Chapter 30
30
A heady rush of adrenaline courses through me, bolstering me as I step inside the room. Diaphanous fabric hangs from the ceiling, lit from above with purple and white neon spotlights, giving the space an ethereal quality. It also obscures the shadowy figure sitting on the other side of the material to anyone entering the room, which makes me smile to myself. It’s meant to be intimidating and ominous, but to me, it’s a cheap trick from someone desperate for an air of mystery that they can’t summon through their presence alone.
My ocular implant does a quick scan, easily able to see through the fabric and odd lighting to get a sense of what we’re dealing with in here. I’d assumed from the underworld-themed decor, it would be a nexxit. When I realize who, or rather what kind of alien, is waiting for us, I freeze.
Vash-ka , Narem didn’t tell me the mark was a seladin.
Anger, hot and bright, flares to life inside me.
Of course she’s a seladin. Who better to convince Y’thir she was offering good work and not enslavement other than a fellow Y’thir?
I want to scream my rage. I want to pull out the blaster strapped against my back and unload every last bolt into her chest before she even has time to realize what’s happening.
Paul’s hand brushes against my back in a silent question, snapping me out of my fury.
Esh’et , Paul.
I’m not sure at this moment if I’m furious or grateful that he’s here with me, preventing me from ripping this seladin’s throat out.
“Well, are you just going to stand there, sibling, or are you coming in?”
Paul inhales sharply at her words, not knowing that Y’thir often call each other sibling though we aren’t blood relations. It’s a lonely and hard life, going out into the galaxy and scraping together a living, and we often don’t see other seladin for many cycles, so it’s a way to show our camaraderie.
And this fa-shar monster is using it like she has the right to claim that bond. My teeth grind together as I push past the curtains of fabric and come face to face with my mark.
Even seated, she’s tall, her long torso and tapered waist accentuated by the tight, semi-transparent dress wrapped around her that does nothing to conceal her breasts. If I didn’t know better, I would’ve thought she was one of the club workers at first glance, given her state of undress. There’s a cold, predatory sheen to her glowing eyes that’s the only indication of her malice. It only grows worse when her gaze lands on Paul and she sits up a bit, leaning forward to get a better look.
I want to shove him behind me and growl a warning. Instead, I plaster on a mildly surprised smile. “Sibling. I wasn’t expecting you to be Y’thir.”
She gives me a sharp grin. “Of course not. Those of us who rise above our brethren are few and far between.” She gestures for me to take a seat on the couch across from her. “Sit.”
I glare at her, both my character for the job and my real self in agreement for once that we refuse to follow any command given by her. She deserves no respect or obedience.
“Please,” she adds in a purr, leaning forward enough that the neckline of her dress dips low.
So that’s her game. I pretend to stare at her chest for a moment too long, letting her think I’m interested.
The couches are set close together and as I step in to sit, it puts her within reach. My fingers twitch with the urge to reach out and strangle her, but I sink down across from her and motion for Paul to sit at my feet.
“What a fascinating pet you have, Jaeril.” She leaves off my fake identity’s honorific, and I pretend to bristle at the slight.
I rest a possessive hand on Paul’s shoulder and his skin flushes pink. “Indeed. I believe you have me at a disadvantage. You know my name, but I’ve yet to learn yours.”
The saelit on her brow crinkle as they draw together. “You haven’t heard of me?” There’s a hint of affront and disbelief in her tone. As if she’s skeptical anyone could not know who the biggest name in trafficking in this sector is.
“That depends,” I reply. “If you’re who I think you are, then yes. ”
“Ah.” She smiles. “Allow me to officially introduce myself. I’m Gelia.”
Gelia pauses for my reaction to her name, and I resist the almost overpowering urge to roll my eyes. I don’t give a shit what her name is. It won’t matter when she’s dead. “Thank you for confirming my suspicions. It’s a pleasure to meet someone of your…caliber.”
She pushes her long silver hair over her shoulder and gives me another coy smile. “Likewise. I’m amazed another Y’thir ended up with something so valuable. How did you come to possess it?” Her tone feigns disinterest, but she can’t stop looking at Paul, her eyes flicking back to him every few seconds.
Good. We need her distracted.
I use the moment her eyes are off me to scan the room. There’s a door behind her disguised to look like part of the wall. Any number of things could reside behind it. Hidden security guards. Playthings waiting on her beck and call. Hidden offices or a private entrance into the club.
Given the camouflaged turrets up on the ceiling, I’m hoping she’s cocky enough to rely on that for security. Guards will make pulling the hit off a lot more complicated.
“Would you believe me if I told you I won him in a bet?” I reply drolly.
She chuckles. “No, I wouldn’t. But I suppose it doesn’t really matter. You have it. You’ve brought it into my domain, dangling your prized possession for everyone to see. Why? Is it defective?”
