DemonicPersuasion (2 page)

The plate stopped. Fade pulled in deeper breaths, fighting
the fear, the need she had to open her eyes and simply run. Cool air teased her
skin, the current lifting the thin silk. Mercer had said to close her eyes and
stay silent for the beast to find her.

Her fingers caught in the ringlets of her hair and for a
long moment she listened to the wild thud of her heart. How had she fallen into
this life? Seriously? She’d washed up on Theta-Scorpii-3, a pen-pusher who
happened to be good with languages and had deciphered something she shouldn’t.
She’d become someone who had to hide, and hide fast. And the job in Club Tier
had been her first break in what felt a lifetime.

She stepped down from the plate and walked five paces from
it, her feet silent and sinking into the soft, cushioned floor. It was luck.
She had money. With money, as little as it was, she had a place to live and
could even afford to eat. On occasion. With the money Mercer had dumped into
her account, she was almost set to disappear forever. She had to remember that,
hold it in her thoughts.

Fade stopped. Her chest ached with held breaths and
anticipation. Calm, she had to find her calm place. It was just sex.
Admittedly, it had been a while and only her fingers and her hot fantasies of
Taras Foster had kept her sane. It was an irony that she worked in a place that
was plastered with sex and she couldn’t get the man she wanted.

A little frisson pricked under her feet and she gasped. Had
it started? Did she lie down, sit, stay standing? Her heart pounded and she
couldn’t deny the dart of…interest in her flesh at what was about to happen.
Only the obscenely wealthy experienced whatever was at the heart of this room.

Fade relaxed her shoulders and rolled her neck. She listened
to her slow breaths, felt them pull in and out of her body and tasted the cool
air. There was that hint of coal again, stronger, the bitter burn of it all
around her now. She kept her eyes closed and ignored Foster’s voice in the back
of her mind, warning her to stay away, not to accept Mercer’s offer. She could
almost hear his deep tones lined with that edge of anger that made her want to
stop his words with her mouth.

She wiped her fingers over her dry lips. No, she couldn’t
indulge in her fantasies of Taras Foster. Not when there was the very distinct
possibility that Mercer had opened a feed to the room. She wouldn’t call out
Foster’s name. He didn’t consort with employees—

A clawed fingertip stroked the inside of her thigh and Fade
clamped her hand to her mouth.
Keep your eyes shut and stay silent.
The
command darted through her thoughts…but the touch felt real. A cool, sharp claw
and the rough pad of a finger traced over her thigh, skirting so close to her
pussy that an unexpected ache filled her.

Another hand teased her other leg, strong fingers gripping
her thighs with a suddenness that drummed her heart. If she looked down, would
she see some fluid bioware that would destroy the illusion? A long tongue
curled over her mons, a slow,
slow
lick that almost broke a moan from
her. The heat of something living breathed against her belly.

“
We’ve tasted your skin on the skin of others. So
close…but never ours.
” The words—more a chorus of voices speaking as
one—burned through her mind, angry and needy. “
All that is about to change.
Now we have you.
”

Hard hands grabbed her arms and jerked her straight, more
hands holding her calves. Her breaths came in quick pants and she fought to
keep her eyes closed. She didn’t want to see whatever it was that had her in
its firm grasp. Didn’t want—

The long tongue licked her pussy, a slow, deep lap that
tightened her flesh. Fade bit at the inside of her cheek to deny the escaping
mewl. Strong fingers laced through hers. The tongue curled and found her clit,
teasing and tasting and darting fast fire through her flesh.

Fade ached to cry out. The suddenness, the fierceness of
arousal gripping her flesh couldn’t be denied. How was she meant to resist
this? Another tongue and the sharp prick of teeth chased down her spine to the
curve of her ass. It dipped into the cleft and her hips bucked.

