Lie to Me - Gracen Miller

Table of Contents Lie to Me DEDICATION AUTHOR’S NOTE GLOSSARY OF TERMS PROLOGUE ONE TWO THREE FOUR FIVE SIX SEVEN EIGHT NINE TEN ELEVEN

TWELVE THIRTEEN FOURTEEN FIFTEEN SIXTEEN SEVENTEEN EIGHTEEN NINETEEN TWENTY TWENTY-ONE TWENTY-TWO TWENTY-THREE TWENTY-FOUR TWENTY-FIVE TWENTY-SIX TWENTY-SEVEN TWENTY-EIGHT TWENTY-NINE

THIRTY THIRTY-ONE THIRTY-TWO THIRTY-THREE THIRTY-FOUR THIRTY-FIVE EPILOGUE OTHER BOOKS | BY GRACEN ABOUT GRACEN Sign up for Gracen Miller's Mailing List

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 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000. This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. LIE TO ME Copyright © 2016 by Gracen Miller Edited by Amanda Wimer

Interior formatted and designed by Gracen Miller Copyright © shutterstock.com/funtiks

Cover art designed by Brannon Jones at B-Dirty Graphics Copyright © shutterstock.com/Anastasios71 Copyright © shutterstock.com/GabrielGeorgescu (http://gabrielgeorgescu.com) All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work, in whole or in part, in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden

without the written permission of the publisher. The author acknowledges the copyrighted or trademarked status and trademark owners of the following wordmarks mentioned in this work of fiction: Sweet Home Alabama, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Bluetooth, Glock, M-16s, and any and all others that I might’ve missed. Look for me online at: www.gracen-miller.com

DEDICATION Kathryn Grimes—without you this book would’ve never happened. Thanks for the discussions and helping me get on solid footing with the dystopian world. Also, thanks for all the cover art exchange and mock up. I doubt the cover would’ve turned out as good as it did without your intervention. Mostly, thanks for being not only my best friend, but someone I can count on in life too. I love you, bestie! Thanks to my betas, Kathryn Grimes and Mindy Janicke, for taking time out of your life to read and provide me honest feedback. The story shines because of the holes you found.

To my Mafia Hellhounds, my amazing street team that I love dearly. Y’all are the freakin’ best—Kathryn Grimes, Amanda Wimer, Tina Carreiro, Nely Cab, Shelley Bunnell, Mindy Janicke, Angela Canant, Julie Jewels Bromley, Kristina Haecker, Angela Gilliland, Shanna Damron, Jessica Parsons, Andrea Kozari, Christy Clark, Ayeisha “Serabi Klark” Clark, Barbara Burdette, Lori Green, Lacy Daniel, Steph C. Brentson, Crystal Blood, Lindsey Hutchison, Dee Knope, Kathy Moore, Tracie Runge, Nikki Patton Spradlin, Jasmine Patterson, Jenny Bynum, Iris Montalvo Pross, Bambi Lovessmily Fogleman, Crystal Trent Dotson, LaGina Hagerman Reese, Dawn

Cripps, Terri Dion, Candace Selph, Jennilinh Dinh , Jennifer Wedmore, Gabriella Nagyne Sandor, Barb Hicks, Sabrina Ford, Sheri Spell, and Shalisha Cooper. Sarah Hayden Davey—thanks for naming the character, Katarina

AUTHOR’S NOTE This book has been simmering in my mind for a couple of years. A lot of fears held me back from breathing life into Kella and Stone’s story. Dystopian romance isn’t a genre I read, and I have no idea if I did the genre justice in Lie to Me. Yeah, I watch the movies and love them, but writing a future world that’s gone to hell is an entirely different thing than watching movies. I feared the world building and worried I wouldn’t be able to pull off a futuristic world as easily as I can a paranormal world. I also worried about political correctness and upsetting readers with the slavery issue. I hope I haven’t offended anyone because that

wasn’t my intention. My only objective was to do justice to Kella and Stone’s story, while hoping readers will connect with them the way I did. From the moment I committed to writing Lie to Me these characters seemed like old pals. Not just old pals, but like best friends, or even, as crazy as it sounds, a life I’d lived. I knew them inside and out, everything that made them tick, and every quirk that irritated me, and probably will the reader too. This was a novelty for me. Typically I get to know the characters as I write them, much like when I read a book. But in Lie to Me, the world and the characters were vivid in a way none have ever been before.

Writing Lie to Me has been an adventure, and I’ve loved every moment of our journey. I’m a little sad that our journey is complete. Who knows maybe you’ll see the cast again in a future book. In any event, happy reading! Huggles, Gracen

GLOSSARY OF TERMS Bio-shield – A shield that straps on like a bracelet, but once activated covers the individual with compressed air and chemicals and allows them to enter hot zones without suffering the consequences. Similar to our bulky biosuits, but the wearer can move about freely and touch items and/or people without danger of being contaminated. Kippy – A puppy and kitten crossbred by the ancients but outlawed fifty years ago. Quadrant/Quad – The world is broken up into Quadrants instead of

states. Regent – Title given to rulers of Quadrants. They inherit their kingdom through their father, and their leadership is one with complete authority. Xeno/X-Gene – A gene passed down to females. The gene denotes someone with immunity to all diseases. X-Diplomats/X-Ds – Title given to those who are part of the revolution. Hot zone – A zone where biowarfare was used, and the environment is contaminated, or a zone where the pestilence is so hot, anyone not wearing a bio-shield will become infected. Sometimes a hot zone is contaminated with bio-warfare and/or a pestilence of unknown origin.

Dregs – Low class citizens. Spooners – Derogatory slang to describe the upper class. Vanity Chip/V-chip – Illegal technology created by the ancients to alter one’s appearance. Unlike plastic surgery, a vanity chip can change a person’s appearance altogether. The Vchip can also be deactivated or the user can alter their appearance at their whims. Retro Scanner/R-scanner – Technology that deactivates a vanity chip.

PROLOGUE Life didn’t end in flames. No climactic event for humanity’s narcissism. No nation was to blame. A tiny, unseen germ fell mankind. Pestilence claimed victory without shame. Man raced for a cure. The world perished just the same. ~ Gracen Miller August 8, 2274 A.E.E. (After Extinction Event)

Fear gripped Kella like a new epidemic absent an antidote. Her breath emerged in gasps, but pride had her choking back the tears that’d display her terror. Despite her approaching meltdown, the caretaker guiding her revealed no sympathy. He tightened his grip on her arm, his fingers pinching into her skin hard enough she knew she’d find bruises tomorrow. Most likely five oval prints staining her skin. Stone-faced, he hauled her to the auction block. Merriment surfaced around her from the crowd that’d arrived for her sale. A celebration of this magnitude required not only champagne but also caviar and other fancy finger food. Voices tittered as well-dressed

men and women sipped from their flutes, their gaiety an unnatural backdrop to her distress. Diamonds glittered in the lighting, a gaudy display of wealth when so many low-class dregs perished from starvation. Lightheaded, she stumbled, and her warden’s hold intensified, stinging. Kella winced and reminded herself...just breathe. In the surreal moments as he towed her to the stage, she felt a little outside herself with a weird buzzing in her ears, and was almost thankful for his support. On that block, she’d lose all sense of self and identity, freedom would be lost to her, to become some man’s breeding stock.

Bile stung the back of her throat, but somehow she managed to force down the digestive fluid. She prayed her best friend since she was six, Stone Emmerson, missed this debacle. His presence would be the ultimate humiliation. But his duty as the Regent’s son, and heir apparent, required he watch her auction. Sold to the highest bidder, a stark reminder of her low-class birth. “I don’t want this,” she pleaded with the caretaker, praying someone would recognize the injustice of this act and save her from indignity. But she was a dreg. Nothing special. And in in her world, dregs held no voice, save the one their Regent gave them.

Kella might not be as bright as her betters—if she ever forgot, they all reminded her of her lack of intelligence, so it was best not to forget her place in the world—but as the daughter of a house servant to Regent Peter, she’d been educated alongside prodigal sons and daughters. The best she could tell from history, no Regent or elitist had ever done anything for the good of a dreg. At least not since the pestilence had ripped their world apart. Humanitarian efforts had died in the wake of their near extinction. All decisions handed down by Regents went in the favor of those in power and with money.

The guardian jerked her about, turning his back to the crowd, and hiding her from their eyes. “Do your duty to the population, little girl, and don’t whine about it.” Her stomach churned, threatening to embarrass her worse. Even dreg-born, worthless girls like her possessed dignity, and she really didn’t want to embarrass herself further by spewing vomit all over the crowd. Mouth watering, a sure signal she would blow any second, she swallowed several times in hopes of keeping down the stomach acid. I’m about to be sold and become the property of some nameless stranger. All because of her freakin’

genetic makeup. Lucky me. Fate is a cruel bitch. On December 21, 2121, humanity became a significant extinction event thanks to one disease manmade for genetic warfare. With a ninety percent mortality rate, the pestilence had been deemed a success. Until the plague spread across the world without care for enemy or ally. Scientists scrambled to find a cure, but fell to the infection and died in their labs. Leaders around the world quarantined the infected into hot zones and nuked them, hoping to not only kill the spread of disease, but the virus too. Those hot zones remained, the disease still active, and were so

radioactive none but Xeno’s could enter those regions without suffering ill effect. The original disease had altered women, seventy to eighty percent born sterile. Even the healthy, reproductive women often gave birth to malformed, stillborn infants. In the old days, those that’d been fertile had been auctioned off to the highest bidder. The deformed infants that survived had been left to die in the hot zones since they couldn’t breed into the populace. That period of history had been about protecting humanity, surviving. The world moved on, times changed. More and more women could procreate, at least half the population could propagate, and purchasing breeders had

been outlawed. Then a new gene emerged, called Xeno for the scientist that discovered it. X-gene as it’d been christened, was as effective as a miracle drug. All girls with the genetic factor produced female offspring with the same gene. Instead of freeing humanity, those who possessed the genetic factor became slaves to elitists desperate to save their line. Mandates by Regents forced all fourteen-year-old girls to submit to mandatory DNA testing. Kella had gone yesterday. One in ten thousand tested positive. The odds were against her. Her best friend, Stone, had promised they’d celebrate her birthday with her favorite rainbow cake when she returned.

Instead of celebrating, she’d been given the grave news that she possessed the X-gene. The moment she tested positive, she’d become the property of the Regency to be auctioned off to the highest bidder among the rich and spoiled. No commoner could bid, and none of the rich who tested positive were forced to the auction the way the dregs were. Only us without a voice must submit to the injustice. The gene passed only through the female line, and the affluent had turned it into a game, racing to breed the first male with the rare DNA. Some scientists thought no male would ever receive the marker.

Kella didn’t care about male offspring or if any would ever be born Xeno. She just wanted out of this freakin’ nightmare. Her caretaker led-dragged her to the stairs while she winced at his pinching grip. Once he presented her to the steps, she couldn’t force her feet to climb them to the top of the block to parade herself to her would-be buyers. Undeterred, her caretaker gave off an irritated grunt, and bitched about whiny dregs right before he slung her over his shoulder hard enough she lost her breath. The caretaker ascended the steps. Each bounce of his shoulder against Kella’s belly elicited a squeak from her. At the top, he settled her on her feet. His

hands landed on her shoulders, and he roughly spun her around for the crowd’s inspection, before turning her to face the audience. “Behave,” he said in harsh whisper, “Or I’ll personally see that your mother suffers for your misbehavior.” Kella jerked as if he struck her, and her gaze slid to Regent Peter Emmerson. Stone’s dad nodded at her guardian. Tears blurred her vision, and she made a futile attempt to swipe them away. Murmurs filtered around her. All the comments she caught were about her ‘breeding stock’ and how she’d make pretty children. “Esteemed ladies and gentlemen, I come before you today with one of the

rarest offerings, an X-gene. She’s been educated in the Regent’s home, so she’s less likely to embarrass.” A twitter of laughter surfaced, and her cheeks burned with the ridicule toward her class. “Mackella Starke is five-four, weighs one-ten, and is fourteen years old. She has all her teeth and suffers no visible blemishes. The X-gene is strong in her, showing up on an unheard of fifty-five of her fifty-six chromosomes. As you can see, she’s a lovely creature with superior breeding attributes. If you’ll check your devices, you’ll see close up pictures of her for your inspection.” Whispers increased, sounding like a hive of buzzing bees, as they checked their Regent-issued devices and perused

her photos. Degrading snapshots she’d been forced to endure, some of them naked, others with her lips pulled back so her teeth would show. She’d borne the humiliation because what choice did she have? “Lovely girl,” a woman said. “She could breed us fine children, darling.” “I don’t know. She’s not to my tastes,” Kella surmised it was the husband that responded. None of this was to her taste, but no one cared about her wants. Not even Momma. When she’d voiced finding a way to run, her mother, Judy, warned her to follow the law, and to do as she was told or they’d both endure the consequences of her reckless actions.

Fear for her parent was all that kept her in line at the X-gene camp, and all that kept her from fleeing toward the door in this moment. Not that’d she’d make it. Kella held no delusions. They’d capture her before she traversed half the room. “I want her.” The woman’s voice grew petulant. “Please consider purchasing her for me. You promised me anything for our anniversary. I want her.” Shivers racked Kella’s body at the coldness of the couple’s discussion. She’d always been one to hang out on the fringe of a crowd. Being front and center, and forced to submit to their inspection, shamed her to the point she kept her eyes downcast. It was easier to

face their derision if she didn’t look at their faces. How could they think themselves better than her, but want to use her body to breed a superior race? “Does anyone wish to submit a question before the auction begins?” Dead silence. That unnerved her more than the chatter. Kella swept her gaze about the room, spying Stone’s mom, Lucy. She talked to her husband, her animation hinting at the woman’s annoyance. Mrs. Emmerson shook a finger at Stone’s dad, but his glare at whatever she said had Lucy stalking from the room. Thankfully, Stone was nowhere to be seen. Maybe

his dad had dismissed him from the auction. Thank God for that small favor. Not that she’d ever see Stone again after today, anyway. That reality caused her bottom lip to tremble, and Kella clenched her teeth together to halt the betrayal of emotion. She would miss him. “Get on with it,” someone in the crowd yelled. “I don’t care if she’s bucktoothed and web footed. My boy wants her, and I’ll pay anything for him to have her.” Notching her chin a little higher, Kella squared her shoulders. I will not cry. I will not cry. I will not cry, damnit!

At least she’d been spared the humiliation of Stone watching her degradation. She would face the crowd’s mockery with bravery, with the grace Stone asked of her in everything and she rarely gave him because creating mayhem was more her style. But when a dreg demanded justice of elitists, the result often ended in chaos rather than fairness. “Very well.” The caretaker gripped her by her nape, and she took his hold as a warning to behave. At this point, she feared her legs wouldn’t carry her even if she tried to run. And she knew sticking her tongue out at the crowd, or throwing a childish tantrum would only amuse those present. The end result would be

the same. She’d be bought and carted off to a stranger’s house to bear his children against her will. Rape in the ancient’s language. That word held no meaning for dregs in today’s society. Only elitists were afforded safety from the vile act. “I’ll start the bidding at twenty frams.” Prices flew from the crowd, escalating to a ridiculously high nine thousand frams, and the amount continued to climb. Kella zoned out, dismissing the throng and retreating into herself while wishing her mortification would soon end. My mortification will only increase when I’m naked and defiled. Maybe she could find some inventive way to flee where her mother

couldn’t be reprimanded too. If that didn’t work, she wasn’t opposed to ending her life. The idea of another man besides Stone touching her...she shuddered. “Fifty thousand frams!” The room silenced at his bid. Kella came out of her trance at the shocking sum. She slid her gaze along the crowd, looking for the auction-goer. Finding him at the back, near the windows, her fingers began to tingle as Stone returned her stare. His father stood at his side, neither of them showing a hint of emotion. How can he betray me like this? He knew she wanted no part of this system. She’d confided her dreams in him. Her

hope of being infertile and X-gene free, and becoming an archeologist. All of a sudden chatter boomed in the quiet of the room. Someone called out fifty-one thousand frams. “Sixty thousand frams.” Staring her straight in the eyes, Stone said cool as ice, “No price is too high for the mother of my children.” “Sold!” The caretaker boomed a few moments later when no further offers were given. Her breathing sounded loud in her ears, labored. Stone stepped forward, and his voice was loud enough for all to hear. “I take Mackella Starke as my wife, with

all protection afforded to her by my House.” Patrons congratulated him on his purchase and wished him many children with his ‘lovely bride’. Kella wanted to vomit. I thought he cared about me. I’m so dumb. He’ll be Regent, and like all of the privileged he feels entitled to my genes. But this was Stone! He’d been her best friend for eight years. They’d planned their future together, not together-together, but as friends shared secrets with one another. And now he owns me. His will is my will, my dreams forgotten.

Someone emitted a high-pitched scream right before blackness consumed Kella. *** Kella woke to a sharp sting in her neck, and an even sharper retort. “Be still.” Her tears could no longer be halted, she wept as the tattooist marked her as Stone’s chattel. Stone’s wife. Freedom gone, exploited at the hands of the crème de le crème, she wept for the life she’d dreamed of, but would never have. “I’m finished.” The tattooist roughly smeared liquid onto Kella’s neck that stung so bad she would’ve cried if she hadn’t gone numb.

Head spinning, she was grateful Stone’s father helped her to sit up until Peter said, “That sigil will keep a little slut like you honest while making it clear you’re off limits to all but Stone.” Kella gasped at his slur. She had no idea why he thought so little of her. “Don’t pretend you’re shocked. I see through you. Your momma’s a whore, too. Why do you think I keep her so close? All dregs are sluts, especially you Xenos, willingly spreading your legs for the man who buys you.” Just when she thought she couldn’t cry more, tears burned her sinuses, but she somehow managed to sniffle them back. Her momma wasn’t a whore. If she whored herself to Regent Emmerson then

it was because he forced her. And it wasn’t like an X-gene had a choice other than to submit to their owner. That was the law thanks to Regents like him. “Stone’s my friend, I’d never betray him that way.” He had to have a reason for buying her. Didn’t he? She would put her faith in him because he’d had her back so many times, and trusting him was the only right thing to do. Peter laughed. “You’re such a little fool. Hopefully, you can pop out a few babies before you’re eighteen, and then Stone can find a woman more suited to his station. Don’t you know how delighted he was to discover you are a Xeno. Now he can fuck you without losing respect among his peers. The

privileged do not slum with the dregs, not even for a little pussy.” Harsh words that had her questioning everything, but didn’t they contradict the claim he just made about her mother whoring herself to Peter? “He told you this?” Kella hated the pitiful sound of her voice, but to hear the truth, that Stone thought so little of her when he’d been her world for eight years ripped her soul apart. That he intended to take a second wife once he tired of her, fractured all her belief in humanity. And if Stone’s genuineness wasn’t trustworthy, then she could depend on no one. To discover the most honest person she knew had deceived her for years—

“Of course he told me that. He confides everything to me. He is having a rainbow cake baked for you. You can celebrate a different way now by spreading your legs for my son.” Kella flinched, and he leered at her. “Grow up, little girl. You’ve believed the good lie for years. Stone never cared about you. You’re a useless goddamn dreg. The only thing you’re good for now is a dirty fuck and squirting out babies.” He dragged her toward a girl hovering near the door. She appeared a little older than Kella, but not much. “Go with Christine. She’ll deliver you to Stone, so you can thank him for buying you.” Discovering the truth of Stone’s lies, Kella lost her stomach in the hallway.

Tears streamed down her cheeks, and her breathing hitched as she attempted to reel in her devastation. Stone wasn’t worth her anguish. Christine gave her a pitiful glance, and Kella hated the girl for her sympathy. But she was caught in a sticky web with no way out, so she shadowed the woman. Thanks to life’s cruel show of hands, nothing mattered in the face of Stone’s betrayal. Depression threatened to carry her under. Eyes wide open, she trudged along behind Christine, coming to the harsh reality that Stone wasn’t the friend she thought him to be. Wasn’t the upstanding man he’d pretended to be. He

probably laughed and laughed with James over his duplicity. But why the subterfuge? None of the other privileged hid their real feelings, so why had Stone? “My mistress hates this law.” The girl stopped and faced her. Kella blinked at her, unable to process what the other girl was getting at. “We’ll help you escape if that’s what you want. But you have to make the decision now. Go or stay?” Relief surged through Kella so strong she would’ve gone to her knees if she hadn’t leaned against the wall. “Go!” Christine led Kella down the hall to a couple of backpacks, and the other girl

handed Kella one of them. Much later, inside the pack she discovered a few days’ worth of clothes, water, granola bars, a picture of Stone, and the wind-up dog toy he’d given her for her birthday. She had no idea why the last two were in there, but she would keep them to remind herself of what she’d lost. That night Kella cried herself to sleep, despondent over Stone’s betrayal. She’d thought Stone different than other spooners, believed him to be trustworthy. It hurt to realize she was wrong. It hurt worse that hope and freedom came not at the hands of a friend, but a stranger. In this twisted, hate-filled world, Kella shouldn’t have been surprised.

ONE August 8, 2282 A.E.E. Mack Ellason tugged the itchy, wool mask over her face. She glanced at her best friend, Reaper, who was outfitted in a similar fashion, all dark clothing, no shine on their boots, and nothing but eyes showing. “Let’s do this.” “Stay sharp, Mack.” Reaper gave her a stern glare. It’d been so long since anyone called her Kella, she’d grown to miss her real name. “If I say run, you fucking run this time.” Yeah, yeah, she knew the drill. This wasn’t her first rodeo. They’d made recon missions into the Xeno clinic twice to gain intel, and everything had

panned out like clockwork. Except for the loner guard on the second gig that’d almost nabbed her from behind in the alley. And by almost, she meant did nab her. Their fight couldn’t have lasted more than a couple of minutes, but it’d been touch and go for a moment on who would claim victory. It’d been a close call. Reaper had come upon the scene as she huffed and puffed, on her last spurt of energy, while she put the guard down. Suffering from double vision and bleeding from her ears, she guessed she’d been a bad sight because he’d flipped. Thankfully, she hadn’t been seriously injured, just banged up. Her buddy hadn’t let her forget the incident

and likely wouldn’t anytime soon. He could be a bit of a mother hen when he felt so inclined. “I count twenty guards in all,” Dutch’s voice came at them through their earpieces. As their resident hacker, she could hack into the local security feeds and shut them down or use them against their enemy. “Copy that,” Reaper said. “Like before, I’ll distract while you set the charge.” Creed surveyed the landscape from the rooftop with a bootlegged sniper rifle and night-vision scope, ready to drop guards with his tranquilizer darts. He’d made a fortune selling illegal items on the black market.

That some dregs obtained financial success pleased her. She despised those who thought they were better than others simply because of their hefty bank account. She also reviled them for treating all dregs like expendable civilians. Every single soul should matter in this world where too many had already perished. What she loathed most were the spooners who felt it their due to indenture innocent Xenos. While killing wasn’t necessarily their game—and every spooner involved in indenturing X-genes deserved to die —they preferred tranqs to keep a clear conscience. Despite taking the moral high ground, good intentions wouldn’t matter because there was no defense for

a man of Creed’s low rank—any of them really—owning a gun. If ever caught with the weapon or doing his preferred trade, the offense came with a mandatory immediate execution. Might be why he chose to maintain a decoy house in the Quad, but resided mostly in the badlands. “Ready, Creed?” Kella asked. “It’s a go,” came his gruff reply. She and Reaper slunk through the darkness, sticking to the shadows as they moved. She heard a grunt and then nothing else. Best guess, Reaper knocked a guy out and then settled him on the ground for the least amount of noise. She’d seen him execute the move a dozen times. By the time she finished

delivering the EMP blast, every guard would be unconscious. Kella kept moving. Staying lightfooted, she zipped behind a guard without the man noticing and shot him in the back with a stunner gun. Another bootlegged weapon. At the building, she paused long enough to assess her perimeter. Two guards to her right, one lighting up a cigarette. An outline to her left shifted, but she recognized the way Reaper moved, like a predator on the hunt for unsuspecting prey. He drew closer to another shadow, and a moment later the silhouette dropped never noticing him. Damn, but he was good.

She popped the two guards closest to her with a stun as Dutch’s voice came through the earpiece, “You’re invisible to all cameras.” Going to one knee next to the building’s ventilation system, Mack opened the pouch at her waist and selected a mini drill set. The low hum of the electric screwdriver sounded as the bit released all four bolts in a matter of seconds. The grate slid up with a small creak. She sent a last glance around to verify no one had stolen up behind her— even while knowing Reaper or Creed would’ve neutralized anyone that brought danger to her. Dutch would’ve given her a heads up too. Stone taught

her to trust no one, and old habits die hard. She went headfirst into the ventilation system. It was a tight fit, but not so snug she couldn’t move. Her petite size was why she performed this part of the mission and not others in the X-Diplomats. Even with her small stature, she likened her tight quarters to a hamster in one of those tiny tubes. I’ll be a hamster in a tiny cage if captured. Thankfully the DNA clinic was a small building, and she didn’t have far to travel before reaching her destination. Just a right and left and a few more wiggles had her arriving at her destination.

Before she opened the grate into the lab, she tapped her earpiece. “Status.” It was a request to verify she remained alone in the clinic. The least amount of casualties was their gameplay, and these EMP blasts took out not just computers, but re-hardwired the electrical neurons in a human’s brain resulting in immediate death. “Just you,” Dutch confirmed. Satisfied their hacker had run lifescans, Kella pushed the grill up and tossed the charge inside. Had Reaper elected not to ‘distract’ the guards, over half of them would have died once the charge detonated. Not that any of them would offer any thanks for valuing their lives. They were on the Regency

payroll, and traitors to their own class of people, but it wasn’t their fault the Regency brainwashed them. Too many of the dregs were like sheep, believing the house of lies they were fed from the moment of their birth. If a person was born a dreg, they’d done something wrong in a past life to deserve their punishment in this life. Karma or whatever, labels didn’t matter when too many people believed the bullshit for Kella’s peace of mind. The X-Diplomats planned to open society’s minds, drag them kicking and screaming from their malaise if need be, and deliver them the truth. “The package is delivered.” Kella scuttled back the same way she had

come, making a left and right turn this time, before shimmying down a twentyfoot tube to where she’d entered. After sliding the grate back into place, she reset the screws. Couldn’t have the higher-ups easily determining how she’d infiltrated the building. Of course if they read the blueprints the same as her, they’d know the building’s security required an upgrade. That the Regency expected total submission of the dregs worked in their favor. It also detailed the control the spooners held over their sheep. She palmed a paint can and sprayed their calling card on the wall.

Flipping the safety cap off the palmsized tube she dug out of her pocket, she paused. One click to the button set the timer on the EMP. Thirty seconds later the charge would blow. On the birthday of my resurrection... “The revolution begins.” She’d waited eight years to utter those words. Instead of feeling the satisfaction she’d anticipated, she thought of her husband, Stone Emmerson. A Regent in his own right, now. Powerful and part of society’s problem.

Tears blurred her vision, and her heart ached for him. Regret for not giving him the benefit of the doubt and allowing emotion to rule her actions eight years ago, soured her gut. She should’ve confronted him about the accusations his dad made...but she’d made her choices, and she’d live and die by them. Pining for Stone was her greatest weakness and her biggest frustration. The heart wants what the heart wants. Welcoming the burn in her sinuses, she blinked back the tears. She would not cry for him or for the things she’d lost. Like her innocence. At least that’d been sold of her own free will. She

longed for just a few minutes with her mother though. In the dead of night when she couldn’t sleep, she craved a smile from Stone, yearned for one of his hugs... Her stupid, pathetic heart wouldn’t give up on Stone. Eight years ago she’d made her bed. Didn’t matter that she’d been a hormonal, emotional fourteen-year-old who believed the story of a spiteful old man. A man who had every reason to lie to her. Kella straightened her spine, while chastising herself for sniveling over a wasted friendship that’d meant more to her than it had Stone. Everything she’d lost in the years since her escape, those tribulations made her stronger.

“What’re you waiting for, Mack? Get the fuck out of there.” The alarm in Reaper’s voice jerked her to the present. “T-minus fifteen seconds. Run, goddamnit!”

TWO August 9, 2282 A.E.E.

“Time to go, sweetheart.” Stone Emmerson nudged the shoulder of the woman in his bed. Dark hair, but not as black as his Kella’s hair had been. The unnamed woman had been a poor substitute for his wife. When he missed her most, he sought out a willing woman with petite features and dark hair. None measured up. Thankfully, melancholy plagued him only on the anniversary of her death. He could thrust Kella from his mind most of the year, but August eighth

hit him hard and reminded him of what he’d lost. The singular most special individual in his life, and after eight years he still mourned her. “Get out.” James, his bodyguard and best friend, entered the room unannounced. The man rarely announced his presence. Then again, he’d seen Stone every way possible, puking his guts out, and even buried deep inside a woman. “What crawled up your ass, Mr. Grumpy?” Stone scratched his stomach and stretched. “Just read.” James shoved the clear, electronic pad into Stone’s hands. As he perused the article, he elevated his eyebrows, surprised by the

attack, while giving a little hoorah inside for the bravery of the X-Diplomats. “Damn.” “Yeah. I’m impressed. The skillset of the dregs who did this is extraordinary.” No shit. Technology was outlawed to the low class. It kept them complacent, at least that’s what he’d been taught. Since taking the seat of Regency, Stone had enacted freedoms other Regents restricted from their residents. He gifted his citizens with tech if they wanted, but on one condition. They had to take a class to learn how to properly use it. His former-Regent father had balked at the idea, but this was Stone’s term, and he honored Kella’s memory any way he

could. The people were slow to engage the new knowledge, but every year saw more and more of them embracing their new freedoms. Stone swiped his fingers through his hair as he continued to read the email from Regent Jones. “Let me guess,” James said in a smug voice, “you just got to the part where he wants access to your X-gene clinic.” He nodded and tossed the e-device aside. His first act as Regent three years ago had been shutting down the clinic to honor Kella’s memory. If any new Xgene existed in his Quadrant, he was unaware of her, and she was free to live her life at her leisure. She was even free

to marry whomever she wanted and bear the offspring for the man of her choosing or none at all. Kella would’ve approved. They’d spent hours discussing this change. “Xeno distribution is so wrong,” a thirteen-year-old Kella had said, as she watched the announcement of a recently discovered Xeno in their midst. “She’s my friend.” Stone had wrapped his arm around her shoulders and hugged her to his side. Accepting his support, she’d hooked her arm around his waist. “Did you know she wanted to be a nurse when she grew up?” Nursing to dregs wasn’t a formal teaching in the school he and Kella learned in, but an

informal training from the local herbalist. Kella peered up at Stone, and he focused on her. Her expression so woebegone, he would’ve changed the world to suit her if he could. “She wanted to dedicate her life to helping others. Now someone will buy her, and her dreams are forgotten. How many babies do you think her owner will force her to have?” “I don’t know.” “I think I’d kill myself if that happens to me.” Loathing that statement, he squeezed her arm. “I’ll never let that happen to you.” Four months from now, his Kella would be forced to submit to her own X-gene test. If positive, James

already helped him make plans to save her from that life. No man will ever own my Kella. “You’re the best friend ever, pretty boy.” “Hate to break it to you, but no one wants you anyway because you’re a holy terror.” As he’d planned, she’d giggled at his teasing. Regardless of her bent to find trouble, her pretty looks would make her a high commodity if she tested positive. She’d hugged him and went back to watching the Xeno-reveal, and Stone decided not to borrow trouble until he had to deal with the devil. All he’d wanted to think about then was hiding his growing

erection and the wonderful way she felt in his arms. Stone jerked from his memories when James snapped his fingers in his face. “Jesus Christ,” James bitched, “you do this grieving shit every year around her death. I hope marriage to Katarina soothes your pining for the holy terror.” His buddy’s harsh words hit him hard, like a gut punch, but Stone couldn’t deny the unhealthy aspects of his continued bereavement. “She’s my first love. I can’t just forget her, James.” He threw back the covers and rolled out of bed. “I want to marry Katarina as much as I want to be castrated.” And she was the total opposite of Kella. Katarina’s

tall, blonde looks were nothing similar to his Kella. Just what he needed to get over Kella. Or that was his father’s favorite line anyway. “Marrying her to please your parents is fucked up. I repeat, brother, call off the nuptials.” When it came to Stone’s upcoming marriage, James was a broken record. “She’ll only make you miserable.” “I’m already miserable. Get my Kella back, and I’ll be happy again.” “Christ, you’re a masochist.” “Tell Regent Jones his request is denied and to go to hell,” he said as he walked toward his bathroom. “Think I’ll reword that to be a tad more tactful.”

Stone didn’t give a fuck how James worded the missive. He’d shut down the clinic for a reason, and nothing would cause him to reopen it.

Two months later The X-Diplomats—X-Ds as the news christened them—had hit clinics in two more Quadrants over the last couple of months, all in the northern Quads. The Regents were in a panic with no guess on the identity of the terrorists, or how they attacked, and all worried they’d be next. Except for him. Stone found himself amused by the alarm the X-Ds incited in his fellow Regents.

At the moment, the terrorist’s focus seemed to center on the next clinic that offered aid to the last ones hit. Wary about being the next target, the remaining Regents grew slow to offer assistance. “Mark Evans, Regency Director to Regent Jones, requests a moment of your time.” James shut the door behind him. “Line one.” Probably to beg for use of my clinic. Again. Stone would tell the fucker where he could shove his request. “If you’d told Jones to go to hell like I told you two months ago, he wouldn’t be wasting our time.” James shrugged. “Sometimes even rebellious Regents have to play nice.”

Wise words, but he needled his friend for spite. “Says who?” “Me. Pick up the goddamn phone.” Stone chuckled, but connected the call, placing it on speaker. “I’ve got five minutes, don’t waste my time.” “Mack Ellason, a resident of Quad2, has information on your not-so-deceased wife.” Stone’s gaze shot to James. Hope stabbed him in the heart like a physical blow. “What?” “Disregard Regent Emmerson’s question.” James took over the call, giving Stone his ‘shut the fuck up’ glare. “What game are you playing, Mr. Evans?”

Ignoring his question, Mark said, “You’ll find Mack Ellason in Quadrant2.” “You’re a goddamn liar, Director, causing further tragedy where none is needed.” “I assure you there’s proof with Mack Ellason. Regent Emmerson’s wife still lives.” The smarmy drawl of the Director gave Stone pause. Would he sound so smug about delivering falsehoods unless he spoke the truth? “I require evidence.” James maintained the conversation. Thank God his friend wasn’t thinking with his heart like Stone. “I just sent an email of a photo. Pay particular attention to the timestamp.”

Stone scrambled to open his email as the Director continued. “Don’t believe the veracity of the picture, that’s your loss, Regent Emmerson.” A tap, tap, tap came from the Director’s line. Tapping a fingernail on his desk, maybe? “Give it a little credit, and a visit to Quad2 will be required. Once you meet Mack Ellason, all questions will be resolved immediately. Mack has all the answers you seek.” “Why didn’t Mack Ellason contact us himself?” James again because Stone couldn’t think clearly, although Mack Ellason sounded a little like Mackella. A coincidence? His gut said no because he didn’t believe in coincidences, while his heart screamed with elation, and his

mind cautioned to slow down and not jump to conclusions that would end in a second broken heart. James inclined his head, while the Director answered. “Mack’s not expecting you. He would most likely run if he discovered I called you and notified you of his affiliation with your wife.” Stone frowned, wondering why Mark enunciated the male pronouns, but he didn’t ask and Mark kept talking. “Afraid of reprisals I believe. I would be if I’d hoodwinked a Regent.” Stone ground his teeth together at that mockery. Opening his email, he clicked on the attachment, and a picture of Kella popped up. The time stamp was one month after her alleged death. At his

indrawn breath, James moved to peer over Stone’s shoulder. After a long pause, James said, “We’ll be in touch.” His bodyguard disconnected the call. “Don’t get your hopes up, Stone.” “I can’t not see this through to the end. This is Kella we’re talking about. My wife. If there’s a possibility—” “Pictures aren’t proof. They’re easily manipulated.” Stone pushed back his chair and walked away from the image of Kella. The horror of her features on the auction block haunted him. Had haunted him for eight goddamn years. “I’m not stupid. I know that.”

“Brother, if Kella is alive, why didn’t she return to you?”

THREE October 21, 2282 A.E.E.

“Sweet home Alabama...” Mackella Starke sang along with the song blaring through the Bluetooth speaker she’d unearthed along with its portable friend in a suitcase at her current dig. Surprisingly the ancient device required only a charge and a little cleaning. That it worked at all over a hundred years after being buried was remarkable. Best she could verify from the information she had, the music consisted of a bunch of what their time called

country rock and was sang by a band called Lynyrd Skynyrd. Weird name, but she liked the tune either way. The slight tingle that announced someone entered her office was almost drowned out by the music’s volume. Glancing over her shoulder, she spied six burly men, each armed with various weapons, as they strode into her office. Turning to face them, she set aside the other Bluetooth speaker she’d been working on in hopes she could get it working again. Devices like these could bring a fortune in profits. “Gentlemen,” she said, eyeing the purple stripe on the shoulder of their uniforms, which indicated they visited from Stone Emmerson’s Quadrant. A

little out of their jurisdiction, but a Regent didn’t concern oneself with something like territory. Regents held all-inclusive power within their Quadrant, so most were avoided at all costs. Even going against their minions was considered a direct infraction against the Regent. Rebelling a directive gained one a web of problems, even when the Regent was outside his jurisdiction. Their word was the law. Judge, jury, and executioner, too. She’d learned that the hard way. Trouble was the last thing she wanted or needed, and her history with Stone could lead to a host of unwanted woes. Thank God she went by a different name now and wasn’t visually

recognizable as his wife. Deciding she’d borrow trouble only if it presented itself, she scrutinized the male who blocked her view as he stationed himself directly in front of her. The others spread out as if they expected her to run. She’d run once before, and she might again if left with no alternative, but they couldn’t know that. Hopefully. Kella lowered the volume of the music. “May I assist you somehow, gentlemen?” The question was directed to the man guarding the only exit, but another voice answered. “We’re looking for Mack Ellason.”

She peered around the one blocking her view, but then the voice stepped around the man. Shoulder-length, chocolate hair, parted at the side, hung straight and shiny. Square jaw shadowed with scruff and a pair of well-defined, sensuous lips. Straight nose that led to a pair of cool, ice-blue eyes. Eyes that should seem cold but every time he’d turned them on her as kids, they’d warmed her up. He stared straight at her, his confidence large and in her face, causing her to struggle to maintain eye contact. Stone Emmerson. In the flesh. Sporting new muscles to go along with his grown-up face.

Kella swallowed and folded her arms across her abdomen so their sudden shaking wouldn’t be noticeable, all while praying her sudden spike of nerves remained hidden. No way he recognized her. She’d disguised her appearance years ago with an outdated and extremely illegal vanity chip. Before the pestilence, V-chips had been used to enhance one’s appearance. She’d dumbed down her looks by changing her black hair to dirty blonde and her emerald eyes to dark brown. Her once bronzed skin tone had been altered to a fair and splotchy quality, and she’d even added a crook to her nose. The tattoo on her neck identifying her as the property of Stone Emmerson had been

airbrushed away with a simple push of a button, thanks to the banned machinery. The V-chip was a piece of engineering ingenuity. Nothing freaked the Regents out like equipment the elders had once used since the ancients were the cause of the pestilence that almost wiped out humanity. The alterations were permanent until a retro scanner—or an R-scanner—was used on her, and that device would erase all her work at hiding her real appearance. Her husband might have one, but she didn’t plan on getting anywhere near it. Her pet, Retro, must’ve sensed her unease because she placed her paws on

Kella’s legs and gave a low squeak. Out of habit, Kella picked her up. “Mack Ellason.” Stone Emmerson reminded, staring at her from the haughty slant of his head. “You know where we can find him?” he asked as his gaze left her and slid about her establishment. “You’ve found her.” That got his full attention. His focus whiplashed back to her, and his eyebrows elevated. Pleased her voice remained steady, she motioned to the seat opposite her while taking her own seat. “Care to take a load off, Regent?” “I’m surprised you know who I am.” “I read the papers. You’re in them a lot.”

His gaze felt like a twenty-ton meteor headed straight for her. “My photograph isn’t in the papers.” “No.” She leaned over and retrieved a scandal sheet—similar to the twentyfirst century’s tabloids, only these printed the truth the Regent-owned papers failed to account. As she sat forward to offer him the scandal sheet, at least one weapon being primed to fire cracked about the room. Kella just barely caught herself from rolling her eyes. “Call your dogs off. I don’t carry weapons.” Stone accepted the tabloid, but remained fixated on her. “You’re a relic pirate,” his tone implied her occupation inferred weapon usage.

“Technically speaking, I’m a vintage archeologist. I don’t pirate loot the government already laid a claim to.” Yeah, so she pirated relics before the government’s Regents could claim the stuff. No law against it—yet—even if they loathed the practice. “Lower your weapons.” Stone studied the scandal sheet and grimaced at his face splashed across the page with a woman named Katarina or something like that. Despite his displeasure, he made no effort to deny he’d been caught in the altercation. Damn him for impressing her with that. “I wasn’t aware Mack Ellason was a female.” “Does it make a difference?”

“No.” He tossed the scandal sheet back on her desk. “That thing in your lap licking a paw—at least I think it’s a paw —what the hell is it?” A genetically spliced creature their ancestors created for the fucking fun of it. It was a cross between a kitten and puppy. “A kippy.” Stone eyed Retro like he expected the pet to tear his face off any second. “They were outlawed. What, fifty years ago?” “I didn’t make it.” She rolled her eyes. “I found her at a dig site. Or she found me a couple of years ago. I logged her in legally, and no one challenged my ownership. I’m guessing she bred naturally, but I can’t confirm that.”

Giving the thing a cautious eye, he grunted, and glanced at a guard, probably his mental note to double check the filing on Retro. “Maybe no one challenged your ownership because none wanted it.” “Or maybe it’s because it’s not so weird for an archeologist to own something from the ancient world.” Another grunt sufficed as Stone’s reply. “Her name’s Retro. She’s super sweet.” As if to prove her right, the furball began to purr. At least what Kella called purring. It was more a cross between purring and growling. “Retro’s an odd name.”

“She’s historical and outdated, so Retro is a perfect name.” No one could argue that logic. Absentmindedly, her fingers slid through the fur, and the purring grew louder. Retro tilted her fur-puffy head toward Kella’s digits begging for more attention in a particular spot. Satan strode toward her—his human name was James Monroe, but he was Satan in disguise, and he served as Stone’s very intuitive bodyguard. “I’d purr too if she rubbed me like that.” What a pig! Kella glared at James, eliciting a chuckle from him. Really wishing Stone would sit, she pointed at the chair opposite her. “Regent?” Her neck ached from craning

her head back to look at him. And damned if he hadn’t turned out better looking than she’d anticipated. Not that she wanted to go running back home to him. Okay, well she did, but she wouldn’t because being owned hadn’t been her goal in life then or now. When he remained standing, she decided to move the conversation forward. “How may I be of service?” He placed his gloves on her desk and fingered a metal wind-up toy in the shape of a dog. “If you don’t mind me saying, you don’t sound very Northern, Miss Ellason...or is it Mrs.?” “I’m single, and I’m not from the North. Would you care to see my papers?” Her benefactor had paid a

small fortune for her paperwork so she knew they’d stand up to his inspection. “No need.” He made a waving motion with his hand as if she offered them to him. “I’m searching for Mark Evans. Know where I can find him?” “No. I deal with his associate, Kris Stoddard. I don’t contact her, she contacts me.” His dark eyebrows flashed upward. She asked, “Does something surprise you?” “You didn’t deny knowing them. I’m not used to straight-shooting, Miss Ellason.” “Call me Mack.” Why’d she make that offer? She didn’t want him calling her anything. Instead, she wanted him out

of her office, out of her Quadrant, and hopefully he’d already forgotten Kella Starke existed. Regardless of her hope, she knew he hadn’t forgotten his only wife. “I have nothing to hide. Mr. Evans isn’t my biggest client. I only have dealings with his associate when he wants me to keep an eye out for something.” “How do you contact him when you locate the item?” “I don’t. As I said, they contact me. I might hold onto an item for months before I hear from them again.” Stone finally sat in the chair across from her desk. He leaned forward and hooked hair behind an ear. Something about the movement reminded her of the

boy she’d known from when they’d grown up together. Not wanting to remember those idyllic days, Kella shook the memories aside. “Are you holding anything for him now?” “A butane lighter.” He smiled, and her stomach executed a funny roll. “Excellent.” She feared this wasn’t an excellent moment for her. “You are my new best friend, Miss Ellason.” They’d been best friends once—before he’d betrayed her and bought her like cattle. “Might be easier to sell if you’re my lover instead.” “Pardon?” No way she’d heard him correctly. She’d escaped being his lover

once before, she wasn’t about to jump back into that particular frying pan. “No one would believe you were friends with a woman.” James remarked. “Not with your reputation.” Like James’s reputation was any better. These two kept the scandal sheets in business with their exploits, either drinking, sex, or fights. How Stone found time to manage his Quadrant, she had no idea. Either way, these two were meant for one another. Seriously, what were the odds of Stone walking into her shop so far from their home? No...his home. “She’s not what I normally hook—” “Hold up.” Kella slashed her hand horizontally through the air over her

desk, halting Stone’s words. Under normal circumstances it’d be a gutsy move since he could lock her up for disrespect, but all her clear thinking had just flown out the window. “I’m not a for-hire dating service. I’m an archeologist. If you need a date, take your ass through that door”—she pointed to the one behind James—“turn left, walk two blocks, and you’ll find yourself in front of the only bordello in town.” James chuckled and swaggered toward them. He perched his burly frame on the edge of her desk. She glared at him. The nerve of him defiling her desk with his ass. The piece was a classic for

God’s sake, she’d refurbished it herself, and she didn’t want it tainted. “She’ll do just fine for what you need, Stone.” Kella ground her teeth together at James’s comment. Before she could collect her fury and reply, Stone spoke up. “Miss Ellason, I understand your reluctance.” “It’s not reluctance, but a flat-out no.” The corners of Stone’s mouth quirked up. “I need to locate Mark Evans as soon as possible, and you’re my best chance.” “Posing as your new fuck toy—” James gave a full belly laugh, and Stone grinned. “—will raise eyebrows in the

Quadrant, Regent.” Thank goodness her voice remained steady as she voiced her lie. “Since I’m a lesbian.” That cut off his bodyguard’s humor, but Stone’s consideration narrowed on her. Stone made a weird gesture of sucking on his teeth while he ruminated over her confession. While both men assessed her or processed their next stupid move, she ventured into the muck of the conversation. “Does Mark Evans and Kris Stoddard know you’re looking for them?” “I don’t think so.” “But you can’t be certain?” He shrugged and snagged the windup toy off her desk.

Praying he didn’t turn it over and see the inscription on the bottom of the toy, one he’d given her, she continued as if not nervous by his perusal. “Why don’t you use your vast Regent resources and have him tagged?” That could be done with the press of a button. “I require discretion.” That easily translated into a couple of different scenarios. At the heart of his dilemma was that he didn’t want anyone to know he tracked the man. It also meant Mark Evans wasn’t a fugitive. He’d be easier caught as a fugitive. But the Director definitely had something on Stone Emmerson. An interesting idea and one she wanted the details on to secure her own safety. Or Mark Evans

had something of Stone’s he didn’t want others to know about. Probably nothing illegal since Regent’s made the law to suit their needs. “I’m not a very discreet person, Regent Emmerson, so—” “I know everything about you, Miss Ellason, so I know you’re lying. You’ll give me what I want or I’ll contact your Regent and advise him you’ve not complied with my requests as he assured me you would. Care to see my papers from your Regent?” She bet her next paycheck he expected her to cave after that spiel. Disappointing him would be her extreme satisfaction. A slight grin tugged at her lips, but she killed it a moment later.

“Yes, I would like to see your papers from my Regent.” Kella rose to her feet, strode around her desk and retrieved the wind-up toy from Stone’s grasp. He looked up at her, but his eyes got hung up on her breasts for a moment before traveling to her face. Pig! “Now look who’s lying. The Regent himself.” He opened his mouth to speak, but she kept talking. “You need a new fact checker since they missed I was female. Hard to know everything about me if that vital detail was missed.” The words settled between them. Stone’s jaw clenched, and she suspected he ground his teeth. Ignoring the sudden unease of his men, made obvious by the way they resettled their weight, she gave

her husband a fake smile. “Bring me those papers, and you’ll have my full cooperation. Until then, I’m not a citizen of your Quadrant and not obliged to follow your directives.” She strode to the door, opened it, and motioned toward the exit. “Good day, gentlemen.” James gave her a hard look before turning his gaze to Stone. “We could force her.” A chill raced along her spine. They could demand her compliance with ease and given his rank, even her Regent wouldn’t do anything about it. There might be some pomp and political tangoing because he failed to follow the right protocol, but at the end of the match, Stone would still have his way.

At the suggestion, she noticed a few of his soldiers’ slack frames went taut. Stone shook his head and rose to his feet in a move that revealed more of a predatory nature, rather than a life filled with political pageantry. That resulted in a rush of nerves. She knew next to nothing about him anymore. Three of his six soldiers moved out of the room onto the wooden sidewalk, two taking point on either side of the opening and the other one disappearing from her line of sight. Stone didn’t even look at her as he moved toward the door. Just as she was about to sigh in relief that his largerthan-life presence vacated her office, he clutched her throat in his hand. Their

gazes locked, and her breath vanished, not because of his hold, but because of the way her body reacted immediately to his touch. “I’ll return tomorrow.” His hold pinched where his thumb pressed into her neck, right over where his ownership-tattoo was etched into her skin but hidden thanks to the elders’ contraption. “I’d caution you not to run, but I think I might enjoy the chase.” And with those words, he released her and pulled on his gloves as if he hadn’t just kind of threatened her. He joined his soldiers, and the lingering two vacated her office a minute later. Only James remained. He gave her a smirk while using the tip of his knife to clean

from beneath his fingernails. She understood his silent threat. He’d slice and dice her with pleasure if Stone required a heavy hand. Once they were out of sight, she breathed a sigh of relief.

FOUR Stone stepped on the sidewalk and peered up and down the city street. Quadrant2 was hundreds of miles from his southern Quad13. The structures were mostly made of wood. Even the sidewalks were crafted from timber, giving it what he imagined a cowboy town might’ve looked like. His city was built from concrete and steel, safer in his tornado-prone landscape. Dragging his fingers through his hair, he pondered the girl inside. Mack Ellason. His wife had been named Mackella. He couldn’t dismiss the

similarities. Mack was an archeologist, while Kella had loved reading about relics, and she’d spent countless hours staring at the ones his family owned. He’d believed Mack Ellason to be a man, but now that he realized she was a woman, he couldn’t stop thinking about his wife. Of course Mack’s appearance was dissimilar to Kella’s in every way. One blonde, the other inky haired, one fair skinned, and Kella deeply tanned. They possessed roughly the same build, but it’d been almost a decade since Kella took off. Her figure could have changed drastically over the years. The use of a V-chip couldn’t be discredited. They were hard to come by, but not impossible, and he bet a relic

hunter would have an easier time locating one. While they were illegal, he couldn’t discredit the potential Kella would use one if she were alive. Of course if he pretended Mack was Kella that would mean his wife ran from him illegally too. That thought gave him pause because he couldn’t think of one reason why she would’ve willingly fled the safe environment he offered. Running was a desperate move, and a stupid action for a fourteen-year-old to face the harsh world alone. Kella had never been stupid, but rather highly intelligent, even if she’d executed rash, emotional decisions many times. What if he’d discovered his woman after all these years on a questionable

witch-hunt? He ground his molars together, while reminding himself there was valid evidence Kella had died in the badlands, a mere thirty miles from his Quadrant. The similarities of their names were nothing more than mere coincidence. Mark Evans said Mack Ellason possessed information about Kella. Not that she was Kella. He’d also said she was a man. “She’s an interesting civilian.” James stepped up beside him, but Stone kept his focus targeted on his surroundings as they walked away from the woman who might know something about his long-lost woman.

A knot curled in the pit of his stomach. He should ask James to acquire an R-scanner. That bit of technology would eradicate all his doubt. “Why didn’t you ask her about Kella?” “Mark Evans said she’d probably run if she knew we were coming. Figured if I pointblank asked about Kella that’d sending her running too.” “We don’t need her in a tailspin and covering her tracks. Or running before we find the information we came for.” “I tagged her with a tracking device.” They took a left at the intersection, and Stone glanced at his closest friend, bodyguard, and confidant.

A slight curl to one corner of James’s mouth. “Thought you did when you grabbed her.” Most cities disallowed vehicles without a permit. Being a Regent, he could’ve brought his vehicle within the city walls, but he preferred to keep a low profile as long as possible. But his men stood out and grabbed attention from the pedestrians milling about. “We’ll meet you back at the hotel after a while,” Stone instructed his soldiers. James was deadlier than the six of them put together. As Regent he’d been taught hand-tohand combat, and he sparred against James a couple of times a week. He liked to think he could hold his own. If

trouble presented, he could teleport to safety anyway. “Find a place where we can talk?” James rested his palm on the blade secured to his hip. “Yeah.” Stone retrieved a band out of his pocket, and restrained his hair at his nape with it. The minor adjust to his appearance would make him less noticeable since women in particular seemed to like his longer locks. Thanks to those fucking scandal sheets, he couldn’t avoid the press. He’d launched a team to hunt them down and disband their production only to have his team return empty handed. It seemed the tabloid moved locations frequently.

“You should cut that shit,” his friend said at least once a week and had reminded him twice this week. “The ladies like it.” Not that he gave a fuck what the ladies liked. He’d tried to cut it, he wanted to, had even gotten in the seat to have it hacked off, but had backed out at the last moment. All it took was remembering that one moment by the river behind his house when Kella had run her fingers through the strands for the first time, and he’d halted the haircut. Crazy, since she’d been gone eight years. She’s dead, not gone. All evidence points to that. He’d sobbed like a baby the night his father had delivered the news of her

death. Kella had meant everything to him. A new start, a future packed with hope, with his best friend and love at his side, he’d had plans for them. Pretty fucking sure that wasn’t love. More like lust or puppy love. Time had shown him he could love any woman that opened her legs to him. Kella is dead. No way a naïve girl of fourteen could’ve disappeared into the badlands, and survived, only to resurface eight hundred miles away almost a decade later. Wearing another face no less. He had a better chance of finding Sasquatch. They entered the tavern and chose a table in the back corner where the light was dimmest. Stone removed his black,

leather jacket and slung it onto one of the empty seats. He grabbed the back of his chair, spun it around, and straddled it. James took the seat that backed up to the wall, and got comfy leaning back on two legs. His friend could keep an eye on those who entered with his placement. James ordered their drinks and eyed Stone as the waitress strolled away. “Tell me what’s on your mind, brother.” Stone rubbed at his temples with his fingertips. “It’s probably nothing. Just...it’s a coincidence that Mack Ellason is an archeologist and Mackella was interested in the same subject. Also can’t dismiss that Mark Evans claimed Mack has information on Kella.” He

held his breath waiting for James to scoff at his insinuation. Instead, his friend nodded. “I noticed the similarities too. But don’t get your hopes up. Kella is dead. The DNA proved it, and I can’t figure out how she could survive an attack in the badlands, only to reappear hundreds of miles away eight years later.” “Yeah, that’s bothering me too.” Almost exactly what he’d been thinking too. James nodded. “I’m more inclined to believe Evans is leading you on a wild goose chase. Just haven’t figured out why yet.” Stone fell silent when the waitress returned. She set a pitcher on the table,

along with two streaked glasses. “Names Missy if you need anything.” He watched James’s eyes alight with interest. “What’s the going rate?” The fiery redhead threw out a figure, and Stone zoned out of the conversation, his thoughts leading him right back to Kella. Mack Ellason had been sassy, surprising him with her spunk, the same attitude Kella often displayed. Despite Kella’s common birth, she’d back talked him from the day she moved into his home with her mother. The six-year-old flashed him a glare. Him! The nerve of the girl. He was Stone Emmerson. The Regent-heirapparent. His importance eclipsed

everyone. He’d teach her to respect her superiors. “Stone, this is Mackella, the one I told you about.” His mother gave him a knowing stare, her silent way of commanding him to utilize his manners. Pfft...manners were for dregs. Regents could do anything they wanted without recourse. He’d learned that one from his dad. Last night his mom had imparted the news that Mackella’s father had died tragically in their mines while saving one of the Regent’s men. The miner’s lungs had burned out of his chest, and his eyes burned from his body. The man the miner saved had suffered severe wounds, but he’d live. A

sacrifice they rewarded by offering the man’s wife employment in their home. Just one catch, she had a daughter that’d be tagging along. A nuisance in Stone’s opinion. He preferred being the only kid in the house. But when his mom asked a favor of him, he usually caved to her desires because he liked making her smile. This time he had to treat the new woman’s daughter kindly. Stone liked the friends he had, and getting the chore of entertaining a commoner was a waste of his status. He didn’t care that her stupid daddy saved another, but he loved his mother and would do anything for her. “Yes, ma’am,” Stone said obediently, while disliking the haughty

way the urchin stared him straight in the eye. He bided his time, playing nice, showing her to the school, the meager room she’d share with her mother, all the while intending to teach her a lesson the moment they were alone. Once they were finally unaccompanied, he’d turned on her. “You have to obey me in all things.” She’d blinked up at him, her emerald eyes too green and too big for her face. And for one weird moment, he’d felt the need to protect her, until she said, “Make me, pretty boy.” They’d spent the next week in a war of wills. Neither winning, but the pranks he’d plotted against her had

been the most fun he’d had in a long time. Then he’d caught her on the banks of the river that ran behind their house, and she’d been cupping a toad of all things. The girls he knew ran screaming from frogs, but not this one. Nope. She’d offered to share her new capture with him, and then bellylaughed herself silly when it peed on him. They’d spent the next hour conspiring to secure it a home in an old aquarium he’d found among his family’s stash of relics. They plotted out a care regimen, taking turns and sharing the load of tending for the creature. A week later the amphibian

died. Broken hearted, she’d cried, big huge tears rolling down her cheeks, and he’d held her as she wept against his shoulder.

“I hate it when you think about her.” James’s grumble jerked Stone out of his memories. “You get moody when she’s on your mind.” Nothing to say to that, Stone poured a finger of cheap whiskey and tossed it back. The spirits burned a path to his gut. He despised economy liquor. Not because he was too good for the cheap brand, but because his refined palate preferred the higher grade. But when

slumming it was best not to draw attention by buying the better stuff. “What would you do if you discovered Mack Ellason was Kella?” James nursed his shot, eyeing Stone over the rim of his glass. That was the million-fram question. “No idea.” “You’d be the butt of her joke, you know, and everyone would know it.” Stone grunted and downed another shot, relishing the burn because it distracted his thoughts from his wife. “If she’s Kella, she had all of you thinking she was dead, while starting a new life with a lucrative business.” “It’s all speculation anyway.” And again why would Kella leave him?

Certainly she knew his intentions had been above par when he purchased her? Hell, he’d planned to grant her freedom in a few years. “I doubt it’s even her. Without an R-scanner we can neither prove nor disprove this line of thinking.” James set his chair on the floor and leaned his elbows on the table. “My friend, if she’s Kella, you must consider she had help. A fourteen-year-old girl doesn’t succeed with something this huge on her own.” He’d already given the same thought some consideration. It’d also be why someone of Mark Evans’s standing would know of her real identity because he’d been very sure Kella was very much alive.

“Yeah. I should’ve looked at her papers.” If they met inspection, he’d know someone had aided her flight because passable paperwork came with a high price. He’d been told she left with nothing but the clothes on her back, no cash and no jewels missing. “A young girl shouldn’t have survived the badlands. Not alone and not without help.” “The Feeders should’ve gotten her.” James perched his chair back on two legs once again. Stone nodded. The Feeders resided in the badlands and dined on human flesh. His dad was certain she’d died by their hands. They’d found her jacket and knapsack with her blood all over them.

His dad had had the DNA matched just to be sure it’d belonged to Kella. The grief he’d felt that night had been absolute. Stone hadn’t wanted to continue to live. Fifteen years old and broken by the loss of his best friend, he’d prayed for death. A year of mourning and he hadn’t been any better, until his dad sent him on a journey, with James five years his senior and in charge. James had taken him to a bordello, and purchased him his first woman. Thanks to the warm, and willing whore beneath him, he’d found a way to cope with his grief. He’d been addicted to pussy for years because it was the only way he could alleviate some of his pain. Taking over as Regent fed him a

different outlet, a means to honor the woman he’d loved. He still drank too much, and got into too many fights with men who didn’t know his identity, and required pussy on the night of Kella’s death...but he’d managed to glue the broken pieces of his heart back together. Unearthing a maybe-Kella threatened to shatter all his hard work. As if his friend read his mind, he said, “I got the pussy for later.” James nodded at Missy. “You just gotta take it, brother. She’ll help you get Kella off your mind.” “Pass.” James sighed. “You’re torturing yourself with what ifs.”

“I thought I loved her.” Of course he realized his infatuation with Kella had been puppy love. Right? He’d been too young to know what real love was. Not that he could easily identify love any better now. Would probably never know since he was scheduled to marry a woman he distinctly disliked. If he ever thought he was falling for another woman, he’d give her an abrupt exit from his life. Love was for fools, it created a weakness, and a Regent couldn’t afford limitations. “Love...” His friend scoffed. “You can love Missy tonight and someone else tomorrow.” The chair hit the floor again, and he poured Stone a drink, then himself one. “I can see you’re getting

your hopes up. Kella is dead. The Rscanner will prove it, and you’ll be maudlin again.” “I don’t get maudlin, asshole.” “Then take the pussy I’m offering you. Drown yourself in her body tonight, and remember alive or dead, Kella betrayed you.” James slid the glass toward him. “Kella said fuck you to your offer of support and love. Ain’t no double-crossing bitch worth crying in your whiskey over.” Silence lingered between them as Stone stared at the amber liquid. James had a point. He’d heard the whispers among those of his station. Even dead, Kella had gotten free of his Quad. For whatever reason, she’d put herself in

danger the very night he’d bought her to grant her security. Stone knew James watched him, waiting for Stone to come to a decision. In the end, James was right. With her flight, Kella had shunned him and all he offered. Yeah, she hadn’t known the real reason he’d purchased her, but as his best friend, she should’ve known his intentions had been honorable. Walking out of his life had been as good as kneeing him in the family jewels. Even if she had somehow survived her exodus, Stone Emmerson was done with Mackella Starke. “Valid points.” Stone lifted his glass and offered his own toast, “All a man

needs is pussy and liquor, and the occasional scuffle.” Life wisdom he’d learned from James. “Amen, brother.” James tapped his shot glass against the table before swigging the liquid. Ignoring the hollow feeling in his stomach, Stone downed his spirits and proceeded to drown himself in liquor...and much later he drowned himself in Missy.

FIVE Kella wound her way through the city, taking several tight alleys and cross streets, hoping to lose any tail she might’ve picked up. Earlier she’d thought someone followed her. Never catching sight of anyone, it’d boiled down to a gut feeling. She hadn’t seen Stone since he’d left her office a couple of days ago, but him showing up out of nowhere gave her an uneasy feeling. The way she saw it, being worried he’d put a tail on her constituted as being aware of her surroundings. Biggest problem now was,

she saw ghosts everywhere apparently, phantoms shadowing her, while she held her breath waiting for Stone to show back up. Just because she hadn’t spotted anyone didn’t mean she wasn’t being followed. After an hour of meandering through the streets, she stopped at a produce stand. The prices were too high for the average person. Most commoners either grew their own produce, or ate the government issued granola bars that supplied the same necessary nutrition. The granola tasted bad, like real bad, but when left with the gnawing ache of hunger, a person ate what was available. The lucrative business of archeology allowed her the opportunity to splurge

on occasion. An apple would suffice for dinner just as well as a government ration, and would taste better too. “How are you today, Mr. Scott?” She took a moment to select the one she wanted. Scott was a sweet elderly man who still maintained his own garden at eighty-five. “Better than average. And you, Miss Mack?” “Can’t complain.” She handed him the frams for the apple, adding in a hefty tip. “Tell Mrs. Franny I said hi.” Standing on the corner, she perused the foot-travelers as she munched on her fruit. Right off, she spied no one out of the ordinary. Her specialty was in digs, though, not spying, but she didn’t want to

go further without making sure no one followed. “Nothing equals the taste of fresh fruit.” Stone’s voice coming from behind jarred her. Damn, he was good. She’d thought someone followed, but she’d never suspected him. As she bit into the produce, she turned to face him, and craned her head back. Taller than she would’ve predicted for his youthful stature, but she was fun-sized so that accounted for part of his height. Juice ran down her chin, and he looked away quickly, running his hand through his overlong hair in a move she dissected as disconcerted. To further increase his discomfort, she swiped the

juice away with the back of her hand. The uncouth manners would turn any spooner off. “Tongue-gasms for sure,” she agreed, ruminating over her surprise that he kept his hair long. For a man of his status, the locks sent a rebellious message. They also gave him a younger appearance than his twenty-three years, and she bet some of the other Regents already refused to give him his due because of his age, womanizing, drinking, and fighting. But she could be wrong. Mostly she didn’t care. She really didn’t! He groaned at her comment. “Honey, the only tongue-gasms I’m familiar with

are the ones with my tongue buried in a woman’s pussy.” Kella would’ve choked on her fruit had she suffered from a more delicate constitution. But why’d his comment make her hot between her thighs? The unwanted visual of his head nestled between her legs struck hard, and she imagined his chocolaty locks would tickle her skin. She shook her head in the hopes of clearing away the unwanted fantasy. What was she doing? She didn’t engage in sex anymore because she loathed being used for someone else’s pleasure. “Well...okay.” Lame reply, but he managed to tongue tie her over his

remark. Suddenly, he crowded her space and trailed his fingers across her cheekbone. Kella allowed the stroke until her brain kicked in and screamed he took liberties. She pulled away, but that didn’t deter him. Instead he gripped her nape and tugged her so close she could feel the heat coming off his body. “There’s something about you. Something familiar and oddly appealing.” Did he chase after everything with a vagina? “Not interested in dicks, remember?” His gaze jerked to hers as if startled by her comeback. Stone chuckled, a male sound that resonated through her

entire fucking body and fashioned funny, little swirls in her stomach. And had her clit weirdly pounding with her heartbeat. “Right. Lesbian. Not buying it, sweetheart.” She elbowed her way out of his grasp and put more than an arm’s length between them. “Don’t care what you buy, Regent. I’m particularly not interested in you.” Deadpan, he stared her in the eyes and said, “I’m sure.” His obnoxious arrogance should’ve been a turn off. It was with other assholes. She stared at him and resumed chewing on her apple. He returned her stare without blinking. With a mental

sigh, she admitted if she were in his shoes she’d probably be just as arrogant. “You want something in particular or are you torturing me with conversation for the hell of it?” A slow, sexy grin curled his lips. “I told you I’m looking for Mark Evans.” “You know where to find him.” He frowned, focused on the pedestrians milling about the square, and shook his head. “Not willing to go that route yet.” “For a man that spends an awful lot of time headlining the scandal sheets, you are strangely trying to keep a low profile.” That couldn’t bode well for her.

“Mack!” At least four different voices yelled out her name. Kella grinned at the kids who approached from across the street. “Rog, you been watching out for Dezzy?” Dezzy sucked on his thumb and clutched at Rog’s hand. Just mentioning his name had Dezzy grinning around his digit. “You got something for us?” Pickle asked, a ginger headed girl who’d been found in a pickle barrel at the ripe age of seven months. “Who’s the snot?” Rog glared at Stone, and Stone’s eyebrows flew up toward his hairline. The boy was big for his twelve years. He’d been on the streets since he was eight, and he was

one of the toughest, but sweetest, kids she knew. “Mind your manners, Rog.” At her warning, he tugged his hand free of Dezzy’s and crossed his arms over his chest, not giving up the glare. It was sweet he defended her, but giving Stone shit would land him in a barrel full of trouble. She tossed her apple core into the trash bin. “Apologize or walk away.” Mutiny flashed in his brown-eyed gaze when he shifted his glance to her for a millisecond. Dezzy leaned against Rog’s large frame, sucking loudly on his thumb. The excitement of the other four kids dropped at their standoff.

Kella wouldn’t back down. “All you need to know is he’s an acquaintance. Now apologize.” “Sorry,” the boy mumbled. It wasn’t the most gracious apology, but she hoped it would suffice. Spooners were to blame for his hardship, and he wasn’t likely to ever forgive them. “You’re pretty.” Maddy tugged on Stone’s pants. Her mother was a worker at the bordello, so five-year-old Maddy spent a lot of time alone, but that was life in dreg society. The normally blonde-haired, little girl didn’t look like she’d had a bath in a week, and her matted hair hadn’t seen a brush either. “So are you,” Stone said. Despite the little girl’s shabby appearance, he

stunned Kella when he swung Maddy up into his arms. Maddy grinned at them like she was the queen of the square. Deciding it was best to ignore the softening in her heart toward Stone, she dug in her bag and pulled out a handful of chocolates. “You know the drill. Chocolate for a correct answer.” Schoolwork was important, but these kids didn’t attend school. An education was for spooners only. Dregs worked all their life. Child-labor laws of the twenty-first century were nothing but a history lesson. The two oldest kids worked to help with the cost of living. Kella gave them lessons to learn and quizzed them when she saw them again. Often they ferreted

her out just because they wanted the treats. It’d become a game, but they were learning, and that’s what mattered to her. “What’s the name of the 2020 president that was impeached?” She held up a chocolate between her thumb and forefinger and waved it back and forth. “Charles Monroe,” Stella squealed in a high-pitched voice. “Close. Try again, Stella.” “Umm...” she poked her tongue out of her mouth and closed her eyes as she thought. Everyone stared at her. She could see the answer in Rog’s eyes, but he wouldn’t speak up until Stella had a chance. It was the way the boy operated. “Charlie Monroe?”

“Correct.” Kella handed over the chocolate, and the candy was unwrapped and stuffed in her mouth a few seconds later. They went on asking questions until each child, except Maddy, had a piece of candy. Four of them took off, and only Stella remained waiting on Maddy cuddled in Stone’s arm. Stella must be on babysitting duty today. As a group they’d worked out their own sitting assignments. The older kids always watched out for the younger kids. Kella liked that they stuck together that way. “He’s pretty, Mack.” Maddy patted Stone’s chest. “Smells good too.” Kella met Stone’s gaze. Amusement crinkled the corners of his eyes. “Yes, he

knows he’s pretty,” she said. “For the final piece of chocolate, what’s the name of my new favorite song?” They all knew that. And since Maddy couldn’t read yet, she wouldn’t leave her out by not giving her a treat. Maddy grinned. “Sweet Home Alabama.” “All of you are so bright.” She passed the treat to the little girl, and Stone settled her on her feet. “Be safe.” Silence lingered between her and Stone. She could feel the intensity of his stare while she watched the girls walk away. Kella regretted the world wasn’t their oyster, but until society changed, fair chances weren’t a part of dreg-life. “That was enlightening,” he said.

Uncomfortable with what that meant, Kella chose to ignore the comment.

SIX Mack acted as if she hadn’t heard him or she chose to ignore his comment. Watching her interact with the kids had been eye opening. They obviously loved her. And the one kid, Rog, had wanted to protect her. Adorable. The kid hadn’t stood a chance, but the boy’s aggression demonstrated the depth of his affection for Mack. Commotion in the streets drew his attention. People dispersed, allowing for two guards chasing a civilian through the throng of citizens in the busy thoroughfare. The runner tripped,

skidding forward from the momentum of his fall. Stone cringed at the scrapes the guy would receive. The runner pushed up—and then was down again as the guards caught up and wailed on him. Kicking, punching, and whacking him with clubs, which resulted in the escapee curling into a ball, protecting himself as he screamed for a ceasefire. The guards just kept pummeling. Next thing Stone knew, Mack stepped off the sidewalk and put herself in the middle of the fray. Great. She was a do-gooder. “Stop!” she screamed, shoving one of the Regent’s men aside. The crowd hushed, and sudden alarm punched the

mob. “You’ve got him, you asshole, he’s bleeding everywhere.” Stone agreed with that assessment. The beating was excessive. The man she’d attacked kicked the runner in the gut. “You’re under arrest, Mack, for violating Regent business.” Mack blanched at that threat, but she pushed on. “You’re going to kill him.” From the corner of his eye, Stone spied one of the girls from earlier take off. This wouldn’t end well if the altercation terrified her enough to run away. Stone stepped off the curb to diffuse the situation, but before he could reach them, Mack pulled on the soldier’s arm to stop him from abusing the guy further,

and he backhanded her. The crowd shrieked. Mack managed to deflect his next blows, ramming her knee into his crotch. With a wail, he went down, the crowd cheering. But the other asshole guard was on her then, curling his hand in her hair and yanking her back. Mack fell on her ass, swiped her leg out, and took the Regent’s man with her. Before she could get her footing, the asshole straddled her, smacked her once, and had balled up his fist to strike her when Stone stepped up and pressed the barrel of his gun to the guard’s forehead. Seeing him smack Mack had flooded him with rage. Fury struck so hard, it was a wonder his hands weren’t shaking.

I would react the same if he hit any woman. Wouldn’t he? Stone wasn’t so sure. There was something unidentifiable that attracted him to Mack. The man went still, lifting his hands in the universal sign of surrender. “Regent Jones will see you dead for violating weapon’s law.” “Stupid fucker. You threaten me while I hold a gun to your head?” James weaved into the crowd, maintaining the neutralization of the other guard as Stone spoke. “I could off you right now, and not a goddamn thing would be done about it.” “You have a high opinion of yourself, dreg.”

