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He steps away, and the heat of his body is replaced by a rush of cold air, followed by something cool and metal that snaps around my neck. My hands come up, touching it, then pulling at it.
“Ah-ah,” he tuts, brushing my fingers away. “This is the holo-suit.”
I look down to where gold filigreed fingers twist down across my chest, stopping just above my sternum, and twisting up the column of my throat where his fingers were a moment ago. Volethos reaches behind me, and I hear a soft snick.
Danielle’s gasp tells me he must have activated the collar. I look down at myself and see that all my visible skin has changed from light caramel to a shade close to fuchsia.
“That’s amazing!” Danielle tells me, turning me to where there is a reflective screen. “You look like you, but… definitely not.”
“Holy shit,” I whisper when I see my reflection.
My hair is no longer dark brown and red, but a golden blonde that twists wildly around my face. My eyes are larger, the distinctive monolids that mark my Mongolian heritage are gone, and my irises are no longer brown but green as grass. My nose and lips haven’t changed much, although my mouth seems poutier, with my top and bottom lips forming a perfect cupid’s bow.
“This is amazing!” I laugh. “I can’t believe—” the words die on my tongue when I spin around to find Thor standing where Volethos was a moment ago.
The male in front of me is gorgeous, with platinum hair and flawless golden skin. His eyes are a swirling blue, and his jaw is chiseled. He looks like a warrior right down to the silver torque that hangs around his neck. Or maybe a cover model for a romance novel.
“Maybe it’ll be easier to play along if I look like this?” He chuckles mirthlessly.
I frown and tilt my head to the side because I might have the exact opposite problem. Sure, this hologram is gorgeous, but… I was just starting to get used to the ruggedness that was Volethos. The fact that I’m struggling with this new image of him is something I wasn’t expecting to have to unpack.
“Maybe,” I mumble. “Maybe once I get used to your new look.”
His eyes flick to mine, and for a moment I see the glint of gold shine through the hologram.
There you are,I think to myself, and a real smile brushes at my lips. This might not be so bad after all.
CHAPTERFOURTEEN
Volethos
* * *
Walking through the vestibule of Kurrahstka’s pleasure house with Shae gripping my arm is the sweetest torture. Her lips are parted in an O, and her overly large eyes dart from sight to sight, trying to take everything in. We’re both hiding our faces behind silk masks.
The wide-open vestibule is filled with vid screens, all selling various sexual flavors, and the expression I can discern on her face is equal parts horror and fascination. I don’t miss the soft gasp she makes when we pass by the sex bots in glass boxes along the main concourse with lines of males waiting for their turn. Or the females and males wandering around in all manner of nakedness, looking for their next customer.
The film with the invitation is clenched in my hand, and I’m about to stop and double-check the directions printed on it when a tall female strides up to us. Her silver hair is pulled tightly away from her long face in a high ponytail that curls down her back, and she bats her heavily painted eyes at me.
“Greetings,” she says as she drags a hand across my chest and down my arm. Her voice is smooth and sexy, and her painted lips curl up in a sultry smile. “Forgive me if I’m intruding, but you look a bit lost.”
Shae stiffens at the liberties this female is taking, but she remains silent.
With a grunt, I hand her the film. “We’re here for the masquerade.”
She bobs her head, barely glancing at the film as if she suspected as much and waves a long-fingered hand at us. “If you’ll follow me, the way you’re looking for is right through here.”
I snake my arm around Shae’s waist, pulling her into my side, and we fall into step behind the female, who is swinging her hips for all that she’s worth. Beside me, Shae is stiff as a board, and I swear I can practically hear her teeth grinding. The idea of Shae being jealous of this whore, who could never shine anywhere close to as brightly as she does, has me struggling not to smile.
The female takes us to an unmarked wing, where she swings open a door in time with her hips, and then holds it open for us. “Enjoy your stay,” she says, smiling at both of us. But as I walk past her, she leans in, bringing her lips close to my ear, and drops her voice, “If you should find yourself…lonely, I often wander the vestibule between customers.”
Her hand drops to my arm, and I can feel the sharp drag of her nails through my shirt. A shirt that cost me more credits than I should have spared, but I needed something more than my plain tunics if I was going to do Shae the justice she deserves.
Shaking her touch off me, I turn to face her with a sneer. “I’d never find myself that lonely.” Then I follow Shae through the doorway, letting it shut loudly behind us.
Shae strides purposely down the hallway, not waiting for me and my eyes zero in on the way her hips shift under her cloak.Vittu! Suddenly I’m dying to see her in the dress I chose. I know she’s wearing it; I caught a glimpse of the fabric when I put the holo-suit collar on her.
Remembering the way her skin felt, warm and supple under my hand, was enough to send blood racing straight to my cock. It’s been hours now, and the damn thing hasn’t gone down yet. As discreetly as I can, I palm my wayward shaft, shifting it to a more comfortable position. As I follow her down the hallway, I start to think that this plan might be harder than I thought.
