The Amazing Tales of Wildcat Arrows (13 page)

A holo image drifted back and forth over the wall of a smiling Lucky, a tall man with long black hair, SpinDrift, Clugot… and the edge of what looked to be some other kind of being.

Metal storage boxes littered the floor. Navigating the room was like going through a maze. Kerreth thought there might be a chair in the corner but there was no telling. And books! He had never seen so many in one place! Most of them looked like love stories.

He never knew anyone from Earth who collected the old things. Nobody from that planet read anymore. At least not from paper.

He bent down and picked up one that had a colorful image on the cover. Science fiction was printed on the spine.

He carefully opened it.

Inside, on the first page, the words 'House of Sages' were printed. And under that '
Property of Wildcat Arrows
.'

So her brother was a reader. Who would have thought it?

By the well-used look of these books, he had passed his love of the written word on to his sister.

Lucky noticed the old book in his hand. "Do you read?"

"Not books and not fiction."

"Why am I not surprised."

She was referring to him being an android.

The truth was he never had the time to sit and read. Perhaps he had been missing something? The corporate syndicates were not supportive of the pastime so maybe there was something to it? He made a note to himself to look into it.

"You know, Lucky, I am not that much different from you."

"Really. And do you dream of electric sheep?"

His brow furrowed. "I don't follow you." He felt like an android in that moment. For flickerin' sake, he even sounded like one!
You do not compute, Mistress Arrows
.

"Tell me about yourself." Lucky looked at him as if he was insane.

"There is no time for us to go through your small talk subroutines for arousal! We have to get on with this immediately! In case you've forgotten, we're all about to go—"

"Badda-boom. I know." He chewed the inside of his cheek. Maybe he wouldn't tease her after all.

She was started to look a tad green around the edges.

He cleared his throat. "Red, I know this is going to sound bad, but please hear me out—"

She tugged her tee shirt over her head and tossed it onto the floor.

Two of the most magnificent breasts he had ever seen bounced in front of his eyes. They seemed to be waving at him. Beckoning him to come and play.

He swallowed.

This was soooo wrong. He couldn't believe he was in this mess! "Ah, favorite food?" he ventured in a low voice.

Lucky put her hands on her hips—which caused her breasts to bob up and down. He was positive he was not looking in her eyes.

"Whatever is the matter with you, Slick?"

"TIME TO ANNIHILATION IS APPROACHING IN EXACTLY THIRTY-SIX MINUTES."

"Do you hear that?" She pointed in the direction of the ceiling, from whence Minmei's voice came. "Quit the 'get her in the right mood' program and strip!"

When his mouth gaped, she added sternly, "
Now, mister
!"

Kerreth viewed her as one would a fascinating, yet slightly mad object of compelling interest. Had he woken up in an alternate universe where young, beautiful women threw off their tops and demanded to be made love to immediately? Yes,
he had
!!

Hot flickerin' shit.

She was really ready to go through with this!

He thought for a moment.

His tingling parts were a pretty good sign that they were going to be perfectly compatible together. Never something to turn your back on.

Should he go ahead and take the chance with her?

Or… should he try to talk her out of it?

He wasn't sure he was ready for this but there were advantages to the situation. He had always excelled at finding advantages. It was what he did.

On the one hand, this could be an opportunity for them to get to know each other rather quickly. On the other hand—when all was said and done and revealed—she would probably kill him.

Or more likely, get her brother to do it.

The fact was, this situation had put him in a bind. He was, for all intents and purposes, trapped on this ship until they reached Dumfug 8. (He had often wondered how many Dumfugs there were and was sure the answer was 'more than you can imagine.') Furthermore, he had no idea what the crew would
do
to him if he revealed the truth.

It was probably not wise or safe for him to blow his cover.

Above all else, he wanted that jewel.

Or more accurately, he
needed
that jewel.

What he was about to do might not be considered noble—but he was what he was. Besides, he had no intention of hurting the girl.

