“Yes, Master.”
They finished up and went to the kitchen where Seldon looked through the messages from the training facility while Daniel made himself breakfast—eggs and toast. He served a cup of coffee for Seldon somewhere along the way.
“Thanks, boy.”
There was no news on the guard, but there was a forwarded message from Caledon with the preliminary results of the trainer’s blood work. His body was fighting something like a virus. That’s all they knew at the moment. They had tried to have a breeder feed him, but it didn’t take. The poisonous breeder was kept alive for now.
Daniel sat, and Seldon admired the naked body out the corner of his eye. Then he remembered the day’s schedule.
“When we’ve eaten we’re going to Provision to look for clothes for you.”
“Yes, Master.”
“What did you dream last night?” Seldon asked, closing the lid on his computer. Daniel looked up from the last few mouthfuls.
“I’m sorry I woke you, Master.”
“No, no, no, what did you dream?”
Daniel put down his fork, an air of despair around him. “I don’t remember it that clearly.”
“Just the parts you do, then. Because you go from piss-scared to secure enough to put on a show while I’m dosed—” Daniel blushed profusely “—to screaming in your sleep that you’re sorry and begging me not to hurt you. Which I haven’t, unless you haven’t noticed. Not since seeing how afraid you were.”
“I have, Master,” Daniel croaked.
“You dreamt about the fingernails again?”
Daniel looked down, slumping in his chair. He finally nodded.
Seldon focused on putting some tenderness to the tone as he spoke. “Answer, please.” Didn’t make a lick of difference. They boy still tensed and looked up.
“Yes, Master. I didn’t mean to.”
“You didn’t mean to have a nightmare? Well, I wouldn’t expect you to. I just wonder why you remained afraid once you woke up.”
Daniel took a deep breath as if gathering courage. Then he sat up straight and leveled his gaze with Seldon. There was the attitude he’d seen that day in the arena. The boy choosing his battles.
“Maldon and I talked about what being an Untouchable is to the Cubi. He told me of the general expectations because he trained one many years ago. He made clear what would be expected from me and…I don’t know how to do a fraction of it.”
“Like what?”
“I look around your place and I see clean, modernized, and expensive. My chores at home were doing the dishes and keeping my room clean, and it was still my mom who did the majority of it. It’s pretty clear you’re a guy with high expectations, and I’m so afraid I can’t do it. Maldon also said I should expect corporal punishment, and I know I can’t live up to your expectations.” Tears formed in the boy’s eyes and his chin wobbled. He sniffed and palmed a tear with irritation.
Seldon stayed quiet to see whether he’d reveal more even though he wanted to put the boy at ease. Not knowing the extent of the conversation between Daniel and Maldon, he had a difficult time doing so, and they’d had about an hour to talk while Seldon and Caledon had played with the breeder.
“I know you won’t hurt me so bad I scar and stuff, but I’m useless, I don’t know what I’m doing, so there’s no way I’m not getting punished a lot if not all the time.”
“And your nightmares were your imagination sent into overdrive,” Seldon concluded.
“Yes, Master. I think so.”
How to deal with this one? Seldon stared out the window, stroking a finger across his chin. Seventy years ago, boys Daniel’s age stormed the beaches of Normandy. Now they weren’t even expected to be able to pack their own lunch before they moved out from their parent’s house.
“Once upon a time, and you have to remember I’m very old. I lived amongst humans when children the age of eleven worked side by side with their parents and were expected to perform at that level. But I have somewhat been able to follow the change of time through what came in with the collected stock. And since TV and the internet were invented I’ve been able to learn a lot more. Let me guess. You’ve never been smacked by your parents for either talking back, being disrespectful in other ways or not done your chores?”
“No, Master, that’s illegal.”
“Yeah, but it works. I’m not saying beat your kids, and they’ll grow up to be respectful citizens, let’s not take it there, but going from that to not disciplining your kids at all is not helpful. Especially not to the kid. You never having any responsibility has taught you that being helpless is okay. Mommy’ll take care of it. And then you end up in a place and a position with a lot of responsibilities. No wonder you crack the first day anyone raises their voice at you. Circumstances like being sold into slavery don't help, I’ll grant you that, but have you ever even had a job? Or was stacking boxes or packing other people’s groceries beneath you?”
Daniel looked horrified but thoughtful.
“Answer,” Seldon said, quietly.
“Never had a job, Master,” Daniel said. “Just…the TV shows and modeling.”
“That’s a job, too, I guess. But normal teen jobs. Was it beneath you?”
“I guess I felt so at the time.”
“Okay.” Seldon thought for a second and figured his point of talking about raising a child to be a responsible adult was more fitting to Daniel’s needs. He’d have to start out doing that before he could expect more. “The Cubi race lives under a very rigid social structure, and everybody starts at the bottom, born or changed. It’s what has kept our race from waging a war amongst ourselves in over three thousand years. The human world doesn’t have that, does it?”
“Yes, Master, but we don’t have titles like here. I don’t think you can compare the two…very different worlds.”
“Oh? Why not?”
“This place is all about sex.”
“And your society isn’t?”
