Jerred's Price

Chapter Ten

Josiah sat on his bed, watching Giselle and Jerred on a large vid screen on his wall.

He could see how much Jerred cared for her easily enough. Now if he could just tell for sure how she felt about Jerred. There was a tenderness in the way she worked to free him. And the kiss…well, that had been spectacular. Either the woman cared or she was an amazing actress.

The woman sucking his cock make a mewling noise, and he run his fingers through her hair absently as she moved over him. Karia was stunning, of course. All his women were. But even as she worked her mouth around him, he couldn’t help but feel a bit of boredom.

How long had it been since he’d kissed anyone with the fervency he’d seen between Giselle and Jerred? He couldn’t remember.

Karia took his soft caress as encouragement, and he let himself fall back among his pillows to enjoy. Her mouth worked up and down him steadily, each stroke sending streaks of sensation through his body. He managed to watch Giselle and Jerred through slitted eyes, although he no longer paid close attention to them. They whispered together, nuzzling like puppies. His guards were monitoring them, of course, and he’d be able to hear the playback later if they said anything of interest. Still, he liked to watch their faces. Maybe he was crazy, but he really did think the woman cared for Jerred.

He realized with a start that he was more than a bit jealous of his old friend. The thought disgusted him.

With a snort, he waved the vid off and turned his attention to Karia. Her long, curly black hair spilled over his stomach in a way that couldn’t help but arouse him. He shifted his hips beneath her, and she wrapped her arms around his waist. He could feel his body pulling together, energy building at his center. His response was purely physical, his body reacting to hers the way men had responded to women since time began. Her mouth was hot and moist around him, sucking him deep within, and then pulling slowly back until he felt like screaming.

He didn’t want to come in her mouth tonight, though. He wanted her beneath him—he wanted this time to be mutual. The thought startled him. He had been with Karia many times, and her mouth was definitely her best feature.

Still… if she came too, he had a feeling it would be a bit more like what Jerred and Giselle seemed to share. What would it be like to have sex with a woman who really cared? Karia didn’t care—he knew that. But she was very good at pretending.

He reaching down and pulled her up his body. She came hungrily, her eyes large and brown and smoky. He pulled her across his chest, kissing her deeply and running his hands down the smooth length of her back. She wiggled against him, all but purring in his arms, and thoughts of Jerred and Giselle faded.

He gripped her round, firm ass in his hands, pulling her close, and then slowly rolled her over on to her back. She seemed a bit startled but more than willing to go along with him. He kissed her again, this time rubbing the spot between her legs with his thigh. He could feel moisture there; her response wasn’t feigned. He started kissing down her chin, and then followed the long, smooth line of her neck. She twisted against him appreciatively, her fingers curling into his shoulders.

He reached her chest, nuzzling the hollows between her soft, rounded breasts. Her nipples were hard, and he reached over to nuzzle them with his lips and tongue.

She growled.

He moved lower now, kissing his way across her stomach, dipping his tongue into her navel. She shuddered beneath him, and her nails dug into his shoulders sharply.

The slight pain shot through him, and for the first time he felt a shock of real interest in her.

How jaded had he become?

She dug her nails into him further, and he moved lower. Her mound was smooth and shaved, almost unnaturally perfect, and he wondered if she’d had surgery. Not that it was any of his business; he hardly cared what she chose to do with her body. Giselle had never had surgery, he was relatively sure of that. She seemed to be utterly comfortable with herself just the way she was… He shook off the thought. He reached Karia’s clit, a small, hard point of desire that called sweetly to him. He licked the tip, and then sucked the small organ into his mouth softly. Her fingers dug into him again, and he sucked harder.

The harder he sucked, the more she seemed to respond, until he realized that she liked it rough. This was a side of Karia that he’d never seen. He’d never followed her lead before, never tried to truly please her.

No wonder he didn’t have a woman like Giselle; he was a selfish lover.

The thought threw him off balance, and he grazed her clit with his teeth. Instantly, he pulled back, but she sighed in pleasure and murmured, “Do it again…”

He did.

Soon he was nipping at her, taking care not to hurt her but growing steadily rougher. The new sensation was exciting. He felt himself getting harder, and suddenly it wasn’t enough to simply pleasure her. He wanted to experience it with her. He pulled his head back and knelt to look at her. Her eyes were glazed, a strange little smile twisting across her face.

“What are you gong to do to me now?” she asked, her voice almost taunting. “You want to play; I can see it in your eyes. I like to play games.”

