by Ravenna Tate
He’d have no trouble going along with the performances from a physical standpoint, and neither would Cord. But what would those performances do to Fallon emotionally? Would she be able to let go as she had today? Or would she tense up because they’d be watched? Would she get hurt because she wasn’t as physically aroused as she’d been earlier? He and Cord would have to make sure that didn’t happen. He would not purposefully hurt her. Never.
He finally drifted off to sleep, picturing her hair, as radiant as the sun, and her eyes as blue as a summer sky. He heard her dusky voice in his dreams, and he felt her soft body next to his.
****
Cord fell into a fitful sleep where Walton and other Tyranns chased him and Fallon down dark corridors that stank of rotting flesh and dried blood. Each time he woke, he checked on Fallon, who was fast asleep on her bed. The third time he peeked in on her, he sat gingerly on the edge of her bed, stroking her hair, but she never stirred.
Memories of what it felt like to hold her and make love to her consumed him. He’d never met a girl like her. How could they ask her to give so much to them in front of a crowd? They wouldn’t see or hear the others watching, but they would know of their existence, just the same. Could she really do this? Cord wasn’t sure he could.
He found a blanket in the closet and covered her with it, and then he went back to his room and tried once more to sleep. He thought about everything Arlo had asked him concerning the note from Cortez. Why hadn’t he tried to contact his cousin? His stupid, stubborn pride had landed him here. He knew that. But he also knew there was no way he could do this long term.
It wasn’t fair to any of them, least of all to Fallon. This wasn’t her home, and it wasn’t her fight. They’d never even asked her if she had family and friends she’d left behind. Of course she would have both, and they were likely worried sick about her by now.
No matter what the Tyranns had done to her planet, it was her home. Not this place. And certainly not this Zoo, where she was now forced to give her body to two strangers. A physical attraction was one thing, and he was grateful for it, but her mind and her heart would never belong to him or to Arlo. It would never belong here. Cord knew he needed to keep this in perspective, and he knew he had to keep a close watch on his own emotions.
He’d had a bad habit of falling hard and fast for women, only to have the relationship blow up in his face. Fallon wasn’t like any of those women in that she actually loved sex, and had taken to the kinky play in a way he’d never imagined possible. But that didn’t mean she’d give her heart to either of them one day.
She was a prisoner here, as were they. He’d better be careful and keep that in the forefront of his mind, before he made a fool of himself. And he needed to figure out a way to contact Cortez. If they had even a shred of hope of getting out of here, it lay with his family.
Chapter Nine
Fallon woke, and this time she knew where she was. Every spot on her body hurt, but it was a sweet ache because it brought with it memories of amazing fucking and impact play she’d experienced with Arlo and Cord. She crawled out of bed and went into the bathroom. What she could really use was another shower, and then some food. She was starving.
After she took a shower, she went in search of Cord and Arlo, and found them in the kitchen making what smelled like eggs and sausage. There was also toast. Was it morning already? How long had she been asleep?
“There she is,” said Cord, pulling her into a tight hug. “We thought you were going to sleep for days.”
“What? Seriously? How long have I been out?”
Arlo pointed toward what looked like a clock, but she didn’t understand the numbers on it. “Almost sixteen hours.”
Fear shot through her like hot pokers, and she pulled out of Cord’s embrace. “So that means … what day is it? How long have we been in these quarters? Is that the right word? I don’t know what to call it…”
Arlo frowned and put down the spatula he was holding to gently cup her face. “It’s all right, Fallon. We’re right here. It’s morning now. Sit down and eat something with us, okay? We’ll explain the clock to you.”
She didn’t answer him because a wave of dizziness washed over her. Cord poured a mug full of dark liquid and placed it front of her. “Wasn’t sure if you drank this or not.”
Fallon inhaled deeply. “Coffee. It’s coffee, right? I mean, the same kind I’m used to?”
He nodded. “Yes, it is. Close enough to the kind you’re used to drinking.”
“Thank you.” She drank half the mug, and the fog began to clear. Arlo placed a plate in front of her, and then one in front of Cord. He filled a third one and then took the empty seat at the table. Fallon tasted the food, and didn’t realize how hungry she was until she began to eat. “What is this? Eggs, right?”
“Yes. They’re similar to the chicken yolks you eat on Earth, and the meat is probably closest to what you call sausage. The animal it came from is similar to a pig.”
She ate like she hadn’t had any food in a week. “Thank you. This is delicious. I feel so foolish for having slept so long.”
“Why?” asked Cord. “You needed it.”
“I wish we could have had more time together before … before we have to perform. Is that tonight?”
He put down his fork and stroked her arm. “It will be okay. We promise.”
She nodded, and returned to her food only because she knew she would need all her strength, and the only thing she’d eaten other than this meal since being brought here was the toast she’d made. The fact that she hadn’t passed out during her marathon sex and play session with these two was a miracle. “So, explain the clock to me. I’m lost.”
“It shows what you call military time,” said Arlo. “The first number indicates the date, and the second is the month. Our months are named differently than yours, of course, but our year is measured in the same number of days as yours. Voyeur Moon, Addo, and Sera all have similar orbits around our star.”
