Xora 3: Shell Game

by Brandy Dewinter

 

Chapter 10 - " . . . Anyone Could Do It."

 

I woke in the arms of Tryx. Again. Some assignments, or at least some parts of assignments, are definitely worse than others. If I told Jonesy about that particular aspect, he'd probably make me count this whole trip as vacation - once his dirty little mind started working again.

*"Ha! Like your 'little mind' is so pure,"* Titania laughed.

I loftily ignored her, giving Tryx my attention instead.

"Hmmm, I could get used to this," I cooed, lips inches from a delicious swell inside the not-quite-sheer robe she wore.

Tryx laughed, then took an especially deep breath. It was . . . spectacular, and even more so from my particular point of view. I wasn't quite sure what reward she expected, but if it were in my power she got it. I blushed. I gasped. I nearly fainted. And she giggled.

Leaning close to my ear, she whispered. "What did you do to Eloi last night? The girls say she's almost impossible to arouse. Even Kyla, who was her lover before they met Mordant, says Eloi enjoyed making love but seldom achieved her own completion. There was even speculation that's why Mordant keeps Eloi around, so that he can break the confidence of the girls-only girls like, ahem, you. Yet you had her most of the way to Mordant's moon!"

I grinned up at her and said, "I'm afraid I couldn't possibly explain. I'd just have to show you."

Bam! That got her own nips so hard, so fast, I nearly got an eye poked out.

*"I'd have taken care of you,"* Ti snickered.

*"You'd have pushed me right into 'em,"* I countered.

*"Exactly!"* agreed Titania.

My so-helpful partner's distraction had given Tryx time to recover some of her own composure, but she was still distracted enough to decide to change the subject. "We're making progress. We all go to Dariabar this afternoon. I've packed for you except for one outfit you can wear on the way."

"It better not be a pink tent," I warned her.

"It's not," she promised, and in her grin it was clear that her choice was not likely to be very concealing at all. Oh, joy.

Leaning to whisper again, Tryx said, "According to the others, after a couple of doses of the powder most girls are thoroughly dependent and will do absolutely anything for more."

"Why do I think I heard a little special emphasis on 'most' in that sentence?"

"You've never been, ah, average," she replied with a smirk. "And your reputation does not do you justice."

"Why, thank you. But you know what they say about hearsay . . ." I interrupted myself before I revealed too much about her real situation. Hopefully.

Apparently it was okay, because she leaned forward to whisper but did not seem upset. "Mordant is a bit of a voyeur and certainly has the rooms set for visual observation. But he doesn't seem to want to listen in. As long as we keep our voices low, we can say whatever we want." She added a key bit of data, "In this room, he just observes until the girls take their drug, then switches to other rooms. After all, it's not a lot of fun to watch when the girls are passed out and rigid."

I nodded, but frowned as well. "Do you think he'll, um, test me again this evening?"

"I'd count on it," she said.

"I think I'll, ah, fail the test tonight," I decided.

"Why?"

"We'll be on Mordant's moon, right? And while his security has seemed lax here, that's likely to be because there isn't anything here to protect. But on his moon, there must be something. If I'm not pretending to be drugged, I can move about less suspiciously. I can even claim that I couldn't sleep because I didn't get my dose."

"But you still won't be able to go through papers and things, at least, not unless no one knows you're there."

"Maybe not," I admitted, "but for the first night, we just need to find out where things are."

Then I put something like a leer on my face and in my voice. "Besides, *you* will be, um, occupied with Mordant, so you can't do it."

She blandly ignored my not-too-subtle opening. "Won't it be suspicious if you refuse, after already agreeing to . . . what's happened?"

"I'll do anything I've already done, or something similarly unpleasant. But I expect he'll raise things to a level I can refuse without making it look inconsistent."

"There may be consequences to that. He's already seeing you as the greatest challenge to his ego he's faced since he got control of the drug."

"Jonesy never assigns me easy ones," I sighed. Then I had to laugh at myself - before Titania beat me to it - and I snuggled a bit in Tryx's embrace. "Not that this is all bad, of course."

