Tamara's Future (8 page)

unbelievable pleasure? And pleasure it was.

There was no pain. The corset didn’t cover her pelvis and the cold air seemed to

intensify her need rather than dampen it. Her muscles grew sore from her orgasms yet she wanted more. She didn’t want this to stop because it was good. It felt good. Gage was right. She’d never known pleasure like this. She sank into her body and lost all track of time and space. Nothing mattered but her pleasure.

*

“Well? What have you found out?”

“It wasn’t easy but I’ve found out it was Lightgo. I also found out their route,” Fells said.

“So?” the pirate asked.

“So! So you go corner them and take the holovas and the rest of the goodies he stole from the Luxor Astra.”

“Lightgo flies a Mercury ship. None of my vessels can touch it. And how did

he get a ship like that?”

“Space Command gave it to him to catch pirates like you.”

“What? He’s a cop? Everyone thinks he’s a pirate. How has he fooled everyone and

why didn’t you tell me that before?”

“I didn’t tell you because I didn’t know. Space Command has kept it well hidden.

It’s only when I started looking for information that I realized the connection.”

“This changes everything,” the pirate said.

“This changes nothing,” Fells said. “He’s trying to set up a sting. It’s not going to work. I want him taken down. If you really want the art, I’ll give it to you.”

“What will the cost be?”

“The cost is that you take out Gage. He’s been a thorn in my side for too long. He

interrupted one of my operations and cost me a lot of money. You just need better

equipment. None of your current ships will work but I have just the thing. We

confiscated three needle ships. I’ll make sure you can steal them. Trap him and steal the holovas. Take out Gage and get me the woman he stole from the Luxor Astra.”

“He kidnapped someone? That’s out of character too. I don’t like this.”

“He kidnapped Tamara Torrence. I believe you knew her as Suzette. I want her

back.”

“Suzette? I’ve a score to settle with her too.”

“I get her first. After I’m done with her, she’s all yours.”

“And if he doesn’t allow us to board?”

“Then shoot him out of space. I want Tamara back but not enough to leave Gage

free. He’s a danger to all of us.”

*

Gage walked into the command briefing room. He stood in front of a viewport that

was an echo of the one in his suite. He didn’t turn his head when the door opened and closed.

“What are you going to do with the lassie?” David asked.

“I don’t know yet,” Gage replied.

“Well you can’t just keep her locked up forever.”

“Why not?”

“Gage, you went crazy last time. I’m not sure any of us can survive if she leaves

again.”

“She’s not going to leave this time. I won’t let her go. I want her surrender. I want her love. I want to keep her with me forever. There. I’ve admitted she’s my weakness.

You always told me no one was without a weakness and she’s mine. Satisfied?”

“Far from it. We only have a little while before we have to rendezvous with

command. She’s a wanted felon. How are you going to explain her presence? Are you

going to turn her over to the authorities?”

“I didn’t the last time.”

“The last time she was part of the sting and she left before you could turn her in.

This time she isn’t.”

“She says she had good reasons for the things she’s done.”

“I believe that and I like the lassie too but that doesn’t mean we can keep her from paying for her crimes. We’re the law out here, Gage. We can’t take it into our own hands to set her free.”

“Oh, I’ve no intention of setting her free.”

“She’s a criminal.”

“She survived the only way she knew how.”

“Command won’t care about that.”

“Command will care about the fact she has knowledge we don’t.” Gage turned to

stare at David.

David sighed. “What knowledge?”

“She told me something interesting. I wasn’t sure whether or not to believe her but I did a quick check and found enough evidence to ask you to dig a little deeper.”

“Dig a little deeper?”

“Randall Fells. What do you know about him?”

“Fells? Isn’t he a midlevel captain at command? Why are you asking?”

“Tamara claims Randall Fells held her captive when she was sixteen,” Gage said.

