by L. M. Brown
Trix sighed. “I don’t need you to tell me what’s wrong.”
“You don’t?”
“No. I’m pregnant, which I assume was the next possibility you wanted to rule out, right?”
“Yes, it was. How far along are you?”
“Five weeks.”
“Well, congratulations.” Helen smiled at him and patted him on the shoulder. “And the good news is that I have something that should help with the morning sickness.”
Trix ignored her congratulations. Pregnant, with no mate or even a benefactor, he had nothing worth celebrating. “What do you have?”
Helen went into the next room and returned with a small case. “Tablets. Darcy tells me that they work on felines just as they do on humans. Take one each morning with some water and the sickness should pass.”
Trix took the small bottle from her. The orange tablets inside were even smaller than the seeds that were supposed to have prevented this happening. “They don’t look very big.”
“They don’t need to be,” Helen said. “Here, let me get you some more water and then you’ll see.”
Since he didn’t seem to have any other option but to go along with it, Trix took one of the tablets and popped it into his mouth. He swallowed it down with another drink of water. “How long until I feel better?”
“It should work within a few minutes.”
Trix counted down the seconds and when he stood he was relieved to find that his stomach had settled.
“You keep the bottle,” Helen said. “There should be enough in it to last until the morning sickness stage is over. You have another three weeks of it, right?”
“Something like that. I’m not sure.”
Helen looked at him questioningly.
“It depends what species the other parent is,” Trix explained.
“You mean you don’t know?”
Trix cringed at the blunt question. “I’m a whore, remember?”
“Sorry. I didn’t mean it like that.”
“It’s fine. And I don’t know. If it was the avian, then I’m pretty sure their pregnancies are the same length as the felines. If it was the canine, then it might be longer. I think their pregnancies last seven months, rather than six.”
“I’ll take your word for it. Now, you’ve probably missed the presentation in the theatre, so how about I help you pack up your things and I’ll explain what’s happening on the way to the dock.”
“Pack? What are you talking about? This is my home.”
Helen flushed and wouldn’t meet his eyes. “We’re closing this part of the Pleasure Station down.”
“I don’t understand. You don’t own the Pleasure Station, the insectoids do, and they definitely aren’t selling up. This is one of their most profitable businesses.”
“Not any more. All insectoids on the station have been taken into custody, where they will be transported to Furyne to stand trial for their crimes.”
“You’re talking about the slaves?”
“Yes. Feline laws prohibit the enforced ownership of other beings, as does human law. The station is in feline territory, which means they are bound by their laws.”
“But the felines have never bothered about the station before.”
“No, but that’s because they haven’t had the power to take control of the station. With our help, however, things are going to change around here.”
Trix sat on the bed again. “I understand about the slaves being freed, but why do I need to leave?”
“Because prostitution is no longer going to be allowed on the station.”
“Why not? It’s not like most of us are being forced to do this by the owners. We’re here willingly.”
“It’s been decided that the prostitution and slavery aspects of the station are too entwined to keep the former while abolishing the latter. Too many of those customers who seek the slaves will still come here as long as they know that there are prostitutes on the station. We wish to discourage those visitors, and hope that banning prostitution will do this.”
“You do realise what felines live on?”
“Yes, of course.”
“And just how do you expect those of us without mates to feed if we aren’t allowed to barter for our next meal?”
“We’re not stopping you doing that, just not here on the station.”
“Then where?” Trix shouted. “You can’t just come here and throw us all out of our home and expect us to be happy about it!”
“I’m sorry, but the decision has been made. We’re providing transportation to Furyne or one of the nearby space stations. Would you like to return to Furyne, and maybe see your family? I’m sure they’ll be happy to hear about your news.”
Trix snorted and shook his head. “Happy? Oh yes, they’ll be delighted to hear that.”
“I’m detecting a lot of sarcasm.”
“That’s because they disowned me.”
“Because you’re working as a prostitute?”
“No, because I’m dual-gendered. Being a whore is pretty normal for felines, which is why you’ll find that the ones here are going to be really angry at your announcement.”
Helen gestured to the set of drawers. “Come on, let’s get you packed and to the dock. If you don’t want to go to Furyne, there’s a lot of other planets to choose from instead.”
“So, I can’t stay here at all?”
“Do you have another job here at the station? Working in one of the shops or bars?”
“No, but I have covered the bar and most of the gambling tables at one time or another.”
“But you don’t actually have a job working on those?”
“No.”
“Then I’m sorry, but you won’t be able to stay here.”
Trix sighed and wondered how many of his pillows he could carry with his meagre supply of clothing. Maybe four if he was lucky. He picked up the nearest one and threw it across the room.
Helen’s communication device buzzed. “I’m sorry, I’m being summoned for someone else needing medical attention. Are you going to be all right?”
