Mx hub, p.7
MX Hub, page 7
“I’m glad you didn’t push before we left,” Selda said. “Now you have information and can figure out what you want to do with it.”
Wait... Sage, and now Crish…? The others—
Selda started laughing. “No. I checked. None of the rest would end up as deeply connected as those two. You might end up with a sexy exploration friend with Gravtina, possibly a kinky fox to play and cuddle with in Kayo, and you might get wrapped and snuggled by Ping, but none of them would devote themselves in the same way as Sage has or Crish might.”
Zander exhaled. Thank-fucking-god. Sage is enough for right now.
“For now,” Selda laughed. “It’s time to head for the restaurant. I’ll use your eyes to keep track of the men as best I can.”
Copy that, Maker.
~*~*~
The place was called Sinful Delights. Two Angelic men in expensive clothing stood in front of the building, neither looking like a customer. As Zander approached, one of them looked his way and his body went on alert. Zander nodded to the man, who was clearly experienced in violence when needed.
“Is there a bar inside to wait for someone?” Zander asked when he got closer.
“Do you have business here, pilot?” the guard asked, his white feathered wings rustling slightly.
“Dinner,” Zander replied. “In…” Pulling his datapad out of his pocket, he glanced at it. “Ten minutes.”
“Reservation?” the guard asked with doubt.
“Lavella Hemoesta made them. I’m her plus one,” Zander replied.
He jerked slightly. “Ah, yes. She does have a reservation for herself and one other. Your name?”
“Zander Greaves.”
“Mr. Greaves. A pleasure, sir. Please, enter and enjoy.” The Angelic man was suddenly eager to please.
“Thank you,” Zander said. Selda, how much money does she have to get that kind of reaction?
“It’s not just the money, Zee. It’s the money and the fact her company makes the best mecha on the Hub. It’s a combo thing.”
Got it, Zander thought, slowing as he took in the decor. Whites, golds, and silvers dominated the colors. From the name, he’d been expecting a devilish theme, but this place was more angelic-looking.
The woman behind the podium in the small entryway gave him a polite smile. Her white wings were folded gracefully behind her. “How can I assist you, sir?” She gave the cable attaching his neck to his pocket a curious look.
“I’m Zander Greaves, dinner partner for Ms. Hemoesta.”
“Ah, she has not yet arrived, but I can see you to your room, sir. Or, you can sit in the lounge while you wait.”
“The lounge would be better. Thank you.”
“Of course.” Her smile was bright, and for a moment, Zander thought a halo appeared above her head.
A few seconds later, another Angelic appeared, wearing a white gown that clung to her chest and flowed like waves down her body. “If you’ll follow me, sir?”
“Of course,” Zander said. Selda, do most businesses tend toward this single race setting I’ve been seeing? he asked her.
“Yes, unless it’s a multi-business setting like Data Link.”
Zander considered that as he followed the woman into a lounge. A small bar took up the far wall while richly-appointed furniture dotted the room, with small tables for places to rest drinks beside them. Two men and three women were scattered around, clearly also waiting for their parties to arrive or sharing a quiet drink before or after dinner.
His guide led him to a chair before she turned to him. “What would you like to drink, sir?”
“You’d have to check my dietary guidelines, but something soft? I don’t want to get drunk.”
“Of course. I’ll bring something back in a moment.”
Zander settled in and wondered if Lavella would be punctual or fashionably late.
Chapter Eight
“Right this way, miss. Your guest has been waiting for you,” the Angelic hostess, the one who’d shown Zander to the room, said as she led someone into the lounge.
Zander looked over when he heard the voice. He rose to his feet as Lavella approached, letting his eyes rove over her briefly. She wore a floor-length black dress that shimmered with red sparkles as she walked. The same plunging neckline and high leg slits hinted that she might have preferences in her style. Red heels flashed into view as she advanced on him. Her pale skin was offset by the black lipstick on her full lips and the dark red eyeshadow she wore.
“Zander, it’s good to see you again,” Lavella said first, looking over his body even more intently than he had hers. “I like your sense of style. It’s different than most.”
“A common type of formal clothing from my world. You look ravishing.”
“Oh, you hope to get there tonight, do you?”
“We’ll have to see what the night brings. I believe dinner is waiting for us first.”
Lavella’s eyes roved over him again. “Yes. We should make sure we’re well-fed before we get to dessert.”
Stepping forward, he held his arm out to his side, presenting his elbow to her. “Shall we?”
Lavella looked at him before she placed her hand on the inside of his arm. “Are you leading me, or am I guiding you?”
“I’m fine with either,” Zander murmured, “but I’m doing what my society used to do for women of station and standing.”
