The Ballad of Decker Crane Ch. 08

She pulled back. "Decker."

His eyes narrowed. She understood negotiation. That's how he'd gotten her willing in his bed in the first place. "We will talk. I'll talk and I'll listen to you talk. Just let me fuck you first." He waited. It was fair, if she thought about it, considering.

When she hesitated, he took that as a yes, his mouth going to her nipples. She wanted it just as much as he did, the harlot. He loved fucking her. She'd been waiting all day too, her pussy already swollen and wet when he stripped her.

He grabbed her and put her over the table belly down. She went with it because she was such a good girl. He was turned on. Killing always had turned him on, and even if he hadn't done it directly, it had been close enough to make him hard all day, a bloodbath all around.

He got the rope and put it around one wrist, and then the other, stretching them above her head, horizontal and up the front and to the table's legs. She was bent over the edge of the table and her legs were spread, but then he made it even better, getting her knees on the table, spread, and tying her. He took out what he'd gotten, happy to have thought of it.

He turned it on, a buzzing sound.

"What is that?" she said, her head to the side, sounding alarmed.

A deep wave went through him. He squatted behind her and spread her pussy lips delicately, right there at the edge of the table, running the vibrator over her clitoris.

Persya made a choked sound and then relaxed into it, hitching. She cried out. Pulsing against it, she came as he held it steady, her little pussy moving.

"What is that?" she repeated, panting.

"You're going to learn all about it," he said, standing and spanking her, fast swats.

She protested and he stopped, beginning to undress. It was going to be a long night. He had some questions to answer for himself. When he was naked, his cock jutting, he spanked her again. Persya squirmed and cried out, protesting as he stepped up and put his cock in her.

The table rattled. There were all sorts of noises in the small cabin at night. When he was too close, he pulled out and squatted, spreading her again. The buzzing came, Persya crying out in anticipation. He touched lightly, watching her cunt. It did turn him on to watch her take her pleasure.

She came right away. There was a note in her voice that sent him somewhere else. When he came around to himself, her little bottom was bright red and his cock was in her again. Stopping himself, he was panting. Pulling out, he came around the table, bringing cloth. He gagged her, stopping all the noises, and then put a cloth over her eyes.

Coming behind her again, he squatted, his hand on his cock. It felt good, jacking himself off some. It was time to find out how deep she went. Turning it on, he reached and touched her distended little clitoris, watching her come. He kept it going. His cock kept jumping in his hand when she would come again, the sweet little whore.

After a time, her body was sweaty and glistening and she was writhing in the ropes. He figured he was finally going to satisfy the little bitch, sticking his fingers in her. That made her come again, although it took her quite a bit of time now to reach her climax.

Her little slit was glistening, slick all down her thighs, her flesh twitching and dark pink. Her clit was red under her, swollen as he kept touching the vibrator to it. Watching her little asshole contract as she came again, inviting him, he thought about it. Next time, maybe. He was introducing her to things slowly, being patient. A whore took time to train right, and she was his whore. He'd found her.

When he thought he'd finally reached the bottom of her capacity for pleasure, given the distressed noises she was making, he held it there. She could give him one more, his fingers deep in her pussy. It took forever and then it finally happened, Persya jerking in the ropes for a nice long time. When she was done, he tossed it aside and mounted her, thrusting in. This was what he'd wanted. It was a project to exhaust her.

Fuck. She was swollen and wet, her tight, squirming heat against his hips. He didn't hold back. He didn't know how sensitive she was right now, but he was enjoying imagining it, given her cries behind the gag. Trying to slow himself, he realized it wasn't going to work. He almost never could with her.

Since that was the case, he just enjoyed himself, letting it happen. Yelling through his teeth, he pinned her to the table, her softness under him, deep in her.

He came up, panting. Pulling out of her and squatting, he loosened the ropes slowly. She'd struggled, stubborn as she was. He went to the top and took off her gag, untying her hands. When he put her legs down, she didn't move at all, looking little, her butt dark pink and her hair everywhere.

Decker turned her, picking her up in his arms. Slowly opening her eyes and looking up at him, she went still as he bent and kissed her. He drew back and then decided to do it again, taking his time. She liked that, he saw, when he broke it. She'd want a bath. He had cream for her pretty ass.

