“Yes,” Eve said, “I’m, um, just ready to leave.”
Valerie looked at her carefully. Slowly, she said, “I hope everything was satisfactory with your Krave.”
Khiva, Eve mentally corrected her.
It occurred to her for the first time that her abrupt departure would reflect poorly on him, or get him into some kind of trouble. She had no idea what the dynamics were at Madame Allegria’s, after all.
“Yes, absolutely,” Eve said, forcing a wide smile. “Khiva was wonderful. In fact, I’d like to book another visit. When is he available next?”
Valerie blinked, her shoulders loosening, and she turned to her Nu device. After another moment, she said, “He has an opening next week, on Thursday evening. Would you like to reserve it?”
Eve wondered if Khiva ‘worked’ every single night and something about that made her stomach turn.
Clearing her throat, she nodded, “Yes.”
“Great,” Valerie said, smiling. “I’ll send a confirmation to your Nu device. And I’ll have transport for you out at the front in a few minutes to take you home.”
“Thank you,” Eve said, incline her head. “I’ll see you next week.”
Then she turned to leave, walking quickly through the lobby and out the front door. When the door closed behind her and she was once again out of sight, she let out a heavy breath, still unable to believe what the night had brought.
But as she walked through the cobblestone alley to the sidewalk of London Street, Eve couldn’t help but smile.
Though she desperately needed the safety and comfort of her townhouse, she was proud of herself…for putting herself out there for once in her life and experiencing something she’d been longing to for a while.
Even more so, she couldn’t wait until next Thursday, when she’d be able to see Khiva again.
Chapter Eight
The mating room was silent, except for the sounds of the flickering, crackling fire. Khiva stood near the window, remembering that just a short while ago, Evelyn’s reflection had been staring back at him. Her eyes were haunting him, the memory of her keeping him aroused and aching.
For the first time in a long time, Khiva considered manually bringing himself to orgasm. He didn’t even remember what it was like to masturbate. And while his clients sometimes liked that they left him aroused, Khiva let that mental trick drop the moment theydidstep out of his door.
Even with his clients, he didn’t remember the last time he was organically, naturally aroused.
But with Evelyn…he was.
It had never happened, not in the ten years he’d been working for Madame Allegria’s brothel.
Despite being curious about this, Khiva was…dismayed. Attachment to a client was dangerous. Attachment toanyfemale, for that matter, was dangerous, not to mention a hopeless endeavor. If Madame Allegria found out, it would mean punishment. But even more so, there was nothing a Krave could do about it.
Growing attached would only mean pain, physical and emotional pain.
As if hearing his thoughts, Madame Allegria stepped into the mating room, a room that still lingered with the scent of the innocent human female plaguing his mind.
Khiva had been expecting her and his shoulders tensed, his arousal for Evelyn immediately falling away, though he wondered if Madame Allegria would demand a mating from him that night. She hadn’t sought a mating with him in over a month, though Khiva knew he was one of her ‘favorites.’
He turned from the window, glad he had dressed after his newest, most maddening client had left. And he marveled at how different two females could be, since Madame Allegria looked to be the polar opposite of Evelyn and not simply physically.
The female standing in front of him exuded power and sexuality. She always had. It was what had drawn most of the Keriv’i to her from the beginning, like moths to a flame, or so the old human saying went.
At one time, Khiva had worshipped her, grateful for the opportunity she’d given him. Once their planet had been destroyed during the Great War, credits and food and shelter had been scarce, as the Keriv’i scattered among the stars. It had seemed like salvation when Madame Allegria had offered all three.
Whoring himself was not an act Khiva had ever thought he would do. Then again, so did most that found themselves in hopeless, desperate situations…until the price outweighed the act.
Madame Allegria had hair the color of the hottest of fires, with painted lips to match. Her blue eyes, that held the tell-tale signs of color altercation, regarded him from the doorway, her slim arms crossed over her ample chest. She was wearing all black, much like him. In human years, she was probably ten years older than he was, but like all aging, wealthy Everton females, she looked much younger.
“Valerie tells me that your client this evening left an hour into your visit with her,” Madame Allegria said, her voice so soft that it almost sounded like a sensual purr. But Khiva’s jaw tightened, hearing the unspoken, barbed message underneath. “Care to explain why?”