I scoff. “Far from it. Care for a demonstration?” Paul’s eyes widen and flick up to me. “You’d enjoy that, wouldn’t you, fa’sli ?”
He nods eagerly. “Yes, sir. Please.”
I’m not a fan of our plan, but seeing how her eyes gleam with hunger as she watches Paul flush and pant at my feet at the mere prospect of putting on a show, this approach should work .
Esh’et, I know it was Paul’s idea, but letting this monster touch him for even an instant makes me sick.
I nudge him in the side with the tip of my boot. “Go on then. Show our gracious host.”
She doesn’t hesitate, her hand lashing out to grab Paul by the collar and tug him over to her couch. He gasps as her talons dig into the underside of his jaw and my heart thunders in terror, knowing she could slice into his jugular and there’s nothing I could do to stop her.
I bite the inside of my cheek hard enough to draw blood and slide the hand not gripping Paul’s leash into the small hole in the stitching at the waistband of my pants. I dig into the seam with a talon to widen it more, then pinch the capsule hidden in there between my fingers. All it would look like from her perspective is me scratching an itch. Not that she cares at all what I’m doing. I could probably pull out my blaster and get a shot off before she looked back at me.
I’m sorely tempted to, but with Paul so close to her, I can’t risk it.
Stick with the plan. It will work. It has to work.
Gelia drags Paul’s face closer to hers, her eyes darting across his handsome, flushed features. Paul instinctively looks at me for reassurance and she grips him tighter, turning him back to her. “Look at me, human.”
He swallows hard and I can see his pulse hammering in his throat as she brings her mouth to his neck like she’s about to bite him there. Instead, her tongue darts out to lick above his collar and Paul lets out a shuddering gasp.
“Mmm, it’s responsive. And not only to its owner. Interesting. What other noises can you make, human?” She rakes a talon across his cheek, drawing blood, and he cries out .
It takes all of my willpower to choke down my rage. “Try not to damage him too much,” I say mildly. “Unless you’d like to purchase him for yourself.”
“Hmm,” Gelia brings her mouth up to his cheek and licks away the thin line of blood. Her eyes shut as a shudder of pleasure overtakes her.
Disgust and hatred push to the forefront of my mind, but I can’t let it distract me. This may be my only chance and I need to get this over with now.
I don’t hesitate to reach out and drop the capsule into her drink. It starts to dissolve instantly, and I turn my gaze back to them so she won’t catch me watching to make sure it’s vanished completely.
Her eyes open slowly and she finally looks back at me, any pretense of being disinterested gone, replaced with a greedy hunger. “Name your price.”
“I want the ankite server, any Y’thir you have on hand, and fifty thousand credits.”
She snorts. “You really think he’s worth that?”
I level her with a steady stare. “No. He’s worth at least twice that much.”
Her brow knits together as she strokes down Paul’s chest idly, leaving a red welt where her talon digs into his delicate skin.
Vash-ka , I’m going to enjoy watching the life drain from her eyes.
“Then why would you sell him for less?” she asks.
I pretend to hesitate, then sigh. “I’ve found myself in need of the credits, and while he’s stellar, I’d like some variety.”
Gelia picks up her drink and I pointedly look at Paul, who is whimpering in distress at the prospect of being sold off.
“Relax, pet. I’ll take good care of you. Here, have a sip. You’ve earned it.” She holds the glass up to his mouth and yanks his hair to tip his head back.
With no option but to obey, he opens his mouth and takes what she offers him, sputtering as she pours more than he can gulp down fast enough.
For a heartbeat, I worry she’s going to give him the whole thing. Paul and I both took the antidote to the lethal poison before coming here in case she was paranoid enough to have us test her drink, but if she doesn’t drink any of it, we’ll have to move to the backup plan that involves a blaster to her temple.
She watches him cooly, searching for any sign of distress, and when he just stares back at her with wide eyes, she downs the rest of her cocktail.
“You have a deal,” Gelia says with a satisfied smirk.
“I want the pets escorted to my ship, and the money transferred before I leave,” I grunt.
“Yes, yes, whatever. You really think I care about that?” she says, waving her hand dismissively. She taps her comm a few times, then holds it up for me to see. “There. I’ve told the staff to do as you asked. The money will—” she pauses, coughing. “I’ll put it in your account as soon as you leave.” She coughs again, doubling over.
Paul scrambles away from her as she claws at her throat, rage and terror in her eyes as the poison takes hold.
“I’ve changed my mind,” I say, standing and ripping the comm off her wrist, tossing it to the side before she can use it to signal her distress. She gasps for a breath that won’t come.
I pull Paul to my side. “I’m keeping him.”