Stone couldn’t understand why the idiot mistook him for a civilian, a lowclass one at that by his slur. His shirt alone cost more than the stupid fuck’s entire yearly salary. “Allow me to introduce myself. I’m Regent Stone Emmerson, and I’m well within my legal right to weaponize myself and to put a bullet in your head. Start talking, and I demand—” “Stone,” James warned. “You’ve crossed the line.” “—a good fucking reason for your abuse of a defenseless woman. Shut up, James.” Now was not the time to scold him. The asshole had hit Mack, and he wanted reparations for the assault, didn’t matter that she wasn’t his citizen and he

didn’t hold any rights toward her. Somewhere along the way, his brain had claimed her. Yeah, he’d fucked up big time. “She started it!” the guy with the relocated balls choked out. The one straddling Mack maintained his calm. “It’s Regent business. He’s a thief. She interfered. You understand protocol and that I must now bring them both in.” Stone nodded, and lowered his weapon. “Let’s all of us have a chat with your Regent.” James cursed, but jerked Blueballs to his feet. “You’re a goddamn fool.” No shit. He’d ousted himself for a woman he had no business protecting,

much less desiring. “You’re an idiot,” Mack said, the ungrateful chit. “You should’ve stayed out of it.” Seriously? He’d expected a little more gratitude. “He’d have beaten the fuck out of you too. You’re welcome.” “Looked like she was holding her own pretty good to me.” James stepped up beside him as the guards secured the guy with a set of electric cuffs. “Thanks, Satan.” Pain radiated along Stone’s neck when he jerked his attention to her. No one had ever called James Satan except Kella. She glared at Stone and said, “I’d say sorry for blowing your cover, but I

didn’t ask for your help.” Still reeling from her nickname for James, Stone found himself strangely speechless. He looked at his buddy, but James ogled her, frown lines scoring his forehead. “Is that necessary?” Stone demanded when Stupid Fuck spun Mack around and cuffed her with zip-ties. Tight enough she winced as they indented her skin. “She committed a felony attacking government representatives on official business.” “Is that how you’re going to spin it?” James gave Stone his ‘I can’t believe this bullshit’ glower. “From what I could see, you two attacked her first, and she defended herself.”

“That’s exactly what I’m telling Regent Jones.” Stone didn’t bother commanding the jerk to loosen her restraints. Instead he lifted his foot, slid his blade out of his ankle strap, and slit through the plastic ties. “She interfered with our commands.” Stupid Fuck’s face mottled when Stone released her. “That’s different from attacking you.” Stone rubbed her wrists, and his cock took interest thanks to the soft texture of her skin. If Mack Ellason interested him, Missy wasn’t doing her job, and he needed to get laid again. Mack was no beauty, cute, yes, but all his women were refined or whores. He

didn’t peg her as a whore, but she was far from refined. “You have no jurisdiction here,” Blueballs squeaked out. Stone released his grip on Mack’s wrists. He curled his fingers in Blueball’s shirt and yanked him closer. “Come again?” “You’re scaring the piss out of the guy.” James gestured low. Stone shoved Blueballs away. “You lead, we’ll follow.” He motioned to Stupid Fuck, who showed his displeasure by grinding his teeth hard enough his pinched lips turned white. As they walked the streets, a crowd trailing them, Mack strode between him and James.

“What do you know about Mackella Starke Emmerson?” James asked out of the blue. By all outward appearances he seemed calm, but Stone detected the tension straining in his neck. “Who?” Mack stared straight ahead. “My wife.” Stone rested his hand on her lower back, and she tensed beneath his touch. “She’s the only person who ever called James Satan.” “I like the way she thinks.” Mack’s face screwed up, and she tilted her head to look up at him. “I didn’t think you were married?” “Not any longer.” She’s dead. At least he’d once believed that. That shut her up. Either Mack was telling the truth about not knowing Kella,

or she was the best actress ever.

They entered Regent Jones’s domain. He’d had the displeasure of meeting the man three times since Stone’s inauguration, each time at the annual Regent assembly. He wasn’t impressed with Jones. Stone found him to be pompous and self-absorbed, like most Regents. Mid- to late-forties, he kept himself in good shape, and ran his Quadrant like a dictator. Again like most Regents. Jones took one look at Mack and asked, “What’ve you done now, Mack?” A troublemaker like Kella. James noted the similarities too and elevated

his eyebrows when he caught Stone’s glance. Stone found it concerning, as well as fucking erotic as hell, that Mack glared at Jones, even when she should be cowering and begging for mercy. “Why do you automatically assume she’s guilty?” “She’s always stirring up trouble. Thinks she’s better than most dregs.” Jones stepped forward and held his hand out. “Good to see you again, Regent.” Lies. They shared no love of one another. Jones disapproved of Stone’s leadership and had made no bones about it. Stone knew how to play nice, though, so he shook the other man’s hand. “Likewise.”

“Glad you caught our thief—” “We both know he’s not a thief.” As if Mack’s voice wasn’t defiant enough, she notched her chin and gave Jones a rebellious glare. “You’ve been skimming his profits and his goods, like you do everyone.” Jesus, she was ballsy. There wasn’t much Stone could do to aid her in the presence of her Regent. Jones slapped her. A hard, whipcrack smack that happened so fast, Stone didn’t have time to stop her from reeling and collapsing to the floor. A cruel twist contorted Jones’s lips as he wound his fingers in her hair and jerked her upward to her knees. “You forget how much I’ve helped you, little girl.”

“I can do without your style of help.” While holding her hair, Jones smacked her again. Hard. She lurched to the side, but came up sharp in the Regent’s grasp. A hiss of pain escaped her lips, but that was the only discomfort she displayed. If anything her glare grew more rebellious. The only thing that halted Stone from interfering was James placing his hand on Stone’s shoulder. His buddy shook his head. Yeah, this wasn’t his place, not his domain, and all Regents ran their Quads differently. No rule said he had to agree with the way other Regents governed. Stone swiped his fingers through his hair, but the action bombed at relieving

his anger. All women should be respected. Everyone deserved that. But he’d been taught to coddle, love, and protect, not manhandle women in particular. His agitation intensified when Jones wound her hair around his arm. Mack gasped and threw her arms up, and back to clutch at the dictator’s arm when he craned her head back at a sharp slant. Tears shimmered in her eyes and if looks could’ve killed, Jones would be a smoldering corpse. Stone focused on the Regent because watching her resulted in fury sweeping through him. Killing Jones would be satisfying. It’d be easy to snap the bully’s neck.

Jones’s death would protect her. How many others would his death protect? “I should send you to the brothel.” At Jones’s declaration, Stone jerked his attention to her. “I bet forcing you to suck my cock would make you more obedient.” Mack winced, but kept her gaze direct and mutinous. “I’d bite your dick off.” Her courage in the face of a tyrant resulted in a grin tugging at Stone’s mouth. Beside him, Stone caught James’s uneasy glance in his direction. Neither would allow a woman to be pimped out, regardless of jurisdiction.

“Thanks for the heads up, bitch. I’ll know to open-mouth gag you. You’ll look lovely gagging on my cock as I ram it down your throat.” She blanched. “I’ll kill you or myself before I become any man’s whore.” Stone believed her, but the tremble in her voice echoed her flailing confidence. “I’m tempted to call your bluff to see how far you’ll go.” Jones smirked and ran his fingertips along her jaw. Mack recoiled and attempted to turn her head aside, but couldn’t with the way he clenched her hair. The slight trembling of her bottom lip had Stone seeing red. It was the first time he’d witnessed a crack in her courage. Jones pinched her bottom

lip between his finger and thumb. “I bet you’d cry prettily for me when I’m inside you.” Had Stone wanted to snap the man’s neck before? Now, he wanted to commit slow and cruel homicide, peeling one ounce of flesh from Jones’s hide at a time to lengthen the man’s agony. “That’s enough.” Stone stepped forward. “Release her.” Jones maintained his hold on Mack, only his attention shifting to Stone. “You’re an uptight prick, eh? Surprising, considering your father loved to bang chicks with me. The harder they cried, the better.” Of course, Stone didn’t believe him. Even so, the thought of his dad being an

asshole like Jones made him sick to his stomach. “My father taught me to respect women, not abuse them or exploit them.” “Keep believing your father was a saint.” Jones smirked as if he knew a secret Stone wasn’t privy to. “You make me too much money crawling through the dirt, Mack, but never forget I control your future. That I own you. And if you give me even a single ounce of trouble again, I won’t hesitate to have you sucking cocks or taking dicks up your tight ass.” Jones released her abruptly, which was a fine move because Stone was one step away from becoming violent. “Someone give me an update so I can dish out punishment?”

Not trusting Jones’s men to feed him the truth, Stone detailed what’d transpired. Jones lit a cigar, not bothering to offer Stone or James one. Probably best because Stone would prefer burning the fucker with the tip than smoking it. “Goddamn it, Mack.” Jones pointed the cigar in her direction. “Stay out of my business next time.” “He was coughing up blood. If she hadn’t intervened, he’d be dead thanks to your overzealous guards.” Stone toyed with the idea that he hated Quad2’s Regent. Mack met Stone’s eyes for a moment. He took the minute connection as her

way of saying thanks for assisting her cause. But he could be wrong. “He has a family, Regent Jones. They’re starving because of you.” Surely she didn’t think appealing to Jones’s humanitarian side would work. Stone had witnessed no evidence of compassion in the other man. She went to rise, but Jones halted her by pressing his hand on top of her head. “Remain on your knees. It’s where you belong, pet.” The condescending motherfucker! Stone shot a look at James, who shook his head, but he could tell by the hard stare, his buddy disliked Jones as much as Stone did.

Fire erupted in her eyes, and her shoulders went rigid. For a moment Stone feared she’d rebel against her leader’s command, but after a tense moment she crumpled to the floor. The other Regent smiled and continued as if he wasn’t forcing a woman to subjugate herself before him. “He’s a thief, Mack. You know my rules. I do not suffer thieves. And his family isn’t my concern. He should’ve thought of them before he wronged me.” “Actually, they are your concern since they’re your people.” In Stone’s opinion, it sounded like Jones required a lesson is leadership. “Kindly mind your own goddamn business, Regent Emmerson.” Jones

scowled, puffing on his cigar while fingering Mack’s dark-blonde hair. The aggression in the man’s stance indicated he’d do whatever necessary to make Stone back off. Throwing fists would help eliminate some of the testosterone burning through Stone, but he stood down for now. He inclined his head and scrutinized Jones a moment before reverting his concentration on Mack. He understood Jones’s fascination with her. Hell, he was fascinated with her too. She was nothing like the women he brought to his bed. Nothing like Missy who had graced his mattress the past couple of nights. It was strange really, to find himself attracted to Mack, but he could easily

picture her naked, legs parted wide, waiting for his penetration. Each woman he pleasured fascinated him. They all found their gratification differently, and sounded different too. James had taught him to refocus his obsession from Kella to getting women off. But with Mack it was different. Fucking her and leaving her wasn’t what was on his mind. Oh, no, he very much feared one time with her wouldn’t be enough. He’d want to bury himself inside her over and over again, getting sloshed off her cries of pleasure. “The punishment for thievery is execution, Regent Emmerson.” His name on the other man’s lips startled him out of his inappropriate fantasies. “All

Mack gained the thief was a slow death on the rack in front of his peers.” Jones shrugged, puffing on his tobacco and creating a cloud of smoke. “Serves my purpose well. So long as the dregs fear me, I don’t suffer an uprising.” And he called Stone a prick? The punishment did not fit the crime, especially when he threatened to force a woman to work in a whorehouse, which would in effect result in an endless cycle of rape. Oh, yeah, Regent Jones was a douchebag tyrant. “Mack says he’s not a thief. Who made the claim against him?” He was overstepping his boundaries, but couldn’t seem to make himself back down. A man’s life was at stake.

“I make the claim. He’s guilty. He dies.” Jones yanked on Mack’s hair, eliciting a sharp hiss from her. “My dear troublemaker, you’re too popular among the dregs to ignore your unruliness. Twenty electrical lashes should set a good example among your class, don’t you think?” “Fuck.” Stone ran his fingers through his hair. “That many blows to a man would result in permanent nerve damage. She’ll never survive it.” Jones sighed as if weary of Stone’s contrariness. “She’s one of my favorites, my moneymaker—” “If I’m favored, I’d hate to see how you treat those you dislike.” Stone agreed with her.

Jones backhanded her, sending Mack sprawling on the floor with a shrill cry. “I own you and all you do. I could take all your profits, but I’m generous and allow you part of it. Show some gratitude for my generosity.” From where Stone was standing, Jones didn’t know the meaning of ‘generosity’. And if the archeological site fell outside the city gates, anything in the badlands was outside the jurisdiction of the Regent. That meant Jones abused his powers, and that was something he could take to the Board of Regents. He wasn’t part of the good old boys, so he bet anything like that would result in Stone receiving the coldshoulder and wouldn’t win him any

friends. Not that he wanted or needed bastards like Jones as friends. And he sure as hell could bet Jones wouldn’t suffer even a set down by the board. “Because she’s my favorite, the twenty lashes is a light punishment. Had anyone else intervened the way she did, they would’ve received the same fate as the thief. See? I can be lenient when warranted.” His grin didn’t reach his eyes, and Stone suspected he’d enjoy her agony. Probably a sadist who gets off on another’s pain. In the end, he needed Mack whole to question her about Kella. Struggling to think of a reason to dissuade Jones from reprimanding her, he ran through a variety of scenarios, but came up empty-

handed. His gaze fell on Mack. She rubbed her cheek as Jones instructed his guards to get to the punishment immediately. After publicly executing the thief, they were ordered to string Mack up right afterward and have the punisher apply the lashes. “Why are you in my Quad?” Jones crushed his cigar into an ashtray on his desk. This was his lead in to pause Mack’s penalty. “I’m following a lead on my wife.” Her gaze struck him, and a hint of fear entered her eyes. The severe punishment of electrical lashes hadn’t dented her bravado. What about the mention of his wife frightened her?

Jones shrugged aside Stone’s adventure. “Good luck with your find. Please let me know if I can be of assistance.” “Delay Mack’s punishment.” “Anything but that.” Several seconds elapsed as they stared at one another, before Jones shifted his gaze to Mack. “What do you know about his wife, Mack?” “No-nothing.” She knew something. Of that Stone was suddenly very sure. “I’ll buy her from you.” James flinched and cut a hard glance in his direction, evidently surprised by his appeal. Even though his intentions were honorable, and meant to protect

her, his guilt triggered his inability to look at Mack and gauge her reaction. Stone sensed Jones’s bemusement over his outrageous request. “Interesting proposition since you no longer offer the sale of even Xenos.” Shutting down his X-gene clinic had caused uproar among Regents. Jones had been one of the most vocal of the lot, and even Stone’s dad, Peter, had balked at the decision. Going against advice, he’d honored his wife with the closure. He’d coolly reminded the other Regents his Quad, his rules. That had gone over as well as an active whore preaching morals from the pulpit. They’d ganged up on him to oust him from power, teleporting into his Quadrant with a

thousand-man-strong army. It was good other Regents dismissed Stone’s effectiveness as a leader because he’d neutralized the offense with a drone strike. Before breakfast their offensive had been negated. In the beginning of his tenure he’d become the asshole dictator who threatened other Regents’ way of life. Stone’s aggressiveness to protect his position, and their necessity for the perishables he grew in his territory, or their need to utilize his teleportation services, had resulted in the other Regents slowly giving up their beef and inviting him back into the fold. It was a tenuous alliance at best. Stone didn’t trust a damn one of them. His memory was long and

unforgiving. And three years wasn’t nearly enough time for them to forget the ease with which he’d defeated them. He was always on the defensive, waiting for another surprise attack, and it was why he maintained high security at all times. At any given moment, an assassination attempt could be made on his life. “What do you think, Mack?” Jones’s question snatched Stone out of his thoughts. Jones rubbed her head like he would a dog, and she leaned way from him. That earned her a yank on her hair, and Jones forced her to lean against his thigh. “Answer me. Should I sell you to Regent Emmerson?” “I think you’re going to do what you want regardless what I say.”

A smack to her cheek for her saucy reply. The move pissed Stone off more. “Name your price, Jones.” Murder spewed from her gaze, and her jaw locked, obviously gritting her teeth. “I decline your offer. I like Mack too much. Guards, take her to the square for punishment.”

SEVEN Just like the day she’d been auctioned to Stone, Kella slapped on her brave face, and sauntered onto the scaffolds with her shoulders squared and her head held high. Regent Jones thought punishment would deter others from rebelling against his tyranny when his actions would have the opposite effect and would fuel her revolt instead. If her life was forfeited for that end result, she happily paid it with her last breath. What pissed her off the most was that Stone tried to purchase her for a second time. The irony! Although he’d

failed this go round, she was pretty sure he’d made the offer to protect her. That he’d even suggested the offer had her simmering. For a person to even think of purchasing another said a lot about their lack of morals. The ‘thief’ died a slow death, strung up by his arms, weights placed on scales attached to his ankles until he suffocated. It was a cruel way to go. The crowd that’d gathered was dead silent as his final breath gurgled from his lungs. An eerie sound for a dishonorable ending. “Take heed citizens of Quadrant2. Stealing will not be tolerated,” Regent Jones’s voice boomed over the loudspeaker. Kella would gladly slice his throat, or at the very least cut out his

tongue. Too bad she’d probably never get the opportunity. She surveyed the horde, recognizing the majority of them. Once again Stone stood among the throng, his features just as stoic as when he’d bought her. At his side, James measured the throng, his palm resting on the hilt of his gun. The only difference between this and the auction is that this time she wasn’t scared or embarrassed. In the front row on the other side of the mass her best friend and mentor, Reaper, glowered. She shook her head at him, hoping he understood not to attempt anything stupid. Like trying to save her from her punishment. Kella could endure whatever Jones threw at her. She had to

because there was a larger rebellion brewing. Something about her communication with Reaper must’ve caught Stone’s interest because he raked his gaze in Reaper’s direction. After the scuffle, James had asked about Kella. It’d taken all her willpower not to sprint in the other direction. That inquiry terrified her. Scared her more than the punishment about to commence. No one had had his hand on her when he’d asked about Stone’s wife, so it would’ve been easy to escape. She knew these streets better than anyone. Bolting would’ve also signaled her guilt. She wasn’t sure if they’d bought her bluff, but she had no idea how to make

herself invisible to him either except to run once more. She couldn’t start over. She just couldn’t. The first chance she got, she’d talk with Reaper. Surely he’d have a suggestion. The guard shoved her forward. Kella waved at the crowd as the punisher gripped her arm. “I don’t want to do this, Mack,” he whispered as he walked her to the cross-like apparatus he’d bind her to. “Punch me or kick me in the balls and take off. You know the crowd will protect you.” Jeb was a friend, a fellow compatriot fighting the good fight against the system, but she wouldn’t endanger him to save herself. They needed him to

maintain his position among Regent Jones’s ranks. “Do your job, Jeb.” His lips tightened, and he shook his head. “Goddamn you, Mack. Hurting you will plague me.” And it would help her cause. “I’m tough.” I hope. She’d seen grown men weep and soil themselves from an electrical lashing, and none of them had endured twenty. “You’re stubborn.” She couldn’t argue with that so she stepped up to the cross, gave a cheeky salute to the crowd, and positioned herself so Jeb wouldn’t have the added guilt of that. Boos surfaced around them as Jeb strapped her to a wooden X— how fitting given her status as a Xeno

and an X-Diplomat. After securing her wrists, he had her spread her legs, which caused a moment of alarm because she couldn’t understand the reasoning behind the position. He lifted her pant legs so he could bind her ankles to the apparatus. Testing the restraints, she tugged her arms against the bindings cutting into her wrists. The tight ties must be for her own good, but the way he’d bound her, along with the pinching rope, unsettled her. He cut her shirt off, exposing her back. Her hair had already been braided, so he pushed that over her shoulder and out of his way. Next he slashed off her pants, and that succeeded in escalating her apprehension. With only her panties and bra maintaining her vanity, she was

rendered vulnerable, exposed in a way that bought her a shit ton of alarm. Part and parcel of the repercussions of my actions. But what was the point in spreading her legs and baring her from the waist down? Further humiliation? I’d do it all over again. People were tired of being devalued because of their birth status. Tired of being a disposable commodity because the government only valued spooners and their wealth. Born a dreg, always a dreg. Dragging oneself out of that crevice was next to impossible. The only ones who received favor were Xenos, and they lost their freedom for their gain.

“I’d go easy on you if I could.” Kella glanced at Jeb, his expression troubled. She nodded that she understood. Electrical lashes prevented the punisher from holding back. Jeb startled her when he doused her with water. Oh, shit, Regent Jones meant business with her torture. She’d never seen them employ water with the electrical lashes before. “Mack Ellason,” the smug tone of Regent Jones’s voice slithered down her spine. God, she hated him so much and couldn’t wait to cripple him. She wished he’d choke on his hypocrisy, but he deserved to suffer a long time. “Your punishment is twenty electrical lashes for interfering in my business.” The

crowd gasped over the harsh sentence and proceeded to scream obscenities. “You may proceed, Jeb.” The glee in his voice sickened her. He enjoyed the suffering of others, always had. As soon as the X-Ds can manage it, he’s going dow— Kella gasped when the first lash struck diagonally across her back. In protest of the severity of the hit, her spine arched, driving her belly into the wood she was bound to, possibly acquiring a splinter or two. She’d definitely underestimated the suffering of the penalty handed down. Streaks of pain sizzled along her skin several long seconds after the blow. The second one

took her breath. Unprepared, the third came immediately on the heels of the second, causing her entire body to jerk uncontrollably. She bit her tongue to halt the scream ripping upward from her lungs with the fourth, and tasted blood. I’ll never make it to twenty. She panted, tears rolling down her cheeks. The fifth resulted in the edges of her vision darkening. Her nerve endings stung like a million needles pricked her skin. Or a billion bumblebees divebombed her. Or maybe a trillion paper cuts. She couldn’t decide which would hurt the most. The sixth landed low on her waist, just above her butt and curled around to bite into her hip. The worst part

followed, her uncontrollable shimmying and the stinging that radiated along her skin, like she was connected to a live current. Restraints became too much, her bra and panties chafed her raw skin. Even the tears on her cheeks supplied too much sensation to her oversensitized skin. Kella shuddered in her fetters like a person she’d seen in a movie who’d been tortured with electricity. Finally, the brutal quivering in her nerve endings ceased, and she could breathe once more. The next lick came to the tender skin on the inside of her thigh. Before she could stop it, a scream tore from her lungs, and another shriek followed as he struck again, but higher

on the inside of her legs, and much too close to her vagina. Her knees gave out, and she sagged against the wooden X, the bindings chafing her wrists and drawing blood. She understood the reason for spreading her legs. Those last two hurt worse than those against her back. Jones’s chuckles repulsed her, causing a wave of nausea to roll in her belly. Or maybe the bile hitting the back of her throat resulted from the pain raping her system. “Your mighty defender is brought low by the justice system.” Darkness narrowed her vision, but Jones made a show of entering her line of sight. “Citizens of Quadrant2, do not follow in

her footsteps or you’ll suffer the same fate.” Kella’s heart beat too hard, hurting her breastbone. The loud panting of her breathing drowned out Jones, a small reprieve in her misery. She managed to process his evil grin as he showed her the wand in his hand. A different torture device from the whip-like apparatus Jeb lashed her with. This one resembled a cane, but with the ability to electrocute like the whip Jeb utilized. His sadistic smile didn’t bode well for her either way. “Let’s amp it up a bit, Mack.” Jones flicked the wand on and off, a mental torture all its own. At the crack of electricity and blue lighting, she cringed

away from the gadget, as she anticipated the pain it’d cause, escalating her heartbeat. “If you survive this, our relationship will change.” Kella guessed what he intended, but she’d carve his dick off before she’d allow him to debase her that way. He trailed a finger along her cheekbone, the touch like a scalpel splitting open her skin. She whimpered, bringing forth a sadistic smile from her tormentor. Jones strolled around her until she couldn’t see him. “Beautiful burn marks that play against your skin exquisitely.” Fingertips traced each injury and she jerked in her restraints, but her effort to evade his touch only brought out his violence. He clutched the braid at the

base of her neck and yanked her head back. She gasped at the sudden wrench and resulting strain on her tendons. His breath puffed against her cheek. “You’ll be a fun fuck-toy. So much fun to break.” “No.” Her denial was nothing more than a breathy rejection, but if the tightening about the edges of his eyes was any indication, he understood her clearly. “I’ll receive a yes or I won’t stop until you’re pissing and shitting your panties...or dead.” Jones shoved her face forward, pressing her forehead against the wood and immobilizing her with his hand on the back of her head. He laid the wand against the back of her thighs, a blow that resulted in a screech ripping

from her throat. The electrical charge hurt worse than the whip, but she had expected that. Three more rained against her, each one a little lower on the back of her legs. What exacerbated the agony was instead of striking and pulling back for more, he held the wand to her flesh a second or two too long to guarantee the full effect of the abuse he doled out. “I’m so goddamn hard, I’d shove my dick in you if not for the audience.” The far off sound of his voice was the first thing that scared her because it indicated she’d lose consciousness soon. A lack of awareness would leave her defenseless to whatever Jones wanted. “Say yes, Mack.”

She tried to get the word no out, but nothing would leave her lungs, even the act of breathing became impossible. “Soon I’m going to fuck you as I hurt you just like this.” A jab of the wand to her ribs, high enough the tip of the wand landed against the soft side of a breast. Kella had lost the ability to scream her agony. She couldn’t tolerate a repeat performance of this torture. Death presented a haven from the suffering. “Mackella Starke Emmerson.” Was she dead? Or had she heard Jones correctly? “Yes, that’s right, you little slut, I know your real identity. You’ll say yes, or I’ll tell Stone who you are.” Another blow was laid directly across the center of her ass.

That’s thirteen. Tongue numb, the darkness at the edges of her vision grew. Her head became too heavy, and rolled on her shoulders. The thin cotton of her panties afforded her zero projection as the sizzle of her skin resonated to her ears. Belly rolling at the stench of burning flesh, she probably would’ve retched if her body wasn’t so busy jiggling helplessly in the restraints as he held the satanic device against her flesh, delivering a shot of unending pain. Darkness crashed, dragging her under. ***

Stone could hardly bear to watch the scene. His stomach turned at the obvious enjoyment Jones received from meting out torture. The bulge in the Regent’s slacks evidence of his sexual sadism, and not in a good way in this instance. Murmurs of rebellion propagated as their beloved vintage archeologist was abused for aiding one of their own. “He’s being unusually cruel,” James remarked. “And that one is going to do something stupid if this mockery of a punishment doesn’t end quickly.” Stone glanced in the direction James nodded and caught sight of the guy in dreads Mack had shook her head at earlier. “He won’t need to do anything.

The crowd is going to revolt if Jones doesn’t let up soon.” James considered the mass and nodded his agreement. Stone winced when Jones laid the wand across her backside. He knew the minute she lost consciousness because her entire body went slack, her head rolling back. People yelled insults and slurs against Jones and his government. If this were a typical day in Quadrant2, he’d revolt too. With that reality driving him, Stone jumped up on the gallows to intervene. His gut had wanted him to intercede sooner. Stone snatched the wand out of Jones’s grip, and the asshole swiveled to face Stone. Jones’s eyes were glassy

with delight, sickening Stone. That glaze of pleasure slowly sizzled into an affronted glare at Stone’s highhandedness. “You’re a fool. You’re going to lose control of the crowd if you hit her again. Your point is made.” “You’ve no right to interfere, Regent Emmerson.” Jones panted like a man about to orgasm. “I do when you’re putting your life in danger.” Hers too because he feared Mack Ellason was a few lashes away from sending her heart into fibrillation. Stone shut off the device, threw it down, and smashed it with his boot. The crowd cheered. “Take a hard look, Regent, you’ve not enough guards to protect you,

and this mob is angry. Walk away before it’s too late.” Walk away before I fucking kill you by shoving the glass fragments of the wand up your ass. Jones hesitated, taking a long survey of the mob. He motioned for his guards to join him and all but spit out, “Take her. I’ve no more use for her now that she’s passed out.” Thankfully the bastard walked away without a backward glance. James cut through the restraints binding her, and the dreadlock guy shoved both of them aside, getting to Mack first. The man swung her into his arms, cradling her gently to his chest. The crowd parted as

he strode off the platform and across the street. “We’re following.” “I suspected as much,” James said, his tone dry. “I don’t know what we’re walking into, so have your weapon on standby.” Paranoia is what he paid for, but seriously? Mack was gravely injured. Mr. Dreadlocks and the other two— another man and a woman that followed —surely they sought Mack’s wellbeing. Stone highly doubted they were going to attack, but he’d be ready just in case. “Jones makes a mockery of his position.” “He’s a tyrant. Enjoys his all-access power. And that show had nothing to do

with her interference with his authority and everything to do with a personal vendetta.” James’s insight was usually spot on. “I have the power to take him down.” Just speaking the words gave him a sense of satisfaction. “I’d advise against it.” Of course James warned against the move. To overthrow Jones would put Stone in more danger, and James always endorsed the safest course of action. A row of identical housing stretched in either direction. The blond guy shoved open a door and they entered. The red-haired woman halted at the bottom step to block their entrance. “Mack’s friends only.”

“Cute, button, but ineffective.” James gripped her hips and set her aside as easily as he would a sack of sugar. Stone took the four steps two at a time and heard James’s tread behind him. “Wait!” Stone called, halting Dreadlocks from placing Mack on a stack of blankets. “The hard floor will agitate her burns.” “Who are you?” The blond guy folded his arms over his chest and glared. He wasn’t hard looking like the one holding Mack, and his suave comportment unveiled an entirely different story. Stone would bet this man’s connections were of an elevated nature. Might even be a spy for the

Regency. At the very least Mr. Mole hadn’t been raised a dreg. The only thing that didn’t fit with that suspicion was the tattoos covering both arms. “Later. Is this the doctor’s office?” Why else would they be in this hovel? Dreadlocks leveled Stone with an antagonistic stare, but his tone implied Stone was a moron. “It’s Mack’s residence.” Good god! Horrified by her living conditions, Stone gawked at the meager dwelling. His bathroom boasted more square footage than this one-bedroom shack. There’d been at least a dozen of these homes in either direction, stacked in a neat row side-by-side with only a sliver between them. He’d assumed they

were businesses. His citizens lived better than this. “The doctor will arrive shortly.” Dreadlocks shifted Mack a little higher on his chest, securing her in his hold. “I’m afraid my grip isn’t helping her injuries either.” Stone ripped his observation off the room in time to catch the soft expression Dreadlocks directed upon Mack. The man genuinely cared for her. That much was evident. “I have a cybernetic doctor in my hotel room.” He never left home without the medical device. They lived in dangerous times, and he never knew when someone would attempt an assassination. The tube would heal all of her injuries, including

any permanent nerve damage, if they got her to the cybernetic physician soon enough. Dreadlocks considered him without blinking, his stare one of a man who trusted few. Stone applauded him on that outlook on life. Mole gaped. “That’s illegal tech. Who are you?” “The guy who went toe-to-toe with your Regent to save her.” Stone nodded at Mack, unnerved by his jealousy of the man hugging her to his chest. He had no right, damn sure no business, embracing the green-eyed monster over a woman he’d just met. And especially over a woman who another claimed possessed information on his wife. If that weren’t

deranged enough, in a few months he’d be a married man who continued to pine over his deceased spouse. Worse still, he coveted Mack more than he’d ever wanted his fiancée, Katarina. Even if he understood his attraction to Mack, he couldn’t offer her anything of importance because his future was set in stone. “He’s Regent Stone Emmerson.” The redhead who’d blocked their entrance identified him, but Stone’s gaze remained lodged on Dreadlocks. Stone’s identity had a direct impact on the man holding Mack. Dreadlocks’s eyes widened just a fraction, and his nostrils flared, followed by the clenching of his jaw. Oh yeah, his identity meant something to the other man.

“Fuck,” Mole muttered, swiping his hand across his mouth. “He complicates everything.” “Judging by the looks of the goon at his side,” Red went on, “I’d say that’s his bodyguard, James.” “Good to know my reputation precedes me, doll.” James winked her way. “It wasn’t a compliment, buttercup.” “Of course it is.” His buddy fingered the hilt of his gun, a covert threat to all present. “If I was forgettable, you wouldn’t have remembered my name.” Red rolled her eyes. “None of us are armed, you’ve no need of that.” “I’ll be the judge of that.”

Shaking her head, Red strolled to Dreadlocks and placed her hand on his shoulder. “I know it’s a gamble, Reaper.” Ah-ha! Stone possessed a name. Even a nickname lent him the power to delve for information on his opponent. “We have to take the chance for Mack. She’s more important than our distrust of spooners.” He hated that fucking word. Just because he’d been born with the proverbial silver spoon in his mouth, didn’t make him soft or useless, and it damn sure didn’t indicate his trustworthiness or lack of deadliness. Since Kella’s death, he’d made it his goal to learn how to protect himself and his people. He implemented fairness in

his Quad. A nondiscriminatory system that threatened his fellow Regents’ tyrannical government. “Hold up, Dutch.” Weird name for a chick, but Reaper wasn’t exactly an ordinary name. The only name he lacked now was the individual speaking. “There’s more going on here.” It seemed Mole would play the devil’s advocate. There was always one in a group, and it was usually James’s part to play. “What do you get out of helping her, Regent Emmerson?” Stone didn’t bother pointing out he wasn’t obligated to answer to anyone. Besides, evading a question he didn’t have an answer to felt like the best choice. Concluding Reaper made the

decisions concerning Mack, Stone met Reaper’s stare and set out to appeal to the other man’s emotions. “She your girl?” A brief hesitation before Reaper said, “You could say that.” Fuck, fuck, fuck! Stone nodded, while cursing his misfortune. He’d hoped she was single. That she had a boyfriend didn’t deter him much. It just meant he’d have to be a little more creative in getting her into his bed. Wait...no. Hell no. He wasn’t going there. “She told me she was a lesbian.” Dutch laughed. Mole grinned.

Reaper demonstrated no emotion, just glared at him. “I’m offering aid free of charge with a contraption illegal to anyone but me. The whip could’ve caused permanent nerve damage, but the wand...” He slid his fingertips along his brow. “The wand’s more powerful, and I can’t predict the damage it could’ve caused. The real question boils down to how big of a risk are you willing to take to save Mack? Trust me or not?” “I’m still trying to figure out his angle.” Mole compressed his lips as he scrutinized Mack. “But he’s got a point. That punishment had nothing to do with a perceived slight. Regent Jones wanted to make her suffer.”

Stone would ask about that inference later, but after witnessing Jones’s infatuation with Mack, his best guess was that she’d shunned Jones’s sexual propositions or her archeological success wounded his fragile ego. “Forgive me, Mack, but I don’t know what else to do.” Reaper kissed her forehead. “I remain with her at all times.” “Agreed.” He’d prefer to have her all to himself, but he wouldn’t quibble over the little things when she required immediate medical attention. ***

A few hours later, Stone was holed up in his bedroom. Mack rested on his bed, her hands at her sides, with the triangular cyber doc device resting in the valley between her breasts. The freaky kippy curled up at her side, licking Mack’s fingertips every once in a while as if offering moral support. He wasn’t even sure which of them brought the fucking mongrel, but he couldn’t exactly kick the pet out the door. Mack reminded him of a sleeping beauty. If only his kiss could not only wake her, but heal her too. Stone shook off the fanciful thoughts and caught Reaper’s distrustful scowl in his direction. Like a guard dog, Reaper sat on the bed beside her refusing to

leave her for a moment. The man hadn’t even visited the lavatory. While Reaper didn’t seem jumpy, every little noise drew the man’s attention, and his tension would become evident in the tautness of his body. If Stone didn’t know better, he’d say Reaper was combat trained. In this Quadrant that level of esteem was reserved for spooners only...or assassins. With his feet propped on the desk in the bedroom, Stone crossed one ankle over the other while reading the health report of Mack Ellason as the cyber doc feed it into his computer. Ailments not caused by the electrical punishment popped up.

Damage to her reproductive organs. Status...healed. Stone wondered what’d happened to cause the mutilation, but wouldn’t ask because the incident wasn’t his business. And he disliked the thought of causing her to suffer further. She’d been through enough for now. Her ability to conceive would be a surprise. A scar here and there was mended. Burns from the whip and wand were removed with ease, but as he’d suspected she’d suffered nerve damage, as well as dead tissue in her extremities. That last he hadn’t anticipated, but her fingers and toes had been black by the time they arrived at his hotel. The nerve damage took the longest to restore to

health. Once she was completely healed, the cybernetic doctor would shut off. His screen flashed a warning. Vanity chip installed. Tumbling his feet to the floor, Stone sat up straight. The usage of a V-chip was illegal for one of her status, but indicated she hid her real appearance. What was she running from? Who was she hiding from? Positive for Xeno gene. Double fuck. The accuracy of a cyber doctor catching the X-gene marker panned out accurately about twenty percent of the time. It was why Regents elected to maintain the X-gene clinics, because those tests were foolproof. This diagnosis left Stone pondering her real

appearance, and her real identity, which resulted in his focus sliding along her body. Reaper returned his notice with a warning glower. All Xenos were recorded in a Regency database. An X-gene in Quadrant2 would be married, not running around free as a relic pirate or being punished in the city square. Obviously Jones had no idea she was an X-gene. That Jones was being cuckolded by a slip of a girl gave Stone a profound sense of satisfaction. But to whom does she belong? A few keystrokes pulled up the Xgene registry. As he suspected, Mack Ellason was not on the list.

X-gene. V-chip. Two findings he’d never thought to scroll across his screen. He had been sent here to find information on Kella. Two plus two had to equal Mack was Kella. Shoving down his sudden spike of hope, he clicked back over to the medical report. With his mind whirling in a million different directions, he sent off a message to James: Need an Rscanner ASAP. No more pussyfooting around. The retro scanner would eliminate any doubt as to her identity.

EIGHT Kella blinked the grogginess from her eyes. Yawning, she stretched—and froze. The bed beneath her was too soft, not the hard floor she was accustomed to as a mattress. Bolting into a seated position, she scanned the room. Retro yowled and stretched, then settled back into a curl and soft purr. “It’s okay, Mack.” Reaper gave her a shaky grin. His wobbly smile notified her not a damn thing was okay. “Where are we?” “Stone’s bedroom. Allow me to explain before you panic.”

Too late. She shoved the covers off, while lamenting over how comfy the bed felt until dread curled in her gut. “Calm down.” Her friend placed his hand on her arm. Lowering his voice, he whispered, “He doesn’t know who you are.” Yet. His very presence unnerved her. All it’d take was one small slip on her part and he’d become suspicious of her identity. “Where are my clothes?” “Jeb cut them off, remember?” Everything flooded back in a rush, the torture and especially Regent Jones’s wickedness. The words he’d whispered to her there at the end. “I’m going to be sick.”

“Bathroom’s there.” Reaper pointed to a door on her right. Kella scrambled, just making the porcelain throne in time. She retched, manufacturing too much noise like always, with tears streaking her face. Could anyone throw up prettily? She was sure someone delicate managed it. She hated those bitches. The gagging was made worse by her empty belly. Stomach acid was the worst to upchuck, burning a path up her esophagus to splash against the back of her throat. Gentle hands gathered her hair together and held the strands out of her face. Several long minutes later she sat back and leaned against the wall, and

Reaper released her hair. The cool tile felt heavenly against her overheated legs. “I can’t remain here.” “I agree we should leave sooner rather than later, but you’re still recovering.” Reaper squatted and offered her a wet washcloth. “And Stone doesn’t know who you are.” “Yet.” She ran her fingertips along her forehead where a dull ache throbbed. Thinking of Jones’s words was the last thing she wanted, but she couldn’t evade the very real danger her leader presented. “Right now I’m more worried about Regent Jones. The things he knows...and wants. The things he tried to make me agree to before he’d

end the torture. I can’t stay here, Reaper.” “Give me a day or two and I’ll handle our departure.” She nodded, allowing him to take charge, and thankful he didn’t ask any questions because she didn’t feel like reliving it at the moment. Later would be soon enough to tell him Jones knew her real identity. “I’m not sore.” Shouldn’t the basic act of movement be agony? During the punishment her skin had felt like fire ants crawled across her skin or as if fire licked at her flesh. “What happened?” “Stone offered to heal you with a cyber doctor.” “Reaper!”

“I couldn’t refuse the offer. You suffered extensive damage. You would’ve died without his aid. I’d make the same choice if I had to do it over again.” “He’s looking for information on his wife. They asked me about Kella Starke.” “We’ll be gone by the end of the week so it won’t matter.” Reaper smoothed her hair out of her face. “Trust me, Mack. I got this covered. We can relocate you to the badlands”—spooners feared the inhabitants of the badlands —“and you can still work your dig.” Thankful she had such a good friend, she hugged him. He squeezed her back.

“Let’s get you back to the bedroom, and I’ll go get you some clothes.” “I’m okay.” She pulled out of his arms and pushed to her feet. A little woozy, she was glad she had the wall to her back. Reaper slid his arm around her shoulders, another beneath her knees, and swung her into his arms. “Okay, my ass. The cyber doc might’ve patched you up, but it recommended a week of rest.” “We don’t have that long.” He settled her on the bed and pulled the covers over her legs. “We should get Dutch on reformatting my V-chip. Wouldn’t hurt to ditch this look with Jones after me and Stone here too.”

“You sure you want to trust Dutch with your secret?” She’d known Dutch for three years. She trusted the hacker enough to start a terrorist group with her. “She wouldn’t be X-Ds if she wasn’t trustworthy.” “All right.” He pulled a gun from his ankle holster and hid it beneath the blanket at her hip. “Use this if you need it. I won’t be gone long.” “I can’t shoot Stone.” “You will do what you have to in order to stay safe.” Kella caught Reaper’s hand. “I can’t shoot Stone.” He gave her hand a squeeze. “I love that you’re gentle hearted enough you

can still care for a man who turned you into a slave.” Realizing the emotion as a weakness, she offered no explanation, just shrugged. “Then shoot James. That should be easy enough.” Giggling at the idea, she curled up onto her side. It felt like she’d fallen asleep just seconds before her door reopened. “Back so soon, Reaper?” “Wrong person.” Nervous by Stone’s unexpected appearance, she pushed up, drawing the covers to her chin to hide her nudity, and leaned against the headboard. Her fingers danced along the gun, but even if Stone revealed her identity, she couldn’t

bring herself to harm him. Retro raced to him, weaving in between his legs, and Stone surprised her by crouching for a moment to give her kippy an affectionate rub. Her heart took a direct hit. Where Stone was concerned, she was weak, but there’d been a time she’d trusted him, loved him, and he’d been her first crush. Okay, so he was her only crush. As an adult, she craved him still. He’d been attractive in his youth. But as a man, he revved her engines big time. And she hated her reaction to him. Swallowing past her dry mouth, she said, “Reaper caught me up. Thanks for helping me.”

“You bet.” Stone’s watchful stare jangled her nerves, so Kella picked at the comforter. “Regent Jones has demanded I return you to him the moment you’re well enough to walk.” For one heart-stopping moment Kella’s stomach rolled and she feared puking all over again. “He’s unaware I healed you with my cyber doc, so I bought you a couple of weeks.” He settled on the bed beside her, causing the covers to cinch about her. The gun must’ve pressed against him because he shifted enough to shove the covers out from beneath him and delved his hand under the bedding. His hand bumped against her naked hip, and she gasped. Their gazes crashed and held for

a couple of heartbeats, but their eye-lock felt like a lifetime. Stone broke the spell by holding up the gun. Kella clung the comforter tighter beneath her chin, her fingers aching from how hard she clenched the bedding. She wasn’t usually bashful, but his presence elicited unnerving moisture at her core. And she feared she’d fall into his arms if he made one small sexual overture. She wasn’t some vapid, starry-eyed girl. There’d be no fairytale ending for them. As far as prince charmings went, he fell short in almost every category. A carnal grin stretched his lips, resulting in her nipples tightening to hard points. “I like a distrustful woman. Tells

me she’s street smart and that quality is sorely lacking in most women.” “Probably because you mingle with the wrong women.” “Is that an offer to mingle with you, Miss Ellason?” She had no delusions what type of mingling he referred to. “No.” Dry swallowing, she hoped his effect on her wasn’t noticeable. He hovered his hand over her crotch and very slowly set the palm-sized gun in her lap. The weight of the weapon caused the comforter to sag between her legs. Kella pressed her thighs together, forcing the gun out of her crotch area. “I’m a lesbian remember?”

“You say that a lot. Are you trying to convince me or yourself of that lie?” Breath lodging in her lungs, her gaze rocketed to his. A smirk played about the edges of his lips, and his eyes crinkled with amusement at the corners. “If there’s one thing I know, Mack, it’s women, and I know you’re attracted to me.” “Regent Emmerson,” she cleared her throat and squared her shoulders, hoping she could manage to bluff her way through this conversation. “If you believe making me nervous is attraction, feel free to be delusional.” Wrong assertion. Stone took her statement as a challenge. One moment she was beneath the covers and the next,

she was sprawled across his lap, the concealment of the blankets gone. One palm gripped her hip, holding her in place, while the other curled around her nape and drew her to him. His thumb smoothed along her flesh over her wild pulse. “Your nipples are tight, an obvious sign of arousal. You want my mouth on them.” Yes! “I’m cold.” “Allow me to warm you.” Holding her gaze, he bent his head and brushed his lips over hers. His hand slid off her hip, and his fingers pinched at a nipple. Kella’s entire body softened for him, and he chuckled at her response. “Spread your legs for me.”

The sound of his voice served as an aphrodisiac, and she let her eyes slip closed as she indulged in his touch. It’d been so long since anyone had touched her in this manner, as if they cherished her. The last man who fondled her intimately had paid her well, and she’d endured his painful prodding. But she didn’t want to think of him and the high price she’d paid to survive. Stone used his hand in her hair to navigate her. He reclined her against his arm and dragged his tongue down her neck. A sage part of Kella’s brain whispered for her to push him away, but she ignored the warning. His tongue curled around her nipple, and he sucked her into his mouth. She gasped at the wet

heat encompassing her. A hand against her knee pushed her leg aside. Fingertips trailed up the inside of her thigh as he nibbled on her nipple. Kella hissed at the intimate stroke along her labia. “You’re delightfully wet, sunshine.” Sunshine? That’s what Stone had nicknamed her years ago. In the beginning it’d been a sarcastic endearment, but had turned into something much different as their relationship matured. Hers into infatuation and his into friendship. The single word served as a douse of ice water. Her eyes snapped open. His gaze locked on her, watching every expression.

Kella slammed her legs together, trapping his fingers. She shoved out of his grasp and slithered to the other side of the bed. Putting her back to him, she swung her legs over the edge of the bed. “I don’t know what game you’re playing at, but I’m not interested.” He was silent so long she was about to give in to curiosity and peek at him over her shoulder. Then he spoke. “Tell me what your Regent wants with you.” Not a request, but a demand. “What all Regents want.” Twisting to face him, she didn’t bother hiding her nudity. She gave him credit when his focus remained on her face. “Care to elucidate what that is, Miss Ellason?”

The way he said ‘Miss Ellason’ with a hint of sarcasm gave her pause. What issue did he have with her surname? “Sure. Why not. It’s common knowledge among dregs anyway.” “Please do educate me.” “All Regents want to dominate and crush the powerless.” “Not all Regents.” “Name one that’s different.” “Me.” Kella rolled her eyes. “Shocker. You have an overinflated opinion of yourself.” Standing, she swiveled to face him. He took his fill of her nakedness this time. “Scandal sheets tell me you bought your wife. If that’s not dominating and crushing the powerless since she

had no choice, then ‘please do educate me’, Regent Emmerson.” He clenched his teeth, his jaw flexing from the move. At least she’d managed to get a rise out of him. “Scandal sheets make no such claim because my father—the Regent before me—covered up that information when my wife went missing.” He looked her dead in the eyes, his gaze going hard. “Care to explain how you came by that inaccessible information?” She would’ve winced at her slip, but she couldn’t afford another error. “Your father, or whomever he paid to do the job, fucked it up because the information is very accessible.”

“Not accessible to the powerless like you.” Kella winced at that jab. Folding her arms beneath her breasts, she held his stare, not willing to admit defeat. “Jones wants to fuck you.” The change in topic came out of nowhere, flustering her to the point she had no idea how to respond. “What’d he say to you when he punished you?” Licking her lips, she studied her toes. “He wanted me to say yes to being his fuck-toy. When I wouldn’t grant his desire, he promised to force my compliance or I’d die before he quit torturing me.” Tired of running, tired of fighting for a meager existence, Kella blinked back

tears. Oppression was an abysmal life. Stone startled her when he cupped her cheek. She hadn’t even heard him move. “Allow me to demonstrate my style of crushing domination and protect you from him.” “How shall I pay for your services, Regent? By allowing you to fuck me instead?” He lowered his hand. “Why do I offer to help you when you insult me at every turn?” “One of the many mysteries of the universe.” A grunt sufficed as his reply. “I cannot guarantee your safety outside

these walls. Remain under my protection until I can locate a safe haven for you.” Trusting him no more than she could throw him, she threw his offer in his face. “Do I have a choice?” “No.” Yeah, Stone hadn’t changed at all in eight years.

NINE The door slammed, jerking Stone awake. He went for his .38 snub-nose revolver, his fingers just touching the cool metal when James said in his all-business tone, “She’s gone.” Stone removed his hand from beneath his pillow, leaving behind his favorite relic weapon. He tossed back the covers, and nudged Missy’s shoulder without looking at her. “Time to go.” Using his other hand, he dragged his fingers through his hair, loosening the tangles from his bed-head. His abrupt command didn’t seem to bother the

woman beside him. Bare-assed naked, Missy made a show of stretching. He wasn’t sure if the display was for him or James, but Stone didn’t much care. “Had fun, lover,” she said midstretch. They’d had a lot of fun the last couple of evenings, but last night had been about getting Mack Ellason out of his head. For all the good it’d done him since the termagant remained lodged heavily on his mind. At least the sex hadn’t been about getting the ghost of his wife off his mind. That was a first in eight years. Intense counseling was in his foreseeable future.

She leaned across the bed and paused...he guessed she waited for a goodbye kiss. Stone kept his focus centered on James, ignoring her. After a prolonged minute, she gave him a quick peck on the cheek. His indifference flustered her, and she pulled on a thin, cotton robe, her quick movements jagged. She cleared her throat twice. “Visit me again.” There was just enough emphasis on the sentence that he suspected she asked, rather than suggested. “You’re overstaying your welcome, sweetheart,” James offered his unsolicited advice, amusement in his voice.

Missy gave him a sharp glance before fast walking to the door. She shut the door, a quiet snick when she exited. “You’re a coldhearted bastard.” “I learned from the best.” Stone elevated his eyebrows. “I hope she fucked with more enthusiasm than she showed with her offended exit.” “She was willing.” Really what else mattered when you banged a stranger? Stone climbed off the bed and stood. “We knew Mack would run. Neither she nor Reaper trusted me.” Snagging his leather pants off the chair, he tugged them on. It excited him that she fled. Now he had an excuse to chase her down and impose his influence on her.

When a Regent gave an order it was obeyed. Didn’t matter that he wasn’t her Regent. Simple directives by any Regent were to be followed by all citizens so long as it didn’t interfere with her commitment to her own leader. “I’ll boot up the tag.” He ran his fingertip along the small elevated spot behind the back of his right ear. Without touching that spot, he wouldn’t be able to boot up his computer. It was a failsafe in case someone stole his laptop. Technology was illegal for citizens, but not for Regents or those they chose to give it to. That made the tech a hot commodity and a lucrative business for bootleggers.

A few keystrokes later and the tracker he’d tagged her with came online. The red dot that represented Mack Ellason pinpointed her whereabouts, with the topography of her location. He sent the information to James’s handheld data-stream. His friend snagged it out of his back pocket and took a peek. “What’s she doing out there in the goddamn badlands?” It kind of frightened him how little she cared for her own life. Kella died in the badlands. At least that was the story his dad told him. “She’s running. That’s what she’s doing in the badlands.” James flipped him off.

“She’s a relic hunter. That’s where her current dig is located.” That meant she spent a lot of time in danger. “I bet she lied about not carrying weapons.” “Maybe.” Stone shrugged. “She might only carry when she’s looting.” Or when left alone with me. James dragged his knuckles along his shaven jaw. “We chasing her now or giving her a little while to feel safe before we crash her party?” “Later.” Grinning, Stone selected a shirt and dragged it over his head. “A false sense of security is just what she needs before we show up.” They’d give her a day or two before they followed. He snagged his boots and began to lace

them up. “You get the data we talked about on Mack Ellason?” “Yeah. She has legit papers.” “Or someone on the inside crafted them.” James agreed with a one-shoulder shrug. “She’s resided in Quad2 for almost eight years. She moved from Quad8.” He just barely managed to refrain from adding the timeline aligned with Kella’s desertion. Instead Stone said, “Quad8 isn’t southern enough to account for her accent.” “Stone.” His friend sighed, and Stone could tell his buddy grew weary of the Kella-Mack debate. “If she is Kella, and I’m not saying she is or even

saying I think she might be because I damn sure don’t think she’s Kella, but I did some research. Most archeologists take more than a decade to build a clientele. Shit, most dig with a more established pirate all their life. Only a handful ever became reputable. She’s twenty-two and established. That’s a huge feat for a woman, much less someone her age. Is that level of success even possible with the eight-year timeline? Maybe she inherited it from someone? Maybe Jones is so pissed because he backed her and she’s ungrateful. Fuck, I don’t know. There’s so many maybes I’m sick of them.” Stone pondered the information. Kella had always loved relics. She’d

become fascinated with them when he showed her the first wind-up toy—Holy fuck! How’d he miss the obvious? Mack Ellason had a metal wind-up dog on her desk. That couldn’t be a coincidence since he’d given Kella the same toy on her thirteenth birthday. Was it the same toy? He couldn’t remember. It’d gone missing when she did. “Maybe whoever her benefactor is helped somehow.” Stone secured his watch on his wrist, now more than ever convinced Mack Ellason was his Kella. The toy was a dead giveaway. “We’re dealing with a lot of maybes and ifs here, brother.”

All doubts could be eradicated with one device. “You get the R-scanner?” “Not yet. You wanted me to be discrete. That’s not a discrete item.” “No point in arguing further then.” Absolutely none because Stone already knew she was Kella.

TEN Stone took in the campsite as the flyer James navigated neared Mack Ellason’s tracker. It was obviously a work zone. A dozen tents were erected on the flat plains of the location. For miles around, only the red, sandy oasis of dessert terrain greeted the eye. Scaffolding was suspended over a gaping hole in the earth, and it looked like heli lights hovered over the pit. Heli lights worked like the ancient’s helicopters. They could float in one place, or be directed to move around wherever light was needed. They were also solar powered

and could last up to three weeks on a single charge. Moreover, their high cost meant only the elite purchased them. Where’d my little escapee get the funds for them? Were they stolen? Illegally purchased off the black market? Or did she pull in that type of cash with her occupation. One buggy resided at the compound, so only four could flee from trouble. Two guards with military grade M-16s, with at most forty rounds between them, was the whole of her defense. The entire set up invited trouble. “This isn’t enough security for the badlands.” Stone pondered the two men on patrol and figured he could easily

take them both. At once. Even with their M-16s. “What’s it matter to you? She’s not yours.” James put the flyer in park as Stone ground his molars together, not willing to rehash their prior arguments. “If you can’t be reasonable, use the skills you’ve been taught. The territory is flat. Feeders would be spotted two hundred wheels out.” So much for alleviating his worry. If anyone was going to eat Mack Ellason, it was going to be Regent Stone Emmerson and not a motherfucking man-eater. At the mere thought his downstairs brain stiffened. Ignoring his reasonable-minded bodyguard, Stone hopped out of the

flyer, and a moment later the conveyance settled to the ground. James pushed up and out of the transport and joined him. They walked toward a woman sorting relics on a table beneath the hot glare of the sun. As they neared her, Stone noticed the hot zone signs. “She’s working in a hot zone?” He hissed at his friend. “Oh, good goddamn.” James pinched the bridge of his nose. “If she’s Kella, she’d be safe in a hot zone. You aren’t.” Stone shrugged, uncaring that his irrationality annoyed his buddy. “Mack Ellason,” he said to the worker. The woman barely spared him a glance as she added relics from a cart to the table. “I’m sorry, sir, she’s

unavailable. She’ll be topside later. You’re welcome to wait.” “I’m Regent Stone Emmerson.” It pleased him that his identity snagged her full attention. Her head snapped back, and her eyes rounded. Catching sight of James, she swallowed before smoothing her palm over her hair. “I’m sorry, Regent. I didn’t realize—” “Take me to her.” Ass kissing could wait. “Yes, of course, sir.” Tripping over the wagon, she waved for them to follow her. “I’m James. What’s your name?” his friend asked. “Molly.”

Molly looked like she thought they’d jump her and slit her throat if she turned her back on them too long. Stopping at a small wooden structure, she explained, “You need suits before you go down.” Molly disappeared inside and returned a few moments later. She handed them each a black bracelet, standard issue hot zone bio-shields. Stone slid his on and pushed down on the center where it was the widest. A gauzy type of film engulfed him like a suit, but was really nothing more than compressed air mixed with some type of decontaminant. It’d allow him to touch things without being cumbersome, the same as if he didn’t wear the suit. He

could even fuck wearing one of these without the bio-shield interfering in the act. He didn’t pretend to understand how the apparatus worked, but they kept folks safe, so that’s what mattered. “How big’s the dig?” James watched the sway of Molly’s ass. “It’s huge, sir.” “Just call me James.” They halted at the pit, and Stone peered over the edge. Grooved metal caught his eyes, but a small hole in the top allowed for entrance inside the steel. That was a manmade hole crafted into the design of the hull—whatever it was. Without waiting for James to secure the scene below, Stone hauled himself over the ledge and climbed down the

rope ladder. Above him, his bodyguard cursed a blue streak and threatened bodily harm to Stone when they came topside. Stone watched Molly descend the ladder. When she neared, he tapped his foot on the metal. “What is this?” Molly jumped from the last rung, and James was already halfway down still bitching under his breath. “A passenger train.” She sounded a tad winded from the climb down or watching James’s ass, Stone couldn’t decide and really couldn’t care less. “At first we thought it was a commuter, like a subway, then we found luggage.” James punched Stone on the arm. Had it been anyone else abusing him,

he’d have taken offense, but he and James went back to childhood. “Follow protocol next time. So, doll, tell me...” James turned his attention on Molly, but Stone could tell his friend had shifted into bodyguard mode because his gaze flitted about the area. “How much will a dig like this bring in?” “Don’t know.” Stone bet she was evasive on purpose, but he said nothing, and she went on. “Mack can be more specific if you like.” She stopped at the hatch into the train. “If you’re interested in a first right of refusal buyer option, that’s a discussion best had with Mack.” James nodded and then stepped to the hatch. He didn’t wait for permission, just lowered himself into the car. A

moment later he peered through the opening at them. “It’s secure.” Stone helped Molly into the compartment and then lowered himself. This part must’ve been a common area because it housed tables and a variety of skeletons. Some slumped over the table, others on the floor, and then there were the ones reclining in their chairs. The thick dust evidenced the box hadn’t been disturbed since sometime around the 2121 pandemic that spread fast, wiping out ninety percent of the entire population. The scene also put in perspective the realities of that terrifying time. They still paid the price for the ancient’s narcissism, but society as a whole was one step closer to surviving.

That is in large part due to X-genes who spread their immunity to female offspring. Unused to seeing the evidence of the contagion’s consequence, Stone forgot his hair was secured at his nape and attempted to ram his fingers through his strands. Hot zones were always sanitized before he ever got a good look at them. This...he took a deep breath and glanced at James. His buddy’s wideeyed expression verified the impact of the scene affected him too. “What will you do with the bod...um...bones?” James had the presence of mind to ask. “There’s a two-man team coming in tomorrow. They’ll dispose of them in a

way that meets law requirements.” Molly glanced between them. “Sorry, I should’ve warned you.” “Kella?” Stone managed to say. He caught James’s sharp glance as Molly said, “Who?” “Mack Ellason,” he corrected his gaffe. She pointed. “That way.” Once again, not waiting on James to lead him, Stone took off in the indicated direction, stepping over remains as he went. Two cars down, he located his quarry on her knees next to a bunk, in a room he could only presume had been private quarters when the passenger train operated. She peered into a box, the items inside glittering in the heli

light’s beams. He guessed jewelry, probably the fake stuff because their ancestors loved costume jewels. The next thing he noted was that Kella—Mack! Whatever the fuck her name was, but he was sticking with Mack until proved otherwise—wore a standard issue hot zone apparatus too. Of course she would, he reminded himself. If she chose not to, she’d give herself away. Standing in the doorway, he rested his palm on the jamb. “You’re either reckless or out of your fucking mind.” Mack gave a small squeal, flinching as she looked up. In that moment, he decided he liked her kneeling before him. And his cock agreed, stiffening

beneath the snug borders of his leather pants. Didn’t matter that she was blonde and brown eyed and looked nothing like his Kella. What counted was that his body recognized her either way because he wanted her despite her lackluster features. A tiny voice reminded that until he proved her identity with an R-scanner, she could very well be Mack Ellason and not his Kella. Coincidences occurred all the time. He ignored the sage advice of the ignorant angel on his shoulder and stepped into the small space. Towering over her, he planted his feet and stared down at her, and reminded his dick she wasn’t kneeling to offer a blowjob,

didn’t matter how perfectly set she was for the task. Mack didn’t miss a beat. Dismissing him, she went back to inventorying her loot. “What are you doing here? Isn’t it a bit reckless of a Regent to be running around a hot zone?” Yeah, it was reckless, but something about her turned him rash. She placed a metal point of the device in her hands to a gemstone and the contraption beeped. Afterward she set the jewel on top of a mound of jewelry within the box. “What’s that tell you?” He nodded at the gadget. “It’s tech and above your pay grade.”

“It tells me if they’re real or fake.” Shutting the lid, she rose to her feet. “Mr. Clueless, this is Regent approved tech for archeologists only. I’ve got papers to attest to the legal veracity or you can ask Regent Jones.” She settled the box on the bench and crossed her arms over her chest. “What are you doing here in a hot zone endangering yourself?” “While I don’t answer to you, I commanded you to remain in my home.” “I’ve got a job to do. Unlike you, I have to make a living the hard way and actually work. Some of us weren’t born with a silver spoon in our mouth.” He snorted at her sarcasm. The hard set of her jaw worked against his

arousal, and instead of decreasing his libido his desire increased. “I gave you a direct order, and you disobeyed. You ran.” He left out ‘again’ because he didn’t want to give away his conjecture just yet. Instead, he would save that for a more opportune time when he held more damning evidence. She smirked. “Hard to run, genius, when this is a legal claim and registered with the Regency. I left a note on your desk. Not my problem you can’t read the schedule of my whereabouts.”

ELEVEN Kella watched him closely, wondering if he’d gone to Regent Jones to discover her whereabouts or how exactly he came by her coordinates. Best she knew the divulgement of a dig site was available through the formal means and not information open to all privileged at any given time. His hair was secured at his nape. Funny how she suffered from the urge to release the chocolaty strands. She’d been partial to the rebellious length, and in their youth he’d indulged her and maintained the longer locks.

“So,” she said, breaking the silence in the hopes if she moved the conversation along he might get to his point. “I’m on a Regent-issued deadline, and you’re holding me up.” He stared her straight in the eyes, and butterflies took off in her stomach. “You’re lying. Just like when you said you’re a lesbian.” “Would you believe I’m bi?” His snort served as her answer. Her panties took a direct hit at the resonance of the sound. What was sexy about a snort? Not a goddamn thing, but tell that to her traitorous body. Moisture dampened the thin cotton of her underwear. Shit. Stone had always affected her more deeply than other boys. A simple grin had made

her giggly at thirteen. Since ditching him, she’d been uninterested in other men. She’d chalked that up to being too busy surviving, but his abrupt arrival in her life disproved that theory. Damn. Double damn. What a nuisance to discover it was him her body craved. “In this instance, I’m referring to the deadline spiel. That’s a lie. You’re not under a Regent-issued deadline.” Oh...well on that she was busted, but confessing her fib wasn’t on her agenda either. She couldn’t speak for all Regents, but Jones never fussed over a timeline when it came to a dig. Earning an obscene percentage of the profits is what pleased him. Usually. Sometimes he just took what he wanted. Either way,

the sooner she finished the dig, the sooner she got Jones off her ass. “Prove I’m lying.” “I could arrest you for your disobedience and lies.” “Sure, if you wanted to be an asshole.” Bigger than the one he already was. Before she could react, his arm shot out, and his hand dug into her tightly bound hair. “Ouch!” she complained, throwing her hands up to grab his wrist. Instead of releasing her, he ripped the band out and freed her long strands. He tilted her head back by using his grip on her hair. “Easy there, you psycho!” She twisted to get free, but he responded by jerking hard enough to draw a gasp from her. Self-preservation

resulted in Kella giving up and going motionless. She thought he had her hair wound around his wrist when he tugged hard enough to drag her against him, drawing her to her toes. The cotton of her shirt was suddenly too thin as her nipples scrubbed against the hard planes of his chest. Something firm pressed against her belly. Let that be a gun. Let that be a gun. Let that be a damn gun. Didn’t matter though, because her body reacted like he sported a hard on? The very thought resulted in another surge of wet heat from her core. “I dare you to name-call again.” Kella wanted to, but she’d already pushed boundaries, currently suffered

the consequences, and she feared further retaliation. “What? No witty comeback?” he prodded when she remained mute and just glared at him. “I’m disappointed. I thought you wanted to play.” She whimpered, and in return his eyes dilated to slim pinpoints of black surrounded by ice blue. Bending his knees, he shifted his hold and caught her hip, using her leg to secure her in position as he rocked his erection against her pussy. Fuck. Not a gun. But a dick very interested in her. A rough scrape of his cock against the curve of her core had her biting her bottom lip to halt her gasp. The cloth

separating them resulted in more friction rather than eliminating the white-hot heat spreading from her center and to her limbs. Holy fuck that is hot! Feels wonderful. “Does this excite you, sunshine? Me in control? Dominating you?” Stone cupped her ass and ground against her, the hard seam of his leathers catching her clit. Nothing could’ve halted the shiver that went through her body. A smirk twisted his lips as he lowered his head. Their gazes locked and held as he slid his mouth across hers, kissing the corner, to skate backward to peck the other corner. Kella stopped breathing and focused on the

sensation of his near-smooch and the rub of his dick against her core...noting she rocked against him to increase the sensation. “Such torture you do to this plump pad.” The tip of his tongue flicked along her bottom lip, and his coffee-scented breath puffed against her face. No one had ever kissed her. Sex was sex, a bodily function, something she’d done to survive, but a kiss was personal, intimate, and she’d never allowed anyone the opportunity to get this close to try. Even Stone hadn’t dared to steal one in their youth despite all his flirting. Suddenly he released her and set her away from him. She blinked, trying to process the loss of his heat, the sensation

of his mouth on hers, and the misery at losing the ache between her thighs. Using his palm, he wiped her off his mouth. She flinched at the action, and the backhanded blow to her pride. He erased her taste while she’d wanted to get a better taste of him. “You’ll do, but I prefer my wife’s kisses.” Kella reeled as if he’d struck her and came up dead against the back wall comprised of steel and glass. Had he married since her escape? Unexplainable jealousy slammed through her. He watched her like a cat watched a chipmunk it’d marked for death, yet his expression gave away nothing. She

couldn’t even tell if he perceived her dismay over his rejection. While the rejection hurt, the worst part was that she had originally walked away from him, snubbed his offer of a future. How much had that hurt him? Snubbed his future offer, as his slave and property, Kella, don’t forget that huge difference. That reminder cleared her head a little, and she took charge of her emotions, tamping them down, while stiffening her spine and straightening her shoulders. Kella cleared her throat. “Thought you said you weren’t married any longer?” He grunted, and watched her like he’d baited her just to discern her

reaction. “Thought you said you’re a lesbian?” Hard to believe moments ago she’d been aroused, would’ve let him in her pants without a second thought, and now fury swept through her. Married men were always trying to have sex with her. “Aren’t you a cliché?” “You’re dangerously close to another insult.” The bemused grin teasing the corners of his lips hinted he wanted her to push him, so he could push her further. “I’m dangerously close to kneeing you in the dick in defense of all women everywhere.” He chuckled. “Please do. I’ll make you kiss the injury later.”

“You’re an...” Stone elevated his eyebrows, and she fell silent. It physically hurt to give in to him. “Don’t disappoint, sunshine”—she shivered at the familiar endearment, but knew it meant nothing, he probably called every woman that, most likely hadn’t meant what she’d thought when they were kids either, not if he used it so easily with her—“I enjoy a good fight.” He sat on the bench next to the jewelry box and ogled her. His gaze slid along her body, and he pursed his mouth, but for the life of her she couldn’t figure out what might be on his mind. She turned just enough so she could lean her shoulder against the grimy windowpane, and went about inspecting

the filth coating her fingernails. Cleanliness was an archeologist health hazard. “Pity you gave up,” he said, and she peeked at him from beneath her lashes. Evident disappointment twisted his fucking sexy mouth into a displeased line. He lifted the container, placed it on his legs, and popped the lid. Fingering the jewels, he asked, “How much of this is real?” “All of it.” Two of the pieces boasted diamonds as big as her thumbnail. The contents of the jewelry box were worth a small fortune. The find itself was a gold mine. “As recompense for your insults, I claim the box of goodies for my wife.”

Kella bit her tongue. Disoriented by her first bout with adult arousal, and hurt by his rejection—which made little sense given their precarious circumstances—she would’ve given him any item he wanted on this train if it’d get him out of her hair. Anything for a free moment to catch her breath without his nearness confusing her further. She’d miss the monetary loss because the frams those gemstones would earn would feed her for well over a year. She’d scrounge for food if that were the price she had to pay. Wouldn’t be the first time she’d gone hungry or eaten from the garbage. “Hope your wife enjoys the baubles.” She sniffed back the sudden burn in her sinuses and berated herself

over her weakness. The first year on her own had taught her weakness got people killed...or worse. “Where’s your satanic sidekick?” His eyebrows skyrocketed upward. She had no idea what spawned that reaction. “Funny,” he considered her a long moment before continuing. “That’s twice you’ve referred to him as Satan.” Kella gave a mental flinch. He had such an effect on her she forgot to watch her tongue. “Only my wife has ever referred to James that way.” “So you said before. I’m not seeing the importance of that,” she bluffed her

way through the blunder, her belly rolling with the slip. “I don’t believe in coincidence. Mackella—” Her breath caught in her throat as he used his palm to brush dust off his thigh. Had he just called her by her given name or was she hearing things? “—that’s my wife.” Kella gave a relieved sigh. “I’m looking for her. You know her?” She held his gaze, her heartbeat thrumming in her ears. Loud. So freakin’ loud, she feared he could hear it. “Funny thing about coincidence, Regent, is that without happenstance, I’d rarely find my plunder.”

“And my wife?” A glint in his eyes hinted at something important, but once again it was beyond her grasp. “If you’re looking for her, I’m surmising you ran her off, so she probably wouldn’t give me her real name anyway.” “Why didn’t I think of that?” Stone rose to his feet, all six-four of his frame taking up all the oxygen in the room, his comment giving her the inclination he goaded her with a withheld essential. “Speaking of plunder, how many cars are in this dig?” “One hundred sixty in that direction”—she nodded toward him, and then pointed behind her—“and ninety that direction.”

“How much is it worth?” “A king’s ransom.” Trying to act normal rather than jittery over his questions about Mackella, she pulled her hair up, and tied it in a loose knot. “Why? You asking for first right of refusal?” “No. If I want it, I’ll simply take it.” He rapped his knuckles on the box perched on his lap. “I’m staying at the Ritzzy under James Monroe.” “Okay.” What’d she care? “Meet me at my hotel this evening by nine or I’ll claim everything you have as mine, Miss Ellason.” He paused a moment before adding, “Including you.”

TWELVE Stone returned to his hotel, leaving Mack behind. After their altercation on the train, he was even more certain she was indeed his lost bride. When he’d called her Mackella, she hadn’t hid her reaction nearly as well as she most likely hoped she had. He’d said little to James, just informed him Mack would join them for a late meal, but Stone was on edge, electrified in a way he hadn’t been since Kella’s disappearance. She’d been hurt when he rejected her and pulled away from the kiss. But he’d been so close to stripping her and

sliding into her, he’d had to put some distance between them. He would’ve given almost anything to watch her climax, but he wouldn’t consummate their marriage, not even with an orgasm, so long as she pretended to be another woman. Not because he didn’t find her attractive in her current visage because he’d proven today it didn’t matter what she looked like, he wanted her. End of story. In his mind, this served as proof Mackella Starke had been born for him. And that his puppy love had indeed been the real thing. That little seed of doubt plagued him, though. He could be wrong, might be wrong, and James assured him he was. But if he was right...why’d Kella

run from the protection he offered with his name. He’d told her he wouldn’t allow anyone to ever buy her, so he couldn’t understand her flight. “You’re awfully quiet since meeting with Mack.” James parked the flyer at the edge of town and cloaked it after they exited the vehicle. “Got a lot on my mind.” “She pay you off with that?” His friend nodded at the jewelry box. Stone grinned. At that point in their altercation, he suspected she would’ve agreed to anything to get rid of him. She sure hadn’t balked at him stealing a fortune from her. “I more or less stole it from her,” he admitted and proceeded to recount the

story of his theft. James chuckled. “You’re an asshole.” “That’s what she wanted to say.” As they walked down the street sideby-side, James wore a brooding expression, thick grooves furrowing his brow. “Those jewels could mean her going hungry or not.” Who knew James cared about the plight of commoners? Her dig would see she had food in her belly. “I threatened to take everything she had if she doesn’t show up tonight.” James gave him a sharp, judgmental glance. “Don’t be a dumbass. I won’t follow through, of course, unless she’s Kella.” Then he’d take the claim to safeguard her site.

