The first thing that greeted me was a change purse. I picked it up to gauge its weight. It was actually pretty heavy, but I had no concept of how money worked here. It could be the equivalent of five dollars in pennies. I loosened the drawstring, and pulled out a silver coin with a slightly curved S. The Janer mark.
Rand bent over my shoulder as if he was about to whisper to me, but he just mouthed later. It would have made it blaringly obvious I’m an outsider if he began explaining the money system to me.
I pulled the string to tighten it back and tucked it down the side. No matter how much it was worth, I wanted to make sure that it remained safe. Earning money was no joke. It was hard work, tired feet and bloodshot eyes. I’d be damned if I lost any, whether it was mine or not.
There was an assortment of black pants and shirts, some like what I was wearing now, and some linen, like what Ruk was wearing. A few robes and a jacket were in the middle, and at the bottom, were underwear. I pulled out a piece to confirm my thought and as soon as I got a good look, I stuffed it back into the trunk. That rat bastard. He packed a G-string. I was dying to know if there was a theme for all the underwear, but I didn’t want Rand or Sage to see. I would have to wait until I could get some privacy. On that thought…
“How are we doing rooms? I’d like to have my own.”
Rand and Sage exchanged a look, and for the first time since we were rescued, it seemed they were on the same page. I was on a completely different book, and they’d better share soon.
Rand used a placating tone. “I don’t think that would be the wisest idea, love. At least at first or until you know how to take care of yourself. I’d hate to know you were abducted right under our nose.” He whispered the last. I was pretty sure Ruk could hear us since we were right under his head, but he didn’t even twitch.
Behind Rand, Sage made a face when he called me ‘love.’ Well, fuck him. He was being a weenie anyway from his petulant attitude and snotty arrogance.
Rand tipped my head up with a finger under my chin. “Don’t worry about him,” he kept his voice low. “Our focus is to make sure we, and by that, I mean all three of us, stay safe while we do what Yunez is asking of us. We need to be in the room with you, even as much as it pains me to be around that Fennstac right now, we need to all be together. As soon as you can take care of yourself, I have no qualms with you getting some privacy.”
It made sense. In a world where I was more than the underdog, right now anyway, I was the chew toy due to my lack of abilities. It stung my pride, but it would be foolish to assert my independence right now. I nodded my head in acceptance.
Rand dipped his head and his lips whispered against mine, stirring a million butterflies in my stomach.
I fell forward, only hitting air. When I opened my eyes, Sage had Rand pinned to the ground and he whispered furiously in his ear. The vein was back in Sage’s neck and Rand had his jaw clenched so tight it stood out in stark relief. Rand braced his feet on the floorboards as he fought to get Sage off of him.
My rage thrummed under my skin and I surged forward, shoving Sage away from Rand. Sage was so surprised, his face slackened and he brought his arms up to grip mine. He opened his mouth but before anything came out, a fist flew across his face and knocked his head sideways.
“Stop!” I yelled. “This is fucking ridiculous. You two are worse than rowdy toddlers stuck in their high chair at dinner.” I blew hair out of my face and pushed them away from each other with a palm to their chests.
Their breathing was ragged as they glared at each other, and Sage narrowed his eyes even more. My fingers dug into Sage’s chest and he stopped, turning to me, he tried to pull me into a hug.
“Iss-”
I slapped his hand away and backed up.
“Don’t be like that.” Sage continued.
“You made me like this. If you want a shot at being my Janer mate, you need to fucking grow up. All right? You’re acting like a weenie and that does not make me want to complete my bond with you.” I huffed.
Rand’s lips twitched as he tried to hold in a laugh. Not remotely amused, Sage cut his gaze to Rand. When Sage met my gaze again, his face fell into a neutral expression.
“And that goes for you too,” I glared at Rand. “I get it. He makes us crazy sometimes, but you can’t go around decking him because he was being an asshole. It’s only the three of us and that’s a perfect time where someone can come in and tear us apart.”
