by Celeste Raye
Irene remembered Krane's threat. "You may not be one of the whores yet, but sooner or later you will be."
That was most certainly why he'd tranquilized her rather than kill her. He'd intended to enslave her for sex. Had they gotten to Savanah? Was she locked up and being used as a sex slave for filthy men like Krane? His blatant threats and confidence proclaimed the slavery sex trafficking as truth. The apartment manager said pirates had taken Savanah's belongings. If she was captured for the sex trafficking and pirates had been sent with the proper papers from the big boss, then Krane, the pirates, and the big boss were all involved in the underground business. Everything was intertwined and more dangerous than first believed.
There were so many unanswered questions and rumors to consider. Most rumors held at least some modicum of truth within them. Even the one about her fight with Krane had a little. She had fought back and ripped out his lip ring. She just hadn't started the fight or deserved his fist to the head. She required more information to form an opinion and plan to save her sister if the rumors were more fact than fiction.
"You've given me a lot to think about," Irene told the doctor. "I'm more frightened than ever for myself and Savanah. I appreciate the risk you're taking by telling me all this. So many people are helping me. I don't know how to show how much it means to me. I swear I'll never tell a soul where I got the information. I'm begging you to please inform me if you hear anything concerning Savanah, good or bad."
"I will if I can do so without drawing fire onto myself. There are others like you who need me. I won't risk them."
Jimbo tried to reason with Irene after the doctor was gone. "It's looking bad for Savanah, I know. You can't go after the big boss, Krane, or even the pirates alone. There's no proof that they have Savanah. You can't really be certain a sex trafficking ring exists. Together, the pirates, the big boss, and his security team run this way station. Earth's government allows Delti Utopia 6 to make its own laws and punishments for the most part. The Universal Space Authority only stepped in because a Space Force ship was attacked. The city has a mayor, but he's not going to go against the big boss. He knows where his salary comes from. You can't win."
She looked at Jimbo sadly and replied, "I have to try. She's family and I love her. My parents aren't here to fight for her, so that leaves me. The bar has been targeted enough. In the morning, I'll find another place to live. Different work too, if you want."
"You'll do no such thing. I made Aisaak a promise, and I'm going to keep it. Don't you dare make a liar out of me. I told him I'd protect you with my own life and I meant it."
Jimbo kept the bar open regardless of the damage from the fire. He wouldn't give Krane the satisfaction of claiming a win by shutting his doors. He made the burned floor into a tourist attraction, highlighting it by allowing the customers to use it as a canvas. He provided the paint they used to make artwork on the blackened surface.
Irene thought it ironic that she was back to hiding in her tiny room. Escaping it for a few hours hadn't liberated her at all. It had made the entire way station a prison. Anywhere she went, there would be someone willing to capture her for a reward from Krane.
A knock on her door sent her heart skittering. "You stupid girl," she said to the empty room. "A kidnapper doesn't knock. It's probably a waitress with a food tray."
She hurried to the door to let the girl in. Aisaak was on the other side. She was so happy to see him and to know he was okay that she jumped into his arms. He was surprised but managed to catch her anyway.
"You shouldn't be here, but I'm so glad you are! You saved me, again. Jimbo told me about the dragon. He said you carried me with a claw. I can't believe you did that for me," she declared. "Thank you, thank you, thank you," she added, delivering a kiss with each one.
Irene was startled to see the sudden, intense change in his eyes. They darkened with desire. Her legs were still wrapped around his waist, and she could feel his desire rising elsewhere. Her mouth formed a silent oh when he growled. "Wow, that was as sexy as hell," she thought.
His head bent to kiss her, and she didn't object. In fact, she wanted it. They'd been headed toward this moment from the time he'd first walked into the bar. She knew it was wrong, yet she allowed her empathic ability to overtake her. The desire she felt coming from him would have buckled her knees if she'd been standing. It was mixed with confusion, guilt, and regret. She chose to ignore those and focus on the desire. It was a heady feeling to know she could cause so much need in a man.