James nodded. “I only know of one other holy terror that would go up against you. If she’s not Kella, she’s very similar to her in that aspect.” “There are too many similarities to be coincidental.” Noting the workers pressure washing the wall to his left, Stone paused before entering the building. He shifted his stance to get a better look at the graffiti. The words were faint, but he could make them out. Break the chains of oppression. X-Diplomats. Join the revolution. “The X-Ds are a fucking nuisance here.” James shook his head as they

entered the establishment. “I’ll warn you again not to get your hopes up.” “And I’ll tell you I told you so when we prove she is Kella.” Stone inspected a busty blonde as she approached them, hips rolling in a sexual manner. “The blonde woman is headed straight for us.” Had she looked anywhere else other than at them, he wouldn’t have known they were her targets. “Got her.” From the corner of his eye, Stone spied James placing his palm on the butt of his weapon secured to his hip. “Regent,” she said as she performed a slight curtsy. A few customers glanced their way, not surprising since he hadn’t dressed like a nobleman or required

attention in the normal way. “I’m Kris Stoddard. My employer, Mark Evans, requests a meeting with you in the hotel’s saloon.” “How about this, doll,” James said cool as ice, while his fingers curled around her upper arm. She winced at James’s rough handling. “We’ll meet your employer on our terms.” “But Mr. Evans—” “Silence,” James hissed the command into her ear, but not quietly enough that others didn’t peer about as he guided her out of the lobby. And by ‘guided’ Stone really meant dragged. “Another word and I’ll slice your throat.”

It wasn’t an idle threat. He took Stone’s safety seriously. Snapping her teeth together in an audible crack, she seemed to realize her precarious position. At least the girl was wise-ish in that regard. As James moved into the hallway toward their adjoining bedrooms, Stone knelt in the doorway and palmed his gun from his ankle holster. He took a moment to glance around the establishment. A handful gawked at their sudden kidnapping, but none made an effort to assist her. Delighted he wouldn’t have to defend their cause, he couldn’t help but wonder if Kella had been placed in a similar situation at any time since her getaway. Vulnerable women were

susceptible to predators. The idea of Kella being harmed in any way made him see red. Spying two of his guards in casual clothing, he shook his head, a silent command to hold their positions. Their training would ensure they’d notify the remaining four soldiers while awaiting further instructions. As best he could tell, nothing and no one else appeared out of place, but this wasn’t their backyard so he watched their backs nonetheless. Once inside Stone’s room, she screeched and dug her heels into the carpeting. Probably thought they planned to rape her. She should’ve thought of that sooner in his opinion.

James rounded on her while Stone shut and locked the door. Stone set the jewelry box on the table as a brief scuffle developed between James and Kris, but in a matter of seconds his bodyguard had her wrists cuffed. “Shut the fuck up.” At James’s order, she went eerily silent. Her heavy panting was the only noise in the bedroom. “Please don’t...” her voice trembled, and again Stone thought of Kella in a comparable predicament. “If I wanted to hurt you I would, and you couldn’t stop me.” In that moment he sounded very much like the Satan Kella accused him of being. “My beef is with your employer.” James hauled her across

the room and thrust her into the bathroom. Wearing a woebegone expression, she faced them as his friend said, “I’ll release you the moment our chat with him is finished.” “Sir, I need—” James cut her off by slamming the door closed. He slid a chair beneath the knob to trap her inside. “Chicks are nothing but drama.” His buddy rolled his eyes. “I’ll secure the asset. Lock the door behind me. Don’t allow anyone inside except me.” “I know the drill, James.” Stone resisted rolling his own eyes at James’s instructions. “Like you knew the drill at the dig today?” He strode across the room to the

door. “Pull a stunt like that again, and I’ll personally kick your ass. Lock the door behind me.” And his friend disappeared through the door, the hinges practically rattling when James slammed the wood. A soft knock surfaced from the bathroom door. “Regent Emmerson, please, I mean you no harm. I-I want to...tell you s-something b-before he gets h-here.” Why the stuttering dramatics as if she cried or feared whatever she sought to confess? “Sweetheart, you and your associate know better than to approach a Regent the way you did.” Even though he’d been in town trying to remain mostly below the radar, she’d known his

identity, so she would’ve known the protection and protocol that went into approaching someone of his rank. “Now kindly shut your cake hole.” A moment later a short rap on the door was followed by, “It’s me.” “Safe word?” “I’m gonna kick your ass,” James replied without a stitch of humor. Needling his buddy never grew dull. Stone chuckled as he unlocked the door and opened it, allowing James to shove another fellow into the room. Lightbrown hair, a little pudgy around the middle, and blotchy skin, he figured this was none other than Mark Evans. Stone’s six soldiers joined them, barricading the door with their bodies.

“Meet the elusive Mark Evans. Sit.” Using his gun, James pointed at the chair positioned next to the breakfast table. Mark reclined in the chair, his air haughty as if a Regent wasn’t detaining him. James held his hand toward Stone and said, “Found this on him.” Stepping closer to his bodyguard, Stone secured his .38 in the waistband of his pants and took the device from James. An R-scanner. Mark Evans took a casual stance, resting one ankle on the other knee. The Director flicked his fingers toward the retro scanner. “Use it wisely.” The bastard’s self-righteous attitude prickled Stone’s gut. “Mark Evans, huh?”

“In the flesh.” Stone pocketed the R-scanner. “James, get his fingerprint. I want verification of his identity.” Mark sat up straight as James pulled his pocket phone out of his pants. “As Regency Director, I know my rights, and this is an invasion.” “Then you know you’re entitled to give me proof of your identity. But...” Stone held up his hand, and James halted his progress. “What do you want, Evans?” “I gave you the R-scanner. Did I not tell you I had something of yours that’d gone missing? You’re a smart fella, I’m sure you’ve already guessed who to use the R-scanner on.”

“I repeat, what do you want?” “All rights and claims to Mack Ellason’s dig.” Ah...now he was beginning to understand the rest of the story. Since his elusive conversation with Mark Evans about his wife, he’d wondered what the Director thought to get out of the process. The frams Mack’s claim would generate explained everything. “And I called you an asshole. He’s the bigger one.” James notched his thumb in Evan’s direction. Stone ignored his buddy. “What do you know of my bride?” “Not a lot really, except her name’s Mackella Starke, and I made papers for

her when she first arrived eight years ago using the alias Mack Ellason.” “Fuck,” James muttered. “How do you wish to proceed, Stone?” Once again Stone overlooked James. No way Kella could afford the necessary papers that stood up to Regency inspection. That Mark Evans, the Regency Director produced them explained a lot, but not who’d paid for his services. “Who hired you to make the documents?” “I’ve no idea.” The cocky fucker executed a one-shoulder shrug. “I wasn’t supposed to know her real name, but the girl hired to care for her allowed Mackella’s real identity to slip. She paid for my silence with the rest of the frams

that were supposed to be passed along to Mackella to keep her alive until she found work.” Fury hit Stone so fast he went for the motherfucker before he realized his intentions. James getting in his face, and shoving against Stone’s shoulders brought him out of his rage. “Calm down, Stone.” Goddamn, what had Kella endured thanks to this pretentious fuck who took everything from her? A man who had it all by Kella’s standards had wanted what he wasn’t owed, wanted more than he deserved, and hadn’t cared about the hardships of a fourteen-year-old. A baby in so many ways, and she’d required

protection, not a life lesson on the adversities of the world. “He’s a dead man,” James whispered. “But we’ll have answers first.” Stone could see the logic in that so he backed off. “You were right,” James said, but his admission was hollow to Stone. “Yeah.” The excitement he’d thought to feel at discovering her identity gave way to anger. Kella had chosen to leave him. Had chosen to put herself in danger. “Scout,” he said to one of his soldiers. “Release the girl from the bathroom. I want to hear what she has to say.” Mostly to discover how much she knew. The solider removed the chair, and

opened the door, releasing Kris from her short captivity. “You’ve got one minute to convince me you deserve to live.” “Now wait a—” James’s fist smashing into Evans’s jaw shut the director up. “We’re done listening to you.” “Gag him,” Stone instructed, while leveling his glare on Kris Stoddard. When she continued to gawk in Evans’s direction, he said, “Your time’s running, Ms. Stoddard, and in the face of what I’ve just discovered, my patience is extremely thin.” “Regent, sir, please, your mother commanded me to—” “My mother is involved too?” First his wife rejected his aid, and now his

mother plotted against his future with his woman. Would the perfidy ever end? Kris went to her knees at his yell, tears running down her cheeks. “I was her maid, sir. She’d been trying for years to talk your father into stopping the Xeno auctions.” Stone knew how his mother felt. She’d been honest about the difficulties of her beginning with his father. His father had bought his mother, and while his mom resented his dad’s ownership, she’d become his second wife, and the best Stone could tell his dad had treated her fairly. His mother never spoke ill of his dad, so it was all he could assume. But she’d never forgotten the humiliation

of being sold off like an object or an animal. “Keep talking,” even to his own ears his voice sounded detached. He was anything but unemotional, however. “She was angry because your dad knew how you felt about Kella, but he wouldn’t do anything to stop the auction. Her hopes were for you to have a life with Kella, but she said your purchase of her would ruin any hopes of that happening. That your dad wouldn’t allow it. She gave me money, a V-chip for Kella, and the means to escape. I was to remain here, watch Kella, and keep her safe as best as I could, but I’m not a soldier or a spy, and I made a

terrible mistake with Mr. Evans. He used that to his advantage.” “Why doesn’t Kella recognize you if you’re the girl who helped her escape?” Stone was pleased to hear the even tenor of his voice. “I was only seventeen. Like Kella, not much more than a kid.” “That’s not what I asked.” “Mr. Evans used a V-chip on me.” “What’s your real name?” Her eyelids closed, and she dragged in a choppy breath. “Christine Mancoa. Mark forced me to serve him because he wanted to use me to keep tabs on Kella, with the intention of using the truth to his advantage one day.”

That day has come. Stone remained silent, allowing the woman the freedom to confess all. “He said blackmail of a Regent would yield him a big payoff.” No doubt the blackmail would never have ended, that’s the way it typically worked. “Are you still in touch with my mother?” “No, sir. Once I realized everyone thought your wife dead, I figured it was better for her if she remained dead. Conversing with Mrs. Emmerson would’ve been a mistake and put Mack in further danger.” Goddamn my mother! It was good to know there was no paper trail of their treachery, though. He wouldn’t have a

need to search Evans’s office and home to locate documents to destroy them to keep his family safe from censure. Thankfully his response wasn’t required, and she kept confessing. “Mr. Evans raped me often, and had sworn he’d sodomize me if I tried to warn Mack he knew her identity. I couldn’t endure that, sir. I just couldn’t. I already wanted to die.” She choked on her tears, but after a moment drew herself together enough to continue. “I would’ve killed myself if I hadn’t been tasked with a chore by your mother.” “I understand. No one is blaming you.” I blame my mother. And Kella for her lack of faith in him.

James sat hard on the edge of the bed near Christine, gaping at the woman positioned on her knees confessing to the fucked-up betrayal of Stone’s mother. “This entire affair continues to deteriorate. I’m sorry, brother.” Stone nodded at his best friend’s commiseration. “Did you watch my wife, Christine?” “As best as I could.” Translation: not good enough. Add one more notch to his mother’s guiltybelt. His mother had a lot to answer for. “Did you keep her safe?” “That first month...” she shook her head, tears leaking from her eyes and running down her cheeks, only to hit her pink shirt and create a wet stain. “I don’t

know what happened to her. Mr. Evans wouldn’t allow me the freedom I needed to watch after Kella. I spied her digging through garbage to find food, so I—” Stone put his fist into Mark’s eye, toppling the director out of the chair. While Stone shook the sting out of his hand, Evans groaned, clasped at his eye and flopped around on the floor like a fish out of water. The fucker probably would’ve cried foul if James hadn’t taped his mouth shut. “Tie him to the seat.” After his soldiers reseated Evans, they bound the director with rope James tossed to them after retrieving the abrasive cord from a box concealed beneath the bed.

Stone turned his focus back on Christine. Thankfully she didn’t make him request she resume. “The next time I saw Kella after that, she was clean, and her friend Reaper had taught her to pickpocket from the spooners.” She gave a small, high-pitched laugh. Fuck. He jammed his fingers through his hair. Christine obviously saw irony in Kella’s pickpocketing, while all he could process was the potential trouble. If news of his wife’s thievery got out— wouldn’t matter she’d committed the theft to stay alive—it’d cause a stink so bad he’d likely have trouble from other Regents. His mother had created one big, fucked-up mess.

“Sir, if I may, I respect Kella. She’s the most resourceful woman I know. Loyal and strong, and she’s a fighter. The week it took us to travel here, she cried herself to sleep every night. She told me you betrayed her, but I never understood how.” “Find me Reaper. I want to have a heart-to-heart with him.” Wanted to know how involved Reaper was with Kella’s identity. Stone considered Christine’s words, feeling nothing for Kella’s struggle. He’d believed her dead, while she’d been running from him putting herself in unnecessary danger. She warranted none of his compassion for her emotional turmoil.

“I believe Kella and Reaper remain friends.” He knew they did. “James, I want to know everything about the fella, including who he fucks”—better not be my wife—“when he fucks, and how he fucks.” “On it.” His friend was already pulling out Stone’s laptop, turning it on, and swinging it around to face Stone. One press of Stone’s fingertip to the pad at the back of his ear and the computer booted up. By the time he completed this conversation, he’d know everything the Regency knew about Reaper. It was the intimate details his friend and soldiers

would have to assemble that would put together a full picture of the man. “I’m sorry I failed your mother.” Christine kept her head bowed, which was best because Stone was more furious that Christine had failed Kella, not his mother. Stone jabbed the R-scanner against her neck. One click to the device’s button, and she shivered, but a moment later the girl’s blonde hair turned to a shade of auburn. Using a fingertip, he placed it beneath her chin and tilted her head back. He recognized the woman on her knees before him as the member of the household staff that’d gone missing the same day as Kella.

“There’s not much on Reaper.” James’s fingers flew over the keyboard. “I sent the information to your cell.” A buzz in his pocket verified he’d received the message. “Give me the highlights.” “He’s twenty-six, works as a blacksmith making household goods like dishware and cups. Never been in trouble and pays his taxes on time.” Stone inclined his head. “What else?” “Never married. No bank account.” Not surprising since most dregs distrusted the elitist banking system. “He lives a block over from Kella’s residence.”

“Find him.” Stone made eye contact with two of his soldiers, Scout and Vykker. “I want the dirt.” “Doubt you’re going to find any dirt, Stone.” James’s finger tapped on the keyboard. “Says here he’s a mentor to at risk youth and—” “There’s always dirt, James.” Seriously, did he have to do all the thinking between them? “Look at us. We’re textbook examples.” Amusement caused James to give him a twisted grin. “Our scandal sheet headline should read...a noble and his first in command, both so dirty they should have muck beneath their fingernails.”

Stone chuckled. “Yeah...” And now I can get dirty with Kella. He groaned, the sound catching a sharp questioning glance from James. He shook aside the silent question, but the image of Mack’s arousal in the train car earlier flashed through his head. Then the reminder of his prod into her acquaintance with Kella, along with his command to join him tonight... “She won’t show tonight. We’ll have to track her.” That got James’s full attention. His buddy narrowed his eyes. “What aren’t you telling me?” “Besides threatening to take everything she had, I might’ve already gotten a little dirty with her earlier.”

“When are you going to learn to keep the snake in your pants?” James’s fingers flew over the keyboard. Stone snorted. James chastising him on this was nothing short of the pot and the kettle idiom. “When you learn the same lesson.” “She’s on the outskirts of town.” His friend tapped a finger against the computer. “Near the gate. Want me to go and get her?” “We’ll both go.” Stone re-secured his .38 in the holster on his ankle, and strapped a knife to his other ankle and one on each thigh. A loud scraping sound emerged, and he looked over his shoulder to see James

ripping off a strip of tape. “Sorry, sweetheart.” “Kyle, remain with them,” Stone instructed one of the four remaining soldiers. “No one in or out. They make a noise, slit their throats. You three are with us.”

THIRTEEN Thunder rumbled and lightning lit up the sky as Kella parked her buggy at the wall of the Quad. She’d planned to grab the last of her belongings from her home and make a run for it, but the storm threatened her intentions. She might have to hole up somewhere quiet, snag an hour or two of sleep, and shove off at the first sign of clear skies. Driving through the badlands at night was almost suicidal, thanks to sinkholes that showed without any warning, but she knew her way around the territory better than

most. If she took it slow, she would be safe enough. The more time she’d spent pondering her altercation with Stone, the more certain she was that she was in danger. She didn’t think he knew her identity, but getting lost was her only option, and she had more than enough money to start over. It just chapped her ass she had to leave behind the biggest dig she’d ever found. At least she’d find safety amid her friends in the missile silo, and she already shared a residence with Reaper there too. Dutch could alter her V-chip settings, and she’d be a new person overnight. My dig will still be lost.

Thunder boomed, and the horizon lit up with purple and red as lightning sliced toward the terrain. Looked to be a doozy of a thunderstorm approaching. She hoped this wasn’t a crimson rainstorm, but the bright red streaks implied that was likely a futile hope. That stuff hurt and in large quantities had the same effect as acid. Scooping Retro out of the buggy, she set the kippy on her feet, and strode to the door in the wall. Certain individuals had been given limited admittance to come and go through the access panel whenever they chose. All others had to enter or exit Quad2 through the main gates. She only possessed the specific privilege because of her archeologist

status, and none of her workers were granted the same freedom, which was why they bunked down at the site. One last peek over her shoulder at the clouds showed them billowing thick and ominous on the horizon, with her buggy a minor anomaly in what was otherwise a stunning view. She didn’t worry about leaving her vehicle unattended because it was coded to her fingerprint, and the acidic rain was dangerous only to living flesh. Retro whined as Kella slapped her palm on the panel next to the door, a bright-blue light glided downward beneath the pane, reading her handprint. “I know, baby girl. I’ll get you safe before the rain falls.”

Identity verified, the pocket door slid open. The hiss of the door closing behind her came just seconds after she stepped through the opening. She adjusted her backpack and headed in the direction of town. “Mack!” She glanced to her left and spied Reaper. Altering her direction, she walked toward him. “What’s up?” “There’s buzz flying about some shit that went down at Ritzzy tonight involving your man.” A noise to the left and behind Reaper caused him to glance over his shoulder. “Probably a dog.” She said after spying nothing. “What happened?”

“Some type of confrontation between him, Satan, and Kris Stoddard. There are other rumors that Mark Evans was dragged into their bedroom, but I’m calling bullshit on that one.” He frowned down at her. “He’s the Director of Regency, Mack, only a crazy motherfucker would pull him into it.” “Satan is a crazy motherfucker.” Kella groaned. For as long as she’d known James, he’d taken his position seriously to guard Stone. James was five years older than Stone. Born into the Regency of Assassins and trained from the time he could walk, he was a stone-cold killer. The rumor went that at sixteen he’d passed all his assassin exams, the

youngest ever to accomplish that feat. Some said it should’ve been impossible, but the outrageous rumors weren’t vocally denied. One of his final tests had been to kill someone he loved. Gossip alleged he offed his mother, but she knew his mom, so that rumor was untrue. She figured most of the stories were mere legends, but picking and choosing which ones to believe was the hard part when she could picture him doing all of them. After his impressive pass, he’d been assigned to watch the Regent’s son. Stone had been eleven, Kella ten, and James sixteen. From that moment forward, Stone and James had been thick as thieves. Not once had she ever

encountered Stone alone again. Judging by the scandal sheets, they were tighter now than ever before. “I saw him kill a pit bull with his bare hands.” He had been saving her and Stone at the time, but it’d left a lasting impression. “I was headed to get my stuff and hide out at the silos. I don’t know when this Stone-complication is going to blow over, but if I stay here the X-Diplomats will be compromised. I don’t think Stone knows my real identity, but he’s interested in me for some reason. Want to walk with me?” Reaper nodded, his dreads seeming darker in the thunderclouds. No sooner had they hit the covered walk a few minutes later and headed up main street,

the sky opened up and let loose pink rain. The water would sting, but wouldn’t blister the way crimson rain would. Only one problem, pink usually turned into crimson. Retro whined louder, and Kella paused to scoop her into her arms. Reaper scratched the animal’s ear as Kella unzipped her backpack. She snuggled the three-pound kippy into her rucksack where she knew her pet would feel safest. “You talk to Dutch?” she asked as she re-zipped the pack. “Yeah. She’s almost finished with the computer virus, and then we’ll be able to upload the video.” He stopped

walking and turned so he could stare down the way they’d come. “Something wrong?” she asked after realizing a few steps later he’d halted. “Thought I heard something. Most folks aren’t out in this shit.” Reaper indicated the weather with a wave of his hand, but his gaze remained fixated in the direction they’d come from. Anytime Mother Nature gave them crimson rain, folks closed up shop and went home. It could last for hours, and no one wanted to get caught in it. As it was, they were the only two out and about in what looked like a ghost town. Kella retraced her footsteps to join him, treading quietly. A good minute

passed before she said, “I don’t hear anything.” “I don’t like this.” It wasn’t often Reaper got spooked, so she trusted his gut. “We’ll take cover at my office.” They turned to head up the boardwalk, but three men blocked their path. “Stone’s,” she explained to Reaper who the men answered to. “Let’s go.” He grasped her arm, and they turned to head back the way they’d come, but Stone and James blocked their path. The gleam in Stone’s eyes caused a chill to scurry through her. “Thought you said you didn’t know Mackella Starke Emmerson?”

“Run,” Reaper whispered. “I’ll hold them off.” Leaving her friend to the wolves felt wrong. She didn’t know Stone any longer and couldn’t guess what he’d do to Reaper in retaliation for aiding her second escape. “But—” “Run!” he shoved her toward the rain. A second warning wasn’t required. Kella took off at a flat out run, jumping off the side of the boardwalk onto compact earth. Thankfully it’d just begun to rain so it hadn’t gotten muddy yet, but the land would be nothing but slippery sludge soon. Across the street, she glanced over her shoulder in time to spy Stone leaping

off the walkway headed in her direction and Reaper engaging Satan. Under a normal scenario she’d enjoy watching that fight since they were evenly matched. Kella sprinted down the alley between two buildings and slung her arm in the remaining hole of her backpack. While taking a left, then right, and another immediate left, she tugged on the extra length of string dangling from either shoulder and yanked to secure the pack to her back. Good thing Retro was snug as a bug in the backpack and used to being jogged about. She jumped up on a low shack and hauled herself over the makeshift fence.

A male grunt and the groan of wood told her Stone was hot on her heels. She zigzagged through the city, going up and over debris, the way she’d been taught to evade angry spooners she pickpocketed. Digging in muck and climbing through dig sites helped keep her nimble. Eight years of running would be wasted if he caught her. If she could just get to the door in the wall, she’d have a big head start on him since he couldn’t access the panel. She dashed left and dove beneath the saloon, while hoping he was far enough behind her he would miss her plunge. The noise of the revelers inside the honkytonk covered any sound she made and the kippy’s growl. Pausing long

enough to spare a quick glance behind her, she didn’t see Stone. Didn’t mean he wouldn’t be breathing down her neck any moment though. Crawling out from underneath the tavern on the backside of the establishment, she wasted no time knocking dirt off. The stinging rain would do that in time. Instead, Kella used all her energy to sprint along the row. A few minutes later she came to the wall, smacking her palm on the panel as rain pummeled her. “Come on, come on, come on,” she muttered glancing over her shoulder. Spying no one, she prayed for a miracle and the safety of her buggy. Just as the door hissed open, Stone ran into view.

“Kella!” he yelled. “You can’t outrun me!” Watch me, pretty boy. Why hadn’t she noticed how slow the door moved before? Turning sideways, she squeezed between the door and jamb. Free to the other side, she raced to her buggy, jabbed her thumb over the sensor, and the engine revved to life. A glimpse in the direction of the door showed no sign of Stone. Kella threw the buggy in gear, yanked her wheel to the right, and punched the pedal. Mud spewed from her back tires, but the wheels gained traction a second later and the buggy jerked forward. Without lights she would be driving blind come dark. As it

was, the deluge pelted her exposed skin, tingling like crimson rain, but not blistering. After jerking her backpack off, she held one of her hands up, blocking the rain the best she could. She passed the skeletal remains of the United States Navy plane wreckage on her left and gave a sigh of relief. Most folks wouldn’t follow her sixty wheels out into the badlands. Only the suicidal would trail her. A loud bang erupted, and she screamed as her buggy careened sideways before going into a three-sixty spin after spin after spin. Both hands gripping the steering wheel she rode out the wreck until her vehicle came to an abrupt halt. Thankful the buggy didn’t

flip she pondered how she managed to remain within the contraption during the spin. Shaking all over, she looked up the way she’d come to see if the spins had left tracks in the mud. Instead she saw Stone. Jaw set, and his long-legged stride eating up the space between them, he marched toward her. No! Kella hurled herself from the buggy and ran. A good fifty yards away something heavy hit her in the back, knocking the breath from her lungs. The earth came into view and she braced herself for impact, while mentally cataloging the scrapes and cuts she’d receive. Then she was face up, water

pelting her front when they hit the ground. She took a moment to get her bearings. Beneath her was the buff body of Stone. From the corner of her eye, his bicep bulged where his arm looped around her collarbone. The second hand of an antique, military style black watch counted off the seconds with minute ticks. “You okay?” he asked, his voice gruff. “No.” Stone had captured her. No she was not okay. She’d become his slave like he’d wanted, and all her freedom would disappear. Pretty sure she cried from frustration, she was thankful the rain would hide her

weakness. Only a coward would give up. She still had a chance. “Are you bleeding? Where are you hurt?” He gave her a mechanical pat down. Kella lifted her arm, only to drive her elbow into his gut. His grunt verified she’d hit her target...his liver. Springing to her feet, she took a step, but his grip caught her ankle, and he yanked. She hit the mud face-first. A moment later he was on her, straddling her hips and flipping her to her back. Using his thigh muscles, he imprisoned her legs together. They fought for control of her arms. Another jab to his liver showed no effect to his superior strength. She throat-punched him, but he jerked back

at the last second, escaping the blow. Somehow he managed to nab both her arms in his hold. His fingers curled around her wrists, and he wrestled both of her arms above her head, pressing them into the mud. For precious minutes she wasted energy struggling against his clutch beneath him, but he just held tight, waiting her out. It was a smart move, and she resented him for that wise decision. “Finally tired?” Stone asked when she went limp. The tears were back, and again she was thankful of the rain. “You shot my tire out.”

“Yes.” Securing his hold on her wrists with one hand, he used the other to shove the wet skeins of her hair out of her face. “You could’ve killed me.” “I weighed the odds. Death by flipping or death by Feeders.” Pfft...like all spooners, he failed to understand Feeders offered no threat to a Xeno. And usually not to dregs either. Only spooners should fear them. “I can’t decide if you’re stupid or desperate.” Try both. Afraid he’d see the answer in her face, she looked away, realizing at the same time he sported an erection. “Fighting me makes you hard? You’re sick.”

“I’ve been hard since I walked into your office.” “You’re a slut.” “Jealous, Kella?” His eyebrows elevated. She clenched her teeth and glared at him, not bothering to deny her identity. His wet chocolate hair clung to his face and neck, and those ice-blue eyes were hotter than she’d ever seen them. “How’d you get past the access panel in the wall? Only the select have access.” “I am select. I accessed it the same as you.” Damn her bad luck! His rank gave him a better advantage. It wasn’t fair, but she’d learned eight years ago life was never fair to those who were dreg-born.

His fingers scorched her senses as they slid down her neck and between her heaving breasts. Stone shoved his hand in the pocket of his black leather pants. A white stick that broadened at the head like an ancient razor was removed from his pocket. “Do you know what this is?” he asked, holding the device up from the tip of his fingers. Of course she did. Her worst nightmare. “Just let me go, Stone.” “Can’t, sunshine.” That fucking endearment again. “You mean you won’t.” “Does it matter?” Stone dragged the back of the R-scanner along the same path his fingers had taken moments ago,

but started at her belly and moved upward. “The outcome’s the same.” Not wanting to see his gloat when he revealed her identity, she turned her head aside. “I’m curious how much of the real you was altered. Like these”—his fingers strummed across a breast, and she gasped at the intimate heat of his touch—“are they yours or what the Vchip made. You were curvy when you disappeared, but now you’re straight and thin.” Without any further waffling, he pressed the head of the R-scanner to her neck. A click later and an electrical jolt surged through her, prickling along her

skin in wave after wave. She whimpered at the sting that lingered on her flesh. “Easy.” Stone thumbed her neck, one she perceived as a calming gesture. “It’ll be over in a moment, sunshine.” Finally, the last prickle faded. Out of the periphery of her vision, she could see the black evidence of her real hair color. His fingers gripped her chin, and he turned her head. Utter silence as he stared at her. Only the rain made any noise. “Fuck me.” Eyes wide, he released his hold and sat up. He jerked his fingers through his tangled, soaked hair. Then his gaze lowered. “Why’d you hide this sinful figure?”

“Get off me, you pervert.” She shoved at his chest, but he didn’t budge. Her reaction got her a face full of Stone Emmerson, so close their noses brushed together and his breath puffed against her face. Kella stilled as the weight of his body pressed her into the earth, and she held her breath so her breasts wouldn’t move against his chest. His hands seized her wrists once again and shifted them to a more comfortable angle over her head, while he used his forearms situated on top of hers to maintain her captured position. “You’re my wife—” “Not because I want to be.” He flinched as if she’d struck him, and then his features hardened. A deadly

scowl morphed along his brow, and a tick in his jaw kicked in. “I thought you were dead, mourned you for eight goddamn years, and all along you rejected my protection.”

FOURTEEN Confusion crafted wrinkles across her forehead. At least her reaction testified to her innocence on that score, she’d never intended for them to think her dead. More blame to place at his mother’s feet. “Why would you think that? I just ran when offered the chance.” A dull thud of anger pounded at his temples. Just ran. Those words were a punch to his pride. That confession hurt worse than he could’ve anticipated. He forced his jaw to relax before he cracked his molars. They had to talk,

figure out how to proceed. He wanted to rail at her and hurt her as much as she’d hurt him. Neither reaction would solve their current problem. The world thought she was dead. That could be solved with a few clicks on the computer and claiming there’d been a mistake. The issue that concerned Stone most...just when he’d thought he was over her, he realized his heart was still very much engaged. Staring at her now, discovering she lived, had him aching to crush her to him and hug her, while screaming at her for hurting him. The contradicting emotions had him reassessing his puppylove theory. Sure, he’d realized his teen love for Kella had been nothing more than lust

and was easily diffused by meaningless sex and a lot of it. But he’d cared for her, loved her as much as any fifteenyear-old could love another. That emotion had been genuine. The anguish when he believed she’d died had been very real. Eight years later he still felt the pain of her loss. They’d been friends and close. To realize she scorned the safety and freedom he could’ve given her as his wife, offended him. Infuriated him. Stone rolled off her and stood, staring down at her. She remained on her back in the mud with the rain pelting her. Dirty from their altercation, she was still gorgeous. In youth, Kella owned the fine bone structure that could’ve grown into a

fragile beauty, but even then she’d possessed a tough spirit. She’d just demonstrated how physically strong she’d become. Those jabs to his liver continued to smart. And he’d lost her twice in the city. Pure luck had him catching back up to her both times. Of course with her tagged she couldn’t really escape, but he was still impressed by her ingenuity. Every bit of her cleverness was learned out of necessity because she hated the idea of being his wife more than she craved safety. The reminder of her treachery renewed his resentment. “We need to find cover.” He bent, curled his hand around her upper arm,

and jerked her to her feet. The rain was turning crimson, and the burn seeped into his clothes. What hit his exposed skin caused a deep ache, like the throb of a smashed thumb. No matter how angry she made him, he wanted her sheltered. That reality mocked him as a weak motherfucker. A real man would’ve demanded retribution for the way his mother and wife cuckolded him. “The wreckage.” She pointed at the wasted remains of the plane. “That’s our best bet.” Stone stared at her a moment, mesmerized by a fat, red drop of water that clung to her sooty eyelashes. For almost a decade he’d thought Kella

dead. The proof of his parents’ lies seemed surreal. Had the sting of the rain not been burning his neck and face, he’d have been convinced this was a dream. Kella rubbed her arms, cringing. “We should hurry.” “Here.” He slung his jacket off and settled it over her shoulders. She gave him a startled glimpse, but he ignored the obvious questions in her eyes. Without waiting for her, not even looking at her to make sure she followed, he sprinted for the aircraft. Running into the crimson rain hurt worse than standing in it, and what took less than a few minutes to run, seemed liked hours. At the shelter, he curled his fingers around the latch and yanked. The

door opened with a groan. Holding it open with his body, he turned to locate Kella. He spied her leaning into her buggy, and his muscles tensed to go after her, but she twisted away from the vehicle and ran toward the airplane with a couple of backpacks and packages in her hands. He breathed a sigh of relief that he wouldn’t have to chase her again—for now at least—and stepped just inside the plane to wait for her out of the acidic rain. The wind whipped around the fallen airplane creating a howling noise in the broken windows. Kella staggered from the brutal onslaught of the gust, but instead of aiding her like instinct insisted, he watched and waited for her

to tough it out on her own. Proven by her choice to flee him, she’d shunned his support once, so he wouldn’t open himself up for further rejection. Admiring the curvy lines of her figure, he shook his head. Hourglass figure and heavy breasts, even without her delicate features, she’d still be most men’s wet dream. Under different circumstances, he’d be making every effort to get inside her. She stepped inside and threw a package at him. It hit him in the chest, and he grabbed the pack before it hit the floor. She tossed another package and a backpack on the floor, securing the other on her shoulder as she leaned just a little toward the doorway. Using her hands,

she scooped her hair together and squeezed excess water out of the strands, wincing as she moved her palms along the locks. “Dry towels and a blanket are in the pack,” she said, her tone business-like. “The rumors are true. Archeologists are always prepared.” Stone stripped off his shirt and tossed the garment across a grimy bench. Kella snubbed his attempt at humor, shut the airplane door, and gently removed the backpack from her shoulder. She unzipped the bag and dug that damn kippy out. Retro appeared to quiver in the dimming light, and he wondered if the creature feared the rain same as humans. Discarding the bag, she

opened another and pulled out a heli light, clicked a button, and released it, allowing the tech to float to the ceiling of the vessel and drench them in soft light. “Here,” she said a second before she tossed him a bottle of water. From the banged-up evidence of the plastic, the container had been reused many times. “You should find a washcloth in the pack. Get the crimson rain off you the best you can or it’ll blister.” “Aww...didn’t know you cared, wife.” He mocked her with the title, his bitterness at her defection a tangible burn in his gut. “I cared...” She dug around in the pack some more, before tossing a ration

bar at him and retrieving another bottle of water. “Until you took my freedom away and made me your legal whore.” He curled his fingers into the plastic of the bag and took his frustration out on it, ripping it apart. “Goddamnit, Mackella, I bought you to save you.” She sputtered a moment, annoyance plain on her face, and for a second he thought she might launch the bottled water in her grasp at his head. “Forced matrimony is saving me? Gee, Stone, your sacrifice deserves a medal or a punt-kick to the family jewels.” Interesting suggestion since she hadn’t once gone for his crotch during their scuffle. “It was in name only.”

“Right.” The sarcasm in her voice told him she didn’t believe a word of his explanation. Extra clothes she pulled out of her other pack were as soaked as he was, dripping red all over the floor. “Damn,” she muttered before flinging them across a few of the remaining rotted seats. “In name only, my ass. This wouldn’t have been tattooed on me if it was in name only.” She yanked his jacket off, wadded it into a ball, lobbed it at him, and turned to expose the left side of her neck. His family sigil marked her skin, and a sinking feeling hit his stomach. “Had all my hair lasered off from the waist down and my armpits without my permission.” He winced, but she wasn’t

looking at him. Turning her back to him, she stripped off her shirt, wet a rag and began to wipe down her skin. “Laser hair removal in the delicate areas hurts, almost as bad as crimson rain, so fuck your in name only very much, Stone.” He’d approved of neither. To mark her in any way against his direct instructions was a treasonous act, and he couldn’t explain why either had been done. He couldn’t pinpoint one person who would’ve rebuked his command that way. Surely his mother wouldn’t have put her through that while plotting her escape. “I was making the walk of shame to consummate our marriage when

Christine offered to help me escape rape and slavery.” She flinched when he touched her back with his rag. “Be still, I’m helping.” Kella turned her head to peer at him over her shoulder. Their gazes caught, held, and she confessed, “I don’t regret running from you.” Stone cupped her chin and angled her head back against his shoulder. He could peer down and glimpse her breasts, but he respected her modesty, and kept his eyes locked on hers. “Your error. I would’ve given you everything. The world would’ve been your oyster. Now you don’t deserve to bear my name.”

“Like I wanted your name.” She elbowed him away and jerked out of his hold. “Mr. Sanctimonious, how would you have reacted if your choice was taken away?” “I was born Regent heir-apparent.” Stone jerked off his wet pants and underwear, hanging them from a protruding shard of metal. Hopefully they’d be dry by morning. “Not much choice in that.” “That’s comparing apples to oranges. Your basic right of freedom remains.” She wrapped the towel around her chest, maintaining her discretion beneath the cloth as she shimmied out of her pants. Her panties were surprisingly delicate, red, lacy undergarments

intended for seduction. It flabbergasted him that she chose such flimsy and feminine apparel when she was a tomboy. “The world is damn sure your oyster, everyone bowing to you and compelled to do your wishes regardless of theirs. You don’t require anyone’s permission to do anything. You get to choose whom you marry. Who bears your children. You’re free to—” “Enough.” He made a slashing movement through the air with his hand. “Yes, the system isn’t right, and things need to change.” He’d altered almost everything she bitched about in his Quad, but didn’t feel compelled to confess the changes he’d made in her name. That’d only show how besotted

he’d been with her. “Going about it your way solves nothing. You broke laws.” Many of them. He feared he didn’t know the half of them. “There are consequences for your activities.” “Yeah, yeah, just burn me at the goddamn stake.” He flung his washcloth aside and secured the towel around his waist. Without any clear intention, he marched to her and used her arms to yank her against his chest. Leaning closer to her, he noted the catch in her breath. “Careful, Kella. I still have to account for your whereabouts for eight years. Hide your criminal activities from Regent Jones in Quad2. Keep giving me shit, and I might decide to let James slit

your pretty throat”—he dragged a finger across her neck—“and call it a good goddamn day. Or give you to Jones so he can fuck and electrocute you until you’re no longer my problem.” He didn’t mean a fucking word of any of it, but he was just angry enough to let her believe he did. “Do it.” Her nostrils flared. “I’d rather be dead than a possession worth only the value of the children she spawns.” Xeno’s were their future, their value worth more than just children. He’d wanted a life with her, a true marriage, someone to grow old with, share memories with, and someone to discuss his problems in the Regency. He’d

wanted a union of friendship first, and hoped their relationship would mature into a real marriage. What she painted with her words was a using relationship, one where the X-gene was valuable so long as they bred, but was tossed aside or forgotten when their usefulness ran out. She was more than an animal to him. Even most other Xeno’s were treated with more value and respect than she described. My God, what has happened to her? To the girl I knew and cherished? “You’ve got issues,” he said. Letting her go, he retraced his steps and retrieved the ration. Tearing it open, he looked at her. “I don’t eat these, are they any good?”

“When it’s all you’ve got, taste doesn’t matter.” “How many do you have in there?” Hunger gnawed at his gut. This little bar wouldn’t even come close to satisfying him. He took a bite and chewed on the grainy stuff. Not something he’d want to eat often, but it’d do in a pinch. “It’s my last one. Was going to stock up but forgot.” She wrapped the blanket around her shoulders and curled up on the floor against the wall. So she’d feed him, and not worry about herself. That didn’t set well with him. He tore the bar in half and offered it to her. “No thanks.” Kella shook her head. “Eat the fucking bar, Kella.”

“I’ve gone hungry plenty of times. Won’t kill me tonight.” She wrapped her arms around her knees and kept her gaze off him. “My advice, save the gentleman routine, it’s not going to change my attitude toward you.” “Don’t need a gentleman routine, sunshine.” “Stop calling me that.” “As you so eloquently pointed out, I own you.” In his heart she was his, but not because he’d bought her, but because she’d wormed her way inside as a child. “Eat. I might require you to ride my cock later.” That got her attention and put fire in her narrow-eyed glare. “You will have to rape me if that’s to happen. I will fight

back.” But her voice had grown weak and just above a whisper. He easily discerned she doubted her ability to defeat his aggression, or maybe even her ability to resist him. He shrugged as if forcing himself on her was nothing more important than the weather. “I overpowered you an hour ago, figure I can do it again.” Kella trembled, fear darkening her emerald eyes. She looked away, lowering her gaze in a submissive gesture. Stone almost took the words back, but he lost all desire to salvage the atmosphere between them. Instead he obsessed over her misdeeds against him, what he’d do with her now, and fretted most over the possibility that his woman

might’ve already suffered rape at the hands of another. As he pinched off a piece of morsel and fed it to the kippy he contemplated their future. How did he resolve his anger, hurt, and desire to protect her? His twisted emotions threatened to split his head apart. It was a good hour of silence, except for the pelting of the rain, before she asked, “Why’d you think I was dead?” “Found blood on a knapsack and your clothes in the badlands three days after your disappearance. DNA testing matched it to you.” “I’m sorry.” “Save your apology.” Stone wanted answers he could understand, not hollow

regrets. “Is my mom still with you?” “Yes.” Kella exhaled a relieved breath. “I worried your dad would blame her for my defection.” “We thought you were dead.” Why couldn’t she get that through her thick skull? He’d mourned her, and all along she’d been alive and well, starting a new life without him. “Your mom’s never been the same since her only child died.” Her selfishness confounded him. Sure, she’d been a hellion, but she’d cared about those she loved. Defection’s disregard for the feelings of others countered the caring girl he’d known. At least her mother’s grief disturbed her

enough she put the heels of her palms into her eyes. “Did you even think about giving me the benefit of the doubt when I bought you, Kella?” “I wish I could say yes, but you looked so...emotionless when you bid on me.” She picked at the blanket, a tiny shudder shaking her body, and he got the impression she chose her words carefully as if she hid something from him. “Nothing like the friend I knew. Maybe I should’ve given you the benefit of the doubt, at least given you a chance to explain why you purchased me, but I wasn’t thinking straight. That’s not an excuse, but...I don’t know, I shouldn’t have been sold either.” He could understand her confusion, hurt, and fear,

but he’d been her friend, and he expected her to know why he bid on her. “Being on that auction block, hearing the things people said about me—” “I heard some of it. Made me furious the way some of my people talked about you.” “Shouldn’t all of Quadrant13 be your people, Stone? Not just the spoiled spooners?” Kella looked him in the eyes with those questions, and he thought about the girl who’d called him on every blunder he’d ever made. She’d demanded a higher moral compass from him than his own father had required. She went back to picking at the fabric. “Doesn’t matter. I don’t know why I expect more from you when none of the

Regents think that way. Spooners only look out for one another. The dregs of society like me have been on their own from the moment society fell from the pestilence.” “I’m not a spooner.” Neither was he like other Regents, but telling her the truth of what he’d done...yeah, he just didn’t feel like altering her opinion of him. Let her think what she liked. He knew the truth. “Name one thing you’ve done for the lower class that helped them instead of a spooner?” Silence descended between them as he contemplated an answer. Rain pelted the metal tube, creating a tinny sound. Wind howled and rocked the airplane,

while the crimson water dripped inside one of the pane-less windows. How’d he respond when he’d changed so many laws since his induction as Regent? He’d made plans with Kella to change the world. She’d reneged on their plans, not him. “Yeah, that’s what I thought. A spooner.” Kella pulled the coarse material tighter around her shoulders, a little shiver going through her as the temperature continued to drop. “It’s okay, Stone, you are what you are, and why change a system that benefits you in every way?” “I’m not your enemy.” “You’re not my friend.”

“Goddamn, Kella, you’re so frustrating.” But then she always had been. Stone dragged his fingers through his hair. “I bought you to keep you in my home, protected, and unmolested because you were my friend. I had a contract drafted that’d dictate the terms of our relationship. I’d planned to present it to you when I picked you up the night you ran off.” She opened her mouth to say something, and he cut her off, “Shut up. It’s my time to talk. After five years, you would be granted your freedom. I’d hoped that’d be enough time to convince you to marry me for real. I loved you, Kella, and I had every intention of making all of your dreams come true. You’re still listed as the

beneficiary of my will.” “You really expect me to believe all that? When you bought me to breed your supergene babies?” “Damn you, Kella. Goddamn you.” He slammed his fist against the floor, and it gave off a hollow echo. Retro fled his side in favor of the safety of Kella’s lap. “I’ve never lied to you. Not once. I won’t start now. I’m fucking pissed off you ran off, but not because you didn’t want me”—although that hurt worse —“but because you put yourself in danger. If you’d have talked to me, you’d have known my intentions were genuine.” Those emerald-green eyes he’d loved so much as a youngster stared at

him. She chewed on her bottom lip, and peered at him with such intensity, he figured she gauged whether to trust him now or not. Frankly, he didn’t give a fuck what she decided. “We’re going in circles arguing. Truth or not, if I believe you, then everything I’ve paid for my freedom has been pointless. I...I...” Voice raspy, a watery sheen entered her eyes. “Just know I never wanted to hurt you.” “Epic failure.” He pinched the bridge of his nose. Appetite gone, he chucked the granola bar near her feet for her pet to enjoy. It took a moment, but Retro finally inched from her lap to steal the food.

“So, where do we go from here?” she asked.

FIFTEEN Regent Emmerson Home July 6, 2274

“You’re momma is gonna tan your hide if you get too much sun.” Kella Starke opened her eyes to find her best friend and secret crush, Stone Emmerson, sliding his gaze along her bikini-clad figure. Momma wouldn’t be mad over the tan, but for the bikini. And maybe for teasing Stone with the skimpy attire. The secret was to not get caught.

For his benefit, she stretched and delighted in the way his nostrils flared. She thought he was interested, but he was Stone Emmerson, and he’d be Regent one day. Sure they’d been best buds for over seven years. They’d hunted snapdragons together and fourleaf-clovers. Shared custody of a frog that died a week later. They’d even found a wolf cub. Its eyes hadn’t even opened yet when they discovered the baby alone, covered in blood. Together they nursed him, taking turns feeding him at night. She’d lied for him to get him out of trouble, and he’d taken the fall for her on more than one occasion. Maybe they were a little too much trouble as a team, but she would always

have his back, and she knew he’d have hers too. But lately she found herself looking at him differently. He was cute with his longish, chocolate hair, complimented with his light-blue eyes, and all the girls at school called him a hottie. Kella agreed. He sure made her smolder. His bodyguard James teased Stone about being short, and lanky, but she liked that he didn’t dwarf her. James was also an asshole, and he called her names too. His favorite name for her was holy terror. She didn’t know why he called her that, and she didn’t like it. Too bad Stone couldn’t fire James. If he

ever could, she’d be there grinning as the brute was tossed out on his ear. Stone skipped rocks into the river that ran along the backside of their land. “What do you want to do for your birthday next month?” Pushing up on her elbows, she mentally praised his skill at skipping rocks. Was there anything he wasn’t perfect at? “Momma says I’m getting a fistful of switches.” He tossed her a rascally grin. “You might need a switchin’, but she’ll never give you one.” Anything she needed a switchin’ for, he’d been right by her side hell raising with her. Guilt didn’t eat her up at

night though. Life was too short to follow unnecessary rules. “I’d love a rainbow cake, but Momma says I’m going to have to start watching my figure now that I’m growing up.” Kella sighed. This growing up stuff sucked ass so far. Stone tossed her an appraising glance, his gaze lingering on her breasts. “Your figure is fine.” “Says my best friend.” Rolling her eyes, she decided coy worked great. “Besides, what do you know about girls’ figures? You’re a pretty boy.” Hands on his hips, he faced her, standing over her. “I got eyes, and I like looking at girls. You’re sort of pretty.” He glanced away. “And so is

your figure. All the guys at school are noticing too.” Sort of pretty? Her self-assurance deflated. Yeah, but all those guys at school were rich and thought she was trash. None of them would ever take serious notice of a lowborn girl like her. “I don’t like any of them boys no ways.” “That’s good because none of them are good enough for you.” Kella rose to her feet and stared up at Stone. She pushed strands of his hair behind his ear just because she wanted to touch him. “Who is good enough for me, Stone?” “I’m sure I’ll find someone to marry you off to.” The teasing light in

his eyes dimmed her confidence. Like so many other girls of her status, she’d probably end up with an abusive drunk as a husband. “Going somewhere?” The stinky guy blocking her exit from the alley cupped his crotch in a lewd manner. She whimpered and tried to run, but her legs were frozen, and she couldn’t move. No! She didn’t want to do this again. His unexpected backhand spun her around, and she collapsed on the dirtpacked ground. Scrambling backward in a crab crawl, Kella’s back hit the concrete

wall. The stench of rotted meat hit her nostrils. “Please, don’t.” Mr. Stinky advanced and kicked her in the gut. Kella screamed and—

“Kella, wake up!” Before she opened her eyes, she knew it was Stone who shook her shoulders. Thankful the nightmare no longer held her hostage, she peered up at the face of her childhood fantasy. The tips of his hair brushed against her neck causing a weird response in her body, like her nipples coiling into achy points. Through dreams she relived the nightmare of her beating, the one that’d

ended in her inability to conceive children. “Sorry I disturbed you.” Tears wet her cheeks, and she attempted to brush them aside. She hated these nightmares. Sometimes she’d go months without them only to suffer them every night for a week. With a groan, Stone lay down on the floor beside her, opened his blanket and drew her against his frame, securing the material around her. No longer a boy, his manly lines intrigued and intimidated her. She should refuse his offer of comfort, but this particular dream left her shaky and terrified every time it occurred. Reaper had taught her to defend herself, but she’d been helpless

then, and her helpless situation now was probably what instigated the dreammemory. Snuggling a little closer because his warmth invited her nearer—at least that’s the story she told herself, while in reality she just wanted an excuse to lean on him. She slipped an arm out of the blanket she’d cocooned herself in earlier, and her hand came in contact with his bare chest. “You’re naked,” she said, a rush of excitement jazzed along her nerves. As a teen she’d dreamed about being in his naked arms. As a woman, she’d never allowed herself to traverse that road. Stone brushed hair off her face and neck, before cupping her neck, his thumb

swishing back and forth along her jaw. “You’re safe with me.” He kissed her forehead. “No one will ever hurt you again. I swear.” Kella buried her face against his chest, sniffling back tears. That he offered her protection after all they’d been through surprised her. Had their roles been reversed, she wouldn’t be forgiving or show compassion. “I’m a big girl. I don’t expect you to keep that promise come tomorrow.” “Nothing’s changed, sunshine.” His lips moved against her forehead in an erotic kiss, a novel sensation for her. “You’ve been mine to protect since you were six.” The heat of his lips resulted in a surge of moisture between her

thighs. “You’ve always been mine, Kella. I still want you, but I’ll let you go because that’s what you want. We’ll have to do it slowly, carefully, and together so there’ll be minimal questions, but even after you’re free, I’ll protect you.” Finally, she’d have what she’d always wanted. Legal freedom. So why’d it unsettle her? And why would he make the offer? What was it in for him? Of course he probably lied about granting her freedom. The perfect mindfuck, giving her hope and then ripping it away cruelly. Even if he told the truth, when he learned of the revolution she plotted

against the spooners, he’d be singing a different tune. Probably leading the mob against her. To gain her liberty, she’d paid the hefty price of her virginity. Freeing all Xeno’s would most likely come at a higher price...her life. “How do we move forward from here, Stone?” she’d asked a similar question earlier, and he’d avoided answering it. “We’ll figure it out.” She was sure anything they figured out, it’d be to his advantage, but she would survive whatever happened because she was a survivor. Her one goal was her freedom...and the liberty of other Xenos. But if independence were all that mattered, why’d she feel more

alone than ever before now that he claimed he’d grant her one wish? “Is that a vehicle? In the rain?” He tilted his head as if to improve his hearing. “Probably Feeders. They’ve special wear for crimson rain.” Stone shifted a little and retrieved a gun. “Rest easy. If they’re out there, they already know we’re here. They’ll recognize my buggy, and know I’m taking shelter inside.” She’d put a chalk mark on the side near the door with an X and line drawn through the letter. If the Feeders were someone she knew, they’d recognize it as code that she wasn’t alone and to stay away.

“You seem sure of that.” And he didn’t seem inclined to believe her. “Trust me, I’m knowledgeable about this world. They won’t hurt us, we’re safe, and Xeno’s are toxic to them anyway.” Long moments lapsed. The rain pelting the airplane, and the drone of engines moved away, before he finally spoke. “Who hurt you, Kella?” He’d been quiet so long she’d thought he’d fallen asleep. “How’d you know?” “Easy to deduce. During your nightmare, you were...screaming and clutching at your stomach. I’ve never heard anyone scream like that.” Shifting his hand just slightly, he cupped her chin

and tilted her head back. The soft glow of the heli lights gave him a gentle appearance, but she knew how intense he could be. Hell, her body thrummed just from her proximity to him. “Give me his name,” Stone demanded, his tone even, but she detected the rough edge to his request. “What does it matter?” The beating she’d endured wasn’t something she wanted to talk about. “I was the victim, and now I’m a survivor, stronger for the attack.” “I’m going to kill him.” “Reaper beat you to it.” “Unfortunately, I find myself suffering from a smidge of respect for your friend.”

A startled chuckle fell from her lips. “Trust me when I tell you he’s not seeking your respect.” In response, he grunted. His thumb created circles on her throat, and he shifted their placement so that his other arm served as her pillow. “I don’t know why, but I’m glad you kept your hair long.” “Didn’t do it for you.” The funny quirk to his lips had her questioning the truth of that statement. “Are you still a virgin?” “No, but I’m not interested in men either.” “You really are a lesbian?” It’d be so easy to say yes. Maybe his interest would wane if she lied, but for

once in her life she elected to stick with honesty. “No. I’m not a lesbian either.” Kella sighed. “I sold myself a handful of times. I hated it, but it was the easiest way to get money and a lot of it. It’s how I kept food on the table and saved up enough to start my first dig.” He stared at her, a hard glint entering his eyes, while his forehead smoothed out, and a white outline rimmed his mouth. “That makes me so angry I don’t know how to process it.” “Yeah, it pissed Reaper off too. But the first time I did it, I cried the whole way through it, swore I’d never do it again, but we had to eat. And I was so hungry.” She shrugged. “It was easier the second time.”

“God, Kella, I never wanted that for you.” “At least this way I got to pick who I was whored out to.” He reached over her and slammed the fist of his other hand against the metal floor. Kella flinched at the anger reflected in his eyes. “Wasn’t trying to make you mad. I thought you wanted the truth of what I’d become.” “I want the truth.” He rolled to his back, dragging her against his side. “I just don’t like the truth.” Snuggling into the crook of his arm, she wrapped an arm around his waist. Didn’t matter how much she told herself to put some space between them, this felt

right, like old times. She missed these idle moments with him. They were silent a long time, only their breathing, and the kippy’s whimpers as she snuggled at Kella’s backside breached the metal chamber. “I want to understand why you took off, but I can’t justify your actions when I know what my intentions were. Can’t justify them when you should’ve known my intentions were honest. We were best friends. I’d promised you no one would ever buy you.” She lingered on the memory of his father’s words that evening and what he said Stone intended for her. Those claims were in direct contradiction to Stone’s. Creating discord between him

and his dad wasn’t going to weight her shoulders though. She knew Stone idolized his parent, so she gave him a portion of the truth. “I can’t help I felt betrayed. If I’d waited and talked to you, I’d have been trapped. I seized the moment.” The back of his knuckles slid along her shoulder. “I did not betray you.” Gooseflesh erupted along her flesh, and she throbbed between her thighs. My husband stirs this response in me with a distracted touch. She very much feared she’d made the worst mistake of her life ditching him. Then she thought of the girls in the video that would be released to the public soon. Those women had paid more than she had for

their X-gene. She’d vowed to them that other Xenos would have a different future. She owed them for their sacrifice. If she’d done the safe thing and stayed with Stone, their lives would never have mattered. “I want to be an asshole,” he said when she remained quiet. “I want to hurt you the way I’m hurt.” She could tell him she was sorry, but the apology wouldn’t change anything. Wouldn’t ease his hurt even a little. “James could be man enough to do it, and he wouldn’t lose sleep the way I would.” “James is an asshole.” “Unlike some, he’s loyal and trustworthy.”

She couldn’t argue with him there, nor did she miss the jab that she was neither. Ignoring the prod, she changed the subject. “Why’d you tattoo my name on your bicep?” When he stripped down to wash the crimson rain off, she’d caught sight of the tattoo. A gray piece of work with a female angel kneeling, head bowed, and wings rising upward, with Kella’s name penned between them. Stunned by the ink, she’d also felt a surge of happiness. “Did it on the morning of my twentieth birthday before being sworn in as Regent.” He’d inherited the position on his twentieth birthday because of a health issue Peter suffered. Kella had thought of him that day, a bittersweet

moment since she’d felt like she should’ve been there to celebrate with him. “I wanted you to be there with me at least in spirit since you were dead. The irony. I memorialized you while you wanted nothing to do with me.” “It wasn’t like that.” “It fucking was, Kella.” The tension in his stomach testified to his anger simmering below the surface. “No matter how you try to spin it, fleeing was a very explicit rejection.” “I didn’t want to be your wife!” Kella sat up. “Not like that. Not because I could bear you super babies but because you wanted me. Me.” She smacked her chest. “Just me, Stone, and

not the X-gene. That’s not too much to ask of a husband.” She gave a high-pitched squeak of surprise when he shoved Retro aside and flipped Kella to her back. Cool air hit her front after he jerked the blanket open. Stone settled over her, his pelvis coming to rest between her spread thighs. His erection pressed against her soaked core, wrenching a shocked gasp from her. He sounded pained when he ground out, “Don’t move.” She hadn’t realized she was until his fingers bit into her hip, immobilizing her. His other hand braced on the floor beside her head.

“Fuck, you’re soaking my cock, and I’m not even inside you.” Stone shook his head as if to clear his head. “I never gave a shit about the X-gene. I only ever cared about you. Only ever wanted you. You’re too caught up in social differences to see what you gave up.” Her frustration was so high, she yelled at him. “Those social differences are unjust to my people! Get off me.” Kella shoved at his shoulders, but he responded by pumping his hips, his dick slipping through her folds, drenching his length in her arousal. His crown caught her clit, and she whimpered. A grin curled the corners of his mouth as he pushed back through her crease, careful enough he never penetrated her. “You

want me. You just don’t want to admit it.” “I want you as much as I want to be your chattel.” “Fucking liar.” Abruptly he lowered his upper body to cover hers, his chest mashing her breasts flat, and she had to bite her bottom lip to halt any moans of pleasure at their contact. His fingers tangled in her hair hard enough she gasped at the sting to her scalp. Instead of eliminating her desire, his rough treatment excited her. The gentle glide of his lips over hers caused her toes to curl and her breath to speed up. Their pants mingled as his eyes held hers...and his hips executed that slow pump causing

his dick to slip along her pussy once more. “Stone—” He cut her off with his mouth melding over hers. Without any thought into her actions, she opened beneath him, and his tongue thrust inside. At the first touch, he groaned, jerked her head to a harsher angle, and slid his tongue across hers. The kiss went on forever, but not long enough. Much too soon, he withdrew and kissed down her neck, and across her collarbone. Lower, his breath made damp, hot puffs against her nipple, but he froze there poised over her breast with one hand in her hair and the other clutching her hip. “I want to fuck you,” he finally said as he released her hair and lifted his

gaze to hers. His clenched jaw and the angry slant to his mouth demonstrated his wrath. “Fuck you silly. Use you for my own needs and shun you afterward. Give you a taste of your own medicine. Or better yet to decimate you with pleasure to show you what you rejected and then spurn you. It’d be the sweetest revenge.” Tears stung her sinuses. The harsh words reminded her of the high price for freedom. In the end, none of her trials mattered. She was right back where she’d started owned by a man she wanted but couldn’t have. “Every spooner I know eventually hurts me, Stone. I’m used to it, so do your best.”

Life had taught her to trust no one. First Stone had betrayed her. Next came her attacker. The streets had been rough, vendors throwing stones at her to run off the ‘scrabble’ as they’d called her because she was bad for business. In the beginning it’d seemed her own people didn’t want her, but the spooners only wanted to use her. Thankfully, Reaper found her and taught her how to survive the streets, but even with him survival had been touch and go for a while. She’d been attacked a total of five times by men who thought she owed them something because she was poor and female. Reaper put two of them in an early grave, but the defensive skills he’d taught her aided her escape

with the other three. And one of them had been her first kill. Not once had she ever regretted taking his life. It’d been a kill or die situation. All men are pigs, except Reaper...and Creed. Regent Jones stepped up to the plate when things were finally looking up only to knock her down again. Her archeological digs had been her own, until he’d realized she had a talent for ferreting out the lucrative sites. Then he’d made her a deal. For the low, low price of fifty percent of her profits, he’d allow her the privilege of remaining in business. If those terms weren’t agreeable to her, he could set her up in another business more suited to her

gender. She interpreted that to mean whoring. All Regents are pigs. Others of the privileged lowballed her with claims to Regent Jones’s “friends with benefits”, demanding a cheaper cost for high-priced goods. Like the frugal bastards couldn’t afford her price point. None of them cared she needed the cash to survive. If she refused, they’d inform the Regent of her refusal to work with them. She needed no one to spell out how that would end. All spooners are pigs. No one could be trusted, least of all Stone. Stone’s sudden grip on her chin jerked her from her pensive thoughts.

“All spooners hurt you. What does that mean?” “I’d think it pretty obvious. But forget it. It’s mostly a pep talk to keep my chin up. Don’t give up just yet, I’m positive you’ll get creative and find another way to exact your revenge before we’re over.” Kella shoved hard on his chest, and he flopped to her side with a heavy thudding sound that echoed in the metal cavern. She secured the blanket around her once again and scooted to the end of the airplane as far away from him as she could go, burrowing into the corner to find as much warmth as she could in an upright fetal position.

“One thing you should know now, Kella.” His husky voice was quiet in the metal tube, the pelting of the rain almost silencing him, but she heard him loud and clear. “We will never be over.” A shiver raced through her. Closing her eyes, she attempted to plot another escape, but all she could think about was the way he’d stared at her while he kissed her. Like she mattered to him. A painful reminder of the days when she had mattered to him because of who she was, not what she was. Fuck it all, but she’d delighted in the way he’d felt against her too. The hard planes of his body pressing her into the floor should’ve had her feeling trapped and out of control, but instead she’d

become even more aroused. Being dominated by Regent Stone Emmerson excited her. The only thing that terrified her more than him was her reaction to him.

SIXTEEN Stone woke to silence and heat so bad he struggled to breathe. Humid heat usually followed a bout of crimson rain, but it seemed this climate called for a dry heat. A dull glow of light filtered in through the broken windows, evidencing the approach of dawn. Not intending to sleep for fear Kella would run in the middle of the night, he’d been determined to watch her through the long hours before daylight. But at some point, he’d fallen asleep sitting straight up, and woke with his head angled to the side.

Alternating between appreciating her physical appearance and cursing her stubbornness, he couldn’t get a solid hold on his emotions. The last thing he wanted was to argue with her. Their differences couldn’t be resolved overnight, if ever. The struggle of his emotions annoyed him too. The allconsuming need to protect her one moment, while wanting to punish her the next, the hodgepodge of feelings was too much. Stone rolled his head, but winced at the stiffness in his neck. Groggy from a few hours of sleep, he wished he’d managed to stay awake so he’d be more clearheaded to deal with Kella first thing this morning. He pushed his hair

out of his face, vowing to cut it as soon as he returned to the Quad if for no other reason than Kella seemed to like it. Maintaining the length in her memory had been a mistake. Time to quit pining for a girl who was lost to him. He looked in the direction of Kella’s sleeping spot. Empty. Even her supplies were gone. Only his clothes and what she’d given him remained. As he sprang to his feet, he noticed the door wide open. Dressing as fast as possible, he laced his boots up and took off out the door—and halted. Her buggy was cocked up at an angle with a jack, and she was working on the tire. Retro sat

near watching, with her tongue lolling out of her mouth. He walked toward Kella, taking his time so his heart had a chance to slow down before he reached her. Making no effort to quiet his approach, he knew she heard him, but she never acknowledged his presence. Not even when he stood over her and blocked her light. He nabbed the heli light and angled it to provide her with better illumination. “You’re up early.” Kella kept her gaze on the tire. As she scraped a gooey, tar like substance along the blowout in the rubber, she said, “Archeologist curse.” “Is that going to fix the bullet hole?” He didn’t see how with that huge gash.

“Doubtful.” “I’m impounding your vehicle anyway.” Her head jerked back at his announcement, and her eyes narrowed. “For your own good so you can’t run again. Come to think of it, everything you have is mine.” “I hate you,” she said with such quietness her calmness alarmed him a little. “Finally we’re on the same page.” She flinched, but he felt little guilt since she’d resorted to the vile words first. In an abrupt manner, she stood and shoved the tire into his gut. An oomph of air exited his lungs.

“Fix your own fucking tire then.” She grabbed her backpacks out of the buggy, slung one over each shoulder, and took off walking in the direction of town. The kippy peered between them as if deciding whom she wanted to stay with, but in the end she took off after her owner. Grinning at Kella’s tantrum, he let her go if for no other reason than to work off some steam. Ten minutes later he remained standing there watching her, as she grew smaller in the distance, and she was a background image against the skeletal remains of the airplane. For the first time he noticed above the windows of the plane, the faded words “United States Navy” amongst the graffiti etched

into and drawn on the metal tubing. A time forgotten when they’d been one nation. Now they were broken up into twenty Quadrants, with each Quad having its own Regent that governed with total dictatorial law. When he returned to his hotel, he’d file a formal claim for this piece of property and the aircraft. He’d acquire a rental home until he squared away Kella’s affairs and could take her home, back to where she belonged in Quadrant13. New credentials would be required for Kella. He’d talk with James, and her friend, Reaper, and meet with Regent Jones soon. Letting her go was no longer an option. She was his, had always been

his. He just had to convince her of that reality. He was a master at seduction, but he’d never had to slowly seduce someone important to him. Women fell into his bed. Kella wouldn’t be so easy. That last year before her genetic testing, she’d been interested in him. He wasn’t stupid, he’d known. Even as an adolescent teen he’d known playing with her then could ruin any future chance of a real relationship. Kella had always been his end goal. The chances of her having the Xeno gene had been a one in ten thousand. The positive had sideswiped them both. He’d been forced to alter his plan, purchasing her to keep her near. Yeah, he understood her gripe about the way Xeno’s were treated. And she

wasn’t wrong. But she still should’ve come to him for answers before jumping to conclusions and putting herself at risk. Last night solidified her future. She just didn’t know it yet. He’d been willing to let her go until she responded to him. If he hadn’t just witnessed the fear in her eyes from the nightmare she suffered, he probably would’ve slid into her wet heat and claimed her permanently right then and there. That she’d sold herself to survive...his fingers curled into fists. Who’d he blame for that? Someone else had known his woman intimately because she needed to eat. Frustrated with the lack of a guilty party, he strode to his flyer, and swiped

his fingers through his hair. Tangles caught on his digits, and he yanked them free. He would ring for a barber the moment he got back to town and cut off the length. Time to grow up. Show her a new man resided in the place of the boy she’d once known. She’d been the carrot on the stick leading him around to her tune back in the day. Soon he’d show her how a real man indulged in the fruits of his rewards. After cranking the flyer, he pushed the lever forward and went after his woman. A couple of minutes later, he slowed beside her. “Get in.” “Fuck you.” She kept her stride steady and her face turned away.

Even though it was coated in a layer of grime, her black hair shined in the sun’s rays. What he wouldn’t give to bathe her. “The chances of that outcome are still high.” She stopped, and he threw the flyer into park. The conveyance continued to float several inches above the ground. “You want me, you don’t want me.” She huffed. “Make up your mind because you’re driving me crazy.” He could say the same about her. Her mouth said one thing, while her body fed him the evidence of a much different desire just last night. “At the moment I want you to get in my flyer without further drama.”

Making no move to get in his vehicle, she glared at him. “I’m tired, hungry, and I stink. I want to shower, eat, and sleep, so get in the goddamn flyer.” Kella slung her packs inside, one bouncing up off the seat and hitting him in the arm. He was pretty sure the violence had been her ultimate goal, even if she pretended it was unintentional. She settled Retro in the back seat, and hoisted herself into the flyer. In retaliation, he chucked both her packs out of his flyer and punched the conveyance into drive. “Stone,” she screeched, turning around in her seat to look for her bags.

“Keep fucking with me, and I’ll show you how I fuck back.” “Go back, please.” Caving would be too easy, so he settled on shaking his head and keeping his gaze straight ahead. “All my clothes were in there. Everything I owned.” It displeased him that all of his wife’s possessions could fit into two backpacks. “Don’t you mean everything I own?” She punched him on the arm hard enough the blow stung. That was the Kella he remembered. “Go back!” “I’ll buy you new clothes.” Better clothes. Clothes that’ll reveal her

delectable body. “I don’t need new ones. They’ll just get ruined. All I do is work and sleep.” Oh, that would change too. “I’m hiring a work crew to excavate my dig. You’re no longer working it.” She was silent so long he had decided she wouldn’t respond until she said, “I thought you were letting me go.” “I’m rethinking that rash promise. It’s unwise to make decisions in an emotional state of mind, don’t you think?” From his periphery, he caught the way her eyes slid slowly closed as if her foundation was being ripped out from underneath her. Probably was since she’d always craved an archeologist career. Craved independence too. Free

spirited by nature, Kella would’ve become the shell of herself in the hands of the wrong buyer. One day she’d thank him for saving her ass. She should already be thanking me for saving her ass. If he hadn’t bought her, one of the assholes in the crowd would’ve purchased her. Given the same circumstances, one of those assholes would make an example out of her now. “My wind-up dog was in there,” he thought she said, but her voice was so soft, and it trembled just a little making it hard for him to be certain. Of course she wouldn’t mention the toy verbally because then she’d have to admit he still meant something to her. It was the only

plausible explanation if his gift carried value to her. That or she cherishes it simply because it’s a relic from a long-dead society. Stone made a mental note to send someone after it immediately. “Even if I let you go I’m keeping the claim. Payment for eight years of mental anguish.” He knew he was being an ass, but riling her up was part of his strategy, and he wanted her always guessing at his next move. When she said nothing, he looked over at her. She’d turned her head away from him to stare at the landscape. “What? No smartass or scathing comment, Kella?”

She shrugged, but with the movement he caught the tremble of her chin. I will not apologize. I will not apologize. After a long moment, she said in a small voice, “I told you, every spooner screws me eventually. You’re no different. I’m practically best friends with the short end of the stick.” But she’d expected him to be different. He was certain of that. She didn’t know it yet, but that short end of the stick was a fucking lie in this instance. He parked the vehicle at the city gate near the private door where she’d attempted to escape him yesterday. After he stepped out, she remained in the flyer

staring at the massive, forty-story-high wall. Her expression pensive. “Kella?” “I have one hundred thousand frams.” She picked at her nails, so he filed away her nervousness, along with the large sum of money. Impressed with the amount, he was equally impressed with her frugalness. “Can I buy my freedom with that?” Shocked by her offer, before he could think through a response, he blurted the truth, “You’re worth more than that.” She nodded, a sad movement as if she comprehended her value. “You should know a doctor told me I’m

damaged and I couldn’t conceive a child.” Fury raped him. Not because she thought she was infertile, and he knew the truth that the cybernetic doctor had fixed her, but because she thought childbearing was her only value. Stone kicked the flyer with his steeltoed boots, leaving a nice dent in the side that pleased him. Startled by his outburst, she jerked and gave him a wide-eyed stare. “You’re making me even more furious.” “I don’t know how to play this part,” she said as he stomped around the vehicle to her side. “What part?” She’d lost him.

“The docile slave.” Chuckling at that, he lifted her from the flyer and set her on her feet. “Sunshine, there’s never been a damn thing docile about you. Don’t change. It’s one of your traits I fell for.” Adorable grooves hit her forehead. “Fell for?” Mentally cringing at that confession, he disregarded her question, grasped her hand, scooped up the kippy in his other palm, and led her to the door. He thrust the mongrel at her and placed his palm on the scanner as he laced their fingers together. The door swished open, and they went through the doorway. It was still early, but the vendors were busy setting up as they walked up

Main Street toward hotel Ritzzy. In the middle of the square people milled about, a commotion of some sort taking place. “I need to go home.” “Later.” He had to decide what to do with her shanty. When he’d seen it, he’d been horrified she lived in such squalor. “Wonder what’s going on up there.” He paused at the door to his hotel, and Kella glanced in the direction he nodded. “Most likely nothing good.” Altering their course, he led her to where everyone crowded about. As they neared, he could make out four individuals restrained on racks. Their punishment obviously for the crimson rain to melt away their skin.

