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eBook Category: Erotica/Science Fiction
eBook Description: It's the hefty bounty on his head that draws Captain Mara Seni to Lurin Vez, not his darkly handsome visage, his intelligence, or his compelling, electric blue eyes. When she captures him, however, she very quickly discovers that the legendary sensual skills of the Thesha are no myth and Lurin means to use every skill he possesses to win his freedom. Rating: Contains explicit sex, graphic language, and some situations which could be offensive to sensitive readers.

eBook Publisher: New Concepts Publishing, Published: 2004
Fictionwise Release Date: April 2005

207 Reader Ratings: Great Good OK Poor

Available eBook Formats [MultiFormat - What's this?]: Adobe Acrobat (PDF) [723 KB], eReader (PDB) [137 KB], Palm Doc (PDB) [115 KB], Rocket/REB1100 (RB) [104 KB], Microsoft Reader (LIT) [127 KB] - PocketPC 1.0+ Compatible, Franklin eBookMan (FUB) [164 KB], hiebook (KML) [316 KB], Sony Reader (LRF) [173 KB], iSilo (PDB) [95 KB], Mobipocket (PRC) [119 KB], Kindle Compatible (MOBI) [159 KB], OEBFF Format (IMP) [153 KB]
Words: 35113
Reading time: 100-140 min.
Microsoft Reader (LIT) Format: Printing DISABLED, Read-Aloud ENABLED
Adobe Acrobat (PDF) Format:  Printing DISABLED, Read-Aloud ENABLED
All Other formats: Printing DISABLED, Read-aloud DISABLED
ISBN: 1586081373

Captain Mara Seni swore as the ship encountered another round of hostile fire from the Melan rebels.

"Damned ex-patriots," she seethed as she fought to keep her ship in one piece. Not only had the rebels come out of nowhere in the middle of an asteroid storm, but they'd interrupted her crew's attempts to subdue her thrashing and less-than-willing captive.

She narrowly guided the ship out of a speeding asteroid's path and smiled grimly as she watched it destroy one of the three Melan ships tracking her.

"Damn it, release me, you heathen fethra," a deep voice bellowed angrily from the hallway. "When I get free I'm going to make you all pay for this," he roared, a deadly promise too intense to ignore.

Swearing under her breath, Mara jockeyed her ship out of the storm and quickly thrust into hyper drive. The minute her ship leapt out of the Melans' sight, she exhaled with relief and left the controls to see to her prisoner.

She encountered him with the other three of her crew. She grudgingly respected her captive's strength. He struggled under the two hulking Fas brothers and the quick-as-a-whip Catam of Mardu. She had ordered her crew to be firm and if necessary, a bit rough. After all, the prisoner had committed a ruthless crime.

"Ah, so the dark eyed woman was not a mere figment of my imagination after all," the captive purred and stared at her insolently as she approached. His light blue eyes fairly sizzled as they traced her from the top of her golden brown hair to the tips of her boots.

"That's our captain," Catam said quietly and knocked the captive back with a hard punch to his midsection. "Show some respect."

The captive absorbed the blow but made not a sound. Again Mara studied him curiously, wondering how a man that looked like this could have turned into a murdering rapist.

He had dark blue-black hair and sun-kissed skin. His build towered over hers, and Mara considered herself a tall woman.

His muscular forearms led to thick biceps and a broad chest, visible through the sleeveless and ripped tunic he wore. His skintight rak-hide leggings suggested similar strength in his powerful thighs.

But his face. Stars, Mara thought, irritated for having noticed. With a face like that and a body to match, this man should never have to resort to rape. His straight nose and sharp chin framed an arrogant face. High cheekbones and cat-slanted eyes gave him an exotic look, made even more stunning by his thickly lashed electric-blue eyes and full, sensuous lips.

Mara watched those lips curve in sardonic amusement as she said nothing, merely studied the man before her.

"Like what you see?" His smooth voice beckoned her closer. For a startled moment she almost stepped forward. Then she mentally shook herself and stared angrily at her prisoner.

"You are Lurin Vez, are you not?" she asked throatily, suddenly conscious of her own sensuality.

His eyes lit but he said nothing, his gaze firmly on her mouth.

"He is," Nu, the elder Fas brother spoke.

"We searched his belongings earlier and found this," his brother Set remarked. He held out a system tag that clearly showed her prisoner's likeness against the name Lurin Vez.

"Good." Mara smiled and the prisoner blinked, his gaze leaving her lips to peruse the rest of her face. "Nobless Cari Elaran has a bounty on your head," she said pleasantly. She watched but could detect no recognition in his shuttered gaze at the name. "We'll have you at her estate in less than a week's time, captive Vez."

"Why are you doing this?" Lurin struggled against the Fas brothers again, his muscles straining to regain freedom from the shackles at his wrists and legs.

