A Highly Unsuitable Mate

A HIGHLY UNSUITABLE MATE by

Michelle Marquis

WHISKEY CREEK PRESS www.whiskeycreekpress.com

Published by WHISKEY CREEK PRESS Whiskey Creek Press PO Box 51052 Casper, WY 82605-1052 www.whiskeycreekpress.com

Copyright  2012 by Michelle Marquis Warning: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 (five) years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.

Names, characters and incidents depicted in this book are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental and beyond the intent of the author or the publisher. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. ISBN 978-1-61160-156-5

Credits Cover Artist: Nancy Donahue Editor: Sara Kent Printed in the United States of America

WHAT THEY ARE SAYING ABOUT WEREWOLF MAFIA BOOK 1: NO LAUGHING MATTER “Whenever this author goes solo, there’s rough solidarity in the plot I’ve noted as a signature in her work that carries amazing energy. No Laughing Matter jumps off and up into the clouds at high speed by showing promise which can only get better as the storyline progresses.” Patrice F Joyfully Reviewed

Other Books by Author Available at Whiskey Creek Press Torrid: www.whiskeycreekpresstorrid.com Nemesis Machine Lust Series Siren Warrior Series Ava’s Obsession Hungry Planet The Love Machine Werewolf Mafia Series

Dedication For all those who want their love to be out of this world

Prologue The day was dismal and overcast with only a hint of rain. The sky was an oppressive iron gray and according to the newscasts, it would be like this for the next few weeks. Ambassador Susan Slade sat in an outdoor café with a dark brown headscarf concealing her identity. It was one of the downsides to being an outspoken opponent of slavery on a planet that depended on it. Kirillia hadn’t started out as the slave trading capital of the galaxy but, over years of suffering through corrupt governments, it had become just that. Even if you were born with a decent heart it was soon crushed by the cruel reality that you had to make a living on the backs of other people. Almost everyone here made their living on the slave trade, except of course for her. With a sinking heart she watched the slave markets opening for the day. They wheeled out caged people of all shapes, sizes and breeds into the cramped avenues and placed a sign next to each indicating what the price was. The inhumanity of it sickened her. A bounty hunter stood with his night’s catch by one of the stands which housed the area’s wealthiest broker. The bounty hunter was a towering juggernaut, proud and handsome, like a throwback from a more ancient and primitive time. He was obviously of oriental ancestry but there was a definite strain of 1

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Kirillian in his size and strength. His hair was long and black and pulled into a ponytail that ran to the center of his back. He wore a weathered leather jacket with his bounty hunting license stitched on the upper right arm. The jacket covered a frayed tan T-shirt. He also wore dark green utility pants which he tucked into heavy leather boots that came up to his knees. The boots had silver buckles running up the outside and bulged where the buckles had been damaged enough to be missing a clasp. Susan stared at his face again. Aside from being astonishingly good-looking there was something both ancient and modern about him. A flash of danger highlighted his features, a veil of murder and cruelty that repulsed her just as it made her blood race. What in the name of all that’s holy is going on with me? This man represents everything I’ve fought all these years to destroy. Why would I be attracted to such a completely unsuitable mate? Perhaps I’ve been alone too long. Susan stared behind the bounty hunter and saw approximately twenty potential slaves. They all carried government issued wanted posters identifying them by name and crime. Most of the charges were probably made up. The Kirillian government liked to dispose of its most outspoken critics. Once political prisoners disappeared into the slave trade, they were rarely heard from again. Susan’s stomach clinched in grief. How she wished she could help them all. She touched the arm of one of her bodyguards. He leaned down and she caught the musty spike of cigarette smoke on his clothes. “Who’s that?” The bodyguard moved his thick lips into a frown. “Bounty hunter scum named Noriko. He has a nasty reputation for capturing every bounty he’s assigned in record time.” “Is he human?” 2

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“From what I’ve heard his mother was a Japanese slave and his father Kirillian. She killed herself when he was nine years old.” Susan nodded, distracted, and wrapped her hand around her cooling cup of tea. She wanted to ask why a man would continue to feed into the same slave businesses that destroyed his parent but sadly she knew why. Slavery was a disease here, an accepted way of life. It was even considered a legitimate way to make a living even if everyone who engaged in it knew better. She watched the man and couldn’t help but wonder what the death of a mother would do to a nine-year-old boy. Could she blame him for what he’d turned into? The bodyguard leaned down startling her. “It’s almost time for shuttle take off, Ambassador. We should get going.” Susan stared into her teacup and tried to push away her sadness. What a depressing day. She dropped a few generous coins on the café table and followed her bodyguard out into the crowded streets of the city.

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Chapter 1 The space shuttle was small, cramped and hot. A weighty stuffiness clung to the seats, probably the result of too many bodies crammed into too small a space. Noriko Kamakura shrugged off his mild claustrophobia, checked his boarding pass and then went to his seat. He was pleased to see it was an aisle seat as he’d instructed when he’d bought his ticket. Nothing was worse than climbing over someone when he wanted to visit the john or just stretch his legs. Noriko tended to be particular about such things because being half-Kirillian meant he was much larger than most humans and needed the extra room to be comfortable. He settled into a creaky chair and closed his eyes hoping to fall asleep before takeoff. “Excuse me.” Noriko looked up into two of the darkest green eyes he’d ever seen. The woman was lovely in a fierce, hard kind of way. Her look excited him and he found himself staring without meaning to. Her perfume was delicate and floral; a gentle seduction that brought his body to full arousal in seconds. His reaction was strong and he was stunned by it. This wasn’t like him at all. The woman gave him an odd look then lifted her chin at his legs which were blocking her way. “I have the window seat.” 4

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Noriko spread his legs wide so she could pass. It was meant to be a tease; slightly intimidating and provocative all at once and from the look on her face it worked. She frowned, turned her back to him and shuffled sideways to get into her seat. Her round butt passed inches from his hands and he had to fight hard not to reach out and cup the two generous mounds. She sat down with a dramatic flair. “Thank you.” Noriko didn’t respond. He was never comfortable talking to women as he always managed to say the wrong thing. Better to keep his mouth shut and try not to think about how much he wanted to violate her. She scanned him up and down. Her gaze kept falling to the three link chain tattoo at the corner of his right eye. “Are you a bounty hunter?” He shifted his bulk around trying to find a soft spot in his chair. “Yeah.” “What agency? I’m familiar with most of them.” “Platinum Bonds.” “Hmmm… They’re a pretty big outfit. You must be pretty good at catching your marks.” She held her hand out to him. “Hi, I’m Susan.” Noriko didn’t want to shake hands. He got the feeling she was fishing for information although he couldn’t guess why. Politicians didn’t usually give a crap what bounty hunters did. Stranger still was the feeling that he knew her from somewhere. He couldn’t remember her full name but he was sure he’d seen her on the news monitors for something important. He stared at her for a moment trying to remember the details. Then he remembered. “I get it. I recognize you now. You’re that anti-slavery woman, right? You’re Ambassador Susan Slade.” 5

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She let out a friendly laugh. “That’s me. What’s your name?” “Noriko.” Since he hadn’t shaken her hand, she lowered it but didn’t seem offended. “I’m surprised you’ve heard of me.” “I sometimes work for slave traders. Anyone in that business knows about you and your…” He let out an evil chuckle. “…work.” Her eyes narrowed to angry slits. “What do you mean by that?” Noriko closed his eyes and shrugged. He placed his hands behind his head and interlaced his fingers. “There are still human slaves being traded on Kirillia. Since your diplomatic efforts don’t have much impact on the Kirillian slave trade, your work seems like a waste of time to me.” Her green eyes grew dark and angry like the sea. He liked her anger. It turned him on. “Well the bounty hunters and slave traders that exploit those less fortunate individuals tend to make my work a little harder.” Her tone had carried an icicle in it. “You should have put us all out of business years ago,” he mumbled. He heard the engines fire up and opened his eyes. There weren’t many passengers onboard, probably due to the reported meteor storms over the Kirillian satellite planet of Kiern. He glanced at Susan who was staring out the window in frosty silence. Once again he had pissed off a woman he just met. When would he ever learn to keep his mouth shut? Worse still, leave it to him to piss off the only woman onboard. She’d probably frost him for the rest of the trip. It was a shame since he’d been planning to ask her out to dinner. He lowered his hands into his lap. He’d better try some damage control. “I’m sorry if I was offensive.” 6

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She pierced him with those stunning green eyes. “Don’t lie, no you’re not. Do you consider yourself Japanese or Kirillian?” Noriko slumped in his seat and interlaced his fingers across his stomach. She was baiting him to see if he still wanted to argue, but he didn’t want to fight. He just felt wounded. He really disliked talking about his past. Old emotions made him feel stiff and confined and it wasn’t just because of the tiny shuttle. “I consider myself both.” “Oh.” Noriko stifled his contempt. Yeah, oh as in ‘no wonder you’re such a prick.’ “Someone told me your mother was a slave.” “As was her son.” Susan’s hard gaze softened. Her lips parted and for a moment no words came. “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize you were born in captivity.” “Save it. You knew. You saw the tattoo. Don’t be polite to spare my feelings, I don’t have any.” She ran her hands down the blue cotton of her jeans. “Maybe you can answer something I don’t understand. If you hate the slave trade so much then why do you contribute to it?” “I don’t really contribute to it.” “Of course you do, Noriko. Don’t try to sugarcoat it.” He shook his head slowly and gave her a bitter smile. “I contribute to it because I didn’t get into Harvard or Yale. I have to live so I do what’s required. A slave’s son has limited career choices, Susan. Any other questions?” She stared at him with a mixture of annoyance and pity. He hated that look. He must have crossed the rude line again calling her by her first name, but she’d started it. 7

