by Cheri Chaise
She leaned toward me without taking her eyes from the stage. “I gave you that fur wrap for a reason, Dahlia.”
I slid the gossamer hood from my head. “Yes, well I was in a bit of a hurry. My apologies for being tardy.”
“I’m just glad you could meet me.” Trina unfolded a piece of the coverlet from her legs to share the warmth with me before resting her hand on my thigh beneath it. “I hope you enjoy the troupe. It took a lot of encouragement to get them to travel so far.”
“And a lot of credits too, I imagine.”
That turned her head my way with a smile. “One cannot put a price on bringing culture to the Rim territories.”
I chuckled and grasped her warm hand beneath the coverlet – only to discover it held something foreign.
Trina handed me what felt like a vial, contents of which were likely what we’d briefly discussed. I wrapped my hand around it and slid it into the sleeve pocket of my dress without drawing attention from the nearby guards or attendants behind us.
She leaned closer and kissed my cheek, dropping her voice to the breath of a whisper. “Are you sure about this?”
I avoided glancing down to inspect the contents, trusting that all was as she’d promised. Clear and odorless. That was the key.
“I’m not sure about anything at the moment. All I know is that I have to do something to protect them. A brothel is no place for a child.”
Her eyes darted down to the stage as the swell of music and writhing bodies increased. “Are you certain that’s where they’re kept?”
“No,” I admitted. “But it’s a place to start.”
We both were caught up in fascination as members of the troupe flipped through the air and hung suspended with the anti-gravity mechanisms they wore. I had no doubt Jace would find such technology fascinating. I almost wished he could’ve accompanied me here tonight. But he had a more important charge.
Which reminded me. I gripped Trina’s hand and pressed my braceleted wrist more firmly to hers. “I’m transmitting the list my mech tech requested.”
“I’ll review it and see what I can do,” she whispered. Then paused. “Where is the girl?”
“She’s secured in a pod on my ship.” I left out the fact it was Jace’s pod, as I didn’t want to give her the wrong impression and color Trina’s opinion of the mech tech. At least not any further.
“How can you be certain her story is accurate?”
“I can’t. However, having seen them both, I can’t deny that they are at the very least related.”
“Perhaps she simply ran away from an abusive family.”
“It’s possible.” The memory of the young girl perched on Sir Kranst’s knee gave me pause. “But if you’d seen that child tonight and witnessed the way Sir Kranst used her to entice the crowd…” Disgust burned deep in my belly. “Let’s just say it was obvious she didn’t want to be there.”
Trina glanced over her shoulder when the door behind us opened and closed softly. “You’re taking an awful risk.”
“I am aware.” I considered how I should administer the vial’s contents. A drop here or there? Sprinkle it over tea leaves? “How long do you think it will take the serum to dry if I apply it to the tea leaves ahead of time?”
“More than a few hours. Overnight, I’d think…at least.”
Overnight at least. I’d need to take care of it first thing when I arrived back at the ship in order for the leaves to dry adequately before the agreed upon time for the client’s visit tomorrow.
Trina released my hand and gripped my thigh. “Sir Kranst is a formidable man. You don’t have to do this, you know.” Deep blue eyes searched mine. “Those children aren’t your responsibility.”
My hand covered hers. “Then why do I feel they are?”
A moment of unspoken concern passed between us. “Like you said, he may only be using them for blackmail.”
I squeezed her hand in assurance. “Whether he’s using them now merely to trap men instead of for…other purposes, I can’t leave them to face life in a brothel.”
“But you’re a courtesan, Dahlia.”
I bristled at the implied equivalency. “A service I chose. They didn’t.”
She nodded in comprehension. “I meant no disrespect.” We fell into momentary silence and again focused on the troupe. “What will you do once you discover the whereabouts of these children?”
“We’ll have to find a way to return them to their families. At least find somewhere they’ll be safe…all while keeping everything legal and aboveboard.”
“If he’s claiming them as wards, then he’ll have the law on his side.”
“I’m certain he already does somehow.” He’d secured the release of Rylan’s sister from enforcement detention far too easily. I dipped my chin and stared up at Trina in submissive entreaty. “But the standing of a government official might hold enough weight with higher authorities.”
Her jaw set. Lips thinned. “I can make some discreet inquiries into whether or not legal documentation has been filed. See if he went through the proper channels. That will at least give us some idea of how many children he has entrusted to him.”
“Just be careful. I’ve already involved you in this more than I should.”
“It is my duty as an ambassador of the Galactic Empire to ensure the security of my constituents.” Trina smoothed the coverlet before pulling it off our legs as events on stage reached a frenzied crescendo of conclusion. “But if your use of this serum is discovered, I must deny any involvement. I cannot be connected to an illegal substance…technically.”
“Understood.” I stood up beside her as the troupe finished their performance to rousing applause. I used the opportunity to lean in closer. “We can’t let rumors surface that the royal ambassadors use anything other than the art of persuasion in their arsenal of negotiation tactics.”
She offered a hint of a smile and started to turn as if to leave the box, then stopped. “You’ve changed, Dahlia.”
