The Twisted Vine

by Alyce Caswell

  ‘Say what?’ Ala stepped forward. The whole room seemed to tunnel around her as she took control of it. ‘Nothing to be said. Not your fault, as far as I can tell. It’s true Callista has had it rough. But she did what she could in a bad situation and even if I want to beat the shit out of the person responsible, you’re not him.’

  Kuja swallowed, not sure how to respond. He was grateful for Ala’s words, grateful that Fei could still achieve her purpose here…and immensely grateful that he wasn’t Sandsa.

  Ala’s red eye locked onto him for several long moments, then shifted to Fei. ‘Fact is, the programmer’s words are worryin’ me more than anything you could say. Are GLEA and TerraCorp really comin’ after us?’

  Fei nodded continuously, her mind blank and her lips unmoving. When she began weaving on her feet, Kuja guided her into the lounge on their side of the desk and seated Fei beside him, a hand on her thigh. Her knee bounced a few times before stilling.

  ‘He’s gonna mess up your life, so I’d ditch him if I was you,’ Bock said from his chair.

  Ala slammed her fists onto the table. ‘Enough. You think you’re so high and mighty, Governor, but you forget who got ya here.’ She spun back around to face her audience, slinging one leg over the other as she hopped onto the edge the desk and perched there. ‘Ms Neron. Can you refuse to create and run the simulation?’

  ‘I’d…I’d lose my job,’ Fei whispered.

  ‘You knew that was gonna happen before you came all this way,’ Ala said, crossing her arms. ‘So why are you playin’ with unemployment if you’re so desperate to avoid it?’

  Fei’s expression warred between frightened and hopeful. ‘I want…I want to do the right thing. I want to ruin GLEA’s plans because of what they’ve done. The Creator God and those blindly following him shouldn’t be allowed to get away with their crimes. Not anymore.’

  Ala raised her one eyebrow at Kuja. ‘Just what the stark are you doing with this girl? She’s too good for you, ya douchenozzle.’

  ‘I happen to agree with her,’ Kuja replied. ‘The gods have a lot to answer for, even the sub-level ones.’

  Bock made a lewd comment about Kuja cavorting with sand lizards. Kuja frowned. He wished the governor had at least used an insult relating to his domain and not the Desine’s.

  Ala quietened her husband with a single glance, then said to Kuja, ‘Callista’s alright. If you wanted to know.’

  ‘Is she here?’ Kuja asked, glancing around even though he knew Callista and her son would not appear simply because he bid them.

  ‘No,’ Ala said flatly. ‘Callista travels a lot. To avoid that starkin’ brother of yours, no doubt.’

  ‘Is she happy?’ was his next question.

  Ala snorted. ‘Happy? I doubt Ms Neron here’ll be happy when she throws away her job just to impress ya. I want to make sure she’s doin’ it for the right reasons.’

  Fei peered at Kuja, desperation hollowing her cheeks.

  He shook his head, staying silent. This is your moment, Fei. I can’t always be there for you. Because…because if I do, they will see you as a threat to Father’s grand design. They will come after you. And they will kill you.

  Not for the first time, Kuja was glad that Fei did not have the same mind-reading powers that Callista had. She would have read the truth from him within moments and — she would have hated him forever. He couldn’t bear the thought of that.

  Fei drew out her sigh. ‘Fine. I guess it sounds better coming from me anyway. I’m doing this because I’m the only one who can. I’m doing this because it has to be done. I’m not doing it for Kuja; he’s inspired me, that’s all. Him and his god.’

  Bock burst out laughing, then smothered his mouth with a hand when Ala shot him a look. Kuja shifted uncomfortably. Clearly they both knew exactly what he was; Callista must have told them.

  Fei scowled. ‘This isn’t something you should be laughing about, Governor. Is risking my job going to come to nothing or do you actually care about saving lives?’

  ‘He cares,’ Ala said immediately. ‘He just doesn’t have all the brains. I’m the one who got him elected as both Clan Leader and governor, ha! Alright, what do we do? It’s not like there are any galactic courts we can take them to. Good thing too; GLEA’d probably run the starkin’ things.’

