Tamara's Future Read online

He walked over to the cupboard and pulled out something.

  Gage walked back to Tamara and held up a black cloth. “Stand up straight.”

  Tamara stared up into Gage’s eyes.

  “Come on, darling. Don’t make me ask again.”

  Tamara swallowed. His eyes were still warm but she knew she wouldn’t win this

  battle. Better to let him think she was defeated. She stood and then frowned. What was this garment? It didn’t look very sturdy. It had lacing and wasn’t very long.

  He put the garment around her torso and did something at her back. “We’ll finish

  in a moment. First, let’s get you in position.” He pushed a button on the wall. The chains attached to the metal on her wrists started to rise, pulling her arms over her head. Gage’s hands on her waist held her steady while she was stretched almost onto her toes.

  “That’s enough for now. Let’s get you dressed.”

  He rearranged the garment around her.

  “What is that?”

  “An old garment. It’s called a corset.”

  A corset. Of course it was a corset, she realized as he pulled it tighter. A special corset. The breast area had cutouts for her nipples. Gage would be able to see them. He swung her around so her back was to his chest. Reaching around her, he placed her breasts so the nipples went through the holes. Then he pulled the laces.

  “Gage…”

  “I want you to forget your past and focus on your breathing. Focus in the present.”

  He pulled the laces tight and worked his way down her back. She thought it was tight enough when he went back and pulled some more. He was right, breathing would be hard. The holes for her nipples bit into her breasts as he tightened the laces even more.

  “Shallow breaths, darling.”

  Her arms were already going to sleep. The combination of the tight corset, exposed

  nipples and raised arms was agonizing. “You said you wouldn’t hurt me.”

  “Are you really in pain or just uncomfortable? I’ll lower the chains in a few

  moments after your corset is fastened right. It’s easier to fix it this way.” Tamara thought she’d pass out. The shallow breaths allowed by the corset just didn’t give her enough air. After an agonizingly long time Gage finished.

  “Ah, darling, you look stunning. I like the look.”

  Beads of sweat dotted Tamara’s forehead. She was going to kill him the first

  opportunity she got. He could be such a sadistic bastard. Gage pulled her close for a quick kiss before he moved away to lower the chains.

  Tamara tried to gasp as sensation returned to her arms. Instead she fell to her knees.

  Her head bent almost to the ground. The corset didn’t allow her to relax but kept her spine straight. First the cage, now this. Was Gage trying to kill her? She wouldn’t be able to hold out for long if he kept up this campaign.

  Gage spread his arms wide. “Come to me, darling.”

  Tamara looked up at the chains and raised an eyebrow.

  Gage lowered his arms and flicked a switch on the wall and her wrist restraints

  clicked open. “Come to me.”

  She shook her head.

  “You really don’t have much choice, you know.”

  “There’s always a choice,” she said. She wasn’t going to walk blindly into anything.

  Tamara tried to flee. She knew it was futile but she couldn’t stop her reaction. She had to try to escape. She didn’t get far. Gage caught her before she even reached the door. He grabbed her from behind and pulled her tightly against him. She threw back her head but she was too short. Her head thumped against his chest rather than his nose. She reached back and up to claw at his face but he caught her wrist before she could do any damage and he easily caught her other hand and held both. She squirmed and fought for breath. The feel of his cock rising against her back caused her to still. She didn’t want to stimulate him. Her situation was already too dangerous.

  He bent and kissed the side of her face. “Sorry, darling, but this is for your own

  good. Consider it shock therapy.” He half dragged her to the table then he picked her up and laid her on her back. He pulled her arms above her head and fastened restraints around her wrists.

  She twisted and nearly rolled off the table. Her nipples grazed his shirt and she bit back a moan. Her nipples ached for a touch, even the touch of his shirt. Gage placed his large hand on her abdomen and forced her onto her back. He quickly fastened a belt around her waist and before she could scream a protest, he bound her ankles.

  “That’s a really good look for you darling. I like you spread out before me, your

  nipples begging for a touch.” He laughed and pulled something out of his pocket.

  “Do you know what these are?” Gage held up a small glass jar with bits of fuzz

  inside.

  Tamara frowned. Gage turned the jar a little. She gasped. They had to be Darinthian worms—mechanical oddities created on the pleasure planet of Darinth. She’d heard

  about them but never seen any. Few people had seen them. They were rare and

  extremely expensive.

  “Where did you get those? They’re banned everywhere except Darinth.”

  “Ah, I see you do know what they are. Actually, the mechanics are perfectly legal.

  It’s the aphrodisiac that goes in them that is banned,” Gage said. “A friend got me a few of them. He was hoping I could smuggle them for him. I’m still debating that deal.

  Women will pay thousands of credits for these little beauties. You’re about to sample them for free. You should thank me darling.”

  “Gage, don’t do this!”

  “As you’ve already discovered, some men don’t worry about their partner’s

  pleasure. But any man can do the same thing as this device and when you trust me, I’ll be more than happy to demonstrate that fact. Just remember, as you’re lost in pleasure, that I can create the same sensations. But right now I think it is important that we remove me from the scene and these beauties will allow that to happen.”