She watched his face the whole time he worked, smiling a little. When he had her all warmed and clean and tucked into his bed, he got in beside her and pulled her to him. She molded her body to his like she did, sleeping with him that way. He was ready for the talking now, if she wanted it.

He figured she'd want to know about his past, now that she knew who he was. That was all being a notorious outlaw was. People wanting to know your past and attacking you for no reason to try to prove themselves so you had to kill them and make the whole situation worse. When the story came around about what had happened today, it'd be himself alone against fifty armored men in the desert with no cover, like anyone could do that.

She was quiet. He looked down. Her cheeks were flushed, her lashes long and her eyes closed, breathing steadily. Her hand was limp on his chest, her hair on his belly. Decker frowned a little and reached out, caressing her cheek, the vulnerable curve of her mouth turning him on again. He'd thought at one time he could screw the desire for her out of himself, find the end of it, but it just to seem to fill up again.

#

(Persya)

Persya opened her eyes. Her body felt languid, a little sore. Decker was asleep. She always seemed to wake up practically on top of him now, and it wasn't cold.

Leaning back a little, she looked at his face. Decker Crane. Even in isolation on Pedige, she'd heard of him. Everyone had. There were news stories about him, and bad novels in which he captured women from passenger transports and ravaged them, exaggerated tales of gunfights on the streets of dusty towns on the frontier planets. In the stories, he was always painted in words describing his terrible beauty, his ruthless and cold eyes, a handsome and heartless killer and lover of anarchy. She studied him. His hair was soft when she touched it.

His face was relaxed in sleep, looking younger and yes, very handsome. Coming up, she hesitated and leaned forward and touched her lips to his, her hand on his chest.

When she pulled back, his eyes slitted open, framed in long lashes. In a smooth movement, she was under him, his weight on her, and he was kneeing her legs open. He entered her, rocking, filling her, Persya arching under him.

"Fuck, baby," he muttered, coming up on his arms and thrusting hard. "You can wake me up like that anytime."

He leaned down and kissed her and then his kiss became so sensual that her heart began to pound, his hips still moving. Her arms came up around his neck, her knees around his hips. The two became the same thing, his thrusts into her body and their tongues tangling.

Kissing Decker had always been something completely different than anything she'd ever expected to experience. He put everything into it, telling her things he didn't say aloud. Just when she thought she knew him, he would surprise her again.

He came up, his hand going between them and holding her eyes. Then he was doing what he did between her legs. He grinned as she started to come, kissing her, but she couldn't find a way to return it and then she cried out against his mouth, arching.

Decker laughing softly, his mouth moving to her throat. "I like how you come, stubborn," he said into her ear, licking it, somehow making it all worse.

#

After breakfast, Decker eyes slanted to hers as he left for the barn to saddle his horse, Persya glancing, a thrill going through her. She looked down, feeling shy, and glanced at him again.

Kay showed up, bouncing on his horse to a stop. In front of him, Adya leaned back, completely comfortable on the horse now because that big man took her everywhere. She did what he said, she listened, and she never complained.

Grabbing her, Kay leaned down, setting her on her feet. "Get our rope, crazy."

Adya was in motion almost before she was on the ground, running to get the rope, stuffing it under her arm and charging the horse. By now, Kay's horse hardly noticed, Kay sweeping her up in front of himself. Adya was already leaning as she held out the rope behind herself, Kay taking it and looping it on the saddle as he turned, his reins slapping on each side. The girl leaned forward as the horse galloped across the field, her small face intense.

Lily had started schooling the two girls. Adya hadn't wanted to do it, but Kay had been adamant.

"You get learning, girl," Kay had said. "I don't want you ignorant like I am."

"You're not ignorant," Adya had protested right away, defending him.

"I can't read nor write, girl," Kay said. "That's ignorant. You'll go to school, you hear me?"

"Yes, Kay."

Lily had looked at Kay, her voice gentle. "You could still learn, Kay, if you wanted. I don't mind. I could give you lessons, just you and me."

"I thank you for the offer, girl," Kay had said. "I'm too old to want it anymore. The child will be at school whenever you tell her and she'll do as you say."