  ‘We could just cancel the job, get a refund,’ Bock piped up, fingers steepled beneath his chin.

  ‘TerraCorp might just say that GLEA is their client and do it anyway,’ Fei said, sighing.

  Ala shook her head. ‘Nah, they’ll have problems with goin’ that route. GLEA won’t want to be seen throwing around that many coin-chips when they’re supposed to only get donations.’

  ‘But TerraCorp will claim client anonymity or some shit, to cover their arses,’ Bock said with a snarl. ‘We’re in for a fight. Might even get physical.’

  Fei worried her lips together for a moment. ‘I think I can make it an even fight. We won’t even need lasguns. We just need the Web.’

  ‘Oh?’ Bock looked curious, his previous anger deserting him.

  ‘We’re going to expose TerraCorp for what it is,’ Fei went on, eyes shining. ‘We’re going to tell the galaxy. I can make it go viral. And then no one will want to deal with them or pay them.’

  Bock nodded approvingly. ‘I like it. Hit ’em where it hurts — their bank accounts.’

  ‘People will still hire them anyway,’ Ala pointed out. ‘The galaxy’s not gonna believe us just ’cause we said something on the Web.’

  ‘But we have to try,’ Fei insisted. ‘At the very least, it will make their activities look suspicious. And maybe it’ll discourage some people from donating to the Chippers.’

  Bock trickled his fingers over the desk. ‘So you’re okay with losing your cushy job, huh?’

  ‘Yes,’ Fei said without hesitation.

  ‘Might as well pay you then, since you’re now workin’ for us,’ Bock mused.

  Kuja enjoyed the smile that exploded over Fei’s features.

  ‘Good, that’s settled.’ Ala stood from the desk and made her way over to the door. ‘I’m gonna go take our girlfriend out on a date. I’m late enough as it is.’

  ‘I thought it was my turn with Ginsella,’ Bock said.

  Ala chortled. ‘Check your schedule. It’s not my starkin’ job to keep track of your appointments. But, if you’re good, maybe you’ll find me in your bed later.’

  Then she was gone.

  Fei blinked. ‘Governor, you and Ala…um…’

  Kuja was also staring. He couldn’t help it.

  Bock shrugged, apparently unbothered by their reactions. ‘This kind of marriage takes a lot of sharin’ and a lot of talkin’, two things I’m not actually terrible at. Now shut up for a moment. I have to check my schedule.’

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  ‘Why didn’t you tell me the governor would have a problem with you?’ Fei asked as soon as she and Kuja were encased inside the silver hovercar that Bock had chartered to take them to a private apartment. ‘I’d have let you stay in the antechamber, like you wanted.’

  Outside the gleaming windows the city flashed by, full of blurred lights and flitting shadows — the hovercar was moving far too quickly for Fei to focus on anything. Their driver had explained, to Fei’s interest, that no private vehicles were allowed on the streets after dark unless they belonged to the gang rostered on to look after the city for that night. Public transportation abounded instead, easily identifiable from specific markings on the doors.

  Kuja slid his hand along Fei’s thigh, his warm touch evoking a shudder of pleasure. ‘I didn’t realise the governor would recognise me until too late. And you still needed me.’

  ‘It’s a good thing Bock hates GLEA more than he does your brother,’ Fei said.

  ‘I’m glad Ala was there or he wouldn’t have accepted our help,’ Kuja murmured in response.

  Nodding fervently, Fei leaned back against the seat. She could tell the fabric wasn’t made o
f leather because it didn’t stick to her hands when she planted them beneath her backside to keep them from roaming onto Kuja’s body. She didn’t want an audience for the things she planned to do to him tonight — and most hovercars had vidcams aimed at the back seat so drivers could keep an eye on their passengers.

  ‘I suppose even planetary rulers need someone at their shoulder,’ Fei mused. ‘Someone to keep them from doing and saying stupid things. And to give them strength.’

  ‘Does that make you feel better about needing me?’

  ‘How did you know I was thinking that? How do you always know?’ Fei wondered. ‘Well. I can’t expect you to stay with me for the rest of your life. Because this was just supposed to be a bit of fun, wasn’t it.’