  Tamara was frantic. She couldn’t let Gage do this. “Please, Gage. Please don’t do

  this.”

  Gage paused then shook his head. “They aren’t dangerous. I’m not using the drugs

  so they won’t hurt you. Tamara, it is the only way to introduce you to pleasure. We both know you won’t accept it from me. I understand why but I won’t let you stay locked in the belief that sex is just pain.” Gage used tweezers to remove one of the worms from the glass jar.

  He was careful not to touch it. Human heat started the little machines. He used a

  finger to tap Tamara’s nipple. Between the cold and his touch, her nipple extended. He carefully placed the first worm and then did the same to her other breast. Tamara looked down. The machines were called worms because they seemed alive. They were

  warm and they circled her nipples like fuzzy rings. Within moments, Tamara felt a

  thousand tiny little pricks stimulating her nipples. She tensed and bit her lip to stop the scream that bubbled up in her throat.

  Gage placed his hand on her throat. He slowly stroked back and forth. “Relax

  darling. Don’t fight the sensation, just flow with it and imagine how they’ll feel when, in a few days, I place them on your clit instead of your nipples.”

  “Gage, don’t leave me like this!” Tamara didn’t want to be alone with the worms.

  He planted a kiss on her forehead. “You know I can’t stay. This is something you

  need to experience on your own. You need to feel pleasure. Don’t fight it, Tamara,” he said. “Fakzi, with me.” Fakzi slowly rose from the shadows and the two of them left the room.

  Tamara closed her eyes and struggled against her panic. She’d been in tight

  situations before. She could survive this. She had to survive. Gage hadn’t taken all her choices away. She could fight the worms’ effect or she could ride it.
She wouldn’t be defeated by this.

  Tamara could feel the fur that lined the outer skin of the little devices. The machines had thousands of tiny points that vibrated and just barely pierced her skin. They seemed to be stroking her nipples. The strokes were so soft and faint that she was

  startled when her pelvis clenched. Her back arched as if a wave of electricity had passed from her nipples to her cunt. Her empty, aching cunt, she realized as blood flowed to her nether regions.

  She struggled to make sense of her body’s response. The worms’ touch was so soft

  yet she felt each of their movements deep inside. And the touches didn’t stop. They just kept going and going. Tamara desperately wanted to scream but all she could do was moan. The corset didn’t have enough give. She couldn’t get enough air to scream.

  Instead her abdomen and pelvis clenched as sensation overwhelmed her.

  With the passage of time, the touch seemed to intensify. It seemed harder and more

  relentless. Sweat beaded her forehead. Her focus had turned inward. Her pelvis

  clenched as she had another orgasm. How could nipple stimulation alone create such

  unbelievable pleasure? And pleasure it was.

  There was no pain. The corset didn’t cover her pelvis and the cold air seemed to

  intensify her need rather than dampen it. Her muscles grew sore from her orgasms yet she wanted more. She didn’t want this to stop because it was good. It felt good. Gage was right. She’d never known pleasure like this. She sank into her body and lost all track of time and space. Nothing mattered but her pleasure.

  *

  “Well? What have you found out?”

  “It wasn’t easy but I’ve found out it was Lightgo. I also found out their route,” Fells said.

  “So?” the pirate asked.

  “So! So you go corner them and take the holovas and the rest of the goodies he stole from the Luxor Astra.”

  “Lightgo flies a Mercury ship. None of my vessels can touch it. And how did

  he get a ship like that?”

  “Space Command gave it to him to catch pirates like you.”

  “What? He’s a cop? Everyone thinks he’s a pirate. How has he fooled everyone and

  why didn’t you tell me that before?”

  “I didn’t tell you because I didn’t know. Space Command has kept it well hidden.

  It’s only when I started looking for information that I realized the connection.”

  “This changes everything,” the pirate said.

  “This changes nothing,” Fells said. “He’s trying to set up a sting. It’s not going to work. I want him taken down. If you really want the art, I’ll give it to you.”

  “What will the cost be?”

  “The cost is that you take out Gage. He’s been a thorn in my side for too long. He

  interrupted one of my operations and cost me a lot of money. You just need better

  equipment. None of your current ships will work but I have just the thing. We

  confiscated three needle ships. I’ll make sure you can steal them. Trap him and steal the holovas. Take out Gage and get me the woman he stole from the Luxor Astra.”

  “He kidnapped someone? That’s out of character too. I don’t like this.”

  “He kidnapped Tamara Torrence. I believe you knew her as Suzette. I want her

  back.”

  “Suzette? I’ve a score to settle with her too.”

  “I get her first. After I’m done with her, she’s all yours.”

  “And if he doesn’t allow us to board?”

  “Then shoot him out of space. I want Tamara back but not enough to leave Gage

  free. He’s a danger to all of us.”

  *

  Gage walked into the command briefing room. He stood in front of a viewport that

  was an echo of the one in his suite. He didn’t turn his head when the door opened and closed.