Bai crossed to the barn. Bryn ran by him, heading for the house, waving to Decker. Chione had taken to riding a horse right away, falling off several times first. Persya saw what Decker had meant. Chione would get up and dust herself off and come right back. But Chione never really held back or let anything go.

Persya had taken over the books. Decker really did hate doing them, but it wasn't that hard if you didn't wait for things to run out before you ordered them. She was good with numbers and she'd already found cheaper suppliers.

"Thank fuck," Decker had said, running his hand through his hair, always eloquent.

Grace was continuing her studies. Persya had spoken for her to Decker because Grace was unbearably shy, Grace glancing. Persya wasn't sure Grace had ever spoken to any of the men directly.

"Grace studied the old medical manuals at the orphanage," Persya had said. "They didn't tell her she was going to be a sex slave for a Prime man. She wanted to be a doctor."

"Most of the doctors out here are self-taught," Decker said, shrugging. "They charge to mend bones and such. Pull teeth. With protection, she could practice."

"She needs real courses, Decker. She already knows more than they do."

Decker had eyed Persya. "Access to those kinds of courses is dear."

Grace had winced. "I don't have money, Persya," she'd said in a low voice.

Decker had turned to look at Grace, that assessing glance he gave. Grace's eyes had gotten big and she'd looked down.

"A real doctor out here could charge whatever she wanted," Decker had said. "I'll make a frontier bargain with you, Grace. If you'll tend to the people at Briken Ranch for free, I'll pay for this. Do you agree?"

Grace had frozen and then nodded.

"Can you do it?" Decker said.

Persya had turned to Grace. "Decker says that the brikens can't be cloned, Grace. Why would that be, do you think?"

Grace had looked up, her eyes shifting between them. "It's probably something similar to Large Embryo Syndrome, a neonatal phenotype characterized by respiratory and metabolic abnormalities and enlarged and non-viable placentas."

"I'll get her access tomorrow," Decker had said, nodding.

All of them were learning to ride except Dawine, who was afraid of the animals. All of them, scared or not and including Dawine, were being taught to shoot. Decker was adamant. He already let Chione carry a gun, although she rode with Kay and Adya.

"I could sweep the perimeter myself, Decker," Chione had said.

"Let me get used to the idea of the first thing before we go doing that," Decker had said, looking harried.

Persya was learning to ride. Decker said she was finding her seat. Persya told him she'd never lost it, making him laugh and say crude things to her. It wasn't bad to ride a horse, once she got a little better at it.

#

(Decker)

Decker headed for the barn after Persya sent him that glance. He was going to pay a visit to Tag, but he was already planning his night with her on the ride over. It wasn't like there was anything to look at, and his imagination occupied him.

"You look good, Deck," Tag said, squinting up at him when Decker arrived.

Decker dismounted. "You don't. What's wrong?"

Tag looked frustrated and exhausted.

"The damned motor for my compressor fucked up weeks ago and I've got cows breathing bad air," Tag answered. "There's a tech coming next month. I'm not sure how many cows I'm going to have left alive by the time he gets here."

Decker eyed him. He'd never seen Tag so out of sorts. It was serious. Decker couldn't take that many cattle onto his land, not with the brikens. But he could do something. He studied Tag. He'd have to trust him, and Decker had always figured that trusting people as little as possible was prudent. But this was Tag. He looked away. "I might be able to help you with that compressor motor."

Yenna hadn't been boasting empty. She'd turned out to be a genius with anything mechanical. Once she'd fixed the synth generator, Decker had assembled tools for her, just like he'd got basic doctoring tools for Grace. Everywhere Yenna went, things just worked better. Fuck, if he'd known that, he might have kept her anyway, which would have meant keeping Lily. But that was done anyway and he didn't have to think about it anymore.

"How? I've got cows dying, Deck. I can't afford to lose any more stock. If you got anything for me, I'd be grateful."

"I'll come by with someone. You got any hands here now?"

"I sent them away. I got nothing for them to do until I fix the damned compressor. Bring him by. I'll pay him what I would have paid this tech if he can make the thing work."

"I'll see you tomorrow."

#

When he returned the next day, Decker brought Yenna. Lily stayed home. Yenna rode, her box of tools hanging off the horse's saddle.

She looked around at the wasteland. "I didn't realize Sur was like this. This is terrible."

"Except for where we live, this is it."

