by Presley Hall
That thought sends a warm flush through me, my stomach fluttering a little at the idea that he wants to keep me close. I’m also excited at the idea of going onto the cruise liner with him. It’s the adventure I hoped for, and I’m sure a cruise ship in space is going to be beautiful and luxurious. I’ve missed things like that, the kind of fancy opulence I used to look at and dream about back home.
A wry smile tilts my lips.
You can take the girl out of Vegas, but you can never quite take Vegas out of the girl.
The next afternoon, I find Tycran in the common room on our small ship, belting on his weapons.
“Are we leaving now?” I ask, looking up at him. A small tremor of nervousness washes over me. Has he changed his mind and decided to leave me behind while he goes to steal the seeds?
One look at his face tells me he’s considering exactly that. “Oh no,” I tell him, lifting my chin stubbornly. “You said we were going.”
“This could get dangerous,” he says, but I can see the conflict in his eyes. He doesn’t want to leave me unprotected. “It might be best for you to stay here, out of sight. But then again, if anyone who saw you yesterday tracked us down and tried to board our ship…”
“Exactly.” I take a step forward, pouncing on that line of thinking. “There’s danger either way. And if either option could be dangerous for me, I’d rather face the threat with you than alone.”
I desperately want to go with him. And it’s not because of the whole wanting to get him in bed thing anymore either. I still want that, of course, and the idea that he wants me near him makes my heart race in my chest. But it’s more than that now. It feels like I’m a part of this mission, ever since I helped him construct the model of Oryn so he could plan his assault on it.
I know the chances of anything happening between us now are slim to none. Before, I wanted to get to know him so I’d have a better chance of seducing him, but now that I have gotten to know him, I’ve realized I genuinely like him. I respect him.
There haven’t been many people like that in my life. And I want him to succeed, more than anything else. I want to help him do it.
“Let me come with you. Please.” I bite my lower lip, looking up at him. “I’ll follow your instructions—I’ve done that so far, just like you asked. But I know I can help, and I want to, Tycran. You said it yourself, this helps my planet too. So let me be a part of it.”
For a second, I think he’s going to tell me no. But then I see his face soften, and I know I’ve gotten through to him. I’ve appealed to the thing he understands most: the need to fight for a place and people that I love, the place where I once belonged.
“All right,” he says. “But we’re going to need to get some different clothes. We need to blend in, and both of us will stick out in a place like that, dressed as we are now.”
A bright smile crosses my face at those words. It feels like ages since I’ve gone shopping. “That’s something I’m definitely good at,” I tell him with a grin.
The shopping district, a few miles from the port, is surprisingly nice. There are a handful of shops selling clothing and jewelry, and Tycran lets me choose which one we go into, looking decidedly uncomfortable.
“Do you ever wear anything other than that loincloth?” I ask him as we pass by racks of clothing.
“Not if I can help it,” he says flatly.
It’s definitely nothing to complain about—the loincloth is sexy as hell. It’s like a perpetual tease, that strip of leather covering the place on him I’m most curious about, leaving everything else bare for me to see. He’s like a feast for the senses, all that bronzed skin and rippling muscle, with just that small space covered, making me want to see him naked even more because of the slight mystery left. But I’m curious to see what he’d look like in other clothes, dressed up in something more formal.
I’m about to have that curiosity satisfied, at least.
It doesn’t take me long to find something I love. I grab a set of undergarments first, which are similar to what I might wear back on Earth. As I try on a handful of dresses, I can feel Tycran’s gaze on me every time I slip out of the dressing room to look in the mirror, but I try my best to ignore the goosebumps that scatter over my skin.
The dress I pick is black, woven with metallic silver threads that glint in the light as I shift this way and that, so subtle that the effect is luxurious and elegant rather than tacky. It’s got thin straps and is extremely form-fitting, every inch of it clinging to my curves, the sweetheart neckline showing off my cleavage to its best advantage.
I can’t help but admire my reflection for a little longer. It’s been a long time since I’ve gotten to wear a dress like this. If I forget I’m on an alien planet, I could almost imagine I’m dressed up to go to the Bellagio for the night, or getting ready to dance at a private event.
Once I’m satisfied with my choice, I turn to face Tycran, steadying myself for his reaction—or non-reaction, whatever the case may be.
As I meet his gaze, his pale blue irises darken to a deep aquamarine. I can see the desire in them, in the way he breathes in sharply, his body swaying just a little. And I can see the way he brings himself back under control, reining in whatever reaction he just felt, his face settling back into its usual hard lines.
A small knot of disappointment twists in the pit of my stomach. It doesn’t matter if he feels some desire—he’ll never give in to it.
I try to distract myself by taking in his new appearance. He’s wearing fitted black pants and tall boots, with a black shirt tucked in, the collar of it open to show a small hint of his muscular chest. The sleeves are rolled up to his elbows, his hair still in the sleek knot, and his horns curving around his head. He looks elegant and powerful, his usual austerity fitting perfectly with the new clothing.
It sends a wave of heat through me. I didn’t imagine anything could be as sexy as that loincloth, but seeing him like this takes my breath away.
