I tugged at the hip of the tight burgundy dress, trying to move the slit that ran up my leg down, just a bit more. Xander had selected it from the fabricator, had charmed the style operator into pinning my hair up, applying more cosmetic than I ever wore.

The costume felt tight, unnatural. But surveying the glittering throng, I had to admit his instincts were right.

“Who would’ve thought that in a rough-and-tumble station, there’d be such a classy casino?”

“It’s a great business,” Xander murmured, grabbing two tall glasses from a passing server, bubbles of purple winding through the frosted pink liqueur. “Very profitable.” He pressed one into my hand.

“I’m not sure if this is a good idea,” I demurred.

“Just hold it. That way the server bots won’t keep coming around.” He offered me his arm. “Shall we begin our hunt?”

We slipped through the crowd, giving me a perfect chance to people watch.

Like some elegant reflection of the Under, every guest in the room was dressed in outlandish finery. I giggled at my unintentional pun and Xander glanced down sharply. “You didn’t have to drink it.”

I took a tiny sip. Too sweet.

I stuck out my tongue and he stumbled, the first time he’d taken a step out of place. Even in this sophisticated assembly he paced among the guests, like a king through his subjects.

Men stepped aside with a shallow nod, power acknowledging power. Women’s eyes followed him, needles pricking my belly at their attention.

I couldn’t blame them, not really. His hair, so blond now as to almost be white, stood in sharp relief to his new olive skin. The cheekbones weren’t as sharp anymore. The jawline still strong, but not the angle I was used to, that I’d memorized from sidelong glances through our trip.

The dark suit was unrelieved by any ornamentation other than a razor thin line of deep burgundy around the collar and down one side of the front.

If he wanted to make a statement, he was shouting it across the room.

Suddenly his hand whipped out, snagged the shoulder of a rough looking man with greasy, gray hair. “You’ll want to put that back, friend.”

The man pulled away, the ill fitting tan jacket crumpling in Xanders grip. “Not your friend. Dunno what you’re talking about.”

Nervous, I threaded my fingers around the strap of the tiny, useless purse we’d bought with the outfit. I had to cram in the commtab to make it fit, but having it near made me feel a little better. Now if I could figure out how it could help in a section of the station that had been cut off from transmissions.

For security’s sake, Xander had explained.

Not having net access didn’t make me feel secure in the least.

A group of men turned away from a gaming table to watch the altercation. Xander nodded to the one in the middle, not as large as the others maybe, but whose laser sharp gaze didn’t move from Xander’s face.

“Check your pockets, would you?” The easy grin flashed. “If I’m wrong, I’ll buy my friend here a drink, and leave you to your evening.”

“If you’re wrong, you’ll do more than that to apologize to Mr. Helo for disturbing his night,” one of the muscled men muttered. Only cool appraisal came from the one I’d have bet was the boss. “Easy enough.” At a cursory check, his eyes flared. “Search him.”

“No need.” Xander tossed a small bag of midnight velvet to Mr. Helo. “I don’t think he had time to empty it.”

Helo checked it anyway, then nodded his satisfaction. “My boys will finish this business outside.” He didn’t even lift a finger, but two burly forms separated from the crowd and stationed themselves on either side of the grey man. Xander loosened his grip and returned to my side.

“What will they do to him?” I whispered.

“Not our concern to save him from being stupid,” was his only response.

“I owe you,” Helo said. “What do you want?”

“Nothing but to show my lady a good time,” Xander said, easing through the crush with a friendly grin. “Best of luck!”

“You could have ignored it,” I whispered.

“Maybe,” he guided me around the waist high barrier sheltering one of a number of soaring blue-trunked trees that towered over the room. As we passed, a shower of leaves fell, filling the air with chiming. “But I had a feeling it was important to step in. I don’t ignore that.”

By the time we reached one of the token dispensers, my heart beat had returned to normal. I believed in science. In logic. Maybe I could believe in Xander’s feelings. Maybe I’d better start, and fast.

Xander paused. “Everything?”

I nodded. If we were to be all in, it had to be all the way.

In just a few strokes of the keypad Xander transferred the last of his credits to the casino in exchange for a flimsy rectangle of plexi.

“It’ll track our winnings and losses.” That devastating grin flashed. “I expect between your brains and my instinct we’ll win quite a bit.”

Already I’d checked out a few of the surrounding tables, calculating odds, trying to guess which games could be rigged. Undoubtedly as many as possible were.

“Not that.” I flicked my eyes towards the table where a loud group of people screamed at, of all things, a table filled with slow moving reptiles.

“And that makes me worried.” Rows of tables seemed to have nothing but a line of people throwing colored dice. No way to get an edge without altering the equipment. Doubtless, the casino already had.

“But that,” I nodded towards a corner where small groups of men and women stared intently at the cards in their hand. “That I could probably work with.”

The fast paced game was one I’d never seen, but Xander nodded. “Gabeto. Good choice.”

“I don’t know the game,” I murmured.

“I do.”

Before long, a round ended and a player threw his cards down in disgust.

“There’s only one seat open.” I looked back and forth at Xander, considering which of us would play the game better.

