The Ballad of Decker Crane Ch. 07

Bryn was quiet. Persya was also thinking about that.

"But what do people do when they get sick?" Bryn said.

"Get well or die. There's sometimes people who will set broken limbs so they don't hang wrong and heal that way or pull a bad tooth for you if you can pay them. Take out a bullet. You can get medicines sometime if you pay dear for them."

"Did you ever get sick?"

"Everyone gets sick. I got pneumonia once after I ended up at this cabin with this guy trapped for a season on Shulle, an ice planet. The cold was bad there. I had evil intentions for him because he pissed me off, but he didn't know that, and he cared for me until I could walk."

"What did you do for him in return?"

"Spared him."

"Spared him what?"

"From something bad," Decker said.

"You saved him from something bad?"

"Sure."

#

In the morning, it was more questions as they rode, Persya trailing behind them like an afterthought.

"Why do you only kill the girl deer?" Bryn asked him.

"Young females a couple years old taste best," he answered.

"Won't you run out of girls?"

"A young doe has less experience and is less likely to raise a fawn to adulthood. I don't kill the ones that have made it despite the danger. It works."

"What about the boy deer?"

"The brikens like them."

"Does it bother you to kill deer?" Bryn said.

"Not as much as killing people," Decker answered.

That made Bryn quiet for a time.

"Do they suffer?" Bryn said.

"People? Sometimes."

She was quiet again for a time.

"No, the deer," she said.

"I try to avoid it," Decker replied. "You don't want to take a doe when she's running scared, but when she's unaware and thinks she's safe. You want to kill her quick so she doesn't even know it's happened."

Decker turned and looked at Persya, a long glance.

"What?" Persya said.

"To be merciful?" Bryn said.

.

Decker faced forward. "Merciful? No. Adrenaline makes the meat tough. You want her to stay tender to enjoy her better."

#

There were more questions by the fire that night.

"Where'd you learn to do all this stuff?" Bryn said.

"Doing it," Decker answered. "I learned some things from this guy in prison. The ranch used to be his."

"Who?"

"A man named Josie."

"Where is he?"

"Dead."

Bryn was quiet. "I'm sorry your friend died, Decker."

"You don't have to be. I didn't have friends in prison. We shared a cell. I met Kay in prison."

"Kay's your friend. Bai is."

"Them? No. We run together."

"Run where?"

"We're in business together. Think of it that way. They aren't my friends."

"Don't you have any friends?"

Decker was quiet. "I got one, I think," he finally answered.

"Is it a man?"

"Course it's a man."

"You could be friends with a woman."

"I wouldn't know. I haven't really known any women except your sister."

Persya blinked. Of course. Decker had been on the frontier planets since he was a boy. It hadn't occurred to her. Maybe she was just as baffling to him as he was to her.

"What's your friend's name?" Bryn said.

"Tag. He's my neighbor," Decker answered.

"Is he your only friend?"

Decker was quiet again. "I guess," he finally said.

#

The following morning, Decker woke her with a touch on her cheek. Persya opened her eyes. It was barely light. His face was expressionless, a small chill going through her, her nipples tightening. Decker could be scary sometimes.

Then he smiled at her, nothing he'd done before. He'd laughed at her, and with her, and grinned to tease her and he'd leered at her, but this was just a smile. It changed his face, his eyes warm. Persya was looking at someone she'd never met before. She almost smiled back and sat up, glancing at him. She had to admit he could be charming when he wanted.

"I like that look in your eyes more, stubborn," he said.

"What?"

"We'll walk from here to water. That's where the animals will be."

He woke Bryn, both of them following Decker's big form. He dropped back, coming to them and speaking low. "Ahead, there's a natural pond that's near secure cover. The animals will like it there. Dawn is a time they'll come to drink. See the place between those two trees?" He pointed."We're going there. There's a blind, a place to sit where we're downwind so she can't smell us and out of her sight. Make as little noise as you can as you walk."

When they arrived, the blind nothing more than a lean-to with branches. Bryn opened her mouth.

"Now is the time to be quiet, girl," Decker said in a low voice.

They sat. The fountain of questions dried up, the girl's face calm.

#

(Decker)

Decker set the automated transport to take his kills to refrigeration. Once he'd shot an animal, he could use technology to make his life easier. He'd met his goal, breaking camp, the two sisters helping.

