Hot Wire

Mary Winter

Galaxy Rogues 4: HOT WIRE BY MARY WINTER Venus Press LLC 2

HOTWIRE

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Galaxy Rogues 4: HOT WIRE Copyright © 2006 by MARY WINTER ISBN: Cover Art © 2006 by Dan Skinner All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any form without permission, except as provided by the U.S. Copyright Law. Printed and bound in the United States of America. For information, you can find us on the web at www.VenusPress.com

3

Mary Winter

Chapter One

The scene told the tale. Kane Lindsori stared at the chips in the ore, traces of Cianta dust left behind like green specks against the blood red stone, and let loose a spate of curses strong enough to make a Turas-9 dockworker blush. Someone had beat him to the dig once again. He slammed his laser pick into the ground hard enough to feel the stone vibrate beneath his feet. A few more near misses like this, and his stores would be depleted enough to send him back to the nearest space station. And back into Concordance space where I’ll have to pay taxes and duties on my cargo. He growled. I came out here to get richer, not waste my time with fleuking claim jumpers. Kane knelt and tore off a glove to run his bare fingers over the ground. The Cianta ore called to him, a rare and precious commodity used by wealthy Vandebians and scientists alike. In its rock form, it dazzled the eye like the greatest gem. A fad, but one that brought in lots of money to miners willing to risk everything on the fringes of Concordance space. Powered and mixed with certain elements it made metal so durable nothing could destroy it. He clenched his fingers, bones filled with a Cianta alloy, in acknowledgement. Just a few more claims, enough ore to fill his cargo hold, and he could finish the last of his modifications and be a Full-Alter. With the work half completed he ranked no better than a common Free-lancer. But as a Full-Alter he had possibilities, jobs, and the promise of being something better than he was. Standing, Kane shoved his glove back onto his hand and surveyed the barren rock on which he’d landed. His breathing unit hissed, reminding him he should be heading back to his ship, and soon. Kane released his tether and bounded toward the next outcropping. Not many more places to look, and he was running out of time. If I find out who did this, I’ll flay them alive. He clenched his fingers, keeping the blades embedded beneath his fingernails from emerging. Fibrous cord wound around muscles, lending strength to his muscled frame. No wind stirred his short hair, only the subtle release of carbon dioxide into the vastness of space from his breathing unit. A 4

HOTWIRE glint on the next rise caught his attention, and he hurried toward it, careful to pay attention to the subtle discoloration in the rocks that marked a deposit of Cianta. Tracks caught his attention. He stopped close-by, his boots sending up tiny plumes of dust. They were small, too small to have come from his clunky boots, and they went in the opposite direction of his ship. He glanced at his oxygen regulator. Not enough air to go exploring, but he’d soon remedy that, and bounded toward his ship. The stars had barely rotated by the time he returned to the site, this time with a full tank of air. Good for several hours at least. He had replaced his pick with a pistol, and followed the tracks. Human, most definitely. Possibly female. What the fleuck was a female doing on an asteroid as remote as this? At the thought of a woman, any woman, his cock came to life, and Kane ordered his body to behave. Few wanted an Alter, especially a half-complete one as himself. And those that did, well he never had to pay for his sex and didn’t intend to start now. Still, it got damned lonely on the far reaches of Concordance space, but it was the only place for a man like him. He slowed as he neared a particularly rocky patch. He hadn’t made it over here yet, didn’t think there’d be much ore, and besides, the steep terrain would make tethering and mining a bitch. But the tracks had coalesced and formed a well-worn trail, one he’d follow and find that damn claim jumper. It’d been a while since he’d been in the military, but he could dispense frontier justice with the rest of them. And perhaps, the cargo hold of that ship held enough ore to get him the hell out of here. A ship lay nestled in the rocky valley. Simple, with sleek-efficient lines, the craft couldn’t hold more than one or two people comfortably. No frills, hell, probably not even a decent living area from the looks of it. A privy, control panel, and main area without dividers or comfort. Certainly not the ship he’d want to be out here in, not when it was at least a four day’s flight to the nearest port, and that just a backwater with barely any amenities. Kane checked his regular and moved closer. He slid in behind a large boulder just a hop from the front door. Nestling his hand on the grip of his weapon, he settled in to wait. He judged he had a good three hours before he needed to start on the return trip. His quarry would show. Claim jumpers were never known for their patience, or their charity. The name of the ship, Promise, caught his eye. Not a name most Free-Lancers would use. He thought again about the small boot prints. With a name like that the ship 5

Mary Winter had to be captained by a female. Curiosity bit him, made him wonder what she’d be like, all hard mercenary most likely. Probably all crazy about how women were superior to men, too. He’d seen them before. Severed with them even, though he tried not to think about his time before he became an Alter. Kane scowled. A hard-nosed woman wouldn’t name her ship something frilly like promise. He bit back a curse and released his weapon. “Shit,” he muttered. A female claim jumper. That was all he needed. Best deal with her now, get her ass, probably a sweet heart-shaped ass, sent back toward civilization so he could complete his mining and get off this rock. His dick throbbed. He didn’t need to be thinking about her ass. He had no business letting his thoughts roam in that direction. Settling his back against the boulder, he watched the ship and wondered what the hell he’d gotten himself into.

**** If her luck held, she’d be flying back to Turas-9 with enough Cianta to buy her sister’s freedom—right into a convent. Aeron Harmaith sat back on her heels and stared at the glittering green ore. She grinned and exhaled. When she arrived out here, she hadn’t expected to be so close to her goal so soon. Just a few more days of mining and she could free her sister from the pleasure house owner who’d paid off all her debts. And then she’d march her sister right to the nearest Lady of Starry Salvation temple and drop her off where she’d spend the rest of her life locked behind doors, never to see a member of the opposite sex again. Aeron suppressed a growl at her younger sister’s antics. She rose to her feet and twisted at the waist, working out the tiny kinks in her muscles. Why did she have to be the sister with all the sense? Sure, she was older and forced into the responsibility of raising Sierra at a young age. Still, she never experienced the urge to throw caution to the winds as her younger sister did. Aeron sighed. Maybe it was all her fault for pampering Sierra, making sure she had everything she wanted. Perhaps she coddled her too much, for as soon as she turned adult, she spent and played as if she didn’t have to live on her half of the inheritance from their parents. Aeron shook her head, not wanting to rehash old events. It was done and over with, and now she was stuck on this asteroid mining Cianta. She’d never been afraid of hard labor, though it had been a while since she’d worked like this. 6

HOTWIRE She strode back into the cockpit of the ship, avoiding the bedding spread out on the hard, metal floor. Her body ached from more than physical labor. The months in deep space, months alone, reminded her of urges needing fulfilled. The bedding reminded her of tangled limbs and husky sighs. If she closed her eyes, she could almost imagine breathy moans and masculine groans of pleasure. Aeron shook her head. Stupid. It was stupid to be thinking along those lines. She fastened her suit, hefted her laser pick, and after checking her tether line, prepared to go out and do some more mining. Maybe if she worked herself to exhaustion she could forget all about being horny and alone. After all, it was acting on her desires that had gotten her sister into trouble. Aeron refused to make the same mistake. The ship’s door whooshed open and Aeron descended onto the asteroid’s surface. Her regulator hissed as it vented carbon dioxide into space with every breath. She closed the door, noticing the tracks looked heavier around her ship. Her heart lodged in her throat. She’d seen another ship here, tried to avoid it, but what if they found her. She hadn’t intended on doing anything wrong, just noticed that someone had marked out future claims. She dug from them, not enough to deplete the veins, but the easiest to get. In her mind, she rationalized not knowing who put the flags there. They were unmarked and could have been set anytime. She stopped and looked around. The bleak landscape looked exactly the same. Inwardly, she laughed at her silliness and headed down the trail leading out of the rocky valley and back to where she left the last marker. A shape moved. Aeron jumped. She whirled toward the left where large boulders stood. At their size, the rocks easily provided cover for someone. Suddenly a man stood before her. He blocked the path, his shoulders broad. His muscular physique showed even through the suit he wore. Aeron turned and bolted for the safety of her ship. She’d heard tales about miners, horrible tales about men on the edge. The man screamed predator. Through his visor, she saw his scowl, his sweeping gaze taking her in. She flushed at his regard. It seemed his look stripped away her suit, left her bare, and she shivered at the thought. No! She had to seek safety. He stood before her. 7

Mary Winter One instant she ran toward her ship, the next, he reached out and grabbed her wrist. “Wait!” The husky timbre of his voice shivered through Aeron. She stopped and looked into his eyes. Big mistake. His liquid green eyes looked like lush Vandebian grass blowing in the breeze. She could drown in them, imagine herself lying in a pool of the soft grass, each blade caressing her naked skin. Suddenly, she found herself unable to pull away. “Who are you?” She hated the breathy, needy quality of her voice, but already her body betrayed her in its reminder of how long she’d been without a man. She dare not drop her gaze to the crotch of his suit. She doubted she’d see much anyway, but refused to give in to the temptation. “Kane. But who I am doesn’t matter, does it? Not when you’re stealing from me.” “Stealing?” His deep voice disoriented her. The way he held her wrist, hard, possessive, yet not hurting her, made her wonder about his motives. “If I have I apologize. Are those your marks?” “Damn straight they are. Whose did you think they were?” Aeron glanced for a moment at his gloved hand where it held her wrist immobile. For a moment she contemplated about getting away and stared at a tiny trail leading away from her ship, and from the wide, well-worn path she used. “Thinking about running?” He pulled her forward, hauling her against him until their suits collided. “You can’t run away from me. I’m an Alter.” His words hit her low in the gut and sent a flood of moisture to her pussy. An Alter, a man infused with technology to be something more than human. Word of their endurance and strength filled the Concordance, though most tried not to speak of them. As a lover, it was rumored they were exquisite. She wanted to tell him to do with her what he would, sound like some crazy heroine from a vid. Instead, she pressed her lips in a thin line and boldly met his gaze. “I’ll be gone in a day or two. I didn’t take enough Cianta to make a difference. This asteroid is loaded with it, so why don’t you leave me alone and find somewhere else to mine.” His nostrils flared, and for a moment she thought he might cuff her for her insolence. Instead, he splayed his hand on her back and slid it down her spine until it 8

HOTWIRE rested on the curve of her buttocks. Through his gloves and her suit, his heat branded her. Her nipples hardened, and her mouth went dry. “How do you know how much Cianta will make a difference?” His husky voice reminded her of silk sheets and candlelit nights. “And why should I go mine elsewhere? I was here first, and I staked a claim on what is mine.” At the word “mine,” she shivered. She ran her tongue along her bottom lip in an attempt to moisten them, and Kane’s gaze followed the movement. Had she heard him groan, or was it only an echo of her own needs? “It’s the principle of the thing,” he said as his hand slipped lower to cup one of her cheeks and press her even tighter against him. “The principle? And what might that be?” She struggled to speak. Through his suit, the unmistakable bulge of his cock pressed into her stomach. A formidable ridge, one she wanted deep inside her. Aeron stiffened in his arms. By the stars, what was she doing lusting after this stranger? Hadn’t that been the same exact thing that had gotten her sister into trouble? Disgusted, she tried to pull away, but Kane’s hand on her ass kept her pinned against his hard body. “Of ownership. I marked my claims. You came in and stole from me. We need to work out some sort of arrangement, or better yet, you can hand over all your Cianta and get the hell off my rock.” A muscle jumped in his jaw. Aeron suspected he wasn’t as unaffected as he appeared to be. “You only wish I were on your rock.” She wiggled against his erection for emphasis, and this time, he did groan. “Don’t.” He released her, but only enough for her to put some much needed space between them. “You can’t change the subject.” “I didn’t,” she said with an impish grin. “Now how about you get the hell away from me, and I can go back to mining. You stay on your side of your rock, and I’ll stay right here. All right?” Kane sighed and released her wrist.

