Dani gasped. The implications for the Guild were too horrible to imagine—for centuries the Guild had maintained a monopoly on the pleasure industry, protecting their members and keeping them safe from exploitation. How many thousands, hundreds of thousands of women, would find themselves without protection if the Guild faltered? They had always been completely independent of local politics…
"How have you managed to keep this a secret?" she whispered, stricken. "I've never even heard rumors about this."
"We've been extremely cautious," Karya said, suddenly looking her age for the first time. "It's why I've been stationed here, to keep an eye on things. Lord Von'hot is a very dangerous man, and he has peculiar ideas on how his people should live. His entire family has always been that way. I'm sure you've noticed the lack of slaves here?"
"Yes," Dani said, thinking quickly. "It's actually one of the things I've liked best about this planet."
"Yes, we all like it," Karya said absently. "After all, the Guild has never allowed members to keep slaves. In fact, we’ve always felt a certain natural alliance with the Von'hots, a shared sense of values because of it. After all, they outlawed slavery five hundred years ago. I suppose it’s part of what led us to lower our defenses here…”
Her voice trailed off, and she seemed lost in thought, almost sad. Dani coughed uncomfortably.
She realized she was getting a glimpse of Karya that few people saw. The older woman blinked several times, then turned back to her.
“Drake Von'hot is very subtle, far more subtle than his older brother ever was,” Karya continued. "In the time since he's inherited, Drake has eroded our power here to the point that we no longer have access to intelligence about his troop movements. We haven’t been able to manipulate the financial markets for months, and he’s even managed to have considerable assets confiscated or frozen.
All of this has been done behind the safety of dummy corporations, of course. We can’t prove anything.
“The worst, though, it our loss of control over the pleasure houses,” she said, her face grim.
“More than 200 Guild-owned pleasure houses have been shut down or gone out of business in the past year. Independent contractors have taken over. And you know what that means."
Dani nodded, her stomach twisting in knots at the thought. Independent pleasure workers, without the power of the Pleasure Guild behind them, were open to exploitation. Often all their money went to pimps, and they rarely had any future or retirement. Even the most foolish of Guild workers had a solid future following retirement. She had seen first-hand what could happen to women in that situation in the mining belts and space stations of the disputed territories. It wasn’t pretty.
"What is he thinking?" she asked, genuinely confused. Usually rulers were welcoming to Guild workers. They paid their taxes and helped keep crime under control. Lord Von'hot's attitude simply didn't make any sense.
"I have no idea," Karya said, holding her hands out in a gesture of helplessness. "I've been to any number events with him since he came into power following his brother’s death, and he's hardly acknowledged me. He's never been willing to meet with Guild representatives in a formal capacity at all.
That's why I was so surprised to hear he had an interest in you. Have you even met him?"
"No," Dani replied, deeply confused. Aside from her fellow Guild members and the people at the diplomatic reception last night, she hadn't met anyone on Von'hotten.
"Well, it would be a great service to the Guild, and to me personally, if you would meet with him," Karya said with a sigh. "I realize you've retired, but this is the best chance we've had to get close to him since we realized what was happening. We can't afford to let it slip through our fingers."
"Yes, of course," Dani said, a feeling of helplessness coming over her. During her time with the Guild she'd entertained hundreds of clients, but always men of her own choosing. She didn't care for Lord Von'hot's attitude, simply ordering her to appear at a given time. But the Guild needed her; there was no escaping that fact. She owed her Guild sisters everything. She wouldn’t fail them now.
"How shall I make the arrangements?" she asked, looking up at Karya with confusion. "I have no idea how to contact him," she added with an uneasy laugh. "I suspect he's not listed in the city directory…"
"I'll take care of that," Karya said, giving her a relieved smile. "You'll be well-compensated for your time and effort. Simply try to find out as much about him as possible. I don't have a specific assignment for you, just to get close to him. Anything you can tell us is helpful."
"I'll do my best," Dani said, looking at Karya earnestly. “I know my duty.”
"Thank you, child," Karya said. "I knew I could count on you. Now, let's go back inside. I've brought you a special outfit to wear, and some jewelry. I thought you deserved something new and lovely, seeing as you're willing to do this favor for me."
"Thank you, Guildmistress," Dani said, startled.
"Call me Karya, child," the older woman said with a graceful smile. "The Guild is fortunate to have you among its members."
Chapter 2
She was stunning, Drake thought as he watched her step gracefully out of the air transport he'd sent to collect her. She was so beautiful it was unreal. Tall and slim, her white-blond hair cascading down her back like a curtain—just the sight of her was enough to make his breath catch.
When he'd first seen her at the reception last night, he hadn't thought she could possibly be as lovely in person as she'd been on the screen. Ostensibly, he’d been overseeing parts of his spymaster’s surveillance of the reception last night because they suspected the Kelmorian ambassador would be meeting a key contact from the Imperial court that night, a contact Drake might recognize. Only Drake knew the real reason he’d been watching. He was looking for her; she was the key to his plans. The work of the past three years, all his plans and those laid by his brother, depended on her.
What he hadn’t counted on was her affect on him. He'd wanted her, wanted her naked and spread under him. Wanted her in his bed, on his desk, against the walls of his palace. He wanted to fuck her long and hard, until she screamed in pleasure.
He wanted her so badly that he hadn't slept the night before. When it came time to summon her, he hadn’t needed to feign his desire to his spymaster or guardsmen. It radiated from him, visible to all around him. In a way this was a stroke of good luck as it made the stories he intended to tell them all the more plausible. But it could complicate things as well.
He strode off his private balcony and across his bedroom. His guards snapped to attention as he walked past them and out the main doors of his suite. She was coming up the stairs, escorted by his assistant. His throat tightened and his cock stiffened as she came closer.
She was wearing a garment formed from filmy black scarves. With each step, they outlined her exquisite form, revealing and enveloping her charms all at once. He was filled with a burning desire to rip them off her body, exposing her for what she was. Her eyes met his, then, and he stopped breathing all together. A brilliant blue, they sparkled with the force of her personality. She was curious, intelligent.
Powerful. He could see it all in a glance. He recognized her look. It was the same look he saw in his own eyes. With a quiver of anticipation, he realized that he had finally met the woman who might be his equal.