Sextus Page 2

  I’m going to do this, and I’m going to do this in style. Pulling myself to my full five-foot-two inches, I act like there’s a crown on my head. I’m a queen and I relinquish my power to no man.

  My knees hit the floor between his feet and I try to get my bearings. I’ve seen plenty of cocks before; just because I’m a virgin doesn’t mean I haven’t stumbled onto Porn Hub. Of course, I’ve never seen one this long or this thick before. Nor have I ever seen one that is two swirling shades of blue.

  I form my plan of attack. Swift, sure, no time for hesitation, Lexa, just go for it. I grab him at the root, press my mouth over the head, and engulf him as far down as I can go in one swift movement because I don’t want to hesitate or gag.

  “Drack!” he thunders as he grabs my shoulders and pulls me up and off of him. “What the drack female? If you didn’t want to go through with the contract why did you come to my room?”

  I’m standing, staring at him, just blinking. “What?” I ask, then hastily add, “Sir?”

  “Teeth! Seven hells, female. You used your teeth!” I can see the whites all around his irises, his eyes wide in surprise.

  “I...didn’t know.”

  “What are you saying? Are human cocks impervious to pain?”

  “I don’t know...I’ve never…”

  “You’re untouched?” He pulls back, nostrils flaring, muscles rigid.

  Ohhh, the way he said that, like it’s the worst thing in the known galaxy, I don’t want to cop to that. So I just stand here, wondering if I drew blood.

  “Answer me. You’ve never…been with a male?”

  “No.” He’s still staring daggers through me. “Sir.”

  “Why in the galaxy did you accept my offer, Lexa? I thought we were like-minded, that this would be a game for both of us, that I’d be the aggressor and you’d feign innocence. I had no idea you were an innocent.” He stands, grabs my clothes from the foot of the bed, and gently hands them to me. “I rescind my offer. The contract is null and void.”

  Sextus

  “No. Please. Sextus, I’ll...do better next time.”

  Her voice is pleading, but her pinched face and downturned mouth show that this is costing her every iota of her dignity.

  I’m a drackhole. I’ve always been one. I’m used to getting my way. But not this.

  “I need to get back to Earth. Teach me how to do...that…” She glances at my cock, now tucked against my body, shriveled in pain. “Teach me and I’ll do it.”

  I don’t want to prolong this one moment longer. I don’t want her to give away every shred of her self-respect.

  “Go back to your room, Lexa. I don’t understand Earth ways. I can’t play my games with an untouched.” Stalking to my restroom, I toss over my shoulder, “When I come out I want you gone.”

  Chapter Two

  Lexa

  I thought I’d never get to sleep last night, but I must have because I’m awakened by gentle knocking at my door. As my thoughts swim to the surface, they do an instant replay of last night in Sextus’s room. I’m assaulted by a montage of all the humiliations I experienced there. I don’t understand why instead of embarrassment, I’m feeling the tuggings of arousal. I tamp that thought down like the unwanted intruder it is.

  Another knock at the door, this time more insistent.

  As I pull on my oversized t-shirt, I calculate the days I’ve been gone from Earth. “You have to devise a Plan B,” I tell myself. I’m slowly coming to grips with the fact that there are no more options, no more schemes that will get me home. That ship has sailed.

  I pad to the door. I could just tell the door to open, but I’m still not used to that bit of technology. Besides, I’m pretty sure I know who it is, and I’m trying to prepare myself. I place my palm on the reader and the metal door slides open with a soft suction sound.

  Yep, there was a good reason I was taking my sweet time answering the door—it’s Sextus. All six-and-a-half feet and sky blue skin of angry alien male. But he doesn’t look angry at this moment. He looks...contrite.

  “What?” He doesn’t deserve a hello or a complete sentence from me after the stunt he pulled last night. Yeah, Lexa, focus on his bad behavior and not the fact that the encounter ended in the most blunt, in-your-face rejection any female has ever experienced in the history of the universe.

  “Can I come in?”

  I’m glad he has the good judgment to look sheepish—he can’t maintain eye contact.

  “Seriously?” I peek my head far enough out the door to make sure there’s no one in the hallway before I whisper my next statement. “You kicked me out of your room last night. What? Did you dream up new ways to humiliate me?”

  “I have an apology and an offer. I’d rather discuss it in private.” He looks me square in the eyes.

  I step aside. I’m a sucker for an apology, although I don’t know what he could say that would erase the indignity of what happened in his cabin.

  He enters, slaps the palm pad to close the door, then steps back until he’s resting against it, giving me the remainder of the room.

  “I’m sincerely sorry for...last night. I’m a dracker, that’s no secret, but I was out of line.”

  Smart man doesn’t even wait for me to accept his apology. Good—because that’s not happening. He promised an apology and an offer. Can’t wait to hear the offer.

  “My offer still stands. I’ll take you to your Earth.”