**** What the hell did he think he was doing? He came here to accost her for mining and nearly found himself fucking her. He stepped back, wanting space between them, and wished his unruly cock would behave. He hadn’t expected the claim jumper to be a 9

Mary Winter beautiful woman. Sooty lashes framed indigo blue eyes. Her short blonde hair was spiky around her head, and her body would take a man’s breath away. Ample breasts that felt so good crushed against him. Long legs and curved hips. He bet her ass was heartshaped. “So what’s your name, little claim jumper?” She bristled at the title. “Aeron.” She exhaled and looked back to her ship. “Look, I just need a bit more Cianta and then I’ll be out of here. I’m trying to–” She stopped and shook her head. “It doesn’t matter why I’m mining the ore. Just let me be. I’ll be gone soon enough.” A moment’s regret at her leaving passed through him. “Trying to do what? What do you want the ore for, Aeron?” He burned with the need to know why she’d stoop to stealing from another miner. Sure, he hadn’t had his names on the flags. They could have come from anywhere. And it wasn’t stealing if she didn’t know the flags were his. He wanted to believe her, even as the other half of his mind doubted her innocent act. “It’s none of your business.” She crossed her arms over her chest. The motion plumped her breasts and made his mouth go dry. “Maybe it is.” Kane shrugged. “If I’m going to let you mine my claims, I at least deserve to know why you want to be out here. I’m sure there are other places you could be.” She stiffened and looked away. His words had hit their mark. She strode toward her ship. “Look. I didn’t know I was stealing, but now that I do, I’ll leave. There’s another asteroid a bit farther out. I’ll find Cianta there.” Kane reached for her as she passed. Grabbing her wrist, he turned her to face him. “I’ve looked at that rock. It’s smaller than this one, and the Cianta is laced with other types of ore. You’re not going to get much there. Besides, why are you running?” Her eyes flashed with anger. “I’m not running.” “Yes you are.” He grinned. “You don’t strike me as the type of woman who would run away from a fight. Now, there’s plenty of Cianta on this asteroid for both of us. You could go find your own claims, but frankly, I’ve marked the best and easiest ones to access. If I’m going to let you mine, I want to know why.” He wondered where his generous streak came from. What the hell, it wasn’t like he needed all of it. Just enough to make him a Full-Alter, bankroll a couple of operations, before he established himself. “I’ll find my own claims.” With a haughty tilt to her chin, she strode back into her ship and slammed the door. 10

HOTWIRE

Chapter Two

Floating back to the asteroid, Kane couldn’t help but look at the rocks in which Aeron’s ship sat. For two days he hadn’t seen her and feared the worst. There was a reason why he marked out his claims. Not only were they the easiest to mine, but also the safest. Once he got into the rocks, then not only did he have to worry about finding a solid place to which he could tether himself, but also, the sharp and unforgiving rocks. One slip and the suit could be pierced, sending precious oxygen out into space. No, he didn’t like the fact that he hadn’t seen Aeron since their conversation. Damn woman. This close to obtaining enough Cianta ore to make him a FullAlter, he didn’t need the distraction she brought with her. Just remembering her, the full, rounded breasts beneath her suit, an ass perfectly shaped to fit in his palms. His cock jerked to attention, and he cursed low under his breath. From where he stood, flying back to Turas-9 and finding a pleasure slave looked better and better. Except that would take up some of his ore, and every nugget was needed for his modifications. Aeron looked willing to accommodate his baser urges. When he’d grabbed her wrist and hauled her against him, he’d felt the hitch in her breathing. Desire had filled her gaze. If they’d been without their suits, he bet his keen sense of smell could have picked up the scent of her arousal. He groaned under his breath, imaging her silky wet and ready for him. Releasing his tether, he bounded over to the next marked claim. His pack bulged on his back, nearly full of Cianta ore. Hopefully in a few more days he could get out of here. Then, what about the woman? Kane shook his head. He shouldn’t worry about her. After all, she’d gotten herself out here without any help from him. She could just get herself home. And what if she didn’t get home? What if she hurt herself? And if he left her on the asteroid, it would be all his fault. Kane growled and headed toward the claim he’d marked closer to her ship. Maybe if he gave her some of his own Cianta ore. Maybe 11

Mary Winter then he could leave with a clean conscience. Except it would take him longer to rebuild his stock-piles. He shook his head. Any way he looked at the situation, it sucked. He stopped on a ridge overlooking the valley in which her ship sat. Not far away, he saw Aeron. She had tethered herself to a rock spire, and he watched as with every burst from the laser pick, she floated away from the surface of the asteroid, then back down, only to repeat the dance. Green Cianta ore flashed in the light from a distant sun illuminating this side of the asteroid. He leaned against a large rock and watched. He had to admit, she looked like she knew what she was doing. She moved with the push of the laser pick, letting it send her away and back, not fighting it like a lot of newbies. She didn’t resist the push, trusted her tether and the slight gravity to bring her back. She moved like a woman who had done this before, many times, and his esteem for her went up a notch. She didn’t look like she’d get hurt. The thought did little to soothe his worried conscience. Mentally, he tallied up how much Cianta lay in his hold. Once he learned how much she needed, then he could go forward with his plan. Give her enough ore to get her off the asteroid, then he could finish mining in peace. Kane rested against the rocks. What did it matter if she stayed out here on this desolate rock? He had mining to do, mining he wasn’t doing because he was standing here watching the woman work. He turned and started to walk away. Aeron stumbled. He watched as she flailed at the end of her tether before falling to the asteroid in a heap. She rose, gave a cursory check to her suit and the gauges, and continued to mine. Kane waited a few moments longer to be sure she was all right, then turned and walked back to his claim. She’d get hurt. One of these days, she would and then he’d have to live with the fact that he didn’t help her off the asteroid. Frowning, he promised himself he’d give it two days, then he’d see what he could do about making sure he was the only one on the asteroid.

**** Aeron resisted the urge to throw the wrench across the cargo bay of her ship and growled at the engine of her ship. Sure, Promise had been bought on the second-hand market, pieced back together one part at a time. But for it to break now, of all times. She had some spare parts, could easily fix it. But fixing her ship took time away from mining. And the sooner she filled her cargo hold with Cianta, the sooner she could get out of here and away from Kane, the Alter. 12

HOTWIRE He wasn’t a Full-Alter. She knew that from looking at him, though beneath the suit she didn’t know what kinds of metal parts protruded from his skin. The part she’d felt most intimately certainly didn’t feel metal, and even now, just thinking about it, put her body on full arousal. “Damn it. I don’t have time for this.” She changed the head on her torque wrench, wiggled a little farther into the engine compartment, and tried to concentrate on the repair. Yeah, concentrate on the repair. Aeron frowned. Like that was going to happen. She removed the gasket to take a look at the part underneath. A steady drip of cooling fluid rewarded her actions. Great, another leak. Something else for her to fix, though, at least she had spare gaskets. Sighing, she shimmied out of the engine compartment, sat up, and took stock of her supplies. She had everything, though it would take another set of hands to put it all in place. Better go see the arrogant Alter and see if he’d be willing to help. After returning to her ship and replenishing her oxygen tanks, Aeron began the walk to Kane’s ship. She had only seen glimpses of it while she mined, careful to stay out of sight of him. Now that he knew about her activities, she felt little pressure to be unseen. Instead, a need to make herself known, to tell the arrogant Alter that she could, and would, mine this asteroid filled her. She bounded across the asteroid’s rocky surface. Finally, she reached his ship. The sleek lines and gleaming hull pronounced it as a newer model, certainly more than she could afford. Easy Money named the ship, and in those two words, Aeron knew exactly what Kane was after. The thought didn’t bother her. At least she knew up front what he wanted. Anything else, such as the promise from the heat in his eyes, would be at her discretion. She smiled and pressed the communications button on the hall. Silence greeted her. Perhaps he was out on a run, working in the mine. But her headlamp illuminated the side of the ship, and the quickly gathering darkness of the asteroid’s first night cycle would make mining impossible. Kane looked as if he knew about mining, and working in the dark certainly wasn’t the smart thing to be doing. She pressed the communications button again. Still silence. Staring at the side of the ship, Aeron fought her rising concern. She punched the access button, and it opened. Aeron stared inside the ship, her walkway illuminated by tiny white lights, and wondered whether to trespass or not. What if he needed her help? 13

Mary Winter Her mental question made up her mind, and she hurried inside, closing the door behind her. At her entrance lights illuminated the cabin. To her right, through a small door, she saw the cockpit, easily big enough for two pilots to maneuver the ship. The main entry area in which she stood looked spartan. Just a bare couch and a table bolted to the floor. No magazines sat strapped into their holders on the end of the couch, and in the cupboards above, the smoky glass windows refused to give away the contents. A hallway led to her left. She followed it, trying not to feel like she was trespassing. It’s for a good cause, she reminded herself. What if he were hurt, or sick? Aeron shook her head as she followed the hallway passed a closed door. His bedroom, she wondered, the thought sending a shiver down her. A low, red light glowed from beneath a closed door at the end of the hall, and as she passed a utility closet and stairs leading into the bowels of the ship, she wondered if he might be having engine trouble. Then, she stood at the door. Pressing her hand flat against it, she felt only cool metal. At her touch, the door opened. Aeron stared into a room that pulsed with life. Heavy, thick veins pumped fluids around the room, while a steady beat, like a heartbeat, thudded in her ears. In one corner, stood Kane. Naked, he twined his fingers into thick red, ropes that seemed to plug into tiny nodules by his neck. Aeron’s breath caught in her throat as she took in his wide, hairless chest, with its defined pectorals. The ridges of his abdomen stood out like tiny rivers she wanted to navigate with her tongue. Lower, to a tiny dusting of brown hair that led to one of the biggest cocks she’d ever seen. Her mouth went dry. She stepped forward. Kane appeared to be sleeping, his head slumped so his chin nearly touched his chest. As she stepped forward, he didn’t move. She unfastened her helmet, listening to the whoosh of air, then peeled from her suit, leaving it in a pool of metallic fabric on the floor, then went over to him. “Kane?” she asked, still not quite able to pull her gaze away from his cock. “Aeron?” He raised his head to look at her, his gaze traveling over her formfitting suit, from her breasts down to her feet, then back up again. His cock hardened. “What are you doing here?” Aeron bit her lip. Admitting she was worried when he didn’t answer would be tantamount to admitting weakness. “I was wondering if you’d help me with some repairs 14

HOTWIRE on my ship. I could do them, but four hands would be better than two.” She watched as his cock swelled, so thick, she wondered if she could even close her fingers around it. Her breath caught, and suddenly in her suit, her nipples rasped against the fabric, erect and waiting. “What are you doing?” She forced herself to look at the fluid pumping into his neck from the tubes. “It’s almost like this chamber is alive.” She looked around. “Alters don’t need living ships, do they?” She’d heard of living ships, but had never seen one up close. “Not most of them, no.” He didn’t elaborate, and she didn’t ask. “I can’t leave for a couple of hours, but I’ll help you with your ship then.” “I appreciate the help. I’m not sure how I can repay you. If we were at my house I’d cook dinner or something. Can’t do that out here.” She knew one way in which she could repay him. Already she felt her pussy plumping, growing slick with arousal. To take Kane deep inside her and fuck him until they both were senseless, well, it seemed more like something her little sister would do than her. But she wanted it, oh how she wanted it. “Don’t worry about it.” Deliberately, she let her gaze focus on his hard cock. “Oh, but I do.” Reaching for the fastener on her body suit, Aeron stepped forward. Fabric hissed as she parted it to her waist, revealing the globes of her breasts. Another time, another place, and she wouldn’t act this wanton. It was like another woman possessed her body, and Aeron floated on the heady feeling. Kane’s nostrils flared. “Aeron, please.” “Please what?” She stopped before him and trailed two fingers between his pecs, down to circle his navel. “Touch you? Lick you? Fuck you?” She lowered her voice to a husky growl. “What do you want, Kane?” “What are you doing? I can’t detach for several hours yet. Don’t torture yourself.” She sensed he struggled for something to hold onto, some thread of sanity to keep him from coming like a rank teenager. From the angry, purple head of his cock, it didn’t look like he had far to go. Aeron caressed him from root to tip. A soft, fleeting touch, just enough to get him stirred. She cupped his heavy balls in her fingers and tested their weight. She trailed her fingers down the seam between them. Kane shuddered. 15

Mary Winter Aeron dropped to her knees. Kane sucked in a breath. “Aeron.” Her name was a plea on his lips. Aeron smiled. She reached for him, cupping his length in her hand, before leaning forward. A puff of breath blew across his head, and she watched as he shivered in response. Lips parted, she took him into her mouth. She looked up his torso, to his arms, spread-eagled at his sides. His hands clenched and she watched his throat move. Power. It rushed through her a heady mix of adrenaline and arousal that had her nipples tightening. For a moment she understood why her little sister did what she did. To kneel here, with a man’s cock in her mouth, and know that her every movement brought him pleasure, it boggled the mind. Slowly, she sucked him deeper into her mouth, relaxing her throat until her lips pressed against his body. She stroked him with her tongue, then moved him out. In and out, just like fucking, only it was her mouth and not her pussy taking him deep inside. Licking and sucking, tasting his musky essence. He groaned. His breath caught in his throat. Aeron hollowed her cheeks and sucked. The teasing over, she caressed his balls with one hand while she nibbled and licked his cock. With her free hand, she clutched at his lean hip, tracing the crease where his torso joined his legs. Like a cat in heat, she rubbed against him, pressing her breasts against his legs, her thighs against his shins and ankles. “Mmm, Kane. You’re so big.” She licked him from root to tip, then swirled her tongue in the eye. A bead of salty fluid emerged, and she lapped at it. Kane’s throat worked reflexively. He strained toward her, the muscles defined in bas-relief against his body. He didn’t speak, didn’t say a word, but Aeron felt it inside him. Drawing him into her mouth once more, she sucked in a vigorous back and forth movement, hoping to drive him over the edge. His hips bucked, slamming his cock deeper into her throat. She relaxed and took it, riding the waves of power cresting through her. Her pussy clenched, and for a moment, she thought about sliding a hand down her jumper to stroke herself, but couldn’t bear to take her fingers from Kane. Her breasts slid from her jumper. Kane groaned at the sight, of her tight, red nipples rubbing against his skin. In her hands, his balls drew tight against her body. His cock pumped in her mouth, jerking as he thrust it harder and harder.

16

HOTWIRE Her cheeks hurt. Aeron didn’t care. She worked him with every cell in her body. With a long groan, he stiffened. Then, hot jets of come filled her mouth. She swallowed, before bathing him with her tongue. Aeron sat back on her heels. She looked at him, chin resting on his chest, expression one of sated desire. His cock hung half-hard between his legs. It gleamed wet in the compartment’s light, the pulsing red beat that had infected her blood. She feared her legs might not support her if she stood, so she sat there on the floor, body aching for the same kind of release she’d just given Kane. Slowly, she tucked her breasts in her suit and started to fasten it. “Don’t,” Kane whispered. Her hands stilled. “I like looking at you.” He glanced at the vessels wound around his arms, holding him in place. “If only…” He growled and gave a tiny tug on his bonds. “It’s all right.” Aeron stood. She walked to the ship and pressed her hand against the gleaming wet surface. Beneath her palm, it felt warm, soft, like actual flesh. The pulse of blood, or fluids, pounded through it. “What is it?” “My life.” Kane sighed. “I’m not just an Alter. That’s what I tell people, but they don’t know about this--this room. A few more modifications and I won’t need this chamber anymore. But for now, I’m here.” “What’s it doing?” “Keeping me alive.” Aeron sensed he didn’t want to talk about it, though she wanted to learn more. She’d never heard of an Alter who needed an artificial chamber to keep him alive. Kane acted like a man. Felt like one too when he came in her mouth. “It’s all right.” She backed away and finished fastening her suit. “You know where my ship is. Why don’t you head my way once you’re done, all right?” She turned and started to walk out of the room. She needed to be alone, to process what she’d just done. Standing there, on the opposite side of the room, she looked at Kane pressed against the wall, at his naked body, and knew she’d done exactly what she told her sister not to. Thought with her cunt instead of her brain. Without waiting for a response, she turned and walked away. Better keep focused on her mission. Then, she could free her sister.

