Gamble (4 page)

“
Star Fairy
, please dim the lights and Kora’s link to the vids in this room.”

Kora squawked. “What?”

He chuckled and stroked her cheek. “I didn’t say cut it off but dim it, or this would just be an exercise in perspective.”

She was shocked when the ship did as he asked. “I didn’t agree to that.”

“Do you object to it?”

She peered at him via the monitors, and it was definitely dim. She felt that she was looking into a dark room and the silhouettes on the bed were indistinct.

It added to the excitement that was firmly taking hold.

Neuro sighed and trailed his fingers over her cheek. “I do not know if you have read my file, but I spent some time as a companion. When they train us, they teach us that speed is the enemy unless the client needs it. You do not need speed. You need loss of control for just a little while.”

She licked her lips, and he trailed his thumb across the damp surface. “I am not a client.”

He chuckled softly. “No, you are not a client. I must be sure to learn your reactions quickly if I am to keep your interest. No woman wants a mate who doesn’t pay attention, at least not in Selna society.”

She shifted as his body heat came closer to her. Her body was registering his nearness through the very pores of her skin. He was over her almost entirely, but not touching any part of her but the three fingers touching her cheek.

Kora breathed in and out slowly, but as her body began to hum with the heat he put out, she shifted until her nipples grazed his chest. It seemed to be a signal that he had been waiting for.

His lips touched hers for a fleeting instant before he shifted, and his kisses randomly began a journey up and down her body.

She tensed, relaxed and tensed again. She had no idea where he was going to strike next, and it added another layer to her intensifying interest.

Her thighs shifted, her legs rubbing together restlessly. Her hands formed fists as frustration started to settle in. She wasn’t used to waiting for release. She usually surged after it without any hesitation and certainly no prolonged arousal.

Part of her mind wondered how long she was going to let him play before she blew the cuffs and took over. Despite her pretending to play along, this was her game, and she was just waiting to see how well he played it.

The first moan caught her by surprise. He brushed his kiss over the curve of her hip, and when his skin touched the crease where belly met thigh, she moaned.

They both stilled in surprise.

To her shock, he ignored the sensitive spot he had just discovered, and he continued to tease and torment her with kisses that eventually covered her entire body and had uncovered a number of shocking erogenous zones, including a spot on the back of her thumb that had made her yelp in surprise. Her wrists were hidden in the cuffs, and she could only imagine what he would discover when the bands were off.

She felt the sheen of sweat on her skin and gauged that she was a few hard movements away from an orgasm. The fact that he did not immediately mount her was a bit irritating. She was not going to beg.

Kora gasped when he pulled away from her entirely. Seconds passed…then a minute…she started to twist, and she felt a scowl crossing her features.

A hot whisper in her ear made her jump. “You are impatient, aren’t you?”

“I am not used to waiting. It makes me uncomfortable.”

“Really? You seem very…hot.” His whisper switched to her other side.

“I am always hot. This borders on pain.” She wasn’t joking. Her clit throbbed, her opening ached and the rest of her body was simply on fire. The cybernetic nervous system tended to interpret prolonged pleasure as pain.

He caressed her breast; his fingers both velvet and calloused at the same time. “I had not realized.”

“You did not ask. Have you read my file?”

“No.” His lips and teeth went to work on her neck while he shifted over her, his skin sliding along hers and his cock rubbing against her belly.

His scent was intoxicating; heat was coming off him in waves, and when he slid his cock against her wet folds, the pleasurable pain shattered into a thousand pieces.

She blinked and realized that the blindfold was still on. She also realized that he wasn’t inside her yet. Kora bit her lip and focussed on calming down.

He touched her lower lip with his teeth and tugged it free, kissing her as he slowly entered her body with his. Her sex clenched around him, and he stopped, waiting until she relaxed again, kissing her until she sighed and leaned toward him.

When her body surrendered and went limp, he moved into her again with slow strokes, and when her channel clutched at him, he paused.

The entire time, he kissed her, a hundred different kisses that teased her, seduced her and made her senses spin. She wanted to clutch at him, to run her fingers through his hair, to stroke her fingertips up the groove of his back. More than that, she wanted to grip his ass and force him into her until she screamed and he came.

Was it so much to ask for?

He continued his slow advance until she couldn’t take any more of him. A shudder went through him, and he began a slow retreat that ended when he was almost out of her. He surged into her with deliberation and slow control.

