Nadyah settled on the couch across from Varan and Adelina. The princess had the personnel files on holographic display in the center of their living space. Roxy sat next to her on the couch with a healthy distance between them.

She found it adorable and endearing that the engineer tried so hard to resist her, though she didn’t blame Roxy. Nadyah hadn’t known about Jael, but so many things made sense now, especially the distance Jael had put between her and Nadyah.

She glanced at Roxy again and wondered what Jael had seen in Roxy, how they’d met, and what Roxy saw in Jael. Nadyah wasn’t jealous – simply confused that the two would have had a serious relationship. They were nothing alike.

“What do you think, Varan?” Adelina asked, but it was a general question to the room.

Varan shrugged. “I have a soft spot for pirates.”

Nadyah rolled her eyes and leaned forward to inspect the captain’s profile. “Of course you do.”

Delphine had quite the record, and cross-referenced with what the Crown had on her…at least she hadn’t lied or tried to hide everything she’d done.

“The Captain Delphine managed to steal all of the nanodiamonds in the Zhaan asteroid belt last cycle. Then she sold them all to our sister system Brogna. Apparently she’s been charged with three counts of murder in that system,” Adelina said, skimming most of the report.

“Killing someone isn’t illegal,” Roxy protested.

“It is in Brogna,” Adelina corrected.

Brogna mostly kept to themselves. The Draga’s allowed them to rule themselves for the most part, but they were required to pay taxes to Draga and fell under their wing as they shared the same galaxy. Nadyah wondered if half the nobles even remembered the system existed. Trade was mostly decent and exclusive to Draga Terra, but Brogna had no fighting force so most didn’t even bother with them. It was a ‘poor’ system and not worthy of their attention.

“Strange, what do they do if someone attacks them and the attacker dies?” Roxy asked.

“Then the person who murdered the attacker is arrested,” Nadyah explained. Courtesans were required to learn everything they possibly could, but even the Houses didn’t care too much about Brogna. So her information was limited.

“What else does her file say?” Varan asked.

“She’s wanted in the Khara Galaxy for the theft of merchant goods and the destruction of their ships. A few other galaxies and systems are listed here, but not the Hai Galaxy conveniently enough.”

“Hm, perhaps that is why she wishes to go,” Varan mused. He stood and went to the food processor, selecting a few options. A full tea service popped up.

Nadyah watched him hand them each some warm tea to ward against the cool interior of the ship. The title of true royal prince seemed to suit him. “What about the others onboard the Ravager?” Nadyah asked, thanking Varan for the tea.

“They all have similar records. There are no counts of rape or killing of children or spouses. Nothing that would make me hunt them down for their eyes,” Varan said. “I say bring her along, but only because we could use the extra reinforcement in a galaxy where my spies rarely report back.”

Adelina didn’t respond. She simply stared at the picture of the purple-haired captain.

“I know I don’t always approve of adding strangers to our group,” Nadyah said slowly, stirring the milk into her tea. “But I like Delphine. I can’t say why, but my instincts are saying I can trust her to follow you with honor and loyalty.”

Adelina caught her gaze and held it. Then she nodded. “I have the same feeling – a rightness in my chest.”

“Courtesan instincts are rarely wrong,” Roxy stated, sipping on her tea. “Do it then, and perhaps ask to have a small meet with the captain here to sign an accord. Nothing is binding to a thief or rogue if it doesn’t have their DNA holding them to their word. And even then it’s merely a suggestion.”

Varan grinned. “I’d love to meet Delphine. I’ve heard of the Ravager, but not much about its captain or crew.”

“All right, it’s decided. Would you like to accompany me to Command?” Adelina asked her husband.

Nadyah observed the way Varan anticipated every single one of Adelina’s needs. The newly wedded couple had been a sight to behold over the last few days.

Never in her life had she seen two people become so close so quickly without the mate bond activated. They were aware of each other in ways that was easy to miss if one didn’t know them well.

Adelina was used to the heat on Draga Terra, she nearly thrived on it. The cool temperature in the ship had her constantly dressed for winter in thick pants, warm boots, and long sleeves. Varan never let her get too cold. He’d make the entire ship suffer the heating system if he had to for her to be happy.

It eased something in Nadyah’s chest to see it. Part of her duties had been taken by him, but he did them so well, so masterfully she didn’t even mind. Varan truly loved Adelina in ways Nadyah knew he never would have been able to love her.

And Nadyah never could have loved him the way Adelina did either. The princess adored him. Nadyah suspected some of their connection had to do with the cycles they’d spent as friends, working together, but there was something else. They orbited each other.

