Something Wicked This Way Comes 1, page 1
part #1 of Something Wicked Series
Captain of Nara’s Heart
Laurann Dohner
Nara knew she was taking a risk with illegal trading. Sure enough, she’s been arrested, caged—and will be auctioned as a sex slave. One look at the scary alien buyers and she frantically makes a deal, agreeing to be sold to Captain Vellar, who turns out to be large, sexy and seriously in heat. Offering her body to the captain is a given…but Nara didn’t expect to lose her heart in the process.
Dragon Heat
Mel Teshco
A highly skilled operative, Grace has been trained to track, fight and kill paranormal creatures. Only after she’s in the clutches of her latest target, a devastatingly sexy dragon-shifter, does she discover betrayal in her ranks. Suddenly the hunter is the hunted. Grace will soon uncover her ex-agency’s horrific agenda—but not before seeking solace in all the pleasures of the flesh her new dragon ally has to offer.
Dangerous Addiction
Desiree Holt
Having finally realized his dream to own a ranch, Cord is ready for the next step—settling down with the perfect sub. And he’s found her in Fallon. A single glance from the smart, sultry beauty makes him hard, but abuse at the hands of her ex-Dom has kept Fallon away from the lifestyle she loves. Needs. It will take bondage, mind-blowing sex, a gentle hand and expert flogging for Cord to help her rediscover her favorite dangerous addition.
Highland Tryst
Eliza Knight
Having sworn off love, Kari Howard isn’t adverse to a little lust when a hot Highlander lands at her feet. Literally. Fin has traveled through time, and given what he’s packing under his kilt (good Lord!), Kari expects the sexy Scotsman to make her quake. But she doesn’t expect Fin to shake her very foundation…or cherish her for who she is.
Tattoo Witch
Kathy Kulig
There cannot be good without evil, light without dark… At a seaside resort, lovers Sam and Anita meet a mysterious, heavily tattooed couple who refers them to Sinful Designs. The owner is a witch whose magical tattoos grant scorching, kinky sex beyond their wildest fantasies—but there’s a catch. Each successive tattoo comes with a darker and scarier curse. Sam and Anita can break the spells…but at what cost?
The Addiction
Jaid Black
The long-awaited sequel to The Possession!
John Calder has everything most men would kill for—golden-Adonis looks, endless money, a steely reputation as a savvy businessman and beautiful women throwing themselves at his feet. Then he meets Shelli Rodgers, a quirky, klutzy Ph.D. student who takes John on an emotional and sensual journey, giving him the one thing he’s never attained—happiness.
Ellora’s Cave Publishing
www.ellorascave.com
Something Wicked This Way Comes Volume 1
ISBN 9781419936906
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Edited by Jaid Black:
Captain of Nara’s Heart © 2011 Laurann Dohner
Highland Tryst © 2011 Eliza Knight
Tattoo Witch © 2011 Kathy Kulig
Edited by Kelli Collins
Dragon Heat © 2011 Mel Teshco
Dangerous Addiction © 2011 Desiree Holt
The Addiction © 2011 Jaid Black
Photography by Syneca; cover design by Syneca & Jaid Black; model: Georgio
Electronic book publication December 2011
The terms Romantica® and Quickies® are registered trademarks of Ellora’s Cave Publishing.
With the exception of quotes used in reviews, this book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any means existing without written permission from the publisher, Ellora’s Cave Publishing, Inc.® 1056 Home Avenue, Akron OH 44310-3502.
Warning: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be scanned, uploaded or distributed via the Internet or any other means, electronic or print, without the publisher’s permission. 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. (http://www.fbi.gov/ipr/). Please purchase only authorized electronic or print editions and do not participate in or encourage the electronic piracy of copyrighted material. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.
This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the authors’ imagination and used fictitiously.
The publisher and author(s) acknowledge the trademark status and trademark ownership of all trademarks, service marks and word marks mentioned in this book.
The publisher does not have any control over, and does not assume any responsibility for, author or third-party Web sites or their content.
Something Wicked This Way Comes
Volume 1
Captain of Nara’s Heart
By Laurann Dohner
Dragon Heat
By Mel Teshco
Dangerous Addiction
By Desiree Holt
Highland Tryst
By Eliza Knight
Tattoo Witch
By Kathy Kulig
The Addiction
By Jaid Black
Captain of Nara's Heart
Laurann Dohner
Chapter One
Nara gripped the cage bars and glared at Derrick. “It’s your fault.”
The man inside the cage across from hers sported a black left eye and cut cheek. “I said I’m sorry.”
The words didn’t dispel her anger. She wanted to punch her newly fired ex-mechanic again. “You were supposed to buy a burner thruster valve. What did you do with the credits instead?”
He glanced away, guilt clearly displayed across his features. “I… Hell, Nara. I hadn’t had a woman in months. Have you seen the pleasure workers on Divian Station?”
Nara’s temper increased. “Isn’t that ironic? You wasted the money intended to keep our shuttle flying and now we’re the hookers.”