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“I’m sorry. I really am. I’ve worked with people just like you before so I do understand what drives you. But just because you had a hard time in life doesn’t mean you have to be a prick. You may be a resourceful and talented bounty hunter but I have to admit, I don’t like you very much as a person.” She looked away and resumed staring out the window. The conversation fell into an awkward silence just as the engines revved higher. They’d begun lifting off the pad. He wished he knew what to say to smooth things over between them but decided he’d be better off not saying anything. So Noriko closed his eyes once again and vowed to sleep until they landed. **** Susan woke up to the terror of the shuttle jerking violently. She turned to the Kirillian bounty hunter on her left. What was his name again? Noriko, yeah that was it. His handsome face was cold, detached; like he could live or die and it was all the same to him. “What’s happening?” she asked. “We’re passing through some strong solar winds. It’s disrupting the magnetic field of Kiern. They’re common this time of year.” “Aren’t they dangerous?” “Only to those of us trapped in this tin can.” The cabin lights went out enveloping them in darkness. Complete terror filled her. “Okay,” Susan said, trying to swallow what little spit she had. “I’m really scared now.” Noriko’s big, warm hand slid into hers and squeezed. That simple gesture by a stranger filled her with a second of comfort. “Don’t be. If we’re going to crash, you won’t feel anything. It’s a very quick death.” Susan’s throat went sandpaper dry. “Oh God.” Her heart fluttered in panic. Noriko leaned in and a gust of hot breath 8

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moved across her lips. What’s going on? What’s happening? Is he seriously going to make a pass now? The bounty hunter was close, very close and Susan wasn’t quite sure what he was planning. Then there was a horrible dropping sensation. Her stomach felt like it had relocated to her chest. The bounty hunter caressed his lips across hers. He pressed them hard into her as his tongue tickled the threshold of her mouth. She was so frightened and shocked she couldn’t react. “Goodbye, Susan,” he said in a deep, sensuous voice. He sounded like they were safely in a bedroom together and not about to plunge to their deaths. He must be crazy. “I don’t want to die.” The bounty hunter smiled just before all the lights went completely out. “Don’t worry, honey, I’ll see to it that you don’t.”

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Chapter 2 Susan came to with a pain in her forehead and a horrible ache in her leg. She swallowed the anguish and forced herself to move the leg. It hurt like crazy but thank goodness it wasn’t broken. She blinked a few times trying to remember what had happened when it all came rushing back. The last thing she remembered was the lights going out and the sensation of falling. Oh yeah, and there was a kiss too, wasn’t there? She glanced around trying to figure out where she was but all she could see was jungle and twisted shuttle parts. Bracing herself against a rock, she tried to sit up but the world started spinning. “Take it easy. There was a nasty crash. You’ve got a concussion.” It was a man’s voice and vaguely familiar. She eased back down and wished her growing headache would subside. “Where are we?” “We crash-landed on one of the Kirillian satellite planets. Unfortunately we are the only survivors.” Susan forgot about the pain in her leg and head for a moment and stared at him. “Oh my gosh! Are you kidding?” “I wish I was.” “Are you completely sure everyone’s dead?” “I’m sure.” 10

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“I can’t believe this. I can’t be stranded here! I have work to do. Do you think the Kirillian government will send rescue?” Noriko scratched under his chin. “Not likely.” He looked over his shoulder at the scattered remains of the shuttle. “They’ll assume everyone was killed.” “I can’t believe they won’t even send a ship to try to find an ambassador. I’d like to think I have some importance to the government. Won’t they even send a crew to investigate the crash?” “No, they won’t. You’re more of a problem to the government than a help. They’re not going to send a rescue for you or anyone else on that busted-up shuttle. Sorry, Susan, but you’re not worth that kind of money and effort to them. Not you, not me, nor any of the other people onboard with us. I’m afraid we’re on our own.” Susan had been cultivating a dislike for this man before, but now she really hated him. He was being so casual and nonchalant that she wanted to plant her fist in his rugged, handsome face. Too bad she prided herself on being antiviolent. “You don’t seem too concerned with our predicament,” she complained while tenderly touching the cut on her head. She brought her fingers away and was surprised to see it wasn’t actively bleeding. Noriko must have cleaned her up before she came to. Nice gesture but it didn’t change how she felt about him. “We’ll be okay. As a bounty hunter, I’m used to spending time in less than comfortable conditions.” He came closer and crouched next to her. A rush of heat warmed her cheeks and she was suddenly a little nervous. He gave off a smoldering, sexy energy she’d never experienced before. It was interesting that he could turn her on even feeling as lousy as she did. 11

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“How’s your head?” Susan met his gaze and couldn’t look away. His dark eyes were hypnotic and hid a deep, mean cunning that she was strangely drawn to. The realization that she was this attracted to him angered her. “I think I’m okay.” Her words came out slow and halting, like she was trying to remember how to talk. “I hope so,” he said softly, brushing a small lock of hair from her forehead. His fingertips were warm and gentle. “Sometimes head wounds can be tricky.” He left her and went over to where he’d been building a fire. He nursed small flames along with a stick and glanced at the sky. “It’s going to be dark soon. Unfortunately it’ll be too dangerous to travel because of predators. We’ll camp here by the wreckage and start moving in the morning.” Susan moved closer to the fire and warmed her hands. “Move to where? Where do you propose we go?” “According to a map I found on the ship’s computer, we’re not unreasonably far from a research station. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a good distance, about a hundred miles from here, but we can make it. Once we get there, we can send a distress signal and hopefully get a supply shuttle to pick us up.” “I thought the Kirillians wouldn’t bother picking us up.” “The supply ships are contract workers. They have to come here once every few months anyway and load up the research station. They won’t mind picking up two additional passengers.” The thought of getting on another shuttle made her queasy but there weren’t many choices. She certainly didn’t want to stay here either. “A hundred miles is a damn long hike. I suppose the terrain is all jungle like this.” He gave her the ghost of a smile that told her everything she needed to know. This journey was going to suck, big time. 12

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She swallowed. “Aren’t predators going to come around here looking for the other…passengers?” “I took care of that. I buried them already.” “You did that all by yourself? How long have I been out?” “About a day.” “Wow. I’m starved. I don’t suppose there’s anything to eat.” He handed her a cooked animal that looked something like a rabbit. She sniffed it and frowned. “What is this?” His dark almond-shaped eyes searched her face. He seemed to be amused. “Edible. I caught it this morning. They make for good eating.” She tentatively bit into the meat and was grateful that it was tasty. It was a little gamey perhaps, but as he had said, edible. She paused between mouthfuls. “At the risk of sounding cliché, may I ask you a question?” He grunted so she just took that as a yes. “Why did you kiss me when it went dark on the ship and we were going down?” Noriko shrugged. “I was certain we were going to die. It got my mind off things.” He grinned. “Maybe I just wanted that kiss to be the last memory I had of life.” “That’s very flattering.” He smiled. “Are you upset?” She considered the question for a few moments. “No. It would have been a great last memory. But as luck would have it, it wasn’t. Thank heavens we made it.” “Don’t hold your breath. We’re not off this planet yet.” “Please don’t tell me I’m going to regret surviving the crash. I really don’t want to end my days being eaten by some alien beast.” His eyes sparkled with dark mischief. “I’ll do what I can to protect you, but I’m not making any promises.” 13

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“If you’re trying to make me feel better, it’s not working.” “How about this? If you get snatched by a predator, I’ll put a homemade spear in you before he takes the first bite.” “Well I must admit I never realized how thoughtful you are. Thank you so much. And if you get snatched first?” “I’d expect the same courtesy.” “I’m so excited I don’t know what to say. Hmmm…at least maybe I can look forward to not surviving long enough to be eaten alive.” Noriko laughed. “It’s the least I can do for a lady.” “Yeah, the very least.”

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Chapter 3 The jungle was one of the most pristine wildernesses Noriko had ever seen. It teemed with both animal and plant life which made hunting easy. He snared a few medium-sized creatures before dawn that resembled deer and brought them back to cook. As he entered the crude camp he’d set up for them, he could feel Susan watching him. He put down the game and glanced at her feeling uncomfortable. He wondered what she was thinking. Did she find him as attractive as he found her? He threw some more wood on the small fire and set up a spit in the middle. Then he took out his buck knife and skinned and gutted the kills. Susan watched him the whole time with a quiet scrutiny. “Something wrong?” he asked. She graced him with a warm smile and he was surprised at how happy it made him. “No,” she said softly. “You’re just fascinating. I mean, here we are in the middle of nowhere and you seem more comfortable out here than you did on the shuttle.” “I am.” “Why?” “It’s simpler out here. You hunt, you kill, and you work to stay alive. You can’t get much easier than that.” 15

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She shook her head in admiration. “I guess you have a point. Thank goodness one of us can survive with almost nothing. I’m afraid I’m not much of a hunter.” “No you’re a talker.” He skewered the meat on a stick and held it out to her. “Can you cook?” She hesitated then took the stick. “Sure but I’ve never cooked over an open flame. I can’t make any promises on how it’s going to turn out. I guess there’s a first time for everything.” While Susan cooked their dinner, Noriko searched the area for better shelter. He didn’t find much but lots of brush and short palm-like trees. They wouldn’t be much use when the temperature dropped at night. He returned to the wreckage and found a large piece of fuselage with a few seats still intact. He cleared out all the wreckage and made them a decent bed which he elevated off the ground. As he worked his thoughts kept coming back to Susan. What a strange twist of fate this was. Noriko wouldn’t admit it out loud but he was secretly delighted to meet her on the shuttle. He’d been hearing about her work to help human slaves off Kirillia for years but never thought he’d be so lucky as to actually meet the woman responsible. He thought back to how critical he’d been and was ashamed. After all, this was a woman who’d been imprisoned and risked her life on many occasions. He should have treated her with more respect. He’d just have to find a way to make it up to her, but more importantly, he had to keep her safe and get her out of here so she could continue helping others. He returned to the camp to find her delicately tearing a piece of meat off their meal to ensure it was cooked through. Noriko sat next to her and crossed his legs.