Without even looking Adelina had taken the tea from Varan and she’d adjusted so he could sit closer to her without spilling the tea or blocking the view of the holo. And when he sat he was careful not to jostle her, but neither seemed overly aware of it. The small touches; his knee against hers, her hand on his arm…it was as though they were constantly grounding each other.

Nadyah smiled, relieved that Adelina had someone so close to a mate despite her refusal to reactivate the mate gene. It was her princess’s choice of course, but it had saddened Nadyah in a way she hadn’t anticipated. Now that sadness dissipated and she felt truly happy for the first time in a long while without the taint of disappointment or grief. Adelina deserved Varan.

Adelina wasn’t Nadyah’s mate for a reason, and as the pack around her princess started to form she could see why. Nadyah couldn’t do everything for her for the rest of her life even if she desperately wanted to. Adelina needed to grow and learn and fully take that final step. She’d been able to uncover the hidden gem within the princess and it would be Varan and possibly Nash who nurtured her to take her full power, not Nadyah.

She watched Varan down his tea and the pair stood in sync. Adelina kissed Nadyah’s cheek on her way out the door, but that was that.

The holo with the personnel files still hovered above the low table. There was no doubt in her mind the princess had done it intentionally. Those courtesan instincts of hers would help judge the other crew members, but it would be more difficult judging a file than someone in person.

“Shall we finish what we started in the lift?” Roxy asked rather nonchalantly. “It seems we have at least another three quarters of an hour before the pirate reconvenes with the princess.”

The straightforward manner in which Roxy spoke never ceased to shock Nadyah. “Now?” she asked, glancing back at the personnel files.

“Yes now.” Roxy set her tea down and threw an arm across the back of the plush couch. “Did you think I was playing?”

The sharp tone to Roxy’s voice sent a spark through Nadyah and she turned to face the gorgeous engineer fully. She used every ounce of her courtesan skill to sense and learn what she could.

Because of the rough start to her life Roxy didn’t like to be touched outside bed-play. It seemed whatever had happened before her life with Varan had pushed her to crave an intense level of control inside the bedroom and out. Roxy wanted to be the dominant – no, she required it. She would be a rough lover and a part of Nadyah needed that.

Adelina was so sweet, so tender, and so loving. This thing with Roxy would be fire rather than water. Her princess could quench her thirst where Nadyah had a feeling Roxy would set her alight and make her burn and burn.

The idea made her breathless and instantly wet with desire.

Nadyah finished her inspection of the engineer. Tying her up would be a likely request, and Roxy would take what she wanted with no quarter. As a dominant with the scent of winterflowers Nadyah would go a level lower – an orange blossom would be enough to satisfy Roxy without handing over complete submission to her.

Because Nadyah wasn’t ready for such a commitment.

The one and only time she’d offered such submission was when she’d first met Adelina. The princess had been such a rare, sweet jasmine – so submissive and shy. But something about her instincts had said Adelina needed to dominate. Her instincts were never wrong. The challenge had been dropping low enough down the spectrum to allow a jasmine to dominate.

No one else had received that gift from her – and Nadyah strongly suspected no one else would.

Nadyah knew what Roxy needed – she knew what she wanted. Without a word she set down her tea. “You may enter my room in five minutes.”

Roxy’s eyebrows rose in surprise at Nadyah’s tone, but she obeyed. There was a slight smile on her face that made Nadyah shiver in anticipation.

She closed her door behind her and rummaged through her trunk, picking out a selection and carefully laying it all out across the top of her dresser. Once she was satisfied Nadyah drank some water, and then knelt before the door and waited.

Right on time the door slid open to reveal Roxy. Her small smile seemed pleased when she saw Nadyah. It wasn’t difficult to keep her gaze down and still inspect the female. Cycles of training and honing her skills and instincts told her when to look up.

She glanced up and watched Roxy inspect the items on the dresser and then her room. By the time she looked at Nadyah again she was nothing more than a submissive awaiting her dominant’s orders.

“Put this on,” Roxy said, tossing a silky garment at Nadyah. “Once you’re done climb on the bed and get on your hands and knees.” There was no room to disobey in the female’s tone and Nadyah shivered at the deliciousness of it. Her words were stern, but her voice husky.

If Nadyah didn’t know what to look for she’d have a hard time seeing the satisfaction in Roxy when she obeyed without a word or a single sound and took up the garment. “Yes, Mistress.” It was easy enough to strip and then slip on the see-through black spidersilk nightgown.

Roxy watched with satisfaction as she stripped herself. She left her corset on, but everything else was bare, including her breasts. Nadyah kept her eyes down but she licked her lips as the anticipation built higher and the slickness on her thighs teased her.

