lower ranks. Too bad. Especially in this case, for her sister could handle any man—Earthling or otherwise. So much for Laszlo’s special project. She wondered if Tara knew about the planned Initiation. Sometimes an Alliance wasn’t announced until right before the time came to perform the rite. When she got the chance, she’d ask her sister, for someone had made the decision to go ahead with this, even without a Class 1 Warrior present. Although, maybe she’d be better off simply researching Laszlo’s special project later on her own to find out the details. She had enough clearance. And if not, Torque could probably break into whatever file she needed to see. If they didn’t complete the Initiation now, Briggs would go insane. He looked halfway there already. She couldn’t allow him to suffer. “We’re here to help you,” she told him, speaking slowly, hoping he would understand. He looked at her like a trapped, enraged animal. And that’s probably exactly how he felt too, after being plucked from his home planet and brought to some alien world he never even knew existed. “I know you’re feeling like your insides are being torn apart. We can help, if you let us.” Every moment that passed brought him closer to the point of no return. He shook his head, but not so much in denial as in disbelief, she thought. “I’m going to approach you.” She had to gain his trust, and quickly. “Ma’am,” the blonde warned. “That’s not a good idea. We’re unable to call for medical help should he injure you.” “It’ll be fine.” For most injuries, Warriors could self-heal if they’d completed all three steps of the Initiation process. She’d gone through her Initiation years ago. Besides, though she knew the man was well-trained, she possessed just as much if not more training. She was perfectly capable of defending herself. With a soft smile, she looked at him and slowly stepped forward. “You’re not going to hurt me. Are you, Colonel?”

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The use of his rank seemed to surprise him and calm him somewhat. She’d hoped it might. Carefully, she reached her hand toward him. In a flash, he grabbed her outstretched hand and yanked her against his chest. “Brianna!” the other Warrior, a red-haired female shouted. “It’s all right,” she replied calmly to the two women who’d started toward them, ready to defend her. “Stay back.” She looked up at Briggs. “See. No retaliation. We won’t hurt you, if you don’t hurt us.” She purposely hadn’t countered his move, wanting him to lower his guard around her. His gaze darted toward the blonde and redhead, then back at her. “What—” He kept swallowing, as if having trouble speaking. “What’s happening?” he growled. “I don’t know the details of why you’re here, Colonel, but what we call an Initiation has been started on you. It’s a sexual process used to protect Warriors and Breeders from diseases and poisons, and also to prepare the body for mating purposes.” His brow arched at the term “sexual process” and his eyes widened considerably at “mating purposes”. “Why an Earth man is being put through the rite, I don’t understand. Your procedure was ordered by a former leader, and the order was never canceled. The chemicals we used have increased your sexual desire. You must allow us to finish the ceremony and sate you, or your mind may snap due to the imbalance now in your brain. That’s why you’re feeling confused.” She was also concerned about the liquid transfer of chemicals to him. Either they hadn’t worked properly because of the procedure, a defect in the formula, or because of his Earth physiology. Violence should not be a side effect, so no telling what was really going on inside his system right now. “Sate me?” “Sexually.” A smile tugged at his full, firm-looking lips. “You?” Her heart rate kicked up at the look of interest on his face. Yes. She’d need to take over for Tara, in order to save this man’s life. “The three of us.” Again, his gaze darted toward the other two. His hold tightened around her waist, almost painfully. “You’re lying. This is a…military facility. Not some sort of…brothel.” His words came out roughly, not flowing in a normal tone. No doubt another side effect of the chemicals. It pleased her that he’d been able, even in his present state, to come to a correct conclusion about his surroundings. She’d always admired intelligence and deductive reasoning in a man, finding it oh-so sexy. Apparently, his mind was as well-toned as his body. She leaned into him, relaxing against his torso. Her lips brushed his bare chest, almost as if by accident. But her move was no accident. Her tongue eased out to caress his skin. At the moist contact, he jerked. And he moaned, though he tried to cover the sound with a forced cough.

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“Your body needs us,” she explained, savoring the flavor of his skin on her tongue. “Let me go.” Her voice lowered. “Let me suck your cock, Colonel.” She felt his body’s immediate reaction to her words. “Sam…please. I feel your need.” She felt her own need increasing too. The use of his given name seemed to crumple his defenses. “Oh, fucking yeah,” he groaned, pushing her down to her knees. “Do it.”

***** Sand Moon Kam looked around the mostly-bare, gray-walled room. No windows existed here, of course, since they were underground. But no picturescapes either, as hung prevalently in the Lair—framed images that could be activated into motion by the touch of a button. Nor did any reflective objects hang on the walls to lessen the closed-in feeling. A bare mattress lay on the equally-bare floor. The room felt cold, impersonal. Nothing like the comfortable Initiation Chambers he’d grown accustomed to. “Your re-initiation will take place here,” Frost explained, her tone and expression all business. “We will conduct the ceremony now. I see no point in waiting.” She looked at him as if expecting a protest. Or maybe that was just his imagination. She obviously wanted him converted as soon as possible, before he entertained second thoughts about betraying his people. Once more, he glanced around the room while he got his bearings and prepared himself for what was to come. “Posh.” Frost’s sudden laughter surprised him. The sound filled the room, echoing off the walls and softening her features. He couldn’t help but wonder what had happened in her life to make her so cold. Deep down, he still saw glimpses of a woman who had probably once served Xylon well. Combined with her beauty and intelligence, he saw how Braden and Torque must have been taken in by her. “After the ceremony begins, you won’t notice the surroundings.” She pressed a button on a control panel next to the door. “Send them in.” Kam’s heart rate kicked up. This was it. If he didn’t survive… No. He wouldn’t think such thoughts. With the help of the special elements added to his system, he could do this. He had to. The door swung open, and his three initiators walked in. Oh, shit. “Moon minions?” “Yes. Minions always do the re-initiations for Daegal when they’re conducted on the Sand Moon. I guess that’s not really common knowledge to most Warriors. Initiations don’t take place here often. Does it make a difference?” “And if I said it did?” “You really don’t have a choice, Kam.” 35

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As he figured. “Well then, I suppose we go ahead with the ceremony.” He hated the idea, but he couldn’t abandon his mission because of it. He wondered if she’d chosen minions on purpose, simply to make the re-initiation rougher for him. Somehow, his wrist sensor couldn’t pick up her intent. Strange. Things could have been worse, he supposed. They could have been Egesa. They could even have been males. The three females appeared clad in some beige, formfitting material—almost like a second layer of skin. One was a lizard minion, not an Egesa, but a crossbreed. Her tongue slithered out of her mouth, then retracted. Slanted eyes and long black hair gave her somewhat of a Terra-Asian type of appearance from what he remembered of his studies and visits to Earth. Her nails stretched almost as long as his fingers. For a minion, she looked more attractive than most. The two blondes who’d entered looked to be twins. Not quite a twin sexual fantasy come true. They stood rail thin with huge tits and extra-long nipples, visible through their outfits, so out of proportion they weren’t a bit enticing. Their lips were also larger than normal, giving them a swollen appearance. They looked strangely like camel minions under the stark lights. The camel was an Earth-specific animal though, with no crossbreeding on other planets that he was aware of. Since that minion breed wasn’t actually possible, their exact genetics remained a mystery to him. “I’ll leave you in their capable hands,” Frost said. “Next time I see you, you’ll be a changed man, Kam.” She brushed his cheek with her fingers. “Welcome to your new life.” Frost turned and left the room, the door clicking closed behind her. Silence hung heavily in the air. The minions circled him like stalking prey. He had no idea what to expect or how to act around them to make things easier on himself. “Do you…ladies…talk?” He’d feel better if they did. He checked his wrist sensor again, but didn’t pick up anything, as if they had no feelings at all, which he knew wasn’t true. Somehow they were blocking him and the sensor. Or maybe the room contained some sort of shielding, which would also account for his inability to read Frost. He’d have to rely on his own abilities in here. A click drew his attention to the corner ceiling. A vid-recorder. Frost most likely watched from somewhere nearby. He was surprised she hadn’t just stayed in the room with them to direct things. Seemed to him that she’d get a thrill out of controlling his transformation. Maybe he’d misjudged her. The twins grabbed his arms and forced him down to the mattress, on his stomach. “Take it easy. Damn.” Their strength amazed him, considering how thin they were. Though he could overpower them, he didn’t fight. With very little effort, they stripped off his coat and then his uniform. Here we go. Naked and vulnerable, he awaited his fate, watching the females as best he could from his position. He’d allow them to perform the rite, but if they tried to double-cross and terminate him, he was prepared to fight his way out of here, if need be. Minions

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would be no match for him. Frost’s guards might defeat him. But he’d deal with one problem at a time. Lizard-girl opened a small case, sitting on a table in the near corner. Considering her long nails, she moved very efficiently. The case looked similar to a Lair Initiation case. Maybe an anal dildo was inside, like the Lair used. Yes, that’s what she pulled out. He saw her adjust the long, flexible feelers on the end, which would transfer protective chemicals into his body. His stomach clenched, knowing he was about to get an ass-fucking that probably wouldn’t be pleasant. They didn’t seem the sort to care whether he climaxed or not. The anal device must be how they transferred not only their protective elements, but the sexual enhancers as well, since they hadn’t given him anything by other means. The Lair administered their enhancers orally, before the ceremony began, coated along a dildo. Their sexual rite was about protection, pleasure and preparation, not force or control. The twins massaged his ass, then slowly spread his cheeks. Relax. When he felt lizard-girl’s tongue slither into his asshole, his fingers gripped the mattress. “Oh, fuck!” Her long tongue, touching all the ultra-sensitive nerve endings in his ass, felt a hell of a lot better than he’d ever expected. His cock hardened, and he pressed his shaft against the mattress, trying to get some relief. One of the camel-girls slapped his ass. The sharp sting rattled his cheek and traveled right along the length of his cock to his balls. Oh, yes, he was going to come!

***** Lair of Xylon Briggs caressed the rich brown hair of the woman kneeling in front of him. She was a real beauty, with incredible green eyes. Brianna, one of the females had called her. From her take-charge manner and the way she’d spoken to the other two women, he assumed her to be of some higher rank or command around here. However, his mind felt completely in a fog, and since he wasn’t thinking clearly, no telling what the real truth was. They’d given him something. In the drink he’d sipped earlier maybe. He wasn’t certain. His body felt on fire…for sex, and now this woman wanted to suck his cock. He must be crazy or hallucinating or something. This couldn’t actually be happening. Though the room appeared almost like a high-tech hotel room, he remembered being led through a military-looking facility to get here. A facility not of Earth. Instinctively, he knew that to be true, and his heart pounded at the knowledge. Brianna lightly raked her nails down the back of his thighs. The pleasure almost dropped him to his knees. If this was some way to get military secrets out of him, she performed her job well. He wasn’t about to reveal anything—

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other than what was already authorized through the ACE project, no matter what she did. But he couldn’t stop his body from responding. His cock ached and he craved to feel her mouth sucking the blunt tip and sliding over his shaft. “Yeah, baby…” he mumbled, too low for her to hear, he was certain, though he saw a small smile cross her face. He didn’t remember exactly how he’d gotten here. Only flashes of the recent past flickered through his mind. ACE—the special project he was involved with. He remembered that. And being given some sort of handheld device. An exchange. Yes. That’s what happened. Orders. He was told he’d receive further orders after… Brianna’s hand circled his shaft. Oh, yeah. Briggs watched her closely. His shaft was so thick that her fingers didn’t meet, making him feel a sense of pride in his size. She glanced up at him with that sexy smile of hers. Then very slowly, her tongue eased out and swiped across the wide head of his cock, licking away some clear drops of pre-cum. Unable to stop himself, he growled and tangled his hand in her hair. “If you’re going to suck it, suck it!” He wasn’t about to act submissive or show weakness with these women—this woman in particular. If she intended to eat his cock, he wanted her to get on with it. He’d happily come right down her gorgeous throat. Suddenly, he felt a hand on his ass, not one of hers. He glanced behind him as best he could. The blonde had knelt next to his hip. When her lips touched his ass cheek and her tongue stroked his flesh, he closed his eyes. Damn. If this was their chosen form of torture, he’d gladly sign up for more. He looked around for the red-haired woman. She was fiddling with some sort of case on the other side of the room. Brianna’s lips slid over his cock. “Oh, damn…” He looked down. She’d grabbed his full attention with that move. “More. Take more of my dick. Now.” When she complied, sliding her mouth down a good additional three inches, he about lost it. The red-haired woman suddenly appeared at his side. He jerked, not having seen or heard her walk over, he’d been so focused on Brianna’s luscious mouth and seeming eagerness to please him. The redhead held a dildo in her hand and raised the object to his mouth. “Suck this, Colonel.” She must be kidding! He pushed her arm away. He wasn’t sucking a dick, fake or otherwise. “The chemicals we gave you didn’t affect you properly,” she told him. “You need to do this.” “Get that thing away from me!” He had a woman eating his cock and another woman licking his ass, what the hell was the purpose of him sucking a dildo? Brianna released his cock, and he groaned in disappointment. Damn, he’d been so close to shooting his load. He’d wanted to come in her mouth and watch her swallow every drop of his juices. She rose and took the dildo from the other woman.

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As she smiled up at him, her fingers played with the hair on his chest. “There are many parts of this rite that may not appeal to an Earth man, unaccustomed to such ways.” Her voice was soft, seductive. “But I guarantee only pleasure.” She sucked the dildo into her mouth. At the sight of her sucking the long object, his cock twitched, ready to explode. He ached so badly. “Brianna, no!” the redhead warned. No? Why the protest, he wondered. Certainly, the dildo presented no danger, or Brianna wouldn’t have put it in her mouth. Hard to keep his thoughts straight, his brain finally registered Brianna’s words. She’d said, “Earth man.” Fuck! Another indication that ACE had been a success. She slowly pulled the dildo out, then raised her lips to his. Unable to resist, he covered her sensual mouth with his and pushed his tongue inside. Oh, yes! She met him tongue to tongue, and made a sound very close to a purr. “The fever, Brianna,” the redhead whispered. Caressing his cheek, she pulled away, then sucked just on the tip of the dildo, for only a moment, bringing the object closer to his mouth. She licked his lips then licked the fake cock once more, before turning back to him. His tongue eased out to touch hers, needing more of the taste of her. Was this woman an alien? Alien…the idea seemed unimaginable. His body didn’t care, in fact, the possibility intrigued him. He wanted to fuck her. Needed to fuck her. She angled the dildo and slid an inch inside his mouth. “That’s right, Colonel. Just a little.” She looked at the redhead. “It’s all right. I shouldn’t feel the full effect. I’ve done this enough that the sexual fever won’t build in me the same as in a novice.” Damn, he was doing it. Sucking a cock, albeit a fake one. What was happening to him? She stole all reason from his brain, leading him to do whatever it took simply to get more from her. He tasted something…on the dildo. Heat exploded inside him, different than before. He pulled back. Fever, they’d said. Sexual fever. Brianna nodded to the blonde, who rose from her knees and headed across the room. From the same case as the redhead had opened earlier, she produced another dildo, a thinner one this time. The blonde turned toward him and slowly approached. “Bend over, Colonel.” Bend over? He eyed the dildo in her hand. What the fuck? “Like hell!”

***** Sand Moon

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As lizard-girl’s tongue probed deeper into his asshole, Kam’s hips jerked. His mind rebelled against the idea of allowing them to make him come. He was so close, but he didn’t topple over. If he controlled his thoughts, he could control his body. Images of Halah filled his mind, and his cock hardened even more. All right, maybe he should have thought of something else to prevent an impending climax. But she never seemed far from his mind. He needed to find her and convince her that she really could trust him to reunite her with her sister. He hated how they’d parted on Marid. She’d trusted him, and he hadn’t come through for her, hadn’t told her the truth until he and the other Warriors had gotten what they needed. And a bigger issue existed here. They needed to stop Daegal from destroying this planetary system and all others. He knew the codes needed to feed into their main computers to disable a large number of their systems. But Halah would know how to disengage their weapons controls from her stay on Marid. As a weapons-trained Warrior, that’s the first thing she would make herself familiar with. It’s how Warriors worked—loyal or not. But she’d need his codes to access the databases and lock in any new commands. If she agreed to help, he and Halah, together, could make sure Daegal would never reign supreme. His hips bucked, and he groaned. The minion’s tongue was swiping back and forth inside him. If she didn’t stop soon, he didn’t see how he could keep from losing it. The least he could do, if he was going to come anyway, was picture something more pleasant. In his mind, he was inside Halah’s pussy instead. Oh, yes. That’s where he really wanted to be—pumping his rock-hard cock into her, while she clawed at his back, begging for more. He admired Halah’s strength, loyalty to her sister, and ability to kick ass. To fuck a woman like that would be such a rush. His cum would gush into her like an un-dammed river. He’d also seen her vulnerable side, and that side had melted his heart. He doubted she’d allowed many people to see the softer side of herself. Lizard-girl’s tongue retracted, and he exhaled heavily. She knelt beside him, dildo in hand. The other two kept his asshole spread. His breathing increased, knowing what came next. He felt pressure against his hole as the tip of the dildo touched him. Then with a push, the long object slid inside. His internal muscles gripped the dildo tightly. Halah. If he kept her image in his head, he wouldn’t go crazy, and their sexual manipulations and chemicals wouldn’t turn him to their side. His thoughts and the special elements injected into him, as part of the shot he’d taken earlier, had to work. Up to now, the Lair hadn’t been able to break the chemical reaction of Marid’s Initiations. But Leila’s new discovery showed promise. If the counter-chemicals worked, no more Warriors could be turned to serve Daegal and the Egesa Slave Masters through artificial means. Only true traitors—those who made the decision of their own free will—would turn. And they’d only remain loyal to Daegal by their own choice, not because of any additional means of control. The minions pulled him to his knees. Lizard-girl pumped his ass hard.

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“Ah!” The sensation of the anal cock fucking him spread through his body like sexual fire. One of the twins reached down and stroked his cock. He twitched, his body unable to stay still. Twice the pleasure exploded inside him. He groaned. Damn, so fucking good! He never would have believed minions to be so skilled. The other sat at his head, her legs spread on each side of him. She peeled open the beige outfit she wore, then guided his face toward her fuzzy pussy. Oh, shit. His nostrils twitched as he picked up her scent. He knew she wouldn’t let him go, until he’d licked her, which was the way their healing elements transferred. Mentally, he fought against the idea, but her strange, sexual aroma drew him. Tentatively, his tongue swiped at her wet pussy. Sweet. Really sweet, like the juiciest fruit. She encouraged him to continue, holding him close. He licked and sucked her juices, his hips bucking wildly now. His engorged cock ached. His ass clutched and released the dildo penetrating him. Something brushed across his balls. Fuck! He came, and so did camel-girl, both of them moaning loudly. The sensation shot through his body, and all he knew was the ecstasy of coming. After he collapsed, they released him. Then they turned him over. Lying on his back, Kam breathed heavily. His cock still felt semi-hard—a result of the sexual fever. He’d probably come again before the minions left him. They let him rest, while lizard-girl walked over to the other side of the room. He followed her movements with his eyes. Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit. He realized those two words would probably become his entire vocabulary if the ceremony wasn’t over soon. Lizard-girl had pulled out a long needle from the Initiation case. That thing looked at least eight inches long. They obviously planned to inject him with something. Something fatal? He couldn’t fight. He felt too weak. A side effect of their rite apparently. Hopefully, the chemicals already in his system were strong enough to counteract the new ones. Hopefully, the injection wasn’t anything lethal. The twins licked his ears and rubbed his crotch. One of the camel-girls, not the one he’d licked, pulled her outfit open, and she pushed one of her long nipples past his lips. He automatically sucked. Some substance emitted from her nipple, filling his mouth. “Mmm.” He sucked harder, faster. Addictive. He reached up and squeezed her breast, forcing more liquid down his throat. He couldn’t get enough. Vaguely, he realized the minions could talk because they were whispering in his ears. He couldn’t understand them, but his cock hardened nevertheless, as if their words were sexually charged and his body knew it. Or maybe the liquid he sucked increased his need. Lizard-girl kneeled between his thighs, holding the needle.

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He pulled away from camel-girl, leaving her nipple wet and still leaking fluid. “Um…what are you going to do with that? I mean, exactly where do you plan to stick it?” All of a sudden, his cock didn’t feel so hard anymore. Her hand circled his now-flaccid member. Tensing up, he took a deep breath, expecting her nails to shred his cock and balls. Instead, she rubbed and tugged. Pumped and massaged. “Ah…” She possessed some talent at this. The two camel minions sucked on his flat nipples. Oh, yeah. He felt hard as steel in no time and needed to come. Lizard-girl lowered her head, and her long tongue actually wrapped around his balls. Fuck! His whole body shook. Then before he realized her intentions, lizard-girl stuck the needle into the head of his cock. On a roar of agony, he pulled against the twins’ hold and almost managed to get loose. If his balls hadn’t been wrapped so tightly… Lizard-girl pulled out the needle, and the pain immediately subsided. Her tongue withdrew, sliding along his balls in the process. He jerked. “Fucking bitch,” he whispered. Exhausted, he collapsed against the mattress and passed out.

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Chapter Four Sand Moon

As Kam’s image came into her mind, Halah rubbed her temple. Not what or who she needed to be visualizing right now. That damn man popped into her brain too often and at the most inopportune times. She had never allowed any man to affect her like Kam Nextor seemed to, and it aggravated the hell out of her. A strange sense of worry rolled through her, all of a sudden. Worry for him. Stupid. Why should she care what happened to him? If she did, her concern would only be because he still might know something about Josella. Wishful thinking perhaps, but she had nowhere else to turn now for information. She’d tried tracking Josella with her orbiter’s computer, but never picked up a full Sunevian signal. Unfortunately, Kam was on Xylon and she was here, which did her no good. Even if she were able to contact him, that didn’t mean she’d ever fully trust him again. Although, maybe good reasons existed for what he’d done on Marid. Given their circumstances, she hadn’t the opportunity to speak with him since that day. She hadn’t wanted to speak with him, she’d been so angry. If his orbiter had even approached hers, she probably would have blasted him out of space. And to tell the truth, she was still angry. Josella may never even have been here on the Sand Moon. The whole story could have been a lie. She felt her body temperature rise with her frustration. Get a grip on your emotions, Halah, she chastised herself. Kam had been looking out for himself, just like she was now looking out for herself. While on Marid, she should have known and prepared for the possibility of betrayal from him. Too manic for information about Josella, she’d lowered her guard more than she should have. Warrior Rule 120—expect betrayal from all sources. Warrior Rule 126—always have a backup plan. Warrior Rule 12—don’t let your emotions rule your decisions. She’d always had an excellent memory for rules. Following those rules, well… She mentally shook the picture of the handsome Warrior from her head. She had more important things to think about right now. Like her freedom. Sitting in the corner of the cage, she tried to figure a way out of her current prison. The guards varied their routines each day, which made things difficult. None of them had shown her any extra interest, so she wouldn’t be able to easily lure any of them into letting her go with sexual promises that she, of course, had no intention of seeing through. No one else in her cage looked like a trained Warrior or fighter, so no help existed there. The prospect of escape seemed dim indeed. A deal with Rave was certainly out of the question.

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Perhaps if she could speak with this Frost, whoever she was, she might be able to arrange some sort of exchange. Halah still knew a few trade-worthy secrets. But the woman never came down to the cages. Or she hadn’t so far. Halah couldn’t even ask to see her, because asking a guard anything just resulted in punishment. Slaves didn’t speak to the guards. She’d learned that when she’d complained about the food and gotten the butt of a surge-rifle in the stomach for her words. Another female slave was slapped after asking for water. And another ended up berated and tripped for just saying thank you. Halah learned fast to keep her thoughts to herself, and to only speak with the other slaves in low whispers when the guards weren’t close enough to overhear. Perhaps, she could ask Rave for a meeting with Frost, if the woman ever came to the cages alone. Rave, though untrustworthy, might not be as quick to punish as the male guards, simply because she’d spoken. And Rave would probably enjoy setting up a meeting, just to see who would prevail in a face-to-face confrontation. Halah knew how Rave thought. The female Pain Master took great pleasure in conflict. Time, a definite factor, was running out for her. The guards rotated female slaves in and out on a daily basis. Somehow, she had to come up with a viable plan before she ended up in an even worse situation than she was now. Like some Marid officer’s whore. Or worse, an Egesa’s, or a group of Egesas’, sexual plaything.

***** Forests of Xylon Standing in the corner, Erik looked over at Alexa, who slept peacefully on a medcot, with Braden sitting by her side, his fingers splayed over her stomach. The perfect couple. So much love. Just as he loved Leila. He leaned toward his mate, brushing her hand with his. “How’s she doing?” he whispered. “Fine for now. The contractions have stopped. Just a false alarm apparently, but she can still deliver at any time.” “Do you expect complications?” He knew Alexa felt nervous about the births, because of her and Braden’s different genetics. Leila shrugged. “Her half-human physiology makes this an unknown for me. We’ve only had a handful of Earth females bear children on Xylon and none of those were super-breeders like Alexa.” She glanced up at him, worry in her eyes. “If we were in the Lair, with access to all my medical equipment, I’d feel more comfortable.” So would he. If anything happened to the babies, or Alexa in particular, Braden would never survive the loss. “Can she be moved before the twins arrive? Or after even?”

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“I wouldn’t recommend it. She’s been through too much stress already. She’s going to need time to build back her strength, especially after the births. Why? We can’t get out of here unless Laszlo permits it, and I don’t think that’s going to happen. He believes we’re safer here.” “Laszlo doesn’t know everything.” He’d respected the man in the past, but their once strong leader seemed to be growing weaker by the hour, even with Leila giving him stimulants. Erik doubted Laszlo even possessed the ability to command effectively anymore. He hadn’t completely trusted the man since he’d disappeared from the Lair, leaving Braden to pick up the pieces of command. Her eyes narrowed. “What are you talking about, Erik?” “I’m thinking, after the delivery, if everything goes all right with Alexa and the twins, you and I get out of here.” “Out? How?” “I’ve been snooping around. I found our transport-connectors. They’re still functional. Braden won’t abandon Alexa, not even for a short while, not now. If she can’t be moved back to the Lair, then that leaves us. We need to return to Command Center. We can’t just sit here in this hole, while Marid attacks.” She squeezed his arm. “But what if Laszlo is right? What if Xylon can be saved, but the Lair is doomed? Remember what he said? Shouldn’t we try to survive by staying here?” “Shouldn’t we try to save as many Warriors as possible? What if Laszlo is wrong? What if we can make a difference? Xylon needs every able body fighting to preserve our way of life, to keep our freedom. Just Xylon surviving isn’t enough. Our security base needs to survive so we can protect our society and our whole way of life. Sometimes not that much is required to turn the advantage.” He needed to at least try, or he’d never be able to live with himself, especially if Xylon ended up defeated, and he stood by and did nothing. “Well, I’ve actually been thinking about all that myself. They’ll need Healers in the Lair, and on the surface, if the worst happens. Does Braden know about this plan of yours?” “Yes. We’ve discussed it, and he agrees. One of us needs to be in command. Brianna will be in charge now. She’s good, but she goes strictly by the book and she’s never held a command post under anything close to these circumstances.” He watched Leila digest the information, knowing she was turning over everything he said in her mind. “I agree, too. But I don’t want you going off without me. We’re a team. You have to promise.” The look in her eyes softened, pleading with him. He smiled and squeezed her hand. “Promise.” She visibly relaxed, and only then did her look switch to pure Warrior mode. “Once we return, if things look really dire, we can evacuate at least some of the population. Laszlo can’t bring everyone out the way he did with us. Even if he somehow could, this

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facility won’t hold them. But we could slowly send people in personal transport orbiters with fighter escorts to Tamara and Sunevia. Right?” Erik shook his head. “Won’t work. Tamara and Sunevia don’t have any defensive forces of their own to back us up. Nothing worthy of mention anyhow. We’d have to send too many fighters. We can’t fragment our forces more than they already are. Daegal would let the people and fighters go, but then take Xylon as soon as he felt we were unable to effectively fight back. With our forces divided, he could then easily take Tamara and Sunevia, too. All we’d be doing is delaying the inevitable, and not for very long. We need to regroup now, here, and present a strong front.” “Can we send a message? Tell Brianna what’s going on, that we’re all right, and let her know what she needs to do, step by step, if necessary.” “Brianna won’t adhere to a remote order. It’s against regulations…once the planet goes Red.” His last five words came out as barely a whisper. Leila’s face revealed her shock. “Xylon’s at Code Red?” She looked up at him again with pleading eyes, as if begging him to take the words back. He only wished he could. Not wanting to worry her any sooner than necessary, he hadn’t alerted her when he’d seen the status change. He pointed to a small screen on the far wall. “Current status.” After a quick glance in that direction, her grip on his arm tightened. She raised her eyes to his. “Brianna will listen to a message from Braden, from her own brother, won’t she?” “Normally. But I just got word that the Lair’s authenticator has been knocked offline. As such, no off-grid messages can be picked up by the comm system.” The authenticator separated genuine messages from phony ones—and also reported “send” locations to identify possible enemy transmissions disguised as ally communication. Voices, even images, were too easily duplicated to trust without authentication clearance by the computer. “Off-grid?” “Brianna can communicate within Xylon’s own grid system, and even within our outpost grids. So she can still give commands to the Warriors. This chamber works on a separate grid, so it’s secure, even when the Lair’s comm system is compromised. Not a problem if the Lair’s authenticator is working. But without it, we’re stuck. Either Braden or I need to go, in person.” “Does Laszlo know what you’re planning?” “Hell, no. I don’t trust him completely, and I think Braden is starting to feel the same. The man keeps too many secrets. We decided to keep a few of our own. All he’s told us so far is that Kam is working from the inside to destroy Daegal’s ability to completely overtake us. But Kam’s just one Warrior. Even if Halah does end up helping him, we just can’t sit around waiting and hoping they’re successful. Besides, even a partial defeat, with partial enslavement of our people, is unacceptable. Are you with me?” 46

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“I’m always with you, Erik. You’re my breeder-mate. I love you.” He kissed her gently, softly stroking her long hair. “And I you, my love.”

***** Lair of Xylon Torque paced in front of a wall of operational monitors. “Kill that damn alarm! It’s giving me a headache.” Xylon was now officially at war. He’d never really believed this day would come. Not in his lifetime. “L-SACS has changed our status to Red.” “No shit, Tara. Give me a security update.” He raked his fingers through his hair. “Marid fighters are still out of range.” He turned toward her and saw the confusion on her face. His bewildered feelings matched hers. “Why’d we go Red then?” “Checking.” After a few moments, she swore under her breath. “The Lair’s artificial atmosphere has been knocked offline by a remote feed. I didn’t even get a warning light on my panel about a problem. And…” She turned toward her brother. “Egesa troops have been spotted on the surface.” Torque’s heart picked up its pace. “How long before the life support can be repaired?” His mind raced. With Egesa on the surface of Xylon, all civilians were in imminent danger. “Techs are already evaluating. Backup seems functional and holding. Security teams are en route to intercept Egesa troops. L-SACS issued the order in response to tracking stats auto-fed into the system. I’m adjusting the numbers though. We can’t be left too thin back here in case they get through the line. The Slave Masters are probably going to try and take us in one piece before they signal Marid’s fighters to engage and destroy.” “Can we use our ground lasers? Are they functioning yet?” He turned back to the monitors. With one shot, they’d be able to take out an entire flank of Egesa troops. “Not yet.” The screens Torque stared at reflected multicolored charts and lines of data. Black areas displayed malfunctioning systems. “Where did Kam’s ship go? We could use his expertise here to reprogram our code sequences. Has the fighter spotted him yet?” The situation in the Lair was dire, to say the least. Daegal and the Egesa Slave Masters were too strong, had been building their security force, while the Lair had been losing theirs. Many Warriors had been killed in recent uprisings, many had defected to the other side, and many had simply disappeared. How were they going to effectively defend Xylon when the Marid fighters attacked?

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Despite the Egesa foot troops, he had no doubt Daegal would send in the fighters while Xylon remained weak. That’s what he would do. He couldn’t believe Xylon’s once strong, defensive forces had been reduced to barely more than one fleet, if Tara was correct about their current Warrior numbers, which she’d transmitted to his terminal earlier. Worse. The Council had called a meeting. And now that the planet was at Code Red, they’d take immediate action. Dread filled him at the prospect. Brianna still wasn’t free, nor had they been able to contact her. He’d have to tell the Council. He knew once the ranking member took over, all would be lost. Torque had no faith in any of them or any viable ideas of how to avoid the disaster that awaited the planet and their society. “Have we picked Kam up?” he asked. When again no response was immediate, impatience filled his voice. “Tara, answer me!” “Don’t get your dick in a knot. Give me a minute. I’m trying to track, while listening to the pilot’s report.” She flipped some switches. “Kam has blocked his main signal. I’m not picking up anything, and the pilot lost him visually somewhere close to the Sand Moon. He didn’t pursue because the distance would take him too far from our outer boundaries. That would be dangerous, while Marid’s fighters are continuing their approach. We need every fighter we have.” “Kam can’t just disappear. Use the long-range tracking. Look for any vessel with a Xylon personal beacon to distinguish him from the fighters.” “I know. I am. Don’t worry. I’ll find him. But frankly, he’s not top priority on my worry list right now. You can reprogram our codes yourself.” “Yeah, but I’m not as fast or as good with the codes as Kam. Besides, we need to know what he’s doing. Somehow, I feel like he’s up to something. He wouldn’t defect. If I’m correct, and we’re not coordinated with whatever plan he’s involved in, who knows what the result could be.” “He shouldn’t be acting on his own. We can’t take responsibility for that.” “I know. But I still think it’s to our advantage to locate and communicate with him. Any word from Pitch Pantera?” “No.” “What about Erik and Leila? Any progress on locating them?” “No.” “What’s the status again on Brianna?” Tara turned in her chair, giving him a look of pure frustration. “Why don’t you go down there and check on the progress yourself? I’m trying to do fifteen different things over here.” “Don’t snap at me, Tara! Brianna is our top priority. We need to get her out before the Council meeting.” Plans flickered through his mind. If the worst happened, he’d

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need to get himself and Tara out of there. The Lair kept a remote station on the Ice Moon. They could coordinate Xylon’s remaining forces from that location, if need be. “Unless you want me to go down there and laser-torch her out of the chambers myself, there’s nothing further I can do from here. Now stop riding my ass!” Torque raised his hands in mock surrender. Tara took shit from no one, not even him. He respected that. “Sorry. Do your thing. I’ll start changing our operational codes to make access more difficult, hopefully impossible, for Daegal. The modifications should make the Council less frenzied.” Tara turned in her seat. “You do that,” she grumbled. She turned back around. “Be sure you protect those new codes.” “Hmm, yeah. Any ideas about how? Our other codes contained the highest security and even that wasn’t enough.” He couldn’t bypass the official security channels. The codes needed to be saved in certain databases for them to work properly when crosschecked by each respective system in use. The same people still maintained access to those databases, which couldn’t be changed without Council approval. They stared at each other in silence for a moment, then they both smiled.

