Nebula Nights: Love Among The Stars

by Melisse Aires

  "Hmm. Will you wear the belt for me? To a social function, I think."

  "Yes," she whimpered. She'd promise him anything, if only he'd let her come now.

  "Very well. Touch yourself more quickly. Open your eyes. Look at me while you come."

  Gazing into his gray eyes, Kiri stroked fast, her fingers jerking over her clitoris and her hips moving, her feet arching, toes curling tight as the pleasure tightened until it imploded inside her, her pussy spasming deliciously around the balls. She showed him every nuance of her joy. And part of it was surrendering to him.

  She let her head drop back and a husky laugh bubbled up, catching in her throat. "That was so weird." But delicious. Her body hummed with pleasure.

  "Oh, you're not finished, kitten."

  Kiri opened her eyes. He was still stroking himself, harder now, his cock glistening with ointment from the small bottle that stood on the table beside him.

  "You're going to come for me again," he told her. "Take the largest ball. Now, Kiri."

  The ball sat in her hand, heat shimmering through her palm and up her arm. Whoa, this one was powerful and a little scary. Blue Stars.

  "Put it in your panties."

  "That won't fit inside me." And she was not going to try. It would hurt, and she did not do pain. At least she was pretty sure she didn't. "Can't I just watch you now?"

  "You're not done. Lodge it against your clitoris. The panties will hold it there."

  Kiri slipped the ball into her panties, where it perched on her mons. She snickered. "It looks like I have a little penis in there."

  "Not from here," he assured her, his voice rough. "You look like a lovely, sensual creature being fucked by light."

  The ball was glowing. Heat flowed from it, and it began to vibrate subtly, as if reacting to her skin. She moaned as the heat crackled softly against her swollen clitoris, and the smaller balls answered inside her.

  "Beautiful," he approved. "Intense, isn't it?"

  "Yes," she gasped. "Oh! The current's getting stronger. It stings. Logan, I need—" She didn't know what she needed, only that she was going to come again, in spite of the sting, or maybe because of it. "You. I wish you were here with me."

  "Take the two medium balls," he said, his voice hoarse. "I want you to stroke your nipples with them."

  "I need to come," she groaned. And then she needed to get the balls away from her.

  "You'll come when I tell you. You're mine, little cat."

  She looked into his eyes. "Yes." In this moment she was, as surely as if he were in the room with her, holding her physically. She touched the two remaining balls to her nipples. The balls seemed to ignite each other. Sharp prickles of pain and pleasure arced through her, from her nipples, across her skin, and deep inside her pussy, and out along her clitoris. She whimpered, on the edge of orgasm, on the edge of bolting. "Logan!"

  "Now," Stark said. "Come for me, Kiri." His voice was like a velvet whip, cracking through her. She came so hard a scream ripped from her throat.

  At last the current died and let her fall back, spent.

  She let the balls fall from her hands and cupped her breasts. They felt tender, almost bruised. Wincing, she pushed the ball away from her panties and then sat up. She wrinkled her nose. The other two were still inside her like a naughty secret, but at least they were quiet now

  Stark lay back in his chair, his robe closed again, that warm light in his eyes, a smile on his mouth for her. "Thank you, kitten."

  She blushed, her face and chest burning. Then the absurdity of the situation struck her, and laughter bubbled up again. When his eyes twinkled, she laughed even harder. It felt good, a release of the tension of being coaxed into putting on his private sex show. He'd talked her into playing with toys that were as painful as they were pleasurable, and he wasn't even here, not really.

  "I wanted to watch you, too," she complained, curling onto her side, hugging a pillow since she couldn't hold him.

  He smiled at her over his coffee mug. "I enjoyed myself. An unforgettable performance."

  A performance. That stung in a different way. Kiri wrapped her arms more tightly around the pillow, kicking the largest ball away as it rolled against her leg. "You are deleting this link, right?"

  He took another drink of coffee. "If you were here, you wouldn't have to worry about that, would you? Now, I've a meeting, and I find I need another shower-dry. Stay out of trouble for the rest of the day, hmm?"