She gasped as her lack of sight forced her senses to work overtime. The lunge inside her caused her to imagine the dark head of his cock making way for itself inside her and then withdrawing. The image stayed with her as he picked up speed and added a twist to each inward thrust. It was a rocking grind that set off every nerve she had from inner thigh to navel. The entire area lit up on a sensory level, and she was soon shaking with the anticipation of an end to the sensual torture.

Just as she felt her orgasm coming close, he slowed down, altering his rhythm just enough to throw her off. The snarl that came out of her throat was frustration and desperation mixed together.

He slowed further, and her breath entered his mouth on a low hiss. She wouldn’t ask, she couldn’t ask, but she needed it.

His lips parted from hers. “You just have to ask.”

“I won’t ask. To withhold is a betrayal of trust.”

“I am not withholding, I have merely ceased moving. What happens next is up to you.”

She thought about it for a moment, and then, she blew the cuffs, gripped his shoulders and flipped him to his back, riding him slowly and then with steadily increasing speed.

His hands cupped her breasts as she rode him, bucking as her body moved with reflexes long denied. Doing it herself just wasn’t the same as having a lover with her.

She finally regained the pinnacle that she had been teetering on, and he quickly stroked her clit in rapid circles until she gasped and shuddered as her body locked around his.

He groaned harshly, and his hands shifted to grip her hips, pumping into her with three hard strokes before he jerked hard against her. He shuddered over and over.

The moment that he stilled, she reached up and removed the blindfold, blinking at the light that was streaming from her. It lit Neuro up with an angelic glow.

He reached up and caressed her breasts, twisting locks of hair around them. “You lasted longer than I thought, Kora.”

Her voice was low and hoarse. “I am sorry. I did try to play the game properly, but I have never learned to defer gratification. It isn’t something I have had to learn.”

“How would you rate it for a first time?” He stroked his hands over her hips, the glow coming from inside her painted the room brightly.

“I would rate it a solid nine out of ten.”

“How would you like it to be a fourteen every time?”

She chuckled. “That would take a lot of training.”

He grinned. “I am a qualified instructor.”

“It sounds like hard work.”

“It might be worth it. Give it some thought. My rates are reasonable.” He slid his hands up her spine, and he tugged her down on top of him.

She listened to his heartbeat, and while his erection twitched inside her, she let her body relax completely.

He whispered, “Of course, there is a penalty for not following through on our agreement. I will have to think of a suitable price for you to pay.”

She inhaled his scent and nodded sleepily. “Whatever. I will settle up later. I always pay my debts.”

“I know. You know, I was expecting more from you. You tire easily.”

She snickered. “Normally, I don’t spend the frustration working out all day before I try to get rid of it via sex. This was my third workout today. Forgive me. I will do better next time.”

“And I will begin to give you some of my companion training. It might help you control the urges when they rise instead of working yourself unconscious.”

He was stroking her spine with the tips of his fingers, and before she knew it, she was out for the night. Straddling one of the sexiest men in the sector wasn’t a bad way to go to bed. He wasn’t the most comfortable mattress she had ever had, but she could get used to it.

Breakfast wasn’t silent. She whimpered and tried to get comfortable.

“Ready?” He had her breakfast standing by.

“This can’t be how companions are trained.” She was sitting astride him, his cock inside her and a sash tied them together, belly to belly.

“Well, not precisely, I improvised. A toy usually causes the stimulation but that seemed a little boring to me, and you did owe me a debt. Now, open wide.”

She had to suffer being fed piece by piece so that nothing she did could distract her from the feel of him inside her. The sash kept her from doing more than shifting and rocking on him, her hands on his shoulders and her legs tucked around him.

It was singularly the most frustrating breakfast she had ever experienced, and she smiled after her shower, the arousal in her bloodstream simmering, but she didn’t feel the burning need to do something about it. It was refreshing and a strangely liberating sensation.

“
Fairy,
any messages?”

Three messages from Jeeni were waiting. “Damn. Fine.”

She sighed. “I believe you have a patient to see today. I am going to give Jeeni a tour of the ship.”

“Watch her hands. I saw how she looked at you.” Neuro came up to her and pulled her lightly against him.

“How did she look at me?”

“Like she wanted to make you light up in the dark of the night using nothing more than her tongue.”

Heat flickered through Kora’s sex. “Don’t tease.”

He kissed her lightly. “It was more of a description of what was on the agenda for this evening. I was teasing you. This is what a relationship looks like.”

She sighed. “I expected there to be more cursing.”

“That will come later.” He tapped her nose with the tip of his finger. “I am fairly sure of it.”

She sighed and pushed him away. “Now, go and save a brain or a nervous system or whatever you do.”

He chuckled. “I think I just determined our next stakes. I read your file, you read mine.”

