Chapter 37
"Come on, let's go." I gestured for the group to follow me. It might have been because of everything that had just happened, but it was a quieter walk back than I expected. It wasn't until we got into the shuttle that Tiri started speaking.
"I'm so proud of you, Brick." She hugged the big grogax with as much of her body as she could, which wasn't much given the size difference between them.
"It was nothing." Brick blushed.
"No, don't sell yourself short." She wagged a finger at him and turned to me for help. "Brick went there to distract Perez because he knew all of you were looting his place." She put her hands on her hips. "He didn't make a single bet," she said proudly.
"Great job." I gave Brick a thumbs-up.
The big lug blushed deeper and rubbed the back of his head.
"Not as enthusiastic as I'd hoped, but it'll do," Tiri said, crossing her arms. "And what about your group?"
I pointed at the pile of loot in the back of the shuttle.
"Well, we've got that. And we've got a duel in two days back at Perez's estate between Violet and the two divines. I’d hoped that we’d get a better idea of how they might rig the fight in their favor, but we’ll just have to make sure no one is able to take advantage of the situation with Violet. "
Violet crossed her arms at my assessment. "This will be a fair duel. We will not do anything underhanded."
"We won't do anything," I said quickly. "However, we'll definitely be prepared to fight back when they break the rules."
"When?" Violet said, with a lifted brow.
"Yeah, I can practically smell it on those twins.
They're not going to play by the rules. Besides, if they only needed to challenge you to a one-on-one duel, why bring two?
" I asked. “No, they and their whole organization reeked of underhanded tactics. Perez told us about how they took out Akari, and that was the only confirmation that I needed”
Violet paused, tapping on her lip. "Simply the presence of another divine isn't reason to say that they are going to cheat."
"No, but if they have cheated before, they will again." I crossed my arms and glanced at Tiri for help.
"It's not cheating to prepare to counter cheaters," Tiri offered.
Violet still seemed unsure.
"How about we do it, and you take no part in the preparation? Full plausible deniability," I offered.
"That doesn't sound like a real thing." Violet tilted her head.
"Oh no, it is." Or at least it was. There were still politicians, and I assumed it was still in the universal laws.
She still narrowed her eyes before letting out a heavy sigh. "Fine. Then do me a favor and plan for it when I'm not in the room."
My head was bobbing so hard I was surprised I didn't injure my neck. "Will do. Right, Lily?" I looked to my co-conspirator.
"Yes, we're not here to interfere, but if worse comes to worst, and they play a dirty trick—" Lily paused for effect, letting Violet’s imagination take over with far worse outcomes than Lily could speak into existence.
I smiled at Lily. Though she was opposed to Violet not a short while ago, to the degree of coming to blows, she was quickly learning how to set their differences aside and support each other as crewmates.
I was proud of Lily. And I also was starting to call bullshit on the idea that ‘helivores weren’t social creatures’.
At this point, that was proven very false.
"And the good news is, I think we have the money to finish paying for the ship." I looked at Brick. "Your goal is to get the ship operational before this duel."
"Wait, two days?" Brick stared.
"You just stared down your vice and a bookie. Getting repairs done on time is that worrisome?" I asked with a chuckle.
Brick winced. "It's not that… it is much harder than you think. I mean, it's not so easy to simply wave my hand and finish the repairs. To not gamble, all I had to do was keep repeating a mantra in my head."
The smile I gave him was nothing short of devious. "I'm sure something similar is possible here, and you can conquer the new challenge before you, too."
Brick swallowed, and Tiri glared at me.
"It's good for him," I argued, staring back at her.
"I'll be the one to determine that. But we'll do our best. Good news is the spaceport threw a veritable army of mechanics at our ship. That'll help with fixing the shielding and final checks. But there's only so much extra hands can help with some of these tasks," Tiri said, hands on her hips.
I shrugged, being a little bit of a stickler on this particular point. Sometimes it was required to push people for them to do the impossible.
"We'll figure it out," Tiri said confidently to Brick.
