Shamara (3 page)

"Eirene, are you all right?"

She jolted back to the present. "Oh, I'm fine. Just getting used to working in a different environment, with new clients."

Lani giggled, the sound overly shrill, and a blunt reminder that the virginity disposal business was close at hand. Very close. "Oh, sweetness, the clients are the same wherever you go!" she trilled. "I don't think that will be any adjustment for you." She fluffed her blue hair around her shoulders and her very generous breasts. The blue feathers cloaking her small frame swayed with the movement. "Where did you say you worked before?"

Eirene paused, still trying to assimilate the other woman's appearance. She'd never seen so much blue—hair, lips, feathered headdress and robe—all blue. Actually, she'd never met anyone remotely like Lani. Despite the oddity of the petite woman's appearance, Eirene sensed a good heart and kind nature. Lani harbored no malice or ill will of any sort. She had generously taken Eirene under her wing—so to speak—going so far as to share her cosmetics and perfume.

"Sweetness, surely you've got previous experience at this," Lani prompted, her face scrunching in concern. "I mean, you didn't have any personal toiletries, and just that one robe. You can use some of my feathers, if you like. Most men find them very… stimulating. And you just wouldn't believe the things the right man can do with feathers."

"Oh, no thank you," Eirene answered hastily. "I don't usually—ah—work with feathers. As I told Madam Zandra, I don't have much with me because I managed to get a seat on an earlier transport than I planned, and my personal items are on the later transport."

Lani still looked concerned. "Have you worked at other Domes?"

"I've been many seasons at The Tent of Women." Eirene had told Madame Zandra the same thing, but the woman hadn't been totally convinced. Greed won out, however, cementing her decision to hire Eirene. The madam had clearly broadcast her hope that Eirene's striking looks would be a draw, despite her questionable credentials. Madam Zandra was a businesswoman, first and foremost.

But Lani appeared to believe Eirene. She nodded in ready acceptance. "The Tent of Women. That sounds very interesting and very exotic."

Eirene thought of the ragged tents in the women's compound on Travan, the dust blowing through the frayed fabric. Of the women there, worn down from serving men's voracious needs, from the harsh living conditions, and from bearing too many children. Sadness joined the trepidation churning in the pit of her stomach. She vowed to herself that one day she would return to Travan in a position to make some changes.

She looked around the boudoir to which she had been assigned to perform her job as a courtesan, the place where her next actions would ensure her freedom. Its conspicuous opulence rivaled her uncle's residence. A mirrored alcove ensconced a huge satin-draped bed, on which soft pillows were artfully arranged. A plush sofa sat against the opposite wall. A vibrachair, large enough to hold two, or possibly more, sat next to a console containing Elysian wine and liquor, glasses, and an assortment of sexual "accessories." That's what Lani called them.

Having firmly assured Madam Zandra she had no exotic sexual specialties, Eirene hoped her client wouldn't be interested in using any accessories. Not that it mattered, because she intended to use her powers—just a little—to enhance the client's lust, forcing him to finish the act quickly.

She was scared of channeling energy, but more frightened of the mating act. Hopefully, if she could use just enough energy to inflame the client's libido without hurting him, he wouldn't notice her lack of experience—or her virginity.

A tone sounded, and the panel by the entry lit up. "Oh, you've got a client already!" Lani sashayed over to the panel and indicated the display. "This will give you all the information you need to know about him. His name—first name only, of course—his race, his—ahem…personal preferences."

Oh, Spirit.
Her heart pounding, Eirene walked over and read the information. A humanoid male, Jarek, had purchased the whole evening. He didn't state any unusual preferences.

"Oh, lucky you!" Lani squealed. "You got an easy one your first night here. He's human. That's better than having an alien."

"An alien?" Eirene pressed her hand against the display to steady herself. She hadn't even considered that possibility. "You mate with aliens?"

Lani shrugged, her feathers fluttering. "It's really not so bad. And some have very interesting … abilities. But I refuse to take the slimy ones."

Eirene shuddered.

"And your client is staying all night. That's good," Lani continued, seemingly oblivious to her revulsion. "Of course, Madam Zandra always limits it to three in one shift. She wants us fresh and perky for the next night."

