Codename Winter (2 page)

Situated just off the Mall in Washington DC, the embassy’s central location made it easy for Ra’jen to slip away and spend the night with Autumn. His visits hadn’t gone unnoticed, however, and news of the affair quickly spread through the fleet. General

Noirte had staked his claim on a pleasure ambassador. No one believed the rumors at first, but the proof was undeniable.

The gossip didn’t bother Autumn or Ra’jen. It had been their intention from the beginning that others learn of their relationship. In fact, the development was vital to their plans.

Had it only been three weeks? Ra’jen was so much a part of her life, she couldn’t imagine being without him. His responsibilities as Military Head of the Protectorate kept him occupied more often than either of them liked, so they savored every moment they had together and enjoyed their nights to the fullest.

“Have you located a female for Ulrick Brant?” His warm hand swept along her side, teasing the outer swell of her breast. “If you take too long, he’ll forget about the offer.”

A subtle impatience cut through Ra’jen’s sleepy tone. She looked up from his chest and sighed. “I know this is important, but it’s more complicated than I first thought.”

“How so?” His fingers played across her shoulder and down her arm, soothing her with the simple contact. Like everything in the embassy, her bedroom was elegant and luxurious, and Ra’jen’s exotic presence only made her feel more decadent.

“I’ve reviewed the ambassadors at all the embassies, and there is no one who would turn his head.”

“So recruit someone new.”

It was the obvious answer, but everything within her resisted the idea. Pushing away from his warmth, she sat beside him on the bed. “Anyone I would recruit at this point would have survived the past four years without—”

“Selling their bodies to the enemy?” He sat as well and rested back against the pillows. “Weren’t you the one who told me we need to accept our roles? You said it doesn’t matter what others think or say. You’re a madam, manager of the most profitable brothel in North America, and I’m your faithful customer.”

“I’m well aware of our respective roles,” she grumbled.

“And Brant is nearly as untrusting as I am.” His features sharpened as he stared at her, eyes deepening from smoke to charcoal. “He has information we must have, and he might confide in a lover. The only lovers available to members of the Protectorate are pleasure ambassadors. I see no other alternative.”

“I understand the mission. That’s not what’s holding me back.”

“Then what is the holdup?”

“Every ambassador currently employed chose this life before I took charge of the embassy. I can’t bring myself to convince anyone else that this is their best option.”

“You don’t need to convince them of anything. You’re offering a position. It’s entirely up to them whether or not to accept it. All you need to do is analyze their attributes, both physical and emotional, determine which will appeal to your customers and which have the emotional fortitude to survive this sort of life.”

From that perspective, the task was more bearable—barely. “It’s hard to perpetuate a lifestyle I find intolerable.”

He pulled her toward him. She quickly swung one of her legs over his thighs and straddled his lap.

“If we succeed with our long-term goals, all of these women will have better choices. There will be more to life than obeying orders and staying alive.”

She couldn’t argue with that conclusion. Between addiction to the compound and various forms of manipulation, the Gathosians robbed everyone of anything resembling free will. Until they were driven back to their own dimension or obliterated, everyone must remain focused on survival.

He lightly cupped her breast, thumb brushing over her nipple. “Have the ambassadors accepted the transition? Many of them have been here much longer than you have. Did you encounter any resistance?”

“Not openly.” She shifted her weight to her knees and rocked her hips, rubbing her damp folds over his burgeoning shaft. “Who would dare defy General Noirte’s woman?”

“Is there someone you can trust to keep you informed of what is said behind your back?”

She reached between her thighs and guided him to her entrance, needing the fullness of their joining again. He pushed away from the pillows and sat as well, wrapping her legs around his waist as he drew her closer. His cock drove into her pussy, and she closed her eyes, savoring the completeness she only experienced with him.

He nipped at her lower lip, his hands settling low on her hips. “Have you recruited informants?” he persisted.

“Celinna, the head trainer, and a few others keep me well informed.”

“Good. You cannot let even the smallest show of disrespect or rebellion go unanswered.”

“Yes sir.” She leaned back and braced her hands against his legs, undulating her hips. It had been much easier for her to move in the other position, which was the reason he’d changed their arrangement. Ra’jen was dominant to the marrow of his bones.

