But in the end, he’d held her close against his burning skin. She’d heard his heart thumping so rapidly, his skin pouring sweat, that she’d grown alarmed, but Rees had said he was fine—that was normal for him. He’d kissed her hair and soothed her with his touch.
The grass had given Talan a small rash on her butt. That didn’t seem fair, because it wasn’t real grass, but the red and itchy patch was very real.
Rees hadn’t been able to stop laughing.
He’d gone with her to her bedroom, and he’d rubbed cream on her. That had taken care of the rash.
Rees had kept on teasing her, and then Lady Pet had sent for Talan. He’d been reclining on her bed, chuckling as she left.
“So,” Lady Petronella said now. “You’re finished with him?”
A pain pulled at Talan’s breastbone. “Finished?”
“You’ve coupled with him and learned some bed games. Time to send him away and move on, I’d think.”
Send him away. Yes, Talan knew she’d send Rees away after he’d taught her what she wanted to know. But this was too soon.
“I’m not ready yet.”
Lady Petronella gave her a pitying look. “Talan, my dear girl, you knew when you started this that it was nothing more than research. Finding out what it was you were giving up before you decided to become celibate.”
Talan flushed. “That sounds so heartless now.”
“Because you’re an affectionate girl, and it’s natural that you feel some fondness for Rees.” Lady Pet leaned forward, her stiff skirts rustling. “But he is Shareem, Talan. Shareem weren’t made for affection, they were made for sex. Nothing more. Pleasure without attachment. That’s what made them so attractive, and why DNAmo made so much money from them.”
“Shareem can love,” Talan said woodenly.
Lady Pet’s brows arched. “And how do you know that?”
Talan didn’t answer, remembering Rees’s story about how Rio had fallen in love with the highborn Serena, and how she’d broken his heart.
“If Rees told you that, he was lying,” Lady Petronella said. “I know about Shareem, I went with them when I was young, before it was taboo, but even then they were frowned upon. Shareem give pleasure, and that is all. They know their business, but they are hardly like the rest of us.” She sighed. “I always thought it must be nice not to be plagued with certain emotions.”
“They are human,” Talan said stubbornly. “They have emotions.”
Lady Pet patted her knee. “Now, dear, I know how you like to crusade. But Shareem are what they are, and they like it that way. The best thing you can do for them is to leave them alone.”
Her lips were stiff. “You mean, leave Rees alone, don’t you? Let him go.”
“Rees is a level two,” Lady Pet said thoughtfully. “A Shareem might seem affectionate at that level. What I’d like to see you do is go with a level three. Experience it. Then you’ll understand what Shareem truly are.”
Talan’s thoughts flashed to Rio and what he’d said to her in Judith’s bar. It’s surrendering and trusting, letting go. It’s opening yourself. Putting yourself in the hands of another.
She’d already surrendered herself to Rees. What would it be like to surrender to Rio?
Talan shivered. Rio would frighten her. Rees didn’t.
Lady Pet watched her closely. “Does Rees know any level threes?”
Talan nodded. “He does.”
“Well then, there you are. Ask Rees to send his level-three friend to you on his way out.”
Again, Talan was struck with the heartlessness of it. When she’d teasingly mentioned she’d go out with Rio, Rees’s eyes had darkened with jealousy.
Lady Pet was wrong. The Shareem did feel.
“You do want to experience level three, don’t you?” Lady Pet asked. “I assure you, it will be worth it.”
Talan had already learned excitement beyond belief with Rees. The idea that there was more excitement to be had seemed incredible.
“Do this for me,” Lady Pet said. “Being with a level three will also cure you of this idea of affection between you and a Shareem.” She shook her head. “You do take things too far, Talan.”
A little voice inside Talan told her that Lady Pet was right. Talan had allowed herself to care about Rees, which was a foolish thing to do.
