by Viola Grace
Naima just had her hand over her eyes as her shoulders shook.
She was suddenly between Torun and Tycho. There was an audible gasp from the folk in the audience. She pressed her hand to Torun’s chest, and when he dipped his head, she leaned back, and the moment he slid one hand to her breast, she reared back and struck him across the jaw with her fist. The auditorium froze. She had just struck the most popular team member on the planet, and he had staggered back. His eyes were blazing as he straightened. “Pardon, Zera. I forgot where we were.”
She put her hand on his cheek. “I know.”
She stroked Tycho’s hand wrapped around her waist. He had not tried to stop her.
The same dark-haired woman raised her hand. “So, you struck him and nothing? You aren’t even getting a charge?”
“If it escaped your notice, I was being subjected to a mild assault. I also have more than a passing familiarity with the team member in question, and he was not going to stop once he made contact, and I was not going to stop him. So, it was best to stop it before it starts.” She flexed her fist. “On the plus side, citizens, he is really fucking solid.”
He lifted her hand to his lips. “Sorry.”
“It’s fine, but I have to work with these people who now not only know that I have sex for money but that I abuse my ex-boyfriend.”
His eyes were hurt. “When did I become your ex?”
“I thought it was when I slept with forty-six of your team members. That does not scream commitment to me.” She sighed. “And now we are discussing this in front of an auditorium.”
He wrapped her in his arms, and Tycho addressed those gathered. “And now we get into the crux of being on the teams. You cannot have a normal romantic relationship. Any woman or man you can be in a relationship with is now a target for criminals, can be used to blackmail or extort your cooperation, and there is no guarantee that as your activation increases, they will be able to withstand it. You can’t have sex with your teammates because it messes up the dynamic, and one of you is usually not really into the other. Your team is your family, and you don’t fuck family. It is lonely, miserable, and you see the best and worst of the people around you. If you develop a craving that isn’t socially acceptable, things get embarrassing, and yes, you will pay for folk like Zera to take you in their arms and tell you that to them, you are normal, desired, and cared for. It is intense after being alone for so long. Being on a team is rewarding, but being with a Blind Date is the best reward ever.”
She smiled and did not tell the audience that Tycho liked to book her on the red days of her cycle if he was in town. Patron preferences were their business. Whatever it took to make them feel normal was normal.
The discussion came to a conclusion, all of the speakers were applauded, and Zera was pelted with questions about Blind Date Corporation by some of the other presenters. Her throat was sore, and her shoulders were tense as she was cornered and asked about services and rates. She told them all the same thing—contact management.
When she had a moment to herself, Alya came up to her. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Um, there is a literal non-disclosure agreement. If Torun hadn’t blown that out of the water, it would have been a shorter lecture.”
Alya blushed. “I just sent my application into Blind Date. Has management thought of going international with it? That way, there would be less stress on the local escorts and stop teams from clumping up.”
“Um, talk to management if you get through the interviews. You are a business major, right?”
“Yes. When I talk to management, I will propose a plan.”
“I think they will insist on you taking on a few dates before offering to make improvements.”
“That is fine if I meet the criteria. I mean, I am good at my combat courses, but I don’t think that I could strike someone.”
“They live in a violent and physical world. A gentle touch is all we can offer, and sometimes that touch has to be wrapped in a fist.”
Alya blinked. “That is really... accurate. Would you help me work out if I got an interview?”
“I would. Is there anything else you would like to know?” Zera smiled.
“How do you just have sex with multiple people? Where does everyone go? How do you know who goes where?” Alya had a shy expression.
“They decide that. You are there to react to what they need. If you feel like kissing, touching, or anything else, do it. Unless you are playing domination games. Then, give them what they are demanding.”
“Wait. Games?”
Zera smiled. “No more unless you get the interview and sign the NDA.”
“Well, can we go for coffee and discuss how long you have known Torun?”
“Oh. That. That is a story. And yeah, that is best told over coffee.”
Alya linked arms with her and said, “Wait, do you need to say goodbye to anyone?”
“Nope. If they need to find me, they can. You don’t even want to know how.”
They walked to the coffee shop down the street and got the only table left at the front of the shop.
Their coffee was brought to them, and they sat there quietly before Alya asked, “So? How did you meet him?”
“I was at an apprenticeship conference in the capitol, and he was speaking. He asked me out to lunch, and someone tried to ram their car into the restaurant. He jumped in front of the vehicle and stopped it and then looked at me with this weird energy in his eyes. It took me a minute to realize he was horny, so I ran my hand up his chest and kissed him. It got a little more graphic from there. The first time wasn’t comfortable, but it was intense. Things got more intense for a while, and then, he suggested sharing me with his team, and I needed a break. I took that break, and when Blind Date opened, I was their first escort. Torun came to me every time he was in town. I got my next client and was very nervous, but I just relaxed and tried to read beyond the briefing. It went smoothly, and he was so happy that he left a review for me on the team chat wall.”
“Oh, wow. They do that?”
