Chapter 14
Damn, it was hot. Jax wiped one arm across his brow. It came away wet with sweat.
Why the hell had Seth’s life mate chosen a planet like Hector Prime to live on? Granted, it was a nature preserve and kind of pretty in its own way. But she could have chosen to live in the north, where it wasn’t so hot and humid.
Looking around him with disgust, Jax studied the small slip of paper one last time.
She was living with a woman named Sarai, a Pilgrim. Sarai probably wasn’t a threat, but Jax wasn’t so sure. Pilgrims couldn’t be trusted. They had all learned that the hard way.
He’d keep a close eye on this Sarai while they were there, because the last thing Seth needed was a knife in his back. From Seth’s descriptions, she was one tough bitch. She had even killed her own husband.
Jax pushed through the door of the hostel. Seth had asked him to check things out before he contacted Calla, which had seemed a solid plan back on the ship. That was before Jax had realized how damn hot it would be. Now he was doing the grunt work while Seth waited for a full report in comfort.
The hostel’s lobby was even hotter than the street outside, if such a thing was possible. He could feel a bead of sweat running down his back–what had ever possessed him to come here with Seth? This planet was a hell-hole … The hostel’s entryway was small, with a counter across from the door where presumably the women served their customers. No one was behind it, though. In fact, there were no signs of life at all in the hostel.
“Hello?” Jax called. “Is there anybody here? I’m looking for a room.”
Thank the Goddess he wouldn’t actually have to sleep here, Jax thought as he looked around them. They had rooms booked in a comfortable inn at the center of town.
Rooms with climate control.
Jax called out again, but there still wasn’t any response. After a few minutes waiting, he decided to go and find someone. There were two choices–a stairway that went upstairs and a hallway behind the counter. The stairs seemed more public, so they probably provided access to the guest rooms. The hall seemed a better bet.
Making his way down the hall, Jax stuck his head in several rooms along the way.
He saw an office and a small living area before the hall opened into a large kitchen. It, too, was empty. Against the back wall was a door, however, and the faint sound of a woman singing. Jax went to the door, pushing it open quietly. A small, walled garden was revealed, filled with lush tropical plants and rows of vegetables. A woman was kneeling among the vegetables, facing away from him. Her song was light and happy, and while her voice wasn’t strong, it was pretty.
What caught his attention, however, was her heart-shaped ass. She wore a long, sturdy gray skirt. In kneeling, the fabric was pulled tight, clearly outlining the shape of that enticing butt. She leaned forward on her knees, pulling the fabric even tighter, and his cock leapt to attention. Jax’s breath stopped momentarily. He felt dizzy. He grasped the door frame to steady himself and his eyes narrowed. The sound of her soft singing wound its way through him, and his gut clenched in excitement.
He was struck by the urge to stalk across the garden, push her down in the dirt and fuck her hard right on the spot. He could just imagine what her tight little cunt would feel like, how that tinkling singing voice would sound when she screamed in pleasure.
He would do her quick and dirty first, then slow and hard. The thought brought a smile to his face. She would be startled, when he grabbed her, but then she’d sigh in satisfaction at his touch. He’d take her home, and they would …
Jax caught himself up short. What the hell was he thinking? For all he knew, this woman could be Calla. Sure, he had stayed at the same hostel where she was a slave back at Discovery Station, but he hadn’t noticed her. She had been one slave among many. If this woman was Calla, he was a pervert, and a bad friend. Shaking his head, he tried to will his erection away and then cleared his throat.
“Excuse me,” he said. The woman’s song broke off and she turned to face him, startled by his presence. Then she gave him a friendly smile, and his teeth clenched as another wave of arousal coursed through him. This was going to be difficult.
“Can I help you?” she called. “I’m sorry; most of our guests come at the beginning of the academic term, so we don’t man the front desk all the time. Are you looking for a room?”
“Um, yes,” Jax said. “I need a room. Do you have anything available?”
“Of course,” she replied. “We’re pretty full, but we almost always have one or two empties. Let me get cleaned up, and I’ll be right in to help you.”
Jax nodded, then moved back into the kitchen. What was wrong with him? It was taking every bit of his control not to run out there and jump the poor woman. Forcing himself to breath evenly, he made his way back down the hall and into the lobby. He waited impatiently, wanting to see her again. Was she Calla or Sarai? The thought of her being Calla, of her lying under Seth’s hard body, send a wave of rage through him. His vision grew red around the edges, and he imagined what it would feel like to drive his fist into Seth’s face. Shaking his head, he caught himself. What was going on?
“I’m sorry you had to wait,” she said, walking into the room briskly. She was relatively tall, with light blond hair tied back loosely in a bun. Her eyes were green and sparkling, and for several long seconds Jax just stared into them. She blushed prettily, then cleared her throat. There was a smudge of dirt on her cheek. Without pausing to think, Jax leaned across the counter and lifted one finger to the smudge, touching her lightly. A jolt went through him as he made contact, and she looked startled.
“You have some dirt,” he said quietly. The woman lifted one hand to her cheek, then blushed again.
“It’s from the garden,” she whispered, then she shook her head a little. Jax felt the spell that was over them lift a little, and they both stepped back. “I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your name?”
“I’m Jax Falconer,” he said. “And I need a room for the night. What’s your name?”
“I’m Sarai,” she said, smiling at him. Relief flooded through Jax–this woman wouldn’t be claimed by Seth. “My friend Calla and I own the hostel. Where are you from?”
“Saurellia, at least originally,” he said. She looked up at him sharply. He smiled, trying to look innocent. “I haven’t been there in years, though.”
He looked at her face again, and she caught one light pink lip nervously in her teeth.
She seemed unable to meet his gaze, and Jax knew instinctively that she was every bit as attracted to him as he was to her. But she was scared, too. He was going to have her, he decided. Whatever it took, he wasn’t going to leave until he had her and was tired of her. Seth wouldn’t need him once he had Calla, anyway.
“I’ll take a room for at least a week,” Jax said tightly, trying to control himself. His cocked throbbed with anticipation. “Perhaps longer, depending how things go.”
“It is just you, or do you have a wife or family with you?” Sarai asked, entering his name into her terminal. She wasn’t looking at him, but he could see her hand tremble on the keyboard. Definitely interested, he thought with satisfaction.
“I’m alone,” Jax said, and she let out a breath of relief. Then she blushed yet again, and Jax had to stifle a chuckle. Seducing her wouldn’t take long, which was good. He didn’t know how long he would be able to stand the damned heat of this blasted planet.