“I hate to ask you to be so obviously decorative, but...” Xander slipped into the seat, tugging me down to sit on his lap.

Once we got started, game play was simple enough. Not so many cards that I couldn’t get the rhythm of it, figure what hands would come next, what we should throw, match, challenge.

And if people assumed I was whispering sweet nothings into Xander’s ears, well that was their own lookout.

We were careful.

He lost almost as much as we won. Almost.

The tally on our tracking card grew just a bit, round by round. Randomly the air echoed with the faint trill of chimes, as the strange trees shed their leaves, slow, surreal music against the intense energy of the room.

It would take a while, we might have to make some bolder bets. But this was going to work, I could feel it.

Until a hand at my shoulder tried to pull me from Xander’s easy embrace.

“You’re wanted,” someone barked from behind us.

I stiffened.

SysSec didn’t have any power here, wouldn’t find us, couldn’t...

Xander placed the cards down carefully, then used that hand to brace me while he gripped the other man’s wrist.

“I told you once before to apologize to the lady.” I could hear the bones press and creak as his fingers became a vice. “Remove your hand.”

With a curse, the man backed away but only a step. “You’re wanted,” he repeated, angrily. “In the back, now.”

Void take it. The man with the lovely silver marking on the ugly, ill-tempered face, had returned, but this time it looked like he’d brought friends.

Xander rose, keeping an arm around me. After a breath, I had the sense to pull our token from the table, force it into the handbag with the commtab and clutch it to my side.

“Whatever you think you want, we don’t want any of you,” Xander drawled.

“You’re cheating,” the man snapped. Ugly rumbles from the men who flanked him, all big, all broad with matching metallic tracery over their skins.

“How exactly, are we managing that?” Xander shrugged. “Everyone knows comms are restricted here, shut off. The casino is a blind zone. I haven’t moved from my seat. And since you’ve been eyeing my lady, you know perfectly well she hasn’t either.”

“You’ve been cheating,” the man argued. “No one’s that lucky.”

He didn’t have proof, I realized, he just wanted to make trouble.

“Let me guess,” I pitched my voice as softly as I could. “The gangs take turns running the casino, too? This one is in power today?”

Xander nodded, just enough to let me know my assessment was likely correct.

Dammit. Best case, we get kicked out, our winnings confiscated, and then be back to zero again.

Worst case we got kicked out, plus Xander got into a fight that told far too many people where we were, and SysSec and Stanton would be on our trail.

“Everyone here believes in luck,” Xander declared. “Really, “his grin included everyone at the tables, everyone in this section of the casino. “Otherwise why would we be here?”

A soft ripple of laughter ran through the crowd.

The idiot with the silver tracing scowled harder.

“You don’t think someone can be that lucky?” Xander continued, his voice light, coaxing the crowd along with him. But I heard the edge of steel under the words.

“Did you all not see the loveliness with me?” With a snap of his wrist he twirled me, spun me out and then brought me back to his side. I clutched at his jacket, only half playing along, the rest of me scared as hell and a bit dizzy.

“With her at my side, how could anyone doubt my luck tonight?” With an expansive wave he bowed to the room, shifted his weight, ready for their response.

The tension bled out of the mob, light laughter joining his.

Everyone seemed willing to give the joker a pass, at least a little credit for being so amusing.

Everyone except the person facing us, jaw set, mouth screwed up angrily. “It’s just luck, nothing can go wrong for you tonight?”

Xander’s smile showed the barest hint of pointed teeth. “Nothing in the Void.”

“Fine. Tell us which tree will sound next,” the man snapped. “Double or nothing.” His sneer twisted his face. “And if you’re wrong, not only do you lose your luck, you lose her for the night.”

The tightening of the loose arm around my waist kept me from throwing my drink at the idiot. For now.

“I’ll bet anything you want, metalhead, but my lady makes her own arrangements.”

It didn’t take skill with numbers to know that doubling our winnings would be enough for a ship. Not a great one, but enough. And a bit extra for fuel and food.

With Xander’s talents...

“Can you do it?”

He nodded. “Probably, but that bastard isn’t-”

“We accept.” I cut him off, the roar of approval masking his growl.

“I trust you. Go look at trees.”

All play stopped as Xander walked through the columns, fingers laced through mine as he examined each tree.

They all looked the same to me, slender trunks twisted, vaulted branches high above with scattered leaves quivering in an unfelt breeze.

Then he spun.

“That one.”

Never had the time between chimes taken so long.

Xander wrapped his arms around me, my back against his hard chest, while the entire casino watched the trees, waiting, wondering if he could possibly be right.

“No matter what, he’s not touching you,” he murmured. “I don’t need intuition for that.”

Xander tensed, and I rubbed circles on the back of his hands with my thumbs.

“There,” he breathed, and I heard it, the softest sigh of release as the leaves above rippled, then fell around the waiting mass with a peel like laughter.

Over the cheers came a crash of broken glass. “Cheated!” the creep insisted, but this time even his friends didn’t look convinced.

The bubble of relief in my chest burst. We weren’t going to get away so easily.

“My friends, perhaps this isn’t a good night for any of us to partake of the games.” The voice came from the side of the room. The crowd rippled, opened to make way for a pair of burly guards. They emerged, flanking Mr. Helo.