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She offered him two skewers with meat roasted to a golden brown. They looked delicious and his stomach grumbled eagerly. “I didn’t have any seasoning,” she said in apology. He wolfed down a few big bites. “It doesn’t need any.” He glanced at her watching him and gestured for her to eat too. After they’d finished their meal, he helped Susan to her feet. Noriko placed his hand in hers. He wasn’t normally this affectionate with women he barely knew but he sensed Susan needed a little comfort. As soon as his hand closed around hers, a rush of warmth radiated from the contact and he was consumed by a fierce and untamed lust. The sexual charge caused him to hesitate for a second. “Come, I want to show you where we’ll sleep tonight.” Susan followed him keeping her hand in his. He wanted to read so much into that, wanted to believe she felt something new and unexpected with him, but knew that was foolish. He was a former slave who made his living off the misery of others. He was nowhere near in the same league as her. “Wow,” she said, staring at the tiny bedroom he’d made. “This is really impressive.” She turned and smiled at him and his emotions were so jumbled and confused he had to look away. “But it’s kind of small for the two of us.” He forced himself to meet her gaze. “We’ll make it work. It gets cold at night. The closeness will help keep us warm.” She let go of his grip and ran her hands up and down her arms. “Yeah, I can feel the temperature dropping already.” She cast a nervous look at the shelter. “Guess I’ll just go in then.” Susan took a quick, shy glance at Noriko and headed into the shelter. 17

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The inside of the shelter was larger than it appeared from the outside. Susan was just getting comfortable inside when she noticed Noriko removing his clothes. He peeled his shirt off revealing a magnificent torso sculptured in thick, detailed muscles. Plump veins crisscrossed his arms in places giving him a robust, virile appearance. His heavy pectorals flexed and twitched with the graceful movement of his heavy arms. Susan was both aroused and stunned by the size of him. Most Asian men, even the fittest ones, didn’t usually have a big frame like Noriko. There was certainly no doubt about him being halfKirillian. He was so imposing her heart fluttered in her chest. A nervous glow moistened her upper lip. “Um, why are you taking your clothes off?” Noriko settled into the bed next to her. “We need to keep warm to prevent hypothermia. The best way to do that is body heat. Nothing beats skin-to-skin contact.” Whew, he’s already giving off a bunch of heat. “Oh.” She swallowed and tried to collect her thoughts. Rational thought proved harder with this gorgeous, hulking bounty hunter inches from her thrilling body. “Take your shirt off,” he said in a voice rich and savory like dark chocolate. His tone caressed over her skin and pierced a carefully crafted emotional shell. She was feeling lost and alone; a woman at the mercy of her long-denied wanton desires. Susan wasn’t a prude but this was very uncomfortable. He was proposing she get partially naked with him, a man she barely knew. But she couldn’t think of a reason not to do it. After all, this was for their survival. He wasn’t trying to seduce her, was he? Wouldn’t she be assuming a lot by thinking this was some sort of crude pass? If she refused and he laughed at her modesty in their present situation she’d be really embarrassed. She was supposed to be a worldly 18

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ambassador, not some silly adolescent. So she took a deep, sobering breath and peeled her shirt off. Gratefully, she sank into the thermal blanket he’d pulled over both of them. He spooned against her body and wrapped his arms around her. His hard, warm chest pressed against her back. Then he shifted, unfastened his pants and removed both them and his briefs. He tossed them on a broken seat nearby. Susan wanted to wrench away and ask him what the deal was but he seemed to have fallen asleep right away. He was way too close for comfort. She was starting to sweat but not from the body heat. Susan sure hoped he didn’t think she was stripping naked like that. With barely contained panic, she waited to see if he was playing possum. An hour passed and all she heard was his slow, steady breathing behind her. Finally, after what seemed like hours, she was able to relax and doze off too. **** Susan woke up wrapped tightly in Noriko’s arms. A slow, smoky hunger settled into the lower part of her body and radiated up her spine. His embrace was warm and comforting in a strange place so far from anything familiar. They were still in the same position; she curled on her right side and he pressed close behind her with his arms wrapped around her ribs. His semierect cock rested against her butt making her acutely aware of his nakedness. His scent was mild but earthy; the musk of turned soil mixed with the aroma of newly milled pine. She drew it into her lungs and teased out its subtleties marveling at how decadent it made her feel. It had been at least two or three years since she’d been with a man. She hadn’t thought she’d missed it. But suddenly here, in this strange and alien place with this man she barely knew, a need was born. The desire 19

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started as a vague thing that nagged but made no definite demands. She tried to fall back asleep and forget it. Time slowed to a crawl. Every breath he exhaled against her ear sent tiny sparks of pleasure down her neck and aroused her nipples. Her sex grew hot and moist as visions of his cock touching her grew ever more vivid in her mind. In her vision he was probing, pushing, filling her up and pleasuring her. She cursed the fact she hadn’t taken her pants off too because she longed to feel more of his flesh against hers. As slowly as she could, she unfastened her pants and eased them down her legs. To her great relief, it didn’t wake him up. She scooted her bottom back and was suddenly jabbed in the butt by his now fully erect cock. He had to be awake. Her heart sped up and her cheeks burned. Thank goodness she was facing away from him. His big rough hand touched her bare thigh and caressed it. Susan was so embarrassed. What if he thinks I’m trying to make a pass which I apparently am? A million excuses filled her head but she didn’t say anything. She didn’t want to spoil this quiet, serene moment between them. His hand continued to stroke and explore until he reached the border of her panties where he paused. Her flesh was so hot it felt like it might catch fire. Her pussy ached with a torturous hunger that could only be relieved by hard and relentless pounding. She wanted him. It didn’t matter if it was right or wrong or that they barely knew each other, her need outstripped any and all inhibitions. The only thing left was instinct. His delicate touch found her throbbing center and tickled the swollen bud of her clit. Susan gasped and opened her legs wider so he could explore her at will. He didn’t disappoint. His teasing became a game as he took control of her body like no other man ever had. His caresses were light and airy, as if he thought any harder pressure might cool her desire. But 20

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stopping him was the furthest thing from her mind. She gave herself to him wordlessly, freely, finding wants inside herself she never imagined possible. He moved her panties aside and pushed the head of his cock against the threshold of her sweet agony. A few seams from the garment popped under the strain. Her body became even slicker, inviting him inside by softening for his invasion. A little pressure was all it took. He pierced her to the core, gliding until he was buried to the root inside but he didn’t thrust. Then those magic fingers settled over her hard, tender button and played her hunger like it was a musical instrument at the hands of a master. She moaned and whimpered; his slave in virtually every way he wanted until the lust became more than she could stand. Pleasure devoured her, an ecstasy so raw and pure it overshadowed every sexual experience that had come before it. Her cries were loud, filling the quiet of their modest shelter as they wrung out the last notes of tenderness from her trembling body. Then, wordlessly, he gripped her hips and moved his rod back and forth inside her. Her pussy eagerly took in his length, massaging his thick shaft with muscles still in spasm from her recent orgasm. His masculine grunts were primal, fueling a fresh hunger deep inside her. He took possession of her with strong hands and a hot tongue, dragging fierce kisses along her shoulders and back. He took his desire, pleasing her just as much as himself until both of them were deeply satisfied. She thought about turning to face him, of saying something about what they’d just shared but there were no words necessary. Susan wondered if this was going to change anything between them but then she realized it already had. The only question was would the change be a good or a bad one? 21

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Chapter 4 The nightmare was the most vivid one Noriko had ever had. It began with him as a child, frightened and segregated from his mother in a small room with no windows. His slave master, a Kirillian man with a jagged scar along the side of his mouth, was telling him over and over again how worthless he was as he beat him. You are a slave now, half-breed, he’d say, and that’s all you’ll be until the day you die. The beating seemed to go on for an eternity. Then the bad dream stopped as abruptly as it began and changed into something more serene. In his dream, Noriko dared to look up and was greeted by the angelic face of Susan. Somehow, in that disjointed way dreams have, she had chased the slave master away and was crouching down to see how he was. Noriko threw his arms around her. As the haze of sleep started melting away he realized that he was no longer a slave child, but a grown man. He awoke confused and disoriented as he blinked away the mental cobwebs. Susan was there asleep next to him. A wild passion stirred inside, a rush of emotion like nothing he’d ever felt before. Memories of making love to her rushed back and he was so overcome with hunger and desire it frightened him. Could he have a crush on this woman he just met? Was the great emotional void inside him so empty that it drank in any small kindness? Nothing made any sense but he knew one 23

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thing for sure, he was definitely taken with her. The whys and hows didn’t really seem to matter. Susan stretched and rolled over, her eyes warm but guarded. “Good morning.” Noriko didn’t answer at first because he was so hypnotized by her beauty. It wasn’t her traditional attractiveness that captivated him but that deeper loveliness; the fragility of her smile, the tenderness of her voice, the softness of her movements. He wanted her more than he’d ever wanted anything in his life. He wanted everything from her; her attention, love, and unquenchable desire. Her eyelashes closed and a soft blush colored her cheeks. He guessed his silence was leaving her confused about what had happened between them. An ache in his chest made him want to comfort her. Noriko took her face in his hands and pressed light kisses along her forehead, nose and cheeks. She giggled and squirmed. “You’re so odd,” she said playfully. “I am.” Her face turned serious. “You don’t regret what happened last night, do you?” He brushed a lock of hair from her right eye. “Never.” She grinned and nodded. She seemed satisfied with that for now. “So what’s the plan to get out of here?” “I’ve plotted our route to the research station using the surrounding planets. It won’t be easy, there’s a lot of rough terrain to cover but we’ll make it.” “I heard you mumbling in your sleep. You seemed really upset. Are you okay?” “Never better. Just bad memories,” he said, tracing the outline of her lips with his fingertip. Hunger scalded him, pushing him to want more, much, much more. Before she could ask any more questions, he pulled her against him and 24

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kissed her. The kiss was light and tender at first, but as his need savaged him, it became darker and more primal. His hands caressed her body, massaging her breasts and stroking her flesh. His very soul seemed to catch on fire. She moaned softly into his mouth driving him to a new level of carnal want. She gently pushed on his chest and he broke the kiss. “So much has happened over the past twenty-four hours. I’m sorry. I guess I’m feeling rather overwhelmed.” Noriko didn’t question her, he just let her go. He understood. She probably didn’t want to get too emotionally involved with a man who betrayed his own people for profit. He didn’t blame her. He wouldn’t want anything to do with him either. He left her and began packing up the things they would be taking with them. She watched him. He imagined she was trying to read his emotions but Noriko had years of practice hiding those. She’d get nothing from him. When he’d packed up all the equipment, he glanced back at her. “Ready to go?” “Yeah,” she said. Her voice sounded lost and melancholy. “I guess I’m as ready as I’ll ever be.”

