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Chapter Fourteen

T awny

They have me sharing a room with Beautiful Brin as I call her in my mind. Makes sense, put the two Stockholm Syndrome girls together. Suits me. I’d give my right arm not to have to bunk with bitchy Lexa. Brin doesn’t talk much, which gives me plenty of time to think—just what I need—not.

I glance around the room, taking in the opulent appointments. If I were a princess, I think I’d decorate like this. The walls are pale yellow; the accents are mostly rich gold and cobalt blue. Seriously, the English royals probably live like this. The room is what, twenty by twenty? Maybe bigger, I have no idea.

There are two huge beds, probably king size. There’s an attached bath that’s probably larger than my apartment back on Earth. Let’s just say no expense has been spared. I do the math and realize Lexa and Carrie are in a room, as is Dev, his mother, Valeria, and Thantose. This house definitely qualifies as a mansion.

I hadn’t seen Dev since two days ago when I told him we couldn’t be together. I saw him today on the ramp exiting the ship and on the hover ride here. He sat in the front seat and kept his eyes straight ahead. Which was great because it allowed me to stare at him the whole ride without him being aware. Of course, all the women noticed. Lexa managed to sneak in a few what-the-fuck-are-you-thinking stares along the way.

I tried to pay attention to the scenery. The sky was blue, but the quality of light seemed discernibly different than on Earth, maybe it’s because of the two suns, one of which looked ruddy instead of yellow. The sunshine was just as bright as on Earth, but paler somehow.

Viewing the landscape, it now makes perfect sense why Primians have the coloring they do. There must have been cataclysmic volcanic activity for eons on this planet. In places there’s a carpet of lush, green grass but that’s peppered in among craggy, black outcroppings of igneous rock. That, combined with the blood-red leaves on many trees and shrubs, bears truth to Darwin’s theory of evolution. I can picture ancient Primians being perfectly camouflaged as they stalked their prey amongst the dappled red and orange foliage against a backdrop of harsh black rock.

You would think the stark blacks and vivid reds of the terrain would feel severe and foreboding, but by the time we arrived at Thantose’s house, I found the colors more fascinating than alarming.

The way the males on the ship talked about this planet, it sounded like the culture is much older than that on Earth. I expected towering buildings made of metal and glass. However, the city we hovercrafted through reminded me of pictures I’ve seen of quaint European towns. The architecture seemed old-fashioned in a modern way. The houses looked like small mansions made predominantly of stone. The majority of buildings looked stately and timeless.

Mostly, though, the scenery was in the periphery of my mind because I was paying attention to what I could see of Dev—his handsome profile. His jaw was clenched so tightly I could see a muscle jumping the entire ride. My staring was so obvious he had to have felt it. I’m certainly not acting like a woman who wants nothing to do with him.

In fact, right now my core clenches just thinking about him. If I could, and if it wouldn’t confuse the shit out of him, I’d sneak into his room and have sex with him tonight. Seeing him today just validates how much I want him, how attracted I am to him, and how empty I feel without him. Which confirms just how fucked up I am.

“Valeria recommended we nap, Tawny. She said she’s going to provide us with pretty clothes for the party tonight. It’s been a while since I’ve worn nice clothes,” Brin says wistfully.

“You still miss that guy?”

“Amrus? Yes. He was so good to me.”

“You know, raping you and then casting you aside doesn’t meet the standard definition of treating you well.”

“Yes it does, Tawny. You’ve had firsthand experience of the definition of poor treatment. What Amrus did was far better than that.”

“Better-than-horrific treatment does not qualify as good. You do understand that, right?”

She turns toward the wall, fluffs her pillow, and says no more.

My body feels weird now that it’s not on a spaceship and I’m experiencing planetary gravity. I feel heavy, every movement is a chore, and I’m tired. Somehow I feel Dev’s presence more keenly than on the Tranquility , knowing he’s under the same roof as me, only a few doors away. I can’t sleep. I wish I could find his room and crawl under the covers with him. I let out a soft groan, knowing I’m just as fucked up as Brin.

I must have dozed off, because before I know it there’s a rap at the door. Brin says, “come in,” and Valeria enters like a force of nature.

“I don’t know if T.T. told you, but the business we own is dress design and manufacturing, as well as a few retail stores. I took a guess at your sizes and had some things delivered.” With that, two young females enter, their arms laden with clothing.