He left her, and she contacted Jeeni. “Good morning, Commander.”

“Good morning, Pilot. I was wondering when you would be available for that tour.” Jeeni’s voice was perky.

“Now is fine. I will open the hatch for you.” Her hair was up in a bun with a ponytail cascading down her spine and her suit was on. Naked breakfast was over.

“Excellent. I am on my way.”

On her way down, Kora had
Fairy
do a security check on Jeeni. She was only allowed to see the main deck and part of the cockpit. None of the private areas were available for her, which suited Kora just fine.

Privacy was important when you had been butterflied on a surgeon’s table. After that much exposure, you wanted some
me time
and a place to call your own.

Well, if Jeeni was coming, then she wasn’t the fried Guardian. It had to be one of the gentlemen that she had met the night before. Ah well, it was none of her business.

She smirked as she came down and noted the smell of cleanser in the first deck. The ship liked to make a good show whenever dignitaries came to play. The bots must have been busy last night.

The small hatch opened, and Kora snickered. That indicated that the ship was not impressed with their incoming visitor. If the
Star Fairy
thought well of someone, the doors would be open and defense systems would be on standby. Today, the
Fairy
was going to be polite, but if Jeeni got out of line, she would defend herself and her pilot. The Guardian was stepping onto foreign soil when she entered the transport. Kora grinned; she would bet three hundred bucks that the Guardian had no clue.

Jeeni was wearing her uniform this morning. She looked Kora up and down. “My, my. I must have the name of your tailor.”

“Guardian Transport Dispatch supply. Now, welcome to the
Star Fairy
.” She smiled brightly and gestured for the Guardian to come on board.

Jeeni stepped over the threshold, and Kora felt like laughing. The pushy cow was in her territory now.

“Oh, is this the hold?”

“And storage for any personnel that I don’t want to talk to. The cryo tubes are fully fuelled and I can transport up to twelve felons in stasis.”

“Felons?” Jeeni swayed toward her as Kora turned on one of the units.

“Of course, it is my main purpose to remove hostile talents or repeat offenders from the planets that they plague. While the Guardians can capture these folk, few planets are equipped to confine them.”

Kora felt a touch on her shoulder. She turned, and Jeeni was extremely close.

“Please do not touch me without warning. My people consider it especially rude.” Kora kept her voice firm, and she stifled her amusement at Jeeni’s shock.

“You do not feel attraction for me?” Jeeni scowled. “That is impossible.”

The
Star Fairy
sent her the commander’s file. Contact seduction. Kora snorted. The impulses of her skin were filtered via the implants. She just didn’t work the way that solid biological creatures did.

“I am afraid not. I have a mate, and to him alone I am attracted. Why would you wish my interest?”

They walked deeper into the ship.

“I have never been with a cyborg before. I am curious about you.”

“So curious you tried to poison me?” It was an exaggeration, but a quick search of cyborg requirements would have flagged the alcohol as unsuitable.

“What?”

“You knew what I was, and yet, you tried to refuse me water at dinner. On my world, that would be considered an exceptionally rude move. Hospitality and making one’s guests comfortable comes before protocol.”

Jeeni was silent.

Kora looked back at her and caught the change in the colour of her skin.

“I did not think to do that research.”

“Then, it is no wonder you and yours are not invited to exchange with other species. You have to have an interest in them, and since you do not, there is no way you could be a good Guardian to people that you care nothing for.”

Jeeni moved suddenly, pinning Kora against a cryo unit and kissing her.

Kora counted to five and then pushed Jeeni away. “Unacceptable contact, Jeeni. If you persist, I will kick you off this ship.”

“How can you resist me?”

Kora moved quickly, faster than Jeeni’s eyes could track, grabbed her by the front of her suit and lifted her off the ground, holding her above her head with one hand.

“Do you really think that I am a regular mark? I am so different from you that your mind cannot understand it, and it goes far beyond the circuitry. My species is waking in the stars, and we are rising strong. Yours is scheduled to live and die on its own world. Well done.”

She flicked her wrist and Jeeni went skidding across the deck plates.

The commander of the Guardian Base rose to her feet. “You cannot do that to me. I am a Commander of the Guardians. I will have you up on report.”

Kora walked toward her, letting her circuitry glow through her skin. The
Star Fairy
picked up the same glow. “You do not know where you are. I am Guardian Transport, as is this ship. We are not on your planet; we are a flying embassy of the Imperium. You have no power here. Leave. Your tour is over. You rejected hospitality and have insulted me and my ship. Get out.”

Jeeni stumbled backward and backed toward the exit as targeting lasers painted her skin with red and blue dots.

