Pleasure Masters Read online

  Pleasure Masters

  Title Page

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Epilogue

  PLEASURE MASTERS

  JAIDE FOX

  Pleasure Masters Book One

  RAVAGED

  Smashwords Edition copyright 2014

  ISBN: 9781310547584

  (c) copyright February 2013, Jaide Fox

  Cover art by Eliza Black (c) copyright February 2013

  This is a work of fiction. All characters, events, and places are of the author’s imagination and not to be confused with fact. Any resemblance to living persons or events is merely coincidence.

  Chapter One

  Planet Antares

  Rain spattered against the window, obscuring Maura Nephrite’s view of the blue oceans of Planet Antares. Lightning flashed, gleaming violently from the clouds above. The violence of the storm echoed the turmoil in her body and mind as she and the other women were transported to their final destination.

  The spires of the Antarian civilization reached to the sky like shining white and silver needles, a feat of architecture few advanced people managed in this day and age. Antares was known for its vast, tranquil beauty, but beneath that calm exterior laid a lust for violence unmatched in much of the galaxy.

  Knowing they approached the Coliseum of Thunder, which was housed in the middle of the city and where most of the city’s residents gathered for holiday and work breaks, made Maura’s stomach tie into knots. She watched as lightning erupted from the cloud cover, feeling dread wash over her.

  The tales of the glories to be had fighting in the arena were legendary, as were the gladiators who routinely spilled blood and died there.

  ShadeShifters.

  Capable of shifting into any manner of horror at will, their race had been hunted almost into extinction until they’d found sanctuary on Planet Antares to satisfy the bloodlust of the people for thrilling games. Many of the criminals of the federations faced their death at the hands of ShadeShifters, and no manner of weaponry or cunning was a match for them. The seals of power etched onto their bodies kept their power in check and their minds intact…for a time. The more seals a ShadeShifter had, the closer they were to going berserk and in need of extermination.

  At least, that’s what legend had told.

  They were both feared and admired for their abilities—mostly by men. Women had no desire to go near them though their race was renowned for being masters of pleasure. The pleasure came with a price, however, for they were so extremely dominant in their sexual appetites that they were unable to find willing mates to explore their perverse desires with.

  It was that which had led her and the other unfortunate women aboard the shuttle to their fates.

  To keep their gladiators happy, the Antarians were willing to take doomed women into their fold and allow their beloved entertainment, the ShadeShifter males, the opportunity to mate.

  She supposed she should have considered herself fortunate. Had she not been faced with the prospect of execution for her crimes against the intergalactic federation, she would not be here. Mated to a monster was better than death or life imprisonment.

  Maura’s misfortune was that she’d been in the wrong place at the wrong time and actually been caught in the act of rebellion against her government. She’d pleaded guilty in the hopes of mercy from the courts, but she’d almost wondered if her sentence had been dealt harsher for the simple fact that she was young and of breeding age and the ShadeShifters were in need of mates.

  It didn’t matter. What was done was done.

  Maura tried not to allow depression and anxiety to overcome her.

  The shuttle pulled to a stop outside the massive gates that opened up into the coliseum. She and the others had been dressed in sheer gowns and wraps that left little to the imagination. They would provide no protection from the pelting rain they had to get out into.

  The moment the doors slid open, guards poured inside and caught them by the manacles around their wrists, ignoring the wild whipping of the wind and the sheeting rain as if it didn’t bother them.

  “Move forward,” a guard commanded, yanking her to her feet and prodding her out the door.

  The moment she entered the atmosphere, she was blasted with water and felt the frigidness of the weather, no doubt harsher because of inclement rain. Her shift clung immediately to her body, making her appear naked. The water seemed to come from every direction, making it up her nose and into her throat.

  She gasped and strangled, struggling to keep up with the herd.

  The guards drove them into a clumsy run inside the great doors of the coliseum. She was thankful to see that a roof over the immense structure would provide them further protection from the storm, they were nevertheless not given an opportunity to recover from their dowsing.

  They slipped on the slick stone floor, running clumsily, coughing and choking from their pelting and freezing from the wetness of their clothes. They skidded into each other as they passed through the antechamber and another door was opened. Beyond, a great wide space opened like the maw of a beast ready to devour them.

  Inside the massive mouth, they heard the cheer of thousands of spectators watching the games in progress.

  Maura had no idea what to expect, but she hadn’t thought to see ShadeShifters fighting amongst themselves. She caught a flash of blue lightning erupting from one of the men, saw another launch himself from the ground as sudden leathery wings sprouted from his back.