***** “It’s part of the process, Colonel,” Brianna told him. “We need to fuck you anally.” “Too damn bad. You’re not fucking me in the ass with that cock, ladies. If you try, you’re liable to find it, along with my cock, shoved up your asses.” The blonde backed away, eyeing him warily. Brianna didn’t believe his threat. He might stop them, but she didn’t believe he’d try anything more than that. Giving him her best look of frustration, she planted her fists on her hips and looked him dead in the eye. “Why do Earth men whine like babies when it comes to anal penetration?” Briggs’ eyebrows rose to his hairline. “Excuse me? Whine?” He snorted. “I have never whined in my life.” Avoiding her gaze, he crossed his arms over his chest. “And I am not a baby,” he added in a low voice. Brianna almost laughed at the pout that formed on his face from her teasing. Before she could voice her feelings again, an alarm echoed loudly in the chamber. Damn! L-SACS had just declared a Code Red. Her heart raced at a frantic pace. She needed to get back to Command Center. Now. Briggs might turn into a casualty of war, after all. No, she shook her head as she studied him. His gaze returned to her and he studied her at the same time, with those intense, dark brown eyes of his. She’d make certain he was taken care of. Not that her concern was personal, of course, but if he was part of a project set up by Laszlo, he might be more important than she knew.

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She turned to the red-haired Warrior. “See if you can get in touch with the engineering team trying to cut us out of here. Tell them to step up their efforts, even if they have to bypass safety measures.” The female nodded and hit the open button beside the door. Brianna spoke to the blonde. “If I can get out of here, I’ll send Tara down to take my place.” Her heart squeezed painfully at the thought. She didn’t want her sister to have this man, she suddenly realized, not quite understanding her feelings. Briggs was a virtual stranger, an Earth man, and this was just an Initiation. She’d never felt territorial about any man before. Checking her vid-cell, she saw a clear signal. She snatched the device off her belt. “Brianna to Command. Reply.” “Finally! Torque here. Are you out?” “Not yet. Give me a quick update. I don’t know how long this signal will last.” “We’re at Red. Marid fighters are approaching but still out of range. Life support is offline, but backup is functional. Egesa troops are on the surface. Ground lasers are malfunctioning. We’re down to one fighter fleet in the air. Xylon foot troops are en route to engage the Egesa and any Marid Agents who might be with them. Xylon’s Council has demanded a meeting in approximately…seventeen minutes.” “All right. If I’m not out by the time the Council meets, you have to do everything you can to prevent the ranking leader from taking command. He’ll negotiate terms of surrender, Torque, rather than fight with the low number of troops we have.” Silence stretched on the other end. Finally, Torque responded. “Surrender? Are you certain?” “Regulations dictate in order to save civilian lives, if no ranking officer is available for command or the security forces of the Lair dip below a certain level during a time of war, surrender shall be immediately negotiated. Stay up on Lair procedures, brother.” “Shit. So you’re ordering that we go against regulations? Do you know what you’re asking?” “Yes, Torque. I know. And don’t tell me you’ve never thought about doing anything like that. You will follow my orders in this. Then you will assume command until I’m able.” She’d never gone against regulations in her life. But surrender was not an option. Not to Daegal and the Slave Masters, not to anyone. Ever. “I’ll do what I can.” “That’s not what I asked.” “I heard what you asked.” His voice turned gruff over the vid-cell. “Don’t worry about me, little sister. Just get your ass up here as soon as you can.” Briggs knew it was now or never. While she was distracted. He lunged forward and grabbed Brianna. He twirled her around, wrapping his arm around her neck.

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She dropped the vid-cell, and the device smashed to the floor, cutting off communications. “Damn it,” she mumbled. “We’re through playing, ladies.” Slowly, his mind had been clearing. Instead of the chemicals affecting him like they’d expected, he’d fought them off. Now, he needed to get out of here. He remembered. He knew his mission. “Let her go!” the blonde ordered. “Now!” “I believe I’m in control here,” he told her. “Back off, or I’ll break her neck.” A lie, but seemingly an effective one, for the blonde moved away. Brianna sighed, sounding put out by his words and actions, then her elbow jabbed back into his ribs. Ugh! He doubled over, and before he knew what was happening, she flipped him over her shoulder, onto the bed. Shit. She rubbed her neck. “Not smart, Colonel. I could have thrown you to the floor and injured you. And right now our Healers can’t get down here. Remember that.” He grunted, sitting up. Damn it all. His own stupid fault. He’d underestimated her. Well, he wouldn’t make that mistake again. The woman was well-trained indeed. “I’ve got more important things to deal with than your pathetic attempt at escape or whatever your intention might have been.” She reached down and retrieved her vidcell. “Pathetic?” Yes, he’d gone easy on her, not wanting to hurt her. But pathetic was a low blow. “He’s too clearheaded, Brianna,” the blonde replied, hands on her hips. “So I see. His Earth physiology, no doubt. How do you feel, Colonel? We are officially at war, and I have troops to command, if you’re not in distress.” “War?” Had the countdown begun? “War. Check his stats,” she told the blonde. “If the fever is no longer affecting you, Colonel, I’m postponing this Initiation. I need to check into the project anyhow. Find out why you’re really here.” Good luck. On the one hand, he breathed a sigh of relief. On the other, disappointment rushed through him. “May I have my clothes?” To say he felt a bit vulnerable while completely naked, now that his sexual needs had waned, was an understatement. With a look of regret on her face, Brianna glanced down at his cock. A moan almost escaped him. He’d remember that look in his dreams, he was certain. She shifted her gaze to the blonde, who now held a small monitor in her hand. “What are the readings?” The woman shook her head. “I don’t understand how this is even possible. He seems to be fine.”

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“Great. I’m leaving then. I need to try to get off this level. We’ll figure it out when the danger to the Lair has passed. Give him back his clothes, but watch him closely. Don’t let him out of the Initiation Chambers. And don’t get too close to him. He’s sneaky. I’ll check in with you when I can.” “Yes, ma’am. Brianna?” “Yes?” “Are you all right? I’m registering a sexual need in you.” Sexual need? Her words drew Briggs’ immediate attention. Brianna glanced at the small monitor. “It’s those damn chemicals. I feel the effect in my system.” She shrugged. “Nothing major really, but there nevertheless.” “I could…lick you, if you need to come.” Briggs’ eyebrows shot up, and his pulse kicked up speed. He looked at Brianna with interest. Oh, yeah. He’d love to see her come on the tongue of this other woman. She glanced briefly at him, then switched her attention back to the female Warrior. “Thanks, but it’s not necessary. The fever is only a mild one. It will pass.” Too freakin’ bad. He’d have paid to see Brianna get her pussy licked. Without Brianna around though, he’d stand a better chance of getting out of here. He needed to find Lift 6. He had a connection to make, while there was still time. Brianna rushed from the room and down the corridor, trying not to think about Briggs or her own needs, for now. More important matters were pending. Besides, he wasn’t going anywhere. She could deal with him later. Provided Xylon had a later… She met the red-haired Warrior at the entry, realizing she didn’t even know either of the females’ names. They weren’t wearing IDs. She’d only known their rank from the markings on their uniforms. If they came through this attack in one piece, she’d find out who they were and see their files credited for the responsibility they’d shown to their duties. “Progress report?” “I couldn’t establish communications, but I think they’re almost through.” She raised her voice over the noise of the equipment on the other side. “They sound close.” At that moment, the panel slid open a few inches. “Break!” a male voice from the other side ordered. Feeling a huge sense of relief, Brianna rushed to the opening. She turned sideways and tried to squeeze through. “Hold it open!” she ordered, when the panel tried to slide back closed on her. “Damn it.” If she got stuck, the heavy panel would crush her to death. “Holding!” the tech responded. With some help from the crew, she popped out the other side. Thank goodness. She’d be covered with bruises come morning. Because of her self-healing abilities, they

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shouldn’t last long though. She coughed at the dust hovering in the air. “Good work, guys,” she said to the techs who’d freed her. Three of the five members of her security team awaited her. Each person looked at her anxiously. “I’m fine,” she answered, even before any of them asked. “You all should have been dispersed to other areas by now.” “We were ordered to stay and get you out safely,” her lead officer replied. “Egesa have breached Lair security. Just a few moments ago, we found the one who’d registered on your hand tracker earlier. Two of the team took him to the holding area. More are inside. Periodically, we’ve seen hits register on our handhelds.” “Have you reported the breach to Command?” “We’ve been trying to contact them, but communication keeps going out.” “Fine. We’ll report in person then. We need to get back up to Command Center fast. Let’s go!”

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Chapter Five Sand Moon

Kam’s eyelids, feeling heavy and not completely under his control, cracked open, but only after great effort on his part. He felt as if he’d slept for days. If so, he’d missed his timeline, damn it. He struggled to move, but his limbs refused to cooperate. His nose picked up a whiff of something soft and feminine. Where was he? When his eyes fully opened and began to focus, Frost’s face solidified in front of him. Beautiful, but not the face he wanted to see. The sight of her brought everything crashing back with more clarity than he cared to remember. He’d been dreaming of his parents on Tamara, whom he hadn’t seen in too long. Everything he’d always believed about his family had crumbled into nothing, sending his emotions into turmoil. If what Laszlo told him prior to this mission proved true, many lives, not only his own, would be affected. He mentally shook the thoughts aside. Later, he’d deal with the information he’d learned. Now was not the time to dwell on things he couldn’t investigate further, even if they had the potential to completely change his future. Thoughts of the future also brought back the memory of his more erotic dreams…about Halah. He wondered if those images in his head could be true visions. Breeder-mate visions. The obstacles they’d need to overcome to join together as mates would be tremendous. The images might simply have been brought on by his orders. Nothing more. Prior to receiving the orders, well, he had no explanation for his visions of her then. Guilt maybe, for not helping her when he should have, might have transformed his feelings into something physical in his mind. Or maybe he simply wanted to fuck the woman. Whatever the reason, he preferred to return to her and those dreams, rather than face his current reality. He needed to find out how long he’d been unconscious. Aggravated, he almost reached out and grabbed Frost around the neck, until he again thought of the mission. Off schedule or not, he still had a duty to perform. He was alert enough to tell he no longer lay in the re-initiation room, for he felt a large, fluffy bed underneath him, instead of that uncomfortable flat mattress from before. “How do you feel?” Frost asked. Lousy. When he tried to voice his response, nothing came out. For a panicked moment, he couldn’t seem to catch his breath. Helplessness coiled inside him. He forced air in and out of his lungs until he felt secure that his life wasn’t slipping away. He

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didn’t like feeling weak and vulnerable, and he knew better than to show it, especially to someone like Frost. “Take it slow.” What the hell was wrong with him? His throat felt on fire. Had they done the implant already? He couldn’t remember. His head pounded fiercely. They were supposed to give him their specialized medicine to stop this pain. That was the deal. If they went back on their promise, he’d make sure they paid. He needed that medicine to survive. Without something to permanently ease his pain, he feared he truly would go insane. Even if he just got a sample, he could hand the formula over to Leila to test and synthesize. “The re-initiation went well. Quite entertaining, as a matter of fact. You’ve got great tongue control, Kam. I grew so wet watching you.” She smiled and brushed his mouth with her fingertips. “We’ll process the information you gave us, to make sure everything checks out.” He couldn’t have been out for long, if they hadn’t confirmed the codes yet. “Your throat will be sore for a while. That’s normal, so don’t worry about it. The pain you’re feeling will ease. You should be able to talk soon. By the way, if you lied to us,” she leaned closer and lowered her voice, “we’ll destruct the implant and you’ll be dead. Just so you know.” She kissed him lightly on the lips. The kiss distracted him, but only for a moment. He’d given them the information. That was part of the plan, but what exactly had he said? He couldn’t remember anything. Whatever they shot him up with had totally put him out of his senses. He hoped he hadn’t told them too much. Frost stepped back and smiled down at him. “If the codes check out, we’ll provide you with your own personal sex toy, Kam. Consider it an added bonus. A perk we give to certain Agents who have done well.” Sex toy? He had a feeling she wasn’t talking about a cock ring or mechanical fucker or some other sort of sexual device. “I think you’ll like our selection of females.” Ah…females. Female sex slaves. He should have known. The majority of females on the Sand Moon became slaves to some faction, unless extremely strong-willed with some sort of backing, like Frost. “Someone will return later to escort you down to Pleasures.” Whatever. Presently, he had more important things on his mind than sex. Frost ran her hand down his body. His cock didn’t react. He’d been through too much. At least they’d put his uniform back on, so he didn’t feel on complete display to Frost’s sexual whims. When he showed no reaction to her touch, she sighed, turned, and strolled out of the room. Good. He needed time alone. As soon as he felt assured she was gone and not coming back, he sat up on the bed. Pain. He swallowed, and even more pain shot

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through him. He groaned, but the sound came out more like a squeak. Every part of his body hurt. An image of his throat being blown open entered his mind. Not pretty. He’d thought they would wait to check his information first before doing the implant. He glanced around and spotted a time gauge. He’d only slept a few hours. He puffed out a relieved breath. Still on schedule. The room they’d put him in, he noted, was decorated with subdued colors and sparse furnishings. A combination living and sleeping area, and a food section. The quarters looked a lot like his own quarters in the Lair. That fact bothered him, as if they’d purposely tried to copy a place familiar and comfortable to him. He didn’t want to feel comfortable here. This facility lay deep underground, like the re-initiation room. He could feel the fresh air being pumped in, and this room did have huge picturescapes hanging on the walls, unlike the stark re-initiation room. The quarters contained three picturescapes, all desert images, all motionless at the moment. But he saw the control buttons on each frame. He didn’t feel any different, physically or emotionally, other than the pain and being tired. Nor did he notice any differences as far as his thought processes went. Hopefully, that meant he remained his own person and hadn’t been converted. He pushed to his feet and plodded into the bathing room. Stopping in front of the mirror, he stared at his reflection. He wasn’t exactly sure how the conversion process worked. His eyes looked the same. Light blue. No signs of evil or madness. He almost laughed at the thought that he’d be able to spot anything wrong in his own eyes. How could he know for certain, one way or the other? His blond hair looked a little darker. Probably just needed a wash—the sand blew continuously on the surface, making everything in its path gritty. He checked his hands. Fingernails hadn’t grown. He stuck his tongue out. Not green or forked or anything. No fangs. He knew these checks were foolish. Agents weren’t minions or Egesa, and a person’s genetics didn’t change after a conversion, but still he felt compelled to check. Just in case. He wasn’t yet brave enough to check his cock. Once he felt on firmer emotional ground, he’d make sure everything remained functional. He remembered getting injected. Damn that minion bitch! He shuddered at the memory, hoping he hadn’t suffered any permanent damage. Still studying his face, he dragged his hands down his rough cheeks. He needed a shave, but didn’t see any gear on the counter. Only a glass sat on the sink. He filled it with cool water and drenched his throat. The liquid felt good going down. Maybe he could find a subtle way of asking how they determined a successful reinitiation. A definitive test must exist.

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He tried his voice again, but still nothing came out. Between his throat, his head, and his aching cock, he felt like shit. Regardless, he needed to move on to the next phase. He needed to find Halah.

***** A blast of water hit her. “Ack!” Halah turned her back, trying to shield her body. Assholes. She held the rags they’d dressed her in against her body, trying to prevent them from being ripped off her from the pressure. One of their Special Transport Agents or Prison Pilots must be coming. Hose baths were only given when a ranking Marid came to the moon looking for a new slave. When the guards weren’t around, she’d asked a few questions of one of the other women, who seemed more talkative than the rest. Some of the slaves actually vied to be chosen when an Agent or Officer appeared, the woman had said. Halah could understand why, she supposed. From what she’d heard, regular clothes were provided, hot food, a real bed. Perks. Still, she wanted none of it. She’d rather rot in this cage, eating dried tecarra beans the rest of her life, than give in to some bastard’s sexual demands. No matter her situation, her training as a Warrior still ran deep. Neither Daegal nor the Egesa had turned her yet, only enslaved her. Only—probably not the right word. Enslavement made her torture complete. Why they hadn’t forced a re-initiation on her, she didn’t know. Apparently, they didn’t give much credence to females. Even though several females held a top position in their society. Interesting actually. And confusing. Even after all the time she’d spent on Marid, she still hadn’t been able to figure out their society or its rankings. Maybe someday she’d discover the reason. But regardless of the reason for non-conversion, she’d decided not to serve anyone other than herself anymore. Her alliance was no longer up for sale. She treasured her freedom of choice too much. While temporarily living on Marid, she remembered seeing many Agents with slaves in the processing area. She wasn’t certain how many were actually kept for personal service, instead of being assigned to other areas. She knew none of them were well-treated—she’d heard enough horror stories. The Xylon Warriors she’d helped had masqueraded as her captives and slaves while they’d gathered the information they needed and acquired a sample of Daegal’s sterilization formula for study. She couldn’t help but wonder if they’d found a way to counteract its effects. The water stopped, and she swiped the hair out of her face. She glanced down at her body. Not too much damage, thank goodness. Once your clothes no longer held together, you walked around naked, unless some Agent or Officer or maybe a guard took pity and provided a new outfit. If she ever had to walk around naked, like some of the women here, she wouldn’t be able to handle it. Her body was fit and would draw too much attention. Not that she was so perfect, but even the limited training she still engaged in kept her more in shape 57

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than the other women appeared. The Egesa, especially, seemed drawn to tighter-bodied females—probably because they proved more durable during sex. At least now, she could somewhat cover up with the short skirt-like bottom and sleeveless top she wore. Obviously pelts, although she didn’t recognize the type of hide. She missed her black jacket, vest top, and leggings. Never again would she take her garments for granted. They’d helped her feel powerful, and not like some submissive. Her hair barely touched her shoulders and curled naturally around her face and neck, so if she did find herself naked at some point, she couldn’t even drape the curls over her breasts, as she remembered Leila Abdera doing when forced to go topless into the Dome’s processing area. She definitely needed a change of luck here. Something had to break soon, and she suddenly and uncharacteristically feared, if she didn’t get out of this cage, that “something” might be her.

***** Frost contacted Daegal with the news about Kam. “He’s given us all the new access codes to the computers, control panels, everything they changed since your last data collection. Along with the preliminary codes we’d already obtained, and the special base codes I was able to gain access to years ago, which cannot be modified, we should be able to take complete control.” Daegal laughed. “Perfect. The new codes checked out?” “So far. We’re causing some major havoc over in the Lair, as we continue to test. They won’t know what’s going on nor have time to stop our sabotage before your troops overrun their surface patrols. It’ll keep them busy enough for the Egesa and Agents to get past their last line of defense and assume control of the underground facility. Some of your people should have already breached their internal defenses.” “I haven’t gotten in any reports, but I’ll have the Top Commander check on their progress. We’ll keep teams on the planet surface to maintain control of the civilians. Spread terror in the cities, while we have the chance. Anyone who resists capture will be killed. I’ll be sending many of the captives your way for enslavement, so be prepared. Go ahead and reward Kam for the information.” “Already in progress.” She’d sent Rave to handle the situation. Keeping the former Warrior sexually satisfied should make the man easier to control. “Does Kam believe he’s still loyal to Xylon?” “He’s unable to speak right now because of the implant, but he should believe so. No side effects will plague him. He’ll think their feeble attempt to save him from the conversion process worked.” Daegal had somehow found out about the formula the Lair developed. His prophetic power seemed almost eerie at times. He must have a plant on the inside. That’s the only thing that made sense to her. “Good. When he makes contact with Laszlo, they’ll distribute the formula to all their Warriors and attempt to distribute the formula to those who are serving me and

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the Dome, hoping they’ll turn their loyalty back to the Lair. Their efforts will be a waste of time, make them overconfident, and easily defeated. That’s when we’ll conduct our final strike and squash them into permanent submission. You left him his hidden communication device, right?” “Yes. The mini-cell didn’t register on our detectors. They did an excellent job concealing its electronics. While he slept, I found the device built onto his wrist sensor and shielded by a chunk of titum plating, just where you told me to look. How will they distribute the formula, do you think?” Distribution, at the scale needed, took time and manpower. “In our food sources, I would imagine. But don’t worry. The substance is harmless. Our researchers thoroughly tested the sample of Kam’s blood and semen you sent to the moon’s underground lab to make certain. Our new formula counteracts theirs. We’re a step ahead of them, and we need to stay there. Did you install the tracker on his communication module, so we know when he informs Laszlo of his supposed success?” “Yes. It’s done. I’ll send you regular reports on any communication we track. How did you know about his plans to begin with, Daegal? And how do you know Laszlo is heading all this up?” She needed to ask. The information could save her own life in the future. “I have my sources, my dear. Always remember that. So don’t get any ideas about ever going up against me. My eyes see everything.” He let the veiled threat hang, giving her no specifics. She shuddered and knew she needed to be careful around Daegal. This man was no fool. “Has Rave shown up on the moon?” he asked her after a few moments of tense silence. “Um, no. I haven’t seen her.” He asked each time they communicated, so she didn’t read any more into the question than his normal check. She needed Rave on her side and wasn’t about to turn the woman over to Daegal for whatever infraction she’d apparently carried out against him. Rave hadn’t confided the details to her, only promised information and loyalty in exchange for safety. Her own people were already loyal to her, so she didn’t worry they’d go to Daegal behind her back. Daegal should have no reason to suspect her of lying. Still, the man worried her. She needed to make certain of her own safety in case he somehow did uncover her plot. Move and countermove—a game of survival and power. That’s what she lived for. That had been her life for years now. Fortunately, her skills had served her well. “Keep watch. If she shows up, I want her. Alive. Now…the control inside Kam’s implant is functional?” he asked her. “Yes. With the flip of a switch, we can free him, control him, or kill him. He’ll do our bidding whenever we need him to. He can’t fight it and won’t remember most of his actions while under our control.”

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The promise of Sonic powers was simply a ploy. The final test of their newest toy. The implant, once proven a success, would be surgically inserted in all Agents as Daegal’s ultimate way of controlling the higher-evolved beings who served him. Only proven loyalists would be exempt from the device. He’d reign supreme, just as he’d always planned. Or so he believed… “Well done, Frost.”

***** When the former Warrior appeared, Kam’s stomach clenched. Oh, damn. What was Rave doing here on the Sand Moon? He never thought she’d leave her position in the Dome on Marid. He’d actually hoped to never see her again. Rave, the only female Pain Master, to his knowledge, liked nothing better than torturing prisoners, or anyone else who crossed her. They’d already had too many encounters for his liking. She pulled him along, escorting him down to Pleasures. She’d been uncharacteristically quiet, so far. That worried him. Rave liked to torment, aggravate, and push people beyond their limits of control. The area she took him to turned out to be a series of slave cages. Mostly dirty, smelly, and all-around foul. The place didn’t seem very “pleasurable” to him. He kept glancing at Rave out of the corner of his eye. He could sense her wariness and wondered when she’d confront him. Like Halah, she had once been a Warrior. Unlike Halah, she had not been honorable in her duties. Rave had officially changed sides after being condemned and banished for the abuse of Leila during her Lair Initiation Rite. Unofficially, Rave had turned against Xylon the moment she’d decided to permanently harm another Xylon Officer for her own pleasure. The urge to exact revenge while she stood close enough for him to grab and choke the life out of her burned through him. Almost as if sensing his intent, she changed her stance and moved to a more defensive angle. “You’ll get your choice of women, a sexual slave to serve your every whim. You can fuck her for as long as she keeps your interest.” Kam held his emotions and urges in check. He needed to play this out, even though from what he remembered of the re-initiation, sex wasn’t all that appealing at the moment. “You’re not fooling me, Nextor.” All right. Here it came. The confrontation he’d expected. He fought to avoid reacting too much, and he didn’t try to speak. “Perhaps you’ve forgotten? I was a Sensor Reader, too, before training as a Pain Master. I’ve lost a lot of my former, natural ability, but your mind is weak, probably from the pain. I sense more than you think, though I can’t prove anything, of course. But I don’t believe for a minute that you’ve turned.”

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Shit. He slammed his mind shut as best he could and reeled in his emotions even further. It should be enough, given her limited abilities. All Sensor Readers eventually gained some natural power at reading emotions, beyond their equipment. Rave’s powers should be substantially weaker than his own, even in his current state. Sensor Readers made very efficient Pain Masters, or Dispensers, as they were labeled if serving as a Warrior. They knew when they caused the most pain. No wonder Rave remained so feared by her victims, even long after their abuse ended. She laughed, obviously picking up on his discomfort and enjoying it. “You’re connected too closely to the Triad of Power, Kam. We both know it. And you will die for it someday.” The Triad of Power! A silent curse exploded in his head. How did she know about that? The knowledge wasn’t commonly known, or so Laszlo said, when he’d informed him about the Reign of Three. His heart pounded. He needed to report, but he couldn’t check in for a while yet. The satellite wouldn’t be in position. “I never should have been banished from the Lair. Leila begged for everything we did to her during the Initiation. The more pain we inflicted, the harder she came.” His anger rose at her softly-spoken words. She and two other now-banished Warriors had scarred Leila for life—physically and emotionally. Through a re-initiation, he and three male Warriors had helped Leila cope and partially heal. But the damage could never be completely erased. Was her threat really about revenge for her banishment from the Lair? He doubted it. Seemed to him that something bigger was going on. Revenge, enough reason for most, was too simple a motive for Rave. For murder. She much preferred to torture her enemies. Killing someone because it suited her own nefarious, long-range purposes though, he believed she’d do that without a second thought. Once he mastered his new power, he’d be able to protect himself in case she got any ideas about coming after him. Until then, he’d be extra careful around her. Hand-tohand he could probably defeat her but he’d feel better if he had a weapon. She certainly carried one. Probably more than one. Other dangers existed too, that he might need a weapon for, besides just Rave. He’d keep his eye out for an inducer. He’d rather find a disruptor, but that wasn’t likely. And an inducer was smaller, easier to hide. He felt a bit more secure now however, for Rave had provided him with a useful piece of information. A re-initiation didn’t always work. Otherwise, she wouldn’t suspect him of not turning to serve Daegal. Since he didn’t seem any different, he probably wasn’t. He wondered when they’d test him, besides just checking out the codes he’d given them, to see if he was actually on their side. “Make your choice.” Rave pointed toward the cages. His gaze moved over the naked and half-naked women. Not minions, thank goodness. All the women looked basically the same though. Pathetic.

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A few strolled close to the cage bars, trying to entice him by fondling their breasts and tweaking their nipples. A few of the naked ones fingered their cunts. They seemed even more pathetic. Eager to serve any Agent who appeared. Too eager in his opinion. “A large selection,” Rave responded. “How is a slave ranking given?” he forced out painfully, his voice barely audible, but he wanted to know. “From birth?” “Sometimes, if born to a slave, and the father is an Agent who won’t claim the child. Others are captured Warriors who failed to turn for a variety of reasons, or who Daegal felt it served no purpose to try to turn. Others are traitors or are being punished for some offense. Hard to pick just one out of so many, isn’t it?” Yes. But not for the reasons she obviously thought. He didn’t see any male slaves. Perhaps they housed them separately. That would make sense. No fraternizing that way—at least not with the opposite sex. He noticed two females, in the corner of one cage, engaged in a heated lip-lock, tongues mingling. One aggressively fingered the other’s pussy, seemingly unaware of their presence. Or maybe they purposely put on the show to attract attention, hoping to be selected. He dragged his gaze away before his cock decided to stand at attention. A thin woman with dark hair, huddling in another corner, caught his eye. Too skinny for her own good. Didn’t they feed these women? His sensor vibrated. Damn. Was it possible? His pulse began to race. He focused his abilities on her, while checking his wrist sensor. Sadness. Loneliness. Fear—though she tried to hide that particular emotion the most. And something else…yes, a definite vibration! He’d found her. “Who shall it be, Kam?” Rave asked. Compassion filled his heart. Excitement quickly took over from there. Laszlo had been right all along. An odd connection existed between the Lair and the Dome—Laszlo and Daegal. And the people who served them both. Bits and pieces were fitting together for him, as he slowly discovered more information. When the entire truth came out, he feared the repercussions, not only for him, but for those he loved, too. He pointed to the woman. Speaking was still just too painful. He didn’t want to try it again for several hours. By then, the self-healing ability of Warriors and Agents who’d gone through all three Initiation steps kicked in. An image of his face buried between the camel-minion’s legs, lapping at her pussy, entered his head—their self-healing transference step. She’d tasted great, but now, thinking back, he shuddered at how eagerly he’d licked the creature’s cunt. Still, his cock stirred. Now, he eagerly looked forward to tasting the pussy of his soon-to-be slave. “Ah.” Rave laughed. “How appropriate. Seeking a little sexual revenge, Kam? Sounds like fun. Halah! Come forward.”

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Perfect. Rave assumed them enemies because of what had happened on Marid. She might even have led him to this cage on purpose just to see if he would choose Halah. Of course, Halah might think them enemies, too. He’d need to quickly convince her otherwise. Since his arrival, he’d been keeping an eye out for her. He wondered at the coincidence of finding her so easily, compared to what he’d thought he would need to go through. She could have been anywhere on the moon. Somehow, Laszlo had known she’d be close. Had he set her up to be captured, so she’d be in a position where she had no choice but to agree to help them in order to regain her freedom? He considered that a definite possibility. However it happened, he felt a great sense of relief. Now Xylon could be saved. Halah’s chest tightened when she heard her name called. She recognized the voice—Rave. And the woman wasn’t alone, damn it. An Agent stood with her. Would she be forced to serve him? She raised her head a little and looked at him out of the corner of her eye, feigning disinterest. No! It couldn’t be. Her head snapped all the way up and she froze, immediately recognizing Kam. What the fuck was going on? The man was a Warrior, not an Agent. He must have turned in order to serve Daegal. Disappointment rolled through her. Not a logical emotion, because she shouldn’t care where he put his alliance, but those were her feelings. Maybe that’s why her visions of him had been so aggressive. Maybe they weren’t breeder-mate visions, as she’d briefly thought before dismissing the possibility, but a sort of warning of the future. She itched to question him, but knew if she did, punishment would follow. Instead, she was forced to interpret what she saw and heard. At least until they were alone. From the look in Kam’s eyes, she suspected she was in trouble. For a moment, she’d thought she saw hope reflected, but that was just an illusion, for all she really saw was sternness on his face—a tight jaw, lips pressed firmly together, a hard stare. Slowly, she pushed to her feet, knowing what was expected of her. She probably wouldn’t be able to hide her feelings from him, not with the collar on. Her power wasn’t great enough anymore to cause the necessary electrical interference. She knew he possessed natural abilities, as she did with her power. She just didn’t know how strong those abilities were. A small smile suddenly appeared on his face, as if he were enjoying her discomfort. She didn’t doubt it. Rave opened the cage, stalked in, and pulled her toward him. She didn’t resist. She knew better than to fight over something so minor, especially with a Pain Master. Besides, no matter the look on Kam’s face—harsh or not—he was her only hope of getting out of here in one piece. If he chose her as his sex slave, she wouldn’t protest. “Kam has an interest in you, Halah. I’m sure you recognize him.” 63

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Very funny. Rave was well-aware of their past. When Kam simply stared at her, she cocked her head, studying him. He didn’t speak. He didn’t move. Without warning, Rave jerked the top off her shoulders and pulled it down to her waist. Halah held back a gasp of outrage. Her hand balled into a fist. It took all of her control to just stand there and not react. “Have a look, Kam. She has fairly decent tits, with plump nipples good for sucking. Though I haven’t had the pleasure personally…yet.” Disgust and revulsion filled Halah. If Rave ever tried to suckle her, the Pain Master would have a fight on her hands. She would only take so much. Halah didn’t care if she ended up beaten to a pulp. Although, if the fight were fair, she knew she far outclassed Rave in defensive skills. Standing half-naked in front of the two, she refused to lower her gaze and act victimized. Let Kam look. She didn’t care about him. She couldn’t afford to let herself care about anyone anymore—just Josella. Everyone else had betrayed her at some point in her life. And Kam had been no exception. She’d use him for her own purposes, if she could, but that’s as far as it would ever go. His gaze dropped to her exposed breasts. He continued to stare, and Halah felt a blush creep up her neck. Damn it! She never blushed. Why now, with this man? After every indignity she’d been through, she couldn’t believe her body’s reaction. “See her flush? She loves you looking. What a whore.” Halah saw Kam’s jaw tense. No smile remained on his face. “Test her tits out,” Rave encouraged. “See if they please you.” As he reached for her breasts, Halah held her breath. She expected him to grab and squeeze, like everyone else did—even Rave on more than one occasion—but his hands touched her gently, and felt so warm, so caressing. He surprised her by not touching her nipples. Normally, the first thing a guard or Egesa did was tweak a slave’s nipples. She’d seen it happen, over and over again. When she let out the breath she’d been holding, he looked up, and his gaze locked with hers. Compassion? No. She must be imagining things. Or seeing what she wanted to see. “Do you want a look at her cunt? I’ll let you take a few licks, if you want. She’d probably love the attention. She hasn’t been serviced here yet, from what I understand.” He cut his eyes toward Rave. With a sharp look at her, he shook his head. “No?” Rave laughed. “Well, I can’t really say that I’m surprised. You’re so soft, Kam. Sexually and every other way.” Halah sucked in a sharp breath. She watched Kam fume. It surprised her when he said nothing. No Warrior would take such an insult without retaliating. He really had turned. “So do you want her or not? I’ve got pain to dispense, balls to bust, asses to whip, fun to have. Make up your mind.” 64

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Anger flared brightly in his eyes. Still he didn’t speak. Earlier, Halah had noticed the patch on his throat. Obviously an injury. That’s why he hadn’t spoken yet, no doubt. He gently tugged her top back into place. “How sweet.” Rave’s voice dripped with sarcasm. “Bitch,” Halah whispered under her breath. She would love to see Rave get her butt kicked. If she ever got this collar off… “What was that, Halah?” Rave raised her hand to deliver a slap. Kam intercepted, blocking the blow. He thumped his chest, and his eyes bored into Rave’s angry stare. Halah tensed. If she’d fought back, she would have been killed for her defiance. If not by Rave, then by one of the guards standing nearby. As an Agent, Kam would not be punished. “All right. Fine,” Rave answered, lowering her hand. “She’s yours. Take her. But don’t trust her. Unless you discipline her severely, she’ll defy you at every turn. Oh, and just another small piece of advice, Kam. Don’t let her turn you even softer than you already are. If you try to help her escape, that collar will kill her as soon as she reaches ground level.”