He watched her steadily for a moment, trying to decide what to do next. She seemed so sure of herself, so different from the deferential lover he was used to having warm his bed. She slithered up the bed on her butt, and slowly leaned forward on her knees so she faced him.

She cocked her head, looking at him strangely.

“How far will you go?’ she asked softly. “Would you rape me? Would you fuck me even if I screamed at you to stop?”

He smiled slowly. “Would you scream at me to stop?” he asked.

“No,” she whispered in reply. “I wouldn’t. There’s nothing you could to do me that I wouldn’t want you to keep doing.”

Something about the way she said it, the intensity in her eyes, frightened him. It was too arousing, almost too much for him to comprehend. Nothing touched him any more, but the thought of chasing her did. He wanted to chase her, catch her, take her in the strangest ways he could imagine.

He felt a slow smile steal across his face. “Turn around,” he said.

“Make me.”

He nodded his head, holding her eyes as he reached out to grab her shoulders. He rotated her slowly, and then pushed her down roughly onto the bed. She wiggled her ass at him, and he slapped it lightly.

“Hold still,” he said softly, allowing a touch of menace to creep into his tone. She shivered, and he reached down between her legs to feel her slit.

She dripped for him.

He fingered her for a moment, trying to decide what to do with her. She writhed, thrusting up at him and offered herself without thought.

“Lay your arms out flat,” he said abruptly. “I want to see them above your head.”

He leaned down over her, allowing his cock to rest against her ass as his chest touched her back. He reached out along her arms, feeling the smooth flesh and sleek muscles of her young, hard body.

His arms were longer, of course, which made it easy enough to grab the tasseled cord that held back the heavy hangings surrounding his bed. Within moments he had her hands tied. He was careful to keep the soft ropes loose enough to allow circulation, but they were tight. He felt her pull against them, and then felt the quiver run through her body as she realized she wasn’t going to get free. Not until he let her.

He raised himself again, rubbing his hands against her back and digging his fingers into the muscles. He was careful to be gentle, working the flesh in a way that made her shudder in a new kind of sensual pleasure. Usually she gave him backrubs, he realized.

It had never occurred to him to return the favor. His hands moved lower and lower on her body, grasping the globes of her ass and squeezing them tightly.

She wiggled at him again, and he squeezed tighter. This time his fingers left marks, and she moaned.

“More,” she whispered.

Bemused, he slapped her. Her butt bucked up, and when he reached down to touch her slit again she was sopping. He slapped her harder, this time hard enough to leave a reddish mark.

She writhed harder, her ass bright red from his blows. His cock tightened painfully.

It was time take her.

He reached down around her waist and roughly pulled her up into position. She struggled a bit, but her knees came up to support her weight. He positioned himself at the opening between her legs and abruptly thrust in, hitting home with the first motion.

His cock was big, and it bumped against her cervix. She gasped and moaned, wiggling around as he impaled her. Normally he was careful to hold himself back, realizing that he was big enough to hurt a woman.

Karia liked it, though.

He slammed into her again, harder this time. He knew it had to hurt her, but she just pushed back at him, as if she wanted him to go into her body even harder. He reached down under her body and grasped one breast firmly, pinching it as he slammed down into her again. Her muscles spasmed around him and she arched back at him.

“More,” she muttered under her breath, her voice rough. “I want more.”

He slammed into her again and again, each time harder than the next. She pushed back at him, and he could feel her body growing tense. She was near her orgasm, and that was a good thing. He wasn’t sure how much longer he’d be able to hold out. Her vagina was like an exquisite, painfully tight glove encasing him, squeezing him, milking him so hard it hurt. He heard the blood roaring in his ears, felt his heart pounding in a staccato.

She bucked against him once more, and struck with inspiration, he pulled himself up and slapped her ass one more time. Hard. She squealed and came. Her entire body seized, gripping him as if in a vise, and he exploded into her. Again and again his body pumped into her. Finally, spent, he collapsed on top of her. She lay still for a while, and then started testing the ropes holding her hands.

“Are you going to let me up?” she asked in a sooty voice. “Or am I just going to lie here under you forever? I think I could stand that if I had to.”

He reached forward and loosened the ties. Normally he would dismiss her, but there was a sparkle in her eyes that intrigued him. He leaned in closer, as if to kiss her.

She struck swiftly, biting his lip hard enough to draw blood. Once again, that new awareness came over him. It was as if he could feel again for the first time in ages.

“Do you like that?” she asked, her tone arch. “Because I do. I want to play with you in ways that redheaded girl couldn’t even begin to imagine.”