Nadyah climbed up onto her bed on her hands and knees as she’d been instructed. She glanced back once to see Roxy grab the softest rope she owned and test it. Goddess, the female looked so sure and confident and radiant as she expertly ran her light fingers over the length of the rope, as if she were running those very fingers over Nadyah.

“Rise to your knees with a straight back,” Roxy said. Her hands were gentle despite the way her words cracked through the air like a whip. She was so careful as she tied the rope around Nadyah’s body under the silky gown. “I’m sure you know of a thousand different karadas, but I’m going to keep it rather simple for our first time. You know the drill. Tell me if anything is uncomfortable or hurts you. Would you like a safe word?” Roxy asked. She sounded almost bored, but Nadyah could detect the tight need under the nonchalance and she swallowed hard.

The silky rope was tied around her breasts, crisscrossing and knotted with such familiar expertise Nadyah shuddered as Roxy tied the intricate knots down her body. “My safe phrase is ‘Dea mi aita,’” Nadyah whispered, gasping as the rope framed her ass and parted her lower lips to be knotted to the front of the karada harness.

“Hm,” Roxy murmured, testing her knots with an expert eye and a gentle touch. “The goddess won’t be able to help you here, but I recognize your safe phrase and swear to honor it. Now, I’m going to restrain you.”

Nadyah felt her breathing quicken. “Yes, Mistress.” She wanted whatever Roxy had planned so badly she ached and clenched her thighs to try and ease the sensation.

Giving herself over to such a kind and caring dominant was euphoric and heady. Nadyah had no control and she relished handing it over to someone so capable and skilled.

“I’m going to do an arm binder first,” Roxy stated, grabbing more rope from the dresser. So much rope Nadyah’s heart began to race. “Then I’m going to frogtie your legs. Are there any painful areas I should know about?”

Her skills as courtesan allowed her to detect the desperate need Roxy hid so well, the fierce pleasure she took from tying those knots as Nadyah succumbed. But Roxy played the game well. She was the dominant in the bedroom, taking Nadyah’s needs into account first, not putting any pressure on her at all – all she wanted was for Nadyah to obey.

Nadyah kept her head down, shivering as she felt Roxy start the intricate arm binder, yanking Nadyah’s hands behind her back hard enough to tease, but not hurt. “No Mistress. I’ve been heavily trained in bondage. There is nothing I can’t do.”

The confession had the desired effect. Roxy’s sharp intake of breath, breaking her character made her – Nadyah, powerful. As the submissive she could still create an effect on her partner, show them how much she enjoyed how they cared for her.

Roxy tied her arms together at three points, a rather intricate arm binder that tied right above her elbows as well as the upper arm and wrists. It made it impossible to move her arms. Once that was finished Roxy gently arranged Nadyah so she lay on her chest with her head turned to the side, ass in the air.

Then she went to work on the frogtie around each thigh which allowed Roxy to close or part Nadyah’s thighs as she wished, but Nadyah couldn’t stand. She was completely at her mercy.

The sensation of Roxy’s gentle fingers against her skin and the silky rope was both soothing and arousing. The female knew what she was doing and her fingers flew with a practiced flair, rhythmic and sensual.

Nadyah’s eyes closed in easy pleasure, the tingling in her skin started to build higher and higher until it nearly roared with the buzz of anticipation.

Finally Roxy was finished and she walked around to the other side of the bed to inspect Nadyah. With a satisfied nod she lifted her up to a kneeling position, fingers checking all the knots, and then she pressed down on the clitoris knot and Nadyah gasped. The small knot in the rope right on her clit was such a different sensation – so erotic it made her desperate.

But Nadyah bit her tongue against the pleading words that wanted to escape her.

Roxy went back to the dresser and grabbed one of Nadyah’s favorites. She strapped on the thick dildo with confidence and practice. When she tightened the leather it was with a hard yank and Nadyah bit her lip hard enough to bruise. Roxy had gone for the vibrating one.

With sure hands she adjusted Nadyah until her ass was in the air, chest on the bed, and head to the side once more. A click and the vibrator started up. She couldn’t help the way her legs clenched, trying to ease the ache. Her wetness slid down her thighs and without warning Roxy’s tongue licked the cream, spreading Nadyah’s ass with her hands to get better access.

Nadyah groaned and managed to push back ever so slightly, putting pressure on her knot and she groaned again when it rubbed just the right way.

“Seems you’re already ready for me,” Roxy stated, voice thick with desire. She squeezed Nadyah’s ass, nails digging in just hard enough to sting. “You’re not allowed to come until I order it. Until then you have to take what I give you.”

Oh sweet goddess, this one tested her. Nadyah would need every ounce of training she’d had, every shred of her control to follow the command.

A loud smack and the sting on her ass registered a moment later. “Did you hear me?”

