Chapter Five
L itha enjoyed her food and then amused herself by lighting a tray of extreme-proof alcohol with the flick of a finger.
They offered her one, and she took it, blowing the flame out as a lesson to others before she tossed the shot back. She fought the face she wanted to make, but when she grimaced, the men and women watching laughed.
When her head burst into blue flame, everyone gasped. Litha waited until the alcohol burned off and said, I don t get along with spirits.
Midnight leaned back. So I see. Not a big drinker?
Not unless I want to start a forest fire or signal aircraft. Litha sighed and killed the last of the dumplings on her plate. Whew. That was a good meal.
Midnight settled next to her, and a plate was brought to him. They were sitting in front of most of the items, and he started loading the plate.
He had a mound of food that put hers to shame. He set it between them and started eating, forgoing the fork.
So, what do you do in Aksalla?
Textile creator for actives. I have a degree in chemical engineering and a fondness for fabric.
Interesting. You made the fabric you are wearing?
Yes. That was the reason for my intellectual pursuit. I was tired of ending up naked.
He smiled. Worse for you than for me.
Sure. I don t have waves of swooning members of the opposite sex who have all applied blush and lipstick since you arrived. All cleavage is a few inches higher as well. I am guessing that you get around.
My blood runs hot.
Yeah, I can understand that.
You can?
Sure. I even signed up for the BDC, but all they were able to find for me was a series of tepid dates that just left me frustrated.
He cut off foreplay?
We didn t even hold hands. Everybody there thinks I am going to dose them with radiation. So, I quit and am thinking about quitting my job and retiring to irradiate plants or something. Sorry. I am in a mood.
Enforced celibacy can do that.
That is what the BDC is all about, but they won t pair actives with those that can cause them harm, and what it comes down to is no one trusts me. I didn t have enough funds to become a patron.
Patron?
They are the ones who pay for the dates with the escorts. The funds are used to seek out more and more escorts as they have had a recent tendency to end up in unions, which makes them ineligible to continue in the company.
Interesting. The women survive?
The women are all actives, so... yeah.
His eyes widened as he ate. All of them?
Yup. And preferences are stated in an extensive application, and after some investigation, if folks are accepted, they are very pleased with the services.
Wait, they can reject an applicant?
Sure, if they are too dangerous or violent or want to rut their way through the actives and cause injury. All of those.
And what are the rates?
That depends on what they want to do and to what extent. There are platonic dates or days of bookings. Some even take their favourite escorts to the resort that the corporation owns.
And no one is entangled?
No one is in a registered partnership. That is a huge deal.
She started to pick over his plate and got some slices of smoked meat. She saw his mouth curve in a smile. She mumbled. Wha?
He chuckled. In Erradia, we don t have anything as advanced as an organized corporation for meeting others. It is all trial and error.
She nodded. Well, it must work occasionally. Was your mother an active?
She was a minor active. I was her only child. I was not my father s only child. He had six with six different women.
Litha grimaced. Ick. How many of the women survived the pregnancy?
He looked at her. How did you know?
It s common. The energy of an active wears on the mother, and then the child drains what is left. All life force is pushed into the baby, and it leaves little for the mother. She shrugged. With active women, they have the energy to spare, so more kids. Lots more kids.
How many kids?
She smiled. The current winner is Khytten with a set of triplets and adopted twins. Nelith has been given the title of grandma considering her age.
Five children with one woman? That sort of thing is uncommon.
Yeah, but in most countries, so is screwing your way to a sports team.
He blinked. Right. I suppose not.
How many kids do you have? She was curious.
What?
How many children do you have?
None that I am aware of. I am sure the government would know. Any claims are investigated.
Oh, right.
She nibbled at some of the sliced sausage and then reached for some bread and stacked it. You recovered quickly, Midnight.
Sergei. My name is Sergei.
Okay.
Say it.
Asshole. She stated.
He paused. What?
You gave me an order, and I am far too old for orders.
Sergei stared at her. You think you are old?
I know I am older than most bed bunnies you have been entertaining and most who fawn at you. I am old enough to know that I am past the age of listening to what anyone tells me to do unless I already want to do it.
When did you activate?
Fourteen.
He nodded. You are angry about it?
I hate it. Sure, it has given, but it has also taken far more.
That much I understand. In males, power is encouraged and dealt with with ease. For women, it is like it isn t the same energy, the same methods of control, and the same means of motivation.
Yeah, they tried to give me all the occupations I wanted, but nothing was enough. It took me years before I figured out why. Active drive. After that, my life was hell. She sipped at the strong, sweet mint tea she had been served. But hey. It could have been worse.
He chuckled. I am glad that I can be a cautionary tale.
Music started up, and he grinned. And now the dancing. I hope you are not in a hurry.
She smiled. I can just keep eating.
Her little ballerina friend from the morning was there wearing traditional dress of boots, a long skirt, and an embroidered blouse. The headdress was flowers with ribbons hanging low, and she looked adorable.
She was standing tall, and as the music started, she began a cute hopping step that had her swaying from side to side. Other young women joined, and they danced in patterns that were familiar to everyone watching except Litha. When the men joined, it made her smile, and she watched the very decorous moves happen with minimal contact between the sexes.
Warm breath across her cheek heralded the question. Enjoying the dancing?
I always do.
He chuckled and turned her head to face him. He met her gaze, and she stared at him, blinking slowly.
The music changed, and she whipped her chin off his light grip to turn back to the dancers.
