Lost Star by Hawke, Morgan (digital book reader .TXT) 📕

He’d never had a problem handling pain. All the beatings in the world hadn’t made a dent on him. But his libido was like a starving beast just begging to be fucked. He bit down on his lip, straining to calm himself. This had to stop. He had to gain control of himself before he became little more than a raging nymphomaniac. He did not want to be reduced to little more than a fuck toy.

Seht chuckled and pressed a kiss to his shoulder. “And what, pray tell, is so terrible about being a nymphomaniac?”

70

Morgan Hawke

Aubrey jumped. “How did—”

Seht tapped a long nail against Aubrey’s collar. “Telepathic link.”

Aubrey stilled, and an icy sweat spread across his back. “You’re in my head?”

Like Niobe, and that insane nav-pilot?

Seht snorted. “No, not like those. I am not in your mind. I can feel some of your emotions and hear any clear thoughts you project. That is all.”

Aubrey cringed. “It’s still creepy.”

Seht chuckled. “You will become accustomed, over time.”

“Great”—Aubrey rubbed the raised hair on his arms—“I can hardly wait.”

“And you are not a mere fuck toy.” Seht’s arms tightened around him. “Your mind is too valuable to waste. I intend to have you properly trained.”

“Trained?” Aubrey curled his lip. “As what?”

“My personal pilot, at the very least.”

Aubrey blinked. “Oh…” That didn’t sound so bad. “I’m good with ships.” Really good, in fact, too good. That was how he’d ended up with a penal tracker in the back of his neck and Moribund hunting him.

Seht chuckled. “You will make an excellent pilot, in addition to being my personal fuck toy.” He swept a wet tongue along the ridge of Aubrey’s spine.

“Ah! Seht!” Aubrey shivered and squirmed. Crap, not more sex! “I can’t…do any more!” He twisted to look back at Seht. “Seriously, I can’t!”

Seht smiled. “Yes, yes, I know.” He slid a hand up Aubrey’s ribs. “You are severely undernourished, and your body is still processing. You have yet to reach your full strength.” He slid his fingers into Aubrey’s overgrown hair and watched the strands slip through. “I simply enjoy touching you.” His brow lifted, and his gaze focused. “You should go back to sleep. We leave for my ship at sunset.”

Aubrey groaned. “I don’t know if I can sleep.” He was dead tired, sure, but his thoughts were a snarled mess from all that had happened since he’d been pulled from the tank.

“Aubrey…” Seht caught Aubrey’s chin and stared hard into his eyes. “Sleep.

Now.”

Blackness crashed over Aubrey’s mind.

Interstellar Service & Discipline: Lost Star

71

Chapter Twelve

Aubrey tugged on his ship-suit, watching Seht shove everything back into his backpack. He zipped the suit closed. The baggy thing seemed to fit better. Had it shrunk in the rain? Must be really cheap material. He turned to look over at Seht and frowned. “Seht, did you make me sleep?”

Seht turned around and shoved a squeeze bottle of protein drink into Aubrey’s hand. “Yes.”

Yes? Aubrey set the bottle beside him and pulled on his boots. Seht just told him to sleep…and he slept? He rose to his feet and swallowed a mouthful of the protein drink.

He didn’t know what to think about that.

Seht shouldered his pack and the bolt rifle. “We need to move quickly. I do not know if Moribund is still searching for you.” He strode for the cave entrance.

Aubrey sighed and followed. “Hopefully, they think I dropped dead.”

Seht flashed a fanged smile over his shoulder. “One can hope.”

Aubrey stepped out among the tall rocks and stared up at a puke green and rancid orange sky. “At least it’s not raining.”

Seht looked at his wristband. “Not at the moment, but we should hurry if we wish to arrive dry.”

The march out of the ravine was steep but not particularly difficult. Aubrey’s boots pinched his toes. At first it was merely an annoyance, but the farther they walked, the worse it got.

Seht stopped in the middle of the brush-lined path. “Take off your boots.”

Aubrey stopped and stared at Seht’s back. “Huh?”

Seht turned around and scowled. “Your boots are hurting your feet. Take them off.”

72

Morgan Hawke

Aubrey frowned. How? Oh yeah, the damned telepathic collar. “You think going barefoot is going to be any easier?”

“For you, yes.” Seht sighed. “Your feet will callus very quickly; you heal that fast.

For the same reason, leaving your feet in those undersized boots could cause your bones to form improperly.”

Aubrey frowned. “Cause my bones to form improperly?”

Seht rolled his eyes. “You are developing under the influence of the injections. The nanites are still active in your body.”

“Oh…” Aubrey sat on the path to pull off his boots.

Seht folded his arms. “Haven’t you noticed? You have already gained in height.”

Aubrey stilled. “I have?” He was taller? No, he hadn’t noticed.

Seht snorted. “Quickly. I must get to my barque and return to the warship before Lord Syrhus sends out a search party.” He looked back up the path. “If he has not already.”

Aubrey tossed his boots into the bushes and rose to his feet. He wriggled his toes.

They felt better already. “Who’s this Lord Syrhus?”

Seht turned away and continued up the near-invisible path. “Lord Syrhus is the captain of the warship, my cousin, and the husband of my exalted sister.”

Aubrey frowned. His cousin had married his sister? “So that makes him, your…brother-in-law?” Or was he an uncle? Aubrey trotted after Seht. The ground wasn’t exactly comfortable to walk on, but at least his toes weren’t being pinched.

Seht sighed. “My sister is Hedjhyt, the crown princess and heir to the throne.

Syrhus is her Atehf, prince consort.” He looked back over his shoulder at Aubrey. “And someone you do not speak to or make eye contact with.” He looked forward. “In fact, if you are addressed by any Skeldhi, it would be best if you did not speak at all, merely bow to acknowledge their attention; it’s polite.”

“Bow to