“Yes, Mistress. Only when you command.”

“Good girl,” Roxy murmured, tugging on the rope so it rubbed against her clit once more.

With a gentle push the head of the vibrating dildo pressed against Nadyah’s entrance. The feel of it was enough to set her off if she didn’t hold on hard to prevent it from happening. Roxy slid in farther and farther until she was full to the hilt. The entire dildo vibrated inside of her and she couldn’t help her moan, how she pushed against Roxy, and the way her back bowed pulling her up and off of the bed.

“Shh,” Roxy murmured, pushing her back down. “Just enjoy it.”

As Roxy worked the dildo inside Nadyah with her hips she felt her eyes flutter. Doms had always shocked her. The true dominants in the bedroom and out. They knew what those around them needed and then provided. They were much like a courtesan that way. Most around the dominant wanted to relinquish their control, trusting them completely.

Despite being unable to move, despite having to hold back while Roxy ravaged her, Nadyah trusted in her skill and judgement. Roxy knew what she needed, and she was going to give it to her whether she wanted her to or not.

Her fingers curled under the rope across Nadyah’s shoulders and she tugged as she started thrusting harder and harder. Nadyah was forced up and off the bed and the new position made the head of the dildo hit her g-spot just so.

She very nearly lost control then and there. Her entire body shuddered as she just barely held on, the knot rubbing against her clit with the new movement.

Roxy leaned forward, placing her lips against Nadyah’s ear. “Come for me,” she demanded, voice rough. “Right now.”

And cycles of training allowed Nadyah to release everything, letting the orgasm rip through her. She screamed and screamed and only her breathing allowed her to stay conscious as it finally subsided, but all the while Roxy slid slowly in and out of her, milking the release for as long as possible.

When Nadyah was nothing more than a shuddering mess, she gently lowered her back on the bed. The sounds of the leather being unbuckled made it through the sexual fog, and then those same straps were tied around her thighs, strapping the still vibrating dildo into Nadyah.

With those gentle fingers Roxy undid the arm binder slowly, massaging once the rope was removed until the tingling had dissipated. Then she flipped Nadyah onto her back. She stared up at Roxy with wide eyes, each thigh still bound to her calf. While restrictive it still allowed Roxy to push her knees apart and settle between them.

Her thumb rubbed against the clit knot and Nadyah moaned, pressing her hands down on the bed to lift her hips up as high as she could. The steady vibrating pulse in her vagina had another orgasm building and the female in nothing but a corset with her nipples taut above her was the perfect kind of torture. Goddess, what she wouldn’t give to nibble and suck on Roxy’s perfect nipples.

Roxy watched the way Nadyah writhed and her face was so stern, so appraising. There was no panting or flush to her cheeks. The engineer was a true domme in the bedroom then. Nadyah knew the only way she’d be able to truly see inside Roxy was if she allowed her to make her come.

“You’ve managed to soak the rope, my beauty,” Roxy said, rubbing the knot again. “Would you like to satisfy me?”

“Yes, Mistress,” Nadyah breathed, wanting nothing more.

Roxy crawled over her until her knees were on either side of Nadyah’s face. “Do your best,” she demanded.

Nadyah had to close her eyes for a moment. Everything about Roxy made her thrum with need. Desire roared back with a vengeance and the vibrating dildo only made it worse, but Roxy leaned back on one arm and used her free hand to slowly rub the clit knot while she watched.

Nadyah licked the slick wetness covering Roxy and wrapped her arms around her thighs, yanking the female down so she could devour her. Her tongue plunged into the surprisingly sweet center. Nadyah sucked on her clit and alternated with long, slow licks. She used every skill she possessed as the pleasure built, so tight she nearly burst.

“Come with me now,” Roxy demanded, voice tight with need. Her shout of pleasure as she came against Nadyah’s mouth, riding her as it consumed them both. Nadyah didn’t dare stop, but the orgasm had her shuddering as sudden exhaustion took her.

Roxy seemed to know her limits already without a word from her. She stood gracefully and turned off the dildo before gently removing it.

Nadyah moaned as those sly fingers untied her legs first and then she started on the karada, massaging as she went. By the time she was done Nadyah was nearly asleep, deeply sated, and feeling languorous.

“Get some rest,” Roxy murmured softly. “And thank you for asking me to play.” The gentle kiss on Nadyah’s lips was all the more sweet for the simple fact intimate, loving touches were rare with her.

Nadyah smiled and rolled onto her stomach, closing her eyes. Goddess, Roxy definitely knew what she was doing. Such a partner was a treasure and a blessing. Even if this was only meant to be a brief pairing for the sake of release – Nadyah was grateful for the experience.