Nebula Nights: Love Among The Stars

by Melisse Aires

  Kiri meant to announce her presence, but she was too fascinated with this glimpse into Stark's two closest relationships.

  Joran was grinning at Stark. "So you're bringing your latest woman with you? This one must be special, if you think you can abide her company for nearly a month of traveling."

  The blond man cocked his head, looking cautiously hopeful. "Saw the two of you in the latest news from Earth II. She special?"

  Kiri waited, biting back a smile of pure glee. Stark's brothers were teasing him about her. She held her breath, waiting for his response.

  What she heard pricked her buoyant mood like the slash of a cutter.

  Stark shook his head, his voice calm, even cold. "She's lovely, she doesn't bore me and she's half-Tygean, which I believe says it all, hmm?"

  Kiri's smile slipped away. She let out a huff of breath, pain striking her belly as if he'd punched her.

  Joran laughed. "Purrs for you, does she?"

  Creed frowned. "Thought maybe this one—"

  Stark cut him off. "Creed. She's no one special, so don't start spinning moon dreams. You know my requirements in a woman are simple. A sweet cunt and not too much irritation."

  Joran shook his head, grinning. Stark grunted, clearly done. He asked his brother a question and Joran answered, but Kiri noticed only peripherally.

  She stepped back very carefully from the doorway and then turned and walked back to her room. She sank onto the side of her bed. Her stomach knotted, and she felt chilled despite the warmth of the room.

  'A sweet cunt and not too much irritation'. That's all she was to him? Last night, the way she'd shared with him … had his reassurance just been to calm her down so she'd relax and go to sleep?

  Her bitter laugh broke on a sob. He'd warned her. He'd told her that very first time not to read anymore into this than sex play. But without even noticing, she'd done it anyway. Begun to think of herself as part of his life, as someone important to him.

  God, she was so stupid. Like a stray cat, rubbing up against anyone who threw some good scraps her way, thinking that meant she belonged.

  She didn't … not here.

  Chapter 28

  Kiri's comlink chimed, jerking her from her bitter reverie. She glared at the hovertray which waited at her side. She had to clench her fists to resist the urge to throw the whole thing against the wall. Unfortunately, the wine would stain the pretty walls, and comlinks were practically indestructible, so she ignored it, turning away to pace across the room, swallowing the tears of fury that wanted to erupt.

  She was tougher than this. She was not some stupid little twit who'd sit around and whine over a man. So what if Stark was using her for sex? So, she'd use him too. For credit. As soon as she had enough she was out of here. And if that made her a whore, she guessed she'd learn to live with that. Couldn't hurt anymore than his words.

  She was alone again, all the warm certainty of the night before swept away with one careless wave of his hand. Stark reality—for her, that meant depending on no one else. Just like always.

  The waiting link chimed again. She swept up her comlink, ready to throw it this time.

  Tal smirked at her from the screen, a twilight figure with his black braids and bold tattoos. She hadn't planned to have any more to do with the ganger. Stark certainly wouldn't like it. Which was reason enough in itself. Her jaw set, she opened the link.

  "Hey, star baby," Tal said lazily. He was leaning against a dark wall, wind swirling around him. His braids and the skirt of his leather duster stirred. He was chewing something—licorice gum, probably.

  "What do you want?"

  His crystalline gaze slipped over her, and his eyes narrowed. "Drinking alone? I could fix that."

  "Maybe I like to drink alone." She picked up the wine and took a long swallow. It tasted sour on her tongue, but she forced it down.

  He continued to watch her with the alertness of a predator. "Shame, a starry babe like you drinking alone. Your man leave you home while he's off cruising and bruising?"

  She rolled her eyes. "That sounds like you, Tal Darkrunner. Stark is more likely to be flying and buying. Or soaring and whoring." Actually he could do that right here—with her.

  He chuckled, that whisper of sound characteristic of his dark humor. "How I keep my associates in line. Him, now—he should not be out whoring, not with you waiting alone at home." Temper edged these last words.

  Kiri took another drink of her wine, ignoring this hint that he would treat her differently. "And again, what do you want with me?"