The kiss lasted forever and built a fire in her soul. She clung to Aisaak and returned his passion with her own. At one point, he gently tried to untangle her from his body. She refused to let it happen and nipped his lip in protest. He groaned and gave in. His hands cupped her denim-clad bottom and squeezed. Her cheeks fit his large palms perfectly.
Aisaak made it to the bed in two strides. They tumbled to its mattress as one, still locked in a kiss. Irene ran her hands into his thick, sandy mane of hair. His hands moved up her slim waist to enfold her tender breasts. It was wonderful to be touched that way, Irene decided. His thumb ran across the cloth covering her nipple, and she went nuts.
Irene took her hands off him long enough to pull her blouse down, revealing her bare breasts to his gaze. Her nipples stood erect, pleading for his mouth to take possession. As if that wasn't enough of an invitation, Irene cupped them both and lifted them toward his lips. The sound he made was indescribable, but his hard, throbbing shaft told the story of his feelings quite well.
His warm, wet mouth surrounded her nipples, and she sighed in contentment. Soon though, that wasn't enough. She wanted more. Irene tore at his shirt, ripping it so that she could feel his rippling muscles beneath her hands. She placed one palm over his heart to feel it racing the same as hers.
She dared to slide her body against his, the friction adding heat to the mixture. She reached under the waistband of his pants and gasped when his member sought her grasp. It was steel covered in flesh, yet so alive. Blood pumped through it at an alarming rate, causing it to jump in her hand. It was hot, and its need was evident.
Aisaak unzipped her jeans and shoved them down to her feet. She kicked them off easily.
His fingers slid in the wet cleft, discovering a button that played havoc with her nerve endings. It was overwhelming, and she tried to rise. He held her down and continued the delicious torment until she lost her control. She exploded, shaking and bucking against him. The triumph emanating from him added to her pleasure.
He didn't stop there. Irene allowed him to spread her legs. She bent her head to watch his shaft as it impaled her. The erotic sight sent her into spasms of ecstasy a second time. "That's it, Irene. Use me. Let's keep going," he moaned into her ear.
He moved steadily, in and out, the slick, wet tunnel making it smooth and enticing for them both. The tension climbed a third time, more intense than ever with him inside her. This time the climax came from so deep, it almost bent her in half. His kiss swallowed her scream, and her inner muscles squeezed his answering, tumultuous ending from his loins.
Chapter Ten
***Aisaak***
The heat of her core, the clenching of her inner muscles, and the screaming of his name sent him to heaven. He filled Irene with his seed as his heart desired him to. It was his head that warred with his heart. Even as he spilled inside her, he knew this was a terrible mistake. It was sinful in his eyes. He'd taken her warm, willing body as a replacement for the one he missed and wanted back: his beloved Vega. Or had he? It wasn't her he'd longed to see or felt concern for all day. It wasn't Vega he'd worried about every minute or risked staying in the city for. It was Irene. Guilt tore him in two. What kind of man could want a woman so much so soon after he'd lost the love of his life?
He had to go. Getting as far away from temptation as possible so he could collect his thoughts and come to an honest reckoning between his heart and brain was a necessity. He didn't offer promises or express words of love. Aisaak did
n't deem himself free to profess either. He kissed Irene's bruised cheek and rose to dress.
"You're leaving?" Irene asked in confusion.
"I shouldn't have come," he replied. "This was a mistake in many ways."
"You wanted me, and I wanted you. We enjoyed every moment. I know, because I felt your emotions. How is that a mistake?"
"The mistake was all mine. You did nothing wrong. You're free to be with whomever you choose. I'm not. I was betrothed to another, and it hasn't been long since I lost her. Wanting you was a betrayal to her memory. I'm sorry I involved you."
"I sensed a conflict within you, so I am a part of the decision that was made. But, what we did wasn't a mistake. If your betrothed is gone, then you are free to move on. Don't you see that?" Irene argued.
