Total pages in book: 137
Estimated words: 130081 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 650(@200wpm)___ 520(@250wpm)___ 434(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 130081 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 650(@200wpm)___ 520(@250wpm)___ 434(@300wpm)
But again, he couldn’t say any of this to her—she wouldn’t understand and too much intensity too soon would only frighten her away.
“I heard your act,” he said, hoping to find a credible excuse for spending such an egregious amount to be with her. “Your voice is…lovely. Incomparable. I was hoping you might sing for me.”
“Oh, well…” Her face cleared and she looked more confident. “Of course—do you have a special song you want me to sing?”
“Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow—do you know that one?” he asked. It was one of his favorite songs that his own Sonya used to sing—a soulful, bluesy tune that had been made famous by Roberta Flack.
Her eyes widened in surprise.
“Well…yes. But I’m kind of surprised that you know it. That’s a song from my home planet—from Earth.”
“I’m a connoisseur of all kinds of music,” Davrik said quickly. “The Earth has many rich musical traditions.”
“Yes, it does,” she said slowly. “But how—”
“I’m a scout for my people, so I visit a lot of different planets and finding new music while I’m there is a hobby,” Davrik said quickly. “Can you sing it for me?” He was hoping that if he got her singing, he could avoid further questions. Luckily, Sonya seemed not to mind—probably because singing for a strange man was infinitely preferable to giving him a blow job, Davrik thought grimly.
“Okay—it’ll have to be a cappella, though—I haven’t had time to add that particular song to my music maker. That’s the little device that accompanies me while I sing on stage,” she added. “It’s about the only good thing I’ve gotten out of being here. Um…except getting to spend time with you of course, Master,” she added quickly.
“Please—you don’t have to lie to me,” Davrik said quietly. “I can’t imagine what your life has been like here but I’m sure it hasn’t been good.”
He wanted to add that he was so sorry he hadn’t been able to get to her sooner, but he was afraid that would make her suspicious of him. It would be really difficult to explain why he had been tracking her without telling her about the other Sonya.
She lifted her chin.
“All right—I won’t lie. It’s not great here. I mean, I was a Professor of Music Theory in my old life on Earth and now I’m a singing sex worker.” She pointed a finger at him. “But if Oozle hears me saying that—or you tell him I complained—I’ll get in a whole hell of a lot of trouble.”
“I have nothing to say to the Sluggorn,” Davrik growled. “He has no right to own you or to force you to…to do whatever it is you’ve been forced to do.”
He desperately wanted to ask her what she’d had to do…and what had been done to her. He’d been under the impression that she was only singing here at The House of a Thousand Flowers. But it seemed he had been wrong. Gods, how many times had she been taken against her will? How many times had she been hurt because he hadn’t gotten to her fast enough?
But he couldn’t say any of that. He could only sit there, hands squeezed into fists as he tried to keep his emotions in check.
Sonya was watching him carefully, as though trying to decide if she could trust him or not.
“All right, I guess,” she said at last. “Well…do you still want me to sing?”
“Please,” Davrik got out. Again he had the urge to sweep her into his arms and take care of her—to promise her he would get her out of here and keep her safe forever. But he didn’t know how he was going to manage that, so he kept his mouth shut and waited.
Sonya hummed a little, finding her pitch and tuning her voice. Then she began, her beautiful contralto filling the room.
“Tonight you’re mine, completely…
You give your love so sweetly…
Tonight the light of love is in your eyes,
Will you still love me tomorrow?”
As she soared into the second verse, Davrik couldn’t help joining in. This was one of the songs he had often sung with her, harmonizing as she sang the melody.
“Is this a lasting treasure…
Or just a moment’s pleasure?” he sang with her.
Sonya’s eyes opened wide and she stared at him uncertainly. But ever the consummate professional, she continued singing and Davrik kept singing the harmony.
“Tonight, the light of love is in your eyes.
Will you still love me tomorrow?” they finished together, as they so often had—or as he had with his own Sonya, Davrik reminded himself.
It healed something in his soul to sing with her again. The way their voices melded together, entwining perfectly, had always been a pleasure for both of them. He hoped this Sonya would feel the same way.
When the song ended, she looked at him for a long moment.