He mused, I don t hypnotize you.
Nope.
He chuckled. That is a novelty.
She felt the tiny part of her that had been warming to what she guessed was flirting go cold.
The next few hours went by, and she watched the dancers, listened to the music, ate some pastry, and had copious amounts of tea.
When the chief came up to her with a wary look at Sergei, he bowed. Madame Litha, thank you for coming to our aid and clearing the radiation from the site. Our people have had their farmland restored to their care, and we would like to invite you back when the first harvest is collected.
She smiled. I will be happy to return.
The ballerina had a flat item pressed to her. Ma am? I asked my teacher, and she went through her magazines, and we found you. Would you sign this, please?
The girl shoved the cover toward her, and she caught it with the pen. Litha looked at the image of her when she was strong, hopeful, and dressed in floaty, silky chiffon. They had asked her to repeat the pose, so she had. She looked like she was doing the splits in midair.
There was a strangled voice from next to her. You are in ballet?
Not anymore. For them, the novelty of an active prima wore off, and I was quietly retired by the troupe. After that, it was back to school to finish my master s, and then, I started working in the lab. She signed it and handed it back to the girl. It isn t worth anything, but I am happy you asked.
The girl clutched it to her chest. Madame says that you have helped me more in a few hours than she does in days. It took a lot for her to say that.
It did. It might not last, but you had a different viewpoint for a few moments, just as you will if you go to the city. The teachers there will be brutal, but I wanted you to know that calm teaching is still teaching.
The girl smiled. Slow until it s under control, and then, speed it up.
Yup. Well, on that note, I will take my leave.
The young woman blinked. You aren t staying overnight? She flicked a glance at Midnight.
No. I haven t been drinking, my exertions weren t tiring, and I have to untangle my life and figure out which strands I want to keep.
The girl nodded. Thank you so much. It means so much to us that the fields are returned to neutral.
This is farming country. That makes total sense. I will say goodbye to a few people, and then, I am gone.
She got off her seat and walked around to hug the young woman. The others figured out what was going on, and with a few looks at Sergei and her, she was hugged by every woman in the village and shook the hands of most of the men. That was tiring, but she smiled, walked into a clear area, and took off.
She showed off a little and let her aura blaze white-hot around her before she turned and headed home.
* * * *
S ergei watched the one sure thing in his universe fly away.
She doesn t associate with people. She doesn t touch people. More to the point, no one touches her, Petrov spoke quietly.
She doesn t react to me. I have been trying to pull at her all night, and she doesn t react to me. Sergei looked at him.
She does, but she is reacting like a young woman, all diversion and blushes, but she has an adult mind and doesn t blush. Petrov shrugged. I have to visit her to see if I can get some of her radiation-resistant plants, as well as the radiation-consuming ones.
When?
We need to figure out a budget. We already have a test site.
Midnight stopped frowning. You are going to speak with her? You can contact her?
I can. You can t?
We did not discuss that. I was attempting to seduce her, but she didn t notice.
Female actives are not trained in how to seek out sexual partners. They are neutralized for reproduction and basically left on their own unless they are omegas. Then, they are given as much training as possible.
Sergei nodded. Strange. Well, I suppose I should meet with any governing bodies that want to hear what happened, and then, I will try seeking out therapy. Do we have therapists?
After the Uraddan wars, we obtained them. Petrov sighed. They became necessary for some who had survived capture and torture. I believe you qualify.
Sergei remembered his energy filling the inside of the capsule over and over. The only light in his existence was his own power until the moment that heat had opened the capsule, and he had seen daylight for the first time in years.
He had thrust his fingers out, eager to feel air, rain, wind, or sun. Then he felt the soft touch and heard the voice telling him they were getting him out. He would be free. He listened to it as it cycled through several languages. It took a lot for him to speak, but he finally replied. She had been calling orders for what was needed, and his hands were burned, but he relished the change. His first feeling was pain, and the second was her hand.
She talked to him the whole time she was cutting him out with even swipes of her deadly hands. The water had trickled in, and she had left the top seam for last so he wouldn t get soaked.
He could not have dreamed her. His dreams of women used to be seduction and soft hands. She was moving like a mechanic crossed with a spider monkey.
When she pried him free, he had looked for anything solid, and she would do. When he had dropped onto her, she smelled amazing. Warm and female and sweaty. When she held him and stroked him to calm him, he shuddered and began to sob, using her neck as an anchor point. She tasted as sweet as she smelled.
The armoured panels in her suit had thwarted him, but she was slim and had strength in her. His constant hunger had woken in the moments that they were in contact, but it was different. Perhaps it was tempered by the time he had spent in the canister.
He needed to work through this and fast. He wanted to find out if his hunger had changed or if it was gone entirely. It seemed to have settled the moment Litha left in a blaze of light.
Petrov cleared his throat. I have found a few local women who will accommodate you.
It isn t necessary. I don t require it yet.
Petrov paused. You are serious?
I am serious.
Well then, would you like to return to the base and complete your deposition?
Sergei nodded. I will meet you there.
He thanked his hosts, backed away, and let the energy inside him flash to cover every inch of him. He knew they were looking at a body filled with a gateway to a dimension with different stars, but they were respectful, even if the women looked at him lustfully. He wasn t reciprocating for the first time that he could remember.
There was a flick of concentration, and he was back at the base he had left so many years earlier. There were a few government representatives there, and he nodded and let the questions begin.