“Shit,” Alex muttered, looking around.
“What?”
“I have no furniture. And my account is kind of empty.”
“You can stay in my room until we get you some furniture,” Gordon offered.
Alex turned to smile at him—his first genuine smile since they’d picked him up. Then it fell. “I don’t want to…”
“You don’t have to feed me yet, Alex,” Gordon said. “You clearly need some time.”
“That’s not what I meant.” Alex had wanted to say he didn’t want to be in the way.
“Oh? I should go feed. I’m…I can’t think straight. Here’s my key. I’m in room two oh four.” Gordon handed him the key and made for the door, still with all the bags over his shoulder. Apparently, Alex was staying in Gordon’s room for a while, and if it was the size of Alex’s, they were going to be close. At that moment, Alex didn’t care. All he cared about was that Gordon actually cared about his wellbeing.
Jeff and Peter arrived.
“Alex. What’s wrong?” Jeff rushed to Alex. “Gordon said something’s wrong.”
“My dad. He got really angry when I told him I’d found a job on my own.”
“Oh, shit.” Jeff put his arm around Alex’s shoulders.
“Jeff, do you have a feeder down there for me? I’m in trouble here.” Gordon said.
“Will Sire Jaydon dose me?” Alex asked.
“You’re not sore?” Jeff asked, incredulously.
“From what?” Gordon asked.
Alex felt his cheeks grow warm. “Kaydon.”
“That’s a big cock,” Gordon commented. “Sure you’re not sore?”
“I am, but…” He remembered Gordon being a pretty gentle top. “It’s okay, I can do it.”
Gordon studied Alex as if he was trying to make up his mind whether Alex was being completely honest with him or not. Then he turned to leave, still hauling around Alex’s clothes.
Alex followed, thinking he’d find out how sore he was. Once in Gordon’s room, the Incubus placed the bags by the bed and turned to face Alex who was looking around the room. “Make yourself at home. Get comfy. I’ll go downstairs and hope Jeff has someone for me so I can think straight around you.”
A glance in Peter’s direction told his buddy was not pleased by that announcement.
“Go tell Jay.” Jeff waved him out the door.
Gordon stopped in the door and looked at Alex. “We can make dinner together when I return.”
Alex gave a ghost of a smile and nodded. Gordon and his human friend left.
It was strange sitting in Gordon’s small room. It was the size of Alex’s new room, yet his own looked a lot smaller because it had no furniture to give an idea of what it could hold. Gordon had a big bed, a pretty slick TV stand with a huge TV mounted on it, speakers in the corners, and highchairs by the breakfast bar that divided the kitchenette from the rest of the room. Other than that, there was a decent size bathroom with the, for Incubi toilets, mandatory enema machine, and a shower stall big enough to hold two people.
It wasn’t much, but it covered one’s needs, and it was about the same size as the room Alex had when living with Daniel in his palace.
Jeff stayed, keeping quiet but watchful as Alex walked around and looked at all of Gordon’s things. He stopped by a photo of Gordon and the moving guy Peter. It was taken in the bar, and they were toasting something, both grinning.
“Are they together?” Alex asked, pointing to the image.
“He’s a regular in the know. He was never at the Great House of Dahlidin, so I won’t give it a future if they are.”
Alex felt in the way—especially since there had been such an awkward silence in the truck. Was it because Gordon had said Alex could stay with him until his own apartment was furnished? Would it take time from Gordon and Peter together?
“For how long?”
“Since we began preparing this place. We opened only a week ago.” Jeff got to his feet to come and stand next to Alex. He took the picture from the shelf and studied it a few beats before putting it down again. “This guy honed in on him the second Gordon stepped through the doors. Peter had fed Gordon steadily that week when he discovered the truth.”
“How did he?”
Jeff put a hand on Alex’s back and led him to the bed before he took a seat in an armchair. “Gordon lost his glasses during a fuck.” Jeff cracked a smile, but he didn’t elaborate. “Needless to say, it took a few stiff drinks to explain it all to Peter, but he came back the next day for a chat. A few days later he was back to feed Gordon. He even offered Gordon a job at his one-man moving company after the redecoration was done. An Incubus’ strength comes in handy, I guess.”