Trix waved her away. “I’m fine.” It was a lie. He wasn’t even in the same galaxy as fine. He was pregnant and soon to be homeless.
Helen disappeared through the door, leaving Trix to fume over the arrogance of the humans. How dare they come in here and throw him out of his home, just because they didn’t approve of the way he earned his keep and cream.
From what Helen had said, they weren’t even open to the idea of discussing options with the felines. So where did that leave him?
Furyne was out of the question, and he had no family on other planets. He rested his palm on his flat stomach. He didn’t, but his babies did.
No!
He halted that thought before he got carried away. Farron would be mated now, and wouldn’t want Trix showing up at his nest.
Port-hopping had been difficult before he came to the Pleasure Station, and he doubted it would be any easier now. Unfortunately, thanks to the humans, he had no other choice.
Chapter Five
Delta docked at the spaceport and stretched his arms over his head. It had been a long journey and had felt even longer, thanks to the absence of company. For someone who had always been a loner, it was strange to be craving the presence of another on his ship.
He had enjoyed taking Farron to Cygon, and not just because of the amount of time they had spent exploring Farron’s newly awakened sexual desires. The avian had been good company too. He was well studied in both arts and politics, and not just those of the avians. For someone on his first journey away from his home world, Farron was well-schooled in the economies of other planets. The gaps in his knowledge appeared to be related to the species themselves. He hadn’t known about dual-gendered felines, and was ignorant about the various ranks of felines and canines. He was also a little naive in his beliefs, but his heart was in the right place, and Delta found he enjoyed talking with Farron as much as bedding him.
The cool winter air felt good on his skin, and the scent of the woods gave him an instant feeling of returning home. If only his family were as welcoming as the land itself.
Inside the building, canines darted back and forth. Delta couldn’t see any avians around, but he could smell one or two had been here recently.
He queued at the main desk, waiting his turn and hoping his next job took his mind off Farron.
A grey and black striped feline caught his eye, and for a moment he thought it was Trix. Then the feline turned and he realised his mistake.
“Oh pull yourself together,” he muttered. “He’s just a whore. He’ll have forgotten you ages ago.”
The line in front of him moved at a slow pace, and Delta found his mind wandering to the night he had spent with Trix and Farron. He had never taken two lovers at the same time before. While canines were often pack animals, they were more likely to be siblings and cousins banding together, rather than multiple mates. In fact, now he thought about it, the law forbidding canines from taking a second mate while the first still lived had only been revoked five cycles ago. Taking more than one mate was something new and daring for the latest generation of canines, but the older ones were far less accepting of such things.
Still, it wasn’t as if Delta had any qualms about rocking the proverbial boat. If he had been the type to follow blindly, he’d be living in the forest community with the most boring canine ever to walk the planet. Speaking of which…
“Good afternoon, Delta. Been anywhere nice?” Gray asked when he finally reached the counter.
“Just in from Cygon.” Delta handed over his identification key.
“Not your usual territory. It says you stopped at the Pleasure Station before that.”
“Yes.” He didn’t bother pointing out that it was none of Gray’s business where he had been.
“Your delivery and pick up records don’t include that particular location.”
Delta wished anyone other than Gray had been on the desk today. “I detoured.”
“You seem to detour there quite a lot.” The accusation in Gray’s tone was matched with a hard glare.
Delta nodded to the board of jobs at the back of Gray. “What do you have for me?”
Gray growled and spun round in his chair. “How about a cargo of fabrics for Falcair? It’s for the royal family, so they’re offering a good price.”
Falcair was in the opposite direction from Lupalia to the Pleasure Station, and Delta had no doubt that Gray had chosen the planet deliberately. “Sounds good to me. When do they need them by?”
“Within eight weeks.”
Delta nodded. It would be a nice easy run with plenty of time for him to deliver.
Gray smiled at him. “My shift finishes soon. I’m sure your parents would like to see you. Your mother was asking whether you’d been back recently only a few days ago. You could stay a week, spend some time with me and your family, and still make it to Falcair with ease.”
“I don’t think so.” Delta held his hand out for his key, newly programmed with his latest job.
“Why not?”
Delta snatched his key back. “You know that would be a huge mistake.”
“How do you know that? You’ve never given me a chance. We could be good strong mates together.”
Delta sighed and shook his head. His parents had pushed him towards Gray for as long as he could remember, but it was never going to happen. He just wished he could convince any of them of that. “We both know that’s a lie. You’re a traditional canine, and I’m… I’m not.”
“Just a drink then?” Gray asked.
Delta pocketed his key. “Fine, one drink, but then I’m heading off-world again.”
Gray’s face lit up, transforming him from plain to intriguing. “Unless I can convince you otherwise.”
“You won’t.”