“No.” Daniel pulled a face, making Seldon chuckle. “It’s about achieving one’s dreams and happiness.”
“And this place isn’t?”
Daniel thought for a moment. “What makes you happy, Master?”
“Many little things. I love playing my flutes. I love visiting or having my friends visit. I love when my kids come to visit.”
Daniel blinked. “You have kids?”
“Yeah, Cubi have kids, too. I have three. Two boys and a girl.” Seldon wondered whether he should tell Daniel that he had already met his daughter as she worked with Heimli. He decided against it since it could ruin the mood now that he had the boy talking to him. “My daughter is a Mingler, meaning she still has human eyes so she’s not home a lot. My boys work the red levels.”
“Did…did you ever…spank your kids?”
“Yeah! So did their mothers.”
“What were their chores?”
“All the chores kids usually have. Or should I say are supposed to have. A home is like a miniature society. It’s the training ground for the respect and social skills needed to become a useful member of the big society. If you don’t learn to keep house and take care of yourself at home then how are you supposed to learn it? If you don’t learn how to respect the people you live with at home, be it parents or siblings or the guests of the house, how are you supposed to learn it? At school? Did you respect your teachers when they told you something or did you roll your eyes at them?”
“I respected them…sometimes. When…respect goes both ways and children learn that through communication.”
Seldon figured going into a conversation about child rearing would take them way off topic.
“Let me just stop you right there. We don’t agree, and that’s okay. But my house, my rules. You have to learn the rules of this place, and they’re very different from the world you’re brought up in. Now I just have to find out how best we accomplish that.”
Daniel fell into a contemplative silence which eased Seldon�
��s nerves. The nightmare hadn’t ruined as much of the progress he’d witnessed last night as he had feared.
“I wish you’d explain things to me instead of smacking me, Master.”
“Well, my experience tells me some need it to remember it and conform to it.”
“And the others?”
“What do you mean?”
“Some need it, you say. And the others?”
“Those aren’t my area.”
Daniel nodded, staring at his plate. “If I had been older and just a breeder, would I have been under your area?”
“I don’t think so, no.” The question made Seldon wonder whether Daniel would have been the kind who broke the way he had if he’d just trained with the rest. He certainly wasn’t a fighter, but there were many levels of breeders not willing to cooperate in the transition to their new lifestyle. And it had been many years since Seldon had worked with those and not the ones trying to assault the Cubi who needed to feed from them. So long ago in fact that the conditions couldn’t even be compared.
“Explain things, huh?”
“Like you did with the washing machine, Master. And the titles.”
“Sounds like you want me to be your personal tutor.”
Daniel sighed and slumped, and Seldon was about to reprimand him for being a sulky brat. But instead of just pouting at not getting his way he looked contemplative and Seldon waited it out, reminding himself to give the boy a breather.
“Gordon asked you why you educated me on the titles. You said it’s because you need to make sure I’m not an ingnoranus.”
Seldon smiled. “Amus, not…anus.” And the boy certainly paid attention if he remembered that.
“Oh.” Daniel looked down, but Seldon saw the smothered grin. It suited the boy.
“Do you remember the titles?”
“Yes, Master.”
“Let’s hear them.”
“Yes, Master.” Daniel repeated almost word for word the run through Seldon knew like the back of his hand as he had used that very wording so many times while educating breeders.
“Very good. Let me just think for a second.” Seldon opened his computer and a new document where he began a list of things Daniel could do and what he had to learn. The list would be long and an ongoing project to fill in, but the boy was right. The question about whether he would have been a troublesome breeder or not meant Seldon had to revise his usual methods. Jeff had been right, too. And Seldon’s conclusion of why Caledon had wanted to deny him the honor of training an Untouchable, yet let him anyway, was still good. His Lord wanted Seldon to be able to train all the breeders. He was being pushed to better himself. To learn. To evolve. Maybe the boy could teach him, too?
While Seldon mused, Daniel rose to clear the table and clean the kitchen. Seldon’s attention split between the document and the boy’s ass as Daniel cleared away the skillet and toaster. Other than making the casserole with assistance, eggs and toast was actually the extent of his skills in a kitchen.
The boy’s education to become a partner to a Cubus was his responsibility, and he thought he might just have found the right way when thinking he’d teach him like he had his own kids. They were respectful young Cubi who were respected for their skills. They brought honor to his house and the House of Lord Caledon. Daniel would, too.
Proper food and cooking were one of the earliest things Seldon had done with his kids even after he had stopped eating. If Seldon cooked with him to teach him, would it also make the boy less frightened of him? If they just did stuff together, would it help Daniel?
To become a Cubi partner, the boy would have to learn about the social structure, some of the Cubi history, the compound rules and laws. He could outsource some of the teachings like with the cleaning lady teaching the boy how to clean a house, but the rest would be Seldon’s responsibility, and yeah, that would make him the boy’s personal tutor.
“Okay. Let’s finish up here and find some clothes. We can take care of the laundry when we return because your new clothes need to be washed, too.”
“Why? Aren’t they clean, Master?” Daniel asked.