When Rees had told her that Shareem could love, he’d been talking about Rio. And maybe Rees hadn’t really understood what he was talking about. If a person couldn’t fall in love, could they understand what it was truly like?
Talan had blurted twice to Rees that she loved him. Both times, he’d simply shrugged it off or told her that he was making her feel like that.
And he probably had been. Shareem could relax a woman, soothe her, make her believe all kinds of things. Perhaps she’d mistaken Shareem skill for affection.
Well, then, Rees wouldn’t mind if she asked to see Rio. Perhaps Lady Petronella was wise.
Talan looked Lady Pet in the eye. “All right,” she said. “I will send for the level three. I will experience everything. And then I will be finished.”
She rose to her feet, stalked to the door, and went out, without looking back. She heard Lady Pet’s sigh behind her, before the door whispered closed.
*** *** ***
Rees raised his head when he sensed Talan enter the room again.
He wanted her so much, and it was driving him insane. He’d never wanted a woman like this before.
When Talan had looked at him and said I love you, Rees, he’d so wanted it to be true. He was willing to let himself believe it was true, willing to let himself hope.
For now, Rees keep his teasing expression in place, and gave her a smile from where he lounged on the bed. Talan’s nipples were pressing against her thin tunic, hard as little pebbles.
When Rees had first met her, Talan had buried herself under robes. Now she wore the thinnest of tunics as though she weren’t ashamed of her body any longer. As though she knew what she was, and accepted it.
Rees patted the bed. “Come and sit next to me, sweetheart.”
Talan closed the door but didn’t approach the bed. “You have to go, Rees,” she said. “Go back home and leave me alone.”
The joy drained out of the room in a hurry. “Why?” Rees asked sharply. “What happened?”
“Nothing’s happened.” A lie. Talan wouldn’t look directly at him. “But we’re finished, aren’t we?”
“Are we?”
She was beautiful with her hair curling around her face and her folded arms pushing up her breasts. “We are finished, Rees. There’s nothing more you can teach me.”
Rees stood up. “Not quite, Talan.”
“You’re level two. I want to learn level three.”
“You’re not ready for level three.”
“Yes, I am.”
Rees pitched his voice to be soft and seductive, as much as he wanted to shout and rail. “Talan, my innocent sweetheart, you are nowhere near ready for level three.”
Talan knew that. He could tell by the look in her eyes. But something was making her stubborn.
“I would like you to send for Rio. Tell him that I want him to teach me.”
“And you are definitely not ready for Rio.”
“You know everything about me, do you?” she asked, eyes sparkling with anger.
Rees went to her. “Yeah, I do. I know you’re not ready for Rio, so forget about it.”
“I don’t have to do everything you say.”
“Talan, don’t be stupid.”
“And stop telling me I’m stupid!”
Rees put his hands on Talan’s rigid arms, stroked his thumbs across her skin. He felt her soften to his touch, but she remained scowling.
“What’s the matter, baby?” he asked. “What did Lady Petronella say to you?”
Talan’s frown deepened. “She told me I was stupid too. Not in so many words, but she meant it. And she’s right. I am.”
“I
’m glad you admit it. Don’t mess with Rio, Talan. You’ll regret it.”
“Fine, then, don’t send Rio. Find another level three for me.”
His heart beat faster. “Why are you so anxious for level three? What we’ve been doing isn’t good enough for you?”
Rees saw desire well up in her eyes. No, she liked what Rees had done to her. She couldn’t hide that.
“It was fine,” she snapped. “But I want to get on with it so I can be finished and get back to my life.”
“You mean your perfect life of separating your intellect from your body?”
Talan gave him an indignant look. “There’s nothing wrong with that. Plenty of people do it. It’s purifying.”
Rees tightened his grip on her arms. “You’ve just learned to like your body, how to not be afraid of it. Why do you want to throw that away all the sudden?”
“It is not all the sudden. That was my plan all along. Discover the feelings of my body, and then free myself from them.”