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Chapter 5 The going was hot and miserable. Susan considered herself fairly fit but hiking through dense jungle was much worse than she envisioned. She tripped over a cluster of vines and went down with a muttered curse. She was sure something venomous was going to take a bite out of her at any moment. Terrified of being attacked by a creature unseen in the brush, Susan scrambled frantically to her feet. Noriko was at her side in a moment and helped steady her. “What happened back there? Are you all right? Do you need to take a break?” “I’m okay but a break would be good, yeah,” she said, easing down on a fallen log. “I don’t know how you can hack your way through this mess so fast.” “I just focus on other, more pleasant things.” She laughed. “We’ve crashed on a tiny, crappy moon thousands of miles from the nearest help. I’d love to know what kind of more pleasant things. Please tell me. I’m dying for a diversion.” He met her gaze for a full minute before answering. “You.” The smile dropped from her face. “That’s a surprise. I thought you hated me.” “What made you think that?” 26

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“Oh, I don’t know. The fact that you barely speak to me and that comment you made on the shuttle before we ended up here.” “I don’t hate you.” “Well,” she said, exhaling, “that’s good to know but you’re probably just saying that because I slept with you.” “I wouldn’t lie just because we got together.” He reached into his backpack and took out a few dried pieces of meat. He handed her some and she ate it. It was a little tough but not too bad. Sure as heck beat starving. “You’re wrong about me. I have a great deal of admiration for you.” “Me?” That sure was news to her. After some of the piercing looks she’d gotten from him, she was sure he couldn’t stand her. “Why?” “Because of your work. All the things you’ve done to free the Kirillian slaves. That’s hard, dangerous stuff.” “But you said you didn’t think I was doing a very good job.” He nodded squinting off through the jungle. “I’m sorry. My comments were uncalled for. I’m a little bitter over what happened when I was young. I mean…I just wish you’d been able to help my mother before she ended her life.” Susan’s stomach twisted into a knot of sorrow. It was a reminder that there were so many more people that needed her help than she could ever possibly reach. She placed a hand on his back. “I’m really sorry about her, Noriko. I wish I could have helped her too.” Noriko placed the back of his hand on her cheek and stroked her affectionately. “That’s kind of you to say.” An unexpected rush of desire fired her blood and she reached out, took his hand from her face and kissed the palm. 27

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She let her lips linger there because she couldn’t bear to take them away. Noriko took her face in his hands and kissed her. The kiss was both sweet and carnal all at once. It conveyed affection but hidden beneath its depths was a current of feral hunger that frightened and excited her. He pulled her against him, his kisses tearing from her lips to forge a heated trail down her throat. Susan leaned her head back and sighed. His lips roamed back up and grazed her face never pushing too hard. There was sorcery in his kisses with their erotic tenderness and heated breath. She wanted him to kiss her forever, the rest of the world be damned. But even in this quiet moment of romantic bliss, a part of her was reserved and guarded. She’d seen Noriko’s kind before, bounty hunters, rogues, and villains, all. They were the kind of men who never allowed anyone to get too close. Heartless users of women, they drew a woman in with kind words and sweetness only to plunder their hearts and cast them aside when they grew bored. Susan didn’t know Noriko but her bodyguard had told her of his romantic exploits. Many women claimed to have loved him only to be rejected soon after the affair began. To Susan, men like that were too immature to settle down with any woman. A memory came, quiet and unbidden in a flash of pictures. She remembered her mother’s desperate pleas as she begged Susan’s father not to leave them. Susan could see his expression like he was standing in front of her once again. His face stern and cold, the mean set to his mouth, the squinty disdain of his eyes. She wanted to scream at him, to ask him why he left their family impoverished and wanting but there were no answers. As her mother had told her a few years 28

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later, some men had a hard time opening their souls to anyone. It was the rare woman indeed who really found love. Noriko’s caresses were mining her desperate hunger, skillfully seducing her in a place she found both threatening and distasteful. But despite her surroundings, she wanted him, wanted him with a harsh desperation that seriously worried her. She shouldn’t have had sex with him. It was apparent she’d been much too lonely and vulnerable after the crash. She felt reckless and stupid. She should have never let this happen. Now she wanted him all the time. His hands glided under her shirt and caressed her back. The feel of his flesh against hers was arousing and doubts that had once lingered on the edges of her mind began to evaporate. “We should keep going,” she whispered against his cheek. Noriko’s hands and lips seared passion into her needful body. She was being changed by the growing need within her. Would she be able to stop the passion she’d accidently set free? A loud rustling in the woods broke the serenity of their moment. It sounded like it came from somewhere to their right. Noriko grabbed Susan and pulled her behind a few thick bushes. Spiked by fear, her heart thundered in her chest as she tried to get a glimpse at what could have come so close to them. To her shock, two men emerged from the brush. They both appeared to be human. They had scraggly beards and wore dusty utility shorts and olive green hunting jackets. The shorter of the two had infrared glasses over his eyes. She guessed he was the one who’d spotted them before the other man. Shorty raised his weapon and pointed it toward them. Using a tense, iron grip, Noriko pulled Susan further back. 29

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Shorty rested his finger on the trigger. “Come out from that bush or I’ll blast you both.” His voice had the scratchy quality of someone who’d smoked all his life. Noriko emerged first. He was careful to keep himself between the intruders and Susan. The two men looked as surprised to find them as her and Noriko were to be found. Shorty took his glasses off revealing a pale, sickly looking face with pudgy cheeks. He squinted at them like he didn’t see as well without his special glasses. “Who the hell are you people? How did you get here?” Susan rose but stayed behind Noriko. He reached back and squeezed her hand. She took it to mean he wanted to do all the talking which was fine with her. “We crash-landed a few miles from here. There were no other survivors. We were trying to reach someplace where we might get help.” The other man, a thin, hatchet-faced gentleman, scratched his head. “You’ve got a hell of a trek.” “How did you two get here? You weren’t on our ship. Do you guys have a ship nearby? Maybe we could use your transmitter to call for help,” Noriko asked. The men glanced at each other. “No, we don’t have no ship. We paid a transport company to drop us off.” There was a long, tense silence that followed. It seemed to Susan, Noriko was taking great pains not to look too close at the men’s weapons. She was no expert by any stretch, but they definitely didn’t look like legal hunting weapons. From the signs she’d read posted at the spaceport before they left, trophy hunting was strictly prohibited in this sector of the galaxy. But that didn’t stop the wealthy from hiring unscrupulous guides to take them on forbidden trips or the greedy from trying their luck at a quick payday. 30

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What miserable luck. Leave it to her and Noriko to run into poachers. This was a very touchy situation indeed. Noriko ran his gaze up and down the men. It was a cool, icy look like the way a predator would size up its next meal. The men shifted uncomfortably. “Do you guys have some food you’d be willing to share?” The two men seemed taken off-guard by Noriko’s request. After a few long minutes, they lowered their weapons and relaxed a little. Shorty grinned. “Just what we’ve managed to shoot in this craphole. I’m afraid it’s not much.” “Things will probably get easier if we all help each other,” Noriko said. “What do you say?” They two men didn’t want a fight; they just wanted to poach something that would make their trip out here worth it. Fighting a big bounty hunter like Noriko definitely didn’t seem to be on their agenda. Shorty lowered his weapon and gave a casual shrug. “Sure. We can share what we got as long as you guys are willing to return the favor.” Noriko smiled and its coldness chilled her. “We’d be happy to.” **** When morning came Susan woke early but didn’t get up right away. In the building light, she watched Noriko as he prowled the camp packing up things. His body was long, lean and powerful. Even under his dark clothes she could see hints of his thick chest and knotted arms. There was beauty in his power; a hidden danger that both teased and invited closer scrutiny. Her eyes surprised her with their lusty greed. Unable to avert her gaze, Susan studied him like a piece of famous art in a gallery. Her mind drank in the honeyed tone of 31

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his flesh; the curious catlike appearance of his eyes and the humming energy of his raw sexuality. How many women before her had fallen in love with this brooding, mysterious man? Had he used them like toys in a playroom then left them feeling cold and empty? Susan tried to get a better sense of the man she had recently made love to but just couldn’t. What if she had made a mistake in falling for him? What if there was no way to reach this man’s blackened heart? If she was smart she would just get a hold of her emotions and write off the sex as an unfortunate mistake. But, no matter what the truth was, if he wanted her again she’d give herself freely. Susan just couldn’t stop herself. She was enchanted, devoured and consumed by her lust for Noriko. What was there left to do but surrender? He turned around and those dark eyes tore right into her. “You’re staring at me.” “Am I? Sorry, I was just thinking about all kinds of stuff.” “Like what?” She tried to lift her mouth into a smile but it failed. “I was kind of wondering if you’ve ever been in love.” His expression was stone as he sat on the ground next to her. “Hmm…as far as I know of love, I’ve only fallen once.” That had really hurt. His words cut her to the bone. So there was someone who’d managed to get through to him. For a moment it was hard to inhale. “What was it like? Being in love, I mean?” His gaze roamed over her face stopping at her lips. “It was like being burned alive in a bonfire.” Susan nodded. She knew that feeling well. “Was she beautiful?” “To me she was, breathtakingly so.” “What was her name?” 32