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Chapter Six Lair of Xylon

Brianna burst into Command Center, her security team on her heels. “I’m here!” The door whooshed closed behind her. “Send all current reports to my terminal. I need full updates immediately.” She rushed to her command post, sliding into the only cushy seat among the other metal chairs in front of a line of monitors and computer panels. While she logged in and brought up her data feeds and charts, her lead security officer stood at attention beside her. The other two security officers stationed themselves on either side of the entry. “Good to see you,” Tara greeted. “We’re at Code Red.” “I know that.” “Six minutes until the Council meeting,” Torque informed her. Well, they would just have to wait for her. She had other things to do first. She keyed in a few commands at her station to organize the incoming data into a readable format. “We have an Egesa breach of the Lair. Update all underground security patrols when functionality allows.” “What?” both Tara and Torque responded, disbelief in their voices, as if they never really expected the Lair to be infiltrated by the creatures. Even though they knew a possible Egesa had registered on her tracker earlier. “Visually confirmed?” Torque asked. “Yes, visually confirmed by my team. While trying to get me free, they located a male Egesa near the Initiation Chambers. He’s locked up in holding now. Shut down all nonessential floors and lifts. Nonessential personnel are to be confined to quarters. Make sure all security personnel have handheld trackers. Where there’s one Egesa, there’s more. Be sure security keeps watch for Agents, too. They’ll be harder to spot. Have security teams check out anyone they don’t personally recognize, no matter how they’re dressed or their supposed rank. If you can’t get the message through on the emergency vid-cell channel, transmit the orders by code to the main security terminal screen. When teams start checking in, they’ll see it.” “Brianna, ground lasers just came online,” Torque reported, renewed excitement in his voice. Great. Now they had some firepower. “Start taking out Egesa foot troops, a flank at a time.” Her heart pounded from the adrenaline rushing through her body. “Send the kill reports directly to my terminal. Do not inform the Council of our losses.” If they knew how low their forces really were, they’d try to override her command decisions.

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“Engaging lasers.” Torque fired as ordered. Brianna watched as the weapons information popped up on her screens. “Tara, lock our computers down. I don’t want the Council to have access to any data right now. Command Center access only.” “They’re going to balk at that.” “Tell them it’s a malfunction. I just hope they haven’t properly interpreted the data accessible to them up to now.” “Marid fighters are moving into range,” Torque reported. “All right. Via console command, send coordinates to stagger our fighters into three space formations. Place one formation just outside our outer boundaries, one outside our inner boundaries, and the last formation in the upper atmosphere. As enemy fighters move within those ranges, have our pilots systematically take the fighters out.” If Xylon was defeated, it wouldn’t be without a fight. She had no intention of just rolling over and letting Daegal fuck them up the ass…so to speak. “What’s the status of our long-range communications?” “Not dependable,” Tara let her know, sounding quite unhappy about the situation. As she flipped some switches, she grumbled something under her breath. “Only codes are transmitting unhindered. Voice channels are filled with static and wave interference.” “Use my call numbers to send coordinates to the lead fighters protecting Tamara and Sunevia. I want them to reposition their squadrons to come up behind the Marid fighters and cut them off. Once voice communication is reestablished, contact our longrange patrol ships doing data collection outside the planetary system and send them to Tamara and Sunevia for support.” “They’re not outfitted fighters,” Torque interjected. “I know, but they’ll be armed for at least minimal defense. What’s the status on the life-support problem?” “Fully functional again,” Tara answered. “But a variety of systems—everything from food processing to docking system controls—keep going in and out.” Damn it. Daegal was trying to drain their resources and distract them. “Haven’t our codes been updated yet? Give me status.” “I’m working on changing them, but it’s slow going,” Torque told her. “We’re dealing with so many malfunctions that I can’t keep up with all of them.” “The recode priorities are life support, Command Center, weapons, engineering, and med-lab in that order. Work outward from there.” “Taking care of it,” Torque replied. “It’s still going to take time.” “Any word on our recently missing Warriors, Tara?” “None.”

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Brianna adjusted the collar on her uniform, unfastening the top button, so she could move and breathe easier. She’d feel much better if Braden or Erik were here right now. They had much more experience in battle situations. But then, so did Torque. She looked over at her brother. He must have sensed her stare, for he glanced her way and winked. That one small acknowledgement eased some of her tension. She had no doubt if Torque felt she wasn’t doing a good job, he’d try to take over— authorized or not. And Tara would back him up, even if Brianna objected to his interference. Of course, her security team would back her up. She just hoped that sort of situation, one of them against the other, never arose. “Any progress on stabilizing short-range communications?” she asked her sister. Tara checked her panels, then shook her head. “Sorry. Still out for the most part.” “We need our communications stabilized. Change our signal networking system. Bounce our voice communication waves off the research satellite orbiting the Ice Moon. Reposition the grid if necessary to accommodate.” “It’ll jam up. That satellite can’t handle our command frequencies. I’ll need to reconfigure. The grid was constructed for top-secret, scientific communication exchanges only through very high wave channels. If I alter its angle, the system will probably only work on an intermittent basis.” “Will it be better than what we have now?” “We’re at thirty-five percent functionality right now. The IM satellite will boost that to sixty percent, if I can get everything configured correctly.” “Then do it. Priority, short-range messaging only. Match our frequency for compatibility. Adjust all vid-cells and Command Center comm links through the main computer to transmit and receive properly in conjunction with the new settings. Vidcells for Class 1 and Class 2 Warriors only.” Torque turned to look at her. She didn’t flinch. Her command automatically left Tara out of the loop. She hadn’t done it on purpose, but she couldn’t overload the circuits with Lair-wide access, and she needed to remain in contact with her top Warriors. No way existed to clear the vid-lines for only one specific officer. Tara simply nodded and went back to her controls. Torque looked as if he wanted to say something. But he remained silent, then turned and continued working. Brianna felt grateful for their support. They needed to work as a team or the Lair and Xylon were doomed. A light on her panel blinked and a beep sounded. “Council is summoning me.” She slid out of her seat. “I’m on my way. My security team will accompany. Torque, you will take commands only from me. Understood?” Meaning, if something went wrong, he was to take over any way he could. Not follow orders from the ranking Council member. She trusted her brother to carry out her wishes, even before he responded. “Understood, Brianna.”

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***** Dome of Marid Daegal sat in his command chair, feeling weak. Damn it. He needed another shot already. The stimulant he was taking for his weakness and pain seemed to last less and less time between each injection. Time was running out. They needed to take out Xylon quickly, then without the Warriors around to interfere, he could move on to their primary target. More power. The thought made him tingle. But this was about so much more than just obtaining power. This was about survival. He beeped his personal Healer, while the Top Commander stood in front of him, giving his report. The man tugged at his full facemask. Little good it would do him. After all these years, the mask had adhered to his face and couldn’t be adjusted enough to bother. He didn’t envy the man for his trials. “How many Egesa are on the inside?” “Just a handful, so far, that we know of. We’re having a few equipment problems. Our interference with their systems is affecting our transmitters for some reason. We’ll get it worked out. I’ve got several crews looking at the complication.” “Other than that, everything is moving along smoothly?” He expected a positive report. Nothing else was acceptable. “Not quite.” The fingers of his right hand clenched into a fist. “Meaning?” He didn’t like complications, and from the worried look in the Top Commander’s eyes, he knew he was about to hear more bad news. “They’ve changed security measures. The Lair is locked down tight. We might not be able to get additional troops inside. Their in-flight fighters are moving into a better defensive position. And they’ve started taking out our foot patrols with ground lasers. We’re trying to disengage the lasers, but I think the codes have been changed. Also we think they’ve reestablished some communication ability. Either that or they’re strictly using codes to contact their fighters and troops. Generally codes are not as effective as voice, because only so many permutations exist, but they’re dealing with the restriction well.” Daegal sat up straighter in his seat. “Change of command?” “Feels like it to me.” Damn, had his sources been wrong? Was Erik, or maybe even Braden, back down in the Lair? Perhaps Torque had taken over or another Class 1. He’d expected the Xylon Council’s ranking member to be in command by now. An easy take-down. But it had to be a Warrior of some skill. “Find out who’s issuing the orders. Pull their records and get the information to me fast.” A buzz from the front of the room interrupted their conversation. “Come,” Daegal ordered. 69

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The door slid open. Marid’s ranking Healer stuck his head in. “I brought the stimulant for you whenever you’re ready.” Daegal motioned him inside. He glanced at the Top Commander. “Do you need a shot?” “No, I’m fine. I’ll find out that information for you.” “You do that.” His anger simmered as he watched the Top Commander leave. The man should be suffering, too. The fact that the Commander wasn’t frustrated the hell out of him. Petty, considering all the other problems the man had to deal with, but still… He looked at the Healer. “Hurry up. Let’s get this over with.”

***** Lair of Xylon Briggs doubled over in pain. Holding his stomach, he moaned loudly. Come on, come on. He knew they were monitoring him. Certainly they’d check his status when they noticed him in distress. A moment later, the two female Warriors from earlier rushed into the Initiation Chamber, concern in their eyes. From his bent position, he watched them as best he could without being obvious about it. He heard the door slide closed, locking them in together. “What’s wrong?” one of them asked. They both leaned over him, trying to help him sit on the bed. He was happy to see females were females, no matter the planet. Their concern would be their downfall. He jerked up, catching one under the chin with his head. She fell like a rock. He punched the other in the jaw, sending her to the floor, to lie unconscious next to the other one. “Sorry, ladies, but I had no choice. I have to get out of here.” Taking out women always rubbed him the wrong way. But he had a job to do. And he hadn’t killed them, nor would he. Murder wasn’t necessary, no matter what his superiors had told him about complications and how to handle anyone who got in the way of this mission. He searched them for weapons. “Nothing. Shit.” He needed to find some sort of protection. Without a weapon, he remained too vulnerable and probably wouldn’t last long. At least they’d given him back his flight suit and boots. Cautiously peering through the observation portal, he approached the door panel. He looked for the button he’d seen Brianna and the others press. There! He pushed in on the large green disc. The panel slid open. The sound he’d once thought so soft, now seemed exceedingly loud to his ears and he cringed. He glanced out, peeking around the panel frame. No alarm. Nobody came running. He looked both ways in the deserted corridor. One way ended after a few yards. In the

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other direction, from his vantage point, he could see the lengthy corridor, but not how far the corridor went. That’s the way he’d go. Slowly, he moved out of the room and through the area, staying close to the wall. He glanced into rooms as he passed. More chambers. All devoid of people. Other rooms he didn’t know the function of, but which held equipment and supplies, appeared empty too, except for one, where a lone woman worked at a computer station. He slipped by her, unnoticed. He looked in the unlocked rooms he passed, but didn’t find anything that resembled a weapon. Stopping at the end of the corridor, he studied the panel in front of him. “Damn!” he cursed, his voice low. “Blocked.” No wait. On the far side, the panel stood open a few inches. He strode over and peeked through. Nobody. He tried to squeeze through, but he was too big. Damn it. Backtracking, he looked for a different way out. Nothing. Not even a ladder up or down to another deck. He returned to the panel. He needed leverage. He pulled a long, narrow but firm piece of metal through the opening. It looked like a piece cut from the other side. This must be where Brianna’s team had broken through. He wedged the metal into the opening and worked to get the panel separated a few more inches. He wouldn’t need much to get free.

***** Brianna and her team stood outside one of the lifts still in service, waiting for the doors to open. “If there’s trouble with the Council, I can count on all of you to back me up, right?” She glanced from man to man, her tension easing when each one of them nodded without hesitation. “We’re behind you, Brianna,” her lead officer acknowledged. “We have no intention of surrendering to the Egesa. Death would be preferable.” Brianna agreed. And only victory would save them from that death. She suspected Daegal planned to enslave non-threatening Xylons only, and kill any Warriors or Breeders. Trying to turn that many would be too difficult. She hadn’t voiced her thoughts though, not wanting to add to the current tension. She felt grateful for the support of her team. All Class 1 Command Warriors had a private security team, but they were only put into service during a Code Orange or higher to help protect the lives of the Command Officers. She, Laszlo, Braden, Erik, and at one time, Torque, all had teams. Tara did not, however. Even though she was a Class 1 and in charge of security, she hadn’t yet made command status. Generally, no more than a handful of Warriors held command ranking. She felt bad for her sister. Tara was a skilled Warrior, but through a series of bad decisions, a hot temper, and her independent nature, she hadn’t conformed enough to earn the ranking. When she got into a state, her sister could be even more rebellious than Torque.

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A commotion drew Brianna’s attention down the corridor. Her spine stiffened. A problem had arisen, and it was headed their way. Her heart picked up its pace, and the hair stood up on the back of her neck. “Weapons,” she ordered her team. Two male techs ran around the corner toward them. “Egesa troops coming!” they warned as they rushed past. Brianna and her team engaged their disruptors just as three Egesa rounded the corner. One of her men was immediately hit by laser fire and fell. She dropped to her knees beside him, firing back. Her lead officer dropped one of the Egesa before taking a hit to the shoulder. Brianna caught another Egesa in the eye with a well-placed shot. The creature screamed and toppled over. Her third team member killed the last Egesa with a precision shot to the stomach. She glanced over at the man. “Good aim. Take these two to med-lab.” Though she couldn’t accompany them, she wanted her men taken care of. “You can’t go unescorted.” “I’ll be fine.” The lift door opened, and she hurried inside. “Go!” The door slid closed on Lift 6, and she punched the button for the Council members’ deck. She snatched the vid-cell off her belt. “Command, can you read me?” “Go ahead, Brianna,” Torque said. “Communications is working.” “We just killed three Egesa on the Command floor. Two of my men are injured, but alive, and are on their way to the med-lab, accompanied by my third man. Sound a lockdown, breach alert for this floor. Seal the center and arm yourselves. I’m headed for the Council Chambers.” “Affirmative. Do you need replacement security?” “No. I need you to get the transport-connectors working, Torque. That’s top priority. We’re going to need better and faster mobility than foot power, especially if the Egesa have working connectors of their own down here.” “I’m on it.” “What the hell?” The lift was going down to the Initiation Chambers, not up to the Council Chambers. She hooked her vid-cell back onto her belt. “Now what’s going on?” Her grip tightened around the disruptor in her hand. The doors opened, and she froze. Briggs stood in the corridor, looking just as shocked as she did. Unfortunately, he recovered first. He rushed her, ramming her into the back wall of the lift. “Ugh!” She hit her head and saw stars. He grabbed her wrist and smashed her hand up against the wall, until she dropped the disruptor. He kicked it away, and the weapon skittered out into the corridor. Damn you, Briggs. As the doors of the lift slid closed, she kneed him in the crotch. Not a direct blow, but still he doubled over, and she heard the breath whoosh out of him. When she tried

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to skirt past him toward the control panel to reopen the doors, he grabbed her around the waist. They both toppled to the floor with a grunt. He tried to get her on her stomach, but she elbowed him in the ribs. “Ow. Calm down,” he told her. “Let go of me!” How had he gotten out of the Initiation Chambers? This man would be her downfall yet. He possessed more skills than she’d given him credit for. He grabbed her arms, pinned her on her back, and straddled her. His grip tightened painfully. “Truce. All right?” No way was she going to be taken down by an Earth man. Or agree to some truce, after he’d attacked her. “You’re hurting me,” she told him, softening her voice and adding a small pout for good measure. A frown crossed his face, and he loosened his grip. “Sorry.” Achieving the desired effect, she almost smiled. Once he eased his hold, she pulled one arm loose and reached for his crotch. She intended to inflict some major damage. Quick as a forest snake, he struck back, slapping her hand away. “Don’t try it.” “Ow! Fuck you, Briggs!” “Sounds good. Maybe later.” He once again held her securely. “Now, calm down. I don’t really want to hurt you. But you have to cooperate.” He glanced around the lift. What was he doing? Looking for the controls maybe. That’s what she would do in a strange environment. “Prove it. Get off me!” His grip felt like iron. He hesitated a moment, then stood, pulling her up with him. His move surprised her. She hadn’t actually expected him to comply. She decided to play this more carefully. In such a small space, his brute strength would be enough to overpower her defensive skills. She had to use her brain. Outthink him. When she didn’t fight and relaxed her body, he pushed her into the far corner. “Stay right there, and I won’t hurt you. This is Lift 6, right?” What the hell did that have to do with anything? She rubbed her arms, where he’d held her. “Is that right, Brianna?” he shouted. “Yes!” She fingered the emergency button on her vid-cell, hoping it worked. He kept saying he wouldn’t hurt her, but no way did she trust him. He’d rammed her up against the wall, after all. That had hurt her. Her head and hand still throbbed. Briggs took out a tool from his uniform. Brianna’s attention piqued. Why had he been allowed to keep that, damn it? Or had he found the tool in the Lair? She didn’t recognize it, but that didn’t prove it wasn’t Xylon-specific. He studied the controls on the wall. Keeping one eye on her, he unscrewed the service panel and opened it up. He reached inside and pulled out a transport-connector.

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Brianna’s heart pounded. Even from her position, she could see the device was functional. What was it doing in there? How was that connector working with the system down? And how did an Earth man know about its location? She glanced down at her own transport-connector and saw a green light. Torque couldn’t possibly have fixed the system yet. Her connector must be draining power from his, because of their proximity. Regardless of his file, doubts about him being from Earth struck her. He must be an Agent. A spy from Marid. That made more sense. And the transport-connector must be of Marid origin, not from Xylon, for the device to be working. The lift jerked, drawing their attention. Brianna glanced at the location display. The lift had started back up after Briggs got on. They’d risen almost to the Council Chambers. As she reached for her transport-connector to materialize out while the device was working, the lift jerked again, stopped, then plummeted downward, throwing both her and Briggs to the floor.

***** “We’ve got a lift in free fall on Level Eight,” Tara announced. “And all ventilation is shutting down throughout the Lair again.” She glanced at Torque. “I thought you recoded that system?” “I did. But just the primaries. They must be accessing through the secondary circuits. Damn Egesa. I’ll recode those, too.” He hoped the backup ventilation would kick on without any problems, like it had before. “Anyone in the lift?” he asked as he began recoding. The emergency system should stop the fall. “Checking. No vid-screen is installed. Sensors do detect body heat. Two people. But… Hmm.” He turned in his seat. “What?” “The system is registering one Xylon presence in the lift, but the other person has different genetics. I can’t get a stable reading.” “Egesa?” “No. More like—wait. I’m receiving an emergency vid-cell signal from that location.” He stood and walked over to her station. “Who is it? Identify the Warrior.” She typed in a few commands. “Shit! The database has either been frozen or knocked completely out. I can’t access to cross-check the ID numbers.” Torque leaned over to read her screen, resting his hand on the console beside her. “What’s going on? Why hasn’t the emergency backup system taken over and stopped the lift?” “Malfunctioning, like every other damn system!” “Override the system by hand. Stop the free fall.”

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“Can’t.” “Emergency materialization procedures. Get those people out of there.” “Remote codes aren’t working.” Damn it! At every turn, Daegal had their balls by the short hairs. The man was probably enjoying every second of Xylon’s downfall, too. “Let me in there. I’ll change the codes.” “It’ll take too much time, Torque.” He knew she was right. He just didn’t want to admit it. “Can the people survive when the lift hits?” He couldn’t accept losing anyone else. “No way. The lift is accelerating through the fall. The crash will be too severe from a Level Eight starting height.” Torque’s mind rushed for an idea. His gaze shifted, and he blinked. “Wait.” He tapped the monitor, then straightened. “What happened? The emergency signal went out. Another malfunction?” Tara checked her data panel. “The readings are offline. I think. No, wait. That’s not it. I can’t…” She switched screens. “The people…are gone.” She glanced up at him. “Must have been a system malfunction on reading body heat.” “Are you sure? Maybe the system is malfunctioning now. Reading body heat plus an emergency signal at the same time would be too much of a malfunction.” He shook his head, worried about not being able to trust their readings. That put them in a dangerous situation, all the way around. Not just with the lift. “The lift is definitely empty. No increased weight is showing. Transport-connectors aren’t working, so if anyone was in there, they couldn’t have gotten out. It had to be a malfunction. Ghost readings from an earlier occupant maybe. Rare, but not unheard of. The emergency signal might have been…I don’t know. Perhaps someone accidentally dropped their vid-cell down the shaft during the free fall and the device landed on the lift, activating the emergency signal temporarily until the device ran out of power.” Torque felt a tug of uneasiness. Tara’s speculation could be correct, but if so, what a long shot. “There it goes,” she announced, interrupting his thoughts. “Lift just hit bottom. Oh…” She cringed. “Totally destroyed.” “Get a crew on it to search the wreckage. I want to make certain no bodies are in there.” He had to know without a doubt. “Put another crew on the ventilation problem. I’m going to recode from here, but I want a tech to connect a feed, bypassing the old control channels, and then switch the system back on manually. It’ll function on an independent circuit that way, and be less vulnerable to computer sabotage. Get me a report on all current malfunctions. I need a priority listing.” He had to put a stop to this havoc. Now. “Right away,” Tara responded, turning to get the data.

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***** Briggs and Brianna materialized into a totally white room. Brianna staggered a moment, before finding her balance. The brightness caused her to feel nauseous. Almost painful in its intensity, she covered her eyes until they adjusted to the light. Once she was able to focus better, she glanced around. No visible doors or windows. Where the hell were they? She turned toward the Colonel and cocked her head. She attributed all this to him. Damn the man! Just looking at Briggs—her source of pain and aggravation—brought her rage right to the surface. Seldom did she visibly lose her temper. Today proved the exception. Without a word of warning, she punched him in the jaw, sending him to the floor. “I loathe you, Briggs.” She shook out her hand and winced. The man’s bones were like stone. “Ohh…shit,” he groaned. Rubbing his chin, he pushed himself to a sitting position. Discomfort was etched on his face. Squinting up at her, he grumbled, “I love you too, sweetheart.” With a quick snort, she glared at him, wanting to smack him another good one, except her hand hurt too much. “I’m an officer. Don’t call me sweetheart.” Frustrated, she walked around the room. “Hey! Who brought us here?” she yelled. The all-white surroundings were disorienting, and the unbalanced feeling she’d experienced earlier returned full force. She held her stomach, trying not to succumb to the room’s distorted feeling. Completely empty, with only white walls, floor, and ceiling, the room felt unnatural. Everything blended into one. “Answer me!” “I’m sure they know we’re here,” Briggs told her, his voice calm. She swung back toward him. “Who’s they?” “Whoever.” Her anger building, she took a step in his direction, but then stopped short. “What’s your role in all this?” Slowly, he rose to his feet. “Can’t tell you.” “Why aren’t I surprised?” Aggravated was an understatement for how she felt about this man. Unsure whether he intended to retaliate for the punch or not, she kept her distance. “You’ve got a hell of a right hook. Caught me totally off guard. Again.” A frown crossed his face, as he rubbed his jaw. Well, maybe he’d finally learned not to mess with her. She’d proven her skills to him now, more than once. “Just because I’m a female doesn’t mean I can’t take care of myself.” “So it seems.”

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She checked her transport-connector. Offline. She glanced at her vid-cell. No clear channels. Only interference registered. Damn, she needed to get in contact with Torque and let him know what was going on. “Let me see your transport-connector.” “My what?” “That thing you took out of the control panel on the lift.” If he were a Marid spy, he’d know what the device was called. But an Earth man wouldn’t. “I think not, darlin’.” Frustration, on multiple levels, rolled through her. She planted her hands on her hips. “Don’t you want to get out of here?” “I was told to wait.” “Told? Who told you?” “My superiors. I’m sure you understand the concept of following orders.” His words made her bristle. “I should have fucked the hell out of you when I had the chance. Then you wouldn’t have had enough energy to escape and take me from my command.” As soon as the words flowed from her mouth, she regretted them, knowing he wouldn’t let them pass without comment. A smile tugged at his lips. “Sorry about bringing you here with me. That wasn’t the plan.” His voice lowered. “And even sorrier we had to put the fuck on hold. I’m sure you’ll get another chance to wear me out. In fact, I’m looking forward to it, Brianna.” The deep tone of his voice turned her bones so soft she felt as if her insides were melting. And the way he said her name, sounding all passionate and needy, almost had her moaning out her desire. Her pussy moistened and began to throb. He wanted to fuck her. Unfortunately, she felt the same about him. That didn’t mean she intended to act on her feelings though. She forced her thoughts away from the memory of his naked body, his hot kisses, the taste of his cock in her mouth, the way his hand had tangled in her hair, holding her close. “How long were you supposed to wait?” she asked, her voice shaking only slightly. She doubted he would notice. A small smile again appeared on his lips. “Unspecified.” He had noticed. She could tell from that aggravating smirk and the look in his eyes. “Well, what the hell are we supposed to do? Walk in circles until someone comes to get us?” Her voice sounded harsher than intended. She needed to rein in her emotions and calm down. She was beginning to lose her normal composure. Hell, she’d already lost it. Now she knew how Tara felt when in a rage. But she remained determined not to let her feelings show. Not too much, anyhow. A wide grin spread slowly across his face. “Well, if you really want to pass the time, I can think of more interesting activities than walking, Brianna.” He approached her, one small step at a time.

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She backed up, step for step. “Yes,” she answered breathlessly, the path of his thoughts obvious, the bulge between his legs just as obvious. “I’m sure you can, Briggs.” “Maybe that chance I spoke of earlier is now.” He pressed her up against a wall and leaned in close. “Wanna fuck me?” he whispered in her ear. “I certainly want to fuck you, baby.” She hated all those endearments he always used with her. They sounded too condescending in her opinion. She was certain he was well-trained in how to speak to a female officer, especially a superior, which made his words even more irritable. “You’ve left yourself vulnerable to attack, Colonel. Again,” she told him, knowing she could floor him right now, if she wanted to, from his non-defensive position. “Perhaps.” He slowly reached out and opened the second button on her uniform. “But somehow I think I’m safe.” His gaze dipped down to her breasts. Brianna swallowed hard. The look in his eyes seemed so primitive. And she couldn’t deny her curiosity. She’d never been with an Earth man sexually. “What makes you think so?” she whispered. His gaze rose to lock with hers. “Because I know you want this,” his voice rumbled, deep and rough in his throat. He leaned forward, and his mouth brushed hers. She gasped, pressing herself more flatly against the wall. He could read her too well. Now was definitely not the time to give in to her baser needs though, no matter how strongly she wanted to. His tongue teased the seam of her lips. “Open up for me, Brianna.” With a sigh, she reached up and stroked his cheek, parting her lips just slightly. Groaning, he closed his eyes and leaned in. “Ah, yeah.” With her other hand, just as he pressed his mouth to hers in a searing kiss, she pushed him hard, tripping him at the same time and sending him to the floor on his butt. Her lips tingled, and she almost regretted her actions. Almost. “It’s not happening, Colonel. You got that?” As he stared up at her, his eyes narrowed with obvious growing frustration. “Yeah. I got it, Ms. Commander. But just so you know…” What now? Her eyebrow rose in silent question. His leg shot out, and before she knew what was happening, he’d turned the advantage and tripped her. She tumbled on top of him. He grabbed the back of her head and kissed her hard, then pushed her away and scrambled to his feet. “I can retaliate when I choose. So be careful. You may not be as safe around me as you think.”

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Chapter Seven Sand Moon

With a harsh grunt, Kam pushed Halah into his quarters. For the benefit of the monitoring system in the corridor, he purposely made the force of his touch look more aggressive than he actually applied. He didn’t want to appear as if he was treating her too gently and arouse the suspicions of anyone watching. Although his touch wasn’t truly rough, she shot him a look of aggravation and disdain over her shoulder. Sorry. The silent apology was the best he could offer at the moment. He doubted his look translated his thoughts well enough though, since she frowned and moved ahead of him, staying out of reach. After the door slid closed behind them, his thoughts switched more fully to the problem of communication. Now that he’d found Halah, he had no idea how to relate his thoughts to her, since he couldn’t easily speak yet. He could use hand signals. She still understood the signs all Class 1 and Class 2 Warriors were taught, but at the same time he wanted to see how she’d react to him without knowing why he was here. That way he could find out just how mad at him she really was, so he’d know better how to get her on his side. Besides, he couldn’t fully relate his feelings or the mission effectively with sign language. She probably didn’t even know yet that Marid and Xylon were officially at war. He wondered what her reaction to the news would be. Which side she’d align herself with, if either. She hadn’t spoken yet. Still assessing her situation, no doubt. He noticed her looking around the room as if searching for something. He knew her concerns. Earlier, he’d checked the quarters and disengaged all the surveillance equipment he’d found. But if he’d missed anything, Frost could still be tracking them with some sort of monitoring device. If that device included video, hand signals to relate sensitive information would not be wise. Certain high-level Agents, if present on the moon and working for Frost, would be able to interpret the gestures. Any signs he used would need to be for simple communication only, and have nothing to do with the real reason he was here. Another concern hit him. If they were still being watched or listened to somehow and he didn’t fuck Halah, he’d look damn suspicious. He eyed her closely, wondering what his chances with her might be. He should have thought this through better. But he hadn’t anticipated her becoming his sex slave. He wouldn’t force his body on her.

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From the wary looks she kept giving him, he doubted she’d be ripping off her clothes and screaming, “Take me!” any time soon. So now, he faced a dilemma. More than one, actually. In frustration, he raked his fingers through his hair. Ugh! Still gritty with sand. How did the prisoners and security forces aboveground manage from day to day on this hellhole? His palms grazed his cheeks. At the feel of the still-present stubble on his face, he frowned. He was definitely a mess, through and through. And not used to feeling that way. A sharp cry drew his attention. Halah had flipped on one of the picturescapes, and a bird flew across the landscape. Kam watched her as she stood off to the side, unsure of what to do other than watch the bird, from what he could sense. A symbol of freedom for her? They both had definitely gotten pulled into a situation they’d rather not be in. Maybe he could fix things for himself, Halah, and Xylon. He took note of the time. Still too early to check in with Laszlo. The satellite had to be in the proper position before his special communication device would work. When she thought he wasn’t looking, a vulnerable look entered Halah’s eyes. Damn, he wanted her. The need hit him hard. He couldn’t get the vision of fucking her out of his head. He’d have to seduce her, if possible, for the good of the mission. For the good of his own needs, so he could again think clearly. Did that make him a bastard? Maybe. A loneliness he felt too often tugged at his heart. Ideas of family and a future filled his mind. Stupid thoughts to have here and now, he supposed. But one couldn’t always control such things. He’d pictured himself mated with some sweet woman who would love him and raise his children. He’d protect and provide for them and have a happy life. So why were thoughts of Halah constantly plaguing him? And more so than her just being some woman he wanted to fuck. She was a trained fighter. Nobody would ever label her as “sweet”. She certainly didn’t need him to protect her. She didn’t need him period. He didn’t even know if she was a Breeder. Although many Xylons, especially their women, were sterile, generally all Warriors were Breeders. But with Warriors who weren’t full Xylon, as they were, sometimes their combined genetics rendered them infertile. So many possible problems existed for two people such as themselves. No matter the visions he’d had of her, of them, they might never realistically be able to function as a mated couple. But if they could overcome their problems… A smile tugged at his lips. She was definitely tougher and savvier than most Warriors, male or female. They’d lived their lives by completely different philosophies. Still did and probably always would. But so what? He respected her abilities, admired her dedication to those she cared for, was definitely attracted to her physical assets. And he’d always loved a challenge. 80

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Damn, I’m living in fantasyland here. With a grunt of frustration, he pointed to a chair. Halah needed clothes. The pelts hanging off her looked ready to fall apart. Pelts… Until just now, he hadn’t made the connection. She wore the same outfit here as in the dream—in the visions—while aboard his orbiter. Not a likely coincidence. He swallowed past the lump in his throat. His breeder-mate… Damn. Halah needed a shower and she needed food. She had always been thin and fit, but she looked downright skinny right now. After she sat, he signed to her, asking when she’d last eaten a proper meal. She shrugged. Feeling anger, which probably showed on his face—not that he cared, nor did he try to hide the volatile emotion from her—he walked over to the food section and grabbed some bread and fruit. Slave or not, she should have been fed appropriately. He set a tray in front of her and signed for her to eat. She hesitated, but only for a moment, before attacking the food. Even as grungy as she looked, he had to appreciate the view. Long legs, flat stomach, full firm breasts that his fingers itched to fondle again. Liquid from the fruit clung to her full lips. He ached to lick it off. She glanced up at him, and her look struck him hard. Full of emotion and secrets. And questions. So why didn’t she ask them? She doesn’t trust me. He knew the truth, without even confirming it on his sensor. And that truth caused him to ache deep inside, for her big brown eyes made him want to take care of her. He shook his head. Damn his emotions. That’s probably what had gotten him into trouble the last time. Most of the information she’d helped him steal on Marid had turned out to be fake. A setup. He wondered if she was aware of that, if she had planned it or been in on the deception, at least. Should he trust her now? Or would that be his very biggest mistake? He glanced at his wrist sensor and read mixed feelings coming from her. Well, he had to trust her to a point, he supposed. He needed her weapons expertise to complete this mission. He needed…too damn much. As confusion rolled through him, he rubbed his temples. It was the pain. He couldn’t think clearly. Where was that medicine they’d promised him? Kam sighed, feeling completely wiped out. With effort, he tried to push his discomfort aside. It had been a stressful day, and he was still weak from the surgery, making him feel…off balance. Hell, since Laszlo had contacted him, told him things he’d rather not have known, his entire existence had felt off balance. After Halah finished eating, he grabbed some clean clothes for both of them from a box beside the bed, hoping they’d fit well enough. He approached her while she still sat in the overstuffed chair, her knees now bent to her chest, revealing a tantalizing peek of her pussy—unrealized by her, he was certain. He wrapped his fingers around her wrist and pulled her to her feet. 81

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She didn’t resist him. Not surprising. If she were smart, she’d realize that she was far better off with him than some other Agent. Other Agent? The thought stopped him in his tracks. Damn it, he was not an Agent. He gave himself a mental shake. He hadn’t turned. He pulled her into the bathing room and with his foot, slammed the non-electronic door closed. After tossing the clean clothes on the counter, he released her and reached into the shower to turn on the water, adjusting the temperature before pulling back. Real water—a luxury on the Sand Moon. Synthetic moisture, in the form of a fog or some other specially-treated type of humidified air, was used in most places with a short supply of water. This underground facility seemed to have plenty of the real thing. The Lair provided some water for the moon, brought in by special transports. But the Dome must be providing a large amount, also. And as often happened, those in power enjoyed most of the comforts, while the rest suffered with whatever they could scrounge up. Not that those banished to the Sand Moon were supposed to be comfortable. Still, he felt for those who suffered. Regardless of anyone else’s access to water, which he couldn’t do anything about even if he wanted, the shower should reinvigorate them both and hopefully clear his mind. He couldn’t afford distractions or muddled thinking right now. Watching Halah closely, he reached for the fastenings of his uniform. Halah’s pulse leapt. What was Kam doing? He’d brought clothes for the both of them into the bathing room. Certainly, he didn’t expect them to shower together. At that thought, she almost laughed. Of course he expected them to shower together. She had to stop thinking of him as a Warrior. He was no longer bound by Warrior code. Agents had no code. Even if they didn’t shower at the same time, he wouldn’t let this opportunity pass, she was certain. She wouldn’t be surprised if he watched her bathe, then fucked her well and good until he was sated. A plan started to form in her mind. It wasn’t like she could stop him, if he was truly determined to fuck her. Not with the collar on. Not only had her electrical powers waned, her physical strength wasn’t at full force. So she might as well turn the inevitable to her advantage. Freedom was her first priority. He’d gotten her out of the cage, which was what she’d wanted. Now she planned to escape as soon as the situation arose. She needed to get this collar off, and then find Josella. On her own terms. Not his. Not anyone’s. Unless she gained and maintained the upper hand, she’d always remain vulnerable to manipulation. As he undressed, her eyes riveted to his broad chest. He’d peeled the top part of the uniform from his body, and he looked more muscular than she’d expected. She’d seen

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his bare chest before on Marid, and been impressed, but she didn’t remember his muscles being as well-defined as they looked now. He must have gone through additional training since their last encounter. He might have been on track for a Class 1 promotion. His uniform dropped from his body. She gasped before she could stop herself. She’d seen plenty of naked men. But Kam was perfectly formed, perfectly proportioned. Strong, well-defined muscles everywhere, but not overly muscle-bound. Even his cock, limp at the moment against a thatch of dark blond hair, fit his body. She’d never quite thought a man’s cock appealing in looks—just useful when hard. Until now. So long, thick, slightly reddish, and smooth-looking. Incredibly appealing. She couldn’t help but wonder how he’d look hard and ready to fuck. She’d seen him hard plenty of times in her visions, but those hadn’t been real. As the thought entered her head, his cock stirred, began to rise, grow, lengthen, and deepen in color to a dark red before her eyes. Her gaze snapped up to his, locking with a purely-male, ultra-intense stare that reflected his growing lust. The dusting of whiskers on his face made him look so dangerous and sexy. Her pussy grew moist, and it took all her strength not to sway toward him. A smile tugged at his lips. Her heart began to pound and she felt a blush heat her face. Not again. “I’m not staring. You just surprised me. That’s all.” She refused to look down, though she desperately wanted to. “If you’re going to beat me, or rape me, or even kill me, get it over with. I’m not very much fun to torture and a lousy fuck, so don’t expect a good time. You won’t get it.” All right, not the perfect way to get him on her side, or lower his defenses, but the words just kind of spilled out of her. As she continued looking into Kam’s disturbing blue eyes, trying to figure out his intent, she had a feeling he possessed a lot more depth than he let most people see. What he decided to do next would tell her more about the man than anything else. Her words sounded tough, but she was quite nervous, sexually and otherwise. Kam sensed that very strongly. He’d bet his ass that Halah was wrong about everything she’d just said. In fact, he’d bet she was one extra hot fuck. Maybe he should find out how hot right now, the hell with the shower. He circled behind her. He could feel her holding her breath. That meant he affected her, at least on some level. He eased the tattered top from her shoulders. She turned on him. “You don’t want to hurt me.” She tugged the top back into place, covering her breasts from his gaze. “I know you don’t.” She stepped away, putting some distance between them. Skittish. Interesting. Not her normal attitude. Leaning back against the bathroom door, he crossed his arms. He glanced at his sensor. Ah… She was trying to play him. Trying anything to put him off balance. Gain an advantage. Not a bad tactic. 83

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He touched the patch on his throat. The soreness was slowly fading. He should be able to speak without pain soon. Things would be much easier then. He pointed to her clothing and made a ripping gesture to let her know he wanted them gone. “What if I don’t want to?” He could see her mind continuing to work, trying to figure him out, and figure out how to best manipulate him for her own purposes. He cocked an eyebrow, but didn’t try to speak or sign anything else. “All right. Fine.” Fine? Just like that? What was she up to now? She slowly peeled down the straps of her pelt. When a barely-there grin appeared on her lips, his heart rate kicked up. Oh, yes. She was in pure manipulation mode. He wondered just how far she’d go…how far she’d let him go. The top pelt fell from her breasts and slid down to her waist. Her tits, just as full and round as he remembered, kept his attention. Her rosy nipples stood proud, practically begging to be sucked. She shimmied, but he barely noticed the top drift down her body to the floor. His eyes were glued to her bouncing breasts. Only when her hands glided down her ribs, did his gaze follow. Her narrow waist gave her a more delicate look than he’d expected. She pushed the bottom pelt off her hips, letting it drop to her ankles. Her pussy, covered in dark hair, made him groan and want to delve inside to discover all her sexual secrets. Although each inch of bared skin made him ache to move closer, he held his ground. When she stood before him, now both of them fully naked, he realized that his cock was still working and didn’t hurt anymore—at least not the same kind of hurt. He had begun to harden earlier when she was staring at him, but now he grew fully erect and ready for action. Damn, he ached to fuck this woman. “How about we negotiate a deal?” she practically purred, giving him a look of pure sin. A smile tugged at his lips. Oh, she was good. But she needed to know who was in charge here. No room for deals or compromise existed. He signed to her—no deals. When the seductive look dropped from her face, his fingers curled around her arm, and he pulled her into the shower with him. His sensor was waterproof, so he left it on. He might need it to help read her. She squeezed into the far corner, not looking happy. Too bad. He let the warm water rush over his body. It felt good, soothing. He reached out and pulled her under the spray. “Ack! You’re drowning me.” His hands glided down her slick, nude body, as he positioned himself behind her, but not such that she’d think he was going to enter her. He wanted her to trust him. Not deal for favors. And not just because he needed her help. Her skin felt so smooth, soft and warm. His cock hardened even more.