  "Told you I have something of yours."

  The hair on the back of her neck stood up. "Something of mine?" He couldn't. The fire had completely destroyed her apartment.

  He held up a small rectangular object, smirking at her.

  "My box?" she breathed. She was shaking, her mind popping with fizzes like Stark's sex balls. "You have my strongbox?" She'd been so sure it was destroyed in the explosion, she hadn't even bothered to ask if anything had been found in the rubble.

  He nodded once.

  "How—how did you get it?"

  He gave her a look. "Don't ask. Plenty of looting went on before the fire. Point is, you want it back, come and get it."

  "Wait." She raked her fingers through her short curls. "I can't come to your place. Will you meet me somewhere? Like at a club? Please?"

  "The Flash. Wear something sexy."

  She started to nod and then groaned. "Wait, wait. He's here tonight. Can we meet tomorrow?"

  He gave her a knowing smirk. "Gonna sneak around behind his back?"

  She mimicked his smirk, narrowing her eyes at him. "Don't worry about me."

  "Not tomorrow, I got a deal going down. Has to be tonight." His smile disappeared, leaving behind a dangerous man. "You make me wait, gonna cost you more, baby."

  The link winked out, and Kiri blew out a shaky breath. By cost, she knew he didn't mean credit.

  Okay, she had to stay calm. She'd worry about his price later. Right now she had to figure out how to meet him. She was under no illusions as to what Stark would think of her meeting a ganger. Although she wasn't sure why she cared what Stark thought anymore.

  Her hand shaking, she drained her wineglass. If Tal had linked her even an hour ago, she would have asked for Stark's protection, his help. Her face crumpled, and she dropped the empty wineglass, hands to her face.

  His words echoed in her head. 'She's no one special … half-Tygean, that says it all.' Because it amused him to make her purr for him?

  Damn him to the seven hells. She'd rather choke than ask him for help. And she wouldn't ask Rak to go with her, because he and Natan had been with Stark for a while. They probably saw her the way Stark did, just another throw-away sex-companion.

  No, it would have to be someone outside his household. Illyria? No, Taara. She'd pretend she just wanted that girls' night in.

  That box was too important to lose. She'd do whatever it took to get it back, and Stark be damned. And if that was foolish pride, well, her pride was all that was holding her together. And it would have to keep her warm as well, for the foreseeable future.

  * * *

  Stark gave Kiri a quizzical look across the dinner table. "Nervous about our voyage?"

  "Hmm? Why?" She looked up from her plate in polite inquiry.

  He looked pointedly at the food she was pushing around. "You've drunk a glass of wine but scarcely touched your food."

  "Oh, yeah," she said. "You're right. I'm really nervous."

  "The Orion is state of the art," he reminded her. "With the best captain and crew available. Should anything go wrong, there are other Alliance ships within com distance for the entire journey. But in five voyages, she's had no trouble."

  She gave him a look. "No trouble? I watch the news holovids, Stark." She wasn't calling him Logan, ever again.

  He shrugged. "Those incidents were all caused by a business rival attempting to sabotage my flagship. He is now dead, and his company u
nder the close supervision of the IGSF."

  She managed a nod. Keep the conversation going, anything but him watching her in silence.

  "It's just … deep space, you know? So, I thought I'd drop by Taara's and visit for an hour or so. Take my mind off the trip."

  She resisted the urge to fidget as he studied her. "All packed?"

  "Yup. Got everything ready. Thank you for the luggage. It's beautiful." She'd thrown things into the cases willy-nilly, more for something to do while she waited to leave than anything else.

  He nodded, continuing to watch her, a line between his brows. "You're sure that's all that's bothering you? You can tell me if you've a problem, you know."

  Hurt roiled along with anger, a hot ball of pressure behind her eyes. Oh, quark, she was not going to cry over a few kind words from him. Not like he really meant them. She stared back at him, only her long years of practice keeping her expression stony.

  "Yeah, thanks. That's ... so sweet."

  The change in his expression was minute, but she smirked. "Not liking sweet? How about, 'That's very businesslike of you, Stark. Glad you're looking out for your latest acquisition.'"