Valeria smooths the bedding and has the employees neatly lay the clothes on the beds, half on Brin’s, half on mine. She points to various piles, “Casual, undergarments, and I thought this would look nice on you tonight.”

She holds a flowing kimono-like gown up under Brin’s chin. The blue and green silky swirls in the pattern bring out the green of her eyes and the red of her hair. She’s going to look gorgeous in it.

“Thank you,” Brin says, caressing the satiny fabric, “I’ve never had anything so fine.”

Valeria picks up a gown whirling with hot pinks and reds. I figure it will look hideous on me. On Earth I always tended toward browns and beiges. When she holds it up to me, Brin’s eyes widen as she says, “Tawny, that’s going to look amazing!” Valeria grins and nods emphatically.

The young females return with an array of shoes. All are colorful, and best of all, they look comfortable. Evidently, this civilization gave up on torturous heels eons ago.

“Put anything you don’t like, or doesn’t fit properly on that chair in the corner.” She indicates a comfortable chair upholstered in rich gold tones. “The party starts in an hour; I hope I gave you enough time to get ready.” She turns to leave, then swivels to look at us again. “I look forward to getting to know you. I’m sure you realize how thrilled I am to get my Devi back, I might be a little preoccupied with him tonight.”

We nod our heads, and she sweeps out of the room. My thoughts turn to Dev. Good Lord that man has been through so much. To be reunited with his mom only to have to say his goodbyes to her, I’m certain this ordeal isn’t going to be easy for him.

He’s lucky to have his aunt and cousin as supports. They couldn’t be nicer or more gracious. I hope he can put his worries behind him and enjoy the party. My throat tightens in a pang of guilt. Seeing me might make tonight more difficult, maybe I shouldn’t attend. Then I realize if I don’t come downstairs Valeria might march straight up to my room and drag me down there; she’s a woman who’s used to getting her way.

An hour later, Brin and I approach the grand staircase at the same time as Carrie and Lexa. These pretty dresses seem to have transformed us all. Looking at our demeanor, you’d think we were all princesses arriving at a ball—our heads held high, our spines straight.

No one mentioned it, but the males from the Tranquility are all here. They’re all joking with Valeria as if they’re old friends. Perhaps she entertains them every time the ship docks. Their heads all swivel toward our grand entrance. I don’t think I’m imagining the impressed look on their faces as they watch us regally make our way down the steps.

They’ve all upped their game as well. Most of them wore some variety of black cargo pants and t-shirts on the ship. Tonight they seem to be wearing variations on a theme of black leather. They all have on fairly tight leather pants, form-fitting, with knee-high black boots. Most have on leather suit-type jackets that sweep almost to their knees. Two of them are sleeveless, showing off their amazing muscles. The words “hot as fuck” float through my mind. Dear Lord, they all look supremely masculine, and sexy as could be.

The first thing I noticed, before the men’s fashion show, was that Dev is nowhere to be found. Valeria ushers us into the formal living room as she announces, “Dev’s with his ahma . I thought we could take a moment to get acquainted.”

Between the sumptuous furnishings of the large room, completed in jewel tones of amethyst, gold, and emerald, and the males who all look ten times hotter than they did on the Tranquility , I’m on sensory overload.

Other than Sextus, the military male, who only has eyes for bitchy Lexa, and the doc, who’s sneaking surreptitious peeks at Carrie, the other males are following Brin’s every move. Who can blame them? The woman is the perfect double threat—not only gorgeous but sweet and down-to-earth. I’ll have to come up with different words to describe things in space. Nothing is down-to-earth anymore. Natural. How about natural?

Thantose isn’t here either. Maybe he’s with Devolose and his mother. It was obvious how close Thantose was to his aunt.

“So, when you leave here you’ll be taking the females back to their home planet? Earth, you said it was called? Is that in the Ariz sector? I understand that hasn’t been well charted,” Valeria asks.

Marcus, the pilot, scrubs his face with his palm. “We have no idea where their planet is located.”

Valeria’s look of surprise is nothing compared to my three Earth companions.

“I thought we were to be returned to Earth when you were done with your R not enough to alert the Federation authorities and bring too much heat down upon themselves. They don’t exactly publish that type of information on the Intergalactic Database.”