17

Mary Winter

Chapter Three

Kane watched Aeron leave. A pleasant lethargy filled his body, the aftermath of a powerful release. He opened his mouth to stop Aeron from leaving. No sound emerged. She’d done her duty. Serviced him so he could fix her ship, and after all, wasn’t that what he wanted? A hot number to ease the tension and not worry about staying around for tomorrows. With Aeron gone, Kane growled low in his throat. She didn’t have to do that. She probably felt cheap, dirty, all those things women felt after a one-night stand. And damn it, she didn’t come. He smelled her arousal, even saw the damp fabric at her crotch. One stroke, and she’d find her release. He longed to taste her. Just thinking about wrapping his lips around her clit, and sucking like she’d sucked him had him hard. Not for the first time he cursed the sacrifices he’d made. Hell, I shouldn’t even be alive. And glancing at the tubes purifying his blood, he wondered if it was worth it. Yeah, it was. Just remembering the feel of Aeron’s lips around his cock told him all the sacrifices he made had been worth it. And as soon as he could come in with a load of Cianta, he could finish his mods and be whole again, no longer needing this chamber. A full Alter, capable of everything they could do and more. For he wasn’t just any Alter, but a new, experimental Alter. And that’s why he stood there, tethered to a living chamber for a few hours a day. While the ship purified the blood, it interfaced with his brain, downloading coordinates and signals. From here, he could control everything, and it made him feel like God. The tubes pulled away from the ports beneath his arms with a wet noise. A small whirr as the ports closed, and Kane stepped away from the ship, refreshed and revitalized. To him, the hours spent plugged in were his sleep. He needed nothing more. He had a quick chemical shower and dressed before heading into the airlock to don his space suit and go to Aeron’s ship. 18

HOTWIRE In less time than he thought, he stood outside the hull of her ship. The name still made him quirk his lips. Promise, as if she hoped for something better. Out here, few people worked for anything but themselves, and the fact she’d been on her knees in his chamber giving him the best blowjob of his life proved it. After all, she couldn’t have been there because she wanted to be. No, she needed him to fix her ship. So, here he was. He pressed the button next to the door and waited. Moments later the main door whooshed open. He stepped into the airlock, waited for the door behind him to close and the pressure to change before he unsuited and stepped inside. Her ship looked as small on the inside as it did from the outside. He struggled to ignore the bedding laid out on the floor. Right now, he didn’t think imagining Aeron in it, dressed in little more but a smile, would get the work done. Knickknacks covered all available space. Pictures tacked to the walls, some of Aeron smiling with a younger, more beautiful woman, others of a ship, an older man, or even just places. He recognized the moons around Tobine, the orange and blue grass fields of Daricor. If Aeron had traveled to all those places, then she’d been around, a lot. He had to give her credit for making it all those places by herself. He recognized a few rocks only hardened spacers visited, and then only for the planet’s mineral wealth. “You said you had a ship to fix?” He asked a bit harsher than he intended. Best to focus and keep his mind on his work. Then, when the time came, he could lift his ship into the fly and ignore Aeron and all her feminine, personal touches. He couldn’t think about her. A woman like her had no business being with a man like him, and yeah, he knew that he should give her that choice. But he wouldn’t. Not because he was a coward, but if he did, he knew it’d break his heart. “This way. If you could hold the part steady, I can get my hands into the compartment and fix it. I really appreciate it.” She led him through the one room, into a tiny hall. “I’m afraid there’s not much room here,” she said, as she stretched out on her back along the length of the floor. Reaching overhead, she put her hands into the chamber and lifted up the gasket. “Think you can hold it in place?” He watched her settle the gasket against the part. Her breasts were shoved against the fabric of her suit, and the fasteners had come partially undone giving him a mouthwatering view of her cleavage. Her long legs stretched out, all shapely and perfect for wrapping around his waist. Just the view of them had him testing the seams of his suit again. 19

Mary Winter Kane knelt and reached over her. His face hovered inches from hers. “I can hold it for as long as you want me to. Don’t worry about me.” Her lips parted. Those luscious, red lips he’d only kissed once. The very same lips that had been wrapped around his cock. “Okay. Are you ready?” “Since I stepped into your airlock.” Aeron grabbed a wrench and began fastening the gasket to the engine. She worked quickly, though each movement of her arms jiggled her breasts just enough to keep him at full mast. They were going to fuck. Oh, were they going to fuck. And when they did, the entire sector would hear her scream with delight. Aeron scooted away and stood up. Kane looked down, realizing that they worked so well together, he hadn’t even noticed. With the gasket and the engine replaced, his work was done. “So tell me,” he said, as she led him back to the main compartment of her ship. “Why are you out here? Why do you need Cianta so badly?”

**** For a moment Aeron debated about lying. After all, once she left the asteroid she wouldn’t see Kane, or his marvelous body, ever again. A stab of regret hit her. She willed it away. The handsome Altar was after the ore for his own reasons. Well, she had hers. Still, he had helped her, and she felt she owed him at least some kind of explanation. “I need to buy my baby sister from a pleasure slave dealer.” Her soft voice barely registered. Kane grabbed her wrist and sat down on her bedding, pulling him beside her. She tried not to feel self-conscious about sitting next to him in the exact place where she slept. Dreams of him haunted her nights, dreams she refused to admit out loud. She closed her eyes and waited for his condemnation. “That’s very admirable. Family is important,” he answered. The words shocked Aeron. She supposed they shouldn’t; after all, family was important to her, too. But to hear this Alter speak of family, especially when she suspected he had none, seemed far too intimate for the cramped enclosure of her ship. What kind of family did Kane have? Did he leave them voluntarily? Did he know them? An image of Kane, holding a child, a happy gathering around him, flashed into her mind, and she shook it away. She feared feeling anything for him beyond the lust singing in her 20

HOTWIRE veins. Keep it simple. Just fucking and no emotions. Then, she wouldn’t have to deal with a broken heart and could concentrate on saving her sister. “How did she end up there?” Kane asked. “It doesn’t sound as if it was by choice.” Aeron shook her head. “No, it wasn’t. She has—how shall I put it?—bad taste in men. Her half of the trust fund quickly went to some man who only wanted her for her beauty and her funds, and when he ran up bills, she did what she had to do. She sold herself to a pleasure slave dealer on Turas-9. It was supposed to be an amicable arrangement. Sierra, my sister, would work for a 70/30 cut of her profits and once she paid off her debt, plus interest, she’d be free. Except the dealer won’t honor his bargain, and in order to recoup his funds, will be selling her to the fighting pits if I don’t come back with the money.” She willed her voice not to break, the tears stinging her eyes not to fall. She couldn’t give into emotion. Not in front of this stranger who knew none. “You must love her a lot if you’re willing to mine Cianta. Why do this?” He gestured to the ship and its meager accommodations. “Surely there was something else you could do to recoup the funds.” “Our father mined on Tobine before the minerals ran out and the government fell. He moved us to Rhodak to mine when Sierra was a baby. I was seven, and he taught me everything he knew.” She smiled at the fond memory. “My mother hated it and hated mining, but she loved my father. When he died in a mine accident, she and I, once I finished school, went to work in the mines.” “And Sierra? Did she work in the mines?” Aeron gave a harsh bark of laughter. “She hated it. The dust, the dirt, anything that would mar her beauty. No, she went to work in the burgeoning fashion industry, and that’s where we went wrong, I suppose. Mother and I in the mines, and Sierra in town, working. We weren’t there. We didn’t see.” She bit her lip, unable to stop the words from spilling forth, though she suspected Kane didn’t care. He looked like he did though. Sitting next to her, his gaze on her face, he radiated concern. Maybe it was lust, for she didn’t miss his attention dipping to the swell of her breasts beneath the low-cut tank top she wore. Sweat plastered tendrils of hair to her next, and for the first time, she sensed how dirty she was from working on the engine. Grease marred her hands, and she suspected that she had a bruise on her wrist where she’d whacked it on the engine housing. 21

Mary Winter “It’s not your fault.” Kane spoke like a man with experience. It was commiseration between adults whose families were less than they wanted them to be, and Aeron didn’t want it. “It doesn’t matter.” Her attempt to dismiss the subject fell flat. He leaned over and cupped her chin, tilting it so she stared into his eyes. “Yes, it does. You’re out here busting your ass for a sister who probably doesn’t even know what you’re doing. It matters a lot. You’re a beautiful woman, Aeron. A woman of vast courage who does what she has to in order to protect her family.” Aeron fought against the heat of her blush creeping over her cheeks. When he put it that way, Kane made her sound like some kind of hero. “I just do what I have to do.” She grimaced. It sounded noble, like she was some kind of martyr, and she wasn’t. But damn it, it’s what she was doing, simply trying to keep her sister safe any way she could. “Not everyone would do something like that for their family.” Pain laced his words. “You sound like you know. I’m sorry.” Aeron brushed her fingers across his lips. The cramped quarters became intimate. Aware of him as a man, Aeron fought the rush of arousal through her body. Her nipples hardened into twin points that pressed against the thin fabric of her tank top. Kane’s gaze dropped to them, and she licked her lips, wondering what it would be like to have sex with him. Her thumb stilled against his full, lower lip. Kane slid his tongue out to taste her. Just a lick, but it set of a charge deep in her pussy. She imagined his tongue flicking over her clit, back and forth, a slow seduction. “Kane,” she breathed his name, needed to hear it echoing in the small cabin of her ship. He leaned forward. Sliding his hand around the back of her neck, he cupped her, held her as if she were a fragile doll he wanted to protect. With his fingers sliding through her hair, he pulled her towards him. His lips met hers, a brief caress so soft and tender; it nearly brought tears to her eyes. Again he tasted her, and Aeron made a tiny whimper of need deep in the back of her throat. “Oh, Aeron,” he breathed, as he traced her lower lip with his tongue. She hungered for more. A part of her wanted to shove him down on the blankets and straddle his hips, but that would only ruin the moment. Instead, she let Kane wrap around her, his lips against hers, his big hand on the back of her neck. With his other 22

HOTWIRE hand he cupped her cheek, his thumb making soft caresses against her skin. Her body tightened. He kissed like a god. Aeron felt as if she were drowning in sensation from the slight rasp of stubble against her face to the touch of his fingers. The scent of sweat and grease surrounded them, but she didn’t mind for above it all, she smelled his musk and wanted to rub it all over her body and wallow in his scent. When he kissed her like that, she forgot all about him being a miner, an Alter, and thought of him only as a man. Dangerous thoughts that would lead to her heart becoming involved and Aeron didn’t want that to happen. She couldn’t fall in love with Kane, yet feared she was already on her way. She wrapped her arms around him. Steely muscle beneath her palms served to remind her of his profession, his abilities. Kane’s hand slid down her back. He hauled her forward, into his lap, and she straddled him. His hard cock pressed against the juncture of her thighs, making her wet. She rocked against it and relished the delicious shudders racing through her body. Kane grabbed the hem of her tank top. He pulled it over her head, freeing her breasts. “Beautiful,” he whispered, as he closed a calloused palm over it. Gently, he kneaded her flesh, caressing, until she arched her back to press against his hand. The friction between her smooth skin and his work-roughened hands nearly sent her over the edge, and when he claimed her lips again, Aeron refused to fight the need to tangle her fingers in his hair and clench at his biceps. Hard muscle met her grip, as hard as the cock pressing against her. She parted her lips, needing the kiss deeper. His tongue, his cock, it didn’t matter so long as it was inside her. Aeron needed the contact and longed for the sweaty thrust and retreat of sex. Kane made love to her mouth. He slid his tongue inside to taste her, then delved deeper. His tongue caressed her own, a tangle of flesh that only hinted at things to come. His fingers tightened on her breast, and in his arms, Aeron squirmed. Her juices soaked her shorts. She’d tasted his cock and knew what he felt like coming in her mouth. Now she wanted it in her body. Kane pulled his lips away and drew a shaky breath. “You’re protected, right?” He leaned his forehead against hers, and she sensed him struggling with control. “Because I don’t think I can stop.” 23

Mary Winter “Then don’t.” Aeron claimed his lips, letting her actions speak for her. She ran her hands down his back and grabbed the thin shirt he wore beneath his suit. Pulling it over his head, she leaned back to get a look at him. Oh, she’d had a good look in his regeneration room when she’d sucked him off. But this time, she wanted to look at him with the knowledge that he’d soon be inside her. His hairless chest begged for exploration, and she flattened her palm against his pecs. She traced the contours, pausing at his flat, male nipples to circle them with her fingers. Kane shuddered. He thrust his tongue into her mouth. Sliding his hands down her back, he cupped her ass and rocked against her. The twin motions made her pussy clench. She had to have him inside her. Fire burned through her veins. Even when she had worked on Turas-9, never had she needed a man as badly as she needed Kane. She trailed her hands over his abdomen, and shoved them inside the waistband of his shorts. His cock rose to meet her. Her fingertips brushed his head, then trailed down his shaft. She cupped him in the confines of his shorts, thankful that he wore nothing between the form-fitting material and his skin. With her thumb, she traced tiny circles on the tip of his cock. Oh yes, that was exactly what she wanted inside her, and when a tiny drop of fluid emerged from the tip, she used it to lubricate her strokes. Kane pulled his lips away and drew in a ragged breath. “Aeron, please.” He pushed her back onto the blankets on the floor. Moving over her, he positioned himself between her thighs, freeing her hand in the process. “If you keep that up I’m not going to last.” The rough admission shook her, and she wondered if she might find more on this asteroid than just the ore.