My brows hiked involuntarily. Before I could respond, she waved away the comment and continued.
“Please don’t misunderstand…in a good way. There’s a strength in you I never noticed before.”
I glanced over the stage for one more look at the performers. Their strength was visible in the lithe and sinewy limbs and muscled torsos beneath their form-fitting costumes. But that wasn’t the kind of strength of which Trina spoke.
“Life out here on the Rim can do that to you.”
“I suppose.” She came forward and wrapped me in her warm embrace. “I must go backstage and formally execute my duties among the performers as their patron. Otherwise I’d accompany you to your ship.”
“No explanation needed. We both have duties to perform.”
We shared chaste kisses on one another’s cheeks before she pulled away. “Be careful tomorrow night.”
“Yet another thing the Rim has taught me.”
The titter of a genuine laugh left behind an echo as Trina’s guards swarmed around her to protect her from the crowds and accolades waiting outside the box door. Then she was gone.
I stared out across the rapidly emptying theater. Yes, life out here had changed me in so many ways. I was about to do something that went against every rule established by the Courtesan Court. What would Lily say?
The matron of the Courtesan House would’ve never involved herself in intrigue. Yet according to my last conversation with Councilor Atticus Grode, he’d more than intimated the once true purpose of the courtesans was indeed to root out plots against the royal family.
The royal family. Irik. I considered anew the possibility of contacting him, using the guise of helping to secure the safety of these children – if we discovered them. A shiver passed over me as I thought of his proposals. Of how many children of our own we might’ve had if circumstances were different.
If I’d never become a courtesan.
But if I hadn’t become a courtesan, our paths never would’
ve crossed. And if our paths never crossed, neither of us would be burdened with the impossible heartache that was now our constant companion. Then again, I’d never have known the incredible power of our love.
I shook my head to rid it of the never-ending cycle of thought that changed nothing and circumstances that could never transpire. The crown prince would never be mine, nor I his. It’s the way things had to be. It’s why I’d left my home for this existence on the Rim. An existence that had changed me – and according to Trina, that was for the better.
From my perspective, that remained to be seen. However, if I could pull off this bit of intrigue tomorrow, serve humanity by saving some children from a despicable man who only wanted to use them, then maybe I could once again bring new meaning and purpose to my calling.
Even if the very idea of that man touching me made every inch of my flesh crawl in revulsion.
Chapter Nineteen
“Sir Kranst…welcome.”
Instead of lowering the ramp in the usual dramatic, new client display, I chose to greet him at the main door before taking his coat and ushering him into my sanctuary. Sir Kranst’s focus fixed on the luxurious surrounds as he took in each ceremonial station before allowing his gaze to sweep toward the bed.
“Sensual. Exotic.” He bent to kiss my hand as if it was an afterthought. “Like the lovely flower who calls this ship her home.”
I kept my wrist relaxed even though I wanted to rip it from his grasp and run my hand through a chem steam cycle. The moment he released it, I swept him toward the cushioned station for the tea ceremony.
“Let us partake together.”
Never had I been so straightforward with a client. So dominant. Normally I presented options for the various ceremonies to begin our time together, taking the submissive role befitting a courtesan. But as with most things out here on the Rim, I’d learned that rules were flexible. After all, I had to ensure Sir Kranst drank his tea in plenty of time for my little plan to work.
With deft movements, I set the service tray with two delicate cups and carefully measured out the various tea leaves to create a special blend. “Might I ask a personal question, Sir Kranst?”
He settled comfortably among the cushions, even unbuttoning his shirt nearly to his waist to uncover a thick carpet of dark hair strewn across his chest. Thank the stars he hadn’t yet loosened his belt.
“Of course.”
I angled my body just enough so I only appeared to add the serum-treated leaves to my cup before steeping them in steaming water. “With an entire brothel at your disposal, I wonder at your desire to partake of my services.”
His brow hiked as he accepted the offered tea without tasting it, followed by a smile. “I see you’ve been checking up on me.”
“It is only wise when accepting a new client.” I took a sip then returned the smile over the lip of the cup in a seductive display. “Out here I do not have the protection of the Courtesan Court.”
“I suppose that is all too true.”
He blew across the top like a commoner before sipping now that I’d shown it to be safe by taking the first drink. Nobility my ass. A properly brought-up gentleman would never blow across the surface of a warm beverage. And he most certainly wouldn’t hesitate to drink that which a courtesan provided.
Though now that I thought about it a little more closely, those in the military forces who’d once deigned to see me on Andurea had always waited for me to take the first sip as well. Was it possible Sir Kranst had developed a few bad habits from a life in the military? No, he didn’t possess the bearing. However, it was obvious he didn’t trust easily.
After what we’d witnessed last night at the bar, it was obvious why.
“But,” he continued. “You have the protection of a crew onboard, do you not?”