He'd been worried the girl would move or speak at a bad moment, spooking game, as much as she chattered. But both of them had been still for hours in the blind, day after day. They'd eaten when he'd given them things, did what they had to somewhere else, and that was it. It was strange how quiet they'd been.

He, on the other hand, hadn't talked so much in his whole life. Bryn had been relentless whenever they were in camp or riding. He'd been subjected to police interrogations that were sloppier. But Persya wanted him to talk, so he had.

Persya only got prettier, of course, dirt on her face and her hair in a messy braid. His mind was constantly on rolling her. In camp, on the trail. He wanted to spread her legs on the ground under the sky. It was smart he'd thought to suggest bringing the girl, always underfoot.

But early the morning they'd arrived here, the girl asleep, he'd thought about slipping into the bag with Persya and putting his hand over her mouth. She did get loud in her pleasure. It had been an act of will not to. He'd already deprived himself. He wanted her to come to him willing. That's what this trip was about. It was what all of it was about, the talking, everything.

He'd caught her looking at him one night, a come-hither if there ever had been one between a woman and a man. It was working, and he'd decided it was best to continue the direction he was going.

When they got back that afternoon, Persya avoided him, going inside with the girl while he put the horses away. Decker had thought he'd done it, but now that it came to it, there was a tense place in his gut. He got cleaned up, the water cold in the barn, but he didn't mind. He was distracted. When he went in later, Persya's hair was damp. She did like to bathe.

Dawine was curled up to Bai. Decker's eyes narrowed. He didn't know why Bai had it so easy. Everyone had gotten comfortable in their absence, evidently.

"I've got to check Adya for worms," Kay said when Decker got a bowl of synth rations and sat with them at the table.

Adya slowed her eating, swallowing. "What? Worms?"

"In your belly eating all your food so you're always hungry," Kay explained.

The girl shook her head. "I don't have worms in my belly."

"Big old long worms. I'm going to have to check you, stinky."

"I'm not stinky."

"You fart a lot."

"I don't."

"You're crazy then."

"I'm not. How are you going to check?"

"Cut you open with my knife, maybe, then sew you up when I'm done."

She scoffed. "You're not going to cut me open. You're lying, Kay."

"I suppose there's another way. When cows get worms, they check their shit."

"You can't check my shit," Adya said.

Decker had turned his head away, his elbow down and his hand in front of his mouth, his shoulders shaking. Persya was fighting it.

"What's funny?" Bai said, sitting down, Dawine in his shadow. He didn't look like he minded.

"Kay's going to check my shit for worms," Adya answered, eating again.

"Don't say shit, girl," Kay said.

"All right, Kay."

Dawine made a face. Yenna came out, her black silky cap of hair, Lily behind her, and then Chione and Grace. Bryn arrived with her plate. Everyone sat somewhere, some on the floor. Decker thought Bryn would go to her sister like she always had before, but she came and stood in front of him.

Decker turned and looked at her, frowning lightly. As soon as he did, she turned butt-on to him and backed up, his arms coming up as she sat on his lap and put her plate down by his, wiggling until she found the spot she wanted on his knee. She began to eat, her silky head under his chin, her balance questionable.

Decker sighed, putting an arm around her and eating with his off-hand. When he looked up, Persya was watching them. It wasn't his fault.

"Brikens," Bryn remarked between bites.

"Nope," he said, chewing.

"Please, Decker?"

"Nope."

"Later?"

"Nope."

"Tomorrow?"

"Nope."

"This week?"

"Maybe." He put another spoonful of synth rations in his mouth.

#

That evening, Decker idled at the bar in the main room, the question as clear as he could make it. He was watching Persya and seeing what she'd do. She glanced at him several times and then went into the room with the other women. Decker waited. Before too long, she came out, going to the kitchen and getting water, his eyes following her. She came out. She went into the kitchen again. Like it was the natural thing, she came out of the kitchen and went into his room.

Decker's gut relaxed a bit, rising to go in before she changed her mind. He closed the door. She was standing by his desk.

He came close, putting his face in hers. "Do you still hate me or not?"

Her voice was sharp. "I don't know."

Hell, he might as well get it over with. "I'm sorry for what I did, Persya," he said, bending and kissing her.