24

HOTWIRE

Chapter Four

Aeron never ceased to amaze him. Even when he didn’t know her story, he sensed there was something different about her. Now, with her in his arms, and his body resting above hers, he felt it. Her story spoke to him, of family and devotion he could never have. His family thought him dead, a victim of a war, and he’d never have anyone chase across the cosmos for him like she did for her sister. A pang of homesickness grabbed him, and he vowed to show Aeron just how special he found her. He nuzzled her neck, finding the sensitive place where her neck and shoulder met. Laving it with tiny kisses, he tasted her pale skin. The salty tang of her sweat aroused him, as did the fact that she knew how to work with engines. He loved self-sufficient women, found them sexy in the way they went toe-to-toe with the toughest men and usually won. Aeron moaned and wrapped her arms around him. Her legs wrapped around him, and she arched her pussy against him. So wet and sweet, the tang of her arousal filled his nose. He breathed it in like the finest perfume. Nothing could be as sexy as she was. He laved her with his tongue, working up her neck to the hollow behind her ear. He sucked gently, then pulled her earlobe into his mouth. A gentle bite had her crying out, and when he drew the lobe in with a hard suck, she moaned. So close to her pulse point, he heard the blood rushing through her veins. Her ragged breaths sounded like music to his ears. He traced his trail, back to her neck, then lower, to the globe of her breast. Her hard nipple pointed at him, begging for attention, and he gave it a long, slow lick. Aeron shuddered. He wanted to make her beg. She had him at his weakest, tied into his ship, and had brought him to the brink and beyond, in an orgasm that nearly made him black out. He’d do the same, and then some. The insatiable sexual appetite of an Alter wasn’t just a legend, and he’d prove it. 25

Mary Winter He paused in the valley between her breasts and licked her. Beneath his mouth, she squirmed. Her fingers tightened on his arms, a grip so hard it hurt. He didn’t mind. He loved her animalistic lovemaking. “God, Kane, please.” Aeron’s head moved from side to side as his lips went lower, over her abdomen, pausing for a taste of her navel, then lower. Closer to her sex, the musky aroma of her arousal filled his nose with such potency his cock jerked in response. Oh, to be in that hot, honeyed wetness, to feel it gloving his cock and milking him for everything he had. He growled against her skin, hungry to be inside her. He pulled down her shorts. Her shaved beauty took his breath away. Smooth skin and plump pink lips dripping with her juices made his mouth water. By the Gods, he wanted to taste her, to sink his tongue into her channel and feel her walls pulsate around it. He lowered his head to her. Aeron’s breathing hitched. A tiny sound so full of nuance. She wanted him. He saw her cream, and her hungry arousal made his cock so hard, he could mine with it. Gently, he blew across her labia. Aeron shivered. Her fingers tangled in his hair and held him closer to her pussy. He licked it. Along the entire length of her labia, careful not to go deep enough to touch her clit, he licked. Long, and slow, until she whimpered his name. Her heels dug into his shoulders, her legs wide enough for his shoulders to fit between. A little deeper, and there, he brushed his tongue over the hood of her clit. Aeron screamed with pleasure. He wrapped his lips around the nub and suckled hard and fast. With two fingers he speared her, and she bucked on the end of his hand. Her pussy clamped down on his digits, and with a keening moan, she came. Her body convulsed, her breathy cries of pleasure echoing in her ship. He held her, waiting for her pleasure to drift before crawling over her body and kissing her. Eagerly, she drank from him, her tongue dueling with his even as her hips raised and brushed the head of his cock, so close, yet so far away. He grabbed her ass and slid into her with a single stroke. Kane groaned with satisfaction. At last, his cock rested inside the hot furnace of her pussy. Her muscles milked him, clenching down on his shaft. He held himself still 26

HOTWIRE for a long moment, so long, he thought he might die there locked in Aeron’s arms. Then, he pulled out. Her whimper made it worth his while. He surged into her, and soon they were locked in the frantic in and out pace of a good, hard fucking. Over and over again he surged forward, and Aeron’s pussy clenched around his shaft each time. He heard her cries grow shriller. Her fingers dug into his back so hard, he knew she must have left tiny half-moon furrows. He didn’t care. Not when he was fucking her. “Kane! Oh, Kane!” Aeron cried out as she came. His guttural growl answered her. He thrust forward once more, stiffening as his balls tightened against his body. A tingling in his spine, and with a triumphant cry, he came. His seed shot into her, long, pulsating jets. Aeron clenched her arms around him and buried her head against his shoulder. He felt her tiny shudders, aftershocks of their loving, and when his own orgasm had subsided enough to move, he rolled to the side, taking her with him. Damn, if that wasn’t the best sex he’d ever had.

**** Aeron distracted him from his mission. He looked over a slight ridge to where she mined a rough Cianta claim. He hadn’t marked it because it fell on the downward side of a slope, the natural lay of the land working against him as he tried to extract the ore. But there she was, pick held in her hand, tether arranged behind her, so she wouldn’t move as far away from the claim with each strike against the rock. With a sight shake of his head, Kane focused on his own open, easily mined bed of Cianta ore. As the pick struck the rock, he watched the tiny chips of green ore bounce to land at his feet. Too easy for him, he thought, and tried not to feel ashamed as he watched Aeron work her claim. No, he should be the one over there hammering out what little bits of Cianta he could find. She could take this big claim and use it to fill her cargo hold and save her sister. She had family to save. She needed to make sure she saved them. For him, family was just a dirty word. Something lost to him, never to be recovered. Kane swung hard at the rock. There was just something about having a death certificate that kind of made you well—dead. Aeron looked over the rocks at him. He watched her float, graceful even in the uncontrolled bounce that occurred with every strike of the pick. She bounded back to the 27

Mary Winter asteroid, swung again, before bounding into the air. Swing and bounce…swing and bounce. Just thinking of the possibilities inherent in such an action had his dick hard. Damn, what he wouldn’t give to get in a little zero-gee fucking before she left. Kane shook his head. He pounded the pick into the ore, breaking it up and hauling a particularly large chunk of rock out of the hole he made. He shouldn’t think that way. Didn’t need to be acting like an ass just because she totally blew his mind. He sighed, watched the vapor expel into space, and concentrated on the ore. The pick slammed into the asteroid. It hit a particularly hard patch of ore, and Kane grunted as he took the impact with his body. He bolted upright. Oh shit! The tether isn’t going to hold! He watched the luminescent line pull taut, then snap with a twang. Released from the asteroid, he floated above its rocky surface. Kane flailed. Arms and legs akimbo, he motioned for Aeron to see him. The torn line of his tether dangled beneath him, and he knew, eventually, he’d fall back to the asteroid’s surface. Until then, he’d be floating in the nonexistent atmosphere. An icy fear overtook him. Aeron looked up. She must have unhooked herself from the tether--a gutsy, stupid move—and hurried toward him. She bounded over the rocks, bouncing high and free in an attempt to reach him. Closer, ever closer, yet Kane felt himself dropping, and twisted in the air to see where he might land. The sharp rocks range pointed straight up at him. Fuck! God damnit! He pumped his arms and legs in a swimming motion, trying to get behind the range. The pointed rocks, the only named feature on the planet, were sharp enough he didn’t even try to mine within their walls. Instead, he avoided it, though his sensors detected the vast Cianta deposits within. Sparkling green ore winked up at him. Aeron reached for him. Her fingers caught his tether line, but the motion only pulled him down even faster. “Let go!” He yelled, hoping his voice could be picked up outside the suit. Sound might not travel in the vastness of space, but between them, were the vent of their suits expelled air, it might. He had to hope. Aeron held firm. Kane landed. The impact slammed the air from his lungs. His helmet bounced against the rocks. Pain burst in his skull. His arm slammed into the ground, a sharp point 28

HOTWIRE of rock tearing into his protective suit. A hand slammed down over his arm, and dimly, he registered it as Aeron’s. Through dim vision he saw her mouth move, though didn’t hear. She fumbled with something in her suit, and suddenly her voice came through loud and clear. “—you back to the ship. Damn it, your suit is damaged. You’re not going to die out here.” “Who said anything about dying?” Kane croaked. He lifted his too-heavy eyelids to look at her. Never had he seen a more beautiful site. She leaned over him, the protective suit taught over her curves and muscles. Worry filled her eyes, and he wanted to kiss it away. He struggled to sit. Colors swam in his vision, and he fought them, until he leaned back against a rock. “I can go back.” He stared over her shoulder at the expanse of the asteroid and hoped his words weren’t just false bravado. “I’ll help you.” Aeron wrapped an arm around his shoulders, steadying him as he stood. “Come on now. Take it easy.” He concentrated on her words, on the smaller boots next to his own. One foot in front of the other, a slight bounce in between as the asteroid’s limited gravity gave them up to the reaches of space for a few moments. Baby steps, like the kind new spacers took on their first out of ship experience. Nausea rolled in his stomach. From the pounding in his head, and the stickydamp feeling in his helmet, he feared he cracked his skull. A concussion. Great, definitely something he didn’t need. It didn’t matter. He’d rest for a few hours and then return to his mining. He couldn’t afford to waste time, and he needed the Cianta as soon as he could pull it from the asteroid. He risked a glance at Aeron’s worried profile. And he needed to get away from a hovering woman. Best she forgot him and concentrated on her sister. It’s what she should have done in the first place.

**** As she helped Kane back to his ship, Aeron wondered how he’d continue mining. Flecks of blood covered the inside of his helmet, and his split and bloody lip from where he’d bitten it when he fell looked painful. From the way he limped, she suspected it was the least of his injuries. I wanted to get off this rock as soon as possible. But then I met Kane. The memory of his tender lovemaking filled her mind. She wouldn’t call it sex. That word implied mindless fucking. Just bodies coming together, tabs and slots fitting in their appropriate places. No, when Kane touched her with such reverence, such tenderness, she couldn’t help but call it making love. She winced. 29

Mary Winter Her sister had gotten away with acting on her emotions. Aeron knew she needed to be stronger, more in control of herself, so she wouldn’t get in trouble. She’d had her stint of acting like her sister. Time to finish up what she came here for, and go save her. Luckily the reduced gravity of the asteroid made it easier for her to help him to his ship. Under other circumstances, she doubted she could haul his muscled body without more help. His hand held the torn flap of his protective suit closed, and she hated how long it was taking to get him back to his ship. Finally, they reached it, passing the abandoned mining claim. He opened the door, and she carried him inside. The airlock activated, and he sagged against the wall as she helped him remove his helmet. Inside his ship, the increased force of gravity took its toll. With Kane leaning on her, Aeron struggled to get him down to the room where he could heal. Finally, he leaned against the wall. “You have to take my suit off,” he said, eyelids fluttering. “Don’t pass out on me!” Aeron growled. She unzipped his suit and pulled his arms out of it. Then, she helped him to move enough so she could pull off his boots and toss the suit aside. Dressed only in a pair of boxer briefs, she wrestled him to his feet to get him to stand in his place against the wall. “Buckle me in,” he ordered, and she did so. He sagged against the restraints, but didn’t fall. Following his instructions, she hooked up the tubes to the sockets under his arms, and then peeled off her own suit. With his head injury, she didn’t want him out of her sight. She hurried away long enough to grab a sturdy box, then stood in it beside him, and reached for his head. As she probed his wound with her fingers, Aeron tried not to feel smug. He told her to be careful, yet he needed attention himself. Satisfied that his wound wasn’t deep, Aeron settled down to wait, and wake him every couple of hours, just to be sure.

**** Kane sagged against the restraints holding him in his regeneration room. Life giving fluid flowed into him, cleaning out his impurities, and already, he felt his body start to knit. His head throbbed, though he dared not to admit it. Aeron lay sprawled on the floor, the journey back taking its toll on her as she slept. 30

HOTWIRE Give her the Cianta she needs and get her off this rock. The words beat a steady refrain in his head, even above the pain of his head wound. He’d seen the tenderness in her eyes when she looked at him. Hell, hauling him nearly a quarter of the way around the rock bespoke of how she felt for him. He had to get her away from him before her emotions got too involved. She’d thank him, and he wouldn’t have to deal with the distraction. Coward. The accusation rang too true to be ignored. He glanced down at his body, his enhancements hidden behind too human skin. Bones that should have shattered in the fall merely ached courtesy of the alloy wound around them. Only his skull hadn’t been enhanced, and he had a lump the size of an Australisan Emu egg on the back of his head as proof. But then again, hadn’t he been a coward when he applied for the program, or more aptly, the government found his broken, but still breathing body, and drafted him for the program. Kane watched her sleep and battled a familiar stab of pain. Aeron didn’t know. No one did, that all those heroic, romantic tales of the Alters came from men who should have been dead. From wounds sustained in battle, or men simply too greedy to live within the Concordance’s rules, it didn’t matter, for the men who became Alters all had lives they wished to leave. Kane knew he was no exception. I never could have filled my brother’s war-hero shoes. Better my family thinks I died in battle than the proof that I stayed in the bunker while my buddy charged the enemy. The fact his friend knew the suicidal nature of his actions and used it as an end to a battle that hadn't been fair didn’t change the fact that he had died. And I live. Kane sighed and thought of Aeron, all alone on the asteroid to save her sister. He clenched his hands, feeling alloy and bone connect. Not even the swish of liquid through his veins, removing toxins and replenishing him could release the bands around his heart and soul. Looking at Aeron, he wondered if perhaps her care might redeem him. He shook his head. He didn’t need redemption. He needed a cargo hold full of Cianta and the next flight back to see his doctor. Then, he’d be a Full-Alter, and maybe be something at last. In her sleep, Aeron whimpered, undoubtedly with pain, and Kane vowed he’d give her the Cianta in his hold and send her on her way. Only then, could he return to his solitary mining in peace. 31