Just the opposite.

If he had a choice, he would give her a memory that would last past any anger she might incur. Like all good memories, it could do away with any hurt.

Foolish as it sounded, Kerreth was kind of… sort of…

Oh hell
. He was taken with her. Or whatever.

So he deluded himself into thinking he just
might
be able to pour on the vos Volent charm, use the opportunity to get closer to her, then call a halt at the right time by telling her the truth.

They were both treasure hunters. She would understand.

She would even see the humor in the situation.

They would all have a good laugh over it!

At least he prayed that was what would happen. By the fiery glint in those green eyes, he was sure she would shoot him with a
crazer
right where he stood if he told her right now.

He began to slowly unzip his uniform.

Her gaze followed the trail of the
zipcro
⁸
down past his chest to a point below his waist.

Kerreth glanced up at her and arched an eyebrow. "Favorite spot?" he drawled.

Color filled her cheekbones, but Lucky did not avert her eyes.

The android's golden skin was revealed to her bit by bit by the unfurling cloth.

Beautiful. Taut. Smooth as butter.

Lucky was poleaxed by the glorious sight.
Say what you want about these Masterstrokes—they sure are purty
.

The
zipcro
fastener stopped at an area that was enticingly shadowed. A slight sheen of moisture buffed the carmel skin.

Lucky's lips parted slightly. "I've always been fond of Kanetium."

Lost, Kerreth cocked his head to the side. "The megaplex on Skryan 3?"

"Yes, have you been there?" Of course, Lucky knew he couldn't have been there; he was an android who was probably built on or directly transported to Slide.

It was hard to remember that looking at him. He was so incredibly male—so
human-like—
that she could even discern the honeyed, musky scent of him.

Kerreth almost answered yes before he caught himself.

"I have seen holos of it. I am sure I would love it
in the flesh
as much as you seem to." He winked suggestively at her.

She was devouring him with her eyes. If things had been different and they had met under other circumstances, Kerreth was sure he would already have had her flat on her back, screaming out his name. His
real
name.

As for Kanetium, it actually was one of his favorite places. The multiplex was open and active all day and all night. He loved it.

Lucky walked over to him and brushed the top of the jumpsuit off his shoulders. Her cool fingers swept against his skin with a frisson of contact.

Kerreth hid his shiver from her.

He was right; that touch was pure ecstasy.

"Are you agreeing with me as part of your seductive technique, Slick? Is that how you get women relaxed and in the mood for you?"

He gave her a lopsided smile. "I would say it is you who is making me relaxed."

"Then I am seducing you?"

"Seems that way."

"I like that." Emboldened, she grazed her lips across his nipples.

The sensation was acute. Kerreth took a deep breath and tried not to clasp her to him.

It was not easy for him to resist the impulse.

Lucky smiled up at him. "You know this is rather freeing in a way—knowing your not judging me."

"
Judging you
? What do you mean?"

"Like a man. Women are always concerned about that; trust me. Am I too thin? Too fat? Too short? Too tall? We always ask ourselves: what is he thinking?"

How about… just right
. "Who am I to judge you, Red? For that matter, who is any man to judge you?"

Lucky stopped nibbling on the delectable, satiny skin to stare up at him. "I've always wondered that myself. Were you, by chance, programmed by a woman?"

He laughed out loud. "Not yet. But they say there is always hope."

She laughed along with him. "Sense of humor
and
smart, too."

"I'm the whole package, remember?" His arm snaked around her back. He swooped down and kissed her.

The android's firm lips were like velvet clouds. Softly tempting. He playfully brushed her mouth in a quiet dream; back and forth, back and forth.

Lucky shivered.

Without warning, he suddenly sealed his mouth to hers in a hot, forceful taking. Lucky's toes literally curled.

Her fingers clenched.

Heck, everything clenched.

If steam could have come out of her ears, she was sure it would have.
Who kisses like that
? Nobody, she was sure.