He bent to her breasts, suckling one and then the other. His mouth drew firmly and sharp darts of sensation shot from her breast to her clit. She arched, pressing deeper into his mouth. No matter how often they made love, or how many times they reached orgasm, they always wanted more.

His tellimon flared as he drove into her with strong, steady thrusts. She tightened her internal muscles, hugging him with her pussy and her thighs. He grew harder, increasing the pressure and the pleasure as his shaft dragged across her sensitive nub.

A rhythmic beeping emanated from the companel on the nightstand.

“I told them we were not to be disturbed,” Autumn muttered, but her gaze shot to the flashing red light.

Ra’jen stopped moving, but he didn’t pull out. “Do you need to respond?”

“Mistress, I’m so sorry to interrupt, but I think you should come down here.” Celinna sounded frazzled.

With obvious reluctance, Ra’jen brushed his lips over hers then separated their bodies. “Duty calls. Shall I come with you?”

“Keep the bed warm and hopefully we’ll come together,” she countered with a playful smile.

After donning a velvet robe and a pair of matching slippers, Autumn blew Ra’jen a kiss and made her way downstairs. Many of the ambassadors were in the third-floor ballroom, which had been reserved for the entire night. The emergency interrupt could only be triggered from inside her office and the only person—other than herself—who had access to her office was Celinna.

The main floor of the embassy was lavish, an ostentatious showcase for her girls. Autumn hurried down the sweeping marble staircase and across the expansive main lobby. Angry voices reached her ears as she turned the final corner. One sharp, female voice was much louder than the others. Had one of the customers upset one of the ambassadors? She hurried her steps.

The door to her office stood ajar, so she pushed it open, then froze. Ulrick Brant stood beside a visibly flustered Celinna and they both faced a…transient?

“I ain’t no whore!” the unfortunate female cried as she took a hurried step backward.

“That’s not why I brought you here,” Ulrick insisted. He moved forward and his companion literally backed herself into the nearest corner. “Cub, you’re not listening to me.”

Cub? Had he just called the girl Cub? Dark hair hung about her shoulders in a tangled mass, and her face was coated with streaked filth and—was that blood? “What is going on here?”

“Mistress, thank God.” Celinna hurried to her side and continued in a quiet yet urgent tone. “Please tell Mr. Brant that we are not a homeless shelter.”

She would ferret out the details in due course, but the poor girl’s fears were easily allayed. Ignoring Celinna’s panic, Autumn moved to stand beside Ulrick. “Cub, what an unusual name. My name is Autumn, and I operate this establishment.”

“I ain’t no whore.” Her tone was softer, though no less insistent. “And I ain’t gonna turn into one for nobody.”

“I have a waiting list of trained ambassadors who want to transfer to my embassy. I assure you, no one is forced to work for me.”

“I apologize for the uproar,” Ulrick said with a dashing smile. He was every bit as debonair as he had been when she first met him, though tonight he was a bit tousled. “I wasn’t sure what else to do with her.”

Celinna crept forward, gaze filled with objections.

“That will be all, Celinna. Thank you.” Left with no other option, the trainer nodded and departed. “Now, why don’t we sit and have a chat. Would either of you care for something to drink?”

“It might be best if we spoke alone,” Ulrick told her.

“If what you have to say is regarding Cub, she has the right to hear it.” That caught the girl’s attention. She looked at Ulrick and then shifted her wary gaze back to Autumn. “Please have a seat.” She motioned to the row of chairs adjacent to her desk. Ulrick accepted the invitation, but the girl pressed even farther into the corner. Rather than distinguishing herself by sitting in her large desk chair, she swung the last chair in the row around to face him and then sat. “What brings you here, Mr. Brant?”

“Ulrick, please.”

“All right, Ulrick. Same question.”

“I was at the Long Island refinery investigating the allegations General Noirte brought to my attention.”

“Which allegations do you mean?” She didn’t quite suppress her pleased smile.