TERRORISTS The word blinked in block, capital letters across the banner over the victims’ heads, followed by their names. Kella jerked to a sudden halt. Horror bled across her features, and she blanched before turning aside and retching. Even though she had nothing in her stomach to throw up, he pulled her hair out of her face to be safe, while she made awful sounds of regurgitation. He plucked the kippy from her grasp and settled the pet on the ground near his feet, away from any possible splatter. Finally, she stood, and he released her hair. Tears scored her cheeks, and she kept her gaze averted from the graphic scene.

“Come here,” he said, as he towed her to him. Kella went limp against him, burying face against his chest. Her silent tears evident only in the dampness against his shirt and the hitching of her shoulders. “Monster,” she muttered against his chest. “Fucking monster.” While in the company of strangers, he left her comment alone, but he couldn’t help his curiosity. Was the monster she referred to the “terrorists” executed by crimson rain, or was Regent Jones the monster for using this type of punishment? “Brian Wilcox, Darren Beam, Sue Nigel, and Mick Andreas,” he read aloud the names. Kella fisted his shirt. “Do you know what terrorist act they’re

accused of?” Stone asked a stranger dressed in a suit and tie. “Regent said they were members of the X-Diplomats and were found guilty of treason.” The X-Diplomats were a real threat to the privileged way of life. There were rumors some had made their home in the badlands, and that they now numbered many. Enough to cause a serious revolt if the right person led them. He hadn’t experienced their brand of terrorism in his Quad. Yet. He knew it was a matter of time, but he could also sympathize with their plight. Equal rights for all citizens wasn’t too much to ask. “They weren’t X-Diplomats,” Kella said as he guided her back to the hotel

door. Retro followed without requiring a command. She sounded so certain of that statement, he took a moment to ponder her announcement. Stone opened the door and motioned for her to enter first. “How would you know? Terrorists aren’t exactly upfront about their fanatical behavior.” Fingering the moisture off her eyes, she entered the hotel lobby. “They weren’t extremists.” Something in her voice caught him as peculiar, but she’d given him her back as she stepped into the building so he couldn’t see her face. Couldn’t glean the truth behind her pain. “You knew them personally?”

“I know all the dregs. Brian Wilcox was a priest. Darren Beam a deacon. Sue Nigel a courier, and Mick Andreas a florist. Do any of them sound like terrorists to you?” Scanning the occupants in the lobby, he spotted three of his soldiers. A couple of folks scrunched their noses in offended gestures at the sight of him and Kella. He couldn’t blame them, since they were filthy and reeked like the swamplands. “Just proves that you never really know someone.” “Of course you wouldn’t believe me.” That grabbed his attention. “They’re already dead, so why does it matter?” “Trust is a two-way street, Stone.”

Hitting below the belt with that one, he shrugged it off as one more argument in a long list of them with her. James stepped into stride right beside them. “Good to see you again, holy terror.” “Fuck off, Satan,” she shot back without looking at him and not bothering to keep her tone low. His bodyguard chuckled. “Glad to see you’ve retained your spirit. I’d like to point out, this is a better look for you, even if you are sullied and smell like shit.” She scratched her temple with her middle finger. James tossed him a grin. “I’ll take her to my room to shower in private so

you can do the same.” Stone watched her, contemplating her confidence that the terrorists weren’t terrorists at all. “She remains with me.” The other man shrugged. “Your funeral. The package I detained is secure in my room. I’ve managed to skirt all questions concerning Mark Evans for the moment, but we need to make a decision soon. I teleported him to your Quadrant, along with Christine. Regent Jones has reached out twice. I expect his third soon. Where’d y’all find cover during the rain?” “In the remains of a downed plane located in the badlands. I froze my nuts off.” Stone halted at his bedroom door and caught James’s smirk. Asshole. Of

course his friend would find humor in that. He punched the code into the keypad and slid his thumb along the tiny sensor. The door opened with a click. With his palm nestled against Kella’s lower back, he nudged her into the room. “Shower and clean up. Bathroom is through that door.” He nodded toward the indicated doorway. She sent him a hesitant glance, before moving away. Waiting until she was out of earshot, he faced James. “Nothing to decide about Mark Evans. The motherfucker will pay for Kella’s suffering.” “By your tone, I’m presuming Kella suffered more than eating out of garbage cans to survive.”

“Much worse. Nothing any woman should have to endure.” Their gazes held. After a long pause, James asked, “Rape?” Stone shook his head. “Thank God it wasn’t that. I’d say she was beaten, but she won’t confirm it. She admitted to selling herself for food. I want to kill unnamed people that did nothing wrong.” His buddy cringed. “Anything else I should know?” “I’m going to offer Reaper a job.” “Why?” Repulsion carved across his friend’s face. “He’s a fucking dick.” “He killed Kella’s attacker.” “Fuck. I applaud Reaper for that, but, Stone, you’ve no idea the arrogance

of this fella. And you know we can’t trust him.” “From what I’ve pieced together, she wouldn’t have survived without him. That loyalty has to count for something.” “You’re a pussy,” James bitched, scowling. “All the pussies I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing take a pounding from me over and over again, so thanks for recognizing how big a badass I am.” James snorted. “Only you would thank me for an insult.” Stone caught his friend’s shoulder and squeezed. “You’re arrogant, and I keep you around. His arrogance doesn’t matter to me when she trusts him, and he can maintain her safety.”

“Yeah, but will he keep her safe or help her escape again?” Probably both, but her safety mattered most. “Guess we’ll see. Order us something to eat. Ate half of one of her protein rations last night. Never again. I’m fucking starving.” He turned to enter his room, but halted. “Find me a barber ASAP.” “You’re finally cutting the girly locks?” “Asshole. Send one of the soldiers to retrieve her backpacks. They’re a mix of dark gray and army green, with a splotch of pink.” The pink amused him because it displayed the tomboy liked girly things despite her tough exterior. “I threw them out of the flyer on our way in.”

“Why?” “I had a point to prove.” “Did you make it?” “Not sure yet.” Probably not, but time would tell. At this point he wasn’t even sure what point he’d been going for in that particular moment other than to remind her she should show him respect if for no other reason than he outmaneuvered her. “I need someone from a dress shop to bring some clothes for her to pick from. She’ll need all the other shit too.” James stroked his jaw. “Why does she require clothes?” “Because I doubt she’ll be happy walking around naked even though I wouldn’t have a problem with it.”

James grinned. “Good to know some things never change.” “How do you mean?” “She’s still leading you around by your dick.”

SEVENTEEN Kella rushed for the bathroom, shutting the door behind her, only to draw up disappointed when she discovered there was no latch. A bit shocked her life had taken such a drastic turn, she collapsed on the commode and wondered what the hell she would do now. The muffled voices of James and Stone carried to her, but she couldn’t make out their words. Finally, the door to Stone’s hotel room closed, and she could hear him moving about in the outer room. The bed

he’d groped her on when she’d been Mack unnerved her. Would he expect her to share it with him? Would he force himself on her there tonight? He doesn’t need tonight to rape me. He can do that in broad daylight. Stone wasn’t that type of man. At least she didn’t think he’d changed that much. Another muted rap sounded on the hotel room door. Stone’s heavy footsteps stomped across the floor, she assumed to answer. A new voice seeped to her, one with an older tenor. Getting nowhere with her contemplations, Kella sighed and rose to her feet. She faced the mirror and stared

at her new look as little metal, snippy sounds emerged from the other room. It’d been so long since she’d seen her real reflection it should’ve felt like she ogled a stranger, but instead she had a sense of coming home after a long time abroad. Noting the differences from her youthful appearance to now, she admired the way her chubby cheeks had slimmed up into sleek lines. The pale, freckled skin she’d peered at for the last eight years hadn’t bothered her, but the darker skin tone marking her long line of Greek ancestry was a much prettier shade. Her Greek ancestors had been on vacation in the United States when the pestilence hit. The emerald instead of brown eyes reflected back at her. The green was

more pronounced because of her long black eyelashes, so thick it looked as if she’d rimmed her eyes in kohl when no cosmetics touched her features. Given all the grime, she couldn’t tell much about her hair, but its darkness was an anomaly compared to the blonde she’d grown accustomed to. She quickly stripped out of her shirt, baring her upper body. Her natural breasts were larger than the Mack Ellason façade she’d taken on. And her nipples were a brown color rather than Mack’s pink tips. The tattoo that marked her as Stone’s property was a glaring reminder of her enforced slavery. It curled at one end, to swish in a flare at the other. Two dots

beneath the wispy line and one slash through the middle. It was a powerful symbol, the sigil for House Emmerson, and as long as she bore it, no spooner would elevate a hand against her. At least not publicly for fear of retribution. There was a sense of empowerment in that reality. She’d have to locate Reaper and make sure he understood getting the video out there was priority number one. Saving Kella was not on their to-do list. That mission would endanger their ultimate goal. And Kella wasn’t as important as the X-genes they sought to save. Stone would be eager to head back to his Quad now that he’d unveiled her.

No doubt he would put his goon on her to watch her like a criminal too. Okay, so she was technically a criminal, but he’d forced her to take desperate actions to gain her freedom. So long as she remained in Stone’s custody, she couldn’t meet with the X-Ds as freely as normal, because she couldn’t risk leading Stone and James straight to the real X-Diplomats. How had the innocent ones in the square been arrested and found guilty? None of the four were part of the uprising. As far as Kella knew, none of them held even a basic knowledge of their insurgency. She wouldn’t put it past Regent Jones to use them as examples simply because he could. To instill fear

in the real members behind the revolution. Reaper might have more information. She’d ask him once she got a chance to seek him out, assuming he got away from James and Stone’s other goons. Kella hadn’t been so lucky, so she crossed her fingers and hoped Reaper had better luck. A soft tap on the bathroom door startled her from her thoughts. “You close to finishing up, Kella?” “Sorry,” she called to him. “I’ll be a few more minutes.” Spying the old-fashioned toothbrush and toothpaste, Kella snagged it out of the holder. She hadn’t been able to afford the luxury of real dental hygiene in eight years, but had utilized the

chewable tablets that fizzed and cleaned away most of the grime. They didn’t work as well, but the real stuff was pricey. Of course Stone would have the genuine product. To use his personal toothbrush would be gross, right? She ran her finger along the soft bristles. In the end, gross or not, having clean teeth was worth the nastiness of sharing teeth-grime with him. Clutching the toothbrush between her fingers, she globbed the paste on the bristles. The minty flavor tingled on her tongue, but brushing away the muck felt so good to her gums. After a couple of minutes, she rinsed off the bristles and dropped the brush back in its holder. She spit and rinsed and smiled in the mirror.

Kella toed off her tennis shoes, and quickly stripped off her stiff, mud-caked pants. The red lace of her panties was a nice compliment to her darker skin. She hoped they weren’t ruined. The lingerie had been one of the few splurges she enjoyed. She liked the way they felt against her skin, and she only owned two pairs. Tears blurred her vision. Correction. Stone owns two pairs...and me. In a huff, she yanked the panties off and tossed them aside with the rest of her clothing. Tears wet her cheeks and fell so freely she couldn’t make out her socks as she tugged them off and slung them away from her.

Fury rode her hard. Fury over the innocents Regent Jones had brutally murdered in the square. Spooners were afforded a fair trial by a jury of their peers, and even the most blameworthy were rarely found guilty. If by some miracle their actions were so heinous even the spooners couldn’t overlook the misdeed, the offense never resulted in execution. Dregs lived and died upon the Regent’s benevolence alone. No impartial trial by a jury of their peers was expected or granted. Regent Jones was a monster. Like all Regents, he ruled with an iron fist, touting equality for the classes while openly exploiting those beneath him.

The injustice of society infuriated her. None of the Regents protected their dreg population—not even Stone. Once born to the dredge of society, there was no way to elevate one’s status unless you were female and an X-gene. And that didn’t guarantee someone an elevated status, but instead came with a chain of servitude for the length of the X-gene’s life. Usually short the moment the girl bore an X amount of fruit from her loins. She hated the world she lived in and would die to change it. Most of all, she was furious at herself for getting caught because it compromised the cause. She could endure anything, even rape at the hands of her husband, but hurting the revolt

wasn’t amenable. Her gut had urged her to flee the moment Stone exited her office a week ago, but she’d been greedy and wanted to finish her dig. Not for the money, but for the relics. She loved antiques, the glimpse of life in a historic time, but the money helped with the cause. “Stupid, stupid, stupid,” she muttered as she stepped into the shower stall and wrenched the spray on. The shock of cold water lurched a gasp from her, but she forced herself to endure the brutal cold as punishment for her stupidity. Her nipples beaded into tight pearls that stung from the chill, while gooseflesh pebbled her skin.

The discomfort was nothing compared to her sadness. No matter how much she attempted to soothe herself, reminding herself all was not lost, she wept for the innocent lives sacrificed in the crimson rain. She even wept for the loss of her innocence. More than once that first year of her escape, she’d contemplated returning to Stone. She’d refused to give up. Her hard-won independence was valued more now than it had been then. When she’d fled, freedom was an idea, nothing more than a philosophy. Making mistakes and suffering with the consequences had been difficult the first year, but by the second, she’d been proud she’d survived, proud she hadn’t

given up and returned to Stone with her tail between her legs. Pride kept her motivated through the years. With Reaper’s help, she’d toughened up, learned how to fend for herself, and she no longer hesitated when she made a decision. Decisiveness was a gift. A sob choked her as she buried her face beneath the spray that had begun to heat. Her current lack of decisiveness resulted in her present trapped state. She wanted to fight Stone’s control, while craving to yield to him. The dichotomy of her emotions confused her. Everything she’d worked for was lost to his control. The shower door opening startled her.

“I heard you crying and called for you, but you didn’t answer.” Worried gouges furrowed Stone’s forehead as he stared at her. His concern confused her. He knew she’d shunned him, and yet he fretted over her wellbeing. He’d shed his shirt, but wore his leather pants. She liked the defined lines of his chest and his six-pack way too much. That truth terrified her, creating a flood of more tears. She held her arm out to ward him off. “Go away,” her voice broke on the final word. “Need a moment alone.” Stone laced his fingers with her outstretched hand. “Not on your life, sunshine.”

He didn’t shed his grimy leathers, but stepped straight into the stall, shut the door behind him, and engulfed her in his strong arms. Fighting his solace should’ve been top priority, but she rested her forearms on his chest, balling her fingers into fists so she didn’t touch him and sobbed. “Everything will be okay.” He murmured, his lips brushing against her brow. “You’ll see.” Kella wanted to believe him, but how could she when he’d all but reneged on his oath to free her? And she saw the benefits of being under his protection as she heralded in an uprising, while that rebellion would change everything between them.

He ran his hands up and down her back in what would’ve been a soothing gesture by most anyone else. Stone had a much different effect on her. Her nipples tightened, and she began to pulse between her legs. Squeezing her thighs together did nothing to relieve her ache there. Even her clit throbbed in time with the pounding of his heart beneath her ear. Turning her face just slightly, her lips settled against his damp skin. His fingers dug into her shoulder and hip. Fascinated by his response, she opened her eyes and grew even more fascinated by the shimmering beads of water that slipped down his body. As his hand shifted from her shoulder to palm the

back of her neck, she caught a drop of water on the tip of her tongue. Stone groaned as her tongue flicked over his pectoral. Suddenly, he turned her so her back pressed against his chest. His touch felt like rough satin against her senses as water pelted her from the belly down. Like before in the airplane, he cupped her chin and tilted her head backward to rest against his chest. Her breathing had become loud to her ears, so she took a moment to regulate herself. After a few seconds, she lifted her gaze to his. “You cut your hair.” Too upset when he joined her earlier, she hadn’t noticed. That metallic snippy noise she’d heard must’ve been the scissors.

“Yeah. It was time.” His thumb swished back and forth along her jaw, while his other palm created circles on her belly. She’d liked the longer locks, but she understood the need for change. “It suits you.” “No further lies between us.” “It is the truth.” “That’s not what I mean.” His palm glided upward to the underside of her right breast. She held her breath as his fingers skimmed the swell, while he licked down the slope of her neck to kiss her shoulder. “Tell me you want me, Kella.” She couldn’t deny she was attracted to him. A fucking nun would sustain wet

panties in his presence. As long as she could remember, she’d been attracted to him in some way. At first she’d been drawn to the need to needle him, anything to ruffle his uptight feathers. Then he’d become her friend and someone she trusted, followed by the very real hormonal fascination. To her dismay, she saw him as a woman would now. Living in a harsh environment where women of her caliber were valuable for only one thing, she couldn’t allow herself to be drawn into his web regardless of their history together. “You’re a piece of work.” His grip tightened for a fraction of a second. “I’m unsure how I should take that.”

“It was condemnation, so be insulted.” Kella jerked out of his hold and spun around to face him, uncaring of her nakedness. “You already own me, Stone. You can select my nutrition, even delegate my bedtime, and there’s not a thing I can do about it.” “Don’t be ridiculous. You’re my wife, not my child.” “I’m your slave!” she yelled, her words bouncing around the small chamber. “But that’s not enough for you. Oh, no, you can’t be satisfied with owning my body and womb, but you demand my desire too. What else will you mandate?” She clutched a shampoo bottle and flung it in his direction. Either he was slow or her violence was

unexpected because it bopped him on the left side of his forehead. As he cursed, she went on with her rant. “I don’t want you, Stone.” “You want me, that’s never been at question. It’s my legal claim that you object to.” “Get it through your thick skull. I don’t want you. Not one goddamn thing about you. Not your name, not your protection, and you know what, I don’t even care if you were trying to save me when you bought me. Wanna know why?” She didn’t give him a chance to respond. “Because I shouldn’t have been auctioned to begin with.” He seemed more bemused by her outburst than convinced.

Stone crashed into her and drove her backward, his weight pinning her against the cool tiles at her back. Stunned by his unexpected aggression, she gaped at him for a moment before her brain finally kicked into gear and she reacted. Kella lifted her hands to shove him away, but he clasped her wrists and clamped them to the wall. With her nipples scraping against his chest with each inhalation, she struggled to think beyond the pleasure suddenly morphing from her core. “Don’t stop now, you’re on a roll, sunshine.” His voice dropped to a low, sensual drawl, and her focus transferred to his mouth where water beaded on his bottom lip. Fuck, but the way the

droplets clung to him was erotic, sexy in a way that made no sense. And it resulted in her clenching her thighs together again to ease the friction between her legs, but the action worsened her longing. “What else don’t you want from me?” She closed her eyes to distance herself because she couldn’t concentrate this close to him. Couldn’t hold his gaze because she could see his desire. “Anything and everything.” Lies. Nothing but lies. No, no, not lies, but self-preservation. To give into her yearning for Stone meant she forfeited her freedom and her revolution. Both were too important to sacrifice for a man, didn’t matter how desirable he

was, or how much history they had. “I simply don’t want you.” A sensual glide of his nose along hers and her breath caught in her throat. That should be weird, not hot. “That lie is worse than the lesbian one you tried to spin.” He dragged his finger along her bottom lip, the caress resulted in her tongue swishing out to lick the flesh he touched. “Makes a man wonder what better use your mouth can be used for.” A blowjob. Jesus. Her lids flipped upward at the suggestion. “Not that.” But the visual descending into her mind lingered far longer than was comfortable. “Hardly a lie. I left you.”

“Because you were scared.” Terrified then and now. “Why don’t you give me a chance to prove myself before you paint me as an evil bastard.” “All Regents are immoral pricks.” Even as the words left her mouth, she bemoaned her harsh stance. All she really knew about Stone was that he headlined the scandal sheets a lot, and the better part of those scandals involved women or drinking. “Good to know you give everyone a fair shake.” Before she could respond Stone lowered his head and crushed his lips to hers. His knee pushed between her legs. He gripped her hips and jerked her pelvis forward, so she had no choice but

to ride his thigh. The connection of his leather pants against her core caused heat to lick along her senses. “Stone,” she whimpered. He took advantage, driving his tongue inside to knot with hers. Even though one of her hands was free, she kept it glued to the wall as she struggled to process the desire that curled low in her belly. “I love the way you taste.” He released her wrist and curled his palm around the back of her neck, a possessive hold. “Can’t get enough.” Kella grappled with her mixed emotions, wanting to push him away, but also desiring to cling to him just to be nearer to him. The gentle abrasion of her breasts against his slick chest, and the

way his hand clamped on her hip to rock her pussy against his wet-leathercovered thigh...Jesus Christ almighty! The man was well versed in seduction. So flummoxed by her unanticipated desire, she grew alarmed and blurted out the first thing that came to her mind. “Don’t take my choice away from me.” Stone’s kiss froze over her mouth, and his fingers dug into her hip. It was his glare and not his grip that caused Kella to wince. His stony gaze held hers for a long moment, and she held her breath waiting for his explosion. Body stiff, he stepped away and gripped her chin, his fingers biting into her skin. Guilt had her struggling to hold his gaze.

Anger spread over his features, jaw clenching and nostrils flaring. “My God, what type of monster do you think I am? Don’t answer that.” With a sudden jerk, he released her chin. A sharp tug of his fingers through his wet locks, and then he nailed her in place with a glower. “Allow me to be very specific, Kella. I don’t give a fuck if the law gives me permission to fuck you when, how, and where I desire, with no regard to your permission. Without your consent that’s rape, plain and simple. I’ll have nothing less than you wet, soft, and willing when I sink my dick into you.” Not if, but when, she noted. A sharp knock sounded on the bathroom door. The interruption startled

Kella, but relieved her too because anything she could think to reply would probably escalate their fight. “What?” Stone barked. “Got a problem,” James’s voice was muffled from the other side of the door. “Handle it.” Stone stared at Kella. “I have my own problems.” Being called a problem rankled. The way she saw it, the system was the problem not her. “Honor your promise, and I won’t be a problem.” “Stone, get your ass out here.” The stress in Satan’s voice amused her, even while making her curious what had this type of power over him. “Just a sec, James.” Stone got all up in her face, rubbing his chest against her

breasts. Her breath hitched, and he provided her with a satisfied grin. “You’re mine, Kella. Accept it so we can move on.” Kella’s eyes slid shut at the heavenly feel of his wet pecs rubbing against her nipples. In this moment she couldn’t care less that he claimed her like property. This one single move could blow her resolve apart. Staying strong in the face of temptation had never been so hard as it was now. Fingertips gliding across her cheek had her lids sliding open to peek at him through her wet lashes. “You’ve been mine since the day you walked into my life and I took responsibility for you. You were such a pain in the ass to begin

with, but that didn’t matter because I couldn’t bring myself to leave you to your own follies. You’re mine to protect, devour, and love. That’ll never change.” Pounding on the door and an angry feminine voice surfaced. “Stone Emmerson, I will not be ignored. You owe me answers.” Stone groaned. “Now there’s a problem I could do without.” Questions surfaced faster than she could process them. He seemed to know what she wanted to know. “That’s Katarina. My...soon to be ex-fiancée.” “You’re engaged?” The woman’s identity served as a physical slap to her weakness. She hadn’t even known he’d been engaged, but then again he’d

claimed to be married earlier, too, and here she was dallying with him like he didn’t belong to another woman. “Settle your horses, we’ll be out in a moment.” Stone retrieved the shampoo bottle from the floor and handed it to her. With numb fingers she accepted the container and blanched as the other woman shrieked, “We?” Stone’s sigh sounded weary. “Bathe, sunshine.” Dumbfounded by his blasé demeanor she gaped at him while he shucked his leather pants. “You’re acting like nothing’s wrong when you’re engaged to another woman. While trying to seduce me. The other woman.”

“You’re my wife. Eight years now. My how the time flies.” At his sarcasm, she shot him an annoyed glare. “That makes her the other woman, not you.” Stone ignored his fiancée’s curses, his serenity surprising Kella. The sounds of an obvious tussle ensued. She guessed Satan sought to provide her and Stone with some privacy. A mental smile slithered through her mind. James’s difficulties were the only enjoyment she had in this moment. “What about the woman in the scandal sheet?” A man cheating on his fiancée said a lot about his character.

“Her.” He tilted his head toward the door. “Our relationship is complicated and often too dram—” “I don’t care.” Hope for freedom should’ve been grappling in her head, instead she was disenchanted to realize he’d been sexing it up in the shower with her while committed to another. She shouldn’t want to be his one and only. I don’t want him period. The sad reality was that Stone was the only man she’d ever wanted. “You can divorce me and keep her. Problem solved.” Stone took the shampoo from her numb fingers and squirted some in his hand. “Turn around.” She remained rooted in her spot with her spine nailed to the tiled shower

wall. “Did you hear me, Stone. Your problem is solved. Just release me.” “You’re not going anywhere, sunshine.” He placed the bottle on the shelf built into the wall. “I thought I made that very clear. So wipe that hopeful look off your face. Turn.” He made a swirly motion with his finger. “Don’t mock our childhood friendship by sharing me with your future wife the way others share their Xgenes with their wives.” The video evidence of Xeno mistreatment left a sick feeling churning in her belly. She couldn’t stomach the vile acts from Stone’s hands. Worse things happened between a Xeno and her owners, but this

scenario was more than Kella could endure. “You’re lack of faith in me is repulsive, wife.” The way his jaw flexed as he clenched his teeth hinted he was more furious than repulsed. “Turn.” Not sure how to respond, she gave him her back. A moment later, he lathered her hair, working his fingers through her long strands and massaging her scalp with his fingertips. Placing his hands on her shoulders, he turned her so the spray could wash the suds away. Water slid over her face, and she closed her eyes as his hands worked through her hair to rinse the locks. Instead of tugging her out of the jets once he was finished, he kissed her beneath the spray.

Once he had his fill of her mouth, he pulled her from the water and lathered her hair with conditioner. He twisted her hair into one long strand and then piled it on top of her head. A glob of body wash sputtered into his hand. His intent was clear, and she began to shake her head. “Trust me to take care of you—” “I trust no one.” “—like I always have. You trust me.” She shook her head. “Not even you.” Stone rubbed his hands together, distributing the body wash. “You’re the prettiest liar I’ve ever met.” Catching her shoulders, he stepped against her, and again her nipples scrubbed against his chest with each

breath. His fingers and hands spread the liquid, creating suds wherever he touched. Kella no longer possessed the ability to halt his progress, but reveled in his touch and the way her body responded. As his soapy caress cupped the cheeks of her bottom, he pulled her against him. Lowering his head, he traced her ear with his lips as he teased her with the imprint of his erection against her belly. “What I feel for you will never end,” he whispered into her ear. “It’s never gone away, and it never will.” He dragged his tongue down her neck as he bent his knees and shifted lower to bathe her legs. Down across

her collarbone he slid his tongue, and his eyes lifted to watch her as the tip flicked across her nipple before moving lower. Her knees weakened. To maintain her position, she buried a hand in his hair. Some part of her insisted this was wrong, especially with his fiancée in the other room, but she’d gone beyond caring. She’d grown up with his hugs and affection, and she’d missed his comforting touch. Seeking further support, she gripped his shoulder with her other hand, and her eyes slid closed as she imbibed in the sensation. Her knees trembled as he kissed downward, his scruff scratchy and erotic. His tongue swirled around her belly button, all the while his hands

soaped up her legs. His thumbs found the back of her knees, swished along them and moved lower as his mouth took a southerly direction. He halted at her pelvis, and she could feel his chin press into her just above the crease of her pussy. “Look at me, Kella.” She obeyed without question. Drops of water beaded on his face, clung to his dark scruff. “If I lick your pussy, will that make it mine?” Kella’s breath caught, and her heartbeat sped up. Teasing her, he dragged his tongue across her lower abdomen. Moisture surged from her core, his claim a brutal caress in ways his touch hadn’t been.

She wanted him to kiss her pussy, even though she’d never wanted anyone to touch her there, and shouldn’t want him to now. She wouldn’t confess that to him though. Her voice came out raspy when she said, “I thought you already owned me.” “I do, sunshine.” A single finger lightly brushed across the folds of her pussy, resulting in the stuttering of her breathing. “But not the way you think or will admit to.” Stone kissed the folds right over her clit before pushing to his feet. His mouth hovered over hers. “I’ll lick your pussy when you admit you’re mine.” “Never.” Kella doubted the claim.

“We’ll see.” He squirted more liquid into his hand and went to work lathering her front side. As he serviced her in a platonic way, she noticed the half-moon indentions her nails had made on his shoulder. “Sorry.” Shocked by the evidence of her unrestrained passion, she fingered the marks. While his fingers rotated over her nipples and breasts, he turned his head and kissed her fingertips. “I like that you lost a little control with me.” He maneuvered her into the spray, the suds tickling as they roped down her body. Stone kissed the tip of her nose. Pounding on the door wrenched her from their interlude that shouldn’t have

happened to begin with. “Stone Emmerson, if you’re fucking a skank whore, I’ll cut your dick off and shove it up your ass!” Kella winced at his fiancée’s promise. What a classy woman he’d shackled himself to there. “James, I hold you responsible for shutting her the fuck up.” Stone moved away from Kella and went to work bathing himself. “Everything about this is fucked up.” “I’m sorry you’ve got to put up with Katarina.” He scrubbed at his hair. “Thought I’d be able to end things with her quietly. I should’ve known better,” he said as he rinsed his hair. Unsure what to say or how to react, she rinsed the conditioner out of her hair

and stood beneath the spray for a long time. She didn’t think Stone understood what she meant. If she put herself in his fiancée’s shoes, she’d be angry too. “When a woman loves a man, Stone, she —” “Katarina doesn’t love me.” Kella leaned forward enough her face came out of the water, and she opened her eyes. Stone watched her, wearing an expression she couldn’t isolate. After turning off the spray on her side, she pushed open the glass door and retrieved a towel. “Of course she loves you. You’re getting married.” “I only agreed to marry her to make my dad happy.” He took the towel from her and patted her down with the thick

cloth. The intimacy of the action alarmed her, especially since they discussed his engagement. “Dad wants an heir, I was tired of hearing about it, and she’s the daughter of a family friend. You were dead. I didn’t want anyone else, so I figured why not make someone happy since I couldn’t be with you.” “Don’t.” Pushing him away, she took the towel from Stone and dried her hair as he rubbed himself dry. “I won’t feel guilty for your grief when I was the one mistreated.” “I’ve already told you that’s not the way I’d planned it.” With a frustrated humph he wrapped the towel around his waist, secured it, and tossed her the

fluffy, white robe hanging on the back of the door. Keeping her gaze lowered, she pulled the robe on and tied the sash. “Doesn’t matter what you say. I don’t believe a word of your lies.” “You’re as frustrating now as you were as a child.” “Guess some things never change.” Stone inclined his head as if he acceded that fact. “For your safety, don’t discredit the story I’m about to give Katarina. It’s the official one I’ll use for Regent Jones and the press.” Combing her hair with her fingers, she asked, “Why do we need an official story?”

“You can’t die, create a new illegal life, and expect Regent Jones not to demand punishment for your sins. Doesn’t matter who you are to me, he’ll want retribution in some way for duping him. That man’s jonesing for you”— Stone didn’t know the half of it—“and I won’t watch him punish you again. I’ll kill him first.” Her fingers went suddenly cold. “About Jones, you should know he already knows I’m your wife.” Murder darkened his gaze. “Go on.” “When he was delivering the last of his lashes before I passed out, he admitted he knew my real identity. He commanded me to agree to becoming his

fuck-toy or he’d tell you my real identity.” “Thanks.” “That’s it? Just a thanks?” She’d expected more from him. A fellow Regent betrayed him and while she didn’t understand the hierarchy of Regents, she knew this behavior to be intolerable. “Yeah, thanks.” He stroked her cheek with the back of his fingers, and she saw a slight crack in his impassive features. The hardness in Regent Stone Emmerson’s eyes scared her. In that moment, she admitted only a fool would cuckold him. So what’d that make her when she had every intention of ditching

him at the first opportunity that presented itself? His kiss jerked her from her musings. She would’ve pulled away but for his hand clutching the back of her head. Kella responded by clenching her jaw. No way was she allowing him back inside her. “Open for my kiss,” he said against her lips. She shook her head. “You’ll cave, but in the meantime I’ll enjoy the challenge.” He strode out of the bathroom wearing nothing but his towel cinched around his waist and sporting a very big erection if the tenting of his towel was any indication. The man had no shame.

EIGHTEEN Stone stepped out of the bathroom to find Katarina pacing, her gait agitated. Her blonde hair was secured in a crisp side bun, with diamond beads of some sort in her hair that drew the eyes to the golden strands. She was publicized as a beauty, Stone recognized her loveliness, but he was immune to it. She’d been a means to an end for him, a way to satisfy his parents, and nothing more. They weren’t friends, and he couldn’t even say he liked her. Why hadn’t he seen before how miserable they would’ve made one

another? He couldn’t even get excited about the prospect of fucking her. In fact, the idea nauseated him. Proposing had been unfair to her, even though she coveted his status and not him. Stone glanced at James, and his friend rolled his eyes. James alleged Katarina a drama queen in need of a heavy hand to her ass. Stone agreed, but he hadn’t cared enough to attempt to curb her behavior. And her ill-mannered behavior only bothered him while in a public setting and she threw one of her ‘bratty fits’, as James called them. “We had an engagement party today, and you skipped it to shack up with a slut eleven Quads away.” His fiancée came to an abrupt halt, planted her hands

on her hips, and glared over his shoulder at Kella. “Her very presence offends me.” “You offend me,” James muttered beneath his breath. Either Katarina didn’t hear him or she chose to ignore him. “Remove her from my sight at once, James.” “You overstep your station, Katarina.” Stone could sense Kella’s presence behind him and couldn’t begin to guess what she thought about this situation. “I am to be your wife. That makes my station above James and her.” Katarina canted her head so that she looked down her nose at Kella.

Giving a mental sigh and wishing he could’ve spared Kella this drama, he elected for a united front and held his hand out and a little behind him toward his wife. A moment’s hesitation, then a slight shuffling noise of movement before Kella slid her hand into his. Katarina’s nose flared, and her jaw tightened, her lips whitening with her displeasure. James turned a smirk on Stone’s fiancée. His friend would enjoy Katarina’s set down. “Katarina, please meet my wife, Mackella Starke Emmerson.” Katarina’s pale features grew even more pallid. “She’s a fraud.” She hugged herself, as if she sought comfort. “Your

wife died years ago. Don’t let her dupe you, Stone. She probably has a vanity chip.” “Wishful thinking, diva girl.” James leaned against the arm of the sofa. The leer his buddy wore testified to how much he enjoyed Katarina’s distress. Cheeks going bright red, Katarina pointed at James and shook her finger. “Stay out of it, James! Stone,” she faced him once again, “I demand you DNA test her.” “Watch yourself, Katarina,” his voice came out terser than he’d intended. “You’re in no position to make demands.” Stone frowned at Kella when she tugged her hand free of his grasp.

Kella clasped her hands together behind her back but distanced herself from the conflict by peering toward the windows. “This is a private matter. I should go and let you two sort this out.” There was nowhere for Kella to hide, unless she retreated to their bedroom or James’s room. Although he very much liked the idea of spooning with her in their bed, he wouldn’t allow her to withdraw from the dilemma related to her escaping him either. She was indirectly to blame for the current spectacle. Had she made different choices eight years ago, their life would be very different at the moment. “Yes, tuck your tail and skedaddle while your betters establish your web of

lies.” Of course Katarina would sense blood and go for the throat. “Accuse her of deceit once more, Katarina, and you’ll regret it.” Stone had never struck a woman before, but in that moment he fought to refrain from smacking his ex-fiancée. “This concerns you, Kella, so you’ll remain.” His bride scowled, but presented no opposition. Instead, Kella tightened the sash on her robe and strolled to the window. She stared through the panes onto a courtyard hosting two of his guards, with her back presented to them. “Have you fucked the bitch?” Katarina motioned to Kella. If Katarina continued with her degradation he’d lose his ability to

remain calm so they could discuss this like adults. “Cease the name calling long enough to chat like adults.” “Be logical, Stone, you’re a catch, especially for a lowbrow.” “My rank is a catch, not necessarily me.” Even he could admit he wasn’t the easiest person to get along with. Funny how his bride wanted nothing to do with him regardless of title, but Katarina desired him simply for his rank. Would Kella alter her position once she realized he was serious about wanting her and not her genetics? “Then you must realize the lengths some would go to claim you.” Katarina’s haughty glare at Kella suggested she blamed his wife of just that.

Even you, he almost said, but bit the words back at the last moment. “DNA proves she’s Kella.” From the corner of his eye, he caught Kella’s startled glance in his direction. He presumed because of his lie since he hadn’t tested her DNA. “Okay. Well...” Katarina rubbed her temples with her fingers, panic escalating her breathing. “There’s no need to be hasty, let’s think our options through.” “Our?” “Yes, I am your fiancée.” “Clearly you didn’t hear what I said.” Why’d Katarina insist on being so blasted annoying? Couldn’t she concede defeat easily for once? “Kella is my

wife. Allow me to spell that out for you, Katarina. Any arrangement we had is null and void.” He noted his ex-fiancée’s hands began to shake, and there was a tremble in her voice when she spoke. “The law clearly states you can take two wives if one of them is a Xeno.” “Not going to ever happen,” Kella said, her voice icy with disdain. Stone looked at her, silently pleading with her to let him handle Katarina. Instead of conceding, she added, “Marry her or don’t, Stone, I don’t care either way, but—” I know that is a lie. “—I have my pride too. Hard limits I cannot cross. I will not become a

breeding whore for you and your wife the way so many other Xeno’s are forced to endure.” Stone cringed. The X-gene’s weren’t always treated with the respect they deserved. It’d always bothered him how some were bought solely to give a man and his current wife children, many excluding the Xeno from the life of the children she birthed them. The law required a lot of tweaking. “Wow.” Katarina’s eyes rounded in diva-shock. Stone knew the look. She was about to throw one of her bratty fits. “Just hold up—” Katarina interrupted him. “That pedestal you’ve placed yourself upon is made of eggshells, my dear. You’re

nothing but a lowborn peasant, bought by my fiancé, and you will do as you’re told.” Stone pinched the bridge of his nose while he counted to ten and prayed for patience. He noted James peered at Kella with anticipation, as if he waited for a catfight. His fiancée had a good four or five inches on Kella’s fun-sized stature, but after experiencing his bride’s fighting skills firsthand—my abdomen still hurts!—Stone knew she could take his fiancée down. “I may be lowborn, but I’m a Xeno.” Kella pivoted away from the window and approached Katarina, a slow move that unnerved him. “More prized than haughty spooner bitches like you.”

Katarina gasped, and Stone figured no one had ever talked to her so frankly. His bride didn’t miss a beat, but went on, “You’re beautiful, and he’d be a fool not to pick you. I wouldn’t blame him. You’re the perfect couple.” What the fuck does that mean? Katarina wasn’t his type, Kella was. “I can’t imagine how upset you are that the man you love dumps a once-thought dead wife on you. Stone might legally have the right to marry us both, but the moment he makes that choice, I’ll find a permanent way out.” A cold chill circuited the length of his spine. He caught Kella by the upper arm and turned her to face him. “What does that mean?”

“Exactly what you think it means.” Kella held his gaze. “I won’t be demeaned by any man, not ever again.” “This conversation has gone too far. And there’s nothing to discuss.” Stone turned his head to stare at Katarina. “Multiple wives aren’t an option, Katarina.” Air fled Kella’s lungs in what he took as relief. “Kella is my only bride, now and always. I’ll see that your family is fairly compensated for their monetary loss for wedding preparations.” Tears of convenience, he was sure, streaked Katarina’s cheeks. “I love you, Stone!” James grunted his disagreement. “You love no one but yourself.”

Stone couldn’t comprehend why his friend insisted on adding salt to his exfiancée’s wounds. Katarina disregarded James, and clutched Stone’s arm. “Please, Stone, don’t make a hasty decision you’ll regret. Think about this a couple of days, and then make a less emotional decision. It’s understandable that you’d be confused and delighted she came back from the dead, but don’t give up on me and what I can off—” “Enough.” He said between clenched teeth. “My decision is made. I won’t discuss this further. You’re commanded to leave and return home immediately, Katarina.” He glanced at James and gave him a sharp nod. “James will escort you

out of my room and see to your prompt departure.” A quick teleport would have her back home and no longer his problem. His bodyguard pushed away from the sofa and caught Katarina’s arm, towing her toward the door. His ex-fiancée burst into sobs, but her theatrics had zero effect on James. Once they disappeared through the door, Stone said, “Sorry about that.” Kella folded her arms over her chest. In the past he would’ve recognized it as her closing off emotionally. “If you’d just left me alone, pretend I’m still dead, no one would be hurt here.”

“No one would be hurt if you’d remained in your position instead of running from your obligation.” “No one hurt except me.” “Not even you, sunshine.” Kella snorted her disbelief, and Stone rubbed the back of his neck, pondering how he’d gone from caressing Kella in the shower to a shitty afternoon thanks to Katarina. Women were a pain in his ass. “She’s only crushed because her dreams of being the Regent’s wife are over. Unless she finds another Regent-sucker to marry her.” “You’re wrong.” She shook her head. “She loves you. She’s upset and desperate. Give her a day, and she’ll return with a new offer.”

“It doesn’t matter. My decision is made.” A knock on the door frustrated him. He wanted to assure Kella of his intentions, but she tightened the robe around her and dismissed him by moving toward the windows. He’d come at her strong since revealing her identity, so he’d give her some time to process her situation. Maybe she needed a little space to reconcile herself to her position once again. Because there was one fucking thing he was sure of. Mackella Emmerson would never leave him again. The irony was, she didn’t want to leave him, and she didn’t realize that truth yet. On the other side of the door was the shop woman with a cart full of boxes,

and three assistants. A bellhop also waited with a tray laden with the food he’d ordered. He introduced himself to the seamstress as he motioned one of his soldiers stationed outside his bedroom to join them inside. “Kella,” he said as everyone entered the room. “Breakfast. I couldn’t remember everything you liked, so I ordered a little of everything off the menu.” The servant settled the tray on the table and exited with a curtsy. Kella lifted the lid and surveyed the contents. Her lips parted, and she glanced at him sharply. He thought the strawberries might’ve surprised her. They’d been her favored fruit. That he hadn’t forgotten.

“I did remember strawberries are your favorite,” he said. “I’m pretty sure Rick Sturgis hasn’t forgotten either.” She lowered her gaze quickly, and he wasn’t sure what to make of that. At the age of ten she’d gotten into Rick’s strawberry field and stripped him of several frams worth of fruit. Even with her lips stained red, she’d denied the thievery. Stone had enabled her bad behavior and bribed the older man to take payment for the lost fruit instead of tattling to his father. “This is Ms. Dunn and her assistants. They’ll outfit you with a starter wardrobe.” Ignoring his announcement, she poured a cup of coffee, added four cubes of sugar, cream, and then sipped it after

stirring. Instead of munching on the strawberries, she disregarded the food altogether. “My soldier, Scout, will oversee your protection. If you need anything, I’ll be in the other room speaking with your friend, Reaper.” “Through that door?” She nodded at the one on the opposite side of the room. “Yes.” “Don’t forget I’d probably be dead if not for him, Stone.” What’d she think he planned to talk to him about? Or maybe she thought he planned to dole out punishment for his aid in her second escape attempt. He strode to her and cupped her cheeks, tilting her head back with his

thumbs beneath her chin. “Trust me, Kella.” “Trust is earned, not freely given, Stone, and I’ve no reason to trust you.” Didn’t she? Obstinate woman couldn’t admit he’d saved her from a life of real servitude. “We’ll talk when I return.” Silence. She simply stared at him. Stone conceded defeat and strode toward the door to the other room. After he swung it open and was about to enter, she said, “Actions speak louder than words. Yours have spoken volumes.”

NINETEEN Stone shut the door between the rooms. He mused over her final statement. Of course she was right, actions did speak louder than words, but she’d never given him a chance to act or talk. Strange thing was his anger had evaporated, leaving behind a determination to win her back. She’d hurt him, hadn’t even given him the benefit of the doubt. From the get-go she’d mistrusted his intentions. Yet he understood Kella’s fears and insecurities. After Kella ‘died’, her mother had confessed to him of Kella’s crush for him, but her mom, Judy, had

discouraged her emotions. He’d known Kella liked him, but hearing Judy talk about her, they’d bonded, become close. Judy divulged she believed no one of his ilk would ever look at a low class girl as anything other than a friend, or for casual sex, and she hadn’t wanted that for Kella, so she’d discouraged Kella’s infatuation to save her the heartbreak. Given that information, he could understand why Kella would’ve thought his intentions hadn’t been pure when he purchased her. Whoever had marked her with his family sigil had sent a message of ownership to everyone and disrespected his position as her husband. He sensed she withheld information about that

evening, about the marking, but he couldn’t force her to tell him everything. Not yet. Maybe in time she would reveal the truth of the sigil. He wouldn’t stop until she disclosed all her secrets and trusted him implicitly. He probably shouldn’t be so forgiving. Was most likely thinking with his dick because he wanted inside her more now than he had as a hormonal teenager. His anger was more directed toward his mother because while Kella might’ve doubted him, his mother had known his real emotions, and intentions. He spotted James entering the room from the hallway, having completed his job to teleport Katarina back home.

Reaper sat in a chair, his ankles tied to the chair with rope, and his arms behind his back. Stone assumed they were restrained too. Reaper returned Stone’s stare. Stone felt like the bound man assessed him like prey, but Reaper was the one detained, so Stone had to be reading the other man’s vibe all wrong. Reaper’s darkblond dreadlocks lent him a nonthreatening demeanor, that of a man who didn’t take life too seriously, but Stone knew better. “Whom do you work for?” he asked Kella’s friend. “I’m a blacksmith.” “That’s not what I mean. I understand you almost defeated James. He’s

assassin trained, the youngest ever to pass the skills.” Reaper smirked. “I’d say his skills require polishing if I almost took him down.” Stone shook his head. “Not buying it. James says you’ve got skill not taught to the common man.” Their captive angled his head at a slant. “Allow me to fill in the details your friend so conveniently left out. I had him in a chokehold, and he was five seconds away from going night-night when your goon jumped me from behind with the butt of his gun against my noggin’.” Surprised by the admission, Stone hoped he managed to keep his features

blank. “Is that true, James?” James shrugged. “He’s still the one in handcuffs.” Stone recognized James’s deflection. “Is that so?” Reaper lifted his arms, the cuffs dangling from one hand. James drew his weapon, cocking it in warning, as Reaper went to work removing the restraints on his ankles. “Kella told me you saved her,” Stone said as Reaper freed one leg, going to work on the second. “She also told me you murdered the man who hurt her.” He still didn’t know the full details of that incident. “The motherfucker deserved it. He beat her within an inch of her life.” Reaper tossed the ropes away, leaned

back in his chair, and slid his legs out in a relaxed pose...as if he wasn’t captured and in the company of enemies. He was either sure he could break free, or had the biggest set of balls Stone had ever seen. “I agree.” Stone poured a mug of coffee off the tray on the table. “I would’ve preferred he’d suffered more than a broken neck.” One side of Reaper’s lips turned up. “I told Mack I broke his neck, but the motherfucker suffered for days. He knew every moment of his torture was because of what he did to her.” “Thank you for avenging her.” James lowered his gun, and Stone could see the new level of respect in his

friend’s eyes. “No woman deserves what she endured. He begged for his life, but he offered Mack no clemency when she begged for hers. Fucker was a spooner like you, thought he could get away with anything.” Stone shook his head, the coffee turning sour in his gut. “Not all of us are beasts.” “We’ll agree to disagree.” Reaper suddenly stood, his swift movement unsettling the chair and knocking it over. “He laughed when I initially caught him. Bragged about the things he did to her and taunted me, wanted to know what I thought I was going to do about it because he was ‘above the law’. I made

sure the motherfucker wouldn’t hurt another girl.” “Goddamn,” James muttered, the fingers of his left hand curled into a fist. Stone went to pin hair behind an ear, only to remember he’d cut it. “You know your precious Xeno can’t conceive.” Reaper ogled Stone. “What are your plans now?” He refrained from admitting the cyber doc had healed her reproductive problem. “I’m going to start by hiring you to protect her.” Reaper blinked. “Pardon?” “Nothing has changed. In this world, children aren’t guaranteed. Kella’s my wife, now and always.” In his heart, none other would ever compare to her.

“I’ve loved her since we were kids, she’s been mine to protect since she was six, and she’s still the most important woman in the world to me. Her X-gene has never meant a fucking thing to me.” “Does she know this?” “I told her. She doesn’t believe me.” “Sounds like Mack.” Reaper made a face. “She’s got trust issues.” No kidding. “You’ll protect her?” “I’m not a bodyguard.” Reaper folded his arms over his chest. “Seems to me you’ve been her bodyguard for eight years.” James hooked one of his thumbs in the loop on his jeans. “Anyone can look at you and tell you’re not a blacksmith. It’s the way

you watch your surroundings and carry yourself. You’re trained somehow.” “My father was a Quad5 assassin. He might’ve taught me a few things.” Kella’s friend shrugged as if it was no big deal. It was common for children of assassins to follow in the footsteps of their parents, so Stone needed to know why he hadn’t followed the usual protocol. “Why weren’t you inducted into the squad?” “My father fucked up. He eliminated the wrong mark.” James winced, and Reaper continued. “He was dishonorably discharged and kicked out of Quad5. We moved here when I was five. Ten years later, he drank himself to

death, but not before he taught me everything he knew.” Satisfied Reaper was still the right man for the job, Stone said, “You’ll keep my Kella safe.” “Why me?” “She trusts you, and I know you care about her.” “Mack’s like my kid sister, I’d kill anyone that breathes on her wrong.” “She’ll be in more danger now that she’s my wife and in the limelight. She needs you. I need you to keep her safe.” Stone couldn’t bear losing her again. “Jones wants her worse than a hard-on wants pussy. I’d say I understand his fascination with her, but his isn’t natural.

She also confessed he knows her real identity.” “Fuck.” James pinched the bridge between his nose. “He’s a problem.” Stone nodded. Reaper didn’t seem shocked by the news as he pondered Stone with a creased forehead. “What makes you think I won’t run off with her?” Unsurprised by Reaper’s distrust, Stone fed him the truth nonetheless. “I don’t, but I’ll track her wherever you go.” Kella’s friend smirked. Stone knew the other man wished him luck with the hunt. Under normal circumstances with an assassin-trained man dodging another, Stone would agree the manhunt a useless

cause. When an assassin wanted to disappear, they did. After Reaper’s father’s fuck up, he would’ve made sure Reaper was well trained. Didn’t matter the other male held no official title, he was still an assassin in all the ways that mattered. Good thing Kella remained tagged. She’d stay that way for safety reasons. There was no reason to share that information with Reaper though. As Kella said, trust was earned and Reaper was a long way from earning Stone’s confidence. “She’ll never accept you so long as you own her. Mack values her freedom, and she’s fought too hard to gain liberty, paid too high of a price.”

“Thanks for the advice, but let me handle that.” “It’s your funeral.” Her friend picked at the fruit in the bowl on the table of James’s hotel room. “It’ll be fun watching her lead you on a merry chase, so yeah, I’ll play along for now.” “I’ll pay you six hundred frams a month to keep her safe. Food and lodging provided, as well as all travel expenses.” At the offer, Reaper gaped at him, as if he waited for the punch line to a bad joke. “James, did you get what I asked for?” James handed him two cell phones, then retrieved the backpacks off the table beside the door. He waited with the rucksacks in his hands while Stone

tossed one of the cells to Reaper. “Yours. Kella’s number is already programmed inside, along with James’s and mine.” “What’s the catch?” Reaper asked, and Stone noticed how easily he maneuvered the cell phone—like a man accustomed to the tech. Confused and wondering if he’d missed something in the translation, Stone glanced at James, but as an answer his bodyguard shrugged. “Keep Kella safe and alive. That’s the only catch.” “That’s a lot of frams for no catch. Sends the message you’re trying to buy me.” Reaper tapped the face of the device, and James’s and Stone’s phones

vibrated at the same time. “Making sure the numbers work.” “Why would I give you bad numbers?” That he thought Stone might provide him with false numbers was a fucked-up level of mistrust. Thinking he tried to buy Reaper didn’t shock him all that much though. “Why would you forgive Kella when she ditched your uptight ass?” In a lithe move, Reaper pocketed the phone, while surveying Stone as if he contemplated his real end game because he certainly wasn’t buying Stone’s explanation. “Got my reasons.” While Stone could respect a paranoid man that protected his woman, Kella’s friend was

starting to piss him off with his complete lack of faith. James stepped forward, his shoulders tense and ready for a brawl. “Show some respect to your Regent.” “Not my Regent.” Reaper shook his head. “If he wants to hire me for a job, then he’s got to be man enough to deal with my brand of straightforwardness.” Stone discerned the hard glint in Reaper’s stare and held it without blinking. “Don’t like me, don’t trust me, I don’t give a fuck. Kella first and everything else last. That’s the only catch. She gets hurt on your watch, and I’ll kill you.” Reaper nodded. “Just so you know my loyalty is to Mack and Mack only.

I’ll take your money to keep her safe, because who the fuck says no to a figure like that? But if she asks me to put a bullet in your brain, I won’t hesitate.” “Motherfucker. You’ve gone too far!” Rarely the hothead, James’s face went blood red, and he moved with speed and stealth to sock Reaper a jawjarring punch—and was blocked. Reaper retaliated with a swift jab to James’s nose, putting the assassin on his ass with the quick-fire move. Kella’s friend came away with James’s gun, a smug twist bending his lips. Blood gushed from James’s nostrils. Pinching his nose, he muttered, “Mother. Fuck.”

Surprised Reaper had disarmed James, the other man’s skillset gave Stone pause. Nervous over Reaper’s intentions with the weapon he took off James, Stone breathed a sigh of relief when the other man popped the clip, pocketed the bullets, and dismantled the weapon. The way Reaper went about neutralizing James, and breaking down the weapon impressed Stone, his cool and calm demeanor signifying his confidence. Those actions verified his skills. Reaper would protect Kella. But Stone couldn’t trust him. The dull thud of metal hit the floor, Reaper’s stare at James a taunt as Reaper decimated James’s firearm. “Let’s get something straight, asshole. I

don’t answer to you or to you.” He pinned Stone with a direct stare. “I don’t give a fuck that you’re Regent or Mack’s owner. All I care about is Mack and her safety. Fuck with her, and I will fuck you.” “Ditto.” Stone held Reaper’s glower. Stone noted James’s surprised glance, and his buddy warned, “I’ve got my eyes on you, asshole.” “Likewise.” Stone slugged his buddy on the arm. “I’d rather know where I stand from the get-go than second guess everything he says.” I prefer the direct approach. “He threatened you.” No way James would let the threat go. “I can’t simply let that go.”

“Bring it, badass.” Reaper leered, his stance was casual, and he was obviously confident he could take James. James’s entire presence vibrated with suppressed aggression. “Enough, James.” James’s ego had suffered a huge blow from Reaper defeating him twice, but Stone didn’t have the patience to deal with it. “Kella won’t ask for my blood, and Reaper won’t execute on that threat unless she asks for it.” “I’m not willing to risk your life on that conjecture.” “I am.” Dead silence to Stone’s admission. Maybe a fool’s mistake to trust Kella this way, but he was willing to take the risk. “Worry all you like,

James. Keep your eye on him all you like, but I’ve heard the last of the threats. From both of you.” Reaper shrugged, and Stone got the feeling he’d let it go if and when he felt like it. The fury in James’s eyes told Stone how little he agreed with this plan. He changed the subject, giving Reaper the details of those accused of terrorism, and their deaths. He watched the other man closely, but couldn’t discern any noticeable distress over the news. All that told him was that Reaper could hide his emotions better than Kella. “You got any idea why Kella would be so upset over their false guilt?”

“Soft hearted.” Reaper dug the gun clip out of his pocket and set the metal on the table. Not buying that explanation. “Why’s she so certain they’re not part of the X-Diplomats.” “Dude”—Stone ignored the disrespectful term, and shook his head in James’s direction when the cloud of rage overtook his features—“the reason is obvious? They’re nonviolent people. Can you see a priest or a deacon inciting violence?” Actually, yes I can, but Stone withheld that thought. “You know any XDiplomats personally?” “Wouldn’t tell you if I did.”

An expected answer. “Does Kella know any?” “You’ll have to ask her.” Attempting to ferret secrets from Reaper would be a lost cause. Stone rummaged around inside Kella’s backpacks, retrieved the wind-up toy, and discovered a stack of cash. Estimated at twenty thousand frams it was a far cry from the one hundred thousand she claimed to have stockpiled. “Holy terror’s been holding out on you.” James maintained a cautionary eye on Reaper. “That’s Mack’s money.” Reaper gave Stone an accusing glare. Stone replaced the cash and continued to plunder the knapsack,

finding nothing noteworthy, just wellworn clothing and a map with a few X’s marked on the dog eared atlas. “I’ve no need for her money.” After closing both packs, he checked the outside pocket and found a wrinkled picture of himself. Joy surged through him. Contrary to her desire for freedom, and pretending indifference toward him, this photo verified he still held a place in her heart. He had a few legal documents to draft before he returned to Kella. “Where’s your laptop, James?” His buddy pointed across the room at the desk. Stone left the two assassins glaring at one another. He pulled out a chair and booted up James’s computer. Since it was a tech-issued device, the password

was keyed to his fingerprint. “How much time do I have before I meet with Regent Jones?” “Two hours. Meeting at his office.” Shit. Short on time, but he’d make do. Stone found his computer on the server, keyed into the link, and pulled up the documents he sought to modify. “What’s the official story on Mack?” Reaper impressed Stone when he deduced the truth wouldn’t do for this situation. Stone kept working while James gave the other man the lowdown. So engrossed in drafting a fair contract, the blare of sirens going off startled him. He deleted the few misplaced keystrokes.

“What the fuck’s that for?” James walked to the window that faced out onto a side street. Stone hit save on his document as Reaper responded by turning the television set on. Regent Jones and a young girl came on the screen. The girl’s terror obvious in the way her gaze darted about, as if the boogeyman would devour her soon. She obviously was an X-gene and Regent Jones intended to introduce her to the masses. The fucked-upness of the scene wasn’t lost on him. Rather than seeing the teen on the screen, he recalled the day Kella had been sold and the absolute fear in her eyes.

“Fuck.” Reaper ran his palm down his face. “Where’s Mack?” Stone looked at her friend. No doubt Reaper thought of her reaction to the newsfeed. That the other man contemplated Kella’s feelings, told him everything he needed to know about Reaper. Stone left the computer and strode toward the connecting door, hoping he could diffuse whatever unpredictable emotion she’d throw at him.

TWENTY The sirens startled Kella from shopping hell. Dread curled in the pit of her belly. Ignoring the squawk of the seamstress because she moved away from a color wheel match with her skin tone—she couldn’t care less what shades looked best with her complexion, there were more important things in life—Kella snatched up the remote and jabbed the on button to the T.V. Regent Jones paraded a newly discovered Xeno on the screen, turning the young teen this way and that like he would a prized mare. He even

had her open her mouth to show she had all her teeth. Bastard. Motherfucking bastard! He couldn’t see that the girl was a thoroughbred because she was a child, and not because of her genetics. All that mattered to him and other spooners was the girl’s genes. Anger bled through Kella at the mistreatment the girl endured, and the way Regent Jones praised the child’s specialness because of her DNA. Extoled her sacrifice for society and how she would be remembered as one of those who saved humanity. Utter bullshit. “What a privilege to be able to serve mankind the way she will.”

Kella glared at Miss Dunn, the seamstress, while trying to decide if the woman believed that crock of bullshit or if she voiced the politically correct viewpoint. “Really? You think she wants to be bought by a stranger, raped at fourteen, and all so she can have the privilege of breeding his super babies?” Jaw open, Miss Dunn gawked. It wasn’t her slack jawed expression that identified her as a mindless idiot, but rather the words the seamstress spewed. The government propaganda marked her as nothing more than a Regent-puppet, and the other woman’s conformistmentality nauseated Kella. Auction off one of those spooner Xgene bitches and the system would

change in a heartbeat. Kella pretended to peruse the clothing Miss Dunn spread over the bed. Going through the motions of acquiring new clothes frustrated her. More important issues bothered her. Like the fear in the eyes of a fourteen-year-old, who’d be auctioned and raped, and there was nothing Kella could do about it unless they plotted her escape. And soon. The sooner the better. Being holed up here at Stone’s mercy worked against her, frustrating her. Minutes before, she’d been mourning the loss of the wind-up dog toy Stone had given her years ago. The treasure had been snug in one of the backpacks he’d tossed out of his flyer. While she

bemoaned trivialities, this poor girl pined the loss of her freedom. What is wrong with me? She needed to get her head back in the game. The XDs had work to do. Melancholy over the child’s loss of freedom, Kella sat on the end of the bed. She attempted to process her resentment as she fingered a few of the silky undergarments the seamstress presented for inspection. “I recommend lace, satin, or silk. The satin and silk fabrics feel delightful against your skin, while most men find the lace sexy, but a man of your husband’s ilk will appreciate any of the three.”

The white-cotton panties held no enticement. They were practical, boring, and wouldn’t appeal to Stone. That’s what she liked best about them. “These.” She selected two pairs of plain white, cotton panties and one white sports bra. The absolute basics, and the support bra would work perfect for excavation wear. She could wash them out in the bathroom sink because...there is no way I’m going to become his paid-for-woman. Playing along with his games was one thing, but she had every intention of ditching him at the first opportunity presented. She prayed that opportunity would come soon so she and the X-Ds could plot to save the new Xgene.

“I preferred the silk panties.” Stone eyed her as he pointed the remote control at the television set and turned off the Xeno pomp with a click of a button. “On second thought, I really like these.” He picked up the bright-yellow lace undies and held them up. She preferred them too, just because she had a weakness for pretty lingerie, but practicality won out since he’d discarded all of her undies in the badlands with her backpacks. The teen Xeno’s presentation also served as a hard reminder of her place in Stone’s household. No way would she dress herself up with gift-wrapping and entice him to unwrap her so she could whore herself to him.

Yet the way he fingered the pair he admired seemed so personal...and erotic. Possessed the same effect as earlier in the shower when he touched her. Kella flinched at the reminder. What the hell was wrong with her? They were undergarments, necessities, nothing more intimate than a shirt or pants. “Are you okay?” He picked up the matching bra. “Peachy.” She sounded anything but peachy, felt so discombobulated she wanted to scream at the universe about the unfairness of life. “Is this all you’ve picked out, sunshine?”

“Don’t call me that,” she said as he indicated the two pairs of jeans, three tops, and white undergarments separated from the mountain of clothes on the bed. “It’s all I require.” Logic told her he wouldn’t be up to supplying her with a foolproof escape plan. “Sire?” Miss Dunn tapped her pen against a pad, her movements a clear sign of agitation. The businesswoman had probably anticipated a huge payday, and her disappointment had been obvious when Kella lacked excitement over the upcoming purchase. ‘Aren’t all women supposed to enjoy retail therapy?’ the uppity bitch had said at one

point and twittered like a brainless idiot afterward. Kella had had to bite her tongue to keep from telling the woman to eat shit and die. “I have several garments that’d look lovely on your bride.” A girl would be sold off, and this fool of a woman chattered on about clothing. Kella wanted to scream as Miss Dunn droned on. “A royal-blue dress made of madworm silk and beaded in the finest gemstones. The color would bring out her flawless skin tone, and the cut would accentuate her figure, have all the men drooling over your woman.” Kella rolled her eyes. “Save the drooling men for the sanatorium.”

A smile tweaked the corners of Stone’s mouth. Miss Dunn sniffed at Kella’s sarcasm, and the speed of her pen tapping increased. “See the attitude I’ve had to work with? What woman of her prominence doesn’t want men and women to envy her?” Of my prominence? Puh-lease! The fucked-up law turned her into a whore. That was neither dignified nor a prominent position. Ironically, the lingerie was more fitting for her status than the cotton. “The one who doesn’t give a rat’s ass what anyone thinks of her. Or maybe the woman whose sole purpose is to be barefoot and pregnant.”

Stone’s jaw clenched. Not his happy face. Well, fuck him. Fuck him and the universe and all spooners and Regents that continued to repeatedly fuck the dregs. Her happy face had been displaced eight years ago when he purchased her like a household item. “Absurdity,” the seamstress scolded. “She even rejected the canyon-leather pants.” “Calamity.” Kella gave a mock gasp. “They’re made of the finest and softest material.” Miss Dunn’s outrage remained evidenced in the rapping of her pen against the notepad. “People are starving, being deprived of basic nutrition, others without homes.” Kella rose to her feet and faced

off against the taller woman. Rap, rap, rap. She was close to snatching that goddamn pen from the seamstress’s fingers and snapping it in two. Or stabbing her in the hand with the ballpoint. Violence fit her mood at the moment. “Children are being auctioned off to pedophiles, and you chatter on about the ‘finest and softest material’. All you spooners disgust me. This is a waste of good money when it could be put to better use.” Rap, rap, rap. The seamstress huffed and faced Stone as if he served as mediator. “She’s ungrateful, spoiled, and willful.” Kella threw her hands in the air. “I can hear you, Miss Dunn.”

“I don’t understand why I was called when she insists she doesn’t require any of my wares.” Stone measured Kella, his fingers rasping along his jaw. She walked to the window to put some distance between them because she vacillated between wanting to drag her fingers along the scruff of his jaw and inflicting bodily harm on Miss Dunn. At least the garden was nothing fascinating to look at, with nothing more than shrubs, and it hosted a few of Stone’s men. My gilded cage. “The poor burden her soul,” he explained to the seamstress. Kella snorted her disagreement, but allowed him to continue speaking without

interruption. “She’ll take everything you have in her size, Miss Dunn.” “Society’s pawn,” Kella mocked his hefty purchase. “You’re part of the problem playing up to expectations.” “What was it you said, Kella? I don’t give a rat’s ass what society thinks?” He mocked her with her words. In the windowpanes she could see he’d stuffed his hands in his pants’ pockets. “I want the world to see how much I adore you.” “Pfft.” A flurry of movement reflected back to her as Miss Dunn’s assistants selected the clothing Stone requested. “That’s agreeable, Sire.” At least Miss Dunn stopped that annoying

tapping of her pen. “What of pajamas?” A minute pause from him, and she couldn’t gauge the reason for his brief quietness. “Those too.” “Waste of money,” Kella muttered beneath her breath. She didn’t plan on being around long enough to wear a week’s worth of the outfits, much less the rest of them. But what’d she care if he squandered his funds? He was a part of the problem after all. The bill was tallied. Kella glanced at him sharply over her shoulder when she heard the ridiculous figure. Zero hesitation, he agreed to the sum and transferred the money immediately into the businesswoman’s account.

After what seemed like endless ass kissing on the part of Miss Dunn, Stone walked them out. Kella made gagging motions with her finger and mouth, not that anyone but herself appreciated her scorn. As much as she wanted to throw on some clothing, her pride demanded she remain rooted to the spot shunning the new outfits. Soon she’d be forced to break down and wear something, but not yet. It was another defeat she wasn’t ready to face. The brisk stride of his long-legged footsteps announced his return before he spoke. “I believe this is yours.” She slanted her eyes to see what he held in his open palm. Her heartbeat

escalated, creating a staccato noise in her ears. Snatching the toy out of his grasp, she peeked at the bottom to determine if it was hers or a new one. My Kella, my sunshine was engraved on the underside. That meant he’d sent someone into the badlands to nab her backpacks. Relief and unnamed emotion thickened her throat. She clasped the toy to her breastbone, ridiculously happy it’d been returned to her possession. Peering up at him, she grappled with how to thank him without coming across too beholden. “I sent one of my soldiers out to retrieve it,” he explained in a matter-offact tone. “I have your frams also.” “And my clothes?”

“I’d give them to you, but I fear you won’t wear the ones I’ve purchased, so I’ll have yours burned.” Kella slid her fingers across the cool metal, gaining comfort from the knickknack, as he asked, “Why’d you keep it after you left me?” It’d reminded her of the good times they’d enjoyed together. It’d also been a reminder to trust no one, not even those who seemed trustworthy. Of course she wouldn’t admit to either one of them. Instead, she gave him a half-truth. “It’s an antique.” “Not buying that. You could’ve sold it, made life easy for yourself, at least for a time, but you didn’t. Instead you sold your virginity, something much

more precious than this toy.” He tapped the tin in her hand. “Don’t read more into it than you should, Stone.” Delighted to have the trinket back in her possession, she fingered the thin tin. She’d thought of selling the toy more than once, but hadn’t been able to bring herself to part with one of her best memories of Stone. “As you told me, actions speak louder than words. You’re not fooling anyone, Kella, not me and damn sure not yourself. You just don’t know how to be honest with me.” “I’m plenty honest with you.” “Bullshit.” She looked away, grinding her teeth together.

“Just so you know, you’re still my Kella, my sunshine.” His ease expressing his emotions discomforted her. Being honest with him would give her a lifetime of sexual servitude. She wanted nothing to do with that particular conclusion. If only I could have Stone on different terms. Kella shook her head. Pie in the sky dreams. She’d given up fantasies long ago. Neither would their lives fit together. The Regent codebook probably frowned upon Regents condoning treason. “I honestly don’t want you.” “I’m disappointed. I expected my new Kella to be as forthright as my old Kella.” He ogled her while she reeled

from that low blow. “I’ll coax her back out.” That sexy, intense stare of his ignited a meltdown at her core. “To catch you up on everything, Christine confessed all. Do you realize she is Kris Stoddard? Was forced to work for Mark Evans, and he’s known your identity all along?” She shook her head, and he told her everything Christine had shared with him. How Mark Evans stole the money gifted to them from her benefactor, forced Christine to serve him sexually and professionally, while doing his dirty work. “My mother was the one who aided you.”

Stunned by that admission, Kella stared at him but couldn’t decide if he was angered or hurt by his mother’s betrayal. “I had no idea.” “She’ll answer for her actions.” His casual shrug discredited the indignation he must feel. He held his other hand toward her, a cell phone in his grasp. “Yours.” Kella refused to accept the phone. “It’s illegal for me to have possession of that.” “Not as my wife. Take it. I can’t be with you twenty-four-seven.” Her freedom counted on that. “Reaper will serve as your bodyguard. Anywhere you go, he goes. Understand?”

She nodded. That wouldn’t be a problem, but she couldn’t figure out why he’d appoint Reaper. If anyone helped her escape Stone again, it’d be Reaper. “Say you understand.” “Yeah, I understand. Reaper is attached to my hip. Got it, Master Stone.” “Don’t belittle what we have. I won’t tolerate your marginalization. And I’m damn sure not your master. Got it?” “Sure.” She understood plenty. They had nothing to denigrate except a lopsided relationship in their youth. Practically eons had passed since then, and they were both different people now. Sighing he shook his head, strode to his computer, and booted it up. He

tapped the mouse pad area. “Come put your thumb print here.” “Why?” Distrust rose fast as she secured the toy in her robe pocket. “You’ll approve.” She doubted that. Wearing a slight grin, he crooked his finger at her. That small action came across in a sensual manner. No idea why, but if she’d been wearing panties she was sure they would’ve combusted, which made no sense because it wasn’t like he was trying to get in her pants. Ignoring her body’s reaction to him, she marched to him and pressed her thumb to the pad on the computer.

“Congratulations.” He slid his thumb across her cheekbone. “You’re a free woman.” Confused, she peered at the computer screen, but his fingers flew over the keyboard, and a different document popped up as a whirring noise sounded. He opened a drawer, revealing a hotel-issued printer, and snatched up the printout. “Yours.” He handed the sheets of paper to her. “Proof you’re free. To clarify, I don’t own you, and you’re not my property. Neither can you ever be forced to serve another. My wedding gift to you.” Head spinning, she accepted the documents as she attempted to wrap her

brain around what’d just transpired. “We’re no longer married?” That thought should’ve relieved her, but instead saddened her. Would he now marry Katarina? She couldn’t blame him since the woman was stunning. Poised, she’d carried herself regally despite her despondency at losing Stone’s affection. Even though Kella had been a blonde for the past eight years, she’d envied Katarina’s flawless skin, amazing blue eyes, and golden-blonde hair. She and Stone would make beautiful babies. “Sorry to disappoint, sunshine, but we’re still very much married.” Relief surged through her at the confession. But then more questions surfaced. “I don’t understand. You’ve

freed me, but we’re still married. How does that work?” He retrieved more papers from the printer and handed those to her. “My contractual offer.” She took the next stack and skimmed through the points, as he expounded on his proposal. “My initial offer provided you with the protection of my name for a term of five years. During that time, no consummation of the wedding would take place. You were too young.” Kella refrained from mentioning she’d lost her innocence soon after their marriage. “After five years, on your nineteenth birthday, you would’ve been granted your freedom. At that time, I’d planned

to officially propose to you. If you said yes, we remained married. If you declined, I granted you a no-fault divorce and gave you immediate freedom like in the document I handed you first.” This contract was a much different beast altogether from the original one he outlined. “The new contract grants your immediate freedom and requires you to remain with me one month for every year I lost for a total of eight months. No obligation of sex. At the end of that eight-month period, if you decline my marriage proposal, I’ll grant you the no-fault divorce originally promised.” Kella couldn’t catch her breath. He offered her a way out free and clear with

no need to run and hide. It was what she wanted. Right? Then why was she more torn than ever before? “If you agree to the terms, it requires our signature.” Stone presented her with a pen. “Take your time reading it.” “Why would you offer me this?” He had to know he made a huge gamble with the proposal. “Can’t you just accept this as proof I’m not the big bad wolf you thought I was?” At her headshake, he went on. “You never were the trusting sort, even made me earn it as kids. I’ll teach you to trust me again.” His thumb slid across her bottom lip. “All I’ve ever wanted was you, Kella. No games, or the X-

gene between us, just us making a decision to be together.” “I can’t have kids.” She felt compelled to remind him. “Your line would end with you.” A slight pause from him as if he debated disclosing something of import. “I don’t care. That’s even spelled out in the contract. Section nine, clause three.” Silence fell between them as she read the contact. Twice. It was straightforward with no hidden agendas. “Section eight says sexual favors are to be negotiated and mutually agreed upon by the parties over the eight-month contractual term. But you said no sex.” Kella looked up, but he’d drawn closer, getting in her personal space. His heat

warmed her, while his pheromones warmed another part of her anatomy. She craned her head back to catch his gaze. “You’re all grown up now, Kella. The rules have changed. I didn’t say no sex, I said no obligation of sex.” Flashes of their shower earlier exploded in her head. The feeling of his hands sliding over her body, the shivers of delight that puckered her flesh, and the sweet ache between her thighs. She’d known he could handle the ache. His touch promised to do just that if she’d just accept him. “That contract guarantees I’ll never lie to you. It’s voided if I do. Ditto for you.”