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“I can wash myself,” she told him in a tight, no-nonsense voice. Yes. But this was more fun. He lathered his hands with body cleanser and slowly stroked the sides of her breasts, her stomach, her hips, between her legs. She stiffened. He hadn’t touched her nipples and didn’t penetrate her pussy, because he knew that’s what she expected. He glided his hands slowly along the inside of her thighs, across her ass, up her back. Then he repeated the entire cycle. Touching her, but not really touching her, was pure torture. He leaned closer, taking in her natural scent. Oh, how he’d love to lick every inch of her. Halah trembled at Kam’s touch—not from fear, but with need. And frustration. She couldn’t figure out this man. He was being too nice, for the most part. Most Agents would have fucked her by now and tossed her aside. She didn’t know what to think, unless he hadn’t really turned. She glanced over her shoulder into his eyes. Was it possible he was still loyal to Xylon? Certainly he wouldn’t have been allowed a sex slave without undergoing a re-initiation. She’d been allowed slaves on Marid. But that privilege was in exchange for Warrior information and as payment for certain jobs she’d done for Daegal in the past. Kam couldn’t have been on the moon long enough to earn such a privilege, even if he had provided some data to Frost. He was a Class 2, so he didn’t know Class 1 security data. Nor did he hold a command ranking with all its knowledge. He had to have been put through the Rite of the Dome. So why was he acting so out of character for an Agent? His cock was hard and ready, so it wasn’t as if he couldn’t. He was definitely turned on. Unfortunately, so was she. His gentle touch wasn’t something she was used to. Her body seemed to ache for it, despite what her mind was telling her. Probably just her previous visions playing havoc with her good sense. If she hadn’t fantasized about Kam, hadn’t experienced the dreams, she wouldn’t want him so much—physically. He had no effect on her emotionally. At least none that she was willing to admit. She turned in his arms. “I give up. What do you want from me?” Besides sex. Why she thought he had another agenda, she wasn’t certain. But she did. Since she didn’t know what tactic to use with him to gain the advantage she needed, she decided to try honesty, for the most part. His eyes looked right into the deepest part of who she was. He didn’t answer her question though. He simply caressed her cheek, then brushed his thumb across her lips. She sucked in a breath. He seemed to know exactly how to touch her, to look at her, to make her go weak in the knees. Or maybe it had just been so long since she’d experienced a tender touch, or even sex, that she was ultra-sensitive to everything he did. “Is this a game to you, Kam? Seduce me into being a willing sex slave and gain points for the effort. Do you and Rave have a bet going or something?” Maybe if she goaded him, she’d get her answers. A picture of him and Rave laughing together played through her mind. She cringed at the image. 85

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Still looking into her eyes, he simply shook his head. His other hand caressed her hip and the front of her thigh, moving close to her thatch of curls, but not touching her. “You’ve already cupped my pussy when you washed me. You might as well push inside.” This waiting was torture. She wished he’d just get it over with. Then she could hate him with full force and no regrets. He was going to do it eventually anyhow. He leaned close and flicked his tongue across her lips. The unexpected sensation that flooded her body at the touch of his tongue surprised her, and she almost mewled. She stopped herself just before the sound escaped. Kam stepped back and began to wash himself. That small smile again crossed his face. His large hands glided across his chest and moved slowly down his stomach. Irritation grated along Halah’s nerves. He was doing this on purpose. Trying to get her hot for him, so she’d fall into his arms. He could force her, but she’d never come to him willingly unless it were part of a bigger plan, involving escape or something to her advantage. She’d actually had just such a plan in mind, but it needed to go her way. Not his. Kam washed his body while Halah watched. Sweet fucking torture. She was determined to fight him and her attraction to him. He could feel her need for him. He hadn’t expected his desire for her to be this strong. It had been a long time since he’d wanted any particular woman so much. Despite their differences, or maybe because of them, she could be just what he needed in his life. Daegal hadn’t turned her, which was a relief. He knew how to deactivate the collar, if he could find a control room. When the mission was complete, he’d take her to her sister. Hopefully, she’d want to come back into service with the Warriors. If so they might actually be able to pursue a possible future together. If not, well, he’d face that situation if it arose. Until then, he’d do whatever it took to get her on his side, and he’d enjoy himself doing it. Unable to stop himself, his soapy fingers curled around his cock. Her gaze immediately followed. She chewed at her bottom lip as he stroked himself from base to tip and back again, repeating the motion. His heart picked up its pace as she watched him stroking himself. He could literally smell her arousal. She pressed herself back against the wall, her hands behind her back, as if she feared she might touch him if she didn’t. He couldn’t help but enjoy her reaction. Unfortunately, he shouldn’t have started this. He needed to come. Badly. That would probably not make her feel more at ease with him. So instead of climaxing like he wanted, he reached for the cold water knob to show her that he could maintain control and was trustworthy. She leaned forward, and her fingers touched his hand. “No. Finish it.”

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What? His gaze locked with hers. Now what game was she playing? He didn’t sense any deception, just desire—not emotional for the most part, he figured, but definitely physical. Her body was in need as much as his. He saw it in her eyes and the flush on her skin. She pulled her hand away and pressed herself into the corner. “Make yourself come,” she whispered. “I want to watch you, Kam.” A low groan rumbled in his throat. She reached up and massaged her breasts. When she tugged on her nipples, his hand returned to his cock. He curled his fingers around his shaft and pumped hard. With his gaze fixated on her breasts, he imagined his hands on her, his mouth, his tongue. “Turn toward me more and come closer.” His little slave liked to give orders. Fine with him. He did as she instructed. His body towered over hers. This close, he’d come all over her when he finally exploded. Her hand slid down her stomach, and his gaze followed the movement. Oh, yeah, Halah. Keep going. Finger-fuck your gorgeous cunt for me. “I want you to lick my pussy, Kam. I need to come so badly.” She spread herself open. “Will you do that for me?” Yes! The air caught in his throat. His hand dropped from his cock, and his whole system went on alert. “No. Keep stroking yourself.” He did as ordered, curling his fingers back around his shaft. When she touched his shoulder, he knelt before her. He wasn’t about to turn down this offer, no matter her reasons for allowing it. Her hands burrowed in his hair, and she pulled him forward. Oh, man. This was fucking great. Her pussy, wet and a deep pink, called to him. He leaned forward, yanking harder on his cock. So close to coming. Halah’s knee came up sharply and caught him under the chin. “Argh!” He fell to the tile. She pushed past him and fled. Idiot. His damn cock had clouded his senses. He should have checked his wrist sensor before kneeling in front of her. His chin throbbing, he pushed to his feet and took off after her. He caught her just as she reached the main door of the quarters. He tackled her to the floor. They were both wet and naked and slippery, but he managed to pin her with his body. Where she’d planned to go without any clothes, he couldn’t imagine. “Fine. Do it!” she raged. She was determined to push him right to the limit. She was practically begging to be raped. To get it over with? He checked his sensor. She still believed him a threat.

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Damn it. He jerked her up and shoved her onto the bed. He ripped a piece of material from the sheet, wrapped it around her wrists, and tied her to one of the headboard posts. Then he turned and headed back to the bathing room to turn off the water, dry off, and cool off before he did something to her that he’d later regret. Halah pulled against the ties. This was the second time Kam had managed to tie her to a bed. Only difference was this time she lay naked and without adequate power to shock him into submission. She tried to throw her leg up past her head to tap the tie with her foot. She might have enough power left to disintegrate the material, but he had her arms spread too far. She couldn’t get her leg up and out that far to the side. She tried her opposite leg, but he’d tied her so she couldn’t twist her body enough to reach it. Shit. She’d gotten too cocky, been too sure she could incapacitate Kam through sex. She hadn’t expected him to recover so quickly or easily. Her strength really must be lower than she realized. Normally, it would have been so easy to run out. On the way to his quarters, she’d already planned out her escape route and where to get clothing. Sure, the monitors would pick her up, but she’d identified a few blind spots which would at least have given her a chance. Or so she’d thought. But she’d been wrong. She must be straining from the stress and exhaustion, instead of thinking things through more thoroughly, for she was normally better than this. Minutes later, Kam reappeared in the room. Still completely naked, though no longer aroused. He held a small cloth in his hand. What did he have in mind now? He approached the bed and sat down beside her. He cupped her breasts through the cloth, drying her. His gentle touch surprised her, considering how angry he’d looked when he had tied her up. He spent longer than necessary rubbing her nipples, not stopping until they were hard, and she began to squirm. Damn man. He was doing this on purpose to arouse her. He moved the soft cloth over her ribs and down her stomach. When he covered and cupped her pussy, she tensed. She stared at his face, trying to figure out his thoughts, but his features remained a mask, devoid of emotion. His hand moved in a small circle. He pressed his finger along her slit, still with the cloth covering her. She sucked in a tight breath. Oh, yes. The touch felt better than it should. She tried to maintain an emotionally neutral face, but found it difficult. The moment his gaze intensified, she felt the shift and saw his anger or maybe it was frustration mixed with sexual tension. He tossed the cloth to the floor.

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Fear speared through her, but she refused to show it. She never showed her fear. When he rubbed his chin, a dark spot drew her attention, and she saw the bruise that had already formed. “Can you blame me?” His features didn’t change. But his hand dropped lightly to her stomach. He leaned over her and tongued her navel. Halah jerked as his tongue speared in and out, and around the tender skin. Her pussy throbbed, and her nipples hardened. “Oh!” She didn’t try to deny the pleasure, since she knew he would sense the truth about her need for him, though she did wonder about the strength of his natural abilities, after the shower incident. She really shouldn’t have been able to fool him so easily, unless he was just so sexually stimulated that he’d totally dropped his guard. Her ability to do that to him made her heart clench. He looked up at her and touched his patch. “You belong to me,” he croaked. “Relax, and this will go better.” So he did intend to fuck her. She wondered what his reaction would be if she absolutely said no. Her body wanted him. Her mind didn’t know what to do, battling between her emotions and more practical thoughts on what she could get out of him. If she could get him to untie her, then fuck him good, he’d probably fall asleep. She could get food and clothing and get out. If she wore a uniform, she could buy herself some time with the monitors. She might even go unnoticed as long as her collar remained hidden. She wondered if a uniform was stored in the box by the bed. She needed to get to one of the control rooms and deactivate the collar and then find a transport-connector. If she could get aboveground and to a prison center, she could get off this rock, then return later, if she got more information about Josella being here. Maybe she would even confront Kam later, after she was free and armed, about her sister’s whereabouts. She’d be in a better position of power then. She could turn things around and capture him. Do a trade. Him for her sister. Now that plan had possibilities. She looked up at Kam, her eyes locking with his. Her pulse raced, knowing what she needed to do. Looking forward to it on several levels. Feeling unsure on other levels. But in the end, freedom was still her ultimate goal. “Fuck me, Kam.” She said it, not as a challenge this time, but in need, so he’d know she meant it—wanted it, wanted him. His eyes widened slightly, then he groaned. He leaned over her and captured her mouth, kissing her hotly, tangling his tongue with hers, before pulling back, breathless. “Untie me, Kam. I’ll make you come so hard you won’t be able to walk.” His mouth twitched into a grin. He leaned down and whispered in her ear, his voice raspy. “You’re staying tied, Halah. I intend to fuck you so hard you won’t be able to walk.”

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Chapter Eight A pounding on the door drew Kam’s attention away from Halah. Not now. Thoughts of ignoring the interruption came as his first reaction, but it didn’t sound as if the person was going to give up any time soon. He grabbed a pair of pants from the bedside box and stepped into them. They fit a bit tightly, so he left the top fastenings open. “What about me?” Halah asked when he left her tied to the bed and stepped toward the door. With a grunt of frustration, he returned to the bed and flipped a cover over her to conceal her nakedness, then he walked back to the door. As soon as he punched the open button and the door slid aside a crack, a male Egesa pushed the panel wider and squeezed his way in, practically ripping the door off its track. “Nex-tor?” he yelled, yellow eyes wild. “Yeah,” Kam answered with difficulty, stepping back, out of the creature’s reach. Halah gasped loudly enough for him to hear her from the bed. Recognizing trouble as she obviously had, he assumed a defensive stance. He should have untied Halah, so she could protect herself if necessary. He glanced out in the corridor, but there seemed to just be the one Egesa. Still, while mostly naked and without a weapon, he and Halah were both more vulnerable than he felt comfortable with. “What do you want?” he rasped out, barely audible. The Egesa looked from him to Halah. Rage grew on his face by the moment. His yellow eyes darkened, and his bald head turned a bright red. “What do you want?” Halah asked, repeating Kam’s question for him. Louder this time. The Egesa’s hearing wasn’t as acute as theirs, though Kam would bet the creature had heard him the first time. He was just assessing the situation as he slowly moved closer to the bed. Kam kept close watch, ready to defend Halah if needed. The Egesa continued to look from Halah to him and back to her again. “He can’t talk very well right now,” she told the creature. Kam strengthened his defensive posture, so the Egesa would know he was wellprepared to fight. His fingers curled into a fist. As the creature stared at Halah, the Egesa’s long, thin tongue slithered out of his mouth. It licked its fat lips, leaving some spittle on its skin, then the tongue retracted, and his gaze switched back to Kam. What the hell did this disgusting thing want? He didn’t see any visible weapons attached to the Egesa’s belt. That made him feel better. At least they weren’t in danger 90

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of being shot, unless he’d concealed something small inside his uniform somewhere. But the creature’s claws could definitely prove deadly if they came in contact with his bare midsection or Halah’s naked skin. The claws could transfer painful poisons at the Egesa’s will. He’d need to be careful. Not all injuries could be self-healed, not if the damage became severe enough. “Mine!” the Egesa shouted, pointing to Halah, then to himself. Kam cocked an eyebrow. “What do you mean?” Halah asked, drawing their attention back to her. “I belong to him.” Her voice faltered slightly over the words and her gaze shifted from the Egesa to him. Kam liked the sound of what she’d said, but apparently the Egesa didn’t. The creature hissed. “Reserved. Mine.” Feeling confused, Kam looked from her, to the creature, then back to her. What was the Egesa talking about? “Oh, shit. I remember him now,” Halah responded. “He came down to the cages, but didn’t select anyone. He must have made his choice, but instead of an immediate release, he came back later to collect.” Kam pointed to Halah, then thumped his chest. Too bad, buddy. She’s mine now. He moved closer to the bed in a protective manner, standing between Halah and the creature, so he couldn’t get at her. The Egesa glared, then he nodded. “We fight. Winner take.” “He can’t fight you,” Halah objected, raising her voice, as if he were blocking the sound of her words, instead of just her line of vision. “He’s not well enough yet. He’s been injured…or something. Can’t you see the patch on his neck?” “No fight with neck.” Stepping closer, he stood nose to nose with Kam. His voice lowered, speaking only to him. “Fight for fuck rights to female. Now.” Kam cocked his head. This creature was beginning to irritate him. All right. Without warning, he punched the Egesa in the stomach. How’s that? “Kam!” Halah shouted. “Don’t engage him.” The Egesa stumbled back slightly, then hissed and rushed forward to attack. Sidestepping the creature, Kam tried to grab him from behind as the Egesa passed, but he missed. The Egesa fell onto the bed. Halah jerked up her legs to get away from him. Kam immediately pulled the Egesa off the mattress, before he got any ideas about grabbing her. He noticed Halah tugging on the tie around her wrists, trying to get free. As he moved closer and reached out to help her, the Egesa swung around and caught him on the side of the head with a hard blow. Kam went down on one knee. He recovered quickly and rammed his shoulder into the Egesa’s stomach. The stomach was normally the Egesa’s most vulnerable area, especially if hit with a weapon.

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The creature wailed and clubbed him on the back. Kam fell to the floor, but then rolled back up to his feet. In hand-to-hand combat, the two of them seemed pretty evenly matched. Though the Egesa weighed more, he didn’t move as agilely. The two exchanged punches to the body, neither gaining much of an advantage. Kam blocked a kick aimed at his groin. “Hey!” Halah called out. Both men turned toward her. Halah now stood before them—free, naked, and beautiful. She assumed the standard Warrior fighting position and punched the Egesa in the neck, then kicked his knee hard. He went down, but grabbed her leg and pulled her down with him. “Ugh!” She tried to tug free, while kicking at him with her other leg. Kam stomped on the back of his head, drawing his attention away from Halah, who sprang to her feet when released. The Egesa rolled and did likewise, quickly getting his feet under him. Not letting him get far, Kam punched the creature in the face with such force it whirled around. When the Egesa turned, temporarily stunned, Halah kicked him in the stomach, sending a small electrical charge with it, Kam assumed, because the Egesa froze, then jerked and fell over onto his back. “Doesn’t take much electricity to fell these guys, if you hit them just right.” She rubbed her wrists where they’d been tied. “Needed even less than I would have needed to break my bindings, if I could have zapped them. Good thing you tied a lousy knot.” Kam chuckled. Her adrenaline must have increased her strength, physically and also where her power was concerned. The knot hadn’t been that lousy. He had seen her pull loose, but tried not to let on. He hadn’t wanted to draw the Egesa’s attention to her. He’d known Halah would fight, not flee. Her Warrior training still ran deep. He was glad she’d retained enough power to effectively help him defeat the creature. Hell, she’d landed the final blow. Now that the Egesa had fallen, he watched Halah warily, not sure if she’d try to escape or turn on him again. She seemed oblivious to her nudity. Too bad he couldn’t say the same. She fingered the collar around her neck. A look of worry crept into her eyes. “Do you think they’ll kill me now?” With the touch of a button, the collar could easily cut off her air. Kam shook his head as he dragged the Egesa out the door, hoping the creature stayed unconscious for a good long while. He doubted a slave dispute as minor as this would result in a death sentence. He pulled the Egesa to the nearest lift and put him inside, then sent the lift up to the surface. Even if monitored, he was certain this wasn’t the only fight ever witnessed over a slave. Frost, and especially Rave, would probably get a laugh out of it.

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Kam pushed Halah back inside the room when he returned. She’d been peeking out the door. From curiosity or because she’d intended to run, he didn’t know. His breathing felt labored from dragging the weight of the Egesa. His adrenaline still ran high from the fight and from the sight of Halah’s nude body. His cock bulged against the tight pants he wore, making him feel uncomfortable. She glanced down and stared at his groin with a look he could only label as appreciation. He could see the excitement on her face. Most Warriors felt an increased sense of sexual awareness and need after a good fight. Even the female Warriors. Especially if victorious. When she swayed toward him, he took advantage of both their obvious desires. He pushed her up against the wall and leaned in close. “Fuck rights,” he whispered harshly in her ear. She moaned and fumbled with his pants until they fell completely open. Her fingers curled tightly around his cock. “Oh, yeah! Stroke my dick good, Halah.” Halah wanted him. Only for sex though. To satisfy her body’s needs. Nothing more. Any hunky Warrior would have sufficed. Or so she told herself. She stroked his long cock, while he squeezed her breasts, his thumbs dragging across her nipples. “Mmm.” She needed this so badly. Needed Kam. “Faster, Halah.” Her hand moved faster along his cock, as she pressed her breasts more fully against his hands. He moaned, and the look in his eyes intensified. He leaned down and sucked a hard bud into his mouth, drawing on the tight bit of flesh, until she squirmed. “Yes. Yes.” She could feel her pussy growing wet and needy. She raised one leg and wrapped it around his hip. “Fuck me!” She needed his thick cock inside her. Now. At her words, Kam pushed forward. One inch at a time, he slowly penetrated her, driving her right to the edge. “Damn, Halah. You’re tight.” “Oh…” His cock felt so big. So wide, filling her up. She loved it. Her fingernails scraped down his back, and she undulated her hips, needing him deeper. He pushed into her hard. All the way. She gasped. “Yes!” “Ah! Your cunt is holding my cock like a fucking glove.” He grabbed her wrists and held them against the wall on either side of her head. His gaze bored into hers. He dragged his cock almost all the way out of her pussy, then thrust back in.

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When he repeated the slow withdrawal, never once breaking eye contact, her whole body shook with the intensity of her need. “Fuck me! Fuck me!” She whimpered at the overwhelming ache inside her body. She needed to come. “All you want, Halah. I’ll show you just how crazy you make me feel.” He pumped his hips hard and fast, until he was pounding into her. “More!” His actions surprised her. She would never have believed that Kam would be so sexually aggressive. She loved the way he held her captive, taking what he wanted from her without hesitation. Their eye contact made everything seem so much more intense. Her orgasm hovered so close, but she still didn’t topple over. Kam leaned close to her ear, pressing the entire length of his body against hers. He grunted with each powerful thrust of his cock, occasionally swiping his tongue along her ear or the side of her neck. “You like it rough?” “Yes…do it!” She was too close to coming to deny it. With each hard thrust, her ass slammed against the wall. She pushed her hips forward, her body begging for more. Kam growled and fucked her like no man ever had, showing her no mercy. “Oh!” Her fingers curled around his hands, and her body exploded. “Oh, yes!” She squirmed against Kam, the pleasure more incredible than she’d ever expected. As if he were made just for her body. He continued thrusting right through her orgasm, until she collapsed against the wall. She’d have fallen to the floor if Kam hadn’t been inside her, holding her up. After her body relaxed, he pulled his cock out of her pussy, but kept his hands on her, holding her steady. He picked her up and carried her over to the bed. They both fell onto the mattress. She glanced down at him and frowned. “You didn’t come.” “Not yet,” he rasped out, a small grin on his face. “Maybe you can help me with that.” Once she’d caught her breath, she rolled toward him and scooted down his body. Her mouth found the tip of his cock, still coated with her cum, and she sucked him between her lips. “Ah!” His hips jerked. Loving the taste of him, she slid her mouth farther down his shaft. Her fingers lightly massaged his balls, and without a second thought she sent a small electrical charge down her fingertips to stimulate him. His hands gripped the bed covers. “Oh, fuck!” His body stiffened. She eased up on his balls, but continued sucking him, sliding her mouth down his shaft then back up to the wide tip before releasing him. “I so enjoy the taste of a good cock.” “Then lick it good. Now.”

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She glided her tongue down the thick vein on the underside of his shaft. Satisfaction filled her when he groaned her name. She pulled back, then touched her finger to the tip of his wet cock, sending a charge down his shaft. “Damn, Halah!” His whole body contracted. “Ah! What are you doing to me? That’s fucking great!” Yes, she knew. Rarely did she use her power to sexually stimulate her partner, but she wanted to give him a phenomenal experience. One he’d never forget. “I’ve never felt anything like that. My entire cock and balls felt ready to explode. I need to feel that again, Halah. I want to come in your mouth.” She smiled. He seemed to have regained his voice fairly well now. Her mouth slid over the tip of his cock, then lower, taking all of him that she could. Her fingers found his balls, and she sent small pulses through him. She didn’t intend to stop this time, until he came. He should come hard, right down her throat, and continue coming until she released him. Kam’s hips lifted, and he groaned. “Oh, yes!” He moved beneath her, tangling his hands in her hair. “Don’t stop!” He pumped his hips, fucking her mouth voraciously. “My balls are tingling.” She sucked him while she rolled and massaged his balls, making sure she varied her electrical pulses to cause pleasure and not make him numb. “Mmm.” She slid one finger underneath him to tease his asshole with a small charge. His hands tightened almost painfully in her hair. “Ah!” His body stiffened, and he shot his cum down her throat. “Yes! Halah! Yes!” She used a technique she’d learned from an electrical-power instructor long ago to keep him coming, through a special method of electrical transference—concentrating on his balls and the small puckered hole of his ass. She intended to milk every ounce of cum from his body. “Halah! Ah-hh!” She swallowed his cum and sucked for more. His body was shaking now, and she knew he had reached his physical limit. She eased her fingers away. A sound between a sigh and a moan escaped him. After taking the last of his cum, she slid her mouth off him and licked his balls to soothe him. He jerked once, then relaxed. “Damn, woman.” Breathing heavily, he pulled her up to him. He kissed her mouth, forcing his tongue inside. Slowly, they tasted and shared a moment more tender than she’d expected from him. Pulling back, she patted his chest. “Rest now.” He nodded. Instead of releasing her though as she’d expected, he spooned her against him, wrapping his arms tightly around her, and fell asleep. Halah closed her eyes, feeling surprisingly content. This wasn’t quite how she’d planned things. Fighting with him against the Egesa had brought back a lot of 95

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memories of their times together, as well as a lot of Warrior memories, when she’d served Laszlo and the Lair. It had been a better life. Maybe the decisions she’d made in her life the last few years hadn’t been the best. But she couldn’t change those choices now. The best she could do was not repeat past mistakes. His lips nuzzled her neck, and she sighed. Why she’d used her powers sexually with Kam, she wasn’t certain. Her EP instructor and mentor had warned her not to use the technique on a man unless prepared to keep him around, because after experiencing the intensity once, it became additive, and he wasn’t likely to leave of his own volition. She’d only used the method twice before in her life. Both men, Warriors, had long ago died in battle. But she’d never been as affected by a man’s pleasure as she seemed to be now. She rubbed Kam’s hand and he snuggled closer. Even with all their problems, she didn’t regret what she’d done. But now, she wondered what would happen between them. Had a new bond of trust been formed? Or would their relationship continue on the same volatile path?

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Chapter Nine Kam lightly stroked Halah’s hip as he watched her sleep. Amazement flowed through him. No woman had ever made him come like she had. Her electrical stimulation of his cock, balls, and asshole went beyond ecstasy. Surprisingly, his head no longer hurt either. From the electrical pulses, even though she hadn’t applied the power to his temples? He had to wonder. She was making the cutest little sounds in her sleep, something between a purr and a sigh. Whenever Halah showed her softness, he wanted to wrap her in his arms and never let go. This woman possessed so many layers. He ached to know each and every one of them. He checked the time. He could contact Laszlo now. The satellite would be in position. As he rolled over, a package on one of the food counters drew his attention. Carefully, so as not to wake Halah, he eased off the bed and went to check it out. He recognized the markings on the box as from a med-lab. Must be the medicine. He didn’t remember the box being there before. Someone had to have come in while they slept. He didn’t like the idea that someone was able to get in and out without either he or Halah noticing. Whoever did the delivery must have materialized in. He’d have heard the door if they had come in the traditional way. In the Lair, materializing into someone’s quarters without permission would be a major privacy violation—with very few exceptions. Apparently, here, no such restriction existed. Or if it did, the restriction had been ignored. He opened the box and saw it filled with pills. He’d expected shots. Would a simple pill work? All the same color and shape, so only one kind appeared to be required. The instructions on an included piece of paper were to take one as needed, but no more often than two hours apart. It almost seemed too easy after all these years, though he hoped he wouldn’t need to be popping these things every two hours. If so he’d rather stay with Leila’s shots. Even if not as effective in eliminating the pain, he wouldn’t need to worry about having enough meds on hand all the time. Especially if away on a mission. Since he didn’t need a pill right now, he’d wait. At least, they’d fulfilled their promise, though he now doubted the strength of their supposed “cure”. He touched his throat, wondering if he should test out his new power. He didn’t know how to control it. Trial and error, he supposed. Since his throat no longer hurt, he peeled away the patch and felt the skin beneath. Smooth, as if he’d never had the surgery. If not for the pain and loss of voice, he’d believe they hadn’t operated at all. He couldn’t feel any device in his throat.

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His gaze switched to the bed. He needed to wake Halah and tell her what was going on. Then he needed to contact Laszlo and complete this mission. The safest place for them to discuss why he was here would be in the shower. If any sound devices were still active in the quarters, the water would drown out their words. And if any video devices picked up their actions, a shower together would simply look normal after sex. He walked over to the bed and sat down. With a gentle hand to her shoulder, he shook her. “Wake up, Halah.” She stretched, smiled, then sobered. Quickly, she sat up. At first, she avoided his eyes. Not knowing what to think or how to act after what had happened between them, he supposed. Although, he’d never known Halah to be shy. “Come. We need to shower.” He took her hand in his, lacing their fingers. She didn’t resist. She also didn’t speak, which worried him. Once in the bathing room, he turned on the shower. As soon as the water felt perfectly, he urged her under the spray. “You’re quiet,” he said. “Are you all right?” If she turned against him now, he doubted anything he said would sway her back to his side. Halah nodded, even though she wasn’t all right. Just looking at Kam made her emotions swirl. Their lovemaking—hell, fucking—had been the best she’d ever known. She felt more connected to Kam than she’d ever felt to a man. Not only had she experienced a massive orgasm with him, but she’d never experienced so much enjoyment out of giving a man pleasure in return. His tender touches and concern, even after she’d tried to escape him, were beyond her understanding. She’d expected him to react with violence and certainly much more anger than he’d shown her. In fact, she’d wanted him to react that way, so she could hate him. But she couldn’t hate him. He wouldn’t let her. Somehow, with very little effort, he’d managed to change something deep down inside her, which made her think about living a different kind of life. Fighting the Egesa together in a common cause had felt good, like she was a part of something bigger than just looking out for herself. She touched his throat. “All better?” “Yes.” He smiled. “And they brought my medicine.” “Medicine?” “For the headaches.” Her heart lurched and fear shot through her. Never would she trust these people with something so important. “Don’t take it, Kam.” He cocked an eyebrow. “Why?” “You don’t know what’s in it.” No telling what they might give him. The medicine could change his whole personality or even kill him. She touched his cheek, worry filling her. “Are you in much pain?”