“Hmm… this will be a very good evening, then.” Lavella looked at the woman who’d brought her into the lounge. “Our room, please.”
“Of course, miss. Please, follow me,” the Angelic hostess said. “My name is Angelica, and I will be your personal attendant this evening.”
Zander kept his face impassive at her name, though he wanted to laugh. Instead, he followed her out of the room with Lavella lightly holding the inside of his elbow. It was down a hall, up a set of stairs, and down another hall before the hostess opened a door, stepping aside for them.
Zander looked over the richly-decorated room, guiding Lavella to one of the seats. He moved it for her to sit, then pushed the chair in behind her before taking his own seat. He gave Lavella a smile when he sat.
“The meal will be brought up shortly, prepared to your specifications, Miss. I will return with the wine in just a moment,” Angelica said, then left them alone in the room.
“Hmm? Already ordered for us?” Zander asked.
“I have. Luckily, your dietary needs were in the database. That made it very easy to arrange this. I didn’t know if you were already up on reading Galactic or not. I figured not, since the contract was transcribed from our discussion. You were very trusting that nothing extra was added.”
“I watched the words appear as we talked. If something extra was slipped in, I have no one to blame but myself. Besides, I took you at your word. I was sure that means a lot to you.”
“Yes, it does,” Lavella smiled. “You are the most well-adjusted Shifted I’ve ever heard about. If you weren’t a Terran and this far from your home planet already, I would doubt you were a Shifted at all.”
“My guide said much the same to me.”
“I’m curious how you came to be here while your ship of record is not.”
“I’m not sure my captain would like me to say,” Zander chuckled.
“You came in on the Righteous with a claim of it as salvage. That means your captain rightfully repelled them and then captured them, or she just captured them. That is all public record, so it’s not like she can be upset.”
“We repelled them, then boarded them,” Zander shrugged.
“The records show that Ormu and Veldiami have had a number of conflicts. I guess that’s in the past now. I’ve seen the death certificate for Ormu.”
“That quarrel is over.”
There was a light knock and, a few seconds later, the door opened to reveal Angelica with a bottle. “The first course will be ready in just a moment. I have here the special house wine. It was double-checked for both of you and is quite safe.”
“Serve us,” Lavella said as she watched Zander. “Should we dispense with conversation until dinner is over?”
“If that’s your wish, miss,” Zander replied. “I did have a few questions, but I can hold them until after.”
“Angelica, we’re ready.”
Angelica smiled as she poured them each a glass, then set the wine aside. “Very well, miss.”
Zander picked up his glass. “To an evening to remember.”
“Oh, yes. That I can get behind,” Lavella laughed lightly, touching her glass to his.
~*~*~
Zander sat back, thoroughly sated. He’d never be able to put into words what the meal had been. Everything was altogether new, but every bite had been delicious. A single thought intruded at the end of the meal: What is with all the sporks?
Selda giggled in his ear. “It’s the one eating implement left by the Antecedents, so it’s been adopted as the only utensil by the Galactic Assembly. Get used to sporks, because they’re everywhere. It’s also why meat’s always cut into small pieces. You won’t find slabs of steak anywhere. Any kind of meat is normally pre-cut like this meal’s was.”
Damn… cult of the spork, Zander snorted to himself.
“This place always makes me happy,” Lavella sighed. “It’s one of the few places where real meat is served. It’s so expensive to raise animals for meat on a Hub.”
“It was delicious,” Zander said.
A small knock interrupted them, and Angelica came into the room a moment later. “May I clear the dishes?”
“Please do so,” Lavella said. “We’ll linger over the last of the wine. Don’t disturb us further.”
“As you wish, miss,” Angelica replied as she quickly cleared the table and left.
“You had questions from before dinner, Zander?”
“I did, but I don’t want to spoil the mood. They were related to how we met.”
Lavella’s smile dipped, but came back. “That’s an outstanding issue. My former employee has evaded me so far. The Hub is only so big and he can’t find a legal way off it, not now that he’s wanted for fraud.”
“I see. Let’s pass over the unpleasantness. I’ve had a wonderful night.”
“Had? You sound like you want the evening to end here,” Lavella said, sitting forward to catch his attention. “Is that what you really want?”
Zander’s eyes drifted to her prominent cleavage. “Honestly, no. I’d considered stopping here to entice you even more.”
Lavella took a deep breath. “Oh… that would’ve done it. I’ve been breathing in your scent all night and I badly want to taste it. You see, my race can smell blood, even if you have no open wounds. It’s how we know who might feed us best. Yours has had my attention since we met, but tonight has only heightened my interest.”
“I’m glad we’re being honest,” Zander smiled. “The question, then, is a simple one.” He picked up his glass, finishing his wine.
