by Olivia Black
“We’re going to head down to the market,” Mark announced, and the energy surrounding the group instantly changed. The men were practically vibrating with excitement. “I want you all to take your time. There’s no rush. Walk around. Pay attention to your surroundings, and stay in the market place.”
Mark took the lead, and they all fell into line behind him.
Aaron crossed his arms over his chest. He leaned his shoulder against Sebastian’s, seeking a small amount of comfort. “I’m scared.”
“We all are.”
“I feel sick to my stomach, and I can’t stop shaking.”
“It’s going to be okay.” Sebastian draped his right arm over Aaron’s shoulders and pulled him in close for a hug. “You’re just nervous because this is a new experience. Trust me. After a few minutes in the middle of the market place, you’ll feel better.”
“I hate to interrupt,” Georgie said, breaking into their conversation. “But you shouldn’t have your arm around him.”
Sebastian sighed. He ruffled Aaron’s curly locks playfully before dropping his arm back down to his side.
“I don’t want you to get into any trouble.”
“I know,” Sebastian told him. “I appreciate you looking out for me.”
He didn’t want to censor his actions or words, but there were rules here he didn’t know or understand. Sebastian didn’t view Aaron in a sexual manner, regardless of what others might think. The man was like a brother, even though they had only just met.
“Come on.” Sebastian bumped his shoulder against Aaron’s. “Let’s go.”
Sebastian stepped onto the conveyor transport device and held on to the railing as it took him down, moving at a steep angle. The group moved from one conveyor to the next as they made their way to the ground floor where the market was located. They drew a lot of attention. Glecerian males walked to the edge of the cavern and stared with avid interest. It was a little unnerving.
By the time they reached the ground floor, Sebastian was completely overwhelmed.
The market was packed with people of all races, not just humans and Glecerians. Aliens from other worlds that Sebastian didn’t know even existed. Aliens with horns and fangs and tails and thick fur all over their bodies, and there were even a few that had different colored skin, like blue and silver. They came in all shapes and sizes, from heavily muscled giants to tiny winged creatures.
The market place was a flurry of activity. It was chaos, but at the same time, it was completely exciting. Sebastian stood frozen, his gaze moving around. Unfamiliar sounds, smells, and sights assaulted his senses. Sebastian peeled his feet off the ground and turned in a slow circle, trying to take it all in.
Each of the stalls offered different products—food, drinks, jewelry, tools, and other odds and ends. Anything a person could desire was found at the market place. Sebastian didn’t recognize most of the wares being sold.
A giant river ran through the center with crystal blue water. Huge wooden boats were tied off on either side of the river, and others simply floated by. Bridges connected at various points, allowing people to move freely from one side to the other. This new world he’d entered was simply amazing.
It took a few minutes for Sebastian to get his bearings enough to realize that he was standing alone. Aaron and Georgie were close by, having a similar reaction.
Mark’s voice rang out above the crowd. “Buy a few trinkets, taste some food, and, above all, have fun.”
Aaron linked their arms together. “I know about the rules, but I don’t want to lose either of you in this crowd.”
“Can I show you guys something?” Georgie asked.
Sebastian nodded. “Sure.”
“Remember what we talked about in the exercise room last night?”
“Yeah,” Sebastian said cautiously.
Georgie arched a brow. “You have to promise to keep an open mind.”
“I’ll do my best.”
“Absolutely,” Aaron agreed, even though he had no idea what their conversation had been the night before.
Georgie took the lead. He strolled straight through the market place, weaving around the stalls, as if he knew exactly where he was going. Sebastian tried to focus on him since he didn’t want to get lost, but he couldn’t stop his eyes from wandering. Everything was new and interesting.
When they finally came out on the other side, Sebastian’s mouth dropped open in shock.
“What is this? What’s happening? Why are they…”
Sebastian wanted to look away. He turned his head, but his eyes wouldn’t cooperate. He couldn’t take his eyes off the scene in front of him. It was amazing yet appalling all at the same time. His brain and body seemed to be working against each other as he tried to figure out exactly what he thought.
There were six men, standing inside glass cylinders. They were naked, nothing hidden from view. Large holes were carved out, further exposing their cocks, in a couple of cases multiple cocks, and asses to be manipulated by the public. There was also a sign on each tube, giving the male’s name and world of origin.
Patrons, if that was what they could be called, were on their knees before the men giving blowjobs, and a few were standing behind the tubes, fucking the men. And others watched, waiting patiently for their turn.
“Oh my God.”
Sebastian immediately covered Aaron’s eyes, hiding the view from his sight. The man giggled as he squirmed, trying to remove Sebastian’s hand so he could see more.
“Oh yeah!” an alien male shouted in pleasure. “Harder. Fuck me harder!” He screamed as he came, shooting copious amounts of blue semen against the glass in front of him.
“Swallow me…” another panted. “Take it all. I’m gonna…”
Their cries of pleasure echoed, bouncing off the cavern walls. And the look of pure bliss on their faces let it be known that they were enjoying their time inside the cylinders.
Sebastian merely stood there with his mouth hanging open and stared.
“Wow,” Aaron panted beside him. “Dear God, where do I sign up?”