“And she mentioned a few other things that got me thinking. Her claims might have

merit. I want you to follow up because while he may be a mediocre cop, I’m beginning to think he’s a much better criminal. I think he’s a mole. That explains why we’ve lost some targets in the past two years. I don’t know why we didn’t think of it sooner. A mole at space command explains a lot.”

“You’re joking. He’s a nothing, a pure bureaucrat.”

“What better cover to be dismissed so easily.” Gage picked up a folder from his

desk. “Take a look at the file,” he said handing the folder to David, “and be careful with that printout. Apparently my searching triggered an erase program. That hardcopy is the only evidence left. You won’t find anything in the files now, the data is gone. That’s why I need your skills. Dig deeper.”

“Gage—”

“Tamara claims he was on Sigil and that’s why she left.”

“Do you believe her?”

“I want to believe her.”

“You know how good a con she is,” David said.

“Yes, but I don’t think she’s lying about this. She was too raw. I don’t believe she was faking. She’s terrified of Fells.”

“You still plan on running this sting? If Randall is involved and they really do have a history, it might put Tamara in danger.”

“We’ve put too much work into this sting to stop now. Have you spread the

rumors?”

David nodded and said, “As planned.”

“Any hits?”

“One possible. I’m still casting the lure, laddie.”

“Then cast wider and deeper,” Gage said. He pointed to the file. “We need to know

all the players. The pirate we’re chasing might not be the only one involved.”

“I’m on it,” David said before he left the briefing room.

Gage ran his hand though his hair and tossed back the rest of his drink. He left the room. Time to check on Tamara.

Tamara woke and found herself in a bed. The soft mattress was a big improvement

over the hard table she’d been on. She looked down, the corset and the worms were

gone. She closed her eyes, trying to make sense of how her body felt. She was sore but it was a pleasant soreness. So that’s what women raved about. She hadn’t realized how powerful and satisfying an orgasm would be. She understood a little better why men

wanted them.

Why hadn’t anyone taken the time to demonstrate? But Gage had taken the time.

What would she do now? She knew Gage had come in at the end. She remembered

Gage had bent to kiss her. She flushed with embarrassment as she remembered how

eagerly she had responded, nipping his lips and moaning, “I need you.”

Gage had laughed and said. “I want to hear you say you need me when you know

what you’re saying.”

He’d moved to the bottom of the table and placed a hand on her clit. Two fingers

slid into her cunt. He’d rubbed and Tamara had exploded yet again but he hadn’t

fucked her. At least she didn’t remember him fucking her. But she was fairly fuzzy

about the ending.

She took in a deep breath and gasped. Her ribs were sore. What a damnable device.

How had their ancestors survived corsets? She took in a breath, slower this time, and managed to breathe deeply.

She started to roll over and realized her hands were bound to rings set in the wall over the headboard. She’d been left with plenty of chain but she wasn’t going far. She sighed and lifted her head a little, looking around. She was alone she thought with relief. But she doubted that would last long.

This had to be Gage’s bedroom. One side of the cabin contained multiple viewports,

just like the viewports in the dining area. Only the captain would have a cabin like this.

She shook her head and watched the stars. She didn’t recognize the configuration and she couldn’t tell how fast they were going. Her head fell back on the bed.

What now? Gage had been right. The worms had taught her of the pleasures that

her body could produce. Even the thought of them was enough to send the blood

rushing back to her nipples and pelvis. But that didn’t mean it would be the same with a man. She looked down at her nipples. Were they larger than before or was that her imagination? They weren’t painful but they ached for a touch. She briefly debated experimenting. The chain was long enough. Instead she just groaned with need. Even

thinking about the worms made her vagina clench.

In desperation, she reached up and found the lock pick stashed in her hair. It was

the work of a few moments to gain her freedom.

“You should not be free,” a voice came from the doorway.

“Fakzi, I just want to take a shower.”

Fakzi cocked her head. “That is not all you want to do.”

“You won’t stop me because my intentions are pure.”

“You are learning. You are right. Take your shower. I will not stop you.”

