Havoc (17 page)

Yeah, for shouldering the responsibility of the rest of the SenVerse, Elion thought but didn't say, and of course that only meant the riffraff had to follow them in order to continue profiting in their illicit trades. A soldier at heart, he never liked to think of how he'd become part of that cycle, but there it was.

"That's good news, I suppose.” He glanced at Kels, allowing himself a moment to appreciate how good the man managed to look in the morning, his hair rumpled, his face unshaven. Sayal was nowhere in sight. Perhaps she'd gone back into the ship. To M'Tal, he said, “If you're going to be on the move, are you sure there's nothing else you need discreetly transported?"

"Most of my personal effects are already on their way aboard my private liner. This is the last shipment outside the Rim I intend to make until my tribe is settled. I am pleased, however, that I am able to entrust this small delivery into your capable hands.” He spread his own broad paws, and Elion tipped his head, still distracted by the disappearance of the mysterious alien. Probably his imagination had blown it out of all proportion. The station crawled with nonhumans after all.

"I must warn you,” the Drolik continued, “because of the turbulence in the Conflict Zone, travel has become more dangerous than ever. I fret over your captain's insistence on going so far beyond the Rim.” They'd done business with the Drolik many times before, but Elion didn't fool himself into thinking the alien worried for their well-being other than that their deaths might rob him of a reliable means of smuggling his illegal goods.

"We'll be all right, Darsa M'Tal. We're not going far into the Zone."

"Yes, only to the high games.” M'Tal stroked his paw over his snout and huffed out what might have been a laugh, might have been a greedy sigh. He produced a fifty spot from the pocket of his embroidered robe and handed it to Elion. “Would you be kind enough to wager this on your captain and his new gamespartner for me? Captain Havoc wouldn't take it, as he feared we might not meet again for many cycles, and he wouldn't be able to give me my winnings.” The being's glowing eyes swirled with amusement. “I trust you to keep it for me, though, and I have full confidence that your captain will win. His new partner is exceptional."

"Certainly.” Elion couldn't help smirking at Kels, who rolled his eyes.

The old Drolik huffed again and rubbed his palms together. “Well, a safe journey to you, then."

Kels said, “An honor to carry your trade, as always, Darsa M'Tal."

"You honor me by conveying it,” came the formal reply. They all touched palms, and the tall midlien and his gang of squeaking Quitzae departed back toward the station hub.

Elion was careful not to ask about Sayal.

"She's getting her shit from her cube,” Kels said.

"What, did I ask?"

"No, but I saw you looking for her."

"I wasn't, honestly.” Irritation crept into his tone. He'd been quite mindful. Kels made assumptions. Elion pulled in a breath. “I've thought about what you said, and I've been up all hours trying to figure out why this bird's got under my skin. I'm at a loss except to say that she's different from our usual fare. She doesn't seem to belong in this grimy part of the SenVerse. I like her as a person,” he said simply, shrugging. “I don't want to see her hurt."

Kels studied him, no judgment in his eyes. “She is different, isn't she? I have to admit, she's got me twisted too. Brings out the protective instincts, you know?"

"Yes, exactly. Like she's a little lost kitten or something."

"A beautiful kitten,” Kels ruminated, and Elion flinched at all the puns between kitten and pussy Kels could make if he cared to, which he normally would have. He had a bawdy sense of humor to go along with his flamboyant nature, but for once Kels remained thoughtfully silent. Then he headed up the ramp, and Elion followed.

Once they were inside, Kels pulled the ramp up halfway and turned to him. “El, I think our kitten has a larger agenda."

That threw him. “What do you mean? Beyond the high games?"

"Mm.” Kels crossed over to his chair and sat. He slung his crossed legs over one arm and rubbed his forehead. “I haven't put all the pieces together yet, but a few things have stood out. Did she tell you she was raised on a liner?"

Elion sat in his chair and swiveled it to face the captain. “Yeah, when we were in the observatory. She mentioned a childhood in space, being tutored."

"Same story she gave me. That would explain why there are odd gaps in her knowledge."

"Such as?"

"Spit darts."

"What are spit darts?"

"Exactly. That first night when she ambushed me in my cube, I told her I had to search her for spit darts, and she let me. She had no clue they didn't exist. Also, she carried that Asaki blade I showed you, but I truly feel she wouldn't know one end from the other in a pinch. And there've been other little details she's lied about or bungled."