  "Stark! The link." She would not be just another sex show for him.

  He shook his head. "Stop worrying, kitten. What happens between us is private, unless we decide differently. Now, there's another gift waiting for you. On your work station."

  Kiri eyed him suspiciously.

  "An employment agency," he told her with a smirk that told her he knew exactly what she'd been thinking. "They're at your disposal. The employment rosters are easily accessible so you can find someone you like."

  "Thank you," she managed. "I haven't forgotten my promise."

  He nodded. "Good. Because I never forget any promise made to me."

  She believed him, and that he would use this to manipulate and manage his businesses and people. Stark reality.

  "Call Natan for anything else you want. And don't leave the penthouse without Rak, hmm?"

  Kiri nodded. That was easy enough—she hated riding the airbuses. Being piloted in a fancy new slider was starry, and she liked Rak.

  The holovid winked out, leaving her there alone in the quiet of his bedroom, surrounded by the detritus of sex play with Stark.

  She slipped off the bed, unease prickling through her in a sting that echoed the balls. Logan Stark could talk her into nearly anything, it seemed. She needed to be very careful of that.

  Chapter 19

  Kiri's new work station was small, sleek and fast. It answered even whispered voice commands and brought up flat or holovid images of clarity that made her laugh with delight.

  She had several messages waiting in her virtual mailbox. She leaned her chin on her hand and scrolled through the hololinks. Most were sales, two were from casual friends who'd seen her on the news and wanted details, and two were important enough to answer immediately. She began with the link from her coffee supplier and friend, Illyria Tate.

  A pretty blonde in a neat business suit appeared on the holovid, sitting in a small office, a steaming mug of coffee at her elbow. A window behind her revealed a large space that Kiri knew was her warehouse. A hoviecart zipped by, piled high with bags of beans.

  "Kiri," the woman said, her big brown eyes soft with concern. "Are you all right? Saw you on the news, and your stand was closed when I went by to check on you today."

  "Hi, Illyria. Things have been … a bit weird." Kiri filled the woman in on the broad details of the murder, losing her apartment.

  Illyria's look of concern deepened. "Do you need credit? I could help you."

  Kiri shook her head. "Don't wanna get you in trouble."

  Illyria flushed. "I have credit of my own. Father doesn't control that."

  "Thanks, but I'm fine," Kiri insisted. She explained about meeting Stark, and his rescue.

  "Stark? Logan Stark?" The other woman leaned so far forward Kiri worried she would fall over her desk. "LodeStar Enterprises' Logan Stark?"

  Kiri nodded. Wow, Stark was famous in certain circles.

  Illyria let out a shriek of delight, tossing back her blonde curls. "Oh, I can't believe it. And he rescued you, you're with him now, he's—oh, I can't believe it. This is so-oo moonbeamish! And you look starry, by the way. Love that little sweater, is that spider lace?"

  Kiri could feel herself blushing, but she grinned. "Um, yeah." She stroked her hand down over her clinging gold top and leggings. "So the good news is, I have credit to buy coffee."

  "Wonderful, although next time you tell me you don't have the credit and we'll work something out, understood?"

  Kiri nodded, her heart swelling. "Understood."

  Ill
yria nodded. "So dish—what's Stark like? Is he as, um, hot as he appears? I've seen him at city business functions."

  Kiri just smiled. She was not talking about Stark and sex in the same conversation.

  But her expression was evidently enough. The blonde sighed, one hand to her bosom.

  "Fabulous. So many men are all show and no substance. Like a decaffeinated bean, you know?" Her arching brows lowered, indicating she might be thinking of one man in particular.

  Then she tossed her hair back again. "I suppose we'd better get back to business. How can I help you?"

  With great satisfaction, Kiri placed an order for a supply of Pangaean coffee, both light and dark. Illyria nearly burbled with joy at Kiri's interest in the more expensive products, and when she invoked Stark's name for the bill, the woman promised a delivery that very afternoon of a better grade of beans, along with a top-grade variety Kiri simply had to try.

