...These past months of battling big odds together had molded Cassie and her small crew into a tight team. Goddess knew someone had to resurrect the rebellion after its lifeblood, Reimer Nova, had been captured and executed. Who better than the scientist’s daughter? Once she’d escaped the pleasure-kennel, that was. Of course, there hadn’t been much pleasure there for the “pets,”…just the patrons who paid the prison for their services.

Still, it was a learning experience. She’d make good use of its lessons, now. Maybe she should let Jax witness what he’d helped to create—a skilled whore in action. A “little slut of an alley-cat,” that’s what the kennel-wardens had labeled her when she’d passed their tests with flying colors in order to survive.

Something squeezed in her chest, a tangible ache, like a fist gripped her heart. She glanced over her shoulder, through the open hatchway. One last look at the dark figure who filled the broad view-screen on the bridge—the fierce Jaxon Colby, larger than life, glaring daggers at her as the hatchway slid shut.

At the same time, Zaryn pulled her snug against his front, and Taryn closed in from behind, sandwiching her between two hot bodies. They’d read her mind before she could mask the painful thoughts, one of the hazards of telepathy. Zaryn’s purr of a voice kissed her ear as his hands stroked up and down her sides.

“You’re no whore, Cass. An alley-cat’s different. That’s our bloodline, be proud of it. There’s a good reason why female cats are called ‘queens.’”

“Because cats have an inbred superiority complex?” Donell shouted from the bridge.

Poor boy was still smarting, wasn’t he?

“Yeah, and female dogs are called bitches, aren’t they? So we know what that makes you a son of,” Taryn shouted back. “Just shut up and fly the ship. Open the viewing monitors in here for a ship-to-ship show. Our queen wants Colby to see what he’s been missing. And I want him to see how real men love their women.”

“Men? Under Federation law, we’re animals, bro—and the Feds oughta know, since they’re all beasts.” Zaryn’s lips twisted into a snarl of a grin. “They thought they could turn a queen into a whore, did they? Colby’s their true whore.” He shot a wink at the audio-video sensors twinkling above them like tiny stars. “Keep those pretty blue eyes open, whore. We can’t see you, but we’ll enjoy this more knowing you’re watching us. Right, kitties?”

“Mmm, you bet. I always perform better with an audience—especially a captive one.” Taryn’s deep purr vibrated against Cassie’s spine as he laid a line of smoky kisses over her shoulder and up the nape of her neck. His hands dug between her and Zaryn and cupped her breasts, teased her nipples into tight peaks, while Zaryn clutched her hips and lowered his head to suck and nibble the soft flesh of her throat. In tandem, their erections ground against her belly and ass, hungry and eager.

Soon they’d plunge into her—together—lift and hold her between them, fill her fore and aft. They projected the image into her mind as part of the foreplay—a queen in a royal heat being serviced by two handsome, horny toms.

Cassie quivered under the sensual onslaught of their combined energy, and with the effort to screen her thoughts from them. The guys were good, but…

The ache in her increased.

She might hide it from them, but not herself. She’d enjoy this more if it were Jax’s hands and mouth on her, his cock about to slide home. For all the care the twins took to arouse her, imagining the man they tormented, aroused her the most. To envision him out there in near space, trapped in his own tractor-beam, forced to watch them… That was the image that sent desire, sharp and raw, stabbing into her like a knife.

Her lips curled back, baring her fangs, and her breath released in a feral, feline hiss. Hot juice pooled between her thighs. Her claws popped out and raked over Zaryn’s biceps and pectorals, leaving tiny red trails in their wake. An ordinary man might have groaned with pain, but cat-men expected that sort of behavior in a mating. A growl of pleasure rumbled deep in his chest as her raspy tongue lapped up the blood. Taryn’s growl echoed the sound.

Hear that, Jax? Now watch me, you bastard. Look close…

She climbed Zaryn like a tree, wrapped her legs around his waist. Electric shivers struck as Taryn leaned in and bit down, holding her by the scruff of her neck in his teeth. Hard and fast, he entered her cunt from behind. Then, slick with her cream, he pulled out and pushed into her ass instead, while Zaryn’s cock claimed the wet passage his brother had just vacated. In a steamy tumble they hit the padded deck of the chamber, clawing and hissing…humping…flesh pounding flesh. A furious, three-way fuck. The chamber glowed around them as it soaked up their energy. Their ship needed the power this joining generated.