“Do you have a twenty-four hour day, as well?”
“Yes.”
She nodded, now recognizing that it was just after eight in the morning. “When were we brought here? I mean at what time of day?”
“Around nine in the evening.”
She frowned. “It was just after seven when I was taken. How long did it take them to bring me here?”
“We can make the journey in about an hour using our hyper jump technology, but Earthlings would not survive it. That’s why you’re put to sleep. Likely you were woken up just before being brought to this building.”
“That makes sense now. So we’ve been here more than twenty-four hours, then.”
“Yes.”
“Keep eating,” said Cord. “You still look too pale. We will each need our strength and clear minds for tonight.”
Only because he sounded and looked worried did she finish the food they’d made her, and drink more coffee. She was used to caffeine and didn’t want to get a headache from withdrawal symptoms. “So, what do we do with the rest of the day? Just wait?”
“We’ll find something to distract you,” said Arlo.
“How do you know the first performance is tonight? Oh wait, they told me forty-eight hours. Okay. Never mind. That makes sense now. How will we know what time it is?” Her pulse raced, and sweat broke out along her hairline as she tried to push away the image of that room from her mind.
He and Cord exchanged a quick glance, and then Cord rose and picked up a piece of paper from the counter. He placed it on the table next to her plate. “Arlo and I found this when we came in here this morning. We were going to come and wake you up if you hadn’t come out of your room by the time we were done.”
She picked up the paper, but couldn’t read any of it.
“It’s in our language only.” Cord pointed toward the first string of letters and numbers at the top. “That’s today’s date, and the time listed is seven in the evening. I’ll write out the other dates and ti
mes for you later.”
She swallowed hard. “There are so many.”
“Fifty-two,” said Arlo. “And they’re each three days apart. They cover a span of nearly six months.”
Fallon pushed away her plate and then wrapped her hands around the mug, but it was no longer as warm as before. Six months. Six months of performing sex acts with Arlo and Cord like she’d done yesterday, but this time in front of crowds. And that wouldn’t be the end of it. This was permanent. She was here for life.
She wouldn’t be able to see or hear the people on the other side of that screen, but she’d know they were there. And she had to put on an act. She was supposed to pretend these two men were hurting her, and that she wanted to get away from them and from the pain.
Six months.
Only it wasn’t just six months. It was the rest of her life, or until she got too old to do this.
And then what will they do with you?
She found it suddenly difficult to breathe, and was sure she’d throw up the delicious breakfast they’d gone to the trouble of making for her. The room spun, and she had to blink away the spots in front of her eyes. Fallon slid off her chair, and the room tilted. She heard both men yell her name, and then strong arms held her, carrying her into the hallway.
She took several deep breaths, aware of Cord’s and Arlo’s voices over her, but it took a moment before she understood the words. “I’m okay. Just got dizzy. I’m sorry.”
“You have nothing to apologize for,” said Cord. “Do you think you can sit up now?”
She did, and then counted to ten before she was convinced that the sensations were truly gone. “I don’t know what happened.”
“I do,” said Arlo. “You finally realized what all this means, and you fainted.”
“It’s forever,” she whispered.
“We know.” He and Cord exchanged a glance she couldn’t interpret, and then Fallon’s eye fell on the archway they’d had her tied to last night. “Oh fuck. They heard everything last night. Everything we did and said. I just realized that, too!”
“Yeah,” said Cord, giving her a sheepish look. “We were discussing that this morning before you joined us. Sorry. It didn’t occur to us last night.”
“Me either,” she said. “But I’m not upset with you two.” She turned to face them both. “And I don’t care if they hear this. I had a wonderful time with both of you. I wanted you to know that. I have no clue what’s going to happen tonight, but I need you both to know how much I enjoyed what we did. Thank you for being so caring and attentive to my needs.”
“Oh, Fallon…” Arlo pulled her close and stroked her hair. “You’re such a kind person. We should be the ones thanking you.”
She snuggled against his warm body, drawing strength from it. Then she reached over and clasped Cord’s hand. “How long do we have to be in there tonight? I can’t remember.”
“The instructions say two hours. We’re allowed one ten-minute break and we get to choose when it occurs.”
“At least I’ll be able to pee if I have to.”
“And drink water,” said Cord. “We don’t want you fainting.”
Arlo released the embrace and placed a hand on each side of her face. “It’s important that you stay as focused as possible tonight.” He spoke in a low voice, and she wondered if he was doing that to make it difficult for them to hear. “If you show any signs you can’t handle this, they might decide to remove you anyway.”
Fear shot through her, icy cold as if frozen hands had just given her heart a squeeze. She hadn’t considered that her performance had to be convincing, as well as consensual. “All right. But can we do something else today? Something that won’t make me think about it all day long?”
He nodded. “Yes. Cord and I have an idea. Come with us.” They led her to Arlo’s room, and at first she thought they wanted to have sex again, but they sat down on the bed with her and Arlo took her hands. “We have a sliver of hope. At first we weren’t sure whether to tell you about this, but then decided we would.”