Mary Winter

Chapter Five

Aeron sensed the change in Kane as soon as she awakened. Instead of finding him in his regeneration room tied to the walls, he’d left the ship, and was out mining again. “Silly fool,” she muttered to herself when she saw him working the same patch of ore he’d been working when he’d gotten hurt. Her shoulders ached and her legs burned from the unexpected exertion yesterday. She sighed, looked once more at him, and then trudged over to her own, harder to mine patch. Perhaps, if she filled her hold with Cianta and flew off, she could leave this asteroid, and her growing feelings for Kane behind. She scowled. Yeah right, and since when had flying off into the sunset made her feel any better. She shook her head and lifted her pick. She shouldn’t have followed in her sister’s footsteps and acted on her emotions. Then, she glanced over at Kane working his own claim. Perhaps it was better to have felt something. Just remembering his gentle touches, the way he made love to her, sent a shiver down her spine. She swallowed hard. She dumped the last of her ore in her bag, before slinging it over her shoulder. Abused muscles protested as she bounded back toward her ship. Aeron ignored them. If I’m hurting, then I’m that much closer to saving my sister. Determined to fill her hold and be off of the asteroid as soon as possible, she hurried back. She unloaded her sacks, satisfied to see that one, maybe two more days of hard work would fill her cargo bay. Then I can get my sister and get on with my life. An ache of loss filled her heart with unexpected pain. To leave this asteroid, leave Kane, seemed unfathomable. But she had to get the ore to market and save her sister. Torn between family, and the man she was growing to love, she wondered how it would all end. “Probably not happily,” she groused, as she carried the empty bag back to her claim. When she returned, she found Kane standing beside her claim. A quick glance showed plenty of ore remaining in his own claim, and she wondered what brought him. She fastened down her bag and reached for her tether. 32

HOTWIRE Kane’s hand closed around hers. Their gazes collided, and Aeron’s stomach flip-flopped. She willed her body not to respond, her nipples not to harden, moisture not to fill her pussy. Her breathing hitched. She licked her suddenly dry lips. “Kane,” she said. “Aeron.” Gently, he fastened her tether. Then, with a small shake of his head, unfastened it. “Grab your bag, you don’t need this.” “Of course I do. I have to be tethered to mine, and I’m not finished with this spot yet.” Granted, all she had left was some in the bottom of the hole, difficult and dangerous to access. Surely he knew it, though he probably didn’t grow up around miners. “I’m almost done, and I need to finish up.” “That’s what I thought. Come on.” He pulled her toward him, and then over the hill to his own, much easier accessed claim “I can’t mine over there. That’s your claim.” Confusion held her immobile. Obviously he wanted her to work with him, but after the way he’d greeted her, offended that she had been mining where he marked, she wasn’t sure if it was a peace offering or just a way to get her off the asteroid sooner. She feared asking. “Not anymore. I’ll finish out your claim over here, and then join you. Or, I can move onto another claim. I want to make sure you have what you need to get your sister.” Kane still led her over to his mining area. “Don’t worry about it.” “But that’s what I was doing. Finishing up my mining, and doing so in a way that didn’t interfere with you.” She exhaled. “Is this because we slept together?” “Honey, what we did couldn’t be classified as sleeping. And no, it isn’t because of that.” He stopped and hooked her to his tether, quickly adjusting the lines for her smaller frame. “There you go. If you’re as close as you say then this should be just about enough to get your cargo hold filled.” Aeron glanced down at the sparkling green ore and blinked back sudden tears. The Cianta in this claim would certainly be enough, and then some, for her to save her sister. Tenderness washed over her as she watched Kane return to her own, more difficult, mining area. He snapped himself in and lengthened the tether like a pro. Then, without even looking at her, raised his pick and began to work. Aeron watched him, debating about turning the frequency of her radio to something different just so she could rant and curse him without his knowing. As it was, he’d probably figure it out when he didn’t hear steady breathing coming through the microphone. 33

Mary Winter Aeron hefted her pick. Best not to look a gift horse in the mouth. The anarchic saying fit here, and as she blasted a large chunk of Cianta from the claim, she grinned. Much easier than her old claim. And it had to mean something for Kane to give it up for her. She watched him struggle, as she had, with the Cianta in the bottom of the hole, not enough to bother with really, except that she’d been determined to get every last ounce. And her father had taught her not to be a sloppy miner. Soon, she filled her bag and returned to find Kane working beside her. He moved efficiently, his large Alter-frame well suited to the very physical work of mining. She admired his ability, his finesse with the pick. Soon, he had his bag filled and started in on hers. Aeron thought to protest, then decided against it. She had to admit, she kind of liked working with him. He didn’t talk, simply went to the work at hand, and his presence comforted her. Too bad she wouldn’t have it for long. With her bag filled, she unfastened her tether, noting that the claim still held a good day’s worth of ore. She didn’t regret that this would be the last claim mined, only that she’d probably have a day, maybe two at the most, with Kane. She started toward her ship. Kane followed, his own sack slung over his shoulders. “You don’t have to carry that all the way to my ship, then back to yours,” she offered. “Though, it’s nice of you to accompany me.” The asteroid’s orbit brought it into what passed as a sunset, and darkness was creeping over the surface. She turned on her suits lighting and debated about going back out to mine by lights. “Who says I’ll be carrying this bag back to my ship?” He flashed a grin that curled her toes. “But you can’t just give your ore to me. You worked hard for that ore. You deserve to keep it. After all, you’re saving up for your modifications.” She unfastened the hatch of her ship and secured the ore inside. Kane followed her in. He did the same with his ore, making sure that it blended in with hers, so she couldn’t even have given it back to him had she wanted. “If you like, you can take what you need from my cargo hold so you can go save your sister. Shouldn’t be more than, five or six bags, at the most.” He gestured to the Cianta glowing with its phosphorescent light. “Very impressive.” “Thank you,” she replied, still trying to assimilate his offer. “But I can’t accept your Cianta. I should be done here in a day or two, unless...” His generosity in giving 34

HOTWIRE her his mine, his helping. She pressed her lips together, not wanting to believe her fears were justified. “You want me off the asteroid, don’t you?” Kane hesitated. In that hesitation, Aeron knew his true motives. “I don’t accept charity. I started this project by myself, and I’ll finish it by myself. If you wanted to get rid of me, all you had to do was tell me. Though you’re probably lucky you’re doing it now rather than later. After all, I probably saved your life.” She threw the last remark at him, a reminder of her competence where he’d been foolhardy. “I thought you’d welcome the help. I thought you wanted to save your sister.” Kane stepped back. He braced his hands on his hips. “Of course I want to save my sister.” She glared at him, shocked he would accuse her of not wanting to help her family. “But I won’t be beholden to anyone to do it. And besides, I’m almost done here. It’d be silly to take what’s in your cargo hold, especially since you’ve worked so hard mining it. I only have a day, maybe two, left.” She sighed. “The only reason why I can see your wanting to give me Cianta is if you want me off your asteroid.” Tears stung her eyes. Damn it, she promised herself her emotions wouldn’t get involved, but now it seemed they had. “After what we shared, I thought that would be the last thing you’d want.” She choked off a sob, vowing not to cry in front of him. “No,” he admitted. “That’s not what I want. But family is important. Too important to throw away on stubbornness. It might be only one day, but to your sister it might feel like a year. Take my Cianta. Go rescue your sister. I’ll be here when you get back, if you want to get back.” “I don’t want your pity, or your charity. I’ll do this for my sister, and I’ll do it on my own. I’d hate to do anything that would interfere with your modifications. They’re very important to you.” She sucked in a deep breath. Back on firmer emotional ground, she knew she needed stay firm. “I’m not offering pity or charity. Hell, that’s the last thing I’d offer. I just thought I was doing something nice. But, I can see I wasn’t. I’ll leave you to your mining and hope your sister forgives your stubbornness. You could have been off this rock several days ago.” “If I took your ore and left –“ 35

Mary Winter “Then you wouldn’t have saved my life. We wouldn’t have fucked,” Kane growled. “Then we wouldn’t have happened,” Aeron finished softly. Kane exhaled. “I don’t know whether that would be a good thing or a bad thing,” Turning on his heel, he stormed out of the cargo bay, leaving Aeron to stare after him.

**** Kane hated leaving Aeron like that, but damn it, if she thought this was all hearts and fairy tales, then she had another thing coming. He tried to do the honorable thing, tried to get her away before she became involved with a man like him. He absolved himself from anything else that might happen. She knew the truth about him. If that didn’t drive her away, then he didn’t know what would. And it scared him. Returning to the claim, he made sure his suit lights illuminated the area, and then he started to mine. Perhaps the physical labor would drive thoughts of her from his mind, and then he could return to his ship in peace. He offered her the chance to save her sister. He wondered why she didn’t take it. Maybe she feared being like her sister, bought and sold for a price. Kane shook his head and loaded his bag with Cianta. If she believed he’d ever try to buy her, then she didn’t know him at all. He wondered why the thought hurt so much.

**** After Kane left, Aeron stared at her hoard of Cianta. She thought of her sister, about to be sold on Turas-9 and wondered whether her pride would be the cause of her sister’s pain. She sighed and sat down on a pile of ore, making a comfortable spot amid the chunks of rock. The glow soothed her, and she closed her eyes, breathing in the calmness that the ore exuded. Of course, the calmness hadn’t worked on Kane. Aeron sighed. What made him make such an offer? She hated to contemplate, feared what she might find. Aeron rested her chin on her closed fist. She’d always been an over-thinker, someone who analyzed things to death. If Kane wanted their relationship, such as it was, to continue, then he might contrive for her to stick around on the asteroid a little while longer. His offer of ore meant that either he wanted her gone as soon as possible, or that he truly cared what happened to her sister. Aeron rose to her feet. She checked her suit and exited the cargo bay. Her stomach rumbled, reminding her that she hadn’t eaten for several hours. The nutrition 36

HOTWIRE bars in her cabin sounded less than palatable, but right now, they were the only food she had. It could have been worse. She could be out of food completely. She stepped into her ship and closed the door behind her. Quickly, she stripped from her suit and padded across the cabin to sink onto the small pile of bedding on the floor. She sat and peeled open the wrapper of her nutrition bar. What was she going to do about her sister? That was the kicker. Even if she saved her sister, she had nowhere to go, no prospects, and neither did Aeron. All I’ve been doing is running from job to job, credit to credit, trying to keep both our heads above water. And then she goes and pulls a stunt like this. Aeron supposed she had every right in the world to be angry, except all she felt was a bone-deep exhaustion. And now, when I have a chance to grab something for myself, I can’t, because of her. A chime sounded on her communications console, alerting her to an incoming call. Aeron struggled to her feet, her muscles aching from the activity of the last couple of days and sat in the pilot seat. She punched the button, and her sister’s face appeared on the screen. Sierra looked even worse for wear. Her blonde hair hung in lank, greasy tangles around her face. Dark smudges under her eyes made her pale skin look even paler. A green shift, stained in places, clung to her gaunt frame. “Aeron, are you there?” Her eyes shone with unshed tears. “I’m here, baby, what happened?” Fear uncoiled low in Aeron’s stomach. She’d stayed too long. She shouldn’t have gotten mad at Kane. She should have taken the ore and flown hell-bent toward Turas-9. “They’re going to sell me.” Her voice wavered, and for the first time, Sierra sounded scared. “I know. That’s why I’m mining Cianta to sell so I can pay the price and keep you from going to auction.” Aeron released a sigh and looked back at the bedroll. She’d hoped for a few hours of sleep before going out again. “Sooner. I’m going to auction in three days.” “Three days!” Aeron shrieked. “Why did they move up the timetable?” “I don’t know.” She looked around, as if she feared being caught using the communications console. “There’s some big shot coming in. I heard he used to manage the famous fighter Eila.” Sierra bit her lip. “I don’t want to go to the fighter pits. I don’t think they’ll ever let me out.” 37

Mary Winter “I know. I know.” Mentally, Aeron calculated how much ore she had in her cargo bay. Just enough, if the prices held, to pay for her sister’s release. She’d hoped for extra, enough so if the prices fell she’d still be covered and have something left for expenses. As it was, without the ore, she probably couldn’t afford a glass of cheap recycled ale in a seedy bar. She had no choice. “You’re coming to get me right?” Behind Sierra, a scuffle emerged. “I’ve got to go. Bye.” The communication died. Aeron stared at the blank screen. After the way she treated Kane, she doubted if she could waltz over to his ship and ask him for some ore. And even if she did, it would take a good two and a half days to reach Turas-9, longer if there were backups in inspections and customs. She shook her head. There was one thing to do. She had to leave now. Pausing long enough to don her suit and venture outside to double check the cargo bay doors, she returned, splashed some cold water on her face, and sat down in the pilot’s chair. She fastened herself in, downed a stimulant to keep her awake, and fired up the engine. She knew Kane would hear it, would watch her ascend into the sky. For a moment, she debated about sending him a communication, but what would she say. Her sister needed her, and there wasn’t any time. Things he already knew. The lift rockets fired with a roar. Checking over gauges, Aeron matched her trajectory with her flight plan, quickly uploaded it to the Concordance flight center, and then lifted off. The slight gravity allowed her height almost immediately, and soon, the asteroid’s surface fell away beneath her. Moments later, stars surrounded her and the asteroid was only a diminishing dot in the sky. “Hold on, Sierra, I’m coming.” Aeron prayed the price of Cianta held stable, and her cargo bay held enough to get her sister out of trouble. If she reached Turas-9 and failed, her sister would be lost to her forever.

