The Price of Pleasure Read Online Free PDF Page A

her distance from him. But it was interesting to learn more about their conquerors.
    “Oh, yes,” Dani said. She sighed dramatically and draped herself back against the pillows. “You wouldn’t believe what those men are like in bed. They’re insatiable . I’ve never experienced anything like it. I have to say, if I wasn’t a card-carrying member of the Guild, I’d do it with any of them for free… I swear the credits are just a perk.”
    “I see,” Calla said. For once, she felt like she truly understood what Dani was talking about. She’d certainly never experienced sex as wonderful as what she’d had with the commander. If it wasn’t for Jenner, she’d have taken him up on his offer in a heartbeat.
    “Last night I was with one named Seth,” Dani said. Calla’s breath caught. Was Dani talking about her Saurellian? “He’s like a machine. He fucked me twice in a row! I must’ve come something like five times. I can hardly walk this morning, yet I know for a fact that he had at least one other girl last night after me.”
    Calla’s brow furrowed. Seth had sex with two other women last night?
    “Was he, um, one of the ones staying at our hostel, do you think?” she asked, trying not to sound too curious. It didn’t matter of course. Seth could never be hers, even for a few days. Only a slave who was a complete fool would allow herself to get involved with a free man like him. He’d have to leave eventually, and then she’d be left to Jenner’s tender mercies. No man was worth it.
    “Probably,” Dani said. “He’s the commander, so I would imagine that he’s staying there.”
    It was him, Calla realized. If he’d left her to head straight for the pleasure house, then he must not have been as interested in her as she had originally thought. He’d seemed so angry when she told him she was married, but maybe that was just his way.
    He was Saurellian, after all. They were all crazy. It was stupid of her to think she’d actually been anything special to him, she thought in disgust.
    “Um, Dani, I have a question for you.” Calla said after a brief pause. Dani was probably her best source of information on the Saurellians–she might as well take the opportunity to learn as much as she could about their new governors. “What do you think of the Saurellians, other than just what they’re like in bed, I mean?”
    “Well, I like them,” Dani said, after pausing for a minute to consider her answer.
    “They’re open about what they want. They’re here, they’re leaving soon, and they aren’t interested in playing any games, especially with women like me. I hate it when men pretend to be emotionally involved in sex.”
    “What do you mean, they’re leaving?” Calla asked, confused. “I thought they were going to keep the station. I mean, they fought hard to take it. They must want to keep the mining belts.”
    “Well, from what I hear, they’ll be leaving soon,” Dani said, lazily leaning over and picking up a fruit from the basket on the table. Dani offered the little basket to Calla, who took a citrus.
    She didn’t get these very often, so they were a special treat. Calla suspected Dani realized that, because she always seemed to have them on hand when Calla came to visit.
    “The warriors will be leaving, that is,” Dani clarified. “They’re sending a governor or something, with a regular occupation force. Their military is totally separate from the civil authority. From what Jax tells me–he’s one of my regulars–the soldiers really hate it when they have to stay put for too long like this. They like action, and this isn’t cutting it.”
    “That doesn’t make sense,” Calla objected. “The imperial troops liked action, too, but that didn’t stop them from occupying the station for years.”
    “I don’t think it’s quite the same with Saurellians,” Dani said. “It’s kind of weird, but these soldiers are different from the imperial soldiers.”
    “What do you