  I just lift an eyebrow, waiting to hear his terms.

  When he says nothing I ask, “Terms?”

  “None.” His stare is guileless.

  “Be your sex slave in every way but blow jobs? Cook naked for you in a French maid’s costume? Bear your firstborn? Come on Sextus, what are your terms?” I cross my arms in front of my chest.

  “I should have known you wouldn’t make this easy, little Lexa. Life might be smoother for you if you weren’t so mean to everyone.” He breathes deeply, shaking his head. “No terms, but you’ve got about one minima to accept before I rescind the offer again.”

  Oh, he looks resolved. I’d better start taking this seriously. His proposal doesn’t warrant a lot of difficult mental calculations. If his offer stands, I’ll accept. Hell, I would have accepted the same terms as last night if it meant I’d hitch a ride to Earth today—but I’ll never admit that to him.

  “That’s very...generous of you. You said this excursion would cost you half a year’s salary. You know there’s no way I can repay you.”

  “Yes, I know. I’ll contact the rental company and transfer the credits. We touch down in an houra. Say your goodbyes. I’ll find you when it’s time to go.”

  He turns on his heel, opens the door and leaves before I’ve fully processed his proposal.

  “Computer, close door,” I breathe to the empty room. This seems too good to be true. We’re leaving for Earth in an hour? I’ll have to tighten up my story about being lost on the Appalachian Trail, but this is going to work.

  I throw a few t-shirts, leggings, and panties into a pillowcase. I’ll only need enough for five days. When he beams me down to Earth, I’ll take nothing other than the clothes on my back.

  Say goodbye to the others? Well, yeah, I guess that would be nice, although he’s right, no one likes me—I’m not sure why.

  I head to the little dining room. Almost everyone is here, that’s good; I can tell them all at once. Carrie, my roommate, and Tawny, another Earth female, are here. Thantose, the captain, and Seneca, the medic, just walked in behind me.

  “Sumra?” Destin, the cook, offers.

  “Thanks,” I say as I take the bowl of sweet, milky noodles he offers me. “I have an announcement.”

  I wait for everyone to give me their attention. “Sextus offered to return me to Earth. He’s found a rental ship on Neron and we’ll take off shortly after we dock. Carrie? Tawny? Are you interested in coming with us?”

  “My life is here with Devolose. I have no interest in going to Earth. This is my home
now.” Tawny smiles warmly at something behind me. Her huge red-and-black mate from planet Primus must have just walked in the door. My invitation was just a formality. I knew she’d stay here with him. She seems ecstatically happy with the life she’s creating for herself in space.

  “Carrie?”

  “I was abducted four years ago. There’s no story I could come up with that would explain that. I’ve come to terms with the fact that I’m never going back to Earth, Lexa. Thanks for the offer.”

  “Yeah, I figured that, but I wanted to make sure. Thantose, guys, thank you. Carrie and I would be dead if you hadn’t rescued us from planet Paradise. You’ve been so kind. I appreciate everything you’ve done.”

  “You’re welcome,” Thantose says. “I’m glad you’re going to your home planet and will get your happy ending.”

  Sextus stands in the doorway and spears me with a serious, unhappy look. Now what?

  “Lexa, can I have a moment?”

  Shit. I don’t know what went wrong, but I know that what he’s going to tell me will not make my day.

  When we’re both alone in the hallway Sextus informs me, “Someone snapped up the ship I wanted to rent. I’ve spent the last houra looking all over Neron. Not one rental agency has a vessel that meets criteria. They were too big and expensive, too slow, or didn’t have the matter transporter that would allow me to put you down on Earth without landing.”

  “No rentals on the whole planet?”

  “It’s a tertiary world. Not much reason for ships to land other than to refuel. Very few rental agencies of any kind.”

  Oh, this is bad. I’m trying not to cry, but hot tears sting my eyes. This is worse than last night—way worse. This time I’d gotten my hopes up. I’d announced it, which made it more real. I’d packed. I was so close I could taste it.

  I want to accuse Sextus of lying, jump on the Intergalactic Database and look for myself, but his face is serious and...sad. I can tell he didn’t want to break this news to me.

  “No other ideas?”

  He shakes his head. One tear breaks loose from behind my lids and trails down my cheek. I don’t cry. I don’t show weakness. These emotions are not for public consumption—or to be expressed in private for that matter.

  “Thanks for trying,” I say as I hurry to my room.

  Sextus

  I replay the events of the last day, assessing if there was any way this would have worked had I not been such a dracker. I still would have had to proposition her and get her agreement. That still would have delayed putting money down and signing the rental contract. There still would have been no available vessel. And to be honest, I never would have made the offer without the reward of the little sex games I wanted to play.

  But as much of a dracker as I am, I don’t like to see how crushed pretty, little Lexa is. I can’t bear to watch a female cry. Although I’d never want to lie with an untouched anyway, it’s clear I’ll never get the chance with Lexa. I’m sure she’ll hate me after this.