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Noriko smiled mysteriously. He wasn’t going to give anything away. She was such a fool for falling for him. Susan tried to swallow but her throat was too dry. “If she was so wonderful, why didn’t you marry her?” The mysterious smile grew wider and lifted the corners of his mouth. “I’m not exactly the marrying kind. Besides, I don’t think she’d have me in that way.” Susan blinked trying to break the spell Noriko had suddenly cast upon her. “Oh. Listen, I’m going to get some water from the stream. I think there are enough animal bones and bits of meat left from last night’s meal to make a wild game stew for breakfast.” She got up and grabbed the small iron pot. “I’ll be right back.” “Wait up,” he said, standing and dusting himself off. “I’ll come with you.” “Suit yourself.” She tried to sound nonchalant but inside she was grateful he was so overprotective. She couldn’t help but wonder what this new possessiveness meant. Did he see them as more than just two people enjoying each other once in a while? Susan wasn’t sure how she felt about that. Oh sure, she was glad he was aggressively looking out for her but did she want to be saddled with this man for a long period of time? If she kept getting close to him, he’d only rip her heart to shreds. After all, he’d just told her he had feelings for someone else and it wasn’t like he was easy to talk to. She decided to try and clarify matters. Susan crouched on the bank of the river and filled both her canteen and his. “I have to admit, I’m a little surprised about this woman you say you are in love with. I didn’t think of you as the romantic kind.” “Sometimes people surprise you.” “I’ll say. And by the way, how come you’re being so protective? I thought you were no big fan of mine.” 33

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He sat higher on the bank and picked up a twig. He pulled a few dead leaves off the protruding branches. “You’ve grown on me, remember? We’ve already talked about that.” “So what does that mean for when we get back?” “I don’t follow you.” She finished filling the canteens and slung them over her shoulder. “Do you want to continue this relationship when we get back to civilization?” “What relationship? So far all we’ve done is fuck.” His nastiness stung. She tried to look indifferent even though her heart was aching from how cheap the comment made her feel. “Oh, okay.” She hiked up the bank to get back to camp. His black eyes studied her. He stood to block her path. Susan gave him a weary look. “Don’t try to get romantic here. I’m not sleeping with you while we’re stuck with those two poachers.” “Do you want our relationship to continue when we get back? Do you want it to change?” “What relationship? We don’t have a relationship, remember? Do I like sleeping with you? Sure. Would I consider doing it when we’re back home safe and sound? I doubt it.” “Why not?” “Because you’re a jerk and I don’t like you very much. I’m sorry I slept with you in the first place.” “You liked me enough to fuck my brains out just the other night.” Susan let out a curt laugh. “So what does that mean? I was physically attracted to you. I’m sure legions of women are. Now I see what a big mistake that was. You don’t give a crap about anyone and you’ve made it clear you don’t want any attachments. Well, with me anyway. Message received.” 34

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“I didn’t say I didn’t want any. I just meant I don’t know how to deal with attachments. I’ve never had any.” “Nor are you likely to. Please get out of my way.” “No.” Noriko grabbed her and pulled her into a strong embrace. Susan didn’t want this from him right now. She was still very pissed and hurt. He tried to kiss her but she turned her head away. She dug her fingers into his arms trying to pry them from around her. “Don’t.” He didn’t listen. Instead he covered her lips with his. For a moment, she yielded to him, and then fear took hold of her emotions. He was playing with her and didn’t want to mess up a good thing. She broke the kiss. “Please let me go.” He stared into her face, those black eyes studying and absorbing her. Susan found his gaze unreadable, like a pair of tiny stones glistening in a riverbed. “I’m sorry,” he said. “But I like what we have and I want to keep it going.” “Do you? Well I’m glad to be of service. But right now, I don’t want you touching me. Now please let me go.” He let her go slowly, grudgingly. Then they made their way back to the camp.

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Chapter 6 Susan prepared their meal praying the poachers wouldn’t come over and talk to her. She had a lot to figure out. Her relationship with Noriko was not only painful but also difficult. If she was brutally honest with herself, she could admit that she liked him more than she should. She’d even thought about a future with him. But Susan knew from watching friends and coworkers that loving a man like him meant heartache. Men like that didn’t stay, they moved on when they got restless and she wasn’t interested in being devastated like that. To make matters worse, Susan had never been lucky in the love department. She guessed it was because she never let anyone get close enough. She told herself it was because of her work, it demanded everything she could give. But the truth was somewhat murkier than that. Some brave men had tried to thaw her heart, but every time they got close and she felt in danger of losing herself, she’d do something that sabotaged it. Kind of like now. Or was it? There was plenty to object to when considering a real relationship with Noriko. He was what her mother would have referred to as human trash. Not the kind of man she should keep around and certainly not the kind she should marry. Susan didn’t like to believe she saw the blue collar 36

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professions like bounty hunters that way but she did. Well, she didn’t see them as low as trash, but they definitely weren’t her first choice for a mate. The revelation shamed her. She’d always considered herself so democratic. Her true feelings also made it clear that she was keeping a wall up between her and Noriko. She was holding him at bay because she didn’t know how to let her guard down and let someone in. What if he broke her heart? She would be devastated and didn’t know if she had the strength to get over him. For years her whole world was her work. Susan had friends, and even some close ones, but no one had stormed into her heart like Noriko. He was what she always referred to as a walking wounded; a man scarred from both his past and his present. He was a person to be avoided. But there were other parts to him too. He could be warm, affectionate and loving. If she stayed with him maybe she could bring those things to the surface. Perhaps he could bury the many sorrows of his past. The question was would he be worth it? She looked up from her food preparation to study him. He was crouching by the edge of the camp sharpening a stick into a hunting spear. To her surprise, he was staring at her. Their eyes met for a moment and Susan’s cheeks burned with embarrassment. She averted her gaze and went right back to focusing on the meal at hand. The shorter of the two poachers took a seat next to her and smiled. Susan didn’t feel threatened but he was a little closer than she was comfortable with. “Hi. I don’t think I formally introduced myself. My name’s Tim.” “Susan.” They shook hands briefly. 37

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Tim glared at Noriko who was studying them while he worked on another spear. “Do you mind if I ask you a question?” She shrugged not wanting to seem too friendly. “Are you and that Kirillian really a couple?” “Yeah, sure. Why?” The poacher’s gaze moved down her body. Now she was getting nervous. “Just because you two seem to be trying to avoid each other. Most couples I’ve seen try to stay close to each other, not keep their distance.” “There are some issues we don’t agree on.” “Like what?” Susan sighed. “It’s private. I’d really rather not discuss it.” Noriko came over. His handsome face had taken on a dark, brooding quality that made Susan’s pulse race. “Are you bothering my lady?” The poacher glared up at him. “I’m just talking to her, friend. As far as I know, there’s no harm in that.” Noriko tensed and planted the tip of the spear in the dirt nearby. “First of all, I’m not your friend. Second, I’m asking her, not you.” Susan stared at Noriko surprised by his attitude. “He’s not bothering me. We’re just talking.” Noriko pierced the poacher with an acid stare. “I overhead a few words I didn’t really like and I’ll be damned if you weren’t talking about me.” The poacher stood. It only highlighted how much shorter he was than Noriko. He balled his fists but kept them at his sides. “I was just having a conversation with Susan, that’s all. I wasn’t trashing you, if that’s what’s up your ass.” Noriko took a step forward putting the two men face-toface. “I don’t care if the two of you were comparing cat breeds. Stop trying to buddy up to her. It’s really pissing me 38

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off and the next time you do it, I won’t be so friendly. The next time I’ll just smash your face in.” Susan stood and tried to get between them. Maybe she could ease some of the tension. “He’s not trying to buddy up to me, Noriko. You’re overreacting. And what’s worse is you have no right to be acting so possessive. We are not a couple.” That got the poacher’s attention. “You’re not?” “Susan is confused. Yes we are,” Noriko said. His arms tensed like he was going to throw a punch. “We just happen to be fighting right now.” “You’re crazy! We are not a couple!” Susan shouted, surprised by her own anger. Noriko turned on her. “Oh really? If you didn’t want to be with me, then why did you seduce me in the first place?” “Seduce you?” she said incredulously. “What else would you call playing with my cock in the middle of the night? Or maybe it doesn’t matter who you feel up. Is that standard operating procedure for you or what?” Her mouth fell open. She knew he was an asshole but this? This was too much. “I’ll admit that I was attracted to you before I knew what a huge prick you were. But now that I’ve had the misfortune to get to know you, I don’t think I like you at all. You are the most obnoxious man I’ve ever met. I regret ever thinking there could be anything between us.” “Well there is something between us.” He flashed Tim a look laced with potent hatred then glanced back at her. “I don’t want us hanging around these two dickheads anymore. Grab your bedroll and let’s go make camp somewhere else. We apparently need to talk.” If Susan had been shocked by his possessiveness before, she was really floored now. “You can’t just march over here and order me around! I am not going anywhere with you.” 39

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“Yeah,” the poacher said. “Why should she take off with you when all you do is treat her like shit?” Noriko’s frown deepened. “Stay out of this, fuckhead.” Susan folded her arms. “Noriko, you need to calm down and—” Before she could finish her sentence, Noriko and Tim went at each other. The two men leaped on each other throwing punches in a flurry of uncontrolled violence. But it soon became apparent that Noriko was a much stronger opponent, throwing the poacher on the ground and kicking him several times in the sides and back. Susan was terrified her lover was going to kill the other man. She grabbed Noriko’s arm and pulled him back but he wouldn’t budge. Finally he stopped for a second to look at her. “What? What’s your problem? Why are you defending this sleaze?” “Because you’re going to kill him. Please stop.” Noriko knelt down and grabbed the other man by the hair. “You’re very lucky, friend. Next time you won’t be.” He pushed the man’s head away in contempt. He stood and turned his attention to Susan. “Now grab your stuff like I told you a few minutes ago. Hurry up and let’s go.” Susan was furious. She wanted to argue and fight but decided he was too wound up to listen to reason. “Okay but don’t hurt Tim anymore. You could have killed him.” “As long as he doesn’t get up for another round, he’ll be just fine.” Tim moaned and rolled on the ground holding his ribs. Susan grabbed her bedroll and hugged it to her chest. She hoped the poacher had heard what Noriko said and, even more important, listened.

