copyright e.s.venton 2009 |
BONDS OF JUSTICE 2: RAPTURE
Elayne S. Venton
Changeling Press
m/f sci-fi
Elayne S. Venton
Changeling Press
m/f sci-fi
An excerpt:
Kyros chose to descend through the decks via the maintenance ladder instead of taking the chute.
According to the system console, engineering had fared fine. It just happened to be the furthest sector
from the bridge and he needed the physical exercise.
During the battle, his attention had wandered from monitoring the ship’s numerous systems to the woman
assisting Triston. He’d never seen anyone dispatch enemy attack pods as quickly as Zara Kevlar. By the
golden glow in Triston’s cybernetic eyes, his weapons controller had been impressed too, and not just with
her combat skills.
Jealousy stabbed at his gut. Kyros shoved the feeling aside. Although he’d claimed her body, he had no
claim on her heart. In fact, he didn’t want her near him.
What was it about Zara that bothered him? He’d taken her when she needed him. Gratification had glowed
in her eyes. No reason to feel guilty about it. She’d been the first female in a long time to scratch his itch,
and he wanted her again. Perfectly normal. So why did he feel the need to escape her all the time?
The clatter of boot heels on the metal rungs above him halted him. “Where do you think you’re going?”
Her foot slipped and she bumped down several rungs, her robe bunching up as she slid, revealing long legs
and a shadow of bare buttocks. Kyros rushed up to steady her, grabbing an ankle. Silky skin warmed his
palm.
Zara regained her footing and twisted her shoulder to look down at him, her face flushed. For a long
moment, tension sizzled in the air. The spark of attraction. Mutual desire.
She gave him a small smile. He imagined sliding his hand up her calf, curving his palm to the inside of her
soft thigh, and testing her reaction to him by dipping his fingers into her soft folds. Hunger surged
through his body and engorged his cock. Zara turned him inside out with a single glance. Just like Jenna
had.
Did Rapture contain some kind of pheromone in the formula that short-circuited his brain? Privately, he
laughed at himself. If that were the case, he would have fucked every slave he freed. Like a fine perfume,
the scent of Rapture clung to their skin long after its application. No, it wasn’t Rapture. The sparkle in Zara’
s eyes, her energy, her unflagging determination to get what she wanted attracted him.
Kyros feared he could fall in love with Zara.
That would be a huge mistake. He’d come too far, made too many promises, to let an ex-slave get under
his skin.
Leery of what she might see in his eyes, Kyros dropped his gaze from her profile to his hand on her ankle.
He eased his fingers loose.
“What is it you want, Zara?”
She pulled down her hem and descended a few steps.
Kyros held the side rails of the ladder and leaned outward as her lush ass eased down in front of him. Her
dress smelled sanitized but the skin beneath carried a light, fresh scent. She stopped, her lower back even
with his face, her shallow breathing giving him an indication she wasn’t as calm as she appeared. She
looked over her shoulder at him, her expression intense.
“We need to talk.”
“About staying on the ship? That’s been settled. The answer is no.”
She twisted around on the ladder, her belly now level with his face, her hands gripping the side rails at her
sides. “Why? You’ve seen how good I am.”
Gods, yes. In more ways than one. Kyros’s cock bucked at the thought of Zara, naked, offering herself to
him. Free from Rapture. His to explore.
“Your fighting skills are not the issue.”
“What then?” She stepped down one rung, her breasts within easy reach of his mouth. Kyros kept his
gaze locked on her face. Her luscious lips pouted. “Is it because I was a slave? Do you fear I might sexually
assault someone? Or do you think my presence alone will distract your crew?”
“You sure as hell distract me!” Shit. He hadn’t meant to admit that.
Her cheeks blushed a pretty peach color, a soft highlight against her warm complexion. “I didn’t do
anything --”
Kyros moved up to stand on the same rung, squashing her body between the ladder and his body. “That’s
the problem, Zara. You don’t have to do anything. You get anywhere near me and I can’t think straight.”
His mouth hovered a breath from her lips. “Do you know you’re the first woman I’ve fucked since my wife
died?”
Zara’s eyes widened. The soft violet irises darkened to purple.
“And now…” He glided his tongue across her bottom lip. “… I can’t…” The tip of his tongue slid along the
crease of her mouth and retreated. Her lips parted. “… stop thinking about …” He nibbled on her lips. “…
taking you again. And again.” Kyros pushed his rock hard erection against her. “Without end.” He gritted
his teeth at his callous urges and backed off. “I’m the commander of this ship. You’re an ex-slave. Do you
see my dilemma?”