“And,” said Cord, “considering you fainted at the mere sight of all those scheduled performances, I think we’re right to let you in on this secret. I have a cousin named Cortez who works on Sera in the Ministry. He has no power over the courts, but he does know I was arrested.”
“What is the Ministry?”
“Oh, sorry. It’s the seat of government for the Regum. Similar to your White House and Capitol building combined, but imagine those places as ruling three planets, not merely your country. Only, now it’s really just two planets. They no longer have much if any control over Voyeur Moon.”
She nodded, and then he continued. “While I was waiting for my sentencing, Cortez sent a note to me through a mutual childhood friend, indicating he’d heard about my arrest, and was going to try to help.”
“Is that why you were sent here instead of being put to death?”
He and Arlo exchanged a quick glance. “I don’t know. My attorney said he was the one who made that deal, but it’s possible Cortez used his influence.”
“Can you ask? Aren’t you allowed to speak with your attorney even though you’re here now?”
“Even if I was, they’d listen. Our laws are not the same as yours in that respect.”
“So what can Cortez do to help you now?”
“I don’t know that either, but I want to try and contact him. I have to do something. We can’t simply endure this without trying to find a way out.”
Overwhelming sadness engulfed her. Of course they’d want to leave. So did she, but this wasn’t her home. She didn’t have a cousin or anyone else who could plead her case. If Cord’s cousin worked for the Regum, surely he could use his influence to get him and Arlo out of here. But he’d never help an Earth woman.
“What did I say to upset you?” asked Cord.
“Nothing. I’m happy for you. I hope it works.”
“Fallon,” said Arlo, “you’re a terrible liar.”
She shook her head. “No, I’m not. Not really. But these conditions seem to have messed up my brain.” She took a deep breath. “Okay. I’m sad because if you two leave, I’ll have to do this with two other men, and I don’t want to.”
I want to be with you two.
She pushed that thought away as soon as it took shape. That was crazy talk. She barely knew them, and this was hardly a relationship that would endure away from these conditions. The chances of all three escaping were probably close to zero, and even if they did, the best she could hope for was that they’d find a way to send her home. And then she’d have to hide for the rest of her life. Whatever this was, she would not be with them if they all got out of here. That was reality, and she had to accept it.
“Excuse me?” asked Arlo. “Do you honestly think we’d just leave you here?”
“What?” She’d been so lost in her own thoughts that she hadn’t heard him.
“I asked if you thought we’d simply leave you here.”
“What else can you do?”
They exchanged an incredulous glance. “Take you with us, of course,” said Cord. “We’re not leaving you to this fate. If we get out of here, you’re coming with us.”
Chapter Ten
Fallon walked into the gaudy red and black room after one of the guards unlocked it. He flipped on the lights, and then Cord and Arlo entered behind her. The men were dressed in nothing but fatigue pants, and they were barefoot. But she’d been given a ridiculous outfit to wear an hour earlier, when two guards had shown up. She was told she’d be given a new one before each performance, because the men were to rip it off her, as if they were raping her.
Based on what they’d all been told in the instructions, she wasn’t surprised by that, but now that the time had come to actually pretend, she wasn’t sure she could do it. They’d spent the day talking and playing cards, but even her interest in learning their games hadn’t lessened her anxiety. She couldn’t even remember what they’d talked about,
and was certain the next time they played cards she wouldn’t remember any of the games they’d taught her today.
The guard pointed toward the arm chair. “Sit there. The men will approach you as if they’ve just come into the room. When the screen rises, the performance will begin. We will be watching and listening in your quarters.”
He indicated a red button on the wall, near the door¸ addressing Cord and Arlo this time. “Push this when you intend to take your ten-minute break. You only get one during the two hours, so use it wisely.”
“And when we’re done?” asked Arlo. “You’ll leave the quarters, right?”
The guard sneered. “Are you afraid we’ll insist on taking a turn with her?”
Fallon closed her eyes as fear rose up once again. When she opened them, Arlo faced the guard, his face red and his hands curled into fists at his side. For a second or two, she was certain they’d start fighting, but then Cord tugged on Arlo’s arm. “Come on. Not worth it.”
“Your friend is smart. Listen to him.”
Arlo finally turned away, and then the guard leered at her for a moment before leaving. The lock on the door clicked home. She took a seat in the chair and tried to stop her body from trembling.
“Sixty seconds.”
She jumped at the voice. Where had it come from?
Arlo pointed toward a speaker in the ceiling she hadn’t noticed before. So, not only would the crowd on the other side of that screen be listening, but the guards could do so, too. They told you they’d be listening and watching, remember?
She couldn’t do this.
“You’re okay,” said Arlo, quietly. “You have your safeword. Just listen to our voices, Fallon. You can do this.”
“We have faith in you,” said Cord. “We know you’re strong enough for this.”
She nodded, unable to speak right now. As the seconds ticked down in her mind, she fought against the tears that threatened. She didn’t want to be here. She wanted to be back home, going to work every day and talking to her friends. She missed them. She missed Jim. She missed sunshine and the smell of fresh air. She missed the park and her favorite bodegas, and she even missed the stench of the East River.