  “What are you going to do with the lassie?” David asked.

  “I don’t know yet,” Gage replied.

  “Well you can’t just keep her locked up forever.”

  “Why not?”

  “Gage, you went crazy last time. I’m not sure any of us can survive if she leaves

  again.”

  “She’s not going to leave this time. I won’t let her go. I want her surrender. I want her love. I want to keep her with me forever. There. I’ve admitted she’s my weakness.

  You always told me no one was without a weakness and she’s mine. Satisfied?”

  “Far from it. We only have a little while before we have to rendezvous with

  command. She’s a wanted felon. How are you going to explain her presence? Are you

  going to turn her over to the authorities?”

  “I didn’t the last time.”

  “The last time she was part of the sting and she left before you could turn her in.

  This time she isn’t.”

  “She says she had good reasons for the things she’s done.”

  “I believe that and I like the lassie too but that doesn’t mean we can keep her from paying for her crimes. We’re the law out here, Gage. We can’t take it into our own hands to set her free.”

  “Oh, I’ve no intention of setting her free.”

  “She’s a criminal.”

  “She survived the only way she knew how.”

  “Command won’t care about that.”

  “Command will care about the fact she has knowledge we don’t.” Gage turned to

  stare at David.

  David sighed. “What knowledge?”

  “She told me something interesting. I wasn’t sure whether or not to believe her but I did a quick check and found enough evidence to ask you to dig a little deeper.”

  “Dig a little deeper?”

  “Randall Fells. What do you know about him?”

  “Fells? Isn’t he a midlevel captain at command? Why are you asking?”

  “Tamara claims Randall Fells held her captive when she was sixteen,” Gage said.

  “And she mentioned a few other things that got me thinking. Her claims might have

  merit. I want you to follow up because while he may be a mediocre cop, I’m beginning to think he’s a much better criminal. I think he’s a mole. That explains why we’ve lost some targets in the past two years. I don’t know why we didn’t think of it sooner. A mole at space command explains a lot.”

  “You’re joking. He’s a nothing, a pure bureaucrat.”

  “What better cover to be dismissed so easily.” Gage picked up a folder from his

  desk. “Take a look at the file,” he said handing the folder to David, “and be careful with that printout. Apparently my searching triggered an erase program. That hardcopy is the only evidence left. You won’t find anything in the files now, the data is gone. That’s why I need your skills. Dig deeper.”

  “Gage—”

  “Tamara claims he was on Sigil and that’s why she left.”

  “Do you believe her?”

  “I want to believe her.”

  “You know how good a con she is,” David said.

  “Yes, but I don’t think she’s lying about this. She was too raw. I don’t believe she was faking. She’s terrified of Fells.”

  “You still plan on running this sting? If Randall is involved and they really do have a history, it might put Tamara in danger.”

  “We’ve put too much work into this sting to stop now. Have you spread the

  rumors?”

  David nodded and said, “As planned.”

  “Any hits?”

  “One possible. I’m still casting the lure, laddie.”

  “Then cast wider and deeper,” Gage said. He pointed to the file. “We need to know

  all the players. The pirate we’re chasing might not be the only one involved.”

  “I’m on it,” David said before he left the briefing room.

  Gage ran his hand though his hair and tosse
d back the rest of his drink. He left the room. Time to check on Tamara.

  Chapter Seven

  Tamara woke and found herself in a bed. The soft mattress was a big improvement

  over the hard table she’d been on. She looked down, the corset and the worms were

  gone. She closed her eyes, trying to make sense of how her body felt. She was sore but it was a pleasant soreness. So that’s what women raved about. She hadn’t realized how powerful and satisfying an orgasm would be. She understood a little better why men

  wanted them.

  Why hadn’t anyone taken the time to demonstrate? But Gage had taken the time.

  What would she do now? She knew Gage had come in at the end. She remembered

  Gage had bent to kiss her. She flushed with embarrassment as she remembered how

  eagerly she had responded, nipping his lips and moaning, “I need you.”

  Gage had laughed and said. “I want to hear you say you need me when you know

  what you’re saying.”

  He’d moved to the bottom of the table and placed a hand on her clit. Two fingers

  slid into her cunt. He’d rubbed and Tamara had exploded yet again but he hadn’t

  fucked her. At least she didn’t remember him fucking her. But she was fairly fuzzy

  about the ending.

  She took in a deep breath and gasped. Her ribs were sore. What a damnable device.

  How had their ancestors survived corsets? She took in a breath, slower this time, and managed to breathe deeply.

  She started to roll over and realized her hands were bound to rings set in the wall over the headboard. She’d been left with plenty of chain but she wasn’t going far. She sighed and lifted her head a little, looking around. She was alone she thought with relief. But she doubted that would last long.

  This had to be Gage’s bedroom. One side of the cabin contained multiple viewports,

  just like the viewports in the dining area. Only the captain would have a cabin like this.

  She shook her head and watched the stars. She didn’t recognize the configuration and she couldn’t tell how fast they were going. Her head fell back on the bed.