Wings of the Seraph Ch. 02

The stasis chamber was still sitting in the cargo bay where we had left it, the tiny green lights on the monitor screen blinking every few seconds to confirm that the woman inside was alive. I peered through the glass, once again marveling at the frozen woman's raw beauty. What would I even say if I woke her up? And what would I say to Gol Zabras if I unwrapped his present a few days early?

Sighing, I glanced back over my shoulder to Raxyl. "Learn anything from the sensors?"

"I do not detect any trace of a signal emanating from the Gazack," he said, fiddling with the console on the wall. "If the tube is fitted with a tracking beacon, it is not currently transmitting."

"So maybe Maarka just tipped off the Vecs the old-fashioned way," I said. "We still have that med-scanner around here somewhere, don't we?"

"Yes. It is in the first aid kit where it belongs."

"No need to get snippy," I muttered, pacing over to the wall and opening the kit. I wasn't a doctor by any stretch of the imagination, but the Red Ring had taught me basic first aid. I had cleaned my fair share of pulse burns over the years, and I had learned a bit of cellular biology from the sawbones the Ring kept around the base.

"If you are trying to confirm her identity, the scanner is not very powerful," Raxyl said.

"No, but it could still give us a clue," I told him, activating the small device and running a quick scan over the stasis chamber. "According to this she's nineteen years-old and is in perfect health."

"Neither of which are surprising."

I frowned at the display as the results came back. "No, but her genetic structure has definitely been modified. The cellular composition of her skin and bones is very different than the average Velothi. The rest of this is just gibberish to me."

"We won't get any answers from scanners, Cole. You will have to speak with her."

"I know," I whispered. "Just stand back for a minute. I don't want to scare her."

A curious blue rippled shimmered up his neck scales. "Was that comment intended to offend me? Do you believe my reptilian visage is inherently more fearsome than—?"

"The fewer people she sees when she wakes up, the less intimidated she'll be," I interrupted. "Besides, if she was designed to serve Gol Zabras, she might respond better to a human face."

"Mm," he murmured. "A logical enough conclusion. I shall wait back here."

"Just don't jump out from behind the crates—she might be skittish." I leaned down beside the stasis chamber. "Sorry about this, sweetheart, but I'm going to have to end your nap a little early. I really hope you like protein malts, because that's all we've got on this barge until we hit another port..."

Taking a final deep breath, I mentally crossed my fingers and deactivated the stasis field. The tube hissed as it opened, and a cloud of white gas billowed out from the sides as the temperature normalized. Her heartrate slowly increased, and I watched in mild fascination as the tip of her tail began twitching around her leg.

I was genuinely embarrassed by how quickly I got an erection. As much I wanted to blame the stims still coursing through my system, I knew they had nothing to do with it. If my partner hadn't rudely interrupted my fun with the Kreen earlier, I might have had a touch more self-control. But now...

She stirred abruptly as her lungs refilled with air, and her eyelids slowly fluttered open. Velothi eyes had always fascinated me—the luminous blue orbs didn't have pupils or sclera. They looked almost...divine.

"It's all right," I soothed, placing my hand atop hers. Her skin was so soft it was like touching krinnar silk. "I'm not going to hurt you."

She inhaled sharply, then rapidly glanced back and forth across the cargo bay before her faintly glowing eyes finally settled on me. Her ruby lips curled into a wide, warm grin that was so alluring I couldn't help but smile back.

"Master," she said in a sweet, accented voice. "I have waited my whole life to meet you!"

I blinked. "I, uh...I'm not actually—"

She leaned up in the tube and kissed me before I could finish the sentence. I froze in place like a shell-shocked virgin, but she didn't seem to care. Her tongue plunged into my mouth, and she wrapped her wrists around my neck to pull me close. I eventually kissed her back out of pure reflex, and I actually shivered when one of her cranial tendrils curled lovingly around my earlobe. When my hands settled on her bare back, I couldn't help but drag my fingertips across her satiny skin. I really regretted not ordering Raxyl to wait in the cockpit...

She eventually pulled me close enough that I could feel her breasts pressing against me, and I was seriously tempted to untie the flimsy strap holding the top of her bikini in place. Surely her master wouldn't mind if I had a tiny peek...

