Chapter Text
"Ten thousand credits."
Six Turian men nodded in agreement as they placed credit chits down, setting them in the middle of the table. Councillor Sparatus collected them, securing them in a metal box ready to be deposited into an account he had set up especially.
"So, gentleman," Sparatus began. "We are clear on the rules? First man to have sex with Shepard is the winner, and it must be recorded to count."
"Castis, don't you go telling Garrus about this." Oraka swallowed down his glass of brandy before refilling his glass. "He'll just tell Shepard and she'll make our lives a misery."
"Some more than others." Victus threw a pointed look at Sparatus, topping it off with a little smirk.
Castis scoffed. "Garrus would kill me, then Solona would be tell off for being, "disgusting."
It was Oraka who had originally had put forward the idea of the bet. It was during the two year anniversary of the Reaper war ending, and the annual Gala was held at the Citadel. Shepard was there, since she was now a Councillor, she would be in attendance. She turned up, looking very regal and absolutely stunning, so much so that people had trouble tearing their eyes away from her.
At some point during the festivities, Shepard had strolled over to them and shamelessly flirted with all of them. But to Shepard it was just a game, and she enjoyed keeping men, who make their attraction to her known, on their toes. She kept her private life under wraps, but they all knew about a previous fling with a Human male, and a Batarian male from Omega. She was asked in numerous interviews about her love life, but she would always gloss over the question or give vague answers. Many respected her for that. Sometimes, you need something to be private when your life is in the spot light.
"Well, Hello gentleman," Shepard purred as took the bottle of wine Sparatus' hands, and filled up her glass, not even acknowledging his objection. That was pretty much the way she always treated him. Like an annoyance, but it never stopped her from making innuendo-laced jokes at him. "You're all looking very conspiratorial tonight. Have you ever thought about finding some pussy to drown in?"
"And who's dick do you plan on using tonight, Shepard?" Sparatus asked, snatching the bottle back from her. Sparatus used to get annoyed with her jokes, but eventually, he just started to fire jokes back at her. Bizarrely, it made for a good working relationship.
"Oh, wouldn't you just love to know, Councillor." Shepard pressed herself against him. "Still waiting for the day it'll be you?"
"You two should get a room," Victus laughed as he watched their interaction. It would come to no surprise if he found out that they had slept together. He felt his sub vocals quiver when Shepard turned her attentions onto him. Those bright blue eyes always made him something deep whenever they were focused on him.
Shepard slid onto the barstool next to Victus, crossing her legs and giving her Turian company a scintillating view of her legs. Her knee was pressed against Victus leg, but he didn't seem to mind. "If you gentleman don't mind, I'll stick with you for a little while. I've had enough of guys staring at my tits."
"Perhaps you shouldn't have them on display so much." Oraka often found himself drawn to the curves of her Human body. She was made very different from a Turian woman, but like the Asari, Human women had a certain allure to them. It was an allure that Shepard wielded better than any weapon.
"And deny you the opportunity to ogle them? I would never be so cruel."
Oraka stood in front of Shepard, angling his body towards her and rest his arm on the bar next to hers. He gave her the once over, admiring everything about her. He used a single talon gently caress the skin on her upper arm. "Tell me, Shepard. Have you ever thought about fucking a Turian?"
Shepard chuckled warmly, as she refilled her drink. "I have list of Turians I'd like to fuck." That blasé statement immediately caught the attention of rest of the Turians with them. She enjoyed toying them, but she wasn't lying to them. "It changes regularly."
"So…." Chellick started, desperately eager to know who was currently at the top. "Who's in top spot?"
"I'm afraid that is classified information." Shepard slid off the stool, downing her glass of wine, before setting the empty glass back on the bar. "It's been fun flirting with you, but I think the Human guys are getting jealous."
Pallin approached his friends, just as Shepard walked away. He caught the smirk on her face as she approached him. He often had to sit in meetings with Shepard, considering their job roles. He was never the only Turian in those meetings, and he could hear the non-verbal challenging among them. It was evidently clear that most people had an attraction to Shepard in some way, and her relentless teasing didn't help.
"I could have you arrested looking for like that, Shepard." He growled.
"Oh please," she begged as reached up, gently caressed a fluttering mandible. "But just remember, you'll get no confessions out of me. Well, maybe there's a way."
"And what would that be?" He grabbed her wrist away from his face, and forcefully pulled her against him, making her gasp.
"That'll you have to work out for yourself, Venari." Shepard freed her wrist, and blew him a kiss. "I'm sure a capable man like yourself will soon enough."
Pallin watched as she walked away. She always knew how to wind him up, and she seem to enjoy toying with him. He had to admit to himself, he enjoyed it too. He shook his head, and continued over to the bar to his friends. "I gather that Shepard has lit a fire up your asses too?"
"She has an actual list of Turians she'd like to fuck," Chellick told him as he offered his friend and boss a drink.
"That doesn't surprise me." Pallin accepted the drink, and turn to see Shepard among a sea of friends. "I'd sell Palaven to be on the top of that list."
"We all would, Venari," Oraka agreed. "Apart from Adrien."
Victus sighed as the teasing had begun. Back when he had been on the Normandy two years prior, Shepard had made it pretty clear that she was open to any advances Victus might make, but Victus had been completely blind to it. It was only when Garrus had told Victus that Shepard was flirting with him, the penny had dropped. After that, Victus believed his chance had come and passed.
"Just drop it," he warned.
Chellick and Pallin's Omni-tools let out a shrill noise in sync, telling them that a major incident was happening. Pallin responded to the call, getting Commander Bailey. "What is it?" Chellick barked out quickly.
"We have an SOS transmit over the priority channels. It was Shepard, alerting of an attack."
"Send me her co-ordinates."
"Already done."
Pallin rushed quickly to Shepard's location with the others in tow. Guns were drawn before they forcefully open the door of a small apartment near the Presidium. As they entered, it became clear they weren't needed. Shepard had the unconscious attacker on his stomach, kicking a gun across the floor towards them.
"Are you ok?" asked Victus.
"I'm fine," she shrugged. "My friend here, not so much."
Chellick worked to secure the scene as much as he could, although there wasn't much point to it. "Back up is on the way. I thought you always had a weapon to hand, Shepard?"
"Oh, handsome, I am a weapon." She grinned as strolled passed them to the door. "Can give you boys some advice?"
All the men murmured in agreement.
"When it comes to saving a girl's life, it's one of the only times it's perfectly acceptable for you to come early." Shepard give them all a wink and disappeared.
Oraka turned to his companions. "I'll bet any of you a thousand credits that I'll fuck her first."
Victus let out a low, growling laughter. "I'm more than happy to take that bet."
"Me too," Sparatus added. "In fact, I'll be winning those credits."
Now Primarch Victus, General Oraka, Councillor Sparatus, Captain Chellick, Executor Pallin, General Corinthus, Castis Vakarian were agreeing to the bet. It had been a surprised when Vakarian Snr wanted in, considering she had punched him in the face for his barbed comments at Garrus. Apparently, that was what it took for Castis to develop an attraction for Shepard.
It was Oraka who pointed out that Shepard had directly challenged, and aggressively confronted all of them at some point in their interactions with her. It confused all of them at first why they'd be so aroused, and yet so intimidated by the red headed Human. It was the intimidation that was the biggest thrill.
The game was on.