38

HOTWIRE

Chapter Six

The rumble of Aeron’s ship leaving rattled Kane out of bed. He rose to his feet and checked the surface. She was gone. He hurried into his suit and stepped outside, but by the time he made it, the Promise was just a speck in the sky. Damn it! Stupid, stubborn woman! He growled under his breath and returned to his ship. He’d been watching the price of Cianta ore since arriving on this asteroid. It fluctuated with the markets, up one day, down the next. He knew she must have just enough, not an ounce more, than she thought she needed. The problem was, by the time she reached Turas-9, the price might have fallen too low. Plus, the brokers on Turas-9 weren’t known to be the most honest of men. He hoped she stopped out system and sold, but feared in her rush she’d head straight for the station. He stumbled back to bed. She probably wouldn’t stop to get messages until she reduced her speed, and he doubted she’d do that until she reached Turas-9. He hoped she knew what she was doing, running hell-bent into that viper pit to save her sister. Her idealistic nature made him smile, even as he frowned about her stubbornness. Foolish woman. If she’d taken some of his ore, he wouldn’t be worrying right now, and she’d have a margin of error. He wondered if he was angrier because of her stubbornness or because his pride had been wounded. Not wanting to think about it, he threw the blankets over his head and tried to go back to sleep. Hours of tossing and turning brought him no closer to sleep then he had been when she’d left. Deciding to make the most of his time, he slipped into his suit, powered up his lights, and took pick and a couple of bags out to mine. Just the sight of the glowing green rocks with Aeron’s small footprints still imbedded in the dust sent a stab of lust through him. Damn it, she was unlike any woman he’d ever met. Stubborn, beautiful, strong, and determined--way to good for the likes of him. He supposed he should let her make that decision, but damn it, at least this way he didn’t have to be hurt. 39

Mary Winter By slamming the door, he could focus on his mining. Raising the pick, he tackled a large chunk of Cianta. He worked vigorously, sweat coating his body inside his suit. The small shorts he wore stuck to his skin, and rivulets of moisture ran down his back and between his pecs. Still he worked. He filled first one bag, then the second, then continued to mine, not wanting to take the time to return the Cianta to his ship. He managed a large pile, probably enough for two or three more bags. Satisfied he could probably fill his cargo hold within a few trips, he hefted the bag and hurried back to his ship. He dumped the ore in his hold, working to make room for the rocks he’d already mined. I have enough for my modifications and then some. He frowned and debated about leaving. Except if Aeron came back he wouldn’t be here, and she wouldn’t know where to find him. He hurried back to his claim and filled the other two bags. Maybe if he worked hard and long enough, he could get her out of his mind. He doubted it, but he could hope.

**** Aeron looked across the counter at the broker. She nibbled her lower lip and struggled against pressing a hand to her stomach to stop its ominous churning. Prices for Cianta had fallen by the time she reached Turas-9, and Aeron called herself a hundred kinds of a fool for not stopping out system and selling when she could. Or, for taking Kane up on his generous offer. Kane. Just thinking about him sent a fresh rush of pain stabbing through her. By the time she reached the asteroid, she doubted he’d still be there. His cargo hold had been as full as hers had, and even though he had a larger ship, she knew he’d been filling it as fast as he could. The broker returned and consulted the small computer he held in his hand. “Your Cianta isn’t as pure as some, but it does hold good luminescence and the weight is acceptable.” He keyed in some figures and frowned. “It seems several large Cianta shipments have arrived today.” Aeron’s nervousness grew. If she didn’t earn enough money, she didn’t know what she’d do. Her sister’s life depended on this shipment, and if she cut it too close, Aeron knew not only would she never forgive herself, but Sierra wouldn’t forgive her either. 40

HOTWIRE “Will this be a satisfactory offer?” The broker turned the screen so Aeron could see the number. “After our commission, this is what you will receive.” He pointed to a second, smaller number. It would pay Sierra’s debts. Just pay them, leaving them just enough for fuel and provisions. Aeron exhaled. “That would be fine, sir. Thank you for your generous offer.” He nodded and bade her to press her thumb to the signature pad. She did, and with a slight click, the funds were transferred into her account. “Thank you for doing business with us.” He looked to the next person in line. “Next!” Aeron hurried away, trying to tamp down on the elation bubbling up inside her. At last, she had the money to save her sister. After consulting a map of the station, she hurried to an elevator to go to the third level, where her sister was staying. She wanted to get Sierra and get out of here. And I did it without Kane’s help. She smiled and tried not to think about the man she might have fallen in love with. After all, he was probably three galaxies away, getting his modifications. He didn’t have any room in his life for a woman down on her luck. At least when she dropped her sister off at the covenant, it would be just her again. Aeron wondered why she wasn’t happier at the prospect. “Probably because Sierra will fight me tooth and nail at being sent to a convent, but it will give her a chance to cool her heels,” she muttered to herself, and ignored the curious stares of passersby.

**** Kane closed his eyes and let the steady thrum of the pump moving fluids through his body lull him into a state of half-awareness. He relaxed against the soft tissue behind him, letting the tubes entering his body at his ports and the straps around his body support him. Three days and Aeron hadn’t returned. Undoubtedly she’d reached Turas-9 and sold her ore. He doubted he’d ever see her again. Kane stared at his regeneration bay and wondered why it should bother him. He played the brooding role long enough. Aeron might not have deserved a man like him, but damn it, he’d had her for a few days at least. Perhaps he should be happy to have had her at all. And he wanted her again. Just thinking about her breasts, the perfect size for his hands, and her ass cradled in his hands had his cock hurting. He slipped his hand from 41

Mary Winter the restraints and reached for his engorged shaft. Curling his fingers around it, he squeezed gently. A low moan erupted from his throat. Oh god, he could imagine it right now, being buried balls-deep inside Aeron. The sensation of her sweet pussy milking his cock, the steady thrust into and retreat from her hot, silken heat made his breath caught in his throat. He stroked, the thrum of the restoration unit now the steady pounding of his heart. Two hearts, beating together as they both surged towards release. Damn, how he wanted to come, wanted to spew hot jets of his seed inside her. Kane growled. And she wasn’t here. He stroked harder, faster, remembering the intimate feel of her pussy around him. “Yes,” he hissed from between clenched teeth. “Fuck yeah!” He pumped his cock, his hips moving as far as they could within their restraints. He looked down, imagined her there, on her knees the way she was when she had come to him, her red lips wrapped around his shaft. She’s sucked him dry without even a thought for her own pleasure. It was then that he knew Aeron was a special woman. Damn it! And he let her go. Let her fly off to Turas-9 where god only knows what could happen. He wished for a metal wall to slam his free fist into, didn’t want to hurt the blood-red tissue lining the room. His balls tightened. Stroking himself to completion, he closed his eyes as his balls drew tight against his body. The base of his spine began to tingle, and then his body erupted. Pulsing waves of pleasure washed through him. His guttural cry echoed in the restoration bay as he sagged against his restraints. Yeah, fucking Aeron was like that, hot and heavy. He wished he could do it again. Mentally tallying his hold full of Cianta, Kane decided he should take a trip to Turas-9.

42

HOTWIRE

Chapter Seven

Aeron’s pocket felt heavy with credits. The money sat in her bank account, making it flush, once more. The slender card allowing her to access the bounty sat in her hip pocket. Her identity, her life, and as she strode across Turas-9, all the hours mining Cianta were worth it. Thinking of the Cianta brought thoughts of Kane to the surface. She tried to ignore them, knew she was better off leaving him on his asteroid, but even so, a part of her wished he was there to share her triumph with her. A triumph he helped build. She swallowed hard and forced her thoughts away from Kane and to her sister. She searched the neon signs as she moved deeper into the station. Away from the docks and the promise of a quick buck the seedy underside became more and more visible. A circular elevator led to the upper reaches where the wealthy played and romped, heedless of those who couldn’t afford such luxuries. Aeron turned down a corridor. She didn’t like this, not one bit. Sierra had told her she worked for a pleasure dealer, but all the reputable ones were two floors above her. Down here, looks and money had fled, leaving desperate people to do desperate things. Aeron resisted the urge to wrap her arms around herself. As it was, she tried not to look at two men loitering on the corner between a smoke dealer and a zap room. Aeron shivered. Who knows what came out of, or went into, the zap room. She never understood why people wanted to be shot through with electricity and pumped full of drugs. At the end of the corridor she found Hard Stuff, Sierra’s shop. Dark filter curtains hung over the entrance. From inside, she heard a woman’s high-pitched scream and a man’s deep, lusty moan. Aeron’s stomach churned. Drawing a deep breath of courage, she reached for the dampening curtains and wondered what the hell she’d find inside. The smell of cheap tobacco cut with smoking weed filled the room. In the corner, a woman, her makeup thick enough to spread with a trowel sat with her legs spread. A glittery, beaded top barely covered her sagging breasts, and she wrapped her lips around a 43

Mary Winter fat cheroot and puffed. Compared to the harlot, the men looked surprisingly normal. One wore a leather jacket over a uniforn, Concordance officer pips on his collar, while the other wore a flight suit. They lounged at the woman’s feet like worshippers to a goddess. Aeron couldn’t believe she’d find her sister in an establishment like this. She glanced in the other corner, where a woman knelt taking a man’s cock in her mouth. The image reminded her of Kane, and how she’d sucked him in his restoration bay. Her fingers tightened into a fist. A low counter sat along the back of the room. Aeron strode forward. A man emerged from the back, his shirt unbuttoned to his waist revealing a hairy chest and a sizeable paunch. A half-burnt cigarette dangled from his lips, and his hands, when he rested them on the counter, bore stained blunt-tipped nails. “What can I do for you, honey?” he asked, eyeing her over. “Or rather, what can you do for me? Looking for a job?” Aeron resisted the urge to cross her arms over her breasts. The man’s ogling made her feel dirty, shameful, and she refused to feel that way. “I’m here for Sierra Harmaith.” “You don’t look like her usual type, sweetheart. But I’ll tell her you’re here. You are?” “Aeron.” The casual endearments sickened her. She kept her distaste under wraps. “Just Aeron?” Her anger simmered just beneath the surface. “I would like to see Sierra, please.” She spoke politely, though her words were clipped. She’d like to mess up his pudgy face, but she didn’t. The man stepped behind the counter. “Customer up here for Sierra,” he called. “She’s not scheduled. Make it quick. You’ve got an appointment in twenty minutes.” Aeron shackled her temper with a very thin leash. To think her sister had ended up in an establishment like this. Did the man intend to use her and then discard her? Obviously since Sierra was being sold to a fighter manager. Bile rose in her throat thinking about her sister in the hands of such people, and Aeron swallowed it back. Sierra emerged from the back. She wore a silver gown with a torn strap. Heavy eyeliner made her look like a startled raccoon; her red lipstick was half smudged away. She looked gaunt, paler too, than when Aeron had last seen her. 44

HOTWIRE “Sierra,” she breathed. Sierra’s eyes grew wide. She stopped, teetering on her four-inch heels. “Aeron, what are you doing here?” Aeron stepped forward. She grabbed her sister’s wrist and hauled her none-toogently toward her. Sierra toppled against her side. “Hey, no roughing up the merchandise.” The man said. “She isn’t merchandise. She’s my sister, and I’m here to pay her debt.” Aeron stared at the computer. “Whoa! Take it easy, girl. Sierra is free to go, so long as she reports in with her new owner before midnight. I was just giving her one last turn, so to speak, for old times’ sake.” He held his hands out, palms up, fingers splayed. Behind him the curtains rustled and three large men stepped forward. Their shaved heads and bulging muscles marked them as enforcers. “So I don’t settle her debt with you?” Aeron stepped back, dragging her sister with her. “No, you don’t. But I think two sisters would be better than one.” He nodded and the three men surrounded them. One grabbed Aeron. She struggled to get away, fighting and kicking. A hand clamped down over her mouth. A second hand reached into her pocket and grabbed her card. Her money! Her sister’s freedom! The man hauled Sierra back, and she looked at Aeron with sad eyes. “I’m sorry,” she mouthed. Aeron winced as the man pulled her arm behind her back and pulled her behind the curtain. A trap, and she’d walked right into it. Not only didn’t she have her sister, but she’d also probably just lost her money. She’d fleucked up big time.

**** Kane hurried from the docks, certain he was only an hour or two behind her. With his ship’s speed, he’d followed her route. A bribe to a shuttle scheduler told him that the Promise had docked earlier, but he didn’t have access to the time. He did see the ship, noting that it looked a little worse for wear from the hell-bent trip to Turas-9. The round circular loop filled with evening revelers made finding Aeron difficult. Bowling through the crowd would only get him kicked off the station, and that’s the last thing he needed. He certainly couldn’t find Aeron from outside. 45

Mary Winter Kane ducked on a moving stairway leading to lower levels. He didn’t even have Sierra’s description. Aeron’s yes, but she didn’t work at any of the pleasure slave dealers, which meant looking for her much more difficult. Think, damn it, think. If I were a down-and-out young woman needing extra cash, where would I go? Most of the dealers on this level, and the one immediately below, had more than their share of girls. They wouldn’t hire anyone on, not unless the girl was especially talented or beautiful. No offense to Aeron’s sister, but he doubted she had the kind of enhancements and training required to be a full-time pleasure slave. He stayed on the moving walkway long enough to descend one more level. If he went any lower, then it turned more into true slave auctions, than the genteel term slave applied to a very well paid courtesan that one found on the upper and more respectable levels. How long had Sierra been a pleasure slave? He lacked even the most basic of information. Still, he didn’t doubt he’d find her. If he had to tear the station apart with his bare hands, he would. Now here was a lucky break. Kane stepped from the moving stairway to a man standing in an alleyway between a body art parlor and a pleasure slave dealer specializing in exotic aliens from outside the Concordance. The man held a cigarette between his fingers and spoke into a com device in the wall. His yellow suit, obnoxious even in the dim lighting of below decks, marked him as Sunny. Kane grinned and strolled over to the Free-Lancer. “Sunny, how’s business?” Kane clamped a hand on his shoulder just hard enough to keep Sunny from squirming away. “Need some information.” He said in a lower voice. Sunny disconnected the call and turned to face his old military buddy. “Kane, got your enhancements yet?” He flexed his fingers, showing off the thin metal plating on the back of his hands. A Full-Alter with none of the human-like adjustments, Sunny liked showing off his mechanical nature. “Getting there. You hear anything about one of the girls being sprung?” Down here, the chances of a slave making the kind of money that would get her freed ranked right up there with the Concordance suddenly becoming benevolent rulers. Kane frowned. “No, nothing. I hear Hard Stuff has a new girl. Feisty. Already bloodied a man.” Sunny grinned. “Wouldn’t want to be her.” He shook his head. “That’s it, buddy. With 46