“
We will taste every centimeter of your skin. Make you
ache for us.
”

Hot mouths found her breasts, licking and sucking, finding a
rhythm with the thick tongue that slipped and slid over her wet flesh, so
tantalizingly close that she fought to jerk her hips. Clawed hands dug into her
pelvis and held her firm.

“
You taunted us. We will not play fair.
”

“
What?
” Fade jabbed the question at the strange
echoing voice in her head. What kind of crazy bioware was this, anyway?

“
We called to you…
” A tongue licked across her ass
cheek and her pussy throbbed as hard hands parted her. She swallowed, her
throat tight, her flesh alive with need. “
And you never came.
”

“
I have no idea—
”

The tease of the hot tongue over her puckered hole broke her
reply. “
When you walked above, surrounded but untouched by the pulse of
sexual energy, we called to you.
” The light and impossible press of claws
down her inner thighs forced a quiver through her flesh. “
Every day. But
Foster fed us those who would pay, sour and unsatisfactory, knowing that we
ache for flesh.
”

“
Foster?
” The question burst from her and her fingers
grabbed at the hands that held her. “
Why would he…?
” A tongue-tip darted
into her pussy and light sparked behind her eyes and the first rush of an
orgasm burned up through her flesh. Fast, hard, but not enough. Not nearly
enough. Was that it? Was it over? The need to cry out, to demand more, came
with it, but the sudden press of a hot, dry palm to her mouth kept her silent.
She drew in hard breaths and her heart pounded. “
What are you doing?
”

“
Oh, we’re not done with you yet.
” And the tongue
pushed deep into her pussy.

The palm held back her moan. “
Good. I mean…
” Fade
wanted to claw back the words, but they were met with echoing laughter.

“
We’ve waited a long time for you. Did you really think
you were like the others? Like those women we played with only days ago? We
broke the limits of their pleasure to bring you here.
”

Clawed hands pushed at her legs, opening them wider and the
brush of lips, of teeth, of the tongue that sank and eased into her flesh in a
slow, delicious rhythm made replying almost impossible.

The bitter scent of his, of their skin filled her. How could
people not pay a fortune to feel like this? She wanted to be fucked hard and
fast, for whatever-it-was to send her body screaming over the edge…and then
start all over again. She couldn’t care who saw her, and the alien thought
tightened her flesh. It wasn’t her, but in the Cage this was who she could be.

A low growl burned against her ear and the rough press of
the palm against her mouth hardened. Fade licked it, the taste bitter, hot…and
addictive. “
You taste nice too.
”

She licked the hand again, enjoying the rumbled breath
against her ear, the sudden fierce grip of hands on her waist and thighs, and
deepened thrusts of a tongue into her pussy. The tip of a hot tongue breached
her ass and Fade fought to breathe.

Claws stroked down her arms, the unexpected rush of
sensation bucking her hips. “
Every inch of your skin will sing. We promise.
”

Their intense touch surrounded her, fingers and mouths
playing with, kissing, sucking, licking and warm breath bringing complete
reality. “
We’re real and we have plans for you.
” The thick tongue teased
her ass, breaching her hole, mirroring the deeper push of the tongue into her
pussy.

Fade groaned against the hand sealing her mouth, the bitter
taste of coal and unknown spice sharp against her lips and tongue. Fire coursed
through her veins, her flesh aching and so tight that she wanted to beg for
release. Her limbs shook, only the hard grip of more hands than she could count
holding her upright.

“
Fuck me.
” No, she wasn’t above begging. “
Please.
”

“
We’ve waited a long time for you. We intend to enjoy
every half-moan, every little quiver.
” The groan against her ear, deep and
liquid, sparked a quick rush of her release and with it, the tongue sank deep
into her ass.

Fade drew in a heavy breath, her body aching, burning with
the need to find greater release. Sensation filled her…then the tongue pulled
back and the restriction of her flesh scorched fire under her skin, driving
heat and pleasure up her spine. He pushed again, finding a slow, slow rhythm
with his tongue licking and plunging deep into her pussy.

