Knight, Dee S. - Bride of the Pryde (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) Read Online Free PDF Page B

unsuitable for sex. Used as a form of population control for centuries, the process left males unable to perform and women with no vagina. The government had dictated that another genetic marker be changed at the same time in order to identify GENverts among the general human population. A square-shaped, strawberry-colored birthmark appeared on their necks, just below their right ears. Susan had such a mark—had had it since birth. She considered it a lucky talisman, an accident of true genetics, and a useful tool.
    Being thought gender-perverted kept the whole notion of sex out of the equation when Susan dealt with the bastards she did. When the urgency for sex almost choked her, she found some reason to disappear. In her hideaway or Centre City, she took care of her baser instincts, though not with the complications that came with having sex with a man. She had taken an impressive collection of sex toys with her on her trip to Earth, in fact, and had looked forward to spending her nights in Centre City amusing herself while releasing pent-up needs. Too bad they had all been in the suitcase left in the office vault.
    But now, faced with the three pilots, she would have to fight for control of her emotions every minute, just when discovering who in the DAT had betrayed her and how to save both herself and her reputation required her full attention. The absolute last thing in the world she needed was three months with the crew of Erik’s Pryde . For the first time, she wondered if truly being a GENvert wouldn’t make life easier in some ways.
    The passageways she traversed to her cabin showed wear and tear although they were neat and clean. The ship obviously had age on her, regardless of how the captain tried to hide it. Hopefully she had pick up and go where it counted.
    Like the rest of the ship, Susan’s cabin verged on the edge of shabby, without the chic. The paint on the bulkheads appeared faded, and the sparse furnishings showed nicks and dents. If Captain Erik had stretched the truth on the COMM and he’d had passengers cancel in the past, Susan didn’t question why. He had nothing to offer a traveler of any discrimination. She wondered if Danessa Vanessa had any idea of the accommodations she’d booked, or if she would care, being from the outlands.
    Whatever the former dancer expected, Susan now reaped her choice. She looked at the opened suitcase on the bed. Her bag lay on the bed from when she had removed her Renthaur X-89. She felt naked without it. At least she hadn’t detected a hint of anything among the crew that indicated she would need her weapon on the flight, as no sense of danger emanated from the three men. Now that robot was a different matter. She’d disconnect his diode in a skinny minute.
    She sighed when rumbles sounded from her stomach. “Wonder what the food’s like?” she mused.
    “Pretty good,” came Erik’s response from behind her.
    She spun, resisting the urge to reach for the gun that was no longer in her bag on the bed.
    “I thought I locked that door.”
    He shrugged. “The captain has access to any part of the ship.”
    “And you felt you needed access to my cabin, without knocking?”
    “I did knock. You didn’t answer. I worried something had happened. Some women don’t adapt well to the idea of a long time in space.”
    Susan gave him her most witheringly patronizing smile. “Why, I just don’t know what I would do without you big, strong men to worry about me.”
    It seemed to take him a moment to realize she was bullshitting him. What century was this guy from? Probably the same as his ship.
    “Why did you lie about having me on board? And please don’t say that you wanted to protect me. What are you hoping to gain?”
    “Who says I want anything?”
    “Right,” she said, hands on hips. “ Every one wants something, Captain Erik.”
    “Let’s just say I don’t care for the authorities ordering me around for no reason. Plus, Charlie vouched for you. He