Captives of New Pompeii (3 page)

“Where are we going?”

He paused in the doorway and checked the
corridor. “To my quarters. You can have a quick shower and change
into something less conspicuous.”

Suspicion filled her gaze and she twisted
out of his grasp. “What is a shower?”

“Like a bath only you stand up and water
runs over you like rain.”

“Do you intend to join me in this
shower?”

Rather than take offense and add to her
uneasiness, he smiled. “Would you like me to?”

“Venus requires that her priestesses remain
pure. I am not allowed to consider such things.”

She lowered her gaze, but not before he saw
the desire in her eyes. She did more than consider such things. She
ached for them, dreamed of them, longed for them. Was she really a
virgin, or had she given up “such things” when she dedicated her
life to the goddess of love?

“It seems wrong that the goddess of love
would forbid you to indulge in passion.”

“It is a sacrifice I am willing to make so
others may know her goodness.”

He had no response for that, so he led her
into the empty corridor and hustled her toward his room. “After
we’ve transformed you into one of the crew, I’ll take you to the
officers’ mess. Lunch is over, but dinner is still a couple of
hours away. We should have the place to ourselves.”

His quarters were small and orderly, like
every cabin on the ship. At least his was private. Most of the crew
cabins had four to twelve berths to a room. She looked around, arms
folded over her chest. Thankfully the computer was hibernating and
the lights only earned a startled glance from her.

He was trying to take it slow, but their
worlds were so incredibly different. He’d covered every display in
the infirmary before he’d begun the orientations, relying on a
handheld scanner. Holo-imaging would seem like magic to a person
who had never seen a photograph.

“Let me show you how the shower works. You
can then take your time while I scrounge together something for you
to wear.”

The utility room was tiny and she was forced
up against him as she leaned into the shower stall to view the
controls. He instinctively wrapped his arm around her waist,
enjoying the warm press of her breasts for as long as she allowed
it.

“Does Venus not require purity of you?” She
straightened without moving out of his embrace.

“The rules are more realistic on my world.”
He moved his hands to her hips. They weren’t in the infirmary now.
Did that mean she was no longer his patient? “She encourages us to
focus entirely on our duties but understands when our needs are
especially strong.”

Her gaze lingered on his mouth, luring,
beckoning. She parted her lips as he lowered his head. Then she
twisted away. “Apparently what I need is a shower.” She pushed him
toward the door. “Find me something to wear.”

His cock jerked in protest as he stepped
through the threshold, but there was no help for it. He had way too
much to do to indulge in a messy affair. In eighteen days they’d
arrive at Fedoros and he would wash his hands of this entire
situation.

The buzzer sounded and he looked at the
door. “Who’s there?”

“Your brother, asshole. Open the door.”

“Come in.” The door responded to his command
and Caleb strode into the room.

“Shika said there was a problem with one of
the Pompeiians. What’s going on? Why aren’t you in the
infirmary?”

Aiden glanced at the utility room door.
Hopefully Felicia would stay inside until he was finished talking
with Caleb. He really didn’t want his hound dog of a brother to see
the lovely priestess. “No problem. In fact, I’m hoping to have
solved the problem we’ve been fighting.”

“The schedule?”

“Exactly. The orientations are taking longer
than Xyell allotted us. Grouping the survivors helped, but I’m
hoping this, or rather she, will help even more.”

“She?” Caleb perked up and swung his head
toward the utility room. “Is someone in your shower?”

“At dinner last night I told you that the
name of a priestess kept coming up every time I claimed Venus sent
me.”

“Felicity or Phyllis?”

“Felicia,” Aiden corrected. “I found
her.”

“Felicia is in your shower?” Caleb looked at
the unmade bed and grinned. “Way to go, bro. You work fast.”

“I did not fuck her! You are such an
idiot.”

Caleb clasped his hands behind his back and
released his devil-may-care façade. “Fine. All kidding aside, how
will she help you speed up the orientations?”

“She is well-known and people trust her. And
she is perfectly placed to reinforce the story.”

