MANDY FELT HEATED as she made her way inside. Sitting so close to Zehn, feeling his regard like an actual caress, turned her inside out. She’d felt lust before. Heck, she’d first had sex the day she’d turned sixteen, curious to see if it would interfere with her power. It hadn’t been great, and she’d been in no danger of losing control. But her first orgasm had been a lesson in how quickly her fire could burn.

Since then, she’d had an occasional lover, but no one who’d cared for her. Only men her parents, then her owners, had provided so that their “weapon” remained balanced. The moment she’d learned her past lovers had been bought and paid for, she’d stopped engaging.

Even so, sex had been a pleasant, if not memorable, diversion. She’d sure as heck never experienced an orgasm from seeing other people do it. And certainly not from watching two men. Watching a woman and man go at it, she could pretend she was the woman. But she didn’t have a man’s equipment, so seeing them have sex shouldn’t have titillated her. Yet it had, to the point she’d climaxed.

And without setting fire to anything. She had no idea what to make of that.

Natla whistled. “Don’t you look introspective. So what happened with you and the sexy barbarian?” She lowered her voice. “Did you happen to get a quickie in? It’s private out there behind the tree.”

“Natla.” Mandy blushed. “Stop. No, we just talked. He was…nice.”

He’d flattered her, listened to her, and shocked her by seeming to know more about her than that she had a nice rack. For all his barbaric trappings—good Lord, did the man even own a shirt?—he’d been a perfect gentleman. Though he’d looked at her as if he wanted to throw her over his shoulder and take her someplace private, he’d been sweet with his compliments, honest with his intention.

And good night, but that invitation to watch him again. She was seriously tempted to do it.

“You know,” Natla said. “We should—” A tall human man walked through the side entrance. “Hold that thought.” She turned to the man and upped the wattage of her smile. “Hello. How may I help you?”

He blinked at her, obviously fighting the attraction to a Venetian woman in her prime. The man wasn’t wearing a staff uniform of linen khakis and a sleeveless tunic. He must have been new. 

 “If you could give me your name, I’ll look up your sizes and we’ll get you some uniforms,” she said gently, aware of Natla’s impact on human men.

Showing a strength of mind, he shook himself free of Natla’s beauty. “Sorry about that.” He smiled but didn’t meet Natla’s gaze. Instead, he turned to Mandy. “Well, hello there.” His smile widened. “Are you Mandy Jacobs?”

She didn’t know why her name mattered. And she didn’t like it. He was human, large, and held himself with a guarded purpose. Could Red have sent him? But all the way out here? She was at least four galaxies away from Earth, a planet she couldn’t possibly have escaped from. Surely Red had to still be looking for her on Earth.

“I am. Can I help you?” she asked, polite yet cautious.

“Yes. Jaokkin told me all about you. Said you were a sweetie who’d hook me up.” She didn’t know a Jaokkin. He leaned closer, and she stood stock still, not liking the way he focused on her chest. The man had dark blue eyes, chiseled features, and large hands. She didn’t recognize him as one of Red’s guys, but that meant nothing. Red had often hired out for jobs. Something about him seemed familiar though…

“Sir, what’s your name?”

“Call me Mike.”

“Your full name, Mike. So I can look you up in our system.”

He reached across the counter and grabbed her wrist before she could blink. Then he jerked her toward him, holding her a breath away, his hold on her wrist crushing. Mandy tugged, but her arm didn’t budge. She concentrated to keep herself contained, to stick to the script. She was Mandy Jacobs, a plain little Earther wanting to expand her horizons in a foreign land. Not Mandy Everett, a human weapon gone missing from a major crime syndicate with connections far reaching on and off the planet.

“Hey, let her go,” Natla said.

He ignored her, smiling at Mandy. “I’m not in your system, honey, but I’d like to be.” He released her with a gentleness that didn’t wipe away the sting of his bruising grip. “Oh, yeah. I’d just love to feel your fire.” His dark grin scared the heck out of her, because she felt a power not her own vibrating in the air between them.

Natla must have signaled for help, because Franklin arrived through the south entrance at the same time Zehn stepped in from the north side.

Zehn took one look at the male and seemed ready to pounce. “What goes on here?”

“Just me and the lady talking, asshole. Not your problem. Mandy and I are old friends.”