He was not clever in his efforts at fishing for information. “Certainly, but in most cases they remain off-ship when I am…entertaining.” I wasn’t about to reveal that my crew consisted of an overloaded artificial intelligence and a mech tech who shared my bed – and who remained aboard for tonight’s activities. “However, I practice the utmost discretion, as any good courtesan does, and never reveal my clients.” I peeked submissively from beneath my lashes. “To anyone.”
He took another sip and set the teacup into the saucer. “And yet your ship is moored to a landing pad tied to Ambassador Trina Dregas.”
“I am a member of court. She is a peer, as well as a government official of the same. It is customary for a traveling courtesan to be officially represented…client or not.” I hoped my emphasis might throw him off further questioning.
My hands were steady as I freshened his empty cup with more steaming water. “Besides, Trina is a dear friend of mine, and I wanted to see how she was faring with her new posting. Rim living takes some adjustment, yes?”
“Hmm,” he acknowledged. “Though I’m sure she was the source of at least some of your information. She has visited my place of business and taken advantage of…”
He hesitated just enough to attempt to draw my interest, but I wasn’t about to play his game and focused on refilling my own cup.
“Let’s just say her interests lean more toward the unnatural,” he finished.
More unnatural than playing with children? I had to busy myself to avoid asking the question out loud. Whether it needed it or not, I added more tea leaves to his cup before gliding over to the harp a little more gracefully than I felt.
“A little music perhaps?”
He leaned back against the cushions with his arms behind his head. “I look forward to immersing myself in the entire courtesan experience.”
Not the entire. Oh please, not the entire. There were not enough credits in the galaxy to entice me to perform the act of joining with this man. But if he left the refreshed tea untouched, it’d take longer for him to succumb to the effects of only one cup, leaving me to do whatever was necessary to find those children.
Yes, if it came to it, I’d do it only for the sake of those precious children.
Resolute now, I leaned the harp toward me to settle between splayed legs and reveal plenty of skin as the slit in my dress parted. Just enough to provide a taste of what he thought was coming without getting his heartrate up so much as to counterattack the serum.
His body appeared to relax as my fingers plucked and teased the strings. But even after four or five songs and a few more sips of tea, his eyelids descended no lower than half-mast.
Which meant I was going to have to resort to the next stage of ceremony. I’d hoped to avoid any actual touching, but necessity dictated a trip to the cleansing station. I abandoned the instruments and returned to his side.
“What did you think of the music?” I asked, sliding a hand through the chest carpet before slipping the finely woven shirt from his shoulders.
“Lovely. Very sensual.” The slight bulge in his trousers gave that away. “Do you play for all of your clients?”
“Many,” I admitted, unclasping the belt and loosening it with deft fingers to rim beneath the waistband. “Though there are some for whom music does not speak.”
Eyelids drooped just a fraction, whether from lust or the serum I wasn’t quite able to determine. “Those less cultured and refined, I’m sure.”
Like he so aptly demonstrated. I left him to finish the task I’d begun and knelt before the heated urn beside the low teak table. I draped a plush, red towel over my arm and soaked a cloth in the soothing oil. I only hoped the warmth and scents helped to soothe my nerves as well.
I patted the table. “When you are ready, please disrobe and lie prone here.”
“You first.”
My hand stilled in the oil. I hid the sigh that tried to burble up from my lungs and did what any well-trained courtesan would at a client’s command. I wiped my hand on the towel and stood. In one fluid motion, I unclasped the jewel at my shoulder. The silk dress puddled at my feet, and I stood before him in all of my nude glory.
> He sucked in a breath. “You are exquisite.” He drew near and breathed in my scent before cupping a breast. “More beautiful than I imagined.”
I refused to flinch. I closed my eyes and imagined myself as melted butter as his thumb feathered nipples that unfortunately pebbled upon command beneath his ministrations. But no flood of moisture between my thighs accompanied it. Instead I wanted to scream in unholy horror.
“Let us proceed with the bathing ceremony then,” I rasped in as husky a voice as I could manage. “The oil will make our joining that much more extraordinary.”
He needed no further prompting. Sir Kranst stripped bare, stumbling a bit as he removed his trousers to reveal a growing cock beneath a slight paunch before he laid on the wood table as instructed. I breathed a sigh of relief to have his hands off of me, though now that meant I had to touch his person.
I simply imagine hard muscle where soft greeted. Sinewy ridges where excess gathered. Instead of the disgusting nobleman beneath my hands, I imagined Jace – where normally it’d have been Irik.
“You never did answer my question earlier,” I tried to purr, dripping then massaging oil into softened flesh.
He groaned as I hit a knot along his shoulder. “About?”
“Why pay for time with me when you have your choice of women from within your circle of…business.”
Though many of them probably felt the same way about joining with him as I did. But it didn’t hurt to stroke his ego. Better than stroking his cock.
“I wanted to…see how a courtesan operated. Your set-up and procedures.”
“I’ve never thought of what I do as a set of procedures.”
“But it is in a way. The tea. The music.” His sighs and groans deepened as I worked my way down his spine. “I must say…this oil business is probably a…client favorite.”
“For some,” I said. “Others see it as a necessary nuisance to tolerate before claiming what they contracted for.”