I'd read up on the spin-up process, and it definitely wasn't something that could be rushed, but everything before that certainly could.
So as long as they got to the spin-up process eight hours before the duel, they could have the ship ready, and we could fly off into the sunset once Violet was done.
The shuttle hummed as it touched down back in the spaceport, and Madam Chiksai looked at me expectantly.
"Right. Violet, the madam asked for us to take care of her until after the duel. Something about picking the sides, and not wanting to lose her head for picking yours." I gave her the short of it.
Lily turned to the madam. "You are too weak for the captain. Don't even think about it."
"Lily, not everyone's—" I started, but she held up a hand.
"You have a strangely powerful magnetism, Captain. Do not underestimate it," Lily said, returning her glare to the madam, until the woman nodded.
"Of course. This one wouldn't dare think above her station," the madam said. I hated how that sounded, but I accepted it rather than fighting.
"In that case, she may stay." Lily lifted her chin.
"Thank you, Lady Liliana Valcrest." The madam bowed low, and I saw the momentary smirk slip across Lily's face before she smothered it.
"You have been forgiven." Lily waved her hand. "Go find a bed, preferably one of the bunks in the bunk room. There's no need to take up one of the officers' quarters as you won’t be here long."
The well-dressed kikai bowed her head. "Of course, as you say."
I squinted at Lily. She was getting a little cocky in the current situation, but one glance towards her and she squashed it down and turned her gaze to me with a heavy seriousness.
"I believe we have much to discuss," she said, her eyes sliding to Violet with some sort of meaning and grabbing me by the arm.
"Ah, Captain." Melgara walked in, and her eyes fell to Pip, who had been on my shoulder for most of our outing. I had honestly begun to forget his weight was even there, yet it was certain that Melgara would always be aware of him. "Would you like to see the findings from my studies thus far?"
Lily grabbed me by the shoulder. "He is unfortunately going to be busy; there is something important we must discuss." I was practically ripped off my feet by Lily and carried into the ship.
“Lily, what are you doing?” I asked as she pulled me along all the way up to our room without saying much. “I guess if you're that eager to talk about Violet…” I said as the door slid closed behind us and gave us some privacy.
“She will have your attention later.” Lily pouted and leaned me back on the bed as she crawled over me, her lips puckering as she waited.
I slid my hands up her hips, slightly off balance with the sudden change in direction, but I also understood. Lily felt like her time alone with me was going to come to a close and wanted to wring out as much of my attention as she could with the time that remained.
I slid a hand up her hips as I pulled her forward, capturing her soft lips between mine and kissing her deeply as Lily blushed. She leaned into me, clinging to my shirt before she leaned back to draw me deeper into the bed.
“You know, you could just have told me what you wanted,” I told her while I took my shirt off and threw it to the side.
Lily's pout in response was adorable. “I shouldn't have to ask. You should want this as much as I do.”
“Oh? And how much exactly do you want this?” I paused, pushing her hip down and denying her for a moment longer. I enjoyed watching her go slightly feral as she stared at me.
“I always want it,” she told me, tilting her head as she studied me and clearly tried to determine her fastest path to me satisfying her need. Lily was insatiable.
“And when we're with Violet?” I asked with a lifted brow.
“I want to rub it in her face. Feel free to bend me over in front of her anytime. I want you to make me feel better than you'll ever make her feel. I want you to fill me up so full that you're exhausted and you have nothing left for her.” Lily stated her desire with no ounce of shame.
“Well then what are you waiting for?” I challenged with a smile, watching as that challenge processed in her brain and turned her towards action.
She kissed me fiercely and drew my lips long enough to distract me before rolling us both over and taking the position on top. She straddled me and pulled my pants down as my cock sprang free.
Her suit was so flush to her skin that there was no way to ignore the visible cleft in her suit that she pushed down until it wrapped around the top half of my cock, as she pinned it down flat in a perfect loving caress before she began to grind on me, leaning her head back with a sweet moan.
It was clear that she was thoroughly enjoying me rubbing up against her.