Tryx laughed herself, then dumped me unceremoniously on the cushions. "I just came in here to let you know about your clothes," she said in a normal voice. "And to make sure Mordant's powder wasn't harming you. I suppose that's partly guilt, since he and I are together now. I hope you're not too broken-hearted."

That was a pretty clear cue, so I shrugged and said, "You don't know what you're missing. I'll take the thionite over Oslo any day."

Tryx let a careful frown show on her flawless brow, dutiful concern for a friend she no longer loved. Then she also shrugged and used a casual flip of that flowing negligee to accent her departure, showing petulance even in the midst of matchless grace.

*"You can match her,"* Titania said. *"Surpass her, in fact. She may have the prettiest face - when we don't copy it - and she's still flaunting bigger boobs, but you have more grace."*

*"Why, thank you, Ti. My, you're in a good mood this morning."*

*"It's because I can sense that you're in a better mood yourself,"* she explained.

*"Well, perhaps you're right. I guess I'm feeling useful. We're making progress, and things seem to be centered more on my - on *our* - activities than on Tryx. That's . . . satisfying."*

*"Xora, girl, don't you *ever* give me a hard time about my competition with Bee,"* ordered Titania, but she laughed and I had to laugh with her. Okay, so I did have one or two competitive bones in my body.

*"This one?"* asked Titania. *"Or maybe this one?"*

*"Those are NOT bones, Titty,"* I gasped, leaving her the last laugh. As usual.

For an instant I was afraid I'd spoken out loud, but it must have been my unstifled gasp - or maybe she was just waking up naturally - in any event, Eloi chose that moment to move. Her enforced immobility had left her stiff and uncomfortable even though it was followed by a more natural sleep. She stretched, and then clutched at her snowy hair as she realized she was as disheveled as I no-doubt appeared myself.

She looked guiltily away, but the guilt didn't seem to be caused by our appearance. I didn't want to pry, exactly, but she was such a fragile thing I thought I ought to see if something was wrong - something other than waking up from a drug-imposed stupor.

"Good morning," I said gently as a compromise opening.

"I'm sorry," she said in return.

"For what?"

"Mordant makes us," she sighed, and corrected herself, "makes *me* usually, since I'm the one he uses for new girls, makes me . . . use something that tastes . . . unpleasant. I'm sorry, but you just don't know, I mean, the thionite . . . "

"I'm beginning to find out," I said, smiling. "Don't worry about it. I knew right away it was artificial (*"You mean, I knew right away."* *"Of course, Ti."*) and around this place, that means it was Mordant's idea. I never blamed you."

"I tried to fake arousal, so that it would be over as soon as possible," Eloi claimed.

"Was that a fake?"

She sighed and this time she grinned with real humor. "Oh, Lord no. You were amazing! I've never, even with Kyla . . . "

"Glad to hear it," I said, then I let a little smirk into my smile - but as something shared between friends. "A girl always tries to do her best."

"Well, your best is pretty awesome," she offered, then drifted to her feet in a way that seemed almost weightless. I scrambled to my own heels to go with her.

*"You call that a 'scramble', Slinky?"* teased Titania. *"If it weren't for me, you'd have dislocated three vertebrae with that swing."*

*"But I *do* have you, Titty,"* I replied unrepentantly. Not a good idea when your partner knows your innards even better than you do. I gasped and had to lean against the wall for a second.

"Are you all right?" asked Eloi.

"More or less," I managed to say. What I wanted to say - what I wanted to *think* would just have gotten me in more trouble (*"You got *that* right."*), so I just followed Eloi to the shower/lounge.

It was late enough when we finished cleaning up that there wasn't time to eat before we departed to Dariabar. So Eloi and I went to our nearly empty rooms to dress and that's when I saw what Tryx intended for me to wear.

It could have been worse. The outfit was white lace and scarlet leather. Well, Tryx had never been subtle. The blouse was not quite transparent, in a lace design that hinted at everything without actually revealing anything. The red leather skirt was very short (*"Ha! That's the length you wear all the time anyway."* *"Only because *you* make me, Titania."*), almost too short to cover the tops of white lace stockings that looked fragile enough to snag on a passing moonbeam. The obvious accessory was a pair of steepled red heels high enough even Tryx would be challenged - which Titania gleefully supplied. All in all, about typical for what my life had become.

