Page 15 of Master
"Kwado robes." I nodded to the bed, where the couple glowered. "The staff will know the Kwado reserved a room here this evening. Hopefully, the guards will think we’re just a couple heading home after a night of pleasure.”
"Ugh," Clara gagged as she slid the robe over her shoulders. The purple fabric pooled at her feet, at least a foot too long.
"Keep it over your face." I pulled the edges of the hood together under her chin, the back of my fingers brushing her jawline. "There's no way you'll be mistaken for a Kwado."
The expression on Clara’s face relaxed into something that might almost be a smile.
“Exactly how limber are you?” I teased as we moved to the door.
“Pervert,” Clara snorted and elbowed me in the ribs, but the curve of her lips increased.
We waited until the sound outside the doorway suggested everyone focused on their own pleasure before slipping into the hallway. Clara's hand gripped mine tightly underneath the cover of our cloaks, and I felt fear shudder through her with every step. Unable to help myself, I slid an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close, careful to keep our hands and face buried by purple fabric.
Clara's trembling subsided, and I felt her arm slip around my waist. I knew she felt safe with me, despite being pissed about the sex.
Why did that matter so much?
I'd fucked dozens of pleasurers in my one hundred and thirty years of life. It was just sex, nothing more, just like with any other pleasurer. Now that I'd rescued her, she'd settle with the rest of the humans on Tau Ceti and disappear from my life.
Why did the idea bother me so damn much?
At the end of the hallway, we veered left into a small alcove and through another doorway into complete darkness. Clara let out a small gasp and clutched my waist tighter. I didn't bother pulling the light from my belt—no need. Another couple of steps and the door opened onto the brightness of the dock.
“We made it.” The happiness in Clara’s voice squeezed my heart.
The scream of an alarm made us both jump.
“Dammit.”
“What is that?” Clara mumbled, scrunching her shoulders toward her ears.
"My guess? They've noticed you're missing."
“Shit!”
“You can say that again.”
While the guards and dock personnel sprinted toward the main exits, I spotted my skiff sitting behind a larger transport.
“Come on,” I took off toward the ship, pulling Clara beside me. "Don't run. Walk like you're above everything that's happening. Kwado are notoriously arrogant."
It was too easy. We strode across the width of the dock without bother. A couple of guards eyed us warily but, like I'd hoped, seemed to regard us as uninteresting.
"God, this thing stinks.” Clara sloughed off the robe the second I closed the hatch of my ship behind us.
"Sit down and strap in." I pointed to the co-pilot's chair. The skiff was small, with room for only four passengers. It was fast, though, and easy to maneuver, which was why I chose it.
Clara plopped into the seat, sliding into the safety harness as I took my spot in the pilot's chair. With a flick of the button, the engine hummed to life. The Hartouk Lenaii, like every other ship of its kind, sported a large interior dock connected to the outer docking doors by a long tunnel. The outer doors opened and closed based on sensors indicating the approach of an arriving or departing ship. The only thing that would stall the doors was a security lockdown.
A lockdown like the alarms announced.
I gunned the engines, shooting into the tunnel. Clara let out a squeal, her gaze trained ahead as her fingers gripped the safety harness.
We flew by the first sensor panel, a green light heralding the opening of the outer doors. I let out a sigh of relief, but increased our speed for good measure. Up ahead, the blacknessof space appeared as a dark triangle, growing incrementally larger as the outer dock doors opened.
I glanced at Clara, thankful to see relief on her face, but only momentarily before fear widened her eyes.
"The door looks like it's closing."