“No, they’ve been lying in boxes and on shelves to collect dust, been handled by lots of people, and excess chemicals from coloring can irritate the skin. See, this is what your mother should have taught you.” Seldon put away his computer while Daniel finished up. “Oh, and since you like things explained to you, you’ll be reading a lot from now on.”
“Yes, Master.” The boy certainly didn’t sound like that was on a top ten favorite. They went to the bedroom and found clothes and left the apartment. Seldon took him to another green level. They entered something looking like a warehouse full of clothes where they were met by a red-eyed Succubus.
“Sire, can I help you find something?”
“My Untouchable needs clothes in his size.”
She looked over Daniel and smirked. “Right this way.”
“What kind of clothes will I get, Master?”
“Three sets of nice clothes, three sets of comfortable and sturdy to wear when you work at home.” They stopped at a section of nice clothes and Seldon watched the boy inspect the clothes.
“Which ones, Master?”
“Let me see your style.”
“Yes, Master.” Daniel searched more racks.
“He’s polite,” the Succubus commented. Seldon smiled and nodded. He was, but they certainly had to work more on the usage of the word master and Seldon wondered whether the boy just used it as often as possible to not get spanked as Seldon had warned he’d be.
Daniel held up different items and held them against his body. Seldon’s thoughts returned to the cover photo where the boy had worn tight jeans and a leather jacket. The memory of his bedroom eyes accentuated by makeup had his hunger building.
“Got any breeders here?”
“Out back. Help yourself, Sire.”
“Thanks. Daniel, find six sets of nice clothes for me to see. I’ll go feed out back.”
Daniel looked around insecurely, but still said, “Yes, Master.”
“Stay close to him. Don’t touch.”
“Of course, Sire. I’m well fed.”
Seldon nodded and left for the back room where three naked breeders sat around a table and played cards. He couldn’t see their markings clearly from where he stood—only the woman’s and he couldn’t feed on her so it was irrelevant. “Any of you men a receiver for an Incubus?”
“Yes, Sire.” One got up, eying Seldon nervously. Seldon waved him closer and found a jar with lube packages.
“You need to be dosed?”
“Yes, please.”
Seldon cupped the back of the guy’s head and forced his tongue into his mouth, releasing a dose. The man didn’t kiss him back and tried to push away from him. But the dose was delivered, and seconds later the breeder moaned and pressed his erection against Seldon’s thigh.
“Turn around,” Seldon said, ripping the package open to coat his fingers before introducing them into the man’s ass. The breeder ground his ass against the intruding digits, and the arousal level rose for Seldon to feed on. He disliked feeding out like this. He preferred a body he knew how to manipulate to high levels of pleasure. How the energy moved on his body as he fed still indicated what the breeder liked but it wasn’t the same. He steered his cock into the breeder but got no to little satisfaction from it. The quick feed left him with an ejaculation and no thrill, but the prickly hunger sensation on his skin disappeared, and he was satiated for the time being. The breeder collapsed in his own spunk, heaving for air from the decent orgasm Seldon had managed to bring him and thus feed from.
Now to go see what Daniel had found. He found Daniel and the Succubus around the vicinity where he had left them, and Daniel had hung up hangers with sets of clothes.
“Better see them on,” Seldon said. Daniel spun in surprise.
“Yes, Master.” The boy looked around. “Where are the changing rooms?”
“Whe
re you’re standing,” Seldon said. Daniel blushed and glanced at the woman. “Now.”
“Yes, Master,” he croaked and slowly began taking off his shirt. Daniel hurried out of the rest of his clothes and into the first set. He smoothed his hands over the tight, black denim before straightening out the shirt.
“Twirl.”
Daniel did, and Seldon watched how the black fabric accentuated his plump ass and narrow hips. The shirt pooled and stretched just right in the right places and Seldon nodded at the choice.
“I like it. Next set.”
Of the six set, Daniel had found, Seldon loved four, so he let the boy have all four. The rest were blander in design, but he needed something less constricting than the tight jeans he apparently favored. Seldon certainly didn’t complain because the view of his body was spectacular. On their way out, Seldon’s eyes landed on a pair of white leather pants with black seams.
“Hold up,” he said, walking that way. He picked through the rack and found a pair that should fit Daniel. “Try these.”
“Leather?”
“Yeah. I like leather. And lace, but I’m pretty sure you in lace would be a bad idea around me for the next three years.”
Daniel blushed a deep crimson, but set the bags down and shuffled out of the too big sweatpants. He put the leather pants on and Seldon watched. They were too loose. Daniel looked through the pants on the rack and found another set which he tried on while Seldon took care of the others.
“Oh, yeah, keep those on.” Seldon turned to find the woman standing in the other end, talking to another red-eye. He whistled for her, and she came over. “We’ll take these, too.”
She smiled, nodding her head, and plotted something on the screen of her tablet.
“Master, what about this?” Daniel held up a see-through button-down with a tiger striped pattern in it.
“That your style, too?” Seldon asked, amused.
“No, just…figured it’d be your style…for me.”
“That one, too,” Seldon said, thinking he was going to enjoy watching Daniel wear that outfit on dinner-night. The Succubus plotted it into her tablet and smiled.
Untouchable Beauty Page 15