*"Oh, quit grumping,"* Titania demanded. *"You'll look spectacular, and you know it, and you love it."*

*"So?"* I asked righteously. *"If I can't complain to myself, then who can I make feel sorry for me? Certainly *you* won't."*

*"Do you really feel sorry for yourself?"*

*"Of course not, Ti, except in that I wish I had a bit more control over my own life. Between you and Tryx, I feel like a puppet sometimes."*

*"But a gorgeous one,"* I added quickly, and let a smile into my message. *"No way I'd change things, if that meant I'd lose you."*

Titania gave me a little secret hug and we joined Eloi on the way to the shuttle. When we got there, it was clear that Mordant like to do his own piloting. That left the harem in back, including Tryx and I. The other girls pestered Eloi and me about what had happened the night before, but I just smiled and Eloi just blushed. Even Tryx looked a little envious at times, and of course I was the very essence of genteel humility in not noticing. Not at all.

Our would-be lord and definite master allowed us the rest of the day to get settled in our new residence - a huge, sprawling expanse of tunnels and great open spaces left over from a completed mining era. Just walking between rooms could take several minutes since the chambers were placed where ever pockets of minerals had justified cleaning out more volume than the tunnels themselves. That evening though, things were back to 'normal'.

Unlike the Mistfall villa, in the chambers of Dariabar there were signal lights that summoned the harem into 'the presence' when Mordant so desired. After a light meal attended by all but Mordant and Tryx (and Drem, who was never seen unless on an errand for Mordant - thankfully) all the girls were called into the common area which in this case was unambiguously a throne room complete with the requisite cushioned exhibition pit. Mordant lounged on the gaudiest, most ostentatious chair I had ever seen. It was big enough for three or four people - if they were friendly - and had no trouble at all supporting the two very friendly people who occupied it. Mordant and Tryx were avidly kissing and he was pawing at her 'assets' like he owned them. They ignored us for several minutes and apparently this was not unusual because the other girls just stood there quietly until he deigned to notice us. When he did, his first comment was to Eloi.

"Eloi, child, you seemed to enjoy yourself last night."

"Yes, Oslo," she agreed, then made it clear what she found most pleasant. "I deeply appreciate the privilege of thionite, whenever you choose to grant it to me."

He swelled up with the affirmation that she considered him the source of her greatest pleasure, in fact the only pleasure worth mentioning. That his leverage was artificial, in the form of a drug, was secondary to knowing I had not undermined his control regardless of the effectiveness of my technique.

*"Technique, am I?"* Titania asked archly, but the snicker in her mental voice was clear.

*"Never try to lie to your symbiont, dear,"* I told her. *"Not even when it's a false sense of outrage."*

*"Lie? Would I lie to you?"* she asked in more pretend outrage. I didn't bother to answer, but I really needed to find some sort of leverage into her, like she did when she wanted to, ah, tweak me. Using her favorite nickname wasn't enough, and it would have even less effect if I overused it. There was something . . . something that had bothered her, something associated with her name though not just that . . . but I couldn't quite decide what it was.

Even as I tried to find that lurking thought, I realized it was a mistake to remind Titania of her own . . . opportunity, but she just giggled in my head and let it pass. For once.

*"You're welcome,"* she said.

Mordant finally turned to me, and in so doing ostentatiously turned away from Tryx. He didn't quite dump her on her shapely bottom, but a deft hip nudge and a lean forward interposed his shoulder in a way that literally as well as figuratively put her behind him.

"You seem quite accomplished with your lovers, Xora," he observed.

"I, um, do my best, Oslo," I said, demurely looking down so that my long, dark lashes accented my eyes. (*"Demure? Ha!"* *"Quiet, Ti."*)

"Are you that skilled with all your lovers?" Mordant asked nonchalantly, but the warning flags started going up at the glint of cruel pleasure I saw in his eyes.

"I try, Oslo."

"Let's see, shall we?" he suggested. "Come with me."

Ah, so that's the game for the evening. Well, it was just a matter of time, and it would seem even Tryx's, ah, 'charms' would not satisfy him forever. But it was also just the sort of escalation I needed to justify a refusal.