She nodded. She’d thought that clause interesting. There wasn’t a way to determine their honesty, but the boy she’d known would’ve lived up to a handshake. A written agreement he would’ve taken even more seriously. Her biggest dilemma now was that she wasn’t sure she could trust the man the way she had the boy. There was even a paragraph mentioning her dig and savings. She retained ownership one hundred percent. That was so unexpected she wasn’t sure what to make of it. “Part of that contract is learning to trust one another.” This agreement spoke very loudly to his integrity. He could demand everything, and she couldn’t

stop him. “I want to make love to you, Kella, but I’ll never coerce you or force you. That’s not the type of man I am.” “I know.” “Then give me eight months.” She bit her bottom lip, and he must’ve sensed her indecision because he said, “What’s eight months compared to the eight years you’ve spent evading me?” “I’m free to move about as I please without answering to you?” He paused over that question, eyeing her. “What are you up to, Kella?” “Nothing, just making sure I can work at my dig without you balking.” She took the pen from him, praying he bought that half-truth. “I’ll spend time there with you.”

“Why?” “To gain a better understanding of what you do as a relic pirate...and why you do it.” “You know why I’m a vintage archeologist.” Kella flipped the contract to the last page and wrote in an additional clause: X. Mackella Starke “Add Emmerson to your name.” She looked up at him, realizing he leaned closer to get a better gander at what she wrote. Before she could argue his request, he said, “It’s your legal name, and this is a legally binding document.”

Acknowledging the wisdom in that suggestion, she modified her name and added in her married name according to his instructions. X. Mackella Stark Emmerson cannot conceive children. In the unlikely event a miracle transpires and she conceives a child with Regent Stone Emmerson she is in no way obligated to remain with him or remain married to him at the end of eight months. The parties agree to remain friends and work for the best interest of their child.

She handed him the agreement, and he read the amendment in silence. “I’m not saying we’ll have sex, but I felt this should be spelled out just in case.” “Agreed,” he said a moment later, but his energy seemed lighter than a moment before. “Add this in as a separate clause. ‘The parties agree to remain in Quad2 during the eight-month duration so the wife can oversee her dig, but if the bride should become pregnant, all parties agree to return to Quad13 immediately’. For safety reasons of the unborn child.” Unable to argue the reasonableness of that addendum, she penned his demand below hers as X(1). “How will you manage your kingdom from here?”

“Dad’s holding down the fort for now.” Remembering his father’s vicious words and actions on the night of her auction, she shivered. Former Regent Peter Emmerson was not a man she ever wanted to see again, and she sure as hell never wanted him as part of her child’s life. “I have the teleport machine and can go back and forth as much as I’m needed. There’s videoconferencing too. I’ll manage.” “Why would you agree to remain here?” Sacrificing his Regency even for eight months confused her. “I know you want to finish excavating your site.” They stared at one another while she processed his answer. The warm fuzzies

were exploiting her pathetic emotions because he’d thought about the importance of her dig. No, he’d thought about her and what was important to her. But she knew there was more. She sensed he’d refrained from confessing the totality of his reason. “And?” He elevated his eyebrows, his silent way of requesting more information. “There’s more to it than that, Stone. If you lie now before the contract’s signed, how can I trust you to be honest afterward?” “Omission isn’t a lie.” His fingers traveled through his hair. She’d begun to realize he made that move when he was frazzled. “And I have a debt to settle with Regent Jones. That has as much to

do with you as it does me. I’ll send a profound message through him.” “Which is?” “No man fucks with you without feeling my full wrath.” Jesus Christ, moisture leaked from her core. What was it about his need for vengeance that got her all hot and bothered? “Anything else you wish to add?” He nodded toward the contract in her grasp. She shook her head. “Not that I can think of.” “You want to sign first or me?” Nervous over making this decision, probably the biggest one of her life, Kella handed him the pen. Without an ounce of hesitation, he scrawled his

signature above his name. Tamping down her strange excitement, she placed her autograph on the document below his. We really just did that. Giddy at the idea of him being hers for eight months without the X-gene between them, she saw his prior actions through a different set of lenses. In hindsight, maybe she should’ve given him the benefit of the doubt when he bought her at auction. Maybe his dad had lied. And maybe she should reveal the truth of that night to Stone. The moment she rested the ballpoint atop the agreement, he hooked his finger in the belt of the robe she wore, and used the sash to tug her against him. Off

balance, her palms landed on his chest to steady her footing. He released the tie with a few twists of his fingers. The front of the robe parted enough to reveal her cleavage, but the way their abdomens aligned together maintained the rest of her modesty. Stone thrust his hand beneath the material and roped his arm around her waist, hauling her up and against his chest. Her tiptoes dragged against the floor, while his other hand palmed the back of her head. “Seal our deal with a kiss, sunshine.” A request she could choose to accept or decline. Kella liked kissing Stone, but

she forgot herself when they engaged in the activity. “That’s probably unwise.” “We’re married for the next eight months. Nothing we do together is unwise.” She laughed, and his features softened a touch. “That’s not true, Stone. Most everything we did together growing up was unwise.” Not to mention, she risked losing her heart to him if she relaxed toward him even just a little. “Name one thing we did that was rash.” “Runner.” He grinned. “Excellent pet.” “That mountain lion thought he’d be a better meal than our pet. Had we been

smart we would’ve given Runner to the lion.” They’d found the wolf cub orphaned. The cub’s eyes had still been closed, and there’d been blood all around the site, so they’d surmised the lion moving in for the kill had probably already slaughtered the rest of Runner’s siblings. Determined to save him from the lion, they’d thrown rocks at the cat which had succeeded in pissing off the feline instead of running her off. Thankfully, James had arrived in the nick of time to scare her away by shooting at her or Kella and Stone would’ve been mauled trying to save the wolf cub. Satan had been furious. His face had turned so red she’d feared he’d suffer an aneurysm or have a heart attack. It’d

been the one time she’d truly feared James Monroe. “The best moments of my youth were getting into trouble with you.” He lowered his head, and she thought he’d kiss her, but instead he nuzzled her ear. “Be my reckless bride and kiss me.” Stone turned his head, his lips dragging along her cheek to hover over her lips, tempting her with their closeness. Their gazes met, and their breaths mingled and became one. Kella skated her hands up his chest to circle his shoulders...and leaned forward until their lips meshed. His hand on her waist tightened, and his fingers in her hair slid downward to knead her nape—and he took over. His tongue dove inside her

mouth, tangling and dancing with hers, growing more frenzied as the seconds lapsed, until he broke the kiss. “The reality is better than the fantasy,” he said against her lips. Kella struggled to process anything other than the texture of his body against hers, and his breath striking her face. “Huh?” “I used to imagine what it’d be like to kiss you.” Turning abruptly, he carried her to the bed and settled her on the mattress, with her legs dangling over the side. Leaning over her, he pushed apart her robe and slid his gaze along her body. “You wearing a bikini right before your fourteenth birthday is burned into my memory. Naked is much better than

the bikini. I wanted to kiss you all the way from here”—he stroked his finger along her lips to indicate where—“to here.” He trailed two fingers down her throat to circle a nipple. Breath hitching, Kella bit her bottom lip, as his fingers traversed lower across her belly. “And ending here.” Stone elevated his gaze and held hers as he touched her vaginal lips in a wispy stroke, decimating her ability to suck in air. His eyes darkened as she focused on inhaling and exhaling. “You’re already wet for me.” He removed his touch from between her thighs and towed his damp pads along her lips. Instinctually she went to lick the moisture off, but he lowered his head and licked her dew away himself.

Stone groaned and thrust his tongue into her mouth. “You ever fantasize about me, Kella?” he asked, going back to stroking her nipple. Kella had to concentrate hard on the question and not the way he touched her. “I wore the bikini to get your notice. I was a different person then.” That truth served as a douse of cold water. She pushed up onto her elbows and would’ve slid away, but he halted her by releasing her nipple and giving her breast a slight squeeze. With her getaway stalling out, she glanced down at his hold on her. “We’re both different now.” His thumb began to circle her peak, and she

felt her wet response between her thighs. “Doesn’t mean I stopped wanting you. I just want different things. Right now I want leisure time so I can make you climax and watch you experience pleasure for the first time.” Kella shook her head. “All you think about is sex.” He pinched her nipple just enough her breath hitched. “Not true. I’m distracted by selling your story to Regent Jones in”—he checked his black, bulky watch—“less than thirty minutes.” He shocked her when he shifted downward and kissed her nipple. Pushing to his feet, he shoved his hands into his pockets and stared down at her.

“Tonight, Kella, I own your first climax.” “Your arrogance is off putting. I’ll never allow you to get that far.” If only that was true she’d be sure of her ability to walk away from him at the end of the contract. After pulling her robe together, she sat up and selected undies from the pile on the bed beside her. A rogue grin surfaced on his face. “Make that your mantra and maybe, just maybe, I won’t remind you of that lie when you’re crying my name later.” Kella sniffed. “Maybe I should modify that your confidence is off putting. If I let you try tonight—” “I will, no if about it.”

She gave a mental huff and modified what she’d been about to say. “All right. When I’m not impressed by your efforts, I’ll remind you of this conversation.” Dismissing him to the point she didn’t even look at him, she pulled the bright-yellow panties up her legs. The silk a kiss of cool softness against her flesh. Standing, she turned her back to him and dropped the robe. She knew it was silly to hide her nudity from him when he’d already seen all of her body, but something about dressing in front of him felt intimate when nakedness hadn’t. After hooking the matching yellow bra— the one he said he preferred—she selected a casual, green top and the

butter-soft, canyon-leather pants she’d originally declined, but coveted. The sudden slither of her hair being shoved over her shoulder, baring her neck, surprised her. But not as much as the breathy kiss Stone placed against her nape. Kella hissed as the moist kiss turned into nibbles and his arms circled her waist from behind. Sheesh, who knew something so minor would feel so good? The power this one move gave him was startling. Angling her head so he had better landscape to work with, the clothes fell from her grip, and she covered his arms with hers. He cuffed her wrists with his hands, holding one

over her belly, while directing the other down her stomach and between her legs. Kella gasped, throwing her head back against his shoulder when he guided her index finger over her clit in slow, but firm circles. Her hips bucked against their joined hands, and she trembled in his embrace. The longer the strokes went on, the more desperate her panting grew, and the wetter her panties got. With her eyes closed, the center of her universe focused on her core. A moment before she thought her world would implode, their movements halted. Stone pressed his lips to her ear and whispered, “A small word of advice, sunshine.” His breath puffed against her

ear in an erotic fashion, causing gooseflesh to abrade her skin. “Next time you’re pretending indifference to me, don’t react to my touch. It’s more believable that way.” Realizing this tutorial had been a lesson only, she groaned her frustration as her eyelids flipped upward and caught him staring at her. “Fucking hot as hell the way you respond.” Stone gave her a searing kiss, before releasing her. “Gotta run before I’m late.” Disappointed by his hasty retreat, she retrieved her shirt where it’d fallen on the floor. His long strides were loud thuds against the floor. He paused at the door to glance at her over his shoulder.

“Don’t go anywhere today. Not until Regent Jones understands the limits of what I’ll tolerate where you’re concerned.” “I have things I need to do.” Something had to be done about the new Xeno, which required some form of connection with the X-Ds. “Whatever it is can wait until tomorrow for you to kick up some hell.” “I’m not a troublemaker, Stone,” she said while tugging the shirt over her head. “What’s the official story anyway? You never told me.” “You were kidnapped, and somehow lost your memory in the abduction. You can’t remember all the details.” “How convenient.”

“I thought you were dead until I received a lead from Mark Evans. Once I got here, seeing me snapped you out of your temporary amnesia, and you remembered everything.” “Even more convenient. But you might want to tell Jones it all happened after my electrical whipping.” Since she’d denied knowing Kella in the presence of Jones. Stone ignored her and continued. “Since you didn’t look like you, I didn’t believe you at first, but you knew things only my Kella would know.” Kella shivered at the ‘my Kella’ declaration. “That had us wondering if you’d been Vchipped.” The story was too convoluted, but she didn’t have anything better to

offer. “I got an R-scanner and revealed your identity. I’m delighted to discover you’re alive, but I want to keep this on the lowdown. I suspect someone in my Quad—other than my mother of course —of being part of the plot, and since we’re discovering one another after eight years apart, that’s why we’re remaining here for the time being.” Shaking out the pants, she frowned at him. “Sounds like a twenty-twenty soap opera they show reruns of in the city square.” “The truth’s not an option. This is the most plausible story I could come up with given your residency here for eight years. That he knew your identity before your V-chip was deactivated is a secret

between us for now, until I discover who told him and how long he’s known.” “Sorry I’ve put you in this position.” She stepped into the pants, admitting he didn’t have to go through this trouble to keep her safe. Cutting his losses would be the easiest thing, but he went to bat for her instead. “No you’re not.” Stupefied by his counter, she considered him, but didn’t detect any anger. He said, “You’re sorry I caught you.” There was some truth in that, so she inclined her head. “I won’t be sorry if you uphold your end of the bargain and give me a divorce at the end of the contract.”

“Sunshine, by the time I’m finished with you, you’ll be begging to stay with me.” “There’s that off-putting arrogance again,” she muttered, mocking him with a disgusted grimace. He chuckled. “You always were fun to verbally spar with.” Stone started to leave and she asked, “Where’s Reaper? Since I need to stay in today, I need him to do something for me.” “With James. I’ll send him over.” Running the X-Ds next moves through her head, Kella gave him a distracted nod as she fastened the waist of the leather pants.

“Later, Kella.” The dark promise in his voice jerked her from her thoughts of rescue, but he was gone by the time she looked up.

TWENTY-ONE The moment Stone departed the room, Kella dove into the strawberries, sighing over the explosive taste of the sweet fruit on her tongue. Eight years since she’d indulged in the berry, she intended to enjoy every single one of them in the dish. Memories of the Xeno being paraded on the television set while the seamstress prattled about clothing skidded through her thoughts, sucking some of her joy of the fruit. Regent Jones’s pride in the girl’s genes, and his

excitement at their first X-gene in a year ruined her mood. The gall it took to think one had the privilege to indenture someone in any way confused and amazed her. It showed a complete lack of compassion for another. Kella didn’t care that society had been this way since the destruction of mankind, or that it’d originally started as all fertile women, but had altered to just the X-gene children. The girl’s fear had been obvious in the way she darted her gaze about and trembled as she stood beside Regent Jones. Rage surged through Kella, and she tossed the half-eaten strawberry back into the bowl.

She walked to the desk where Stone’s computer sat, but couldn’t hack into the system. Not that she was surprised. Computers weren’t her thing, and he’d settle for no less than the best security. She rummaged around in the office desk and located a clear sheet that was used to write on. After locating a light pen that’d activate the chemicals in the sheet, she made a vague list of things to do to strike back at the system. A late, false positive would be the girl’s best chance at freedom. With any luck X-Diplomats’ hacker, Dutch, would be able to finagle the system so any subsequent tests would also return negative.

They needed to get the girl somewhere safe afterward and out of reach of spooners just in case some doubted the late negative or moved the testing to another clinic. They’d have to plan a strategic EMP blast on the clinic that offered its tech. It wasn’t a permanent fix, but the attack would remind others what happened when operational clinics aided the nonoperational ones. Kidnapping the girl like they had a few others remained an option. The part of that plan Kella hated the most was that the Xeno had to suffer through the actual auction. And if she was purchased by someone within the Quad and not moved by convoy to another Quad, they

couldn’t risk exposing their inside person to snag the girl, so the success of that mission went down. Getting into an X-gene camp was like breaking into the Regent’s office...a suicide mission. The X-Ds’ ultimate gig remained to save every Xeno, not just a few at a time. “Hello.” Kella glanced up from her seated position to spy Reaper striding toward her. “I heard you fared okay and Stone offered you a job.” He glanced around the room as if he looked for someone else. “Do I know you?” It took her a moment, but she finally figured out his problem. “It’s me.” His gaze narrowed. “Mack?”

“Yep.” She leaned back in her seat, twiddling with the light pen, and motioning to her face with her other hand. “The real me beneath the V-chip cover up.” Reaper gave a sharp whistle. “Damn, girl. I thought the blonde you was cute, but the real you is hot. No wonder the cocky asshole thinks he’s keeping you.” Heat hit her cheeks before she could shift her thoughts away from the shower and what had transpired on his bed. The promise he’d made for later burned her skin. “He’s definitely confident of stuff.” Of course her friend caught her blush. “What stuff?”

Passing off the question as nothing, she slid the signed contract toward him. “We made a deal.” Reaper perused the contract as she stood and moved back to the table of food. Using the pen, she stabbed a strawberry and chewed on the fruit as he followed her while perusing the document. She poured them both a mug of coffee, doused hers with creamer and sugar and waited. After a long moment, he set the agreement aside and met her gaze. “Well, that puts a new spin on things.” He inhaled his brew, his eyes closing as if he’d been transported to paradise.

“Changes nothing. I am leaving him at the end of it.” Contemplating that, he sipped his coffee. “This coffee is amazing, better than the shit I buy.” “It’s real, not the fake shit you buy.” Waving her hand, she indicated the tray of food. “Eat something so it doesn’t go to waste.” God knew she couldn’t eat it all. “Maybe take the leftovers to the kids.” Feeding the kids on the streets something wholesome would give her some peace of mind since it’d mean none of the food would go to waste. “Don’t be hasty about your decision. Remaining with Stone might be your best chance at happiness.”

What. The. Fuck. “What’d he do to win you over? Doesn’t matter. We have Xenos to save. That’s what matters.” Reaper slathered jelly on a piece of toast. “Mack, I agree with you on the Xeno stuff. You know I do, fuck I’m a terrorist with you, but—” “I don’t want to hear you defend Stone.” That he’d always thought she should’ve given Stone a chance to explain his reasons for purchasing her rankled. Yeah, Reaper took her side, but to a point. What he couldn’t seem to understand was if she’d discovered Stone’s actions hadn’t been well intentioned, she’d have been stuck under his thumb, raped, and enslaved for the rest of her life.

“Your situation is different.” “You’re wrong. He still owned me. No man should have the right to own a woman. Or any human being for that matter. Slavery was abolished once, doesn’t matter the good intentions of it this time, it should be eradicated again.” “Agreed.” He refreshed his coffee and sat back in his chair, eyeing her with intensity. “But you could’ve worked out something. He already owned a piece of your heart.” “I was a kid.” “He deserved the benefit of the doubt, Mack.” His reasonableness irritated her, so she glared at him. He glared right back. “That contract tells me more about the man and his intentions

than anything you or the scandal sheets have told me about him. You escaped him, left him thinking you were dead, carved out another life for yourself for eight years, and when he catches you, instead of fury, he sets you free, and offers you a reasonable deal.” He bit into the toast and moaned. “Real butter. Goddamn this is good. I could get used to indulging the way the other half lives.” After another bite and savoring the taste, he added, “Not sure I’d react the way your Regent currently is.” “He’s no saint.” “Pfft...the scandal sheets prove he’s not. But neither are you.” “Touché.”

“Give him at least a half-hearted chance, Mack, or you’ll regret it.” “I’ll regret it more if I stay with him.” His eyebrows whipped upward as he topped off the jelly-smothered bread. Kella explained, “I can’t be with him and a member of the X-Diplomats.” “Share the strawberries.” He nodded toward the almost empty bowl of fruit. “They’re mine, and if you try to pilfer one, I’ll stab you with this.” Kella picked up a fork and made stabbing motions with the utensil. “One. Just give me one.” “No.” Reaper attempted a bratty pout, but instead it came across as pathetic.

“Consider it payment for teaching you how to fight.” “You don’t deserve payment. I lost to Stone, so your teaching skills suck ass.” “I saw him move when he went after you. He was agile for a stuffy Regent. I bet he’s better trained than you anticipated. Or...” He hesitated long enough she thought she might have to prod him to continue. “You didn’t want to hurt him and lost due to your own limitations.” “I went for his liver and left a visible bruise.” She’d spied it earlier in the shower. “It didn’t slow him down, not even a little. I couldn’t get to his dick or any pressure points, but I tried. I’d have bitten his damn nose off if he got

close enough, but he didn’t. He was too strong.” Maybe too determined as well. “I fought until I was seeing spots from lack of oxygen. I’m pretty sure that was his plan.” Reaper had taught her how to go for the vital areas first because in a head-to-head match, she couldn’t defeat strength, so the soft spots were crucial. A lot of good it’d done her this go round. Reaper nodded. “He had your scent. Not sure you could’ve escaped this outcome either way. Ooo...a banana.” He peeled the fruit. “What’s the tattoo on your neck?” “Emmerson House sigil.” He winced. “Ownership tattoo. That blows.”

“He says he didn’t order it put there, but that doesn’t make any sense. I keep wondering if I’m remembering things accurately from that night. His dad said so much that contradicts what Stone says.” “Why would either of them lie?” He groaned with his first bite of the banana. “I don’t know. His dad’s not a good man.” “He was a Regent.” She nodded. “Yep. But it’s treasonous to mark me without Stone’s permission, and I’m surprised Peter— that’s his dad—would go this far. That’s pretty ballsy even in this setting.” “It’s treasonous to aid your flight, and his mother didn’t care.”

Kella shrugged. He had a point. “Guess it doesn’t matter.” What’s done was done. “You know about the new Xeno?” “Yeah, I saw.” She thought about the window sheet and decided she’d give it to him before he left. Chances were the group was already in action. “Got a text right before I stepped in here. Creed chanced upon the team while transporting the girl to the Xcamp. He shot her guards and—” Her breath hitched. “They dead?” “Nah...he had the weapon turned to stun.” Whew! Kella breathed a sigh of relief. The innocents Jones murdered for treason in the crimson rain told her the

Regent was willing to turn the war dirty. Playing fair wasn’t in his vocabulary. Killing anyone in the Regency Guard would most likely result in a show of force, and Kella knew Jones didn’t need guilty victims, not when any innocent dreg would do. “They made it to the silos.” Reaper munched on his banana. “I’m meeting up with them after dark to give them the 30K you gave me for explosives, so I need you to hang out here with prince charming.” “Okay.” Stone wanted her to stay in anyway until he ensured her safety. “Rescuing a Xeno in broad daylight like this was risky.”

Creed sometimes thought with emotions rather than strategy. So far he’d been lucky and hadn’t gotten caught. “This was a spur-of-the-moment thing, and I plan to rip him a new asshole when we meet up.” She actually regretted she’d miss that drama. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad he was successful, but he jeopardized all of us with his stupidity. If he got caught, he could’ve ratted us all out.” “Yeah, hard to make changes if we’re all in jail. Can you imagine how that’d look for Stone to have his wife arrested?” The heat he’d endure because of her choices would reduce his credibility among his fellow Regents.

Inclining his head, he sipped the coffee. “You might have a point about leaving him.” Ignoring the way her belly protested with a swirl, she stuck to the conversation. “While you’re out tonight, run to my house and grab Retro’s sack of food. Dutch have any better luck hacking their system?” “She’s in.” Kella propped her elbows on the table and rubbed her forehead. Dutch’s impressive skills with tech were made even more impressive given their illegality for her low-class status. “Dutch tried to reach you.” Reaper poured another cup of java. “When she didn’t get you, she contacted me.”

“With Stone hot on my ass, I stashed my phone with the frams at the dig.” It wasn’t often she carried it on her person anyway. “She wants to meet with you to go over the video.” Reaper swirled his finger in front of his face. “But this new look of yours is going to make our cohorts fucking nervous.” “I’ll tell them the truth, unless you have a better idea.” Honesty among criminals was the only way Kella could think to play the scenario. “I don’t know. We’re fucked all around here.” “Maybe we can find another working V-chip and switch my appearance back and forth.”

“That black market tech is going to cost a fuckload more than you have.” “I have a lot more frams than you realize. Ask Creed, I’m sure he can come up with something. But I think we need to bring Dutch and Creed up to speed.” Sighing, he sat back. One clunky boot hit the edge of the table, jarring the dishes, and the other flopped down over the opposite ankle. “I’ll ask him.” He massaged his forehead with his fingertips. “This could go bad fast if Stone discovers it.” “Having a new V-chip identity could save him if I am implicated as an X-Ds.” Not to mention if she elected to leave before the eight-month period, she could

walk away without Stone knowing her new look. “How do you plan to pass the contracted eight months with your husband?” She shrugged, not wanting to discuss this with him. “No clue, but probably not staying that long.” “You should fuck him.” Startled by the suggestion, she choked on a strawberry. “Don’t be a prude, Mack. The more he trusts you, the less he’ll watch you.” “Would you fall for that?” “Fuck no.” “Then why do you think he would?” “He’s soft for you. That’s a weakness we can exploit.”

“Don’t you mean a weakness I can exploit?” He conceded with a one-shoulder shrug. “I don’t know if I can.” Kella twisted the napkin in her lap. She’d really liked the way he’d touched her earlier. Liked it a lot, and loved his kisses, but sleeping with him would engage her heart. She couldn’t risk that. “Sex isn’t my thing, you know. The shame I feel after letting someone use me that way...” “This is different. He’s your husband. All I’m saying is if you’re still attracted to Stone, use the safety net he’s given you to win back your sensuality. Don’t let fear stop you. He’s planning on

keeping you, so I know he’s attracted to you.” Kella chewed on her bottom lip. The biggest problem she kept seeing with that was she might not be able to walk away from Stone if she let down her guard. But she wasn’t sure she could resist his allure either. Why’d her biggest mistake have to be her biggest weakness?

TWENTY-TWO A little over an hour ago Stone and James had been led into Regent Jones’s office, told Jones would be ‘right with them’, and they’d proceeded to wait. And wait and wait some more. Stone recognized the ploy as a tactical play, Jones asserting his power. Unnecessary games among Regents were disrespectful in Stone’s opinion, but dictators seemed to get off on proving their dominance. Stone maintained his outward calm, but inside he seethed. Time was valuable, and he had plenty of other

important things to follow up on before the day ended. James sat on the edge of the humongous, pretentious desk, spinning the tip of his blade into the wood. An adolescent destruction of property, but Stone held back the reprimand since Jones made them wait. All the furniture fit Regent Jones’s personality. Ostentatious and overconfident. Most Regents suffered from overinflated arrogance. Maybe if Regent posts were elected ones, the uncertainty of their leadership might tone down their conceit, and have them implementing a blanket of fairness to all citizens. Then again, they’d never allow the dregs voting rights.

Fed up with the wait, he shoved out of the chair and confronted Jones’s secretary. The woman paled but went into action to locate Jones. Stone retreated to Jones’s office, leaving the door open between the two offices. “You carve your name into it yet?” he asked his bodyguard. “Thought about it.” James skipped the knife across his knuckles. “He thinks he’s undermining your authority.” Made no sense after the way Stone had nixed their attempt to overthrow him three years ago. “He’s an arrogant fool.” He glanced at his bulky watch, a twenty-first century antique presented to him by his father the day of Stone’s swearing in as Regent.

The antiquity of the timepiece had had him thinking of Kella. It’d been a bittersweet moment, made all the more ironic by discovering she was very much alive. Stone had stepped into the Regency at a young age. Most inherited the position upon their father’s death, or the role skipped generations and fell to the grandchildren. When Peter was diagnosed with a particularly volatile disease, a new one that the cybernetic doctor couldn’t heal, Stone had had to take over early. The cyber doc wasn’t a perfect piece of technology, unable to cure diseases that resulted after the pestilence, but it was better than nothing.

Since stress caused his dad’s current disease to worsen, Stone stepped up to his responsibilities and took over Quadrant13 at the age of twenty. Half the time he still felt like he fumbled through the position, but his father offered his support and gifted mind...along with his rancor when Stone neglected his advice, which was often. He’d made changes to honor the memory of his dead wife, but he regretted none of them. If Regent Jones pegged Stone as weak because of his age, the modifications to his Quad, or even his real concern for all his people, the other man made a crucial mistake. His to make, of course, and Stone wouldn’t

correct Jones’s error until it was too late for the other man. Stone motioned to James. “Let’s go.” “Regent Jones is coming, sir.” The secretary blocked his path. He glared down at the woman, his fingers curling into fists at his sides. “Move.” Had she been one of his people he would’ve repositioned her himself. The woman’s eyes rounded, and she trembled as she hustled ass to shift out of his way. The door at her back opened just as she moved, and Jones walked in behind her. “My apologies, son, for keeping you waiting.” Jones shut the door. Stone’s jaw hardened, and he met Jones eye-to-eye, getting into his

personal space. “It’s Regent Emmerson.” He reached around Jones and opened the door. “What of our meeting?” Jones gawked as if surprised Stone would dismiss him so casually. “Your meeting, I didn’t request it. I showed respect by allotting you my valuable time.” Left unvoiced was Jones’s disrespect toward Stone. “You’re welcome to walk with me if you wish to talk.” Stone breezed out the door with James following. “I had a time-sensitive issue.” “I don’t care.” Stone kept his tone unbending. “I have a time-sensitive issue awaiting me too.” Thoughts of Kella

melting to his caresses and kisses mellowed him just a little. Jones fell into stride beside him. “You should care. The X-Diplomats were involved. They’re your problem too.” Not my problem. “How so? I thought you dealt with the terrorists in the crimson rain.” Jones barred Stone’s exit through the door leading into the main hallway. “Unfortunately, that example didn’t deter them apparently. They’ve struck again.” Stone stared at the older man, unconcerned, but curious what their actions had been this time. “Go on.” “The Xeno we identified earlier, she was stolen from us within the last hour.”

“Who took her?” James asked from behind Stone. “X-Diplomats, of course.” “You’ve got proof the X-Diplomats are involved?” The rebellion was an easy target. Stone demanded substantial evidence before he handed down a guilty verdict. “Who else had motive to take her?” Jones narrowed his eyes. “Her parents could’ve hired mercenaries.” James stepped into view, his thumb swishing along the hilt of his knife sheathed at his waist. Stone thought the move made out of habit, more than a threat. “They’re barely surviving as it is. Please return to my office so we can

discuss this in private.” Stone gave a slow headshake. It’d be a cold day in hell before he gave the older man the satisfaction of submitting to his request. “Suspicion doesn’t prove X-Diplomats are involved. How much proof did you have before you executed the terrorists”—he called them terrorists loosely—“in the crimson rain?” “This is a war, boy.” “Regent Emmerson.” The scuff of metal against leather gave a sharp punch in the room when James whipped his blade back out. That was a direct threat. Jones’s slouched frame went straight, his shoulders squaring. “Tread carefully. There are cameras everywhere.” He flicked his hand

toward the ceiling. “You’re my esteemed guests, but accidents happen every day.” James smirked at him, a sneer that clearly taunted Jones to ‘bring it’ because it’d be the asshole’s funeral. “War doesn’t validate accusing innocents unjustly, Regent Jones.” Stone elected to maintain the tension between them, mostly because he preferred Jones discombobulated...and thinking he held all the cards. “You didn’t invite me here to compare war strategy. What do you want?” A long moment passed before Jones shifted his gaze from James to Stone. “Rumors suggest you were the last to speak with my Director. He’s gone

missing since your meeting. Have any idea where he is?” Somewhere you’ll never find him. “Don’t know. I’m not his babysitter.” James added, “Evans showed up as an uninvited guest. Haven’t seen him since he left.” The truth anyway you sliced it. “Are you responsible for his departure from my Quad?” “Are you accusing me of something, Regent Jones?” Loud silence descended. The only noise in the hall was the ticking of Stone’s military-grade watch. Jones ignored Stone’s question. “Rumors also say you located your deceased wife in my Quad.”

Stone nodded, biting back the urge to ask him just how long he’d known Mack was Kella. “Yes. She’d been V-chipped and had lost her memory. Her memory returned in chunks after we met the first time. Your director was culpable somehow, but I’m not sure of his full involvement.” You’re guilty too, you bastard, but I’m still working that out. “He invited me to your Quad with the hint I’d discover the truth about Kella.” “Still don’t know the whole truth.” James used the tip of his blade to pick dirt from beneath his nails. “Kella doesn’t even remember what happened. I’m just glad I have her back and that she’s safe. I guess I’m officially a honeymooner.” He gave Jones a broad

grin, not caring how well he sold the lie since he knew Jones had known who she was all along. “You’ll understand my need to return to her.” Stone nudged past the other Regent, pushing the door open. He thought that’d be the end of it since Jones didn’t initially follow, but then he yelled out, “What was her former identity?” Like you don’t know, you lying fucker. Halting his stride, and aware of the civilians milling about the Regency hall, Stone turned just enough to peer at Jones. “Mack Ellason.” “Mack?” The Regent’s brows pulled together in mock surprise, but there was just enough overdramatic posturing to

come across as plausible. “Impossible. I vetted her myself when she filed for her first dig. Her credentials passed all inspections. No way Mack is your wife.” “Afraid she is.” James ridiculed him with a smarmy smile. “Your money maker is someone else’s chattel.” Kella would hate to have herself called that, but Stone knew James played up their story. “I had my doubts initially too, but she knew things only Kella would know. I killed the vanity chip myself. Watched her change from Mack to Kella myself.” Regent Jones mulled over the information, Stone suspected he plotted his next move. Given the sizeable state

of Kella’s dig, he was losing a valuable asset. “You understand I cannot just take your word for it. I’ll meet with her to determine the accuracy of your story.” A few patrons actually stuttered in step over that, and the sharp glances told their own tale. Most everyone in the foyer likely knew Stone’s identity, and that two Regents faced off. “My wife will not meet with you, Regent Jones.” Stone shortened the distance between them. “You go too far if you believe I’ll subject her to an inquisition. She’s my property, and I’ve proof of her identity. We both know my word is all that’s required. Are you questioning my word?”

A hard glint entered the other man’s eyes. “Not at all. Her dig—” “Has been transferred into my name.” They stared at one another as Jones’s cheeks went ruddy. Stone could see the frustration in the other man’s eyes. Thwarted at every turn, and he knew Regent Jones was a man used to getting his way. Had the site been located within the Quadrant’s city limits, the claim would be lost to Kella and Stone. That it was beyond the city gates in the treacherous badlands, made it out of Regent Jones’s jurisdiction. “I’ve indulged my wife and granted her eight months to settle her affairs. If that’s a problem for you, we’ll leave

immediately. Otherwise, we’ll be out of your hair in no time.” “Of course.” Those two words seemed hard for him to utter, the blush in his cheeks deepening to spread across his face and neck. He gave a cursory survey to those present. “I hope you and your lovely bride will do me the honor of dining with me and my wife once you’re settled. My wife would enjoy the distraction from political parties.” “Send me an invite.” Stone turned away, dismissing the other man. “James.”

The moment they hit the streets, Stone breathed a sigh of relief. Something

wasn’t right. “Find out where Kella and Reaper were during the Xeno abduction.” That request caused James to stutterstep. “You think they’re involved with the X-Diplomats?” “I hope the fuck not.” Putting as much distance from the Quad’s palace as fast as possible, he kept his strides wide and fast-paced. James held step with him. Pedestrians moved out of their way to allow them to pass. “The holy terror might be feisty, and capable of this level of stupidity, but what in hell gave you this harebrained idea?” Feisty, yeah, but he’d never shared with James the big dreams he and Kella

had had almost a decade ago. “Something she said.” “Care to share with the class?” “Not so much what she said, but how she said it.” Stone was probably reading more into her reaction than he should, but he couldn’t shake his gut feeling. “She was extremely upset when we saw the accused terrorists executed in the square.” “I’m pretty sure the shock value and fear is what Jones was going for. Easier to keep the cattle in line that way.” “James, she was adamant they weren’t involved with the X-Ds. Like maybe she knows who the members of the group are, or she is a member.”

James smiled at a girl on the street, but didn’t look back, so he knew his buddy wasn’t truly interested. “I’m not buying into the conspiracy theory on this one, but I believe in trusting your gut. We’ll keep a sharp eye on her. You know that fuckwad of a Regent is plotting something too. He won’t let her slip through his fingers easily.” “Yeah.” “Underestimating him would be a grave mistake, Stone.” “Since when do we underestimate anyone?” He blew out a breath. Who knew a woman would complicate his life so much? “I gave Kella her freedom, and bound her to me as my wife for eight months, with an exit clause then.”

“If she’s X-Ds, you’ll have to renege on that deal. Can’t let her keep that shit up.” “Why not?” They entered the hotel. “As kids we dreamed of changing the system. This is a perfect way to start a revolution.” “I don’t get paid enough for your bullshit.” James groaned. “Doesn’t matter. You were kids. We all dream big as kids, and then adulthood smashes the rose-colored glasses of youth and we accept that we can’t change the real world.” What big dream of James’s had been smashed? “Changes have to start somewhere.”

Striding along the hallway to their rooms, James put Stone against the wall with a hand to his shoulder. “That type of thinking will put a target on your head.” “I’ve already got targets on my head,” he scoffed. “This type of thinking is what’s required of a Regent.” Excitement zinged through his system. The chance at making a real difference beyond his Quad electrified him. His buddy cursed, opened the door to his bedroom, and yanked Stone inside. “Regents should be watching out for all their people and not just the ones that have money. I’ve always thought it wrong to indenture a girl simply because she tests positive,” Stone went on once

the door was shut. “It’s why I closed the clinics, and you supported that.” “Is this Kella talking? Motherfuck!” James palmed his forehead. “Closing clinics was the right thing to do in your Quad. Taking on the other Regents’ manner of handling X-genes is a suicide mission.” “I own one of two of the only working teleport machines in the world.” Most of the elite chose to use my machine because it is the most stable of the two. “With one click of a button we eliminate their abilities to escape and make them vulnerable to an insurrection. I have the drone, I have assassins loyal to me, and soldiers ready

to die for me. I am not without power here.” “Jesus fucking Christ! You have a death mission.” “Tell me this, James. If it’s okay to treat X-genes born to low-income families this way, why don’t we treat the privileged children the same? Why aren’t they auctioned to the highest bidder too? It’s a double standard.” “I repeat. You’re going to get yourself killed.” “It’s your job to keep me alive. If a thirty-year-old man fucked a fourteenyear-old girl, we’d string him up as a pedophile. Why are Xeno’s treated differently?”

“We didn’t make the rules. They were put in place for a reason, and you know it. You have one inkling your starry-eyed wife might be involved in the X-Ds and you’re ready to martyr yourself for a cause that doesn’t affect you. I need a fucking drink, and you need some sense knocked into you.” The glass decanter hit the rim of the goblet and made a sharp pinging noise as James made good on acquiring liquor. “James, you know I’m right. By law, if you have a daughter and she tests positive, she’d be auctioned.” He wouldn’t back down. “How would you feel about that, brother? You willing to go along with the rules because they were put in place for a reason?”

James downed the liquor and poured another. Using his hand holding the glass, he pointed his finger at him. “I’m pretty fucking sure I’d want to kill you for not making her a special exception.” “Hypocrisy.” Just as he thought, everyone cheerfully submitted to the status quo so long as their family remained unaffected. “Kella’s no longer starry eyed. She’s nothing like the girl we knew.” “I liked the holy terror we knew.” So did he, but he admired her current fortitude. “She’s jaded as all get out, and I can’t blame her. You weren’t there the day she was auctioned, you didn’t hear what potential buyers said about her, the way they viewed her like cattle, the

things they openly spoke about doing to her.” His fingers curled into fists. “I wanted to bloody all their noses in her defense, but I had to play the coldhearted part of buyer because if I’d looked too interested my dad probably would’ve shut me down. I can only imagine how humiliated she felt. No girl should have to endure that. I’m not broken up that the new Xeno was abducted, provided she was saved and not sold on the black market.” Deplorable shit like that went on far too often. “It’s time for a change, James.” “You’re a fool. And you’re giving me a headache.” He touched the glass to his forehead.

“If we’re not brave enough to make a change, how can we look our children in the eyes and say we did everything we could to make their world a better place? A safe place?”

TWENTY-THREE Stone entered his bedroom a little while later, his aggression somewhat sedated after the guard stationed outside confirmed Kella and Reaper hadn’t left at any time during the day. He’d expected her to attempt an escape. Pleased she’d followed his request—for now—he put faith in his gut nonetheless. Kella might not be an X-Ds, but at the very least she knew the identity of some. He’d bet his Regency on that speculation. That she might be playing fast and loose with her life irritated and worried him. Nothing much he could do

about it. Until she trusted him enough with her secrets, providing her protection would pose a serious Catch22. Earning her faith required patience and time, but he would discover her secrets. Retro bolted from Kella’s lap to skitter around his feet, yipping in that high-pitched tenor that stung his eardrums. His wife gave him a hesitant glance as he knelt to fondle the kippy. When she discovered the creature was actually a rat with hair, he’d tell her he told her so because the kippy was the weirdest looking pet he’d ever seen. But sweet. Against his better judgment, he grew fond of the thing.

“You’re bunking with James tonight.” Maybe that’d suffice as a tipoff for Reaper to vacate the room right this fucking minute. The two friends continued to play cards, ignoring his blunt hint. Not long ago Stone had been her best friend instead of Reaper. He wanted that closeness with her again. Untrue, he craved much more than friendship, but he would settle for camaraderie as a starting point. Anything to get closer to her. Kella desired him, but for reasons that evaded him she denied her attraction. Unwanted jealousy slithered through him at her easy relationship with Reaper. There was no guarantee she

wasn’t interested in the other man as a lover. But then she’d had plenty of time to engage in that liaison but the best he could tell, nothing sexual lingered between them. She had responded earlier to Stone. Honest desire couldn’t be faked, and it spoke much louder than her denial. “You’re dismissed, Reaper.” “Don’t be rude to my friend!” Fingertips white, she gripped the cards. He should teach her how to throw them like ninja stars. Her grip would be the first change-up. “We’re in the middle of a game.” Stone gave her a one-shoulder shrug. “Then he shouldn’t cock block me, sunshine. Game’s over, Reaper. Beat it.”

“Stone!” Reaper chuckled. “Mack, it’s okay.” “Her name’s Kella.” Hearing the fake name irritated Stone, reminded him of the years he’d lost and her desperation to escape a life with him. “No disrespect, but she’ll always be Mack to me.” His chair legs scrubbed against the floor when he pushed it away from the table. Reaper lingered, giving her a pointed stare. “Remember my advice.” Something passed between them, but no words were spoken. The moment Reaper exited through the adjoining door, she turned on Stone. “You were rude.”

“I was honest.” More than he could say for her. He placed the jewelry box on the table. “Yours.” The moment she recognized it as the one he’d pilfered from her dig, her gaze snapped to him. “You knew it was me?” “Yes.” “How?” She fingered the etchings on the wooden box, popped the lid and surveyed the contents. “It’s all there.” “I wasn’t thinking you stole any.” She shut the lid. “How’d you know it was me?” “Mark Evans had already told me Mack Ellason had information on my not-so-dead wife. You denied any knowledge of Kella, so I couldn’t figure

out how you two fit together. When the cyber doc found your vanity chip and your Xeno ranking, the puzzle pieces fell together.” “I knew Reaper shouldn’t have accepted your medical aid.” “You’d be dead if he hadn’t.” Mule headed failed to describe her accurately. “You’re not getting in my pants, Stone.” Changing the subject, she avoided his gaze, by focusing on stacking the deck of cards, taking the time to turn each card the same way. “So there was no rush to get rid of Reaper.” Being nervous by their seclusion was understandable, but he had no intention of allowing her to run from him either. Normally he’d use every

advantage at his fingertips, but for the first time in a long time he felt out of his league with a woman. Binding her to him through intimacy was the only thing he could think of. And...he really wanted to be the one to give her pleasure for the first time. The idea she’d sold herself to survive churned his belly, but he wouldn’t judge her decisions. Not when it came to survival. Telling her she would’ve been safe as his wife were hollow words. She had to believe them, and for the moment she doubted everything he uttered. “You’re giving me something else, if not today then soon, but it’s something just as precious to me.”

Kella’s eyes widened, and her tongue snaked out, the tip swishing along her bottom lip. Heartbeats ticked by as they stared at one another. She sent a quick peek in the direction Reaper had exited, before her focus lowered to the kippy that’d returned to nestle in her lap. Her fingers slid through Retro’s fur, and the fur ball began to do her purringslash-growling thing. The kippy tilted her puffy head toward Kella’s digits. Jealousy slammed into him. What he wouldn’t give for her to touch him like that. Focused solely on her pet, her voice trembled when she finally spoke. “I won’t allow you to touch me.” “Why?”

“I’m not interested is a good enough reason.” “We both know it’s a lie.” Kella ditched rubbing her pet and began to shuffle the cards, her movements easy as she watched them flicker through the scuffle and glide into a resting place. But her actions testified to her nerves. “We’re complicated, Stone.” “Our contract simplified our relationship. Very uncomplicated.” “I’m not ready or willing to pick back up with our relationship as if eight years of betrayal doesn’t hang between us.” “You’re the only one clinging to the bitterness of those lost years.”

“I’m not even close to the girl I was then. There are things you don’t know about me. Things I’ve done that would change your opinion of me.” The flickflick-flicking sound of the cards droned on and on. Stone wanted to yank the goddamn deck from her grasp and demand she confront the real issue. “You sold your body to survive. How much worse could it get than that?” A slight flinch. “A lot. You’re a Regent—” “That doesn’t define me as a person any more than you being a terrorist defines you as a person.” The cards went flying around her, fluttering to the carpet, table, and even

her lap. Retro protested with a yowl. Panic created tiny lines from the corners of her eyes, and her breathing escalated. She tossed another glance at the doorway, and he predicted she contemplated making a run for it. “Why’d you call me that?” The tremble in her voice gave her away. She wasn’t nearly as confident with her bluff as she wanted to seem. “You deny it?” “Yes,” the word emerged as nothing more than a whisper, but she avoided his gaze. “Of course I do.” A lie, he was sure. “Fleeing me makes you a terrorist by the laws of some Regents.”

“Don’t call me that here in this Quad, Stone, or you’ll find me executed in the next crimson rain. Proof isn’t required for a guilty verdict.” Over my dead fucking body. Scratching the scruff on his jaw, he pondered the actions of the X-Ds. He could only account for her whereabouts today, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t involved with the saboteurs somehow. “You know any terrorists, wife?” “Should I?” She focused awfully hard on that animal in her lap. All right, he’d try a different tactic to get his point across. “Remember the time you spiked the punch of the visiting Regent? Regent Eric, I think was his name?” He knew damn well the man’s

name was Eric. “You had him tossing up his cookies for almost a week.” “I remember. Momma was worried she’d lose her job, and your daddy took his belt to my ass.” She cringed and wiggled a little in her seat as if she could feel the sting of the belt on her bottom to this day. Stone had held her through her sobs, angry with his parent for being too hard on her. She’d been honest about her guilt, but he’d known in his heart Kella wouldn’t have created mischief without a reason. Despite finding trouble even when she hadn’t been looking for it, she hadn’t been a vindictive girl, and often showed how gentle-hearted she was. If she went after someone, she always had

a valid reason. Justice had been important to her then, and he had confidence she hadn’t outgrown that particular characteristic. That evening Regent Eric retched publicly all over the dinner table, an embarrassment for a man of his esteem. The doctor had been called, and Eric had been so weak servants had carried him to his room. His father had instigated an investigation. Later Stone found his parent and his girl in his father’s office. He’d immediately gone to her defense and received punishment for going against his dad. No belt had been taken to him though, because Regents rarely doled out corporal discipline to their own

children. Physical penance was solely reserved for the dreg class. A double standard that disturbed Stone then and still to this day because there remained too much diversity between the classes. “You never told me why you did it.” Kella focused all her energy on the kippy, shrugging. “Your dad promised my punishment would be worse if I told anyone.” Worse? He’d interrupted what amounted to abuse, and he’d been horrified by his dad’s behavior. His parent had flipped her skirt up, put her over his desk, and used his belt on her naked bottom. Her tender flesh had been bruising when Stone discovered them, Kella screaming, knuckles white from

holding onto the desk his father had bent her over, and begging for his mercy. Leniency apparently was reserved for the privileged too because his father had ignored her entreaties and continued to beat her, rearing his arm back and delivering strike after strike. Icy fury had kicked him in the gut. That his father had dared to assault Stone’s girl, yeah, even then she’d been his in his heart. The incident occurred a year before she left them, a thirteen-year-old girl, and he’d been vehement that her modesty should’ve been protected. Vehement that the punishment didn’t fit the crime, that it was the job of a Regent to shelter her too just like they protected the esteemed

class. His father had railed that dregs, even girls, should respect their peers, and that Kella was lucky he hadn’t allowed the other Regent to execute the punishment. Stone couldn’t imagine Eric’s mistreatment could’ve been harsher, given Kella’s abused state. If she would promise she’d never retaliate again, his dad vowed the chastisement would cease. Through their argument Kella had bawled, ignoring his parent’s demands to make the ‘goddamn promise’. It’d been the first time he took a stand against one of his parents. Neither his father nor Kella would explain why she’d attacked the visiting Regent. But he’d refused to allow further

punishment. Challenging Peter, Stone had blocked her from his dad’s heavyhand, carefully pulled her panties up her legs and over her discolored bottom, lowered her skirt, and carried her out of his father’s office. He’d met his dad’s eyes right before exiting the room and said, “Never ever touch my girl again without my permission.” It’d been a bold move at his tender age, but he would’ve found a way to protect her before he’d allow her mistreated again. Peter’s eyes had widened, and his nostrils had flared, but he’d never laid a finger on her again. If something occurred, he’d told Stone to deal with her and then derided him for being too lenient with her.

On the long walk to Stone’s bedroom that evening, she’d muttered over and over that her momma mattered too. She’d refused to explain more than that, and he’d eventually dropped the subject. The too-harsh reprimand harmed his relationship with his father to this day. Any time Stone made a decision his father disliked, Peter brought up the incident. “My dad’s no longer in charge, so why’d you do it?” Peeking at him through her lashes, she seemed hesitant, but then murmured, “Regent Eric raped Momma...in the worst way.” “Sodomy?” Stone asked to clarify.

She nodded. “He made me watch. Momma was hurt, required medical attention, and could barely perform her duties, but your dad wouldn’t release her from her duties. Regent Jackass Eric didn’t care because she was a dreg and ‘didn’t matter’. And before you ask, yes, he said that.” She pushed her hair over her shoulder. “He promised he’d slit her throat and rape me next if she told anyone.” Anger bled through him. “I knew you had a reason. Did you tell my father?” “Yeah, of course. He didn’t care either. He told me this was a lesson in the way the world worked and our station in it.”

This information rocked the foundation of Stone’s belief system. His dad had taught him all lives mattered, dregs and the privileged. Apparently, he’d been speaking out of both sides of his mouth because he’d sided with a rapist over an innocent woman under the protection of his home. His father didn’t deserve the respect of his rank. This is the man I have running the show. That must change immediately. “What’s the point in this horrible flashback?” she asked, yanking him from his upsetting reflections. “I knew you’d executed the action for a reason. I believed in you, Kella. You didn’t have a mean streak in your body. No way you’ve changed that much.

Whatever actions you make, the ones you think will change my opinion of you, I know you have a reason for them, like you’ve always had valid reasons for any vengeance you’ve undertaken.” Stone came away from the table, caught the leg of her chair with the side of his foot, and jerked the seat away from the table, causing it to create a loud screeching noise against the wood surface. Retro bolted from her lap with a hiss-growl combo. Kella gave a small squeal of surprise. Placing his hands on the arms of the chair, he invaded her space. She labored to maintain eye contact, but her gaze kept dropping to his mouth. He bit back a triumphant grin. Not interested in me my

ass. He was playing for keeps, so he gave her the truth straight up. “Kella, I don’t give a fuck if you’re X-Ds, I won’t walk away from you. You’re mine for the next eight months, and I plan to use every single second convincing you to stay with me and praying you’ll somehow find it within you to determine I’m worth trusting with your darkest secrets. Now kiss me.” “No,” a breathy whisper, nothing more, telling him she lacked the conviction of her standpoint. Stone put his fingers through her hair, relishing the silky texture of the black locks. Sooner rather than later, he hoped to wrap the strands around his hand and hold her beneath him as he drove her

crazy with climaxes. “Kiss me, and I’ll give you the present I had delivered for you.” “I don’t want your present.” “You’ll want this one.” Her green eyes lifted. “I’m trying to protect you. Please let me.” “Sunshine, I’m not sure what gave you the idea I can’t protect myself, but I’m pleased you care enough about me to try.” He leaned in, until their breaths puffed against each other. “Be brave and kiss me. I promise I won’t take it further than a kiss.” She bit her bottom lip, and her lashes slid down. Shaking her head, she murmured, “I don’t want to want you.”

“I know.” Stone tugged her bottom lip free of her teeth and dragged the pad of his thumb across the abused flesh. “I want you enough for both of us.” Kella’s breath grew ragged, and she blindly lifted her hand to trail her fingers across his jaw. She opened her eyes, her gaze connecting with his for a moment before she tilted her head to close the distance between them, meshing their mouths together. He allowed her to set the pace until her tongue gave a timid slide across the seam of his lips. Stone threaded his fingers through her hair, and cupped the back of her head so he could angle her mouth to devour her. His tongue thrust inside to salsa with hers. Her little moan was his

undoing. Keeping their mouths connected, he drew her to her feet and lifted her against his chest. She wrapped her legs around his waist as he turned and sat in the chair, snuggling her to him. She draped her arms around his neck, and straddled him, with a knee on each side of his legs. She blanketed his body with hers, her nipples boring through their clothing against his chest. His cock punched against his zipper as her pussy connected with his crotch. God. He deepened the kiss and reveled in her deep-throated sighs. With one hand in her hair, keeping her in place for his kisses, Stone slid his free hand up her spine. He loved the way she felt in his arms. Perfect. Where she

belonged. And the way she rocked her cunt against his erection testified to her yearning, but he suspected she executed her erotic movements without conscious decision. “I’m scared,” she whispered against his mouth, her lids half-mast with passion. Her confession caught him unaware as he skated his hand beneath the edge of her shirt to rub his palm along the skin of her low back. “Of me?” “No. Yes.” She buried her face against his neck. As he waited for her to explain, he kneaded her scalp and rubbed her silky flesh, while his dick pulsed an objection to their conversation, fancying an altogether

different exchange. Good thing his lower brain wasn’t in charge since earning her trust was key to their future. Kella’s fingers toyed with the short hairs at his nape. “I trusted your dad to do the right thing when Regent Eric raped Momma, and he failed me...her...us. I trusted you, and I got bought. I know what you said, but someone told me something different that night, and it contradicts your claims. I—I don’t know who to believe. I want to trust you, but...” Stone waited because her voice trembled with her insecurity, and he despised her ambiguity toward him. “I’m scared of giving in to you and losing myself, Stone, only to be deceived in the end. I’m so tired of

getting burned. I couldn’t survive your betrayal. Not a second time.” Even though her honesty delighted him, anger simmered in his gut. He didn’t rehash the argument of his innocence, that he never betrayed her. She’d believed he had. That was all that mattered. Had the lies of another encouraged her flight? Would their lives be different had he insisted on walking out of the auction at Kella’s side instead of following protocol and allowing her to be brought to him? He kissed her neck, while giving a silent vow he would teach her to trust him by starting with the fucker who turned her against him. “Who told you something different?”

“I don’t want to tell you.” Stalling had him deducing the person’s identity was someone close to him. “Kella, I can’t earn your trust if you won’t give me the rope to hang myself.” “Reaper told me to earn your trust by fucking you.” “He’s a wise man.” I’ll pay the bastard back for that piece of counsel. The fucker. As far as advice went, it was sage. Stone wouldn’t hesitate to employ the same tactic if he thought it’d advance his position—with someone other than Kella, because he played for keeps with her. He would pursue justice against the asshole because he suggested the ploy so she could escape once more. Guess he’d have to convince Reaper of his good

intentions too. That Stone was the only man for Kella. They were one heart, one soul, and he would die so that she breathed. Stone would rise to the challenge they presented. He was aware she’d changed the subject, so he prodded. “Tell me who turned you against me and what lies they told you.”

TWENTY-FOUR Exposing his father as the one who’d tipped her over the edge to flee warred with her sense of guilt. She didn’t want to be the one who came between him and his parent. If he believed her. Regent Jones sure as hell wouldn’t take her word over another of higher status. Stone very well might not. It was his parent. Even if he did believe her, he might choose to do nothing about it. In the end, she decided she had nothing to lose. And if nothing else, she’d know the caliber of her husband.

She was too comfy nestled in his embrace. Felt safe. What she was about to say shouldn’t be uttered in a safe environment, so she sat up and rested her hands, palms down, on her thighs. Touching him while confessing Peter’s betrayal felt wrong, and she wanted to distance herself, shift off his lap, but his clasp on her hips anchored her in place. She struggled to hold his gaze, but she owed him an unflinching stare as she made the claims against his father. After taking a deep breath, she said, “Your dad.” Stone reacted as if she physically struck him. His face fell, only for him to catch himself and blank his features. They lost eye contact as he looked over

her shoulder. He nodded, a slow movement as he digested the bomb she detonated. “Tell me exactly what Dad said.” The hard edge to his tone left her even more uncomfortable in her position on his lap. She wiggled to exit his seat, but his grip tightened. “I want you here.” “I shouldn’t have said anything.” “I don’t want any secrets between us.” He slithered an arm around her waist, holding her snug against him. “Tell me everything.” “I could be lying.” “You’re not.” He sounded so sure, and she hated the idea of being predictable. “You can’t know for sure.”

“You have tells, sunshine.” She did not. Reaper would’ve told her. “No, I don’t. What are they?” “I’m not revealing my one advantage.” His grip left her hip and curled around her nape. With his eyes open, he tugged her against him, his mouth claiming hers in a kiss that curled her toes and left her core tingling...and he never stopped watching her. That he watched her was hot as hell. “Tell me what happened.” “You think those kisses get you everything.” She would’ve never predicted kissing could be this fun or arousing. Praying the wetness between her legs wasn’t noticeable against his pants, she dove back in for another kiss.

“Not even close.” Stone’s hold on her neck firmed as he Eskimo kissed her, his blue eyes holding hers. “You are my everything, Kella. My sunshine, the center of my universe. I don’t have everything until you admit you’re mine.” Emotions overwhelmed her, and she jerked into a seated position and looked away, blinking away the sudden onset of tears. She’d never make it eight months before she lost her heart. She’d be lucky if she lasted a month. “I won’t ask what brought on those tears because I’m afraid you’ll lie and piss me off.” He cupped her chin and turned her head to face him. “I’ve not contacted my parents yet about finding

you. Tell me what happened so I can decide how to proceed.” Kella swallowed hard, and his thumb trailed the bob down her neck. “Your dad had the sigil put on me.” Stone’s fingers traced the tattoo, but remained silent. “He said I was a slut and the tattoo would keep me honest, remind others who I belonged to.” A hard glint entered Stone’s eyes, but again he said nothing. “He said you planned to have a few babies with me and if we timed it just right, I could pop out a couple before my eighteenth birthday. Then you’d be free to find a woman more suited to your station to marry. He said you were delighted to discover I was a Xeno. You could screw me

without losing respect among your peers because the privileged didn’t slum with the dregs.” “Kella—fuck.” He leaned his head back against the chair and ran his palm down his face. “I never thought that way about you. Never.” She nodded. She’d believed that until Peter destroyed her world with the claim. “You have to believe me. I was planning your birthday party, baking your rainbow cake with the help of your mom when I got the news. I was horrified and wanted to go to you, but I was shut out of the X-gene compound on Peter’s orders. Your mom tried to hide her devastation, but I saw it. I didn’t want you to

experience anything that the Xeno’s endured. James and I went into action the moment we found out.” That perplexed her. “Why’d James care?” “Why wouldn’t he care? You were his friend too.” “Satan’s got a funny way of showing his friendship, Stone.” God, she found him sexy as sin when that slight curve hit his lips. “He gives you hell because he likes you. And because I claimed you as mine, he took responsibility for you too. I wasn’t his only charge. He felt he’d let me down when we thought you died. Anyway, I tried to talk Dad into exempting you from the auction, but he flat out refused.

Claimed his hands were tied, but I knew he just didn’t care to alter the system. I’ve always thought he preferred the system the way it was. Easy money, you know? So I went to Mom, told her I wanted to buy you so I could keep you safe. She knew you meant too much to me to let some stranger get their hands on you. Ask her, Kella, she’ll tell you I planned to offer you the deal. If you can trust anyone, you know it’s her since she’s responsible for your escape.” Kella nodded again because she couldn’t think of anything to say. Was she a fool for withholding her trust? He’d been straightforward and honest with her as kids. But then his dad made his claims, and she doubted everything

they’d had. All eight years of their friendship. Had she lost out on the last eight years due to a lie? “It’s okay, sunshine. I can outlast your distrust.” “It’s not okay. I want to believe you, want to put my faith in you, but everyone I know in authority is so...wicked.” She shook her head and berated herself for doubting him. Stone had forgiven her defection. Only a good man did that. Had he been anything like Regent Jones or his father, he’d have made her suffer physically, not shown understanding. She cupped his cheeks between her hands. “How’d you turn into a good man, Stone, when you’re surrounded by corruption?”

“I’m pretty sure if you hadn’t shown up in my life, I’d be just like them.” “That’s not true.” “Don’t you know you’re the only person that ever questioned my choices? Demanded more from me, made me culpable for my actions? Mom didn’t even do that. You made me see things through a different set of eyes. Sunshine, the day you entered my life, I was determined to show you who was boss because I was superior to a dreg. I believed it. And you were unimpressed by my status. It didn’t take me long to realize you are special, required my protection, and you are my better.” She shook her head, but he sat up straight and wrapped his arms around her, cuddling

her against him. “I shut down the clinics in my Quad. I’ve given equality to the dregs, provided housing, technology, and education. It’s mandatory for all children to attend school. Every change I made after your death was done in your honor. I wanted our dreams to mean something, to make you proud of me even in death. You made me a better person, no one else was responsible for that.” Kella swiped moisture from her eyes. “I’m sorry.” “Don’t be.” He caught her hands and kissed the tears from her cheeks. “You did what you felt you had to do. I regret the years we lost, that I somehow failed you—” “You didn’t.”

“—and I can’t even think of the horrors you probably endured, how you struggled alone and unprotected. I want to focus on our future.” Throat thick with emotion, she pushed through the ache. “I can’t promise a happy ending, but I can give you me for eight months. Just me uninhibited and yours.” “Kella.” His mouth took hers again, his tongue fucking her. Not only had she just made the biggest decision of her future, she felt like the embrace sealed their deal. “I won’t let you regret this choice.” She chuckled between his kisses. “Stone,” she came up for air, tilting her head back so she could speak and

mentally groaned as he took advantage of her new position to kiss along her neck. “You can’t control what I regret.” “I can if I don’t give you a reason to regret anything.” He flashed her a playful grin and then groaned. “Unfortunately, I can’t keep hogging you. Your gift is eager to see you.” “You’re not making sense.” “I will in a minute.” He set her on her feet, laced their fingers together, and led her to the adjoining door. The one Reaper had departed through earlier. Tugging her to his side, he pressed a kiss to her temple as he opened the door. On the other side another woman stood dressed in a skirt and sedate blouse. Her black hair was secured out of her face.

“Kella?” The older woman said, her voice trembling. Kella shot a stunned glance at Stone. He smiled. “Surprise.” The subsequent bear hug she found herself wrapped up in caused the waterworks to return. “Momma,” she said as her mother’s familiar scent struck her. “I’ve missed you so much.” Kella didn’t know how long they stood hugging one another and crying happy tears together, she just knew they were alone when they finally broke apart. They talked into the wee hours of the morning. She laughed inside when her mom scolded her for running away from her problems instead of facing them

head on, and for putting Stone through the misery of her death. Through her mom’s recounting she realized how much Stone had mourned her. She fell asleep with that realization going through her head. She didn’t know what time it was when Stone woke her by sliding into bed beside her, spooning with her, and drawing the covers over them. “Thank you,” she whispered, her voice groggy. “My pleasure.” He kissed the back of her neck, his hot breath against her skin causing desire to curl in her belly. “Go back to sleep. You’ll need your rest. We have a video-call with my parents in the morning after breakfast.”

Kella woke to a soft knock on the door. Mid-stretch she realized she was alone in the bed with Retro at her feet. The snick of the door opening, the muted tones of Stone greeting the server, and plates rattling on metal had her opening her eyes. Stone’s hair was damp. He was shirtless, and a pair of well-worn jeans hung low on his hips. Barefoot, he joined the bellhop at the table and nodded at the fare delivered. When the worker departed, Kella sat up, realizing she remained fully clothed in the leather pants she’d been wearing last night. Same shirt and bra too. “Morning.”

He looked up. “Good morning, sleepyhead.” She glanced at the clock. Eight-thirty. She was normally up before the crows. “Why didn’t you wake me?” “There’s no rush. Did you enjoy your night with Judy?” “Very much.” Kella rolled off the bed and joined him at the table. He poured a mug of coffee and handed it to her. “Thank you. She wants me to show her my dig, office, my house, and anything else so she can get a sense of my life these past years.” “How much of your life did you tell her?” Eying her over the rim of his drink, he sipped.

“Not a lot.” Kella ran her fingertip along the handle of her mug. “I didn’t want to see the look in her eyes when she realized what I’ve become.” “You’ve nothing to be ashamed of, Kella.” “Yeah.” Hard to believe that when she felt shame. “Thought I’d take her to the dig today, maybe the house if we have time.” “Take Reaper with you. Jones is still a threat.” “She sure is a fan of yours.” She sipped the brew after stirring in sugar and cream. “Did you pay her to sing your praises?” He chuckled, and she shivered at the sexy sound. “Wish I’d thought of that.”

“Thank you for being there for her...since, you know, I wasn’t.” Kella hadn’t given much thought to how hurt her mother would be. Not until last night. She’d been a selfish little girl, seeing her own misery and thinking of no one but herself. “Of course. She was there for me too,” he said as he heaped food on his plate. “Get that look out of your eyes.” Startled by the abrupt change in his tone, from mild to stern, she gaped at him. “What look?” “Guilt. She forgives you. I forgive you. We’re both just thankful you’re alive.” Kella slid him a sideways glance. He was either too good to be true or

he’d pull the rug from beneath her feet soon. Time would tell.

TWENTY-FIVE “Mom. Dad,” Stone said when his parents came into view on the hologram in the center of the table. He’d gotten little sleep last night after discovering the truth, but he’d enjoyed cuddling with his bride as she slept. All warm and relaxed in his embrace, her breathing even, trusting him to protect her while defenseless. She smelled like woman, and coconut. My sunshine, the center of my universe. He would protect her even from his family. His mom, Lucy, smiled, but his dad, Peter took over the conversation like

always. “Son, I gave Katarina your location, I don’t understand why she returned so quickly.” “You overstepped your boundaries again, father.” He glanced at his wife hidden in the shadows near the window. His parent had a nasty habit of overstepping his position. Stone took responsibility for not putting a halt to it sooner. He just hadn’t realized how long it’d been going on. “If I’d wanted her here I’d have sent for her.” “Stone—” “Silence.” His dad went mute, face souring, while his mother shot Peter a cautious glance. “Her abrupt arrival caused a predicament. This wasn’t a vacation, Dad, but a retrieval mission.

Katarina nearly ruined it. This is the last time you will interfere with my business.” “You make it sound as if I’m always interfering.” He did. It’d been a damn nuisance for the last three years, but Stone had tolerated it because Peter was his parent, and he respected his father. But no longer, he’d discovered the truth and the extent his parent would go to impose his will over Stone. “Should I remind you of Geneva? Or Birmingham? What about with Miss Dewyer? How you went behind my back to keep the X-gene clinics open when I closed them? Our newly implemented fair-worker practices. Your meddling with the public

schools?” Those were just the ones off the top of his head and the ones he knew about. What else had his dad sabotaged that Stone had yet to discover? “What is this about, Stone? A father cannot help his son when he’s making a mistake?” Awesome. Now his parent would take the pious road and get affronted by having his ‘good intentions’ pointed out. Peter was not the injured party here. Kella was. “All of them are successful. Hardly mistakes.” How he managed to sound calm while he seethed inside was a mystery to him. Stone could’ve forgiven most anything, but injury to Kella...never. “They would’ve been

successful sooner had you not interfered.” Peter’s cheeks reddened. “I hate to tell you this, son, but your shady decisions as Regent have lost you respect among your peers. They laugh at you behind your back.” “I don’t give a rat’s ass what other Regents think of me. I care about the people, my people, and you should’ve too. You’re a poor leader. Wicked and corrupt like so many of the others in charge. All you care about is lining your pockets and belittling those beneath you.” The things Kella had divulged, along with what Regent Jones had said of his parent, opened Stone’s eyes to the man behind the charming mask. He’d

believed Kella’s allegations, but had only believed Jones once he discovered his father’s misdeeds against her. His gut churned, knowing they’d both been right. Didn’t sociopaths and serial killers hide their dark side beneath a mask of charisma, only illuminating the horror beneath the veneer to their victims? “I see very clearly the man you are.” Stone held up his hand when his dad would’ve spoken. “What’s your reasoning for interfering with Kella?” A reaction from his mother this time. Her eyes widened, and a flash of alarm touched her blue gaze. “I’m sorry, Stone.” She brushed tears from her eyes. “I’ve lived with my guilt since we discovered her body.”

Good to know she suffered no guilt before she thought Kella died. That indicated she stood behind her conviction to see his wife free. “Ease your mind, Mother, I’m not talking about your guilt.” Maybe he should be mad at her, but his anger gave way to accepting his mother’s intentions had been well intentioned. His dad couldn’t say the same. “What’d you do?” Peter glared at Lucy. “Her sin isn’t on trial, Dad, yours is.” “Stone, get to the point. These games —” “Don’t interrupt me again,” Stone put fire in his voice, and it succeeded in

cutting off his parent. “Remember telling Kella she was a slut?” His dad clamped his lips together and folded his arms over his chest. “Remember marking her with our family sigil on her neck of all places? Good God, you know how much that hurt! I warned you long ago to never touch her again, and you defied me.” He glanced at Kella, her eyes were wide, a touch of surprise on her lovely features. A mental grin curled in his mind. She obviously hadn’t expected him to confront his parent. If defending her didn’t earn him brownie points, nothing would. “You told her I’d put my seed in her, have a few babies, and find a real wife more suited to my station. That I

was glad she was an X-gene so I wouldn’t lose respect among our peers when I fucked her. You’re a fucking asshole, Dad, and a goddamn liar too.” “Why would you say that, Peter?” His mom turned her own glare on his father, but his dad’s gaze remained mutinous. “You knew his intentions. The deal he’d drafted, the one he proposed to offer to her. He protected her from pedophiles like you and your friends because he loved her.” He looked Kella straight in the eyes. “I still love her, Mom.” Kella glanced away and twisted her fingers in her lap. “Please. You two act like I’m a monster. Because of Stone, I spared her

from being fucked by other Regents. Many of them pass the X-genes around before they sell them. He was a boy, a teenage boy with hormones running wild. That was not love, but lust. I saw the signs, you chasing after her. You wanted ass and nothing more. Once you got your dick in her a few times, you’d have lost interest. I’ve been there.” Peter scoffed. “Teen boys will be teen boys. This is ridiculous. Men aren’t weakwilled and don’t fall victim to love like women. You did this, Lucy. You created a fanciful girl out of my son.” Stone ignored the slur because a man didn’t have to be cruel to prove his strength. Sometimes strength was better shown in the mercy one offered. And a

man should love. Love gave him strength, opened his eyes to the realities around him, and allowed him to create a better world because of those he loved. He cut off his parent before his dad could get started laying the blame at everyone’s feet but his own. “You’ve nothing to say to the allegations, Dad?” “They’re lies. Horrendous falsehoods that defame my good name. I demand the punishment of the individual who has wronged me.” What of his dad’s wrongs? Should they be punished? “I demand to know who made these dishonest claims?” “Come, sunshine.” Stone crooked his finger at Kella, and she rose from her seat. She smoothed her hands along her

thighs in a nervous gesture. To him she looked beautiful. The red color of her shirt accentuated her dark features, giving her an exotic look, and the black, leather pants clung to the swell of her hips. Like most men, he loved lingerie and naked women, but he couldn’t imagine her more erotic than she was in this moment. When she stepped into view of the monitor, his mother gave a loud gasp, and burst into tears, her sobs causing Stone’s man behind her to hand over a box of tissue. His father paled. “Are neither of you going to welcome your daughter-in-law back from the dead?” Stone watched their reactions with a critical eye. Lucy’s

shoulders shook, her crying loud. He thought her tears were out of relief. His dad’s expression became grimmer, and maybe just a tad desperate. “She’s a fraud. I buried Kella’s body myself. The DNA proved it was her.” “Interesting since I also verified her DNA, and Kella is very much alive. Right here at my side.” He curled his arm around her waist and drew her down to sit on his knee. “And since only you, Kella, and the tattooist knew of the tattoo you forced on her, it’s further proof she is my wife.” He fiddled with Kella’s hair, her presence diminishing his temper. “I have to wonder who you buried, and must assume you knew it wasn’t Kella.”