“So, I’m kind of in the way staying with Gordon,” Alex concluded out loud.
“No, you’re not in the way. He wouldn’t offer unless he meant it.”
“Doesn’t mean Peter’s gonna like it.”
“Things here didn’t change. The Cubi haven’t changed their ways.” Jeff worried his bottom lip, studying Alex.
“But their surroundings have changed.”
Jeff just nodded. “Look, you get to decide if you’ll feed him while you get settled. I understand that you need a few days, and so does Jay.” Jeff stood. “You and Gordon can go buy furniture tomorrow. Jay’ll write you a check after breakfast.”
Alex smiled. “Thank you, Jeff.”
Jeff smiled upbeat, and it lifted Alex’s spirit a bit. “You’re absolutely welcome, Alex.” Jeff then left Alex with his thoughts.
Chapter Eleven
At high noon, Seldon stood in the Hall of the Grand Council and watched Daniel as he once again stood by a window in deep thought. He wore his makeup that day. Not the artistic kind, nor the flirtatious kind, but the subtle version that polished off his beauty and made him look just out of reach to mere mortals.
Seldon’s heart squeezed at knowing Daniel wasn’t out of reach to him. In fact, since Daniel and Caledon had taken Seldon to bed the evening before, they hadn’t left it until the next morning, and every little caress and kiss and cuddle had made Seldon relax a bit more. Daniel had left for a quick stint to dose Marcadon, and he’d brought snacks into bed and eaten off Caledon’s and Seldon’s bodies. Luckily, it hadn’t been anything that left crumbs to lie uncomfortably on.
Whatever insecurities or fear of pain that had lingered in Seldon’s mind, he felt certain that his lovers had banished it all by focusing on him, his pleasure, his ability to give them pleasure, and his place in their love triangle. Daniel hadn’t shown any hints of jealousy, and Seldon had finally relaxed and fallen asleep spooned between them.
It wasn’t until the next morning that Seldon felt the tension in Daniel again, and Daniel had chosen to talk to him about it that time. Not in detail or anything—he’d just said that he was nervous about the meeting at noon. He wasn’t the only one, yet Seldon had more than four hundred years of experience on him regarding hiding nervousness.
The entire Council was assembled along with all the Royals. Seldon and Caledon had been joined by Roardon, and apparently, the humans hadn’t left him with Elakdon for as long as Seldon had been to flush his system. He still looked under the weather, but at least the poison hadn’t aged him noticeably if at all.
The doors opened, and the Sire from the day before led the naked Changeling in by the arm. Daniel turned, and the feeling of the air growing electric returned, but not the kind that had made Seldon sick to his stomach like the day before. It wasn’t the pure and calming one, either, but it was definitely alive somehow.
Seldon finally noticed the position of everybody in the room. The Council and the Royals made up almost a wide aisle from the door to the platform by the window where Daniel stood. Seldon, Caledon, Marcadon, Roardon, and Aaron stood by the wall to Daniel’s right and looked on as the Sire led the Changeling to approximately six feet from Daniel before he knelt on one knee, taking the Changeling with him to crash ungracefully onto both knee
s.
“Thank you, Sire,” Daniel said.
The Sire stood, physically making sure the Changeling stayed kneeling. The Sire then came to stand next to Seldon.
“In my time as Prince of this Kingdom, I’ve had no dealings with rapists. I’ve had one Cubus who couldn’t figure out boundaries with his breeders, but that’s about it. What you did, however, is an abomination to our kind. It makes me wonder how many people you’ve raped in the line of duty.” Daniel managed not to wring the line of duty out of his mouth, it seemed. The Changeling didn’t answer. “How many?” Daniel asked.
“I didn’t count.”
Seldon glanced at the Sire who looked sour. Maybe because the Changeling didn’t address Daniel correctly, or because he was a rapist.
“Only the two Cubi? Or have you raped other Cubi?”
“No, only those two.”