Elion shook his head, puzzling. “But she has been honest about some things. The patch for instance."

"A scrap of gauze covered with burn cream."

He couldn't be serious. “Are you certain?"

"Absolutely. I knew it as soon as she showed it to us. I don't care how faint it was. I'll never forget the smell. I'm surprised you didn't recognize it, considering you were covered with it after I dragged you to the medi-unit all those years back. I suppose the bonesmen kept you too foggy."

"Then...you took all that poison without...?"

He nodded as he popped his knuckles. “Yeah."

"Why didn't you call her out on it, then?"

His mouth curled up slightly at one corner. “Curiosity."

"You could have died, Kels."

"Nah. Puked a lot, sure, but you won't be rid of me that easily."

"I still haven't puzzled out why she got so sick."

"Nerves, most likely. Afraid we'd figure her out."

"All that to get to the high games?"

Kels sucked on his lower lip. “Well, that's another thing, isn't it? Is that really her goal?"

"You have my head spinning. If it's not, then why's she fucking you now?"

Kels laughed. “Oh, another cruel blow to the man's ego."

Elion laughed too, but uneasily. “You know that's not what I meant. I mean, she's bent on it, getting into the Dome."

"I'm not so sure she is. She tells me she wants to fuck. She tells you she's frightened. And her and me—we haven't actually done the deed yet, though to be honest that's more my doing than hers. Truth, though, she's doing her best to get us both worked into a lather. I have to wonder, is she playing us, one against the other? Or buying both our loyalties with her favors?"

Saints, this was making him ill. He'd lifted her up on a pedestal, thinking she was pure and honest, and now all that was being kicked out from under her piece by piece. He rubbed his aching head. “What would be the purpose? What's her motivation? It's not as if we're richers."

"Yeah. Haven't figured out that part yet. But I think it's clear she's a richer, or was. I'm thinking runaway princess maybe skirting a marriage arrangement or some warlord's daughter getting her small revenge on her overbearing parents."

"She's too old for that."

"I don't know. Sounds like she's had a fairly pampered life. It's war and hardship that make you grow up quick. There's a difference between age and maturity."

"Of course.” He mulled for a few moments, then sighed. “Well, what are we going to do about it? Take off without her? Leave her on Aleut to make her own way home?"

"Nah,” Kels said softly, shaking his head and smiling. “I'm gonna call her bluff, take her in the Dome today, and give her the fucking of a lifetime."

Kels watched his mate's face pale, for Elion knew of what he was capable. “Don't hurt her, Kels,” Elion said.

"Of course I won't. Just going to give her something to write home about, let's say."

"And if she ducks out before you go in, you'll let her?"

"Sure. You know me. Have I ever forced a woman?"

"No.” Elion's gaze fell, then rose again. “What if you're wrong? What if she's run away because she's in trouble?"

"Yeah, I did consider.” He slouched down farther in his chair and folded his hands over his stomach. “She mentioned a fella coerced her—her words. Made her perform in front of his mates. I warned her the Dome was no place to work out old hurts, but that was early on, and she's never relented or switched her gears. Didn't seem too upset about being coerced neither. Maybe she liked it, being watched."

"What a tangle.” Elion drummed his fingers on his thigh. “Maybe we should confront her, tell her what we're thinking, see how she handles it."

"Considered that too. Only thing that's stopping me is"—he paused, puckered his lips—"that something special you mentioned. There's a fucking sincerity about her that makes me not want to put her on the spot. If she's running from something bad and needs help, she just might not know how to ask for it. Putting pressure on her might make her run again, and it'd be worse for her with most any other guys.” He'd thought of the other smuggler captains in the station and knew not a one of them who wouldn't have raped her or sold her by now, seeing as she had no money and no guardians. “She hardly knows us neither after all. Sure, she has her doubts about us, same as we do about her. Wouldn't make sense for her to spill her guts to us after a few days’ acquaintance."

"Hasn't stopped her from getting into our pants,” he pointed out.

"Sometimes that's easier than getting into the heart, you know?” He smiled at his mate. “Our relationship's a work in progress."

Elion sat back. “What've you got in mind, then?"