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Chapter 7 Noriko stalked quickly through the jungle leading Susan to a remote area away from the poachers. She was angry and wary of him but not so angry she wanted to stay behind with two men she didn’t know. At least she kind of knew Noriko, in as much as he could be known. Once again she regretted letting her desire get the better of her. What was she thinking allowing their relationship to become sexual? Susan wanted to believe that if she had it to do all over again, she’d resist him. But the truth was there even if she hated to accept it; he turned her on like no other man she’d ever met. Too bad she was going to get her heart broken for it. Noriko stopped at a clearing and tossed his equipment on the ground. He started a fire and moved all their stuff near the firelight. He was so angry his body gave off an angry heat that thrilled her. Susan sat down on her rolled-up bedroll and stared at him. His dark eyes locked on hers and seemed to look right through her. “Come here to me,” he commanded. His voice was deep, authoritative, commanding. Susan had never been ordered around by anyone. She was master of her own destiny and she wasn’t about to be any man’s plaything. “No, I’m still really pissed at you.” Noriko folded his arms. “I’m not going to tell you twice.” 41

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Susan rolled his words around in her head for a moment. What was he planning to do? How would he compel her to obey? She decided to call his bluff. “And if I don’t?” He took two long strides over to her. His movements were so quick they made her flinch. He grabbed her right arm and lifted her to her feet then he pulled her into his arms. Susan fought his embrace. With firm but gentle force, he grabbed her jaw and forced her to look into his eyes. “You like the feel of my cock inside you?” he asked. She glared at him and struggled further. “No, I’m sorry I ever started anything with you.” He stole a kiss from her, pressing his lips hard against hers. He broke the kiss and stared down at her again. “Tell me the truth.” Susan relaxed her hands against his chest. She could feel the strong, heavy muscles tense beneath his shirt. Normally she didn’t like men acting possessive, no one owned her. But Noriko’s anger was dangerous and exciting. “Yes.” “Good girl. That’s what I wanted to hear. I love the feel of your snug pussy squeezing tight as I fuck you.” His hot mouth mauled passionate kisses along her cheek then down to her neck. “You’re holding me too tight,” she complained, trying to find a way out of his grip. “I can’t breathe.” It was a lie to buy time. Susan had promised herself she’d at least try to resist him. Noriko bent down and picked her up. He carried her over to his bedroll and laid her down on the soft fabric. Susan tried to force herself to hit and fight but she just couldn’t. He was fierce and demanding and she wanted him all the more for being a jerk to her. I must be deranged. “I lied, I don’t want you,” she whispered in a breathy voice. 42

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In response, Noriko slid his hand past the border of her jeans and into her panties. His fingers moved gently into the swollen petals of her sex to find the moist center. Susan gasped as he worked his fingers through her building excitement. He leaned in close to her ear. “Do you really want me to stop?” Her cheeks burned and she had to look away from him. “No.” Noriko didn’t need any more encouragement than that. He unfastened her pants and yanked them off. Next he impatiently worked her panties off her hips. He lifted her hand and placed it on her swollen pussy lips. “I want you to play with yourself.” Susan had never been with such an aggressive lover. She was ashamed of herself. Why did she like this? The more he took charge, the more excited she became. Every part of her that had thought of stopping him surrendered. She placed her fingers over her sex and touched herself. His eyes blazed with savage lust as he took his cock in his hand. “Faster.” Susan obeyed, moving her fingers over her clit and opening the puffy outer lips so he could see her dark pink center. She wanted him so badly her whole body ached. He moved up over her and guided her hands to his cock. “Put it inside you.” Susan placed the missile head at her wet opening and gasped in pleasure as Noriko pushed in. He devoured and filled her, pushing and kneading his cock into her hungry channel. She gripped onto the solid muscles of his back. “Oh…oh. Mmm.” The pleasure of his invasion came over her in waves. His body was complete delight inside her, seeking out and finding every sweet spot and hidden treasure. Her passion 43

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built unchecked as he pounded relentlessly into her yielding center. New sensations came and went as he worked, causing her to lose all sense of self. She screamed, she pleaded, and eventually she wept. Her tears weren’t out of shame or pain but born from the madness of pure bliss. He rode her over and over again, each time more savage than the last. Then finally, when she was so exhausted she couldn’t speak, he withdrew and lay down next to her. Sleep was coming but Susan fought to keep it off just a little longer. “What was that all about?” “That was to remind you that you’re mine, Susan. I want you to be mine for a very long time. I want to see you swollen with my children and I don’t like you befriending those other men. Do I make myself clear?” A spike of anger woke her up. “Despite what you think and no matter how good the sex is you don’t own me, Noriko. Do I make myself clear? And as far as having children with you, we’ll have to see about that too.” He fell into a frosty silence which Susan didn’t attempt to thaw. After about an hour of being furious and ignoring him, Susan finally went to sleep.

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Chapter 8 The next day brought more relentless travel. They started at the first sign of dawn and hiked through heavy brush for hours. Noriko led the way by slashing and cutting the heavy plants with a machete he’d taken from the poachers. He took frequent breaks not because he was tired, but to check on her. She was painfully aware of how often she’d lagged behind especially over the last two hours. “Do you need another break?” he asked. Susan wiped sweat from her brow with her forearm. She hated to be a burden so she lied. “Oh no, I’m okay.” He must have read the fatigue in her voice because he cleared off an area around a flat rock and gestured for her to take a seat. Susan sat and closed her eyes for a moment as every muscle in her body sighed with relief. Noriko handed her a canteen of water. She took a few measured sips and handed it back. The jungle floor carried the sharp musty smell of rotting vegetation. Noriko was the only good thing that had happened on this trip. How she wished they were anywhere but here. She worked to slow her heavy breathing. “How much longer do you think it will be until we get to the research station?” “At this rate probably a day or two.” “I’m slowing us down, aren’t I? I’m sorry.” 45

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His dark eyes studied her face for a moment. “Don’t be. It doesn’t matter. I’m not in any rush.” She let out a small laugh. “Don’t you have bounties to catch?” “Bounty hunting isn’t a fun thing for me, Susan. It’s what I do to survive.” She picked up a yellow leaf and tore it into small pieces. “You’re a very capable man, Noriko. There are other things you could do.” “Probably, but what’s so wrong with hunting down criminals with a price on their head?” “Some of them might be innocent.” “It’s not my job to determine their guilt or innocence.” She dropped the leaf fragments and ran her hands down her legs. Her muscles still burned from walking for hours. She dreaded getting up. She shook her head trying to shake off her bad mood. “I’m sorry I said that. It was meant to be a joke. I’m not blaming you for what you do. If it wasn’t you, it would be someone else doing it. It’s not fair of me to judge.” He sat on the rock next to her. “Are you still angry over how I treated those poachers?” She smiled at him. “Yes and no. I am a little concerned about your temper though.” His features hardened. “You’re mine, Susan.” “Why? Why do you think that? Is it because I slept with you?” She ran her fingers through her hair. “Oh boy, I didn’t realize sex with you was going to complicate matters so much.” “The sex meant nothing to you?” “I’m not going to lie, of course I enjoy it. But it doesn’t mean you own me. Do you understand that, Noriko? No man owns me.” “Don’t my feelings matter in this?” 46

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“Do you have any feelings other than those below the waist?” Noriko stood and started hacking at the trail. “That’s a cheap shot.” “Maybe, but I have to wonder. You haven’t expressed any emotion other than lust. What am I supposed to think?” “I’ve told you how I feel.” “Have you? All you’ve said is ‘I’m yours’. You didn’t ask me how I felt or if I even wanted to be saddled with you. You just assumed that because I am sexually attracted to you that that is all that matters.” To her surprise, he nodded. “I understand. A woman like you, accomplished, educated probably wants to aim higher than a bounty hunter.” Susan scowled. “Oh please! That’s not why and you know it! You’re not just a sex toy to me.” His face darkened with pain. “I don’t want to talk about this anymore.” Susan stood and fell in behind Noriko. “I didn’t say we couldn’t try—” Before she could finish, Susan’s foot caught on a root and she stumbled forward. She grabbed a low-lying branch and tried to right herself with her other foot when she stepped into a thick mud puddle. “Damn it!” She tried to pull her foot free but the suction was too strong and she ended up planting her other foot in the muck as well. Susan tried to maintain her balance as she sank a few more inches in the pasty goo. “Noriko!” He had his back to her and didn’t seem to hear over the noise of his chopping and cutting. “Noriko!” she repeated, this time she screamed at the top of her lungs. He stopped and turned around. “What’s the matter now?” 47

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“I’m stuck!” He rushed to her side. Susan tried to control her mounting panic. She struggled harder desperate to get free but the more she fought, the deeper she sank. “Hold on, Susan, hold on.” Noriko scanned the area and found a long, thin snake. He lifted the machete high and severed the creature’s head. He coiled it around his hand and brought it over. Susan really wanted out of this quicksand but she really didn’t like where Noriko’s mind was going. “What’s that? What are you doing?” “Grab onto this.” He held onto the severed part of the snake and tossed out the body. The slick skin touched her hand and she recoiled in horror. Her stomach crimped and she shuddered from the feel of the snake. “Oh no, I can’t.” “Susan, this is no time to be prudish. Grab the damn snake!” She tried to force herself to reach out but she couldn’t get over the ick factor. She shook her head and felt the pressure of the quicksand creep over her boots. “Help me!” “I can’t reach you without us both falling in. You need to get a hold of the snake!” She swallowed her revulsion and wrapped one hand around the creature’s cooling flesh. “Ugh! Okay, I have it.” Noriko pulled. Susan’s hand slipped off the animal and she sank a few more inches. “Wait!” The bounty hunter’s eyes narrowed in angry panic. “Listen, Susan, you need to grab the snake with both hands. Understand?” Susan nodded in resignation. If she didn’t get out of here soon, he wouldn’t be able to help her at all. He threw the snake back out to her and this time Susan grabbed it firmly 48

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with both hands. Noriko pulled so hard she was sure the snake was going to tear in two. The thought sent an aggressive wave of nausea through her until she forced it from her mind. A few seconds later, she was being dragged onto firm ground and Noriko was frantically looking her over for any sign of injury. “I’m okay,” Susan said, breathing hard from both fear and exhaustion. “Really.” He grabbed her face and kissed her passionately. “You scared the crap out of me.” She smiled trying to reassure him. “Me, too.” “How are you?” he asked. She nodded. “Other than scared, I’m fine.” She buried her face in his bicep and hugged his arm. “Thank you.” He kissed her softly. “From now on, stay on the trail. If there are any more, I’ll find them first.” He kissed her forehead. “I don’t want to lose you.”