Daniel’s calm façade faltered a second, but then he squared his shoulders and raised his head. The electric feel of the air in the room intensified. “And humans? More or less than five?”
The Changeling hesitated. “More, I guess.”
“More or less than ten?”
More hesitation. “Less, I think.” The Changeling turned his head as if ashamed, and Seldon thought he saw light bruising on that side of his face. He began looking at the Changeling’s body, finding more, but not pronounced.
“Were you ordered to?”
“Kind of. It was…” The Changeling shrugged. “A tool.”
Daniel drew a sigh. “This case bothers me for two reasons. One, you raped both your own kind and my kind. Two, now you’re my kind.”
“I didn’t ask for that.”
“No! You didn’t! And had I had a say in it, you wouldn’t be,” Daniel sneered. “Nevertheless, you are a Cubus who did something terrible to other Cubi, but you weren’t at the time of doing it.”
Seldon felt floored and hopeful and disgusted all at the same time. What was Daniel saying?
“I have to take into consideration that you were a soldier who…hurt your enemy.”
Seldon’s chest felt tight, and he glanced at Elakdon who stood just a bit taller. He looked…proud?
“You were a very dedicated soldier, I imagine?” Daniel continued.
“Yes, sir,” the Changeling mumbled, and there was respect in that, Seldon guessed, even though he missed the proper titling by a mile. Daniel’s eyes were golden at the moment, not just red or human green.
“I hope you grow into an Incubus just as determined, and one I can be proud of in my Kingdom.”
The Changeling looked up, clearly confused. Glancing around the room, he wasn’t the only one.
“Lord Seldon showed a kind of strength I pride myself in finding in many Cubi in my Kingdom. He’s earned respect from both me and everyone else. Your survival and health after the change is a direct result of his hard work to grow into the respected and honorable Incubus he is today. You put an Incubus of such character through unspeakable torture, and I don’t think you understand what it took for him to show you such mercy. Being of such a young age, I don’t understand it. But I can promise you that you will learn it.
“It is customary for higher levels to dose and thus feed lower level Cubi no later than every three months. You, however, for being capable of such atrocities as a human, will be branded unworthy of rising. You will have to earn the respect of the higher levels so that you may come to respect the difficulties Lord Seldon faced when living up to his place in the hierarchy and feed you. Any Sire or Lord who finds reasons to respect you may report that reason to me. If I find it respect-worthy as well, I will grant permission for them to dose you so you can rise.
“In the meantime, you may only feed on labor slaves, and all feedings will be monitored. Power is what drives rape, I’ve heard, and since you do get some power over the ones you feed from, I’m not taking the chance that you’re one of the failed who can feed from degradation. If that’s the case, you’ll be put down. If not, you get to earn everything you get out of life here.”
Daniel stared at the Changeling who looked like he didn’t know what to say. He kept staring at the ground, still kneeling six feet and two steps below Daniel.
Seldon stared at the Changeling, too, and only by chance did he glance up to find Daniel’s eyes on him. But he looked away like he’d missed Seldon discovering it.
“Mark the Changeling with a steel collar. He may not be publicly ridiculed, but all must make sure he only feeds monitored and on labor slaves.”
“May I remind My Prince that we have only very few labor slaves at this new House?” Grand Lady Geodin asked.
A smile grew on Daniel’s face. “Did we bring the soldiers we caught?”
That got him the Changeling’s attention, and Seldon definitely knew where his loyalties lay. The Changeling sprang to his feet. The air beside him moved strangely, and Guard Lord Afdon and Guard Lady Heldin stepped out. They grabbed the Changeling’s arms to hold him back as he hurled a boatload of insults at Daniel, promising he’d die from starvation before he’d rape any of his fellow soldiers.
“How fortunate for you that you can’t feed from rape, then,” Daniel said, his eyes glowing brightly from anger. “You get to feed from the pleasure you bring them.”
The Changeling kept quiet, quivering in resentment.
“But know this. If you cause raped energy in anyone you feed on, you will be left to die in the agonizing pain you’ve caused. Take him back to his room.”
“Yes, My Prince.” Guard Lord Afdon hauled the impotently struggling Changeling from the Council room.
