Tamara's Future by Cyna Kade Page A

By
    the time we got there they had been stripped and disabled and a space command ship
    was nearly in range. We almost got caught.”
    “I couldn’t warn you because I didn’t know about it. None of my crews had
    anything to do with it.”
    “Then who?”
    “I’m not sure yet.”
    “I pay you for information. Seems like my money is being wasted lately.”
    “This isn’t done. There aren’t many places to sell a holovas like the one that was
    stolen. You’re the logical person to move it. Has anyone contacted you yet?”
    “No one has contacted me personally but there’s a light link on some comm boards
    about a very expensive piece of artwork that just came on the market. I think that’s it.
    Nothing solid though, just tenuous rumors.”
    “Follow up on them.”
    “I can’t afford to purchase it, even at a reduced price.”
    “Let me worry about that. The important thing now is to find out who took it. I’ve
    heard rumors that the pirate is Lightgo. He collects expensive artwork but he doesn’t normally rob vessels, especially not luxury liners. So why would he do it? It doesn’t make a lot of sense but we need to know if it was him. Then we’ll figure out how to steal it back. No one interferes with my crews and gets away with it.”
    *
    The next day Gage walked into Tamara’s prison. Fakzi lay at Tamara’s back. The
    liock stared at Gage for a long moment before he stood and stretched.
    I hope you have thought about what you are going to do. She may not survive it. She is emotionally fragile. The liock sent the message along the mindpath he shared with Gage.
    I would never harm her, Fakzi. I want to free her. Human emotions are not as clean as liock emotions. We complicate matters when there is no need. Tamara’s mind is locked in a bad place. I

    have to shock her. I have to move her beyond the numbness that cages her emotions. I will not hurt her though she may not like my methods.
    I could help.
    Has she given you permission?
    No, but she will.
    Until she does, respect her wishes, Fakzi. Do not form a mindpath with her. She’s not ready.
    *
    Tamara blinked awake and looked between Gage and Fakzi. They seemed ready to
    snarl at each other. Then a ripple went through Fakzi’s fur and he stalked off. He didn’t go far but he blended with the shadows in the room and became nearly invisible.
    Tamara felt groggy. She’d been in such a deep sleep that her body didn’t seem to
    want to work. Combined with her depression over her captivity, she had to fight to get to her feet.
    Gage watched her struggle but he remained silent until she stood. Then he said,
    “We’re currently flying a large, circuitous route through an uninhabited system. The flight will take about a week but it will throw off anyone who might be trying to follow us. So we have a week.” He cocked his head and flashed a smile. “We have a week together.”
    Tamara swallowed. Gage exuded confidence and when he was like this he was
    unstoppable. She’d seen him like this once before when he’d masterminded a heist that had become an instant legend. After she’d left him, she’d heard the tale repeated in numerous bars. She’d never told anyone that she’d seen it firsthand and the tales were not an exaggeration.
    “I wish you’d told me your story when we first met but I understand why you
    didn’t. I understand why you don’t believe sex can be pleasurable but I won’t accept that. I want to help you overcome your early training. I want to show you the other side of sex. I understand why you don’t trust men but you can trust me. We have a week. I

    have a proposition for you. Of course you really don’t have the option of refusing my proposition.”
    “What?” Tamara demanded.
    “I’m going to spend the next week teaching you that sex can be every bit as
    pleasurable for a woman as it is for a man,” he said.
    Tamara could see his smug satisfaction but she didn’t understand it. “You’re going
    to rape me,”