Ellora's Cavemen: Dreams of the Oasis III
Ellora's Cave
Genre: Werewolf/Futuristic/Fantasy/Contemporary/Anthology
ISBN #1-4199-0523-6
Book Length: 6 Person Anthology
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Interplanetary Survival Episode
When Katya's team in the latest interplanetary reality show falls behind, all she has to do is have sex with one of the planet's ruling catlike creatures in exchange for safe passage through a massive forest. Bach - leader of the forest dwellers - is huge, sexy and well-hung, but Katya doesn't like the idea of being sold.

Bach doesn't understand why a delicious woman like Katya would sell herself so easily. The animal that lurks inside him craves this woman like no other but Bach draws on his human side and refuses to be a part of it. But Katya is determined to fulfill her part of the bargain.even if she has to seduce Bach to do it.



Excerpt:
"What are they?" Katya whispered never taking her eyes off the four men standing opposite them. Their skin tones varied from light tan to a deep brown but each had a mane of golden hair forcibly constrained at the base of the neck. Fur jackets that matched their skin tones hung open at the front revealing broad powerful chests and rippled abs.

But it was their tawny cat eyes that warned they weren't "pure-human".

"Riabhians. Human descendents," MarKaln, the team's information officer, said. "Some very strange genetic experiments were done in the years before Earth vaporized. And who knows what they've intermingled with in the two hundred years since."

"Giant cats," Katya joked. The smallest of them was a good seven feet, maybe more. Humans had grown taller through the centuries but had stalled at the mid-six foot range. She watched the way they stood-arrogant, aggressive and sensual-like they were assessing whether Katya's team was worthy of their notice. There was something definitely feline about them-not the tame versions she'd seen in twentieth-C vids, but wild ones like they kept in zoos. Brutal, dangerous and sexual.

Her mind drifted to the possibility of curling up with a kitty like one of them. They all appeared quite capable of keeping her warm and toasty. A shiver skated down her arms. She'd been cold for three of the four weeks they'd been in this competition. Once they were done, she was leaving this frozen planet and going someplace warm. And if they actually won, she would use her share of the prize money to buy a beach on some planet deemed too close to its sun. She pressed the collar of her "all-weather" suit shut. The revolutionary material was supposed to keep the wearer warm through the worst conditions. Obviously the makers had never been to this planet. Cold, wet and occupied by a notoriously unfriendly race.

Jessup, their team leader, pushed his shoulders back and scraped his hair away from his handsome face as he approached the Riabhians. The saunter he used as he walked forward was pure sexual animal and Katya knew it was designed for the lone vid-cam that tracked them. The other vids had moved on ahead, keeping up with the race leaders.

All four giants listened intently as Jessup spoke. He was in his "I'm just one of the guys" mode. It worked with most males. It seemed to have no impact on these guys. The one in the middle shook his head and then spoke. The negotiation was on. Jessup listened intently, then slowly nodded.

The vid-cam swirled around, getting a shot of Jessup's face. The red light above the lens clicked on indicating the camera was being taken live. What could Jessup say that would interest the race organizers enough to take their vid-cam live-pulling attention away from the leaders?

The Riabhians turned their cat-like gazes to Katya.

Jessup spoke again. The four warriors listened and their eyes went from arrogant to appalled. Whatever Jessup had offered them wasn't what they'd expected. The lead Riabhian nodded but ignored Jessup's proffered hand. Jessup laughed like it was a friendly joke then turned to face his team, a confident smile on his lips.

Katya's heart pounded a little faster. They'd agreed to something. This might work. They were a day behind the leaders. If they could get passage through the Riabhach Forest, they could make up that time and more. They might actually win this thing.

In the four years she'd known Jessup, all he'd talked about was forming a killer team for the InterPlanetary Survival Race. Of the competition shows that had sprouted up on vid-nets everywhere in the past five years, this was the most brutal and prestigious. The challenges were hard and the rules few. They had to get from one end of the planet to the other using any means necessary.

Jessup glanced at the camera with a cocky smile and winked. Whatever he'd done, he thought they had a chance now.

When they'd started this game, she and Jessup had talked about a future together-sharing their half of the prize money-but now she didn't know. They'd drifted apart, which wasn't easy when there were only four of them traveling together. Jessup spent most of his time playing to the ever present vid-cams.

Jessup left the Riabhians but instead of returning to the team, he called Katya over.

The vid-cam floated behind him, the red light still glowing.

The center of her stomach began to burn as she crossed the small clearing. Conscious that their conversation was being recorded, she kept her voice casual.

"What's up?"

"They're willing to let us through their forest. Safe passage."

"Great."

"For a price."

"Can we afford it?" The organizers of the game gave them a set amount of credits to use during their travels. They were low on cash.

"They don't want credit. They want to barter."

"For what?" He didn't answer. The burning in her stomach turned into a slow sickening roll. "Jess, what's the price?"

"You."



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