by L. M. Brown
Farron wandered up and down the rows, scanning every face and checking every set of pointed feline or canine ears. He double-checked every striped feline and every grey canine, but none were Trix or Delta.
When he had gone through the entire hall, he went through it again, twice, just in case he had missed one or both of them.
He was nearing the end of his search when he spotted a familiar face, though it wasn’t one of the two that he most wanted to see. He recalled that Trix had been friendly with the human female, so perhaps she could tell him where to find the feline.
Val was no longer working on the card tables. Instead, she held some sort of tech device and appeared to be engrossed in that. When he got closer he realised that he didn’t recognise the technology, and guessed it must be human in origin. He realised now that the workers in the residential area had been human males, and that there were lots more of them on the station.
“Excuse me, Val?” Farron gave her what he hoped was a non-threatening smile. He remembered that she was on the station against her will, though maybe that was no longer the case.
“Yes?” Val looked up from her device.
“I’m looking for one of the whores who lives here. I think he was a friend of yours. Trix.”
Val’s expression ranged from annoyance, to disgust, to concern in rapid succession. “Trix is gone.” She turned back to her device.
“Where is he?”
“I’ve no idea.”
“I thought you were friends.”
Val glared at him. “So did I. Unfortunately, he decided to leave without even saying goodbye.”
Farron glanced around the hall again, still hoping to see Delta, even if Trix had disappeared. “What’s happened here?”
“The Pleasure Station is now under human management,” Val explained. “My people have liberated the slaves and closed down the prostitution trade. Those who wish to continue to sell sexual favours have gone.”
“But the felines do that to feed.” Farron knew he was pointing out the obvious. He understood now what Delta had meant about Trix being as trapped on the station as the slaves. It was a home for him, and those like him, and the thought of him being out there on a world where the law forbade him to barter for the food he needed, scared Farron.
“No one is stopping them from feeding,” Val replied. “Those with mates who fed privately in their rooms, without exchanging credits, have stayed and are continuing to do their jobs, just like before.”
“And those who have no mate?” Farron glared at her. “What about those who are hungry and offer to suck a stranger’s cock so they can feed from their cream?”
“It’s no longer allowed here on the Pleasure Station. It may change in time, once everyone learns that the slavery on this station has ended, but at the moment the prostitution services are closed.”
“You do realise you’ve sent hundreds of felines out to starve?”
Val returned his glare with one of her own. “It wasn’t my choice to close it down entirely. If I’d had a say in the matter, I’d have at least let those like Trix, who were here willingly, carry on as they were, but my people voted and the majority ruled to ban them.”
“Your people are cruel and heartless.”
“They’re just trying to do the right thing for everyone. They have big plans for the station. The core is going to be turned into a more child-friendly place, with play areas and games and toys.”
Farron snorted. “How nice, but I’m rather more concerned with the unborn ones that Trix is carrying than the hypothetical ones who you want to come here in the future.”
“Trix is pregnant?”
Considering how long it had been since he’d been able to maintain an erection, Farron was almost certain that was the case, but he had no intention of explaining his thought process to Val. “I believe so. That’s why I need to find him, and quickly.”
Val sighed. “Try Furyne. Most of the felines headed back there. I know Trix hated the place, but so did a lot of others.”
“It’s not like you humans gave them much of a choice.”
“I’m sorry. I really thought my people would have voted the other way. Most of the countries on my planet had legalised prostitution centuries ago. I believe that those who had been taken as slaves and forced into prostitution by the station were the ones who convinced the rest to ban it.”
Farron didn’t care who had made the decision. That the arrogant humans could come in here and throw Trix and the others out to starve made him more angry than he could ever remember being. Even if Trix hadn’t been carrying a litter, he would have been furious. “You and the rest of the humans had better hope that nothing has happened to Trix or his babies, because if it has, I’ll bring the wrath of my people down on those responsible.”
Leaving his threat hanging in the air, Farron hurried back to the dock. He guessed he was heading to Furyne.
* * * *
Cheri gave Trix a curious glance as he hid away the tablets that Helen had given him. They were working just as they should, but he was worried about Cheri, or worse Brak, seeing them and asking what they were. If he told them they were to stop sickness it wouldn’t be long before they figured out what it was that was making him sick.
Thankfully Cheri didn’t ask any questions. “We’re docked now. Myton is going to take me shopping for jewellery, and Yori intends to take Brak along to the bar as his lucky feline while he plays some cards.”
“Did Poltan ask for me?”
“No, he said he was going to check for any courier jobs going, then get some food. He said you’re free to do some shopping as long as you’re back here for departure tomorrow.”
Trix supposed that meant Poltan didn’t plan on feeding him today, which meant he would have to look elsewhere for his cream. “Thanks. I think I’ll go buy some new clothes. All mine are like the ones I’m wearing now. If we head anywhere with a cooler climate I’ll freeze.”