With a remorseful frown, Rand let his head fall forward. “My apologies, my lady. I let my anger get to me.”
“Whatever, just… don’t fight anymore. I’m stressed out enough as it is.”
I took my place on the bench and neither man tried to take a spot beside me. Instead, they sat as far away from each other as possible. Ruk started whistling a peppy tune and didn’t let on he heard anything out of the norm. Smart man.
Night fell by the time a town appeared in the distance. The lavender sky had faded into a deep eggplant, the glowing blue violet stars winking back at us. As we got closer to the town, there were so many lights, it looked like a tiny night sky all on its own. I propped my arm over the side of the cart, resting my chin in the crook of my elbow as I admired the view.
Relief and dread simultaneously washed over me as we neared our final destination. What a horrendously painful ride. No funny stories, no getting to know them better. After the last incident, there was no talking at all. Uncomfortable and strained silence became our riding companion.
“We’ll be there in about fifteen minutes. Yunez gave very explicit instructions about where you were to stay and who I needed to find inside to greet you.” Ruk tossed over his shoulder. “Louniva is a beautiful city. Maybe you’ll get some time to explore while you’re here.”
“Yeah, maybe.” I trailed off. That definitely was not on the agenda.
The ride got bumpier the closer we got to the city center. The dirt path turned to some kind of cobblestone, and the swaying had my eyes threatening to close. The time was off here. It was broad daylight when we came through the portal, even though it was night when we left Earth. I hadn’t slept all day and that put me incredibly close to being awake for twenty-four hours. Hell, I was surprised I could even string two thoughts together.
I tugged the hood of my cloak closer around my face to prevent the cold wind from entering. About an hour ago, Sage got in the trunks and handed out cloaks, because once the temperature decided to drop, it dropped hard.
We passed buildings intricately carved with giant swirls and abstract shapes. It was an enticing mixture of classical and modern design. It was all actually quite beautiful and if I wasn’t ready to keel over I would have appreciated it much more.
We traveled through the heart of town, but we never stopped. People crowded the streets, dressed in bright pastel colored cloaks, laughing and chatting as they strolled down the sidewalks. But the farther we traveled, the darker the streets were. Lights became sparse, and the loud, bustling streets were soon deserted. The few people still on the streets changed drastically, hiding behind the deep hoods of their black robes and running to where ever they were going. At least we’d fit in by trying to hide our identities. That didn’t bode well for our safety though. I’d have to thank Yunez later for sending us to the seedy part of town.
Ruk stopped the cart in front of the gaudiest building on the block, with elaborate threads of gold covering the building like marble accents. It wouldn’t take much to outshine the rest of the buildings as most were caving in and graffitied. The street was even dirty with trash scattered everywhere.
“I’ll be only a moment.” Ruk called as he hopped down from the cart.
My eyes darted from each shadow that covered the street. This place gave me an eerie feeling and it was odd that there are absolutely zero people on this street. Before we turned down this specific road, there were people huddled on corners or running to wherever.
Rand and Sage stood up and stretched, not at all concerned
with being left alone in the open. I should have shown a little faith myself, and not been so paranoid someone was going to jump out at us any moment.
The giant front doors opened and Ruk walked out with a tall man. It took a minute for the new guy’s attire to register in my brain. A short, red kimono robe with gold trim rippled with every step. When they got within a few feet of the cart, he beamed and lifted his arms in greeting. This man definitely dressed to match the exterior of the house. He was fabulous and he knew it. Good for him.
“Doll! Welcome, welcome. Let me help you down from there.” He was so tall, he easily latched onto my waist and hoisted me over the side of the cart. I shot a panicked look Rand and Sage’s way, but they only grinned.
What the hell? This type of display in front of any of my LL would have driven them crazy.
This chipper man swung me up into his arms, spinning in tight circles where my legs flared out, then rattling me with a little shimmy before he let me down.
“Aren’t you just precious. We’ll be tighter than Rand’s left ass cheek.” He smiled a blindingly glorious smile that showed off his perfect, white teeth.