“I’m not sure if our hosts know how to ensure fair play.” He nodded slightly to us in acknowledgement, then turned back to the creep and his friends. “An excellent way to keep your guests playing would be to honor all standing bets now.”

Such a mild sounding man. Such quiet words. But the gang shrunk before him, and with a surly nod, one of the members stepped forward with a tablet. In a few strokes, Xander transferred our winnings, doubled now, safely away.

Helo raised his voice, just a touch, enough to be heard. “I’m the owner of the Kameha Hotel. Stay with us tonight, on me.” He winked broadly. “Maybe your luck will rub off on the rest of our guests.”

The press of bodies faded away, the excitement over.

“What do you get out of it,” I asked.

His smile only widened. “Great publicity.” He patted his coat pocket. “And a chance to thank you.”

“Venko.” One of the guards stepped forward. “Show the way to our guests. Make sure it’s clear to everyone, these are my personal friends.”

On the way to the front of the casino, Xander stopped cold, then swept me into his arms. “Babe, are you hurt?”

“What are you doing,” I whispered hotly. “I didn’t even trip!”

Venko waited, expressionless as Xander caught up.

“Sorry, it’s been a long day. She’s not used to the shoes.” It sounded like a joke, but a thread of tension ran through the words.

His heart hammered beneath my hand and he bent to press a kiss against my hair. “Just let me do this, Loree. Please.”

“What if you need to fight?”

“I’ll deal with it then.”

After the day we’d had, it was nice to curl up in his arms, let the whirl of the station pass around us as Venko led us wherever.

And the shoes really were a bitch.

By the time we’d reached our room, the safe embrace of his arms combined with the warm scent of his skin wrapped me in a hazy cocoon.

The door sealed behind our guide with a dull clang. “The leaves sounded much prettier,” I giggled, half awake. “Before we head out, do you think we can buy some? My friend back on Orem makes lovely jewelry, and-”

As if I were made of the most fragile crystal, Xander lowered me to a settee, the dark gold fabric plush under my hands.

“Do you need a drink? I need a drink.” He stabbed at the replicator set into a sleek panel, movements odd, jerky. “Wognian brandy. Best they’ve got on the menu.”

His hand shook as he passed me the glass, a splash of ruby liquid spilling across the top of my breasts.

Xander froze, eyes dark.

I took the glass from his hands, placed them both on a side table and pulled him down to sit beside me.

“What’s wrong?” Boldly I explored his new face, ran my fingers under this new jawline, relearning his contours.

With a shuddering breath he tugged me into his lap, my knees straddling him as he buried his face in my neck. “Never offer yourself like that again. You can’t get hurt. I couldn’t stand it.”

“I was safe,” I kept stroking his neck, his shoulders. “You’d never let anything happen to me.”

His hands roamed my back, gliding down the fabric, kneading my hips, skimming up my ribs to brush the underside of my breasts, relentless with his touch until I squirmed above him. “What if I happen to you?”

Leaning towards him, I ran my fingers through his hair, entranced by the low groan that escaped his lips. “Let’s find out.”

With a slow caress of his tongue he traced where the wine had spilled, and I arched into his touch, breasts aching, every nerve aflame.

Soft kisses and nips worked across my shoulder, up my throat as his hand cupped the back of my head, drawing me closer with every pounding heartbeat until his mouth was on mine, sucking and nibbling on my lower lip. One by one he pulled out the hairpins, tossing them across the room until my hair tumbled down.

Senses ignited, I opened to him, tangling with his hot tongue as he swept through me, the taste of wine on his lips crashing against me like gravity, pulling me under.

“Loree, tell me to stop,” he growled. “Please, babe.”

“No,” I gripped his shoulders. “Never.”

“Good.” The slit of the dress tore like paper in his hands as he pulled me harder into his lap, grinding my core against his hard length.

My head fell back, staring blindly at the ceiling as he rocked against me, the fabric of his pants, the thin scrap of silk that separated us fading into nothingness. Pressure coiled through my belly as I clutched his shoulders, shaking in his grip.

“Let go, babe. I’ll catch you,” he murmured.

The tension spiraled, ever higher, until with a flick of his thumb at my clit I shattered, sobbing against him.

Still gasping, I clung to him as he stood and with swift steps brought us to the bedroom.

Forehead pressed to mine he lay over me, eyes closed, muscles taut. “I should be gentle with you, worship you.”

“I’m not asking you to,” I whispered. Sliding my hands under his jacket, I ran my nails in long grooves down his muscled back.

With a growl he sprang from the bed, making short work of the elegant suit. “Later,” he insisted, as he tore what was left of the dress away from me. “Later I’ll give you everything. Now I need you.”

“Less talking. More you,” I managed.

On top of me once more, he paused, thick cock twitching at my entrance until with nerve-shredding restraint he slowly worked, back and forth, deeper until he was fully sheathed in me.

Wild eyes, dark with heat, pinned me as surely as his body, but he refused to move.

I locked my legs around his waist and rocked once, twice, until his control splintered and every maddened thrust dragged us both over the edge.