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Chapter 9 “Are you sure you’re okay, Susan?” Noriko asked. He pulled her as far away from the quicksand as possible. He knew it was overkill, that she was out of danger now, but he wanted to be sure. Susan nodded breathing heavily. She held up a hand to stop him. Noriko stopped, feeling a little foolish. He sat down next to her on a patch of short grass and tried to get his thundering heart to slow. “You need to watch where you’re walking.” It was a dumb thing to say but he needed to get it out. She let out a short laugh. “You’re more panicked than I am.” He just shook his head in dismissal. She was safe, that’s all that mattered. He glanced at her and she was smiling at him. “I don’t know what you find so funny.” She removed the canteen from around his shoulder and took a few measured sips. She replaced the cap and gave it back to him. “Nothing’s funny, nothing at all.” She dusted the sand residue off her pants and boots. Noriko leaned in close to help her. She kissed him on the cheek. He grinned despite feeling frazzled. “What was that for?” “Do I need a reason?” 50

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He gazed into her eyes and saw love there. It excited him on several levels. He was always sexually excited by her, even when she was pissing him off, but there was joy in his true feelings for her. She was his first real love and it was exciting. He kissed her on the lips and let the contact linger. Her lips pressed against his, eager to stay close to him. Then she broke the kiss and sat back on her heels. “When did you realize you were attracted to me?” she asked. “The first time I saw you on the shuttle. I knew then.” “You didn’t act like you liked me.” “That’s because I’ve always had a problem talking to women. I always say the wrong thing, or do the wrong thing and they end up not wanting to have anything to do with me.” “You are a pretty hardcore jerk.” He played with a lock of her hair. “Tell me the truth. If you hadn’t been stuck here with me, would you have given me a chance?” “No, but then that’s kind of my weakness. I push men away before they get too close. It’s my way of protecting myself.” He wrapped the lock of hair around his index finger and let it slowly unravel. “Do you still feel like you can’t trust me?” “I don’t know what to think about you. Every time I have you all figured out, you do something selfless to change my mind.” “You didn’t answer the question.” She sighed and kissed him. “Do I really need to?” Noriko fell into a broody silence. Sometimes he did a lousy job of guarding his emotions. Susan was able to get into him like no other woman ever had and he was beginning to accept there was nothing he could do about it. He decided to 51

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change the subject. “The research station is only a few hours away from this point.” “How many is a few? Two or three?” Noriko stood up and helped Susan to her feet. “Two hours if we don’t stop for breaks and just push straight through.” Susan slung her bedroll over her back. “Good.” She sounded happy which pissed him off. But just as the anger came, it quickly disappeared. Maybe you only saw what you wanted to in her eyes. You can’t force her to love you. What could he do? Soon they would be rescued and he might never see her again. He just hated to think she was so pleased to be leaving his company. “Yeah, that’s real good news.”

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Chapter 10 The research station was nestled on a hill surrounded by mature trees. A neat path had been trimmed back which indicated someone had recently been there. Unfortunately whoever they were, they didn’t leave the doors unlocked. Noriko leaned against the building. The dull ache of fatigue crept up on him and he longed to lie down if only for an hour. “Great. Lady Luck shines on us again.” Susan limped up next to him breathing heavily. “What’s wrong now?” “The front and back doors are locked.” “I spotted a few windows. Maybe one of them is open.” Noriko studied her. She looked so tired and worn out that he felt guilty for how difficult their going had been. He should have taken it easy on her. Maybe he should have taken more breaks. Worse still was the fact that now that they had reached their destination, they would probably be able to find help. That only meant one thing; she would be leaving him soon. A profound sadness came over him as the information sunk in. Noriko believed he loved Susan but was ashamed to admit he knew nothing of love or how to show it. His mother had passed when he was young and even the vague memories he had of her, there were none of being hugged and kissed. Being deprived of love made him grow up hard and cold, his body a closed-off vehicle used only to move his mind around. His 53

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body took pleasure like a tiger took its victims; fierce, devouring, and soon sated. All that changed when he met Susan. Like with many other women he’d met, his first feelings were desire, but the more their friendship grew the more his emotions branched out into something else. He wanted her in ways that went beyond sex. He wanted her in his life. He wanted her for as long as she would have him. Because even if she decided he was too gruff and crude for her to stay with, he still would have known the glory of true love. He handed her his canteen. She took it and pulled a long swallow then handed it back. “You okay?” she asked. “You seem upset.” He slung the canteen over his shoulder and stared at the ground. “What happens when we get off this rock?” She sat on the ground and rested her forearms on her knees. “I guess we go back to the lives we had before all this happened.” “Is that what you want?” “Listen, I like you. I like you a lot, but I’m just worried about this possessive streak in you. Are you going to be flipping out every time I talk to another man? Because if that’s the case, this isn’t going to work out. Besides, you have some woman out there you’re madly in love with.” Noriko said nothing for a moment. He should tell her the truth but he just couldn’t will himself to admit his true feelings, not yet anyway. “I’m willing to work on my shortcomings.” She licked her lips and he ached to kiss her. “Why?” He glanced up and met her gaze. “Because I need and want you, Susan.” “Being with me will be hard. You’ll have to learn to hold your temper. Do you really think you can do that?” 54

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“Before I answer that, I want to know if you want me too.” Susan picked up a stick off the ground and traced patterns in the dirt. She was quiet for a long time and he was just about to tell her to forget it. She dropped the stick and stood dusting her hands off. “Yes, I really want to be with you. I’m just worried you won’t be happy. What if you get bored doing diplomatic work?” Noriko thought about that. Was he really happy being a bounty hunter? The truth was no. He’d been longing for more in his life but he’d never known how to achieve it. Helping Susan in her work would be a chance to start fresh, to do something his mother would have been proud of. “As long as I’m with you, I could never be bored.” She smiled and it lifted his spirits. Feeling better about their future, Noriko went around the building and checked all the windows. As luck would have it, one in the rear was open and he was able to force it open and climb through. He went to the front door and opened it for Susan. The research facility was fairly large, with a full-sized kitchen stocked with canned and vacuum-packed food, and several bedrooms with real beds. The communication room had two channels with direct links to the local space stations. Noriko ran his finger over the red distress signal wondering if he was doing the right thing. Was Susan telling him the truth about wanting him or would the push of this innocent button be the end of their troubled relationship? Then he realized that no matter what his personal feelings were, he had no right to ruin her future. If she left him, well then that was how it was going to be. Noriko pushed the button. 55

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Susan came in. She glanced at the red button. “What’s that?” “It’s the distress signal. Hopefully someone will call or come to investigate.” She let out a big sigh of relief. “Finally we have some hope of getting out of here.” “Don’t get your hopes up too high. We may get nothing.” “I know, but at least we have a chance of getting off the damned planet. Hey, did you see the beds? I don’t know about you but I could sure use a nap. Want to join me?” “I should stay here and monitor the communication channel.” “Isn’t there a receiver in each of the rooms? I thought I saw monitors.” “Probably.” “Then what are you waiting for?” She disappeared from the doorway. Noriko tried to resist going with her. Being with her again was only going to make their inevitable separation that much harder. But no excuse he used worked. He wanted and needed her like no other woman he’d ever known and it was eating him alive inside. So he left the communications room and made his way down the hall to join Susan in one of the bedrooms.

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Chapter 11 Noriko eased up behind her and buried his face into the back of her neck. He placed tender kisses there; once, twice, three times. The touch of his lips brought gooseflesh up on her arms and made her nipples erect. He wrapped his arms around her and squeezed like she was a beloved toy. Everything about his demeanor opened her heart. Susan turned around and wrapped her arms around his neck. She searched his dark eyes hoping beyond reason to be able to read his mind but he remained an enigma. “I don’t know what to make of you most of the time.” He nuzzled her cheek and placed a soft kiss on her lips. “I’m not as complicated as you think I am.” “I’m afraid of getting involved with you. What if you become too controlling?” “You already said that. Besides, I’m sure you’ll knock me back into line.” Susan sighed. “This isn’t a joke, Noriko. I saw the way my father treated my mother and I don’t want any part of that.” He draped a lock of her hair behind her ear. “Maybe I’ve gone a little overboard in the past because I was so afraid of losing you.” “Aren’t you still afraid of losing me?”

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A ripple of sorrow softened his gaze. A dagger of guilt stabbed at her. “Am I going to lose you? When we get rescued, which I’m sure we will soon, are you done with me?” “I want to be,” she whispered. “But I can’t do it. Something’s happened between us. I try to fight it but every time I do, it only grows stronger.” “Maybe we’ve fallen in love,” he suggested with a slight grin. “Are you in love with me?” Noriko pulled her into a hot, steamy kiss. His lips teased and delighted her, dancing over hers one moment while possessing them with feral need the next. Susan’s desire burned hot, hotter than she’d ever felt before. Noriko’s passion threatened to engulf her in its arcing rise. All doubt left in that moment, replaced by the richest, deepest love she’d ever felt. Susan broke the kiss to take a breath. She was like a drowning woman going down for the last time. As she gulped in air, Noriko teased kisses along her neck and face. He was a master seducer using every weapon in his arsenal to open up a pathway to her soul. Susan knew she was in trouble. Something was happing now that had never happened before; her feelings were growing, ripening, like a fruit under the golden sun. He claimed her in ways she never would have thought possible. Her defenses crumbled and all she could feel was the fire engulfing her, body and soul. Noriko stripped revealing his smooth, sculpted body. His hands worked with nimble ease as he peeled away her layers of clothes to reveal the quivering body underneath. The bed was a welcome feel against her back. It’s soft and inviting warmth pillowed her in comfort as Noriko overwhelmed her with his savage lust. 58