“
Why me?
” The question burned up from her mind,
unable to be denied. “
Why do you want me?
”

“
We seek pleasure in flesh.
” The push into her body
increased and joy spiraled, coils of hot need so tight in her belly that she
wanted to scream. “
Some bring us more pleasure than others.
”

“
Make me come.
”

Laughter echoed, a hot skitter across her thoughts. “
First
you have to agree to perform one task.
”

“
Anything.
” At that moment, she would say, would do
anything if he, if they would fuck her, lick her, take her so hard that she
came in a blistering rush of heat and joy. “
Anything you want.
”

“
When you open your eyes, there will be a silver gift at
your feet. Take it with you.
”

Sense screamed that there had to be a catch…but she didn’t
care. Her body thrummed with need, with the desperate ache to find release. “
Deal.
Now fuck me.
”

A growl, audible, a sound now outside her head wrapped
around her. Smooth lips brushed against the shell of her ear and warm breath
rippled a fresh shiver under her skin. “We’ll fuck you, Fadeyka Bryce. Bind you
to us. Make you ours.”

Damn them. Her whole body shook now, the fire in her flesh
barely contained. A tongue found her mouth in a wild, consuming kiss, the heat
of a male body hard against her breasts and belly. And he fucked her, driving
in and out of her ass and pussy, relentless, fierce, clawed hands holding her,
stroking her, the press of lips against her spine, the scrape of sharp teeth
over the sensitive skin of her thighs. Overwhelming sensation, driving her body
toward impossible,
impossible
pleasure.

Fade came. And he swallowed her raw scream. Fire and light
and sweet bursts of joy surged through her flesh, her body shaking at the
ferocity of release. The fierce thrusts eased into a delicious pace that played
with the teasing aftershocks of her orgasm. Kisses softened and little quakes
of pleasure from the gentle strokes of his tongue, the tasting of his lips
pulled a slow sigh from her.

“Who are you?”

Their touch faded back and she cursed her stupidity. Just
because they’d spoken didn’t mean she could.

“
Athanasios…
”

And then she was alone.

Fade sank to her knees on the soft floor. She opened her
eyes to a circular, padded room, light from the gentle glow of crystals
creating pale shadows. She breathed, the thrum still fierce in her flesh, her
muscles hot with a delicious ache. A sigh escaped her. In moments would she
forget the wild joy, the incredible feel of him, them, of Athanasios? She
pressed her fingers to her eyelids. She missed them already.

The stir of air and the brief hint of coal straightened her
spine…but there was no slide of rough fingers against her damp skin. It did
remind her that she’d done a deal. And she had to act before all memory
deserted her.

Fade looked down. A small silver pyramid sat on the padding,
crystal light gleaming against its pitted surface. Not pitted. Writing. Tightly
curled swirls and dots were carved into the metal. She frowned. She was good
with languages—it was what had her washed up on the planetoid after all—but she
didn’t recognize a pattern within the inscriptions. What was it? Someone alien,
definitely. And the Academy of Sciences was nervous about aliens…

No, a deal was a deal. Athanasios had more than fulfilled
his part.

Fade forced herself to stand and took the small pyramid with
her. She glanced up and the plate-lift had already begun its drop down from the
ceiling. She pulled in a heavy breath. It was over and now she would have to
face the shit from Foster. At least, when she had no knowledge of the ecstasy
of the beast’s touch, she shouldn’t feel that twinge of guilt.

She frowned as the plate-lift thumped into the soft floor.
Or maybe she’d be thick with guilt, not knowing exactly what she’d done.

Fade stepped onto the metal square. Foster would give her
grief regardless.

She pressed her lips together. Would he watch the recorded
feed from the Cage? A knot tightened in her stomach and she brushed a damp hand
over the crumpled silk clinging to her hip. A little shiver teased her skin.
She hadn’t wanted him to see before, but now? To know that Foster sat back in
the heavy leather of one of the chairs and watched her, watched the bioware
surround her and fuck her so very,
very
thoroughly ran hot through her
flesh.