“Just his left… Why not his right cheek too?” My brow creased in confusion. I really did need sleep. I was pretty confident I was hallucinating this whole conversation.
He smooshed his lips together and squinted one eye at me. “Honey doll, the ass is cracked so you can’t have one large tight ass cheek. That would be some weird alien shit.”
Rand busted up laughing and a low chuckle escaped Sage. I nodded and stared at the new guy trying to sort out his logic.
“Right. So, the answer could also have been his right ass cheek. Wouldn’t it work better if you said we would be tighter than Rand’s ass cheeks to emphasize that we would be like two tight peas in a pod? Or two tight as hell ass cheeks barely separated by a crack?”
Crazy man snapped his fingers. “We’ll be like two balls in his nut sack, or my nut sack.”
I wanted to laugh because this was hilarious, but I had the insane feeling he wasn’t trying to make a joke. He was still squinting that one eye at me and it was unnerving.
I smiled tentatively. “My name’s Isolde. Or Issy for short.”
“Cabbie, honey. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” He gave the side eye to Rand and Sage. “Where have you sorry asses been staying and why have you hidden this gem from me?”
The blood in my veins iced over at the implication. He knew I was the Mazza, but I wasn’t sure how. I lifted my fingers to my Zien mark, then quickly lowered it before he could catch what I did.
Sage saw and minutely shook his head. “Nah, man. We came to visit our hometown and met Issy along the way. It’s good to see you.” He jumped off the cart and leaned in to give Cabbie a man hug. Cabbie wasn’t having any of it. He twined his arms around Sage, then snaked one hand down to his ass for a quick grab.
Sage yelped and jumped three feet into the air.
I pressed my lips in a thin line to keep from roaring with laughter. That was damn funny.
“I take that back, Sage has a tight ass too.” Cabbie giggled. When Rand hopped down, Cabbie opened his arms for him as well, but Rand didn’t step in. Instead he reached out a hand and slapped him on the back a few times.
“It’s good to see you, Cabbie. Don’t be offended but I’m not up for a little ass grab right now.” Rand smiled to soften his words.
“Later then, lover.” Cabbie purred.
I couldn’t hold it back anymore, giggles broke off me in waves and I bent over, gasping to catch my breath.
“I’ll have someone grab your trunks, so don’t you worry about those. Come on, let me show you my digs.” Cabbie helped me straighten back up and we walked arm in arm into his magnificent house. The outside was fairly well manicured with little in-ground lanterns dotting the walkway.
“I’ll take my leave from here. May our paths cross again.” Ruk called from behind us. I craned my neck and waved over my shoulder. He grinned and heartily returned the gesture as he climbed back into the cart.
As we passed the threshold different heady and sensual perfumes bombarded me. Musk, flowers, brandy, sex, are all smells that filled the air. The inside did not disappoint from the outside. The walls were painted a bright, rich scarlet with gold trim. Large, shimmery feather arrangements hung on the walls and decorated the countertops.
Low, rolling music trickled through the foyer, and Cabbie directed us toward the source. We rounded the corner to find a surprising number of people gracing the room.
Men sat in opulent chairs that looked like they were stolen straight from the Taj Mahal. But the women… The women were barely wearing enough strings to cover one nipple altogether. There had to be at least twenty women present, wearing more skin than anything else.
The women draped over the laps of the men seductively. Some stood behind them, massaging their shoulders. I had the sudden urge to cover my guys’ eyes so they didn’t see the full view. I managed to tamp it down because they weren’t virgins, that would have been downright ridiculous.
“Uh, Cabbie. A few questions. One—what is this? And two—why are we stopped in the doorway?”
He spread his arms wide and threw a saucy grin at me. “Welcome to Cabbie’s Happy House of Gratification.”
My eyes darted around the room a second time with new eyes, from the mostly naked women rubbing and sliding against the men— men lounging like they were the best thing since wireless earbuds—to the sensual opulence. The type of business Cabbie ran was on the edge of my brain, but why the hell would Yunez send us here?