Her navigator, Brianna, sighed from behind her. “Being sold into the pleasure market for a year beats spending five years at Alto Prison.”
Nara spun to glare at her. “You might not have a problem spreading your thighs for any alien who buys you, but I do. I have standards.”
Brianna laughed. “What would those be? I’ve been on your ship for over a year and you’ve never gotten laid. Maybe this will be good for you. Maybe we’ll be sold to a Yovolian. They’re great in bed, have two dicks and are fond of humans.”
“Or we could get sold to some pimp and be forced to sleep with hundreds of aliens. I should have picked prison over this. Why did I listen to you both?”
Derrick sighed. “Alto Prison would have been a death sentence. It’s a dead moon they send the worst criminals to. They’d eat you alive, literally. Alto is known for starving prisoners until they turn cannibal when the food supply ships are delayed for weeks. All the buyers at the sex slave auction agree to pay expensive fines if they don’t return us alive in twelve months.”
Nara fought the urge to scream. She’d become a trader by profession, owned a large vessel by shuttle standards, and the money had been great. Trade had been prohibited by some planets but the money was too irresistible for those jobs. It was supposed to be an easy run delivering medical supplies. Her shuttle was fast and hard to detect with the expensive shielding she’d bought. They never would have been caught if the thruster drive hadn’t given out, leaving them stranded in the wrong sector.
“I am sorry, Nara.” Derrick sounded sincere. “I know we wouldn’t be here if I’d just fixed the shuttle. The authorities take confiscated shuttles to an auction yard on Frodder planet. The auctions are backed up a good six months. We’ll have plenty of time to escape and meet there. I’ll bring the part, we’ll fly right out; it will be simple. You’ll get your ship back.”
Brianna chuckled. “Look on the bright side. You’ll finally break your dry spell and get laid. Maybe you’ll enjoy it. I hear the Borters are pretty good in the sack and they love humans as much as Yovolians.”
“Shut up or I’ll hit you too,” Nara threatened softly.
Brianna hesitated. “Just flirt with someone attractive when the buyers arrive. I hear that’s the ticket to not end up with some ugly-ass alien. You left Earth for an adventure and here it is.”
“I left Earth because there were no jobs. I could do without the adventure part and I don’t want to be sold to some alien who wishes to nail a human for the novelty of it.”
“Earther?”
Nara turned at the gruff female voice to study a strange-looking alien female standing feet from her. The woman’s face appeared similar to that of a mouse, with her whiskers and strange eyes.
“Yes?” Nara stared at her.
“I heard you talking. Is it true you haven’t had sex in a year?”
Nara hesitated. “That’s kind of personal to ask a stranger.”
“I’m Midgel and I’ll make a deal with you.”
Brianna inched closer. “What kind of a deal?”
The alien shot Brianna a dirty look. “I’m talking to her.” She fixed her strange gaze on Nara again. “I’m here to scout for a woman for my captain. I believe you are right for him. If you go to my captain’s bed willingly for six days you will be released afterward.”
Brianna moved closer. “Why only six days?”
Midgel bared sharp li
ttle teeth at Brianna but then seemed to calm down. “He wasn’t due to go into heat for another month, but his calculations were wrong. His people are sending females, but they are six days away.” She licked her lips, her tongue black and small. “He needs female hormones and as a human, you’re compatible with him. If you haven’t had sex with another male you will scent right to him.”
“He’s in heat?” That shocked Nara. “What is he?”
Midgel sighed. “You wouldn’t know his species. He is rare to this system. He needs your female hormones and you won’t be harmed.”
It sounded strange to Nara. “No thanks.”
“Now hang on,” Brianna interjected. “You make it sound as though he’s going to eat her or make her a test subject with some freaky needle fetish to suck stuff from her body. What exactly is involved?”
Midgel growled. “He won’t bite her and there are no needles.” Her gaze fixed on Nara again. “He will arouse you with his mouth on your sex and coax your release from you. That is how he takes your female hormones. Females from his planet consider it extremely pleasurable and many of them are on their way to him before he reaches the stage where his body is able to…” She paused, her features scrunching. “Fuck. He is unable to do that until his hormone ingestion reaches peak levels. He’s starving right now.”
Brianna shouldered Nara aside. “You’re saying he wants to go down on her for six days, can’t get it up for that long, and just wants to get her off over and over to collect what he needs with oral sex?”
“Yes.” Midgel nodded, pleading with Nara silently by watching her. “He needs you. I found no others here compatible. My shipmates come to buy the female I specify. It will be six days of your time, you will not be harmed. All the females on my captain’s ship would kill to be offered what you are, but they aren’t compatible.”
“I’ll do it.” Brianna offered. “I’m human too. I’d be honored.”
“No.” Midgel sniffed. “You aren’t full human.”
A slight blush crept into Brianna’s cheeks. “My mom hooked up with a half Barcalon but I’m mostly human.”
“You aren’t compatible.” Midgel addressed Nara. “Agree. You will be freed before he is able to enter you and our captain won’t cause harm.”
“I don’t know,” Nara said, her voice hesitant, “I don’t want someone feeding on me.”