  ~.~

  Lexa

  Okay, uncle. I give up. I’ve spent the last two days in my room with the covers over my head like a junior high school girl. Enough!

  Carrie just left for dinner. I take a quick shower; I’ll admit I smelled a bit ripe. I’ve had my pity party. Now’s the time to pull up my big girl panties and move forward. I learned some skills in pursuit of my Ph.D. and I need to use them.

  Pick one, Lexa. Pick one freaking skill and use it, then move on.

  Radical Acceptance. The ability to radically accept what is, rather than living in the world of your imagination. From the depths of your soul quit fighting reality. Yep, that’s the skill I need.

  I take a breath as I pull on my clothes. I radically accept there’s no going back to Earth. Now I need to figure out how to create a life for myself in space.

  Not a bad start. I can do this. First step? Walk into the dining room, look every one of my shipmates in the eye and apologize for my absence the past few days. Step two? Figure out how to be of some help. Maybe they all won’t hate me if I’m not a drain on everyone.

  Then all I have to do is figure out where I’m going from here. I certainly can’t stay on this pirate ship for the rest of my life.

  Sextus

  As I sit in the dining room with everyone, I realize they’re all avoiding eye contact with me. They may not know about my sexual blackmail, but they all seem to have linked me to Lexa’s two-day absence. Drack them. It’s not my fault I couldn’t get her back to Earth.

  I’ve knocked on her door several times the last few days, but she won’t answer. I give up. I’m over it. I’m a warrior, that’s why I’m on this ship. My job is guns and bombs and ammunition. I accompany the other males on every drop-off and pickup and questionable dealing we have.

  We’re pirates, all our dealings are questionable. I’m good at my job and I’ve kept everyone safe for the five years I’ve been on this vessel.

  I’m not a counselor or a nursemaid or a psychologist, whatever the drack that is. I’m not responsible for Lexa’s feelings and there’s no other reason to be involved with her since I’m not taking her back to Earth.

  She’s an untouched, I won’t be having sex with her. Any bonds we might have had are severed. I’m officially over any need to interact with her except across the dinner table.

  She barges through the door looking clean and...upbeat? I didn’t expect that. She grabs a plate of food and plops down across from me in the only available chair.

  “Um, I’d like to apologize for my behavior. I know I haven’t been helpful,” she announces to the room, giving eye contact to no one. “I’ve been moping. Those days are over.” She takes a quick sip of water. “Captain Thantose, could we meet tomorrow and discuss duties for me on the ship?”

  “Just call me Thantose, Lexa, and yes, I have some ideas.”

  “Great.”

  Lexa

  “Okay females, tonight after dinner I’m teaching you to play klempto. It’s just a friendly game of cards.” Thantose grins and I know immediately there will be nothing friendly about this.

  Good.

  “It’s no fun to play without stakes. I’ll distribute chips equally to everyone, and we’ll see the winners and losers by the end of the evening.”

  I’ve never seen this look on his face before, there’s something wolfish about it.

  He slaps a deck of cards on the table along with a large drawstring bag of chips. I think some of the chips are real silver and the others are precious and semi-precious gemstones.

  Ten minutes later, we all have an equal number of chips in front of us and we’re being briefed on the basics of the game. The rules weren’t hard to understand; the game is basically an alien version of Texas Hold’em. A few things are different. Although there are four suits, they have different symbols and names. That doesn’t matter, they’re each a different color and I’ll have no trouble telling them apart.

  There are fifteen cards per suit, but I can count the dots on the numbered cards and the face cards are different alien species that are easy to tell apart. I figure this deck will be second nature to me within fifteen minutes.

  I understand the basics of the game within five minutes, but I’m playing along with the other females as if this is the hardest, most complicated thing I’ve learned in my life. Meanwhile, my body is humming with excitement.

  Texas Hold’em. This variation of poker is my game. I learned it on my father’s knee. He called me a poker savant by the time I was six. Improving my game is why I wound up going to college for psychology. When I turned twenty-one I quit my job as a waitress and quadrupled my income by playing in casinos. I love this game.

  I ask a stupid question, one that’s been asked three times already, as I glance at the clock. Internally, I’m making a silent bet with myself. I challenge myself to have every chip on the table within two-and-a-half hours. Game on!

  I try not to trounce the other females, none of whom have played
Hold’em before, but they’re all out of chips, most of which are sitting in front of me, within the first hour.

  “Lexa’s picking this game up well,” Thantose says. I believe he’s trying not to sound condescending. I’m certain he’s counting my stack and assuming he’ll have all my chips in less than an hour. Think again, Thantose.

  An hour later two-thirds of the chips on the table are sitting in front of me—it’s down to just Thantose and me. Everyone’s gone to bed but Sextus, who seems fascinated by the game.