"Wait," I gasped, finally mustering the willpower to push her away. "This isn't...I mean, I'm not..."

"It's all right," she said, tracing her finger along my chin. "I'm sorry if I startled you. I've just been waiting so long to finally meet you. I am eager to show you what I can do."

She kissed me again, and this time she actually crawled out of the tube and straddled my lap. Her hands feathered through my hair, her tendrils massaged my ears, and her tail...her tail started wriggling beneath my belt.

"No," I said, more forcefully this time. "I'm not your master."

She looked at me like I had just shot her mother. "What?"

"I had to wake you up early," I explained. "You're on a ship—my ship. We're still a few days away from your master."

"You are not Gol Zabras?"

"No."

"But you are human?"

"Last time I checked."

I swallowed and desperately tried to catch my breath. Having her body pressed so tightly against me made it difficult; having the tip of her tail halfway down my pants made it almost impossible.

"I might be the only other human in the whole damn sector, but I'm not Gol Zabras," I said. "I'm just the smugger he's paying to take you to him."

She glanced around the cargo bay again. "I see. I was not supposed to be awakened until I reached him."

"I know. We just had a little change of plans. But it will be all right—I'll make sure you get there on time."

She eventually nodded and let out a deep breath. "I apologize for kissing you so forcefully. When I saw that you were human, I assumed you were my master."

"Under different circumstances, I'd love to have you kiss me as forcefully as you want," I murmured.

She smiled again. "I am glad you did not find it unpleasant."

"Sweetheart, I don't think it's possible to find you unpleasant."

"You may be more right than you know," she said, studying me. "I have been attuned to your species at a psychological and genetic level. We have only just met, but I feel as though I already know everything about you."

My fingers continuing rubbing her bare back even though I desperately wanted her to get off of me. If she didn't, my cock was going to explode whether or not it was still trapped inside my pants...

"Do you have a name, pilot?" she asked.

"Cole," I said, resisting the urge to glance down at the ample cleavage still pressed against me. "Cole Vontera."

"My name is Kaveri Saalu," she said. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Cole."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, too." I licked at my lips. "Um, you, uh...you may want to get off of me."

Her eyes flicked down as if she only just remembered she was straddling me. "By the stars, I'm sorry. I was so eager to arouse you, but now..." She shook her head. "It isn't fair. Here, let me at least bring you some relief as an apology..."

Her tail wormed deeper down my pants, but I pulled away and physically lifted her out of my lap just before she touched my cock. "That's all right," I croaked, wondering what in the hell was wrong me for passing up an opportunity like this. "I was given very specific instructions not to, um, spoil you."

Kaveri smiled again. It was so demure and disarming my knees practically melted. She really had been attuned to know exactly what human males wanted.

"My body is for Master Zabras alone," she said, reaching out and wrapping her hands around my neck again. "But there are plenty of other ways I can bring you relief. Here, let me show you..."

I grabbed her wrists and turned away before she could kiss me again. "Sweetheart...Kaveri...we need to talk."

She blinked expectantly. I had no idea what Succubus training involved, but I couldn't imagine she was used to anyone saying "no" to her very often...or ever.

"I have a co-pilot," I said, my voice cracking. I felt like I was tagging in a wrestling partner before I was overwhelmed. "Come on out."

I heard the Kali shuffle out from behind the cargo containers. I felt Kaveri tense up at the sight of him, but the movement was subtle—I wouldn't have even noticed if she weren't holding onto me.

"I am Raxyl," he said. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Miss Saalu."

"Please, call me Kaveri," she replied, her warm, knee-melting smile returning. "I did not expect to encounter a Kali. I apologize, but I have not been trained in the proper carnal techniques for your species."

"That's all right," Raxyl said, an amused purple streak shimmering across his neck. "As my partner said, we did not wake you with the intention of calling upon your services. We merely wished to ask you some questions."

"Of course," Kaveri said, glancing between us. "What do you wish to know?"

"Do you have any idea why the Convectorate would be after you?"

Kaveri blinked. "What?"

"Not long after we left Briton Chalo, several Convectorate reclaimator drones attempted to disable us," Raxyl explained. "They were hiding not far from the station, and based on their behavior I postulate an eighty-two point three percent probability that they were stalking a specific target—namely, you."