Zehn’s gaze shot to the wrist Mandy was rubbing. The rage in his eyes was impossible to miss. “Mandy, are you all right?”

She nodded, found it hard to swallow around her fear, but managed. “Mike is mistaken. I don’t know him. And yes, I’m fine.”

“Good.” Zehn took two steps toward the male and looked down at him, which seemed to bother Mike No-Last-Name. Then he lifted Mike by his throat, his large hand capable of crushing the man’s windpipe.

Natla gasped. Franklin started sputtering apologies while demanding Zehn lower the VIP to the ground.

“Touch her again and I’ll crush your throat. Then I’ll rip off your head.” Zehn brought the male closer, ignoring Mike’s struggles as he clawed at Zehn’s arm. “I’ll snap you in half. Understand?” He shook Mike, whose face was starting to turn purple.

“Zehn, let him go.” Franklin seemed frantic. “I’m so sorry, Mr. Francisco. It’s a simple misunderstanding.”

At the name Francisco, Mandy’s entire future seemed poised to crumble.

Crap. They’d found her.

She lowered her gaze to the floor, worried she’d give herself away. Not that she needed to worry about her identity, really. With Mike Francisco here, asking for her, he must know her true identity, or at least suspect.

Zehn dropped Mike on his ass, seemingly not at all worried about Franklin’s threats. He continued to stare down at Mike, and she wondered what the barbarian would look like when he got really mad, because Zehn appeared calm while he waited for Mike to react.

Mike clutched his throat, still gasping for breath. “I want…him…fired.”

“Why?” Natla’s temper was slow to ignite, but once lit, it blazed. “You grabbed my coworker, left a bruise, and you don’t even work here, do you? This section is off limits for guests, isn’t it, Mr. Franklin?”

Franklin started. “Um, yes. Er, sir, I’m sorry, but you shouldn’t be here.” He drew himself up to his pudgy best. “Zehn, you know the rules about accosting guests. That’s an automatic termination.”

Before Zehn could defend himself, Natla spoke up again. “But Zehn was only following his orders, Mr. Franklin. He came to the defense of our employee, protecting her from a man he could only assume to be another employee.” She glared down at Mike Francisco. “I have to tell you, if any man grabbed me like that, I’d expect Zehn to put him on the floor. Hell, I’d expect my husbands to take his head from his neck, one vertebrae at a time,” she growled.

Mike Francisco slowly stood, brushing away Franklin’s attempts to help him stand. “Watch yourself, Zehn. You never know when a rogue weapon will turn up and blast you right in the back.”

Mandy felt Mike push energy at Zehn, and she automatically countered it with her own, pleased she could do so.

Zehn ignored everyone but Mike. He yanked the male up by his arm and dragged him to the south exit. Then he threw the man out of the building. Mike landed in an undignified heap in front of several other humans, likely men he’d arrived with. Near them, Lore stood, watching with satisfaction.

Mandy, along with Franklin and Natla, hurried to the open window to watch the rest play out.

“If we find you in any restricted area,” Zehn warned, “you will meet a harsh death. Not a swift one, but a painful one. Do you understand, Earther?”

The men with him glared, and hands went to where they no doubt hid a few weapons. Odd how the scanners weren’t picking up a lot, lately. But Mandy needed to think about what had just happened.

The Francisco family on Earth catered to the dirty work for several big money conglomerates that continued to grow thanks to the work of families like the Franciscos, who forced good people to pay exorbitant prices and work for cheap. Unfortunately, the Francisco family happened to own her ass. The only bright spot in this whole mess was that Ussed didn’t have any kind of extradition treaty with Earth. They were a pleasure resort owned by offworlders from the Raiegn Galaxy, and only some of those owners happened to be human.

But Red Francisco had the power to make a lot of people turn a blind eye to human rights and decency. Mostly because the Franciscos owned people like her, humans with jacked-up militant psychic abilities. Her ancestors had spent their lives in the military, but when the world had declared peace, sectioning the remaining lands into territories, those serving the past United States had been farmed out to companies with money. On Earth, it seemed as if never-ending greed ran the planet.

She wondered if the barbarians could be bought. Probably not, but they could be threatened. With enough pressure, even the Vyctore clan would bow to Franciscos’ might.