Zara’s eyes smoldered with passion. “Not really,” she murmured against his mouth. “I want you too.”
Buy link: http://www.changelingpress.com/author.php?uid=31
Kyros chose to descend through the decks via the maintenance ladder instead of taking the chute.
According to the system console, engineering had fared fine. It just happened to be the furthest sector
from the bridge and he needed the physical exercise.
During the battle, his attention had wandered from monitoring the ship’s numerous systems to the woman
assisting Triston. He’d never seen anyone dispatch enemy attack pods as quickly as Zara Kevlar. By the
golden glow in Triston’s cybernetic eyes, his weapons controller had been impressed too, and not just with
her combat skills.
Jealousy stabbed at his gut. Kyros shoved the feeling aside. Although he’d claimed her body, he had no
claim on her heart. In fact, he didn’t want her near him.
What was it about Zara that bothered him? He’d taken her when she needed him. Gratification had glowed
in her eyes. No reason to feel guilty about it. She’d been the first female in a long time to scratch his itch,
and he wanted her again. Perfectly normal. So why did he feel the need to escape her all the time?
The clatter of boot heels on the metal rungs above him halted him. “Where do you think you’re going?”
Her foot slipped and she bumped down several rungs, her robe bunching up as she slid, revealing long legs
and a shadow of bare buttocks. Kyros rushed up to steady her, grabbing an ankle. Silky skin warmed his
palm.
Zara regained her footing and twisted her shoulder to look down at him, her face flushed. For a long
moment, tension sizzled in the air. The spark of attraction. Mutual desire.
She gave him a small smile. He imagined sliding his hand up her calf, curving his palm to the inside of her
soft thigh, and testing her reaction to him by dipping his fingers into her soft folds. Hunger surged
through his body and engorged his cock. Zara turned him inside out with a single glance. Just like Jenna
had.
Did Rapture contain some kind of pheromone in the formula that short-circuited his brain? Privately, he
laughed at himself. If that were the case, he would have fucked every slave he freed. Like a fine perfume,
the scent of Rapture clung to their skin long after its application. No, it wasn’t Rapture. The sparkle in Zara’
s eyes, her energy, her unflagging determination to get what she wanted attracted him.
Kyros feared he could fall in love with Zara.
That would be a huge mistake. He’d come too far, made too many promises, to let an ex-slave get under
his skin.
Leery of what she might see in his eyes, Kyros dropped his gaze from her profile to his hand on her ankle.
He eased his fingers loose.
“What is it you want, Zara?”
She pulled down her hem and descended a few steps.
Kyros held the side rails of the ladder and leaned outward as her lush ass eased down in front of him. Her
dress smelled sanitized but the skin beneath carried a light, fresh scent. She stopped, her lower back even
with his face, her shallow breathing giving him an indication she wasn’t as calm as she appeared. She
looked over her shoulder at him, her expression intense.
“We need to talk.”
“About staying on the ship? That’s been settled. The answer is no.”
She twisted around on the ladder, her belly now level with his face, her hands gripping the side rails at her
sides. “Why? You’ve seen how good I am.”
Gods, yes. In more ways than one. Kyros’s cock bucked at the thought of Zara, naked, offering herself to
him. Free from Rapture. His to explore.
“Your fighting skills are not the issue.”
“What then?” She stepped down one rung, her breasts within easy reach of his mouth. Kyros kept his
gaze locked on her face. Her luscious lips pouted. “Is it because I was a slave? Do you fear I might sexually
assault someone? Or do you think my presence alone will distract your crew?”
“You sure as hell distract me!” Shit. He hadn’t meant to admit that.
Her cheeks blushed a pretty peach color, a soft highlight against her warm complexion. “I didn’t do
anything --”
Kyros moved up to stand on the same rung, squashing her body between the ladder and his body. “That’s
the problem, Zara. You don’t have to do anything. You get anywhere near me and I can’t think straight.”
His mouth hovered a breath from her lips. “Do you know you’re the first woman I’ve fucked since my wife
died?”
Zara’s eyes widened. The soft violet irises darkened to purple.
“And now…” He glided his tongue across her bottom lip. “… I can’t…” The tip of his tongue slid along the
crease of her mouth and retreated. Her lips parted. “… stop thinking about …” He nibbled on her lips. “…
taking you again. And again.” Kyros pushed his rock hard erection against her. “Without end.” He gritted
his teeth at his callous urges and backed off. “I’m the commander of this ship. You’re an ex-slave. Do you
see my dilemma?”
Zara’s eyes smoldered with passion. “Not really,” she murmured against his mouth. “I want you too.”
Buy link: http://www.changelingpress.com/author.php?uid=31
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