  He put down his napkin. "Yes, I am. See to it that you do the same tonight. Stay at your friend's place until Rak picks you up, hmm?"

  She rose and he caught her with an arm around her waist, leaning down to brush a kiss on her temple. "I know you're nervous, kitten," he said. "It will be all right."

  For an instant, unable to resist his pull, Kiri leaned into him. His fingers under her chin, he tipped her head back, holding her there as he plundered her mouth with his. She clung to him, part of her wanting nothing more than to stay there. Instead she broke the kiss. It would never be all right again.

  "See you later."

  "You could stay here," he said, his eyes slumberous as he stroked her ass. "I've several new toys I haven't shown you."

  She stiffened and he smiled wickedly.

  "Yeah, I just bet you do," she said, her voice cracking. "Um, maybe you could bring one or two on the ship. I'm gonna need distracting from all that deep space." If she boarded the ship.

  She pulled free of his arms. She could feel him watching her as she walked away. But now it felt as if he was viewing an acquisition, not a person he valued.

  He'd soon find this acquisition had a mind of her own.

  Chapter 29

  Rak ferried her to the landing for Taara's apartment building and walked her to the door. Kiri stiffened her spine against the guilt eating at her. She was lying not only to Stark but this man, who'd befriended her. If Rak found out, he'd be so disappointed in her.

  If Stark found out … he'd throw her ass out on the street.

  For her strongbox, she reminded herself. She couldn't believe it still existed, wouldn't believe it if Tal hadn't shown it to her. And the memories it held were at least true, unlike the starry bubble in which she'd existed for the last weeks.

  Taara opened her door with a wide smile, bouncing on her toes with excitement. "Hi," she greeted Kiri. "Are you ready to party?"

  "Right here, right now," Kiri agreed, holding up the bottle of Cremarté Natan had given her. When she asked him for a bottle of something to give a friend, he'd assured her the sweet, powerful liqueur was a favorite of Serpentians.

  "Perfect," Taara squealed. "Come on in. Are you coming in, Rak?"

  The pilot shook his head, already backing away. "Link me when you're ready to go," he told Kiri.

  Taara gave Kiri a broad wink and whisked her into her apartment. "He didn't suspect a thing," she crowed, waving the bottle as she led the way into her tiny galley. "Come on, let's have a drink to celebrate before we head out. This is gonna be so starry. And I promise I won't take off with any guys tonight. I felt kinda bad about that last time."

  "No problem," Kiri assured her. She took the tiny glass Taara offered her.

  "Here's to a starry night," Taara said, and tipped back her glass, swallowing the creamy liqueur in one gulp.

  Kiri followed suit. She swallowed and then gasped. The liqueur was liquid cinnamon fire, with only the cream to keep it from burning a hole in her insides.

  "Sorry," Taara was already pouring another glass for each of them. "Forgot to warn you. Serpentians are a little tougher when it comes to hot stuff."

  Kiri nodded, but she took the second drink. She needed some liquid courage for what lay ahead.

  Taara cocked her head, a slight frown on her face. "Are you okay?" she asked. "We can just stay in, y'know. Talk."

  "I'm fine," Kiri protested. "Just nervous about the flight. Let's go."

  Taara nodded, accepting this explanation.

  The two of them scurried down the back stairway and then took the elevator from two floors down, just in case Rak was watching the elevator on Taara's floor. From the street, dark and wet and dirty, they climbed to the landing platform for the local airbus and rode it across the city.

  Crowds of young people hung out on the street outside The Flash. On the short walk from the airbus landing, Taara and Kiri were importuned for credit, sex and the dubious shelter of a religious cult. Kiri paid the entrance fee for both of them and the huge bouncer let them in through the single front door.

  "Is Tal Darkrunner here?" Kiri asked.

  The Mau looked them over with insulting thoroughness and smirked at Kiri. "Tal's table is in the back."

  Her stomach jumping, Kiri led the way into the club, which was filled with an eerie purple twilight and the sharp lance of laser flashes through the air above the crowd. Techno-barb music thumped and screeched from the band on the floating stage. Smaller cages swerved through the air, with nude dancers writhing inside. The air was full of smoke, sweat and perfume, the scent of sex in every dark corner.