"You don't know the whole story. I should have been able to save her. I wasn't wise enough or fast enough. She was killed, and it should have been me."
"You're right; I don't know the whole story. Stay and tell it to me. I sincerely doubt you are responsible for her death and I can guarantee she wouldn't have chosen you to die in her place. Her love wouldn't have allowed it. Please, let me into your life. There is something wonderful between us that we have to continue. Don't let the past ruin it. I'm an empath. I'll use it to help sort out your conflict."
Aisaak hesitated. Her words were a balm to his soul. He wanted them to be true, but the scene of Vega's demise didn't let him believe her. He hardened his heart and turned his back on Irene.
"It was my mistake that killed her, and I won't do the same with you. My presence is risking your life. You'll find another who loves you soon enough. I swear I'll continue searching for Savanah. I'll return her to you if I can. Goodbye, sweet Irene."
She called to him. There was a catch in her voice that told him she was crying. Instinct gave him the desire to turn back and ease her pain. He overrode it. If he turned back, he'd never have the strength to walk away again.
Aisaak climbed the stairs that gave him access to the roof. He'd leave the same way he'd arrived, in dragon form. Under cover of darkness, he'd landed on the roof. He'd use the same darkness to remove himself from the city. The guards had seen him but hadn't interfered. They knew who the golden dragon was and that he wasn't a threat. He almost wished they would have stopped him. It was the almost that frightened him, for he wanted Irene despite his regrets.
There was no place in the city he could hide. Out of excitement, curiosity, or greed, anyone who recognized him would announce his presence. So, Aisaak flew into the unknown. He caught a wind flow that eased his way. As usual, flight calmed his soul. He used the height to his advantage, learning the landscape in case the knowledge was required in the future.
Outside the bright lights and loud noise of the city center, there were stately homes on beautiful green lawns. He assumed they belonged to those who ruled over Delti Utopia 6: namely the mayor, the big boss, and other wealthy casino owners. Further out there were a dozen or so more modest dwellings. He couldn't imagine who owned them. He had gotten the impression there were only three classes of citizens on the way station: the extremely wealthy, the worker bees, and the poor, which included the wandering pirates.
Then came nothing except dead space. The city could expand or a second one could be built to rival the first. The architects who had drawn the plans for the way station had thought ahead to a prosperous future.
Firelight flickered in the distance. A multitude of campfires glowed in the darkness. Drawing near, Aisaak could make out simple dwelling structures. Most were one-room shacks cobbled together with pieces of scrap wood. A few were mud huts, while others were made of cannibalized spaceship parts. There was what could only be called a business district. It had a bar, which was actually a small ship referred to as a planet jumper. It was doing brisk business. There was a store built from prime pieces of scrap wood and a tent proclaiming to be a hospital. He'd obviously discovered the unsanctioned, derelict pirate city.
He'd made his observations from high enough in the sky to keep the pirates from noticing a dragon overhead. He chose to keep his alter ego a secret for now, so he landed and transformed in the dense darkness a mile outside the pirate city.
Without piercings and tattoos, he stood out from the crowd. His size made him noticeable as well. The men wore ragged clothing, sported scars on their faces, and carried weapons. There were women in the camp, too. Most of them dressed in men's pants and shirts and carried the same weapons as their male counterparts: guns, knives, and swords. The few who worked at the bar wore ill-fitting short, spangled dresses most likely stolen off spaceships belonging to tourists.
Aisaak was confronted immediately. "We don't like strangers much. State your business. Watch your tongue, boy. How you state it determines whether you get to leave again. This here town belongs to us. We're the law, judge, and jury. Remember that."
"I seek asylum. Like all of you, I'm a fugitive from the central city," Aisaak explained.
"You ain't no pirate, pretty boy," a woman proclaimed.
"No, ma'am. I'm not a pirate. Nevertheless, I am a fugitive. I managed to aggravate a man named Krane by interfering with his plans to harm a lady. It seems I got in his way more than once. He didn't take it kindly. For the sake of my friends' safety, I left."
