Ai No Kusabi Fan Fiction ❯ The Lost Cadre ❯ Chapter 10 ( Chapter 10 )

Author's Notes: Ai no Kusabi and its characters do not belong to me and I make no claim on them. All rights apply to the talented people who did create them. I make nothing off this except gratifying my own twisted pleasure.

 

Everybody else IS my own creation that I have plopped down into the Ai no Kusabi world. The things that they do and their interaction with the other characters of Ai no Kusabi are purely my fabrication.

 

Thanks goes to my invaluable betas on this slightly AU endeavour. You guys know who you are. *kisses*

 

 

The Lost Cadre 10

 

Zesiro walked the dream world and skimmed over the minds of the sleeping people of Amoi. Even if the Blondie called Marslan wasn't yet asleep, Zesiro was going to wait for him. He had a little retribution to dish out on Hakhan's behalf. With a little searching, Zesiro homed in on one of Marslan's current Pets. The Pet was being tormented even in his dreams by reliving the latest round of torture he'd been subjected to. His pitiful cries angered Zesiro further and squashed any thoughts he may have had of being lenient with the Blondie he was after.

 

The Shal-hazal changed the Pet's dream to a relaxing day at a lake. He twisted the dream away from the remembered pain and wished that he had the skill of a Shal-hazal Spirit or, better yet, a Healer to really help the Pet. Finding that Marslan was continuing his systematic torture with a new Pet reinforced Zesiro's belief that what he was about to do was the right thing. Although, if he was honest, he simply wanted to eradicate the waste of skin he saw Marslan to be.

 

The Awh'anise amused himself while waiting for Marslan to appear by playing with the sleeping minds of several Blondies. A truly wicked streak had him shaping the Blondie's dreams to feature them being taken by Pets instead of topping them. Zesiro laughed in sinful delight when several of the Blondies submitted fully to having their Pets stroke in and out of their ass. He just knew the Blondies were a repressed bunch. Dreams always revealed the truth of a person.

 

Zesiro saw the payback to Marslan as a mission. As such, he was patient in waiting for Marslan. When the Blondie that was his true target did finally make an appearance in the dream world, Zesiro smiled in satisfaction. He sidled up to Marslan, trailing his fingers down the Blondie's suddenly naked spine.

 

“Hello, sexy,” Zesiro purred as he stroked his erection. “Wanna have some fun?”

 

The Blondie turned slowly and his eyes widened in surprise when he saw the man standing behind him. He knew the man's name was Zesiro and that he'd been seen in the company of Raoul Am. Amoi buzzed for days after the party thrown for the Awh'anise. Not only had he fought with Mingan and manhandled Mingan's Pet without permission but he'd been seen dragging Raoul from the party shortly after Mingan left with his Pet. There'd been a lustful look in Zesiro's eyes, causing several Blondies to speculate that he was intimate with Raoul. Marslan wondered what the exotic alien would be like in the throes of orgasm. He'd probably look spectacular, although Marslan did have to wonder what Zesiro was doing here. He shrugged off the oddness in favour of having a little illicit sex with a fascinating alien. After all, how often was this kind of opportunity going to come around?

 

“I think I'll like your idea of fun,” Marslan replied as he traced a finger down Zesiro's chest.

 

“I somehow doubt it,” Zesiro said with a feral grin that was anything but friendly. “I have a little score to settle with you on behalf of someone. Because I want you to fully understand what is going to be happening to you, I'm making you aware that this is a dream and that you have no control over anything here. I'm a Shal-hazal Warrior and I am a god in the dream world. Whatever I want to happen, happens and you can do nothing to stop me.”

 

Marslan narrowed his eyes. No alien could tell him what to do. He was a Blondie. One of the Elite. He was above whatever common laws the alien had to follow. The very idea that this was a dream and the man before him the god of it was preposterous. There was a certain strangeness to his surroundings but Marslan believed that could be explained away if he wanted to bother to examine it.

 

Marslan was about to thoroughly harangue Zesiro when heavy chains appeared around Marslan's wrists and ankles. A thick metal collar snapped around his throat. His arms were jerked over his head and his legs pulled painfully apart. Anger flared in his pale blue eyes as he strained against the chains holding him in a spread eagle position.

 

“Do you remember a Pet named Hakhan?” Zesiro asked as he flicked a whip idly back and forth.

 

“Release me,” Marslan demanded, ignoring the question.

 

The whip snaked out and fire burned across his belly. A startled cry of pain was forced from him. He glared at Zesiro and swore viciously at him. Zesiro backhanded him hard enough to make him see stars. Marslan blinked rapidly and felt the first beginnings of unease move through him when he saw the absolute lack of emotion Zesiro's face.

 

“There's no need for that kind of language,” Zesiro chided. “Do you remember a Pet named Hakhan?”

 

Marslan remained silent, glaring. The whip snapped out again, catching the Blondie across the thighs. The sharp hiss of pain was the only answer. Zesiro waited for Marslan to answer him. When it became obvious that the Blondie wasn't going to say anything, the Shal-hazal let a cold, cruel smile pull his lips into a grin that showed far too much fang to be friendly. Zesiro gestured and the chains disappeared. Marslan's arms remained above his head. The Blondie struggled against the invisible bonds that held him with no luck and growing nervousness. Zesiro watched with bored disinterest.

 

“I don't need chains to hold you. I will it, so it happens. I think I like seeing you struggle against unseen bonds. Ironic, don't you think? The Pets you tortured were held to you by the invisible bonds of master/Pet. You're held here with invisible bonds of my power over your sleeping mind. Since you don't seem to remember who Hakhan is, I'm going to refresh your memory for you. Shall we continue?” Zesiro asked as he flicked the whip back and forth.

 

“You can't do this! Do you know who I am?” Marslan snarled as he struggled against whatever held him in place. This couldn't be happening to him. Things like this didn't happen to Blondies. Long strands of golden hair stuck to the skin dotted with nervous sweat.

 

“You're Marslan. You get your kicks torturing those you have power over. I get my kicks from making people like you feel every flicker of pain you cause your victims.”

 

Fear slid down Marslan's spine. The places the whip touched burned and his jaw ached where he'd been hit. If this really was a dream, feeling pain was something new. He couldn't remember ever feeling pain in a dream before. A trickle of sweat slid down his spine as he eyed the whip in Zesiro's hand. Those first two strokes hurt far more than he would have believed a whip could. His thoughts slammed to a halt as the whip began descending on his body in regular strokes again. Each touch of the whip was like fire. After a dozen strikes, Marslan was crying out in pain. After two dozen, he was begging for the whipping to stop. He dragged in a ragged gulp of air when the steady rain of blows stopped.

 

“Why should I stop? Give me one, good, plausible reason and I will. I know you didn't stop when you whipped Hakhan. He's a gentle soul and I'm sure there was no need for you to do what you did to him.”