The image of Giselle in Jerred’s arms leapt into his head one more time. He didn’t want to think about them, about the bond they shared. Angrily, he leaned forward and took Karia’s mouth harshly, grinding her lips under his, pushing her down again on the bed. Her legs wrapped around his hips, pulling him against her body even as she dug her sharp nails into his ass. Pain seared through, sweet and cleansing.

“Do you think you’ll be ready for another round any time soon?” she asked in a whisper when he finally released her mouth.

He ground against her, feeling the beginnings of an erection. “Yes,” he replied softly.

“Good,” she said. “I want you long and hard, and this time I want it in the ass.”

He shuddered, taking her mouth once more. Jerred and Giselle were forgotten.

Giselle leaned against Jerred, enjoying the strong warmth of his body as she tried to think of some way to escape. She knew they were being watched, and almost certainly taped. She needed to find some way to let him know what was going on, but she didn’t want to tip her hand.

He wasn’t helping. All he had talked about since she arrived was how foolish she had been. She should have stayed with Josiah. She should have saved herself. She should have sold him out. Finally she’d told him not to talk to her at all.

Instead, he held her, softly nuzzling at her neck and causing all kinds of new problems. She knew all too well that anything they might indulge while in the cell was bound to amuse their watchers. As she felt his length grow against her leg, she almost decided she didn’t care. She wanted him, and every cell in her body sang out for her to mate with him. But she had a feeling Josiah would enjoy that a little too much, and she’d already provided him with far too much entertainment.

He made her think of those hideous insects that lived on Hector Prime. They wove a silky, sticky web, then hid themselves to one side and waited as other insects caught themselves in it. She had read somewhere that the creatures liked to eat their prey alive.

Definitely similar to Josiah, on so many levels.

She felt exhausted. Jerred stroked a finger through her hair slowly, and the sensation soothed her until she was dozing. She slipped into a dream, blessedly free from worries for the moment. She and Jerred were sitting in the middle of a field of green grass. A child sat near them, several children, in fact. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she knew they were Jerred’s nephews. A woman came walking up to them, carrying two tall, cool glasses filled with water. She looked like Jerred—same strong features, same black hair, although hers was streaked with gray, lending her an air of authority and dignity.

She knelt beside them gracefully, and turned to Giselle with a smile.

“I’m proud of you, child,” she said. “You’ve been taking very good care of him. But I think it’s time for the two of you to come home.”

Giselle nodded at her, agreeing. Unfortunately, she couldn’t remember how to get home. She opened her mouth, ready to ask the woman for directions, but one of the children called out. The woman’s face creased with concern, and she turned away.

Giselle tried to speak, but nothing came out. The woman stood and started walking away. Giselle wanted to get up after her, but Jerred’s head was heavy in her lap. She looked down at him and saw something dreadful.

He wasn’t sleeping—he was dead. Jerred was dead, and deep in her heart she knew it was her fault. She tried to move, tried to scream, tried to do anything, but she was frozen. The meadow faded around her, and then they were alone in space. She saw ice forming on Jerred’s face. He was freezing, and when she tried to wrap her arms around him to keep him warm, they cracked and shattered.

She came out of the dream abruptly, a stillborn scream stuck in her throat.

Jerred lay beside her sleeping peacefully. She could hear his heartbeat beneath her head. He was fine. They were both alive. The cell door slid open, and Jerred came awake with a start. The guard looked down at them sullenly.

“The Captain is ready to see you,” he muttered. “Stand up and turn around.” he added, nodding at Jerred.

Jerred did as he was told, and Giselle watched as they slid yet another set of cuffs around his wrists. She must not have seemed dangerous to them, because when they led him out into the hall, they allowed her to follow, unrestrained. She felt panicky.

Josiah wanted his information and she still didn’t have a plan. She hadn’t even managed to discuss the situation with Jerred. It wasn’t good.

They walked down the hallways slowly to a small room. Josiah sat at a small table.

Something about him looked different. She examined his face, and noticed a bruise across his pale cheekbone. There were several scratches, too. Had he been in a fight?

It didn’t matter.

“I see you and your little friend have been reunited,” Josiah said, his tone acid. He spoke to Jerred; her presence hardly seemed to register with him.

“You’re a smart man, you know I have to kill you,” he continued. “But I don’t have to kill your slut. I can let her go. I’ve decided that maybe you care about her enough to try and save her.”

Jerred didn’t answer, and Giselle’s stomach clenched. There was no good response he could make. If he convinced Josiah he didn’t care about her, her usefulness would be over. On the other hand, if he agreed that he cared, the man would use her against him.