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He reached up and caressed her fingers. “No. None at all, right now. Whenever you send your electrical pulses through me, I seem to get better.” Pleased by his words, she smiled slightly and relaxed. Another skill she’d learned. Electrical transference didn’t work with all pain or genetics, but usually helped brainrelated problems, since the brain functioned through such pulses anyhow. They’d lucked out with Kam’s condition, for his genetics seemed compatible with her training and abilities. “I’m glad. That’s the way we should treat you for now.” “We?” He grinned. Avoiding his gaze, she tugged at the hair on his chest. “Well, as long as we’re together.” Revealing her tender emotions to people, especially men, who too often took such a display as weakness, made her uncomfortable. He softly stroked her back. “The pills are probably safe, Halah. I don’t think Daegal is out to kill me…yet.” “Perhaps, but he still might try to control you chemically.” She looked him in the eye. “Promise me that you won’t take those pills. At least let Leila test them first.” “I can’t make any promises, Halah. And Leila is not here.” Her heart lurched. She’d forgotten and spoken as if he hadn’t turned from his Warrior ways. She lowered her gaze, determined not to let him see that she realized her mistake. “I just meant—” “Shh. I need to talk to you about something important.” The serious sound of his voice caught her attention, and she looked back up at him. The intensity of his eyes filled her with concern. “What?” “Xylon and Marid are at war.” Her stomach clenched. So it had finally come to pass. She’d known that war between the Lair and the Dome was inevitable. Still, she’d hoped never to see the day. Her conflicting emotions were probably playing across her face, but she did nothing to hide them from him. Kam had to sense her feelings. “What’s your position, Halah?” She sighed, not really wanting to voice her thoughts, but she doubted he’d accept her silence. “You know I hate Daegal for what he’s done to me and my sister.” If he had actually turned and was now an Agent, she’d just shown her disloyalty and mistrust. But then, she figured as a slave her response would seem logical and not really punishworthy to someone serving Daegal. Besides, it was the truth. And Kam would have hurt her long before now, if he’d intended to do so. She had her suspicions about his true loyalty. “I know you hate the Lair for what we didn’t do.” We. Not they. Yes! She knew it. He had to still be loyal to Xylon. “The Council made the decision.” She was unknown to Kam and his friends at the time. Though a Class 1, she’d worked mostly alone, on special undercover weapons assignments for Laszlo, bringing back technology from other planets for Lair use and security advancements.

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“I know. I read the report before the mission to Marid. If it were up to the Warriors—” “Well, seems to me that they turned on me, too. I was a Class 1 Warrior, Kam. With hopes of being on track for a command ranking in the future. Nobody backed me up. Are you telling me if Braden disappeared, and the Council said ‘we’re not going to help’ that everyone would just sit on their ass and forget about the man?” A look of guilt crossed his face. “No, I can’t tell you that. I’m sorry nobody helped you. I’m sorry I wasn’t there and able to support you when you needed a friend.” He paused, then in a rush added, “I haven’t turned, Halah. I’m here undercover.” Finally. She’d suspected as much and was so glad he’d admitted it to her, but she still needed to be certain he wasn’t trying to trick her. She wanted some questions answered before she opened up to him any further. “You went through the reinitiation?” She held her breath. “Yes.” The air whooshed out of her, and her heart sank. Too late. No matter what he thought, what he said, he’d been turned. But she’d try to find out the details. Whatever explanation he offered should be interesting. “How did they not turn you?” If someone went through the Rite of the Dome, they served the Dome. Period. He might be lying as part of a bigger plan to gain more information from her about Xylon and the Lair. As a higher-ranking officer, even though no longer commissioned, she knew things that even Kam wouldn’t have had access to. She hadn’t told Daegal most of what she still knew, only using information when she needed it for survival or to negotiate a deal. “Leila came up with an experimental formula to prevent Warriors from being turned. I came here to test it, and then infiltrate and destroy Marid’s systems. Now that I know the formula worked, as soon as I contact Laszlo, we’ll begin to distribute the synthetic to all Warriors. The compound should release those Warriors turned against their will.” Was it possible? She eyed him warily. A formula that could release turned Warriors? If so, that could completely change the direction this war took. At full strength, Xylon could never be defeated. Something else Kam had said caught her attention, raising her interest immediately. Something he wouldn’t have said, if not true, for it served no purpose. “Since when is Laszlo in charge again?” Everyone in the system knew about his disappearance. The Lair leader had tried to help her at one time. More than once actually. The only one who’d tried. And although powerful, he’d refused to go completely against the Council, giving her some kind of philosophical excuse, while talking about the future and fate. All things she didn’t understand at the time. Hell, she still didn’t understand his reasoning. “It’s a long story, and there’s no time to fully explain now. Although I removed all the surveillance equipment I found, I don’t want to take a chance of being overheard, which is why we’re talking in the shower.” He filled his hands with cleanser, then began to stroke her body. “Let me quickly run down the plan. I’ll explain in more detail

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later. I’m here to upload viruses into the Dome’s computer system. I need you to take out their weapons system after I hack into the controls.” While she listened, she tried to avoid thinking about his hands slowly gliding down her body. “Why should I help you do this?” Was that why he’d fucked her? Trying to get her on his side by giving her an orgasm so strong that she’d do anything for him, just for the chance of getting more? She didn’t like the thought. His hands cupped her breasts and she resisted the urge to moan. “You don’t want Daegal in control of this system. I know you don’t, Halah.” She stiffened her spine, determined not to let his touch sway her. She needed to make her decisions based on facts, not feelings. “I hate Daegal, but once I get out of here and find Josella, I’d planned to just leave the system. So why should I care, one way or the other, what he does?” Which would mean she’d be leaving Kam, too. Damn it, why did that thought make her miserable? “If Daegal wins, he’ll not only control the quadrant, but he’ll expand to more systems outside the quadrant. Will you just continue to run?” He slid his hands down her back and cupped her butt, holding her close. Although his touch made her want to melt against him, his words angered her. “I’m not running! I just want to make a new life.” She was quite familiar with all the different habitable planets and moons within reasonable travel range. She and Josella could build a completely different life for themselves. A safer life. And if they needed to continue venturing farther out to system after system, well, so be it. “You don’t even know where Josella is. This war will be over before you find her. If Daegal wins, do you really think you’ll ever be free? If you don’t realign with the Warriors, you’ll pay the consequences for the rest of your life. And so will Josella.” “I’ll find her.” Somehow. With or without his help. “And we will decide who we support and how we will live.” No government would decide. No man would decide. “The knowledge you’re using now for negotiating privileges and freedom will hold no further value if all Warriors are killed or imprisoned. Your own imprisonment here is just a preview of what’s to come.” A sense of unease skittered down her spine. “I’m only here because of Rave. If I could speak to this Frost woman in charge, I could negotiate my release. I’ve always been able to do so once I get access to the person in charge. I’ve very good at what I do.” Kam didn’t say anything in response. After washing the cleanser from her body, he looked into her eyes. “I know where Josella is.” Halah’s heart skipped a beat. She stared at him silently for several moments, trying to figure out if he spoke the truth, or if his words were some new sort of ploy. “Like you did the last time?” “That was a mistake. We had her, but she disappeared and couldn’t be located.” Disappeared. Always a convenient excuse. Her sister had been abandoned on the Sand Moon. Supposedly. Josella should have jumped into anyone’s arms with a

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functioning ship to get off this rock. How could she get away from a trained Warrior and then just disappear? His explanation didn’t make sense. He couldn’t be telling her everything. “And if she conveniently disappears this time too?” “Not possible.” Of course. What else could he say? He wanted her help and how better to get it than to dangle her sister as bait. “Prove it.” She wanted to trust him more than she’d ever wanted to trust anyone, but he’d betrayed her in the past. She had to be certain. “Prove it?” He grinned. “How did I know you would say that? I’ll prove it, but you need to wash my body. Make this shower look real, in case we have an audience.” No problem. Without hesitation, Halah glided her hands down his chest. Touching his body was a pleasure she’d never tire of. Any excuse to do so was acceptable to her. Kam groaned, then shook his head, as if trying to get his thoughts in order. He took a deep breath, let it out, then discreetly pulled a small antenna out from his wrist sensor. Halah’s interest piqued. A communication device? He pressed a sequence of buttons and waited, switching his gaze back to her. Any vid-monitor would simply pick up him making adjustments to his sensor. Meeting the intensity of his eyes, Halah curled her fingers around his cock. Oh, how she’d love to feel his thick shift inside her pussy again. He sucked in a sharp breath. “Careful. We don’t have time to see that through.” “See what through?” she asked in an innocent tone of voice. A small smile tugged at her lips. “I’m just washing you like you asked.” “Yeah. Right.”

***** Forests of Xylon Braden checked the readings on each of Laszlo’s display screens. “Looks like Brianna is doing a good job.” Pride in his twin laced his voice and he didn’t try to hide it. She’d developed into a beautiful woman and a fine officer. He only wished he could be by her side right now, leading this fight himself. Leila pulled a three-pronged needle out of Laszlo’s arm. “Done. You should start feeling better soon.” “Thank you.” “I should get back to Alexa now. Call me if you need anything.” He patted her leg. “I’ll be fine. Is the satellite in position yet, Braden?” “Yes. The readings are coming in now. Kam should be checking in before too long.” He watched Leila leave the control room, waiting to voice his opinions on the situation. After she’d gone, he again addressed Laszlo. “We can win this war, Laszlo.” 102

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“In the end, yes.” Braden grumbled under his breath. He hated Laszlo’s cryptic answers, as if the man didn’t think he could trust any of them. Well, soon Erik would be back inside the Lair, and he could get some real answers after the man let Brianna know the rest of them were all right and reassumed command. Being isolated from the other Warriors like this frustrated the hell out of him. Only the need to keep Alexa and his soon-to-be-born children safe kept him in control of his temper and the need to engage their enemy. Since Daegal didn’t know about this facility, here was the safest place for his family at the moment. “Are you reading any Marid malfunctions yet?” Laszlo asked him. “Not that I’m aware of. What am I looking for?” “Trouble with their fighters. An energy drain in the Dome. Transports turning back. Unusual pulses in their atmosphere. Computer irregularities. Anything like that?” Braden shook his head. “Nothing. Their fighters have moved into range for attack on the planet. Their foot troops are taking a hit from our ground lasers, but their transports keep dropping more into the cities. Although, I am reading now that our fighters are in position to start taking those transports out. Brianna staggered the fleet.” Laszlo nodded. “Good.” Braden wondered at the odd look that entered Laszlo’s eyes when he mentioned Brianna. “I’m also picking up a breach on the Control Center floor in the Lair. They’ve issued an alert. The Egesa must have accessed that level.” Laszlo sat up straighter in his seat. “Have they contained the threat?” “I don’t know. They’ve stopped making log entries. Or maybe Daegal took out the database, because I can no longer access it.” Worry for Tara and Torque rolled through Braden. He should be there to help, damn it! He turned to Laszlo. “Let me materialize over. At least until I need to be here for Alexa.” Leaving his mate now didn’t feel right, but not doing his duty was tearing him apart. “It’s too dangerous, Braden. If anything happened to you while down in the Lair, Alexa would never survive it. You know that. Besides, I need you here. One more Warrior over there isn’t going to make a difference anyway.” “All right. If you and Erik go—that’s two highly trained Warriors. And if we call Kam, Pitch, and Halah back, and if she’s on our side, that’s three more. Then I can materialize over as soon as I know Alexa and the babies are fine. Leila can stay here with Josella, Alexa, and the newborns.” He pulled his hands through his hair. “I feel useless down here, Laszlo. What can we do from this location?” “Nothing until Kam uploads the viruses and Halah takes out their weapons system. Then I’ll need you and Erik to keep their computers busy so they can’t reestablish control. We’re not going anywhere, so get any ideas to the contrary out of your head. Don’t try to defy me, Braden. I’ve taken steps to ensure nobody leaves here without my clearance. Everyone is exactly where they need to be right now.”

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His frustration neared the breaking point. “Need to be? What does that mean? Need to be for what?” “For the best outcome.” Laszlo’s voice hardened. “Now stop questioning my orders.” Braden bristled. He didn’t like being told what to do. After being in charge and making the decisions, it was hard to step back into the role of second-in-command, especially when his ideas didn’t match Laszlo’s on how to handle things. He’d bet the transport-connectors Erik found were useless to them. Laszlo wouldn’t have issued the warning if he hadn’t suspected them of planning something. He needed to speak to Erik and try to come up with an alternate plan, something Daegal could not control. A beep drew their attention. “That’s Kam,” Laszlo said, excitement in his voice. He pressed a button on a nearby panel. “Erik, bring Josella over here now. Braden, put Kam on speaker.” Braden flipped a switch. “Kam, is that you?” “Affirmative, Braden.” Hmm. The man had recognized his voice immediately and didn’t even seem surprised that he was on the other end. Kam must have a lot more knowledge of this mission than he or Erik did. Not that it surprised him. Kam had always been loyal to Laszlo, no matter the situation. And Laszlo had confided in Kam about things in the past. “What’s that noise? You’re not coming in clearly.” “Water. We’ll have to deal with it.” “The formula worked?” Laszlo asked. “Obviously. If I’d been turned, I wouldn’t be contacting you now.” “Nothing is obvious. Punch in the code on your sensor for it to transmit your brain waves.” “Stand by.” Silence, then a moment later, he replied, “Done.” Laszlo checked a screen. “All right. You’re cleared.” “We need to begin the distribution of the formula before it’s too late. I have Halah with me. Do you have Josella?” Josella and Erik walked in right as he asked. “Yes, she’s here,” Erik said. “Let her talk to Halah,” Laszlo said. “Halah?” the young woman repeated and rushed over to the communications panel. “Halah, are you there?” “I’m here. Are you all right?” “I’m fine, but they’re holding me here, somewhere. Warriors. I don’t think we’re in the Lair. It’s too small and confined.” She glanced warily at Braden, as if expecting him to stop her from saying too much. “Where are you?” “I’m on the Sand Moon. I’ll be there to get you soon. I have someone who’s going to bring me to you. Stay put.”

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“All right. I’ll be waiting, Halah. I love you, totvis.” “Me, too.” Totvis, Braden repeated in his head. A Sunevian word. He recognized the accent. But he didn’t know what it meant. An endearment perhaps. Or maybe a code. He didn’t trust the women. They’d been smart and wily up to now. And now was not the time to drop their guard around these two. Kam’s voice came over the speaker. “We’ll be logging into their system soon.” “Do what you can quickly,” Braden told him. “The Lair is in trouble. The Egesa have breached Control level.” “Understood. Out.” “Out.” Too calm. Kam had known exactly what was going on, as if Laszlo had disclosed everything to him beforehand. And Kam hadn’t asked about his sister, which meant he must know Alexa was all right. Kam would have a lot of explaining to do once he returned to Xylon. Explaining to him. “Braden, send the pods with the synthetic formula to Marid and to each of the Banishment Zones,” Laszlo ordered. “Have the pods drop their load over the cities and into the water containments.” “Will do.” Laszlo had explained the procedure to him earlier. Pods required no pilots, so the distribution plan was actually quite brilliant. The small, computercontrolled objects could enter the atmosphere quietly, disguised as weather and environmental pods, drop their load, and leave without anyone being the wiser. “How long will it take?” Erik asked. “Depends on how quickly our people consume the needed amount,” Laszlo answered. “An estimate would be less than eight hours, if we can get the pods there before the next water system pumping schedule kicks in and refills city supplies.” Erik shook his head. “I hope that’s soon enough.”

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Chapter Ten Sand Moon

Halah moved to exit the shower. The faster they got this mission over and done with, the better she’d feel. She needed to get to her sister and make certain Josella was all right. Only when they were reunited would she finally be able to fully relax. Warriors must have her sister contained in an underground security chamber. Josella had said it wasn’t the Lair. The young woman had never been down to the Lair, but she’d be able to recognize a smaller facility from the main military center. Kam grabbed her arm. With her hand poised above the door handle, she stopped and cocked an eyebrow at him. When he didn’t immediately say anything and didn’t release her, she dropped her hand to her side and turned more fully toward him. “What?” As his eyes grew intense, her heart picked up its pace. “The mission can wait a few minutes.” He pushed her back against the stone wall, blocking her escape. “Kam—” What was he up to now? The mission couldn’t wait. Time was a factor here. Braden had said so. “Shh.” His hands glided over her breasts, down her stomach, and along her hips. The air immediately filled with sexual tension. “The database with the viruses won’t unlock for another fifteen minutes. It’s on a timer for security purposes.” Kam went over and shut off the water then returned to kneel in front of her. “Spread your legs for me.” Halah swallowed hard, then widened her stance as he’d asked. “Shouldn’t we be trying to get inside—” “Most definitely. I want inside.” He leaned in and kissed her stomach. His hands gently cupped her butt. When his tongue delved into her bellybutton, she moaned. He knew how to get her so hot. Even just a look from him got her hot. Kam’s mouth lowered. His hands slid around to her thighs, and he spread her pussy with his thumbs. After a quick glance up at her, he leaned forward to stroke her clit with his tongue. “Oh!” The feeling shot straight up to her stomach and down to her toes all at the same time. It had been so long since she’d been licked. Her knees buckled, but his hands gripped her thighs, holding her up while he gave her more. He sucked her clit into his mouth and drew on the fleshy bud. His hands caressed her thighs and hips, then inched behind her to cup her cheeks and hold her close against his mouth. His fingers massaged her ass. “Mmm.”

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The low sound vibrated along Halah’s clit, sending pulses of pleasure through her. The stubble on his cheeks scratched the inside of her thighs, increasing the myriad sensations flooding her body. “Yes…” She tangled her fingers in his hair. With one hand Kam eased her right leg over his shoulder, giving him better access to her pussy and helping support her against the moist wall. She noticed his gaze kept darting toward his wrist sensor, and every time it did, his next move brought her even more pleasure. He was obviously using the machine to give her the best sexual experience he could. She didn’t think he really needed any help. He was sexy enough and talented enough on his own. His teeth scraped her clit, and when he nibbled the fleshy bud, she gasped and pushed her hips forward. “Ah!” Kam licked, sucked, and nibbled her until she thought she’d lose her mind. Whenever she neared a climax, he’d stop and kiss or lick the inside of her thighs until she relaxed, then he’d start again. Her fingers tightened in his hair. “Make me come, damn it!” She needed the release, not to be teased. At the same time she never wanted the exquisite torture to end. He chuckled, moving back to lick her pussy again. This time when she was about to climax, he didn’t pull back, but continued sucking her clit gently. “Yes…don’t stop.” Halah’s body tightened. Her back arched, and sensations of pure pleasure shot through her. She screamed out Kam’s name. The ecstasy rolled through her, feeling as if it would never stop, which was fine with her. When Kam flicked his tongue against her clit, she came even harder. “Oh-oh!” She loved the feelings rushing through her body, but she didn’t think she could take much more without passing out from the intensity of it all. He flicked his tongue again, and the third time she came so hard that she couldn’t even scream. All she could do was hold on and whimper. Finally, the pleasure ebbed, and she slid down the wall, collapsing in Kam’s arms. He held her gently, whispering sweetly against her ear in what she assumed was his native Tamarian. She thought she recognized one or two endearments. Damn, he was good. After she felt a bit more in control, she reached down to touch his cock, wanting to give him a great experience too. Before her fingers wrapped fully around him, he eased her hand away. “No time. I’ll collect later. Believe me. Come on. Let’s get you dry and into some clothes.” He helped her to her feet, and they stepped from the shower. Her legs felt so wobbly that she kept hold of his arm just to steady herself. “Why did you do that?” she asked him, her curiosity too great not to. He hadn’t gotten anything out of it for himself. “Do what? Lick your pussy?” She nodded. She was so used to others only giving to her when they saw an opportunity to get something back. That was fine, as long as it was also part of her own agenda. This had been different.

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He chuckled. “I don’t understand your confusion, Halah.” “Why’d you take the time? Especially now.” Even if the viruses were locked, they could have been accessing the system here and getting ready. The few minutes they’d spent probably wouldn’t really make any difference in the big scheme of things. But it went against the code. A Warrior took care of business first…always. “Ah.” He stroked her cheek with his fingertips. “I took the time because I wanted you to know that you’re important to me, personally, not just because of whatever else I want from you.” Looking into his eyes, she swallowed hard. He spoke the truth. She saw it so clearly that she felt like weeping. She knew he hadn’t specifically mentioned the mission, on purpose, now that the water was no longer on to drown out their words. But she understood his meaning. “We don’t have the best history,” she reminded him, with a hint of sadness in her voice. Could they somehow have a better future? He smiled, looking at her with such gentleness. “I’ve seen things, and even if I hadn’t, there’s something about you…” He let the sentence hang, not saying any more than that. Not with words. His eyes and touch, though, spoke volumes. When he continued to look deeply into her eyes, as if studying her or perhaps waiting for something, she began to really believe there might be more to this than simple sexual attraction. She wondered if he’d seen the visions—like those she’d been having. Breeder-mate visions. She almost asked, but feared he might not have had the same experience. She didn’t want to think of that possibility, so she pulled away and walked over to gather some drying cloths for them instead. In silence, she and Kam dried off and dressed. They walked into the outer room, and he sat down in front of the computer with barely another look at her. Still feeling the effects of her orgasm and Kam’s words, she had a hard time concentrating on what needed to be done. She rested her hand on his shoulder to maintain contact with him, while trying to gather her thoughts. He reached up and patted her hand. She sucked in a sharp breath, not having expected that show of affection. The small gesture meant a lot to her. After he logged on, she heard him grumble in frustration, and her attention turned to focus fully on the mission. “What?” He pointed to the screen, and she saw that the terminal connection was for the local system only. They’d need to link with the main computer on Marid to upload the viruses. Wanting to help, she pulled up a seat beside him. With both of them in front of the computer, anyone watching wouldn’t be able to see the screen or what they were doing. Since this machine was a personal system, with restricted access, she doubted any keylogging program had been installed. If she was wrong, the underground computer monitoring system would identify their tampering and report to Frost. They needed to work quickly, just in case. 108

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After speaking with Josella, she knew that Kam had told the truth about knowing her sister’s location. It wasn’t a trick. Josella had used their special word to identify herself. So now, she just needed to help Kam, and he’d reunite them. Then she’d figure out how to handle her growing personal feelings for this man and what she ultimately wanted to do with her life. She swatted his hands away and tried getting in with her old login and password from when she was on Marid. Her clearance, at the time, hadn’t been as restricted as his was now. Shit. It didn’t work anymore. The failure only deterred her for a moment. She’d created an additional login while there so she’d maintain access, even if they cut her off. Hopefully, her tampering hadn’t been discovered. She tried it and the connection went through immediately. Yes! She smiled at Kam. With a small chuckle, he shook his head, then leaned over the keyboard. He used special codes—probably acquired from prior missions, research, spies, and the questioning of prisoners, she figured—to access the different areas he needed to infiltrate. In each area, she watched him program in a connection to the viruses stored in one of Xylon’s computers. Once activated, the destructive lines of code would transfer to each Marid station. Hopefully, Daegal hadn’t taken out the particular system in the Lair processing the transfer. If Kam had stored the viruses in a remote database, upgraded for high security, all would most likely be fine. They’d find out soon enough, she supposed. After bypassing several security checks with his entry codes, he accessed the weapons system. From there he let her take over. Halah didn’t just turn the system off. That would be too easy to fix. Instead, she got into each section and changed a few small code sequences, just enough to malfunction the majority of Marid’s, and a large number of the Sand Moon’s, vital defense areas. It would take their techs time and a hell of a lot of effort to reestablish overall control. After she logged off, Kam shut down the computer and stood up, pulling her up with him. “Let’s go.” “Go?” He looked at her and cocked an eyebrow. His thoughts shone in his eyes. He was taking her out of there. She touched her collar, and he nodded slightly. Yes. He remembered they’d have to get the control device off her first. As long as she stayed with him, nobody should think much of an Agent with his slave. She hoped. After grabbing a few essentials, they left the quarters. He kept his hand wrapped around her arm. Because he thought she might run, or to make it look like she remained under his physical control, she didn’t know. She noticed the vid-surveillance following them as they proceeded down the corridor. An alarm blared. The both stopped dead in their tracks. Halah’s heart pounded against her ribs. “Us?” she asked, her voice tense. “I doubt it.” 109

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After a moment’s thought, she agreed. Guards simply would have confronted them. An alert would be overkill. Marid had probably reported their computer problems to Frost, or problems had filtered down to the Sand Moon systems already. This might be a blessing in disguise, if it caused enough confusion for them to get into a control room and deactivate the damn collar around her neck. Agents and Egesa rushed passed them with barely a glance. She breathed a sigh of relief and felt Kam relax beside her. Her relief was short-lived. She knew they weren’t out of danger yet. “With the alert, Frost will check on us,” Halah said, shattering their temporary feelings of ease. She saw the worry cross Kam’s face, before he masked the emotion. “Don’t think about Frost. It’ll take her some time to find us. We can’t return to the quarters. She’ll track the computer tampering back to that room’s terminal. We’ll need to keep on the move now. Here.” He pointed to a white door with a glass panel in the center. Control Room 3. It bustled with activity. “This is it.” Halah pointed to a sign, which read “No Slaves Past this Point”. He pushed her into a corner, away from the monitoring system. “Stay here. I’m going in.” “Security will see on the system that I’ve disappeared from your side.” “I doubt they’re much concerned about our asses right now. Not their regular security people anyhow, who won’t yet know we’re fugitives. Stay put. When the collar unlocks, get it off fast. I don’t know how long I can keep the system offline. I’ll see if I can find us some weapons while I’m in there. Once Frost or Rave checks on us, it’ll still take them time to issue a capture and detain order. If someone comes after you before I get out, use your own judgment to fight or flee. But don’t take any foolish risks, Halah.” She nodded, then reached up and stroked his cheek. She kissed him lightly on the mouth, her lips lingering as she felt the same spark she always did whenever they touched. “In case you don’t come back.” “What do I get if I do come back?” He grinned. “Anything you want.” And she meant it. For him. The feeling was almost alien to her. She hadn’t experienced true caring for anyone besides herself and Josella in many years. Except maybe Dak, and even that wasn’t of the same intensity. Kam had gotten under her skin. Since they’d first met on Earth, she hadn’t been able to banish him from her mind. “I’ll hold you to that.” He kissed her hard, then took off. Kam strolled into the control room, as if he belonged there. Infiltrators generally gave themselves away by their nervous actions and reactions, more than anything else. If he stayed relaxed and acted like he belonged there, he could pull this off. The clothing he wore displayed a Marid marker on the top, so no one should suspect him. They were too busy handling the problems with the computer system.

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His hand went to his throat. When Frost discovered them missing, would she blow his implanted device? He hoped the control had a limited range, and he could get some distance before that happened. After finding an empty station away from most of the activity, he slid into the seat. If anyone saw him, they’d think he was assigned there…as long as the person actually assigned didn’t return. If he was picked up on the monitor, well, things could go badly for him. But hopefully everyone was too busy to notice. He only needed a few minutes. He keyed in the code on Halah’s collar and deactivated the link. During the Marid mission, they’d had to deactivate collars, so he knew the procedure. Hell, he’d just deactivate all collars. At least that would prevent Frost from keying in on only Halah and might gain them some more time. The deactivation would show up on their monitoring system, so he quickly took that system offline. They should believe it to be just another malfunction. Those banished here by the Lair were not normally collared by Xylon order—unless they were particularly hard cases, but if the slaves under the Dome’s control, who were collared, discovered their collars inactive before the underground facility here, or the security center up top, reestablished a connection, all the better. They’d really create some havoc for Frost and Daegal. With a heady feeling of success, he swiveled his seat away from the station. Done. Now, he needed to get back to Halah. Hopefully, she hadn’t needed to take off without him. He slid out of the seat and headed for the door. He glanced around, hoping to spot some sort of weapon he could pilfer, but nothing was lying around unattended. “Hey, you! Wait!” someone called out to him. Shit. He’d been noticed. Slowly, he turned to face an Agent. He could tell by the way the man stood there, in a fighter stance, that he’d once been a high-ranking Warrior. At least a Class 2. The man’s eyes narrowed. “What were you doing at that station? You’re not assigned there.” “I was sent to check some stats. The seat was empty, so I used the station instead of bothering someone to pull up the data for me. Everyone looked busy.” He tried to sound convincing, but he could tell by the look on the Agent’s face that the man wasn’t buying it. “I don’t think so. Come with me.” Another alarm blared. “Fire alarm!” one of the techs shouted. “Everybody out!” The sprinkler system shot on. Not water, but a special chemical. Kam took this as his chance. While the Agent was distracted by the chaos and descending curtain of frigid fog, he slipped out of the room and found Halah down the corridor. “I caught a break.”

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“Yeah, I know. I punched the emergency alarm. Thanks for getting the collar off.” She rubbed her neck. “You set that alarm off?” She’d saved this mission twice so far in a short amount of time. The first time getting them into the computer system, and now this. He had to admire her ability to think quickly and to plan ahead. “It’s an old trick, but always works. Let’s go!” Kam and Halah backtracked their way to the underground caverns, where they’d both been brought down from the surface. A lift would have been faster, but more dangerous and not a good place to end up trapped. Halah kept up with Kam’s pace, even though he moved quickly and with much longer strides than she. “Did you find any weapons or a transport-connector?” she asked him, feeling hopeful. “Not that I could get my hands on without looking suspicious. We need to hurry. I was spotted in the control room by an Agent. He’s probably reported to Frost.” Well, damn. Security would be hot on their heels now. To get out of here without a weapon would take a miracle. “You have a functional ship, I hope. Mine is no longer operational.” “A personal transport. Pitch is waiting for us. Um, no.” He grabbed her arm. “This way, Halah.” “Pitch Pantera?” Her sexually-charged visions played back in her head. But she didn’t have time to analyze the coincidence now. She glanced around. This wasn’t the way Rave had brought her. There must be more than one underground entrance. Interesting, and a bit of information to file away in her head for future reference, just in case she needed it someday. “He’s keeping the ship ready for takeoff. Once we reach the orbiter, we should be able to leave immediately. What happened to Dak? Wasn’t he with you? Do we need to pick him up?” She swallowed hard before answering, not wanting her voice to waver. The fact that Kam had asked about Dak, not wanting to leave him behind, warmed her heart. “He’s dead.” Kam glanced over at her, and their eyes met. “An Egesa gang,” she said simply. He nodded and said nothing more, for which she felt grateful. She didn’t want to relive that pain, especially not now. “How far to your orbiter once we get out?” “Not far. But it’s after dark. The Egesa will be out in full force.” “We’ve got to find weapons.” The two of them could fend off several Egesa at a time. But if they came up against one of the larger gangs, they wouldn’t stand a chance. “How are your electrical powers now that the collar is off?”

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“Much stronger. I can feel the current. But I could use a recharge. I need my power pack. It’s back at my ship. Rave made me leave it.” She couldn’t stop the frustration from leaping into her voice. He glanced at her. “Rave’s the one who brought you down here? I remember you saying she was responsible for you being here, but I didn’t realize she was the one who actually captured you.” “She’s the one. She got past my hatch lock.” “Damn. After this mission, the Lair will need to reprogram all our operational and security codes. Well, we can’t take the time to retrieve the power pack. You’ll have to make do. When we get to Xylon, you can get another one.” He fingered his throat. Worry fluttered through her. “Pain?” “No, but I’m wondering about my new power.” “New power? What new power?” “Sonic abilities. Frost had them place an implant in my throat for me in exchange for Xylon codes.” So that’s what had happened to his throat and why he hadn’t been able to talk. “You gave them codes?” She couldn’t believe he’d do that. Was that how Rave had gotten into her orbiter? “They already know our major codes. Frost got hold of them years ago. We only recently found out though. Unfortunately. Daegal waited until our weakest moment to use them against us. I gave Frost some additional secondary codes. Enough for them to trust that I wanted to turn. All cleared with Laszlo. Even without the secondaries they still would have been able to shut a large part of the Lair down, so all I did was reinforce what they already knew, with a few new keys thrown in, so I’d look legitimate. And before you ask, no, I didn’t give her any orbiter hatch lock codes. She wanted Lair specific codes only.” She nodded. So someone else had leaked additional codes or perhaps the operational codes were part of the ones Frost had originally acquired. The ones in question were Xylon’s base codes that all the other codes were built on. Otherwise, the Lair would have simply changed the existing O&S Codes to prevent any breaches. Base codes were highly protected, and only known by certain command ranks, as far as she was aware. She wondered how Frost had managed to get access. “Was Frost a command rank?” She’d never heard of the woman before being captured, so she doubted it. In fact, she doubted the woman had ever been a Warrior of any rank. She didn’t carry herself as such. She’d probably been a spy for the Lair, and then turned to work for Daegal. “No. Let’s just say she was able to fuck the information out of someone. Or rather distract him enough to steal what she needed.” “Oh.” Not good. A command rank should have known better than to be that vulnerable. But then, she’d gotten access to things she shouldn’t have by the same

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method. She knew the power of sex. And men always seemed most susceptible, given the right circumstances. On the issue of trust though, she doubted Daegal and Frost had ever trusted Kam at all. No matter the information he’d given them. The access he’d been allowed of their computer systems was local only, which proved it. She was the one who’d gotten them into the main controls. She might not know how Frost worked, but she knew how Daegal worked. And Rave. Nothing was ever as it seemed. “Don’t try to use the power, Kam.” “Why not?” “I’ve heard about Sonics. Not only is that power highly experimental, it’s a mentor power, like my electrical transference. If you don’t have someone to show you how to master it, you’re more likely to kill yourself than to be able to harm someone else with it.” “We may not have a choice, Halah.” “There’s always a choice.” He glanced over at her and his eyes narrowed, as if trying to figure out her reasoning. He didn’t say anything more, but he did increase their pace, for which she was grateful. Though still not at full strength from lack of enough food and the effects of having the collar on, she’d run all the way to his ship if need be. Every moment they stayed on the Sand Moon decreased their chances of escaping unharmed. She wanted to get out of there as quickly as possible, for more than capture worried her. She was scared to death that Kam would try something he wasn’t trained to do. Obviously, he didn’t fully understand the danger of a mentor power. If he tried to use the newly acquired sound wave device in his throat, without the knowledge of how to control it, he would die. She’d seen it happen with trainees way too many times. And the sight had never been pretty.