 

Zesiro drew back his arm and began laying strike after strike to the helpless Blondie's front. Nothing on the Awh'anise moved except for his arm. He was utterly still as if a machine and not a man. He used just enough force to make the whip cut into the pale, unblemished flesh but not enough to score down to bone.

 

Blood flowed down the Blondie's body from the myriad wounds. His long, gold hair stuck in the blood and trailed into the cuts, causing him more pain. Agonized screams of pain turned the handsome Blondie's face into an expression of torture. Still Zesiro worked the whip without pause, paying extra attention to the soft, vulnerable skin of his underarms, inner thighs and nipples. When Marslan's chest, arms and legs were covered by welts, cuts and blood, Zesiro moved around his captive and proceeded to repeat the action on the Blondie's back.

 

Marslan knew enough about dealing out pain to know that he should have been unconscious from both the blood loss and pain long before Zesiro began working over his back. True fear curled in his belly when he realized that what Zesiro said earlier must have been the truth no matter how impossible that seemed to be. He was dreaming and despite his struggles, he wasn't able to get free or wake himself from this nightmare. That he was still able to think rationally and not have his mind retreat to a place where pain wouldn't follow scared the Blondie badly. There would be no mindless escape for him where his body simply accepted what was being done to it while his consciousness protected itself from the agony by retreating. Wrenching sobs of despair began to escape the Blondie between his tortured screams.

 

Marslan's body was one large open wound. As skilled as Zesiro had been in handling the whip, bone was showing through in several places. The pain was excruciating not only from the kiss of the whip but from the sweat stinging the cuts and the hair snagging on the raw edges of the wounds. Marslan was reduced to making animalistic whimpers as his body jerked from each strike of the whip. When several minutes passed and no more whipping came his way, a little sob of relief left the Blondie.

 

“Oh, we're not done yet, Marslan. There is the little matter of the final series of blows you dealt Hakhan. Still don't remember him, do you? Perhaps this will finally make you recall who he is,” Zesiro said as he moved around to face Marslan.

 

Marslan's body jerked and fear flooded his eyes when he felt the Awh'anise's hand stroking his cock, the one place on his body aside from his face the whip hadn't touched. Remembrance slammed into Marslan and despite his pain and injuries, he began to struggle in earnest against his invisible bonds. He remembered having a Pet named Hakhan. He remembered how arousing he found that Pet's soft pleas for mercy. He remembered the intense rush of pleasure he'd had in whipping the Pet's erect cock and hearing the pitiful cries of pain. The day that he'd nearly killed Hakhan from the brutal whipping had been one of his most sexually fulfilling. At the time, he'd only been sorry that it had been over sooner than he was ready for it to end.

 

Hakhan had been one of his favourite toys. The Pet was submissive and gentle and begged for mercy so prettily. No matter how violently he was beaten, he always did exactly as Marslan ordered afterwards and tried desperately to please him. His training had been impeccable. That alone had made Marslan call for medical aide when he would have let another Pet die. When Marslan realized what Zesiro intended to do, a low litany of denial began, rising in volume until he was screaming incoherently at the man staring coldly at him.

 

“Ah, you do remember Hakhan now. Bet you're wishing I'd never met Hakhan. It'd be too much to hope that you'd be wishing you never beat that poor boy. You're a sick fuck, Marslan.”

 

Zesiro released Marslan's erect cock and stepped back. He drew back his arm and let fly the first of the series of strikes to Marslan's cock. The Blondie screamed his pain until he had no voice left and still the whip lashed his cock. His eyes rolled in their sockets but he remained conscious for every strike. Blood and bits of flesh spatter the ground at his feet. Marslan struggled furiously with renewed strength in his invisible bonds as images and sensations that weren't his were forced into his brain.

 

Hakhan hanging in chains, blood trickling from cuts, spinning slowly from the force of the whip being applied to him while he begged for his master for mercy.

 

Hakhan on hands and knees, his back covered in welts and the beginnings of bruises as a thin cane descended over and over again.

 

Hakhan crying quietly and bleeding from the numerous small cuts Marslan'd made with an ornate gold knife before shoving the dragon-headed hilt into the unprepared Pet.

 

Hakhan tied down and pleading brokenly for Marslan to stop as the Blondie whipped the erection he'd forced on the Pet until it was nothing more than mangled flesh and the Pet ashen from shock and blood loss.

 

When Zesiro finally stopped the whipping, Marslan was no longer rational. Zesiro moved close and the Blondie flinched. The Shal-hazal wrapped his fingers around the torn flesh between Marslan's legs. The Blondie opened his mouth in a soundless scream at the intense agony. Zesiro held up his other hand and extended his talons in front of Marslan's wildly rolling eyes.

 

“This isn't going to be anywhere as neat as what they'd do in a hospital but I'll find it a hell of a lot more satisfying,” Zesiro said before he severed Marslan's cock.

 

Marslan's eyes widened, his mouth opened and a rasping noise came from him as he tried to scream his pain and denial at what had been done to him. He twisted and jerked against the invisible bonds that held him. Jagged noises of agony and madness escaped the Blondie's throat. A frightened moan turned into a rough shriek when a mirror image of Zesiro appeared in front of Marslan.

 

“My dream clone should keep you company until I can get back to play with you again. Have fun,” Zesiro said before turning and walking away. The snap of the whip was loud but the scream of pain from Marslan easily drowned it out.

 

Marslan's mind was now gone; trapped in a loop of the dream world by the things that Zesiro forced him to endure. Marslan's body, if left alone in the waking world would eventually die of dehydration. If his Pet or Furniture called for medical help, the Blondie's body could continue on for an indefinite period of time, sustained by machines. They would never be able to wake him though. As far as medical science was concerned, Marslan was brain dead. An unfortunate victim of an aneurism. They had no way of knowing that he was trapped inside his own mind. In any case, Marslan wouldn't be torturing any more Pets or Furniture. Just because Zesiro was violently opposed to torture didn't mean he wouldn't use it when he felt it was warranted. Torture was part of his training as a Shal-hazal Warrior after all.

 

Zesiro still had energy thrumming through him. Exercising his powers as a Shal-hazal Warrior always gave him a rush. He cruised around the dream world, too energized to go back to the waking world just yet. Zesiro needed to burn off some of the violent energy moving through his system and the safest place for that to happen was the dream world. Finding nothing catching his interest in the dreams of the inhabitants of Amoi, he stretched his Shal-hazal skills and travelled to the very limits of his powers. Zesiro was about to turn back when he thought he heard something. He paused; straining his senses for what ever had teased him. He was about to mark it off as an after effect of dealing retribution to one who so richly deserved it when the voice came again.

 

//It hurts. Help me. //

 

Zesiro's eyes widened in surprise. The voice calling to him was deep and rich, fanning the power running through him and unexpectedly twisting the need for violence into a more sexual vein. An aggressive growl left Zesiro's throat as he cast around, trying to pinpoint where the voice was coming from.