“I need the information,” Josiah said. “I want to know where you got the plans for my station. I’ll make this easy on you. You tell me who the traitor was and I’ll let her live. You don’t tell me and she dies. Slowly.”

Jerred seemed frozen; then he spoke.

“I’ll tell you,” he said. “But I want proof that she’ll be safe.”

“I can’t give you proof,” Josiah said lightly, shrugging his shoulders. “You’re just going to have to trust me to take care of her.”

“I want her on a ship and out of here before I agree to anything,” Jerred replied through gritted teeth. “A ship that doesn’t belong to you.”

Josiah shook his head slowly.

“You just don’t understand, old friend,” he said, his voice dropping to little more than a whisper. “You don’t have any of the power here. I have the power, and you’re going to do what I tell you. If you do, I’ll let your friend live. If you don’t, I’ll kill you both.”

Jerred stayed silent for a moment, apparently lost in thought.

“No,” he said slowly. “I’m sorry, Giselle, but if I betrayed my secrets he’d probably kill you anyway, and lot more people would die. People every bit as innocent as you.”

She came over to him and knelt beside him. She didn’t want to betray herself by saying anything; she had no doubt that once Josiah realized she wasn’t secretly on his side, he’d have no further use for her. But she understood. Jerred wasn’t a perfect man, but she had to respect his desire to protect his people. Beside that, the deal Josiah offered wasn’t good enough. She didn’t want to go free without Jerred. It was either both of them or nothing.

“Take him back to his cell,” Josiah said finally. “Leave the woman here. I want to talk to her longer.”

The guards came forward, pulling Jerred to his feet. His eyes met Giselle’s, and she could feel them pleading with her for forgiveness. She tried to show some of the love she felt for him in her expression, but she had no idea if he understood. Then he was gone, and she was alone in the room with Josiah and only one guard.

“Wait outside,” Josiah said to the man. She stayed still until he was gone.

“You don’t have any information for me,” Josiah said slowly. “I reviewed the tapes.

I don’t think you’re trying very hard, in all honesty.”

“I haven’t had a chance,” she said, a trace of desperation in her tone. “You need to give me more time.”

“Giselle, don’t play games with me,” he said, sounding weary. “I can tell you aren’t going to do anything for me. In fact, I no longer need your help. I already know who the traitor is and I’m taking care of the situation.”

She froze.

“In fact, I’m not quite sure what to do with you. I hate to kill someone as young a pretty as you are, but you aren’t giving me many options, now are you?”

Her mind blanked, and she realized her time was up. He walked around the table and started slowly pacing the room. He used the silence to intimidate her, but instead it made her angry. Prick. Without pausing to think things through, she leapt at him while his back was turned. She landed on his back, wrapping both arms around his neck and holding on for dear life. If she could just hold on long enough he’d run out of air.

For endless seconds they thrashed together, fury making her strong. He might be bigger and stronger, but his strength flagged as she cut off his oxygen supply. He slammed her up against the wall several times. Fortunately, the room was built for interrogation and was fully soundproofed. After an eternity, he began to slow down and slumped to the floor. Then he fell unconscious.

She released him, knowing she only had seconds to take action. Behind the table were some storage lockers. She ran toward them, flinging one open and searching through it ruthlessly. She found a pair of the same cuffs they’d used to hold Jerred.

She ran back to him, slapping them on his wrists behind his back.

Smiling, she pulled the blaster from his belt. What a pompous ass. He’d been so sure of her that he hadn’t had her restrained, and he hadn’t even bothered to put his weapon out of reach. Served him right, she though smugly.

She fumbled with the blaster, pressing one of his fingers to the lock so the safety would come off. The display flickered to life, and she noted with satisfaction that it held a full charge. She trained the weapon on his chest, and sat back to wait.

He woke up before long, eyes flickering open to find himself a prisoner.

“Bitch,” he managed to whisper. His voice was rough, and she knew he’d have a sore throat if they managed to survive the next cycle. The thought gave her a savage pleasure; he should have to suffer some of the pain he’d caused them.

“We’re going to go and fetch Jerred now,” she said softly. “I hope that your people like you enough to try and keep you alive.”

His gaze was cold; he didn’t bother to respond.

“Up,” she said. She watched coldly as he struggled to his feet. “Not as graceful now, are you?”

She came up behind him and placed the blaster’s barrel in the center of his back.

“One move and I’ll kill you,” she muttered.