Sextus walks over, sits next to Lexa, and tries to put his arm around her for comfort. She gives him a look so quelling that he scoots his chair away. I have no idea why he’d be interested in a female who’s as mean as a snake, but wooing that one isn’t going to be easy.

“Then where are you going to go?” Valeria asks.

I glance around the room. Lexa looks like she was just given a death sentence. Carrie appears deep in thought, clearly parsing through this latest batch of information trying to figure a way to land on her feet. Brin appears so calm, I wonder if she was even tracking the conversation.

“What choices do we have?” Carrie asks, immediately shifting into fact-finding mode.

Thantose and Devolose choose this moment to make their entrance. Oh my God, Dev, I mean Devolose has never looked this handsome. He’s wearing form-fitting black leather pants, boots, and jacket—of course he has to be wearing the sleeveless version, his muscular arms with their white and black tribal markings on full display. His jacket has tiny little leather pleats running from pec to shoulder, with little slashes of red the color of his skin peeking out of each line of stitching. It accentuates his red-and-black coloring. He’s breathtakingly handsome.

“I’ve been giving that a great deal of thought.” Thantose pulls up a straight-backed chair and straddles it. “A hma, would you allow the females to stay here for a while? Until they get settled? Might we find them jobs in one of our clothing factories or retail shops? My family has many contacts; perhaps one of our friends can offer a job that’s more to your liking.”

Valeria nods. Interestingly, none of the women look excited about this prospect.

“That’s so kind of you Valeria,” Carrie looks at the older woman, “and Thantose. It’s just that I couldn’t help but notice on the drive through your town that there are no humanoids who look like us. Everyone has your colorful markings. To be frank, I’m not certain I’d fit in here, be comfortable here.”

“Primians have known of interstellar flight for thousands of years, Carrie,” Valeria explains. “We openly accept all alien species onto our planet.”

“All of you have been so kind…” Carrie says. By her pinched face, she’s still not comfortable with the idea of staying here.

“The Tranquility is a small phaeton-class vessel. As we all know, there isn’t a lot of extra room. I…” He looks around the room, mouth open as he stops in mid-sentence. “Ahma, now seems a good time to serve us the dinner you’ve been slaving over.” There’s the Thantose I know, full of life, a smirk on his face—and obviously not wanting to broach whatever thought he has until after we’ve been well fed.

Valeria stands up and motions us into the perfectly-appointed dining room. “Well I haven’t exactly been slaving, but I did come up with a very clever menu and asked my chef to cook it. I did, however, bake the Anathen cake.

“Now, females, I understand we hail from different cultures. If something doesn’t please your palate, I’d be offended if you ate it in an effort to make me happy. Just enjoy the dishes you like and push what you don’t to the back of your plate.” I don’t know if I ever met a woman as kind or gracious.

Motioning each of us to a specific seat, she stands at the head of the long, rectangular table. Devolose is to her right, Thantose to her left. Pointing at me, she gestures for me to sit next to Dev, Brin next to Thantose, and then boy girl boy girl after that until she runs out of females.

Oh shit. Really? I’m going to be rubbing elbows with Dev all night? I wonder if she knows. Did Thantose gave his mom a little heads up about our situation? If he did, she’s doing a great job of acting oblivious.

I’ll show her, I’ll show everyone. After three years of eating nutrition bars in a dungeon, and a week eating little more than noodles, I’m going to focus on the meal. There are heavenly smells wafting in from the kitchen, and a pretty young Primian female is serving the first course.

I pace myself, but the food just keeps coming, with each plate more delicious than the last. Although my mouth would like to keep eating, my stomach is protesting the influx of anything other than the cake Valeria promised us.

“Anathen cake, Miss Valeria,” young Destin says, having a foodgasm as he repeats the name of the upcoming treat. “You make the best Anathen cake on all of Primus.”

“Thanks, Destin, you flatter me.”

I realize I can’t avoid Dev any longer. I’ve been uncannily aware of his body next to mine. Every time those bare, muscled arms reach across me to pass a dish, I have to clutch my silverware to keep from petting his skin. The feel of his thigh gently pressing mine—accidentally I’m sure—makes me have to resist wiggling in my seat to calm my rising libido.

I tried to surreptitiously catch a glance at his face during the soup course, only to see him openly observing me. Since then I’ve tried to only converse with people on my right so I don’t have to look Dev’s way at all.