"What he means is that we've had plenty of run-ins with the Vecs over the years, but they haven't bothered us in a long time," I added. "Not until we left the planet with you in our cargo hold."

"I do not understand," Kaveri breathed, leaning back on her haunches. If she was lying, she was a damn good actress. Her breathing, the nervous twitching of her tail, the movements of her eyes—they all painted the picture of a hapless slave girl who genuinely had no clue what was going on.

I wanted to believe her. I really did. But even normal Velothi were well-known for their charms and wiles, and this girl had literally been designed to entice and manipulate human men. With her smile, I would have been inclined believed her if she told me that sand was wet, but that didn't mean it was true.

Which is exactly why I wanted Raxyl to be here for a second opinion.

"So you cannot think of any reasons why the Convectorate would be interested in you?" the Kali asked.

"No," Kaveri said, shaking her head. "I have never even interacted with the Convectorate. I was born on Chalo Prime—I had never even been in outer space before a few days ago!"

"Chalo Prime," I murmured. "Let me guess: you were designed in a Xanatech Lab?"

Her brow furrowed. "No...I am not familiar with that name."

Well, so much for that little trick. You didn't really expect her to fall for something that obvious, did you?

I sighed. Xanatech wasn't real, but it seemed like an easy way to try and catch her in a lie. I didn't really know what else to do.

"I have lived my entire life in Toruuna, a large city on the northern hemisphere," Kaveri said. "My master was Qel Pasek. His company has been breeding Succubi for several generations."

I nodded absently. I knew the name, but I wasn't familiar enough with Pasek or Toruuna to probe her with any more trap questions. As far as I knew, Raxyl wasn't either.

"Well, I guess the bottom line is that the trip might not be as safe as we thought," I told her. "I wanted to wake you up and see if you knew anything that might help."

"I wish I did," Kaveri said. "I am sorry. I do not wish to put your lives in danger. I didn't even think I would meet the men responsible for transporting me to my new master."

Raxyl's scales continued rippling a thoughtful black, but he remained quiet. I would have to ask him his real opinion later once we were alone again.

"All right, well...we're still a long away from your master's home," I said. "Putting you back in stasis would be dangerous—you shouldn't go under twice in such a short period of time. We don't have a ton of room on this ship, but there's an extra cabin with a bunk."

"That will be more than sufficient. Though I doubt I will need any additional rest. The presence of a human male on this ship has already left me quite...invigorated."

"So it would seem," Raxyl murmured.

I smiled, and my eyes finally succumbed to the temptation of her cleavage. The way her flimsy top held her breasts together...I had never wanted to kiss and lick and fuck a pair of tits so badly in my life.

"All right, well...Raxyl, why don't you return to the cock? I mean, the cockpit." I hissed softly between my teeth. "I'll escort our guest to her cabin and get her settled."

"I'm sure you will," the Kali replied mildly. He nodded once at Kaveri, then calmly slipped out of the cargo bay.

Swallowing heavily, I forced myself to wriggle away from her before I offered her a helping hand. "Please, follow me."

Kaveri smiled and stood, then took my arm and practically melted into me. "Lead the way."

I nodded and escorted her out of the cargo bay and into the ship. She walked with a fluid, ephemeral gait almost like she wasn't actually touching the ground. Maybe she wasn't; her bare feet didn't seem to mind the cold deck plates. I belatedly realized she was probably just used to walking in preposterously high heels.

"I know it's not much, but we're not used to transporting people," I said as I opened the doors to the guest quarters and gestured inside. I had never been more embarrassed by the cramped room and simple bunk than I was right now. "We, uh, we don't really have any extra clothes for you to wear, either. But I'd be happy to buy something for you when we stop for fuel at Vrassk-Ka."

Kaveri arched a black eyebrow at me. "But I already have clothing."

"Well, that...outfit...just seems a bit cold and not particularly comfortable."

"It is unrestrictive," she said, floating inside the room and bracing her palms on the bunk so she could look out the viewport. "From what I have been told about my master's preferences, he will likely wish me to remain naked most of the time, at least aside from a discipline collar. My submissiveness will undoubtedly impress his lieutenants and rivals."