Saddened by the knowledge she’d definitely have to leave, she turned back to work and made a mental note to gather her pay, her secret stash in her grotto, and to say her goodbyes to Natla when they had a moment together.

Mr. Franklin strode outside to give Zehn a piece of his mind while apologizing to Mike and his men. Mollified by several perks, including free drinks, drugs, and pleasure workers, the Francisco party dispersed.

Of Lore and Zehn she heard no more.

“Oh my suns, what was all that about?” Natla hurried back to her. “Are you okay? That looks like it hurts.”

Her wrist was more than bruised, Mandy realized. Mike had to have some telekinetic power, because no way his grip in so short a time should have induced such pain.

“I think he fractured it.” Nervous, scared, and grieving the loss of her stability, Mandy burst into tears. “I’m s-sorry. I just need a minute.”

“You go rest. I’ll take care of this.”

“No. I mean, no. I’ll stay.” At Natla’s expression, Mandy explained, “I’m safer in here with you than by myself.”

“I knew you were running from something. Soon as I met you, I sensed it. What’s the story?”

Mandy hiccupped on a laugh. “Really?”

“Yep. I know things about people. From the beginning I knew there was a lot more to you than a grieving Earther. Tell me.”

Mandy sighed. “I belong to the Francisco family. On Earth, big money rules the world. The Franciscos do the dirty work for a bunch of big companies fighting to control the seedy side of the southeast territory in North America. And I’m supposed to be part of the power behind them. I’m small potatoes, but they don’t allow rebellion or escape. Ever.” She held out her good hand and allowed a fireball to dance upon it. Then she closed it, extinguishing her power.

It scared her a little how good it felt to let go. Burn, baby, burn.

“Oh, wow. So all those mishaps with people burning things the past year. That was you?”

“Guilty.” She swore. “My power is miniscule, but Red Francisco doesn’t like to lose anything he considers his. Now I have to go on the run again. I can’t stay here. They’re going to take me back.”

“But you can’t own people on Ussed.” Natla scoffed. “Well, not in the west. I’m not sure what the barbarians get up to in the east.”

Mandy gave her a wan smile. “You’d think I’m safe enough. But all Mike and his thugs have to do is drag me away when no one’s looking. They’ll buy their way back through Earth’s abysmal security, and once again I’ll be an undocumented slave.” She huffed. “No, not a slave. Technically, I’m property. My parents sold me to forgive a debt. Now Red Francisco owns me. I’d heard rumors he planned to marry me to distant relatives, but I never believed it. I mean, who’d want to marry me?” Her laugh turned into a sob, and she forced herself to be calm. “I can’t stay here.”

“You won’t. We’ll hide you.” Natla nodded. “My people aren’t powerful like the Franciscos, but I have some connections at home.” Natla frowned. “Although, since you can command fire, you might have to register as a lethal agent. And that could take some time. We could always smuggle you in, though.”

Mandy appreciated the thought. “I’m going to finish working, then figure things out. I have a feeling Lore and Zehn will keep an eye on Mike and his friends, at least long enough for me to figure out my next move.”

Natla gave her a hug Mandy had needed. “You stick close to me. I’ll have Forgen swing by and keep an eye on you. Well, maybe two eyes. He can spare them.” Her husband, Forgen, had four eyes, so she had a point. “He’s my best fighter. A protector at heart.”

“Thanks, Natla.”

“No, thank you for providing such an entertaining afternoon.” Natla chuckled. “Watching Franklin fall all over himself was fun. But watching your barbarian toss that asshole around was even better.”

The rest of the day passed swiftly since everyone suddenly had a reason to be in the admin building. More speculation about the barbarians ran wild, and the Welcome crew helped by putting word out to watch for the rude Earthers. It gave Mandy a good feeling that not everyone was out to get her. Although she had to wonder. If the Franciscos flashed enough money around, how many of her fellow employees would be so loyal in the end?

After they wrapped up for the day, she gave Natla a wave goodbye and walked back to her hut with Forgen under Zehn’s watchful gaze.

Once in her hut, she organized the funds she’d gathered from admin—money she’d earned, not stolen. She glanced around, tucked the bit of blue glass that Lore had given her earlier that week into her sack, along with provisions to last her long enough to find a way to leave the planet. A good ten days worth of rations should do the trick. Her plan to leave Ussed in a glider was the only thing she’d come up with. She didn’t know how to fly any of the aircraft in dock, but the next mail run back to the Raiegn Galaxy would light out in the morning. She planned to stowaway before then and pray no one found her before they left.