“Sure. They rate us while we rate them. It is all fair.” She shrugged. “When you get back, you make a review of the client—failure to disclose details they require in the original request. Like, if someone said they wanted to take a walk by the beach, but what they needed was for you to tread water for forty-five minutes while they gave you oral from under the water. That is a very different requirement, and very different escorts would be offered.”
“Shit. No kidding.” Alya frowned. “I guess that it would be important to make sure that the client is matched to the escort.”
“Critical. The mismatch I mentioned was because a serial killer had slipped through the cracks.”
“What happened to him?”
Zera rubbed the back of her neck. “He didn’t make it and was never seen again. It was recorded in the peacekeeper logs as a noise complaint, and that was that.” She blushed. “The teams don’t like it when someone breaks their toys.”
“Oh, so Torun and the others...”
“No. By that time, I was seeing other clients. It was a different team that came for me. I was no longer strictly in the capitol. I had travelled when needed. I stopped travelling after that.”
“I didn’t know about that. I have known you for years.”
“Remember those three months in second year when my voice was crap and I wore scarves?”
“Oh. Shit. That was then?”
“It was.”
Alya blinked. “How long did it take you to get back in the saddle, so to speak?”
“Six weeks after the attack. I put a disclaimer on my file, and the team personnel understood. They handled me like porcelain for weeks until I grabbed one of my regulars and slammed him through the wall.” She chuckled. “It wasn’t just his eyes that got big that day.”
“It seems pretty violent.”
Zera sighed. “It is like having part of you that you always have to hide set free. The mask le
ts you do whatever you like, and there are no social consequences. If your patron isn’t happy, you just don’t get selected again. His or her review will let other team members know what you are like, so simply be yourself. All of yourself. The anonymity shields you and them. And, as no one knows who you are, you can make as much noise as you like.”
Alya laughed. “That actually sounds nice. I saw there was a note about boyfriends or spouses. Isn’t that illegal?”
“Under the activation occupation statutes, it is legal to restrict the employment to those who are not married or in a romantic relationship. Finding out that anyone has such a relationship is immediate dismissal.”
“Why?”
“Stuff covered by the NDA, but it has to do with all that testing.”
“How long does it take to get a response back?”
“Up to three weeks. What is your activation?”
“Um, physical analytics. I have above-average reflexes and one and a half times my pre-activation strength.”
“Good start. Have you accelerated any training?”
“No, but I am happy to if you will help me work out.”
Zera chuckled. “I don’t work out on site. I to go a private gym. Doing this as a side gig puts a lot of stress on the body, and if I could, I would get myself into one of those fancy places with a big ol’ spa attached just for the massages. It is hard on the body. Don’t get me wrong, it’s like the burn after a hard workout, but it is rough.”
Alya smiled. “So, you didn’t say goodbye to the team today?”
“Nope. They already had me in the spotlight once today... and they are standing right behind me. Aren’t they?”
Alya grinned. “Yeah, they are smiling at your back through the glass. Why does Ryma like you when you aren’t into girls?”
“It is the contact she is after, not the specifics. They are missing touch, and sex is the socially acceptable means of touch for adults.” She finished her coffee and slowly turned around. The team was standing and grinning at her. Torun beckoned for her to come outside, and the patrons of the coffee shop were all abuzz with the presence of the three beings outside the shop.
Zera sighed and grabbed her bag, stalking to the door and coming around to meet the trio. “What? What is it now? Foreplay in the car park?”
Ryma bit the tip of her index finger. “I think that’s a great idea. That dress looks good on you.”
“Sit. Stay. Beg.” She glared at the team member.
Ryma moved toward her and stroked her hip and pulled her in tight. “Please. Please, oh please, oh please.”
Ryma sniffed her neck and shoulder. “You smell amazing today.”
“Um. Okay, this is unusual behaviour for you, Ryma.” She ran her fingers through her companion’s hair and pressed a kiss to the side of her head.
Ryma kissed her slowly, murmuring, “But you smell so good.”
Zera kissed her for a minute until she leaned back. “Do you have something you wanted to say?”
“Oh, yeah, Torun had a thought. He thought you might become more of a target if we were seen with you. So, we are doing that now.” Ryma cuddled close. “You just smell so good.”
Tycho pulled Ryma away, and he lifted Zera against him. “I second the assessment of your scent. You smell amazing.”
She held him as he nibbled and gnawed at her neck. When he actually bit her, she shuddered and felt one of her feet lifting slightly as she hung in his grip. He set her down, and he looked a little drunk. “You taste better than you smell, but let me confirm, lift your skirt.”
“No. Be a good boy, say goodbye, and be on your way.”
He grinned. “I am rarely a good boy.”
“Ah, no, you are a very good boy.” She pressed a hand to his chest and kissed him, tasting her blood in his mouth.
She was pulled away from Tycho, and Torun looped his hands around her hips, pulling her squarely against him. He leaned into her and inhaled. “They are right; you smell better than you did at the meeting. You smell like sex and sunshine.”
She shivered as his lips grazed her ear.
He splayed his hands over her hips, and he chuckled. “Naughty girl, you aren’t wearing panties.”