 

//Help me. Get me out of here. Please.//

 

The voice stopped calling as abruptly as it started. Zesiro was oddly disappointed. The voice was commanding and pleading at the same time. The Shal-hazal felt a little unsettled that he hadn't been able to go help as the voice implored. He shook his head and filed the odd occurrence away for later examination. He had a nice, warm bed and willing partners to get back to now that he'd managed to burn off a good portion of the energy he'd collected from his torturing of Marslan by travelling to the very limits of his power.

 

The Awh'anise left the dream world and slowly blinked his eyes open. Hakhan was still cuddled against him. Raoul was a warm, solid weight against his back. Zesiro concentrated on feeling the passage of time and found that he had been gone most of the night. Dawn was colouring the sky outside Raoul's kinky sex acts window when he raised his head to look.

 

He stroked a hand down Hakhan's back and pressed a kiss to the softly waving, caramel coloured hair. He couldn't tell the Furniture directly what he'd done but he was sure that Hakhan would hear of Marslan falling into a coma. Servants, no matter the species or social system, were always the best informed people around. The Shal-hazal just hoped that Hakhan's fears would ease a little now that Marslan was permanently out of his life. Zesiro knew a cruel smile sat on his face. The clone he left in the dream world would repeat the entire flaying session over and over again. Each time, at the beginning of the whipping, Marslan's body would become whole again. The Blondie would continue to relive being flayed alive until his body died. Zesiro felt justice had been served not only for Hakhan but all the other Pets and Furniture Marslan tortured over the years.

 

Zesiro closed his eyes as he snuggled into the warmth of his Blondie lover and pulled the Furniture tighter against his chest. There were times when Zesiro truly loved his abilities as a Shal-hazal. Taking vengeance for Hakhan was one of those times. He let his mind relax and drifted off into a true sleep.

 

 

*********

 

 

“Hello, Sevilen.”

 

Sevilen turned his head from the tidal pool he was staring into to look at the man who'd spoken. His eyes widened and he scrambled to his feet. He opened and closed his mouth several times without making a sound.

 

“I've been waiting a long time to be able to talk to you.”

 

Sevilen simply stared at the man in front of him. Even though he'd never seen any pictures, he knew the man standing in front of him. His mother had described him often enough in loving terms.

 

The man was entirely green. From his hair to his skin, he was a uniform, pale green. The hair alone would have been a dead give away. It was slightly darker than his skin and reached the man's ankles. His eyes were the same golden ones as Sevilen's own. When he smiled, Sevilen saw fangs in the man's mouth like Zesiro's.

 

“My name is Jenlen and I think you know who I am, don't you?”

 

“My father. This isn't real, is it?”

 

“It's a dream and I don't have much time before I have to go,” Jenlen confirmed.

 

“Why are you here? Why now? Why did you never come back for mother and me? She waited for you. She lived a life of cruel words and harsh treatment because of you. Because of me. Why did you abandon us?” Sevilen said in a low voice unable to keep some resentment from his tone.

 

“I died,” Jenlen said softly. “I only got to be with my new family for a few short weeks before an animal caught me by surprise. I would've never abandoned you or your mother. I love you both very much.”

 

Sevilen wanted to maintain the spurt of anger seeing his dead father so unexpectedly. He found he couldn't keep that spark of anger alive. Sevilen was happy to finally meet the man who his mother loved so devotedly. He'd always wanted to know what he was like. What it was about the man that made his mother endure the cruelty she did on the chance that her love would come back to her. She'd never listened to Sevilen when he suggested that his father had died. She hadn't wanted to acknowledge the possibility that he was gone.

 

Sevilen stared at the man in front of him. He'd always suspected that something bad had happened to his father. His mother had spoken of him with such love in her voice; Sevilen just couldn't imagine a person wanting to give that up. He wondered briefly if it really was his father he was speaking with and not some figment of his imagination.

 

“I am really here talking with you, Sevilen,” Jenlen said softly as he stared at the striking young man his son had grown to be.

 

Jenlen could feel untapped strength in his son. A deep well of power that Sevilen probably wasn't even aware of having. Things were starting to happen to his son that would either forge him into a being to be reckoned with or break him from the sheer weight of what was going to be asked of him. Jenlen wished that he could do something for his son but all he could offer him were words.

 

“You have a rare gift, Sevilen. You are a Vi'deshron. You can sing of the things that have been, the things that are and the things that will be. Sometimes, a Vi'deshron can get messages from those that have passed on. This is one of those times.”

 

“But I don't understand. Why me? Why have all these things happened to me?”

 

“I wish you didn't have to go through all the things you have. I don't like knowing my child was hurt just to further a plan. I don't like that I was manipulated into finding your mother. But… I had some of the greatest joy of my life being with her and the little time that I had with you. That, I wouldn't change for anything,” Jenlen said as he raised a hand to brush the hair away from Sevilen's face.

 

“Plan? Manipulated? What are you talking about?” Sevilen asked as he found himself leaning into the caress of his father's hand.

 

“I'm not really sure of the details myself. I only learned that you were planned to happen after you were born. I wasn't supposed to die. I was supposed to protect you and teach you about your Awh'anise heritage. I was supposed to bring you to my mother when you were older and she would have continued your training and become another of your guardians. She's a Shal-hazal Warrior, you know.”

 

Jenlen looked down at the son he'd never had the chance to know and felt his heart ache for what he'd been denied. Sevilen was a beautiful man and Jenlen could see his wife's stamp on their son. Sevilen had the same serious set to his lips and stubborn line of jaw that his mother had. While Sevilen's eyes were the same shade as Jenlen's, the shape of them was purely his mother's.

 

“Then, if I was supposed to go see your mother, why am I here instead? Why did I have dreams of Mingan dying and the destruction that follows? I want answers,” Sevilen scowled in frustration. For once in his life, Sevilen wanted things to be easy for him.

 

“I wish I had them for you, Sevilen. I'm sure that the ones that sent me on my journey to find your mother will visit you in dreams just as they did me. Ask them what they have planned for you. They probably won't tell you, but it doesn't hurt to ask. I have to go, Sevilen. Even in dreams, my time is limited. It takes a lot of energy for me to appear for you.”

 

“No! Don't go! I want to ask you more questions. You haven't told me anything. You've only given me more questions.”

 

“I'll come back when I can, shay-shon,” Jenlen said as he started to fade away.

 

“Stay!” Sevilen screamed in frustration. Surprise was evident on Jenlen's face when he stopped fading away.

 

“My mother… is she with you? Does she know I miss her? Does she know what I'm doing with…?” Sevilen trailed off in a whisper.

 

“She's with me now and yes, she knows you miss her. She doesn't have the energy to appear to you like this. No, she doesn't know about you and the lover you've taken. But, it doesn't matter what you were taught, Sevilen. If you care for someone, if you love them, then it isn't wrong to be with them.”

