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.”
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.”