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Chapter Eleven Lair of Xylon

“What do you mean, she never made it?” Torque yelled into his vid-cell at the Council member on the other end. Though they’d re-channeled their comm devices, Council members had the same clearance as Class 1 Warriors, so they were still able to use their vid-cells. Torque’s heart pounded against his ribs, as visions of his sister lying injured somewhere, or worse—taken captive—filled his head. He knew Brianna’s team had encountered trouble with Egesa, but after the threat was over, she’d headed up to the Council Chambers. What could have happened to her? “I’m on my way down,” the head Council member responded. “Damn it!” He switched channels on his vid-cell. “Brianna, can you hear me? Brianna?” With a frustrated huff, he clipped the vid-cell onto his belt. “Brianna never made it to the Council Chambers.” “I heard. I’m sending out additional security right now to search for her,” Tara replied, turning back to her console. “Why’s Delemar coming down here?” “To take over. Why do you think?” Hell if he’d let that happen. He’d promised Brianna he’d keep the Lair safe, and he intended to fulfill that promise. No matter what. “When he gets here, what are you planning to do?” “I don’t know…yet.” He’d think of something though. “I’m surprised he even has the balls to come down here on his own, with a security escort.” “The prospect of command.” “No doubt.” If forced into it, he’d tie Delemar to a chair, though he’d rather not use force. Reason would work better. If the man would listen to reason. At least none of the Council members could override any computer or communications settings, even with their own personal codes. Torque had changed the codes, stabilizing their systems and preventing any further access by Daegal or anyone else. He’d also changed the way their systems interpret the base codes. Only he and Brianna knew how to decipher the changes, using a special communication method they’d developed as children. Even if someone hacked into their systems, the data they’d find wouldn’t help them. The only way the Council could retake control would be to acquire the universal, emergency override codes from a secure system stored in a chamber deep in the forests of Xylon. That chamber, accessible to Council members only, remained secure by a

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retina-check system. However, with the Lair locked down and transport-connector abilities offline, no way existed to reach that chamber at this time. Torque figured he might end up banished again for making the unauthorized changes. But in times of war, rules couldn’t always be followed. Not if one wanted to survive. “Torque?” The confusion in Tara’s voice set him on alert, and his focus switched, concentrating on her words. “What is it? Is it Brianna?” “No. I’m getting a report from the Initiation Chambers.” She shook her head. “It doesn’t make a lot of sense.” “What’s the report?” Nothing should be going on down there right now. In fact, the Initiation area should have been evacuated. “An initiate has escaped.” Escaped? She had to be reading the report wrong. That didn’t make sense. “What do you mean escaped? We don’t hold initiates as prisoners.” He stepped over to her station to look at the coded information as it streamed across her screen. “I don’t understand it myself. Something about Brianna ordering an initiate, a man, to be held there. Included is a reference to some sort of special project. And look…” She pointed to the screen. “Laszlo.” “Laszlo,” Torque repeated, his voice low with the sound of strain. What the hell? Tara glanced up at him. “Strange, isn’t it? But that’s Laszlo’s icon. It seems two Class 3 Warriors have been injured, too, and taken up to the med-lab. No names listed. I’ll try to get more details.” Laszlo and a special project. Torque didn’t like the sound of that, but he didn’t know whether to be truly concerned or not. He definitely had no interest in a botched Initiation. If the Warrior undergoing the rite decided to defect, well, he hated to see that, but the worst the man would probably do at this point was attempt to find his way to the surface with the intention of contacting some Agent to be taken off-planet. Not that he would succeed. The Lair was locked down. Some Egesa had found a way inside. But the only way they could have possibly gotten in was through that small glitch in transport-connector security they’d found months back and thought to have fixed. He had the security techs checking into it again. Whatever was going on, this initiate wasn’t top on his “to be handled” list, right now. “Just find Brianna. Unless the man is a reported threat to the Lair.” Better cover his ass, just in case. The person could have been planted by Daegal as a spy. “I’ll see what I can find out on both counts.” “Wait.” A disturbing thought crossed Torque’s mind. “Something I need you to do first.” He shook his head. Damn, he hated to think it might be true. But if so… “Find out from Brianna’s security team what lift she took up to the Council Chambers.” 116

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“Why? What are you thinking?” He cocked an eyebrow at her, but didn’t voice a response. To say the words aloud made them too real a possibility. Tara’s eyes widened. “Oh, shit! Lift 6? Do you think it’s possible?” “Find out. Quickly.” She nodded and turned back to her station.

***** Sand Moon “This way,” Kam whispered as they made their way past the security monitors. Halah followed him through the dark tunnel, staying close. Shitty lighting. One wrong move and they could become permanently separated. While in the slave cages she’d heard rumors about “cave holes” on the moon, where people fell into the ground, never to be seen again. Her unease escalated to a high point, with no sign of relief. Even more than falling down a hole, the absence of Egesa worried her. Her and Kam’s location had to have been identified by now. “Why hasn’t security materialized?” Kam shook his head. “I don’t know. Maybe they can’t in the cave. The walls might contain a blocking mechanism of some sort, natural or otherwise. But keep watch. They might appear at any time, even if they have to get here on foot.” They stopped in front of an electronic gate. Multicolored lights flashed, showing it as active and locked. She saw a control box, but had no idea how it worked. When Rave had brought her down from the surface they’d passed no such gate. They’d just entered a coded, security lift. “Now what? Do you know an access code to get us through?” “No. Can you short it out?” With her power lower than normal, she might end up electrocuted. But no other way out existed for them. They didn’t have time to backtrack to find the alternate exit. She decided it best not to tell Kam about the danger. He might change his mind and stop her from the attempt. “I can try. Stand back.” Kam retreated several steps, giving her the room she needed. She leaned forward and tapped her fingertips against the control panel, simultaneously sending a charge. The jolt of electricity ran from her body to the panel. Another jolt ran back from the gate and through her body. She screamed and was thrown backward. Kam caught her, and both of them landed on their butts. “Damn! Halah! Are you all right?”

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After shaking off her disorientation, she grinned up at him. “Wow! That was a rush.” She laughed. “I think I just got recharged.” “Shit. You scared me to death. I thought that return jolt killed you.” He helped her to her feet, and then ran his hands up and down her body. “Are you sure you’re all right?” She swatted away his hands. “I’m fine. Look. I think I did it.” The lights around the gate had gone dark. The control panel looked destroyed. Kam turned and studied the bars. “Hey, yeah, looks like it.” He walked over and pushed at the gate. It opened easily. Looking back at her, he smiled. “Good work.” A pounding behind them caught their attention, and they both turned. “Oops,” Halah replied. “I think we’re about to have company. Sounds and smells like Egesa.” She crinkled her nose in disgust. “Let’s get out of here.” They stepped through the gate and ran for the cave entrance. “Can you use your communication device to help us?” “It’s not connected to my orbiter. I hadn’t planned on Pitch being here to receive messages. The comm was only set up to contact Laszlo. And we’re too far away for him to give us any aid.” They reached the mouth of the cave and stopped short. A surface-based gang of banished Egesa blocked their path. “Shit,” Kam swore under his breath. “I hope you have a secondary plan.” As Frost’s security team neared from inside the cave, Halah automatically moved back to back with Kam for the best defensive position. “Warrior Rule 126.” In the next instant, the air beside Halah shimmered and Kam was gone. Somehow, he’d materialized out, leaving her to fend for herself. She stared at the two gangs of Egesa closing in on her. “Damn you, Nextor!” she screamed. One Egesa—the leader of the underground security team, indicated by the markings on his uniform—stepped forward. He drew a disruptor from his belt. No way could she fight the security team and win. They were fully armed. Even the other Egesa gang now backed off. She took a few steps toward the mouth of the cave. Did she dare try to make a run for it? Suddenly, Halah felt a tickling in her midsection. She froze, recognizing the sensation. Well, fuck. In the next moment she dematerialized and then rematerialized inside a ship. She spotted Kam and Pitch immediately, standing off to the side. She released the tight breath she’d been holding and made eye contact with Kam. “Funny. You should have told me. You said you couldn’t contact him.”

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“No, actually, I said my communication device wasn’t connected to the ship. But I did have an emergency materialization button.” “Really? So how did I get here? Personal transports can’t just snatch someone up without an energy source on their body to lock on to.” “You are an energy source,” Kam told her. Yeah, well, she supposed that was true. “I never much thought of myself that way, but I guess you’re right. You still took quite a chance of that working though.” “Not really. I stuck my emergency backup materialization button in your clothing.” “I activated both methods at the same time,” Pitch told her. “Just to be certain.” “A backup?” She smiled at Kam. He’d made certain she wouldn’t be left behind. “Thanks.” She now wondered which energy source had saved her. She needed to check into that later. The knowledge might come in handy someday. “Why didn’t you get us out of there sooner?” They could have materialized out right after he got her collar off. Pitch answered. “The devices have limited range. You needed to get to the surface first.” “And they can only be used once,” Kam added. “If I’d misjudged the distance, we could have been trapped. I wanted to wait until we got well out of the cave, but the option was taken away from us.” She nodded, but wished he’d trusted her enough to have told her the plan. Or maybe he’d left her in the dark for another reason. If recaptured, she wouldn’t have any information for the Egesa to get out of her, other than her knowing about a Xylon transport somewhere on the moon. Not that she ever divulged any info unless it was her own idea. As a Class 1 Warrior, she’d been trained to endure even the wickedest of torture without breaking down. “I’m just glad you’re both safe. Welcome aboard, Halah,” Pitch said to her. “It’s good to have you back on our side. Sorry to report though that I’ve been searching the moon for Josella and nothing has shown up on the tracker.” Halah’s gaze shot to Kam. What the hell was Pitch talking about? Had Kam betrayed her again? “Relax, Halah. He doesn’t know,” Kam replied. “Don’t jump to any conclusions. I can see your mind working overtime. Everything I told you is true.” She relaxed, but not completely. She wouldn’t feel totally at ease until she finally saw her sister for herself and knew that Josella was safe and sound. “I don’t know what?” Pitch asked. “Now what are you keeping from me?” “Let’s just get into space,” Kam said, moving toward the pilot’s seat. “I’ll explain after we’re clear of the Sand Moon.”

***** Lair of Xylon

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“It’s confirmed, Torque,” Tara reported, her voice hitching. “Brianna entered Lift 6, according to her security team.” Torque simply stared at her, his pulse racing too fast. “You said nobody was in that lift before it crashed.” His lungs burned from not being able to catch a full breath. “I knew those damn readings were wrong!” He couldn’t think. First Braden, now Brianna. “We sent a team down there to search the wreckage. Have they reported?” “Last time I checked, they hadn’t found anything. I called them off and assigned them to more vital areas.” “Well, call them back! I want every inch of that rubble searched and researched.” Tara slid out of her seat. She wrapped her arms around him, and they held each other tightly. After several speechless moments, she broke the silence. “It’s too late, Torque. You’re going to have to face it. If she was in there, she’s dead.” He pulled back and looked into her eyes, which revealed nothing as usual. Sometimes he envied her ability to do that. Right now, it angered him. “Face it? Just like that? You know, Tara. You really can be a cold bitch at times.” She gasped and without warning, struck him hard across the face. “How dare you say something like that to me? Brianna was my sister, too. I loved her just as much as you.” He rubbed his cheek. “Well, until there’s a body, she’s not dead. Get on it!” He wouldn’t give up on Brianna. He couldn’t. Swiping away a tear, Tara returned to her station. Torque puffed out a heavy breath. When she’d struck him, Tara’s eyes had clearly revealed her feelings. He felt like shit. He shouldn’t have taken out his grief on her. He walked up behind her seat and placed his hand on her shoulder. “I’m sorry, Tara. I didn’t mean what I said. I just need to be certain.” “It’s not like I haven’t heard it before, Torque. From plenty of other people.” Her back stiffened as she worked. Yes. He knew people often labeled Tara’s strong will and decisiveness as coldhearted or bitchy. She wasn’t really like that. Deep down, she had a very fragile heart. Everything else was just her way of protecting it. He moved to the side of her chair and crouched down. “Forgive me, sister. I love you with every breath inside me.” He squeezed her hand. Her breath visibly hitched, and a tear slid down her cheek. She squeezed his hand back. “I know. I love you, too. I’m sorry I hit you.” Her tender admission touched his heart. A grin crossed his face. “At least I know you can still take care of yourself. You haven’t gone soft.” After she’d been stripped of her Security Chief position, she’d stopped training as much, and he’d worried about her defensive skills waning. But that slap contained quite some power behind it.

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“Me, soft?” She snorted. “Right. Now how about we get back to work? I’ll send another team to the lift area. We’ll find something. If not, we’ll assume Brianna got out before the lift started its free fall and is still in the Lair somewhere, but cut off from us. One way or another, we’ll find her.” Standing from his crouch, he nodded. “Sounds good. Keep me informed.”

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Chapter Twelve Dome of Marid

“What the hell is going on?” Daegal bellowed to the Top Commander. He plopped down in his command chair, feeling drained. Just when he was about to celebrate their victory at hand Xylon began to slip through his fingers. This couldn’t be happening! Not after all the years he’d put into the planning. All Xylon Warriors must die! The Top Commander relayed the bad news. “Marid’s weapons, as well as the Sand Moon’s, are offline. Communication is almost completely down. All systems, backups included, seem to have gone crazy.” “Crazy?” Daegal arched an eyebrow. “Is that your technical assessment?” Frustration built to an explosive level. He felt like ripping someone’s head off and almost reached out to do just that. “What’s causing it?” With the backup systems out, they were now in quite a precarious situation. “Massive computer viruses are attacking all Marid-designed databases and control files. I haven’t heard from the other Banishment Zones, but I’m assuming the systems on all our outposts are also in failure, because we’re not getting any readings from them. The Sand Moon got off a message right before the communication grid locked up, saying all but a few of their controls have been affected.” Daegal scratched his chin. Viruses. That meant someone had infiltrated their main computer system. An Agent gone bad, or the Lair at work? He didn’t take much time wondering. This stunt reeked of Warrior stench. “What’s the specific origin? And can it be blocked?” “I don’t know on either count. We haven’t been able to pin it down…yet. We are back-tracing to find out what station was used to transmit the code.” “Repair time?” “Also unknown. Every time we access another area, we run into more destructive code sequences.” “What do you know? And what’s this do to our takeover of Xylon?” If Marid lost momentum now, his followers would lose confidence in his ability to lead them, and he might have massive defections. He couldn’t allow that. They must be victorious over Xylon. If they weren’t, and he couldn’t fulfill the rest of his plan, he would die, and everything he’d worked for over the years would be for naught. “Foot troops will continue to attack. Most of Marid’s fleet fighters will disengage. Their systems are fed by our computers. All but hand-controlled weapons will be down. Computer targeting is down, too. The viruses are transferring from the surface systems throughout the fighter fleets at a tremendous speed. Some of our more

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experienced pilots will probably stay to their heading. They’re trained to target by sight for just such malfunctions, but we won’t be anywhere near full force.” “Is the Lair doing this?” Daegal asked, voicing his suspicions. “Impossible. We’ve shut down too many of their systems for them to have the power to do something like this directly from their facility. Though they’ve changed their codes and stabilized their systems, they haven’t reestablished enough control yet for the Lair to affect such destruction. We still have their base codes, so our decryptors will be able to decipher the new coding scheme they switched to as soon as their key method is uncovered. Then we’ll shut them down again. The infiltration has to be coming from someplace else. A direct uplink to our main system is needed to cause this type of massive system failure. They can’t come at us from the outside, Daegal. Everything is locked down. It’s definitely an inside job.” An inside job. Yes. And he had a feeling he knew the traitor. But he’d explore all avenues just to cover any other possibilities. “Keep on it. And once communications are reestablished see what Frost knows, if anything, about all this.”

***** Sand Moon “Halah and Kam are gone,” Rave told Frost. “Materialized out, according to the Egesa security team we sent after them.” “How? Did they get access to some of our transport-connectors?” “None have been reported missing, but the system is down, so we can’t check the usage stats.” Rave held up a collar. “This was found just outside one of the control rooms. It’s Halah’s. I remember the number.” “Damn it!” Frost paced back and forth in her quarters. “They should have been guarded more closely. I assigned an Agent to watch them, but he must have bolted when the alarm sounded.” “I’ve already spoken to him. He was found sprawled out in a side corridor. An Egesa injured him in some sort of personal dispute.” “An Egesa? Stupid creatures! I hate those ugly things. Where’d Kam and Halah go? What’s your guess, Rave? The moon’s prison security force?” “Doubtful. Though supposedly an independent zone, too many of our people work there. They’d never trust those officials to aid them. Since we never found Kam’s ship, and Halah’s ship isn’t functional, I would assume they’re back aboard Kam’s orbiter, either somewhere on the surface or already off-moon.” “If they’re still on the surface, can we stop them from taking off?” “Before reporting to you, I alerted the moon’s prison security of an illegally-docked ship taking off. They said nothing unauthorized was showing on their computers—the ones that are still working anyhow. With the war, they have an increase of ships 123

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incoming and outgoing with deliveries. They said they can’t stop all of them to doublecheck for falsified authorization. They don’t have the manpower.” Frost stopped pacing and stared at Rave. “So you think Kam established false epapers for landing and takeoff rights?” “He has the knowledge. It’s what I would have done. Otherwise, the moon’s security force never would have allowed him to land. Either he logged forged authorization, or he somehow blocked the prison’s tracking signals. Halah tried doing the same, but her block contained a glitch, which is how I spotted her location. Kam has proven more clever, it seems.” Frowning, Frost began to pace again. She’d obviously underestimated Kam. From what she remembered of him from years ago, and from the information Daegal gave her, she’d assumed he would be easy to control—unlike his Class 1 associates. “Do you think he and Halah are behind the computer chaos?” “It’s possible. He knows codes. She knows weapons. What’s our next move? Should we kill Kam?” Rave ran her fingers over the remote device that controlled the implant in his throat. “No.” She stopped in front of Rave and confiscated the device, placing it in the bodice of her outfit, so Rave wouldn’t be tempted to use it. “He’s still more useful alive. His death won’t help us any. And I don’t want to waste the control over him that we’ve established. We’re going to need him later.” Unfortunately, their control currently had limits. The tracking and listening devices Frost had instructed the surgeon to implant in Kam, at the same time as the Sonic device, were malfunctioning. Once able to remotely repair though, the Warrior wouldn’t stand a chance against her. From now on, she’d rely more heavily on the woman in front of her. Rave’s knowledge of the Warriors had proven more extensive than her current sources—or, at least, Rave was more willing to share the knowledge. She didn’t trust the woman completely, but no matter, for she knew how to play both sides to her advantage. “This must remain between us, Rave. Daegal is not to know that Kam and Halah are gone.” “Understood. I’ll inform security. It shouldn’t be a problem since most communication is offline right now. And with the computer problems, if he does find out, we can plead ignorance or malfunction.” She eyed Rave, needing to know a timeline. “How long does Daegal have? Do you have any idea?” “Not long, I’m told, if he doesn’t get the necessary serum. Though no exacts are available. I do think between your connections and mine—” “Don’t become too self-assured, Rave.” An uncomfortable feeling fluttered up Frost’s back. She’d learned over the years to trust that feeling. “Is it possible we’re being used?” Their contact might be playing both sides, too. Only a fool trusted his partners completely. “Of course. Just like we’re doing the using. It all comes down to who’s cleverer in the end, Frost.” 124

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Yes. She studied Rave, whose grin looked a little too broad for her liking. But the woman’s words were true. And Frost intended to be the cleverest of them all.

***** Forests of Xylon On the data screen in front of him, Erik studied the readings streaming in. “Looks like Kam and Halah did it. Many of Marid’s fighters are moving off. Their fleet-based weapons system appears to be offline. They’ll have to target by sight only. Most of their pilots aren’t trained for that, but luckily ours are. Hopefully, Marid’s tech people won’t figure out how to reset everything until our Warriors can reestablish a strong hold on the system. Brianna should be reading all this in the Lair. She’ll move on it.” Laszlo frowned, and then huffed out a large breath. “She’s not reading it, Erik. Unfortunately. There’s been an unexpected development.” Erik turned toward him. “What now?” They already stood knee-deep in shit. They didn’t need anything else going wrong. He glanced toward their inner communications system. Braden had left earlier to be with Alexa. Erik didn’t want to call him back unless it was absolutely necessary. Braden’s mind and presence should be with his mate right now. His gaze shifted back to Laszlo. “Are you going to answer me?” he asked when the man offered no further information. With each passing minute, Erik’s impatience grew, along with the sudden pounding in his head. Laszlo still didn’t answer, but reached over and pushed a button. The air in the corner shimmered and one by one, two people appeared. Erik immediately recognized the woman. “Brianna?” He couldn’t believe she was here. Damn it. Who the hell was left to run the Lair now? One of them would have to materialize back over. And once again he determined that person should be him. It made the most sense, given their circumstances. He still had the working transportconnectors. They remained hidden safely in his assigned quarters. He had the go-ahead, though earlier Braden had told him not to act until they’d had another chance to talk about some new developments. He’d rather go with Laszlo’s support. But if he had to work against Laszlo’s orders, he would. As soon as he got the chance. Erik didn’t recognize the man standing beside Brianna. He looked a little off balance. Not that Erik was surprised. With everything going on, he felt a bit off balance himself. “Erik?” Brianna’s gaze locked with his, then darted across the room, her eyes widening when she spotted Laszlo. After the shock of seeing him eased from her face, she spoke. “What’s going on? Where the hell are we?” “Colonel Briggs?” Laszlo asked. “Yes, sir,” the man answered, still looking off-center, but attempting to hide it. 125

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Erik studied the stranger. Colonel? What the hell? Now he really itched for answers. Ignoring the exchange, and with a welcoming look in her eyes, Brianna approached him. She touched his arm. “Good to see you, Erik. Is Leila here, too?” He patted her hand. “She sure is. As well as a couple of other people you might be interested in.” “Oh?” “Brianna?” She turned toward the deep, male voice. Her breath caught in her throat, and she swallowed hard. “Braden?” she choked out. “Oh, Braden! You’re alive!” She ran into his arms and held on tightly. “It’s so good to see you.” While Braden whispered a few words to his sister, Erik watched the reaction of the man who had materialized into the room with her. His eyes had narrowed when she ran to Braden, and Erik could actually feel the tension in the room increase. Interesting. Braden apparently noticed the man, too, for he pulled away from Brianna and eyed the stranger. “Who’s this?” “Colonel Samuel Briggs,” the man answered. “Colonel?” Braden repeated, his eyes narrowing. “You’re from Earth?” “That’s right. And you all are…” Erik didn’t much like the man’s forwardness. Typical Earth attitude of jumping in with both feet, instead of studying the situation first. With a tentative smile, Brianna took over the introductions. “This is my brother, Braden Koll. The one with the scowl is Erik Rhodes, and that’s Laszlo in the chair. Good to see you’re still with us, Laszlo.” “Thank you, my dear.” He nodded. Erik noticed Briggs had relaxed when Brianna said “brother”, but then he tensed again, when she introduced Laszlo. “You’re Laszlo?” Briggs asked. “That’s right. Say nothing right now, Colonel. We will talk.” Erik didn’t like the sound of that. And he could tell Braden didn’t either. This Earth man definitely knew something that Laszlo didn’t want revealed. Later, he’d try to get the man alone and… “Brianna,” Laszlo said, drawing the woman’s attention back to him. “You’re not supposed to be here.” “Well, it certainly wasn’t my idea. And I still don’t know where here is.” She glanced around the control room. “We’re in one of Laszlo’s underground security chambers in the forest on Xylon,” Braden informed her.

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“Ah.” She nodded. “Well, I can’t say I’m surprised you’re behind all this, Laszlo. I’m assuming this has something to do with Briggs, otherwise he and I wouldn’t here. I read a little about the special project ACE—” “How did you end up with Briggs?” he quickly interrupted her, his voice rising to drown hers out. Special project? ACE? Erik wondered what that meant. A possible alliance between Earth and Xylon perhaps? Though that didn’t seem likely. Earth wasn’t advanced enough. The Council had been adamant about not allowing Earth’s society to know about the more advanced systems yet. Or at least to not have absolute proof. Up until now Xylon had worked hard to enforce the Resolution of Separation, with only a few glitches here and there. Many of Earth’s reported UFOs had been a Marid or Xylon or other system ship that had gotten too close or didn’t cloak properly. “She was in the lift with me,” Briggs supplied. “Lift?” Braden asked. “Someone needs to start explaining. And in much more detail.” Before Brianna could do so Laszlo cut in. “Did Tara initiate the Colonel as scheduled?” Brianna looked from her brother to Laszlo. “Um, no. There was a problem.” A frown furrowed Laszlo’s forehead. “He needs to be initiated. Soon.” “Wait,” Braden interrupted. “Initiated? Why? We don’t initiate Earth men. Is he part Xylon? What the hell is going on, Laszlo?” Erik would like to know the same thing. If he were better with data files, he’d break into Laszlo’s private records. He figured that would be the only way to really find out the truth. This was one time he missed Torque, and the man’s skills at file infiltration. “He has no Xylon blood,” Laszlo answered. “And for now, you don’t really need to know—” “Braden,” a voice on the speaker interrupted. With an irritated look, Braden walked over to the comm panel and flipped a switch. “What is it, Leila?” “There’s a development with Alexa. You’d better get down here.” Braden fell silent and his face turned white. Almost tripping over his own feet, and without another word or a look at the others, he rushed out. Erik fought the urge to follow. But he needed to make sure the Lair was secure. “So who’s in charge in the Lair now, Laszlo?” Laszlo looked over at Brianna in inquiry. “Torque will take over,” she told them. “But we should contact him and let him know what’s going on.” “We can’t,” Erik responded. “The Lair’s authenticator is still down and we’re operating on a separate grid down here.”

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“A separate grid?” Brianna frowned. “Lovely.” “Also, Torque’s not authorized for command,” Erik continued, knowing now was the time to speak up. “So we really need to send me back over there. While there’s still time to do something.” “No,” Laszlo answered without hesitation. “You’re staying put. I’ll need your help and input here, later.” “Why?” Erik was tired of all this. He shoved his fingers through his hair, feeling his blood pressure rise with his frustration. “I can always come back. The Lair needs—” “I need less defiance of my orders from my officers.” “It’ll be all right, Erik. For now.” Brianna tried to assure him, looking from man to man. “Authorization has never stopped Torque. I already gave him the order of command. He knows if the Council takes control, they’ll surrender. He’ll heed my instructions until further notice. Don’t worry. He’s firmly in charge.” “Torque firmly in charge,” Erik repeated, then snorted. “Why would I worry?”

***** Lair of Xylon “Open the door, Torque,” the leading Council member ordered, speaking through his personal vid-cell. Torque and Tara glanced at each other. “I’d prefer not to,” Torque told his sister. “Except, he’d probably get torn apart by any Egesa who might still be out there or who might come along before he can get back up to the Council Chambers. Is he alone?” “Appears to be. Nothing else is registering on the other side at this time. But opening the door will still be dangerous.” Torque rubbed his chin. “Well, we can’t leave him out there. Open the door. Just be prepared to close it immediately upon his entry.” “Will do.” With the flip of a switch, the door slid open. When clear, the Council member stepped inside. White-haired and wearing a long, gray robe, the man looked eighty, though Torque knew him to be no more than sixty-five. “Delemar,” Torque greeted. “It’s about time. There’s a foul odor out there.” The man looked nauseous. Foul odor. “Shut the door, Tara. Fast.” As the door began to slide closed, an Egesa materialized just on the other side, disruptor in hand. “Damn! Get down, Delemar!” Torque warned, reaching for his disruptor.

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Before any of them made another move, a shot to the head took the Egesa down. The panel eased the rest of the way closed, sealing them in. Torque and Delemar turned toward Tara, who held her own disruptor. She shrugged. “Still the fastest in the system.” She re-holstered the weapon. “Sorry about that. Though our systems are stabilizing, our readings from some inputs haven’t been reliable, and we’re still unable to track incoming transport-connector channels.” “Lock us up,” Torque ordered. She hit the switch. “Locked and secured.” Delemar moved toward the center of the room, looking shaken. He plopped down into a nearby chair. “The Lair is virtually deserted. Everyone is gone.” “Not everyone. It only feels that way because so many Warriors are on the surface and up in fighters. We’re now registering problems on Marid. We think we still have a chance to win this,” Torque explained. “Tara just said the readings haven’t been dependable. You could be interpreting our advantage wrong. The only real choice we have left is to surrender. If we don’t, everyone on Xylon will surely perish. Besides, there’s no one left to command.” “I can command,” Torque told him. “I will command. We are not surrendering to Daegal. He’ll kill or enslave everyone on the planet. Including the Council members. Is that what you want?” He seemed to have gotten Delemar’s attention with that last statement. “He wouldn’t dare harm the Council members. We’d be prisoners, but treated well, as all dignitaries are in times of war.” “Why wouldn’t he kill you? He’s not bound by our codes. He doesn’t care about dignitaries. He will execute anyone he feels is a threat or who holds power.” “I just don’t know…” “You don’t have a choice. It’s my decision now. We will fight to the end. With or without Council approval.”

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Chapter Thirteen

Outer Regions, Xylon System “How long until we can move into position to achieve orbit and land on Xylon?” Halah asked Kam, her voice low. She was eager for the taste of wide spaces and sweet freedom again. Too long she’d been under Daegal’s thumb…or some representative who served Daegal. She’d been a fool to ever make a deal with that devil and his demon associates. She glanced at Pitch, who slept in a chair across from them. She still felt on a high from her and Kam’s computer infiltration and their escape from the Sand Moon. When she finally crashed, she’d probably sleep for days. The lights in the orbiter had been dimmed, and she felt quite safe and cozy for the first time in a long while. But still, she couldn’t seem to close her eyes and rest. When Kam answered her question, he kept his voice as low as hers. “We need to wait until more of the Marid fighters pull back. Although we can get Lair fighter support, we really don’t want to be in the middle of a firefight up here in a personal transport, especially now. The sand on the moon degraded our systems. Everything is too sluggish at the moment for optimum maneuverability. We’re going to need a full flush once we land. But we’ve done our job. That’s what matters. Now it’s safer for us to just wait here until we’re clear.” She nodded. Some downtime sounded good to her, and from what Kam said, it appeared they might have quite a chunk on their hands. Though thankful for the peace and quiet after everything they’d been through, she still felt like she needed something to occupy her mind…and body. She never was one for just sitting around and doing nothing. Being too idle made her fidgety, and her mind tended to drift back over too many bad memories of things she’d done in the past and not been proud of. Who needed that stress? She slid off her seat and moved silently over to Kam, straddling his lap when she reached him. His hands instantly came up to support her. A look of confusion crossed his face. “Um, what are we doing?” He glanced briefly toward Pitch, before his gaze switched back to focus fully on her. “What do you think?” She leaned in for a kiss. The perfect distraction to pass the time. Hell, the truth was…she needed more than just the distraction. She needed him. Her body needed his touch. Her mind needed the connection with his. Kam’s gentle strength settled her and made her feel that all good things were indeed possible. He accommodated her, tangling his tongue with hers in a long, erotic kiss. When they pulled back, both of them were breathless. Kam looked deeply into her eyes, and he squeezed her hand. “Thank you, Halah.” 130

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“For the kiss?” she asked with a small chuckle. Though, from the look he was giving her, she suspected something else was going on in his mind right now. She wasn’t certain she really wanted to know what, for she wasn’t ready to hear anything heartfelt. “For everything. You’re an incredible—” She covered his mouth with her hand, not wanting to hear the words, not here. She couldn’t handle any declarations of emotions from him at the moment. She still felt too raw inside from the mistakes she’d made. She never should have turned against the Lair, against her own. “Just show me.” She pulled open the front of her vest, exposing her breasts. Sex she could handle. Sex she craved. Emotions scared the hell out of her. Kam once more glanced at Pitch. Then, with a small smile on his face, he leaned forward and took one of her nipples into his mouth. As he sucked her gently, Halah held his head. So perfect. This was exactly where she was supposed to be, and with the man she was supposed to be with, for however long it lasted. Later they’d need to discuss the emotional aspect of their relationship. She knew that. But she wanted them to be alone when they did so, without any distractions. She also wanted to be somewhere less confined, so she could remove herself from the situation if she felt too uncomfortable with the conversation. Threading her fingers through his soft hair, she massaged his scalp, enjoying this moment between them. Kam released her nipple. He lapped at the hard bud, rolling the flesh with his tongue. “Mmm. Nice,” she told him. “I’ll say,” a male voice responded in a husky tone. Their gazes snapped toward Pitch, who now sat awake and watching them. With a frown, Kam leaned back. Halah clutched the front of her vest together. What lousy timing. It looked like everything—talking and sex—would have to wait until they were truly alone. “Don’t stop on my account,” he replied with a small grin. “Funny.” She moved to get off Kam’s lap, but he stopped her, holding her in place. Her eyes locked with his. “What?” They couldn’t do anything more now. Why had he stopped her? Kam slid his hands up to hers. He pried her fingers loose from the vest. Her top hung open, partially exposing her. She looked at him in surprise and her heart began to pound against her ribs. Did he actually want— “Remember, you promised me anything,” he said, with a lusty grin on his face. When he leaned back in to suck her nipple again, she gasped. “Oh, yeah,” Pitch responded with a moan. She’d been to Lair Joining Parties plenty of times in her past, where the sex ran rampant. Multiple partners and voyeurism were the norm in the Xylon system. But she 131

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hadn’t directly engaged in such behavior in many years. Again the erotic visions of Kam and Pitch came into her mind. Had this been inevitable all along? Since they sat sideways to Pitch, when Kam pushed her vest wide, Pitch had an unobstructed view of Kam’s mouth on her breast. She could stop this. She probably should stop this. But she wasn’t sure she wanted to. She knew Kam would never force her to do anything she didn’t want. She also knew he wouldn’t allow Pitch to touch her, if she said no. At the same time, the idea of having these two sexy men to herself, even if just this once, was quite a thrill. She couldn’t stop the excitement that ran through her body at the thought. Pitch lightly rubbed his cock through his uniform while he watched her reaction. When she smiled slightly and pushed her breast more fully against Kam’s mouth, he chuckled. Kam’s teeth grazed her nipple, and Halah’s pussy clenched. “Oh, yes.” She moaned, closing her eyes and forgetting about Pitch and everything else for the moment. She just wanted to enjoy the pleasure coursing through her. With a gentle though urgent touch, Kam tugged her vest completely off and dropped it to the floor. “Rip all her clothes off, Kam.” With a pop, Kam released her nipple. “That’s Halah’s move…and decision.” He helped her off his lap, then sat back comfortably in the seat, crossing his arms over his chest. “Will you undress for us, Halah?” he asked her. Though not the shy sort, she still trembled at the thought of stripping before both of them. Not from fear, but from the sexual intensity building inside the orbiter. The fact that Kam had confirmed aloud that this was her decision made her feel in total control of the situation. Her thoughts raced, and she felt moisture gather in her pussy. She didn’t feel obligated to perform for them because of what she’d promised Kam on the Sand Moon. She wasn’t that sort. She made her own decisions and had no problems changing her mind and acting on the change if she saw fit. So whatever she did now would be because she wanted to. Reaching up, she massaged her breasts and plucked at her nipples, until both men moaned. Feeling powerful, she slid her fingers slowly over her ribs and down her stomach to remove the leggings Kam had given her after they boarded. Both men followed her every move, locking on her naked pussy as she exposed herself. When she caressed her inner thighs and her hips, Pitch cursed under his breath. She knew they could see how wet she was. Halah found she enjoyed teasing them, making them hot, making them want her. Both their cocks pressed visibly against their uniforms, showing their need. Kam surged to his feet. Automatically, she took a step backward. But when he smiled and approached her slowly, she smiled and stepped toward him. He cupped her