“My place is preferable,” Lavella said, guessing the question. “I have medical staff on hand. Just in case I am wrong and either of us suffers from what we should both enjoy.”
“Your place works fine,” Zander said as he watched her slowly drain the last of her wine. “I guess we won’t be lingering, after all.”
“Not over the wine, at least,” Lavella replied huskily.
Zander stood up, going around the table to assist her with standing. “An excellent point.”
“I enjoy the customs of your world. Some of them match mine quite well. Seating and helping a lady stand are signs that you’d like to escort her home. They’re also signs that you’d prefer to be the one to lead once they get home.”
“Hmm… I had no idea, but I’m sure I can manage.” He offered his arm. “Shall we?”
“Yes. My sled should be waiting for us when we get to the door.”
“Oh?”
Lavella shook her wrist where a bracelet encircled her pale flesh. “It has a few functions. Summoning my sled is one of them.”
“How useful,” Zander murmured as he escorted her from the room.
“One of the perks of being wealthy,” Lavella smiled.
“Never been in that group before,” Zander chuckled. “Though who knows what the future will bring?”
“Hmm, yes. I have to wonder, considering the contract you signed with me and the wager you have with Vakdreak; he isn’t known for such deals. I was sure you’d leverage the contract for your captain, but saying you’d buy a mecha yourself? I am very intrigued. You do know what even the scouts cost, yes?”
“Nope, but it’ll work out.”
“You certainly have confidence,” Lavella laughed. “It makes you even more attractive, honestly. I wouldn’t be this forward with a man who wasn’t.”
“Don’t care for men who you can bend to your whim easily?”
“Oh, there’s a time and place for them, but they wait for me to decide. I tend to make them wait for months, teasing and enticing them, but never giving in when they hope. But a man who’s confident can convince me to move… quicker.”
“Have a good evening,” the receptionist said when they passed through the lobby.
“You, as well,” Lavella said offhandedly.
“I can’t foresee a bad evening,” Zander chuckled as he opened the door for her. “Ladies first.”
Following her out, Zander smiled to see the small red and black sled waiting in front of the establishment. Lavella was already slipping onto the single bench it had, and he gladly slid in beside her.
As the sled lifted off from the ground, Lavella gave it a command, “Home. Scenic route.”
The sled chirped once, then slid smoothly into the flow of traffic.
“Scenic, hmm?”
“A little anticipation.” Lavella inhaled slowly. “To build the moment more.”
Zander put his arm around her on the back of the seat. “That sounds wonderful.” His hand brushed her shoulder lightly. “Nothing wrong with a little tease before things grow intense.”
Lavella inhaled slowly. “Antecedents… you smell so delicious…” she whispered.
“Oh? Would you like a nibble before we get to your home?”
Lavella exhaled a shuddering breath. “Yes, but I’ll wait for both of our safeties.”
Zander chuckled darkly as his fingers traced the back of her neck. “Probably for the best.”
Lavella shivered under his hand. He said he didn’t know a lot about her race, but he seemed to know how to whet her appetite for what she wanted tonight.
“See, Zee? Just let me guide you,” Selda murmured happily in his ear. “Oh, we’re going to have a lot of… fun.” The last word was delayed and failed to hold the same happy tone. “I’m going to be fucking pissed, Badger.”
The use of his callsign made his hand still on Lavella’s neck. Maker, please tell me you’re pulling my chain, he thought at Selda.
“Sadly, no. The sled three back has been following since after you left Sinful Delights. The same four men you tagged earlier are seated in it. They’re likely waiting for the sled to angle off over a green space just ahead of you. Maybe they’re with her? Can you ask?”
Zander exhaled slowly, his hand staying where it was. “Lavella, I hate to ask this, but did you hire four men to follow us?”
Lavella’s mind had been spinning down different rabbit holes, mostly about what he’d do when they reached her place, so his question jarred her. “What? No.” She started to turn her head, but Zander tightened his grip to stop her.
“Stop,” he whispered as he leaned in toward her. “They might not know that we know. Just act like things have spun out of hand and that we can’t wait to get back. Is there a secluded place nearby where we can stop?”
Lavella’s mind shot off down new paths, a few of them wondering if Zander was the most elaborate trap she’d ever known. His hand on her neck, his scent, and how he’d acted during dinner helped temper that worry. Instead, she exhaled slowly, her anger rising. “Yes. I’m going to pull them apart with my bare hands for stopping us from what we were about to have.”
“Oh? Why not deal with them and move on?”
“Because I’ve already signaled security,” Lavella said. “I might have briefly thought you were part of their plan.”
“Fuckers are dying tonight!” Zander hissed as he let go of her neck.
Lavella shivered at his tone, as it plucked at her own primal nature. “Yes… Tomorrow?”
