Alkard

ALKARD

I ignored the flashing lights, the pulsing bass, and the naked swirling female forms scattered over Club Pulsar. That was not why I had come here. I moved over to the bar to look for Banek, the club's owner.

Something silken-limbed and willing tried to entice me into one of the back rooms, but I pulled away from her with a grunt of annoyance. I normally didn't mind female attention, but I was here on business.

Besides, ever since my encounter with the dark haired, dark eyed damsel in distress, I'd been unable to completely get her out of my mind.

She'd run away, her tempting form disappearing into the crowds, and I'd continued on my way to meet my men. She was nothing. Just another human.

But still…

When I reached the bar, I was directed to the emcee booth, and encountered the dragon-like Banek as he made his way down the booth's short staircase.

"Alkard," he said, a smile spreading over his features. I returned it, a rarity for me. A smile didn't even feel right on my face, but the Mondians had been allies of the Vinduthi in the war. "Long time, no see. What are you doing slumming it back here? I'll give you the best seats in the house, right up in front of the stage."

"I'm afraid I didn't come here for that kind of fun," I replied. "I'm here for information."

Banek's expression grew grim.

"You always are. But I'm afraid I don't know anything about your missing shipment." He shrugged. "Glad to see that the Fanaith's little surprise party didn't slow you down any."

A slow bubble of pleasure ran through me. The backstabbing little bastards had called for a summit, babbled on about a new treaty between our territory and theirs.

It'd been an obvious ambush.

But now I had one survivor safely stowed away.

There were more ways to get information than politely asking.

"A pity." I sighed. "It's as if those weapons disappeared down a black hole."

"I wish I could be of more help. Of course, we both know that there's one person on the station who knows where that shipment got off to."

"Conii," I said sourly. The Nazok leader had always been a thorn in my side, but now she threatened to turn into much more. A legitimate rival for control of the station's criminal enterprises.

She was smart enough not to move directly against the family but I wondered how much longer it would be before a war broke out.

"She's too clever by far," I said. "I don't get it. Something is wrong, old friend. Something I can't put my finger on, but I have a feeling it could be bad."

I preferred order to chaos. When things were out of my control, when they weren't neat and tidy, it bothered me a great deal.

"I think you worry too much," Banek replied.

"And I do not think you worry enough," I replied. "If I recall, it was you who suggested a daytime raid at the battle of Bauxelle. That was ridiculous."

Banked shrugged his scaled shoulders.

"I thought it would be the last thing the enemy would expect, an attack in broad daylight. And you were the one who?—"

A commotion on the floor drew our attention. I looked over and froze.

The woman.

The same one from the alleyway, only now I could see pretty much everything she had to offer.

And she had a lot. I felt my cock twitch hard at the sight of her naked perfection.

She stood in one of the display booths. A door slid open, and the tentacled hand of Kolluskian wrapped around her wrist.

A growl rumbled through my chest. That was the wrist that had been hurt when the Ewani attacked.

She struggled against the alien's grip, her heavy breasts swaying in a hypnotic way. And then it hit me.

The scent of the girl's fear.

I didn't make a conscious decision to surge across the crowded floor. I didn't even think as my fist smashed into the squirming, tentacled face of the Kolluskian who'd just bought the girl.

But as the man fell to the floor, I thought a lot. Mostly of how I had disrupted business in one of my supposed ally's main sources of income.

We Vinduthi were powerful, but we also cultivated an image of being defenders of the common man. Like many other criminal organizations, our reputation was everything, both good and bad.

So fighting back my snarl, I held my hand out and helped the buyer to his feet.

"I'm sorry, friend," I said. "I got a little excited. I just didn't want you to waste your money on clearly defective merchandise."

"Defective?" the Kolluskian asked, holding his jaw.

"Yes, she has all the signs of a Snipe infection."

Banek forced his way through the crowd, glaring at me. "My merchandise is fine."

"Of course, of course." I raised an eyebrow, hoping he'd go along with this. We'd been comrades in battle before. Thodos III wasn't much different. "This is a rare, human specific disease that only interacts with Kolluskian."

Banak leaned back, eyes still flat. "Fascinating that you know these details."

I waved a hand, turning away slightly. "You know me. I'm always interested in information."

Luckily, the woman's buyer had only absorbed the words that affected him.

"An infection?" The squid man gasped. "But I already paid for her."

"No refunds," Banek snapped.

"That's all right." I withdrew my percomm and made the credits transfer. "I'll take her off your hands."

The squid man seemed somewhat relieved, but still rubbed his jaw.

"Let me buy you a drink," I said. I raised my voice to parade levels. "In fact, let me buy everyone a round of drinks."

I almost felt Banek's smirk.

The patrons cheered and the tension flowed out of the room.

By the dark, people were easily led.

I turned around and found the human woman standing beside the booth. Her arms were crossed over her naked breasts, a look of defiance on her lovely face. I felt the sharp pang of hunger stab at me as I drank in the sight of her.

"Come here."

When she did not move, I grabbed her wrist—the uninjured one—and led her over to a nearby, empty table.

"What's your deal, buddy?" she gasped as I pulled her into my lap.

"Shhh," I said gently, trying to calm her down. "Everything will be all right now."

She still looked at me fearfully. I stroked my hand through her midnight mane. Her hair felt like finely spun silk running through my fingers.

"Let go of me," the woman gasped, pushing against me with her hands. Then she slapped me with her free hand, a sharp crack echoing over the club.

I did not even feel it.

"I love how much fight you have in you," I said, catching both of her wrists in one of my hands. "But I can't let you hurt yourself."

The leather cuffs made it easy to hold onto her. With care not to harm her joints, I pulled her hands down into her lap and went back to stroking her hair.

She fought me, struggling fiercely, but to no avail.

This was madness. I didn't force women. The very thought was distasteful, and there had never been a need.

But I couldn't let her go.

Banek came over, a half-smile twisting his lips.

"You really want Tessi? She's liable to bite off your cock, spit in your eyes, and cross her legs."

"Fuck you," Tessi sputtered, still squirming in my lap.

I wondered what it was about this particular human female that I found so appealing. Yes, she was lovely, and had generous attributes that made my blood heat up like fire. But it went far beyond that. Something profound pulled me toward her, an inexorable force I didn't even want to resist.

"It's been a long day, Banek," I said, without tearing my eyes off of the girl squirming in my lap. The curves of her ass rubbed against my crotch in spite of her best efforts to avoid it. My body responded, a light-headed passion taking me over. "I would like to test out the merchandise."

"You can take the VIP room. It's the only one I know that gets cleaned to the meticulous level you require."

I stared at him. "I have no idea where that is."

Banek sighed. "Through the red beaded curtain, the last stop on your left."

"Thank you."

"You're not taking me anywhere," the girl cried, then bent her head down and bit my hand.

I laughed, more charmed and amused than offended.

"Careful," I cautioned. "I told you not to hurt yourself. Vinduthi skin is tough, indeed."

She increased the pressure, as if to mock my warning. Tessi squirmed out of my lap, getting her slippered feet on the floor. She tugged hard, but I still held her wrists in an iron grip.

The idea of her running across the floor, alone and uncovered, undefended, was impossible to accept.

"Let go of me, you fucking prick," she snapped. "Just because you saved me doesn't mean you own me."

"You are correct," I said. She stopped struggling, puzzlement spreading over her beautiful face. Pulling off my shirt, I wrapped it around her then lifted her in my arms.

"The fact that I have purchased you means I own you."