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An Excerpt From: PANDORA’S BOX
Copyright © KATE HILL, 2009
All Rights Reserved, Ellora's Cave Publishing,
Inc.
The sun
shone brightly on the stretch of public beach several miles down the coast
from ACT headquarters. At any other time Pandora would have enjoyed
spending a few hours swimming in the ocean and lounging on the sand, but
today was for business, not pleasure.
According
to his schedule, Steel had leave time today. He hadn’t applied to travel
away from the city, so no doubt he would be spending the day at his
favorite haunt—this particular beach. One would think a member of an
aquatic military unit would want a break from water when he had the chance,
but not someone of Searilla blood.
Pandora
understood his fascination with the sea. She might look human, but the Searilla was inside her too. Her favorite pastime was
swimming in the ocean. Many times she’d wished for Searilla
lungs, but on deep dives she was forced to use oxygen apparatus.
No
doubt Steel loved living here at one of the most beautiful beaches on the Laetez home world.
She
couldn’t control the butterflies in her stomach, stirred by the thought of seeing
Marcus—Steel—again. Strange that she should still feel such a connection to
a childhood friend. Yet under the circumstances it was understandable. They
had been prisoners at Aquavalley, bonding in
desperate circumstances.
Her
boss, Re Lord, hadn’t requested that she pretend to be someone else, only
that she keep her status as a sexual assassin trainee secret. Perhaps he
suspected Steel would recognize her, even after all these years. Re Lord
was as perceptive as he was hateful. Pandora realized this made him all the
more dangerous.
She
stopped abruptly, all thoughts of Re Lord fleeing her mind.
It’s
him.
There
was no mistaking Steel.
Like a
mythical aquatic god he emerged from the frothy blue waves. Water gleamed
on his tall, sleekly muscled body covered in multihued silvery flesh. His
body was even more impressive than his photo had led her to believe. Lean
and rangy but emanating power, he would have garnered attention even
without his crossbreed characteristics.
Pandora
generally preferred the look of older men, but in spite of his youth,
Steel’s body was developed to perfection and he carried himself with an air
of maturity that she found incredibly attractive.
Just
looking at him was like an optical overload. She couldn’t decide what part
of him was most gorgeous—those powerful shoulders, impressive biceps or his
long, perfect legs. His tight black swim shorts left little to the
imagination. Even from a distance she saw the enticing bulge of his cock
straining against the wet fabric and she tingled with desire. She imagined
licking his chiseled abs or snuggling close to his beautiful chest. She
wondered how that faded scar on his pecs would
feel against her cheek.
It
amazed her that the ugly little boy she’d known had developed into this
stunning creature. Yes his face was strange with its skeletal Draper
structure that seemed at odds with his finely drawn Laetez
mouth and rough Searilla flesh, but she found him
oddly attractive.
She
swallowed, her heart pounding, when she realized he was staring at her and
heading in her direction. Thinking back to the conversation with Re Lord
just a few days ago, she realized that even then she had suspected meeting
Steel again would change her entire life.
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