“Oh, and the ship doesn’t like you. Within her, her preferences are more important than mine. Consider yourself warned that you are not welcome in this ship, nor any of her sister ships. None of the Transports are open to you for your insult.”

Jeeni paused and a stun blast struck her skin. “I won’t forget this.”

“I hope you don’t. Guardians are supposed to honour and defend their people. You invited me into your base and treated me with contempt, addressing me as a freak. I may be a freak, but I am alive and whole because of it and no one will make me ashamed due to my transformation.”

“You are not my people.” Jeeni hissed it.

“I know. And you made me very aware of that last night. Goodbye. Good luck in the future, because you have none in the present.” Kora bowed low and her dearest
Fairy
set up a barrage of stun bites that knocked Jeeni out the door and onto her butt. The ship shut and locked the door.

Kora stretched. “Well, that was fun.”

She kept an eye on the exterior monitors, and she sighed as Jeeni headed back to the base. “Send a flier to Neuro and tell him what happened. He might need to defend himself.”

She felt the release of the tiny object, with copies of the vids, as it sought out her Selna.

Kora headed back up to her throne and put her focus into the monitors within the base.

Neuro was in conference with Leddaken when the tiny bot paused and hovered in front of him, broadcasting into his eyes.

His lips tightened, and he sat up, putting his hand on Leddaken’s shoulder before he rose to his feet. With even strides, he headed for the door.

The flier went before him and helped him dodge Jeeni until he was nearly to the edge of the base. She ran up to him and clutched at his arm.

Kora could not hear what they said, but Jeeni touched his face with a soft expression in her eyes.

He smiled slightly and pulled her hand away.

That small bit of rejection turned seduction into fury, and Jeeni lost her composure.

To Kora’s shock, Neuro touched the woman’s face, and it went blank.

She smiled vaguely and sat where she had been standing a moment earlier.

Neuro was on his way back to Kora a moment later while the other two Guardians picked up their drooling commander.

He returned to the
Star Fairy,
and the ship opened to welcome him. Kora filed a flight request and was told, “The Guardians have denied you flight rights.”

She laughed. “Over ride, Celestial-Twelve-Hardu-Nine. I am leaving.”

“Yes, Pilot. Have a nice trip.”

She heard Neuro’s footsteps behind her. “I am taking off now. I have had my fill of Keylan.”

“Fair enough. I have concluded my therapy with Leddaken.” He sat on the chair that the ship had waiting for him. “I will have to file a report on Jeeni.”

“Of course. I may add a few tidbits to it. She really doesn’t know when to quit.”

“From the light contact I had with her and the others, she is unstable. They need a new commander here who has some sense of other species. A xenophobe is never a good leader.”

She had to agree. Just as she was leaving the atmosphere, she got a ping. “Huh. It is time for my overhaul.”

The mundane matter broke the tension of the moment.

“What?”

“Every few months, they check our systems. It is not a big deal, just a short trip to the transport hub.”

The ship moved on its own, eager for the chance to meet up with one of its sisters. This was one path the
Star Fairy
could manage on her own.

She grinned at Neuro. “You file your report, I will file mine, and I will meet you in the bedroom in an hour.”

He smiled slowly as he got to his feet. “What for?”

“Another training session. I have been reading companion manuals.” She winked and settled in, closing her eyes as she settled in the throne.

He gave her a light kiss, and she smiled as he headed for his quarters to file his report on the Guardians of Keylan.

She settled in and created a locked link with Nitza. “Well, I blew it.”

“What did you do?”

“I booted a grabby Guardian off the ship.”

“Ouch. How did he take it?”

“
She
was enraged. I think that Jeeni, or Commander Ranit, has cracked. She has no awareness of other species and considers beings such as myself to being beneath emotion or consciousness. I think, anyway. I have no idea what she was thinking, but I did get the idea that she wanted to have sex with me just because I am a cyborg.”

“Ick. It is being filed. This is not the first complaint, but I think we may need to get a xeno-relations expert to some of these closed worlds. The Guardians need to work on their people skills.” Nitza snickered.

“Thanks. Well, I am off for my physical, so I believe I am off duty for a few days.”

“Correct. You have six days of silence. Enjoy it.”

With what amounted to a blessing, Kora disconnected the call and sat back in her throne for a moment. Smiling, she got to her feet and stroked the control panel of her companion and symbiote. “We are going home for a visit, sweetie. Do you think Neuro will like it?”

The ship set off a series of lights within the room, delight burning in every one. It seemed the
Star Fairy
was eager to show off.