Chapter 1 #2
“Dude, did you give her your balls?” the asshat on screen jokes, and I whirl, turning my wrath on him. Seeing him flinch is magical, and Xavier steps up next to me, wrapping an arm around my shoulders, trying to give me comfort, but it’s a little too late, I’m fired up.
“Lila, honey, this is my cousin, Xane. He resides at the ‘bed-and-breakfast’ Susie was telling you about, the Pleasure Inn.” He does bed-and-breakfast in finger quotes, and I narrow my eyes on him.
“Not a B and B?” I ask, and he shakes his head, looking a bit sheepish.
“No, it’s an alien brothel. A lot of the aliens that use Earth as a holiday destination are not compatible with humans. Aura, the brothel’s master, keeps a stable of alien sex workers and bots to cater to any need or kink.”
Mind fucking blown. An alien brothel. Now I would like to be a fly on the wall in that place. Purely for research purposes of course. I mean, I’m not that kinky…
I look between the two warlocks and instantly know the perfect way to wind the asshat up. “And your cousin is one of these workers?” I ask, making direct eye contact with Xane. I know his reaction will be priceless.
The asshat bares his teeth at me, and I feel a jolt of smug satisfaction. Hurts, doesn’t it, to have assumptions being made about you without knowing all of the facts? “Certainly not,” Xane sneers at me, not liking that the tables have turned.
Xavier sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose because he has to deal with two unruly toddlers. “Xane is one of the master’s… partners, for lack of a better word.”
“How shocking, a warlock prince and master,” I sneer, not ready to let bygones be bygones just yet, and Xavier shakes his head.
“It’s not like that. Unlike Earth, where a master or madam is considered taboo, the title is a revered and coveted spot in the galaxy. Aura, the master, is a very powerful person. Sex pays, and it pays well. Look at what everyone has told you about Link and Pleasure Bot Industries.”
“Oh, how is the gorgeous doctor? Hmm, now that is a tasty morsel.” I see red at the suggestive words coming out of the warlock’s mouth, and I can’t control the change.
I don’t even want to. My beast pushes to the surface and forces a half shift, my tentacles flying.
I’m growling and baring my teeth, trying to get at the figure on the holoscreen.
Xavier scowls at his cousin before pulling me into his arms and cooing sweet, reassuring words that have a mollifying effect on my beast. She settles down, and I allow Xavier to rain little kisses over my face between the whispered words of assurance.
“Holy shit, what is she?” Xane asks, pointing at a tentacle. “That’s… That’s not a Skarrian thing.”
Xavier huffs in annoyance while rolling his eyes. “You know Skarrians are polyamorous. One of her mates is a kraken shifter, and she’s also courting the doc, so maybe keep your goddamn opinions to yourself.”
“My apologies, Lila, that was rude of me.” Xane bows slightly, seeming genuine in his apology, and I can finally shift back to normal. My bottom half is naked, having shredded my clothes in my spontaneous shift, so Xavier waves a hand to clothe me again.
After Xane grovels a little bit more, asking for my forgiveness, we finally have a discussion about my two friends.
After a few interesting tidbits of information are imparted, I’m almost certain there’s another conversation going on I can’t hear.
Damn telepathic warlocks! Some facial expressions don’t match up with the verbal discussion, and their replies are often delayed, but I don’t care for now, so I make a decision.
“As long as their consent isn’t taken away, I guess there’s no harm in inviting them to join in.
They can always say no.” I’m a little hesitant to trust this complete stranger, but I know Xavier would tell me if I couldn’t.
He doesn’t seem concerned in the least, and when he spoke about the master, he seemed like he had a lot of respect for them.
“Yes, and we’d muddle their minds again so they wouldn’t remember.
I can’t do what Xavier did and remove the memory, but I can manipulate it so all they will remember is staying overnight until a tow truck arrived,” Xane assures me, but to be honest, I want them to remember.
It would also be good if the master took an interest in them and invited them to stay longer.
That way, they would be protected from anything or anyone who may try to pump them for information about the circus.
“I’m saying you can try. I really would like them to be protected,” I finally agree, and both warlocks look surprised, but Xane’s shock quickly turns to anticipation.
A growling sound behind us penetrates my consciousness, and I turn around, startling when I realize Saxon has started to break free from the stasis Xavier had him and Cas in.
“Fuck, I knew it wouldn’t hold him long in his state. Got to go, talk soon.” Xavier cuts off the call and looks at me. Thoughts of Mark and Susie drift away as I swallow the lump in my throat that returned as soon as my focus shifted back to the present.
“Make a decision, Lila, and make it quick,” Xavier orders, snapping me out of my daze. The fear of the unknown is what’s affecting my decision making. It’s like playing Russian roulette with my life.
“Shit, fuck, I don’t know. Like, I want to bond with him, but how?
” I can hear the slight tremble in my voice as my usual confidence waivers and my pulse begins to thump loudly in my ears.
I try to sync up what my soul is saying with what my mind is thinking, but it’s pointless.
I just don’t understand why they can’t be on the same fucking page.
“Link said it would be his natural instinct to protect you. I think Cas and I are going to have to let him go and let it happen, Lila. If we try to interfere any more than we have, he could get more dangerous.” Xavier is wearing a look I haven’t seen on his face before—helplessness.
I know he wants to fix things, but he can’t.
My heart is racing a million miles an hour, but I understand what Xavier’s saying.
If he and Cas stay in the same room, it might trigger his protective instinct, and then Saxon may end up attacking them, and they are struggling to hold him now.
I don’t want either of them to get hurt in the crossfire just because I’m nervous.