Tessi

TESSI

My boss, Banek Mari, glared at me as I entered the club.

"You're late."

"I was attacked."

Whatever retort he had prepared was cut off by my shakiness and terrified expression.

That was all it took to convince him it was no bluff. He came over to me immediately, taking my chin in his hands and turning my face this way and that.

I was perfectly aware Banek had not one whit of sympathy within his scaled, crimson body. He only cared if his merchandise had been damaged.

"No obvious marks," he mused to himself, and then he noticed the reddening mark on my wrist from the Ewani's hand. "Except for this. Cover it with a bracelet, and get on stage three."

I kept my scowl hidden from him as I moved off. That was it. No kind words, no request for an explanation of what happened. Just a cold dismissal.

Worse, he'd told me to dance on stage three…where the patrons were close enough to touch me if they wanted. The bouncers were decidedly lazy at Pulsar, and unless one of the patrons looked as if they were going to cause legit harm to the ‘merchandise,' they would be left alone.

It was what it was.

I could do this. I'd already promised myself I could put up with almost anything to find Mera.

Until then…I had no choice but to do as I was told.

I headed through the smoke-filled, darkened club. Another dancer swirled about on the stage, a Nazok with six exposed breasts.

The patrons cat-called, and offered ‘favors.' Favor chips weren't as good as credits, but could be used to purchase privileges from Banek.

I'd used my latest accumulation to purchase three days off in a row to look for Mera, all to no avail.

I pushed through the beaded curtain into the dancer's dressing room. Another dancer, a brunette named Shorena, smiled as I entered.

"Are you all right?" she asked.

"I'm fine," I said. "I got jumped by a couple of Ewani, but I'm fine."

She frowned, looking worried. "Did they hurt you?"

I snorted in reply.

"No, someone intervened."

"Who? Station security?"

"No." I remembered my darkly handsome rescuer and shuddered. "One of the Vinduthi stepped in and saved me…and before you ask, I have no idea why."

"What color were his tattoos?" Shorena asked without skipping a beat.

For a moment, I froze, thinking about him more clearly. His face, those eyes. The way he'd reached for me…

"Um, purple." Her eyes went wide.

"Only one Vinduthi on the station has purple markings—the leader of the Fangs, Alkard. Did he say anything to you?"

The low growl of his voice still echoed in my ears.

I swallowed hard.

"He asked me if I was all right. I thanked him and then ran like hell before I wound up next on his menu."

Shorena snorted.

"Like running away would have saved you if he wanted you."

That wasn't encouraging.

But thinking about it anymore didn't do me any good. Shoving the whole incident to the back of my mind, I removed the poncho and halter top, checking my reflection in the mirror. Now I wore only a leather harness on my torso, a sparkly bra and panty set, and high heeled, knee high boots.

A vulgar outfit, but I had no choice in the matter.

Dressing comfortably didn't get me favors.

I put on leather cuffs, covering the bruise on my right wrist, and spruced up my cosmetics before rushing toward the curtained door.

I stepped up on stage just as the emcee did my intro, wearing a smile I didn't feel, sauntering toward the pole in the center of the long, narrow stage. In this moment, I knew that I wielded a kind of power. Too bad I could not reap the benefits of it myself.

A slimy tentacle ran up my thigh. I laughed and playfully smacked it away, even though it disgusted me to be pawed like a piece of meat at the market.

I'll do this , I thought. I'll do this to find Mera.

In my mind, I tried picturing the handsome Vinduthi staring at me instead of the scumbag patrons.

The frightening, cold eyes, the purple tracery visible on his left arm and the side of his neck, the tight black clothing revealing his fantastically chiseled physique…

As if my thoughts had summoned them, four Vinduthi walked in through the entrance.

Leading them was Alkard, the one who had saved me. The other three walked carefully behind him, though they looked quite fearsome in their own right. Fangs.

