“Oh, right. There’s another complication… and please don’t breathe a word of this to anyone… I’m in love with Flerrionna.”
“Who’s Flerrionna?”
“She’s the hotel manager here. I’m fairly certain she loves me and we’re planning to go away together when all this is over.”
She snuggled in and nibbled my earlobe. “Is she beautiful? Is she sexy?”
I pushed her away. “I think she is, obviously,” I said a trifle crossly.
“Then I’m very happy for you. I don’t know how to explain this. I belong to you. Whatever you want is fine by me. ‘Your desires are mine. Nothing is taboo.’ That’s literal. If you desire her then I desire her. As long as you make me feel I belong, I’ll be happy. If you were to fall in love with me, that would be an added bonus, but it’s not mandatory. Remember I’m a concubine.” She leaned forward again, breathed hotly in my ear and giggled at my reaction. “You like that idea.”
“Perhaps. But what if Flerrionna doesn’t.”
“Women find me as attractive as men.”
“Oh.” I had a sudden image of her and Flerrionna entwined. “This is all very sudden and I can’t quite get my head round it. I can’t think of a nice way to put this so I’ll be blunt. Right now, you’re behaving like a sex-starved nymphomaniac. Why?”
“Because I am.” She paused, frowning prettily. “Look, I’m highly sexed. I’ve know that for years. But we don’t… release our full potential till we belong, normally through marriage though this concubine thing seems to work equally as well. I’d probably have been the same with my spouse, if I’d been married. Before marriage we experiment. It’s expected; encouraged even. But...” She put a finger on my lips and looked at me seriously. “…you’re the first man to have penetrated me.”
“You were a virgin? I’m sorry. Did it hurt?”
“Hurt? No, it was heavenly. As good as I’d dreamed of. You’re big but that made it even better.”
I breathed a sigh of relief. Silly of me to assume that other species would necessarily have hymens.
“I’m flattered that I should be your first but… somehow I’m missing something. You’ve got me all in a spin. Before I decide anything I need to talk to Flerrionna.”
“We need to talk to Flerrionna,” she said firmly.
Her hand sought me. She kissed my chest and bit my nipples and nibbled my skin until I couldn’t think straight any more, them she mounted me and rode me to oblivion.
Chapter 13
My mind was no clearer the next morning. Events and experiences were piling on top of me faster than I could absorb them. Going with the flow, as Hermes advised, was fine for a while but, sooner or later, you had to stop and regroup. In my naivety I had assumed I’d collect my ship, screw a few girls and be on my way. I hadn’t anticipated acquiring a lover and a concubine, never mind having to design a spaceship. Sadly I had equally limited knowledge about how to deal with any of them. I needed advice. I needed to get away if only for a few hours. I needed some space to stop and think.
I was alone in bed. Jarmasin was up already. She padded into the room, naked. I took a moment to marvel at her tiny perfection and her capacity for sex. I’d woken up in the wee small hours with her mouth doing marvellous things. We’d made love for a third time, more conventionally this time with me on top. It had started out slow and gentle but she was demanding and insatiable and I ended up pounding into her with buttock-tensing ferocity.
She cocked her head and smiled as she noticed my gaze. The smile reminded me of Cherevine’s. I supposed I should be proud of my prowess.
“I’d have made you something only I don’t know how to work your kitchen,” she said.
I laughed. “It’s coded in barbaric English. S’okay, I’ll see to it. What would you like?”
“Just reprogram it and I’ll do it.”
I showed her how to change the settings and chose a full English breakfast. I normally don’t eat much in the morning but, this morning, I was ravenous. She selected something that looked like a croissant. We ate at the dining-room table. We needed to talk but I didn’t know where to begin. She seemed equally awkward. I finished eating and pushed my plate aside.
“Was it all true, then, what you said last night?”
“What makes you think it wasn’t?”
I leaned forward. “There are enough beings round here playing mind games without you joining in. If I’m not convinced that you’re being completely honest, and I’m not, well, bonded or not, you can forget it.”