 

“But I don't love Mingan. I barely know him. I'm his possession. Even if I did come to love him, he'd never love me back. I'm just a Pet to him,” Sevilen said frustration strong in his voice.

 

Jenlen reached for his son and pulled him into a tight embrace. Sevilen stiffened for a few seconds before relaxing and burying his face against his father's chest. Jenlen knew he shouldn't be able to remain where he was. His energy had been nearly gone when he started to leave. Sevilen's angrily shouted command to stay had infused him with the energy to stay longer. Ideas of how that could be crowded Jenlen's mind as he rubbed his hands over Sevilen's back in soothing circles.

 

Jenlen had been told, in a dream, to go to a planet he'd never heard of and wait there for a woman who'd find him. He'd been told that she would be everything he wanted and that his greatest joys would be found with her. Having received dreams like that for most of his life, Jenlen called his parents and his twin, bid them farewell with almost no explanation, dropped out of his highly successful concert tour and headed out. He'd never regretted his decision.

 

He'd been angry to later learn that he was simply a cog in a scheme centuries in the making. He'd been furious to find out that his beautiful baby boy was part of a complex plan and was going to be used as a tool. That the species working the machinations had a valid reason for what they were doing meant little. Jenlen only wanted to live with the woman who'd captured his heart and dote on the wonder they'd created. He didn't want to see his child hurt or used as he suspected Sevilen was going to be.

 

That Sevilen was special was apparent to Jenlen from the moment he'd first seen his son. The symbol of the Neksha was dark on the back of his neck and the utter stillness he sensed in Sevilen spoke to the Shal-hazal bloodline in Jenlen. Although Jenlen wasn't a Shal-hazal himself, he did carry the blood and could recognize power when he felt it. Sevilen had it in spades although Jenlen hadn't known at the time that his son was a Vi'deshron not a Shal-hazal as he'd first thought. Jenlen was jerked from his memories when he felt the warm wetness of Sevilen's tears on his chest.

 

“Haeko'no, what's wrong?” Jenlen asked as he stroked Sevilen's hair.

 

“Everything is wrong. Mother's dead, you're dead. I've been sold into slavery by my own people but not before they tortured and scarred me. I can't touch anybody without getting information about them that I'd rather not have. I'm under the influence of this stupid cycle that makes me need to have sex every few hours and the one person who I'm allowed to have sex with is the same person who triggered the cycle in the first place by raping me,” Sevilen said in an aggravated tone.

 

Jenlen stilled and felt impotent rage build in him. He hadn't known about that. He wouldn't have been able to do anything to stop the assault even if he'd known it was coming. Jenlen cursed softly and held Sevilen a little tighter to his chest. He wanted to scream out his frustrated rage but doing so would serve no purpose except make his wife, Sevilen's mother, aware that something was wrong. She couldn't appear to Sevilen yet or peek into his life as Jenlen sometimes could but she was connected to Jenlen even more strongly in death. Jenlen's anger would bleed through to her and worry her pointlessly about what was happening to Sevilen.

 

That didn't cool the anger Jenlen forced deep inside himself. His only child had been thoroughly brutalized. That it was part of whatever plan set in motion before even he was born, didn't matter. The beings who directed not only him and Sevilen but even his own mother to change the course of their lives, were going too far.

 

“I should hate Mingan for what he did. I should be terrified to be anywhere near him. I'm not and I don't understand why,” Sevilen said in a watery voice as he clenched his fists against his father's chest.

 

“I know why it happened and he promised that it'd never happen again and I believe him. I want to trust him,” Sevilen paused then added a bit hesitantly, “I actually like him and I enjoy being with him… in that way,” Sevilen said in a broken voice as he looked up at the father he'd never known, “None of this makes any sense. Why is this happening to me?”

 

“If I knew the answer to that, haeko'no, I'd tell you,” Jenlen said as he hugged his son to him. He felt himself start to become insubstantial, the temporary energy he'd gotten, slowly bleeding away.

 

Sevilen gave a soft cry of denial as he felt his father dissolve. In the time that it took to blink, Jenlen was gone. Sevilen sank to his knees, hands fisted on his thighs. Yet another thing was apparently going to be added to the list of his tortures. Now, it appeared, he was going to be visited by the dead. Sevilen threw his head back and screamed his frustration and anger out to the dreamscape.

 

“Why are you doing this to me? Why?”

 

 

*********

 

 

Mingan was roused from his sleep by the restless movements of his little Pet next to him. Early morning light seeped around the closed drapes of his bedroom and Mingan could just make out the dried tear tracks on Sevilen's face. His Pet frowned in his sleep and his hands were clenched into fists. He jerked awake and stared, wild-eyed, at Mingan before taking a gulping breath and looking down, avoiding Mingan's eyes.

 

“Sevilen, what's wrong,” Mingan asked as he forced his Pet's chin up so he could look in his eyes.

 

Sevilen's lips thinned into a mulish line and he jerked away from Mingan's hold. He started to leave the bed and was brought up short by the unbreakable hold of Mingan's hand on his wrist. He yanked on the hold his Blondie had on him before he gave up trying to get free with a little snarl of frustration. Sevilen gave Mingan a fierce look and when his master simply raised a questioning eyebrow, Sevilen sighed and the anger slowly drained out of him. He wasn't angry with Mingan but aggravated with the questions his dream raised and didn't answer.

 

“Sevilen? Did you have a bad dream?” Mingan asked with concern as his finger traced the tear tracks on his Pet's cheek. The small fit of temper from his Pet was ignored in favour of finding out what had upset Sevilen.

 

“No. It was sort of a good dream… I guess,” Sevilen said as he looked down avoiding Mingan's eyes.

 

“Then why the tears and anger, my Pet?”

 

“You believe me about the visions I get, don't you?” Sevilen asked in a low voice.

 

“I know you get information from people you touch for the first time. I suppose it's reasonable to assume you get visions too, although I've never really seen any proof of those,” Mingan said as he pulled Sevilen to his chest and began stroking a hand over his bare back.

 

In the three days since Sevilen's cycle started Mingan learned that his Pet's need to fuck could be delayed a little by physical contact. While the Blondie liked the idea of having Sevilen aroused and willing, the fact that it was beyond his Pet's control rankled Mingan. He wanted Sevilen to want him without the press of the cycle.

 

Sevilen shot an annoyed glance at Mingan. There was the slight matter of him having the vision of Mingan being shot that had come true but he let that go in favour of trying to explain his newest tormenting curse. Sevilen was also aware the big Blondie was trying to distract him with gentle touches. That alone helped dissolve some of his irritation left over from the revelations in his dream.

 

“I dreamed of my father,” Sevilen said softly. He felt the big Blondie tense at those words and wondered why.

 

“He's dead. I think I always knew that somewhere inside me. He told me he'd been attacked by a wild animal. He said he loves me and that my mother is with him now. He said there are creatures that have directed not only my life but his and his mother's as well and that I should ask them what they have planned for me.”