It was a good plan—and all she had.

But first she had to get the emergency bag she’d stashed in her grotto.

Where Lore and Zehn would be waiting.

She felt a rush of sadness, not wanting to leave the sexy barbarians who’d given her such pleasure. Both beautiful to look at and kind, if she was to believe Zehn’s behavior earlier.

Mandy didn’t want to leave them, but she had no choice. Still, she could have a memory to take with her. A sight she’d never forget.

She waited until the moons took position directly overhead then quietly left her hut via the back window, sure the Franciscos would have someone keeping an eye on her place. Once outside, she scurried through the jungle to her grotto. It took little time to crawl through her entrance and peer through the shrubs.

As expected, her barbarians—Zehn and Lore, she hurried to correct herself—stood waiting, their gazes focused on her.

Mandy stood, knowing she had no need to hide.

“Ah, there you are.” Lore frowned at her wrist wrapped in a healing bandage, courtesy of the medic Natla had called earlier in the day. Already her wrist felt nearly healed. “The Earther did this?”

“Yes. But I’m fine. The healing here is advanced.”

Lore nodded. “Good.”

They stared at her. She stared back at them.

When they made no move to undress, she sighed. “I’m waiting.”

Zehn turned to Lore and said nothing, but Lore’s eyes crinkled, as if he smiled. “Would you join us?”

“I don’t know…”

“At least come closer,” Lore said. “We don’t bite.”

A pause, then Zhen added with a chuckle, “Much.”

Mandy felt nervous, out of her element. But she moved closer, skirting the water to sit on a rock near them. “Okay.”

Lore watched her as he removed his boots and bracers.

“How did you repel a blaster with that? It’s animal hide, isn’t it?”

He nodded. “Xechelln pelts resist your technology. They are soft yet firm underneath.” He walked to her side and handed her one of his bracers. The thing would take up most of her arm yet only covered his forearm. She stroked it, surprised at the supple material under the dense fur. A glance up at Lore froze her.

His eyes glowed, both now green with darts of red at their center. On his chest, patterns flashed, then deepened into a black web of tribal marks that stayed.

Before he could take another step closer, Zehn stepped behind him and put his arms around Lore’s middle. He slowly dragged his hands lower, resting over Lore’s hips.

Mandy shivered. They were so damn sexy.

“Would you like to see all of him?” Zehn asked, his voice husky with seduction.

“Y-yes.” She clenched her legs together, not surprised to feel her body responding. Readying to receive two very well-endowed males.

Lore stood stock still as Zehn slowly removed the loincloth from his body. The loose fabric over his groin protected another covering, which kept his phallus tight to his body. A good thing, because Mandy had a hysterical notion of Lore tripping over his “third leg.” Good Lord, they sure didn’t make them small on planet Ussed.

Zehn tossed Lore’s loincloth away, leaving him completely bare.

She stared, unable to help herself. He had no hair down there, which made him seem just huge. There was no way that thing could fit inside her. Although…

She stopped herself from suggesting they try a few things. Goodness, she’d come to grab her things and go. Maybe a peep show before leaving, but nothing more than that. Yet already she felt the fire blazing inside her and sensed herself readying to go nova if they touched her.

So she drew on her control, feeding the flames to her frustration.

“So much power,” Lore murmured and sucked in a breath when Zehn grabbed his cock, holding him with a large, powerful hand.

“Oh.” She licked her lips, wondering what he tasted like.

“Would you like to touch?” Zehn asked.

Mandy felt like an addict being given free license to overindulge.

An odd lassitude settled over her, a wash of pleasure that drugged her common sense.

“Very much,” she admitted. “But I shouldn’t. I don’t want to hurt anyone.”

“I’m already in pain, nueshka,” Lore whispered, his eyes bright, beckoning.

Mandy would only have one night with them. She wanted this, wanted them. Worst case, if things got a little too out of control, she had all her anti-viral and anti-pregnancy vaccines up to date. What was the worst that could happen?

“Touch him,” Zehn said. “He needs you.”

“We need you,” Lore said, and held out his hand.