“If you kill me, you’re killing yourself,” he replied softly. “They’ll take you out in an instant.”

“If you’re dead, I’ll die happy,” she muttered, surprised by her own bloodthirstiness. Wisely, he stayed silent. She marched him over to the door, and then popped the hatch. It slid open. The guard outside froze, his hand going to his weapon automatically.

“I want you to take out your blaster and drop it on the floor,” she said. He looked to Josiah, who nodded.

“Do as she says,” he ordered tightly.

The man did.

“Now, step away from it,” she said. “I want you to go down the hallway in front of us. We’re going to get Jerred out of his cell. If anyone tries to stop us, I’ll kill your boss.”

The guard nodded once more. He turned and moved down the hallway with slow, steady steps, hands held up. This man, at least, wasn’t interested in becoming a martyr.

That was good. They turned a corner and found another guard standing outside Jerred’s cell. He, too, was ordered to drop his gun.

“Open the door,” she muttered, feeling a trickle of sweat beading up on her forehead. It itched, and for a moment she found herself reaching up to wipe it off. Josiah tensed, as if to make a move, and she caught herself.

The door slid open.

“Jerred, I need you out here right now,” she said in a firm voice. He appeared in the door. He must have been surprised, but he didn’t show it. Instead he took in the situation with one quick glance. He reached down, grabbing the blaster off the floor.

“Hold out your hand,” he muttered to the guard. The man did as he was told, and Jerred held the second blaster up to it, deactivating the safety. With a composure that frightened her, he took charge of the situation.

“Guards, in the cell,” he said. They did as they were told. “Giselle, keep your blaster on Josiah. He’s going to be our ticket out of here.”

She nodded, thankful he knew what to do next. He looked up at the ceiling as if searching for something, and then he spoke again.

“I know you’re watching us,” he said slowly and clearly. “So I’m going to say this one time only. We’re taking Josiah and we’re going to return to our ship. I want a shuttle ready and waiting for us. I want all the corridors between us and the hangar cleared. You have one minute.”

With that, he raised his blaster and shot at several small boxes mounted on the walls. She assumed they were sensors, although she hadn’t noticed them before to check.

Jerred turned to her, a smile spreading across his face. “Thank you,” he said, eyes softening. “Giselle, you constantly surprise me. I didn’t think we’d get out of this one.”

“You’re not out yet,” Josiah said dryly. “I think you may want to hold the celebration until after you escape. I wish to survive this little escapade of yours, so we should probably begin negotiations.”

“You have nothing to negotiate with,” Giselle said harshly, poking him with the blaster. “You do what we tell you.”

“No, that’s not quite good enough,” Josiah said. “If I believe there’s no way for me to get out of this situation alive, I have no motivation to work with you. Give me a reason to believe I’ll live.”

“We’ll let you go when we get to our ship,” Giselle said quickly. “I promise.”

“No,” Jerred said, leaning back against the wall. “We need to take him with us, at least for a while. Otherwise they’ll just shoot us as soon as we leave.”

“Bring an escape pod,” Josiah said softly. “You can put me in it and jettison it as soon as you’re out of our weapons range. They’ll come and get me.”

“Are you sure?” Giselle asked, snorting. “If it were me, I think I’d leave you to die.”

“It isn’t you,” Josiah said coolly. “These people need me and they know it. They’ll come and rescue me.”

“It’s a good plan,” Jerred said. “Of course, you have to trust me to let you go.”

“I do trust you,” Josiah said softly. “You need me and we both know it. You won’t kill me.”

“Maybe he won’t kill you, but I will,” Giselle said in a menacing voice. “This isn’t just about him, you know. You messed with me, too, and I’d like a little revenge.”

“We’ll spare your life,” Jerred said, holding up one hand to calm her. “We all have something to gain from making this work. Are you with us?”

Josiah nodded his head. “We’ll need to go back to the main corridor so I can give them orders,” he said. “You’ve taken care of all my spy sensors in here.”

“Lead on,” Jerred replied.

Their escape went smoothly. True to Josiah’s promise, his people cooperated.

Nobody met them in the hallways and corridors as they made their way to the hangar.

A shuttle, complete with escape pod, waited for them in one of the cargo holds. In less than half an hour they were headed away from the station as fast as Jerred’s ship could move.

It wasn’t fast enough for Giselle.

She sat in the living room with her blaster trained on Josiah. He watched her with a strange expression on his face, as if amused by her diligence. After all, he was tied up.

Jerred had seen to that immediately. Still, she didn’t trust him not to have some sort of trick up his sleeve.