The decadent ship had real water showers. She turned it on and stepped inside. The

hot water sluiced down her breasts. Tamara hissed and nearly fell to her knees when the water hit her nipples and created a tingling need. She ignored the sensation and finished her shower.

Tamara toweled dry and then walked back into the bedroom. Under a corner of the

bed she spotted her go-bag. Serendipity. Gage knew she always kept it under the bed.

How generous of him to put it where she could find it. She smiled. She pulled it out and found a couple of items. With a devilish grin she walked to the prison room. It was a matter of seconds to lift a couple of copies of Gage’s hand print. Within two minutes she was in the room. She shuddered. She hoped Gage would never lock her up again but if

he did, he’d be the one who would be surprised. The micro-thin, black laminate film was invisible on the bottom of the cage. She hid another copy near the door and a lock pick near the chains. She wouldn’t stay in this room again.

She turned to walk out of the room. Fakzi stood blocking her way. She’d been right, Fakzi could stand on two legs but she’d been wrong about his height. He stood a foot taller than Tamara. Tamara cocked her head and stared up into Fakzi’s cat-slit eyes while she stood motionless. She hadn’t quite realized that Fakzi could be so scary. Fakzi bared his teeth as if grinning then did a back flip and let Tamara leave the prison room.

Tamara just stared for a moment. Fakzi’s fur had led her to underestimate the

creature. A back-flip was such a human boy-type of thing to do. Coming from the liock, the motion was jarring. What else could Fakzi do? Tamara shook her head and went back to the bedroom.

Tamara climbed back into the bed. With a grimace, she refastened the chains. It

wouldn’t do for Gage to find her free. Tamara looked at Fakzi. “I am back where Gage left me.”

“Yes but I should tell Gage what you have done.”

Tamara stared at Fakzi.

“But I will not tell unless he asks me a direct question. I am interested to see how you two resolve your conflicts.”

*

Gage paused outside the door to his cabin. Two days gone. He had five more days

to convince Tamara she wanted to have sex with him. He smiled, confident that he’d

win. He’d left Tamara boneless with exhaustion. She should be recovered by now so he could continue his campaign.

Then doubt crept into his mind. Was he doing the right thing? He leaned his head

against the door. He hadn’t told her that if she hadn’t run, she would have been swept up with the rest of the criminals. He had lured her into his clutches for the sole purpose

of using her to capture a band of criminals. He would have arrested her. In many ways, he was glad she’d escaped the first time. This time she wouldn’t find it so easy to leave.

He hadn’t told her that he’d validated part of her story. He hadn’t told her his new plan. Should he? So many men had lied to her. He didn’t want to be another one. He wanted to tell her the truth but she didn’t trust him yet. He’d given her pleasure. She hadn’t faked her response to him. She was gradually coming around. If he leveled with her now, it might destroy everything he was trying to build. He could keep it secret just a little longer. He had to lie to her. He wouldn't tell her he was a cop. Not yet. Though the lying made him uncomfortable he didn’t see a way around it.

Truth is powerful.

Yes, Fakzi, I know, but if I tell her now, I’ll lose her. I can’t take that chance.

Your decision, Gage. I will back your play unless she asks me a direct question.

Thank you, Fakzi.

Not many people knew just how powerful liocks were and he’d promised to protect

Fakzi’s secret. Time to continue with Tamara. Gage smiled and palmed the door open.

Gage walked in and sat down on the edge of the bed. Tamara looked so delicious.

She smelled different. How had she gotten clean?

She took a shower.

Obviously. How did she get out of the chains?

Fakzi stared and remained silent.

She’s dangerous, Fakzi. Don’t unlock her again.

Humans like being clean.

Placing a hand on Tamara’s shoulder, he woke her and said, “I see you had a brief

taste of freedom. Do you feel better now?”

“Do you really need to keep me chained up? We’re in space,” she said nodding

toward the viewport. “Where would I go?”

“I tied you up because I think you’ll run the first chance you get and we’re not done yet. This way, I always know where you are.” He smiled and placed a hand on her breast.