Her heart thudded and the sudden and unexpected heat in her
skin forced her to pull in cool air. She tightened her fingers against the
pyramid, the metal warming under her touch. Would the sight of her caught in
the Cage get him hard?

The plate-lift jerked upward and Fade fought to balance as
she rode the mechanism to the ceiling. She closed her eyes but the image of
Foster wouldn’t leave her, of him sinking back into the leather of his chair,
the heavy shadows of the room disguising the slide of his gloved hand to the
erection straining against his trousers.

A fantasy hadn’t held her so completely before and her mouth
dried at the thought of him teasing his long fingers over his dick and enjoying
her show. His hungry gaze would be fixed on her as he stroked, his mouth
slightly parted, his want, his desire feeding the fire in her own flesh.
Enhancing it. Pushing Athanasios and the pleasure he brought to her body to
almost overwhelming—

Fade fought to control the hard breaths straining her chest.
The knot of need tight and low in her belly felt impossible. She’d just had the
most incredible experience of her life…and yet she wanted more? She shivered.
Was that a part of the need to fuck anything Mercer had mentioned? And why did
she want Foster to be a part of what she’d experienced? He’d made it obvious
that he had no interest in her. She was just another low-level employee. He
made a point
not
to touch her.

Fade pressed a hand to her mouth. Damn it, she wouldn’t let
her…obsession with Foster eat through her experience with Athanasios. After
all, she’d forget everything about him soon enough. A long, slow sigh escaped
her. The money would be worth the nagging of her emptied memory.

The plate-lift drew up into the long shaft that led to the
exit. Fade ran her hand over her ringleted hair. She would grab her clothes,
find Mercer’s transport and head home. Her shift started in six standard hours.
Sleep would take her to that time all too quickly.

The light from the corridor cut across the shaft in a bright
shade of green and Fade’s heart turned over. This was it. She would step from
the lift to the cool corridor. The door would close…and all thought of
Athanasios would be gone.

Her thumb stroked over the pyramid and a stark light burned
its edges. The bitter taste of coal teased the tip of her tongue and she held
her breath, expecting, wanting something more. But there was only the dull
clunk of the plate into its dock and the open stretch of the empty corridor
ahead of her.

“Goodbye, Athanasios.” It was only a murmur, before she
stepped off the lift and the door slid shut behind her.

Fade braced her body, pressing one had to the crystal wall,
waiting to fall, to thrash, to have no clue where she was or what had happened.
Nothing. She stood steady and for a moment, she closed her eyes. The memory of
the raw push of him, them into her flesh, of endless kisses, the grip of hard
hands, the growl of an aroused male seared through her.

Her heart thudded and she couldn’t help the disbelieving
smile lifting her lips. Athanasios would keep her warm in her fantasies for
years to come. She looked down at the pyramid. Did it have everything to do
with her remembering?

With that good thought in her head, she willed herself
forward. Time to head back to her rooms. The cool air wrapped around her bare
skin and the whispers of illicit sex teased her. She’d be grateful to get back
into her cleaning suit too. The throb of the club against her flesh was too
much. And she didn’t have the money to buy bodily relief.

She tripped and slammed into the door, dropping the pyramid.
Her breath left her in a whoosh. What the hell…? The floor was smooth, there
was nothing she could trip over—

“You’re still ours, Fade.” Athanasios’ voice growled against
her ear and strong, clawed hands gripped her hips. The press of a strong, male
body against her spine forced her to close her eyes, to breathe and not give in
to the sudden burst of relieved pleasure. “You should give in.” Lips brushed
the shell of her ear and fingers teased down her belly to play lightly across
her mons. “We fucked you, tasted you, drew so much pleasure from your flesh.
You anchor us here and we can give you so much joy in return.”