Tamara's Future Page 9

  sensations he was creating. He explored and touched and aroused. She felt lust—not

  anger, not shame, not dread or fear. She craved Gage’s touch and felt herself worshiped.

  Gage circled her bellybutton and then moved farther down until he reached her clit.

  He sucked and licked for a moment before spreading her legs. He placed one finger in her cunt. “You’re so wet for me, darling. It’s time.”

  Tamara tensed as he moved up her body.

  “Don’t panic. You’re wet and ready for me,” he pushed forward a little more and he

  grinned, “and that’s a good thing because I didn’t think I could hold out much longer.”

  He gave silent thanks for modern medicine’s recent defeat of sexual diseases and

  reproduction control. There would be nothing between them.

  He kept some of his weight off her but not all of it. He held her face with his hands and his eyes demanded her attention as the tip of his cock touched her cunt.

  She froze for just a moment but he didn’t ram inside her. Instead he slowly moved

  his pelvis and his cock barely entered her. She relaxed as her vagina widened to accept him.

  There was no pain. Tamara nearly shouted a demand to know why there was no

  pain. Gage’s cock slid a little deeper.

  As if he felt her shock and surprise, he said, “Pleasure, darling. Only pleasure.”

  Tamara fought not to come at his first touch. His cock felt so hard and warm.

  “Deeper,” she said.

  “Much deeper,” he agreed and pushed forward a little more.

  The sensation was intoxicating. Tamara was lost as he slowly but relentlessly

  pushed his cock into her. Her hands moved restlessly across his back. She tried to move her pelvis but Gage pressed down and held her still while he continued his journey to fill her completely.

  Tamara ached for completion she knew an orgasm would bring but Gage kept the

  pace slow and firm. He flexed his hips and his cock moved forward, slowly widening

  and expanding her channel, pushing his way deep into her cunt. When he filled her

  with his entire cock, his pelvis ground against her clit.

  She squirmed. Her pelvis ached, heavy with need but Gage kept the pace slow.

  Gage moved in and out at the same time he gathered her breasts in his hands.

  Alternating from one to the other, he licked and laved her nipples.

  Tamara moaned and when he finally dove deep she couldn’t hold back her orgasm.

  All the tension he’d built flowed out in an explosive clenching of her vagina.

  She gripped him tightly. He waited until her orgasm wound down before he said,

  “That’s one.” He pulled back as Tamara tried to hold him. He wouldn’t let her. He

  moved his hand to cup her mound and lightly stroked her clit before he filled her again.

  Once more he stroked her before pushing forward again.

  Tamara felt her heat rise and knew she was going to come again but when he

  lowered his head and sucked a nipple into his mouth at the same time that he pumped forward, she screamed, surprised by the intensity of her orgasm.

  “That’s two,” Gage said and he started his slow, relentless pumping motion again.

  When the count reached five, Tamara was boneless and incapable of thinking about

  anything but the incredible sensations racing through her body.

  Gage slid his hands under her hips and held her tightly while he rapidly pumped in

  and out. A vague thought flitted through Tamara’s mind that his actions should hurt but she was so sensitized to his body that when he grunted “mine” and his semen shot deep within her, she came at the same time…again.

  He collapsed on top of her. His weight was a comfort, not a burden. After a few

  moments he rolled to the side, his arms wrapped around her and brought her with him as he stayed inside her. They rested without words and Tamara drifted toward sleep.

  *

  Gage woke the next morning and looked at the woman in his arms. He’d never let

  her go again. He debated waking her for more sex but he knew she was exhausted.

  Better to let her sleep. Besides, he had work to do. He smiled as he chained her wrists.

  She’d be furious when she woke but he wasn’t quite ready to give her the freedom of the ship. Not until he was sure she’d stay with him of her own free will. He eased out of bed, took a shower and dressed. He left her sleeping in his cabin and headed toward the briefing room. Time was short. He had a lot to accomplish if his plan was going to be successful.

  *

  “I know when to cut my losses. Much as I’d like another go at Suzette or Tamara or

  whatever her name is, I won’t walk into that bastard’s trap. He destroyed two ships!

  Only one managed to escape.” Bloody Simon paced back and forth.

  “Well it is not as if you spent a lot of money buying those ships and the crews

  weren’t your regular men. So what did this little escapade really cost you?”

  The pirate stopped and twirled his mustache. “I still don’t like this. He’s a cop and this is a setup. I’d rather walk away from it.”

  Randall grabbed the pirate by the throat. “I’m a cop too and you’ll do what I tell

  you. I don’t care what you like! You’ll take his deal and meet with him. Insist that he bring the woman.”

  The pirate pushed Randall away. “You’re not the one on the line. I’m not getting

  trapped on a prison planet. You want a meeting with this guy, you take it.”

  “But he wants you.”

  “No, he really wants you. He just doesn’t know it. Maybe I should tell him.”

  “Don’t threaten me, Simon. Our partnership has been profitable. Don’t screw with

  it now. If you just do what I tell you, you’ll have the artwork, and as soon as I’m done with her, you’ll have the woman.”

