Page 32 of Tyton: The Spider and the Dragonfly (Tyton #1)

C

allie stood at the corner of a dingy, poorly lit alley. She stood, wracked by indecision for so long that her Thermabulle had started to cause the snow around her to form a muddy, icy crust. Sparx would tell me to move my arse she told herself. She took a deep breath and rounded the corner.

She saw the same large man and her anxiety resurfaced. What if the encryption key didn’t work? What if Talia had known about Sesi and had given her the card to lure her here and have her torn apart by the bouncer? What if… but the man jerked his chin in her direction and pounded twice on the door.

The décor had changed again. Neither a lounge nor an upscale nightclub, the only colour present was black.

Black synleather couches in the corner matched the synleather fetish wear most of the patrons wore.

A turnable rack stood in one corner. Chains hung from the ceiling.

Pommel horses with tie points and tables full of tools.

Callie knew places like these intimately, but it had been years.

A flood of anticipation hit her in the chest and spread like glitter to every part of her.

And then, in the middle, a raised dais. A suspension rig hung directly above it, but it stood empty at the moment. She hoped she had shown up early for the performance, rather than late.

Her Opti pinging interrupted her admiration of the scene.

That’s awfully forward, she thought.

Callie glanced at the name. Who the fuck was Spider ?

Obviously, no-one used their real names in places like these, but Opti’s were connected to your biosig.

You couldn’t just alter your name without a DocPod regedit.

And that would be tough to explain to your boss in the morning.

That’s why no-one used their Opti in kink spaces.

Callie turned to see Sesi leaning back in a black leather armchair, one leg extended and the most vainglorious smile she had ever seen. The white crop and loose fitting Bulitweave black trousers weren’t helping Callie’s resolve. Don’t get involved. Talia said she’d be here tonight she told herself.

Sesi removed her visor and Callie locked eyes. She really wished she could approach her with a modicum of dignity, but she couldn’t help but grin. Just talking to her couldn’t hurt , she lied to herself.

“Spider, huh?”

“Sparx told me.” Sesi reached out and offered her hand. Callie took it.

“I thought you said he held me close to his chest.”

“Only on the most important things.” Sesi tilted her head. “Now,” she tugged gently, guiding Callie to sit on her knee. “About that list.” Callie had forgotten that this whole interaction had started with a list.

“I thought you weren’t pursuing me.”

“And yet, here you are,” Sesi purred. “Let’s call it your boss’ prerogative.”

“You’re my boss now?” Callie narrowed her eyes, but a cheeky smile remained.

Sesi slid her arm around her waist. Callie immediately regretted wearing overalls. Again. “You seem like you want a boss.”

Callie’s breath hitched. Sesi’s fingers had found the bare patch of skin along her side.

God, why am I making this so easy for her?

Callie thought. But not for long. Sesi’s other hand reached around the back of her neck and drew her in for the most luxurious kiss.

And Callie fell victim to it immediately.

She had absolutely no defenses that would function at this point.

Her brain had shut off. There was only Sesi and Sesi’s mouth.

“Am I interrupting?”

Callie recognised those contralto tones and a blast of panic made her jolt upright.

Talia .

How could she be so stupid? She knew Talia was going to be here tonight? Talia was the one who fucking invited her! What was she thinking? She wasn’t thinking! She had flown blindly and blissfully into Sesi’s web! Again!

“Not at all,” Sesi smiled, that araneidan grin that kept drawing Callie in. But it wasn’t aimed at her. Oh fuck, she thought. Are they going to kill each other?

Talia surged forward, like a mamba striking from a tree. Callie flinched, but Talia wasn’t aiming at her. Talia slid her tongue between Sesi’s open lips, brow furrowed in lust.

Callie’s eyes must have exploded because when they broke apart, they both laughed.

“I told you, I’d take care of it,” Sesi ran her finger across her jaw, staring adoringly.

“We came to an agreement,” Talia smirked just before she took Callie into her mouth. Artificial peach and gear oil. What a strange and glorious combination. Callie whimpered against Talia’s touch, her panic dissolving into arousal.

Sesi’s calloused fingertips skated across her sides to her sports bra. A playful snap brought her back to reality.

“Did you give her the list?” Talia asked.

“You know I always plan ahead.”

“That’s what I love about you.”

