Zera noted that the chairs had been moved back eighteen inches. She glanced up and saw the security camera positioned to look down Khytten’s shirt. She grabbed the chairs and moved them close to the desk.
Khytten looked at her with a frown.
“Ah, the security camera from the hallway was at a particularly bad angle... for you,” Zera murmured.
“Ah. Right. That again.” She sat, and Zera sat next to her.
Zera looked around, and there was a casually moving line of guys who were trying to get a look at Khytten. So, the word was out as to what her active status was.
“Miss Danforth, was there any reason that you didn’t register as an active?”
* * *. *
Khytten sighed. “Yes. Being marked as an active makes folks look at you to determine what form it took. I was already tired of being looked at, and my situation didn’t warrant being added to the program. Folks—men especially—look at me and draw certain inferences because some glands grew abnormally large. I can’t control it, I am not fond of it, and being treated like a freak is not on my list of things to do today.”
She smiled pleasantly at the captain, whose gaze was buried in her cleavage. “It seems some idiots can’t look past the tits.”
He jerked his gaze up, and he grinned and then frowned. “Did you just insult me?”
“I don’t know. The insult would only land if you were staring at my chest. So, as you are a respectable peacekeeper, who is out for the benefit of those under their care, including me, can you please start the process so I can replace my com?”
He blinked and nodded. “Right. So, you were in your apartment, according to the report.”
“I was.”
“There was a gift box on the floor.”
“There was.”
“It was from an expensive boutique.”
She mourned the loss of the gown and robe. “I have no doubt.”
“Who was it from?”
“My patron.”
“Does he often send you gifts?”
“That was the first time. My first gift from him, and it was torn up and then torn up some more. I was upset.”
“So, this is a man who pays to have sex with you?”
Khytten smiled. “Eventually.”
“How much does that cost?”
Khytten paused. She knew how much showed up in her account but wasn’t sure how much Blind Date took off the top. “Zera?”
“Miss Danforth’s presence commands a price of fifteen thousand for a four-hour span. The corporation takes twenty percent for administration and wardrobe.”
The captain’s eyes bugged out. “For four hours?”
Zera chuckled. “Of course. All of my escorts, male or female, have to have active capabilities that make them suitable sexual partners for folks who are strong, fast, or have particular requirements. Some are declared and some are not. Khytten’s patron had been on the books for a while, and after she had a few trial dates with other patrons, they had a date, and it went well.”
“Very well.” His voice rumbled through her skull. She tried not to jump.
“So, he sent you a three-thousand-dollar negligee?”
She mourned the loss all over again. “Aw, man. It’s worse than I thought. It was so pretty.”
“I will get you another. A wardrobe full, though that would be more for me than for you.”
She smiled slightly. The captain was riveted, and it seemed to be her expression that did it.
She spoke. “Captain? Is there anything else?”
He shook his head to clear it. “Yes. Um, you were abducted after your apartment exploded. Where were you taken?”
“One of the deserts. It was hot when I woke up.”
“How did you get free?”
“Ah. My patron came to get me.”
Zera nodded. “I contacted him when the news caused an alert on my com. There was no way for me to get to her, but he has more resources available to him. He brought her back, relatively intact.”
The snort in her ear made her smile. “Given more time, I could have done so much more.”
She shivered and was glad that her jacket was covering her nipples. She didn’t want to draw any more attention than she was already.
“Relatively?”
Khytten smiled. “He got a little bitey, but I heal quickly.”
“Sorry, not sorry. Shall I put an end to this?”
She exhaled in her sexiest tone. “Please, Patron.”
The captain’s com went off, and Khytten looked to Zera.
Warily, the captain answered the call on a handset, and as the call went on, the captain’s expression grew slightly fearful.
Zera smiled. “I know that face. Salat’s on the line.”
The com went loud, and the captain was horrified. “Hello, kitten. Feeling well? I will be done with my out-of-town work tomorrow and look forward to seeing you.”
She fought the heat in her cheeks. “I would check to see the booking, but I don’t have my com yet.”
“Ah, the good captain will set you up with that. If he doesn’t, he and I will have a conversation when I return to the capitol, and I don’t think that he wants that to happen, isn’t that correct, Captain?”
The captain swallowed and nodded. “Correct, Agent Salat. She will have her com in a moment.”
“Oh, while I wait. Please proceed. I will end the call when she has her com and not before. Also, tell your men to stop staring at them. It is rude.” Salat’s low voice rolled out of the com.
Zera was chuckling.
Khytten grinned. “Suddenly, I want an I heart the Demon Cat of Aksalla t-shirt.”
He purred smoothly, “Whatever you want, kitten. Your wishes are my desires, and I have very poor impulse control around you.”
The captain realized that this was rapidly turning into a session between lovers, and he opened his drawer. “Here is the com. Here is the writ from us and the one from the teams.”
Her mouth fell open slightly, and she snapped it shut. “Right. Well. Thanks.”
“You need to sign for it, kitten.” His tone was gentle.
“Oh. Right.” She looked to the man behind the desk.
The captain fluttered around and showed a signature tablet to her. She got up and signed for it.
“Captain, please, don’t look down her blouse. The positioning