“As if you don’t know.” His gaze darted to Cub, who had yet to leave the safety of her corner. “I thought I had wasted my time and was preparing to leave when the refinery boss responded to a frantic call from one of his supervisors.”

“What was the nature of the emergency?”

“That would be me.” Cub’s voice was steady now, and curiosity had replaced the hostility in her gaze.

“Can you tell me what happened, or is it all right if Ulrick catches me up?”

Cub moved to the remaining chair and perched on the edge of the seat as if she were afraid of soiling the upholstery. Which wasn’t an unreasonable concern; the girl was filthy. “He can tell you.”

Ulrick explained about the interrupted attack and the loss of Cub’s protector. “When they started talking about claiming her, I had to do something. She’d just been attacked and her best friend had died in her arms, and all they were concerned with was whether or not she was old enough to breed. I was disgusted.”

“Why?” Cub didn’t look at him, but challenge rang through the question. “Women is always claimed by the strongest man. It’s better than being passed around.”

“Do you want to go back?” He threw up his hands and shook his head. “I thought I rescued her from a fate worse than death, and now she’s defending them.”

“She’s hurt, and angry, and grieving,” Autumn reminded him. “You can’t expect her to be logical.”

“This is why I brought her here. I figured you are much better equipped to deal with a traumatized female. I would like to interview her once she’s recovered enough to

be civil.” He exhaled then ran his hand through his hair. “If you’re willing to accept the challenge, I’ll leave her in your capable hands.”

“You’re dumping me here?” Tears swam behind Cub’s long lashes, making her look especially pathetic.

To Autumn’s surprise Ulrick turned and caught one of Cub’s hands, giving it a careful squeeze. “Mistress Autumn is kind and generous. She’ll take care of you until you figure out what you want to do with the rest of your life.”

Autumn wanted to laugh. As if there were any real choices left for women on Earth. If Cub had escaped from a refinery, she likely would have ended up in one of the embassies eventually anyway. Autumn kept the thoughts to herself and watched the ragamuffin react to Ulrick. It might not be anything more than savior syndrome, but there was some sort of connection between the two.

“I want to stay with you,” Cub whispered.

Ulrick brushed a quick kiss against her grimy knuckles. “Relax and let Mistress Autumn pamper you. I’ll come see you in a couple of days.”

Tears escaped the corners of her eyes, but she only nodded.

“Stay here, Cub. I’ll be right back.” Autumn walked Ulrick to the front door. “Are you really coming back for her? I don’t want to give her false hope.”

“At the very least I’d like to interview her. I’m not sure when I’ll have time, but I will be back.” He paused, concern creasing his brow. “I skimmed the surface of what she went through because I didn’t want to upset her again. She was jumped by two coworkers determined to ass-fuck what they thought was a boy. I’m not sure how far it went once they realized she was female, but she was naked when I first saw her.”

“You think she was raped?” She was surprised he found the possibility distressing. So many men had become completely desensitized to the brutality of the crime.

“I’m not sure, but I don’t think the actual act would have been any more traumatizing. Her protector killed her attackers, and then the pack alpha killed her protector. It was all very strange.”

“Do you know her real name? I can’t keep calling her Cub.”

He shook his head. “You’ll have to ask her.”

“I will.”

“Thank you for doing this.” He kissed her cheeks then paused for a quick hug. “Tell Ra’jen I said hello. I owe you for this.”

She smiled. She wasn’t sure how or when, but she had every intention of collecting on that debt.

After closing the door behind him, Autumn returned to her office. Cub was standing again, arms folded over her chest. She was wearing a trench coat that was obviously not hers. Before she could ask Cub about the garment the girl said, “He ain’t coming back, is he?”

“He said he is, and I have no reason to doubt him.” She motioned the girl toward the door. “First order of business, we have to get you cleaned up!”

Screaming in frustration, Evard absorbed the pain radiating out from his brain. Fiery sensations rolled down his spine and spilled into his arms and legs. His belly cramped, his arms burned and his cock pulsed with demanding pressure. He threw back his head and yelled again, crossing his arms over his aching groin as he frantically shoved at his mental tormentor. His struggles were pointless, useless. And they both knew it. How could any humanoid win a battle with an incorporeal being?