The Pleasure Dome (The Science Officer Book 4)
Page 11
“Fine,” Javier said diplomatically. “Understand that this will be the last job for that patron. Ever. Next time, tell them to hire a psychopath.”
“Instead of a professional?” she teased.
“You wanted a job done, Lace,” Sokolov said. “If you wanted more, the price would have probably been too high, even for them.”
“I see,” she replied, opening the case.
Nothing had changed. Chop in a nice little felt bag. Cerise inker. Eight pieces of paper rolled up carefully.
She looked up, fixed Javier with a hard eye.
“Ask now, Madame Lace,” Javier growled. “This topic is off-limits tomorrow.”
“How did you manage everything?” she finally inquired. “I had been told the job would have been impossible without significant casualties. And yet you managed.”
“No,” Javier went cold. “Trade secrets. End of discussion.”
“I can appreciate that,” Lace said with a discreet nod.
She turned and pulled a small messenger bag of her own out from behind a pillow.
In the blink of an eye, Javier had nearly shot her. Well, Navarre had.
Close enough.
She opened the small bag with a great deal more care than she had grabbed for it. Maybe she realized how close she had been to dying, just now.
Kianoush’s bag went in. Two small envelopes came out.
The first went to Zakhar.
“Captain Sokolov,” she nodded gravely. “Receipt of a payment wired into your account, as contracted. With a small bonus.”
Zakhar accepted in utter silence.
“Captain Navarre,” Stewart Lace said in a most reserved voice. “This second envelope was delivered to me by way of several layers of intermediaries. It has not been opened, but it has been scanned for danger. We have not read the message, but are confident that it is safe.”
Javier grunted.
Even from here, he could smell the perfume she had infused into the paper. It was better than a signature.
The writing on the front was calligraphic, but legible. Perfect. Like she was.
E. Navarre.
Another clue. As if he needed one.
Javier took it from the woman’s hand and stuffed it into his unbuttoned doublet.
There was no way in hell he was opening it here.
“Thank you,” he said.
Nothing more.
Nothing needed.
Javier took her by surprise by rising.
“Madame Lace,” he bowed formally. “Perhaps we will meet again. In less uncertain circumstances.”
She rose and took his hand. Firm. Strong.
Ever so slightly damp.
Flop sweat was a bitch.
And then he left, leaving Sokolov to trail in his wake. Hard man and the two killers waited outside the room, escorted them silently back to the VTOL, remained behind when they took off.
Zakhar started to say something, but thought better of it. He closed his eyes and leaned back instead.
It was as much privacy as Javier would get, at least until he got back to the ship.
The envelope was lavender paper. The ink was probably real vermillion, the expensive kind and not just the product of a good chemistry lab. She was like that.
The seal was wax, melted and pressed with a signet ring, leaving a unique imprint of Shangdu.
The paper was a heavy, handmade stock randomly multi-colored from the source material.
Her handwriting was simply exquisite.
E,
It is obvious that you can get into places you were never intended. And do so with care and style, not damaging things without a purpose. Thank you. Farouz has recovered from his anger, as well.
I am keeping the helmet. As you said, a peace offering. And it fits marvelously.
It is my wish that you not necessarily be a stranger, and we not be enemies. Perhaps I might even be able to put your unique skills to occasional use. There is great potential.
B
p.s. And please enjoy the enclosed and think of me occasionally.
Javier reached back into the envelope. There was a smaller envelope inside, like a matryoska doll. And inside that envelope was a picture printed on paper, like an antique, ten centimeters by twenty.
The face was obscured, shadowed, by masterful use of lighting and the way the Helm of Athena’s cheek pieces came down. Only her smile was clear.
And she had pulled her long, black hair down and around her, just enough to make the picture cheesecake and not porn, but it was obvious that she wasn’t wearing anything but the helmet as she kneeled on what had been his bed.
The picture hanging from the wall in the background gave that away.
She was still utterly exquisite, but you had to have seen the Khatum of Altai that way previously, completely nude, to recognize her now.
The galaxy’s most beautiful black widow spider. Possibly the deadliest, as well.
Javier found himself as frightened of seeing her again as he was aroused at the prospect.
If he walked back into her web, would he ever escape? Did he want to?
Javier smiled and laughed under his breath.
“What did she say?” Zakhar asked, never opening his eyes.
“You knew?” Javier replied.
“I’ve read your report,” Sokolov said. “And I know you well enough to read between the lines. Two plus two still equals four when you’re around.”
Javier laughed a second time.
“So maybe everything will turn out okay, after all,” Javier said.
“I could have told you that, Mr. Science Officer,” Sokolov said. “You just never want to listen.”
Javier had to give the man that. They shared that much heritage.
Dancing with a black widow had gotten him so much closer to paying off his debt to the man.
Maybe he needed spin his own webs.
After all, he still had to kill Sykora, one of these days.
Read More!
Be sure to pick up the other books in The Science Officer series!
The Science Officer
The Mind Field
The Gilded Cage
About the Author
Blaze Ward writes science fiction in the Alexandria Station universe: The Jessica Keller Chronicles, The Science Officer series, The Doyle Iwakuma Stories, and others. He also writes about The Collective as well as The Fairchild Stories and Modern Gods superhero myths. You can find out more at his website www.blazeward.com, as well as Facebook, Goodreads, and other places.
Blaze’s works are available as ebooks, paper, and audio, and can be found at a variety of online vendors (Kobo, Amazon, iBooks, and others). His newsletter comes out quarterly, and you can also follow his blog on his website. He really enjoys interacting with fans, and looks forward to any and all questions-even ones about his books!
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Also by Blaze Ward
The Jessica Keller Chronicles:
Auberon
Queen of the Pirates
Last of the Immortals
Goddess of War
Flight of the Blackbird
Additional Alexandria Station Stories
The Story Road
Siren
The Science Officer Series:
The Science Officer
The Mind Field
The Gilded Cage
The Pleasure Dome
Doyle Iwakuma Stories
The Librarian
Demigod
Greater Than The Gods Intended
Other Science Fiction Stories
Myrmirdons
Moonshot
Menelaus
Earthquake Gun
Moscow Gold
Fairchild
White Crane
The Collective Universe
The Shipwrecked Mermaid
Imposters
About Knotted Road Press
Knotted Road Press fiction specializes in dynamic writing set in mysterious, exotic locations.
Knotted Road Press non–fiction publishes autobiographies, business books, cookbooks, and how–to books with unique voices.
Knotted Road Press creates DRM–free ebooks as well as high–quality print books for readers around the world.
With authors in a variety of genres including literary, poetry, mystery, fantasy, and science fiction, Knotted Road Press has something for everyone.
Knotted Road Press
www.KnottedRoadPress.com
The Pleasure Dome
Volume 4
Blaze Ward
Copyright © 2017 Blaze Ward
All rights reserved
Published by Knotted Road Press
www.KnottedRoadPress.com
Cover art:
Copyright © Sdecoret | Dreamstime.com - Sunrise Over Planets In Space Photo
Copyright © Ambassador806 | Dreamstime.com - Spartan Warrior Helmet Photo
Xanadu is a quote from Kubla Khan by Samuel Taylor Coleridge
Cover and interior design copyright © 2017 Knotted Road Press
Never miss a release!
If you’d like to be notified of new releases, sign up for my newsletter.
I only send out newsletters once a quarter, will never spam you, or use your email for nefarious purposes. You can also unsubscribe at any time.
http://www.blazeward.com/newsletter/
This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. All rights reserved. This is a work of fiction. All characters and events portrayed in this book are fictional, and any resemblance to real people or incidents is purely coincidental. This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form without permission.
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