“The only thing?” Sesi’s lips grazed the back of Callie’s neck.

Talia flashed her lopsided grin. “Let’s take care of this first.” Then she directed her stare to Callie. “Send it to me when you’re done. Sesi looks ridiculous with that visor on.”

Sesi kicked her shin. “You look better without certain things on too.” She winked at Talia as she walked away.

“Where is she going?” So much was happening so fast and Callie’s head spun.

“Don’t worry about that. Take care of the list and then we’ll take care of you for the rest of the night.” Sesi slipped out from under her and followed after Talia.

Callie’s heart hammered like she’d taken several Stims too many. This couldn’t be real, could it? Alone with her thoughts, the black synleather chair seemed to swallow her. She felt suddenly much too small to be sitting in it and far too out of her depth. Callie opened the list.

Callie was not new to the scene. She was not an ingenue. She had seen things. Done things – which Sparx had then told her mother about, but never with a woman who had a reputation for murder, let alone two of them.

Not exactly true , she told herself. But that had been before she had found out about the murders, so it didn’t count. Maybe. Maybe she had been na?ve to believe that murder hadn’t been involved. Perhaps she was an ingenue.

And now here she was, caught. Spider and Dragonfly working together instead of fighting over the same prey like she had feared.

Callie flushed at the thought. Focus, dammit . She finished checking off her list and hit send . Moments later, Talia returned with her lopsided smile that was quickly becoming one of Callie’s favourite expressions.

Talia handed her a square glass of brown liquid with two cherries – both stems tied.

“You’re so showy.” Callie glanced up at her and took the glass.

“I believe you’ve told me as much.” Talia leaned over to kiss her. There was nothing tentative this time. Callie opened her mouth and Talia’s tongue walked in like she had lived there her entire life. It was her space and she treated it as such.

When they broke apart, Sesi’s arms had slipped around her from the other side. Callie didn’t know where to direct her attention.

“Sesi is a lot more patient than I am,” Talia grinned. “But you can entertain me while I wait.”

Sesi’s short, muscular fingers slithered around Callie’s neck. They pressed deliciously into her muscles. Callie caught the flash of Talia’s Opti before she closed her eyes and let Talia ravish her mouth.

“Oh good,” Talia hummed, not breaking the kiss.

“Did she check off that one?” The tip of Sesi’s tongue traced Callie’s helix.

“She did. Your table is set up?”

“You have to ask?” Sesi nipped at her neck.

Callie shivered.

Talia broke away and nudged a black bag with her foot toward her. Callie hadn’t even noticed it before. You really are prey, aren’t you? she thought. Sesi rounded the back of the chair. Her arms drifted from Callie’s neck to grace Talia’s.

“Go ahead, you can look.” Talia offered, before Sesi sunk her teeth into Talia’s neck. Talia’s head fell back, exposing the long, slender olive column of her throat. Callie salivated, tearing her eyes from Sesi and Talia to the black bag.

Metal clinked. Several play knives, a hot pink strap and a black suede lined blindfold.

“Enjoy the show,” Talia mumbled as best she could, Sesi’s bottom lip caught in her teeth, “because you won’t be able to see much else for a while.”

Sesi wrapped the blindfold around Callie’s eyes. Lips pressed into her forehead. “Good girl,” she heard whispered against her ear.

Then a hand fisted into the bib of her overalls and heaved her forward. Callie crashed into another hand around her throat. She gasped, the void filled by another tongue, vibrating with a low laugh. Teeth grazed her ear.

“We’re going to take such good care of you,” she heard Talia threaten before she was led away and up a set of stairs. I’m safe , she told herself, but an ember of doubt refused to be extinguished and it glowed hot, low in her belly.

A hand shoved her forward. Callie stumbled, but managed to stay upright. Blinded, her audio processors adjusted to the environment. The music had grown quieter. She heard no-one else playing. Were they in a private room?

A point pressed into her throat. Callie lifted her head and stepped back, only to be caught. The point carved a long, slow line to her chin, holding her head aloft.

The dream she’d had about the ulu floated to the top of her consciousness.

How strange that her emotions surrounding both death and sex and violence were so entwined.

Perhaps she did have psychopathy. Perhaps Sesi was correct – that penance would help clear her ever present guilt. But she didn’t have long to ponder.