“Does she believe the story?”

“I’m still working on that part.”

“If there is anything I can do to help, you
know where to find me.” He turned on the ball of his foot and
started to leave. “Is she pretty?” He tossed the question over his
shoulder.

“Very.”

“Then keep her away from the crew.”

It wasn’t the response Aiden had expected,
but he agreed wholeheartedly with the conclusion.

Quade stood to one side of the doorway in
the newly modified crew cabin. Ambassador Xyell had insisted it be
kept vacant for his use. He had a luxurious suite on one of the
upper decks, so no one was certain what “use” he had in mind. Until
the interrogations began. At least Xyell called them
interrogations. The true purpose of the sessions was not to gain
information but to entertain one seriously twisted ambassador.

Xyell snatched his victims out of the cargo
bay immediately after their orientation, which left them especially
susceptible to his cruelty. All of the equipment he’d erected was
portable, so it was doubtful the Thrax brothers realized their
employer was torturing the “cargo”.

As part of Xyell’s private guard, Quade had
been forced to watch each session from behind his stoic mask. He
was unable to interfere or voice his opinions about the cowardly
manipulation Xyell used to coerce his victims into depraved acts,
sometimes sexual, sometimes self-deprecating but always incredibly
cruel.

Sex was on the agenda today.

A young woman knelt in the middle of the
cabin, naked and trembling. Light brown hair obscured her face as
she bowed her head and whispered prayers. Xyell circled silently,
snapping a riding crop against his boot. Each time the crop struck,
she jumped and her breasts jiggled.

Xyell shot him a salacious smile then
stopped in front of his victim, partially blocking Quade’s view of
her terrified form. He exhaled slowly, mentally scrambling for a
way to prevent what was about to unfold.

“You are a priestess of Venus?” Xyell
asked.

She shook her head without looking up. “An
acolyte, a novice. I am not yet personally empowered.”

“Do you serve a priest or priestess?” He
punctuated the question with an especially loud snap.

“Pries…stess.” She dared a glance through
the strands of her hair. “I serve a priestess. What have I done to
deserve this treatment? Is Venus angry with me?”

“What is your priestess’s name? What does
she look like?”

The woman stilled and her head drooped even
lower. “I will not betray my priestess. I have never known a better
person. I would rather you kill me now.”

“I’m sure you would, but death is not what I
have in mind.” He laughed. “Isn’t that right, Quade?”

Dread wrapped around his throat, cold and
constrictive. The last thing he wanted was to become part of these
disgusting melodramas.

You’re already a part
, his conscience
screamed.
You stand by silently and allow them to happen
.
That makes you just as guilty as Xyell.

But what was he supposed to do? If he ran to
Captain Thrax, the abuse might stop temporarily. However, Xyell was
close friends with Prince Tarhee. The only person who could curtail
the misbehavior of the prince was his father the emperor. And
Emperor Olla wouldn’t even grant and audience with someone like
Quade. These were powerful people, and he was a common soldier.

Xyell turned from the acolyte and strode
toward Quade. “Do I sense disapproval?”

“It is not my place to approve or
disapprove, Sir. You are my commander. It’s my place to obey.” He
spoke in Latin so the woman would understand his position. He would
help her if he could, but he was powerless.

“I’m glad to hear it.” He paused for a cruel
smile then said, “Disrobe.”

“Sir! I cannot protect you if I become part
of the action. I must remain—”

“You must do whatever the fuck you’re told.
Now get out of your uniform before I lose my temper.”

He raised his hands to the fastenings at the
front of his jacket then stopped. He had silenced his conscience
for too long. It was time to make a stand. “This is wrong, Sir.
There are better ways to extract information. I cannot participate
in this scenario.”

“Really?” Xyell threw back his head and
laughed. “This is turning out to be far more entertaining than I
ever imagined. I should have tested the defiance in your eyes days
ago.”

“Please, Sir, let me speak with her. Maybe I
can find a different path to the information you’re seeking.”