Three in one night?
Now Eirene vaguely remembered Madam telling her that. Panic began to build in her tense body. Spirit, what was she doing here? A chime sounded—her entry panel.

"He's already here. He's an eager one!" Lani patted Eirene's arm. "I'll clear out. Have fun." Balancing on her high spike heels, she strutted toward the panel adjoining their chambers.

Eirene battled the urge to drag Lani back and beg her to take this client. Lani turned at the panel. "Oh, yes. There are alarm buttons by the bed, the couch, and the vibrachair. If your client gets out of hand in any way, use one to call security. Madam doesn't like for us to be roughed up or hurt. Ta-ta!" She was gone in a flash of blue feathers.

Alarm buttons? Roughed up? Hurt?
The building knot of panic exploded and raced through Eirene's body. She couldn't do this. She couldn't. She didn't know anything about mating. Well, actually, she knew how it was done, but—

The chime sounded again, a death knell from her perspective.
No,
she told herself firmly. This was a necessary step toward the freedom she sought. She was merely divesting herself of her most valuable
known
commodity, reducing her bartering value, and keeping herself out of the hands of the Leors. It would be far more dangerous should the fact she was an Enhancer be discovered.

Telling herself to stay calm, she opened the panel. She wasn't wearing heels, and she wasn't tall to begin with, which put her eye level with a masculine chest. Adrenaline resurged, and she froze, looking straight ahead. The black flightsuit her client wore fit snugly, emphasizing nice muscle delineation. He was solid, but not barrel-chested or overly developed like many Travan males.

"Hey. I'm up here." His voice was pleasant, deep and quiet, but she thought she detected a hint of nervousness.

Reluctantly, she raised her eyes. He was tall, his build sleek and lean. And he was relatively young, she realized, perhaps thirty-five seasons of age. He was clean-shaven, with dark eyes and wavy hair the color of rich brown yarton wood. 

He studied her in return, his perusal sliding over her face and down her body. She steeled herself, expecting the rush of lust she was accustomed to picking up from men, and felt nothing. At least, no emotions. He radiated energy, as did all living things. She felt the warmth of his body, and sensed a calm well of strength within him. But no emotion—no lust, no anger, or joy, or even the nervousness she had heard in his voice.

She tried to compose and center herself. Her fear was interfering with her powers. She couldn't control this situation if she couldn't lock on to his thoughts and feelings. And she had to be very careful, so she wouldn't hurt him.

"I'm Jarek Ra—" he began then stopped, as if suddenly remembering no last names were given at the Dome. Madam Zandra had that information, of course, along with the client's ID disk, which was held until the transaction was completed to the satisfaction of both parties. "I'm Jarek," he finished lamely.

Eirene didn't respond, trying again to link with his mind. Why wasn't it working?

He turned his head sharply as if he heard something, his body tensing. He stared down the corridor one direction and then the other. Startled, she halted her linking attempt. He looked both directions again, shook his head as if to clear it. "That's odd." He took a step forward. "May I come in?"

She nodded and moved back, not used to a male asking permission for anything. He stepped into the chamber, and she backed up farther. Again, she became acutely aware of his vibrant life force, strong and focused. She'd only ever felt such strength from Rayna, her mentor.

The automatic panel slid shut behind him with an alarming, final thud. He glanced around the room briefly before his dark gaze settled on her. Eirene couldn't breathe, couldn't move. She felt like a kerani caught in a snare.

He didn't move, either. Uncertainty flickered in his brown eyes, and she realized he was unsure how to proceed. Perhaps he didn't purchase pleasure at a Dome often. An experienced courtesan, like Lani, would have known exactly what to do to put a client at ease, to get on with it.

As a matter of fact, she felt certain Lani would never be at a loss for words—or feathers. But Eirene had no idea what to do next, except to try to spur Jarek into lust and a mating frenzy. Once again, she attempted to tap into his psyche. Nothing. It felt as if she had slammed against a wall.

Immediately, his attention shifted from her. He strode around her and checked the chamber thoroughly, beneath the furniture, in the lav. One hand rested lightly on one of the weapons strapped to the black utility belt encircling his waist. He stopped by the panel adjoining Lani's chamber. "What's in there?"

