Page 10 of Bela's Bounty
“And what is it we’re supposed to be accepting?” I ask.
“Lux is a pleasure station,” she says, straightening to her full height and looking down her bump of a nose at us. “From henceforth, you will refer to me simply as Madame, or as Madame Athea. The consequences for not doing so will be dealt with swiftly and with harshness. That being said, I do wish for you to, someday, come to think of Lux as your home.”
My heart drops into my stomach. Pleasure station… does she mean?… She can’t be talking about…
“Like a brothel?” Nita spits out the word I’m thinking. “We’re going to be your whores?”
Behind me, Skylar bursts into tears, and the madame looks genuinely startled for a moment before she schools her expression back to one of stone. “That is enough!” she snaps, which only has Skylar crying harder into my back.
“Please,” I beseech the madame, pulling Skylar out from behind me so I can wrap my arms around her and hug her. “She’s just a kid.”
Once more, her steely expression cracks, and she looks surprised. “A…kit?” Her ire changes to surprise. “Just how old are you, my dear?”
Peeking out from where her face is buried in my shoulder, Skylar sniffles before answering, “S-sixteen. I just got m-my license last month.”
The madame arches a thin eyebrow, switching her attention to me to translate.
“She is two years away from what our people considerof age,” I explain. I expect Madame Athea to look upset, maybe even crestfallen. Instead her face lights up.
“Is she untouched?”
“What? What kind of question is that? As if it matters—”
The madame takes a threatening step toward us, and I pull Skylar back. Looking down at her terrified face, I wait for her to answer. When she doesn’t, I ask her, as gently as I can, “Have you had sex with anyone?”
“What? No!” Skylar gasps. She looks absolutely scandalized, and if we weren’t in such a dire situation, I might have found it funny. Instead I feel sick, knowing what the alien madame likely has in store for her. “I’ve never evenkisseda boy.”
Oh, great. Not only is she young, but she’s innocent as well. Suddenly the way she acts starts making more sense. She’s immature because she’s been sheltered.
“Do not fret,” the madame says to me. “I do not deal in children. She will remain untouched until she is of age. In the meantime, that will give her plenty of time to be well prepared.”
And that’s exactly what I’m afraid of.
Behind her, the tawny alien licks his lips as his eyes roam over Skylar’s body. Clearly he doesn’t share the same reservations as the madame.Fucking pedo.
“Bela?” Skyler whimpers, turning large watery gray eyes up at me.
Damnit, what am I supposed to tell her? I want to assure her everything will be alright, but the lie tastes bitter on my tongue. So instead I hug her tighter and just stay quiet.
“Now,” Madame Athea lightly claps her hands together, “we will take a shuttle to the station. That way we can get you settled sooner, and Volethos can take care of the cruiser.”
Nita jumps to her feet and hurries over to us. We share a look and carefully sandwich Skylar between us. I wonder if she noticed the way Volethos was leering at Skyler too.
Giving the alien a wide berth, we hurry after the madame. When I look back over my shoulder, he’s gone, but I can’t help the chill that runs down my spine. I have a feeling we haven’t seen the last of him.