  Terror-filled, Maura averted her eyes and followed the line of women up a staircase that led to a walkway up to a stage centered in the coliseum.

  The master of the games stood at their approach, turning to the crowd with his hands held high, a smile upon his face as he spoke into the microphone housed on his ear and just beyond his lips.

  “The prizes have arrived!” he said. His voice echoed around the stadium above the din of the crowd.

  In every direction, the crowds roared in approval. They stomped the bleachers with their feet, making the stands rumble as if an earthquake shook the ground. The stage vibrated beneath her feet, the rumble so strong she felt it straight up her legs.

  Maura swiveled her head, seeing the stands above them filled to the brim with men and women who’d come for entertainment. Below, the fighting had seemed to come to an end, though she hadn’t seen who’d been victorious and who the loser.

  The men standing, facing the stage were huge. Spirals and spiky swirls etched their skin, glowing blue and purple as they controlled the shifting of their bodies, still fueled by the rush of the fight.

  Maura thought they would look more like monsters, based simply on the tales she’d grown up with as a child. Her mama likened them to the bogeyman, and used the ShadeShifters to keep her in line and make her obey. Now she saw they looked no different than any other man, other than the glowing black tattoos on their bodies. They were taller than she was accustomed to, broader and more muscular, but their build could be a direct cause of their gladiatorial occupation.

  “The winne
r of the games will make the first selection of his prize. The second the second choice, and so forth. Winner, come and claim your mate,” the master of the games said amidst the rabid cheering of the audience.

  Maura stooped and sneered, hoping she looked as unattractive and bedraggled as she felt. The soaking of her shift, though it revealed her shape, should make her less attractive than the flowing and embroidered gown had before the dowsing rain had gotten a hold of her. Her long brown hair hung in tangles around her face, and she did nothing to push the tendrils back off her forehead.

  She hung her head down, hoping the winner would move on to more attractive fare.

  In her mind, whoever had won against the others had to be that much closer to losing his mind and going berserk. As much as she valued her life and had chosen this path, she didn’t want to be bound eternally to a brutal maniac. She’d far rather have last place in this instance.

  Booted heels climbed the long staircase. The weight of the man mounting the stairs sounded loud in her ears. She winced inwardly at every stride, shrinking inside with fear as he approached.

  Maura stared at her feet as he passed by, examining each of the women. He moved down the line, checking each of them visually first. Not seeming to find what he was looking for, he began to physically touch them, turning them around to examine them from every angle. When he reached Maura, he was rough, grabbing her around the waist to pull her around. The size of his hands in comparison to her body seemed immense.

  He stopped in his progress. On her.

  Maura felt her heart clench painfully in her chest, making her feel like she might hyperventilate or faint. Her breathing became erratic as he cupped her ass, then turned her so he could cup her breasts. She jolted at the touch, stunned at his boldness. He grunted in approval.

  “This one!” he announced for all to hear, sealing her fate with the simple phrase.

  Again, the crowd around them cheered wildly. The roar of approval nearly drowned out her thoughts, making her ears ring and hum.

  Maura’s world spun out of control. She felt dizzy, breathless as rough, calloused fingers tipped her face up to look him in the eyes.

  She squinted them shut, hoping to blot out the sight of his face for just a few moments more and pretend this wasn’t really happening.

  “Look at me, woman. What is your name?” he commanded, barely audible above the din. His voice was a deep baritone that rumbled in his chest.

  Maura swallowed the lump in her throat, slowly opening her eyes to gaze at the man she would now call master. Her gaze met his chest first. She hadn’t realized how much taller he was up close, as scared as she’d been. Slowly, she drew her eyes up that broad expanse, past his etched collarbone and the cording muscles of his neck.

  His jaw was stubbly with black hair and squared with his jaw. There was an almost belligerent jut to his chin despite the cleft marking the center of it. His lips were thin with no softness to curve them. His cheekbones were high and angular and his nose was straight and aquiline.

  When she finally drew her gaze up and met his eyes, she found him looking down at her. He was remarkably attractive in a brutal sort of way.

  “M..Maura Nephrite,” she stammered.

  He nodded, looking satisfied.

  “The second winner may come select his prize,” the master of the games announced.

  Maura was forced to stand beside her new master while the other women were given to the warriors as prizes. When all had been selected, leaving only the losers on the field, the games were dismissed and they were to be taken to their new homes.