"That's another courtesan's chamber," Eirene replied, giving up her attempt to link.

Jarek scanned the room again, although he visibly relaxed. "Strange," he muttered.

"What is?"

"Ah…it's nothing." That dark gaze returned to her. He moved closer, halting by the vibrachair. "Sorry if I alarmed you."

She couldn't think of anything to say. She simply stood there, trying to collect her wits.

"You're Eirene, right?"

She liked his voice, the way it resonated. She nodded, still unable to speak.

"You're very beautiful," he said quietly.

Adrenaline began snaking through her, sending her heart pounding. She wet her parched lips with her tongue. "Thank you."

This was it. She was going to lose her virginity to this man, but her plan had failed. She would not be able to cut this short by overloading his senses. She shouldn't be surprised; she'd long ago proven her ineptness at controlling her powers. Her attempts to use them had no effect on Jarek. Oddly enough, they'd seemed to agitate him, almost as if he could sense them. That would be very dangerous, indeed. She clenched her hands and waited.

"Well, then." He unbuckled his utility belt and tossed it onto the console. Immediately, lusty Elysian music blared through the speakers. He hastily swept up the belt and punched buttons until the racket stopped. "Sorry about that."

He grinned boyishly, and Eirene's heart skipped a beat. There was something appealing about his clean-cut features. He didn't have the spoiled, dissipated look that accompanied excesses of food and drink and mating; the look most of the Travan men had.

He sank into the vibrachair and pulled off his boots. Muscles rippled beneath his flightsuit, indicating that he kept himself in prime physical condition. He straightened and leaned back, his unnerving stare fixing on her.

"I guess we'd better get to it," he said, his voice low and rough. He reached for the seam of his flightsuit, began opening it. "Why don't you undress for me?"

Her mouth went even drier and it felt like her heart had leaped into her throat. She'd planned on a quick, lust-driven rutting beneath the covers, hopefully without the man realizing she was a virgin. She had
not
considered a leisurely disrobing with the lights on. Her natural modesty came to the fore, protesting such a vulnerable act. It couldn't be any more invasive than the actual act of mating, she tried to convince herself.

Resolute, she started to open her robe. Jarek tossed his shirt to the floor, his full attention on her. She froze. "Go on," he urged.

Her fingers shook so badly, she wasn't sure she could continue. She wanted to command the lights off, but Lani had told her the client chose the lighting. She would have to disrobe in the light, but she had an idea. She reached up and pulled the clips from her hair. It fell in heavy coils around her shoulders and she shook it out, spreading it over her chest and down to her hips.

A small grin tugged his mouth. "You little tease. You're going to make me wait to see you, aren't you?"

His obvious amusement did little to ease the tension in her chest. She nodded and finished opening the robe. It fell into a pool around her ankles, and she stepped out of it, carefully smoothing her hair down the front. It barely covered the juncture of her legs.

Jarek's heated gaze followed the movement of her hands. His chest heaving, he stared at the very area she sought to shield from his view, and then lurched forward, standing and stripping off his pants and tossing them to join his shirt. Surprisingly, she found herself thinking he was even more magnificent nude, his body lean, but solid and well honed. And he was highly aroused. She might be sexually innocent, but she was a healer, well aware of how male bodies functioned.

He strode to her, masterful purpose replacing the uncertainty of a few moments before. She tensed as he reached for her, but he didn't seem to notice. With unexpected gentleness, he slid his hand beneath her hair, brushing it over her shoulder, exposing one breast.

"Spirit, but you're beautiful," he murmured. He skimmed his hand lightly up her abdomen and along her rib cage, cupping her breast.

Her legs went weak at the warmth of his hand, the unexpected rush of pleasure as his thumb rubbed over her nipple. She stumbled forward against the hot, shocking length of his body.

"Easy now." His voice was huskier, edged with tension, or was that lust?

His other arm slid around her waist, lending her support. He continued caressing her breast, and heated sensation seemed to shoot from his fingers through her body. She realized she was grasping his upper arms, but didn't dare let go. She clenched her eyes shut, trying to reclaim her equilibrium.