“Do you like that?” she asked, her tone arch. “Because I do. I want to play with you in ways that redheaded girl couldn’t even begin to imagine.”
The image of Giselle in Jerred’s arms leapt into his head one more time. He didn’t want to think about them, about the bond they shared. Angrily, he leaned forward and took Karia’s mouth harshly, grinding her lips under his, pushing her down again on the bed. Her legs wrapped around his hips, pulling him against her body even as she dug her sharp nails into his ass. Pain seared through, sweet and cleansing.
“Do you think you’ll be ready for another round any time soon?” she asked in a whisper when he finally released her mouth.
He ground against her, feeling the beginnings of an erection. “Yes,” he replied softly.
“Good,” she said. “I want you long and hard, and this time I want it in the ass.”
He shuddered, taking her mouth once more. Jerred and Giselle were forgotten.
* * * * *
Giselle leaned against Jerred, enjoying the strong warmth of his body as she tried to think of some way to escape. She knew they were being watched, and almost certainly taped. She needed to find some way to let him know what was going on, but she didn’t want to tip her hand.
He wasn’t helping. All he had talked about since she arrived was how foolish she had been. She should have stayed with Josiah. She should have saved herself. She should have sold him out. Finally she’d told him not to talk to her at all.
Instead, he held her, softly nuzzling at her neck and causing all kinds of new problems. She knew all too well that anything they might indulge while in the cell was bound to amuse their watchers. As she felt his length grow against her leg, she almost decided she didn’t care. She wanted him, and every cell in her body sang out for her to mate with him. But she had a feeling Josiah would enjoy that a little too much, and she’d already provided him with far too much entertainment.
He made her think of those hideous insects that lived on Hector Prime. They wove a silky, sticky web, then hid themselves to one side and waited as other insects caught themselves in it. She had read somewhere that the creatures liked to eat their prey alive. Definitely similar to Josiah, on so many levels.
She felt exhausted. Jerred stroked a finger through her hair slowly, and the sensation soothed her until she was dozing. She slipped into a dream, blessedly free from worries for the moment. She and Jerred were sitting in the middle of a field of green grass. A child sat near them, several children, in fact.
Somewhere in the back of her mind, she knew they were Jerred’s nephews. A woman came walking up to them, carrying two tall, cool glasses filled with water. She looked like Jerred—same strong features, same black hair, although hers was streaked with gray, lending her an air of authority and dignity.
She knelt beside them gracefully, and turned to Giselle with a smile.
“I’m proud of you, child,” she said. “You’ve been taking very good care of him. But I think it’s time for the two of you to come home.”
Giselle nodded at her, agreeing. Unfortunately, she couldn’t remember how to get home. She opened her mouth, ready to ask the woman for directions, but one of the children called out. The woman’s face creased with concern, and she turned away. Giselle tried to speak, but nothing came out. The woman stood and started walking away. Giselle wanted to get up after her, but Jerred’s head was heavy in her lap. She looked down at him and saw something dreadful.
He wasn’t sleeping—he was dead. Jerred was dead, and deep in her heart she knew it was her fault.
She tried to move, tried to scream, tried to do anything, but she was frozen. The meadow faded around her, and then they were alone in space. She saw ice forming on Jerred’s face. He was freezing, and when she tried to wrap her arms around him to keep him warm, they cracked and shattered.
She came out of the dream abruptly, a stillborn scream stuck in her throat.
Jerred lay beside her sleeping peacefully. She could hear his heartbeat beneath her head. He was fine.
They were both alive. The cell door slid open, and Jerred came awake with a start. The guard looked down at them sullenly.
“The Captain is ready to see you,” he muttered. “Stand up and turn around.” he added, nodding at Jerred.
Jerred did as he was told, and Giselle watched as they slid yet another set of cuffs around his wrists. She must not have seemed dangerous to them, because when they led him out into the hall, they allowed her to follow, unrestrained. She felt panicky. Josiah wanted his information and she still didn’t have a plan.
She hadn’t even managed to discuss the situation with Jerred. It wasn’t good.
They walked down the hallways slowly to a small room. Josiah sat at a small table. Something about him looked different. She examined his face, and noticed a bruise across his pale cheekbone. There were several scratches, too. Had he been in a fight?
It didn’t matter.
“I see you and your little friend have been reunited,” Josiah said, his tone acid. He spoke to Jerred; her presence hardly seemed to register with him.
“You’re a smart man, you know I have to kill you,” he continued. “But I don’t have to kill your slut. I can let her go. I’ve decided that maybe you care about her enough to try and save her.”
Jerred didn’t answer, and Giselle’s stomach clenched. There was no good response he could make. If he convinced Josiah he didn’t care about her, her usefulness would be over. On the other hand, if he agreed that he cared, the man would use her against him.
“I need the information,” Josiah said. “I want to know where you got the plans for my station. I’ll make this easy on you. You tell me who the traitor was and I’ll let her live. You don’t tell me and she dies.
Slowly.”
Jerred seemed frozen; then he spoke.
“I’ll tell you,” he said. “But I want proof that she’ll be safe.”
“I can’t give you proof,” Josiah said lightly, shrugging his shoulders. “You’re just going to have to trust me to take care of her.”
“I want her on a ship and out of here before I agree to anything,” Jerred replied through gritted teeth. “A ship that doesn’t belong to you.”
Josiah shook his head slowly.
“You just don’t understand, old friend,” he said, his voice dropping to little more than a whisper. “You don’t have any of the power here. I have the power, and you’re going to do what I tell you. If you do, I’ll let your friend live. If you don’t, I’ll kill you both.”