  Kiri hesitated, and then interrupted the woman's effusive plans. "Thanks, Illyria, but I don't think it'd be very wise for me to go top grade. My customers can't afford that."

  "Sweetie," the other woman breathed. "With Stark behind you, you can afford to move. Rent space in the newest, best area of the space port. Give those MoonPenny bastards a run for their credit."

  Kiri raised her brows. The woman was practically bristling, her brown eyes as hot as the brew she sipped as she waited for Kiri to answer.

  "I take it the owner wasn't interested in your product," Kiri guessed.

  Illyria snorted, taking another drink of coffee. "Marc Moon? Smooth bastard. Not only did he refuse to talk business, he then proceeded to proposition me."

  "For sex?" He'd put the moves on during a sales call? No way.

  "Whaddya think?"

  "Wow. That's low," Kiri murmured. But also easy to believe. Illyria was very pretty, and she had a great figure, much more voluptuous than Kiri's own. "So what did you say to him?"

  The blonde's eyes narrowed with satisfaction over her cup. "I shoved my large sample bag of top-grade fresh-roasted Pangaean dark coffee beans in his sculpted abs and told him to fuck that, because he'd never have me."

  "Oh, wow," Kiri breathed. "Wish I could've seen that."

  "I was pretty good," Illyria agreed. "But, I not only didn't get the contract, I pissed off the owner of the largest chain of coffee stands in New Seattle, so all in all …" She waggled her hand as if balancing scales. "My father is not going to be happy."

  "Totally worth it," Kiri assured her. "Your reply will reign in the annals of womankind forever."

  Illyria smiled crookedly. "Thanks. I needed that. And on the upside, when you open your huge chain of competing stands, you'll buy all your beans from me, right?"

  "Absolutely. Illyrian Bean is my supplier, no matter what."

  "Excellent. I'll have your product to you in a few hours. Where shall I have them delivered?"

  Kiri gave her Stark's address. They said goodbye. Next, Kiri spent a little time perusing advertisements for several other upscale coffee purveyors, including the wildly successful MoonPenny chain.

  Illyria was right, if she wanted to upgrade seriously, she'd have to move. She allowed herself to daydream a bit about keeping her small shop open for the discount travelers and those who needed an occasional free coffee, and opening a large, glossy, upscale stand in the newer section of space port near the LodeStar commercial docks.

  Lot of wealthy travelers on and off Stark's ships. Heck, maybe they could even subsidize a coffee and soup kitchen in the poor end of the port.

  Her new comlink was programmed with Logan's link as well as Jasmine, Maitresse, and a few others she didn't recognize. Should have known—the man had a mind like a computer, ranging far and fast, taking care of things she hadn't had time to realize she might want.

  She took great pleasure in erasing the link to Maitresse. She wouldn't be shopping at that spiteful bitch's store any more.

  Then she looked at the second link waiting in her virtual mail. She rose from her chair, and paced restlessly to the windows to look out at the dark, foggy day, leaning her forearms on the window glass. The cold seeped through the lace covering her arms. She'd need more credit for that one and she wasn't sure how much Stark would let her borrow.

  But Stark had family, brothers anyway. He'd understand why she needed the credit, wouldn't he? She hated asking him for it. They'd agreed on the loan for her business, but this was another matter entirely. And if she waited until she had the credit herself, it might be too late.

  It might already be too late, hissed an all too familiar voice inside her. She felt the brush of wings beginning to unfurl inside her, and shoved away from the window, turning to pace back and forth the length of the big room. Quark, if she were really the cat Stark liked to call her, she'd pounce on the fear and rip its head off with her teeth and claws.

  She couldn't do that, but she would not let fear win. Kai was out there, somewhere. And she was going to find him.

  She flung herself back into her chair, and concentrated fiercely on the work at hand. This she could do right now, concrete and definite. She'd deal with the rest later.

  Bringing up the holodisplay of the employment agency, she stared at the soothing, professional smiles of the reps. Logan Stark thought of everything. And he wanted to control everything. If she accepted an employee from the agency he'd directed her toward, how did she know that person wouldn't really be working for Stark, instead of her? She didn't.