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cheeks and lifted her chin, bringing her mouth up to his. His lips covered hers in a searing kiss. After a moment, she felt two hands sliding down her back and caressing her ass. Not Kam’s hands. Pitch’s hands. They moved roughly and felt more demanding. She mewled into Kam’s mouth. One of his hands left her face, and he grabbed her thigh, lifting her leg to hook around his hip. The entire time, he never stopped kissing her. When Pitch’s fingers grazed her pussy, her other leg buckled at the pleasure that speared through her. His hand pressed against her waist, holding her in place. Kam broke the kiss. He drew her wrists behind her and clamped them together with one hand against the small of her back. “Just relax,” he whispered in her ear. He again reached to hold her leg, which remained around his hip. After Kam got a good hold on her, Pitch released her waist. His fingers stroked her wet pussy from behind. “Oh, please…” she begged. She needed relief from the ache between her legs. Pitch tangled the fingers of his other hand in her hair. He pulled her head back toward him. “You want it?” “Yes! You know I do.” She realized the balance of power had changed. They held her trapped, with her pleasure in their hands. Literally. “Do it,” Kam told him. Pitch slowly pushed one finger inside her pussy. “Ah…” She squirmed, but Kam held her tightly. “Oh, yeah. She’s soaked.” Pitch worked a second finger inside her, inserting both digits deeply. “Yes, deeper,” she urged, pushing down against his fingers. Wiggling the digits inside her, he chuckled when she gasped sharply and continued to push down, trying to get him even deeper still. “Finger-fuck me hard!” “She likes it rough.” “Does she? My kind of woman. I always follow orders, Halah.” Pitch pumped her with force, pushing his fingers as far inside her as he could get them. Kam licked her neck and ear, then lapped at her lips. Pitch’s fingers moved in and out of her pussy, fucking her fast and hard. “Oh, oh.” Having two men completely focused on giving her pleasure was a heady sensation. She rubbed her hard-as-stone nipples against Kam’s chest hair, loving the feel against her skin. Kam groaned. “Make her come, Pitch.” He kissed and licked her lips, while Pitch continued to hold her head steady, his hand tangled in her hair. When Halah felt Pitch try to push a third finger into her pussy, she mewled. “I can’t take three,” she told him in a near moan. 133

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“Yes, you can. And it’ll feel fucking great. Lift her leg higher, Kam,” Pitch said. “Yeah. Just like that. Hold her. Three, Halah. Right…now!” “Oh!” His fingers filled her completely. He released her hair, slapped her ass, and began finger-fucking her with fervor. She pulled against Kam’s grip on her wrists, not sure if she was trying to get loose or just unable to stay still from the intense stimulation. Pitch spanked her again, more sharply this time. The smack echoed in the orbiter. “Ah!” Men didn’t normally spank her. They probably thought she’d deck them if they tried. She found that she enjoyed the sensation, and enjoyed that Pitch wasn’t intimidated by her. His fingers moved quickly, harder and deeper. “Scream, Halah. Come!” Kam whispered in her ear. “Are you all right?” At the concern in his voice, she practically melted. Even in the middle of such intense sex, he still cared about her feelings more than anything else. She swallowed hard and nodded. “You like this?” he asked her, not sounding judgmental at all, only intrigued. Again, she nodded, wondering why he hadn’t simply checked his sensor. Oh, yeah. The device was strapped to the wrist of the hand holding her hands captive. He couldn’t see the device behind her back. She felt his cock pressing against her, through his uniform. He was enjoying this. “More, Kam. I want more.” She couldn’t stop the plea from spilling from her lips. She wanted them to hear and know her pleasure and didn’t want them to stop. “Come for me then, Halah,” he encouraged. “Just for me. You’re so beautiful when you come.” “Oh, Kam!” A strong orgasm rushed through her body. If Kam hadn’t been holding her, she’d have fallen to the deck. Her body writhed against his. Her pussy clenched around Pitch’s fingers. “Beautiful,” Kam whispered against her ear. When Pitch finally pulled his fingers out of her, Kam released her wrists and lifted her into his arms. She shrieked, then laughed, until she met his lust-filled gaze. The effects of her climax still lingered, and her pussy tingled. Kam laid her down on one of the sleeping pads in the back of the orbiter, then began pulling off his uniform. Not once taking his eyes off her, Pitch sucked her cum off his fingers, then began pulling off his clothes too. The two men, now naked, stared down at her. Their differences excited her more than she’d expected. Kam, with his blond hair and light blue eyes, tall and well-built. Pitch, black-haired with deep blue eyes, not as tall, but broader-shouldered and wellmuscled. Even the differences in their cocks fascinated her. Kam’s looked so smooth, long, thick, deliciously broad-tipped, and reddish in color. Pitch’s cock was much darker, 134

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almost purplish, with more ridges, also long and thick, but the tip wasn’t nearly as broad as Kam’s. She stretched her arms over her head, offering herself up to them, needing this more than she had even realized. It felt almost as if she was being reinitiated as a Warrior. Coming home. Kam stared down at Halah. He wanted this woman. For always. He knew now in his heart that the visions he’d been having of her were breeder-mate visions. They weren’t typical. He’d need to talk to Laszlo about them. But even though his visions sometimes took a more violent turn, he knew Halah belonged to him. He also knew others would probably think them an odd match. He felt they fit together perfectly. He so admired her strength and even her stubbornness. She’d taken the wrong path in life, but she’d never totally sold out her people. And now she was ready to return and he wanted to help her do that. He glanced at Pitch, who stood waiting for his signal. “Remember,” he said to the man in a low voice. “She’s mine.” Meaning, if Pitch overstepped his bounds, he’d pay the consequences. In acknowledgment, the man nodded. Kam stepped over Halah and kneeled down beside her. He’d noticed the momentary widening of her eyes when he’d spoken to Pitch, declaring his claim on her, and he wondered at her thoughts. Soon enough, he’d know, he supposed. His wrist sensor didn’t indicate any resentment or anger in her, only need. He cupped one of her breasts and brushed his thumb across the nipple. Pitch knelt on her opposite side and mimicked his actions. She pushed up against their touches, showing them her enjoyment. Good. He wanted only pleasure for her. “You can stop this anytime you want,” he said to her, wanting her to know that she retained control of the situation from beginning to end. “I know,” she replied softly, covering his hand with hers. “Show me the Warrior way.” Kam groaned. He leaned down and sucked her nipple into his mouth. Delicious. He saw Pitch lean over and lap at Halah’s other nipple. They’d give her an experience she wouldn’t soon forget. But after this, Halah was his. And his alone. Somehow he’d convince her to stay with him. And if she insisted on returning to Sunevia with Josella, he’d go with her. He didn’t intend to lose this woman without putting up the fight of his life. “Mmm, suck me…” After a long, hard draw, he released her nipple and moved to whisper in her ear. “No electrical sex with Pitch.” He didn’t want any other to experience that bond of deep ecstasy he’d shared with her. She turned her head and kissed him lightly on the lips. “No. Only with you.”

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Relief rushed through him, for he’d worried she might not understand his possessiveness of that part of their relationship. When she suddenly moaned and closed her eyes, he looked over at Pitch. The man was chewing lightly on her nipple. “Harder, Pitch. Rough and hard.” The man bit down, and Halah shrieked at the delicious combination of pain and pleasure that shot through her. “Oh! Yes, do it!” Kam smiled. Time to show her just how much pleasure they were capable of giving her. Halah felt Kam’s hands glide over her body. It amazed her how even with her eyes closed, she could tell exactly who touched her where. Kam’s hands moved with gentle desire. Pitch’s moved with needy lust. The perfect contrast, as if Kam knew that’s exactly what she craved. Pitch released her nipple, and she relaxed. He lapped at the tender bud until she sighed. Gently, they positioned her on her side, and she felt Kam move behind her. He lifted her leg over his hip, then slowly slid into her pussy from behind. “Yes…” His cock seemed to go on forever and filled her more deeply than any man ever had. “How’s her pussy feel?” Pitch asked. “Incredible. Wet and warm. And so fucking tight.” Pitch groaned. “You’re torturing me on purpose.” Kam simply chuckled. Unexpectedly, he rolled over onto his back, taking her with him. “Oh!” She lay on top of him, his cock deeply embedded in her pussy. Pitch moved between their legs. “Let’s see how much you can take, Halah.” With his thumbs, he spread her pussy and leaned over her. When his tongue grazed her clit, she gasped at the sensation. “Ah!” Kam pumped his hips lightly and Pitch continued to lick her, his tongue circling her clit, lapping at the tip, then circling again. Both men moved slowly, but deliberately. “You’re any man’s fantasy,” Kam whispered to her. “My cock feels as hard as stone. Be prepared, Halah. You’re going to get fucked until you can’t even turn over without help.” She groaned lightly at his words, erotic images filling her head. Pitch took her clit between his teeth. He chewed on the fleshy bud, alternating between gentle and hard, making her squirm. The double sensation of Kam’s cock and Pitch’s teeth sent her quickly over the edge. A powerful climax shot from her pussy, right up her body, and back down to her toes. She writhed and twisted between the two men. “Oh, yes!”

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A tongue, Kam’s, licked at her ear. “Don’t hold back. Let go completely, Halah. Give us the control. Let us have all of you.” “Yes!” She came once more, trusting them to take care of her. She released her awareness of everything around her except for what was happening to her body. Kam tweaked her nipples, then rolled and twisted them. Pitch sucked her clit into his mouth. “Oh, oh, oh!” Her body tightened, and she exploded all over again. The unending orgasms rolled through her. She never knew anything like this was even possible. “Yeees!” After too many climaxes to count, Halah collapsed. Totally satisfied and spent, she lay limply on top of Kam. She felt his cock still hard inside her. “You didn’t come.” Her voice sounded breathy. She wanted—needed—him to come, too. Pitch crouched beside them, his cock also hard. “We’ll come, Halah. Both of us.” He wrapped her fingers around his shaft. “Stroke me.” Without hesitation, she moved her hand up and down his cock, using an easy touch. Clear drops of pre-cum dotted the tip, capturing her attention. He scooted so close to her that the scent of his arousal filled her nose. “Now lick my cock. I need to feel your tongue on me.” She raised her head, and her tongue darted out. She lapped at the tip of his cock, licking up the drops. Musky. When she heard both men growl, she stopped, a smile on her face. Pitch’s fingers curled into fists. “Oh, damn! I need to fuck you something fierce.” His eyes moved past her to look at Kam. Kam rolled her onto her stomach and pulled out of her. The two men turned her onto her back. Kam covered her body with his. Without a word, he pushed his cock into her pussy again, then rolled onto his back. When she moved to rise up and ride him, he held her arms, stopping her. “No.” No? He didn’t want her to… Pitch pushed her head onto Kam’s chest. “Stay down. We’re directing this fuck. Not you.” He slapped her ass—once, twice, three times. “Ah, ah, ah!” “Harder,” Kam instructed. Halah’s mouth went dry, and her heart raced. With more force, Pitch’s hand smacked down repeatedly on her ass. She moaned loudly. “Oh, yeah,” Kam groaned. “Don’t stop. Every time you spank her, her pussy grips my cock tighter. The harder you spank, the harder her cunt grips me.” Pitch chuckled and spanked her again. Strong, solid smacks. “Damn! You’re so fucking hot, Halah.” His hand slapped first one cheek, then the other. “You love this, don’t you?” He spanked her cheeks over and over, until she squirmed. “Enough, enough!” Her ass felt on fire. She couldn’t take any more.

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Pitch didn’t stop, and she whimpered. “Please…” “Hey!” Kam yelled, catching Pitch’s attention. Kam signed sharply to him. That’s when the man finally backed off. The breath whooshed out of her, thankful for the reprieve. With gentle strokes, Kam rubbed her back. Following his lead, Pitch’s hands lightly massaged the tender flesh of her ass, soothing her. Then he slowly spread her cheeks. Just as she started to protest, she felt his tongue circle her hole. Her ass, extra sensitive, literally tingled. “Oh, ah, yes!” She hadn’t expected a thrill of such magnitude to shoot up her spine. Kam grabbed a handful of her hair and lifted her head. At the same moment he plunged his tongue into her mouth, Pitch plunged his tongue into her ass. She jerked at the sensation. And she came. Hard. Her hips slammed down against Kam, who moaned into her mouth. She came longer than she ever expected possible, experiencing multiple orgasms. She didn’t stop coming until Pitch finally pulled his tongue out of her ass. Kam broke their kiss and she lay draped across his body. Out of breath. “That was…great.” He held her gently, as his hips continued to lightly pump her pussy. “We’re not through yet, Halah,” Pitch said, his voice gravelly and full of need. All she could do was lie there. And wait for whatever else they had in mind. Every muscle in her body felt weak and liquefied. Suddenly, something hard pressed against her asshole. She jerked. Pitch’s cock! He was going to fuck her in the ass! Kam cupped her cheeks and looked into her eyes. “Ease it in,” he told Pitch. “Slowly. Don’t look away, Halah. I want to watch your eyes while he’s entering you.” She swallowed hard. As Pitch’s cock pushed into her ass, she gasped. A smile crossed Kam’s face. “Absolutely gorgeous. Your eyes grow so dark when you’re sexually stimulated.” He released her cheeks and urged her to bury her face in the crook of his neck. “Just let us fuck you until we’re spent.” And the two men did just that. They began fucking her, moving in such perfect rhythm with each other that she wondered if they’d done this before with other women. Faster and faster they moved. “Yes, don’t stop.” Her body wanted more. “Harder!” she begged, her voice muffled against Kam’s skin. She wanted to feel everything to the extreme. Kam plunged repeatedly into her pussy. Pitch hammered her ass. “Ah-ah! Yes!” Halah came once, twice, and then a third time. She couldn’t remember ever coming so much. Her pussy and ass clenched around their cocks. She felt Pitch stiffen. “Fuck!” He slammed into her hard and spewed his cum into her ass. “Yeah!” With a loud groan of satisfaction, he collapsed onto her back. After recovering, he pulled out and rolled off her body.

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Kam rolled her over onto her back, staying inside her. He stroked her cheeks with his fingertips as he settled his hips against her. “Can you take some more?” She felt his cock, still hard inside her. How had he been able to hold out for so long? She was more than impressed with his sexual endurance and prowess. “I want you to come inside me.” She needed to give him as much pleasure as he’d given her to feel truly satisfied. “I want that, too.” He rocked his hips against hers and leaned in for a kiss. Halah wrapped her legs around his hips. Her tongue slid along his, touching and tasting. She scraped her fingernails down his back. He tore his mouth from hers. “Ah…nice.” His hips jerked, and he fucked her a little faster, pushing deep. “Make me come, Halah.” Almost a challenge, she thought, at the sound of his voice. When he stared deeply into her eyes, she instinctively knew what he wanted. One of her hands glided down his back and she eased between his ass cheeks with her finger. Lightly, she probed his hole, sending a small electrical charge with each touch. He’d come for her. No doubt about it. “Oh, yeah, Halah!” He plunged into her body hard and fast. “Damn, yes! That’s good!” She reaped the benefits of his pleasure. “Yes! Fuck me, Kam! Don’t hold back.” “Fuck her rough,” Pitch encouraged, excitement lacing his voice. “She’s begging for it.” Halah loved the feel of Kam moving inside her so urgently. She pushed her finger all the way into his ass, curled it inside him, and upped the electrical charge, tapping all his sensitive areas. Kam went wild. His groans echoed off the orbiter walls, and he began fucking her like some savage animal, unable to get deep enough or move fast and hard enough. She locked herself around him, holding on and loving every second of his feral taking of her. “Damn,” Pitch said, sitting beside them and watching. “You two are fucking like Xylon Def’mals.” Halah barely registered his words. A Def’mal was a Xylon forest dweller, rarely seen. A humanoid savage whose mating rituals were reported to be almost violent in nature. Not really a good comparison, she thought, as her body began to tighten. She craved this from Kam and simply viewed it as two people in need of each other beyond all else. A flutter built up inside her, moving through her body. “Yes, Kam! I’m…I’m going to come again!” “Come for me now!” Kam ordered. “Right now!” “Oh-ah-oh!” She exploded in a powerful climax that shook her world. Kam’s body tightened and he also climaxed, his voice filling the orbiter with his pleasure and satisfaction. “Halah! Oh, fucking yes!” 139

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After the tremors passed, they lay in each other’s arms, breathing heavily. She felt Kam sign “I love you” against her back, using the Warrior upper-class method of silent communication. She sucked in a sharp breath, not having expected that from him. Each word of his touch burned against her skin. Halah’s heart clenched and her voice caught in her throat so tightly that she couldn’t speak. Instead, she swallowed hard and stroked his cheek. She’d never felt so sexually and emotionally fulfilled as she did right now. Glancing to their side, she saw that Pitch had gone up to the front of the orbiter, leaving them alone. She cleared her throat, preparing her words. But before she could voice her feelings in return, Kam kissed her gently on the lips, then he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep. A small sigh escaped her. He never demanded anything from her that she wasn’t ready to give. As if he knew… She respected and appreciated that more than he would ever realize. She closed her eyes, snuggling against him. And finally, after settling in her head what her true feelings for this man really were, she fell into a deep and contented sleep.

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Chapter Fourteen Forests of Xylon

Erik flipped a few switches, going from screen to screen, double-checking the data. He turned to Laszlo. “I’m getting in reports that some Marid transports are turning back and leaving Xylon’s atmosphere.” A huge sense of relief flowed through him. Though he knew Xylon and the Lair were far from safe, at least now they might stand a fighting chance. “Only some?” Laszlo’s brow furrowed. “Yes. The rest are still dropping off foot troops, but I imagine that will be the last batch from the look of things. I’m picking up patchy communications of withdrawal orders. They must have gotten at least partial comm abilities back. The transmissions aren’t coming from Marid though. It’s ship to ship. They’re trying to regroup and assess their malfunctioning controls. That’ll give us some breathing room to do the same. Hopefully, Kam and Halah damaged their systems enough that Daegal will call a ceasefire, for now, at least.” “How’d our people fair?” “I don’t have any casualty reports right now, so I can’t tell how effective the Egesa were against our Warriors. I’ll see what I can find out.” “Slave transports?” “No ships are taking off from the Xylon surface, so I don’t think they’ve taken any captives off-world yet. Or if they have, they’ve stopped for now.” The Council should approve rescue missions soon. They needed to get their people safely back on Xylon and recover any Warriors taken during or previous to the war. They couldn’t afford not to repopulate their security forces. Every man and woman was important to their survival now. “What else?” “Riot reports coming in from the Banishment Zones,” Brianna reported from another station. “Good.” Laszlo nodded. “The more problems and distractions they give Daegal and his followers the better. Is Marid sending in support troops?” “Not that I can tell,” she answered. “They will probably concentrate on Xylon and the outer planets, and leave the Zones for last. The prisoners in the Zones are mostly contained, since there aren’t many ships for them to confiscate, even if they do overrun security. I don’t think Daegal will give them high priority.” “What’s happening in the Lair?” Laszlo glanced over at Briggs before returning his attention to the multiple control screens mounted along the opposite wall.

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Erik also glanced over at Briggs, who sat near Laszlo and seemed to be studying everything more closely than Erik felt comfortable with. The man was no dummy, even if only an Earth military officer. Someone from another planetary system shouldn’t be trusted enough to listen to all the goings-on here, but that was Laszlo’s call. Not his. An Earth man. Erik shook his head, hardly believing the Colonel was actually here. Briggs’ presence couldn’t mean anything good. “Nothing is happening in the Lair. Not a damn thing, as far as I can tell. It’s dead over there.” “What do you mean dead? There have to be security details moving around. What’s the activity from Command Center?” “No readings.” Erik felt helpless. What the hell was going on down in the Lair? Had everyone abandoned their posts when Brianna disappeared? Torque and Tara should still be there. Torque would assume command. Brianna had said so. Even if a Council member had taken over, there should be something registering. Some sort of energy output. “Is there a way to scan the CC from here to at least check for life forms?” “Yes. Panel L36.” Erik moved over to the specified panel. Yes. There it was. After feeding in the coordinates, he turned on the directional scanner and waited. “All right. I’m getting readings. Definite life, but this doesn’t say how many, nor show if anyone is injured.” “No, unfortunately the scanner is not that detailed. I didn’t have time to upgrade the system in this particular facility.” This facility? Which meant more facilities like this existed. Here on Xylon or elsewhere? Both maybe? A beep drew Erik’s attention. He flipped a switch on the communications panel. “Yes.” Leila’s voice came through the speaker. “Can you spare a few minutes? The babies are here. Two girls. Very healthy. And very beautiful, I must say. Braden would like you and Brianna to come see them. He’s beaming. Alexa is tired, but recovering just fine.” Relief spread through him. Alexa had given birth, and it sounded like all was well. Girls. No doubt they’d have Braden wrapped around their little fingers in no time. He turned to Laszlo, who had a wide smile on his face. “Do you mind?” “Yes, Laszlo, I’d love to go,” Brianna said. “Go. Both of you. See the babies. I’ll keep watch here.” Erik turned back to the speaker. “We’re on our way.” He flipped off the speaker and he and Brianna left the control room, eager to see the new arrivals. Laszlo watched them go. He felt happy for Braden and Alexa. He suspected Leila and Erik would want their own children now, too. Probably during the next Breeder Release—one of the prearranged time periods each year when Xylon Breeders became fertile.

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Leila was an excellent nurturer. And though gruff, he expected Erik would make an excellent father. Any daughters he had would be well-protected and any sons would grow up to be fine men. A sudden sadness overtook him though, overshadowing the happier thoughts, at what else the future held. He wished he could save everyone on Xylon and the surrounding planets, but there was no way. This “game” he’d been playing with Daegal for so many years would soon come to an end. Then a new command would emerge. All fated. And he’d learned years ago not to try and fight fate, because destiny could rarely be altered. The path which led to that destiny, though, contained many variables. So while he was still able, he’d try his best to save those who didn’t have to suffer for the mistakes made so long ago by his ancestors. When they all learned the truth, things would never be the same. The question now was how much to tell them…and how soon. “Now that we’re alone,” Briggs said, “what the hell am I doing here?” “You were briefed by your superiors.” ACE had to succeed, was destined to succeed—or so he hoped. A wildcard always existed though. Even in destiny. He hated to dwell on how many would die in the process, if this did succeed. And if for some reason destiny’s path veered in the other direction… “Not briefed enough. I suppose I can understand why. Nobody in their right mind would volunteer for this mission if totally informed. I have a feeling that I know very little of the whole truth, and I’m already having second thoughts.” The man was too smart for his own good. But then, he’d requested a smart man for this project. Someone who could think on his feet, especially when things went wrong. “What happened with the Initiation?” “You mean that group sex thing?” Laszlo chucked. “Yes.” From what he knew of Earth’s sexual customs, the Colonel may never have engaged in what he labeled as “group” sex. Or if he had, probably not with strangers. Briggs shrugged. “Didn’t happen. Well, we got started but were interrupted. Not that I didn’t enjoy it,” he chuckled, “but it’s not a military procedure I expected.” “It’s not exactly military. More medical, if you really need to classify it. What caused the interruption, and are you suffering any adverse effects from it?” “Something—the chemicals they gave me—didn’t work right. I went a little nuts for a while. Then it seemed to wear off. When the alarm sounded down in the chambers, Brianna called the Initiation off.” “Brianna was in the I-Chamber during the rite? Why?” “She was part of the ceremony or whatever you all refer to it as. Leading it, from how it seemed to me.” “Her sister was supposed to do that.” So the path had already been altered, not simply delayed as he’d thought. Or had he made a miscalculation? Whenever a path

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varied from what he expected, it caused a ripple effect that had to be compensated for. He’d recheck his genetic indicator to make certain all was working as it should. Then he’d recalculate the variables, using the new data. Briggs shook his head. “Well, I don’t know anything about that. Two other women were there, but she never called them by name. Maybe one of them was her sister, though they didn’t look anything like her.” Tara and Brianna looked enough alike for someone to suspect they might be related. So he doubted Tara was in the chamber. “You said the chemicals wore off? Naturally?” “Yes.” “Hmm.” He’d need to question Brianna more thoroughly later and find out exactly what had happened before making any plan changes. “I’ll look into it. You’ll still need to be Initiated though.” “For what? I mean, Brianna explained what the ceremony is for, but she seemed to think that it should have been canceled and that it’s not done on Earth men.” “Yes, I can imagine her thoughts. This is experimental, but highly important. You need to be protected, Colonel, before the next phase of the mission. That’s all I can tell you, right now. You will be Initiated. Soon. If it works, then we can proceed. How did Brianna know about ACE? Did you tell her?” “No. The information didn’t come from me. When she entered the chamber, she already seemed to know about the project. At least minimally. What is the next phase? I know I’m supposed to cooperate fully, no matter what, but a lot of what I was told just doesn’t make sense to me. And I’m not used to blindly following orders.” “All will make sense in time.” A frown crossed Briggs’ face. He started to say something, then shook his head and started again. “So what happens if this Initiation thing doesn’t work?” Too many questions, Laszlo thought. The injection Leila had given him was wearing off and weariness attacked his body. He didn’t possess the strength to handle much more at the moment. “I will explain everything to everyone involved when the time is right. Not that I don’t trust you, Colonel, but my own people deserve to know what’s going on first. That’s the least I can do for them now.”

***** Lair of Xylon “Are we dark?” Torque asked his sister. “Yes,” Tara answered. “Anyone scanning us won’t find any activity. We’ll look completely shut down to them.”

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“Good. That should stop further attacks. They’ll think all our systems have collapsed. Great work cloaking our energy sources.” The cloaking would give them more time to get the rest of their systems operational again without any interference from Marid’s computers trying to infect them with more malfunctions. The only reason they’d even been able to go dark at all was because so many of their systems hadn’t yet rebooted from the code changes. They’d stabilized, but not reenergized back to full power. Now, when they did, they’d be undetectable. Hopefully. The Lair couldn’t defeat Daegal at their current strength. But maybe they could save what they had and keep the lines stabilized until they could arrange a new means of attack on their enemy. Tara smiled at his praise, until something on her screens caught her attention. “Torque?” She seemed to be checking each screen over and over again. “What is it?” He’d been keeping one eye on her and the other on Council Member Delemar, just to make sure the man didn’t try anything stupid, like attempting to return to the Council Chambers and gather the other members to try some sort of takeover. “Something odd is happening. Several Marid fighters are starting to fire on each other.” “What?” He walked over to her screens, watching as the data came in. “What’s going on?” Delemar asked. “I’m also reading…” She shook her head. “Some of the transports who dropped Egesa troops are now firing on those same troops on the ground,” she informed them. “Transports and some fleet fighters are moving off. Oh! Two ships just crashed to the surface! Right in the middle of the city.” “Damn!” They were too far down to feel the residual effect, but Torque checked his own screens and saw the damage reports streaming in from their auto-indicators. “Send out rescue teams and Healers.” “On it.” “Tell them we surrender, before it’s too late,” Delemar ordered them, jumping up from his seat. “Didn’t you hear what she said?” Torque asked in disgust. “The Egesa are being killed. The fighters are firing on each other. That’s good news.” “So they’re killing their own people with friendly fire. It happens in war. That doesn’t mean we’re gaining an advantage,” Delemar pointed out. “Their ships are moving off.” Torque couldn’t believe the man’s ignorance. “We have a chance.” “We have nothing, if we don’t surrender now!” “Quiet, you two,” Tara shouted. “I can’t hear.”

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“What’s going on?” Torque asked her, his attention returning to the data screens. “Are more—” “Wait!” With a sharp movement, she held up her hand. Tara turned a control knob and tapped her earpiece. “We’ve got fleet communications.” She turned toward Torque. “It’s our Warriors! Piloting the Marid fighters and transports!” “What? Could it be a trick?” Torque asked, his heart rate kicking up. “No way! They’re annihilating all of Daegal’s fighters and troops! Our Warriors have returned to Xylon!”

***** Dome of Marid Daegal grabbed the Top Commander by the collar. Panic rolled through him. “What the hell is happening? Why are our own people turning on us?” The Top Commander struggled out of the man’s hold, sending Daegal reeling backward. “It’s not our people. It’s Agents who were Warriors. They’re turning back to again serve Xylon.” Daegal stumbled against a control panel. Once he got his feet securely under him, he stood speechless. When he finally did find his voice, he spoke low, feeling more defeated than he had in years. “That can’t happen. We have them under control.” “Not anymore, it seems.” He had to regain control. Quickly. “How are the Agents up in the fighters turning back into Warriors?” They wouldn’t just change loyalties without a trigger, and how could anything affect them in their fighters while up in space. He thought they’d made certain nothing like that could happen. “How? Tell me!” Someone had made a mistake. That was the only explanation. And that person would die. The Top Commander tugged at his facemask. “When we picked up on Xylon’s pods dropping the chemicals, I had them analyzed. The chemicals released were different than what was in Kam’s body.” “Different? Why didn’t you tell me?” The Top Commander always kept him informed. He relied on that information. Maybe more than he should, he began to think, studying the man closely. “I just got in the final analysis before arriving here. As you know from my preliminary report, the pods looked like environmental pods, so we didn’t analyze their storage bins until they started dropping their loads. When we identified a problem, we shot them down, but too late. I don’t understand it any more than you do. My people are still checking facts. I only know that our countermeasures aren’t working against the new chemicals, which are a variant of what we found inside Kam. I think the Lair did this on purpose. I think they knew we’d analyze Kam and they set us up.”

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Damn. He should have planned for that possibility. Laszlo was not a man to underestimate. “How’d the pilots get the chemicals into their systems?” “The fighters who are turning now were still on the ground when the chemicals came down. The pilots obviously got them in their system before they boarded their fighters and transports.” “Are we certain Kam Nextor is still under our control?” He wondered how deeply they’d been fooled. Laszlo was the bane of his existence! With anyone else, he’d feel confident of victory. “I don’t know. We’ve been unable to contact Frost. But he should be. Like I said, the chemicals in his system were different.” Even so he didn’t think it was worth the risk anymore. “As soon as you’re able, have her kill him. I don’t want to find out later that we’ve been fooled again.” “Are you sure? He could prove useful later.” True. And he hated to abandon their original plan, but he’d be damned if he’d take a chance. “I’m sure. I’d rather formulate a new plan now than worry about an uncertainty later.” The Top Commander nodded. “Fine. I’ll take care of it.” When the Top Commander turned to leave, Daegal stopped him with a hand to his arm. “We must finish this.” Though not something he’d been willing to do before, time was now running out. “Call back the rest of our troops. Get them out of range. Then launch the PowerIIRad Bomb at the Lair.” The Top Commander’s eyes widened behind his mask. “The PowerIIRad? That will destroy everything on the planet. It will render the surface uninhabitable. And if the Lair takes a direct hit, there won’t be anything left down there to salvage. It was agreed in the Pact of—” “Quiet!” He couldn’t hear this. Not now. “Just do it! I don’t want you questioning me. Do we still have access to the weapon controls for the Rad?” He didn’t care about any previous pacts made. This was not a war he intended to lose. After a tense moment of silence, the Top Commander finally answered. “Yes. It’s not a part of our main weapons system grid, but housed in a separate secure chamber, completely under independent control.” “Good. Take Xylon out. I want them annihilated.”

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Chapter Fifteen

Xylon’s upper atmosphere A sharp beep drew everyone’s attention. Halah’s heart skipped a beat as she and Kam moved toward the front of the orbiter. They’d risen several minutes prior, dressed and had been discussing her reentry into Warrior life when the alarm went off. “What now?” She watched Pitch check the readouts. She hoped that beep didn’t indicate trouble. The orbiter was armed, but wouldn’t stand a chance against a Marid fighter, if one had picked them up on tracking. Hopefully, a Lair fighter was also in the area to assist should they need it. “Everything’s all right. We’re cleared for orbit,” Pitch informed them with a smile. “While you two were sleeping, I began moving us closer to the planet. The computers showed more Marid-controlled fighters moving off, so I wanted us to be in position to achieve an orbit as soon as they cleared. And now, I’m reading Xylon codes from the other fighters that are left. So we’re good to go.” His smile widened. Kam smiled in return. “Our people. They’re back! The chemicals worked. Let’s get this orbiter down on Xylon. The landing coordinates are preprogrammed.” Halah felt a huge sense of relief. Xylon would be victorious in this war after all. She had no doubts now, and all of them could finally be reunited with their families and friends. “Will do. Switching over to preprogrammed coordinates. Computer is pinpointing. Laszlo has cleared us to descend and land. And…wait.” Pitch’s brow furrowed. “These coordinates indicate a location deep in the forest.” The forest? Halah looked over at Kam. What was he up to now? The forests of Xylon were hostile, uninhabitable places. Nobody sane went there unless commissioned for some sort of mission or research project. And even those were few and far between from what she remembered. “That’s where Josella is,” Kam explained. Halah’s heart lurched. “Underground. We’re going directly to that location, not the Lair. Don’t worry. It’s safe.” Underground, yes, of course. She relaxed. The forests were actually the perfect location to build a secure chamber. Nobody who wasn’t supposed to would accidentally stumble upon it. And the Def’mal who lived in the forest, along with other forest dwellers, weren’t advanced enough to be able to figure out entry even if they did discover the location. “Good.” Halah smiled. “I can’t wait to see my sister.” Just a little more time and all the waiting would finally be over.

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Kam squeezed her waist. “Let’s land this thing.” He directed Halah to an empty seat, then he slid into the pilot’s station. “Everyone strap in. We’ll be landing on a small pad, then taken underground, ship and all.”

***** Lair of Xylon “Torque, I’m reading a large energy surge on Marid. The first wave stabilized after a few moments, but now my scans are showing a steady buildup in power.” Tara sent the readings to her brother’s terminal. A bad feeling crept up her spine. She’d never seen readings this high before. No explosion had taken place on Marid. Her instruments would show that. This was something different. Something more sinister, she feared. He turned from his station, and his brow furrowed. “I don’t recognize the source. Do you?” “Not exactly.” She hated to speculate in case she ended up being wrong, but Torque deserved to know her thoughts. “It looks like…weaponry…of some sort. I don’t like it, Torque.” To say the least. She checked their planetary shields—ineffective against small ships and lasers, which could maneuver through any of the open energy sockets, but very effective against missiles and other trajectory-based weapons. Down to only thirtyfive percent strength. Damn! “Our fighters are ready to handle anything incoming, right?” “Unsure. Fighter weapons are severely depleted.” She felt uneasy. They needed more protection. “I think we should focus our security satellite beams in Marid’s direction, just in case. They can help deflect any small or medium-class missiles, and will be effective against most laser attacks.” The satellites weren’t at full power either, but she was all for anything extra they could implement to keep Xylon safe. “We have control of those?” “Yes. At least, partially. They’re coming back online now.” “Fine. Set it up and have the data show on both our screens. I want to monitor. What happens if it’s not a missile, but something larger? Are we prepared?” She wished he hadn’t asked. “I’d rather not think about it. We’re not prepared for anything beyond medium-class missile strength.” She checked her data. Not good news. “It’ll take approximately ninety-six hours to fix and re-power our main planetary shields to one hundred percent.” They’d have to rely on their fighters, the satellites, and whatever else they could scrounge up until then. “How long before whatever it is hits us? Can we take it out?” Good question. “Unknown on both counts. I can’t even confirm at this point that it is a weapon. But I don’t know what else would be outputting such a large amount of energy.” Damn it! Why couldn’t she pin down the source?

