Page 33 of Rescued

“Yes, it does,” she said slowly. “But how—”

“I’m a scout for my people, so I visit a lot of different planets and finding new music while I’m there is a hobby,” Davrik said quickly. “Can you sing it for me?” He was hoping that if he got her singing, he could avoid further questions. Luckily, Sonya seemed not to mind—probably because singing for a strange man was infinitely preferable to giving him a blow job, Davrik thought grimly.

“Okay—it’ll have to be a cappella, though—I haven’t had time to add that particular song to my music maker. That’s the little device that accompanies me while I sing on stage,” she added. “It’s about the only good thing I’ve gotten out of being here. Um…except getting to spend time with you of course, Master,” she added quickly.

“Please—you don’t have to lie to me,” Davrik said quietly. “I can’t imagine what your life has been like here but I’m sure it hasn’t been good.”

He wanted to add that he was so sorry he hadn’t been able to get to her sooner, but he was afraid that would make her suspicious of him. It would be really difficult to explain why he had been tracking her without telling her about the other Sonya.

She lifted her chin.

“All right—I won’t lie. It’s not great here. I mean, I was a Professor of Music Theory in my old life on Earth and now I’m a singing sex worker.” She pointed a finger at him. “But if Oozle hears me saying that—or you tell him I complained—I’ll get in a whole hell of a lot of trouble.”

“I have nothing to say to the Sluggorn,” Davrik growled. “He has no right to own you or to force you to…to do whatever it is you’ve been forced to do.”

He desperately wanted to ask her what she’d had to do…and what had been done to her. He’d been under the impression that she was only singing here at The House of a Thousand Flowers. But it seemed he had been wrong. Gods, how many times had she been taken against her will? How many times had she been hurt because he hadn’t gotten to her fast enough?

But he couldn’t say any of that. He could only sit there, hands squeezed into fists as he tried to keep his emotions in check.

Sonya was watching him carefully, as though trying to decide if she could trust him or not.

“All right, I guess,” she said at last. “Well…do you still want me to sing?”

“Please,” Davrik got out. Again he had the urge to sweep her into his arms and take care of her—to promise her he would get her out of here and keep her safe forever. But he didn’t know how he was going to manage that, so he kept his mouth shut and waited.

Sonya hummed a little, finding her pitch and tuning her voice. Then she began, her beautiful contralto filling the room.

“Tonight you’re mine, completely…

You give your love so sweetly…

Tonight the light of love is in your eyes,

Will you still love me tomorrow?”

As she soared into the second verse, Davrik couldn’t help joining in. This was one of the songs he had often sung with her, harmonizing as she sang the melody.

“Is this a lasting treasure…

Or just a moment’s pleasure?” he sang with her.

Sonya’s eyes opened wide and she stared at him uncertainly. But ever the consummate professional, she continued singing and Davrik kept singing the harmony.

“Tonight, the light of love is in your eyes.

Will you still love me tomorrow?” they finished together, as they so often had—or as he had with his own Sonya, Davrik reminded himself.

It healed something in his soul to sing with her again. The way their voices melded together, entwining perfectly, had always been a pleasure for both of them. He hoped this Sonya would feel the same way.

When the song ended, she looked at him for a long moment.

“You’re the one—you were humming along with me in the Flower Lounge,” she said at last.

“Only because you seemed to be having trouble,” Davrik told her. “I just wanted to help.”

“I just got thrown off because of that horrible Trollox—the three headed thing that was sitting in the corner.” A visible shiver ran through her. “It…it’s a client of mine.” A look of revulsion crossed her face.

“Did he hurt you?” Davrik leaned forward anxiously. He could feel the Rage building inside him. If that big bastard had even touched her—

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