Treasured By the Alien Pirate by Celia Kyle Page 0,37

thirty-story building with a massive lobby. Since the casino entrance is right on the road, it lacks any of the bells and whistles of the places we passed by on the main avenue, but it still features a rather nifty holosign.

A gold and black banner continually scrolls above the vaulted entrance to the casino, flashing the Gold Win name. Occasionally, the scroll changes to things like “get comped up to 1k creds” and “enjoy our free seafood bar.”

I try not to cling to Grantian’s side when we pile out of the hover car, but I can’t help it. This is a new place, teeming with people of all different sapient species and possible danger around every corner. Can I help it if Grantian makes me feel safe?

Solair leads us to the well-furnished bar, and I have to fight down a stab of disappointment when Grantian does not sit next to me, even though I save him a spot.

He remains standing and addresses Solair. “I will inquire about my former associate. I’ll be back.”

Varia taps me on my shoulder. When I turn to face her, she’s wearing a knowing grin that says my feelings about Grantian are rather obvious.

“Don’t worry. He’ll be back soon.” She holds her closed fist over the table. “Open your hand.”

I do so, and she drops a tiny capsule in my palm. “What’s this?”

“Anti-intoxication pill.” Varia takes one herself and dry swallows it, something I’ve never been able to do. “All the fun of getting plastered, but you’ll retain enough sense not to do something you’ll later regret. Oh, and no hangovers.”

I take the pill, though I wash mine down with half a glass of wine. Grantian soon returns and sits next to me, much to my contentment.

But his scowl robs me of my smile. “What’s wrong?”

“My friend is not present. Apparently, he sort of comes to work whenever he feels like it, so they have no idea if or when he will arrive today at all.”

“Looks like we’ll just have to hang out here for a while.” Solair grins, partially because of the pint of liquor he’s already quaffed, and partially because an already inebriated Varia is sitting in his lap kissing his cheek.

The alcohol flows freely, with Solair footing the bill, and pill or no pill I wind up feeling all warm and giddy. So much so that I wind up dancing on our table, probably swinging my hips for Grantian’s sake a whole lot more than would make my parents comfortable.

In other words, we blend right in with the rest of the patrons.

Chapter Twenty

Grantian

I’ve been deployed on more than a hundred sorties and three hundred garrison details, and I’ve been embroiled in the middle of more firefights than I’d care to recount. After all of that seasoning, I’m not prone to “freezing up” when the mayhem begins.

But sitting there in a booth at the Gold Win casino on Glimner, staring up at Lamira’s curvy form as she gyrates on the table, I’m completely at a loss.

Of course, we’re all giddy from the drink, but I know she took a tablet to prevent poor judgement and hangovers. Thus, this must all be her own idea, and she’s completely aware of what she’s doing.

Namely, making my pants very tight. It’s not just her sensual moves. It’s the smoldering eyes. Her dark gaze mesmerizes me and holds me captive as surely as a gravity well.

“Hey, buddy. Tell your girlfriend to get off the table or there’s gonna be trouble.” I snap my gaze to the side, prepared to angrily point out that at least three other tables have people dancing on them, when I realize the speaker is my old friend, Zarp. His shit-eating grin belies his earlier diatribe, just as his laid-back demeanor belies the dark blue security uniform he’s wearing.

“Zarp.”

“In the golden flesh.” He winks at me and then gestures toward Lamira, who’s now playfully dancing for Varia’s sake. The two of them are laughing so hard I’m afraid she’s going to fall off the table. “You’ve done well for yourself.”

“I don’t get your meaning.”

He chuckles and gestures for me to rise from my seat. “Yes, you do. If you’re not sharing a bunk, you will be soon enough. Come on, let’s chat somewhere private.”

I follow in his wake, first letting Solair know I’ll be back soon. Zarp is a middle-aged Kilgari, ostensibly married but he rarely sees his wife as far as I know. Which makes sense, knowing she has seventeen other husbands as