“Kella, dear,” his mother touched the screen with her fingers. She sniffled, but went on, “I cannot tell you how glad I am that you’re alive. I’m sorry, Stone. I knew you loved her, but I knew Peter wouldn’t allow you to dedicate your life solely to her. He would’ve come between you.” “Shut up, Lucy, or I’ll shut you up.” “Lay a hand on her, Father, and my soldier behind you will shut you up.” They stared at one another, until his dad huffed and lowered his eyes. “Mother, I know your intentions were for the best. Next time, you come to me first.” “I promise. If I had known she was alive, Stone, I would’ve told you. You were so distraught, and I was to blame.

What type of mother hurts her child like that?” Lucy choked off, sobbing into the tissue. “Keep your slut”—Kella stiffened at Peter’s cruel words—“enjoy her, do things to her you wouldn’t do to Katarina. That’s what X-genes are for.” “Call Kella a slut or disrespect her again in any way, and I’ll show you the wrathful girl I am.” “It’s okay, Stone. I’ve been called worse.” Kella stroked his neck, her touch calming him like nothing else ever had. It wasn’t okay, but he picked the conversation back up. “My engagement to Katarina is over.”

“You have a valid contract with her,” Peter argued. “You cannot renege on it, to do so would smear our good name.” There was that ‘good name’ reference again. It proved his dad had no idea he’d already tainted their ‘good name’ with his atrocities. “The contract was voided the moment Kella was resurrected.” “Must I spell out the way the world works, Stone? I wish your mother had done her job and gifted me with a second son, one a little more competent.” By ‘competent’ Stone assumed his father meant more manageable. His father’s disgust was evident in the curl of his upper lip. “Her

womb couldn’t even get that right. Useless whore.” “While we’re revealing our skeletons, Peter, you should know I had the local herbalist sterilize me so you wouldn’t touch me with your vile hands.” His mother’s gumption impressed Stone. “You made me nauseous, and I hated the way I felt every time you forced me to your will. The only good thing that ever came from our union was Stone.” “You bitch. I should execute you for treason.” That wouldn’t happen, and Peter knew Stone would never allow the punishment. “I’m delighted to discover we both disappointed you.”

“Don’t get cute, son.” “Don’t forget your place, Dad.” Peter flinched as if Stone struck him. His parent leaned forward as if he would disclose the biggest secret ever revealed. “This may come as a shock to you, but you can have your cake and eat it too. All Regents that have Xenos, almost all of them have separate wives befitting of their status. My sweet bride, Tegan, unfortunately passed while you were too young to remember how much she loved you, treated you like her own.” Stone recalled her. She’d pinched him every chance presented to her. “Keep Kella as your sole wife, and you’ll find yourself on the wrong end of

the hierarchy. The other Regents won’t tolerate it, they demand a certain level of commitment to the position, and none of them will condone a dreg socializing with their pious wives. I’ve seen Regents disappear over time, their deaths covered up by the Regent who evicted them. Don’t be a pussy and lose my legacy—our legacy—over a goddamn dreg.” Stone smiled. Whatever his dad interpreted in his smile caused him to sit back in an abrupt move. “What are your plans, boy?” “You’re shortsighted, like many of the other Regents. I won’t explain to you the error of your ways or why it’s time Regents like you are culled from the

population. Your narcissism won’t allow you to understand.” His mother hid a grin behind her fingers. “Soon, Dad, you and all your like-minded Regents will have a taste of how big a pussy I am. We’ll talk further then.” He nodded at his man in the room. “George, see that my dad is situated comfortably in the tower. No one but you is to attend him.” As George rapped on the door to alert more men to aid him, his dad squawked about the disrespect shown his rank. “Stone, you’re going too far. Tell them to stand down now and all is forgiven.” “That’s where you’re wrong.” He raked his fingers through Kella’s hair. The shock on her face eliciting a grin

from him because he’d managed to surprise her once again by defending her. When would she learn he always had her back? “I don’t forgive you. I can’t. Maybe I’m more like you than I prefer to admit, because my memory is long and my grudges even longer.” “Son, she’s a dreg. You’d pick a dreg over your father?” “Aren’t I proving that I am? Mother, I have a teleport waiting for you if you choose to join Judy, Kella, and I. Dad, because I can’t trust you not to warn your fellow Regents, and because I just simply no longer trust a man that would harm a defenseless girl who was under your protection”—not just the night of Kella’s flight lingered in his mind, but

the beating she’d received from his parent a year before that for the rape of her mother—“I sentence you to imprisonment, to await a trial of your peers. Just so we’re clear, those peers will also consist of dregs, who you so evidently scorn for reasons unknown to me.” A scuffle between his men and his dad ensued, but George popped Peter with a tranq-dart, and he went down. The mighty will fall. A thought he had every intention of making become prophetic. Stone disconnected the call. Kella sat there staring at the blank screen. One of her palms rested flat on her thigh, the

other remained curled around the back of his neck. “I’m sorry my father is an asshole and I didn’t see it before.” Her emerald eyes were clouded when they turned to him. “I don’t know what to say. I didn’t expect that. He’s your dad, don’t do something you’ll regret.” “Do you forgive him?” A slow blink. “I...I wouldn’t have forgiven me. How can you show me mercy and not your own dad?” “You ran out of desperation without all the facts. His crimes were committed with his complete knowledge, just because he had absolute power and could terrorize you for whatever fucked-

up reason he had. He abused his power. You saved yourself the only way you knew how. They’re entirely different transgressions. Like comparing puppies to kittens.” “My kippy would object to that analogy,” she teased with a playful grin. “Retro’s a freak, so her objection is invalidated.” Kella laughed, and his cock twitched at the sensual resonance. She leaned into him, resting her head on his shoulder. Stone liked that she was comfortable enough with him to seek out his hold. Her knee bumped against his groin, and he groaned. “Sorry.” She tilted her head back to examine him.

Stone shoved his fingers into her hair, cupped the back of her head, and tugged her to him. Their mouths connected, and she opened for his invasion. Tongues twining together, she moaned into him, and surprised him by twisting on his lap, and straddling him. She buried her hands in his hair and held him tight, her grip stinging his scalp, while she smooched him back and rocked her core against his stiffening length. Kella whimpered, and he broke their embrace to trail a moist path of kisses along her neck. “Can sex really be good, Stone?” The question snatched him out of his drugged state, a harsh reminder her only

experience came from the men who paid for the privilege. “Yes, sunshine.” He’d give her a small taste of how amazing sex could be. “When do you leave with your mom?” “Whenever I’m ready.” That worked for him. Cupping her ass, he stood with her clinging to him, and walked to the bedroom. Her first taste of passion wouldn’t come in a chair, but in comfort. He kicked the door shut and settled her on her feet in such a way the front of her body slid down his. “Do you trust me to see to your pleasure?” “Yes.” Heat hit her cheeks, and she buried her face against his chest. Her bashfulness amused him.

Palming her nape, his hand slithered upward into her hair and guided her head back until their gazes locked. “Don’t hide from me. I want to watch you.” Her gaze flicked away. “This feels...I don’t know, intimate I guess, but that makes no sense.” Made sense to Stone. “It’s not like I’ve never had sex. I just didn’t like it.” “That was about them, surely you see the difference.” “Yeah.” She traced his lips with a fingertip. “And I didn’t want them. I just wanted to eat later.” Goddamn! Stone kissed her again, and she melted into the embrace with a whimper.

Tightening his grip on her strands, he arched her head and kissed down her neck. He retraced the caress with a lick up the same line. Holding her gaze, he nipped her chin. “Show me you crave my touch and undress for me.” Her eyes widened, but she gave a small nod. He’d challenge her to be as gutsy in the bedroom as she was out of it. He would demand her full participation, or he’d walk away. There was no room for half-commitments during intimacy. Hands trembling, she clutched the hem of her red shirt and pulled it over her head. She laid the garment over the back of a chair, smoothing the wrinkles out of the fabric in a reverent manner.

And she hadn’t wanted any of the garments. Her actions disproved her prior claim. The red bra brought forth a smile. Gift-wrap for me. Flimsy lace hugged her breasts, exposing nipples visible through the wispy fabric. The flushed peaks were already tight with desire. Eager to get his mouth on those luscious globes, he focused on tamping down his arousal. This moment was about Kella, demonstrating the bliss that could be had from sex, and about worshipping her to his fullest potential. Stone curled a hand on her hip and tugged her to him, kissing her as his other hand palmed a breast. Because he was a selfish bastard and couldn’t wait a

moment longer, he dove inside the lacy cup and wedged the material beneath the weight of her breast, the fabric pushing the coiled nipple upward as if for his mouth. He bent his head and licked around her areola. Her nails dug into his shoulders. Satisfied by her reaction, he sucked on her nipple. Delighted by her ragged breath, he was even more pleased by the way her breath stuttered out of her. Releasing the hooks of the undergarment, he yanked it off her and moved to the other breast. “I bet you’re already wet, sunshine.” Going to his knees, he kissed down her belly and laved her belly button.

“My panties feel wet,” she admitted, her voice raspy with lust. He loved how flustered she became when aroused. She’d reacted the same earlier. Stone adjusted his throbbing dick, but couldn’t locate a happy place for his cock in his leather pants, so he stood and stepped away from her. “Finish revealing yourself to me.” He rolled up his long sleeves, while watching her fingers unhook her pants. She paused as if hesitating before pushing them down. “I’ve already seen it all, Kella.” He’d just see her pussy up close and personal this time because he was going to make a meal out of her.

While biting her bottom lip, Kella bared herself to him. The matching panties tripled his heart rate, causing his aching cock to throb in time with the beat. She picked up the bra he’d discarded, and placed it on the chair with her shirt and pants. In a quick move, as if she thought about it a moment too long she’d chicken out, she dragged the lace down her legs and tossed them on the pile with the rest of her rejected attire. She clasped her hands together, blocking his view of her pussy. That wouldn’t do. She was utterly naked except for his sigil blazing on her neck. He damn sure hadn’t requested she be branded with his seal, and he was angry she’d been

mutilated against his will, but he liked the way it marked her as his. Stone sat on the settee and unlaced his boots, pulling them off and setting them aside. “Come here.” She slid her fingers into his hair when she drew close. The grasp of her hands felt like a claim, marking him as hers. One thing became apparent. Touching him seemed to settle her nerves, because all tenseness in her shoulders and muscles softened, even her belly ceased clenching. He tumbled her onto his lap, and she curled up against him, running her palm along his chest. “I like the way you feel, hard, firm, and solid. Safe.”

He suspected she hadn’t felt safe in a long time. Stone loved her naked and nestled in his lap petting him. “You are safe with me.” He would die of blue balls if she didn’t stop wiggling against his cock, leaving the evidence of her slick core darkening his leather. Sitting up straight, he caught her hips and turned her so her back rested against his chest. He pushed her legs to either side of his and spread his, opening her core to the room, the scent of her arousal hit his nostrils a moment later. Taking a deep breath, he buried his nose in her hair and inhaled. His Kella

was finally in his arms, where she belonged. Stone wrapped an arm around her waist, settling his palm on her belly. His other hand snagged in her hair and angled her head so he could capture her lips with his. As he kissed her, his hands skimmed her body, relishing the satin feel of her skin beneath his fingertips. She shivered, and goose bumps prickled the pads of his fingers. Stone dragged his lips down her neck and suckled at the crease where her shoulder and neck met. He watched as he cupped a breast and pinched the nipple, rolling the peak between his fingers. In return, she lifted an arm and dragged her nails along his scalp.

“You feel like mine, Kella.” He licked her skin. “Better. You taste like mine.” “Yes.” It was nothing more than a breathy sound, and he was pretty sure she had no idea what she’d agreed to, but he did and wouldn’t forget. “Stone,” she moaned, throwing her head back as his hand slid lower and skated home between her legs. She bucked against him when his digits stroked a light circular motion against her clitoris. Sweet, sexy whimpers fell from her lungs as he flicked his fingers through her labia, coating him with the evidence of her desire. God she was wet. So fucking wet.

He lifted his sights from his hand between her thighs and looked at her. She watched him, her emerald eyes wide and trusting. Stone needed to experience her climax now. He couldn’t wait any longer. Rising, he cradled her in his arms and three steps later, settled her on the bed. All flush and spread for him, she was his version of a goddess. Legs parted wide, the light causing the dew between her thighs to glisten. Such a pretty sight. Soft and aroused. Because of me. Trusting him, watching him, waiting for him. He felt like a superhero. Not because he’d defeated her resistance, but because

she depended on him to teach her passion, to give her orgasms, something she’d never given to another man. Stone leaned over her and drew her up the bed until her head rested on the pillows. Holding her eyes, he palmed her breast, circling the coiled peak with his thumb. She arched toward him as if drawn to his energy. He lowered and laved the other nipple, taunting and teasing her with his teeth and drawing forth her cries. Kella’s hips rose up to rub against his abdomen, leaving the damp imprint of her heat on his shirt. Stone kissed the soft flesh of her belly, and breathed in the scent of her arousal as he palmed her thighs, pushing one leg toward her body.

Her pussy blossomed for him, opening like the petals of a flower. Teasing her, he dragged his nose along the crease where her leg met her body, then dragged his tongue straight up her core, flicking the tip against her clitoris. Kella cried out, her hands clenching the bedspread and her hips jerking toward his mouth. Stone drove his tongue into her and lapped at her juices, grinding his nose against her clit. She panted his name over and over like a litany. He drew away from her, to give her a moment to catch her breath while extending her pleasure. Her clitoris plumped for him, swelling from its protective hood. His wife had a gorgeous pussy.

Slowly he pressed a finger into her, and her walls clamped around him. She groaned at the penetration, and whimpered when he pulled out. He thrust two back into her. She gasped, her back bowing. Fuck, but she was tight. She met his in and out motion, her hips rocking to meet the glide in, while her soft moans drenched the air. Light licks to her bud, and arousal coated his hand. “Oh my—Stone. That’s nice.” He bet she’d like this better. Flatting his tongue, he executed wide sweeping swirls all over her engorged clitoris. She practically levitated off the bed she arched so hard against him. Her fingers left the bedspread and channeled into his

hair, her nails digging into his scalp, holding him to her. The heavy panting set in, and the sweet whimpers emerging from her had his cock jerking, precum beading on his head, and throbbing like a motherfucker. He ached to drive deep inside her, but giving her this would be worth a lifetime of blue balls. By her gasping, and the way she tensed and relaxed, he guessed she neared climax. He’d intentionally placed her head on the pillows so he could eat her pussy and watch her come. A light lick, and she begged so pretty. “Don’t stop, please. It feels so good.”

He gave her a hard tonguing, and then withdrew, pausing to watch his fingers pump into her channel. She was so snug, he feared hurting her when he fucked her, so he scissored his fingers. He gave her several more hard strokes with his tongue before going back to watching his fingers a moment, adoring her groans of frustration. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. She trembled, repeating his name over and over again, soft and breathless. Plunging his fingers into her with a little more force, he kissed her throbbing clit, looked up her body, and through the hair in his eyes he found her gaze locked on him. She threaded her fingers through the locks that’d fallen over his forehead

and brushed them out of his face, giving him an unobstructed view of her. “Come for me, sunshine,” he said with his lips against her clit. Flattening his tongue once again, he conquered her clitoris while watching her. Her eyes darkened, her mouth went slack, and she crested with a startled cry, as if she hadn’t expected the sheer pleasure of the climax. She drenched him with her cream. He removed his digits, and buried his tongue in her cunt, growling at her sweet, tangy taste.

TWENTY-SIX Good God. As Kella came down from the most marvelous occurrence of her life, she concentrated on the weight of her limbs and the warmth in her belly. A peacefulness she’d never experienced infused her. No way heaven can compare. Nah, in heaven they sang hymns to God, while at the moment her body sang a chorus solely for Stone. He’d done a bang-up job of making her forget the promises she’d made to herself. She ran her fingers through his hair as he left his perch from between her

legs and rose over her, settling his weight atop her. Without any thought behind her movements, she secured a leg over his hip, her heel sliding over cloth, delighting in the composition of his body aligned with hers. A novelty. I like him between my legs, his weight trapping me against the mattress. Odd. “You’re still dressed.” What a stupid thing to say when he’d just delivered her into the stratosphere of the cosmos. “Yeah,” he said, his voice raspy. She opened her eyes as he buried his hands in her hair, locking her in place. Why didn’t the position make her feel trapped? Surprised by this, she welcomed the scrape of his tongue when

he settled his mouth over hers, and encouraged a longer kiss by wrapping her arms around his shoulders and burying her hand in his hair. Funny, she’d spent almost a decade running from Stone’s domination, and she’d just willingly given herself over to him. “That’s what I taste like?” She asked when he lifted his head to kiss her forehead. “Yeah.” Hair clung to her neck and face, and he smoothed the strands away. “You okay, sunshine?” “Better than okay.” “Glad I could give that to you.” Male satisfaction burned in his eyes, but she couldn’t generate the energy to care that

he gloated. “You like my version of tongue-gasms?” She blinked, and he grinned, as she recalled the day she’d told him the apple was a tongue-gasm, and he’d claimed the only ones he was familiar with were of the oral-sex variety. “Yours are better.” So much better. “We’re not finished, are we?” Indulging in another round for the sake of scientific experimentation sounded like a fine idea because seriously that climax wasn’t normal, right? Sure her first would come across as epic, but her second would pale in comparison, and it’d go downhill from there. Right?

Please, God tell me I’m right because if not, I’ll be addicted to him in about thirty minutes. “Baby steps, my Kella.” Dissatisfied by his answer, she pressed her foot against his butt to hold him in position as she rocked her hips against his erection. He groaned. She wanted to groan at the way his hard length cuffed against her core. Maybe the orgasm had mellowed her because she’d vowed years ago she’d never debase herself for a man like that again. And, Jesus Christ, but that orgasm had been ah-mazing to the –nth degree. Couldn’t be as good the second time around. Right? Right? She wouldn’t

believe it until the next proved just as cataclysmic. Kella stroked a finger along his clean-shaven jaw bemused over her recent spiritual experience. Yeah, that’s how she felt. After that last time she’d pawned herself off for a long night of sexual torture for a huge sum, she’d sworn she’d never get physical with another guy either. She hadn’t been tempted, until Stone, so here she was letting him have the goods for free. But everything is different with Stone. So different it made little sense to her. Just like when we were kids.

She played a very dangerous game with him. The peril was all hers really, for her heart anyway, because she’d guarded her soft emotions more than her life these last eight years. She should walk away. Right this damn minute. Put a few hundred miles between them and protect him from the shit-storm that was a normal day in the life of Mack Ellason. Kella closed her eyes as he did that wicked nibble-kiss thing on her jaw. She liked that too. Way too much. Even if the subsequent climaxes weren’t as good, she could get used to Stone touching her, and watching her like she meant the world to him. Okay. She swallowed the sudden lump clogging her throat. At the very

least, she should sneak out in the middle of the night or tomorrow morning, or in a week when she realized each subsequent orgasm paled in comparison to the first. Leaving him would be the sanest, not to mention safest, course of action. Instead, she coveted cuddling with him for just this night. Better yet, she favored going the extra mile. “What about your pleasure?” She opened her eyes as she asked the question. Now that she had the notion, she wanted to see it through. He’d watched her come, and she craved the same privilege with him. With a groan, he rolled off her to lie on his back. “Your pleasure was my

pleasure. You’ve no idea how much I enjoyed that.” She shifted onto her side, snuggling against him. The bulge in his pants was huge and must hurt. Even while enjoying the feel of his tongue on her, she’d ached for more until he’d thrust his fingers inside her, then the entire tempo changed, grew more pronounced, until she’d died and gone to heaven. “You’re clearly still in need, Stone.” She trailed her fingertips along the stiff line of his erection, fascinated by how hard he was and how eager she was to have him inside her. “I wanna watch you die and go to heaven too.” He chuckled, the corners of his eyes crinkling with his humor. “It gets better.”

“No way.” “I swear. Trust me.” She just had, and look where that got her. Greedy because I want more. Tightening her hold, she dragged her palm along the rigid outline of his cock. Stone groaned, caught her hand, and repositioned her palm to flatten over his heart. His eyes closed on a heavy sigh. “My Kella”—he’d called her that when they’d been teens, and she’d loved it, still loved the possessiveness of it. “I don’t wish to rush what we have between us.” His lids flipped up, and he turned his head to peer at her as his arm curled around her to draw her flush against his chest. “Your trust is more important to me than a moment of

pleasure, and I don’t want to give you a reason to push me away.” Unsettled by his explanation, she frowned, while chewing on the inside of her bottom lip. “Kella.” His fingers trailed along her jaw. “Don’t take it personally. I don’t want to ruin everything with you by going too fast. Yes, I want to make love to you, but there is satisfaction in waiting and allowing our desires to build.” His icy-blue eyes held hers, his honesty open to her. Peter thought him weak, but Kella thought him the most remarkable man she’d ever met. “I understand.” She didn’t, not really, because she’d never been in this

situation before. “Stroke yourself, and let me watch. The way you watched me.” His head jerked down so he could look at her. She’d shocked him with her request. That much was obvious. “I can’t just take without knowing you’ve received something too.” “I got something out of making you come.” “Then give me the same courtesy.” She toyed with a button on his shirt, praying he’d give in to her appeal because she really wanted to see him naked. Most of all she craved the intimacy of watching him come. “Unless no really means no, and then...” She shrugged. “I respect a solid no.”

“You’re going to be the fucking death of me.” He ran a shaky hand down his face. Unsure if that operated as an agreement or not, she asked, “Is that a yes or a no?” “If it’s what you want, then yes.” She stretched until she could put her mouth against his ear, and fed his words back to him. “Undress for me, Stone.” “Fuck,” he groaned. A hand curled around her nape, his firm, commanding hold served as a warning of his fragile control. Stone’s head turned, and his eyes captured hers. Their breaths mingled, his minty and musky from going down on her. His lips meshed against hers without warning, forcing her mouth

open to receive him. There was nothing gentle about the kiss, but instead he dominated her, claimed her as his, marked her, and ruined her for anyone else. In that moment, Kella knew, regardless of what happened from here on out, she’d never be with another man. Softening to his will, she accepted his authority sexually, while acknowledging she’d be heartbroken when she walked away from him this time. Nothing had changed in the years apart. The only thing that’d altered was that she desired Stone more now than she ever had as a teen. Stone released her suddenly and sat up, pushing off the bed. He faced her, his fingers having already freed three of the

buttons on his shirt. Dismissing the remaining ones, he pulled the shirt over his head and chucked it to the side. He was so neglectful with his garments, not appreciating the fine linen. She feasted on his ripped pecs and abs, her gaze drawn to the twin lines that shot down into the waistband of his pants. Like little arrows pointing to the good stuff confined within. He released his belt, unhooked the button, and the zipper gave a metallic purr as he slid the device downward. No hesitation, he pushed his pants and underwear down his legs and kicked them aside. His cockhead was purple and swollen, but then all of his length was swollen. She swallowed at his girth

and length. He was bigger than she anticipated. As she stared, he gripped himself and his thumb slid over the bead of moisture along the slit of his head. “Satisfied with what’s yours, sunshine?” She glanced at his face. His voice sounded strong, and gruff, but his eyes gave away his hesitancy. “I like what’s mine very much.” Kella licked her lips and patted the mattress. “I want to snuggle against you while you pleasure yourself for me.” “Goddamn.” His cock jerked in his hand. “You sure you’re new to seduction?” “Only you bring out my boldness, pretty boy.” She’d called him that as a

kid. It’d started off as a slur, but had turned into a term of endearment. A grin ticked up one corner of his mouth. “Watch it, sunshine, or I’ll turn you over my knee.” Kella laughed, thrilled he’d remembered their childhood banter. In a surprise move, he caught her ankles and spread her legs. He prowled up the bed straight over her. Stone kissed her clit, startling a whimper from her. He peppered her belly with a mix of platonic kisses and lusty licks. His tongue curled around a nipple, sucked the peak into his mouth, and rolled the bud between his teeth. Stone moved upward, feeding her his weight, his chest mashing her breasts

and his thick length butting against her core. Skin to skin was the second most erotic thing she’d ever experience. “You feel divine against me,” he said against her neck, as he nuzzled his way to her ear. “Soon I want to be inside you.” “Yes,” she whispered. She wanted that with a desperation that shocked her. Lifting his head, he looked her dead in the eye and rocked his hips against her pelvis, imitating the motion of sex. The hard line of his dick pierced through her labia and slid through her folds, his cockhead batting against her clitoris. Pleasure punched her in the gut, a flash burn at her core where he repeated the movements over and over again.

She arched against him, and he caught her hip. “Be still. I don’t want to accidentally penetrate you.” Kella clutched at his shoulders. “I want you, Stone.” “Not today. Not until you trust me with every single one of your secrets.” He rested his forehead against hers, his huffing hitting her face telling its own tale. He wasn’t immune to what transpired between them. “I require your special lube so I can give you what you want.” Special lube? Her arousal? No...it was more than that. He wanted her to come again. And she would quickly if he continued to sway against her.

“Don’t fight the orgasm.” His dick beat against her clitoris. “Give me what I want, and then I’ll give you what you want.” Heat built at her core, and her limbs tingled with what approached. The hand clutching her hip, slid beneath her, and he cupped her ass, angling her pelvis upward just enough that the blows of his cockhead against her bud felt different somehow. Stronger. More intense. Better. Perfect. Time lengthened, expanded, and lost its focus. He watched her, encouraging her to let go in soft whispers, as he punched against her faster, his breathing falling harder, more rapid.

“Stone.” She came undone beneath him, stupefied all over again by the abrupt splinter of pleasure that ripped through her, tearing all sense of self from her. In this moment she was nothing but sensation, owned by Stone, and his to do with as he pleased. “That’s lovely, my Kella. Picturesque.” He sounded so satisfied with himself, but she couldn’t reign in her vision to focus on him. She could only concentrate on the soft jabs of his cock that left her shuddering beneath him and were extending her gratification, with helpless whimpers falling from her lips with each soft blow. “So goddamn gorgeous when you come for me.”

There was something significant about his words, but she couldn’t identify what was noteworthy. Maybe because her brain had shut down and took ages before the glow of her orgasm faded. That languid, peaceful feeling, the most amazing sensation she’d ever been subjected to, had been just as profound the second time. Okay, the third will be a disappointment. His patience knew no limits because he waited for her. She could feel him watching her before she opened her eyes, the edges of her vision hazy from dying and going to heaven again. “The second one took you a long time to come down from.”

“Gloat much?” She’d have curled into him like a content kitten if he hadn’t been on top of her. “Only when I get my girl off that good.” My girl. She liked the sound of that more than she should. It gave her a sense of belonging. His cock rested against her wet core. She liked that too, the rightness of his placement drove home that she’d only ever belonged to Stone. Lifting her head, she nipped at his bottom lip. “Your turn, pretty boy.” Stone rolled to his back, and she snuggled against his side. One arm coiled around her, drawing her in snug. Her dew glistened on his cock.

Fascinated, she observed as he wrapped his palm around the base of his dick. He squeezed hard enough the thick, bulging veins that traveled the distance of his erection pulsed. “Are you sure you’re up for watching this?” She jabbed him in the ribs. “Stop procrastinating and get busy.” “As you wish, sunshine.” His hand slid along the length of his cock, his thumb swishing across the head, and back down to the base. The same movement was duplicated so many times she lost count of the strokes he delivered to his dick. With time, his movements grew less smooth, and turned jagged. His crown swelled and turned a wicked shade of mauve. She would’ve

kissed his head, but knew he would reject the gesture, so she lifted her hand and placed the pad of her fingertips against his slit. His hips jerked, and he groaned, “Kella.” “Come for me, Stone.” She loved throwing his words back at him. He moaned, a guttural sound that resulted in a surge of wetness from her core. She loved his reaction, while hers perplexed her. For years she’d dreamed how their reunion would go, and this wasn’t even close to what she’d predicted. Releasing his cock, he guided her hand, wrapping her palm around his girth. Her fingers wouldn’t meet he was

so thick. Awed by the sheer size of him, she wet her lips while wondering if it’d hurt when he took her. Confidence in him lent her the belief he wouldn’t allow her to suffer any unnecessary pain. His hand covered hers, and guided her in the motions of the movement. Up, down, add in a hard twist at the crown. His hips thrust up into her downward passes, while his groans played like musical notes to her ears. A marvelous melody. Kella was riveted. His cock felt like steel wrapped in silk. The veins throbbed against her palm, and the burning heat at the crown captivated her. His body was an enigma. She

experimented with her grip and tightened her grasp on the upward pump. His breath hitched, and his groan came extra heavy. “Sunshine.” Oh, damn she really liked the way he moaned her nickname. “Bad or good?” She loosened her handhold as she glided to his base. “Fucking good.” The strangled tenseness in his voice told her just how magnificent her grip had been for him. His free hand wound in her hair, and he clenched his digits in the strands as he twisted her head to face him. Did his heavy panting indicate he’d blow soon? Cupping her palm over his crown, she rubbed all over the head. His hiss was the reward she sought.

“I love you, my Kella. I always have.” While her heart melted and unexpected tears blurred her vision, she had no idea how to respond. So she reacted by squeezing him hard and pumping even harder. Stone’s grip on her hair tightened, stinging her scalp in a way that electrified her. He erupted. The spurt of his semen washed against her hand, a hot stickiness that gave her purpose, and she stroked him through his release the way he had her, all the while watching his face. This was beautiful. This was consensual. This was Stone Emmerson, her childhood crush, her former best friend,

and the man she’d daydreamed about marrying one day. That marriage hadn’t played out as expected though, and now they had a boatload of distrust between them. Kella shook their problems aside and focused on him. The harsh sounds of his moans detailed his ecstasy. She kissed his chest, feeling freer than she’d ever felt. He called her beautiful when she came, but he’d given her this gift, a moment in time where she was responsible for someone else’s joy. She’d never paused long enough to assess her own happiness, but she’d always cherished his.

Stone softened in her hand. Too many emotions pummeled her, and she couldn’t process them all. One reality burst to the top. She’d never felt this close to anyone. Needing to be flush with him, Kella followed her emotional instinct and crawled on top of him, burying her face in the curve between his shoulder and neck. His sandalwood aftershave smelled nice. He said he loved her. Kella squeezed him because the urge to return the sentiment burned her tongue, but she wouldn’t say those words unless she knew she meant them. She coveted what his vow promised though, even if she couldn’t act upon the oath inherent in

those words. Not when she brought danger into his life. The stickiness of his release coated her belly, but there was something about the dirtiness of it she embraced. Stone wrapped his arms around her and hugged her to him. “Something wrong?” “Thank you for giving me that,” she said against his neck. He chuckled, more a relieved sound than humor. “Kella, I’m the one who should be saying thanks.” No. How could she make him understand when she failed to fathom the emotions churning through her?

TWENTY-SEVEN Kella spent a lovely day with her mom catching up, but thoughts of Stone and the pleasure she’d found in his arms distracted her. Of course she couldn’t remain with him. She was X-Ds, and he was a Regent. The diversity of their occupations complicated everything, ruined their chances at a healthy relationship. There was no way she could keep that secret and remain with him. And the inherent danger of her activities would endanger him. Eight years ago she’d been selfish and fled out

of fear. This time, she’d leave for the right reasons and protect him. She worried this choice was a bigger mistake than the first time she’d ditched him. But her options were limited. Pleasure wasn’t enough to put him in danger. That would be selfish on her part. I’m still in love with him. That was at the heart of the problem. She’d leave him in eight months, maybe sooner, needed to be sooner, but she’d leave the most vital piece of herself with him. This time would damage her in ways the first time hadn’t. Sighing, Kella thought of his relaxed features and the grin he’d worn as he kissed and caressed her, hindering her

attempts at redressing. In the end, he’d had his way, settled her in a chair with her legs draped over the arms, and dove face first into her core again. She’d be seconds from climaxing when he’d pull back until she lost the urge to orgasm, and then he’d start all over again. By the time he allowed her to come, she’d been so worked up she’d screamed her release. And learned the third was no disappointment at all. His face had been wet when he lifted his head. A satisfied twist curled his lips as he licked her cream away. He’d kissed her, a possessive claim, and she’d decided everything he did was engineered to make it impossible for her to leave him.

I will leave him. She had no other choice. “Think about me today, sunshine,” he’d whispered against her lips, and then pushed up off the floor and walked out of the room. She’d invited him to join them, but he’d declined. Satan had located two possible houses for rent, and Stone said he needed to lease one of them. That information had come before he put her in the chair and got her off. It was just as well he’d declined since she planned to meet with Dutch at the dig to approve the video she prepared. Excited to expose the wickedness of spooners, the reveal would put her that much closer to

leaving Stone. And that saddened her way too much for her peace of mind. At least she had her mother’s presence to help distract her from thoughts of Stone. “You okay?” Reaper halted her with a hand on her arm, his eyes assessing her. “Yeah. Why?” “You’ve got that look about you, like you’re torn between decisions. And I heard your scream earlier.” Heat burned her cheeks, and she glanced at her mother who was thankfully out of earshot with Molly, outfitting her with a bio-shield to protect her from the hot zone’s atmosphere. “It’s not what you think.”

He chuckled. “Nothing to be embarrassed about. I’m glad you enjoyed fucking him. It’s about time you got something pleasurable out of life that doesn’t involve antiquities.” Her cheeks were on fire. Damn Reaper and his frankness. “We didn’t fuck. He did...other things.” “Congratulations. Judging by your expression, I’m assuming oral sex. If that was the scream of oral sex, then you’ll love the rest.” “Reaper. Jesus. When’d you decide to become so frank?” “When did frankness embarrass you?” “I don’t know.” She pulled her hair into a messy bun. Reaper had been the

one to help her clean up the first time she sold herself. He’d disapproved of her choice, but he hadn’t judged her for her decision either. “With Stone it feels personal, intimate in a way the others didn’t. I’m out of my league here, Reaper.” “You’re falling for him, Mack.” No point in arguing something she’d already admitted to herself, so she just nodded and watched her mom interact with Molly. Reaper caught her chin and forced her to look at him. “Walk away from XDs right now, and take the happiness life is offering. Grab it with both hands and take it, Mack. The chance won’t come along again.”

She took a step back to free herself from his hold. “The guilt would eat me alive, and you know it. Not much happiness to be had when I abandon girls to rape and ownership and walk away from the cause I helped start.” “No one would blame you.” “I’d blame me.” “You’re a fool.” Reaper shook his head. “My only other advice is to tell Stone everything. He’s made changes in his Quad that reflect our objectives.” “You trust him?” A wistful smile as he surveyed the dismal terrain. “I trust him to protect you regardless what you reveal.” He locked gazes with her. “He loves you.”

“You like Stone.” It was a revelation that shouldn’t shock her given Stone’s guileless nature, but few earned Reaper’s respect. “I like the way he looks at you, treats you, protects you...even the way he makes you scream.” “Fuck you.” He chuckled as the blush burned her cheeks again. “I think he’s good for you.” “I won’t put him in danger.” Reaper inclined his head. “I sparred with him earlier. He can hold his own. But I respect whatever decision you make. Just don’t be hasty making it.” They spent the next hour showing Judy the dig site and uncovering

artifacts. Kella loved watching her mom’s excitement. “Um, Mom, Reaper and Molly are going to hang with you while I talk with one of my employees about something that can’t wait,” she said when she spotted Dutch. “I hope you don’t mind?” “I’ll be fine, sweetie. You do what you need to do. Take your time.” Kella hugged her and followed Dutch down the train’s hallway to a secluded section. “Reaper wasn’t kidding when he warned you’d look different.” Dutch pointed at Kella’s face. “So that’s the real you?” “Yeah. He said he explained everything.” At Dutch’s nod, Kella said,

“Sorry I didn’t tell you sooner, it’s not that I didn’t trust you, I just didn’t expect my past to catch up with me. I fell into the role of Mack, and that’s who I became.” Dutch shrugged. “I get it. I probably wouldn’t have told anyone had it been me. Especially if I was running from a Regent. But, girl, that husband of yours...” she whistled. “Hot as fuck. I’d do him in a heartbeat without regret. You know, if he was mine.” Kella laughed. “He filled out nicely compared to what I left behind.” “So...what’s your real name?” Dutch fiddled with her laptop, which she’d booted up before Kella joined her. “Mackella Starke Emmerson.”

“Mack Ellason.” Her hacker snorted out a laugh. “Creative play on your real name. I love the irony.” “Wasn’t my choice, but I’ll tell Stone’s mom you think so.” “For real? His mom was behind your escape.” The webmistress rubbed her hands together. “I like her already.” She booted up the video and hit pause. “You doing Mr. McHottie yet?” “Nope.” “You’ve got to tap that fine ass, Mack, before you ditch him again.” She didn’t ask how Dutch knew she planned to walk away. And she remained silent on the hacker’s advice. “Your husband’s friend, what’s his name?”

“Satan. I mean James.” Dutch laughed. “I bet you call him that to his face.” “Of course.” “What’s up his ass? He’s got this really intense look that should be intimidating but just comes across as surly.” Kella smiled. “Don’t ever underestimate him. He’s dangerous and an acclaimed assassin.” Dutch shivered. “I like dangerous men.” What could she say to that disturbing comment? Nothing that made her comfortable, so she took the earphones out of Dutch’s hands. This way she could watch the video without the audio

echoing along the metal walls. She nodded at her friend, and Dutch hit the play button. Anger returned as she watched the documentary. Four of the five women were now deceased, while the fifth gal after having been recently resold had just discovered her sixth pregnancy. The spooners ignored the advice of her doctor advising against having further children, because she’d likely die during delivery. All they cared about was breeding a master race. Bastards! Kella pulled off the headset and set it beside the laptop. “It’s perfect.” “Why you’re involved in X-Ds makes sense now.”

“Reaper told you I’m Xeno and Stone bought me?” Dutch squeezed her hand and nodded. “Your reasons are personal, mine are in honor of friends who’ve endured the hardship. I’m here for you, Mack, loyal to you and our cause. You want me to reactive your vanity chip and give you a different look, just say the word.”

The next two weeks were a whirlwind of activity between Kella working her dig, spending time with Judy and Lucy, and Stone moving them to an eightbedroom house. It was too big with no clear way to fortify the monstrosity, and

that unnerved her. Reaper and James were in the bedrooms across and down from hers and Stone’s, but even with their close proximities she still felt unsafe. Each day Stone took time to visit with her children in the square. They’d become so used to seeing him at the same time each day that they’d begun to show up and wait for him. At first they’d been leery of Kella’s new look, but after proving to them she was the Mack they knew—hadn’t been hard since she knew so much about their lives—they’d gone back to their easy ways with her. To their visits with the kids, Stone brought lunch or a snack, along with books and fruit to send home for later.

He even gave them bags of general supplies like shampoo, soap, and toothpaste. Other days he brought treats for them, candies and cakes. They’d play games, kick ball, hide and seek, and Stone even taught them hopscotch. Kella couldn’t remember the last time she’d giggled so much in such a short period of time. Probably before she ran away from him, back when life had been better than she realized. Every evening was spent with Stone. They talked a lot about their lives, but they avoided the future. They participated in a lot of oral sex, but not enough in her opinion. Card games passed the time as well, and he tried to cheat often, but she always caught him,

which ended in teasing banter. She wasn’t a fool. She knew he did it on purpose. Sometimes they just snuggled as they watched something on T.V. or read a book. Each day she became more enamored of him, growing more desperate to be with him physically. Last night she’d tried to push him into giving her what she wanted, but he’d grown agitated with her. “Do you think this is easy for me?” He’d jammed his fingers through his hair. “I want you, but I won’t make love to you until you trust me with all your secrets. Are you ready to do that?” “I don’t know why you think I’m holding secrets from you.” With a huff,

she’d sat on the sofa and glared at him. “You have tells. Remember?” “I don’t. You’re making that up.” She wanted to know those tells so she’d stop making them, or was he just good at guessing? “I’m not hiding anything.” “Lie.” “I want you, Stone.” “Truth.” “God, you’re an asshole.” He’d smirked. “Sometimes, but you don’t believe it.” “What? My tell tell you that?” She’d meant for that to come out sounding sarcastic, but instead she just sounded aggravated. “Yes.”

She let loose a frustrated groan. “You know I’m leaving you at the end of our agreement. Maybe sooner.” “I’m aware you’re torn over the decision.” “I’m not torn.” “Lie.” Goddamn him, why’d he have to be right every time she stretched the truth. “I love you.” He sucked in a harsh breath. “Not so smart like you think, pretty boy. That was a lie.” “It wasn’t, and you know it. That you’d try to fib about something so important hurts me.” Hurting him crushed her, but she bit back her apology. Not because saying

she was sorry would weaken her, or because she’d be admitting she’d lied, but because that outright confession would leave her much too vulnerable to him. Because she couldn’t hold his eyes knowing she’d wounded him, she picked at imaginary lint on her pajama pants. Stone knelt in front of her, forcing her attention. “Trust me, sunshine, and I’ll give you everything you’ve ever desired.” Kella considered his request. It’d be so easy to share her worries with him and all her treasonous acts. But putting her faith in him for a secret this big didn’t jeopardize only her, but too many others. Trusting him with their secret

wasn’t her decision to make. “Good night, Stone.” He’d sighed as she walked away from him. Closing herself off from him seemed to upset him worse than her dishonesty, but choices were limited. Too many lives were at stake to worry over his sensibilities. Didn’t mean guilt didn’t eat at her this morning. She glanced at the clock. Nine forty-four. In just sixteen minutes, the virus Dutch uploaded to the hacked, Regency-owned newsfeed would engage, and the video would be distributed to all twenty Quadrants. It marked their first global attack. With only three clinics neutralized, and other

Regents offering their clinics as backup, X-Ds would hit them in the public eye. Had she been single, Kella could’ve traveled to those areas without suspicion, set the charges in an inconspicuous area, and Dutch could’ve detonated them at a later date, after Kella returned to Quad2. Stone complicated their mission. Just thinking about leaving him broke her heart, and she was reluctant to follow through with that plan any sooner than necessary, but she had no choice. She couldn’t choose her happiness over innocent lives that had no choice. Across the room Judy knitted, while Lucy read a book, and Kella marked a couple of spots on her map that held

potential digs near Stone’s Quadrant. Made no sense why she located them when she had no intention of returning with him. “You should take up knitting, sweetie.” Judy worked the yarn. “Thanks, but that’s not my talent, Mom. I’m more of a ‘stab a guy in the throat with the knitting needle’ kind of girl.” Kella swallowed hard when she realized what she’d said. She glanced at her mom, to discover her staring at Kella with a thoughtful look on her face. Even Lucy studied her with a different eye. “Just kidding,” she said, but she could tell neither bought it. Neither of them knew the realities of her last eight years. Not that Reaper had

trained her to defend herself. Not that she’d sold herself, or that her first kill had been a guy on the street who thought it his right to take her because he wanted her. They damn sure didn’t know her second kill came with her last john, because he’d marked her as his victim. The television flipped on, and she glanced up from her atlases. Not having heard Stone enter the room, she was thankful for his interruption nonetheless. He scratched the scruff on his jaw as the video she and Dutch put together played. “Motherfuck,” he muttered when the R.I.P. line flashed and detailed the death of the fourth Xeno. “Shit better not be real,” he said as the fifth girl finished detailing her resell, the doctor’s orders

not to conceive again, but her new owners’ disregard for that order, and knocking her up. She watched him as the video went on repeat, Stone’s agitation apparent. The feed was set on a loop until the government figured out how to shut down Dutch’s handiwork. He watched it three more times before shutting off the television and tossing the remote to the sofa. He strode to the door, his strides brisk. “James!” “I saw it too,” James said when he joined them. “You think it’s all true?” “Reselling is outlawed.” Kella snorted, and realized her mistake when Stone eyed her. “Got

something to add, sunshine?” She circled a possible dig location on the map, not twenty wheels from the outskirts of Stone’s Quad. “Only that spooners don’t much care about the law. They’re there for us dregs, but are only guidelines for your kind.” “Your kind too, Kella.” “I’m not a spooner.” He must’ve decided to dismiss that argument. Good thing because he wouldn’t win it with her. “The law is there for all, not just dregs.” “Maybe in your Quad spooners have to follow the law, Stone, but don’t pretend other Quads are up to your caliber. And I know you’re not naïve

enough to think other Quads operate the same way as yours.” “This has your fingerprint all over it, holy terror.” Arms crossed, James settled a considering look upon her. She rolled her eyes at Satan. “Because I know so much about hacking.” Stone observed her carefully as he prodded, “As a kid you were always going on about ending Xeno slavery.” “Because it’s wrong!” She looked him dead in the eye. “Wrong is wrong. And I won’t stop espousing that until all Xenos are free. But I wouldn’t know where to begin to hack into a newsfeed.” The freakin’ truth. Dutch was a hacker

goddess, and the X-Ds wouldn’t be as far as they were without her expertise. “Mom, Judy, leave us please.” The second the two mothers departed the room, James said, “What makes you think it had to be hacked?” “Wouldn’t it?” She glanced at Stone for confirmation. “How else would they get into the government-owned newsfeed?” Stone nodded. “Unless they worked in the palace, yeah it’d require a good hacker.” “Sorry to disappoint you, Satan, but I’m innocent on this one.” She blew him a raspberry for the sheer pleasure of taunting him.

The scratch of Stone’s fingers on his scruff drew her attention. Moisture surged from her core, and she clenched her thighs. Not that the movement helped soothe her sudden ache. She loved the way the bristle felt against her skin, especially between her thighs. Every single time before going down on her, he’d rub his jaw along her skin, and the scrape would arouse her further. She’d been trained like Pavlov’s dog, but instead of food, she craved Stone’s tongue and the pleasure he bequeathed. “The bigger concern is are the claims true?” Kella kept quiet on that question as Stone ran his hand over his hair, tamping the longer strands on top down, his palm halting at his nape. “As

Regent, it’s my duty to investigate the legitimacy of those claims.” “Stone, your oyster is Quadrant13. Regent Jones governs this realm. His rules, his laws, and all that bullshit.” “Let it lie, Stone.” Kella recapped her marker and set it on the map. “This isn’t your fight. Leave it to the dregs who started the revolution.” The X-Ds started this fight and were better equipped for the long run. They had everything to gain and nothing to lose. Stone would pay first with his safe, secure rank, and probably ultimately his life if he became embroiled in the uprising. All the more reason to walk out now.

Stone’s pale-blue eyes narrowed on her. “What do you know of the dregs who started the fight?” “Goddamn, I can’t believe I’m agreeing with the holy terror, but those are wise words to heed, brother. This isn’t your fight.” She shot James the middle finger for being a jackass. Enough said, no words required. “Bite me,” he said. “Since when do you recommend standing down when it comes to the rights of Xenos?” That intense stare of Stone’s reminded her of when he watched her come in bed. She shook her head to wipe away the lusty thoughts. “Is that what you thought I

recommended? I’m all about the rights of Xenos and their freedom to choose, but you are going to get yourself killed if you take it as your duty to investigate. What good are you to your people dead?” Or to me? She pulled that thought in close to her heart because she was having a hard time thinking of a future without him. “You saying I can’t take care of myself? Or that James can’t protect me?” “Satan is like Hell’s Cerberus, of course he can protect you.” Criticizing James wouldn’t get her anywhere, and she couldn’t dismiss his very real lethality. “I’m saying you have no idea how far these corrupt Regents will take

this if you attempt to remove or hinder their control of Xenos in any way.” “James,” Stone said as he moved toward her. She waited for him to say more, but no other words were spoken. James must’ve understood. “We’ll look into it, but quietly, and if I say the investigation ends, I mean it fucking well ends that second. Understand?” “I call the shots, not you.” Stone surprised her when he cupped the back of her neck and tugged her against his rock-solid frame. “I love that you’re worried about me, sunshine.” “Of course I worry.” In her head she finished that sentence with, ‘I love you.’

He gave her a slow kiss, and she curled against him. Against her mouth, he said, “I also know some of what you said just now are fucking lies. You know more than what you’re admitting.” “What’d I miss?” Saved by her best friend, she kept her sights sealed on Stone. James caught her friend up to date. “Stone’s dick is making the decisions, so we’re all going to die. Probably bloody and sooner than we’d like.” Kella busted out laughing. Stone growled at Satan. “Don’t be an asshole.” “Satan can’t help it.” She ran her fingers across Stone’s abdomen, delighting in the way his muscles

twitched beneath her touch. “It’s in his hellish genes.” “You’re lucky you’re Stone’s wife or I’d turn you over my knee and blister your ass.” The lopsided grin on James’s face nullified any real bite to his threat. The phone rang, and Stone grabbed the handset. “Regent Emmerson.” A long pause, and his eyes found hers. “We’d be honored Regent Jones. We’ll see you this evening.” “What was that about?” Reaper leaned against the arm of a chair. “Kella and I have been invited to dinner with Regent Jones and his wife. He wants to discuss the newsfeed.” Kella’s heart sank into her stomach.

A few hours later they sat at Regent Jones’s dining room table. His gaudy home failed to impress, but Kella had expected this type of over-the-top decor. The false politeness made her teeth ache. Jones never spoke to her unless he planned to screw her over somehow. And the last time they’d conversed he’d been wielding an electrical wand and demanding she become his sex slave, all while he knew to whom she legally belonged. She’d rather be anywhere other than here. If tonight ended on a positive note, she’d eat Stone’s cock...she meant sock! What a Freudian slip. She wanted to eat his cock, but he had denied her that treat too.

Fucker. He had her so sexually frustrated she could barely concentrate on mundane tasks and found herself daydreaming about him far too often for her peace of mind. Maybe if she fucked him, she’d be able to walk away without wanting to split her wrists open. The small talk grated on her nerves, but she grinned and bore it. As they waited for the entrée to be served, Stone laced their fingers together and lifted her hand to his lips. She gazed at him as he pressed a kiss to the tender skin on the inside of her wrist. His hot gaze told her everything. He wanted her. “How romantic.” Jones’s wife, Miranda, clasped her hands together and

mooned over them. “Your story is like a fairytale.” “Indeed.” Jones sipped his wine, eyeing them with a snarky grin. “Almost too good to be true.” And here it comes. Kella waited for what would follow. Miranda smacked her husband’s arm. “Don’t listen to him. He’s not a romantic.” Kella couldn’t decide if Miranda’s parody was a distraction for Jones’s benefit or if she really was this starryeyed. Either way, she trusted Miranda as much as she did Jones. “Not all that romantic, darling, if Kella here actually fled from Regent

Emmerson rather than the story he fed me.” She heard the dull thud of Reaper drawing closer—his steps thumped harder than James’s or Stone’s strides. After a few paces he halted, and she could picture his intent stare. Stone’s fingers tightened on her hand. “Is that why we’re here, Regent Jones, for you to accost my wife? Accuse me of lies and her subterfuge?” Jones set his glass on the table. “I asked you here for a couple of things. One, I have it on good authority that your story is inaccurate. Your wife left you, was never kidnapped, didn’t lose her memory, but ran from you, and you’ve just found her after eight years. I knew of

her identity before you did. How does it feel to be cuckolded by a woman?” James drew close enough Kella spied him from the corner of her eye. “Your dogs aren’t necessary.” Jones waved them away, but neither man stood down. “That’s my call to make.” Stone leaned his elbows on the table. “You’re telling me you believe a vague source over the word of a fellow Regent? And by your own omission you withheld the identity of my wife from me.” “I know my source personally. I don’t know you all that well, Regent Emmerson.” Jones accepted a window pad from a servant. “Your unique style of leadership is very well known to me

however, and I wanted to see how long it took you to determine her real identity. Just so you know, I put bets on Mack.” “Your opinions on my leadership with my Quadrant don’t concern me. Your interest in my wife does. Especially when you demanded she submit to you once she was hale and hearty after her electrical punishment.” “Told you of that did she?” Jones tsked her. Kella sent an awkward glance toward Miranda, and the woman smirked. Bet she led us into this conversation on purpose. “Yes, she told me you knew her identity that day, and you wanted her to say yes to becoming your fuck-toy. I

waited to see how long it took you to confess your knowledge.” Stone laced his fingers with hers once again. “I don’t care what you think of Kella and me, or our story. Believe it or don’t, it’s none of your concern. Your interest in Kella is my concern, however.” “Allow me to clarify my interest in Kella.” Jones slid the pad across the table toward Stone. “Hit play.” When Stone made no effort to follow instructions, Kella pressed the play button. She wanted to know what put the gloat on the other Regent’s face. A dark, shrouded landscape came into view. “That’s the square.” The video continued to play. Three people emerged, two were males, and

one obviously female by the slender build. The trio conversed for a moment before the girl pulled a gun and shot both men in the head at point blank range. Kella gasped and turned her face away. “What the hell?” Stone’s question went unanswered. Chancing a glance, she peeped with one eye at the screen. The girl stepped closer to the screen, her features clear. It was her own face she saw. Kella’s visage, and not Mack’s. “Not knowing what your wife really looked like, I didn’t realize this was her until just recently.” “That wasn’t me.” Horror filled her at the idea of Jones framing her. There

was no way anyone who knew her would believe she’d murdered two people in cold blood. “You doctored this film.” “Prove it, dear.” The smug bastard grinned. “She was with me on the date of the timestamp.” Stone chucked the electronic toward Regent Jones. “Prove she wasn’t.” Kella didn’t get a clear view of the date on the video to say if she was or wasn’t with Stone. That he defended her lent a sense of safety, but placed him at risk if he lied. That Jones accused her of murder felt surreal, and for a scary moment the world sounded muted as if she’d stepped outside of herself.

“Get her out of here, Reaper.” Stone’s command jerked her out of her haze. Reaper responded immediately to her husband’s directive, hauling her out of her seat with a firm grip on her upper arm. She didn’t even think of arguing with Stone this time. Getting away from Regent Jones sounded like a fantastic idea. Reaper came to an abrupt halt in the hallway. He placed a finger over his lips, and they took a moment to eavesdrop. Then someone closed the door, and their efforts at snooping vanished. ***

No one said anything while Kella and Reaper exited the room. The way Jones watched his woman almost had Stone going over the table to strangle the motherfucker. Jones coveted his wife, and Stone bet his interest had nothing to do with her dig, or her guilt over an alleged murder, but he probably desired the X-gene she possessed. Which made no sense given that Jones could’ve claimed Kella at any time he wanted over the last eight years, but hadn’t. The moment someone shut the door to the dining area, Jones’s eyes shifted back to Stone. “The murder investigation has led to a clear involvement with XDs.”

Stone grit his teeth. “I just told you she was with me, so you’ve got nothing tying her to the X-Ds.” Wishing for a measure of control, he inhaled, but the threat to his wife fueled his temper. “If you even think about making a legal move against my wife, I will utilize the full strength of my station to unseat you from your position.” Planned to anyway. “And I will claim your Quad as my own.” “None of that bluster is necessary, Regent Emmerson.” Jones’s sweet tone fell on deaf ears. “Have the X-Ds disband the newsfeed”—because none in the Regent-ran news had yet to figure out how to shut off the feed—“and I’ll consider this video child’s play.”

People were dead in that video. Hardly child’s play. That Jones referred to their deaths in that way sent a cold chill skittering along Stone’s spine. He rubbed the back of his neck. Was the asshole deaf or just being belligerent to further incite his anger? “I’m the wrong person to make that request to.” “I also want the Xeno stolen from me returned.” Stone slammed his fist down on the table. “I told you I have nothing to do with the X-Ds.” Not that he’d seen any proof that the X-Ds had taken the girl even if he were involved with them. “But your beautiful wife is.” “Are you taking a hallucinogenic? You can’t possibly think anyone in my

entourage has anything to do with the XDs. Or that I’d allow my wife to be part of the terrorist cell.” “You’ve not seen your wife in eight years. How would you know what she’s involved in?” Jones elevated his eyebrow, calling Stone’s bluff. “My intel says your wife is very much involved with X-Ds, Regent Emmerson, most likely a founder.” “I’ve heard enough bullshit for one evening. I’d say thanks for your hospitality but instead, go fuck yourself.” Stone walked away without a backward glance, James hard on his heels. “About a year after Mack arrived here, I discovered her identity. Mark didn’t realize he’d let her identity slip.”

Stone halted, his back to the other man, as he spilled whatever confession he felt compelled to make. “I called Peter, told him your whore was here. He gifted her to me, told me you were happy to be rid of her. I’ve got a man on the inside, high in your ranks, ready to shut you out of your Quadrant and return it to its former glory. You’ve a choice, son. Tell the XDs to stand down, or hand your wife over to me tomorrow morning.” “Remain calm,” James mouthed as Stone contemplated committing bodily harm. “We’re outgunned.” He faced Jones, satisfied when his voice remained even. “Is that highranked man my father?” Jones just

smiled, so Stone said, “He’s imprisoned as of two weeks ago.” Stone took a moment to enjoy the humor vanishing from Jones’s face before turning and striding from the room. Once he hit the square, he ran to catch up with Kella. Until he had her in his sights, he wouldn’t trust she was safe. She seemed relieved when she saw them. Yanking on Reaper’s shirt to halt him, they both watched as Stone strode toward them. “You can do that?” Kella asked when he neared. “Take over his Quad like you threatened?” Thoughts focused on what Jones claimed about Kella’s association with

the X-Ds and his father’s ultimate betrayal, he could manage nothing more than a casual shrug as a reply to her question. Wrapping his arm around her shoulders, he guided her along the boardwalk while surveying their surroundings. “To protect you I would take all Quads as my own if need be.” “Why didn’t I know this was possible? We were taught a Regent ruled with absolute authority.” “It’s a secret only divulged to Regents. Can you imagine the coups that would happen if the populace knew?” Other spooners could decide to elect themselves as the new Regent. Regents had done everything to protect their

position and ensure less chances of a revolt.

TWENTY-EIGHT “Double the guards on duty. Prepare for anything,” James instructed the other soldiers, going into counter-offense mode the moment they entered the home. “We need to talk, Stone.” “Later.” All he could think about was his wife’s face on that video. The moment her appearance emerged on the screen, his blood had run cold despite her immediate denial. Maybe in a life or death scenario she could’ve pulled the trigger, but what the video showed was an unfeeling homicide. Kella was not capable of that level of coldness.

Regardless of his faith in her, that irritating voice in his head wouldn’t shut up. Or maybe it was the devil on his shoulder that reminded she’d been less than honest more than once. Her prior deceit seeded his current doubt. “Later we could be dead,” James argued. His buddy had a job to do, and he understood where James was coming from, but Stone couldn’t focus beyond his wife’s involvement in the video and Regent Jones’s claims to her terrorist involvement. No, tonight he had to look his woman in the eyes and ask some very hard questions. Some he wasn’t sure he wanted honest answers to. “Deal with it, James. Security is your call. You don’t

require my guidance.” James could do this job efficiently with his eyes closed. “He’ll send his elite assassins if he comes.” Kella’s out-there comment whipped Stone’s head about, and every eye in the room went to her. “How do you even know that?” Reaper snorted. “Live here, and you won’t need to ask that question.” “You’re fucking with me.” Was Reaper a part of Kella’s merry band of X-Ds too? Jones hadn’t implicated him, just Kella. If she was X-Ds like Regent Jones implied, he wouldn’t be surprised to discover Reaper as her partner in crime. They were thick as thieves. “He can’t possibly turn them on his citizens.”

“Three times last year,” Kella confirmed. Reaper nodded. “There are sharp shooters in that elite group, James. And if I’m right, at least a dozen trained assassins. Maybe more.” “This just keeps getting better.” James double-checked his weapon and once satisfied, the gun remained in his grip. “We need to pack up and leave right now before Jones has time to organize.” “I can’t leave my dig.” Kella’s tone implied James’s suggestion wasn’t just silly, but ludicrous. “He’d already be organized for an attack if he was going to do it. You’d have been jumped at his estate, and you

wouldn’t have been allowed to leave. That’s the way he works. I’ve done my fair share of working with him.” Reaper just kept adding fuel to the fire burning inside Stone. “Mack, your life is more important. I do agree you need to leave town.” Thank fuck her friend had some common sense. Stone delivered her choices in a nononsense tone. “You’ve got twenty-four hours to either shut down your operation or hire people to guard it until we can return.” “Our contract says I have eight months, and I demand you honor your commitment.” How cute. Her fingers curled into tight fists, and he bet she’d

breathe fire if she could. By the look in her eyes, she was that furious. Stone cupped her nape and yanked her up to her toes, meeting her almost nose-to-nose. “If our contract interferes with my ability to protect you, I’ll tear the motherfucker up and default on the deal.” She screeched and punched him in the gut. “You lying, distrustful bastard!” “Pot meet kettle,” he rasped through the discomfort from the well-placed hit to his stomach. “Who were the people slaughtered in the video?” Her mouth dropped on a silent gasp. She gaped at him like the most innocent lamb in all of history. As if she hadn’t

committed more deception than both of them combined. “I’m with Stone on this one, Mack.” The more Reaper showed his good judgment, the more Stone liked him. “Jones is coming for you. The dig’s not worth your life.” “Both of you, go to hell.” Although she included Reaper in that slur, she kept her focus on Stone, so he knew the brunt of the smear was directed toward him. She stomped off with a huff, her luscious ass swaying provocatively as she stalked away. “She’ll get over it.” Reaper eyed him warily. Stone grunted. He worried more about her safety than her hurt feelings.

“You might want to guard your balls while you sleep.” James watched her stomp up the steps. “Or better yet strip search her to make sure she doesn’t have a knife.” Oh, he planned to strip her soon. And there’d be some searching going on too. With my tongue. “Or any vague tool she can use as a weapon,” her bodyguard added. “I trained her to kill with a fork and toothbrush.” “Fuck me, the holy terror is the equivalent of a female assassin.” James’s grumble struck Stone as humorous, and he chuckled. Of course Reaper gave Kella the oddest skillset, one sanctioned for men

only. Given her delicate-flower-Xeno status, a class meant only to be pampered and coddled, never lifting a finger to do more than nurse a baby or brush her hair, the violent skills she possessed lent irony to her rank. It pleased Stone she could take care of herself. He just had no intentions of her ever having to break a nail again to employ her expertise. Unless it was dig related. So why hadn’t she fought harder or hurt him more when he captured her in the crimson rain? “I like him, James.” Stone rubbed the ache in his belly where Kella had hit him while deciding their future. “Reaper, do you have a place nearby where we can hide?”

“Uh...Yeah.” He made mental note of Reaper’s hesitation. “Can we leave first thing tomorrow morning?” “Sure.” Kella’s friend wouldn’t meet his eyes. “I’ll make the arrangements.” He’s going to run with her. Stone felt certain of that, but instead of addressing the man with his suspicions, Stone faced James. “Close the teleport to everyone.” Regents of other Quads would offer aid to Jones, so he had to anticipate any move and figure everyone rallied against him. “Gather the militia. I want Kella safe, and then we take this goddamn Quad from the prick running it.”

“That’s a bold move.” Reaper studied Stone, a curious gleam in the other man’s eyes. “It’s more than doable.” James already had his cell out hitting buttons. “I warned him not to threaten Kella, and he ignored me. I’ll follow through with my threat.” Stone felt no qualms about ripping power from Jones. “What’d he say after we left?” “You planning on running with my woman?” They stared at one another for a moment before Reaper said, “Not so much, but walking you two into the safe haven might pose a problem. If I can take you, I will. If I can’t, Mack’s safety

comes first like you requested when you hired me.” “Agreed.” She was still GPS’d so he could find her whenever he wanted. “James will catch you up to speed on Jones’s unfounded claims.” “What can I do to help you bring the devil down?” Stone liked that Reaper knew the inherent danger of the upcoming mission, but threw his hat in with them anyway. “Intel,” James said. “Since it looks like you two have this in hand, I’m going to go fuck my wife before all hell breaks loose.” As Reaper chuckled, Stone took the stairs to their bedroom two at a time—and discovered the bedroom door locked.

He jingled the knob hard. Unless she was in the bathroom with the door shut and the shower going, she couldn’t miss the sound. He tried to remain calm, and kept his voice neutral, but his temper escalated. “Unlock the door, Kella.” “Sleep with Satan.” “Don’t bring James into this. You’re angry at me, not him.” Dead silence from her side. He braced his hand on the wood and counted to ten. Yep, that didn’t help, he remained angry. “Last time. Unlock the goddamn door.” At her lengthy silence, he made his decision. “Step aside,” he yelled as he stepped back and kicked the door beside

the handle. Wood fractured, and the door crashed inward. The splintering of the timber gave him satisfaction. Kella squealed, spinning to face him, and her hand smacked against her chest. Eyes wide, she gawked, wary. A level of calm entered him once he gained access to the bedroom...and her. He shut the door, but with the broken lock he improvised by wedging a chair beneath the knob. “I’m surprised you’re packing so soon.” Of course she wasn’t packing to go anywhere with him, but rather to ditch and run again. A tired tune he wouldn’t allow. “We’ve luggage for that. Your backpacks won’t hold all your clothes.” “You kicked the door in.”

“Word of advice, don’t ever lock me out again.” “You think I killed those people.” The wounded look he caught before she turned away to pack her work boots, revealed she was more bothered by the idea he might think her capable of murdering those people than his threat to renege on their deal. “I didn’t say that.” “Oh, you said it, just not directly, when you asked who they were.” She tossed her wind-up toy on the bed. “Keep it. It means nothing to me anymore.” Stone winced. “Don’t lie to me.” Unsure when he moved, he blinked and discovered Kella against the wall

with his hand around her throat. Startled by his assault, he shook his head to clear his anger. A normal woman would’ve cried, begged, at the very least shown fear, but not his Kella. Of course he wouldn’t hurt her, but in the face of her stubbornness and their unstable situation, his fury escalated too fast. Shifting his thumb beneath her chin, he notched her head back. Mutiny blazed in her gaze. “Allow me to set the record straight, Mackella.” Even as kids he’d used her full name only when he wished to garner all of her attention. While he probably possessed every ounce of her focus since he bracketed her neck in a threatening manner, he used her

namesake just the same. “At no point have I ever believed you capable of cold-blooded murder. Self-defense, maybe, but not murder, and damn sure not like that.” “Then why’d you ask who they are?” Amazing, she didn’t believe him. “Don’t know. Jones discombobulated me with his willingness to frame the wife of a fellow Regent. It’s an unheard of and sneaky tactic. But if you’d killed them, it wouldn’t matter to me”—it’d matter, but he’d justify her actions with some excuse like self-defense or because they deserved it—“nothing would change between us.” When she continued to give him a distrustful stare, his hold slid off her neck and into her hair. “Sunshine,

you couldn’t even hurt me when I unveiled you. And you want me to forgive my father. You’re not a killer. I know that.” “Sometimes I wish I could murder without discretion, but lives matter to me. I’ve killed twice, but only because it was kill or be killed.” “I’m sorry you were put in that position.” His stomach soured at the danger she’d been in, and that he hadn’t been there to protect her. “My dad’s known you were here since the first year after you arrived. He gave you to Jones.” Kella blanched, seemingly too shaken up to respond. “Tell me why you’re X-Ds.” He watched her closely. Her nostrils flared,

and color returned to her cheeks. She would’ve pushed him away, but he tightened his grip. “I want the truth. The goddamn truth for fucking once, Kella. Trust me so I can protect you.” She looked away in the direction of the window, and she seemed to grow smaller before him. He despised her insecurity, but he wouldn’t back down from discovering the truth. When she spoke, her voice was soft and quivery. “I’ve done things you wouldn’t like. Some to survive and some because I could, but all of them you cannot be tied to.” What could she be talking about? “Don’t care about that. I want to know

your involvement with the XDiplomats.” Shiny eyes met his gaze. “Did Regent Jones say I’m X-Ds?” “Claims he has substantial proof.” The rapid beat of her pulse was visible against her skin. He stroked his thumb along the throb. “I’ll protect you either way, just give me the benefit of the doubt and trust me. For once.” A long pause where he believed she’d deny him an answer. “I’m a founding member of the X-Diplomats.” Time grew warped, lost its consistency as they stared at one another. Had he heard her right? He’d been afraid she was part of the terrorist cell, while holding out hope she remained the

innocent girl he first fell in love with. Not because he didn’t believe in her cause but because she lived with one foot in the grave with her rebellion. She’d always talked about changing the world, but he hadn’t expected her to go this far with the dream. Regents and spooners preferred the status quo, and they’d kill anyone who attempted to damage their plush lifestyles. She had said as much earlier when he voiced the need to discover the truth of the video. “I didn’t hack the newsfeed. I was honest about that.” Her voice trembled, but she cleared her throat, and her tone leveled out. “Like I said, I wouldn’t know where to begin. I interviewed all the Xenos on that film. Our hacker

filched all the proof from the Regency computers to verify everything in those videos. I’ve even got Regent Jones on video talking about re-selling X-genes and laughing about it, along with other twisted stuff done to Xenos. Stuff I won’t repeat. We didn’t release that portion because we feared it’d expose the individual we have on the inside.” Stone released his hold on her and stepped away, ramming his fingers through his short hair while clutching the bedpost with his other hand. Pinching the bridge of his nose, he closed his eyes. They had to get her to his Quadrant immediately. At this point, it was the safest place for her. “Reaper part of your group?”

“Don’t ask me for names of the others. I won’t betray them.” He slanted his eyes toward her. She hadn’t moved, but remained against the wall, her head bowed as if she regretted her actions or was humbled by being caught. “I could take that as a yes.” She shrugged. “Take it however you want. I won’t disclose any names.” “This is why those executed in the square for terrorism upset you so much. You knew they weren’t part of your group.” “I told you they weren’t.” “You’re going to get yourself killed.” She nodded. “Probably. No cause worthy of a war comes without a sacrifice.”

That she devalued the importance of her life angered him. “Your life matters too.” A sad smile flitted across her lips. “I forfeited mine the day I left you.” “I don’t understand.” “All I ever wanted was you, Stone.” Joy punched him in the gut. “Then I was a Xeno, and all those dreams died with that vile positive.” Despair curled through his veins as she hugged herself, and he wished he could fix everything about the world so they could live their lives in fucking peace. Was that too much to ask? “I hate this society, and it must change. Spooners are building a master race off the wombs of innocent girls.

Children, Stone.” Her voice broke, and she turned her head aside to gather herself. “Then those same girls are dying or being resold like breeding mills when the spooner that bought her no longer has a use for her. That’s fundamentally wrong. And it’s a cause worthy of my life.” “I disagree.” Why couldn’t she see how precious she was to him? Hell, even her best friend thought she hung the moon. “I value your life as much as you do those Xenos.” “Power comes to those who take it, Stone, not those who deserve it. I aim to take it back for the X-genes, and if I have to pay with my soul, I will.”

“Admirable cause, but not worth your life.” She gave a sexy huff. “Tell me, Stone, if we do nothing and allow this system to continue, what will we tell our children?” Our children. He loved the idea of having babies with her even while he knew she meant humanity’s kids and not their own. But she had him with her question. She was right. As teens they’d known the system was wrong, so why couldn’t their parents grasp the immoral doctrine? And...he’d said pretty much the same thing to James a couple of weeks ago. They owed it to humanity’s children to set their future right.

“I don’t have the answers, my Kella”—her eyes darkened at the usage of the possessive tense of her name. “I just know I can’t lose you again.”

TWENTY-NINE Warmth flooded Kella’s system, but she tamped the errant emotion down. Unsure how to respond to his declaration, she paced a small path in front of him and contemplated his announcement. “You gotta realize now I’m not the woman you thought I was.” Surely the revelation of her association with X-Diplomats would have him dismissing her from his life. A normal man would cut his losses and secure his own future. Stone sat on the edge of the bed and braced his hands on his knees. “I’m not

surprised by your involvement with the X-Ds.” “Then you know you’ll lose me again because I cannot remain with you.” “I aim to convince you differently.” His unexpected response caused her to stutter over a response. “You can’t be part of this, it’s too risky, too dangerous. Leaving you is my only option.” “Why do you have a problem admitting we’re meant to be together? Fighting for our cause together? A cause we dreamed about. This wasn’t just your dream, Kella. We shared it.” “I don’t want you part of it.” Because it’s too dangerous, and I can’t lose you. Not like that. It’d be easier if he lived a safe, normal life. At least he’d

be alive, and she could live with their separation then. “My involvement is not your call to make.” “I bet even Satan would agree with me.” “I bet James would agree that we can handle any danger brought to our door.” Frustrated, she halted in front of him, resting her hands on her hips. “The X-Ds would require a unanimous vote to admit you. They won’t.” Stone gave a half-hearted laugh. “Sunshine, I don’t need to be part of the X-Diplomats to fight the system.” Faced with his calmness, her agitation intensified. “I won’t allow you

to put yourself in that kind of danger because of me.” “And I won’t allow you to throw away a chance at love that comes along only once in a lifetime. We’re in this together because people support each other when they’re in love.” “Just because you love me, doesn’t mean I love you.” The corners of his mouth twitched. He caught her hips with his hands, and tugged her to him, widening his legs so she could stand between them. “I don’t need you to say the words to know how you feel.” Leaning forward he bussed her lips with his. “I’ll protect you while we fight for our cause, and while I fight to keep you right here where you belong,

in my arms.” One arm slid around her waist to pull her into the shelter of his chest, while his other hand curled around the back of her neck, a firm, grasp that caused butterflies to swirl in her tummy, and moisture to gush from her core. “I’m a patient man, and I’m not giving up on us.” Kella rested her hands on his shoulders. “You’re not patient. You’re a fool.” “I’m a fool who’s in love with you.” “Jesus, that’s cheesy.” Their gazes locked, and her breath froze in her lungs. The expression on his face was too soft, too emotional, and it scared the hell out of her, while

stimulating her at the same time. Yeah, she was a mess of contradictions. “Kiss me, sunshine, like you wanted to when we were kids.” Melting into him, she slid her arms around his neck. “I’m not a kid any more. I don’t want to kiss you the same way.” His nostrils flared. “Then kiss me like the woman you are.” “We’re fighting, not making out.” If she kissed him, all her frustration with his refusal to let her go would vanish. “Making out is for teens. We’re going to make love instead, sunshine.” Slight pressure from his hand on her neck off balanced her, causing her lips to bond with his.