"What do you want?" I asked, letting more than a hint of fearfulness into my tone.

"Why, I want you, of course," he replied, and though his tone was casual, the frown on his face was not.

"I, um, please don't, um, take this personally, Oslo, but . . . I'm not . . . .comfortable with men."

The frown on his face elevated to a full-fledged glower, but his tone remained civil and friendly. "Well, Xora dear, we certainly don't want to do anything to make you uncomfortable."

He settled back into his throne, but he still didn't seem to notice Tryx was also there. "Of course," he continued, "if you're not interested in pleasing others, then you shouldn't expect to receive pleasure yourself."

"I'm sorry, Oslo. I'd really like to please you. I'd really, really like some more thionite, but . . . " A carefully studied pout pursed my lips - one that I had copied from Tryx. I might not have her experience, but I learned quickly.

*"Because you memorize every moment you're with her,"* Titania observed.

*"And your point is . . . ?"* I challenged unapologetically. For once, my secret sister had nothing to say, since I knew she paid very close attention to Tryx herself - though upstaging Bee was a different motivation.

Tryx tried to help me - and regain Oslo's attention. "Oslo, honey, she just needs a little more time. She's had some . . . bad experiences with men and just wouldn't appreciate you right now, especially not like I do. You're fascinating, and an incredibly impressive man, but she's just not . . . interested in men. Yet. I'm sure once she gets to know you a little better, like I do, she'll be more than happy to . . . please you."

"Indeed," Mordant replied, but he wasn't really paying attention. Still, it provided him an opportunity to recover his loss of face, so he leaned back on his throne and mused aloud. "Hmm, perhaps we can find some other service that Xora can do for us. It won't be enough to warrant a helping of my little powder, but perhaps it will . . . help her make up her mind."

"Girls," he said expansively, "I think you've all been working too hard. From now on, our reluctant Xora will be your maid."

Focusing on me he asked, "Is that okay with you, Xora? If not, you can go to the shuttle and Drem will take you back to Mistfall."

"Oh, no, Oslo, I'd be glad to help out," I said quickly.

"Good, good," he nodded. "Let's see . . . I think Laran should be the one to help you with your costume."

"Costume?" I asked in confusion. Apparent confusion, I should say, because I expected something more than simple maid service would be involved.

"Well, let's just call it your *first* costume," he replied, then waved his hand dismissively.

I found out a short while later that Mordant was something of a traditionalist. His idea of a proper maid's costume was right out of corny old fantasies, something called a 'French Maid' outfit. That consisted of a tight little black dress cut low enough that a deep breath would let my own . . . assets pop right out, with a tiny little skirt fluffed out by layers and layers of petticoats. Dark fishnet stockings and spindly heels completed the black components. Accents in white included an apron, a silly little cap, plus collar and cuffs that weren't attached to anything that needed a collar and cuffs. Laran helped me figure out where all the pieces went, and briefed me on the rest of my 'duties'.

I had a secret weapon, though, and I intended to use it. Titania and I worked out an advantage I didn't think he'd expect, and when we got back to the throne room, I dipped into the curtsy I had been briefed to make. When I was well down, I took that deep breath the top was designed to prevent. Or at least, to exact a price.

However, Titania had a better hold on the top to that dress than the designers had expected. As a result, though I bulged quite dramatically, nothing - quite - exploded. Mordant's eyes took on a bulging look of their own and confirmed once again that clothes - the right clothes - can be more arousing that simple nudity.

*"Nothing about your nudity is 'simple',"* declared Titania.

*"Tell me about it,"* I replied wryly.

I continued to hold my pose and I wondered if he would ever release me. Eventually, he did, but only when his own need to breathe distracted him from the imminent disaster my over-tight bosom promised. Gasping audibly, he shook himself a little and then tried to cover it by leaning back with feigned nonchalance.

"I've always known an implication was more effective than an outright show," he claimed grandly, as though he had invented the concept. "You are indeed a healthy girl, Xora dear."

Some gesture or expression must have been the clue to the other girls, because Breen took that moment to say, "Xora, dear, would you go get my brush? I think I've got a tangle in my hair."