Cheri grinned. “I never thought of that. I’ll mention that to Myton and see if he might like to buy me some new clothes too. Do you have enough credits?”
“Yes. I have some savings from a customer with more credits than sense a couple of months ago.”
Cheri winked at him and grinned. “Sounds like your customer was thinking with his cock instead of his head.”
“Yes, but his loss is certainly going to help me now.”
Trix secured his trunk and joined Cheri as they all headed into the spaceport. The first thing he spotted was a large sign prohibiting the feeding of felines in any of the public areas. He doubted Poltan would agree to him bringing another male on board the ship, which meant he would have to risk arrest, or hire one of the cheapest hotel rooms on the station. Unfortunately, even the most dingy were highly priced and would soon eat up his credits.
He parted from Cheri and Myton and headed to the nearest clothing store. Maybe he could even slip a few pregnancy wear outfits into his purchases without Brak and Cheri noticing. He would need them sooner or later, and he had no idea when they would next be at a spaceport for him to pick some up.
When he left the shop an hour later, he had a new, thicker kilt, two togas, a heated cloak, and two specially designed expanding togas for the pregnant. They didn’t seem that different from the others, so he had hopes that Cheri and Brak wouldn’t recognise them for what they were.
A pastel-coloured sign caught his eye and he debated whether he should take a look inside the shop that sold anything and everything for new babies. Obviously, he couldn’t purchase a crib or anything too bulky, but there was no harm in browsing.
Once inside, he was astounded at the variety of items on display. He checked a few of the prices and cringed. It would clear out all of his credits to buy everything he would need for his litter. He reminded himself that felines, avians, and canines were all known for having large litters, or lays, as the avians called them. He had to multiply many of the prices by however many babies he was carrying. He was going to
be creditless in no time at all.
Poltan and the others were giving them free passage and allowing them to feed, but they weren’t paying them any credits. Trix would have to find another source of income before the birth.
Feeling depressed at the prospect of what was to come, Trix left the shop without buying anything. He wandered round for a while until the pangs in his stomach reminded him that he needed to feed.
The prices of the baby items had killed any notion he had about spending credits on a hotel room. He needed to start being careful and saving credits whenever he could. He reminded himself his new clothes were essentials before he talked himself into returning them to the store.
Trix took a seat in the main concourse and watched people passing by. Every now and then he made eye contact with a male and silently conveyed his interest. One or two appeared to return that interest, only to nod to the no feeding felines sign and carry on about their business.
After some considerable time, when Trix had almost given up hope, a feline sat down beside him and gave him a nervous smile. “You hungry?”
“Yes, are you?”
“Starving. Do you have a room?”
“No.”
The feline’s disappointment in his answer was obvious. “I don’t have the credits to hire one either.”
Trix checked no one official-looking was in earshot. “I saw a quiet alcove over near the docks.”
“It’s risky.”
“Well, if you’re not that hungry, you can always wait until you find someone with enough credits to hire a room.”
“No one has those sorts of funds these days.”
“When did you last feed?”
“Four days ago.”
Trix felt sympathy for the young feline. He had been there too. When he had first left Furyne he had hoped to find a mate to feed him, someone who wasn’t put off by his female parts, but also didn’t treat him as some sort of novelty. Instead, he had wandered around spaceports much like this one, often going for ten days or more without feeding. Back then, there hadn’t even been as many restrictions on felines feeding in public. He didn’t know when other species had begun to take offence at the sight of felines feeding, but it was becoming far too common.
Across the way a female avian bared her breast and guided her baby to it. No one took any notice at all. Outside of a bar, two avians had whipped out their cocks for what appeared to be a comparison of attributes. Again, no one seemed to be bothered.
Yet Trix knew that the moment anyone spotted a feline feeding they would raise a ruckus and make the feline in question feel nothing but shame for something as simple as needing to feed.
Trix sighed and stood. He headed in the direction of the dock. He didn’t check to see if his companion followed. He kept his pace slow, occasionally stalling to check out a window display.
He slipped into the quiet alcove and found it empty. There was a turn a little way down that led into a dead end with nothing but a view port showing the starscape and the queue of crafts waiting to dock. He took in the view, knowing that anyone on the ships was too far away to see him.
A couple of minutes later his companion joined him. He appeared even more nervous now than he had before.
“We’ll be quick,” Trix assured him as he lifted his kilt and leaned back against the wall. He didn’t bother asking for the feline’s name. He didn’t see the point. They wouldn’t see each other again after this.
The feline dropped to his knees and took his cock into his mouth, sucking greedily. Trix stifled his moans as best he could. He didn’t want to draw attention to their activities, and certainly not before he had fed, too.
It didn’t take long for him to spill his cream and his companion lapped up every drop.
Afterwards they switched places and Trix fed as well. He thought he had seen the last of this life when he’d accepted a room at the Pleasure Station. Now he had come full circle and was right back where he’d started.
Or not quite.