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“Do you have a location of this energy output on Marid? Is it coming from the Dome? Fly an orbiter or pod over to send back confirmation of the source if you need to. Do we have anything close enough that’s available to transmit back the info in a timely manner?” he asked, rifling questions and orders at her, as he studied the information streaming across his screen. “Redirecting a weather pod now. I have a general location. It’s coming from a deserted area on Marid. It’ll take a few minutes for the pod to reach the area and transfer back the data.” She just hoped it wasn’t too late. The Lair and Xylon could survive a lot. But the sense of dread she felt indicated something massive was on its way. How she knew that, she wasn’t certain. Maybe her training in security. Maybe something else. She looked over at her brother, working at his terminal, sending orders to their fighters. Swallowing hard, she memorized every feature of the man she so loved and respected. She hoped this wasn’t the last moments of their lives. She had so much more to do, to feel, to experience. Love you, brother, she silently voiced in her head, just in case. Of all their family, Torque had always held a special place in her heart.

***** Forests of Xylon Halah glanced around as she, Kam, and Pitch materialized into a totally white room. She blinked and raised her hand to shield her eyes. “Damn, it’s blinding.” She wobbled slightly, feeling off balance and more than a little nauseous. Kam slid his arm around her waist. “Are you all right? This is just a temporary stop. We’ll be moved to the main chamber soon.” Forcing the sick feeling aside, she swallowed hard. “I’m fine. It was just unexpected.” And disorienting. She could barely tell where the floor ended and the walls started. The orbiter had landed just fine on the structure in the forest—some sort of makeshift landing pad. As soon as the ship touched down, the pad descended with them still aboard. After the hole above them closed, plunging them into darkness, she’d felt the dematerialization begin. Going from no light to a blinding room was quite painful to her eyes. The men didn’t seem as affected. She had probably spent too much time imprisoned in the dim slave cages on the Sand Moon. She wasn’t used to such brilliance. “Pitch, are you all right?” Kam asked. “Yeah, I’m good to go. What is this place?” “It’s an underground security facility. Like an outpost of sorts. Highly secure,” Kam explained. “Yeah, I got that. But what’s with this white room?” 150

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“It’s a precaution. Our bodies and brain functions will be scanned while we’re here to make sure we’re who we’re supposed to be and that we haven’t brought anything down here that we shouldn’t.” “Um,” Pitch began. “Who else would we be? And if Laszlo’s worried that we might be armed, well, we are on his side.” “It’s not that simple. You know Daegal’s treachery. From the scan, Laszlo will be able to tell if we’ve been turned or not by our brain waves, or if we’re carrying any type of diseases. We don’t want to infect the others here.” “We’re not sick, Kam,” Halah pointed out. “Even if we were, our bodies would just kick out the infections or bacteria or whatever might be wrong.” “Remember, Josella is here. She doesn’t have the same protection we do. Alexa is also here and ready to give birth, if she hasn’t already. We need to protect the babies.” Halah nodded. Yes, of course. He was right. “What’s more,” he touched his throat, “I’ll feel better after this device inside me is scanned to make sure it’s nothing other than what it’s supposed to be.” She’d feel better about that too. She didn’t trust Frost not to have planted something other than a Sonic controller inside Kam. She looked around uncomfortably as images of medical tables and equipment poking her body fluttered through her head. Just what she, personally, didn’t want to go through, after everything else. Kam seemed to sense her unease, or maybe he’d read his sensor, for he squeezed her waist. “Don’t worry. It’s all done through thousands of sensors in the walls and floor,” he explained. “You won’t feel a thing. The data will be transmitted back to Laszlo. Then once we’re cleared, he’ll bring us to the main facility.” “Oh.” She relaxed. That was all right, she supposed. “And that’s where Josella is?” It better be. She’d waited long enough and been through too much, trying to reunite with her sister. “Right. It won’t be long now. I promise.” “What are we supposed to do in the meantime?” Pitch asked. “Just stand here?” “You can sit.” Kam grabbed Halah’s hand and pulled her down to the floor with him. “We might as well get comfortable. It won’t affect the scan.” Halah’s heart rate kicked up at the thought of finally seeing her sister again. But then what? Josella would probably want to go home to Sunevia. Could she leave, now that she’d been accepted back as a Warrior? She didn’t want to be separated from her sister again, after everything she’d gone through to find her. She glanced at Kam. But she also didn’t want to be separated from— Kam squeezed her hand. “It’ll be all right, Halah. Relax. How about a treatment to my temples? My head’s starting to hurt.”

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Concern for him immediately took over her thoughts. Glad that she possessed the ability to help him, she nodded and rested her fingers against the sides of his head. “Close your eyes.”

***** Erik waited, but not patiently. He paced, then stopped and looked over Laszlo’s shoulder while he worked, then paced again. “Where are they?” Though he and Kam often disagreed on issues, they were still friends and he wanted to be assured of the man’s safety. Besides, he had questions. He’d also worked with Pitch on occasion—a good Warrior and security officer. They needed all the good Warriors they could get on their side. Halah, well, she was another matter. “Give me a minute,” Laszlo told him. “They’re clear and will be materializing over there.” He pointed to a corner of the room. Erik stopped pacing. His gaze flickered momentarily to Josella, who stood anxiously waiting, fidgeting back and forth. The slight, almost imperceptible whine that accompanied the materialization caught his attention. He looked toward where Laszlo had indicated. The air shimmered. Pitch appeared first, then Kam, and finally Halah. Josella immediately rushed forward and threw herself at her sister. “Halah!” The two held each other for a long moment, then pulled back and began speaking in hushed whispers, too low for Erik to hear their words. While the ladies reunited, Kam approached him and Laszlo, Pitch following behind. “Is everyone all right?” Kam asked. “If you can call it that,” Erik answered. Kam had to know who all was here. He was too relaxed not to know. Besides, he’d have immediately asked for names otherwise. Kam had probably told Pitch everything, for the man just looked around curiously, but didn’t ask any questions either. “How much about all this did you know beforehand Kam?” “Good to see you, too, Erik,” Kam replied, clapping him on the back. He looked over at Laszlo and cocked an eyebrow. Laszlo responded with a barely perceptible shake of his head, which caused Kam to frown. Frustration rolled through Erik. They were still keeping secrets. He could literally smell the deceit on them. “Well?” he questioned Kam, when the man didn’t answer what he’d asked. “We’ll talk later. There are more important things to concentrate on right now. Are the babies here?” “Yes. Girls. Very healthy,” Laszlo answered. “You and Halah did a good job. Daegal has backed off and many of our Warriors have returned to us.” Pitch cleared his throat. Laszlo laughed, turning toward the Warrior. “You too, Pitch. Good job. Thanks.” “Happy to help.” 152

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“Pitch did well.” Kam nodded. “I’m happy with the outcome. We couldn’t have done it without Halah though. She saved our butts.” Erik wasn’t happy that Kam had put him off. But then, maybe a private conversation later was better. Braden would want in on the discussion. Halah had saved their butts? Hard to believe. “You know, Kam, you’re getting to sound exactly like Laszlo.” Much too evasive. Kam smiled, looking from him to Laszlo and back again. “I’ll take that as a compliment.” “You would.” He couldn’t help but smile back at the man. No matter their differences, they’d been through too much together to let anything stay in the way of their friendship for long. Besides, Kam was Alexa’s brother. They all needed to get along. An alarm suddenly blared, drawing everyone’s attention and concern. Josella covered her ears. “What’s that?” “That’s a destruction-alert alarm.” Laszlo rushed over to his control station. “Shit!” “What’s happening?” Erik asked. Destruction-alert? He’d never heard that type of alarm in his life as a Warrior. He’d never even been trained for it. “I can’t believe Daegal would do this,” Laszlo said, panic in his voice. He turned off the alarm with a snap of a switch. “Marid has launched a PowerIIRad bomb right at the Lair.” “Impossible,” Halah replied joining the others. “I disabled all their weapons.” “Yeah, right,” Erik answered. “Sounds like you missed one.” She frowned at him, and he saw the anger on Kam’s face, but he didn’t care. Halah couldn’t be trusted. And this proved it. A PowerIIRad. Shit! Laszlo looked over at him. “Can you disarm it, Erik?” His mind began working on the problem. “I don’t know.” His training was in weapons control, but he’d never even seen a PowerIIRad except in old technical and weapons manuals. He turned and worked at the control panel, trying to gain access. The normal codes weren’t working. “Let me help,” Halah said. “I think not, lady. You’ve done enough,” he told her, not wanting her anywhere near the controls, where she could lock them out, if she so chose. “Halah is a weapons expert too,” Kam said. “She’s on our side. And she’s helping. Take the other station,” he told her. When Laszlo nodded, she rushed over beside Erik. He cursed under his breath, but said nothing more. Both their hands flew over the keyboards and side controls, trying to deactivate or cause a malfunction in the incoming bomb. “Can’t you send up some fighters to intercept?” Josella asked.

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“They’re not powerful enough,” Pitch explained. “Not even combined. Nothing can break through the shielding of a Rad.” “What will happen if it hits?” “Don’t ask.” “I can’t get in!” Erik shouted. Frustration made his fingers feel like they moved in slow motion. “I can,” Halah said. “I’m almost there. They’re using an archaic control structure that—I’m in! I’ll try…damn it. There’s not going to be enough time to disarm. The sequencing they’ve used is too long.” “Try!” Kam encouraged. Braden rushed into the room, followed closely by Brianna. “We heard the alarm. What is it?” “Daegal launched a PowerIIRad bomb at the Lair,” Erik informed him. Shock, fear, and panic all crossed Brianna’s face in the space of a moment, before she masked her emotions. “How?” “I thought all their weapons were taken out.” Braden glanced at Kam in inquiry, then Halah. “Apparently not,” Erik replied for them. He looked over at Halah who seemed to be working feverishly to stop the bomb. But how could he be certain it wasn’t an act? Braden grabbed Laszlo’s arm. “You have to get Torque and Tara out of the Lair.” “Torque and Tara are still in the Lair?” Kam asked, sounding shocked. “There are a lot of people still in the Lair,” Laszlo said, sweat forming on his forehead. “It wasn’t supposed to happen this way.” “Get Torque and Tara!” Braden shouted. “Now!” “I’ll try.” Laszlo rushed over to his personal controls and began feeding in commands. “Can you get a lock?” Brianna asked. “Give me a minute. I’m trying.” “Now, Laszlo,” Erik told him. “We’re not going to be able to do this.” He continued to help Halah with the disarming sequence, but even he could see it was a losing battle. By hand, they couldn’t work fast enough. And since the normal code bases weren’t working, the computer wouldn’t be able to take over for them and complete the sequencing. “I’m locked on to someone,” Laszlo said, sounding breathless. “Who?” Braden asked. “I can’t tell. I’ll bring them directly to this chamber.” The air shimmered and Torque appeared. Erik glanced over at Braden and Brianna and saw them visibly relax. He felt for his friends, who had to be worried to the point of breaking over the safety of their family. 154

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“What the fuck?” Torque looked around in confusion. At Torque’s words, Braden seemed to sober and his whole posture stiffened. “Get Tara!” “Hurry!” Brianna replied. “I’m locked.” Laszlo worked the controls. “The bomb’s going to hit!” Halah screamed. “Everybody down!” The room shook, throwing them all to the ground. Lights flickered, but remained functional. Control panels went off momentarily, but then surged back to life. With a last whoosh, the air vents shut off automatically, indicating a problem with the outside atmosphere. Erik scrambled back to the controls. “Backups have kicked on.” He switched on the screens, reading the data. No… He hung his head, putting a visual onscreen. “The Lair has been destroyed. The facility took a direct hit. Xylon’s atmosphere is filling with deadly gas. The Rad took out everything.” Their people were gone or soon would be. Anyone left in the Lair or on the planet’s surface could not survive. “A Rad bomb?” Torque asked. “Did you get Tara?” Brianna asked, jumping to her feet. “Tara?” Torque looked around for his twin, obvious confusion on his face over what was going on. “Is she here?” “Over there,” Laszlo said. “Materializing now.” The air shimmered and a form slowly appeared, faded out, but then appeared again, solidifying this time. Torque paled and fell to his knees. Looking wobbly, Braden reached for the wall to support himself. More than one woman’s gasp filled the room. Brianna reached out to Braden, burying her face in his shoulder. Erik’s heart squeezed tightly. This couldn’t happen. Please, not this on top of everything else. Laszlo appeared as if he’d aged a century. “Delemar…” he greeted. “What’s going on?” the Council member asked, looking shaken up. “Where am I? Laszlo?” His eyes widened. “It is you! We thought you dead. Koll? You’re here, too? And Rhodes? How’d I get here? I think I tore my robe. What’s going on?” The room fell silent. Nobody answered. Nobody seemed to even be breathing. Erik set the computer screens to black.

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Chapter Sixteen Dome of Marid

Daegal clapped the Top Commander on the back. “Good work. The Lair and any Warriors down there, or on the surface of Xylon, are history. As are their civilians. The scans are indicating only minor life forms. Def’mals or other lowly creatures, I’m certain. Anyone else, if by some miracle not dead yet, will be within seventy-two hours at the most. The poisonous gases are not escapable. Our survival is now secure.” Well, almost. One more phase to complete, then no one would ever be able to challenge his ruling power again. The heavy stress he’d felt earlier eased in the face of his victory over Laszlo and the man’s Warrior society. “We have done well,” the Top Commander agreed. “Ask my Healer to come up here. I’m going to need another shot. You?” Certainly by now, the man needed a shot too. If only he had the same endurance as the one who stood before him… He collapsed into his command chair, feeling completely drained and ready to drop from all the activity and excitement. His hands had even begun to tremble. “Yes,” the Commander replied with a nod. “I could use one.” Somehow the man’s weakness made Daegal suddenly feel more at ease. Suffering alone never had appealed to him and the weariness made him feel less of a leader. He needed to be the stronger one. Always. “After you’re taken care of, order killed any remaining Xylons on Marid or in the Banishment Zones. I don’t want to deal with uprisings, even minor ones, should the Xylons try to organize what’s left of them.” The Top Commander again nodded in acknowledgment. “Some Warriors are still in the air, piloting Xylon or Marid fighters and orbiters. And there will be some Warriors outposted on or orbiting other planets, conducting experiments and on special missions. What do you want to do about them?” “We’ll take care of them one at a time. Send Agents and Pain Masters. Any Warriors remaining will be too few to cause significant damage as long as we get to them quickly before they can join up with each other. Use the long-range trackers, then switch to the short-range, implant chip trackers when in the vicinity of a target. All enemies of Marid need to be extinguished. Send out the word. Rewards will be given for any Xylon carcass brought back to the Dome. Higher rewards for Warriors, especially upper-class ranks. What’s our casualty report?” “We lost all the Egesa foot troops on Xylon who didn’t get off before the bomb, and quite a few fleet fighters from attacks, mostly from those Warriors who turned back to

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serve the Lair, but we are still strong. I’ll have exact numbers sent to your terminal once they’re available.” “I want you to send two fleets to Sunevia and Tamara. Offer enslavement of their people. If they refuse, take them by force. If you need to kill some or even most, do so. Let them know we will not tolerate defiance.” “It will be done. Now that the Lair is destroyed and Xylon is unlivable, I don’t think we’ll find any significant opposition. Not when word gets out. The outer planets’ own security forces can’t defeat us without Lair backup.” Daegal smiled. “Perfect.” The taste of victory was indeed sweet. “Secure those missions first. Then after you’ve taken care of the orders, get my personal ship, the med-ship, a research vessel, and one fleet of fighters together. Assign the Egesa Commander to take over the running of the Dome. Be sure he sends regular reports. We’re headed out of the quadrant to our final target.” He turned to look at the navigation screen and practically salivated in anticipation. “They won’t know what hit them.” “The planet they call Earth?” “Yes. Earth.”

***** Sand Moon Rave entered Frost’s quarters. She was outfitted in full security gear and heavily armed. “The ships are ready. We can leave at any time. We should be in orbit before Daegal to avoid suspicion. They’ll be watching most closely for anything that appears out of place or following their own orbit. All of our ships have been stripped of identifying marks and codes. So if we are picked up, they shouldn’t be able to identify us easily. We can masquerade as supply vessels, if we have to. Or at least, some of our ships can.” “You have the destination coordinates?” Frost grabbed the last of the items she needed to take with her. They’d follow, but couldn’t afford to be picked up by Daegal’s tracking equipment. They’d need to be careful. If anything went wrong now, years of planning would be lost. Their fighters especially needed to be cloaked well, because fighters were more likely to be spotted and questioned. It wouldn’t be easy. “Yes, I have his course. We’ll follow far enough back to avoid normal detection. Unless Daegal gets suspicious for some reason, I think we should be all right. I’ve got the fighters fully armed.” “Communications?” Everything needed to be in place before they left. There was no room for mistakes. No time to redo the programming or return for anything forgotten. “Secure. When the time is right, and they’re at their weakest, we’ll be informed to move.”

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“Good work, Rave.” The best thing she’d ever done was save Rave from Daegal’s wrath. The woman had proven invaluable, making her life and plans a lot easier. “I’ve been in contact. Daegal sent word for Kam to be killed.” Not that she intended to follow that order, but she wanted Rave to know. “Oh?” Rave cocked an eyebrow. “And?” “We will wait.” She still believed that Kam was too valuable to kill, especially if what Rave had told her proved true. He would be able to destroy the new Triad of Power for them, and their hands would be clean. Not that she particularly cared about clean hands, but this way would be so much easier than sending in executioners of her own. Frost knew the Super-Breeder, as well as others, had previously disappeared. No doubt ensconced in a safe location. Kam would be privy to their location. If Daegal figured them dead from the attack, the man was truly losing his mind and command abilities. Until she saw bodies, she’d never make that assumption. She fingered the remote device on her belt. Once found, if alive as she suspected, their deaths would be executed so simply by a man they trusted, all with the touch of a few buttons. She smiled at her own genius. “Agreed.” Rave nodded. “It’s a good idea. He’s on the inside. We’ll need access eventually, one way or another.” “Yes, my thoughts exactly.” “How many do you think survived?” “Not enough to be a threat. Not now that we have someone on the inside.” After Daegal was destroyed, the Triad of Power eliminated, and Rave endured an unexpected death—poor thing—then she and their contact would rule this entire quadrant of the galaxy. Oh, how she loved the sound of that! And best of all, none of them even knew it was coming. Anyone foolish enough to trust her would suffer the consequences. Distrust your enemies, but distrust your family and friends even more. A hard lesson to learn, but one she’d been forced to master years ago. “What did you tell Daegal you’d do about Kam?” “Nothing. It wasn’t necessary. He didn’t contact me personally. He’ll be told that the message was unable to be delivered.” Everything was working out exactly as planned. She couldn’t be happier. Soon all would bow down to her greatness. A smile crossed her face, though she squelched the laugh that bubbled up in her throat. The growing sense of power was indeed a heady feeling. “Ah.” Rave nodded, and a small smile tugged at her lips. “Understood.”

***** Forests of Xylon

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Kam watched a range of emotions pass over Laszlo’s face before he switched his attention to the others. Everyone felt the tragic loss, but especially Braden, Brianna, and Torque. They all looked devastated. Delemar had retired to Laszlo’s bedchamber. Pitch had escorted Josella and Briggs to the common area. They’d all been quite shaken by the near-total destruction of the planet. Reaching out, Kam touched Laszlo’s arm. “You tried. There was no way to identify genetics before you brought them over. And if you had been able to, could you have made the decision to purposely leave one of them behind?” “I don’t know. But if we’d had more time…” he said, sounding so tired. “I should have known what might happen and taken measures. I know Daegal and how his mind works.” “You couldn’t have known,” Kam told him. “And again, even if you had, there’s nothing we could have done to stop it.” “We could have destroyed that bastard and the Dome first!” Erik responded, anger and frustration lacing his voice. “Xylon probably has weapons of equal destructive force.” “And take all of Marid out too?” Kam shot back. “So? Daegal did it to Xylon. Supposedly, all weapons of that class were destroyed years ago. But if the Dome had one, I’d bet my balls the Lair did, too. Isn’t that right, Laszlo? Isn’t it!” “Erik,” Braden interrupted. “Drop it. It’s done. We can’t change it now.” “We can avenge our people! That was your sister who just got killed!” “Don’t you think I know that?” he shouted back. “Then why are you just standing around, acting like we have no retaliatory power? Do something about it! Now!” “We’re not destroying an entire society,” Laszlo said. “Xylon made a pact.” “Bullshit, you bastard! That’s fucking—” “Erik!” Brianna admonished. Braden held up his hand for silence. He looked over at Laszlo. “You did know, Laszlo, didn’t you? You told me the Lair could be destroyed. I refused to believe it.” He shook his head, and a deep sadness crossed his features. “It’s my fault. If I’d taken better precautions. If Frost hadn’t stolen the base codes from me years ago, this never would have come to pass.” “Braden,” Brianna said, rubbing his shoulder. “No. Nobody could have stopped this. Daegal and Frost are to blame. No one else.” “She’s right,” Laszlo acknowledged. “I predicted war. That’s why I brought you all here. I predicted the destruction of the Lair…though not like this, not this quickly. I predicted so much. For the Warriors to ultimately survive, all this was predestined, even necessary.” 159

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“Necessary?” Erik repeated, sounding incredulous. “Son of a bitch!” When Erik started forward, hands clenched into fists, Braden stopped him, pulling him away from the others. Kam stayed close to Laszlo, just in case. Emotions ran high right now and no telling what might happen. People weren’t thinking rationally. At least Laszlo had confiscated everyone’s weapons. “I never saw the complete destruction of Xylon,” Laszlo finished in a low voice, sounding weary. “I swear I didn’t. I would have saved more.” He shook his head. “I would have saved more.” Kam glanced at Torque, who stood looking at a screen with a vid of what was left of Xylon’s surface on it. The man stood so still, as if he’d heard nothing of the conversation around him. As if he no longer cared. Braden flipped on the internal communications channel. “Leila, are you there?” he asked softly. “Are you and the others all right?” “I’m here, Braden. What happened? It felt like a bomb went off. We’re all right. You need to get over here though.” Everyone glanced toward the speaker. Concern filled Kam. Leila had said everyone was all right. So something else must be happening. Even so his heart picked up its pace at the possibility of a problem. Braden’s brow crinkled. “What’s going on?” “Alexa is giving birth to another child.” “A third?” “Yes. None of the medical scans picked up a third child. I don’t know why. You should be here. Alexa is asking for you.” “On my way.” Braden turned from the speaker and ran out. Erik followed close behind. Kam’s heart pounded harder than he thought possible. The new Triad of Power? He looked over at Laszlo, who nodded. Laszlo would now be forced to tell the rest of them the secrets of Xylon, in order to keep the three babies safe. Unless… “Will the third one survive?” Laszlo’s eyes intensified. “Yes. The child will live. It has begun. Come. We must prepare.”

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Epilogue

Surface of Xylon Two moons since the destruction by fire and gas had occurred. Still, the air showed no signs of clearing. He rummaged through the debris. The stench from the dead almost made him gag. Everything lay burnt and dying—the free-walkers, the animals, even most of the foliage. Everything except his people. His people, the ones they’d labeled as savages so long ago, had survived this devastation and would survive much more. The deaths of those in control gave his own clan new hope. Now they could thrive as it should have been from the beginning. They knew the ways of the forest and would be able to see this through. A pale hand caught his attention. Another body. Another one who’d tried to crawl to safety. Only no safe place existed for them. The twitch of a finger caught his attention. Impossible. The free-walkers couldn’t survive the poisonous gases. He dug through the rubble. A woman. She wore some sort of mask, which seemed to be helping her breathe. She’d known and prepared. An intelligent one. Her eyes fluttered open, and she groaned. Blood dripped down the side of her face from one of many wounds to her head. She needed much care. When she spotted him, her eyes grew wide. He saw her fear, admired how she worked past it in her head to finally reach up for his help. “You are?” he asked in her language, his large hand curling around her much smaller one. Though it felt odd on his tongue, he still remembered their words. She seemed disoriented and confused at his speech, but finally answered. He had to strain to hear her pain-filled voice through the mask. “Tara Koll.” Koll. His heart pounded, for he recognized the name. One of the family of controllers. A smile of satisfaction crossed his face. Yes. It was good that she had survived. Now…she was his. A valuable prize to take back to his people. “You will live, Tar’a,” he told her, pronouncing her name in the Def’mal way. As he pulled her free and swung her up into his arms, he continued in his own language, knowing she wouldn’t understand. “But you may wish that not to be so. You may soon wish that you had perished along with the rest of your people.”

*****

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Forests of Xylon Halah snuggled deeper under the covers. Two days had passed since the PowerIIRad bomb had hit the surface. She still felt horrible about not being able to stop the destruction. If only she had possessed more knowledge… She hadn’t been familiar with the system the weapon operated on and couldn’t understand why the base codes hadn’t worked, which would have allowed the computer to complete the sequencing. Because of her previous account access and Kam’s security code bypasses, she’d gotten into the control system, but from there she’d had to work solely by hand without database support, keystroke by keystroke. The weapon had been set up on an ancient grid, probably not used in centuries. She’d recognized the grid, but had never trained in its operation, which had slowed her sequencing progress even more. The computer, if functioning properly, should have been able to change the trajectory of the bomb. Xylon would have been saved. PowerIIRads had been outlawed years ago, even before she’d become a Warrior, because of their devastating effects. All planets in the quadrant and surrounding quadrants had agreed to the Pact of Salvation that outlawed weapons of such magnitude. No society should be so completely annihilated. The only thing that had saved all of them here was their location deep underground. But if they’d sustained a direct hit, like the Lair, they’d all be dead now too. The ripple effect of the bomb had damaged quite a few of Laszlo’s systems, so they’d been working hard to fix everything. Only then would they be able to effectively check the status of the surface and decide what to do next. They were still far from safe. Kam came out of the bathing room. She loved watching him, all naked and strong, coming toward her. Earlier, she’d told him the shadow of whiskers on his face looked oh-so sexy, so he’d opted to allow a hint of them to remain, just for her. His presence made her feel able to deal with anything. He slid beneath the covers, joining her in the comfortable bed. With a sigh, he turned toward her and stroked her stomach. The feel of his fingers on her skin soothed her. They’d been given one of the four personal bedchambers here. Laszlo had another. Erik and Leila the third. Braden and family took the fourth. Delemar, Torque, Pitch, Josella, Brianna, and Briggs shared the common room. Kam had offered to switch with Josella, but Josella insisted he stay. Halah admired her sister’s generosity. She also had a feeling her sister had eyes for Pitch, which would be all right with her. He was a good Warrior and a fine man. Although Josella had never agreed with the sexual ways of Xylon, which could later prove to be a problem. Delemar hadn’t been happy about not getting a room for himself, but Laszlo hadn’t much cared. He’d done the assignments as he’d seen fit, or so he’d said. Delemar had threatened to sleep in the med-lab, just for some privacy, as long as no one was ill. She didn’t doubt he’d probably end up doing just that. 162

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Things were definitely crowded in the facility, but they were managing. Their food and water supplies wouldn’t last long. And they couldn’t continually reprocess their air. They’d need to leave the chamber and most likely leave the planet soon. All of them couldn’t fit into the available ships, so decisions would need to be made. But one thing at a time. “Are you all right?” Kam asked. “You’ve been quiet.” “I suppose. Just thinking about what life will be like for Josella and me, once we get out of here. If we get out of here.” Now that she’d finally found her way back, all was lost. And not just to her, but to everyone. She doubted the Warriors would ever be the same. She didn’t even want to imagine the Kolls’ pain. “What were you and Laszlo up to? After Alexa delivered the third baby, you two disappeared. He’s such a beautiful boy. His eyes are mesmerizing.” “Yes.” Kam smiled. “The babies are beautiful. I’m definitely a proud uncle. Laszlo and I needed to prepare a few things.” When that’s all he said, her curiosity rose. “A few things? That’s a little vague, Kam. Does it have anything to do with the meeting the Warriors were told to attend tomorrow?” “Yes, but I really can’t say anything more about that right now. It needs to wait until the meeting.” He patted her stomach. “Let’s just enjoy tonight without worrying about tomorrow. Hard times are in our future. We need to cherish these quieter moments while we can.” She shrugged, trying to appear in agreement, though his decision not to confide in her hurt. “I’m sure it’s no concern to me and Josella anyhow.” She hadn’t specifically been invited to attend the meeting, so she didn’t even know if she was welcome. Other than Erik, none of the others had really treated her any differently than any other Warrior. But still… “You make it sound like you’re not a part of us, Halah.” “Am I a part? After all this time and everything I’ve done? Laszlo never specifically indicated one way or the other. I’m not going to presume.” She wasn’t even really certain how Kam felt at this stage. A lot had happened in the last couple of days that might make one want to rethink their future. “You are one of us, Halah. Never doubt your place or sound like you’re about to leave the fold again.” His brow furrowed. “Unless that’s what you want to do?” Just thinking about leaving made her heart clench. “No. That’s not what I want. Is that how I sounded?” Voicing her feelings had always been hard. And still was. Even with Kam. “Yes. In fact, I’d hoped you’d stay not just for now, but…forever.” She looked into his gorgeous blue eyes. Her heart picked up its pace. “Forever?” She didn’t much care what the others thought of her. Not really. Not when it came to the core of who she was. She’d always been much too independent to care about that

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sort of group-acceptance nonsense. But she did care what Kam thought. She knew he’d signed to her that he loved her, but that was after sex, which didn’t really count. Before she said anything more, he kissed her mouth lightly, his lips lingering over hers. As if he’d sensed what she was thinking, he said, “I do love you, Halah. I hope you know and believe that.” The honesty and love she saw in his eyes took her breath away. “I want you by my side for the rest of my life. I want you to join with me as my breeder-mate, so we can have beautiful children of our own.” Children? She rarely thought about children. But after seeing Alexa’s beautiful babies, she had wondered what a child with her dark hair and Kam’s light blue eyes would look like. “I want…to Brand you, Halah.” Her heart pounded painfully against her ribs. “Brand me?” she whispered. That would make it official. Irreversible. “The Council—” “Shh,” he responded, his voice equally low. “I’ve spoken to Laszlo about it. The Xylon Council no longer exists. He’s given his seal of approval. That’s all we need. A witnessing ceremony is no longer required. We can do it at any time. Like Erik and Leila did.” “Erik and Leila are joined?” That was news to her. “I never saw a Brand on the back of her neck.” “Leila has been keeping the mark hidden with a skin patch, because she and Erik joined in secret, against the Council’s demands. They no longer need to hide. Laszlo has given them his blessing. We live in a new world now, Halah. Do you love me?” The intensity in his eyes speared through her. She knew what she ached to do and what she ached to say. Instead, she voiced her fears. He needed to know what he was getting himself into. “I’ve been alone a long time, Kam. Just me and Josella. I’m hardheaded. I follow my own path. And I have a hard time expressing love.” “And you’re lonely. Just like I am. I can see it in your eyes. If you don’t love me in return though—” When he started to pull away, she grabbed his arms. “No!” He cocked an eyebrow at her. “I mean, don’t go. Please.” The thought of not being with Kam sent a wave of utter sadness through her like she’d never felt. He settled back beside her. “I…do love you.” A huge grin crossed his face. When she said nothing more, he sobered, looking at her with a most serious expression. He stroked her cheek. “I want you to be my breeder-mate, Halah. We’re good together. I need you, and I think you need me. Say yes.”

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She swallowed hard. “Yes.” The word spilled from her mouth and from her deepest desires. She would let him into her heart—this incredible man who’d somehow managed to break down all her emotional barriers. He’d been right. She often felt lonely, so lonely, but never with him. He filled her soul. “I’ll be your breeder-mate.” He kissed her quickly, as if he feared she might take the words back. She didn’t intend to do that. She couldn’t think of a better man than Kam to be mated with. Her mouth opened and their tongues tangled. Kam’s hand glided down her stomach and slid between her legs. She mewled into his mouth at the intimate touch, then broke their kiss. “Brand me, Kam. Do it now. Here. I don’t want to wait another minute.” Life was too uncertain. The last few days had proven that. “You don’t want to talk to Josella about it first?” “No.” She loved her sister, but this was her decision alone. “Make me yours.” A growl escaped his throat. He helped her over onto her stomach and placed fluttering kisses up and down her spine. She shivered at the incredible feeling. When he brushed the hair away from the back of her neck and licked the skin there to prepare her, she thought she’d faint from the flames of arousal licking at her body. “Get up on your knees,” he instructed her. She rose to her knees, but kept her head down. Kam moved behind her, caressing her back and hips. His fingers grazed her pussy. “Oh, yes…” Her stomach fluttered, knowing her life was about to change. Once Branded, a couple formed a deeper bond—mentally, emotionally, and physically—that went beyond other relationships. He positioned the blunt tip of his cock against her pussy, but didn’t slide inside her. “Do you want me?” “You know I do.” If he didn’t enter her soon, she’d explode from pure need. “Say it. I need to hear the words, Halah.” “I want you, Kam. I want you more than any man I’ve ever known.” And that was the truth. “Please,” she begged. “Oh, yeah.” His fingers curled around her hips, and he pushed his cock slowly into her pussy, one inch at a time. As he slid deeper, Halah moaned. So incredible. In this position, he filled her completely. “Yes, Kam!” Slowly, he pulled back out of her pussy until only an inch of his cock remained inside. “Oh…” Torture. She needed him to fill her up. “Fuck me!” He chuckled, then thrust back into her. “Like this?” He plunged his cock all the way into her, then eased back. Repeatedly, he stroked back and forth, pulling out and then pushing deep inside her pussy.

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“Yes!” Halah’s fingers clutched at the coverings on the bed. “Oh, oh, oh…” Her body tightened, as he continued the sensual fucking, increasing the intensity with each stroke. What started as slow and gentle soon progressed to a fast and hard taking. Kam swiped a few stray tendrils of hair away from the back of her neck and leaned over her. She felt his body trembling. The time had come. The Brand needed to be seared on the back of her neck, with the help of a special device implanted in all male breeders’ mouths. The mark had to be placed at the same time both of them climaxed otherwise the joining wouldn’t be complete. “Now, Kam!” As a powerful orgasm shot through both of them, Kam fused his mouth to the back of her neck, placing his personal Brand on her. Everyone would know that she belonged to him. Each Warrior’s Brand was unique, and she felt proud to wear Kam’s mark. Halah screamed from the sheer pleasure exploding inside her. “Yes!” Never again would she feel alone. She was now a part of Kam, the man she loved.

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About the Author Ruth D. Kerce got hooked on writing in the fifth grade when she won a short story contest—a romance, of course. And she’s been writing romance ever since. She writes several subgenres of romance—historical, contemporary, and futuristic. Her books are available online in many internet bookstores. Her short stories and articles are available on several websites. She has won or placed in writing contests and hopes to continue to write exciting tales for years to come. Ruth welcomes comments from readers. You can find her website and email address on her author bio page at www.ellorascave.com.

Also by Ruth D. Kerce Adam 483: Man or Machine? Diamond Studs anthology Virgin Seeks Bad-Ass Boy Wanton Temptation Xylon Warriors 1: Initiation Xylon Warriors 2: His Carnal Need

Discover for yourself why readers can’t get enough of the multiple award-winning publisher Ellora’s Cave. Whether you prefer e-books or paperbacks, be sure to visit EC on the web at www.ellorascave.com for an erotic reading experience that will leave you breathless.

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