Page 23 of Bela's Bounty
CHAPTERNINE
Treto
I’ve been sitting just outside Lux’s perimeter, waiting for Sone or theShadeto show up for what feels like an eternity, when it’s actually only been a few hours. Where the hell is everyone? They told me they were on their way!
My fist slams down on the comm again, only this time the screen flickers to life, and I bolt upright in my seat. A grainy image of Sone appears, and my sudden flare of relief turns sour.
“Where are you?” I demand.
The image flickers, and I clench my fist, resisting the urge to slam it against the control panel again. “Good to see you too, Treto. No need to worry, I’m fine,” the Markatti snarks.
I glare at him through the screen, in no mood for his cynicism.
“Thiskurvingshuttle’s hyper-drive went out,” Sone sighs, rubbing his fingers through the short stripe of white fur between his eyes. “I’m completely without light speed. I’m coming as fast as I can; just promise me you’ll wait for me.”
“I can’t wait,” I grit out between clenched teeth. I won’t. I’ll go crazy if I have to sit here another moment. Judging by the look Sone gives me, he knows it.
“Look, I don’t know what’s crawled up your ass,” Sone says as he shakes his head. “But just promise me you won’t do anything stupid until I get there.”
Wondering what he might consider stupid, I grunt in affirmation.
“Why do I bother?” Sone mutters, tilting his head back with an eye roll. “Of course you’re going to do something stupid.”
“You’d better hurry,” I snap.
I know I’m not being fair. Sone would already be here, ready to jump headfirst into the trouble I’m about to start, grinning all the while, if it were at all possible.
“Just try not to get yourself killed,” Sone pleads through the view screen. Then adds as an afterthought, “Or imprisoned.”
I grunt, because I’m not about to promise him any of that. The screen flickers again, and his image blinks out.
Alright, so I’m on my own.
My fingers dance across the control panel, flicking switches and pushing buttons. The lights come up, and I feel the shuttle rumble when the engines fire. Taking hold of the controls, I ease from my hiding spot and head for Lux.
Madame Athea is well known throughout the galaxy. While I wouldn’t say I’m exactly familiar with her station, I’ve been here before. More than once. Space can be a lonely place for a male without a species.
Getting clearance to land inside the station is my first task, and then I’m setting the shuttle down in one of the empty stalls. Out of habit, I choose one closest to the exit.
Species of all shapes and sizes fill the walkways, while glass-enclosed lifts jet up and down between the different floors. Artificial sunlight streams from high above, feeding the colorful foliage that breaks up the more industrial structures that make up the station.
Walking through the bustling, multi-layered metroplex by myself is… strange. When I pass twoPizatswith a tiny nymph-likeAis’orsandwiched between them, I find myself looking to my side, expecting Sone to pipe up with an off-color joke about smothering the poor female—only to find the space beside me empty.
Sone has been my constant companion for so long, I feel the empty space at my side like a gaping wound. As much as I miss him, there is still a part of me that is relieved he’s been postponed.
When I reach the lifts, I duck inside the first empty one I find and quickly hit the button for the top floor before anyone else can get inside with me. I’ve never actually visited the girls who live and work at the top, but I’ve heard enough stories to know that is most likely where the madame would keep something as prized as human females.
The lift comes to a smooth stop, and the doors slide open to reveal a small lobby done in rich, masculine tones. As soon as I step out, the doors whisper closed behind me, and it drops out of sight.
Soft music surrounds me, coming from hidden speakers, a dark and melodic tonal sound with a heavy beat. Oversized furniture is placed in a pleasing manner, and I’m a little surprised to find I’m the only one here.
“How may I be of service?” a husky female voice calls to me.
It takes me a moment to locate the elderly female. Her scales might have once been a vibrant green but have faded to almost silver in her advanced years.
“I’d like to purchase a girl,” I say as I make my way toward the tall desk she sits behind. When she arches a curved brow, I realize my mistake. “I mean, I’d like to purchasesome timewith a girl.”
She smiles politely and passes me a tablet. “These are our available girls tonight,” she tells me and goes back to whatever she was doing before I walked in.