Georgie chuckled. “These are the unmated males, although some of them are sex workers from other planets. They come to Glecerus seeking pleasure and money. Either way”—he shrugged nonchalantly—“it’s all consensual and perfectly acceptable.”
“Is it wrong to hope that nobody bids on me?” Aaron asked.
“I guess it’s safe to say that you’re not scared anymore.”
“Hell no.” He spread out his arms and did a little twirl. “I love Glecerus!”
Sebastian shook his head as he watched Aaron’s antics, and Georgie laughed.
“Are you guys ready to go shopping, or do you want to watch for a little while longer?” Georgie asked, shooting Sebastian a sly look.
“I want to get inside one of those things.”
Aaron took a step forward, as if he intended to do just that. Sebastian scoffed. He hooked his arm with Aaron’s and dragged the young man away, ignoring his protests, before that could happen. He had a feeling the Glecerians would gladly take Aaron up on his offer. They had already drawn a small crowd, the males checking them out.
“Wait, I have money!” He pulled the agorot from his pocket, waving the bills around wildly. “Please, put me inside the tube. I want a blowjob.”
“You don’t pay to get inside the cylinder,” Georgie told him. “They pay you.”
Aaron whined pitifully. “That’s even better.”
“Come on.” He gently tugged Aaron’s arm, walking back toward the maze of stalls. “I’ll buy you something.”
“It won’t be as good as a blowjob,” he muttered.
“That’s probably true.”
Sebastian didn’t let go of Aaron until he was sure the other man wouldn’t run off.
They walked slowly, checking out the stalls one by one. There were tools and gadgets, clothing and exotic furs, jewelry and gems, plants and animals, toys for children, and beautiful pieces of art.
And that wasn’t including the section of the market dedicated to food and beverages. The scent of spices hung in the air, enticing his taste buds.
Sebastian kept his hands clasped firmly behind his back so that he wouldn’t be tempted to touch everything.
Sebastian stopped in front of a stall filled with jewelry. Leather cords held artistically woven structures that held different pieces of gem stone. Reaching out, Sebastian ran his fingers over the jewelry, trying to figure out which one he liked the best.
“These are beautiful.”
“Thank you.” The merchant smiled pleasantly.
“Did you make them?”
He nodded. “Yes. My mate and I are both artists.”
“You’re both very talented.”
“Thanks.”
He walked to the other side of the jewelry stall and stopped. Sebastian picked up a necklace and cradled it in his hand. The outside layer of the stone was clear with bright, blue lightning bolts inside. It was spectacular.
“I want this one.”
“That’s a rare stone from the planet of Luglugantu.”
“I love it,” Sebastian said. “How much does it cost?”
Sebastian took out the agorot he’d been given. So far, he hadn’t purchased anything. He’d been searching for a rare treasure, and he’d found it.
“Two hundred.”
He counted out the bills and handed the shopkeeper the agorot. Sebastian was surprised that he still had some money left over. He shoved the remaining bills into his pocket and clasped the necklace around his neck. Looking at the other necklaces, Sebastian found one for Aaron. He knew it wouldn’t replace the blowjob, but it would have to do.
“Sebastian.”
He turned around when he heard his name, searching the crowd, and immediately spotted a familiar face. Sebastian thanked the shopkeeper and strode toward a male he’d seen on the ship.
“Hi,” he said, a smile teasing the corners of his mouth.
“I’m Captain Regin Priq’aq.” He bowed his head. “I transported you here from Earth on the starship. You approached me.”
Sebastian nodded. “I remember you.”
Regin smiled brightly, obviously pleased by Sebastian’s words. “I’m glad you remember me.”
“You’re not an easy male to forget,” Sebastian told him.
“I was wondering if you would tell me why you stepped out of line and approached me. What drew you to me?”
“I wanted to touch you.”
“If that’s true, then why didn’t you?”
“The moment wasn’t right.” And another Glecerian had spoken, ruining the private moment they had been sharing.
“What about now? Is the moment right?”
“Is it all right if I touch you?”
“Yes.” He nodded. “You may touch me anywhere.”
Sebastian couldn’t ignore the invitation. Reaching out, he placed both of his hands against Regin’s chest and slowly moved his fingers over the muscular plane. His skin was soft, but not like silk or granite, like Sebastian had first assumed. It was weird mixture between suede and velvet, and he was warm, really warm.
Touching him was comforting in a way. He wanted move closer. He wanted to rub his body against the man’s chest but somehow found the strength to refrain.
“Do I please you?” Regin asked, his voice rumbling deep inside his chest.
“Yes, you please me. You absolutely please me.”
“I wanted to bid on you. I wanted you to be my mate, but for some reason, I cannot.” He seemed unhappy. “Your number disappeared from the screen. You are no longer available for auction.”
“I don’t really know the details, but I guess there’s going to be a competition for me.”
“Do you know why there will be a competition?” he asked, clearly confused.
Sebastian removed his hands from Regin’s chest. “I just found out that my brother is mated to the High King’s son. So they removed my bidding number from auction.”
“That makes sense.”
“Will you join the competition?”
“Yes,” he grinned. “I will join the competition, and I will win.”