  He caught her by the manacles on her wrists, leading her away down the stairs and through the coliseum. The gladiator’s rooms were a part of the immense building.

  Maura’s legs felt heavy with trepidation. She tried to walk as slowly as she could, but he tugged on her, urging her at a faster pace than she would have liked. She knew there would be no denying what would happen between them, but she’d hoped for a little more time to get used to the idea before she actually had to perform.

  She only hoped he wasn’t a complete monster as she feared.

  He punched a keypad and opened the door to his suite, dragging her inside and closing and locking the door. He freed her hands and pointed to the bed.

  “Take off your wet clothes and get on the bed,” he said.

  Maura rubbed her wrists, looking between him and the bed. “Right now? I don’t even know your name.”

  He stripped the belt off the loincloth he wore and dropped it to the floor. “Raker Anilan. Take off your clothes and get in the bed. I’ve waited long enough to claim my prize. Don’t make me repeat myself.”

  Inside, her mind reeled. She began to shake, and she didn’t think it was from the conditioned air blowing on her still wet skin and hair, thought that didn’t help. She tried to think of some way to put him off, but for the life of her, she could think of nothing. With trembling hands, she grabbed the hem of her shift and peeled it with difficulty up her legs.

  She didn’t move fast enough for him. He stepped close and ripped the garment off her body, leaving her naked before the rake of his eyes.

  She gasped, trying to take a step back for an escape that wasn’t there. He caught her around the wrists, pulling her against his hard body and looked down at her. With one hand, he tugged her arms behind her back, thrusting her breasts against his naked chest. With his free hand, he roughly grabbed her jaw, forcing her face up to him.

  Her lungs squeezed in her chest, making her feel breathless and light-headed. As much as she wanted to fight him off of her, she knew it would do her no good in the end. This was her fate. She had to accept it or face her own execution. Sex was better than death, even at the hands of a brutal warrior. She thought that if she did not fight him, he would see fit to simply fuck her and have his lust fulfilled, that he would not seek to dominate and master her as their race was notorious for.

  Perhaps if she accepted her fate meekly and mildly, she could stand it.

  Forced to look into his eyes, she knew at once that such would not be the case.

  ***

  Raker Anilan did not want some weak-willed woman in his bed. He wanted her willing and fiery, to resist his domination. He’d seen glimpses of her rebellion in her attitude and knew she was resisting her own instincts to rebel against him.

  It was that resistance that he wanted. He wanted to bend her to his will, until she was begging for his domination, not simply giving in the first moment he handled her.

  “Do you simply give up?” he asked her, pushing her down on the bed. She immediately snatched up the sheet to cover her nakedness. For some reason, seeing her attempt to cover herself only served to enflame his lust.

  He’d had a moment, when he’d first seen and touched her that had left him almost dizzying lightheaded. He’d known in that instant, she would be his mate.

  “On your knees, woman,” he said and stripped the fur loincloth from his body, throwing it across the room. His erection jutted forth, demanding satiation. He grabbed the thick shaft in one hand, stroking himself and making it grow. He had the capability to shift it as large or small as he wanted as well as any number of other things. Using the powers of his race had many pleasurable benefits she would experience once she was suitably broken in.

  He lifted his free hand and summoned her closer with the crook of a finger when she did not immediately obey him. He pointed to the edge of the bed between his splayed legs.

  “Take me in your mouth.”

  The moment he uttered the words, he could see the fire flash in her soulful brown eyes. He was close enough he could see flecks of gold in the irises. So close he could see the smooth perfection of her skin that looked as soft and delicate as the petals of a flower.

  She swallowed audibly but made no movement to obey. Her chin lifted in defiance. Her rose colored nipples hardened into tight little peaks in the cool air, visible through the nearly sheer sheets she covered herself with. Goos
ebumps pebbled her skin. She shook her head, dragging her gaze off his massive cock to focus on his face.

  “I’m not a patient man,” he said with grim determination. Indeed, it’d been so long since he’d felt the warmth of a woman’s touch and the wetness of a woman’s body, he scarcely remembered what it felt like.

  The urge to touch her and bury himself inside her body increased to a nearly irresistible force to possess her. Want settled in his belly with the ferocity and heat of fire. Every muscle in his body tensed to fight the impulse. He had time to bend her will.

  A slow smile curled his lips.

  The true games were about to begin.

  Chapter Two

  “Have you had any training?” Raker asked, walking around the posters of the bed to the nightstand. From it, he withdrew black, silken rope which would not rub her delicate skin raw.