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Desperate moments passed as they grappled, kissed and fondled each other. Susan had never experienced a joy like this. He opened her thighs with his knees and settled his big, hungry cock into the valley of her sex. With a rock of his hips, he slid the shaft along her slick cleft. He hesitated. “Say it.” Susan stroked his cheek and marveled at the strength beneath his flesh. Nothing about him was soft or pliant. “I love you.” The words escaped her lips before she could sensor them. His black eyes shone with a new light and warmth. “And I love you, Susan.” “Am I the one? Am I the woman you said you were in love with?” “Yes. It’s you. It’s been you since the first moment we met.” Susan’s heart leapt in her chest. She closed her eyes and smoothed her hands along his shoulders. The big head of his shaft probed and found her center. It glided in and filled her. Sweet pleasure engulfed her; an agony born of the most primal hunger she’d ever known. She surrendered to her instinct and wrapped her legs around his laboring body as he drove ever deeper. A long, hoarse moan escaped her, exhaled into the air like an exorcised demon. His heavy groans of lust filled her ears just as his cock filled her pussy. Her hands explored him. She ran them along his neck and back and the knotted muscles of his powerful arms. Every renewed discovery was erotic and delightful. Unbearable delight possessed her. She was driven to new heights as pleasures compounded into each other and drove her to the very edge of sanity. Then her climax came, rushing her in an avalanche of fire and heat like nothing else before. 59

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She screamed from the length and intensity of it and her cry was soon echoed by his. She begged him to rest, but Noriko couldn’t stop. Instead, he continued to ravish her until he’d wrung every ounce of energy and pleasure from her body. That was when Susan knew she was truly and hopelessly lost.

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Chapter 12 Their rescuers came that morning. They were representatives of the Kirillian government which surprised Noriko until he heard Susan’s disappearance had caused an intergalactic incident. Then everything fell into place. He guessed she was more valuable than he had originally thought. Now there was a very real danger of losing her. Her colleagues swarmed around her. They asked if she was all right and wanted to know all the details of her adventure. Over and over again they said how lucky she was to be alive. Susan was polite but distant. She tried to quietly break away to be with him but the throng of people was just too much. Eventually Susan allowed them to whisk her onto the rescue shuttle and into the forward cabin. Noriko had expected as much. Now that Susan was back in her old world she would forget all about him and the time they’d spent together. He settled in the back of the shuttle where the salvage and repair crew sat. He entertained himself by remembering in vivid detail the many adventures they’d had. No matter what the future brought, he’d never forget her. As they left the planet he tried to let sleep come over him but the grief in his heart made that impossible. So many questions raced through his head, so many unchecked emotions. Noriko had never cared this deeply for a woman 61

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and the intensity of his loss was tearing him apart. He wanted to storm into the front cabin and drag Susan away with him but he couldn’t face her rejection. Why would she want a bounty hunter when so many other men surrounded her? Any man was hers for the asking. He was a fool for believing that anything lasting could happen between them. Noriko closed his eyes and tried to forget her. Her scent came rushing back on a wave of memory. His body responded with a rush of fierce desire. He hated himself for not having enough control to get her out of his head. Not having her close to him was agony. His eyes stung wanting tears, but he simply would not let them come. He was used to resisting pain, he’d done it often enough in his life. “Excuse me, I have the window seat.” He knew that voice. He’d heard it a hundred times in both real life and in his memory. Noriko opened his eyes half expecting Susan to be there with a few of her entourage but she was alone. He didn’t move his boots right away. “Shouldn’t you be with your people up front?” he asked. The moment the words left his mouth, he regretted them. What was he doing? Was he so afraid of being hurt that he would gladly throw away the only life line she offered him? Susan stared at his boots like she was communicating with them alone. “I told them we would have a briefing about the crash when I got back to Kirillia. Are you going to let me in?” “I shouldn’t.” Her gaze lifted to his eyes. He could read the suffering in them and hated himself for putting it there. “I’m going to walk away in two seconds if you don’t move your feet.” Noriko opened his legs to let her pass. Susan turned her back to him to squeeze past. He grabbed her before she reached her seat and pulled her into his lap. He could feel her heart beating like a captured bird in her chest. 62

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“Let me go,” she whispered. He gripped her tighter and buried his face in the back of her neck. He touched his lips to her ear. “I love you, Susan.” She let out a deep sigh. Noriko let her go. She eased into the chair next to him. A moment of silence passed where only the hum of the engines could be heard. Noriko’s heart swelled in his chest as he realized she was probably going to give him the we-can’t-be-together-because-you’re-a-scum-bounty-hunter speech. “I love you too.” “But not enough to want a future with me.” Susan turned in her seat. “No, it’s not that. I just want to talk about how this can work between us. I mean, do you want to help me in my work?” Noriko had toyed with the idea but now he thought long and hard about it. Bounty hunting had been a lucrative career for him. Leaving it wouldn’t be easy. “What did you have in mind?” She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. There was obviously a lot riding on what she was about to say. “We at the embassy have been talking about an amnesty program for some time. How it works is we have our own bounty hunters who track down political activists on the run. They get to the activists before the government or the slave traders can and bring them to us. We arrange to smuggle them out of the area so they can continue to get their message out. But in order for this program to work, we need someone to run the bounty hunters, someone who knows them and the trade, and someone who can be more successful than the ones out there now.” Noriko smoothed his hands down his pants. If he agreed to this he’d never be able to go back again. He’d become as wanted as the political fugitives he was helping. But, in a 63

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strange way, he’d be making a statement of his own. He’d be able to help people like his mother get out of the endless cycle of enslavement. And best of all, he’d be able to be with Susan. “And if I agree to do this? What happens to us?” She smiled. “I’d just have to find ways to show my gratitude for your self-sacrifice.” He held his hand out and she shook it. “Ambassador, I think we have a deal.”

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Epilogue A few months later Susan had to hurry if this was going to work. She rested her back against the wall, her blaster trained at it. The busy streets around them teemed with yelling vendors, wailing children, and watchful criminals. On the opposite side of the heavy wooden door, Noriko’s face was a stone mask of total determination. He knocked hard enough to make Susan flinch. “Go away.” It was a frail woman’s voice that came through the door. “I’m not opening to anyone.” “Kate?” Susan said as she glanced around to see who was watching them. “It’s me, it’s Susan. I’ve brought help for you and your daughter. Please open up.” “The man with you is a bounty hunter! Why would you bring a man like that here?” Noriko searched her face but Susan held a hand up indicating he needed to keep quiet. “I understand your fear but he no longer works for the slave traders. He’s a friend of mine. He works for me.” “You’re a fool if you believe that! He’s deceiving you to get in and sell off my girls.” “Kate…he’s more than just a friend. Noriko is my husband. He’s here to help get you and the girls to sanctuary.” 65

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There was a long moment of silence. Susan was really starting to think Kate and her young charges had slipped out a back window. She held her breath and waited. Then the door cracked open and Kate’s worried face peered through. She looked older than Susan remembered and her eyes were red from crying. She cast a venomous look at Noriko. “I know you,” Kate said. “You’re responsible for a lot of human misery. What have you got to say for yourself?” Noriko folded his arms but his gaze remained soft. “I’m not going to deny the things I’ve done. But I do regret them. A man can change and I have. I don’t work for Platinum Bonds anymore. Now I help Susan get the most vulnerable women to sanctuary. I haven’t sold anyone to slave traders in almost a year. I understand you not trusting me, but surely you trust Susan.” Kate opened the door wide enough for the two of them to enter. The small living room was cluttered with sleeping bags and stuffy. Susan wished they’d open a window. It was time to get this show on the road. “Kate, you’ve got to trust me, we don’t have a lot of time. Gather up the girls and bring them out. We have a shuttle waiting to take them to Asguardia but it’s leaving in one hour.” Kate cast a suspicious look at Noriko. “Who’s piloting this shuttle?” Susan shrugged in apology. “Noriko is. He’s the only one we have who has an intergalactic license.” “No,” Kate said, shaking her head vigorously. “It’s a trick. I know you trust him, Susan, but I just can’t. He’s a ruthless mercenary with a stone for a heart. I don’t believe any man can change that completely.” Susan was afraid of this. Noriko had a nasty reputation and it would be hard to overcome. “Okay listen, at least let the 66

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women decide for themselves if they want to take athe risk. You don’t have the right to decide something this important for them.” Kate glared at Noriko. “You’re a cunning devil. What on earth could have turned a black heart like yours?” Noriko didn’t flinch in the face of her scorn. He stared over at Susan and gave her a small smile. “I fell in love.” Susan’s cheeks burned. Kate’s mouth fell open. “Surely you don’t believe this man, Susan!” “He’s more than proven himself to me.” She smiled at her husband. “I’d trust him with my life. In fact I do every day.” “I don’t know if I can—” “Do what Susan asked,” Noriko said. “Let the women decide for themselves. That way, your conscience will be clear.” Kate shook her head but surrendered. She let the women, all of them escaped slaves, come into the living room. There were all kinds but the ones who really broke Susan’s heart were those under eighteen. Heaven only knew what anguish they’d experienced in their young lives. Kate explained who Susan and Noriko were and told the women that they were proposing to smuggle them off the planet. She also included a rather chilling rundown of Noriko’s past. The women discussed it amongst themselves and decided they wanted help getting off Kirillia. Susan wasn’t too surprised since every day they stayed they ran a significant risk of being discovered and returned to their masters. Noriko loaded the women and their meager belongings into a covered transport outside. Susan joined him with Kate slamming the door behind her. She guessed Kate didn’t approve of the massive exodus. Oh well, there was no pleasing everyone. 67

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Susan got into the transport next to Noriko. “You did better than I expected.” He gave her a crooked smile. Then he started up the transport and lifted off to the spaceport at full throttle.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR Michelle Marquis is the pen name for science fiction and paranormal author Michelle O’Neill. Born in Los Angeles, California, Michelle has lived all over the US and even some places in Canada. She is owned and cared for by her family (who tolerate her writing insanity), an aging Doberman and a mischievous Irish Terrier named Guinness. Michelle often writes like a fiend and has authored many novels and short stories for the Internet both mainstream and erotic.

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