Part 29 (2/2)

Kor rubbed his temples, trying to push back the tension headache that was building there.

”Then why did you do it? I could have made some excuse for you or just point blank refused. You didn't have to-”

Maggie rounded on him suddenly. ”I did it because I wanted to. Because I wanted to so much I just...couldn't stop myself.” She put a hand over her eyes. ”Oh G.o.d, what's happening to me? What am I becoming?”

Kor frowned. ”We talked about this over and over again, sweetheart. The implant-”

”I don't know if it was the implant! I don't know if it was that or just...” Maggie's voice dropped to a whisper. ”Or just the way I've been feeling lately.”

Kor's heart thumped hard but he tried not to show it. ”And how are you feeling lately, blondie?” he asked quietly.

”I don't know.” Maggie dropped her eyes. ”I can't...I don't know what I feel anymore.”

”Maggie...” He reached for her but she pulled away.

”Don't, please. I...I feel guilty enough already.”

”All because of that fiance of yours? What's so great about him, anyway?” Kor demanded. ”What does he offer you that I don't?”

”Stability for one thing,” Maggie shot back. ”And there's also the fact that I've known him for more than a single week.”

”We've known each other for more than six solar months,” Kor argued.

”Known of each other, you mean. And don't forget, I was asleep in stasis for most of that time,” she pointed out. ”So it's really only a week.”

”That doesn't matter!” Kor growled, his frustration coming to a head. ”A week is plenty long enough. Long enough to know-”

”To know what?” Maggie demanded.

To know I love you! The words trembled on his lips but the look in her deep blue eyes stopped him. What if he offered her his heart and she tossed it back in his face? What if she really did love that stupid fiance of hers and all she really wanted was to get the d.a.m.n implant out and go home to him?

She doesn't care for you. Not really, whispered the dark voice in his brain, the one he had been trying to shut out and ignore ever since he'd rescued her from the Flesh Bazaar. She isn't for you, Therron. What you seek is to be found one place only...the Black Planet.

Who's Therron? That's not me-I'm Kor, he told himself. Maggie named me when she first rescued me.

She had named him and claimed him...but how did she feel about him now? And how did he feel about her? Was he willing to risk humiliation and rejection to win her?

”To know what?” Maggie repeated and he realized he hadn't answered her question.

”To know...to know I care about you,” he said, trying to be careful, feeling for the words. ”To know I have only...only your best interests at heart.”

”Oh.” Maggie looked down at her feet in the high, black boots she was wearing. ”Of course I know that, Kor. And I appreciate it, really I do.” She sighed and ran a hand through her hair. ”Look, I'm just really tired right now and really, really homesick. I think...I think the closer we get to the end of this thing, the more I want to see my home and family again.”

”Of course,” Kor said stiffly. ”And Donald.”

”Yes. And Donald.” She looked away. ”Although I don't have any idea what I'm going to tell him or how I'm going to explain...all this.”

”If he loves you, he'll understand,” Kor said roughly.

”I guess...” She sighed again. ”Is there a bathroom in this box or block or whatever it's called? One that's not made out of gla.s.s so everyone can see in?”

Kor pointed to a small, opaque door in the corner. ”The fresher's over there. Take as much time as you need.”

”Thanks. Are we in for the night then? Can I get out of this, uh, getup?” She motioned to her leather slave outfit.

”Of course. I packed a sleep s.h.i.+rt for you in the carryall.”

”Thank you.” Maggie took a hesitant step toward him and laid a hand on his arm. ”Thank you for everything, Kor. I mean it.”

”You're welcome.” He looked away. ”Think I'll turn in early. It's been a long day.”

”You can say that again.” She yawned and headed for the fresher, apparently fine.

After she closed the door behind her, Kor got undressed and lay down on the sleeping platform. All around him was a never ending parade of masters and slaves doing all sorts of perverted things as the gla.s.s blocks slid slowly past each other. Kor didn't see any of them-his vision was turned inward, his thoughts only of Maggie.

She doesn't care for you-she never did.

He was beginning to think the dark voice was right. Her words echoed in his head, I'm just really tired right now and really, really homesick. I think...I think the closer we get to the end of this thing, the more I want to see my home and family again.

That's all she cares about, the dark voice insisted. Getting rid of the implant and leaving you, never seeing you again.

Or maybe that's not true at all. Maybe you should have had the guts to tell her how you really feel-that you love her, whispered another voice-one that sounded more like his own, internal monologue. Maybe if you would have come right out and said that you wanted a life with her, she might have reconsidered going back to that stupid fiance of hers. Maybe- Suddenly, the lights went out, everywhere on the s.h.i.+p at once.

Kor heard a commotion in the fresher, a sound like someone fumbling for the door latch.

”Kor?” Maggie's voice sounded frightened as she poked her head out the door. Kor could see her fairly well, even with no light-his eyes had always been well attuned to the darkness. He could see that she was wearing only a large towel wrapped around her-obviously she'd just stepped out of the shower. ”Kor?” she said again, her eyes wide and apparently blind in the darkness.

”It's all right, blondie. I'm here,” he said roughly.

”What happened?” She made her way by touch to the edge of the bed.

”Not sure,” Kor said. ”Could be more technical difficulties. Or it could be just time to turn out the lights. I think they have an enforced curfew on this kind of s.h.i.+p-probably because all the blocks are gla.s.s and if anyone left their own personal light on it would keep everyone awake.”

”Well, they could at least warn us they were about to turn out the lights!” She tried to get into bed by feel and nearly sat on Kor's head. ”Oops, is that you? I'm sorry.”

”Don't worry about it,” he said gruffly. ”Here.” Leaning over he put his hands on her waist and lifted her easily, depositing her on the far side of the bed. He made sure to put some distance between them when he put her down. He didn't want to touch her if she didn't want to be touched.

”Curfew is now in effect,” a tinny voice suddenly said, emanating from some hidden speaker in the far corner of the room. ”Lights out will be observed for the night. Patrons are asked to keep to their blocks until tomorrow morning. That is all.”

”Well, I guess that answers that,” Kor murmured.

”I guess so.” Maggie s.h.i.+fted restlessly beside him in the darkness. ”Kor...” she said tentatively.

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