Kora Knox couldn’t believe the situation she was in. Two years ago, she had been a regular at her destination, but after a few months, she had relaxed her frenzy of activity and begun to accept that her new capabilities were not going to fade.

Now, she was headed back to the most exclusive brothel in Tormar City, and she had a very specific escort in mind though she had never met him.

She stepped off her transport and tipped her driver. The doorman took her hand and discreetly scanned her identification as he escorted her into the building. “Welcome back, Lady Gamble.”

“Thank you, Nolin. It is good to be back.” She winked at him as she passed the threshold and entered the comfortable and elegant surroundings of the Joshnilin Brothel.

A host smiled and came to greet her. “Lady Gamble, how nice of you to visit us again.”

She smiled, and a servant helped her remove her concealing cloak. “Good evening, Ekkar. How have you been keeping?”

“Very well. Business is brisk. May I show you to a selection room?”

“Please. A glass of loaral juice if you don’t mind.”

He smiled. “We keep it in stock just for clients such as yourself.”

Cyborgs. He meant cyborgs. Joshnilin Brothel was one of the few places that actually catered to those with enhanced strength and senses. The men did as asked and were very eager to please women who could snap them like twigs. It took a certain type of man to face off against those women and raise their game. Of course, most clients were not of a partially mechanical nature, so the escorts received premiums for the cyborgs they serviced.

Kora entered the very luxuriously appointed selection room and she rested on one of the couches, lounging comfortably on one hip while she scanned the three-dimensional offerings of the men available for the evening.

She flicked through the entire menu twice before Ekkar came in with her loaral juice. “Thank you, Ekkar. I have narrowed it down to three.”

“Shall I have them brought in?”

“Please. An image can only go so far.” She twisted her lips into a smile.

“Of course. Enjoy your beverage.” He smiled and inclined his head as he left.

She made her choices carefully and sent them to the summoner’s desk. The juice was perking her up and relaxing her at the same time. The floral flavour rolled over her tongue and down her throat as she swallowed. For cyborgs, who had an anti-rejection drug in their veins, this fruit juice was one of the strongest aphrodisiacs in the Nyal Imperium.

The walls were covered with muted tones and subtle reliefs. It was a pleasant place to spend an evening, very soothing.

She blinked and sat up. Perhaps skipping sleep while the Star Fairy burned through the skies had been a bit of an error.

A knock on one of the rear doors had her lifting her head. “Come in.”

Three men in snug trousers, silvery chains and very little else filed into the room.

She smiled and got to her feet. “Gentlemen, thank you for attending me.”

They all nodded and lined up a few feet apart. Two years ago, she would have taken all three and left them all grinning and wealthier. Now, she ran her hands across their shoulders one by one, finally settling on the Selna. She tapped him briskly on the shoulder, and he inclined his head.

“This way, Lady Gamble.” He extended his hand, and she slipped her fingers against his.

His body was to her normal tastes, well-muscled and elegantly arranged. Nothing would be considered unusual for her to select this male.

He took her up the private lift to his quarters and led her inside. Without another word, he walked across the room, removed his trousers and cuffed himself to the headboard.