“Everything was a little hot and swollen. The thought of anything touching me made me intensely uncomfortable. In this dress, no one would notice.”
“I have noticed.”
“Yes, but most folks don’t have your vision.”
“No, I noticed the way you walked. When you aren’t wearing anything, you move with your thighs together. Afraid your honey will run down your thigh?”
“Something like that, also sudden drafts are surprising.”
He chuckled. “So, what would you do if I lifted you up and took you here with fifty people watching?”
“Well, as I work around here, I would have to ban you from Blind Date for making me unable to work at my chosen job.” She stroked his cheeks. “Do you think my scent could be caused by my other issue?”
He shook his head slowly. “No, this is all you.”
“So, when you take your hands off my ass, you are going to leave?”
He nodded. “We have meetings in the capitol that we can’t delay on. So, since they are all staring, shall we make it one for the ages?”
She looked at him and said, “This is going to be your way?”
He nodded and smiled. “It is.”
“Here in front of everybody?”
He grinned. “They need to see that we are individuals with needs.” He slid one hand up her hip and glided it up her back until his hand cupped the back of her skull, and he slowly made a fist in her hair, pulling her head back until she was helpless. His whisper was soft. “Is this how you want it?”
“Yes, sir.”
“I thought so.” His kiss melted her, and she was suspended by his hand in her hair as he kissed her. Her back was arched, and her body hung from his grip. When he had made his point, he slowly returned her to her feet and stroked her hair smooth with his fingers. “I will be in touch.”
She staggered. “Fine, but if I get fired for this, you are off the client list.”
“You won’t be. Our charter has been made clear to the administration. They are going to offer you autonomy to recruit within the program for qualified candidates.”
She stroked the front of his suit. “I am going to have to look for a manager. I really hate that side of things. I think I was just having coffee with a candidate for it. Why did you guys really come out here?”
“If I exposed you earlier, it is time for us to show why you are so very needed and respected.” He stroked her cheek and neck. “This will all even out.”
“I hope so because, right now, I feel like I am trapped in a blender.”
He smiled. “It isn’t nice to threaten me with denial of services.”
“It isn’t nice that you slid your hand into my dress and haven’t even noticed.”
“Who says I didn’t notice?” He thumbed her nipple.
She sighed. “Just go. I have to salvage what is left of my reputation.”
He kissed her softly and lifted her against him.
Out of reflex, she pulled her knees up to either side of his hips. He smiled against her lips, and she curled against him until she pulled away with a sigh. “Well, that blew up in my face.”
“No, but there is a limit to the things I will do with you in public.”
She nipped his lower lip. “Coward.”
He laughed and eased her to her feet. “You are a charming contradiction of emotion and sensuality.”
“I know. Enjoy your time in the capitol.”
He patted her on the backside, and the other two passed her, touching her cheek and arm. When the group left, she could breathe again.
She looked around and saw Alya. Her friend’s mouth was hanging open. She walked back to the coffee shop and picked up another coffee. She looked at Alya. “If you want answers to those questions, we can walk and talk. I
have to get back to my lab.”
Alya scrambled off the chair, and they left to a thin whisper that rose to a roar. This was going to get worse before it got better.
Chapter Six
“What the hell was that? They were looking at you like my mom’s feline looks at fish.”
Zera chuckled. “Apt analogy.”
Alya blinked. “They were all so cocky, they just reached for you, and you went.”
“Yeah. That is how it goes. We aren’t dating. They are authority figures. I already punched Torun once today. I wasn’t going to get off easy the second time.”
“What would he have done?” Alya shivered.
“Public sex was not off the table. Torun likes to get his way. He’s bossy. He also enjoys tying me up so I can’t get leverage. He’s not the only team member like that.”
“Whoa. Okay. So, that is fine. What was Ryma doing?”
“Sniffing me. Apparently, I smell extremely good today.”
“And you let Tycho bite you?” Alya muttered it while they headed back to the research building.
“I taste good, too. He’s a blood drinker. You didn’t think that he got it from stored blood, did you?” She sipped at her heavily sugared coffee.
“I... didn’t think about it, I guess. Does that happen often?”
“Them grabbing me in public? No. This is a first.”
Alya blushed as they headed up the steps. “What was that last kiss?”
“Imagine us naked and extrapolate. He likes to fuck standing up.”
Alya covered her face. “Oh, gods. This is humiliating and so interesting. Thanks for being willing to talk about it.”
“Speaking of talk, if you want to try your hand at being an escort, you are going to have to know how to ask for what you want. So, if you don’t know how you like to be touched, find out. If you know a fast way to cum, share that information. They want you to be pleased with them, so they have a chance at seeing you again.”
She sent the interview letter to Alya while they walked. Being able to use her fingers while talking was another thing that made Zera popular.
They went through the facility and parted ways at the black sector. Zera headed back to Susa’s side, and she sat and sighed while news reports of the shocking behaviour of the team members outside the coffee shop began to scroll through the feeds. “Oh, dear. They are getting into trouble. Yes, I know I shouldn’t be upset, but folks were really shocked by Torun grabbing my hair like that.”