While it felt good, it began to feel even better as a slick fluid began to pool on the outside of her suit. The cleft deepened, and I began to sink deeper into her as if I were like a hot dog stuffed upside down in a bun.
As she continued to grind on me, her suit began to mold and shape around me until it was nothing but a slippery velvety sensation completely encasing my cock, slurping and sucking with every sway of her hips.
Damn, this woman knew how to make me feel good.
I twisted the sheets as I twitched to life, and my body decided it didn’t need any of this silly blood; it should all go down south.
Lily grinned down at me from where she was mounted, her long nails coming up to her chest and ripping her suit apart as her creamy breasts spilled out, the pink nubs at the tip.
I was not quite hard enough yet, but that was easy to fix. I reached up, softly cupping her breasts and feeling their soft heft in my hands.
Wrapping my fingers around her nipples, I squeezed and tweaked them lightly as she leaned back, moaning while continuing to grind atop me.
“So good,” Lily moaned, and a small dribble of drool came out from the corner of her mouth.
Curious, I looked down to find myself completely encased inside Lily and her black bodysuit, which was doing a fair bit of the work as her liquid pleasure overflowed around me.
It was like Lily had studied what brought me pleasure and found the exact pressure and liquid to apply to build me up to my release.
I began holding onto her breasts not just to increase her excitement, but because I was beginning to struggle. The overwhelming pleasure inside of me was building too fast, even as a small pinch beneath me felt like it was cutting off my release.
I groaned and squeezed her breasts as Lily began to pant atop me, rubbing herself with abandon while working to hold off my release.
“What are you doing?” I grunted.
Lily's eyes were relaxed, a pleasantly glazed expression as her irises glowed a vibrant pink. “This makes you sensitive, right?”
While she was asking the question, it was clear she already knew the answer. Her face was nearly gloating as she rubbed me up and down.
I grunted, thrusting up into her but unable to do anything when she simply sat her weight down atop me and transitioned her movements to short, soft strokes, languidly drawing out every motion to the point I was agonizingly sensitive.
I felt like I should have burst minutes ago and was nearly desperate for release. But I was more of a man of action.
Lily began to drag her nails down along my arm, sweet moans escaping her lips while her eyes were locked on mine in rapturous delight.
I grabbed Lily by the hips and thrust up at an incredibly awkward angle, knowing she could handle me. I needed to pump myself inside of her. And until I came, there was little else still in my conscious thoughts.
Lily's sweet moans echoed in my ears, and I was thrusting with reckless abandon, trying to squeeze out my orgasm that she was currently doing her best to hold back.
“Yes, that's it, Captain! That's it!” Lily cried out.
I rolled her over, still not satisfied because of whatever had pinched off the base of my cock.
Lily was playing with fire.
I pulled out so that I could press her face to the bed, lift her hips, and plunge right back in.
This time, however, I speared right through her suit and into her gooey center, which was quite literally overflowing.
As I lost all reason and became little more than a beast rutting in heat.
“Yes, Captain, yes!” Lily cried out.
Whatever she'd done to stop my release came undone with a sudden snap, and I pushed her hard down onto the bed as I came.
A normally quick release seemed to just continue coming. After four spurts, I expected to be done, but my body still seemed to have more.
I poured it into her until it was seeping out of our union before I staggered back, blinking as dots scattered in my vision.
As soon as I pulled out, Lily rolled over on the bed, her legs flexibly intertwining around my waist and pulling me back to her and moving with a fluid motion to reclaim me.
“Perfect, Captain,” she purred and kissed me on the lips.
The kiss was soft yet dripping with sensual hunger, and I held her head, deepening the kiss and pouring my affection into her. It was my way of telling Lily just how much she meant to me and reassuring her that it would be the same even if Violet came into our future.
The soft, sensual kiss deepened as I pressed her to the bed, finding myself remarkably still hard and very sensitive as I dipped back into her. She shifted her position so we could stay kissing as I sank back into her, gently rocking the two of us together.
This time, I was ready to go slower and really savor her.