The Sire was about to follow, but Daniel stopped him. “Sire, please stay. I’d like to talk to you.”
“Yes, My Prince.” The Sire went to stand in front of Daniel. “I’m sorry I didn’t manage to teach him how properly to address you.”
“I didn’t ask you to stay for that, Sire. I didn’t expect you to manage to teach him that in such a short time considering what you had to work with. I need someone to take charge of actually trying to make him work as a Changeling here.”
“The Old house had three trainers of the troublesome breeders who would possibly be the best for the task.”
Daniel smiled, glancing at Seldon.
“Since one of those three is now Lokil-Nol and a victim of the Changeling, I’d like the names of the other two or anyone in this House capable of taking on the assignment.”
The Sire glanced at Seldon, nodding his head in respect. Seldon’s feelings were still in a jumble, and they weren’t quieting down. Daniel hadn’t exacted revenge. He hadn’t even measured out a punishment per se.
“Dad,” Marcadon said, putting his arm around Seldon’s shoulder. “Are you disappointed?”
“No.” And that fact surprised Seldon even more. It wasn’t Daniel’s place to punish a Changeling for what he’d done as a human under a different contract of loyalty, and Seldon hadn’t even thought about that. Daniel had come to that conclusion and only dealt with the personality traits of the Changeling that concerned his Kingdom. And concern him, they should, but once again, Daniel’s ability to punish with insight took Seldon aback. Like it had with Elias.
Seldon needed to sit down. He felt lightheaded all of a sudden.
Caledon stepped in and put his arm around Seldon, too. “Get a chair.”
“Yes, My Lord.” Marcadon left, and Roardon stepped closer.
“Are you okay?”
“I don’t know,” Seldon revealed.
Marcadon returned with the chair, and Caledon let Seldon sit before kneeling next to him, studying him with concern.
Daniel came over and crouched in front of Seldon, his beautiful golden eyes turning green. He looked concerned but not apologetic. “Did you want me to punish him?”
“No, you’re right, it wasn’t your place because you deal with the Changeling, not the soldier.”
“We are allowed to punish transgressions of that magnitude toward our people when done in
tentionally and by a shared nations’ government, soldiers, or workers,” Elakdon said, pushing in to stand next to Marcadon.
“Had he not been a Changeling, I would have, but he is, and I’ll never be petty or vindictive toward my own people.”
“What made you make that decision?” Elakdon asked.
Seldon looked at the King, finding curious amazement there.
“He was a soldier dealing with an enemy. I can’t take away what he was at the time no matter how much I hate him for what he’s done. I worry about a mentality capable of that becoming someone to feed from sex, though.”
“As you should,” Elakdon said.
“Will he live out his life as an unworthy Mingler, then?” Seldon asked.
“When I got here, you saw me as a spoiled brat. What was it you called me? A curling child?”
“But you’re definitely not anymore,” Seldon said, still confused about what he felt about Daniel’s verdict. He clung to the part where Daniel had proven himself above petty revenge because that was the true win in his eyes. He felt proud when knowing that Daniel had come to the conclusion because he tried to be as honorable as he perceived Seldon’s deed in the matter of feeding his rapist.
“No, I’m probably the too lenient Prince not ready to dish out more.”
Elakdon grabbed Daniel’s shoulder. “You showed everybody here that you’re worthy of power because you don’t abuse it for personal gain. I started out lenient, too, but I can promise you I wouldn’t have stopped where you did if I had to dish out that sentence after knowing a thousand years of war between humans and Cubi. Those atrocities mark us. It also gives us the insight to step up punishments without abusing power. It’s a balance we learn the hard way and with time.”
“And that’s my point. We can all change.” Daniel looked sorrowful. “I hope the Changeling can, too.”
Elakdon didn’t look convinced, and Seldon agreed since he too had the life experience to disprove the reality behind the young Prince’s hope.
“What would you like, Seldon?” Daniel sat closer, ending up kneeling between Seldon’s legs.
“I think I just want to go home and relax a while. Unless we have more to attend to, that is?”
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