Delta didn’t give Gray time to argue. He went to the warehouse where the fabric was located and made arrangements to get it loaded onto his craft as soon as possible. The quicker he was off the planet, the better.
* * * *
Delta was on his third glass of the strongest intoxicating drink on offer by the time Gray arrived.
“Why the Pleasure Station?” Gray asked as he joined him. “You know the reputation of the place. It’s full of filthy felines who cat around with anyone and everyone.”
Delta snarled. “You don’t know what you’re talking about. You’ve never even been there.”
“I wouldn’t want to, and I don’t know why you do. Did you fuck any of them?”
Delta took a drink. “Yes.”
“A feline?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Delta shrugged. “Because I wanted to. I liked him.”
“You were sexually attracted to a feline?”
“Yes.”
Gray sneered, reminding Delta of just how different they were. Gray was from a wealthy family. He didn’t really need to work at all, and Delta suspected that he’d taken the job at the depot just so he could keep track of Delta’s comings and goings.
“Trix was fun to be with.” Delta smiled as he thought about just how much fun that night had been. “So was Farron.”
Gray frowned. “You’ve bedded two felines?”
“I’ve bedded more than two, but Farron is actually an avian.”
“How many species have you fucked?”
Delta laughed, perhaps a little louder than he might have, had he not been drinking so much. “I’ve not been keeping count. Do you count all avians as one species, or separately?”
“What?”
“Well, there have been a couple of hawks, Farron is a swan, I’ve hired a few pigeons as co-pilots over the years. They’re all avians, but quite different when you get to know them.”
Gray gaped at him. “But I recommended most of those co-pilots to you.”
“Yes, and I’m very grateful for your assistance. Pigeons are great navigators, and they’re surprisingly adventurous in the bedchamber, too.”
“If you’re so eager to fuck anything that moves, why won’t you stay here and mate with me?”
“Because we’d make each other miserable,” Delta replied.
“You don’t know that. You never gave us a chance.”
Delta finished his drink and waved over at the bartender to bring him another. “What would you say if I told you I fucked Farron and Trix at the same time?”
Gray’s eyes widened even farther. “You’re lying to try to shock me.”
“No, it’s true. I paid for myself and Farron to spend the night with Trix. We spent the whole night pleasuring each other. The three of us. Together. Sucking. Fucking.”
“Stop it,” Gray interrupted. “I don’t want to hear any more.”
“Don’t you? I thought you wanted to know why it would never have worked out between us?”
“I didn’t ask for details of what you’ve been doing with other males.”
Delta smiled and leaned back in his seat. “What would you do if I suggested I take you to bed with another male with us?”
“I’d say no, of course. My mate wouldn’t need another man besides me to keep him satisfied.”
“I hope you find him,” Delta said. “Really, I do. It’s just not me.”
“You’re never going to find a mate, if you keep fucking around with whores and other degenerates.”
“Did you ever think that maybe I’m happy as I am? I don’t want tying down with a mate. I like travelling, meeting new people, and enjoying new experiences, and yes, that includes sexual ones.”
Gray took a drink and grinned wide enough to
flash his fangs. “Take me on as your co-pilot for your next trip.”
“What? But you have a job?”
“I have some vacation time due to me. Long enough for an extended journey to Falcair and back.”
“You’d be bored out of your mind.”
“You don’t know that.”
“You don’t know how to fly a craft.”
“I can learn. You can teach me.”
“Your parents will never let you come off-world with me. You know they don’t approve of me.” Delta had no doubt they had heard the rumours about his tainted blood, though none of them had dared to ask him about it to his face. His parents kept that as quiet as they could, but there was no way that Gray’s parents hadn’t done their research as soon as their precious firstborn had started sniffing around Delta. He wondered how those stories hadn’t made their way to Gray himself. Or maybe they had and he had just ignored them. Delta had no intention of asking.
“They don’t approve of anyone who spends more time off Lupalia than on it. If you would just consider settling down…”
“I don’t want to be stuck on this rock for the rest of my life,” Delta snapped. “I can’t think of a worse fate.” It wasn’t true at all, and he actually had a great fondness for Lupalia, but not if staying there meant being trapped with a mate he didn’t love.
Gray gave him a hopeful smile. “Maybe I’ll enjoy travelling with you.”
“I doubt it.”
“If you don’t let me come with you, we’ll never know.”
Delta downed the last of his drink. “I leave at noon tomorrow. If you aren’t there, I won’t wait.”
Gray appeared so thrilled at the prospect that Delta quickly discarded the fleeting idea of sneaking off the planet overnight.
* * * *
The idea of sneaking off-world without Gray was even more tempting when Delta opened the door to his lodgings near the spaceport and found his parents on the step.
“Well, aren’t you going to let us in?” his mother asked as she swept past him. “Bad enough that we have to find out you’re back on Lupalia from Gray…”