"You consider it okay to bring your troubles here? We don't count when it comes to safety? Maybe we should string you up and take you to Krane. Bet there'd be money in it. What'cha say, men?"
"Do it! He ain't nothing to us!" The shouts resounded throughout the camp. "There be but one of him. Fool thinks to fight us all!"
Aisaak readied himself for a battle. Of course, he could just fly away, but that wouldn't solve the need for a place of refuge. He wanted their trust and admiration. Fighting was what these people understood. Winning against their best men would get him respect. He might need a misfit army to save Savanah.
"I wouldn't rile him if I were you," a large shadow said from the darkness.
"One day back and you're shoving your nose where it don't belong. Taking over Torbin's crew don't give you no right to order us around," the pirate stated.
"I wasn't giving an order. It was a warning. Engage him at your own peril. You see, fighting him would be the same as fighting me. We all know you wouldn't choose to do that. Take a closer look. Get him into the light. He's a Naga. If he wished to harm you, he would have already," the man replied casually. "And I didn't take over Torbin's crew. His second-in-command did."
"Another freak of nature to deal with, huh? Ain't you and the kid enough?"
"We're still the minority. Doesn't that make you feel safe?"
"Not when one of you could burn us all if you desired. Tell me, Tann, what makes you think this one's trustworthy?"
"You're all alive, and he walked in here openly instead of by stealth. As a species, we don't destroy indiscriminately, a fact you should be glad for. Hear him out. Krane's enemy would be our ally," Tann persuaded.
"I suppose you think the addition to your body decorations gives you leeway in telling me what to do? You've moved up in the organization, even if you ain't in charge," the pirate argued.
"True enough," Tann placated. "The stripe beneath Torbin's tattoo makes me second-in-command, and the earring is a sign of loyalty proven through death. You know I killed Bull, among others. I don't need the decorations to know who and what I am, but it's the code. Others, like you, want the proof."
Aisaak spoke to Tann for the first time. "You're a pirate? That's not the Naga way. It's a profession of thievery humans have chosen."
"And yet here you are, asking for asylum. Excuse me for sounding offended, but you're no better than the rest of us. You're the one seeking help. We're doing fine," Tann spouted angrily.
"I wasn't judging. I was stating facts as I know them. These are the first pirates I've spoken with. Other encounters were at the end of a gun. I'd rather be your friend than your enemy. My actions have caused me to lose the few I found upon arri
val. Their safety depends on my absence."
"If Constantine will be so kind to give his permission," Tann indicated the pirate he'd been sparring with, "I'd like to question the Naga and discover what new problems have arisen during our time away. Information is power."
"The Naga can stay, for now. He's not to be trusted, despite his pretty face and lethal abilities. Unless you want to lose your status among us, Tann, you'll defend our town should he attack."
"Understood and agreed," Tann was quick to answer. "He's my species, but we have no knowledge of one another. I will kill him if I must. Sit, weredragon, and tell me your tale."
Chapter Eleven
***Irene***
"What does it say?" Irene asked Jimbo. Her boss was reading an official letter from the big boss, the man without a name.
"He's raising the rate of his take. His threat to wipe us out is the same as it's always been. He doesn't care for competition and will use any means necessary to destroy free enterprise. I've paid his protection fee for years. So have other bar owners and casinos. For a percentage of our profit, he lets us be. His exact words are, "Recent defiant issues have arisen that show your lack of respect for my kindness. In lieu of removing you from this way station, I will show restraint and compassion by only raising the percentage of profits I demand for protecting your venture. Should you fall behind on your payments, the bar will revert to my ownership."
"He can't do that! You have the deed. He has no rights to this bar. What he's doing amounts to extortion. It's illegal," Irene protested.
"The law has little recourse here. The ones who matter are paid to look the other way. The Universal Space Authority isn't concerned with small business issues. Trade agreements, smuggling, and large thefts keep them occupied. The Space Force has tried to stop corruption, but proof is hard to come by."