I glance at the mirror as he steps forward to stand by my side, and it makes my heart flutter in my chest to see how we look together.
“We make quite a pair,” Tycran says. His tone is light, but I can hear something else in his voice, something restrained and almost sad that I don’t quite understand. It can’t be regret… can it? “You chose well. We look…”
…as if we belong together.
I don’t know where the thought came from, and I push it away quickly. That’s not what I want. I’m not out to find something permanent. I just want a diversion, a few nights of fun. If it’s not Tycran, then it will be someone else.
“…good,” he finishes. “Like the kind of people who will be on that ship. We’ll blend in well.” He glances toward the shop’s entrance. “We should go.”
I nod in agreement and follow him outside once he pays for the clothes. As we step out onto the street, I can see the lights of the Astral Grace glowing from its spot at the port in the distance. It will be docked at Hak Gavar until tomorrow, not too far from our own ship.
My heart speeds up in my chest, and I’m not sure if it’s from excitement or fear. This night will either end with the seeds in our possession, the next step of our mission complete… or with something far, far worse.
Well, Lucy, you did say you wanted an adventure.
13
Lucy
It turns out to be a very good thing that Tycran brought me along.
Unsurprisingly, a cruise ship full of alien tourists and rich businessmen, dignitaries and aristocrats on vacation is much more my scene than it is his. Back in Vegas, I made my living charming people just like this, moving among them with ease and knowing just how to make them feel comfortable and happy. It was what made the difference between going home with a few thousand in tips and owing money to the house at the end of the night.
Tycran, on the other hand, is a battle-hardened warrior who never smiles and is decidedly not at ease among people like this. On his own, he would have set off some red fla
gs for sure. But with me at his arm, he looks the part of an arrogant, aloof businessman with his trophy by his side.
Getting on board the ship, as a result, is by far the easiest part of the mission. I smile charmingly at the purple-skinned alien who greets us when we arrive at the docking bay.
“Have you pre-purchased your reservation?” he asks, returning my smile and revealing that even his teeth are purple.
“No,” I tell him sweetly, pushing a lock of hair behind my ear. “This was a last minute decision, a little treat for me. My master does like to spoil me sometimes.”
I feel Tycran flinch a little next to me, although he hides it well. I considered using the ruse that we’re married, but these people, the kind of people who board a tourist vessel docking at Hak Gavar, are less likely to believe an alien who looks like Tycran would be married to a human woman like me than that he would own her.
And besides, if he’s presumed to have the kind of money and status to own a human slave, he’ll be given a wider berth by anyone thinking to ask questions. I explained all of this to him on the way, when I told him that I’d come up with a plan that might help, and he wasn’t happy about it then either.
“I don’t like it,” he said. “I’d never…”
“I know you would never,” I told him gently. “And that’s why I trust you. But these people won’t see that as strength. We’ll both be safer if anyone that we have to speak to thinks you’re powerful and wealthy, and someone to be feared.”
“I am someone to be feared.” Tycran’s voice went hard. “But for the right reasons.”
“Just trust me. I might not know much about alien society, but I know a lot about the rich and powerful, and the way they think. Besides, you’re the one who said it was dangerous for me here. It’ll be less so if it appears you have a claim on me.”
He finally relented, his lips pressed into a thin line. I know it was the argument about my safety more than anything else that convinced him. And fortunately, the purple-skinned alien doesn’t even bat an eye at the implication that I’m Tycran’s sex slave.
“You’ll need to purchase a room,” the cruise worker says, turning his attention to the massive Kalixian beside me. “You can go straight ahead, there, to that counter. They’ll give you your options.” He presses a flat, hard object into Tycran’s hand. “This is your ticket. They’ll scan it once your room is paid for, and you will have full access to the ship. Enjoy your stay.”
I smile brilliantly at him and then follow Tycran, careful to stay slightly behind him. He looks irritated at this, too, and I can’t quite tell if it’s because he doesn’t like the implications of me walking behind him, or because he wants to be able to see me for his own enjoyment. I want it to be the latter, but I suspect it’s a combination of the former and the fact that he wants to keep an eye on me to protect me.
He purchases the room, exchanging a good amount of the money we have left for the simplest room they have. Now we’ll have full access to the ship, and a place to retreat if need be, if anything goes wrong or if we need to decide what our next move is.
The Astral Grace is huge, made up of several levels, and we take a sleek elevator up to the main floor.
Rok provided Tycran with a holo image of the man we’re looking for, the seller. He’s a short, stocky alien with grayish skin and a flat, noseless face, so I can’t imagine he’ll be terribly hard to pick out. We just have to blend in with the crowd until we find him.
As we step off the elevator and walk down a corridor, I can’t help but wish we were on the ship for different reasons. I’ve grown to love Kalix, but I also realize as we slip into the throng of the mingling crowd that I’ve missed this. I’ve missed the glittering lights, which on this ship come from overhead chandeliers fitted with some kind of wiring that make the crystals hanging down from them refract a myriad of colors. The light falls over the faces of everyone in the crowd like a prism, refracting blue, pink, green, yellow, orange, and red.