She went still. He pulled back. He kissed her again. She liked kissing him. She had liked it. There was a long moment while she worked on that and then her hand went to his chest and she leaned in and his gut relaxed completely.

She was hell to kiss, his cock getting hard. Before long, he had her against the wall. Breaking the kiss, he bent and yanked her pants off, shoving her shirt up. His mouth went to her nipples. When his fingers found her squirming heat, she was ready for him.

Right here was fine. He yanked the buttons of his pants and cleared the cloth, hiking her up and pinning her, guiding himself. Her pussy was hot and tight, his hand coming over her mouth when she cried out. He began thrusting, excited.

She started that shivering she did when she liked what he was doing. It wasn't difficult with her. He liked that about her so much. His eyes went down to where he was disappearing into her, her knees up around his hips. Getting an exquisite angle, he leaned in. His thumb lowered, swiping her fat clit repeatedly.

There she went. He grunted, his lips pulling back and his thrusts sharp as she came. Pinning her, he rode her hard, bringing his own peak quickly and sharp. He made a harsh sound, hard stabs into her body. Then he stilled, crying out low. There was that pleasure she gave him, almost too keen. He hadn't liked the other near as much as this.

He'd wanted that for days and nights. Drawing away, he was panting. Yes, it was all worth it. Fuck. He wrapped his arm around her, taking her weight since he'd fucked her halfway up the wall. He was still breathing fast as he lowered her, going slowly, enjoying the feel of her body. Leaning, he kissed her. Her arms came up around his neck, returning it.

Decker broke it and went and got a cloth, dipping it in the basin. He lifted her, putting her on the bed and handing her the cloth. She parted her legs and he watched her clean herself. Taking it from her, he tossed it in the basin.

He returned to look at her body, enjoying himself, lying down beside her. Fuck, she was a beauty. "Where did you and your sister learn to stay so quiet?"

She eyed him. "It was a part of our education at the Center. A calm mind was a mind receptive to learning, we were told. We're taught from a young age to wait quietly for long periods."

"Didn't that make you want to jump out of your skin?"

"I hated it. But you get used to it and find things to think about."

"What did you learn?"

He'd surprised her again, she saw. Bryn had asked a lot of questions. He'd decided it was a good strategy. He'd just keep them going and see where they went.

"Practical things," she answered. "It was supposed to be an orphanage and give us work skills. Engineering. Computers. Carpentry. Health Sciences. Bookkeeping. We learned about nutrition and we exercised. When we're eighteen, we started a sexual practicum in health class."

"A sexual practicum," he echoed. He didn't even know what that meant. Something to do with sex, he believed. "What did they teach you?"

She shrugged. "What everybody learns, I imagine. They show you the details of the act. And they put a chair in your room."

"What chair?" He liked where this was going. He decided questions were good.

"In our rooms. It's a chair and you...you straddle it. It's a little like the saddle on your horse."

"What happens?" he asked casually. It was like magic. He'd found the key. She just kept giving it to him.

She flushed. "You get pleasure from it." Sighing, she looked away. "I imagine only we got them, because of what we are."

Yes, that was his guess too. "What do you do with the chair?"

"You move and it...you know."

He shook his head. "I don't. Show me."

"No," she said, flushing harder. "It would be embarrassing."

"Pretty baby, I'm turned on just imagining it. Show me what you would do all alone in your room naked."

She wrinkled her nose and got up on her hip, his eyes going to her breasts and on from there. "I don't have the chair."

"Use the pillow," he said, grabbing it.

"It doesn't have the bumps on it."

"Pretend it does."

She hesitated and then she got up on her knees and straddled his pillow. Watching her do that was more erotic than anything any whore had ever done, just indecent.

"Like that," she said. "Except there was a bar you would hold onto, in front of you, so you could move properly. Now I've shown you." She started to get off.

"Wait." He got on his knees in front of her, his legs spread, naked, and put her hands on his shoulders and his fingers below her, resting upward on the pillow. "There's your bar and your bumps," he said. "Show me how you would move."

Wasn't her face pink. But she touched her pussy to his fingers, rubbing, her hips moving in sinuous waves, her legs spread. She did it well, and she was liking it now, too. His cock was getting hard again, definitely, his eyes on those beautiful round tits jiggling with her motions.

And there she went, glancing at him, looking a little guilty, her cheeks flushed and her mouth parting. His fingers were rubbing her pussy now, helping her, his heart thudding. Her eyes unfocused, those noises she made, helpless and always sounding a little like a question. She returned from it panting and her hair messy.