Rees’s temper broke through. “That’s it, Talan, rub it in that you’re using me.”
“Isn’t that what Shareem are for?”
Rees stopped, pain knifing his heart. If any other woman had said those words, he would have laughed and said, That’s right, baby, or shrugged it off. It was true, Shareem had been created to be used. They’d been made not to have strong emotions so they wouldn’t care that they’d been made to be used.
That’s where DNAmo had fucked up. You could mess with DNA to suppress chemicals to keep away severe depression and stuff like that. You could mess with DNA to enhance other brain chemicals that made you feel peaceful.
But DNAmo couldn’t suppress all emotion, no matter how much they claimed they could. Shareem had never showed emotion at DNAmo, because what was the point?
If a Shareem let himself be happy or hopeful or like someone too much, he got hurt. Better to act like he didn’t care.
DNAmo thought they’d done something smart. The Shareem learned how to keep themselves detached.
So why hadn’t Rees kept himself detached from Talan? From the minute he’d seen her, he’d been screwed.
The stupid one in this room is me.
And now her I’m done with you, Rees, send in Rio act was really pissing him off.
“If you want a level three,” he said, voice hard, “you don’t need Rio. I’ll do it.”
“But you’re only a level two,” Talan said. She stopped. “Aren’t you?”
“No.”
“What are you then?” she asked.
Rees cupped her shoulders and leaned down to put his face an inch from hers. “I’ll do your level three, little girl. Better say your prayers to whatever gods you like best. They might show you some mercy, because I sure won’t.”
Chapter Twelve
Talan sat alone in her study later that evening, her nerves jumping.
Rees had told her to eat dinner and then rest as much as she could, because she’d need it for the night to come. She’d been far too jittery to lie on her bed and sleep, so she’d risen again, pacing, anticipating.
When Rees had taken hold of her and told her to pray, his eyes had gone Shareem blue all the way across, and she knew she’d just made a big mistake.
The friendly, smiling Rees had disappeared. He’d been angry, and in his anger, he’d let her see the dangerous man behind his smile.
Rio suddenly seemed as playful as a kitten.
Why had Rees lied to her? Why hadn’t he told her he was a level three right away?
Talan thought back and realized, to her chagrin, that he hadn’t actually told her he was level two. She’d assumed it, and he hadn’t corrected her.
She’d been with a level three all along. One who’d been holding himself back.
Oh, crap.
Talan’s pacing took her out of her bedroom. She had a suite of rooms, with a bedroom, bath, and study surrounding a small sitting room. The suite was furnished in simple comfort, the decor changing as Talan had grown from baby, to child, to girl, to woman. She’d always loved her rooms.
Now she barely gave the decor a glance as she entered her study. She sat down in front of her terminal and pulled up all her research on Shareem.
She searched Rio’s name and found him easily. Level three, black hair, blue eyes, fondness for leather. Charming, a DNA programmer had written. He’ll charm a lady right into his handcuffs. And then, watch out. Talan could almost hear the researcher giggling as she wrote it.
She did a search on Rees, and found nothing.
Talan did the search again in several different DNAmo archived databases. She looked under level threes, where she found Rio again, but no Rees.
She looked under level two, just in case. Rees wasn’t there either, nor was he listed as a level one.
He wasn’t listed at all.
Talan frowned at the terminal, puzzled. Rees might have changed his name, she reasoned, when DNAmo went out of business and left Bor Narga.
She brought up a list of all the Shareem and scrolled through them one at a time. Each had a description and a holograph that rose from her holo-pad and turned slowly so she could see the torso of each one. They were all naked, of course.
It was a lovely catalog of beautiful men all available for a lady’s pleasure. Talan wondered what had become of them all.
She scrolled through the entire catalog, but not one of the Shareem was Rees.
Talan sat back. But Rees was Shareem. He had the Shareem eyes and physique, and the Shareem voice and touch. Rio knew he was Shareem, and so did Judith.
