Page 2 of Nita’s Bounty

My eyes flutter open, and for a moment I’m confused because I’m no longer sitting with Bela and Skylar. I’m on my back staring up at the dark ceiling of my sleeping nook. Instead of a threadbare blanket, I’m surrounded by thick quilts. Walls that were bare a moment ago are now lined with colorful tapestries.

“Nita? Are you alright?”

My head snaps to the side where Cybele is leaning over me. The usually smooth skin between her eyes is puckered, and her luminous blue eyes are wide and filled with concern.

“Yeah.” The word comes out a croak, and I swallow past the lump that’s formed in my throat.After pushing myself up on an elbow, I rub at my eyes to find them wet.

“You sounded distressed again,” Cybele says.

Again? My mouth is dry, and my throat is scratchy. Shit, was I crying in my sleep?

I’ve been having this dream more and more. And this isn’t the first time I’ve woken up crying, although this is the first time I’ve had a witness. Or so I thought.

It’s been years since Bela and Skylar escaped from Lux. True to his word, Treto returned and rescued them. I can only hope they made it back to Earth, or at least somewhere safe where they are happy. Despite the recurring dreams I’ve been having, I still don’t regret my decision to stay. For the most part, I’ve been happy here. I’ve made friends with the other girls, and as one of Madam Althea’s most popular girls, I’ve accumulated a small fortune in credits. Which reminds me…

“I’m alright now,” I tell her, swiping my palm across my eyes and pushing myself so I’m sitting up. Taking a shaky breath, I paste a smile on my lips. “Madame took me off the schedule today. Do you want to do some shopping with me later?”

The concern on my friend's face quickly melts away into a bright grin. “I would love to.”

* * *

It’s much later when I meet up with Cybele in between her clients, and we make our way along the row of shops in the station’s main concourse. We’ve already stopped by our favorite lingerie shop, and now we’re heading for the sweets store, when I get the strangest feeling of being watched.

I’ve become something of a celebrity here on Lux, so I should be used to feeling eyes on me, but something about this feels different. It’s not the usual creepy feeling but rather an alertness.

“Do you think they’ll ever get some of that Earth chocolate in that you’ve told me about?” Cybele asks, tucking her blond and pink hair behind one of her pointed ears. She’s been letting it grow so it finally reaches past her shoulders. Turns out, my friend has a sweet tooth, and I have a feeling if she ever got ahold of chocolates from back home, it would be game over for her. She’d be an addict after a single bite.

“I can’t even hope,” I sigh wistfully. “The disappointment would be too much.”

We both laugh, and the odd feeling grows stronger. To the point my head snaps to the side, searching for whatever, or whoever, might… be…

My feet slow when my eyes latch on to a male who’s staring back at me from the other side of the concourse. He’s tall and lean, with long limbs and an athletic swimmer’s type of build. Dear God, he’s striking, with dark gray skin mostly hidden by a pair of tight black pants and a billowy dark gray shirt. White hair falls around his shoulders to halfway down his back, contrasting against his dark skin and clothes.

He’s handsome in an almost pretty way, with sharp cheekbones and an angular jaw. His eyes are wide-set and larger than a human’s, but not in a comical or anime way like some of the creatures I’ve encountered on the pleasure station.

In fact, I’ve never seen whatever his species is before.

Our eyes meet across the vast distance, and I’m taken aback by how striking they are. Black, perhaps, with no hint of sclera, like sharks’ eyes.

“Nita? Are you coming?”

I drag my attention away from the male, to where Cybele is holding the door to the sweets shop open for me. When I glance back, he’s gone. Vanished. I scan up and down the concourse, scouring the crowds for any sign of him, but it’s like he disappeared into thin air. Did I imagine him?

“Weird,” I mutter to myself as I slip through the frosted glass door after Cybele.

It doesn’t take long before I’m distracted by the display cases filled with mouthwatering confections and my friend’s company, so I forget all about the strange male.

Two shops later and the comm in my pocket buzzes.

“Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me.” I groan as I pull the small tablet from my pocket and then curse loudly after I read the message. “Damnit! It’s my one night off. This isn’t fair!”

I should know by now that there is really no such thing as a night off. Not for me. One night a cycle, the Madame takes me off the rotation by raising my already extravagant fee to an astronomical rate, which usually gives me a reprieve. If not… then I’m compensated well for it. Not that I ever get to spend any of that compensation, being stuck on the pleasure station and all. The madam’s generosity is for appearances only. I have no disillusions that it’s not ruled by greed.

“Have you been summoned?” Cybele sighs sympathetically.

“Seems so.” I try to hide the worst of my disappointment as I shove the comm back into my pocket. I remind myself that this was my choice. I had the opportunity to escape with Bela and Skylar, but I chose to stay behind.

“How long before she wants you back?” Cybele tucks her arm through mine and steers me toward the next shop.

---