HOTWIRE the exception of a recent Concordance raid looking for illegal slaves, it’s been quiet as the chapel deck down here.” “Thanks.” Kane pressed hard currency into the man’s hands, just a couple of notes, but enough to keep Sunny from saying something. He knew where Hard Stuff was. Had even frequented it a few times when he’d needed relief and had very little to his name. Luckily, the owner worked in a trade. A few days of protecting the girls, he got an hour in the sack with one of them. He hadn’t done that in a while, and as he paused outside the curtains and the gaudy neon sign proclaiming exactly what the Hard Stuff was, he doubted he would again. Kane pushed the curtain aside and stepped inside. He ignored the woman and her two groupies. Most likely they were her guard, and she was just the display model. He liked his women with less putty on their faces and more clothing. At least then there’d be some mystery. The other corner proved just as entertaining, watching a slave pleasure two men at once. Kane had never been into sharing. He walked up to the counter. The pudgy proprietor Kane remembered so well waddled up to the counter. “What can I get for you? You like Yelexians? How about Vandebian Whores?” If he recognized Kane, he gave no sign, and Kane wasn’t about to enlighten him to the fact. “Got a nice girl. Someone to remind me of home? My buddy said you had a good one here. Jasmine? Justina?” “Got a Sierra. She ain’t busy. A hell cat though, if you like that thing. Would take your dick off instead of suck it, though she’s gotten more docile. We’re working on the training.” “Doesn’t sound like a bother.” Kane straightened and looked as if he might leave. “I was hopping for a little sweet kitten.” “I can make her sweet for you.” He tapped a small screen on the counter. “That’s what she’d go for, if you’re interested.” Kane stared at the screen. He’d had showers that cost more than an hour with Sierra. Hoping the proprietor would switch Aeron instead, he nodded and keyed in his code, then pressed his thumb to the small pad next to the screen. “Nice doing business. Right through there.” Two muscle bound men strolled through the curtains. They flanked Kane, leading him down a hallway. Thin doors barely veiled the sound of pleasure, mostly male moans. 47

Mary Winter Sounded like the women didn’t get much. At least he tried to give them something in return. A door opened. “Got another one for you,” one of the men said. He shoved Kane through it, none too gently then closed the door behind him. Kane let his eyes adjust to the lighting. If the woman standing in the corner was Aeron’s sister, she didn’t look nearly as innocent as Aeron proclaimed. Standing with a leg propped up on a chair, one finger toying with her clit, and nipple clamps shimming with each small thrust of her hip the woman gave a practiced come-hither look. “Looks like the boys finally brought a decent one.” She dropped her foot and padded cat-like over to him. “Sierra?” Kane asked. “I can be whoever you want me to be.” She trailed a finger down his chest. “So long as you tip once we’re done.” She started to unfasten his suit. Kane closed his hand over hers and pulled it away. “Do you have a sister named Aeron?” He hated being forthright, didn’t even know if she were Aeron’s sister, though he thought he saw a hint of family resemblance. If he wanted to get both of them out of here, he needed to act fast. “Look, I don’t know who you are, but if we don’t start moaning and shaking the walls, they’re going to come in here to find out what we’re doing.” Sierra led him toward the bed. Kane nodded. “You’re right.” He sat down and scooted across the thin mattress, bracing his back against the wall. Not even a headboard, though probably one less thing to make noise. Sierra sat at his feet, her legs tucked beneath her. “Aeron’s my sister.” She started bouncing up and down. Kane struggled to ignore the gentle bounce of her small breasts. Think of anything. Count the Cianta in my cargo bay. Anything to not notice Aeron’s sister. Sierra started to moan. “You going to get her out of here? I didn’t want to help them kidnap her,” she whispered. “Make some noise.” “Oh yeah,” Kane said, feeling as if he were on the set for a bad porn vid. Between the squeaking of the springs and Sierra’s noises, it sounded like a soundtrack. All they needed was some horrible synthi-music. “Where is she?” 48

HOTWIRE “She’s–Oh god YES!–been taken. Boss has her. I don’t know where she is.” Sierra ended her sentence with a long, low moan, then pointed at him. Kane groaned. “That’s right. Suck it!” he growled. He hated talking like this, but knew it was needed. Sierra’s bouncing grew more vigorous. “How do I get to her?” Sierra shook her head. “She’s probably being held at the end of the hall. You’re going to need help. We’ll need someone with the codes.” She faked an orgasm so good, Kane wondered if her pants were still dry, then decided he best not be thinking along those lines. “Okay, here’s what we’ll do –” He moaned, sounding like a man getting the best fuck of his life, then leaned forward and whispered to Sierra.

**** Damn him! Damn all the men really! Aeron sat in her room at the end of the hall. Over the steady cacophony of moans and groans of passion faked and real, she heard Kane’s deep voice mingling with her sister’s moans. Kane. And her sister. She clenched her fist, wishing she could punch something, anything, but with her wrists bound she could only clench them in frustration. That stupid, no good, lying--she should call him worse names, but frankly; he didn’t deserve the effort. That’s all he wanted, to come to Turas-9 and find something warm and curvy to fuck, and he had to choose her sister. Damn it, she hated him. And to think, she thought she might be falling in love. A lump lodged itself in her throat. She swallowed hard. Giving into tears now wouldn’t work. She needed to find a way out of here. Later, once Sierra and she were free, then Aeron figured she could give into the pain stabbing her heart. She’d tried the door and found it locked. At least they hadn’t bound her feet. She paced her tiny room, and searched for a way out.

**** “Do you think that’ll work?” Kane asked. Sierra had ceased her bouncing and now sat on the floor with her back against the bed. She nodded and exhaled. “It’ll have to. I’m due to be sold to a trainer tomorrow. Oh, I know I was told if I brought Aeron in, helped him drain her bank account then he 49

Mary Winter wouldn’t sell me, but I know the truth. The money’s still in Aeron’s account and this is my chance of being free.” She closed her eyes. “I’m so tired of being used.” Kane closed his hand around her shoulder. “No one will use you ever again. If you’re ready, let’s go.” He released her long enough to drag his fingers through his hair and rose to his feet. Sierra followed. She strode ahead of him, and he figured the first thing he’d have to do would be to find her some decent clothes. In that getup, just a skirt and the nipple clamps, she’d be spotted for what she was in an instant–a runaway pleasure slave. Just get Aeron out and figure it out later. Kane stood poised just behind her as she pounded on the door. “We’re done!” Sierra yelled. “All right.” One of the men said. He opened the door. Sierra ducked. Kane punched the man, grabbing the access card from his pocket as he fell. Kicking him aside, Kane looked out the door. No one in sight. Grinning, he nodded to Sierra, and the two of them hurried down the hall.

50

HOTWIRE

Chapter Eight

Kane ignored the fear threatening to wrap icy tendrils around his heart. Imagining what lay on the other side of the door would only lead to mistakes. And he knew all too well that mistakes lead to death. He clenched his fist, felt the metal imbued into his bones, and with a nod to Sierra, swiped the access card. The light flickered and turned green. Kane turned the knob and shouldered open the door. He rushed inside, leaving Sierra on the other side to serve as a lookout. Aeron stood in the corner, eyes wary. “You,” she growled. “I heard you.” “Aeron!” Just seeing her standing there safe and sound sent the air rushing from his lungs. He hurried across the small room, eyes on the cuffs around her wrists. With his strength, he should be able to break them. They hadn’t been designed for an Alter. “Don’t touch me!” She drew her arms against her body. “I heard you. With my sister.” Kane skidded to a halt. His worst fear had come to life. He’d thought only about getting her out of there, not how it sounded through the thin walls. And he had known the walls were thin. He’d faked it, and seeing Aeron standing there hardened his dick faster than any fake orgasms with another woman. “Nothing happened. Sierra will vouch for it. We had to make it sound convincing so we could discuss how to get you free.” He stepped forward. “I’d rather die in this hell hole and be fucked senseless by a thousand men a night than go with you. You–you–traitor!” She closed her eyes, but not before he saw the sheen of tears on her lashes. “I counted on you. I thought –” She shook her head. “Go away!” “We don’t have time for this.” He lunged forward and grabbed her arm. “I’ll scream! I’ll do it.” 51

Mary Winter “And damn your sister to working in the fighter pits? I don’t think so,” he hissed. “You can believe me or not. It’s your choice, but I didn’t do a damn thing with her, and standing here arguing with you is making me harder than sitting on a bed faking sex ever did.” Aeron glanced down at his pants. His cock throbbed. Being this close to her, holding her in his arms, reminded him of how it had been, and how it could be with them. “You fleucking bastard,” she whispered. “You’re right. I won’t damn my sister. Get me the hell out of here.” “Thank you.” He loosened his grip. “Follow me.” Certain she wouldn’t do anything to endanger her sister, he grabbed the thin plastic cuffs between her wrists and pulled. The ties snapped and fell to the floor. He hurried back to the door, thankful she still wore her suit. At least it would make it easier to blend in with the ever-present crowd on Turas-9. They reached the door and he nodded to Sierra. She moved behind him, next to Aeron. Out of the corner of his eye, Kane saw Aeron give her an icy glare. “I didn’t mean to betray you sis—” Kane’s upheld hand cut off Sierra’s words. “Save it for the ship. When we’re safe. You know where the back exit is?” Sierra nodded and pointed toward the corridor behind the desk. “Just down there.” Kane led them around the corner and down another hall lined with doors. Once again the sound of sex filtered through the walls. Used to the noise by now, Kane struggled to hold his pace down so Sierra and Aeron could keep up with him. A door opened. A man, stripped to the waist, head shaved, stepped out. “What do you think you’re doing?” Kane punched him. A fist to the throat, and the man toppled. He writhed on the ground, the air wheezing in and out from his crushed windpipe. “C’mon!” He urged when the women slowed to stare. He saw the door. Half hidden by a pile of boxes, contraband goods he wondered, the door led into the alleyways running between the shops and the hull of the station. Stairs would take them up to the docks. There, they could both leave. So long as Aeron still had her money, then Sierra’s owner wouldn’t have enough funds to go after her. 52

HOTWIRE He sprinted ahead and reached the door. He opened it. “Go! Go! Find the nearest stairwell and climb to the main level.” He watched with pride as Aeron sighted the door and bolted past without even stopping for him. Sierra followed, though she looked back. A yank on her arm, and she hurried after Aeron. Kane slipped out the door. He grabbed the latch, struggling to bend it over far enough to jam the door. Metal protested. Then, the knob twisted, the latch bent, and the door was hopelessly closed. Kane hurried after the women. He sprinted ahead, finding the women just as they launched the stairs. He hurried behind, passing them at the landing, and taking the lead. Three flights plus an innumerable length of deck in between, glancing over his shoulder he wondered if Aeron and Sierra would make it. Aeron would, he figured. Her time spent mining only enhanced an already slim and muscled physique. Sierra, however, wasn’t dressed for running, and already was breathing heavily. He frowned. Up one level, then two. Almost there, and he strained to hear any sounds of pursuit. He heard none. Holding up his hand, he forced them to stop. “Take a breather.” Sierra slumped against the wall. Sweat covered her face, dripped between her naked breasts. She grabbed the clips and removed them. She opened her hand to drop them, and Kane reached out to take them. “I’m sorry, Aeron,” Sierra breathed. “It was either help him kidnap you or die. I didn’t want to die.” “It’s all right.” Aeron said. Her breaths came in short pants, not nearly as bad as her sister, and as they rested, he watched her recover. “I forgive you for that.” Her failure to turn and forgive him hurt. Did she really think he’d take an opportunity to fuck her sister? He tamped down his frustration knowing it would do no good and only hinder them. “Ready?” Both sisters nodded. “Good. To the ships. Do what you have to do but get the Promise away from here. I’ll send you co-ordinates.” “All right, but I think we should split up.” Aeron looked back at her sister. “Sierra won’t be able to keep up with you.” 53

Mary Winter Kane frowned. He feared this eventuality. Had even planned for it. “No. I can carry Sierra if I have to.” She needed clothing though if they were to go much farther. “I don’t want to hold you up. Just get Aeron away,” Sierra said. “I can run. I can do it, and if I don’t, leave me.”

**** Aeron blinked at her sister’s declaration. She’d been running on pure adrenaline. And from the way Kane avoided looking at Sierra’s breasts and the heat in his eyes when he glanced in her direction, she knew he spoke the truth when he said he hadn’t slept with her sister. “Let’s go.” She ordered. The sooner she boarded the Promise, the sooner she could try to put Kane out of her mind. Kane nodded. He hurried ahead, sometimes far ahead. He returned once with a folded blanket, handing it to Sierra. She held it against her chest with a thankful smile. How and where he’d obtained it, Aeron didn’t know. The reached the doorway onto the main level. Sierra wrapped the blanket around her shoulders like a cloak. Kane stepped forward. “I’m going to carry you. Make it look like you’re sick and I’m hurrying you back to our ship.” Sierra nodded as he scooped her up in his arms. Aeron bit her lip, knowing intimately how it felt to be cradled against his broad chest. He risked his life, his ship, his ore, to save her and her sister. Aeron wondered how she’d ever forget him. He opened the door and stepped into the crowd of people. Kane didn’t call attention to himself, but he didn’t dawdle either, pushing his way through the crowd to get to the docks. “Aeron? Aeron Harmaith?” The voice cut through the crowd as a tall man wearing a Concordance uniform shouldered through the crowd. Aeron stopped and turned. “Tyg? Is that you?” The young officer had been madly in love with her sister, who had thought she returned the feelings. The one man who hadn’t taken advantage of Sierra, and he showed up. “Who the hell is he?” Kane growled. “We’ve go to go.” “He can help us,” Sierra whispered. “Tyg.” She turned her head to get a better look. “Put me down.” Kane frowned, but did as he was told.