She studied me. I couldn’t work out what she was thinking.
“It was true.”
“Jarmasin,” I said warningly.
She examined her plate. “It was. Well, most of it was.”
I sighed. “Which bits weren't true? Or would it be quicker to tell me which bits were?”
She glanced up then away and said in a low, flat voice, “I did make a binding oath. I hadn’t meant to but I did. I do feel I belong to you but not to the extent I said. I want to be your concubine and your lover and, dammit, your sex slave… at least partly… maybe not as much as I said. But I’m not irrevocably bound to you. I’ll survive if you tell me to go away. The story of how I got here is mostly true except that I’d already decided that the Lottery Winner would be my first. My father was pressuring me to get married but I don’t like the man he prefers. The problem is there’s nobody I prefer better. I suppose I was doing it to spite him.
“I am over-sexed and I’m not particular…” she pulled a face, “…that’s not right, I’m very particular. What I mean is that if I like someone enough to have sex with them, it doesn’t matter if they’re male or female. I don’t know what it’s like on your world but, at home it’s tolerated, but only just. I really don’t mind that you have a lover and would be happy to share… separately or together. I really like you. I wasn't lying about that. And you really were my first. I want to be with you but I’ll understand if you don’t want me.”
I was silent while I digested her words. They seemed to ring true. Could I really trust her?
“Well,” I said with a sigh, “that clears up some of the things that were bothering me. I wouldn’t object to a three-some; it’s supposed to be the ultimate fantasy of every hot-blooded male, after all, and, besides, I think you’re beautiful and sexy and exotic as I’ve already said. However, the ultimate decision is Flerrionna’s. I’ve no idea whether her sexual preferences run to women so you will have to sound her out. It’s possible that, even if she has no objection in principle, you won’t fancy her or she you. In that case, the deal’s off. Sorry to be so blunt but there’s no point in being coy.”
She gave me a shy smile. “Thank you. It’s more than I deserve, I suppose. I didn’t behave very well.”
“Believe it or not, you behaved a good deal better than many of the beings I’ve met since I came here. You were, at least, honestly lying.”
“How can you lie honestly? Don’t answer that. I don’t think I want to know. Anyway, there’s another problem. How do I get out of my deal with the Lottery?”
I gave her a feral smile. “I don’t think you need worry about that. We know all about you.”
“What?”
I nodded. “I know, as do Sir Devoted-Acolyte and Madam Brabicoso, that there are more than six ringers amongst you. I didn’t know you were one of them but I bet Sir Devoted-Acolyte does.”
“Then why… why was I selected.”
“I think you’ll see why if you think about it.”
She did, frowning attractively as she tried to work it out. “No,” she said at last. “I’m just a girl from the back-of-beyond. I don’t see why.”
“What do you think public reaction would be if they announced that, instead of twenty-three girls there would only be fourteen or seventeen or twenty and the reason was that the others had been evicted because it had been discovered they didn’t meet the requirements?”
“Oh. The media would have a field
day.”
“Exactly.” I poked a finger at her. “And you, young lady, will keep your lips tight shut. Not a word to anyone.”
“Absolutely.”
The communicator rang. It was Hlawch.
“Are you decent?” he said.
“Jesus, is that the time? Give me ten minutes.”
“No more,” he said with a laugh.
“I need to run,” I said to Jarmasin. “Sir Hlawch is downstairs. I’m supposed to open a hospital today.”
“So am I.”
“Shit. How are we going to organise it. I’ll shower first. You pick out something suitable for me to wear. You can shower while I’m shaving then I’ll keep him amused while you get ready.”
She giggled. “I love it when you’re masterful.”
“If I had more time, I’d paddle your pretty bottom.”
“Is that a promise?” She scampered away from my swipe.
I was lathering my face when she came into the bathroom.
“What are you doing?”
“Shaving. In case you hadn’t noticed, I grow hairs on my face and I need to scrape them off.”
“You don’t need to do it like that. There are creams and things.”