For the rest of the night I was 'Xora, dear', and it seemed that all of the girls had some errand that needed doing. If it weren't for Titania, my feet would have been broken wrecks after running all over in those ridiculous heels.

*"Always looking out for my partner,"* she claimed. *"See how much all that practice with heels has helped?"*

*"Don't get me started,"* I warned. *"You don't inflict those on me for valid reasons and you know it. If Bee had bonded with some macho guy, you'd have me wearing combat boots."*

*"Oh, no, not on a bet,"* she claimed, and for once I believed her.

Mordant probably thought he was being subtle in the way he treated Tryx that evening. After demonstrating he could arouse her at the time the rest of us entered his august presence, he virtually ignored her for the rest of the night. It seemed even the incomparable Tryx could not keep his interest for more than a few days - or nights as the case might be. That didn't really fool anyone because his breathing stayed synchronized with hers. Or perhaps asynchronous would be more correct, since every time Tryx took a deep breath, Mordant stopped breathing entirely.

*"Like you're any different,"* Titania laughed in my ear.

*"I'm breathing. See?"* I asked innocently, and Mordant stopped breathing again. So did Eloi and Laran, a fact Mordant noticed.

He pulled out an ampoule of his drug and idly rolled it through his fingers. "I had expected Xora would want this tonight, but it seems she doesn't."

That was an obvious cue, so I jerked and started to speak, then sagged in defeat.

"Do you want some of my powder?" asked Mordant, forcing the issue.

"Yes, Oslo, very much," I 'admitted'.

He just kept twirling it in his hands, but I refused to take the offer, keeping my own eyes downcast.

Turning to Tryx he asked, "How long have you and Xora been . . . friends?"

"Oh, quite a while now," Tryx answered vaguely, but precision was not Mordant's goal.

"I suppose you might consider, ah, 'consoling' Xora tonight, since she's not going to receive the pleasure she denies to others."

"I, um, might," Tryx admitted, not sure what the right answer was supposed to be.

"But then, you don't really know what she's missing, do you?" Mordant asked, springing his trap.

"No, I don't suppose I do," replied Tryx.

"I have truly enjoyed your company, these last few nights," Mordant said smugly, "but I think I've, ah, satisfied myself with blondes for a while."

Pulling out another capsule, he tossed them both to Breen. "Take Tryx and show her what Xora has so callously refused," he ordered.

Before they had a chance to leave, even though Breen was *very* interested in her own dose of the drug and was pulling on Tryx, he called to Kyla. "Join me, tonight."

I couldn't tell if Mordant noticed, but I certainly noticed Eloi's eyes go to me, and a look of hunger warred with the envy that had showed when Breen received Mordant's favor. Then I could indeed tell that Mordant noticed, because he wasn't going to let Eloi choose her own companion for the evening.

He held out the arm that was not claiming Kyla and said, "Eloi, why don't you join us also? You're so pale you hardly qualify for blonde anyway."

Over his shoulder, as he left the room, he said, "Xora, you can clean up since you seem to enjoy that sort of service so much more than your alternatives. I'm sure the other girls will want to sleep."

The only 'other' girl who had not been committed for the evening was the ash-blonde Laran. Mordant's comment amounted to an order for her to go to bed - alone. Tryx and Breen would be in their drug-induced stupor until morning, and Mordant would command the attentions of Laran and Eloi for as long as he wanted.

Laran shrugged and turned to her room, leaving me to address the detritus that I had earlier been ordered to accumulate. That was fine with me, though. It meant that I could prowl around a bit, which was the whole point of refusing Mordant's advance in the first place.

*"Not all of it,"* Titania said. *"He's odious."*

*"You got that right,"* I agreed, bending to my task. But I knew it was only a matter of time before my tasks would be even less pleasant than maid duty. Probably more time-consuming too, because it wasn't long before I had the place straightened up enough the housebots could take care of the rest of it. Then it was time for some serious snooping.

 

 

 

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© 2003 by Brandy Dewinter. All Rights Reserved. These documents (including, without limitation, all articles, text, images, logos, compilation design) may printed for personal use only. No portion of these documents may be stored electronically, distributed electronically, or otherwise made available without express written consent of the copyright holder.