Her eyes dropped to his cock. "You liked watching me do that," she said, still breathing fast.

"As would most men," he agreed.

She shifted, leaning back, and he withdrew his hand. Pushing the pillow away, she looked down at his cock. Reaching out, she hesitated, her eyes going to his face like he might object. It occurred to him she probably never would have touched a cock before with her hands. He hadn't thought of that.

"Go ahead," he said.

Her graceful hand came out and touched the base of his cock, running up and squeezing lightly on the head. She explored his balls. Fuck, that felt good. Returning, she moved the skin over the tip, paying attention to that ring, giving him the right pressure. She put her hand to her mouth, getting it wet, and returned it.

"How do you know how to do that?" he said, panting a little.

She shrugged, glancing. "They allowed us private access to instructions in our health class if we wanted to learn sexual skills."

Fuck, she was jacking him off so good. He was real hard now. His eyes closed, his head tilting back. He grunted, his hips rising.


Then he felt it, his head coming down and his eyes opening. She was on her knees, her pretty little ass in the air, bending down and licking the head of his cock. He liked looking at Persya, everything about her neat, curvy beauty turning him on, constantly thinking about fucking her. But when she did that, it sent something through him that was so deep.

She wasn't in any hurry, getting him really wet. Then she took him in her mouth and pushed him deeply into her throat.

"Son of a bitch," he hissed, his hand going to the back of her head, heavy. Decker began thrusting in small motions. What she could do with her mouth. If this was what she'd been holding back and would only give him willing, he'd made the right decision.

She breathed when she needed to, swallowing around him. He made a helpless sound, deciding to come in her throat. He was persuaded. That did sound good. It was going to be quick. He stabbed, his balls tightening, feeling it on him. Coming, he cried out, his hips lifting. He pulled her against himself.

Swallowing, her throat working him. His head fell back. It was absolute and complete pleasure, his heart pounding as his cock flexed. He stilled and then pulled steadily out of her throat, his chin coming down to look at her.

Persya coughed, swallowing several times. When she straightened, her mouth was swollen and wet, her hair even messier and beautiful as anything he'd ever seen in his life. Decker was panting.

She wiped her mouth, dragging her fingers across her lips, and then swallowed again. "It's different in real life than with the models of the male sex we were given as part of the module. There was access to show us what to do, if we were interested, and it would ejaculate if we did it right." She cleared her throat.

He had to guess what an e-jaculate might be, but it wasn't that far to walk.

Grabbing her and rolling her under him, he lay beside her, opening her legs and looking at her beautiful fat pussy. He reached, pulling her inner thigh, opening her. His fingers went there, looking for her clitoris, pressing gently. He had more questions.

"Who is Beren Cromwell?" he said. His mouth went to her nipples as his fingers penetrated her.

Her eyes focused, blinking. It took her time to hear him. "A man," she breathed.

"The Cromwells own the Pedigean consorts," he said, his hand coming out and rubbing her clit, going back in again. Just because she'd been virginal didn't mean that fucker hadn't touched her. Decker would have.

"Their estate was next to the orphanage." Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes heavy. "He was quite a bit older than me. He saw me one day in the garden and spoke with me. He courted me. I thought I was an orphan. I thought he was toying with me."

"Was he an old man?"

"No."

"Old enough to be your father?"

"Yes."

"And you all innocent. Did he kiss you?"

She went still, her breath hitching. "Once, yes."

"Did he touch your nipples?" Decker said, bending down and beginning to suck them.

"No."

"Did he touch your pussy?" Decker said, doing that himself at the moment.

She shook her head, focusing a little and making another one of those noises. "No. Decker, please."

So only Decker had ever done so. He was enjoying training her, to be sure. "That word doesn't mean anything here, baby." Stroking lightly, he watched her face. "Bring your knees up. Spread wide for me."

She hesitated and then she did it, her knees by her ears. He got over her and grasped her clitoris and tugged rhythmically, the fingers of his other hand deep in her pussy, her eyes gone. It took her all of a moment, her nipples hard in his mouth. She pumped on his fingers, making those pretty noises she did.

He brought her legs down and grabbed her again, pulling her on top of himself. Her heart was pounding and she was quiet.