  Kuja looked away from her, his lips firmly sealed. The driver coughed and announced that they would be arriving at the apartment building in about a minute, an unnecessary pronouncement but Fei felt grateful for it all the same. It had filled the awkward silence.

  The moment the hovercar slowed, she slid over the seat and popped the door open before the driver could make it around to her side of the vehicle. She grinned when he muttered something about being about as useful as a lasgun drained of its charge, then ducked over to kiss his cheek. His mood immediately brightened and there was a bounce in his step as he escorted her to the foyer doors, Kuja trailing behind them.

  Once the driver had returned to his vehicle, Kuja gained access to the building’s foyer with a keypass Bock had given him, then guided Fei into the dark shadows beside the hoverlift, enveloping her in his embrace. His kisses began beneath her jaw before fluttering over to her earlobe, sending shivers racing through her. Then, when she parted her lips, he obeyed her unspoken command and claimed her mouth with heat and freshwater. She drank thirstily, wanting to drown in him.

  But then his mouth darted away from hers. ‘I can’t see you again after you tonight. I’d like to…but I can’t.’

  Fei blinked back tears. She’d known this was coming, but hearing it spoken was even worse than she’d expected. ‘I wish you could stay. And not just for, you know, sex stuff. It’s…you being in the same room as me makes me feel like I can conquer the entire galaxy. And everyone listens to me. Everyone.’

  Kuja’s hands framed her face as he delivered a gentle kiss to her forehead. ‘Just imagine me standing behind you, a little out of sight, and you will feel me.’

  ‘That’s not enough,’ Fei muttered, leaning her cheek against his chest. ‘It’ll never be enough.’

  Though Kuja’s heartbeat was steady and unhurried beneath her ear, there was a sense of urgency to his voice. ‘Please, Fei, this night is all I can give you. So take it.’

  ‘If this is our last night together then I’d like to have you inside me,’ she told him.

  Kuja brushed her mauve hair out of her face. ‘I’d like to try that. With you. Only you.’

  Fei bit her lip as an impulsive thought occurred to her; she had to quickly bury it beneath her desire for him so that it wouldn’t leak its way through her mind and then escape onto her tongue.

  She was too weird to ever find another man and this perfect one was insistent on leaving her behind. If there was even a small chance that he might leave a part of himself with her, then she wanted it. All she had to do was duck into a bathroom and remove the implant she used for birth control. The lingering effects of the implant might stop anything from happening, but she was so full of hope she was sure her plan would work. It had to.

  ‘Let’s make it memorable,’ Fei whispered. ‘I might not remember all the things we did together, but I want to remember this night at least.’

  But she would remember. She would remember everything.

  Without another word, Kuja pulled her into the waiting hoverlift. Before the doors had even closed he was pressing her against the side, darkness shielding his hands as they slipped beneath her shirt, moulding against her breasts. He kneaded, he teased — and then he shoved the fabric aside to capture one of her nipples with a kiss. Fei gasped and tilted her head back against the plexiglass panelling that curved up and around, giving her an unobstructed view of the starry infinity stretching above her.

  Her fingers found the trail of hair on his abdomen then skimmed further, past his belt, to cup him through his pants. His ensuing growl against her neck caused shock waves that began in her chest before plummeting down between her legs. Fei cried out and her hips jolted against him. Kuja had to hold her still as she laughed and laughed, slapping his shoulders.

  ‘Kuja!’ she said, grinning. ‘You didn’t even touch me there. And I still came.’

  ‘Just getting started, Fei,’ he promised.

  The hoverlift drifted to a stop so Fei wrestled him away from her, trying to straighten her clothes, then wondered why she’d bothered when the doors opened directly into a penthouse apartment. Kuja hurled his shirt and pants onto the floor before advancing on her, his gaze hungry and impatient. He was slower and more romantic about divesting her of her own clothes; he kissed his way along each line of skin that appeared as he stripped away the barriers between them. Fei back-pedalled once he was done, mumbled an excuse and launched herself into the bathroom to deal with the implant.

  When she emerged two minutes later, he carried her to a large, rounded bed smothered with silksein sheets. Kuja threw himself down beside her and she took a moment to admire his naked form, thrilled by the desire on his face as he returned the favour.