 

“They? They who? And what plan?” Mingan asked as he tried not to focus on the relief he felt at the news that Sevilen's father was dead.

 

“I don't know who. He never said,” Sevilen frowned. “Do you think Zesiro would know?”

 

“Maybe. We need to talk to him anyway about this Vi'deshron thing. I'll make a call later to see when we can meet with him. How are you feeling, Sevilen?”

 

“Frustrated.”

 

“You only need to tell me when you need relief…” Mingan trailed off as he palmed one of Sevilen's nipples.

 

Sevilen felt colour touch his cheeks. That wasn't the type of frustration he was talking about but now that Mingan had mentioned it, desire was starting to wind through his system. Mingan also kept to his word and allowed Sevilen the choice of how he wished to deal with the cycle induced need to fuck. Although he enjoyed the feel of being buried deep in Mingan, Sevilen was finding that he preferred to have his Blondie enter him. That little revelation came as a complete shock to Sevilen and was something he chose to keep to himself for the time being until he figured out why he felt that way.

 

“That's not what I meant but now that you mention it, I do feel like I need to have you again,” Sevilen admitted.

 

“This is the last day I'm letting you choose, my Pet,” Mingan said softly as he pulled Sevilen down for a lazy kiss.

 

“Would you mind if we did it fast? I really want to talk to Zesiro about this dream I had and find out if he knows anything about the… creatures my father described,” Sevilen asked shyly.

 

Mingan burst out laughing, much to his Pet's annoyance. Just the fact that Sevilen was becoming comfortable enough to tell Mingan when he needed to fuck was progress as far as Mingan was concerned. Sevilen had initially been too shy to say what he needed and had almost been in tears from the pain of trying to deny his need as long as possible. Mingan had chewed his Pet out for that, which had been funny to the Blondie in and of itself. He kissed Sevilen hard and pushed him away with a command to get the lube. His Pet narrowed his eyes at him but went to retrieve the lube.

 

“How did you want me, Pet?” Mingan asked with a smile.

 

“Ummm… hands and knees?” Sevilen asked with a blush. He didn't think he'd ever get comfortable asking for sex.

 

Mingan sat up, pulled Sevilen to him and kissed him hard. He thought the continuing shyness of his Pet endearing and wondered if Sevilen would always react in this way to sex. Mingan hoped so. He found it arousing to have his little Pet blush like a virgin every time the subject of sex came up. Mingan released Sevilen and positioned himself as his Pet asked.

 

He'd been surprised with the gentleness Sevilen had shown him after their first violent encounter. He hadn't expected his Pet to be rough or brutal after the `lesson' he'd given his Pet, but Mingan did expect a little more aggression given that Sevilen was part Awh'anise. After learning that Sevilen had Awh'anise in his ancestry, the Blondie had been curious and searched the data base for information on the Awh'anise. The information was sparse but he noted that Raoul was indeed adding to the knowledge. The data base did say that the Awh'anise were very sexual, aggressive and `pushy'. Mingan had chortled over that, sure that Raoul made a point in adding that particular description. Bearing that information in mind, Mingan had been looking forward to some aggression from his Pet. He had enjoyed the violence Sevilen initially displayed and was a little disappointed that there wasn't even a hint of that now.

 

“Sevilen, are you afraid I'll be angry with you if you're aggressive?” Mingan asked as a thought occurred to him and he shot a look over his shoulder at his Pet.

 

Sevilen blinked in surprise at Mingan. He wasn't sure where that question had come from or how he should answer it. He knelt behind Mingan with lube in hand and was now unsure what his Master wanted from him.

 

Mingan watched confusion chase its way across his Pet's face and a little sigh escaped him. He was going to have to figure out a way to get his shy little Pet to say what he wanted without fear of reprisals.

 

“Would you be aggressive if I told you to be? I really did enjoy myself that first night, my Pet. While I appreciate you being careful and gentle, I would like it if you let yourself go and simply took what you needed. I wouldn't be opposed to a little violence.”

 

Sevilen knew his eyes had gone wide in surprise. He hadn't expected Mingan to tell him that. He remembered Mingan saying that he might decide to spank or whip his ass before taking him because his Blondie enjoyed that type of play. It never occurred to Sevilen that Mingan might enjoy those kinds of things done to him.

 

“But what if I hurt you?” Sevilen asked in a low voice. “I've seen you when you're angry, Mingan.”

 

Mingan snorted. “Sevilen, you couldn't hurt me like you're thinking. Yes, I'll feel pain but I heal almost as soon as I get the injury. You're confusing hurting me to cause pain with giving me pain to increase my pleasure.”

 

Sevilen frowned. Mingan turned to face him and reach out a hand to score blunt nails down his ribs. Sevilen hissed at the gentle burn and felt blood surge into his half erect cock. Mingan locked his violet eyes with Sevilen's own golden ones and pinched Sevilen's nipple erect. Sevilen exhaled with a groan before biting his lip. What Mingan did stung but didn't exactly hurt.

 

“A small pain but it feels good, doesn't it?” Mingan asked as he leaned in and placed hard nipping bites down his Pet's neck and shoulder.

 

Sevilen nodded, not sure why the little pain was arousing to him. His brain was trying to associate the little pain he was getting now with the greater pain of the assault he'd experienced before. His body was telling him that the rough touch was arousing and to let it happen.

 

“You like the way it makes your blood rush through your body. The way it excites you and makes you hard thinking about the next little hurt that'll come your way.”

 

Sevilen gasped when Mingan gripped his arm and jerked him against his master's chest. He hissed in surprise when his Blondie laid a firm swat to his ass followed by a soft caress. Hard bites on his shoulder made Sevilen arch into Mingan and dig his short nails into his Master's biceps. Another stinging slap to his ass made him growl a protest. Mingan's tongue licked the red teeth marks he'd made, the warm metal stud in his tongue dragging across Sevilen's skin. Sevilen shivered at the opposite sensations of pain and pleasure his Blondie was giving him.

 

“Let yourself go, my Pet. I like roughness as much as I like gentle pleasures. You're not doing anything I haven't told you to do,” Mingan said softly, nipping Sevilen's ear lobe before he pushed Sevilen from him and resumed his original position on hands and knees.

 

Sevilen sat back on his heels and stared at the picture before him. Mingan's hair slid over one shoulder and pooled under him on the sheets like liquid silver. His body was perfection, each muscle defined and firm. The markings down his body seemed to highlight the muscle groups causing Sevilen to remember an interesting tid-bit of information from Jupiter about the marks. He knelt next to Mingan and swept one hand over the marks to the base of his skull and the other hand down the marks on the Blondie's spine to the place where the marks branched apart to trace over his hips. Sevilen drew in a breath and hoped he had it right and pressed hard with his fingers at the two locations.