Tycran’s eyes flick to me. He doesn’t smile, but his gaze skims over me, lit up with a rainbow of colors, and something shifts in his expression.
And then he looks away from me, and the moment is gone.
I shake my head, trying to refocus. We need to find the seller as quickly as possible so that we can get the seeds, then get off the ship and back to Rok before we’re noticed. If we’re lucky, we won’t even see the inside of the room that Tycran purchased.
We make our way to the center of the massive ship, where a long, gleaming circular bar takes up the center of the large space, along with booths and luxurious couches spread out around the floor for seating. It looks similar to an upscale club back home, full of the same well-dressed men and women in tight-fitting clothes and eye-catching jewelry—even if these ones are aliens.
“You fit in well here. It’s a good thing I brought you along tonight,” Tycran murmurs, and I have to fight back a grin.
Of course it was, but I’m glad he can see it too.
He purchases two drinks, his gaze darting along the length of the bar while I surreptitiously scan the crowd. I stay close to him, playing the part of a purchased trophy, something for him to show off on his arm. Tycran’s aloofness helps us here. He looks every bit as detached as any of the other rich males here, lounging and drinking as if they don’t have a care in the world.
“You’d do well in Vegas,” I tell him with a quiet laugh as I take my drink from him. “That’s the city I lived in back on Earth.”
Whatever he ordered for me is a fizzy gold concoction that I’m half afraid to take a sip of. It has small, glimmering stones in the bottom of it, and I’m unsure if they’re edible or if people with this kind of wealth have actually taken to drinking diamonds.
“I would? Why is that?” he asks, turning to face the crowd with his own drink in his hand. His looks more like whiskey, an amber-colored liquid with only a finger or so poured into the glass.
“You’ve got an excellent poker face.” I keep my voice low, aware that this kind of casual conversation helps us blend in.
“I don’t know what poker is,” he says evenly, still scanning the gathered knots of people. “But it sounds like that’s a compliment.”
“It is.” I flash him a small smile, just as I see his eyes narrow. He’s spied someone.
“Is it him?” I whisper. Tycran nods, a motion so small that no one else would notice it.
“Just over there,” he says softly, “at the far end of the bar. There’s a woman in a blue dress to his left. And it looks as if he has two guards.”
I follow the direction of his gaze and immediately see the alien. He matches the holo that Rok sent us perfectly, down to the smallest detail. Unfortunately, Tycran is also right about the two guards.
Although the seller doesn’t seem all that alert, paying more attention to his drink and the woman on his left than anything else, the guards are definitely vigilant. They’re continuously scanning the area, tense and aware, and although I can’t see blasters at their hips, I’m sure they’re armed somehow. Although they look similar to a lot of the other guests on the ship, dressed in black suits with stiff posture, I’ve done enough private dances for rich men with security to know a bodyguard when I see one.
And then I notice something else—the thin black briefcase that must contain the seeds is handcuffed to the seller’s wrist.
“Shit,” I hiss under my breath. “Do you see that?”
Tycran nods curtly. “Rok told me to expect it. It’s magnetic. It can be broken with an EMP device. I have a small handheld one that Rok provided for me.”
I stare at him, wide-eyed. “Don’t you think maybe you should’ve told me you have a miniature EMP on you?”
He blinks at me. “I didn’t think it made a difference.”
God save me from men. “I mean… it would probably have been worth mentioning.”
“Ah.” Tycran looks a little chagrined, and I remember that from the outset, he intended this to be a so
lo mission. He probably still isn’t quite used to having a partner in crime. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay.” I set my glittering drink on the bar. “Just—if there are other things like that in the future, let me know about them, okay? The more I know, the better I can help you.”
“I will,” he assures me. Then his eyes narrow as he focuses on our target. He sets his half-finished drink down too. “Follow me.”
He pushes away from the bar, and I follow close behind him. But as the two of us slip through the crowd, worry tightens my stomach.
Shit. This isn’t going to work without a distraction.
The seller might be inattentive enough to not notice Tycran’s approach, but the stony-faced bodyguards won’t be so easy to slip past. They’re going to see Tycran and realize something is wrong.
But then, as we move down the length of the bar, I see two alien women pass by the guards, dressed in sparkling gowns with cutouts designed to show off their best assets. They’re humanoid, curvy and beautiful with blue and green skin and long curly hair, and I see both of the guards look at them—not with suspicion, but with interest. One of the men shakes off the distraction quickly, but the other can’t seem to stop ogling, following the taller, blue-skinned woman with his gaze until she disappears into a small knot of people farther off in the room.
Ha! That’s it. There’s our distraction, if I can just…
An idea springs into my head as I glance around the large, crowded space and see a small stage lit up by the rainbow chandeliers. There are two poles set at opposing ends, doubtless for some entertainment later on, when the crowd is intoxicated and their pockets ready to be opened. But I think I have a better use for it now.
There’s no one currently on it. And if the guards can be distracted by a beautiful woman, well, I can certainly give them something to look at.
