Samhain Publishing

Four lovers’ lives are torn apart by a despotic race bent on sexual slavery.

Held captive aboard the Starbound in the depths of interstellar space, the human race is ruled by the despotic Napau’s one inviolable law: Love one, love all. Far from a decree of universal acceptance, this law serves one sinister purpose: To keep the humans from fixating on each other, leaving their bodies free to be used as sexual slaves to the star gods.

Jerod and Erlinn defy the gods by falling in love, and take rebellion one step further by planning to marry. The Napau are quick to retaliate, summoning Jerod to the Temple of Eros to serve their sexual pleasures, tearing the lovers apart.

Desperate, Erlinn turns to Kev for help in freeing Jerod and continuing the rebellion he started. Kev joins forces with her, risking his budding relationship with his own lover, Gem. But Kev soon finds himself alone in his mission, for the Napau have chosen their next victim. Erlinn.

A dark secret lies within the temple, one that could free humanity for all time—if the four lovers can overcome possession, distrust and jealousy and act as one to discover it in time.

Copyright © 2008 Kassie Burns
All rights reserved — a Samhain Publishing, Ltd. publication

“Take off your clothes please.”

Erlinn combed trembling fingers through her hair and turned to face the man she loved. Once she would have stripped off her clothes for him without hesitation, but in this strange new situation she felt uncertain, even afraid. Was this her lover, or a puppet jerked around by strings pulled by some hidden god?

Whoever he was, Erlinn couldn’t stop looking at him, anymore than she could stop the longing that filled her heart, the tormenting need for his touch that made her skin itch with desire. Jerod’s obsidian eyes burned into hers with barely suppressed anguish, although his handsome face remained a neutral mask.

The room where they stood facing each other seemed shadowed without the Napaus’ brilliant light. The star gods had left them alone while she was prepared for their sexual encounter. Pure energy, they had simply melted into a radiant glow and faded into another dimension. Soon, though, they would return. They’d promised that.

No sooner had the gods vanished than Erlinn had received a shock. A nude priest had advanced toward them from out of a shadowed alcove, wearing only a golden chain around his neck and gold bracelets at his wrists. For a moment she’d feared he was about to claim her as his sensual toy, but to her relief, he’d led away the other woman chosen by the gods.

Left alone with her, Jerod had stripped off his robe. To her relief, he’d displayed plain evidence that he still desired her as much as she longed for him. At the sight of his nude magnificence, her heart had soared from despair to hope. Perhaps he was her intended partner. Heat suffused every cell of her body at the thought, but she knew it was foolish to assume his nudity meant they were to be mated. The customs of the temple were a mystery, but it seemed evident that the star gods wanted the humans who served them to wantonly display their naked bodies.

Lowering her lashes, she took the opportunity to devour the sight of her lover’s masculine beauty. In the months since he’d vanished from her side, she forgotten how drop-dead gorgeous he was. Every inch of him looked incredible, but it was a struggle to keep her gaze off the hard cock that jutted out from the place where his long, muscular legs joined his body. Oil gleamed on his bare, muscled chest. His ebony hair fell in a sleek, shining wave to his shoulders. Slanted black eyes burned across the space between them, full of some strong emotion. She could only hope it was more than mere lust, that he still felt the stirring of that special love they’d once shared.

By the stars, she wanted to run to him, cling to him. She had so much to tell him. He couldn’t know that she’d taken her courage in her hands and started a resistance movement. Maybe if he did, she’d see a spark of hope in that compelling gaze, a spark that would re-ignite the flame of rebellion that she feared the star gods had quenched. But she knew she didn’t dare speak a word to him of what really lay between them. Although they stood alone in an anteroom to the temple baths, they were in the heart of the enemy’s stronghold. For all she knew, the Napau hovered, invisible, and listened to each word they said.

Jerod’s lips pressed into a tight line of despair. He plucked a hanger from a closet and gestured again at the clothes Erlinn wore.

“Take those off,” he repeated when Erlinn didn’t respond.

Wary of being watched, Erlinn glanced into the next room. A floor of pale blue marble inlaid with turquoise tiles led to a bathing pool big enough to hold three or four people at once. Couches were placed around the pool, but to Erlinn’s relief, they were all empty.

Jerod held out the hanger, his face a hard mask except for one muscle that twitched under his right eye. White knuckles protruded from his clenched hands.

In the lengthening silence between them, Erlinn could hear the faint gurgling sound of water filling the pool. A gentle mist of steam rose from the surface, along with the fragrant scent of honeysuckle.

“You must bathe before you’re possessed and mated,” Jerod said through stiff lips when Erlinn made no move to strip off her clothes.

She blinked hard, unable to take in the reality of what was happening to her. This was her lover, the man she adored, standing in front of her like some erotic statue carved of unfeeling marble, his voice emotionless while he asked her to undress and prepare her body for a sexual orgy. How could this be happening? A torrent of conflicting emotions rushed through her, knotting her stomach and making her heart sink. It hurt to see him standing before her, his face so impassive, almost cold, while he gave her not a single sign or gesture that said he loved her or even remembered her. Yet a part of her fought against that despair and pain. The anguish burning deep in his eyes gave her hope that he still cared.

Her mind whirled with all the reasons why he might be behaving this way. He was only trying to protect them in case the Napau were watching. At least the gods had vanished, giving them a few moments alone. She should be content to see that he was well after months of worry. She had to keep her head and not be swept away by the tide of emotions.

Most of all, she had to stay alert and wait for his signal that it was safe to speak honestly without fear of the Napau overhearing. She had no idea what dangers the temple held. She could only take her cue from his apparent indifference and pretend they barely knew each other.

Lifting her head, she fixed him with a level stare. “I suppose you intend to watch. I’m not in the habit of undressing in front of men who aren’t my lovers.”

Raw emotion blazed up in his eyes for a moment. He licked his lips. “I will be your lover before the night is over.”

Despite everything, a thrill of anticipation shot through her. Her heart pounding, she fought to keep her voice steady. “What do you mean?”

“Nicion has already told me of his plans for tonight. When the Napau come to possess you, they will take possession of my body as well. We will make love tonight, although we will not remember the experience.”

“I-I see.” Although she’d hoped for this news, Erlinn found she could not meet his eyes. What would she see there? Desire? Or despair?

Her hands shook slightly as she undid the fastenings of her dress and pulled it over her head.