He touched his still flat stomach and reminded himself that it wasn’t just himself who needed nourishment now, he had a litter depending on him too.
When he was done, Trix let his companion leave first. He followed a few minutes later, hoping that they hadn’t been spotted.
No one took any notice of him and he headed back to the ship, hopeful of getting a little privacy before the others returned.
Chapter Seven
Two days out from Lupalia and Delta was already regretting his decision to let Gray come along. The canine had no idea about the workings of a spacecraft, and didn’t seem to have any interest in learning.
“No, the blue lever,” Delta barked as he slapped Gray’s hand away from the red one. “Do you want to kill us?”
Gray stuck out his lower lip in a pout. “This is boring. When are we going to pull over and have some fun?”
Delta rolled his eyes. “We’ll stop at a couple of spaceports for re-fuelling, but the first one is still five days away from here.”
“You’ll need to sleep before then, or are you intending to nap here on the flight deck again, rather than join me in a nice warm bed?”
“We’re not going to have sex.” Delta steered them into a queue of spacecraft heading out of the Lupalia territory. He wondered whether there might be some big event happening on Falcair. He couldn’t remember this stretch of space being as busy the last time he had travelled this way. He hoped it eased up soon, or he might find it a struggle to make the delivery on time, and even worse, he’d be stuck with Gray’s complaining for longer.
“Why not? Don’t you find me attractive?”
Having been manipulated into bringing Gray along with him, Delta had no intention of pandering to his ego by flattering him as well.
“Delta? Don’t you?”
“Not particularly, no,” Delta snapped. “I like my males smaller than me. I also like them to obey me.”
“I’m taking orders from you.”
“Not willingly. And I’m not talking about orders on the ship, though the fact that you aren’t listening to me properly then, gives me cause to doubt that you’d obey me in the bedchamber.”
“Mates are supposed to be equal partners.” Gray gave him an annoying, smug look. “It’s part of canine law that no mate takes precedence over the other, no matter their bloodline.”
Delta frowned at the last words. Maybe Gray had been told about his so-called tainted blood. Or perhaps it was just a throwaway comment that meant nothing. “Your strict adherence to canine law is another reason why we would never work as a couple. What would you do if I told you to get on your knees and suck me?”
“What? Now? Here?”
Delta rolled his eyes. “My point exactly. When I asked Farron to do the same he was on his knees with my cock in his mouth quicker than the time it took you to question my order.”
“That wasn’t an order, it was a question.”
“Fine. Get on your knees and suck me.”
“No. Not while you’re being like this.”
Delta nodded. It was the exact response he had been expecting. Gray didn’t have a submissive bone in his body. He would argue up was down and down was up, just to be awkward. On top of that, they had nothing whatsoever in common.
“Do you ever let anyone fuck you?” Gray asked.
“Sometimes.”
“Would you let me?”
They entered open space and Delta switched the ship to automatic pilot. He spun his chair to face Gray. “I’m not the one for you.” He waved at the display outside the view port. “There’s a huge universe out there, with billions of males of countless species. Somewhere out there is a mate who will give you what you need. But it’s not me.”
“It could be.”
“No, it couldn’t. I need a mate whose instincts are to obey me.”
“Then why aren’t you travelling with this Farron, if he’s such a weak-willed specimen of a male.”
“He’s not weak-willed a
t all. He was promised to another, and he went to do his duty and mate with the one who waited for him on his home world.”
“So your ideal mate is one who betrays his mate, too?”
“No, they weren’t mated when he was with me. They had made no promises.”
“Still, they clearly had an understanding.”
“One which allowed for each of them to explore their sexual needs with others before they were bound to each other.”
“But—”
“No!” Delta glared at Gray. “Farron is a fine avian and I’m not going to listen to you disrespecting him. If you keep doing that, I’ll leave you at the next spaceport with a single credit, and you can make your own way home.”
“A single credit won’t get me very far.”
“You’ll have to do what Farron did. Use your initiative and figure out a way to get home.”
“I won’t barter sex for passage home.”
“That’s not what Farron did either.”
“It sounds like he did.”
“I don’t care what it sounds like. If he had said to me that he didn’t want sex, I’d still have held up my end of the bargain and delivered him safely home.”
“Did he know that?”
“Yes, he did.”
Delta waited for Gray to say something else, but he remained quiet. “There was a connection between the three of us. I can’t explain it. I don’t even want to try. It just was. If Farron hadn’t been returning home to take a mate I can promise you that he would be sitting right where you are. No, actually, he wouldn’t. He’d be down on his knees, my cock in his mouth, doing exactly what I asked him to.”
“And where would the feline whore be while Farron is sucking your cock?”
“Wherever he wants to be,” Delta replied. “In my arms, buried in Farron’s arse, or simply pleasuring himself while enjoying the view.”
Gray shook his head. “You paint a nice picture of the three of you, but you know it will never happen. One of your lovers has a new mate and the other is a whore. I wonder how many males the feline has entertained since you left him.”