Stone might’ve asked her to take the lead, but he claimed control immediately, parting her lips and driving his tongue inside. This aggressive kiss asserted his claim on her and branded her as his, reminded her that while her body belonged to him, she denied him her heart. The idea of finally knowing him intimately thrilled her though. She’d wanted this for weeks. Didn’t matter that they’d been arguing moments before, his kiss had her softening against him and sliding her fingers across his scalp. The cool strands of his hair heated her flesh every bit as much as his smooch. Then again everything about Stone aroused her.

The hand on her nape twisted, his fingers fisted in her hair, and he tugged her head back as his mouth slid down her neck, his scruff scraping her skin. Gooseflesh erupted across her flesh, causing moisture to dampen her panties. He tongued a nipple through the fabric of her dress, jerking a moan from Kella. The heat of his mouth and the friction of her clothes against her peak had her clit throbbing in time with her heartbeat. Stone suddenly broke contact. Sitting straight, he kept her within arm’s reach. Kella tried to pull him back to her, but he caught her hands. Chuckling, he kissed the tender flesh of her wrist, and a shiver went through her. “Patience. I plan to enjoy you now

that I know your secrets.” He stood and ran his thumb across her bottom lip. “I’m going to undress you, then I’m going to get you nice and wet with an orgasm.” Anticipation morphed her into a world of sensitivity. “Then I’m going to slide my dick into you. Deep. And make you come again.” Their gazes locked as his fingers moved to undo the tie to her wrap dress. She found it erotically personal for him to undress her. A quick tug and he stripped the dress off, flinging the garment aside. “You’re beautiful, sunshine.” He kissed her as he released her bra and pulled the lingerie down her arms. He caught her hand and brought her palm to

his cock. “I’m so hard for you,” he said against her lips. Kella went to work on the buttons of his shirt as he nuzzled her ear and nibbled on the lobe. But she’d only managed to release a few of the buttons when he halted her progress and knelt before her. Her panties were abruptly jerked down her legs, and then he had her in the center of the bed before she could blink. “Open for me.” He ogled her, his gaze hot. “Wider,” he instructed after she spread her legs. Kella bent her knees and let them fall to the sides. “Mmm...yeah, just like that. Juices flowing for me. I like that my girl is already hot and wet for me.”

Stone settled in beside her and wasted little time sucking a nipple into his mouth. Kella moaned, burying her fingers in his hair. A finger slid into her pussy, and she jerked against his hand. After a few pumps, a second joined the first and his thumb went to work against her clitoris. The wetness of their connection created slippery sounds in the room, but her moans drowned them out. He moved to the other breast, pinching the one he just left. Her panting ratcheted up a notch as heat built between her legs. So close to the edge, she fought to claim the pleasure he gave to her without much effort. She gave a

startled cry when he scissored his fingers. “Okay, sunshine?” He licked her nipple. “Don’t stop.” Drowsy eyed, he met her gaze as he fit three fingers inside her. A slight burn resulted, but this was the most penetration he’d ever given her. Kella whimpered. He watched her closely, pinching the one tortured nipple, while he pulled his fingers out, thrust them deep, and repeated the movement as his thumb swirled lightly over her clit. On the third pump her world shattered when her orgasm claimed her. She bucked beneath him, and he spoke soft words her muddled brain couldn’t process.

When she came down from the high, she realized he twisted his fingers back and forth inside her, the movement prolonged her pleasure while opening her for him. She brushed away the locks of hair that fell over his forehead. “That was amazing.” He grinned. “You still up for the rest?” “Yes.” Knowing their time together was limited, she wanted this experience with Stone. He’d be the last man she ever slept with. Stone slid down her body, hooked her knees over his shoulders, and used his mouth to make her come once more.

As she lay there, a heap of twitching flesh, and in a heavenly stratosphere, he went to his knees and climbed off the bed. She’d forgotten he remained dressed, but she could only watch him as he made quick work of removing his clothing. When his jeans and underwear slid down his hips, his cock sprang free. Long, thick, and hard. He stroked his length while kicking his clothes aside. He blew her a kiss and crawled onto the bed. Expecting him to come to her, he surprised her when he moved toward the head of the bed. She twisted so she could watch him as he sat and reclined against the headboard. Stone crooked a

finger at her to join him. Why’d she find that gesture so sexy every single time? “Come, Kella, I want you to control the penetration.” Rolling to her belly, she pushed up to her hands and knees and crawled over his feet and up his legs. She kissed the head of his dick, precum wetting her lips. A quick swipe of her tongue elicited a heavy groan from him. Sucking his crown into her mouth, she basked in his sounds of pleasure. Fingers filtered through her hair as she took him deeper, before working back up and going back down, taking more of him each time. “Fuck, that feels good.” Using her hair, he halted her oral play. “I wasn’t finished.”

He shuddered when she licked his tip, the bead of moisture tanging on her palate, and she craved more of his hot length on her tongue. “I want inside you more than I want a blowjob.” His thumb traced her cheekbone, and she relented because she wanted him inside her too. Going to her knees, she shifted upward until they were chest to chest. She caught the headboard with her hands for support as she rubbed her breasts all over him. God, but she loved the feel of him. “Any complaints to me taking you bareback?” His fingers slid up and down her spine in soothing strokes. “I have a condom if you prefer I use one.”

Practical question, and Kella hadn’t even thought that far ahead. Thanks to the X-gene she was immune to all diseases, even STDs, so that left only one other problem. “I told you I can’t get pregnant.” A long pause and an even longer sigh before Stone said, “The cybernetic doctor fixed that.” Kella had been devastated when the news was delivered that she’d never be a mother. It’d taken time, but she’d grown accustomed to the idea of being barren. To discover she could be a mother again gave her hope, but melancholy chased away all the happiness. Stone was the only man she

wanted to father her children, and she’d have to leave him soon. “I’ve never been inside a woman without a condom, I want you to be the first, but it’s your choice. I won’t pressure you, and I can’t lie to you about the possibility of conceiving, even though I wanted to withhold that truth.” She liked the idea of being his first in some way, but taking the chance was reckless. What if she conceived? A baby would change her life, and would interfere with her revolt. “I don’t want a condom between us.” Her choice seemed to surprise him. “Are you sure?” More sure than she’d ever been about anything in her life. They’d deal

with the consequences later. “Yes.” Stone kissed her as he reached around her hip. His touch glided along the crease of her ass, until his hand trailed against her core. He positioned the head of his dick against her entrance. “Take me slow. I’m big, and no I’m not bragging, but it’s true, and while you’re wet enough to take me easily, you’re also new at this and taking all of me too fast might hurt.” “I’m no virgin.” “To me you are.” Blue eyes slammed into hers, they were dark and his pupils wide. His excitement was evident. No one had ever looked at her like he did. Damn her weak-willed heart, it softened

a little more toward him. “I want to own your pleasure, not your pain, my Kella.” Sending a nervous swipe of her tongue along her lips, she nodded and pressed downward until his crown penetrated her opening. Kella gasped at the searing heat of his dick. A hiss escaped his lips. “Goddamn, you’re slick and hot. Never felt anything like it.” His grip on her hips tightened as she inched a little further down. “Go slow. You’re tighter than I expected, and I don’t want to come too fast. Ladies first and all that.” The tight look on his face worried her. “Should I stop?” “Fuck, no, sunshine, don’t stop. You feel wonderful.” He slouched down a

little on the bed, widening his legs, which widened hers too, causing her to take a little more of him. “I’m glad I can normally last a long while or I’d lose my load in you right now.” When he looked between them, she realized the new position gave him a perfect view of their union. “You’re doing good, almost have all of me.” Stone slid his fingers across her clit. All the sensations at once—the fullness, the throbbing of his cock against her walls, and the pleasure of his touch on her clitoris—was too much. Kella’s head dropped back on a cry of bliss, and she took the rest of him in one quick glide down.

Euphoria settled over her as he crushed her to his chest. “Don’t move, sunshine. Take a second to adjust to the feel of me inside you,” he said against her ear, while his palms ran up and down her back. “Your pussy is gripping me like your fist, but tighter, wetter, and warmer, and goddamn, but I’ve never felt anything so good in my life.” His dirty talk only aroused her further. Her panting echoed loud in her ears, and the throbbing length inside her increased her passion. She wanted him to move inside her like he did with his fingers. That’s when things heated up to the point of epic. “I’m okay. You feel good too, Stone, and I didn’t think that was possible.” She scraped his neck

with her teeth, and gave a small lick, the saltiness of his flesh a pleasant taste on her palate. “I don’t know what to do now.” Stone elevated her head from his shoulder and nursed her face between his hands. “Are you sure you’re okay?” “I ache for more.” His nostrils flared, and he kissed her, a long, drawn-out affair. Then his hands went to her ass and he lifted her, resulting in his cock gliding almost all the way out of her core, before he pushed her down until she took all of him again. “Like that, but you set the pace.” Kella sat up and repeated the movements he’d shown her. After a few

tries she found the rhythm she preferred, and he must’ve liked her tempo too because he groaned each time she took all of him. As she rode him, he played with her nipples alternating between them with his fingers and mouth. A light mist of perspiration coated her skin when he removed one of her hands from his shoulder and settled her fingers over her clit. Stone leaned back against the headboard and pinned her with a gaze. “Rub your clit while you ride me. I want to watch you get yourself off as you use me for your pleasure.” Heat burned her cheeks. Kella followed his request and fluttered her fingers against her clit. The unexpected, immediateness of the white-hot burn

caused her hips to hitch, but his, “Yeah, just like that,” settled her back into her sensual ride. Heat settled between her thighs where she took him, expanding outward at an alarming rate. “Stone,” she whimpered. “I’ve got you when you come.” The tweak he gave her nipples with his fingers caused an abrupt climax. One moment she approached the orgasm, and in the next she was awash in sensation, riding the high of delirium. When she came out of her haze, she realized Stone had shifted them. She lay on her back, with one leg hooked higher and bracketed in place by his forearm at her side. His other hand created swirly

motions on her shoulder, but his throbbing cock remained buried deep inside her, pulsing. She blinked as she peered into his blue eyes. “Your third orgasm good, sunshine?” “Better than good.” Another soft kiss and he began to thrust into her. Hard jabs, more forceful than she’d used while in control, and it caused his pelvis to rub against her sensitized clitoris, wrenching highpitched whimpers from her with each thrust. “I know your clit is sensitive. Give it a few minutes, that’ll change, and you’ll be flying higher than the first three orgasms.” The sensation was almost

more than she could handle, and she doubted she could come as hard as she had the third time, but she put her faith in his words and bore the pleasure/pain of his drives. “I want you to come again on my dick.” The sexy words were whispered in her ear, the heavy beat of his breath against her lobe sent gooseflesh of desire along her skin, sensitizing her nipples scrubbing against his chest. “You felt so fucking good squeezing my cock when you came. I can’t begin to tell you how much it affected me.” He lifted his head and met her eyes, his hand on her shoulder shifting to clutch her chin. His thrusts grew a little more uncontrolled, his pelvis relentless against her clit.

“You’re my Kella forever. My wife, my lover, my best friend, and the sunshine that drives away the darkness, and I’ll chase you across the world, protect you, and support you. I won’t be denied.” Stone crushed his mouth against hers, controlling her with the kiss. She couldn’t argue with his tongue in her mouth, and she didn’t really want to anyway. His declaration seemed to make him frenzied. He fucked her hard, going as deep as he could, and denting the mattress with each drive into her, his grunts rivaling the squeaks of the mattress springs. The scrape of his pelvis against her nub intensified. Kella closed her eyes and fought for breath.

She clutched at his shoulders, her nails digging into his flesh. A flash burn ignited at her core. She threw her head back and arched against him, fighting for the crest, and then she was screaming as the climax slammed through her. Stone’s pounding grew even more uneven as her walls clenched around him. “So incredible,” he muttered. His head dropped to the curve of her neck. He went still, moaning. The hot splash of his seed jolted her eyes open, a hefty reminder of what might happen if it was the right time of the month. He made small thrusting motions against her, groaning his ecstasy with each move, grinding against her clit and dragging helpless whimpers from her.

Finally, he went limp. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and clutched him tight. “Why do I have to be in love with you?” She blurted the question out and cringed the moment the final word left her mouth. Stone’s head came off her shoulder, and she could see the hurt in his eyes. “Sorry to be a burden.” “I didn’t mean it like that.” She stroked his cheek and tightened her arm around his shoulder when he would’ve rolled off her. “I’m sorry, I don’t want to hurt you. Didn’t mean to hurt you. Please let me explain, but don’t leave me.” If he pulled away from her now, it’d be an emotional departure rather than a

physical one. “Don’t put that distance between us. I deserve it. I know I do, but I enjoy your weight on top of me. It makes me feel like I belong to you.” “You do belong to me. And I belong to you. I don’t understand this need of yours to drive a wedge between us, to be so independent you push everyone away. Haven’t I proven my intentions toward you are honorable?” “Yes. But you deserve someone whole, someone who can love you and be happy with your Regency lifestyle. I love you. I’m in love with you. I feel cherished when I’m with you, happier than I’ve ever been, and just now when you made love to me...” she let her eyes close as she focused on the fullness of

him inside her. “I’ve never felt whole until now. I’ve not belonged anywhere until now, here in your arms.” Tears streamed from her eyes. “Shh...sunshine.” He dipped his head and kissed the corner of each eye. “Being in love shouldn’t make you sad. It should be freeing.” “It is. But it’s not.” She swiped at the moisture, but it was pointless, the waterworks kept falling. “Loving you means I have to trust you with all my secrets from here on out, and I’m pretty sure I’ll fuck that up.” “You’re a work in progress, so I’ll cut you some slack,” he teased even though his gaze betrayed his concern.

“I don’t like depending on anyone but myself. Or having to answer to anyone. And loving you means I either have to walk away from the X-Ds or put your life and position in jeopardy. Love shouldn’t make those types of demands.” “You’re being too hard on yourself. I’m independent too, and I call the shots, so I understand. We’ll take baby steps, and love is about giving without the other asking for sacrifice.” “I don’t want you to sacrifice for me.” “Too bad. It’s not your choice.” That only made her cry harder. Stone rolled them so she was draped across his chest. His half-mast dick lingered within her, and she remained motionless

afraid one slight move would cause him to slip out of her. Some weird fear had her convinced when he exited her body, he’d vacate her life forever. Logically she knew it wasn’t true, but she couldn’t seem to reel in her emotions as he held her, caressing her back, hips, and ass as she let go of herself. It felt like an eternity passed before her tears dried up and she could concentrate on his heartbeat. Their silence wasn’t awkward, thankfully, and she found comfort in his hold. “I love you, Stone.” “I love you, my Kella, my sunshine. Always. Your choices are my choices. Your demons are my demons. We planned this revolution together. We

were sitting by the river the first time you mentioned it, the sun in your hair, casting a golden glow on your skin, and I knew in that moment you were my sunshine.” “I remember the day. I was eleven, and you were twelve. I was afraid you’d tell your dad and he’d retaliate.” She breathed in his scent, hoping she didn’t forget the way he smelled when they were separated. “But that’s a big revelation for someone so young.” “Didn’t matter. I wasn’t just smitten. I was in love, maybe puppy love, probably was, but I knew no one else would ever be enough for me. I knew you were the very center of my universe. You fed warmth to all the cold chambers

of my life, and there was a lot of coldness that came with my duties as Regent heir-apparent.” His fingers slid through her hair, a soothing gesture that guaranteed she remained relaxed. “You were the one person that gave me solace. You taught me how people unconditionally loved one another. You gave me insight into a different side of life, opened my eyes to the struggles of so many others that would become mine to govern. Before you, I was cold and calculating. Better than everyone because that’s what my father taught me, so I believed it.” “You were a haughty ass that day we met.”

“I’d planned to teach you a lesson in humility that day. Imagine my shock when a black-haired slip of a girl turned her acid tongue on me.” He chuckled and cupped her chin so he could lift her head and stare into her eyes. “Kella, you saved me from becoming my father, from becoming Regent Jones. Give me the opportunity to be your partner, to help save our people, and our children’s future.” Kella had no idea how she could decline an offer like that so she did the only thing that came to mind and kissed him.

THIRTY Dawn broke across the landscape, sending muted light to filter through the bedroom windows. For the first time in eight years, the warm female snuggled against Stone wasn’t just some random one-night-stand but the woman he’d longed for. His wife. She thought she wasn’t for him, but she couldn’t be further from the truth. No other woman fit him as well as Kella. She was jaded and naïve all at the same time. She believed she could change the world, but she’d wind up dead and her cause right along with her if someone powerful

didn’t step into her corner. And he was just the man to help her make it happen. There were enough Regents against her to bring about her death. Yeah, she’d make a beautiful martyr, but a generation of X-genes needed saving. Sighing, he buried his nose in her hair and inhaled her scent. According to the X-Ds video still airing, there’d already been too many pretty corpses at the expense of innocent lives. Whether Kella wanted his help or not, she was getting it. He wanted nothing more than to remain in bed with her the rest of the day, making love to her over and over again. Just being with Kella lent him a sense of serenity, but that peace was

counterfeit. Their world was being torn apart by selfish men. No longer could he stand aside and allow the mistreatment of others. Being inside her last night had been better than he’d anticipated, and he’d meant every word he said to her last night. Xenos deserved the same opportunities as the privileged. But first he had a tyrant threatening the continued existence of his sunshine. He would unseat the bully before Jones harmed another. Then he’d focus on saving Xgenes and changing their world. A mental groan later, he eased himself away from his wife, and pulled on a pair of lounge pants. He removed the chair from the doorknob and set the

furniture aside, leaving the door slightly ajar. Retro padded beside him down the hall yowling for attention. He snagged the kippy off the floor and gave her the rubbing she demanded. “Spoiled fur ball.” As if she agreed, Retro began to purr. Stone located James and Reaper in the dining room. A buffet of food had been set up. He bypassed chow in favor of a mug of caffeine and fed Retro slices of bacon. “Either of you get any sleep?” Stone sipped his drink and eyed the men. James’s eyes were streaked red, while Reaper seemed surprisingly chirpy.

“Catnap.” Reaper sat back in his chair, surveying Stone with a grave stare. “Don’t get much more than that most days anyway.” James gave him a bleary-eyed glare. “I can’t sleep when your life is in danger. Oh and who can sleep through Kella screaming.” “Your green-eyed monster is showing.” At Stone’s sarcasm to Kella’s sounds of pleasure, James flipped him off. “It’s Kella’s life in danger, not mine.” “It’s all the same in my book.” His buddy pinched the bridge of his nose. “He gets to her, and you’ll put your own life at risk to avenge her.”

Stone pointed out the obvious. “She’s alive, and I’m seeking revenge in her name.” James lowered his hand and elevated his eyebrows. “I’m guessing after all that grunting and groaning you at least slept well?” He grinned as he settled in a chair. “Best sleep ever. Thanks for asking.” “Glad to know one of us isn’t worried.” James’s derision wasn’t a surprise. “Kella confirmed she’s X-Ds.” Stone tossed that grenade out and waited for a reaction from Reaper. And was disappointed. Reaper simply finished off his coffee without acknowledging Stone’s

announcement. James cursed until he was out of breath. Or just out of curse words. “Tell me you’re fucking with me. Please tell me you’re fucking with me.” Stone shook his head. “According to her she’s a founder. She won’t give up names. And she had nothing to do with hacking the newsfeed, but she interviewed the Xeno’s in those videos.” James went back to pinching the bridge of his nose. “If it’s not one problem, it’s another. Jesus Christ, what’s next?” “I’ve got an idea how you can overtake the Regency without endangering your men.” Reaper moved to the buffet.

Stone stared at his back well aware the other guy altered the topic. “And you didn’t share with me?” James glared at Reaper, not that the other could appreciate the ire with his back to them. “The one who’s actually plotting the attack?” “Thought I’d run it by you both.” He set his plate on the table, mounded with eggs and bacon. Reaper gripped the back of the chair and stood there staring at Stone, wearing a hellacious frown across his brow. “What’re you going to do about Mack and the X-Ds?” Good to know his wife’s bodyguard wasn’t as unaffected by the news as he’d let on. “Support her. Keep her from getting her gorgeous ass killed. As far as

I’m concerned, the last Xeno corpse has been buried.” Reaper’s shoulders visibly lowered as he released a pent-up breath. “How exactly are you going to support her?” “Help her fight more wisely. I already banned X-gene selling three years ago in my Quad, so going the extra mile to make a change in the world isn’t that big a stretch for me.” All those conversations with her in the past, dreaming about a different world, had prepared him for this. “You got a problem with that, James?” “Nope. Not after our last conversation when you reminded me who was in charge.” He pinned Reaper with a stare, while his sarcasm rolled

off Stone’s back. “Spill your idea about the attack.” “You own one of the only two working teleport machines. I know a hacker that could probably shut the other one down.” “The X-Ds hacker?” Stone pinned him with a stare. “Yes.” He nodded. “Thanks for your honesty.” “If Mack trusts you, then I will too.” Reaper sat and unrolled his utensils from the napkin. “Anyway, shut the second one down, throw firewalls or whatever the shit it is she does that protects computers from outside attacks. I’m assuming you have Jones’s DNA in the

system? To make it easier for him to teleport whenever he wants?” Stone nodded. “That’s why I had James shut down the machine last night. Didn’t want him showing up here or my Quad unannounced.” “You meet with him, maybe lead him to believe you’re going to bend to his wants, but instead you teleport Regent Jones wherever you want him, and you do whatever it is you need to do to cede him and rule his Quadrant.” “No need to meet when we can teleport him from anywhere at any time. It’d be a nonviolent resolution.” James folded his toast in half and bit into it. “His cabinet will be a problem either way though.”

“They’re pompous, overindulged spooners. No offense, Stone.” “None taken.” “Stone’s not exactly a spooner. Like the holy terror, he’s been assassin trained.” Despite the derogatory name, and James’s defense, his bodyguard seemed less stressed than when Stone first entered the room. “You could make that case,” Reaper conceded. “The cabinet will be easily managed by a few well-placed men.” “Or I can show you how to infiltrate his private oasis for a sneak attack. No one will know Jones was in any danger until it’s too late.” Stone glanced up as Kella entered the dining room.

“Hell no.” James shook his head. “I’m responsible for keeping Stone alive. I can’t be responsible for both of you.” “She’s my job,” Reaper shot back. “I’ve kept her alive for eight years without your help, so I think I got this. Besides, she’s got a knack for infiltrating airtight fortresses. She’s the only reason we got into any of the X-centers to shut them down.” Ignoring them both, Stone rose from his seat and met Kella across the room. He caught her hips and pulled her against him, letting her know just how happy he was to see her. His cock had punched against his loose cotton pants the moment she entered. He was sure

James had noticed if his eye roll was any indication. At the evidence of his erection, her eyes jerked to meet his, and the corners of her lips turned up. “I’m happy to see you too.” His cock pulsed. “Good morning, sunshine.” “Morning, pretty boy.” She smoothed her finger across his bristly jaw. “Sexy, morning scruff.” “Wish I could’ve stayed in bed and used it on you.” He leaned in and whispered against her ear. “Down there.” “Mmm...” She shivered against him. Stone kissed her, relishing the taste of her on his tongue.

James cleared his throat. When Stone didn’t rise to his prodding, James said in a dry tone, “I know you’re an exhibitionist, Stone, but I doubt your holy terror is. However, I’m not opposed to cleaning off the table and watching you two go at it if you’d like an audience.” “I’d object,” Reaper put in his twocents. Too bad duty called, but James was right, they needed to get down to business. “Ignore the asshole,” Stone told her. “I always do.” She grinned at him before sashaying over to the buffet. “Brother, your dick is going to get us killed,” James said in a furious whisper.

“You mentioned that recently. So far we’re all alive.” Reaper chuckled. “Are you doubting your ability to protect him after I put you on your ass the other week?” James sent him his favorite comeback—the middle finger. “Fuck you. I’m ready for a rematch anytime you are.” “After we’ve secured Kella’s safety.” Stone couldn’t keep his eyes off Kella as she poured a mug of coffee and snagged a couple of pieces of bacon. “God, I’ve missed this,” she said after biting into the pork. She’d never have to go without it again. That he vowed.

“So,” she swallowed. “There’s this tunnel beneath the Regency that was built by the elders. Most people don’t study the elder chronicles. I don’t know why because there’s a lot of info there. Anyway, this one particular tunnel branches into a couple others, but one of those leads straight to Jones’s bedroom.” “How did you come by this information?” The data wouldn’t be available to someone of her former rank. “I stole the blueprints.” A naughty smile twisted her lips. “I have many talents.” Stone gave a mental groan because the mention of talents put him right back into the mind frame for fucking. Despite her lack of sexual experience, he’d had

more fun with her than the other women he’d indulged in in the past. “Well, aren’t you an equalopportunity criminal?” James drawled. Reaper pointed a finger at him, and his eyebrows turned into a uni-brow. “I dislike your judgmental bullshit.” Kella put her hand on her buddy’s shoulder. “It’s okay. I grew up with Satan’s asshole attitude. Ignore him. It’s what I do. Hang on.” She walked out of the room with her mug in hand. “You got a vagina, Reaper?” James stared at the other man. Before Reaper could respond, James went on. “You’re as sensitive as a chick where she’s concerned. I’ve always given her hell like that. I don’t mean shit by it. In all

honesty, the way her skillset has evolved amuses me.” Stone added. “Don’t let him fool you, he cares about her.” James snorted as Kella strolled back into the room. Rolled up paper under one arm and the mug in her other hand. She set the mug and paper down on the end of the table and unrolled a few before selecting one. Using the butter and milk pourer to hold down two corners, she grabbed a roll of silverware and moved her mug to the forth corner. “That’s the underground blueprint of the maze the elders built. This one,” she unrolled it and placed it beside the other one, grabbing various items off the table

to hold it down, “is the blueprints to the Regency. Here’s the tunnel I was talking about.” She traced her finger along a line and Stone rose to stand beside her for a better view. She glanced at him, as James leaned forward to get a better peek. “Note the coordinates. Now, look at this map.” She indicated the Regency blueprints. “Compare the coordinates.” “Shit.” Stone scratched his jaw as he looked between the blueprints. “Are these the same maps you were looking at the other day?” “No.” She shook her head. “Those were near your Quad, and I was marking some possible dig sites.” He liked that she made plans near his home, but he couldn’t be distracted by

hope at the moment. “We don’t know that there’s an entryway between the tunnel and his bedroom.” On the surface the plan might seem beneficial, but without a way to access the chamber from the tunnels, those passageways were just conveniently located. “Yeah,” she agreed. “We’d need to send in a scout.” “Should talk to our hacker first.” Reaper munched on his eggs, but his comment jerked Kella’s gaze in his direction. “If there’s a way in, she can have the scout put a surveillance camera in his chamber. Having eyes on Jones ahead of time will help.”

“If we can make this plan work, Stone, I like it.” James stared at him. “Teleporting is a little disorienting for some, and you can’t go in alone. Can’t risk it with just you and I. This way, we send others in and keep you from danger, while sending a clear message that no Regent is safe in his home. Better yet, there won’t be a teleport log, so they won’t have a clue how you got in.” “A good hacker could get rid of the log,” Reaper said. “I’m going in, not someone else.” Stone wanted to experience the satisfaction when Jones realized how much he’d dismissed him. “I can’t back that.”

“Not asking, James.” He met his buddy’s gaze over the table. “You want to join me and play bodyguard, you’re welcome to tag along. But I will have the satisfaction of seeing his face when he realizes his tyranny has come to an end because he ignored my warning and threatened Kella.” “All right.” James grimaced. “For the record, I don’t like it—” “Noted.” “—but I can tell when you’ve dug your heels in and you’re being a stupid fucker.” “I think it’d be better if no one ever knew Stone took the palace or Jones.” Everyone peered at Reaper. “That way Stone can maintain his power of position

while working with us on the down low.” “He shouldn’t be working with us openly or on the down low, period,” Kella said, her voice growly, but it just came across as sexy to Stone. “You’re going to lose that argument, holy terror.” James sent her mock sympathy. “Wouldn’t matter if they all knew I did it, I’m untouchable. And I don’t need acknowledgement anyway.” Stone just needed the satisfaction of bringing him down. “Like I told you last night, sunshine, I don’t need your permission to aid your cause.” Shaking her head, she sighed.

“What about his children?” James sat back in his chair and steepled his fingers. “They’re next in line for Regent heir-apparent.” “We’re not harming innocent children.” That was a hard limit for Stone. “James is right.” Reaper agreeing with James on this surprised him. He hadn’t expected the man to be as coldhearted as James could be. “They have to be neutralized or they’re always a threat.” “Our hacker has been working on a chip that acts as a bomb if a person goes into a certain area.” Kella created circles on the table with her fingertip. “Not saying I’m inviting you into the X-

Ds, but it’s an option. Chip them, and warn them to never return or go boom.” “Jesus Christ, you’re twisted, holy terror.” James pointed a finger at her and smiled at Stone. “I like the way she thinks. And the solution is less bloody than mine or Reaper’s way.” “The X-Ds are about preserving life, Satan. Those kids are as innocent as any Xeno.” The idea of killing kids sickened Stone. Delighted by Kella’s alternative solution, Stone thrust his hand to the back of her neck and pulled her in for a hard and fast kiss. “You think your hacker will do it?” “I think we should put his involvement to a vote.” Reaper pushed

his plate away. “No.” Kella scowled at her friend. Her friend devoured a slice of bacon. “Not your call to make, Mack. If our friends are to help, they should be involved in all of the decision-making process. That means there has to be a vote.” “Call them,” Stone said, noting the way Kella closed her eyes as if the worst outcome unraveled against her will. “There’s one other thing.” Kella leaned her hip against the table. It was a casual stance, but he could feel her tension. “We have to go through the silos to enter the tunnel system.”

“Sure, whatever’s necessary, sunshine.” To Reaper, Stone said, “I want Kella safe before we do this.” She grinned at Stone and flicked a glance at Reaper. It was her friend that spoke. “The silos are the safest place for her.” “The silos are located in the badlands, Stone.” That caught him off guard, and he stared at her with no idea how to respond. James didn’t have a problem expressing himself though. “Great. Just fucking great. Things just keep getting better. Now we need a global-sized military to execute this mission to survive the goddamn Feeders.”

“Now who’s got the vagina and is whining like a diva?” Reaper smirked at James. “Reaper and I are known there,” Kella said quickly. “Feeders aren’t in the silos, just your everyday average Joes known as Raiders.” “You’re known in the godforsaken badlands?” James narrowed his gaze on her. “Aren’t you just a box full of mysteries? How, Kella?” His tone grew harsher, more forbidding. “Before I’ll allow Stone to walk into enemy territory, I need to know how you’re known there.” “Dregs in the badlands are like us. Nothing horrific.” Reaper supplied that unhelpful report.

“They’re our friends, and we spend more time there than here. The Feeders are outcasts even to us and only come out at night. They’re two totally different set of people. Our people are harmless if you’re not a spooner.” “You’re fucked,” James glanced at Stone. “You couldn’t pass for a dreg after an intense six-year acting lesson.” Offended, Stone knew he could pull off a convincing imitation of a dreg. “How hard could it be?” “He’s right, you’d never succeed. The way you carry yourself and bark orders is something you can’t hide.” Reaper scratched the back of his neck. “Don’t worry, they let you believe they eat spooners to keep their fearsome

reputation, and to keep others like you from venturing into their domain.” “It’s all about marketing,” Kella said in a singsong voice. “Comforting.” James made a queasy face. “I want you to understand I’m only agreeing to take you to the badlands so you can have your revenge on Jones. No other reason. I won’t support you joining the X-Ds.” Stone nodded, letting her think what she wanted. He understood her stance, and soon she’d understand his. “For that, we need you to be you, Stone, no acting necessary and no games. It’s the only way all this works. Honesty. We walk in there with a lie and everything will go to hell. You try to go

behind my back and get in good with the rest of the X-Ds counsel and I’ll send your fine ass packing back to the Quad without me. Got it?” He held Kella’s gaze, adoring her fierce protective instincts, but he also abhorred her attempt to push him out of her life. They’d made love, he’d vowed to fight for her, and in this moment he understood she still had every intention of walking away from him. “I understand exactly what you’re saying, sunshine.” No question, he very much understood her intentions. Espionage was her journey, riddled with danger, and it came with an immediate execution if captured, and she’d oust him from any association with the X-

Diplomats if she had the final say. Didn’t matter what he wanted or that an alliance with him offered them a blanket of security. All Kella saw was her need to protect those she cared about, and he’d made the short list. But she didn’t think much of his abilities if she’d put him in witness protection, but not Reaper or her other friends. If he allowed her oppressiveness, his woman would turn him into a spineless man, without asking for his input or factoring in his wants. She’d be no better than the Regents who currently governed with an iron fist. All for the sake of securing his well-being, without a single thought to his consideration or happiness. His woman had a lot to learn.

“Good.” She snuggled into Stone’s side, obviously content with his response. “You’ll be safe with us. We have a house there.” Stone kissed her forehead, vowing soon she’d learn how persistent he could be. She’d fight him, but he welcomed the challenge. He thought back to the night in the airplane. She hadn’t been frightened of the Feeders and had claimed she knew more about the world than he did. But he knew more about Regents and the way the high-class society worked. United with him, the X-Ds would be unstoppable. “Reaper, contact whoever you gotta contact to put this mission to a vote.

Help me, and I’ll owe you.”

THIRTY-ONE Despite Kella and Reaper’s assurances the badlands weren’t dangerous, Stone saw to it Kella was heavily armed. Reaper had rolled his eyes at Stone’s insistence, but taking a chance with his wife’s life wasn’t an option. In every sense of the word, losing her wasn’t an option either. Seeming amused by his armament, Kella had kissed him. Stone wasn’t sure what to make of her affection, but he wasn’t objecting, and he helped her strap on blades, guns, and lasers all the same.

He’d had a heart to heart with Reaper about being an ally, if not a member, of the X-Ds, and detailed all the benefits he brought to the revolt. Reaper had volleyed with the disadvantages, Kella ripping his balls off for going behind her back at the top of that list. They eventually came to an agreement. Reaper contacted his people, Dutch and Creed, put them on speakerphone, and they’d debated Stone’s involvement all over again. They’d agreed to put his association to a vote and left it at that. Kella would be pissed off when she discovered what he conspired with her friend, but he was prepared to deal with her temper.

Before they left, Kella showed him a small tube-looking device that had XDiplomats engraved on it. “One of the EMP canisters we use to knock out the X-gene camps. It’s strong enough to fry the brain.” Ingenious tech. Turning it about, he studied the innocuous-looking weapon. These devices stumped the best Regency tech. Then again, they apparently selfdestructed without a trace left behind. “Who came up with it?” “A combination of Dutch and Creed. Don’t push that button. It arms it.” Stone slid his thumb off the switch. He remembered Dutch from the day Kella had been publicly punished. After he and James had been granted verbal

permission to enter the silos, Kella explained Dutch was their hacker. Most attractive hacker he’d ever seen, but all the ones he knew were male. “I haven’t met Creed.” He’d talked to him, but couldn’t put a face with the name. “Reaper said he was at my house the day Jones electrically beat me.” Ah...the other guy he hadn’t been able to identify. The one with the air about him that made Stone think he had privileged connections, maybe even elitist upbringing, and seemed familiar in a way he couldn’t isolate. “How well do you know him?” “How well do we know anyone?” Fair point. Even so, she trusted the other man with her life, so that counted

for something. She nodded at the EMP blast in his grasp. “Use it if something goes wrong.” “I’d rather you have it.” She’d curled her fingers in the short hairs at the back of his neck and gave a sharp little tug. At his hiss, she growled and gave his chin a sharp nip. Of course his dick reacted. “I have one in my pack. You’re adorable when you’re protecting me, pretty boy.” He’d say ‘likewise’, but her protection violated his manhood. He did love her playful banter. Felt like old times. “I was going for sexy, wife.” “Oh, you got that in spades.” After that, they’d departed with Kella navigating her buggy across the

deserted landscape, with Retro tucked inside her backpack. Stone took up the space beside his wife, with Reaper and James scrunched into the back seat. Given the size of both men and the way their knees bumped the backseat and folded to their chests, Stone decided ‘back seat’ an ambitious definition. They’d left Stone’s soldiers behind to feed intel back to them and because both Kella and Reaper were adamant if they showed up at the silos with a sizeable force it’d be considered an act of war, and they’d be shot on sight. Didn’t matter that Creed knew they approached, arriving in large numbers remained off-limits. Their mothers had been teleported back to the safety of his

Quadrant, with the shields erected and his people put on high alert. “This is suicide,” James bitched, a Glock in his right hand and a short sword in his left. Stone would’ve preferred a different plan of action, but he expected Kella to trust him, so he showed her the same courtesy. She vouched for these people, and he gave her the benefit of the doubt. He would remain on high alert though. And if he hadn’t heard the verbal permission to enter, he would’ve been less excited about this move. With flat terrain in all directions, Kella stopped the vehicle, slid her pack on, and hopped out, leaving the conveyance running. “We’re here.”

James unfolded from his seat and stood in the back of the buggy, shielding his eyes with the hand holding the Glock, and surveyed the area. “Where’s the silo?” He lowered his arm and glared at Kella. “Or’d you bring us out here to kill us quietly since you don’t want Stone part of this?” “Paranoid much?” Reaper laughed. “I vote the latter, Mack, for the mouthy one, anyway.” He nudged Kella with his shoulder. “Not sure why you call him Satan when Diva Queen would be a better fit.” “Ha-ha...everyone’s full of bellylaughs until their throats are slit.” Ignoring James’s grumbling, Stone followed Kella to a log. Now that he

thought about it, the wood was out of place. She nudged it aside with her foot, squatted, and clicked a button. A whoosh sounded like air hydraulics being activated. A loud boom had James scrambling to cover Stone, but before his buddy could save the day, a hatch to Stone’s right opened up, exposing a ramp that descended into the earth. James reacted by pointing his gun in the direction of the opening and adjusting the sword in his left hand, readying for an assault. “That’s the parking deck, Diva Queen.” Reaper’s chuckles almost made him indecipherable. “I promise there are no house dragons inside either.” Kella nodded at

Reaper, and he hopped behind the wheel of the buggy and drove the vehicle into the darkness. “Mock me—” Kella cut James off. “Shut up. You are being a diva. I know these people —” “I don’t.” James crowded Kella’s space. Stone elected not to arbitrate unless his bodyguard became too aggressive, especially since she could hold her own. “Like you, I don’t trust anyone who hasn’t earned it. They might not believe you. Might think a Regent compromised you, shoot Stone in the head, and call it a good fucking day. He’s all the family I

have, so I’ll fucking protect him until they’ve earned my trust.” “All right.” Kella conceded with a shrug. “You win. That’s a valid point.” “Finally someone with some common sense.” James glared at Stone. Stone lifted his hands in capitulation. “I didn’t say you weren’t right, I said I had to trust Kella the way she trusted me with her secret.” “If Creed decides we’re compromised,” Reaper joined them as the hatch closed. “He’ll likely kill us all.” Deciding James was right to have his gun handy, Stone pulled his own weapon. “What aren’t you telling us about Creed?”

“A lot, but does that matter now?” It very much did to Stone, but he wasn’t about to hash it out with Reaper when anyone could be watching. He figured a united front was better than a divided one. Another whooshing noise, a popping sound, and a door slid open revealing stairs that descended. “They know we’re here,” Kella said, and Stone peered about looking for cameras, but saw none. “Satellites.” She pointed toward the sky. “They wanted us dead, we’d all be dead already.” “Motherfuck,” James grumbled. “We get out of this alive, I’m defecting to their side. They have the coolest toys.”

“I have a drone.” In Stone’s opinion, that was way cooler than a satellite. “But you rarely use it,” his buddy mocked. “So what’s the point in having it?” “Really?” Kella eyed him. “Can I play with it?” James laughed. “Yeah, because giving the holy terror access to a killing machine can’t end badly.” She poked her tongue out at his bodyguard. “Oh, was I wrong?” James gave her a shocked expression that was so overdone it came across as ridiculous. “Did I misunderstand you? Did you want to play with something else?”

“Keep it in the bedroom please.” Reaper rolled his eyes, but Stone caught his small smile. “You two are perverts. We need to get them laid,” Kella whispered to Stone as she clicked the button on his bracelet. “James, turn your bio-shield on. It’s a hot zone below.” The film coated Stone. Only she remained without the protective gear. ‘I love you,’ he mouthed to her. She blew him a kiss and followed Reaper down the stairs. Stone went next, and James brought up the rear. He heard Reaper mutter, “Stay sharp, Mack.” That didn’t ease Stone’s worries. Judging by James’s uttered, “I hate that

bastard,” Reaper’s command had amped up his nerves too. They traversed the dark hallway, dull light bulbs providing illumination every forty or so feet. The dimly-lit passage made for poor defenses, but a great offense on the dregs’ part. “Tell me about this Creed, Reaper,” Stone prodded, staying tight on Kella’s heels. “Is he the leader here?” “You could say that. He’s their unofficial leader.” Reaper stopped at a rusty door. A yellow light burned above. “I think he’s elitist, like you, but he keeps his past close to his chest.” “What makes you think that?” Stone had already pegged him as one of his

own, with Reaper’s suspicions he considered the theory confirmed. “Gut feeling mostly. And the way he carries himself. Not to mention the beef he has with spooners seems personal, but he’s saved my ass more times than I can count.” “So you trust him?” James had his back to them, his gun trained in the direction they’d just navigated. “To an extent. I only trust Mack totally.” Reaper flattened his palm on the panel next to the door. The lock disengaged with a series of clacks before the door slid open with a hiss. They stepped inside what looked like a common area. It wasn’t huge, but it was by no means small. And there

were probably a good fifty people milling about. “To your right,” James said. Creed approached, arms out in a welcoming gesture. Stone got a little closer to Kella so they wouldn’t get separated if she required his protection. Reaper and Creed executed a weird shoulder bump-hug, and then the leader of the dregs examined Stone’s girl. “You’re looking especially scrumptious, Mack.” Stone had never seen Reaper move so fast, not even when he disarmed James, but he pressed the barrel of his pistol against Creed’s temple a splitsecond after the compliment left the man’s mouth.

“Easy, Reaper.” Creed’s hands trembled as he elevated them in the universal sign of surrender. “Don’t fucking move,” Reaper’s voice was hard, and his finger was already on the trigger, a move all assassins were taught not to do unless they were prepared to make the shot. “How’d you know it’s me?” By all outward appearances, Kella seemed calm, glancing about the cavern. Stone couldn’t decide if it was an act, or she really wasn’t alarmed. Either way, they’d garnered the attention of everyone present. Somehow, the silence seemed louder than when folks had been talking. “Dutch! Jesus, Reaper, that’s what this is about?” Creed sent Kella’s friend

a sidelong glance. A nervous glance. “Dutch arrived two hours ago. She posted Mack’s new do so everyone would recognize her. We’re on the same side here.” “And his quickness is why they call him Reaper,” James said, as if the puzzle pieces he’d been worrying over finally fell into place. Reaper grimaced at James’s comment, but lowered his hand. His weapon remained in his possession. “Was recruited as an assassin for Jones before I was fourteen.” “And by ‘recruited’,” James said, “you mean forced to work for him as an assassin.” “Yeah.”

“So you, better than anyone, know how evil Jones is?” Stone guessed. “More evil than you realize.” “I knew you weren’t a blacksmith.” When he hired Reaper, he’d told him as much, had known the way the man carried himself wasn’t the skillset of a blacksmith. “That was my cover.” Reaper confirmed, and Stone vowed they’d discuss this topic further, but later. “The blood on my hands won’t rest until I have vengeance. Creed, you remember Stone and his man, James?” “You’re Lawless Creed.” With formalities unnecessary, maybe Stone should’ve utilized diplomacy, but he wasn’t here to play games, and it’d just

struck him why Creed seemed familiar. The other man’s father was none other than Regent to Quad5. “Seems we come from the same circle of friends.” “None of them are friends of mine.” Creed motioned to Reaper and Kella. “They’re my friends. My only family. All that matters to me. Our same circle of friends is the cancer in our society.” James leaned closer to Stone as if to impart a secret, but he spoke using his normal voice. “The puppy added just the right amount of bitterness to his voice to sound convincing, don’t you think, Stone?” Stone wondered how much of Creed’s past Kella and Reaper knew. Neither appeared surprised, but they

might not recognize the name and Creed’s connections or they were both experts at hiding their emotions. And Reaper said he suspected Creed was elitist, not that he knew. “Your dad said you were dead, had a grand funeral, invited all the Regents. Slaughtered five dregs for your murder over three days.” There was a story behind his defection, but Stone let it go for the moment. That tell-all could come later. “With your permission, Regent Lachlan Creed will be the first to fall after Jones.” “My father’s already dead to me, so permission granted.” Creed extended his hand. “I understand from Reaper you’re interested in joining the X-Diplomats.”

Kella’s sharp glare told him he had some explaining to do. “I object to that. Stone and Reaper both know it too.” Stone took the other man’s hand and gripped hard. “Just so you know, Kella is all that matters to me. Willfully put her in danger, and I’ll have as big a problem with you as I do society’s cancer.” “Mack,” Reaper clarified when Creed’s confusion became evident. “He call’s Mack Kella because her real name is Mackella.” “Ah...thanks for clarifying.” Creed released Stone’s hand. “Mack, you know how this works. We vote to let people in. Reaper vouched for him already, so we’ll put it to a vote.”

“Goddamn you, Reaper. I trusted you.” “I trusted you to put the cause above your own fears. Guess we were both wrong.” She gave her friend a long, nasty glare, before facing off against Creed. “Why would you trust him, Creed? We trust no one this quickly. Doesn’t matter who vouches for him.” Lawless Creed smiled. “Four reasons. One, the changes he’s made to his Quad in three years verify he’s serious about granting freedom to Xenos and equality to people. Two, you trusted him with your secret and brought him here. Three, that’s as good as a vouch

from you. And four, Reaper trusts him, and he doesn’t totally trust me.” Kella twisted her fingers together. “I don’t want him involved.” “You can make your case, and I’ll listen,” Creed gave her a brief hug. “I know your story, babe, and I can tell you care for him, so if your only objection is related to protecting him, don’t waste your breath.” Frustration bled from her like a vein had been opened up. Instead of arguing further, she unzipped her pack and withdrew Retro. The moment the creature’s feet hit the floor, kippy bolted into a throng of children, who squealed their delight.

“Take your time, Mack.” Reaper motioned for James to follow him, but Stone’s buddy shook his head. “We’ll meet you at Creed’s.” He watched as Creed and Reaper strode off. James put some space between him and Stone and Kella, giving them a moment of privacy. Kella slid the pack back on and tightened the straps. She didn’t look at him, as she said, “Come on.” If Stone didn’t understand the good intentions behind her argument, he’d have been hurt. She struggled with how to manage a life torn between love and hate, but he aimed to show her there could be a middle ground. He halted her by grasping her upper arm and turning

her to face him. “Sunshine, I know you’re worried about me getting involved, but this isn’t the way to go to about undermining me.” “You promised,” she said, her voice tense as if she gritted her teeth. “I thought I could trust you.” “I never promised.” He threaded his fingers through her hair, cringing over her trust comment. “I said I understood your position. I didn’t agree. I promised to fight for you, that your choices are my choices, and your demons are my demons. As kids we planned this revolution together, promised to create a different world, and that we’d see it through together. You don’t have the right to take that from me.”

“We were kids. It’s ridiculous to think we could hold each other to that vow any longer.” “We’ve both already held each other to it, Kella.” He kneaded the back of her neck, her muscles stressed and inflexible, and her gaze unyielding. “I bucked the system and altered the way my Quad runs. Odds against you, you helped create a rebellion that has Regents terrified of your next move. Can’t you see, we both made good on our promises even though we weren’t together. We have the chance to finish it together, and I won’t allow you to renege on our deal at the eleventh hour just because you’re worried.”

Kella looked away, blinking quickly, and the tenor of her accent came out a touch raspy. She lifted her hand and placed it over his heart. “I’m terrified you’ll end up dead. I can’t bear the thought.” “Now you know how I feel.” He covered her hand with his palm. “Worrying about another is what happens when you love them.” “I want to help you get to Jones, and then for you to move on. That’s not too much to ask.” “You know it is, sunshine.” He placed the fingers of his other hand beneath her chin and nudged her head back enough their stares connected. “Honoring our childhood pact has

nothing to do with the promises we made. Honor it because you love me and respect my choices.” While lowering her forehead to his chest, her fingers clenched on his shirt, fisting the material, and he could feel her internal struggle as if it were his own. “We should join them,” she said after a moment. Stone didn’t push for a decision, but gave her space to think.

“How many do you have here that are part of X-Ds?” Stone sipped the homebrewed beer thinking of the way Kella had been greeted by the inhabitants.

She’d introduced him and James to the masses before guiding them to Creed’s private quarters. It was easy to see how much these people loved and respected her, and while they’d gazed at him and James with distrust, they openly welcomed them because of her. He was even more smitten with her because they adored her. Baby steps, he reminded himself as a memory of their youth assailed him. If he gave her time, she would eventually come around and elect to stay with him, hopefully even welcome him into her world. He’d thought she trusted him as a child, but when he thought back he could admit she’d never given her confidence

to anyone. At least not totally. She hadn’t even put her faith in him regardless of his rank and their friendship, but expected everyone to disappoint her. He was stepping into her world, forcing his way into her life, and he worried he was making the wrong move. Could she ever trust him now?

Stone went in search of Kella at Judy’s request because no one had seen her since before school that morning. He found her in the church, a small building that should’ve been condemned years ago. An odd place for the holy terror since she’d admitted that she never prayed because if God

was real, He didn’t like dregs anyway, so they weren’t friends, and she couldn’t depend on Him. In a woebegone tone, she’d confessed she could trust no one because none cared about her, anyway. It was the way of the world. Offended she’d placed him in the same category as all the rest, he’d argued with her, but she’d shunned his quarrel. The stubborn girl failed to see her worth, but instead of arguing further he’d focused on her other claim. He personally didn’t believe in God, his dad said He wasn’t real, and he was never wrong. But he reasoned if God didn’t love Kella, the most loveable person Stone knew, then God

sure as hell wouldn’t like Stone either. She’d looked him dead in the eyes and reminded him his dad had confessed this truth to her...God loved Regents but not dregs. A Regent’s word was law, so of course he was right, and Stone gave up the fight because how could he argue that logic? That day he’d found her in a corner of the chapel, knees drawn up to her chest and her forehead resting on her knees, sobbing so hard her shoulders shook. Curling his nose at the dust and filth, Stone slumped down beside her nonetheless. He would hazard just about anything for her, but only for her would he make this concession.

“Who hurt you?” Anger had been sharp in his mind. That anyone dared to harm such a perfect girl required punishment, if not total humiliation. Kella had flinched and turned her head on her knees to the side to peer at him. She sniffled. “Doesn’t matter. I deserved it.” “Tell me everything right now.” “Don’t be bossy.” She’d sat up, and crossed her arms over her chest. A chest that’d become bountiful with breasts that other girls envied and boys admired. Even Stone wasn’t immune to them. He shuffled closer to her and put his arm around her shoulders, drawing her closer. She rested her head on his

shoulder like she always did, accepting the comfort he offered. “Please tell me, sunshine.” It was a long time before she spoke up. “Bobby said you weren’t really my friend, that you only put up with me because your momma made you.” Rage burned in his gut, but she went on, so he said nothing and let her talk. Confessions were good for the soul, right? “That I was a good-for-nothing dreg, pretty to look at, and even though I was schooled like an elitist, I didn’t need to forget my birth or my worth. That when I grew up all I’d be good for was as a...a...fuck toy.” The final two words were whispered, her breath catching in her throat.

“You believed him?” Stone couldn’t understand why she would let Bobby or any of the other pretentious brats get to her. They were mean-spirited bullies, and they sought to belittle her to make themselves feel superior because everyone could sense the integrity within Kella. A trait all of them lacked. Even he didn’t measure up when weighed against her good heartedness. “It was brutal to hear, but he’s right, and I needed to hear it. Momma warned me last month I was getting too big for my britches and not to forget I was a dreg and none of my schoolmates were my friends.” She ran the back of her arm beneath her nose, leaving a

smear on her shirtsleeve. A horrible habit of hers he’d eventually break. “Don’t do that.” He pulled her arm down. “I’m your friend.” Kella’s eyes widened, maybe just now realizing she’d lumped him in with all their classmates. “Of course, you are.” She didn’t mean a word of it, and that disheartened him. Why did everything always come down to division among the classes? “I’ll prove it tomorrow morning.” “I don’t need proof, Stone. I know where your heart lies.” The miserable expression in her eyes said she thought his heart resided with those other ratbastards who thought to demean her.

“Just meet me at the school steps ten minutes early.” “Don’t do anything,” she’d pleaded. “Bobby will beat you up, or tell your dad, and then you’ll get in trouble, and I’ll feel guilty. I’m not important, you are. No one likes me, but everyone adores you.” If no one liked Kella, then they were fools. She was the sweetest, most heartfelt person he knew. “Bobby won’t say anything to my dad. And James will beat him up.” “Please do me this one favor, and let it pass. I was dreaming too big, Momma warned me first, but I didn’t listen. I never listen. If I’d listened,

Bobby wouldn’t have had to tell me too.” “Bobby’s a fool.” Stone had made his decision. The next morning, he’d confronted Bobby in front of the entire school. Kella had gaped, shocked by his defense, while he’d delivered his own style of retribution to Bobby, forcing him to apologize to Kella and cater to her needs for an entire month. The bully had balked, threatened to go to Peter, but Stone had called his bluff and encouraged the boy to tattle to his dad. Their classmates had gotten into the fray calling him a “tattletale”. They didn’t know it, but their mockery helped.

Stone had hinted if Peter knew of Bobby’s cruel ways, the Regent would impose a harsher punishment. Kella did live in their home, after all, so Bobby should know Peter’s allegiances resided with her. In the end Bobby had caved, and he’d done Kella’s bidding for a month. He carried her books to class, got lunch for her, and threw away her trash. Cleaned up any mess she might’ve made. He’d been a servant for all her wants, and even the perceived wants Stone could conjure up. In retrospect, it wasn’t much of a punishment, but they were kids, and the public castigation had been enough to deter others from bullying her. Stone’s

immediate defense of her had sent as big a message as drawing the proverbial line in the sand. She was his. Everyone would respect her or they’d answer to him. And none of them wished to get on the bad side of the Regent heir-apparent. “I told you, I’m your friend,” he’d said to her after school that day as they hung out by the bank of the river in his backyard. She’d hugged him, and he’d wrapped his arms around her. “I can’t believe you did that for me,” she’d said. “You’re mine to protect.” Had been his to protect since she was six. And he’d protect her until his dying breath.

“You’re my best friend.” “Always and forever,” he’d agreed, giving her a squeeze, proud he’d managed to prove his loyalty to her.

Stone shook aside the memory and focused on the woman sitting down beside him. Kella didn’t have any more faith in him now than she had then. No, that wasn’t right. She trusted him, but she didn’t believe he could handle the realities of the world, to follow her into danger, or make the tough choices outside the plush atmosphere of his Quad. Once again, she doubted him, questioned his ability to know his place in her world. Or maybe she thought he

followed her blindly into an uprising without realizing the danger he put himself in. “Sip the beer slowly,” she said, “it’s stronger than you’re probably used to.” She was stronger than he was used to also. Had their lives gone differently and she’d remained at his side, would she be as resilient as she was now? He couldn’t say yes with conviction. The time apart, scraping out a living in a harsh climate, and still coming out on top, had most likely been good for her. I would’ve suffocated her strength, and she would’ve become half the woman she is now. And yet there remained a vulnerability about her that left him with

a need to shelter her from the world, while she attempted to do the same for him. So long as she cared for him, they could make this work. He had to believe that. They would just have to learn to trust one another again, and wash away their doubts because he too had been guilty of doubting the logic of her choices. Sure the revolt was dangerous, but worth the gamble. The gap she left between them on the sofa represented the gulf dividing them. Stone couldn’t abide the separation, but he elected to focus on their issues later while in private. He studied the room, metal walls with piping. Kella explained the area used to be a missile silo, the main hub

where the warhead was once housed. Tunnels branched from all directions, some part of the original structure, and others crafted after the world died to make room for an ever growing population. Dutch joined them, imparting the news she’d ‘blown up’ the system to the second teleport machine and that her intel confirmed Jones kept armed guards inside and outside his bedroom. She was now on a mission to discover which ones could be bribed to leave their post. The likelihood of paying off enough of his guards to be effective posed a real problem. With the coordinates, they could teleport into his room, but as James had pointed out previously,

sometimes the process resulted in an unfavorable side effect. Dizziness the number one complaint, and some were so disoriented to the point they were inoperable anywhere from five minutes to one hour. They couldn’t risk going in, even with numbers, if the transport unsettled everyone, leaving them exposed and weak. Good way to get their heads hacked off. Either way, Dutch was on a mission to figure out a way to weaken their opponent. And the glee in the girl’s eyes at having an assignment gave Stone the creeps. He counted himself lucky to be on this particular mastermind’s good side.

“Twenty are housed here,” Creed said, answering Stone’s previous question about how many X-Ds were located in this facility. “There’s another fifteen to the north.” Creed sprawled in his chair with his legs stretched out, fingers laced together and palms flat on his abdomen. Stone understood why the populace looked to the man for leadership. Creed had been born to lead, and his bossy presence came naturally, compelling others to follow him. He also obviously cared about his people, and they approached him with clear respect and without fear. “Impressive that so few of you have accomplished this much damage.” James

had his back to the wall with his hand on the hilt of the gun attached to his waist. As far as his buddy was concerned, they were in enemy territory, and James wasn’t giving up his guard anytime soon. “I know you took the most recent Xgene.” Stone threaded his fingers with Kella’s and was pleased when she didn’t rebuff him. “What about the others being transported over the last three months?” “Kella and I saved the ones from Quads3 and 4,” Reaper acknowledged. “We weren’t responsible for five. We’ve no idea who has her.” “I’m guessing another set of Raiders has her.” Kella squeezed his fingers, what he took as a small sign of her

affection. “Xenos are a big commodity to some of them too.” “I finally have scouts in every Raider compound,” Creed said. “If a Xeno goes up for sale, I’ll know about it, but I wouldn’t necessarily know if they took one and planned to keep her.” Stone nodded. He didn’t understand how their system worked, so he didn’t figure it’d hurt to ask. “Would she be put up for sale openly in a Raider compound?” “Yeah.” Creed nodded. “Not all Raiders feel the same as us, and some are as quick to exploit a Xeno for a quick profit as a Regent.” “None of the people here are wearing a bio-shield, except the few of

us. How’s that possible?” As this was a hot zone, everyone should be suited up, so Stone was perplexed by the populace’s outward appearance of health. “I wondered the same thing.” James pushed away from the wall to perch on the arm of Dutch’s chair. The hacker gave him a startled peek, but he just winked at her. “We think their cells have mutated,” Kella said. “Can’t they all be Xenos?” James asked. “No.” Kella shook her head. “They still get sick with colds, can catch diseases and die. Do catch diseases and die. Us Xenos are immune to it all.”

“Except death.” She inclined her head in agreement, as a new question hit Stone. “Where do you house the Xeno’s you’ve saved?” “They’re V-chipped and given new identities,” Creed answered only part of his question. Reaper filled in the gap. “All the ones we’ve taken are here.” He sent Creed a hot glare. “Total disclosure. We agreed to it if he’s to be considered.” “Yeah,” Creed agreed, but Stone understood trust issues. “I like what you’ve set up here, Creed. Are you willing to return to your Quad when we unseat your dad?” The former Regent heir-apparent shook his head. “I like leading my

outlaw lifestyle. I don’t want to become a part of that beehive again.” Stone considered his options. He needed someone on their team they could trust. “I want to knock the walls down, literally and figuratively between societal classes.” “It sounds good, Stone, and I understand your need for global change, but it won’t work. You struggle in your Quad with the modifications you’ve made. Spooners buck the system, and you’re playing mediator between them and dregs.” Creed reached for his drink. “You’ve got a spy in my Quad?” “I have a satellite. It sees and hears everything. It’ll take generations to alter the mindset of spooners, maybe longer to

convince the dregs to lose their prejudice. The division wasn’t made overnight, and it’ll take more than a generation to heal. We start by freeing all the X-genes. That’s the foundation that’ll bring down the house of cards. From there it’s up to the people.” Stone knew Creed was right, but he couldn’t understand his beef in the fight. He’d been a model heir-apparent until his shocking death. “Why are you in the fight?” Creed sighed and rubbed his eye sockets. “My guilt haunts me, but it’s not something that matters, and it isn’t something I want to put out there for others.”

“Doesn’t it matter?” He released his hold on Kella and sat forward, resting his forearms on his thighs. “I bought Kella to save her, but my dad convinced her I was in it for only pussy and a super baby. My mom knew the truth of it all, even my dad’s vileness, but instead of coming to me, she helped Kella escape. For eight goddamn years I thought she was dead, mourned her. Losing her fucked me up worse than my parent’s wickedness. My beautiful wife has done things no woman should be forced to do in order to survive. Without Reaper, I don’t think she would’ve survived. I should’ve been the one protecting her, but my father took that privilege away from me. Even marked her against my

will. Gave her to Jones as a gift without a stitch of guilt for betraying me. My reason for being here is very fucking personal. The greed and corruption I’ve seen among Regents and the privileged is abhorrent. They use women like my Kella for their sport, celebrate discovering a new X-gene so they can drive up her price and line their pockets, all in the name of saving humanity. I think it’s safe to say humanity has survived the pestilence and will continue to survive without subjecting future Xenos to their abuse. Somewhere along the way our society lost its way, displacing morals for survival. If I’m to trust you, I need to know why you’re in the fight.”

Creed lowered his hand from his eyes. “You’re assuming I trust you because of your speech?” “No.” Stone relaxed into the seat, pulling Kella to his side. “I’m asking you to give me something to hang my hat on, so I’ll know you’re as committed to this revolt as the rest are.” “I know about abhorrent behavior among the spooners.” Creed shook his head. “My dad used to pass Xeno’s around among his best friends. The ‘good ole boys club’ was what he called the sick motherfuckers. They’d gang bang her, initiate her into the lifestyle of submission, he said, before selling her off to the highest bidder. When I was sixteen, he bought me an X-gene even

though I didn’t want her. She was sweet and terrified. I wanted to protect her because she was a goddamn baby. I disobeyed my father and didn’t fuck her immediately, and he punished the girl for my defiance.” A suspicious sheen entered his eyes, and he gave a hasty wipe to the corners, but he couldn’t eliminate the thickness that entered his voice. “I took her. I raped that girl. The next morning, I found her hanging in our bathroom. I did that. I killed her because I couldn’t stand up to my dad. We had a huge quarrel that morning. I punched him, pulled a gun on him. I wanted to kill him so bad, but I ended up walking out the door and swearing vengeance by bringing down his corrupt system and

exposing him for the sick fuck he is. That was nine years ago, and not once have I regretted leaving.” “You’re not to blame for that, Creed,” Kella said. “It is my fault, Mack. I could’ve grown some balls and walked out a day earlier with her.” “You were a kid. We don’t think rationally when we’re young. Had I given it any thought, I would’ve seen the lies in what Stone’s dad told me. You did the best you could to protect her.” “You’re wrong, but I love you for trying to make me feel better.” Kella went to him and hugged him. Her affection ripped more confessions from Creed.

“I hate him, Mack, but I hate myself more.” Dutch left her chair and sat on Creed’s lap, encircling her arms around his neck and resting her head on his shoulder. Was there something going on between Creed and Dutch? Stone hadn’t gotten that sense and still didn’t read that level of intimacy into them. “Want to know why I’m fighting the system?” Dutch’s gaze blamed Stone for Creed’s pain. “Please do confess your sins, doll,” James stared at her, his interest clear. “Well, first off, I have nothing better to do than create mayhem.” That Stone believed, but it wasn’t the total excuse. Thankfully, she added to her reasons.

“Three of my friends were Xenos, all sold off. One died in childbirth at the ripe, old age of twenty. It was her sixth pregnancy, one a year, and she was on her third owner.” The disregard for the girl’s health disgusted Stone. “The other two keep popping out babies without any hopes of being a part of the child’s life. They’re miserable, but no one cares because they’re less than human.” There was truth to Dutch’s statement. Regents and the privileged cared about the health of cattle, but had shown a complete lack of care for the mother of their children. They were nothing more than pawns, but dregs weren’t treated much better.

“Are there classes here in the badlands?” “Yeah. Some people are better off than others, but we take care of one another like you do your citizens.” Creed nudged Kella on the leg. “Go back to your man. He’s looking at me like he wants to run a sword through my heart.” “Not true, sunshine. I was thinking of hacking off his dick instead.” Creed chuckled, and Kella rolled her eyes at their tomfoolery. Stone liked the other man’s practicality, and that not only did he recognize the tension in the room, but knew how to relieve it too. “Ooo...” Dutch drawled with a giggle. “A man that can threaten castration without flinching is a keeper.

If you don’t want him, Mack, I’ll take him.” “Good to know I have options,” Stone said, watching Kella. “You wouldn’t know what to do with him if you had him, Dutch.” His woman strolled to the window overlooking the common area below. “He’s not a computer you can program.” Dutch sat forward, her excitement evident in the way her eyes lit up. “I’m working on this chip that attaches to the brain stem, and I’ll be able to reprogram a person’s brain with it. Cool, huh?” “Scary,” Reaper contradicted. “Terrifying,” Creed said with a shiver. “Intriguing,” James muttered.

Stone agreed with the scary and terrifying comments, but there was nothing intriguing about her idea. “We’re having a celebration tonight.” Creed nudged Dutch from his lap and rose to pour a finger of liquor. “Why don’t Mack and Reaper show Stone and James to their living quarters, so you’ll have a chance to settle in before the party kicks off.” “We should vote on Stone joining XDiplomats.” Reaper studied Kella, but her focus remained on the public area below. “All right.” Creed elevated his glass. “I officially nominate Stone as a candidate.”

“I officially nominate James as a candidate.” At Reaper and Creed’s startled glances Dutch clarified. “Can’t have one without the other, right?” “Anyone want to list the cons of them joining us?” Kella addressed Creed’s question first. “He has a Quad to run, people who would be harmed if something happens to him. He’s got no Regent heirapparent, so the role would revert back to his dad.” She turned just enough to look at him. “If Peter is put back in charge, everyone loses.” “That’s a good point. Could you appoint a Regent heir-apparent, someone that’s not your dad, and someone that reflects your mindset?” Reaper asked.

“Yeah,” Stone said. “Already done, so it’s not an issue. She shares the same values as me.” “Any other valid cons, Mack?” A grin toyed at the corners of Creed’s mouth. “Neither has proven they understand the climate required for change.” Kella folded her arms beneath her breasts. “Wanting change and doing it are two different things. “Uh...Mack, baby, Stone changed the entire fucking dynamics of his Quad. That’s not easy. That gusty move creates instant enemies.” Creed ran his palm over his hair. “Equality for all is a big deal, especially when his very own spooners are against his changes.”

“They’re coming around.” Slowly, but some saw the benefits of an equal system and had profited from Stone’s changes. Creed acknowledged him with a brief nod. “He shut down X-gene clinics, so no one could be tested for the gene. Quad13 spooners protested that move vehemently.” “All Quads protested,” James added. “I’m sure Dutch can find the newsfeeds.” “They’re small changes, Creed, not global the way we’re going about it,” Kella argued. “He’s out there, front and center in the public eye making a very public, unpopular statement. He’s not hiding in

the shadows the way we are. Regents know the face behind his changes. James doesn’t stalk his every move because he gets a thrill out of it. Regents want him dead because he threatens their way of life.” Creed dragged in a breath. “So don’t pretend he doesn’t know the climate or what’s required to make this work. I’d say it’s very clear that he understands what’s at stake.” “What happens when Stone becomes the face of the cause? We know he will because he’s got more to lose and he’s putting himself on the frontlines. So do we just watch him die the way we did Brandt?” Kella glowered at Creed, before turning her gaze on Dutch and Reaper. Stone wondered who Brandt

was. “He died protecting us, protecting the mission. My guilt cannot take a sacrifice like that again. It’d be safer for Stone and James to stabilize changes in the Quads rather than putting themselves in unwarranted danger.” “Ah...we finally get to the heart of your objections.” She frowned at Creed, but he kept talking. “If Stone objected to you putting yourself out there for the greater good, what would you say? Wanted you to stop going into clinics to plant the EMP blasts, how would you react?” “I’d tell him to go fuck himself. I make my own choices.” She glanced at Stone, but didn’t hold his gaze long.

“Exactly.” Creed elevated his eyebrows. “And yet he’s borne your insults without defending himself. What does that say about him?” Kella flinched. “That tells me he knows I’m right. It’s nothing personal.” It was very personal, but they’d get into that later. “Who’s Brandt?” Stone asked, glancing among the members. “One of the original founders.” Kella sat in the windowsill’s chamber. “He was the face of our cause. He lasted one week, was caught, and marched up to the gallows. Jones gave us the option to out ourselves or Brandt would be hanged. The four of us said nothing, stood there, and watched him die.”

“It was my fault he got caught on video,” Dutch said. “I’m to blame, and it’s why I’m overly cautious now.” “It was no one’s fault.” Reaper leaned his hip against the bar set off to the side of the room, and folded his arms over his chest. “Like the rest of us, Brandt knew the danger, and we’d all agreed if we ever got caught we said nothing.” Dead silence lingered among the group. Kella turned in the seat and stared out at the crowd below. “Is everyone forgetting I have Stone’s back?” James eyed the group. “No offense, Satan, but you’re as killable as Stone.”

“Pros,” Dutch piped up, eliminating the tension in the room. “He’s got position, power, influential friends, he’s already re-mastered his Quad to reflect our values, and, this is the big one, he’s pretty on the eyes.” “I’m not feeling your humor right now, Dutch.” Kella shot the webmistress an edgy glare. “The decisions we make right now could have a direct impact on not just their lives but others’ lives too.” “Another pro, he owns a drone.” Reaper continued to watch Kella, but she’d gone back to surveying the throng below. “Oh, shit, dude, I need my fingers on it.” Dutch waggled her digits at him.

“We’ll have world domination in one second flat.” “Good to know you’re on Kella’s side if she ever inherits my Quad.” He counted his lucky stars that Dutch was on the X-Ds side. Kella whipped around at that, her eyes narrowed, but before she could say anything, Creed asked, “Any other pros or cons anyone wants to list before we vote?” His sunshine sighed. “So I won’t feel guilty...pros as I see them are Stone’s dependable, stubborn, and he genuinely cares about people. He’s mostly untouchable, and we know he brings a drone and teleport machine to the table. Both highly valuable assets. James is the

second-best known assassin. I don’t believe I have to go into the pros of that rank. James has also trained Stone, so I guess that means Stone could hold his own in a fight if he had to because James was kissing dirt somewhere.” “Correction, holy terror, I’m number one, and no one makes me kiss dirt.” “From what I hear,” his wife disputed, “Reaper made you kiss dirt, so that makes you number two.” “Damn, Mack,” Creed conveyed a bemused expression. “After the detailed pros and cons you listed, I don’t know how Stone’s going to decide if he should spank your ass or fuck you crazy.” “Both,” James said. “They go together well.”

Kella shook her head, clearly not in the mood for their silliness. “I open the voting with a yes to add them into the X-Diplomats.” Reaper sent Kella a challenging stare. His wife shifted her gaze from Reaper to stare Stone straight in the eyes. “No.” Unsure if that answer was to their admittance or her listed as the Regent heir-apparent, he figured there had to be at least a ‘fuck you’ to go along with her ‘no’. “I vote yes,” Dutch said. “Sorry, Mack, I gotta do what’s best for the XDiplomats.” Creed scratched the back of his head. “Mack, I’m loyal to you, babe.

Give me one reason to say no, and I’ll vote your way. A tie vote makes it a negative vote.” “I gave you pros and cons. If you’re on my side, then just because I don’t want them in it is a good enough reason to vote no.” “Great reason if your vote was cast on valid merits instead of an emotional one. And you’d be spitting mad if Stone attempted to squeeze you out the way you are them.” Creed sighed. “Sorry, babe, I vote yes.” Kella closed her eyes for a brief moment as if absorbing the impact of the voting going Stone’s way, then rose from her seat and stalked out of the room. Reaper caught Stone’s arm when he

would’ve gone after her. “Give her time,” he said. “Her vote’s not personal. She’s scared. If you’d just voted against her for the same reasons, she’d be throwing shit at your head. Frankly, I don’t understand why you’re so calm.” Stone gave her friend a tight smile. “It is personal. Very personal. She’s fighting for me, and I love her for her. I know Kella. She’s not changed much in eight years, and I know the way she ticks. She protects everyone, but herself, believes her life isn’t as valuable as those she cares about.” He shoved his fingers through his hair. “When we were kids a boy at school picked on her. She didn’t want me to confront him because she didn’t want me to get in trouble. She

constantly martyred herself for me, and I had to fight to protect her from others. This is no different.” Dutch inclined her head. “She did volunteer to go into the X-gene clinics to set the charges. She was adamant she was the only choice because she is the smallest of us, but either of you could’ve fit through the venting system. What she does is riskier because I can’t always control who might be inside. You two are somewhat insulated from danger, but she’s not.” Reaper nodded. “She told me her mother reminded her often of her status in life and discouraged her from having too-high aspirations. Her mother didn’t help her mindset. She’s been fed the

devalued spiel for so long, Mack believes she’s expendable.” Creed massaged the back of his neck and stared at the door Kella had exited through. “None of us would be here without her. Can she not see that? And let’s talk about how much she gives to the kids, or the expecting mothers. She hires as many from here as she can for her digs. She’s always looking out after everyone.” “Everyone but herself,” James said. “That’s why I’m not mad at her and why I’m going after her.” Stone walked out the door, and heard the gait of two footsteps behind him. He guessed it was Reaper and James.