“Good.” Sebastian smiled.
“I wish I could stay and spend more time with you, Sebastian, but it’s not permitted.”
Sebastian looked around and quickly realized that other Glecerian males were staring at them, and none appeared happy. They shot murderous looks in Regin’s direction.
“Why?”
“The unmated Glecerian males are only permitted to interact with the humans during certain events. This is not one of them.”
“Are you going to get into trouble?”
“I do not know.” He shook his head. “But I will gladly accept any punishment if it means I can spend even a moment with you.”
“That’s the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me.”
Regin reached out a hand and caressed Sebastian’s cheek. “I’ll be thinking about you.”
Sebastian wished there was a way for them to spend more time together. He’d like to get to know Regin better, but it seemed that was impossible. Regin was breaking the rules by even having a simple conversation.
Without another word, Regin turned on his heel and walked away. Sebastian stared at his back, watching as the giant male disappeared in the crowd.
Chapter Six
Mark stopped the group outside of the dormitory. He waited until everyone was gathered together before making another announcement. “There will be a special dinner for all of you tonight, a welcoming feast in your honor. The royal family will be in attendance, so make sure you’re all ready to go when I come for you. We don’t want to arrive late.”
The royal family. Sebastian couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He might finally be able to see Jason. He lingered in the corridor as the other men filed inside the dormitory. He knew the rules. He wasn’t allowed to see his brother until he was wearing his mate’s mark, but the dinner tonight changed everything.
Laughter and squeals of joy caught his attention. After all the excitement at the market place, Sebastian wasn’t sure he could handle more, but it seemed the day wasn’t over yet. Stepping inside the dormitory, Sebastian soon found out what all the fuss was about. Presents were placed on various beds, tokens of affection from admirers hoping to become future mates.
Sebastian couldn’t help but wonder if he’d received something from Regin but quickly realized that wasn’t going to happen. He was no longer part of the auction. His number had been removed.
As he walked down the aisle, leading to his bed, he passed Aaron and paused. He couldn’t help but notice how many gifts the young man had acquired.
“It looks like someone’s popular.”
“I can’t believe it.” He shook his head, clearly surprised.
Aaron sat on the edge of his bed. He picked up a wooden box and flipped the lid open, discreetly inspecting the contents. After a couple of minutes, he turned it so Sebastian could see. Inside, tucked between a layer of ultra-soft material, sat a dildo. The cock was ten inches long with ridges and nubs running down the length, and there were small frills along the mushroomed-shaped tip. It was unlike anything he’d ever seen before. The overall shape was similar to a human male’s shaft, but that was where the similarities ended.
“Your pleasure is mine.”
Sebastian jerked his head up. “What?”
“That’s what the card says.”
“Oh.”
Aaron started laughing, “If only you could see the look on your face.”
“I’m sorry.” Sebastian cringed, embarrassed.
Aaron waved his apology away with a flick of his wrist. “You should check out your bed and see if you’ve got an admirer.”
“I’m not really worried about it.”
“Don’t tell me. You’re secretly hoping you end up in the singles dormitory with me, right?”
Sebastian chuckled. “Yeah, that’s it exactly.
”
“Ah-ha! I knew it. I knew I wasn’t the only one affected by the performance we saw.”
“Have fun opening all your presents. I’m gonna take a shower and get ready for the dinner tonight.”
“Okay,” Aaron said. “I’ll see you later.”
Sebastian went to his own bed at the end of the aisle. He’d chosen this spot on purpose because he didn’t want be surrounded by noise when he was used to living in silence. He stopped at the foot of his bed and stared down at a small, slender box. There weren’t any distinguishing marks. It was plain and unassuming.
He opened the black trunk at the foot of his bed and placed all the items he’d purchased inside before closing it. He climbed up onto his bed and crossed his legs. Sebastian picked up the box and lifted the lid. He gasped. Sitting inside was a bracelet made out of multi-colored thread. It was the same bracelet he’d given to his brother when he’d left home. He picked it up as if it were a great treasure, gently cradling it in his palm.
Sebastian ran his finger over the woven threads, and his eyes filled with moisture. Jason.
It was the perfect gift. And it told him everything he needed to know. His brother was here, he was safe, and he knew Sebastian was in Glecerus. Sebastian wanted to wear the bracelet, but the threads were already falling apart, and he was worried it might break. So he placed the bracelet back inside the box and pushed it beneath his pillow for safekeeping.
“Do you have any admirers?”
Sebastian shook his head. “No.”
Georgie sighed. “Me either.”
“I’m sorry, Georgie.”
“Oh well.” He shrugged. “It’s no big deal.”
Sebastian knew Georgie was disappointed. He could see it clearly written all over the man’s face, but Georgie didn’t say anything. He didn’t complain or whine. He simply pasted a smile on his face and changed the subject.
“I’m really looking forward to dinner tonight. It’ll be great to see the royal dining hall. They usually celebrate special functions there so this is a real treat.”
“I wish they would give us something else to wear besides these pajamas,” Sebastian said, pulling at the front of his white shirt. The clothes the Glecerians provided were comfortable, but they didn’t seem appropriate for a dinner with royalty.