 

Mingan's head snapped up and a low cry of pleasure flowed from his throat. The marks on his body flickered electric blue briefly and the big Blondie shuddered as his head dropped and he breathed in huge gulps of air. He had no idea what Sevilen had done but every nerve in his body had come alive at once, flaring bright with an intoxicating mix of pleasure and pain. He wanted Sevilen to do it again.

 

“Mingan? Are you okay?” Sevilen asked nervously.

 

“Again. Do it again,” Mingan said hoarsely as his head swam with pleasure.

 

Sevilen let out a quiet breath. He hadn't been sure it would work or that he had the right idea from the information he was still piecing together from Jupiter. From the tone of Mingan's voice and the erection he now had, Sevilen thought he'd gotten it exactly right. A slow, satisfied smile grew across his face as he moved his hands off Mingan and opened the lube.

 

“Pet, I said to do that again,” Mingan demanded impatiently in a desire filled voice.

 

“I will. But I'll make it feel even better if I do this first… I think,” Sevilen said as he slicked his cock and rubbed lube slicked fingers over Mingan's hole pressing and stretching his master briefly.

 

“You think? What are you doing, Pet? How'd you know to do whatever it was you did in the first place?”

 

“Jupiter,” Sevilen answered as he pushed his cock into Mingan and pressed the same spots again.

 

Mingan shouted as ecstasy rushed through him. His body shook as he felt the slide of his Pet's cock into him and the strange pleasure/pain Sevilen had given him. A roaring sound filled his ears and he felt the familiar power rush of tapping directly into Jupiter given a wicked twist with the sexual situation. He groaned low in his throat as Sevilen began a series of rapid, rough thrusts. Mingan felt his release rising quickly in him. He tried to hold back his orgasm to experience more of the strange pleasure Sevilen was giving him. Before he was ready for it to end, Mingan's balls drew up and his big frame shook as he peaked. He panted heavily as euphoria flowed through him, the spurting of his cock seeming to last forever. Sevilen's voice was a beautiful chorus when he followed his master with his own release.

 

Sevilen draped himself over Mingan's back, panting heavily. Contentment filled him. The need to fuck went back to a background level of pressure. He pressed his cheek tight to Mingan's skin, listening to the rapid heart beat of his master slow. Sevilen mumbled a protest when the big Blondie moved out from under him.

 

Mingan caught Sevilen up in his arms and arranged them on the bed away from the spot wet with the seed the Blondie spilled. Mingan had never come from just feeling a cock pumping his ass and no touches to his dick. He wondered if he could produce the same reaction in Sevilen. Mingan smiled as he thought of how much fun it would be to try and duplicate the same thing in Sevilen. He held his fascinating little Pet close, amazed at how satisfied he felt. Sevilen was, by far, the best thing to have fallen into his lap in ages.

 

“Not that I'm complaining, but how exactly did you learn to give me such pleasure from Jupiter, my Pet?” Mingan asked as he stared into Sevilen's eyes.

 

“The marks on your body connect you to Jupiter. Wetware she calls you, although I don't understand that term,” Sevilen said with a little frown as he toyed with the ends of Mingan's hair absently.

 

“What did you do to the marks, Sevilen? I've never felt anything like that before.”

 

“I just pressed two spots at the same time. There's a bunch of different marks on your body I can press or pinch together to make you feel good. Some cause only pleasure. Some cause pain. Some give you a combination of the two.”

 

“And you thought to try this out to please me?” Mingan asked with a smug smile as he pulled his Pet tighter to him.

 

Sevilen shrugged his shoulder and focused his eyes on Mingan's chest. At the moment, he didn't want to examine too closely why he was finding himself wanting to please his Blondie every now and again. Sevilen decided he needed to distract Mingan from asking questions he wasn't sure how to answer so, he said the first thing that crossed his mind.

 

“You aren't like the other Blondies. None of the Cadre is. The Cadre came before the Blondies. You and the members of the Cadre you know are just the latest in a long line of wetware. There's always supposed to be twelve of you to keep balance in Jupiter. She's supposed to replace the ones who fall immediately. I don't know yet why Jupiter hasn't.”

 

Mingan stared at Sevilen. He didn't know that there were always supposed to be twelve Cadre members. He wondered what Sevilen meant about keeping balance in Jupiter. Mingan was silent as he stroked his hand over Sevilen's back. Sevilen had learned more from Jupiter in that one brief touch than the Blondie had been able to find out in fifty years of careful searching. He wondered what else his little Pet knew and when exactly he was going to share the rest of that information with him.

 

“You're not angry that I did that to you, are you?” Sevilen asked in a cautious voice when Mingan remained silent for a long time.

 

“No, Sevilen. What you did was fantastic. I'll look forward to you doing that again for me. Do you feel better now?”

 

Sevilen nodded his head but refused to look up at Mingan. He still felt divided internally over enjoying the intimacy with Mingan. His body obviously liked what he did with the Blondie. His mind wasn't so sure. Sevilen sighed. Nothing in his life had been easy. Why would the strange relationship he had with Mingan be any different?

 

Sevilen also needed to tell Mingan he'd finally discovered the location of a Cadre member. That had been more the result of dumb luck than any searching and piecing together of information Sevilen had been doing. Jupiter was hiding the Cadre members from each other. He didn't know why and it made no sense to Sevilen for Jupiter to keep them apart. He wished there was a marker in the information he'd received from her that said `Cadre Members Hidden Here”. Finding the rest of the Cadre was going to be a much more difficult task than Sevilen thought, even with the information he'd gotten from Jupiter. But, Sevilen did know where Akando was living.

 

Once Sevilen told Mingan where Akando was, Sevilen was worried that his Blondie would set out to meet Akando, no doubt without his Pet in tow. Sevilen frowned as he thought of how to get a message to Akando without Mingan taking off on his own and possibly running into danger. A quick smile came and went on Sevilen's face as he realized that there was possibly one person who could get a message to Akando for him.

 

“Can you call Zesiro and see if we can talk to him about my being a Vi'deshron and the dream I had about my father?”

 

“Persistent little thing, aren't you? I'll call after we wash up and have some breakfast,” Mingan said as he laughed softly and kissed Sevilen.

 

 

*********

 

 

Zesiro watched the interaction between Mingan and Sevilen carefully as they followed Hakhan into Raoul's living room. The Furniture gestured respectfully to the couch and asked Mingan if he wanted anything to drink. Hakhan rattled off a list of beverages to Mingan and quickly masked his surprise when Mingan told him to also bring Sevilen a glass of the same thing.

 

Zesiro knew something… wrong happened between the Blondie and his Vi'deshron yet they seemed to be getting along fine now. Better than fine actually. Yet, Zesiro knew that something violent and sexual in nature had triggered Sevilen's first cycle. Zesiro wanted to pursue the matter but until Sevilen opened the topic, Zesiro could do nothing. As his Shal-hazal, Zesiro was duty bound to respect his Vi'deshron's wishes and personal boundaries. Sevilen's sex life was his personal business and unless Zesiro was involved with him sexually, he had no right to be interfering in that part of Sevilen's life. At the moment, it appeared that Sevilen wanted to stay with the big Blondie who had claimed him.