“Are there? That’s good ’cos my razor’s getting blunt.”
“I’ll ask.”
Hlawch gave me fifteen minutes.
“You look rushed,” he said with a grin as he entered. “Everything go well?”
“Yes, thank you. Neither of us were enthralled with the food but they made a good effort.”
“I suspected that. Since you raised the suspicion, we’ve been doing some checking. While the events are okay, some of the proposed restaurants are a bit dodgy.”
“Dodgy?”
“Of dubious compatibility with your metabolism.”
“I thought all restaurants had these automatic kitchens that could cater for everybody.”
“It doesn’t quite work like that. Kitchens have a limited capacity both in terms of the menus and the basic ingredients needed to make a meal. Mass restaurants, like those at the airport will store a large number of ingredients but offer a limited choice. Private restaurants specialise in a few, generally related, metabolic groups and offer a wide choice of dishes. That’s where the skill of the chef comes in. Kitchen of the Gods, your first restaurant, specialise in a group very close to yours so they were a natural choice. Last night’s restaurant don’t. You could eat their normal food at a pinch but you’d have to be careful in what you chose. It wouldn’t kill you but you might feel a bit unwell for a few days. There are restaurants where the food would be poisonous to you. That’s why they all have the MBCI they cater for prominently displayed.”
“I see. Do you think it was deliberate?”
“No. Not in the sense of deliberately trying to harm you. Carelessness or simple greed, probably.”
“Thank you, Sir… no, now you’ve unbent I’m coming to like you and I really appreciate your help. May I call you by your given name?”
“I would be honoured. In truth, I’m finding you’re not such an unreasonable being after all.”
I grinned. “So you’re Taragis… is that right?,,, and I’m Crawford.”
“Right. Have you read the speeches I gave you?”
“Haven’t had the time. Anyway I can’t read Capellan.”
“They’re in English.”
“They’re not! That’s clever.”
It was his turn to grin. “If we can put English on a communicator or a kitchen, we should be able to print a bit of paper.”
“Sounds reasonable.”
I found the paper he’d given me and read the proposed speeches. The English was a bit stilted but otherwise they were fine.
“They look good to me. Would it be okay to read them? I’ll never memorise them in time.”
“No-one will expect you to.”
“So can I have them in bigger type so I can read them without squinting?”
“Better than that, I’ll get you magnifying cards. They’re quite small but they magnify the text. Most public figures use them.”
“The wonders of modern science. Go for it.”
He made a quick call then we went through the pronunciation of the names. Some of them were lulus.
“Will we have to make speeches, too?” Jarmasin asked, coming into the room.
Today she was dressed in a simple cream dress with a pale blue pattern here and there. She looked lovely and I said so.
“Thank you,” she said, giving me a smile.
“Another one,” Taragis muttered.
“Pardon?”
He blushed. “Sorry. You weren't meant to hear that. I was commenting that Crawford’s made another conquest. You do look lovely and, in answer to your question, no, you won’t be expected to speak.”
“That’s good. I found, last night, that I don’t like being under the spotlight.”
“I’m afraid you’ll be under it today. The media will be there in force. There won’t be a formal press conference but they’re bound to ask questions. Someone will be with you to fend off the worst ones.”
“Good.”
“Who’s coming?” I asked.
“Well, Madam Yongsam, obviously, and Madam Zvachnica and Madams Severine Domina, Dezeereigh Darling, Nooh and Phalodee Ephrahim.”
I was pleased Cherevine was coming. I hadn’t met the others and their names conjured up no images. “What happens after?”
“You’ve a quiet dinner this evening… a genuinely quiet one with Madam Ymar Kyarm. The owners have specifically asked for no publicity though I don’t know why. It’s a bit out of the way and quite small but it specialises in your metabolic group.”
“That’s a good choice,” Jarmasin said. “Ymar is very shy. She’s a lovely person when you get to know her but doesn’t like the limelight.”
“I’m not too fond of it myself,” I said with a laugh. “Can I have the afternoon off?”