So why was he not listed in DNAmo’s databases?
Talan slowly scrolled through DNAmo’s data again, to see if they’d hidden him somewhere. Or perhaps, Rees wasn’t from DNAmo at all. Perhaps some rival company had made him.
But DNAmo’s technology had been highly advanced and very secret. No one could simply make a Shareem in their basement. At least, not without someone on Bor Narga hearing about it.
As Talan picked her way through the databases again, she came to a folder she’d not seen before, which had been buried among unimportant accounting files. The folder was marked Special Projects.
There were two special projects. The first involved the creation of female Shareem, which didn’t seem to have gone anywhere. They’d started too late and had been shut down before they could complete research.
The second special project was labeled R294E8S, and that file was locked and coded.
Talan broke the code on the first try. She stared at the screen, astonished, then she realized that the lock had been time stamped. It would open easily after a certain amount of time had elapsed; in this case, twenty years. Perhaps DNAmo had decided that after that it wouldn’t matter.
Talan opened the files and scrolled through them, her heartbeat speeding as she read.
The R294E8S project had involved the creation of a very special Shareem—one more enhanced, more powerful, and more sexual than an ordinary Shareem. The researchers had been very excited about him, and more than one note claimed they’d make billions from the project.
The Shareem had all been raised like normal children at first—at least, normal children isolated from other human beings. But R294E8S had been isolated even from other Shareem. He’d been an adorable child, the researchers had written, and very smart.
So smart that they’d quickly lost control of him. They’d noted several times in the files their fears that they’d done something beyond the pale, and that they should terminate the experiment. But the researchers hadn’t had the heart to terminate a living, breathing little boy.
As the boy grew older, his powers increased, and when he grew into a man’s body, the researchers began to study him with even more interest.
He is amazingly resilient, one wrote, and changeable as a sandstorm. One minute he’s smiling that incredibly charming smile, the next, he has you on your knees begging him to whip you.
Talan shivered. She scrolled
through the files, one by one, mesmerized.
They’d put R294E8S into many situations to see how he’d react. Sometimes he did nothing but talk, making conversation and joking with those conducting the experiment.
Other times, he’d confound them.
Talan read one account of a female researcher who’d volunteered to go into a holo-room with him. They’d wrapped R294E8S in chains, naked, and dropped him inside.
The researcher had brought a whip with her. They’d wanted to see what R294E8S did when dominated himself.
How he’d gotten himself out of those chains so fast, no one had ever been sure. Before the eyes of the horrified watchers, he’d freed himself and turned the tables on the would-be dominatrix.
He’d made her his willing slave in no time at all. Then he’d messed up the door lock so they couldn’t open the door from the outside.
For two days, R294E8S hadn’t slept or eaten, and neither had the researcher. He’d used the whip and made her obey his every command. She’d done it without fighting him.
One observer had written, I couldn’t look, but I couldn’t look away. I came more times than I can remember, watching him control her, and sex her, and make her do to him whatever he wanted. A secret part of me wished I could trade places with my unfortunate colleague.
At last, R294E8S had opened the doors and strolled away, tossing the whip aside as though he’d done nothing remarkable. He hadn’t even been sweating.
They’d done more experiments, with rather willing volunteers. Sometimes he would do nothing at all, only wander the holo-room in a bored manner, waiting until they let him and the disappointed volunteer out.
Then came the day he’d taken over not only the holo-room, but the entire floor of the compound with two researchers as his captives. He’d told the watchers in the cameras that if they wanted a show, he’d give them a show.
One of captives had written of it shakily in her report notes. He played with us. He stripped us, and whipped us, and made us beg for him. The strangest thing was, I felt no shame—indeed, I was happier than I ever had been in my life. I suspect he has empathic powers to make us feel so.
One day he made me masturbate myself with my marking stylus. I was eager to do so, happy he watched me do it.
Tales of the Shareem, Volume 1 Page 12