EXCERPT

Escape: Werewolf Cover
by Marteeka Karland
cover art by Bryan Keller
ISBN: 978-1-59596-696-4
Genre(s): Futuristic, Sci-Fi, BDSM
Length: Novella (12k - 28k words)

"Cade Brighton."

He didn't say anything, only raised his glass to his lips and took a sip.

"You're under arrest for murder, among other things. I'm here to take you in. But I suspect you already know that."

Again, he remained silent. All she could see beneath his black hood was a strong chin, patrician nose and those glowing emerald eyes.

"I don't suppose you'd be willing to simply come with me? Forgo all the unpleasant nonsense that goes with resisting arrest?" The barmaid returned with her drink and set it down. She flashed Cade Brighton a nervous glance before quickly departing. Apparently the local population knew his reputation.

"I don't suppose you'd be willing to simply drop down and suck my dick? Forgo all the unpleasant nonsense that goes with resisting your rightful master?"

At first, Zuri thought he was simply being an asinine prick. But something about the look in his eyes -- something about the man himself -- told her he was serious. Panic seized her for a brief second before she stamped it down. She'd known he'd be difficult to deal with. Why she hadn't expected something like this was a mystery.

"Sure. I can manage that. But not until you get aboard my ship." A little lie wouldn't hurt anything. Besides, she didn't feel like it was such a crime, considering the things this man was guilty of. "You do what I want, I'll do what you want."

The expression in his voice didn't change. They could have been discussing the weather instead of his immediate future.

"I'll hold you to that." There was something in his voice. Something that sent chills through her body and made her pussy cream. He was raw, unadulterated, filthy, nasty sex personified.

She bit back her gulp and flashed him her best engaging smile. "Shall we get going then?" Zuri laid a couple of local currency coins on the table beside her untouched drink and stood. Her prey calmly took one last pull from his drink before also standing.

This time, Zuri couldn't help the gulp. The man was easily two and a half meters tall -- a sure sign of genetic enhancement -- and all bulky, solid muscle. He was dressed mostly in a very dark maroon. His boots and cloak were black, and when his hood was up, the only things visible were part of his face and his arms.

His skin was the pale color of a man who spent much of his time in space away from the sun, and he was extremely muscular. Zuri might have thought twice about approaching him without backup had she been able to see more of him than his green eyes when she'd first approached. She suspected he left his arms bare on purpose. Intimidation was a powerful weapon. Her mind turned to his raw masculinity. In another life, this was the type of man she'd have sought out for some of her baser needs. And she might have given him the service he'd just demanded.

"I assume you'd prefer to use your restrictor cuffs." His gaze made her want to fidget, but she held on to her pleasant demeanor with a force of will.

"That would be my preference, yes."

He held his hands, palms open, slightly away from his body. Again, an uneasy feeling screamed at Zuri, but what could she do? Not only was it her job to bring him in, but she was being paid enough money to be able to retire from hunting altogether. Carefully, Zuri snapped a bracelet around each wrist, brought them together behind his back, and activated them. They snapped together with an audible click. Before doing anything else, she made damned sure they were set on maximum. Even genetically enhanced super soldiers couldn't break out of them on that setting.

"Let's go, Mr. Brighton."

"Mr. Brighton." He looked over his shoulder at her, an eyebrow raised once again. "Not 'big boy' or 'scum bag' or any of those other equally insulting names hunters love to give me?"

"No." Zuri kept her smile firmly intact. Courtesy usually made more difference than all the restraint devices in the universe. "I'm not here to insult you, just to bring you to justice."

"Justice." He gave a disgusted snort. It was the first emotion he'd shown, and Zuri's senses went on high alert. "Justice, my beauty, is nothing but a pleasant fiction. You'll realize that when you've been well and truly fucked by those you put your life on the line for."

Zuri checked the cuffs one last time before turning him around to face her. "I don't know what you've been through, Mr. Brighton, and to be honest, I don't really care. The only thing that matters to me is getting you to my ship and back to the Agency."

The mask reappeared as if it had never left. Once again, she couldn't read her prey. "Don't forget. You owe me a blow job."

She chuckled. "Somehow, I doubt that's something you'll let me forget." She gave him a gentle push in the direction of the door. He didn't budge.

"You're right." He looked down at her, his back straight, shoulders back, taking full advantage of his superior height and build. "You won't forget it."

Zuri didn't like the sound of that.