“May I ask why?”
“I just need to get away for a few hours. I’d really like to go outside and get some fresh air but I know I can’t.”
He frowned. “It’s a bit risky for you to be out on your own.”
“I was thinking of meeting some friends.” He raised an eyebrow. “If you must know I want to see Hermes about the ship and my lawyer about a number of things. If it’s any consolation, I’ll be reporting how well things are going. But the main thing is that they’re my friends and I’d like to spend some time with them.”
“I suppose it’ll be all right. I’m not trying to be difficult. I’m thinking of your safety.”
“Am I in danger?”
“No, but if you should be recognised…”
“I’ll wear a false beard.”
Jarmasin giggled. “The mind boggles. You tend to dress soberly. Why don’t you just wear something flamboyant?”
“That would do. I’ll see what I can arrange,” Taragis said. “Okay, you can have your afternoon off.”
“Thank you, O Munificent One,” I said making an exaggerated bow.
“No need to be sarcastic.”
I called Honesty-in-Trust.
“I’m glad you called,” he said. “I’ve been meaning to contact you.”
“Then I’ve saved you the bother of charging me for a phone call.”
“Ouch. Unkind. What can I do for you? That’ll be 25 Pions, please.”
“Touché. Are you free this afternoon? Can you get the gang together? I’ve wangled an afternoon off and I fancy going somewhere where I can see the outdoors even if I can’t be in it.”
“You realise this’ll go on your bill? Yes, I’m free and I’ll round up the others.”
“Can you pick me up from the hospital?”
“So now I’m a taxi service, too?”
“Just do it. You’ll charge me double anyway.”
“For that crack, it’s triple.”
“He probably will, too,” I said as he hung up.
> “Will what?” Jarmasin said.
“Charge me triple for making a crack about money-grabbing lawyers.”
“Serves you right.”
I turned to Taragis with a “what did I say’ expression.
“Oh, no,” he laughed. “You’re not dragging me into this one. If you’re ready, we should go.”
The hospital visit was a roaring success. The staff and patients were overjoyed to have a bevy of beauties visit them. I made my speech and managed to pronounce almost all the names correctly. Thanks to Taragis, I even managed to ask a few moderately intelligent questions and pretend I understood the answers. The media were, for once, friendly and Taragis was careful to point out that the girls’ presence was my idea. At lunch I discussed the effect on the human body of prolonged exposure to x-rays. Or, rather, I didn’t for, other than it was not a good idea, I didn’t really know enough to pontificate. The only slightly sour note was the group of anti-MacAdam demonstrators who gathered outside and shouted and waved banners. They were more of an annoyance than anything and I ignored them.
Afterwards, I slipped away and changed into my ‘disguise’.
“What are you playing at?” was Honesty-in-Trust’s opening comment.
“It’s supposed to be a disguise,” I said crossly for I felt very conspicuous in my baggy lime green pants and top.
“You’re disguised as a fruit, I take it.”
“And you’re not a carnival awning, I take it,” I said, eyeing his orange and blue stripes.
“There’s nothing wrong with my suit,” he said a bit sniffily. “These are this year’s in colours.”
I was about to make a further crack about being in the circus but didn’t. I wanted to relax and a slanging match with one of my best friends was not going to help.
“Truce We both agree my suit’s hideous. Let’s go.”
He had a taxi waiting by a side entrance. The hostile mob were still outside the front, no doubt waiting to harangue me when I left. Actually, calling them a mob makes them sound grander than they were. There were about a dozen of them and looked more like refugees from rent-a-mob than genuine demonstrators.
The taxi took us to a large park, in the middle of which was an open-air café. Hermes and Flerrionna were waiting inside. I kissed Flerrionna briefly. Seeing her again after two days brought home to me how beautiful she was. No, I corrected myself, she wasn't beautiful, not in the way Cherevine was, but there was something about her that went beyond simple physical beauty. She had an air, a quality about her that transcended the physical.
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