  *

  A few days later Gage entered the suite and said, “Time for the cage darling.” Gage walked toward Tamara and held out his hand.

  “The cage? Why? I’ve been good.”

  “Almost too good,” he said before planting a hard kiss. “It’s not meant as a

  punishment but I have to go planet-side and I simply don’t trust you to be here when I get back. The cage is for my peace of mind.”

  “Planet-side? Where are we?”

  “Sorry, it’s better if you don’t know.”

  Gage reached out and grabbed Tamara’s hand. His strong fingers engulfed her

  hand and he tugged her to her feet. “Come on. Don’t make me force you.”

  “Use the chains, not the cage.”

  “No.”

  Tamara felt betrayed. How could Gage make love to her then turn around and cage

  her? For the first time in her life, she’d voluntarily had sex with a man. Lots of sex. Yes, she’d enjoyed it but she’d also expected that sex would change their relationship.

  Instead, Gage was treating her just as he had before. There was no reason and no excuse for locking her up.

  “I will come with you,” Fakzi said as Gage paused at the doorway.

  Gage nodded and sealed the door.

  After a short while, Tamara heard Fakzi return to the cabin. She waited until she

  heard the soft thud of a shuttle leaving the ship. She wasn’t going to go far but she wasn’t going to placidly wait for him to return. He was off the ship. Time to escape. If the sex hadn’t meant anything to him there was no point in staying.

  She ran her fingers lightly along the floor of the cage until she felt the film she’d left there. She gently slid it up and threaded it through the bars. She placed her other hand through another section and held the film over the hand plate. It was awkward but she finally managed to put enough pressure on the film for the lock to flick open. Gri
nning, Tamara gently pulled the film into the cage and carefully laid it back on the floor.

  “Gage will find the film,” Fakzi said as he padded up to the cage.

  “Probably.”

  “You do not seem disturbed by that possibility.”

  “I don’t ever intend to be locked up here again.”

  Fakzi didn’t answer, just silently watched as Tamara opened the cage door.

  Tamara looked at Fakzi. “You won’t stop me.” She made the question a statement.

  She was learning that Fakzi answered statements without a problem. Apparently giving answers to unasked questions didn’t carry the risk that questions did.

  “No. You will not leave Gage. There is no need for me to stop you.”

  Tamara crawled out of the cage. “I most certainly am going to leave him.”

  “No, you love him. You will not leave.”

  Tamara snorted. Fakzi was deluded. Tamara stood up. She raised her hands over

  her head and stretched. She hadn’t been in the cage long but the very thought of it made her muscles tense. She moved to the cupboards and searched until she found something to wear. Another short tunic. It would do for now. Then she made her way

  to the door. The palm plate easily gave way to the second film. She looked out into the living area of Gage’s cabin. Fakzi silently padded out with her. Tamara eyed the liock.

  She briefly thought about locking the creature in but changed her mind. Tamara had

  been locked up so often, she couldn’t do that to any other sentient being.

  It was time to find the plans for this ship. She’d been too quiet lately. Gage seemed to quell her normal spirit. She’d been passive long enough. Once she had the plans for the ship, and maybe if she was lucky, she could find out where they were. Then she could make escape plans. She ignored the twinge of regret caused by the thought of

  escaping.

  Chapter Ten

  Gage cradled the throttle, easing the shuttle into the atmosphere. The orange planet always threw him a little. Some kind of mineral in the water turned it a peculiar hue, giving the entire planet an orange cast. Combined with the white clouds, it looked like an old-fashioned desert he’d once had. The shuttle jarred as it hit the air. Like a rough road but his ride took it well and soon he was flying above the city.

  He was alone in the shuttle. Both David and Fakzi had wanted to accompany him

  but he didn’t want to risk them. As he’d told David, “Someone has to stay on the ship just in case this is a trap. I want some backup that command doesn’t recognize as such.”

  “You will need me,” Fakzi said aloud for David’s benefit.

  “A vision?” Gage asked.

  “Truth. You will need me at some point in the future.”

  “Here? Now?”

  Fakzi closed his eyes and waggled his head from side to side. “I am sorry. I cannot tell the time when I will be needed. All I know is that I will be critical to your success.”

  “Take him with you,” David said. “He can stay in the shuttle so he’s close if

  needed.”

  “No. I want the shuttle fitted with the newest missile launchers. Technicians will

  come on board. I don’t want anyone at command knowing about Fakzi.”

  “You broke many rules to bring me with you.”

  “Yes. So if you can’t say for certain that you are needed on this trip, I’d rather you stay here. David, I’m relying on you to get Fakzi home and watch out for Tamara if anything goes wrong planet-side.”

  “Gage, you need some backup.”

  “Yes and you’re it. On this ship, in orbit where you can actually take action if I need you. Fakzi and I are linked. He’ll be able to tell you if I get in trouble.”

  David fumed but he accepted Gage’s command to stay with the ship.