He didn’t try anything, though, and as soon as they were out of range, Jerred came down from the cockpit and freed him. He marched the man at blaster-point to the cargo hold, where he locked him into the survival pod. Seconds later it had been jettisoned, and they watched as Josiah fired the small navigational jets to turn back toward the station.

Jerred came to her and pulled her into his arms. For the first time in since they’d arrived, she let herself relax. Finally, she was safe again. She drew close to him, wrapping her arms around his back and simply leaning against him. There was a tingle of desire, of course. It seemed impossible to be around him without feeling something.

There was something more, though, something deeper. Being with him felt right.

Maybe it was only temporary, but as long as she had him, she planned to enjoy every minute of it.

Jenna made a chiming noise and announced an incoming message. Giselle looked to Jerred, confused, and he shook his head.

Holding hands, they made their way up to the bridge to listen to the message.

It was from Josiah.

“I’m hoping you get this, Jerred,” the man said. “I’m in this blasted pod now, and I’m not sure what kind of range the radio has. I just wanted to tell you to jettison those two blasters you took from my station. They’re no good, and I’d hate to have you die in a real fight because they don’t work. I’m assuming I won’t be seeing you for a while, so take care. Give my best to Nicolai, and remind him he owes me twice as much now. Oh, you might also want to tell him to find a new spy on my station. The old one is…

indisposed, and I don’t think she’ll be feeding either of you any more information. Take care.”

Giselle looked at Jerred, puzzled. “What did he mean, the blasters aren’t any good?”

Jerred seemed amused, and started shaking his head. “The fraud,” he muttered.

“He wanted to let us go—he just didn’t want his people to think he was going easy on us. The whole thing was a setup.”

“You mean he never needed any information from you?”

“I think he did at first,” Jerred said, looking thoughtful. “But not anymore, apparently. He found the spy on his own.”

“I didn’t tell him anything,” she said softly. He smiled at her, and cupped one hand along her chin.

“Well, among other things, you didn’t know anything to tell him,” he said. “But even if you had known, I wouldn’t doubt you. There’s not one woman in a thousand who would have had the courage to do what you did for me.”

She shrugged, feeling her face grow warm.

“Well, seeing as Josiah orchestrated the whole thing, I hardly think I have anything to be proud of. I did exactly what he planned.”

“Don’t be too sure about that,” Jerred said softly. “He probably had several other plans in mind. I doubt he expected you to attack him. I would imagine that I’d have been given the chance later on. You definitely took him off guard.”

She smiled, feeling some pleasure at the thought. “He certainly wasn’t faking it when he lost consciousness,” she said slowly. “I nearly choked him to death, I was so mad.”

“I thought his voice sounded a little raspy,” Jerred replied. “I can’t say that I’m unhappy about that. He plays with people, and I have no doubt that if he hadn’t found his traitor, he would have killed us. Just because he let us go doesn’t mean that he’s a nice man.”

“Oh, there’s no danger of that happening,” she muttered. “So now what?”

He pulled her close to him, kissing her lightly on the lips. She raised both hands to his shoulders, and then he leaned down and picked her up, striding down the hallway toward his cabin.

“I’ve decided to have my wicked way with you,” he muttered, a gleam of appreciation in his eyes. “Don’t bother fighting it, I won’t let you go.”

“Do you see me fighting?” she asked archly. “Walk faster.”

Josiah drifted in the pod, waiting for his people to come and get him. It would be another thirty minutes at least before they arrived. He’d waited to send for them, wanting to make sure that Jerred and Giselle had enough time to get away.

He wondered for the thousandth time if he was going soft. For so many years he’d had to fight for his survival, and he’d never hesitated to kill an enemy. Still, it was hard to think of Jerred as an enemy. They’d worked together for many years, exchanging information that benefited them both. He’d known Jerred was spying on him—known it for the past year at least. But until now he hadn’t worried about it. He knew Jerred, and could predict what he’d do with the information he stole.

This time had been different, though. He’d known it if from the minute he’d seen his old friend. Something had changed for him, and now he knew what it was. Giselle.

It was a pity, really, that he’d had to take them prisoner at all. Fortunately, his own people had ferreted the spy out, allowing him to set them free. Now he could say he got the information from Jerred, protecting his sources on the station.

He twisted in the small capsule, wishing he’d thought to have it stocked with a bottle of his favorite wine. The wait bored him, and he didn’t like thinking about Jerred and his new mate.

It reminded him just a bit too much of all that was missing in his life.