“You’d rather serve a year?” Midgel snorted. “You are too stupid for my captain.”
“They come,” whispered other prisoners, locked inside cages to be sold at the sex slave auction.
Nara’s stomach knotted again as she faced the bars. Brianna stepped to her side, fear on her face, and it only made her worry more. Brianna’s tough talk had been just a bluff. Alien buyers arrived to bid on the available stock for sale.
“Flirt with the blue guys,” Brianna whispered. “They are Avials, a nonviolent race, and their planet is beautiful. Don’t look at the red guy. That’s a Dolten and they are mean, with a reputation of abusing women.”
Nara had spent her life in the human-only section on Earth until two years ago. She’d hired Brianna to be the navigator but she was also the one who dealt with the clients Nara traded with. Brianna’s alien knowledge was vast and Nara decided she’d flirt with the blue guys if they were the best of the lot.
The aliens all appeared scary, but one resembled a dead ringer for Earth’s version of the devil with his red skin, clawed hands and bull-thick body topped with a set of sharp horns on his head. He stopped at a cage down the line and grinned, bright-red sharp teeth peeking from his parted red lips. Nara shivered with dread, terrified she’d be sold to him.
Her attention returned to the four blue aliens who appeared nearly humanoid body-wise except for their skin color and roped black hair. They were semi-attractive. She locked gazes with one of them, forcing a smile.
Nara wasn’t good with flirting but she kept eye contact with the blue alien. He paused in front of her cage. His eyes were black and kind of eerie-looking, but he had a nice face when he smiled back. That was encouraging. He stood six feet tall with a slim body. His clothes had to be a uniform, since all the blue aliens dressed in the same black outfit. He turned his head.
“I’ll buy her.”
The auctioneer approached with an electronic device. “All right.”
“Wait!” The voice was harsh and frightening.
Nara glanced away from the blue alien to stare in horror at the devil alien as he stomped closer and shoved a few buyers out of his way. Panic erupted when he glared at her with his evil gaze, and she backed away from the bars.
“I want her,” the devil snarled. “I like humans—and she smells fresh.”
Fresh? Does he think I’m food? Her gaze frantically jerked to the blue alien, praying he’d offer more money, but he refused to glance at her while he backed away in obvious fear. In a pure panic, she caught Midgel’s smirking expression as she arched her eyebrows at Nara in question.
“Deal,” Nara whispered. “Have your captain buy me…please.”
Midgel nodded and stared at something in the far corner that Nara couldn’t see until a few aliens moved. What came forward wasn’t exactly an alien but more of a thing that resembled a three-foot-high ball on short legs, with a rounded, bald head. Tiny hands waved from the oval-shaped body covered in bright orange stretch-material. Its pasty-white skin reminded her of an egg. Nara met its round, green eyes with dismay.
No way. If that’s their captain I’m not allowing him to touch me. I’d kill him first.
“Twice payment,” the egg squealed. “I want the short one with the long yellow hair. Twice payment,” it repeated.
The auctioneer glanced at the blue alien. Nara’s gaze traveled there too.
“Please buy me,” she begged. “Pretty please? I’ll rock your alien world.”
The blue alien peered over Nara’s head. “I will buy the one behind her.”
The auctioneer addressed the egg. “Do you want to twice bid on both of the humans?”
“I just want the short one with yellow hair. Twice payment.”
“I want that human,” the devil snarled. He glared at the egg, but the rounded alien didn’t budge as he stared up at the thing ten times bigger.
“Three times the payment,” the egg squealed.
“Sold!” The auctioneer touched the pad, nodding to the blue man. “Sold.”
A hand gripped Nara’s shoulder. She turned her head to see pity on Brianna’s features.
“What is that thing that bought me?”
Brianna shrugged. “I’ve never seen one before. I don’t even know if it’s male but I guess it would be. I’m so sorry.” Her voice lowered. “At least it looks easy to escape. Hell, just kick it. It will roll away.”
Derrick laughed from across the room. Nara turned her head, realized the buyers had left with Midgel, and met her ex-mechanic’s amused stare. She’d been sold to Humpty Dumpty. He laughed again.
“That puts a whole new spin on balling, huh?”
Nara grabbed the cage bars. “I’m going to strangle you when I escape.”
He sobered. “Sorry. It’s the stress. I’m afraid that red guy has a horny sister.”
Dread hit Nara when a door down the hall opened. Large guards approached to take away the sex slaves who had been sold. She didn’t bother to fight. The guards were hulks of muscles who seemed mean enough to enjoy beating prisoners who resisted. She was led to a large ship docked to the station. She couldn’t get over being sold to a talking egg. She didn’t know if she should feel disgusted, insulted or just horrified. She voted for all three.
More of the eggs waited when the doors slid open to reveal the interior of the ship. She stared at the three identical blinking balls. She started to struggle, believing they’d bought her to be a ship-wide pleasure worker. She’d prefer to be beaten than suffer the horror of having them touch her. The two hulks gripped her tighter, yanking her off her feet. The one on her left addressed the short aliens.