I think Thantose is well aware of the dynamic playing out on this side of the table, because he keeps asking me innocuous questions, like how I’m enjoying the Eboi Plantay , or is the Samwok Kon to my liking. It would be rude not to look at him while I’m responding, which puts Dev’s face clearly in my peripheral vision. If I’m not mistaken, Thantose is enjoying this game immensely.

“You boys know I love you, and enjoy these parties I host whenever you’re in town. But I’m sure it’s no surprise that having my beloved nephew back is beyond thrilling. I’ve prepared Dev’s favorite cake, and I so want us all to celebrate his homecoming.”

I look at Dev full on now. Everyone’s doing it, so it would be rude not to. My stomach jumps in a lusty somersault; sensuous pictures of our time together in our room on the ship bombard me. I clench my legs together to counteract my clit’s blatant yearning. Its rhythmic pulse insistently demands my attention.

I focus on his face and not the arms that seem to have morphed from underweight to fully muscled since our escape. With all the scrutiny directed his way, he’s looking bashful, his chin sags toward his chest.

“Dev, can you give a speech? I’m so glad you’re home.” Valeria’s hands are clasped in front of her chest; she’s so happy she’s beaming.

Dev’s jaw turns to stone; his head dips lower at his aunt’s innocent request.

I’m certain she had no idea how hard the simple task would be for her nephew.

He swallows several times, then stands. A quick glance at Valeria tells me she already regrets asking.

“Thank you all for being here.” He swallows again, then looks directly at his aunt. “Valeria, I sincerely thank you for your hospitality for me and my ahma . It’s abundantly clear what good care you’ve given her.” It seems as if starting with gratitude was a good choice; his hesitance is gone. “And Thantose. The kindness you’ve shown since we met has been unceasing. Thank you.” Now he slows. What can he say to the females who, because of me, all seem to avoid him like the plague?

“And all the males and females at this table. Thank you for any and all kindnesses shown,” he says in a quiet rush.

Okay, that was tactful.

“And Tawny.” Oh shit, I didn’t expect him to speak directly to me. “I…” His Adam’s apple is bobbing quickly now. “Thantose saved us once. You saved me...you saved me a thousand times. I wouldn’t have made it through those last few years without you. You saved my life.” He practically collapses into his seat and stuffs a huge bite of cake into his mouth; I assume to keep anyone from asking more questions.

There’s applause, some of it polite, some of it heartfelt. He may not be crying, but I am. My heart is clenching. The words “I love him” are drumming through my head. Although I’d like to, I can’t escape to my bedroom because I’m slightly dizzy from all the emotions swirling around me.

“Thanks, Dev.” I rest my hand on his knee, keeping my eyes straight ahead. He stays busy chewing, and without looking at me, grasps my hand as if it’s a lifeline.

All around me I can hear everyone saying how great the cake tastes, but I guess I’ll go to my grave not knowing what Anathen cake tastes like because it feels like sawdust in my mouth.

Devolose

I know my aunt would have never put me on the spot like that if she’d known how hard it would be on me. I feel like I’ve been forced through a meat grinder. I just want to be magically transported to my room. I’ve been through enough. I’ve been alone much of my life. Having all these people around, all these expectations on me—it’s just too much.

“Thantose.” Carrie tries to get everyone’s attention. “You kind of interrupted yourself when you were saying what our options are. Did you have other ideas for us besides staying on Primus?” She looks a bit sheepish. She must know it sounds rude for them to turn down such a generous offer of help getting resettled on such a nice planet.

Everyone’s quiet now, waiting for him to speak. The females must be hoping there’s a better choice than staying here, going to work in a dress factory. I’m keenly interested in what he’s going to suggest. If Tawny stays on Primus, I’ll probably take him up on his offer of a position on his ship. If she goes with him, I think I may stay here to create a completely new life for myself.

“The Tranquility is a small phaeton-class ship. I thought of offering all you females the opportunity to stay on, just as you are now. I have ideas of how each of you can be helpful, to have a job. But the males had their own rooms before you arrived, and I’ve heard grumblings...I don’t think the males bunking with each other is a long-term solution.

“I’ve also seen...some of the males show interest in certain females. As well as interest, perhaps, on the part of the females. I don’t know. I’ve never been good at understanding women.” He laughs. No one else does.

