Chapter 2: A Date with Destiny
Kenya saw Stahma enter the NeedWant and immediately motioned for the beautiful Castithan to meet her around back. Stahma definitely couldn't be here tonight. Stahma understood and left the same way she'd come in. She turned right and went around to the back entrance where Kenya was waiting for her.
"You have to leave, Stahma," Kenya implored. "Datak booked a room here this evening. He's meeting someone later."
"Do you know who he's meeting?" Stahma asked.
"No, but I will absolutely find out. That's why I've kept a vigil at the bar. You have to go home before anyone knows you're here. It's too dangerous."
"Yes, if Datak ever finds out, our lives are over."
"You know, that's just not fair. Why is it okay for him to sleep around, but if you do the same, he has every right to kill you. Does that make sense?"
"No, but it is the Castithan way. Eons of tradition are difficult to change."
"So unfair," Kenya said as a tear slipped down her cheek.
Stahma gently brushed the tear away with her thumb and kissed Kenya sweetly on the cheek.
"It will be all right, Kenya. I'll go home and Datak will never know I was here. I can come back tomorrow. My husband is leaving town for a couple of days."
"Okay, but hurry, Stahma. Datak booked the room for eight o'clock. He'll be here any time now."
"I'm off then. Oh, will you let me know who it is that Datak meets?" Stahma asked.
"Of course I will," Kenya replied, squeezing Stahma's hand tightly before letting her go.
Kenya watched to make sure that Stahma made it back to the main road safety. Then she returned to the bar, keeping a lookout for Datak and his mystery guest to show up.
Datak slept fitfully for the rest of the week. His growing anxiety and mixed emotions over his upcoming rendezvous with Nolan warred with his sense of duty to his family. It was true, he'd had many trysts in the past, but this one somehow felt different, and he just couldn't figure out why. He tried to convince himself not to go, but he was the one who initiated this thing… whatever it was. If he didn't show up, Nolan would probably be pissed off, and in truth, Datak still wanted the Lawkeeper desperately. Their first encounter was nothing more than a tease, simply a tiny, tantalizing moment frozen in time and seared into Datak's brain forever. Besides, he'd already booked a private room at the NeedWant. He paid for the room in full and Datak didn't want the scrip to go to waste. He didn't bother to remind himself that there was really no need to pay for the room. He could have subtracted it from the weekly shakedown, but that was just too easy.
As date night grew closer, Datak's mind imagined what it would be like to have Nolan in an actual bed. He just hoped that he didn't get hit again. That was rather tiresome, but he never thought of Nolan as abusive. So long as the Lawkeeper wasn't angry, everything would be fine. Datak had another stray thought as he was getting ready to leave for Nolan's office. What if Nolan didn't show up? Datak pushed that thought out of his head. The Lawkeeper had better show up unless he wanted an enraged Castithan gangster hunting him down through the streets of Defiance… with a big ass knife. Datak smiled at the thought, despite himself.
When Datak left the house, his wife was nowhere in sight. He felt relieved. That meant that he didn't have to explain anything to her. He slipped out the front door silently and hurried down a back alley that intersected with the main road. As he approached the Lawkeeper's office, he could see a light on inside and movement in front of the window. That was a good sign. Nolan was surely in there. As he got closer, Datak cursed under his breath. Nolan wasn't alone. His Irathient charge was in there with him.
Datak stepped back and moved a little off to the side of the building. A stroke of luck, Nolan was peering out the window, watching the street intently, and Datak took the opportunity to signal his lover. Nolan nodded his acknowledgement and turned away from the window. A few seconds later, Irisa exited the building and headed down the street in the opposite direction of the NeedWant. Datak was sure that Irisa hadn't spotted him.
Datak was about to knock on the office door when it suddenly flew open. "Come on, Datak," Nolan said in a rush, grabbing Datak by the arm, and hurrying him down the street.
"Eager, are we?" Datak asked jokingly.
"Ah, yes, and Irisa is coming back. She just went out to get something."
"I see, but don't worry, she didn't notice me."
"Good," Nolan replied. "Where are we going now?"
"You picked a fine time to ask, when we're almost there."
Datak halted Nolan directly in front of the NeedWant. "We've arrived."
"This might be awkward, Datak. I can't go in there with you. What if somebody sees us?"
"Oh, all right, I'll go in first and head upstairs. You wait here and follow me up in about ten minutes. However, Kenya does know I'm coming. After all, I booked the room from her."
"Swell," Nolan huffed, shaking his head in disbelief. "You don't think she'll be a bit suspicious when you go upstairs, followed by me a few minutes later?"
"What do you care, Nolan. Didn't she dump you recently?"