 

“So what exactly is a Vi'deshron? What do they do?” Sevilen asked intently.

 

“They are members of The Blood like the Shal-hazal. The Blood makes up about one percent of the Awh'anise population. Among us, Vi'deshron make up even less than that. The birth of a Vi'deshron is a rarity among the Awh'anise and they are always female. I've never heard of a male one. Ever. I'm not an authority on it but I'm sure that if there had ever been a male Vi'deshron, he would have been mentioned sometime in the dozen years worth of my training. If I try hard enough, I can recite all the names of the Vi'deshron's for the past one hundred years of Awh'anise history. As far as I know, there are only nineteen Vi'deshron on the entire planet of Awh'an right now.”

 

“But what do they do? You've said that Vi'deshron sing of the past. Is that like a Storysinger?” Sevilen asked.

 

“I'm not sure what that is,” Zesiro admitted.

 

“My people have Storysingers. All our history is passed down through song.”

 

“Well, it's sort of what a Vi'deshron does. But instead of just telling people what happened in the past that might be coloured by other people's views, the Vi'deshron actually sings the past reality. Think of it like… watching a holo-program. Those who hear the song actually see and, if the Vi'deshron is powerful enough, experience the real event,” Zesiro explained.

 

Mingan schooled his features to show none of the surprise he felt at hearing what a Vi'deshron was supposed to be able to do. He remembered the very first time Sevilen sang for him and the feeling of almost being able to see the things that Sevilen's songs described. There was also the small matter of his experiencing his assault from Sevilen's perspective and later, Sevilen's first time with Mingan, again from his Pet's view.

 

Mingan squeezed Sevilen's thigh hard. When his Pet shot him an angry look at the nearly painful grip, Mingan shook his head slightly warning Sevilen to say nothing of what recently passed between them. Sevilen's brow furrowed briefly before he gave Mingan a slight head dip to say that he'd understood that the Blondie wanted to keep that information to themselves for the time being.

 

So many strange things had been happening to Sevilen lately that he never even considered such a thing shouldn't be possible. The idea that he would be able to do something like Zesiro was telling him on purpose, to actually choose what he wanted to see, was staggering. Things that he'd wanted to know about but thought he'd never learn were now a possibility. Excitement rushed through his system.

 

“So, if I wanted to see how my father met my mother, I could? It'd be like I was right there beside them?”

 

“Yeah, you could probably do that. I don't know how to teach you though. I'm a Shal-hazal Warrior not a Vi'deshron. My job is a soldier in the dream world and your protector. I can't teach you how to do whatever it is that Vi'deshron need to know to warp reality. You'd have to go to Awh'an and speak with another Vi'deshron to learn. If you want, I'll take you there. You should probably go anyway. Having power but no idea how to control it is just a bomb waiting to go off,” Zesiro said with a pointed look at Mingan.

 

“Sevilen is not leaving Amoi,” Mingan said with finality in his voice as he pulled Sevilen tight to his chest.

 

“Sevilen is a Vi'deshron and a very important person to my people,” Zesiro began.

 

“Does he have family on Awh'an? If not, he's not going anywhere I don't want him to,” Mingan countered before suddenly snapping his mouth shut and cursing softly under his breath.

 

“What? I don't know. Maybe. We have large families so it's very possible he's got relatives there. Why?”

 

“Under Amoian law, because Sevilen isn't an Amoian bred Pet, if he has a family member who wants him and comes forward, Mingan will have to accept a token payment for his Pet and give Sevilen up,” Raoul answered.

 

Mingan glared at Raoul. He would have preferred the information that Sevilen could leave behind his Pet status remain something only Cadre or other Blondies knew. The chance of someone stepping forward to claim family relationships with Sevilen was small. Mingan did have a moment of unease as he wondered if Zesiro's relationship with Sevilen was close enough to count as family. A simple genetic test would prove that they weren't related by blood but the bond that the Awh'anise and Sevilen now shared complicated things. Family wasn't always a matter of genetics. The Blondie cursed his loose lips that started the entire conversation. He usually had better control than that. The possibility of Sevilen being taken from him had simply been too startling to curb his tongue. But, Mingan didn't want the idea even crossing Sevilen's mind. Sevilen was his.

 

“I already knew that but I can't leave until I'm sure Mingan is safe,” Sevilen said dismissively.

 

“What do you mean you already knew that?” Mingan asked as he gripped Sevilen's chin and forced his head around.

 

Sevilen gave Mingan a patient look and waited for the Blondie to make the connection. Mingan gentled his hold as he realized that every aspect of Amoian life was inside Jupiter's memory including the laws that governed the people of Amoi. Laws that Jupiter had created and enforced. The Blondie wasn't happy that Sevilen knew there was a way for him to leave Amoi and him, but Mingan was slightly mollified that there was nothing Sevilen could do about it.

 

“Yes, how would a Pet know something about a law that's hardly ever used?” Raoul asked curiously.

 

Mingan scowled at Raoul. He didn't want anyone knowing that his little Pet had gotten all the information from Jupiter that he did. Most importantly, he didn't want Jupiter knowing that Sevilen knew everything she did. The AI wasn't the most reasonable of beings. Most Blondies wouldn't look favourably on the fact that a Pet knew things Blondies didn't. Some Blondies might look at Sevilen as simply a valuable tool and not see him as the unique person he was. Mingan glared at Raoul even harder. The other Blondie held his hands up in a placating gesture and wisely let the matter of a very knowledgeable Pet drop.

 

“So you can't really tell me anything more about a Vi'deshron?” Sevilen asked Zesiro.

 

“Uh… well… not a whole lot more. I was more interested in learning how to kill somebody in one move than stuff about a person I'd probably never cross paths with,” Zesiro said with a slight flush on his cheeks.

 

Sevilen sighed and shook his head at Zesiro. He had one other thing to ask the Shal-hazal and the answer to that question was probably of more interest to Sevilen at the moment than learning about being a Vi'deshron.

 

“I had a dream last night. My father came to speak to me. He's dead. He said creatures had planned my birth for centuries. He said they changed the course of my grandmother's life, my father's life and mine to suit some plan of theirs. My father said they spoke to him in dreams. They were the ones who directed him to my mother. I want to know who they are. Do you have any ideas?”

 

“You dreamed of the dead? Is this the first time it's happened?” Zesiro asked intently ignoring Sevilen's question.

 

“Yes. I've only dreamed of future events before. Why, is something wrong?”

 

“No, but to talk with the dead not just pass on messages means you have a strong line of The Blood.”

 

“My father said my grandmother is a Shal-hazal Warrior,” Sevilen offered.