Yeah, I bet it will, I thought to myself as I watched her bend over the bed and arch her back. If she was telling the truth about being in space for the first time, then the view of a hyperspace corridor was probably enthralling. If she was merely a con-artist, however, then the pose was probably just meant to shatter the remaining scraps of my willpower.

And it was working.

"It's beautiful," Kaveri whispered.

By the stars, I would give literally anything to grab her by the waist, nudge her tail out of the way, and pound the living hell out of her blue ass right now. Why didn't I just tell her that I was Gol Zabras? I could have just changed my name and flown us halfway across the galaxy before the pirate-lord even realized what he'd lost.

"Yeah, it is," I murmured, tugging at the collar of my jacket and wondering if Raxyl was intentionally tampering with the environmental controls to mess with me. "Hyperspace corridors can make you dizzy if you look at them too long, though."

Her tail continued it's slow, rhythmic twitching, and my cock began throbbing in unison. I didn't know if Succubi possessed pheromones to attract mates, but I suddenly wondered if that was what was going on. I didn't usually get suckered this easily by a pretty face. Or a pretty ass. Or unbelievable tits.

You have to get out of this room. You have to get out of this room right now!

"Why don't you settle in here and make yourself comfortable for a bit?" I asked, clearing my throat. "I need to go and check on my partner. If you're hungry later, I can get you a protein malt. They're not the most delicious things in the universe, but they're filling enough."

Kaveri turned back around and grinned. If she hadn't noticed the way I was awkwardly standing to try and hide my erection before, she did now. "The only protein malts I'm familiar with are quite satisfying," she said, her blue eyes fixating on the bulge in my pants. "And surprisingly fun to make."

You haven't left yet. Why haven't you left yet?

"I, uh..."

"I am so sorry, Cole," she said.

I blinked. "About what?"

"My presence is obviously bringing you great distress. It's not fair."

God dammit. "No, you're fine," I insisted. "I'm the one who woke you up. I had just hoped you might be able to, uh... to answer a few questions."

"You can ask me anything you like," Kaveri said, slowly crossing her legs. "In a way, you are my master until you turn me over to Gol Zabras."

I pursed my lips and forced myself to look at her again. It was just as big of a mistake as I'd feared. Maybe I should offer her one of my jumpsuits. Anything to cover up those legs and tits...

"You don't seem upset about this arrangement," I said, wiping the sweat beading on my brow. "The fact that you're being sold, I mean. I imagine a lot of girls in your position would be begging me to disable their discipline collars and take them somewhere they could start a new life."

Kaveri shrugged. "Why would I wish to go somewhere else? I was designed for this purpose."

"To be a pirate lord's concubine?"

"To be a loyal, diligent, and pleasing servant."

My eyes were ensnared by her cleavage again. "Just because you are genetically-engineered doesn't mean you are a robot."

"No, but I was built to very exacting specifications. Everything about me—my height, my face, my eyes, my lips—they were all designed for a specific purpose." She abruptly stood and sauntered towards me, an intense glint in her luminescent eyes. "Even my personality was carefully conditioned. Like I explained before, I am designed specifically to please human males."

I tried to swallow and nearly choked instead. "You know, I think you may be right. This really isn't fair."

"No, it isn't. You are aching to spoil me, and I am aching to let you." Kaveri placed her hands back around my neck. "Your presence is affecting me almost as much as mine is affecting you."

"Somehow I doubt that," I squeaked.

Kaveri giggled softly. It was the sweetest sound I had ever heard. "You don't understand," she said, nudging a centimeter closer. "My physiology is programmed to respond to the needs of nearby human males. Satisfying their desires is as pleasurable for me as it is for them. And not satisfying them..." She paused and slowly dragged her tail across the bulge in my pants. "It is just as frustrating for me as it is to them."

"I doubt that is possible," I rasped.

Her smile widened. "Please, let me show you."

My fingers brushed the silken skin of her bare waist even as I shook my head. "That's really not necessary..."

"I can bring you relief without allowing you to spoil me," Kaveri said. "I don't even need to use my hands."

"What are you—?"

She leaned forward to kiss me again, and this time her tail plunged beneath my belt so quickly I didn't even have time to react before it curled around my cock and began slowly stroking me like a third hand...