"Come now, captive Vez." Mara shook her head in disappointment, making a mental note to continue to address him as "captive". He didn't like it one bit. "You raped the Nobless' virgin daughter and murdered her future mate. Surely you didn't think that action would go unpunished?"

He stared at her in surprise, as if unaware of the heinous crimes he'd committed. Mara waited patiently for him to refute the accusations; she could read the denial on his face.

"That's why you're bringing me in?" he asked softly, his eyes intent on her face.

"Please, no more games." Mara felt an odd sense of disappointment. Most of her bounties protested innocence until confronted with their guilt. For some reason she thought Vez would be different. He possessed a core of strength that unfortunately went no further than the physical. "Nu, Set, take him to his new quarters. And Catam, make sure all is clear for our journey to planet Jaron."

Her crew did her bidding easily since the prisoner ceased fighting. Perhaps now that his crimes had been brought into the open, he realized he had nothing with which to bargain.

Mara smiled bitterly. She didn't believe in bargaining with men regardless. She lived a simple life, a solitary existence devoted to her career as a bounty hunter. She had no use for pleasures of the flesh or emotional attachments. And though not overly satisfied with her lot in life, she did feel content.

Though her job brought bursts of excitement, Mara preferred when the job went smoothly. Relieved that the crisis with Vez had been averted, she headed to the galley for some sustenance. Since the capture of her prisoner, she'd been awake for more than two days.

His capture had been a thing of beauty, she recalled, and grabbed a tray of food before she sat down. Staring at the unappetizing fare, she thought about Vez and the circumstances surrounding the mysterious criminal.

From one of her many sources, Mara had received word that her latest quarry had been hiding out on one of the Melan moons, a smart move considering the Melans' dislike for anything Elaran.

Disguised as a pleasurer, Mara had visited bar after bar on Sheias--the central moon to which all information funneled concerning planet Melan. Soon armed with his whereabouts, she'd easily infiltrated the rebel club where Vez had been drinking by himself in a corner. For the right price, a serving girl agreed to tamper with his next drink.

The drug had worked surprisingly well and the Fas brothers escorted him unhindered to her ship. They'd been sitting cloaked in space, waiting out the Melan rebel force's movements, when her captive had revived.

She frowned and forced herself to eat. Vez had proven himself amazingly strong, almost defeating both Fas brothers until Catam had entered the scene. The Fas brothers hailed from Ragga, a planet known for delivering inhumanly strong species due to the minerals found in the water.

For Vez to have almost defeated not one, but two Raggas meant that he was no ordinary human. His unusual good looks could be attributed to any number of planetary inhabitants, but his strength made her wonder. Then there was the matter of his intoxicating voice. Something in his tenor denoted simmering power. A telepath, maybe? His overt sensuality though, bespoke of something more. If she hadn't known better, she might have thought him a Thesha.

A Thesha, sure. She scoffed at her overworked imagination.

The Thesha had been a legend for as long as she could remember. No matter that the nobles in the system still searched and raged about the sensually gifted race, Mara didn't believe they existed anymore, if they had in the first place. Imagine a race of men able to pleasure a woman without cease. Obviously a tale created by deprived women.

"Captain?" Catam stepped quietly into the galley and waited for her to acknowledge him.

"Yes?"

"We're set for Jaron. I enabled the communicator should you like to inform Nobless Cari that we're on our way." His sensual, gold eyes brightened with intensity as he stared at her, and Mara had the uneasy suspicion that she would need to make at least one stop before reaching Jaron.

From the beginning of her captaincy, Mara hadn't wanted to use a crew of men only, but her need for their strength and solidarity of warlike mindsets had made the decision to exclude females an easy one.

An unusual maiden, Mara had been trained in the arts of war since she was old enough to stand. Softness was not a part of her. When she felt such uncomfortable stirrings, she returned to her training. Unlike the men she worked with, however, she felt free of the lusts they often suffered.

She'd made sure to take on men she could trust, and though they never discussed such matters, Mara always made sure to stop at a pleasure point somewhere in space where her crew could see to their base needs. Left untended, she worried her men might grow lustful around her.

"Good work, Catam." She nodded at him. He watched her carefully while maintaining a respectful distance. Mara knew should she give him the slightest hint, Catam would take her to bed without question. Rumors of the sensual Mardu had at times made her wonder what held her back.

"I'll go talk to the Nobless." She pushed away her half-eaten food and stood. "Oh, and Catam? Set a course for Nebe6 on our way to Jaron. You and the others have performed well this week."

At mention of the pleasure planet Nebe6, Catam smiled widely. He bowed and with a mischievous wink left her to reset course.

Mara shook her head. Males. They were so predictable. She left the galley and moments later entered her captain's quarters. She sat down at the communicator and activated the vidscreen.