Page 32 of Stars At Dusk

Below a small neon holo sign was a security panel nestled in the thick wall. He swiped his wrist tab over it, and the wide wooden door swung open. The reception he’d entered was lit with low, rosy-hued sconces. Close by was the sound of voices, music and the clink of cutlery and utensils.

Almost immediately, a powerful-looking hulk, twice as wide as he was tall, appeared, the menace on his jewel-dotted dark face melting away at the sight of Kage.

‘Boss,’ he said. ‘What can I get you tonight?’

Kage greeted the humongous security guard with a chin lift. ‘NadaMojo. Just passing through. All good round here?’

‘All’s quiet. Slow start, but it’ll be cranking by 2300’.

Mojo was a Ccyth merc who’d subcontracted his services to The Sable Group for the past two years. He moonlighted as The Osirian chief bouncer to extend his hustle. Previously a guard at Eden II’s spaceport, he’d been moved onto the roster at the club after the crats had infiltrated the bar during the Dunian coup.

More proactive than The Osirian’s previous head of security, he and his crew scared off any hustlers and yard birds who sought to darken the club with their misguided notions of avarice. The Ccyth were a lethal lot, intensely closeted and secretive amongst themselves, wheelers and dealers in the lucrative weapons trade. The Riders were well aware of Mojo’s side hustle, one that had to do with selling rare weapons, including legendary Earth-made handguns he’d often procured for them in the past. In turn, the Riders paid no mind to his trades on their patch, sometimes within the club itself, given his usefulness and zero-questions-asked approach. He rewarded them with a cut from his profits, plus a good measure of deep loyalty and ruthlessness on tap, even to the death.

‘Sante. Riv around?’

‘Nadaboss, haven’t seen him in a few. Pretty sure tho’ that Kainan is in residence.’

Kage clapped a hand on the man’s meaty shoulder the size of his thigh and stepped past him into a sumptuous dining and bar area. Where the warmth of heated bodies, and the scent of cigars, swirled with the heady notes of expensive liquor and mixed in with the rich malty aroma of brew and aged liquor.

He strode forward on luxury parquet and tessellated tiles, past padded velvet booths and banquettes, complete with adjustable lighting and plush upholstered seating, deep, cosy and private enough to encourage patrons to linger all night.

He spotted Silani, The Osirian’s stunning Falasian hostess, dressed in a figure-hugging black gown. She smiled provocatively at him, and he nodded back curtly. They’d had a drunken fling over four years ago. She’d never forgotten it and subtly reminded him every chance she got. But he’d long shelved her and the encounter in his distant past.

She’d had complicating factors to her life that Kage had not been in the least interested in introducing to his. A messy family, interfering exes, blood oaths and a shady past in the seamier side of the underworld. Still, The Osirian was her home, giving her refuge from those who’d done her wrong in the past.

That was Kage’s Achilles heel—his soft spot for those in need. In Silani’s case, he hoped it wouldn’t come back to bite him.

He prowled quickly past the sprawling bar, with its rare onyx mineral bench top and a mirrored splash back, where a dozen bartenders hovered over the growing number of patrons. As he advanced, the bartenders gave him a respectful nod, which he acknowledged with a dip to the head.

He headed to the back of the expansive space where a bank of discreet lifts was waiting. Walking into one, he hit its rooftop button.

He brooded as the ride winged its way to the highest level of the building.

Harlow, Harlow, Harlow. The woman was doing a number on his psyche.

He felt a stab of pure lust skate through him, sinking straight into his cock. Just at the mere thought of her.

He hadn’t forgotten how smart, curvy, and seductive she’d been from the moment he’d met her in Axuma.

Seeing her again today had only elevated his need for her. Then there was that mouth, so quick, so temperamental, such a turn-on.

He felt the strong pull between them and wanted more with her, but he sensed her wariness. He understood it to a degree. Hers seemed to come from a place of wounding. Maybe as deep as his own had been.

‘Had’ being the operative word. He’d spent the better part of the last five years and even more so the last few months seeking healing from his dark past.

He’d also walked away from a drama-filled relationship three years ago where he’d felt taken for granted by a woman who only wanted him for his money and consistency. Working with a therapist on his fears, worries, and nightmares made him feel more resilient than ever before and more ready for a committed relationship. Maybe even a little family of his own.

Except that he knew himself - and that he could sometimes be intense, other times extra, and his full-on thrust at life needed the patience of a very understanding partner. He wasn’t sure Harlow was ready for that much intensity yet. But he planned to find out.

The lift doors opened to a rooftop deck featuring 360° views of Eden II’s metro centre. One end of the lush space featured a resort-style, infinity-edge pool with cabanas, cosy nooks and hot tubs surrounding it. Flanked by a clubhouse complete with a bar, kitchen and pool table. The Sable brothers hosted many social gatherings and joint parties in the open-style courtyard, one of Kage’s favourite places to relax on a quiet Sunday afternoon.

On the far side was a state-of-the-art fitness centre with cardio, a weight room and an expansive martial arts studio.

Beyond the open space was a breathtaking cityscape filled with unhindered panoramic views of Eden II’s skyscrapers against a dazzling skyline. Stars rose and fell across the sky with the sun making them even brighter throughout the lunar day.

The twin suns above the rock were shining strong. Their luminescence was only kept in check by the dome above the moon city, which scattered the light and gave it some variance - from a dawn feel to a twilight atmosphere according to the hour of the day. Eden II kept Dunian hours to help manage time on the planetoid. Today was the 14th Dunian day of the lunar cycle. In seven more days, sunset on the moon would fall suddenly, and Eden II would be plunged into a black midnight darkness with no lingering light.

The dark days were when the metro dome came to life and another of Kage’s favourite times of the lunar month, when the brilliant skyline’s twinkling lights glimmered with a magical mystique against a backdrop of a rich, inky, velvet sky.

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