"Prime did this?"

"They did," Decker said. "Sur is the only planet we ever found that was already habitable with its own animals and plants. But they found safron here, so that was that. When we get there, Tag might be a little startled, but he's a good man. His ranch is all he's got and he's losing livestock. It's a hardship for him."

"I can tell he's your friend, Decker. I'm grateful for what you did for me and Lily."

Tag was waiting. He went still when he saw Yenna, his mouth falling open. "That's a woman," he said blankly. "A really beautiful woman."

"She is," Decker grunted, getting off the horse and pulling her down. He set Yenna on her feet, her silky cap of dark hair in motion.

"Where did you find a woman, Deck?" Tag said.

"Briken enclosure," Decker grunted.

Tag's eyes went to him briefly and went back to her.

"This is Yenna," Decker introduced her. "She's real good with mechanical things. Yenna, this is Tag. You want to show her that busted motor?"

"Sure," Tag said, not moving, still staring at her.

Decker approached him, leaning in. "I can trust you with her?" Typically, he'd just threaten a man, but this was Tag.

Tag dragged his eyes away and looked at Decker, making a face. "I'm not going to try to take your woman, Deck, no matter how pretty she is."

"Where's that motor?" Yenna said.

"This way," Tag said.

"I'll take care of the horses," Decker said.

After, he found them inside the environmental tent adjacent to the dome. Yenna already had grease on her hands and a smear of it on her face, not an uncommon sight with her. She was concentrating and Tag was still watching her.

"How long has it been running with so much vibration?" she said, pulling at something.

Tag seemed to call himself back from wherever he'd gone. "Couple months. I was going to get someone in here before it went, but I was hoping not to have to spend the money."

"Decker got me access and I read up on this when he told me what you needed. Most of the time, they get overheated, so it's best to first check for motor overload. A lot of times it's when the motor drive shaft isn't in alignment with the load. You can order a flexible coupling that'll help. I can show you which one and come and install it. But a misaligned shaft transmits damaging cyclical forces along the shaft and into the motor. There's a few different things that could be misaligned."

She was working while she talked, Tag turning to look at Decker, his brows going up.

"Yes," she said to herself. "It's both angular and parallel, but I'll have to address them separately."

"Can you do it, Yenna?" Decker said.

"Seems pretty straightforward," she answered, peering with her head turned to the side. "It won't take long, although I should look at the bearings. They can create a cascade effect that makes the motor fail, too."

"I know about the bearings," Tag said. "I've got some that fit, if you want."

"That'd be good," she said absently, her hands working.

"You want something to drink, girl?" Tag said.

"You're kind, but I'm fine."

"I'll go get that bearing."

Tag went away and came back, putting it beside her. He and Tag watched as she reached for it.

At one point, she spoke. "My fingers aren't strong enough, Decker. Could you pull that off? I think it's stripped."

"Sure," Decker said, getting down with her and trying to turn it. It didn't want to come. He took his shirt, putting it on his fingers. It released and he straightened, handing it to her.

"Thank you. There's your problem, right there," she said, speaking to Tag, pointing. "You get that flexible connector and it's less likely it'll happen again." She closed everything up, her hands moving quickly. Rising, she walked to the control panel and studied it. She pushed several buttons and pushed up the lever, the motor springing to life. It rattled, Yenna listening, and then it evened out, the vibrations lower.

"Son of a bitch," Tag said, staring, and then he grinned. "You did it. Damn. I can't believe you fixed it. I'll pay you, girl. I said I'd pay you what I would have paid that fancy off-world tech, and I will."

Yenna straightened, wiping her hands on the rag she kept in her pocket, looking beautiful, of course. "Decker gave me a home. Any debt's to him."

Tag turned to him. "What will you take, Deck?"

Decker shrugged, looking away. "You'll find a way to pay me back sometime. There aren't that many people I trust on this rock." Exactly one, in fact. Or anywhere, in fact. He looked at Tag. "But people can't know about her. Is that okay with you?" If Tag were were any other man, again, Decker would just threaten him. But, again, this was Tag.

"I wouldn't tell anyone about her. I'll swear it, if you like."

"I'll take your word." Decker looked away. He moved toward the horses, Yenna following. "Come on by for a drink sometime, Tag."