"I've tossed it about all night, and I've decided I want to ride it out, see where this leads. It's not as if I didn't want to go to the Zone anyhow. We might drum up more business there, and we need that, ‘specially if the Dregs are running dry like M'Tal says. We need to start expanding our horizons too."

"But the Dome..."

He spread his hands. “She says it's what she wants. Best she learns what she's in for if she's truly got the high games in mind."

Elion knit his eyebrows worriedly. “What have you got in mind, for her, I mean?"

He couldn't help grinning. “A variation on a theme. You know she's got fantasies about the three of us together. Don't worry. I see your look of horror. I'm not asking. But I intend to work that angle, best I can with just the two of us."

Elion grimaced. “I'm not even going to ask how."

Kels huffed. “You big duck. You shouldn't be afraid to present that magnificent wang to the world."

"And how would you know it's magnificent? Even though it is, naturally."

"Naturally. I had my hands on it once."

"Yeah. That could have been a good night if you hadn't ducked out."

Kels pointed at him. “We may have our night yet."

Elion reeled back. “Saints below, Kels. What the fuck's got into you lately?"

"What? After all these years of yearning, now you're going cold on me?"

"A man can only wait so long.” Elion arched his eyebrow skeptically. “I will say, you look very nice in black."

"Yeah, matches my sinister heart.” He pressed his palm over his chest; then a movement outside caught his eye. “Here comes our bird. Care to scoot down the ramp to assist her?"

"Yeah.” Elion sighed. “Now I'm more in a muddle than ever about how to handle her."

"For now, follow my lead. Promise? Maybe we'll get her to spill sooner than later."

Elion hesitated. “You're sure about this?"

"Oh, El.” Kels pulled a face. “Do you know why, with all your military experience and several years’ age on me, I'm the captain and you're the mate?"

"I suppose you'll tell me."

"Because I can make a fucking decision; that's why. Now stop prevaricating and bring in our girl."

With a sigh of strained patience, Elion rose and punched the panel that lowered the ramp. Sayal must be wondering why it hadn't been down for her already. Kels watched Elion's fine, tight ass as he disappeared into the cargo bay. No doubt, he'd been thinking more and more about a triad between El, him, and Sayal, her curvy body sandwiched between their two muscular ones...

Like working a puzzle, his brain kept rearranging the three of them into interesting arrays to fill the maximum possible holes. He'd pushed Elion out of his mind as a sexual possibility for so long that now that he allowed himself to consider it again, he kept going back to it like he was worrying a loose tooth.

The first time he'd had a man in the Dome, it had been quite the revelation. It'd been two guys actually, during a free-fuck, who'd decided to break in the new fella—one on his cock, one up his ass, plenty of lube, thank the saints. Kels had been young, needing the iron and thinking, naively, that an arena full of flipped-on bodies would be fun. It'd turned out scarier, but it had opened his mind to vast possibilities. This bloke had shoved in nine inches of no turnin’ back and banged out a tremendous orgasm. Kels hadn't liked feeling not in control, but he'd had a few chances to experiment since and discovered that making the other guy nuts was just as good if not better. Serious power rush.

He'd done a triad too, with a chicky named Ibisna, long time earlier, and some fella... He hadn't been too good. Ibisna had done her part. Yeah, triads could be tricky. With two guys it wasn't always clear who was the boss, and Kels learned fast that not every fella liked to be the bottom, while he was certainly more the aggressor. But with Elion, there was no question. It wasn't a matter of ego; it was simply the natural order of things. And El needed a good fucking, no question.

Throwing Sayal into the mix only made things more intriguing. It'd be a mind-bending whirl of hard and soft, rough and wet, kissing and sucking. He hummed and gazed out the viewport where El was hitching Sayal's bag over his shoulder. If only Elion weren't so emotional. If he could see things more objectively, the way Kels did, he'd realize this was an opportunity for some seriously fierce pleasure.

But the way Elion worked, his heart'd get all tangled up in it. Crack. For a man who'd just proclaimed himself a good decision maker, Kels still hesitated. Well, he couldn't keep dropping hints, then not acting. He'd have to shit or get off the crapper soon, or Elion would quit and go work for some man-loving space pirate who would keep his ass
and
his wallet filled. Kels hadn't done a good job of either for too long.