I gave Cabbie the once over again, starting with his well-manicured feet. By that, I meant he waxed the hair off of his toes. Even his toned leg hair was trimmed, because let’s face it. No way would the hair be that short, or neat. Most of the time a man’s leg hair looked like a coconut on hair growth meds.
His kimono was the shit, though. It was silky and definitely expensive. Actually, now that I had a better look, I was almost positive he wasn’t wearing anything underneath it. Yes, there was the outline of his dick just hanging for all to see. His face was adorned with rouge and heavy mascara, highlighting his already attractive features.
“You’re the male version of a madam. I’d say pimp, but you’re definitely more of a madam. I shall call you Fab Cab.”
A roar of laughter escaped him and he twisted to Rand and Sage. “I like her. You should bring her around more often.”
“I don’t know that brothels are her first picks for hang out spots.” After the long ride, Sage had no problem channeling his arrogance. I wanted to spite him just for fun.
“I don’t know, I think I’d look great in one of those outfits. Say, you have any in my size?” A coy smirk played on my lips.
“Girl,” Fab Cab drawled. “I got one in gold and it’d look ah-mazing on you.” He threaded his arm through mine and led me through the lounge, past the vibrant orange and yellow beaded strings hiding the hallway entrance. I smirked over my shoulder and neither Rand nor Sage appeared very happy. They looked downright petulant.
“How long have you run a brothel?” I took over the conversation in hopes of distracting myself from the fact that I asked for glamorous dental floss underwear. What was wrong with me? Why did I ask in the first place?
“This is a family business baby doll. I’m the third generation owner, so this beauty has been in the family for… six hundred years-ish,” he shrugged.
I coughed into my shoulder. “That’s fantastic.” I searched for a follow-up question but that eluded me too. What was polite to ask and what was taboo?
“I’m proud of it.”
Aha! I know.
“Rand and Sage haven’t been patrons here have they?” I kept my face neutral, and tried not to let on that this answer actually mattered to me. As far as Cabbie knew, we were traveling companions. But what better way than to get to know my two prospective Janer mates?
“These two?” Cabbie grinned slyly
as he cut his eyes over his shoulder. My gaze immediately followed his trajectory to where both Rand and Sage were looking extremely uncomfortable. Rand’s cheeks flamed red and Sage’s eyes were so big he looked like someone cut his eyelids off.
“They’ve been here a time or two. It’s been a while for Sage, what with his girlfriend and all, what was her name?” He snapped. “Lucia. But Rand was here about a month ago?”
My heart plummeted to my toes. Even with their reactions I hadn’t expected the answer to be yes. Hell, I couldn’t be angry with them since I didn’t know them before a week ago. I also couldn’t throw stones since I was trying to decide who got the Janer spot in my LL.
It wasn’t a big deal.
Yeah, right. It was a huge deal, because I was only human and the heart wanted what the heart wanted.
I faced forward and studiously ignored the heated stares drilling into my back.
“Do women patron here too? They could visit for the female companionship, but what about the male variety? I only saw female employees in the other room.” I attempted to keep my voice light and inquisitive.
“Oh, sure. We’re getting ready to go through that room right now.”
True to his word, we exited through another beaded entranceway and my eyes about fell out of my skull.
Holy ghost, mother of Jesus.
This room…
This room had dozens of stunningly gorgeous men completely naked, except for the tiny square loincloths connected by a string around their waist, laid out on sofas, or walking around. And it barely covered anything.
A shirt-covered chest obstructed my view of the room. A finger tucked beneath my chin closed my mouth. As I tipped my head back, I followed the line of the shirt, up the column of the neck, to the sharp chin with stubble along the jawline. I finally made it to the eyes and Sage’s thunderous expression.
“This is not the room for you.”
I opened my mouth to respond, but no words came to mind. I was still in awe at the miles and miles of flesh that was on display. I was no virgin, obviously, but I’d never been anywhere like this either.
Bonds of the Mazza Page 5