"She did, but that's beside the point. What if it gets all over town?"
"Again, do you care? I don't. Stahma knows that I have trysts from time to time. Castithan men need variety and a lot of sex."
"So, you told her about us fucking in my office… and the swollen jaw?"
"No, I most certainly did not. Even Stahma isn't that understanding. I don't understand it myself and I was present."
Nolan laughed. "I see your point, Datak."
"This is different, Nolan. I got us a nice, comfortable room, a bottle of wine, dinner later in the evening, and then a bath. This is a respectable affair. Stahma won't have a problem with it."
Nolan coughed, choking on his own saliva. He'd never heard the words respectable and affair used in the same sentence before and he had all he could do to keep from laughing hysterically. Somehow, he barely managed to keep it together and refrained from making a smartass remark. He didn't think the haughty Castithan would appreciate his sense of humor.
"Okay, Datak, you'd better get in there. We're starting to attract attention. I'll follow you in a few minutes."
"Fine," Datak sighed in frustration. There wasn't another soul on the street. Humans, they were so backwards when it came to sex. It was a miracle that they managed to reproduce at all. "I'll see you in a few minutes," Datak said, turning away from Nolan and entering the NeedWant. He turned back for a moment. "Don't lose your nerve," he warned. "I'll be waiting for you in the hallway on the third level."
"Lose my nerve, I'm not going to lose my nerve," Nolan protested to the empty street. "I'll have you know, I never lose my nerve."
"Nolan, who are you talking to?" Tommy asked, sneaking up behind the Lawkeeper unannounced.
"Damn, Tommy, let someone know you're there next time."
"Sorry, Nolan," Tommy replied. "What's up? Why are you standing out here in the street, talking to nobody?"
"I was talking to myself. I do that on occasion. It helps me think. Do you need something, Tommy? Were you looking for me?"
"Ah, nope, I was looking for Irisa. Have you seen her?"
"Actually, she's probably back at the office by now."
"Great, I'm headed that way. Thanks, Nolan. Hey, Nolan, are you going in there or are you just going to stand out here in the street all night and talk to yourself?" Tommy asked with a grin.
"Ha, ha, that's real funny. You should've been a comedian. Get going, Tommy, before I run you in."
"See you, Nolan, and have fun," Tommy replied as he jogged away from Nolan at a brisk pace.
"It's now or never, I guess," Nolan stated to himself with new-found resolve. Putting one foot in front of the other, Nolan walked into the NeedWant, passed right by Kenya without even a hello, and headed upstairs for a date with destiny.
Tommy found Irisa sitting on the desk in the office. She was staring off into space as usual.
"Hey, I've looked all over for you."
"I've been right here, except when I wasn't here," Irisa responded, not bothering to look at Tommy.
"You're weird. Your adopted father is weird. You're all just plain weird," Tommy shouted in exasperation.
Irisa finally looked up, taking note of the irritated expression on Tommy's face. "Why do you think Nolan is weird?"
He's standing out in front of the NeedWant, talking to himself. Don't you think that's weird?"
"No, he has a date."
"I thought he and Kenya broke up?"
"They did. His date isn't with Kenya. It's with Datak."
"Wait, Datak Tarr?" Tommy asked in confusion.
"Yes, Datak Tarr. He was here earlier to pick up Nolan. He hid over by the side of the building until I left."
"Damn, Irisa, and you don't think that's weird?"
"I guess, maybe, but there's nothing we can do about it. I saw it in a vision. Tonight's not the first time. They did it right here in the office last week."
Tommy made several gagging noises before he regained his senses. "Oh my God, what was that, Irisa? Have you ever heard of too much information? I really didn't need to know that. I'll never get that image out of my head."
"Be thankful you didn't see it," Irisa said with a smirk. "Just think how I must feel."
"Christ, I need a drink now. You want to go have a drink?" Tommy asked hopefully.
"Yeah, let's go to the NeedWant."
"Are you crazy, girl?"
"That way we'll already be there if trouble errupts. You know, trouble follows Tarr wherever he goes and I don't want Nolan caught up in it."
"Oh, I suppose you're right. I think Nolan has bitten off more than he can chew this time. Datak Tarr, I just don't see the appeal. He's a damn gangster, for crying out loud."
"Come on, Tommy. All we can do is protect and defend. It's out of our hands. My visions never lie."
"Okay, but things are going from weird to weirder. What's next?"
Irisa didn't tell Tommy what was next. She didn't think he could handle it. If he thought things were weird now, he needed to wait a few weeks.
As Tommy and Irisa left for the NeedWant, her thoughts strayed. She fervently wished that she and Nolan had just went on to Antarctica like they'd originally planned, but it was too late for that now.