  "You're meeting Tal?" Taara shrieked in Kiri's ear, her eyes wide. "Why?"

  Kiri nodded. "He has something I need."

  Taara recoiled. "Not drugs?"

  Kiri shook her head vehemently. "No, I don't do that crap. It's a—a memento."

  "Ooh, a love token?"

  "No," Kiri said, although her cheeks burned. "More like something Tal stole. Or his gangers did."

  "But what about Stark?" her friend asked. "Won't he be angry? Kiri, I think this is a bad idea."

  "What about him?" Kiri shot back. "This has nothing to do with Stark. Tal has something very important to me. Let's leave it at that."

  Taara looked troubled, but she followed Kiri through the knots of people drinking and laughing, the laser flashes illuminating them in weird detail. A flash of orange hair, a face picked out in glitter, a smile rimmed with metal, and clothing from the bizarre to the barely there. A lower class of partier than Le Tigre, the laughter here tinged with despair and distorted by drugs.

  There were small tables with people standing around them, but finally they reached the back, where larger tables were surrounded by chairs, all of them full.

  Tal's table was the farthest back, and he lounged with his back against the wall, a woman on either side of him. The rest of the table was full of his gang. Every man had a scantily clad woman on his lap. Kiri stopped on the far side of the table, Taara at her shoulder. Tal said something, and both his hangers-on pouted but rose from their chairs to move away.

  Kiri expected Tal to beckon to her, but instead he rose, a lean dangerous figure in his black leathers. He prowled around the table to them. "You stay here," he said to Taara. "Drinks on me."

  He slid his arm around Kiri, his hand on her hip. She wanted to slap it away, but that wouldn't get her what she wanted.

  "I'll be right back," she mouthed to Taara. Her friend's eyes were big.

  Kiri frowned up at Tal. "You tell one of your guys to look after her."

  He simply pointed at one of the younger men leaning against the wall. The blond man nodded and beckoned to Taara. He smiled at her as he motioned her to one of the empty chairs. Taara sat, but she didn't smile back.

  "She'll be fine." Tal propelled her through th
e crowd toward the shadows of the rear. The crowd parted for them, wary gazes on Tal.

  Kiri avoided the curious gazes turned her way. She was the envy of many of these women, and some of the men, but her muscles were tight with dread. Tal was taking her somewhere, which probably meant he expected sex. She didn't want him touching her. She didn't want any man who wasn't Stark touching her and that was just wrong because he didn't really want her, just her body.

  She shivered, chilled despite the heat of the room and the weight of Tal's arm. The chill grew worse when the doors ahead groaned open, and Tal propelled her outside onto a landing pad. Rain was pelting down on the awning overhead. The air stank of old metal and pavement, and things she didn't want to know about.

  "Where's my box?" she demanded, digging in her heels.

  A slider whispered to a stop before them. Gleaming ebony with faint gold tracings. The near hatch hissed open, and Tal pushed her forward. "Get in."

  Inside, Kiri perched on the leather seat. There was no one else in the cab. She could see the driver in the cockpit. Tal slid in beside her, and the hatch closed. She felt the jolt as they glided forward. The slider smelled of the spicy cologne he wore, and of leather and the night.

  Tal looked down at her in the soft gold light of the small, ornate glowlamps. His face gleamed like molded cerametal, his tattoos mysterious shadows with his light eyes glowing in their midst. He reached out and touched her face, tracing a finger down her cheek. "You are a starry one, Kiri te Nawa. A man would do a lot to have you for his own."

  "Cut it out, Tal. I just want my box."

  As if she hadn't spoken, Tal rubbed the pad of his thumb over her lower lip, pressing it slightly inside. She could taste the salt on his skin. He inhaled and hooked his hand around the back of her neck, pulling her toward him. He was all bone and muscle and leather, hard and tensile against her.

  "Come to me, Kiri," he crooned, his breath warm and scented with licorice. "Be my lady. No one else can touch you. I'll give you everything you ask for—everything you can dream of."