“So here’s my thought. If you want to stay on Primus, my ahm a has made a generous offer to find you employment, reasonably-priced lodging, and assistance in settling here. If not, I’m willing to have you all stay on the Tranquility for a quarter annum .

“You can remain in your current quarters and do two things. One, you can explore any planets we touch down on. You might find one to your liking. If so, I will give you ten thousand credits out of my own purse to find lodging and tide you over until you find employment and settle in.

“The second choice is…” He pauses, eyes firmly on his plate. “If any of you choose to mate, either short or long term, with one of the males on this ship, you are welcome to remain in one cabin together.

“I’ve thought this through, and I want to warn you that any disturbance in our relationships, any fighting that might ensue because of masculine posturing will not be tolerated. This offer will last for ninety days and ninety days only. Ahma , you’ll be happy to hear we’ll return ninety days after we depart. At that time, any remaining unmated females will be expected to settle here on Primus.”

The room is silent. Even Lexa hasn’t made a sound.

“Oh,” he looks directly at Tawny. “I have a different offer for you, Tawny. I want to offer you a job. I can contract for a small cabin to be built in the cargo area, complete with a bathing room. That will be your domain. I’ll pay you a percentage of the booty you sell.

“And Dev, you can move back into the room you shared with… I would like to cross-train you on navigating, comms, piloting, and defense. As you know, you have an extensive support system on Primus. You have many options if you choose to stay here.

“We fly in six days. Let me know of your decisions before we take off. Tawny, tomorrow I’ll be calling an old friend to start work on that cabin. If you decide to stay on Primus, I’m certain I’ll find a use for it. If you come with it, it’s yours. Good night everyone. Thanks for coming.”

The males know an order when they hear one. They all stand, thank Thantose and his mother for the delicious meal and are out the door within five minimas .

The females are all dumbstruck. They aren’t even whispering among themselves. I imagine there will be a lot of discussion once they’re in their rooms upstairs.

“Did I just hear you correctly, Thantose?” With that malicious tone, it could only be Lexa. “Did you just make us barter safe living quarters for sex?”

“No.” His tone is colder than I’ve heard it since he had the Leaf on the Wind in his trap and was trying to frighten the crew into paying him one hundred thousand credits. “No Lexa that was not what I was doing. I saved your lives on Paradise. I’ve kept you fed and housed since then at my own expense. I’ve offered you free room and board until my ahma finds you acceptable employment, and I’ve offered an alternative option should you so choose. I am not the enemy. Don’t make me into one. You have choices. Figure out what you want.” He turns on his heel and leaves the room.

A few minimas later, everyone has drifted upstairs except for Tawny and me. I motion for her to follow me into an adjoining room. My uncle’s library is floor-to-ceiling warm, brown paneling. His imposing desk sits in the middle of the room, a wooden globe of our planet resting on the corner. My fingers set it spinning as I remember speaking with him in here only two nights before my abduction. He offered me a leadership position in his factory if I finished my advanced schooling. I sigh out loud, wistfully wondering what that life might have been like if things had been different.

I bring myself back to the present and look at Tawny, who’s glancing at me expectantly. I straighten my shoulders and vow to keep my emotions in check.

“This is no longer my planet, Tawny. Primus isn’t my home. I think you could be happy here if you allowed it. Aunt Valeria is a lovely, generous woman as you can see. She would ensure your safety, help you in any way she could.

“I just want you to know you have choices, just like the other females. If you wish to stay on Primus, I’ll go with Thantose on the Tranquility. If you choose the Tranquility …” My thoughts fly to the life I’d imagined for her and Thantose when I’d planned to take my own life. I picture them sharing his captain’s quarters together. It would be neat and organized, all his booty hauled into the hold. They’d be happy together in his bed whether it’s giggling together or in the throes of passion. Why does this thought bring me no happiness? My heart clenches in regret.

“But what do you want, Devolose? You deserve happiness. Tell me what you want, and I’ll do the opposite.”

She’s wrong. Absolutely wrong. I deserve nothing. I can’t imagine happiness on a planet that has moved on without me for ninety annums . Nor can I envision contentment on board that ship where I shared bliss with her for those few nights together.

“You have a choice, Tawny, and six days to make it.” I hurry out of the room and take the stairs two at a time.