  Now, as Gage flew over the city he wondered if he’d made a mistake coming to

  Central Command. The planet had been established as the enforcement arm of the

  galactic council. This wasn’t the only enforcement planet but it was the central one, thus the name Central Command. Over the years that had been shortened to CenCom and the agency had expanded until it covered nearly the entire landmass of the planet. Most of the city was a maze of bureaucratic offices and residences. Shiny metallic towers filled the skyline. Tiny aircars darted in and out, like long lines of ants.

  Enforcement covered a wide variety of activities. Customs, drug enforcement,

  intelligence, military and police functions had been rolled into one super agency. The days of inter-agency squabbling hadn’t ended but open warfare had been subsumed by political infighting. Gage’s operations were run under the Space Police Division and he headed there now. That’s where his shuttle could be serviced and where he’d meet his boss.

  *

  Tamara moved to the comm station and sat at the controls. She didn’t even try any

  passwords. Instead she used her film of Gage’s hand print to open the computer part of the comm. Once unlocked, the computer accepted her voice commands. Her searches could be traced but Gage would have to know to look for it. Tamara figured it was a chance worth taking. She had to find out Gage’s plan.

  “Ship location?”

  “Vector in the Sanguine sector,” the computer replied.

  Tamara frowned. She only knew of one planet in that sector and it wasn’t a planet

  that a criminal like Gage would chose to visit. She must be mistaken. “Closest planet?”

  she asked.

  “Central Command.”

  “What?”

  “The Mercury vessel named Tamara’s Future is currently in orbit around the planet Central Command.”

  “Where did Gage land?”

  “Captain Lightgo landed at Space Command Central approximately ten minutes

  ago.”

  Tamara’s eyes widened at both Gage’s designation and location. She felt as if she’d stepped into zero gravity. All reality suddenly shifted.

  “What is the ship’s current mission?”

  “To find and destroy the pirate who has been killing all his victims.”

  What? Why would one pirate care about another one? A horrible suspicion flittered

  into Tamara’s head.

  “Display Captain Lightgo’s personal records.”

  Data scrolled across the screen. She gasped. Gage was a cop! Gage was an

  undercover space cop working for Space Command. He wasn’t a pirate. He wasn’t a

  criminal. He just played at being one so he could catch the bad guys. Bad guys like her, she realized with a sinking heart. Why hadn’t he told her? Why hadn’t he arrested her?

  Instead, he’d caged her just like Randall had so many years ago. Were all the cops bad?

  She scrolled forward in his file. It contained screen after screen of citations,

  commendations, medals and promotions. It was a long list for a thirty-two-year-old

  man. Tamara read the case summaries. Gage had caught nearly every criminal he had

  pursued. She found the file on the job where they’d worked together and proceeded to read his summary of the case.

  Female accomplice escaped with loot. Will continue to search for her.

  She glanced through the rest of the cases. No wonder Gage had been so fixated on

  keeping her caged this time. She was one of the few unsuccessful cases in his file. She swallowed the bile that threatened to erupt.

  “Do not cry. You do not understand. Gage is not a bad cop,” Fakzi said.

  Tamara quickly wiped away the tears she hadn’t realized she’d been shedding.

  “Then what about this?” she asked waving her hand toward the display. It certainly

  looks like he is a bad cop.”

  “You ask me a question?”

  “No. I don’t need an answer from you. The truth is here.”

  “That is a partial truth. Not a full truth. Wait for Gage and he
will explain.”

  “He’s a liar. I don’t want his explanation. Display ship plans,” Tamara commanded

  the computer.

  She sniffed once then proceeded to memorize the ship layout. It was imperative

  that she leave. She didn’t want to be thrown in jail. Being held captive by Gage when she thought he was a pirate was bad but now that she knew he was a cop, the thought of being held was intolerable. She pushed away the memory of his hands and his hard body. She had to get away from him. Even though CenCom was not a place she’d choose to go, maybe she could still sneak on to it for a brief period until she made other arrangements.

  *

  Gage parked in a shuttle bay and signed papers for the upgrade he wanted. Then

  he headed toward the main city hub.

  Once at Space Command, Gage walked toward Mark’s office. The main corridor

  was a busy mass of people flowing in all directions. He nodded to a few people he

  recognized. Then he saw Randall in the corridor. He debated tackling the man now but he knew it wasn’t the right time. He didn’t have enough evidence. Randall ignored him.

  Gage did the same, even as he wondered if Randall knew Tamara was with Gage or if

  Randall knew Gage’s latest sting included him. Gage frowned and turned and watched

  Randall walk down the corridor before shaking his head and continuing to his

  destination.

  Gage walked into the command center. To get to his boss’s office he had to walk

  around the upper walkway of the operations center. He looked down into the gigantic room. There were numerous view screens from many different planets and ships. The noise level was like a physical blast. All the operators wore special headsets. They couldn’t hear how each murmured conversation added to the controlled chaos. Gage heard them all as he walked around the upper walkway. He shook his head, wondering

  how anyone could make sense of all the individual pieces of information that was

  gathered at the command center.

  He entered Mark’s office.

  *

  Four hours after leaving, Gage landed the shuttle back on his ship. The hangar bay