When he broke off to stare down at her, he seemed slightly pensive.

Lucky gazed up at him in awe.

True, she hadn't had a lot to compare him with; but she reasoned it was akin to Clugot's upside down
whazzit
cake. You really didn't need to taste any others to know that it was the winning recipe.

"Wow," she whispered, touching her still tingling lips.

"Wow," he whispered back, dipping his head before he could stop himself.

Kerreth kissed her like a man taken. By what, he was not sure.

Nonetheless, he could not seem to stop.

His entire body came alive with her taste.
He was hungry
. Very hungry. The truth suddenly hit him that he was in trouble.

Since Lucky assumed he was an android, she was not at all shy of taking off her clothes in front of a virtual stranger. She kicked off her boots and shrugged out of her jeans, kicking those into the corner with the discarded shirt.

Kerreth watched the items arc across the room, all the while trying to regain his brain.
It isn't going to happen
.

He really couldn't let this happen…

But as soon as he caught sight of her standing in front of him buck naked—he was done for. It had been quite a while since his last intimate encounter with a woman; nonetheless, he was positive that abstinence was not the reason his tongue was about to hit the floor.

Figuratively speaking.

She was beautiful
. And she seemed totally unaware of it.

Of their own accord, his fingers tangled in her hair and his palms cupped the back of her head. He positioned her at the perfect angle for the imminent press of his mouth.

He lowered his head gradually, savoring the prolonged moment. Lucky's green eyes widened slightly just as his lips touched hers.

Decency
hit him with a bitch-slap.

Make love to her under these pretences?

He couldn't do it. Sure, he was rogue; but he wasn't a bastard.

No harm in just one more taste, though…

Then he was going to call a halt to this ridiculous charade.

"You feel incredible," his voice sounded husky against her mouth.

"Can you actually feel?" Lucky wasn't sure if the android could experience sensation; but he was sure making her feel breathless!

"What do you think?" He didn't give her a chance to reply. Instead, he covered her mouth with his own; hot and seeking. Lucky clutched his arms as his tongue thrust into her mouth.

Lucky had heard that the Masterstrokes were so adept at lovemaking that it was difficult to tell them apart from actual human males. The corporation that held their patent had been able to replicate every feature, nuance, sensation, and response of a humanoid male in the throes of sexual desire.

Only this manufactured 'male' never got tired and granted every desire to his erstwhile partner.

There were stories that the Masterstrokes had secret, encoded abilities that were way beyond many humanoid males. This was not greeted with an 'oh happy day' by a large portion of that male population, who naturally feared being upstaged by a machine
⁹
.

Lucky had heard there was talk on several planets of outlawing them all together. For now they were strictly confined to the pleasure planets.

Kerreth's tongue stroked against Lucky's with slow, languorous sweeps. At the same time he massaged her scalp with his entangled fingers, using the same languorous strokes.

She thought his touch just might be magic.

Exactly the right amount of pressure and slide.

The tingling began in her head and swiftly worked its way to her toes. Lucky leaned into the miraculous touch as Kerreth continued to delve between her lips.

She moaned into his mouth.

How could this feel so bloody good?

There was no question that the Masterstroke was getting turned on as well. His hold tightened and a distinctive bulge pressed against her lower stomach.

It seemed rather large…

Considering his line of work, he was built packing. Lucky's passion-dulled brain distinctly recalled the heft of the weighty package in her palm.

Good grief
! Why hadn't she thought of this before?

She hesitated, pulling slightly away from him.

Kerreth—lost in his own desires and having no idea where her fevered thoughts were taking her—brought her firmly back to his side.

He kept right on kissing her. Fiercely, wildly.

If this was to be his only taste, he was making it count. Simple, small pleasures. He decided he could freely give those.

His large hands slid down the cool, velvety skin of her bare back, massaging in ever widening circles. She was soon limp in his arms.