I tensed up a bit. The Mondians and the Vinduthi were technically on good terms, but they also tended to stay out of each other's territories. What were they doing here?

I was so distracted, I nearly stumbled off the edge of the stage.

One of the other dancers caught me with a hand on my hip.

"Thanks, Lola."

"Quit fucking up, you're going to get us all in trouble," Lola snapped.

I tried my best to perform, pulling off my harness, playing with the straps, but my gaze kept gravitating to Alkard and his bunch of its own accord.

The music ended, and I bent over to pick up my discarded clothing while swiveling my hips to the side to avoid another tentacle caress. Once off stage, I redressed to take a shift on the tables when Banek loomed over me.

"No," he said. "Don't get dressed. Get in the booth."

My heart skipped a beat, my breath catching in my throat. This was bad.

So far, I'd avoided the booth.

My best friend worked at this club when she disappeared. That made it a natural place to look.

We'd grown up together in the Under, watched each other's backs our whole lives.

When she'd signed the contract to work at the Pulsar, she'd been excited. Not for the work, but for the eventual payout. Enough to get an apartment, nothing big, just something we could call our own.

I'd worried, but she laughed and hugged me.

And then she went missing.

People went missing all the time on Thodos III. Swallowed up by the station, by the gangs or smugglers.

But I couldn't forget about her, couldn't let it go. Even if I had to put up with being leered and pawed at, if I could just get a clue to what had happened to her, it would be worth it.

But if Banek put me in the booth, it meant that I'd performed a little too well. One of the patrons had inquired about purchasing my contract.

I steeled myself, setting my jaw hard. Life on Thodos III was rough, but I hadn't broken yet, and I wouldn't break now. Head held high, I went to the booth, trying for a defiant stride rather than a meek, hunched simpering walk.

The booth rose up from the floor, one of the clear paneled walls opening for my ingress. I stepped inside, hanging my clothing on the safety rail.

The booth closed me inside, and a gaggle of patrons of all different species gathered around. Most of them likely couldn't afford my contract, but they were still going to gawk.

"Don't just stand there, Tessi," Banek growled. "Entice them or something."

"She can entice me with those big tits," said a squid faced alien, and the others laughed.

"No way am I going home with a walking plate of calamari," I said. The squid grew angry, but the other patrons laughed.

"She's got spunk," said another alien. "I like her. Too bad there's no way I can afford her contract."

Yeah, it wasn't really bravery. Just terror making my mouth run faster than my brain.

More and more of the aliens crowded around, interested in the ‘new meat' for sale. With every moment, my heartbeat sounded louder in my ears, my breaths becoming shallower until I was almost dizzy.

"Who wants a lowly human, anyway?" sneered another patron. "I hear they're hard to train properly, and aren't very smart."

"Smart enough not to wear two clashing patterns," I snapped, eying his hideous garment with disdain.

Shut up! I chided myself. Shut up, shut up!

The other patrons enjoyed my antics. Banek did not. He crossed his arms over his chest and stood staring with a glare on his draconic face.

I wondered where the Vinduthi had gone. I could not see much of the club with all of the leering aliens gathered around my booth. Thank goodness they couldn't touch me through it.

The booth featured a credit chip slot affixed to the side, where my purchase price could be inserted. Then the booth would open and I would belong to the person who bought my contract.

I had stopped paying attention to it. There was nothing I could do, other than be trapped here, and spit out my fury to the crowd around me.

The feistier I acted, the more the patrons seemed to think I was just hamming it up and teasing them.

Banek wasn't about to pass up the opportunity. He got on the house mic and worked his salesman's magic.

"Just look at this tigress," he said. "Only a real man can hope to tame her. Looking around here, I'm not sure if any of you have the guts to try."

"I have the guts," said the squid. "Just not the credits."

"Words cannot express my disappointment," I said icily.

The sound of metal clinking into the slot caught my attention, and the world stopped around me.

Someone had put their money in the booth.

Oh shit.

I'd just been sold.