  She curled her legs up into the chair, and wrapped her arms around her knees. Logan Stark had powerful charisma, and he knew it. He'd compelled her from the sec she met him. She couldn't walk away from him now—she craved him and his outrageous sexual play, even more than she wanted his credit.

  But she had to keep her guard up. He knew too much about her as it was, even her association with Tal. Not that Kiri wanted to continue to associate with the ganger, especially after last night, but she chose her own friends.

  Kiri scowled at the computer. It wasn't that she didn't trust Stark on a personal level, because she did. But give him a chance, and he'd take her over like a business, managing her life as was most convenient for him, until he tired of her. Stark reality—simply arrange everything the way he wanted it.

  Who could she trust who was unconnected with him? She had friends, but they all worked, some of them off planet for much of the time. She could think of one person who was always around and who could use a comfortable post.

  She made the call. Kiri smiled at the familiar face on her hololink. "Maury, I'll be opening my stand this afternoon. Would you come and have a coffee with me?"

  * * *

  Rak picked her up in the slider. Kiri sat beside him, wondering if she'd have a chance for the newness of sliding about in a small private craft to wear off. She watched Rak manipulate the controls with calm expertise.

  "I really would love to learn to fly one of these," she commented.

  He cornered them around an industrial block, following another craft, and avoiding an airbus lumbering along in the lane just below. "Have to talk to Mr. Stark about that."

  Kiri shrugged, accepting that. She was in Stark's world, everything flowed through him.

  It was fun now diving down to the private docks at the space port. Kiri watched the dock with the big star glimmering above it grow clearer through the dirty fog. "There's Stark's dock," she realized. She'd been flown in and out of here before in his cruiser.

  "Yup. LodeStar," Rak said.

  She watched with fascination as they hovered over the platform, and then landed lightly, and taxied in under the graceful awning. Rak stopped the slider right at the end of the podway, and the hatch slid open, revealing the walkway.

  "Got something for you," he said, reaching into a cubby on the dash.

  Kiri took the small device. It looked like a silver-toned tube of lip gloss but heavier.

  "What is it?"

  "A shocker. Keep it with you at all times. Anyone gets too clos
e that you don't like the look of, you pretend you're gonna pretty up. But for the Great God's sake, don't touch this round end to your own skin. You touch them with it, and I promise you, they're going down."

  "Starry." She examined it. "Press this part here?"

  "No, twist it. That way it can't be zapping you by accident in your pocket. You got pockets, don't you?" He eyed her soft black knit leggings and gold fitted top with misgivings.

  Kiri grinned. So much for sex appeal—he just wanted to know if she could hide weapons.

  "I do." She examined the shocker and then tucked it into the pocket hidden in the seam of her top.

  "Okay. Let's go," he said. "I got your beans. I'll bring them and then go take care of some other business. I won't be too far away. You link me when you're ready to go."

  Kiri walked onto the concourse with nerves pinging. Her lessons in self-defense and carrying the shocker reminded her sharply that danger could come from any direction.

  She half expected to find news cameras or crowds dawdling. Instead, there were only the usual throngs of passengers passing to and fro. The bar across the way was open, although the gambling kiosk was still shuttered.

  Rak stowed her bags of coffee beans and then stood by as she powered up her coffee machine. She ground some of her new coffee beans and poured them in to brew.

  Illyria had included a gift of new disposable mugs with Illyrian Bean's logo emblazoned on one side, Kiri's Kaffe on the other. Kiri set them proudly in the racks, ready to grab when customers ordered.

  Rak stood on the other side of her counter, legs spread, arms crossed as she worked.

  "You don't go anywhere else without me," he reminded her gruffly.

  "Hey, I've had this place for over a year. And today the area's crawling with heroes." Kiri waved her hand airily at the open bar across the concourse, where a trio of InterGalactic Space Forces pilots sat with mugs of ale. One of them smiled at Kiri, and his companions turned to look. She smiled back, because the pilots might come over and buy a coffee after they were finished drinking. She wished Rak would stop the lecturing. He was creeping her out, and she had a business to run.