54

HOTWIRE The young officer, his sun-tipped blond hair making him look as if he’d just stepped off a rec world stopped. His gaze found Sierra, and he didn’t look away. “Sierra!” He hurried forward and wrapped her in his arms. “I’ve found you.” “I didn’t know you were looking for me.” She didn’t look unhappy to be in his arms again. “I saw your name and face come across as being up for auction to the fighter owners. I knew I had to come and get you. I’m on my way back to turn in and check out of the military. Heading back to my family’s world.” He stepped back. “Will you go with me?” Kane looked at her, and Aeron knew he must be wondering what was going on. She vowed to fill him in later, if there was a later. Sierra looked at her. A longing filled her eyes, and Aeron knew she had to let her sister go if she wanted to save her. A lump filled her throat. Tyg lived on a Vandebian colony on the outer reaches of space. How, and when, she’d get there to see her sister, Aeron didn’t know. But, when Sierra looked back at Tyg, hope filled her eyes. A hope Aeron hadn’t been able to give her. She nodded. “Go.” she whispered, hating the tears that stung her eyes. “Thank you, Tyg. I know you’ll take good care of my sister.” And once Sierra stood under the care of a Concordance officer, no one and nothing could touch her. “Thank you. You know we’re expanding. You might find Paridaro hospitable now that I’m having my coronation next week.” Coronation. Aeron knew she stared, dumbstruck, but how could she not have known Tyg had been the crown prince to Paridaro. He kept his title secret, and when Sierra looked as shocked as she did, Aeron knew her sister hadn’t known either. “Thank you. I’ll look into it.” She glanced back at Kane. He looked impatient. “Take care of my sister. I have to go.” Kane nodded. Aeron reached for him, needing the solid stability of his presence. Their fingers entwined, and she watched as Tyg led her sister back toward the docks where undoubtedly a posh and secure ship waited. Kane pulled her back to the docks and their ships. He checked in with the dock manager and then turned to face her. She hurried to the counter, thankful to find the credits still in her account. At least he’d taken her, but not her money, and Kane had saved her. 55

Mary Winter “I guess this is it?” he said, as they stood outside the tunnel that would take them to the docks and their ships. Aeron turned to face him. The lump in her throat from Sierra’s departure widened. She loved him. Full-Alter, partial Alter, or just a plan man, she loved Kane. Standing there, Aeron feared to admit her feelings. “Thank you,” she whispered around the loss choking her. “For everything.” Kane stepped forward. “Where are you going?” Don’t make this any harder on me than it has to be. She bit her lip. Back to the asteroid or on to Tyg’s home planet, it didn’t matter because wherever she went, she would be separated from him. Aeron shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe go hang out with my little sister, though from the looks of things she’ll be busy for a while. Go find some other jobs. I hadn’t given it that much thought beyond getting my sister and putting her somewhere safe.” “You speak about her like she’s a family heirloom or an antique. Didn’t want her to get broken.” He stepped forward and brushed the back of his knuckles across her cheek. “Don’t get me wrong. I love that about you. Your gentleness, your hope. But you can’t wrap your sister up and keep her from getting broken. Life breaks people.” “But we continue on in spite of the breaks.” She pressed her lips together. Suddenly the conversation grew too deep, too quickly for her. She stepped away from Kane and his touch. “We continue on even if we’re broken to pieces inside.” Tears threatened to fall. With her lower lip trembling, Aeron turned away. She couldn’t do this, not now, not any time. Walking away from Kane would take all the willpower she possessed. Kane laid his hand on her shoulder. “But you pick up the pieces and make them whole again. That’s what you do. That’s what life is.” Aeron shook her head. She’d been picking up the pieces all her life. From her parents’ death to chasing after her sister. Never again would she put herself in such a position. Shoulders squared, she turned and faced him. “No, Kane. I don’t. I’ve picked up too many pieces and gotten cut on the shards. It’s time to stand strong and stay safe.” She gave him one last glance before walking up the ramp. She stopped. Turning, she stared at Kane as he stood there watching her. She couldn’t go without the memory of his lips on hers one more time. Striding down the ramp, she went to him and wrapped her arms around his. She stood on tiptoe and pressed 56

HOTWIRE her lips against his. Instantly, his arms crushed around her, hauling her against his lean frame. His lips moved across hers and a desire all too familiar, rekindled low in her womb. She deepened the kiss. Her tongue stroked his bottom lip. Nipping gently, she slid her tongue between his lips and into his mouth. Kane groaned. His hand slid down to her ass, hauling her against the hard ridge of his cock. Aeron’s eyelids fluttered closed and she wondered how she could turn and walk away. She clung to him, fingers digging into his rock-hard muscles. Rocking her hips against him, she whimpered in the back of her throat. Just a moment longer for her to drown in his arms, then she would walk away. The need for oxygen parted them long before Aeron’s will kicked in. She drew in a breath, her breathing shaky. “I’m sorry,” she whispered, then turned and fled up the ramp to her ship.

**** Kane stepped forward. He started to bolt after Aeron, and stop the best damn woman he’d ever had from leaving. She disappeared into the docks too quickly. Loss welled in his chest. Damn it, what had gone wrong? He’d come here to rescue her sister, and he’d done it, and he hoped to leave with her. Not now though, not when she wanted anything more than to get the hell away from him. He turned and stormed back to the trade desk where he could sell his Cianta. With his hold empty, he could return to the remote asteroid and mine some more. Then, maybe, in a haze of sweat and physical labor, he could forget all about Aeron.

57

Mary Winter

Chapter Nine

Staring off into the blackness of space, Kane ignored the gaping vein of Cianta at his feet. Green and luminescent, nearly flawless, it would fetch a good price. So why wasn’t he happy? He sighed and hefted his pick trying to shove the image of Aeron doing the exact same thing out of his mind. He’d been here for three days, working day and night to try and fill his hold with the precious ore again. His bank account bulged, as did his muscles, and still he didn’t stop. Fool. Jackass. Idiot. He’d called himself all those things and more for letting her walk away like that. But she didn’t want to stay. And I won’t keep a woman where she doesn’t want to be. Oh, but he wanted her beneath him, on top of him, his cock buried into her slick warmth. Without her working beside him, the asteroid became an even colder, lonelier place to be. A large chuck of Cianta rolled out to his feet. Something he could have shared with Aeron had she been there, and her absence became even more acute. Damn it. He should have gone after her. And why didn’t he? Kane hefted his pick and slammed it down into the asteroid’s rocky crust. He burst open another part of the vein, finding the mining site even richer than he thought. He smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes, or his heart. “And why didn’t you?” he asked himself, his voice echoing in the confines of his suit. “Because I’m a fleucking coward. I should have gone after her, but I know what it’s like being an Alter. We’re different. And people care.” Aeron hadn’t cared. His mind taunted him with the truth, and the memory of her lush body pressed against his. His cock hardened, and he gritted his teeth and willed it away. Mine the ore, fill his ship, return and sell it at a good price. One or two more full cargo holds and he could do what he wanted, when he wanted. And he’d do it all without Aeron. 58

HOTWIRE Kane clenched his jaw. “Stop being a stupid fool and get back to work.” He cut into the rock with a vengeance and soon had a large haul of Cianta to return to his ship. Too bad the ore didn’t take away the ache in his heart along with the hole in his pocketbook.

**** Aeron prayed she’d find Kane on his asteroid. After holing up on an out system station, drinking herself to death on cheap booze for three days, she knew she had to find him. Dreams of him filled her nights. Bodies entwined, kisses and caresses, and the feel of his long, hard cock sliding into her tight channel. She’d been running scared when she left him at the dock, and she was tired of running. Staying safe, meant staying lonely. And she was so damn tired of being lonely all the time. Although she hadn’t heard from her sister, Aeron imagined Sierra quite happy in Tyg’s care. A prince. Who would have thought her happy-go-lucky sister would find a prince? And I’m out here on the fringes of space drinking myself into a stupor. I don’t think so. Her heart gave a little jump as the asteroid showed up on the screen. Finally, after two days travel, she reached it. “Please Kane, still be there. Still be mining the Cianta ore.” Her bank account held up, but the thought of returning with another cargo bay full of the ore helped her mood. But first, she had to find Kane. As the asteroid drew near, she debated on what to tell him. How to explain the sudden attack of nerves, and the fear of being hurt again? Silly, she knew, looking back over the last few days. Like Kane said, to live meant picking up the pieces and starting over again. She had to be strong enough to do that. Hell, she’d saved her sister out of hundreds of messes. Of course, now she was done with that. She loved her sister, but had a feeling that Tyg would straighten her out. If not, Aeron figured she could always send her to the convent. She grinned. The asteroid grew close enough for Aeron to scan the surface. Nothing but rocks and more rocks. Aeron frowned. Had he left? Had she lost her chance to make things right? If she did, she didn’t know what she’d do. Probably scour the area looking for him. After all, how far could one partial Alter with a cargo bay full of Cianta go? A hell of a long distance, Aeron realized with a pout. She eased into orbit around the asteroid. There, on the horizon, she thought she saw something. She eased closer, trying not to hope. Every time she hoped for 59

Mary Winter something, like her sister finally growing up, it never happened, leaving her deserted. She’d learned not to hope, not to think things would fall in her direction. Except she always did, and she always got hurt. Never again. A ship sat on the surface of the asteroid, sleek and fast, with a large cargo bay. She hailed it. No response. Aeron tried again. Even if Kane were away from his ship, the hail should relay to his suit. More silence met her calls. Kane had to have turned off his in-suit speaker. She grinned and descended toward the rock.

**** Kane looked into the sky at the sound of a ship’s engines. Could it be? He shook his head. Aeron had made her position abundantly clear. She wouldn’t return. Still, he turned on his in-suit speaker and listened to the silence. He watched as the ship approached and began to land. The Promise. He’d recognize the silhouette of her ship anywhere. Leaving the bags of Cianta next to his claim, he hurried back to his ship. Aeron had come back. He turned off his suit speaker and let out a whoop as he bounded back to the woman he loved.

**** Aeron landed her ship and sat in the captain’s chair, trying to still the hammering of her heart. Just over the next rise sat Kane’s ship. Her mouth went dry. Her knees shook as she forced herself to stand and don her suit. Now or never, she told herself. If she didn’t get her rear over to his ship and at least see him, than she shouldn’t have come in the first place. I’m through being a coward. I’m done with running. She wished her thoughts held more conviction. She switched into her suit and hurried out of her ship before she could change her mind. A short walk across the asteroid, and then she stood before Kane’s ship. To knock or just to go inside, she wondered. And then the door opened. Kane stood in the airlock suited up, his face unreadable. “Aeron,” he said. “Come in.” He stepped aside to allow her to enter.

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HOTWIRE Aeron ascended into the airlock, happy to at least be let inside his ship. After the way she left him, she hoped she had a good reception. As soon as the door sealed, she removed her suit, and Kane did the same. He wore a black suit that clung to his muscled frame. Looking at him, Aeron’s mouth went dry. She wanted to unfasten his suit, run her tongue and lips over every inch of skin that she exposed. Take his magnificent cock into her mouth and suck before fondling his balls. She may have tried to run from him, but she never forgot him. “Kane,” she said, dragging her gaze back to his face. “I’m sorry.” There, she said it. The two words she hated to say and never thought she’d say to him. Kane sucked in a breath. His nostrils flared as his gaze hungrily roamed her body. He paused at her breasts, where her taut nipples pressed against the fabric of her suit, to her hips and her pussy. Aeron grew wet from the heat in his eyes. Her breasts ached, the sensitive nipples caressed by her suit with each breath. Kane hit the button to allow her entrance into his ship. “You were right,” she continued before she lost her nerve. “I was a coward. I had picked up everybody else’s lives so many times I refused to do anything that might shatter my own. But I went through more bottles of cheap booze and spent more time thinking than I want to, Kane, and the truth is, I love you.” His eyes widened. “I shouldn’t have left. We should have come right back here and started mining again. You can finish your modifications, and well, every Free-Lancer needs a partner, right?” “You’d go Free-Lance with me? Your sister has been whisked off by the crown prince of a planet. Don’t you want to go enjoy the luxuries of royal life?” Kane stared at her. Oh god, he doesn’t love me. Aeron refused to give into the thought, even as she crossed her arms in front of her chest. “I don’t want to live on Tyg’s planet. I don’t want to be royalty. I want to be here, with you.” Aeron breathed deeply and waited for Kane to respond. She’d said it, laid it all on the line, and now it was his turn. Kane reached for her. He tangled his fingers with hers and brought them to his mouth. He kissed her knuckles, brushing his lips across each one and then on the back of her hand. “I want you to be here, too. I should have fought harder, should have gone after you, but you don’t know what it’s like. Too many women think only of the metal 61

Mary Winter and alloys inside and not the man. I didn’t want it to be that way with you. I’m an Alter, and I always will be. But Aeron, I love you.” Aeron stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him. “I don’t care that you’re an Alter. You should have known that from the moment I saw your restoration room and still offered you my body.” She reached for the back of his neck and pulled his lips down toward hers. “Why don’t we go out and mine some Cianta ore? I hear the prices are really hot right now.” And she sealed her offer with a kiss.

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About the Author

Mary commutes between her dream home near the Mark Twain national forest in Missouri, and her current residence in Iowa. She lives with a menagerie of animals including an opinionated horse and a cat who was a dog in past life. When not writing spicy tales of erotic romance, she enjoys writing science fiction and fantasy, spending time with her horse, and enjoying the outdoors. Lucky for her, her partner (hero) shares these same passions, and usually both of them can be found in their respective dens writing.

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