“It’s simple, Lieutenant. If you don’t fuck
her, you don’t eat. As you know, this room is under continual
surveillance, so you can’t just say you did.”

Quade’s hand covered his pulse pistol as his
gaze narrowed on the bastard’s face.

“Go on. Kill me.” Xyell spread his arms,
brow arched provocatively. “That will place you both at the mercy
of Tarhee. If you think my games are twisted, it’s because you’ve
never seen the prince in action. I’m a beginner when it comes to
debauchery, but thanks to Prince Tarhee, I’m learning.”

“Only a coward preys on the innocent,” Quade
sneered. “You have no honor.”

“Fuck honor! We intend to feast on innocence
and bathe in blood. And all of Fedoros will stand in line for their
chance to join us. Now place your weapons on the floor and push
them toward me, slowly. Leave those safeties on.”

Shaking with impotent rage, Quade forced
himself to obey. Xyell was right. Killing him would only slow the
process. They needed to sever the head of the snake. “I will not
rape her. I could not live with myself if I did.”

“Who said anything about rape? Pry her
thighs apart anyway you like, whisper sweet promises or threaten
her loved ones.” He bent to one knee and gathered Quade’s weapons.
“I expect a demonstration of your loyalty. You will overcome this
squeamishness and fuck the girl. And you will go right on fucking
her until she gives you the name and description of her
priestess.”

“Why do you want the priestess?” Quade
asked.

“It is not your place to question my
motivation.” He shoved Quade away from the door. “It’s your place
to obey orders. Now get busy!”

Quade heard the door close behind him,
knowing that his fate was sealed. He should have acted sooner. This
was his punishment for remaining passive so long.

“You look more frightened than I.”

He looked at the girl and felt a flicker of
hope. She was not as young as he had first thought. Forcibly
seducing a virgin held about as much appeal as…any of the other
activities that had gone on in this room. “What’s your name?”

“It’s not my name you need to worry about.
If I’m not mistaken.” She struggled to her feet, obviously stiff
after kneeling on the hard floor for so long. He wasn’t sure if he
should help her or if she would resent the assistance. Pride was
revealed by the tilt of her head and the brightness of her eyes. “I
only need to know one thing.”

“And that is?”

“Look at me.” He met her gaze and waited.
“Was this set up from the beginning?”

He shook his head and sighed. “The
ambassador is all about power. There is nothing more intoxicating
for him than finding ways to bend people to his will.”

She searched his gaze for a long, silent
moment then nodded, apparently having made up her mind. “How long
have you served him?”

“Two years. He was not always this cruel.
The more time he spends with the prince, the more they resemble
each other.”

With one arm covering her breasts, she swept
her other toward the narrow bunk. “I would rather get this over
with, if it is all the same to you. I do not suffer anticipation
well.”

He took a deep breath and closed the
distance between them, placing his hands on her shoulders. “Have
you ever been with a man?”

“I joined the temple after my husband was
killed at sea. I am no virgin.”

“I am relieved.”

Her dark brows arched and her shoulders
relaxed beneath his hands. “Most men would be disappointed. Many
pay dearly for the pleasure of mounting a virgin.”

“That’s the problem. When the woman has
absolutely no idea what to expect, she is generally unresponsive. I
prefer women who enjoy sex and understand their own bodies.”

“Well, it has been a long time, so do not
raise your expectations too high.”

His cock hardened and his blood warmed, but
he still hesitated. “Before we begin, I want the other issue
settled between us. Tell me about your priestess.”

She reached for the fastenings on his
jacket, riding him of the garment with remarkable skill. “I will
tell you about her. She is an amazing person, powerful and
genuinely blessed by Venus.” Her agile fingers went to work on his
pants then she bent and tugged off his boots. “She saved my
sister’s life. My sister had fallen down an abandoned well. She was
unconscious and would have died, but my priestess had a vision that
revealed where she was.”

Someone with that sort of power could prove
dangerous. Xyell and the prince were building an empire on lies and
misconceptions. This priestess might be able to expose their
deception. No wonder Xyell wanted to find her.