Reaper verified he was one of his stalkers when he said, “I bet I know where she went.”

THIRTY-TWO Kella took the tunnel to her right, pressed a code into a panel, and went through the door when it slid open. The soft whistle of it closing drowned out the noise from the common area. Silence lent her a sense of serenity. At least it gave her a chance to think. Too soon she’d have to face Stone and his censure. Too soon she’d have to worry when he entered the field. She’d been prepared to walk away in order to protect Stone, but Reaper ruined that by inviting him in. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust him to be a part of

the team, because she did. And he was an asset, bringing so much to the table, but she knew he’d value her life over his. If he died protecting her, she couldn’t survive that. Might as well put me in the grave with him. The slim pathway she traversed halted at steps descending into a bowllike stadium carved into the landscape. Above the arena the ceiling was open, only the sky visible from this position. The area flooded in the wet season, but was dry now. In the evening it was pitch-black inside, but the view of the starry sky was amazing. She’d spent many hours in here alone, thinking, and plotting.

Thanks to the open ceiling, animals fell into the pit. The door she used to access the area hindered any threat that thought to gain access to the silos through stealth. Anyone without an approved handprint would be electrocuted, and an alarm would sound in the war room to announce their visitor. Dutch had the whole place wired. Most would-be enemies would never make it close to the compound because of the satellite. And now Dutch has a drone at her fingertips. Kella sighed and leaned a shoulder against the wall, while staring at the clouds through the opening. If the universe was in tune with her moods, the

sky would be thunderous, but instead blue and white dotted above. With Stone on their side, their odds of success increased. Just the idea of him in danger resulted in her throat itching to screech with the unfairness of life. Her fingers twitched at her sides desperate to kill in advance the nameless faces of those who would threaten him. For once in her life she wanted someone she loved to not be corrupted by the wickedness of people. She wanted him happy and safe and comfortable. He doesn’t have that now. Shut up, she groused at the mouthy voice of wisdom in her head.

The X-Ds lifestyle would provide him with excitement, danger, and intrigue. In other words, an early grave. She’d seen enough death. But...the fucked-up devil on her shoulder prodded. If Stone is an X-Ds member, I don’t have to leave him. Excitement swirled through her, giving her hope of a future with him, didn’t matter how much danger came with the future because in the end they’d be together, and she had no valid reason to push him away. Wanting him safe and out of harm’s way had been the one reason she held on to ditching him in favor of the rebellion, because claiming he was untrustworthy was a hollow excuse, even to her. She

could fool others, but not herself. Despite believing she’d died, he’d executed their visions in his Quad. No one would’ve blamed him if he’d chosen to forget their dreams in favor of the status quo. Yet, he’d held true to his word and followed through, making every effort to forge a better future. Even without her in his life, their dreams had been important enough to him to complete their ideals. That was an intoxicating reality. Since reentering her life, his actions had proved him an honorable man. He’d granted her freedom less than twelve hours after her capture. Believed her when she told him two tales of his father, when she had absolutely no tangible

evidence of his dad’s guilt. He’d forgiven his mother, and even forgave Kella when he should’ve been so furious by her defection he made her life a living hell. Instead, he plied her with clothes and food and a deal that’d stunned her. The moment he’d offered her that eight-month contract after granting her freedom, she’d known he was foolproof. By granting her independence first, he’d risked the likelihood of her snubbing his offer and walking away that very moment. If Stone hadn’t been reliable, she would’ve kissed his ass goodbye without a backward glance. But bad people didn’t extend those types of

deals, so she’d hung around to determine the depth of the guy he’d become. Neither could she dismiss the biggest evidence of all. Kella would have never fucked him if she hadn’t trusted him. She’d fancied him on her terms, refusing to give even a little of herself, preferring to horde her independence, while shunning his wants and needs. Selfish again. Kella jammed her fingers into her hair and squatted. He already had her heart and trust, there wasn’t much more she could give him...except for total acceptance into my world. She pressed her mouth against her thigh and screamed, the noise nothing but the

muffled echo of her frustration and fear for the man she loved. Footsteps behind her startled her, and she stood quickly, running her fingers through her hair. After a moment, she identified the intruder as Stone. Isolating the way one person’s stride sounded against another’s had become a game of hers during the first few months she’d been on her own in the Quad. Homeless and scared, she’d slept beneath the establishments near the tavern and named people according to the distinct sound of their steps. She’d demanded his trust, while giving none in return. He hadn’t even flinched when she admitted her X-Ds involvement. Nope, instead he’d offered

tolerance and support. How much more did Stone have to prove to her that he knew his mind and the course of his future? Kella sighed. What was wrong with her? Stone was a good man, and he loved her. She loved him, so what was she running from? Holding her breath, she offered her hand to Stone when he drew closer. After the harsh words she’d uttered about him and James, dismissing them as assets to the X-Diplomats, he could choose to decline her request for touch. He laced his fingers with hers, and she breathed a mental sigh of relief. When he halted close enough to her she could feel his body heat and his breath

on her hair, she squeezed his fingers, thankful for the comfort of his presence. Odd how he’d been back in her life less than a month, and he’d already become more important to her than he had been as a kid. “I love coming here,” she said, staring up. “Especially right at dusk, watching the shadows deepen into pitchblack, and the stars come alive. It’s like a spiritual experience.” Just not as profound as the ones she’d discovered beneath Stone’s tutelage. “You’ll have to show me sometime.” He didn’t sound angry with her, which confused her. “I often wonder about our ancestors on Mars.” Mars had been in the beginning stages of

colonization when the pestilence spread like fire across the planet. “When I first came to the Quad, I would fantasize they survived, and I got a free pass to join them. Their world was peaceful and everyone mattered.” “They live still, but neither of us has the technology to return them home.” The rockets had been accidently destroyed during the chaos of the plague’s initial outbreak, stranding the test colony. “We hear from them every five to ten years. They’ve managed to eke out a living on the red planet, grown to about ten thousand. Their society is different, more advanced than ours, and yes, all members are valuable, but their small numbers demand equality. Their

technology hasn’t advanced the way ours has though.” His thumb stroked against the back of her hand, the movement reassuring her of his love. He wouldn’t have accepted her touch or applied his own caress if she’d angered him to the point of giving up on her. Right? Momma had warned her often about her outspoken ways because spooners preferred coddling. But not my Stone, he wants the truth. Respects the truth. She pivoted and hugged him, burying her face in his chest, loving the feel of him and the smell of him. Without a stitch of hesitation, he wrapped his arms around her, enfolding her into his embrace.

I’m so in love with him I don’t know how to deal with the emotion in a realworld scenario. “I won’t apologize for speaking my mind.” “Wasn’t expecting one.” “I stand by what I said.” She rubbed her face against his chest because he felt too damn good to resist the temptation. “As much as I hate to admit it, you’ll be a benefit to the X-Ds, but I’ll worry every second of every mission.” Stone cupped her face and slanted her head back. “I swear I’ll take extra care and no unnecessary risks, but only if you agree to the same.” “I promise.” He kissed her, a soft and sweet smooch that revved up her desire. “I worry about Reaper, Dutch,

and Creed, but nothing like I worry about your life. I feel guilty about that.” A slight smile surfaced on his lips, and he slid his nose along hers. “It’s the same way I feel, sunshine.” “We’ll be each other’s Achilles’ heel.” She snuggled back against him, finding contentment in the steady heartbeat against her ear. “Then we can’t get caught.” He kissed the top of her head. “They’ll kill me before they catch me. I’m above the law, so they can’t try me for any crime.” “You join us, the rules will change for you, pretty boy.” She looked up at him. “Other Regents won’t care who you are. They’ll enact new laws to deal with you.”

“I’m aware. You know your world, and I have no delusions about mine. They’re all a bunch of vipers. But you also know you need someone like me to make this revolt successful.” “Yeah.” Stone and his power could represent the change in the war. “Thank you for forgiving me again.” “Nothing to forgive. I know you were fighting to protect me, and I love you more for it.” “Welcome to our revolution, Stone.” He squeezed her a little tighter. “Who knew when we first dreamed it up, we’d make it this far.” “Not me. I thought I’d be an archeologist and nothing more.” She pulled out of his embrace and clasped

his hand. “The party to honor you and James will begin soon. I want to shower before we go.” “Is that an invite to conserve water and bathe with you?” He halted her exit by grasping her nape. Gooseflesh erupted along her body at his manhandling. That one touch had her entire body electrified and ready for his lovemaking. “How dirty are you going to get me before you wash me?” “Very,” he growled, nudging her forward.

By the time they reached Kella and Reaper’s chamber, Stone was so lost he contemplated the wise decision of

leaving breadcrumbs when he went out alone. Their home was a chamber off of one of the tunnels, but it was teched-out. No one was getting in that baby without one of them, requiring voice recognition, an eye scan, fingerprint verification, and a prick of blood for DNA authentication. “And you called me paranoid?” James smirked at them, his chuckle deep. “Tell me about Dutch.” “Leave her alone.” Kella gave him a pointed stare. “Fuck with her, and I’ll kill you,” Reaper added. She chucked James’s chin. “That’s all you need to know about her, Satan.” Stone laughed.

James grinned at him. “Yeah, I love how no one’s worried about my virtue.” They entered the chamber, and the door automatically closed behind them. Nice pad, fitted with the necessary items, even a T.V. panel hung on the wall. “You get television reception here?” “Dutch hacked the feed. She’s a lifesaver. Living quarters and kitchen, obviously. Bathroom.” She pointed to a door on the right. “The door on the left is Reaper’s bedroom, and mine’s the one there. Sorry, Satan, you get the sofa.” James shrugged. Even at home the bodyguard sometimes spent the night in a chair. “Before you two go off to get

naked, I have a few questions. How’d you get free of Jones, Reaper?” Kella strolled into the kitchen to start a pot of coffee, while her friend laid everything out on the line. “I’m not free. But let me start at the beginning so you’ll understand. I would’ve been free, was free. I’d told Jones to go fuck himself and if he ever contacted me for a hit again, I’d kill him instead. He knew I was good enough to make good on my word. Then I found Mack in an alley beaten, bloody, and so goddamn broken.” Stone looked at his girl. This was the story he hadn’t heard because she wouldn’t share the violence with him.

“About a month after I got here, I was attacked.” Kella curled a strand of hair around her finger. “My attacker didn’t take anything from me, didn’t want anything from me, just roughed me up—” “He almost killed you, Mack. That’s not roughed up.” “—and left me to die.” She shrugged at Reaper. “He kicked me so many times in the stomach, that’s why I was barren.” “Did you consider Jones could’ve been involved in Kella’s beat down to lure you back under his thumb?” James asked. “Considered it, but I had no prior relationship with Mack until I found her in the alley, so I dismissed the idea.

Jones couldn’t know I would take responsibility for her, or even grow fond of her.” Stone agreed, and Reaper went on with his story. “I carried her to the doctor, worried she’d die before I could get her there. It was the longest fucking walk of my life. I’d seen some shit, but a defenseless kid beaten for no reason...that’s really fucked up, and it takes true evil to do it. We got tight after that. I took care of her while she healed, showed her how to defend herself.” “Became the brother I never had.” Kella goaded him by sticking out her tongue. “The bratty sister I never wanted.” Reaper smiled at her, and Stone realized this was a joke between them. “A year

later, Jones came to me and said if I wanted Mackella Starke Emmerson to remain safe, I’d follow his orders.” Kella gasped, her hand covering her mouth. “Reaper, no.” Jones’s perfidy went deeper than Stone realized. For at least seven years, the other Regent had known Kella’s identity without alerting him. Had used her to control Reaper. Stone decided Jones had to die because a man this wicked couldn’t be redeemed. “Yeah, I never told you this part. I was confused at first because Mack hadn’t divulged her real identity to me, but Jones knew everything about her. That she was on the lam from you. I

became his bitch again to keep her free. I thought I was doing the right thing.” “He’s a monster. People died because of me.” “I’m sorry, Mack. I never meant to hurt you, and I never wanted you to know.” Reaper seemed torn up by disclosing this facet of his life. The creases at the corners of his eyes had Stone thinking the other man worried that by telling her this he’d lose his only relative. The genuineness of his feelings for Mack was why Stone had trusted his gut to hire the man to protect her. She was also the weakness Jones used against him. “I really do love you like the sister I never had, Mack. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me.”

“There’s nothing to forgive. He used me as your weakness. You did what you felt you had to do. But I want him to fall so hard right now.” Reaper’s nod was stiff as he went on. “Regardless who did the killing, those people were marked for death either way. If I hadn’t done it, Jones would’ve found someone else. Or he’d have done it himself. Sadism and murder are his preferred sport. I’ve buried more than a few bodies to hide his crimes. The sick fuck would send me one message—take out the trash. That always meant someone was dead. Always bloody, always girls, always dregs, and by my guess, it was always a

slow death. I think he sexually assaults them too, but I can’t confirm that.” “Great. Just what every Quadrant needs, a Regent serial killer.” James crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the wall. “I don’t understand why he hides his murders? As Regent he’s exempt from all societal laws, and he gets off on his populace fearing him. This would make him the goddamn boogeyman in their eyes.” “I’m not his shrink and don’t want to get in his head to try to figure him out.” Reaper shook his head. “I got a message on the way here that Mack is to present herself to him by the end of the day tomorrow, or he’ll put a hit on her.”

“And he expects you to do the wet work.” James didn’t ask, but verbally interpreted the mission. “He knows what she means to me. Jones cannot possibly think I’d do it.” Reaper sighed. “It’s a lose-lose situation really. He’ll come after her either way. That means she’s safest here.” Kella’s jaw hardened. “I’m guessing he gets to kill me himself if I go to him?” Stone laced his fingers with hers for no other reason than he’d come to the same conclusion. “He got any other hold on you, Reaper?” “No.” Her buddy sounded certain of that. Stone had trusted Kella’s bodyguard until now. He could be lying. He could

be telling the truth, giving them the information as a heads up to protect Kella. If Reaper planned to betray her, Stone couldn’t think of one good reason why he warned them. “Holy terror lies low here until we can figure out a plan and oust Jones. She won’t be safe until that motherfucker is out of business. Goddamn tyrants. Hate dealing with them. You got any liquor? I need a stiff drink.” James sent Stone a negligible headshake as Reaper went into the kitchen. He knew what that meant. It was code for ‘don’t trust him’ and ‘I don’t like this new twist’. Reaper opened a cabinet above the sink. “Help yourself to whatever.”

“How long until Dutch sends out the scout? There are no labels.” James glowered. “What the hell type of liquor is this?” “It’s moonshine.” Kella hip checked James aside. After selecting a bottle, she grabbed four glasses and added a splash to each. “She’s got someone on it now. We should know something soon.” “Is the scout trustworthy?” James played devil’s advocate like always. “As trustworthy as anyone,” she said, not sounding nearly as concerned as she should be in Stone’s estimation. “I figure anyone is one sum away from rolling over on us.” Stone and James shared a speaking glance. At no point would Kella be left

alone. And since Reaper’s trustworthiness was in question, that meant he and James were the ones doing all the legwork. She held her glass in the air, and Stone noted the odd pinkness to the liquid. “To taking down Jones.” Stone stopped her from drinking. “Why’s the moonshine pink? Isn’t it always clear?” James sniffed the liquid. “Not here.” Kella dipped her finger inside her glass and trailed the moisture along her lips. “It’s got something to do with the water they use. Drink to the toast, and I’ll show you the aquifer it comes from later.”

THIRTY-THREE “Pretty amazing, huh?” Kella stopped at the edge of the naturally occurring water source. Set inside a niche within the tunnel system. Reaching above her head, she nabbed the heli light that’d guided them along the pitch-black tunnel, and turned it off. “What’s causing the light source?” Stone asked as the glow of the room worked against the shadows, and he gaped at the small iridescent waterfall. “Take a second for your eyes to adjust, and I think that’ll become clear. You can turn off your bio shield. We had

this site tested because of the obvious reasons.” Not every day a person found a glowing cascade. “The door we went through at the tunnel, that wind that got you, it puts off the same chemical as the bio shield, so you’re not in a hot zone.” All around them, the cavern began to brighten in a phosphorescent manner. The leaves and underbrush glowed a bright yellow, like someone had used glow-in-the-dark paint on the environment and offset it with a black light. “It’s spectacular,” Stone elevated his voice to be heard over the cascade. “What makes the bottom glow like that?” All around the base of the large pool, underwater plant life blazed. Even

the fish cast a glow, but in a multitude of shades ranging in blue, pink, and neon green. “No idea, but it’s cool. They get brighter the longer the light source is gone. You’ll be able to see as good as with the heli light in a few minutes.” “Wow.” She peeked at Stone. While her eyesight hadn’t adjusted to the dim lighting, she could tell his eyes had rounded. Personally she was more in awe by the man than the surroundings, but she’d been just as impressed as him when she first saw the place. Lacing their fingers together, she led him to the edge of the pool. After bending over to run her fingers through the water, she stood and trailed her pads

down her cheek, the cool water felt heavenly on her overheated skin. Coming straight from the party, they’d danced until her feet hurt, and sweat coated her skin. Stone smudged the liquid on her cheek with his thumb. From experience she knew the water glimmered on her face like she’d put glow-paint on her skin. “This is what they make the moonshine out of?” “Yeah.” She sucked his thumb into her mouth and scraped her teeth across the pad. “It’s the purest source, untainted by the world. You want to skinny dip with me?” She could just make out the curve of his lips, but the humor was evident in the

raspy tenor of his voice. “Won’t we pollute its purity?” “Oh, I hope so, sunshine.” His chuckle sent shivers down her spine. “You got it all wrong. You’re the sunshine brightening my day.” “Hmm...” She yanked her shirt over her head and hooked it behind his neck to draw him in for a kiss. Right before their lips connected, she said, “I disagree. But if you’re not sunshine, then you must be the solar flares because you make me scorching hot, pretty boy.” With a deep growl, he crushed their lips together. “What if someone walks in unannounced?” “What if they do? I’m not shy.”

“Beat me to the water and you can boss me around.” His shirt hit her in the face, and Kella scrambled to get her pants off. “I beat you and you have to do exactly as I say.” “Prepare to be defeated, Regent.” One pant leg got caught on her right ankle, but she persevered and limphopped toward the pool. Finally getting free of the clothing, she was about to dive headfirst into the water wearing her bra and panties, when Stone caught her about the waist and spun her away from the water. “I win,” he whispered against her ear. The splash of water behind her verified he broke the surface before she could.

What a cheater! Resting her hands on her hips, she eyed him as he resurfaced. Stone raked his hair out of his face and grinned, his entire body radiant from the liquid coating. “Remove your undergarments and join me, loser.” Enjoying their game, she fell in love just a little more. Biting her bottom lip, she accused, “You cheated.” He shook his head, a slow move, and she could feel his gaze raking over her body. “Don’t be a sore loser. I outsmarted you.” “How do you figure?” “You were about to jump in with your bra and panties on. That was cheating.”

All right, he had her with that accusation. “Prove it.” “Don’t have to. I won. Quit stalling, and do as you’re told, wife.” Kella shivered at his brusque command. The way he went about dominating her in the bedroom, but gave her equal respect in the real world, excited her. I can have that forever with him. She had no idea why she enjoyed deferring to him since she’d always preferred to be in control of all aspects of her life. While removing her lingerie she plotted to get even. Playing up her part, she flung her undergarments with a huff. Taking a few steps away from the edge of the pool, she had all intention of

getting a running start and water bombing him. That’d show him what happened to cheaters. “Stop.” She froze at his command. He smacked the flat surface of a stone on the edge of the pool. “Sit right here on this rock.” Sulking over her revenge being thwarted, she strolled to the spot and plopped down, plunging her feet into the cool water and splashing him in the face. He wiped the droplets from his face, a grin splitting his cheeks. “I remember how your devious mind works.” His palms circled her knees and spread her legs so he could wedge his hips between them. The wet glide of his hand skated up the outside of her legs, cupping her

bottom so he could lift her, and settle her on the edge of the rock. “Lean back on your elbows.” Excitement zinged through her, causing moisture to flood her core. She went into position, and he lifted his hand over her pussy, dribbling water onto her heated flesh. Kella hissed at the temperature difference. Stone bent his head. He nipped the inside of her thigh and soothed the spot with his tongue. Even as he teased her, he watched her, always gauging her reaction. God, she loved this man. Loved him more than she’d ever thought it possible to love anyone. The strength of her emotion almost scared her. She’d once vowed to

never again trust another man with her heart. Technically speaking she’d stuck to that vow since Stone had been her first and her only love. Kella dragged her fingers through his wet hair. “This is where folks come to marry.” “Yeah?” He stared at her, hovering right over her pussy, his breath fanning against her flesh and heating her up. “They believe it’s a magical place and brings good luck.” In the badlands people married differently. It wasn’t a contract or a legal binding, but a personal commitment. Dregs rarely divorced, and when they did, the Regent didn’t have to grant it. Not that she and Stone had had a legal proceeding. By his

buyers contract he’d claimed her as his wife. That was all that’d been required between them, but then their circumstances had been different. As a response, he licked her labia. “Mmm...the water makes you taste magical.” Kella moaned, letting her head fall back on her shoulders when he buried his tongue inside her. “There’s my good sunshine, finally submitting to her man,” he said against her clit as he pressed two fingers into her channel, working them in and out slowly, until she took them to the knuckle. She lifted her head to watch him as he sucked on her clit and fucked her with

his fingers. “I’ll keep being your good sunshine if you’ll stop talking and make me come.” “Bad sunshine.” Stone gave her clitoris a nip, and she gasped at the slight sting. Eyes wide, shock swirling through her, she gaped at him. “I don’t want you to come. Not yet.” He removed his fingers and pulled her off the rock into the water. Kella wheezed when the cold liquid enveloped her. Stone chuckled and spun her around, putting her back to his chest. Her hair was shoved over her shoulder, and then his teeth scraped along the back of her neck. The hard length of his dick

nudged at her backside. She hoped he’d put it to good use soon. He placed his lips against her ear and said, “Find the rock shelf below the water’s surface and stand on it.” Kella followed his instructions. The naturally forming rock shelf elevated her enough that only her thighs down remained submerged. Stone palmed a butt cheek and stroked. “Beautiful.” He removed his hand and licked her flesh, slipping his hand between her legs. She adjusted her stance, giving him better access, and he slid two fingers into her, pumped them in an unhurried manner. Shivering at the dual temperatures, his fingers managed to work her into a

different frenzied heat in little time. “Place your hands on the rock in front of you.” Kella glanced at Stone. She’d done the doggy sex position once before and hated it, but mostly because she’d felt humiliated and without any control. “What’s your hesitation, sunshine?” He ran his tongue along the seam of her ass. “Stone.” Had anyone else touched her that way she’d have been mortified, but with Stone it was insanely hot. Requiring no further prodding, she trusted him completely with her body and leaned forward, securing her palms on the rock she’d just been sitting on. Exposed and on display, she closed her

eyes as if that would reduce her uncertainty. “Sweet Jesus, sunshine, I can’t tell you what having you bend to my will in this position does to me.” He caught her unawares and licked through her folds. Her breath caught in her throat as he said, “My cock is dying to be inside you.” Without any warning, his fingers curled around her thighs to anchor her into position and he dove tongue-first into her pussy. Her eyes snapped open, the luminosity from the natural setting giving the atmosphere ethereal undertones. Her breaths fell in hard pants, but the noise of the waterfall masked them from

Stone’s ears. At least she thought they would and that pleased her because she was so close to coming. So close. After dancing all night with him, he’d gotten her so worked up, and she needed the release. He ceased his oral assault without warning, and Kella groaned. She could feel his smile against her vaginal lips. “You got close to climaxing faster in this position.” How’d he know? A light, teasing stroke along the outside of her labia provided enough sensation to frustrate her further. “I think my sunshine likes this position.” “I need you, Stone.”

“Sunshine, I will always need you.” Stone grabbed her and pulled her into the water, turning her to face him. The cool water contrasted against the heat of his chest. Their mouths meshed together, tongues mating in a ritual she understood. Kella wrapped her legs around his waist and her arms about his shoulders. The rushing waterfall combined with the cavern steeped in shadows and radiant light, had her feeling insulated from the world. Like only the two of them existed in the universe. He dragged his mouth down her throat and sucked on her collarbone. Kella took a page out of his book and wound her fingers in his hair and jerked

his head back so she could scrape her teeth along his neck. She ended with giving him a bite. “I thought you were going to take me doggy style,” she said while flicking her tongue over the abused flesh where she’d bitten him. “Was.” His palms glided down her back to clutch the rounded globes of her bottom in his hands. “You weren’t totally into it. When we play, make love, or fuck I want you one hundred percent involved.” Intellectually she’d known this was how he felt, so why’d his confession warm her heart? “I love you, husband.” “Love you, wife.” The smooch he gave her meant business, had her core

clenching and her thighs tightening around him. “So people come here to marry?” “Mmhm...” Not the topic she wanted to discuss. All she really wanted was for him to sink himself deep inside her and make her feel good. “Is there anything special they do to make their marriage official?” “I don’t know. They’re usually private because they’re consummated here.” Fiddling with the short strands of his hair, she peered at him. The glowing water on his features revealed him enough she could read his expression. “You asking me to marry you again, pretty boy?”

“I’d marry you a thousand times if that’s what you wanted, but we’ve never had an official ceremony, so it’s not again.” One of his hands shifted lower, curling beneath her ass to swirl his finger against the entrance to her wet and swollen channel. She bit the inside of her cheek to halt her frustrated groan, needing, wanting more than he gave her. “I claimed you, gave you no choice. I want a ritual to make our marriage official. My heart is already yours, that’s enough for me for now. I’ll wait a lifetime or two until you decide I’m the one for you.” Kella moaned as he dipped his finger into her, an unhurried insertion that had her lowering her forehead to

rest against his. She cupped his face, and their gazes locked. “Quit teasing. I want your dick inside me.” His eyes widened at her dirty talk, and she thought his breath caught, but couldn’t be certain over the waterfall’s noise. Stone used his hold on her ass to lift her up and position the head of his cock against her opening. She dropped her head back as his crown breached her entrance. Stone didn’t take his time like he’d insisted last night. Once his head was snug inside her channel, he pulled her down onto his dick in one solid stroke until their pelvises met. So good.

Stone throbbed inside her, holding her motionless. Kella lifted her head to peer at him. Some unnamed emotion lingered in his eyes. This wasn’t just sex for him or for her, but a commitment regardless of words unspoken. In her heart they were one, bound by love, and she wanted to show him how much he meant to her because she hadn’t been real clear about her change of heart or her devotion to him. “I, Mackella Starke Emmerson, take you, Stone Emmerson, to be my husband, lawfully wedded,” she whispered against his lips, while holding his gaze. “My Kella,” he growled. “I want you to mean it because you want it, not because I do.”

“I mean every word I’m saying.” She castigated his interruption by giving him a sharp tug on his hair. “You’re stuck with me, pretty boy, stuck until the day we die. Stuck even when you want to choke my stubbornness out of me.” “Don’t you know I love your stubbornness?” “Masochist.” He smiled. “What changed your mind?” “Nothing.” She shook her head. “That’s not true. Mostly everything. I realized I was being stubborn. Being in love with you is a gift. If I walk away from that just for the sake of independence, or a warped sense of protecting you from the danger you

already face, I’ve not really won anything, but cheated us both.” Holding her gaze, Stone began to rock her on his dick. “I, Regent Stone Emmerson, take you, my Kella, my sunshine, to be the wife of my heart.” She melted at his words. “You’re my heart too,” she said, dragging her fingers through his wet locks. “I vow before God, the universe, and my X-Ds friends to be your faithful and pain in the ass wife.” A slight grin tilted one corner of his mouth, the only confirmation she received that he’d heard the ‘pain in the ass wife’ part. “That sounds terribly formal, sunshine.”

“They’re the vows of our ancients.” Or a modified version of what she could remember of the elders’ wedding vows. She’d found a book of vows in a dig. Fascinated by the wording and the meaning behind them, she’d read it from cover to cover. There was eloquence in the text, and she’d sworn she’d never utter them to anyone because the promise was also binding. But not just that, it was an oath that came not only from the heart but the soul too. “You’re the husband of my heart too, my breath, my physical representation of my love. No contract you place before me can guarantee that. But I promise you right here, right now, with the cosmos as my witness, that I am yours to have and to

hold through the good times, and the bad, through sickness and in health, and through all the uncertainties of our future, and all the X-Diplomats trials that will come to our table. I will never leave you again, and never doubt you again. Everything I have, everything I am, I give to you. I swear to cherish and support you for all of our lives...until death parts us. I think that last part’s a little—or a lot—off, and I added some stuff so—” Stone cut her off with a kiss, his grip tightening on her, as his hips moved a little faster. “I am yours, Mackella Emmerson, and you are mine. You’re my heart, my soul, and without you I am nothing. A hollow shell of the man I

wanted to be, but couldn’t find the direction I should take until you showed me. No man can take our love from us.” Fingers pinched into her skin when he pulled her down roughly, and she took all of him deep, so damned deep. Kella panted at the heat of him inside her, the fullness of his penetration, and the way his sweet words affected her. Their intimacy of before paled in comparison to the vows they made while his thrusts somehow seemed designed to consummate their vows. “Stone,” she whimpered as her clitoris dragged against his pelvis. “I’m so close.” His raspy breath pelted her face, but they remained joined from forehead

down to their intimate union, him grinding against her clit with each drive in and out. Their gazes linked because in that moment all that mattered to her was Stone and the vows they’d made. Their commitment to one another. Heat spiraled from her core. Stone must’ve sensed the approach of her climax because he adjusted her just slightly so his pelvic bone hit her clit with a hard scrape rather than the light ones she’d been getting. It was the change she needed. She combusted, her cries echoing back to them as she melted against him, pleasure ripping through her. His movements increased, sloshing water all around them, and lengthening her enjoyment. Another climax snuck up

on her, and all she could do was cling to him and ride out the bliss. Stone groaned, the hot splash of his seed further evidence of his own orgasm. Afterward, they remained in position for a long while, their breathing slowing over time. “I don’t have the eloquence of your words, but every vow you made, I cherish them, my Kella, and I vow them to you, as well.” His voice sounded hoarse. “Always and forever. My Kella, my sunshine, my heart, and my universe, all that I am because of your beautiful soul.”

THIRTY-FOUR Stone approached Kella from behind, wrapped his arms around her waist, and kissed his family sigil tattooed on her neck. Weeks had passed since she’d given herself to him in the glowing water, making vows that meant more to him than any contract he could ever ask her to sign. These vows came from her heart and not from any obligation. And he still wondered when he’d wake from the best dream he’d ever had. In the last several weeks, he’d been back home a dozen times, grown more disgusted by his father’s wicked

dealings, and fortified his defenses. Dutch helped with the electronic side of things, and he and James beefed up his soldiers, hiring another twenty assassins. He just hoped he paid well enough to buy their loyalty. Kella had joined him for a few home visits. She’d been a hit among his people, especially the dregs, but it was obvious she felt more comfortable among them too. The children of course adored her, and even some of the spooners opened up to her. The X-Diplomats had agreed that all the remaining X-gene clinics should be destroyed across the planet. All twenty clinics had to go, including his, just in case. They’d all be chipped with a

vanity chip—except for Kella because Dutch worked her magic and reinstated his sunshine’s V-chip and except for Dutch because she did all her magic from the safety of the silos—but Stone, Reaper, James and Creed would all have one. Their appearance would be altered, a new identity for each Quadrant they’d set the EMP blast in. A few days later they’d teleport to another Quad, set another EMP blast, until each one was delivered, and they’d discharge them all at the same time. Hitting the remaining seventeen workable clinics at once would send a huge statement. It would also give the appearance of having a larger force than they actually possessed. They all figured more would

come on board after the attack. None that weren’t originals would be trustworthy. Any of them could be spies. Even those already part of the X-Ds could be bought. All except for the core group because their fight was personal, a vendetta that could only be appeased by taking down the system that wronged them. At least he hoped he could trust the core group. Jesus, he hoped, because by believing in them he entrusted them with Kella’s life. While Dutch prepared for the X-gene clinic hit, the rest of them worked on pinpointing an exact mission to deal with Jones. They were scheduled to meet in an hour to strategize. Stone was antsy,

but he also enjoyed his honeymoon with Kella. The laid-back lifestyle he lived at the silos afforded them lots of time to fuck and make love...yeah, they were different. One he showed her how much he loved her, the other he took her as dirty as he could without pushing too many hard limits. “We should have this removed.” He traced the outline of the sigil with his tongue, while he thought about stripping her, bending her over the counter, and making her watch as he fucked her hard from behind. Kella leaned her head to the side to give him all the canvas he wanted, and threaded their fingers together over the flat of her belly. “Why?”

He met her gaze in the mirror. “Neither of us requested it, and I’d rather have your heart. I know you’re my woman, that’s all the acknowledgement I require.” “Stone, you in there?” James called from the bathroom door. “Be out in a second.” Stone cupped her chin and slanted her head back so he could dip his head and catch her lips with his. “The ancients wore rings as an outward symbol of their commitment.” She caught the back of his head with her hand and kept him close. “I wear the tattoo.” He growled and kissed her, keeping his eyes open so he could watch her as

he raided her mouth again. Stone couldn’t get enough of her. But that she wore his brand willingly...he couldn’t begin to understand why that affected him so profoundly. “Stone.” A sharp rap on the door, followed by James saying, “We need Kella out here too. It’s an X-Ds matter.” “Duty calls, Regent. You don’t get to fuck me right this moment.” Surprised she’d guessed his dirty mind, he grinned. But she went the extra mile. He watched her reflection as she shoved her hand inside her pants. “Too bad too, because I was ready for you.” She turned to face him as she slid her wet fingers across his lips.

“You’re a naughty tease.” He licked his lips and groaned at her exquisite flavor hitting his palate, and his cock jerked in his pants. “That makes me hungry for Kella-pussy.” Her eyes widened, detailing her surprise, and then she laughed. She looped her fingers through his hair. “Later, pretty boy, you can dine until you’re sated.” She gave him a platonic kiss before walking to the door. Stone was caught by the sway of her hips and stared at her sweet ass until she opened the door and exited. “What’s up?” She asked after they joined Reaper and James in the living area.

James held up his cell. “There’s a Xeno being auctioned off in five hours in Quad6.” “That’s not enough time to plot out a rescue mission.” Kella tied her hair into a loose knot, her tension palpable. “Why didn’t it come across the wire sooner?” “Because of the X-Ds,” James said. “That’s what the message said. Didn’t want you to have time to strategize. Oh and in case you’re planning to hit them during her transfer to her permanent home, Quad6 is providing a troop of three dozen men as protection.” “Shit.” Reaper paced a small path. “We can’t just lose her, Reaper.” One thing he’d learned about his Kella over the last several weeks, she would

never give up on a mission until all options were lost. Her friend shook his head. “I’m thinking.” “James and I’ll teleport in, and I’ll buy her.” Seemed simple enough to Stone. “They can’t stop me from setting her free after I own her.” “Giving them money is adding insult to injury.” Her disgust over the idea was evident in the harsh lines of her mouth. “Salt to the wound.” The fire in her eyes was sexy as hell. That emotion could be put to great use with his cock buried inside her cunt. Stone shook the wayward thought aside. He had to focus. Now wasn’t the time to fantasize about his wet and

willing wife. “If an innocent girl is saved, the money’s worth spending, and it’s a win-win in my book.” Kella nodded, but he could tell she disliked the play. It was really their only choice. “We need to leave immediately, Stone.” James pocketed his phone and gave Reaper a hard glare. His bodyguard still couldn’t bring himself to trust Reaper after his confession about Jones wanting Kella. If James’s glare hadn’t been warning enough, his tone emerged harsh and a bit like he accused the other man of bad intentions, “Keep our girl safe, Reaper.”

THIRTY-FIVE “Mack!” Kella paused and waited for Tony to catch up to her. He was just a kid—okay so she was only four years older than him, but sometimes she felt like a good decade his senior. Last month he’d celebrated his eighteenth birthday, and his mom had passed away a year ago. All he had left were two little brothers, ages ten and thirteen. He’d been forced to grow up fast like most dregs. She and Reaper had put him up in the badlands, but he still went into the Quadrant to work the mines.

“How’s your foot?” She watched him limp toward her. Jones’s men had put a hurting on him a week ago, fracturing his ankle in two places because the kid hadn’t paid the unheard of employment tax. Luckily she’d had a boot in storage that she’d found on a dig, so he’d been able to get around wearing it. “Getting better.” He glanced over his shoulder, looking about. “Want to walk with me to Creed’s place?” “Sure.” They fell into stride side by side. “Got a what-if question.” He loved his ‘what-if questions’. Often they centered on mysteries of the universe or the ancients. She glanced at

him and gave him the same response she always did. “I might have a ‘what-if answer’ for you.” Tony swallowed hard enough his Adam’s apple bobbed. “If Regent Jones got your husband, and threatened to hurt him if you didn’t do something he wanted, would you believe he’d hurt him as he promised?” That sounded way too specific for a ‘what-if’ scenario. “Are you in trouble, Tony?” “Yeah.” He placed his hand on her arm, stopping her. “I don’t want to do this, but I can’t let Robert suffer.” Kella realized they’d stopped at the most secluded section of the tunnel. “Tell me what’s going on, and I’ll help.”

“Sorry, Mack.” The aerosol hitting her face stunned her, but only for a moment. Dizziness disrupted her footing and she stumbled, hitting the wall. This was the worst situation to find herself in with Stone out of pocket, and no one the wiser who duped her since she was scheduled to meet Reaper and Creed in about five minutes. At least they would realize she was missing sooner rather than later. Kella turned and lurched back toward the tunnel’s opening. Bouncing from wall to wall, she’d almost reached the passageway’s mouth when she felt Tony’s arm wrap around her waist. He pulled her up against him. “I’m so sorry, Mack, but Jones wants you or he’s going

to start sending Robert home in pieces. He’s only ten. I can’t let that happen to him.” “Reaper will kill you.” Reaper would tear the kid apart and make him wish he’d never been born. Stone will blame himself. Could he even endure her loss again? Because she had no doubt she wouldn’t survive whatever Jones plotted. “I’m willing to pay the price.” She elbowed him in the gut, gaining her freedom for a few seconds. Long enough to stagger forward and breach the opening. If only she could get a surer footing, but she felt so weak, and her limbs tingled like they were going numb.

Tony blocked her path. The regret on his face was evident, and she understood the kid’s position. Guessed if she felt like her back was to the wall, she’d make the same choice to save her loved one. “We can find an alternate path.” Blackness narrowed her vision, her tongue felt too big, and her words sounded slurred. “Not enough time.” He glanced over his shoulder and lifted the can to hover directly over her face. Kella opened her mouth to scream, but the spray hit her first. She choked on the mist, but went to her knees catching her fall with hands she couldn’t feel. She looked up. “Don’t—”

“Mack’s missing.” Reaper’s abrupt sentence shot fear straight through Stone. Didn’t help that he could hear the other man’s worry through the receiver. “What do you mean she’s missing?” Stone glanced at James, ignoring his newly acquired Xeno. “She was supposed to meet me and Creed to discuss our options against Jones. She never showed. No one has seen her. I can’t find her. She wasn’t answering her cell, so Dutch GPS’d it and we located it in a tunnel. She wouldn’t just disappear like this.” Stone needed no convincing. His gut churned. She was in danger. He could

feel it. “We’ll be there in a few moments. Meet us in Kella’s chambers.” He had no need to explain to James what was happening. The second he disconnected the call, his bodyguard spoke into his cell, “Initiate teleport.” A brief buzzing and they arrived a few seconds later in Kella’s bedroom. The Xeno crumpled onto the floor, gagging. Ignoring her, Stone grabbed his computer, and yanked open Kella’s bedroom door as Reaper, Creed, and Dutch entered the living area. He set his laptop on the counter, grazed the button behind his ear, and logged into his website. “You’re awfully calm.” Dutch eyed him with distrust.

I don’t feel calm. Inside he was screaming at the injustice of losing her again, while praying they located her in time. He pointed at the screen. “I GPS’d Kella during our first meeting when I thought she was just Mack.” Dutch’s eyes widened. “I could kiss you for that ingenuity.” Reaper neared and peered over Dutch’s shoulder to get a better view. “Regent or no Regent, any other time, I’d beat the shit out of you for tagging her, but I’m glad you did.” “That’s her location.” Stone pointed at the red dot. “Show me a groundterrain visual and find out who the fuck I gotta kill to save her.”

They watched in silence as Dutch worked her magic. In a few minutes Kella’s location was pinpointed to a facility beneath the west-wing of Jones’s Regency. The webmistress hacked into the Regency video feed and discovered a dozen guards outside the room where Kella was imprisoned, all the men heavily armed. “I know the location.” Reaper grimaced. “It’s where he takes all his victims. It’s severely guarded with one entry, laser defenses, and cyanide mists at the door if anyone attempts to breach it without Jones’s permission.” “That eliminates a frontal assault.” James rubbed his nape, a classic sign his assassination training was in full force.

“It’s impenetrable.” Reaper began to pace a short path in front of the sofa, panic edging into his eyes. “Nothing is impenetrable for an assassin. I just need a moment to think of something where Jones won’t kill her faster.” Stone’s heart raced at James’s declaration. Reaper nodded his agreement, his grim expression frightening Stone further. James checked his gun clip and jabbed it back into the gun’s base. “The way I figure it, the only way in is through teleport.” They’d attempted to teleport Jones a week ago and couldn’t get a lock on his DNA. Frustrated because they couldn’t

utilize one of their first strategies and relocate the sadistic leader to them, they’d gone back to the drawing board and contemplated other ways to get to the other Regent. “You ever teleport?” James stared at Reaper, and Kella’s friend shook his head. “Reaper’s out because he doesn’t know how a teleport will affect him. You’re too emotional, Stone, and will get yourself killed...get Kella dead too. I’m the best shot.” James left out that his body was classified as a lethal weapon. “Teleports don’t bother me,” Creed said. “Stone, Reaper, and the other X-Ds need to create a diversion after we get

inside that room. Can’t have Jones calling for help and getting it.” James nodded. “They teleport to a secure location ten minutes before us. Can you find a safe site through one of the surveillance cameras you hacked, Dutch?” “Already killed all the surveillance and have it on a loop. The guards’ll never see them coming from the front.” A few keystrokes. “Lasers are down. I’m working on the cyanide.” “Impressive.” James pulled a case from beneath the sofa. “Send them in ten minutes before us. That should give them enough time to recuperate after the transport...and if that’s not enough time for the men going with you, Stone,

Reaper, then you’re on your own. You’ll have to figure it out.” James flipped open the case, and Creed whistled low at the display of weaponry. “You need firearms, Creed?” “We have the drone.” Stone’s brain was finally catching up to the mission. “Dutch, can you operate it?” “Fuck, yeah.” She rubbed her hands together. “What type of drone am I working with? Twenty-first century or twenty-second century?” “Late twenty-second, right before the collapse of the ancients.” Stone took a grenade out of James’s case. “Sweet. Creed, I’m hacking into your satellite too.” Dutch took Stone’s laptop to the breakfast bar. Creed

acknowledged her with a grunt. “What type of damage can I do in your Regency database, Regent Emmerson?” “Don’t care as long as Kella comes home safe.” And Stone meant that. Kella is all that matters. “Bring my wife back safe, James.” James caught him on the shoulder. “I’d die to protect her.”

Something stiff scratched at Kella’s neck. Had to be Retro seeking warmth. Nothing else made sense. She lifted a hand to push the kippy off her throat and encountered a strip, at least two inches thick, encircling her neck, and too tight to work a finger beneath.

Eyes snapping open, she blinked at the glaring light. Squinting, she shadowed her eyes with a hand used as a visor against her brows. Along with the movement, a new scrape surfaced. She lowered her arm to peep at the manacle. A two-inch band of electronic-steel cuffed her wrist. Kella sat up, the concrete floor unyielding beneath her. The fetters on both wrists and ankles sent an icy chill through her. She feared the one around her throat was the same electronic-steel. The ancients used E-steel bands to torture terrorist suspects. They could do any number of things from electrocution to strangulation. She’d heard rumors that seizures and strokes could be enacted

with the device. That was just the beginning of its capabilities. “Finally, you’re awake. I feared Tony had given you too much mist and you’d die.” Jones sat in a chair across from her. The stainless steel walls and concrete floor spooked her. What really fucked with her mind though was the drain in the center of the room. She knew exactly what that was used for...clean up. Stone has no idea where I am. Neither does Reaper. That sobering reality had her biting back a sarcastic reply. And had her mind tripping over one thought: They’ll never arrive in time to save me. She’d have to save herself. Wouldn’t be the first time, but the E-steel posed a

scary Catch-22. “Regent Jones, how lovely to see you again. I’m sure had you sent my husband an invitation, he’d have been happy to oblige a visit. These”— she held up her wrists—“wouldn’t have been necessary.” She looked around, searching for a weapon as he rose from his seat and approached her, the heavy thud of his strides echoing in the room. He towered over her, and she met his gaze dead on, refusing to cower even if her stomach churned with fear. The hard glint in his eyes unsettled her more than she’d like to admit. “We both know you’re going to die here, Mack. Or should I call you Kella?”

“Stone will kill you if you hurt me.” Bluffing her way out of this was her best option because... Stone isn’t coming and neither is Reaper. They had no idea where she was, or who took her. Sure they could surmise Jones had her, but she figured his hidey-holes were as massive as the ancients’ tunnel system. “We both know he won’t. He’s in a rock and a hard place. If he outs you as the traitorous bitch that you are, he exposes his mother’s perfidy, and he loses credibility among other Regents if he does nothing to discipline you both. The expected penalty is death, but Stone has a weakness for Mommie Dearest. Spineless fuck up should’ve never inherited the throne.”

Not long ago, Kella would’ve bought his explanation, but not now. Stone would move heaven and hell to locate her, and he would slaughter Jones if he could get his hands on him. Jones shrugged out of his suit jacket and tossed it on the metal table to her right. “I’m doing him a service by killing you. I doubt he’s even searching for you. Last I heard, he arrived in Kline’s Quad to purchase a new Xeno. The honeymoon already over, Mack?” He grinned, obviously delighted by that prospect. “No, I hardly doubt he’ll care what I do to you since he’s looking to buy a new diversion.” He removed a flat black orb from his pocket. “Allow me to demonstrate your helplessness and my

total power.” A click to the center caused lights to flicker on the orb. “When I say, remove your shirt, you say...” “Fuck you.” “Wrong. Correct answer is ‘yes, master’.” His thumb pressed a button on the right. Kella’s entire body lit up with a pain she couldn’t relate to anything she’d ever felt before, but it zigzagged through her from her ankles to her wrists and neck, only to repeat the process. Collapsing to her side, she could only clench her teeth and endure the agony. It didn’t end soon enough, but she was thankful when he shut the pain off. She breathed through the aftershocks,

and Jones crouched beside her. “And that’s just the warm-up phase. Be a good pet and remove your shirt or I level up.” She shook her head and endured a round of seizures that left her feeling like her limbs were being torn from her body, while the concrete floor scraped her skin. As soon as the grand mal evaporated, he moved the torture into electrical shocks that wrenched screams from her. These felt different than the ones she’d endured in the square, and were worse somehow. Panting through the stinging twitches, her jaw popped when she opened her mouth to speak. “Cocksucker,” she whispered through the pain in her throat.

Wearing a grin, he knelt beside her and nudged her shoulder to push her onto her back. “Pain doesn’t do it for you, love?” Another click and brutal pleasure swept through her. She arched her back like she did for Stone when she craved more from him, wanted closer to him. Fighting against the approaching orgasm, tears leaked from her eyes and rolled down her cheeks. The moment she realized she would lose the fight, she rolled to her stomach so he couldn’t watch her come. The device shut off just before ripping a climax from her. Jesus Christ. Orgasm-rape was worse than the pain.

“Remove your shirt by the count of ten or I’ll turn it back on and watch you come until you’re clawing to take your shirt off.” Kella sat up and kicked at his crotch. She just did miss when he jerked backward and out of her reach. He lost his balance and landed on his back, but his agility had him on his feet as fast as her. Arms loose at her sides, she scrutinized him while waiting for a weak moment to attack. “Nice try.” He elevated his eyebrows and taunted her with the orb grasped loosely between his fingers. “Shirt.” Wasting precious seconds considering her options, she jerked the

shirt off and flung it in his face. Kella scrambled forward rather than away and put her knee in his groin before he could free his eyes. With an agonized cry, he dropped hard, his knees cracking against the concrete...and Kella went down with a press of a button. Not pleasure this time, thank God, but a total weakness as she lost control of her muscles. She remained in that helpless state for much too long, the only noise in the room were his choking gasps of discomfort. She wished he’d strangle on them. Several minutes lapsed, and then his laughter came. The chill that went over her at the sound of his uncalled for

humor scared her. Truly scared her. A crazy person had no limits. He crawled into her line of sight and groped her. A tap to her pussy, the glide of his hand along her bare stomach, and a pinch to her nipple housed beneath the bra’s cotton. “I knew you’d be a challenge; provide me the best entertainment I’ve ever borne. A victim for my history books.” He patted her on the cheek. “But you’re just a dreg, Mack. Doesn’t matter if every Regent in the world married you, you’d still be a slut, spreading your legs for us. It’s what you were born to do, and I’ll defile every hole you possess before I kill you.”

He could call her what he wanted, but she wouldn’t be his victim. She’d fucking kill him first. If today was her day to die, she’d go down fighting and take a pound of his flesh with her. Just as soon as he releases this immobilization bullshit. “How fast did Stone rush off to buy the Xeno? Did he have you fooled he loved you yet?” There must’ve been something in her eyes to elicit his gloating smile because she couldn’t move a single muscle. “Ah...I see he did convince you he loved you. Tsk...tsk. I’m impressed. I didn’t think the boy had that level of deceitfulness in him.” That boy will kill you if he gets a chance. “I’m almost surprised you fell for it. Didn’t

life teach you anything about your place in it?” Kella mentally flinched. That he uttered almost the same exact words Peter had once used increased her revulsion of this vile fucker. Thank God she’d finally accepted Stone’s love or she’d be a victim of Jones’s mental persuasion. “In the end, Regents rise above all dregs. It’s the way of the world, little girl, the rich and entitled crush the weak and oppressed beneath their heels.” A sharp pinch to her nipple jerked her from her thoughts, but in her incapacitation she couldn’t even flinch from the pain. “It’s a lesson you’ll learn the hard way, but if you fight me like you want to live,

I’ll send you off with the best orgasm you’ve ever experienced.” He lowered his head until they were almost nose-tonose. “My parting gift to you. I can be generous when warranted.” Kella glared at him, putting all her hatred into the stare. Was he for real? He talked like a crazy person and like a man who’d already won. The odds were in his favor, but counting her out of the game was a big mistake. She was resourceful, and she had a lot to live for. With a little bit of luck his arrogance would play to her advantage. A soft click was the only hint she’d been returned to full movement. She twitched a finger, pleased with the

movement. “Nothing you say will convince me Stone doesn’t love me.” “If he really loved you he wouldn’t be purchasing a new Xeno.” “He’s X-Ds. Like me.” At her confession, his smugness dropped. “He’s saving her, you fucking moron.” A slight disturbance in the air over his shoulder caught her attention, and a moment later Creed materialized. She wasn’t sure what spooked Jones, but he bolted to his feet and dragged her to her knees. The gun he pressed against the side of her head gave her pause, and she froze. “I’ll blow her goddamn head off.”

“You okay?” Creed looked her over, his jaw tightening at whatever he saw. “Better now that the Calvary’s arrived,” she said, while wondering how they’d found her. “You’ve got five seconds to leave the same way you arrived or she’s a corpse,” Jones warned. “One...two...” She was dead either way, so she’d take her chances. “Now?” she mouthed at Creed. A slight narrowing of Creed’s eyes, an even slighter nod, and Kella shifted, swinging around, she snatched the gun out of Jones’s grasp and dropped to her back, barrel pointed toward her former Regent.

No need to cower over what she had to do, Kella pulled the trigger. The bullet slugged him beneath the chin, jerking his head backward, providing the momentum for him to topple away from her. Jones never saw his death coming. “Fuck me, holy terror.” That’s when she noticed Satan standing to her left. He must’ve been what’d spooked Jones since the Regent had been facing in James’s direction when Creed arrived. “Quick reflexes. Impressive.” Satan kicked Jones’s shoulder, but her discharge had been a killing shot, and they all knew it. “You hurt?” “Not really.” Her voice sounded a little raspy, but that could be blamed on the screaming. Except for the minor cuts

from the concrete, she survived with far less trauma than she’d anticipated. Of course had they arrived even twenty minutes later, her assessment would probably be very different. “Her back is scraped up a little.” Creed leaned his forehead against the back of her head and wrapped his arm around her collarbone to clamp his hand on her opposite shoulder. He gave a desperate squeeze. “We couldn’t get here fast enough. I was terrified what we’d find.” The edge in his voice told her what his hug didn’t say. He’d thought they’d find her dead. “You know I’m tougher than that.”

“Package safe,” James said, and she guessed he wore an earpiece of some sort. “He your first kill?” Satan’s concern showed in his careful perusal. “No.” James’s eyebrows shot upward, his surprise evident. “I’ve not been living the picnic and ice-cream-party lifestyle, Satan.” He nodded and reached for her blouse, offering it to her. “I see that.” Creed released her from his hold so she could pull on her shirt. “How’d you find me?” “Stone GPS’d you the first day when we met you in your office.” Kella blinked, thought back to that day. “He did it when he grabbed my

throat.” James nodded. She’d never suspected and actually was comforted that he could find her at any given moment. “Why are you here to save the day when you don’t even like me?” From the corner of her eye she caught Creed’s sharp glance. “Are you responsible for her abduction?” The creak of James’s leather boots as he moved around the room inspecting the different devices notified her of his whereabouts. His snort answered Creed’s question. “Tony took me,” she said to Creed. “Jones had his baby brother and

promised to send him back in pieces if he didn’t bring me to him.” “I like you, Kella, always have, not sure why you think I don’t,” James said. “Um...I don’t know, maybe all the hell you give me. Can’t forget anytime Stone and I got into trouble you blamed me.” Creed gave Kella a helping hand, and she dusted off the seat of her pants. Satan stalked to her, causing Creed to finger the hilt of the blade strapped to his waist. “Don’t.” He gestured toward Creed’s belt. “I’ll disarm you embarrassingly fast. And have it shoved up your ass even faster.” The warning held more impact simply because he dismissed Creed as

he delivered it, staring straight at Kella while he spoke, evidencing he didn’t even see Creed as a viable risk. “He’s not a threat to me, Creed.” Certain of that, Kella tilted her head, considering Satan’s intensity. He towered over her, more than Stone, his broad frame a bit intimidating and a lot menacing. His very presence screamed he was a dangerous motherfucker, but she felt none of that from him. Never had. He’d been like the big brother to Stone that’d aggravated her from the get go. Even though he was Stone’s bodyguard, he’d protected her even as a kid. James enfolded her to his chest, hugging her tight. Speechless, she stood

there without reacting while her brain caught up to what had just happened. “I don’t show my emotions, Kella, because they weaken me in the eyes of others, so I do it with disdain. I treat Stone the same goddamn way.” Stone had said as much, but she’d dismissed his explanation as wishful thinking on his part. “Caring for you both puts you in danger because they’ll come at me through you both, so I hide my feelings.” “When we’re alone you can show them.” “It’s not that easy.” He shook his head. “I mourned with him when you died, not the same way of course, but you were like my kid sister, and I blamed myself for not protecting you. I

should’ve been with you that night. I knew Peter didn’t like the purchase so I should’ve been the one to bring you to Stone to ensure your safety.” Kella hugged him back. “You aren’t to blame for any of that, James.” “There were too many misunderstandings, too many lies, and I hold Peter responsible. But the misunderstandings between us, Kella, you weren’t a bad kid, you just didn’t think about the consequences. But neither did Stone. I blamed him as much as you, but it frustrated me more with Stone because he didn’t realize Peter’s censure toward you for those moments. I’ve protected him by never telling him how his dad punished you by shoving you in

the closet for hours or when he’d have you kneel on rice grains.” “I’ve never told him either.” And she wouldn’t add that to his list of crimes if she could keep from it. “I knew if I told him he’d try to protect me, so I protected him by withholding the truth.” “I envied the fearlessness you two shared together. But I never, not once, envied your love for one another because I loved you both. Even back then you two were my family. I knew you belonged together.” Satan cupped her cheek. “I knew the moment I met Stone you were his, and by default, mine too. Only you have struggled with that knowledge, holy terror.”

Throat tight with emotion, she swallowed past the lump and said, “And his dad, Peter.” “He’s an asshole,” James said at the same time Creed said, “He’s a dick.” The metal door groaned as it opened across the room. Stone and Reaper burst through, along with other dregs she knew from the silos. Stone practically ripped her from Satan and crushed her to him. The hug lasted a millisecond before he was patting her down, reminding her of the day he’d exposed her identity. “I’m okay, pretty boy.” He verified her claim with a slow, sensuous kiss. At least that was her logic, because given her recent

predicament she shouldn’t have responded, right? She caught sight of Reaper over Stone’s shoulder, her friend’s relief evident on his features. “Scared the fuck outta me.” Reaper yanked her out of Stone’s grasp and squeezed her so hard she protested with a groan, and her ribs ached, but she returned his hug. Just as glad to see them, she repeated, “I swear I’m okay.” Stone tugged her away from Reaper. Kella grinned at being in the middle of their tug of war, while Reaper sighed at Stone’s possessiveness. “I was terrified I’d lose you.” Again was implied as Stone’s fingertips trailed

across her jaw, his chest hard and unmoving against her breasts. She was safe again thanks to his previous paranoia. “It’s hard to believe I’m not dreaming unless I’m touching you, sunshine.” “This is a good lesson.” Stone frowned at her comment. “It could happen again. We all need to be GPS’d just in case.” “I almost lost you. I don’t want to talk politics right now, but need to savor our success.” He buried his face in the crook of her neck and jerked away a second later. “Someone help me get this E-steel shit off her.” James retrieved the oval remote from Jones’s limp palm. “Holy terror

saved herself. She shot Jones.” A small click and the steel unhinged, falling to the floor with a tinny bang. Stone pocketed the controller, and massaged her wrists. “I wasn’t going down without a fight.” Kella rubbed her neck, thankful the contraption had been removed. “Creed and Satan gave me the distraction I needed so I took the shot.” Stone kissed her again, and someone emitted a loud groan. A moment later, Satan said, “Teleport Stone and Kella back to her bedroom in the silos so they can fuck it out of their system that she’s alive. I don’t have the tolerance to watch the mushy shit.”

Kella giggled against Stone’s mouth, but when she opened her eyes they were already in her bedroom. She fiddled with the short strands of his hair as he kissed her forehead. “Want to tell me what happened?” “Not much.” But she could see the worry creasing the corners of his eyes, so she detailed what transpired anyway, giving him the peace of mind that she really was okay. “It could’ve gone bad, Kella.” “But it didn’t.” “If I hadn’t tagged you, it would have.” Kella couldn’t argue that, so she just dug her hands beneath his shirt and sent her hands strolling across his tight abs.

She kissed the center of his chest. “Not everyone is gunning for me, Stone. Jones was different, but even so, you know our X-Diplomat lifestyle is dangerous. We have to be prepared for these outcomes.” “That’s what I was thinking. Tomorrow, I want every one of you chipped so you can teleport instantly.” Stone grasped one of her groping hands and dragged two of her fingers across a hard impression right behind his ear. “It’s a computer chip programmed to your fingerprint only, and it’ll activate an immediate teleport. That’s the only way I know how to provide more safety.” More tech installed into her body unnerved her a little, but she recognized

the advantage of the imbedded equipment. “Give Dutch a day longer, and she’ll have it programmed to shoot laser blasts out of our eyes.” Stone gave her a blank stare, as if he couldn’t decide if she was joking or serious. “Dutch scares me a little.” Kella laughed, because while Dutch loved her tech, she also was the only non-violent person in the X-Ds. She’d tried to teach her friend a few selfdefense moves, but couldn’t get Dutch to hit her to learn them. Then again, she’d wield Stone’s drone like a computer game without an ounce of guilt for the lives it’d take. All right, so Dutch was an enigma and a lot complicated, and Kella loved her lack of predictability.

“Come on,” she tugged on his hand. “I want a quick shower to scrub Jones’s stink off me. Then we have work to do.” A new Quad to take control of, and a Xeno to settle in. As she anticipated, the shower started off with a quick fuck before hygiene was seen to, but having him inside her cleared her head, and verified Jones wasn’t mind-fucking her with his E-steel leverage.

By the next day, all of Jones’s counsel and his family were locked up in the former Regent’s dungeon. Stone planned to chip them all with Dutch’s device. The chip would circulate through their

bodies, so they wouldn’t be able to isolate its location and remove it later. If they even neared one of Stone’s Quads, the electronic would activate and detonate. “You’re set to go,” Dutch said through his earpiece. “All I have to do is push a button and you’ll be live.” The blaring of the sirens in the town square would have all of Quad2’s citizens tuning in. Jones had them trained for that. A few minutes later, Stone went live before his new people...and the rest of the world. “I am Regent Stone Emmerson from Quadrant13,” he said, squeezing Kella’s hand. She’d remained at his side since being retrieved from Jones’s torture cell.

He couldn’t believe his good fortune that she’d survived, while he struggled with the guilt that she’d been forced to off Jones to survive. Yet again, he’d failed to protect her. “Regent Andy Jones plotted to kill my wife, Mackella Emmerson.” Kella gave a small smile, and he knew the children would recognize her as their Mack even if the citizens didn’t. “His failure has resulted in his death. Because of his criminal activities, I’ve imprisoned Jones’s counsel and his heirs. They can’t be trusted to possess a higher moral compass than Jones. Soon they’ll be released alive with instructions to never return. As your new Regent, I’ll enact many changes. Our ancestors taught us

that X-genes are the only hope for our future. It was a good lie. Our society believed the propaganda, and built generations off the wombs of innocent children. The lies and dominance ends today. There will be equality for all, and every X-gene is granted her freedom effective immediately. Anyone caught hindering the independence of a Xeno will be executed with due process and zero tolerance. I’ll open the Regency for questions and suggestions. Tomorrow at noon I’ll be available in the square to answer questions as best as I can. This change will take time, but it can be successful if we all embrace it.” Stone wrapped his arm around Kella’s shoulders and pulled her snug

against his side. “Regents watching this feed, use this coup as a warning to those of you who would plot to take what is mine. If this isn’t enough to convince you to stand down, then the imprisonment of my father for the same crimes should deter you. No one is safe from my retribution if you elect to take what is mine.” The red light announcing he was live went black, and Stone sighed, turning toward his woman. He couldn’t do this without Kella at his side. She fed him hope for a better future, and gave him the backbone to take what they wanted. All clinics would fall soon, and in the chaos the X-Ds would push for equality.

Kella clasped his face between her hands and towed his head down to meet her lips. She gave him a soft kiss, but in the smooch he could feel her love. Whatever had he done to deserve someone as perfect as her? “We’ve got this, pretty boy.” He hugged her to him, and Reaper and James couldn’t get out of the room fast enough. Stone chuckled. Did they think he would make love to her while they watched? Or did they just want to be spared the “mushy shit” as James had called it yesterday? “What’s so funny?” she asked as he drew her to a chair and she snuggled onto his lap.

“Reaper and James ran out of here like fire licked at their heels. Funny seeing two bad asses hightail it at the sight of a kiss.” “Hmm...” What’d that mean? She turned and straddled his lap. Her nails scraped across his scalp, lighting up his senses. “Is now a good time to tell you a secret?” “What are you up to?” “That’s nice. You automatically assume I’ve done something.” She gave him a mock pout, and he swatted her ass. “What’s this secret?” She leaned back to meet his eyes. “I want to christen this office with you inside me.”

No need to ask twice, Stone swiped his arm across the desk, and chucked everything to the floor. In a matter of seconds, he had her bent over the desk, her pants around her knees, and her panties yanked to the side. She cried out when he shoved his dick deep inside her. He’d almost lost her and couldn’t be easy with her. Hadn’t been gentle in the shower yesterday and didn’t try now. “Harder, Stone,” she gasped, curling her fingers around the edge of the opposite side of the desk. Stone gave her everything he had. His heart and his devotion. He’d gone from loving a child, to being in love with the woman. Just a few weeks ago, he’d doubted she’d ever be his, and then

she’d married him. When Kella committed, she did it with her whole heart. Despite the adventures that threatened her safety, he couldn’t think of anyone he’d rather share it with.

EPILOGUE Two years later

“Stone, you’re being ridiculous.” Kella peered at her husband as her son nursed at her breast. Their baby was the first male to be born with the X-gene. Not that they’d tested him, because none of that mattered to them. But thanks to Stone’s paranoia and need to make sure their son, Jaxon, wasn’t just perfect, but healthy too, her pretty boy had the cybernetic doctor run a scan on their infant an hour after birth. The X-gene marker the cyber doc had detected

shocked them all, even if it wasn’t a foolproof diagnosis. It was what the spooners had been hoping would happen. If other Regents knew of the finding, it’d put a target on their son’s head, so they kept the news between them. All clinics had been decimated. It’d take years to get that type of tech back up and running. If they tried, the X-Ds would just take them out again. Most of the Quadrants continued to reject equality for all. It wasn’t a perfect world, but society had shifted in the right direction. It’d take time and patience. Two months after defeating Jones, they’d taken Quadrant6, where Creed’s

dad served as Regent. Stone declined to manage the Quadrant, insisting Creed step up to the plate as the rightful heir and do right by his people. In the end, her friend had given in. He’d made changes and ran his society much like Stone. Under Stone’s leadership were Quads13, 2, and 12, the last only because the Regent there had attempted a coup of his own to get rid of Stone. Kella figured it had been out of fear more than anything. Fear Stone would want more power, more land, more people, who knew. Either way, as neighbors, the other Regent had bought into the worldwide Regency claim that it

was his duty to eliminate Stone. Stone had won without much of a fight. Idiots. But she’d come to the realization the X-Ds couldn’t effectuate change overnight no matter how much they wanted. Together, Stone and Creed made up a solid four Quadrants ran in similar styles. These days they spent more time micromanaging their Quadrants, working on relations between the dregs and spooners, than inciting rebellion. She spent most of her time with Reaper and Dutch micromanaging the spies infiltrating other Quadrants. Life was not dull, and having a four-month-old made life even more interesting.

As a united front, Stone and Creed stood against the other Regents, and currently engaged in talks with a third Regent—Regent Voodoo Jetts—who seemed genuinely interested in changing the way Quad10 ran, and the way his people were treated. Voodoo was young, similar in age to Stone and Creed, new to his post, and while they doubted the validity of his intentions, they still negotiated with him for a ‘Power of Five’ Quadrant. At least that’s what Kella called it, while Stone mocked the nickname. “I’m not being ridiculous,” her pretty-boy husband groused as he knelt beside her and Jaxon, a teasing glint in his ice blue eyes. He’d decked out in

what she called his Regent-finery, a black suit made of fine material. “He hogs your breasts. I want to suck them, but noooo, I can’t, because they’re his.” “Yeah, like I said, you’re being ridiculous.” Jaxon’s eyes shifted at the sound of his father’s voice, but he didn’t lose his latch on her nipple. If anything, his slurping noises grew louder as if he knew Stone griped about his feeding habits. “Glutton,” Stone accused, offering his finger to Jaxon’s grip. Kella laughed, only because she knew Stone wasn’t serious. He was so damn proud of his son, and loved him without shame, never embarrassed to

show his love openly. The citizens of his Quadrants whispered about his devotion to his family, and they respected him more because of his affectionate nature. Since Jaxon’s birth, when he did his hungry-cry in the middle of the nights, Stone would retrieve him from his crib, and carry him to her. He’d sit in the bed, with his back to the headboard, and have her settle between his outstretched legs. She’d lean against his chest while she breastfed their child. During those moments, Stone would nuzzle her neck with his lips, his arms around her, one beneath hers to offer support to their son. “Watching this is fucking sexy, sunshine,” he’d said probably a hundred times since Jaxon’s birth, and she’d felt

the evidence of his arousal against her butt. “You and Creed meeting with Voodoo again today?” She switched Jaxon over to her other breast. “Yeah,” Stone said, giving her damp nipple a reverent swipe of his thumb. “We gave him a few suggested changes. We go back today to see if he could distinguish which ones were good and which were bad. Can’t carry him. He has to be able to think for his people too.” “I think he’s good people, Stone.” “You’re too trusting.” “Oh, yeah, that describes me to a T. And he’s asleep.” She went to shift Jaxon off her nipple, and he latched on

with a startled grunt, suckling like a starved man. “I wouldn’t let go either.” Stone chuckled. “You miss being in the middle of it all?” “Yes and no.” She covered his fingers that fiddled with her nipple. “Stop. You’re going to make me start leaking.” “From where, sunshine?” “Both places, you pervert.” He grinned and released her, tucking her back inside her robe. She ran her fingers through his hair, glad he’d let the chocolaty locks grow a little longer, but not back to their original length. “I miss the excitement of change and being actively involved. Making decisions,

meeting with people, seeing people flourish when they’re no longer being oppressed. But this little guy has been worth the vacation.” The little guy in her arms cooed at her as if he knew she referred to him. “Soon enough he’ll be big enough I can leave him with our Moms and venture back into the fight with you. And my duties with Reaper and Dutch are just as important.” These days, the fight kept them away from home only a few hours at a time. So it wasn’t like she’d be gone for days like in the beginning. “That’s a good lie you tell yourself, but unconvincing.” Trying to decipher that, she frowned at Stone. He explained, “Sunshine, we both know you’d be

beside me if you could with Jaxon latched onto your nipple. You’ve been gone six months.” She’d been bedridden the last two months of her pregnancy. “I know you miss being a part of the XDiplomats’ process, and that’s why I’ve got the grandmas on babysitting duty today. He’s not hungry any longer, just being a glutton for his mother’s attention like his daddy is.” He lifted Jaxon from her arms and snuggled their son against his chest, patting his back. “Go get ready so you can join Creed and me today. Ask nicely and I might even invite Dutch. It’ll be like old times—the six of us together again.” It was obvious to everyone James wanted to hang with Dutch any chance he

received, even though she never gave him the time of day. And Reaper remained her bodyguard as much as James was Stone’s. They never left home without either man. She smiled, blinking back a weird rush of tears and loving that he understood her so well. Rising from her chair, the only thing she could think to say was, “Thank you.” He feathered a finger along her cheek. “The invite is purely selfish. I want to steal you away from Jaxon, so he’ll know to whom you really belong. Me.” She giggled because he didn’t mean a word of it. “I belong to both of you.”

“Feels so good when you lie to me like that, sunshine. Lets me know I’m loved, because we both know you belong to this one right now. He needs you more than I do, you little hogger.” He winked at her. “But I do require your wisdom. God knows you see things differently than I do and Creed does. Shit, he’d rather slice Voodoo’s throat, take his Quad, and call it a day. We need allies, not more enemies.” She could see the anxiety in his features. He struggled with this interchange. “I need to know if Voodoo’s legitimate enough to put partial trust in him. And...” he bent his knees to meet her at eye level. “I really, really want to have you all to myself for just a few hours. You up for a visit to the

waterfall when we complete business?” “Pretty boy, as long as you’re up, I’ll always be up for anything you want to do to me.” “God.” His eyes closed briefly. “I might spank your ass for putting that visual in my head. It’ll have me distracted all goddamn day. Next time, lie to me.” Kella laughed as she walked away, and because she knew he watched, she put a little extra swing in her hips to taunt him. The End

OTHER BOOKS BY GRACEN Road to Hell series Madison’s Life Lessons (novella) Pandora’s Box (#1) Hell’s Phoenix (#2) Genesis Queen (#3) Royal Partnerships (#4) Stand alone erotica books Taboo Kisses (ménage) Elfin Blood Demon Spelled (dark gothic ménage) Fairy Casanova (1Night Stand Story)

Hot Wired series Rockin’ the Heart Lost in the Beat

ABOUT GRACEN Gracen is a hopeless daydreamer masquerading as a “normal” person in southern society. When not writing, she’s a full-time lacrosse mom for her two sons and a devoted wife to her reallife hero-husband. She’s addicted to writing, romance novels, watching paranormal movies, Alabama football, and coffee...addictions are not necessarily in order of priority. She’s convinced coffee is nectar from the gods and blending coffee and writing together generates the perfect creative merger. Many of her creative worlds are

spawned from coffee highs. To learn more about Gracen or to leave her a comment, visit her website at: www.gracen-miller.com

Don't miss out! Click the button below and you can sign up to receive emails whenever Gracen Miller publishes a new book. There's no charge and no obligation.

http://books2read.com/r/B-A-KBVBSYII

Connecting independent readers to independent writers.