  You are mine, she thought.

  ‘Eternally yours,’ he whispered.

  Fei giggled, realising she must have spoken aloud, though she couldn’t remember doing so. She leaned over and kissed his chin, then let her lips wander down to each of his nipples. He almost jerked upright when she claimed the first one, but she made sure to shove him back down onto the bed, covering his body with hers.

  ‘I keep having this fantasy involving you,’ Fei told him.

  ‘Do…tell,’ he gasped as she nibbled his shoulder.

  ‘I imagine that we’re out by that waterfall we both love.’ She began teasing her tongue along his collarbone. ‘I’m lying beside it, naked, the moisture licking its way over me.’

  He groaned. The member hardening against her thigh shifted, its wet tip grazing her skin.

  ‘Then the rainforest comes alive,’ she continued, her lips now coasting up his neck. ‘And the vines wrap around my wrists, trapping me there. I cannot move. I am completely at your mercy. And you definitely take advantage of that.’

  Kuja’s eyes rolled to the back of his head and his cock twitched. Fei glanced down at it, surprised. As she watched, it spasmed again.

  ‘You are doing that on purpose!’ she accused.

  ‘I am…not,’ he said, then fell against the pillows when it happened once more. ‘Ah, ah. Fei, I’m yours. Do what you will with me. I think I’ll go soft very shortly and I would rather you…rather you got what you wanted before then.’

  Fei wrapped her hands around his shaft and squeezed gently. He leaked over her fingers, coating them with his desire. She wanted a lot more than her own pleasure. And she was determined to get it this time.

  ‘Tonight I will give you what has been denied you for so long,’ she vowed, gazing down at him. He looked magnificent like this, splayed out before her, the copper hair on his chest shivering with each ragged breath he drew. The power she had over him made her feel dizzy and she sagged to the side for a moment, resting her forehead in her hand.

  ‘Fei?’ he whispered.

  I don’t want him to know that I…I…

  ‘I’m sorry,’ he said, fingers trailing over her cheek. ‘I’m sorry I can’t be there for you. It’s killing me. But please. Let me give you something that was denied you.’

  ‘And what’s that?’ she asked softly.

  ‘The freedom to enjoy yourself without fearing the consequences.’

  Fei’s heart constricted briefly. But then she allowed herself to release her thoughts and her fears, and forg
ot that Yalsa 5’s star would rise to bathe her in light and reality. Tonight she had Kuja. Tonight he was hers.

  Holding his gaze, she positioned his hard length between her hands, then wrapped her intimate lips around the head of him. When he pleaded for more, Fei indulged him and sank further down his shaft, engulfing as much as his member as she could. He was large and wide and felt so starking good inside her.

  ‘Feiii…’ Kuja groaned.

  Fei bent over him, her hands clasped to his wrists. ‘You will stay hard, or I will find a way to punish you.’

  ‘Whatever…whatever you want,’ he rasped, seemingly incapable of arguing.

  Fei began to move, slowly at first, adjusting to the feel of him inside her. After she had given him several long, torturous strokes, Kuja’s hands twisted beneath her own and he lunged forward, latching onto a nipple and making her cry out, ‘Kuja! This’ll be over way too soon if you keep doing that!’

  He laughed and did it again. Fei sat back on him, forming a T-shape, hands on her hips. He offered her a guilty smile, though his green eyes were hopeful and bright.

  Fei smacked the side of his rump, causing him to jolt up inside her.

  ‘Behave,’ she ordered.

  Kuja went very still.

  Fei rewarded him by moving faster; each small ensuing pulse of his hardness caused even more desire to swoop through her. Fei bit her lip as she bobbed up and down on him, trying to hold back, but it didn’t take long — moans escaped her as she squeezed and tightened around him.

  Desperate for more, Fei pumped him more vigorously, the room feeling as steamy as the air beneath the canopy of the rainforest on Bagaran. She began to gasp for breath as waves of intense pleasure continued to wash over her, weakening the knees that she had braced against his hips.

  When she could finally see more than sparks, she stared down at Kuja, wordless. She’d never had an orgasm last that long, never felt this way with Zareth, never felt this comfortable…