 

“That would make sense. Did he give you a name? If I had a name, I'd probably be able to find any family you have on Awh'an.”

 

Mingan's lips thinned. He glared at Zesiro while pulling Sevilen even tighter to him. Only when Sevilen grunted a protest and pushed against the arm around his waist did the big Blondie realize he was squeezing the breath from Sevilen and loosen his hold slightly. Mingan's irritation rose when Zesiro ignored the hostile look being directed his way.

 

“You don't believe this, do you, Zesiro? I can just barely accept you and that dream world thing. That's only because… well you know why. Visions, singing of the past, talking to the dead… that's just crap,” said Raoul as he motioned for Hakhan to refill his glass.

 

“Communicating with the dead is another skill of a Vi'deshron. Not a common one though. Even for the Vi'deshron, it's often an erratic gift. Sometimes a Spirit class Shal-hazal gets messages from the dead, too, but not actual conversations.”

 

Hakhan kept his eyes lowered as he moved around the room re-filling the glasses. The Furniture had heard rumours of the silver-haired Blondie. Seeing him this close made him sure that most of the stories were true. The glares he was shooting Zesiro's way were frightening. Hakhan'd heard about the strange little Pet the Blondie had and how Zesiro had fought with Mingan over him.

 

Hakhan wasn't quite sure what to make of the possessive way Mingan held his Pet or the way he let him speak freely to Zesiro or Raoul. He'd never seen anyone who looked him either. Hakhan thought the deep lavender colour of Sevilen's hair was pretty and complimented the faintly green tone of his skin. He did wonder about the black marks and symbols over much of Sevilen's skin. All the Blondies Hakhan had ever dealt with would have seen the marks as disfiguring yet Mingan traced them absently as if he found them interesting. Hakhan shook his head at the weird things Blondies seemed to do, this Blondie in particular.

 

Hakhan was dawdling in topping up the glasses. The conversation going on was fascinating even though he didn't understand much of what they were talking about. Talk of moving through people's dreams, singing of the past to make it happen all over again and talking with the dead. This meeting with his master and the big Blondie was better than any holo-program currently on air. Hakhan filled Mingan's glass before moving around to pour a little more of the wine in Sevilen's. He'd been surprised when Mingan allowed his Pet wine. In all the time Hakhan had been a Pet and served as Furniture, he'd never known a Blondie to allow their Pet alcohol like this. The Pet was clutching the glass close to him so Hakhan reached out a hand and lightly touched Sevilen's bare arm, indulging in his curiosity to see what the marks felt like and to catch Sevilen's attention.

 

Sevilen's eyes widened and a keening noise of pain rose in volume as it left his throat. The fine crystal glass shattered in his hand from the sonic assault. Mingan cursed as he yanked Sevilen into his lap and away from the light touch of the Furniture. Hakhan stumbled back a few steps in the face of so much anger directed at him. He tripped, dropping the wine decanter on the expensive rug, spilling the costly alcohol. Hakhan whimpered and scrambled backwards to crouch next to Zesiro's leg. His entire body shook as he pressed his face against Zesiro's leg. Whispered words of apology fell from his lips in a constant stream.

 

Mingan held Sevilen to his chest. The eerie sound of pain his Pet made at first contact with Raoul's Furniture had stopped. Sevilen's eyes were squeezed shut and he was swallowing repeatedly. Mingan picked up his Pet's hand, examining it for damage from the broken glass. He was relieved to see only trickles of blood from minor scratches.

 

“So much pain and torture,” Sevilen whispered as he opened his eyes and searched for Hakhan.

 

“What in the name of hell was that?” Raoul demanded as he looked between Sevilen and Hakhan.

 

“Hakhan touched Sevilen's bare skin. He's touch sensitive when it's unexpected,” Mingan hedged. He didn't want it to become common knowledge that Sevilen could access a person's memories just by touching them.

 

“Is that more of the Vi'deshron… whatever you want to call it?” Raoul asked Zesiro.

 

“Not that I know of,” Zesiro said in a puzzled voice as he stroked a calming hand over Hakhan's caramel coloured hair.

 

Sevilen closed his eyes and huddled against Mingan's chest. Hakhan's strong memories of being beaten and whipped slashed at Sevilen. The sensation of pain and humiliation tried to drown him. Sevilen drew in a shaky breath as he hurried to push all the memories he'd just received out of his head. In dealing with and sorting through the massive amount of information from Jupiter, Sevilen had become very adept at shunting off things he didn't wish to know nor had no use for. Given his own painful experience with the villagers branding him, he had no desire to go through the torturous beatings that flashed through his mind from Hakhan's memories.

 

Suddenly, Sevilen's eyes snapped open and his head whipped around to stare at Zesiro and Raoul as the most recent memories of Hakhan's flowed through his brain. Gentle, sensual memories of the previous night between Hakhan, Zesiro and Raoul stole through Sevilen. A soft groan of desire escaped him. He knew he should get rid of the sensual memories right away but the feelings and sensations were almost addicting in their lushness. Sevilen licked his lips and started to slowly push the pleasurable visions from his head with a regretful sigh.

 

The pleasure Hakhan felt and the need in him to have another person touch him was strong. That he'd been willing to join Zesiro and later Raoul in bed after his previous sexual experiences surprised Sevilen. When Hakhan had been a Pet, his pairings hadn't always been pleasurable. Depending on what his master wanted, he'd experienced pain or pleasure. Sometimes a combination of the two. The delight Hakhan enjoyed with Zesiro and Raoul made him wish for it to happen again yet he wouldn't be the one to break the rules and ask. Sevilen's cycle driven desire started to creep through his veins, feeding off of the arousing memories of Hakhan. Sevilen simply couldn't make himself quickly get rid of the intense pleasure and contentment Hakhan experienced.

 

“That was a lovely thing you did, Zesiro,” said Sevilen said with a soft smile.

 

“Uh… thanks?” Zesiro replied confused.

 

“What did Zesiro do that was lovely, my Pet?” Mingan asked as Sevilen's fingers lightly stroked his arm. He felt his Pet settle down as his mood changed from frightened pain to relaxed contentment. Mingan wondered what memories Sevilen got from the Furniture that could produce such a rapid change in mood.

 

“Him and Raoul made Hakhan feel good. Very good. Better than good. They made him feel like he has value. They gave him kindness, affection and more pleasure during sex than he ever got when he was a Pet. He'd never had that before,” Sevilen replied languidly as desire continued to move through his system. “He'll do anything for Zesiro now. He would have done anything Raoul asked before because Raoul is his Master but now he'll do it because Raoul treated him like a person.”

 

Raoul paled. There was no way the strange Pet of Mingan's could possibly know what happened between him, Zesiro and his Furniture the previous night. Blondies weren't supposed to have sex. They most certainly weren't supposed to have sex with their Pets or Furniture. If news of this kind of behaviour were to get out….

 

Hakhan jerked his head up to stare at the Pet cradled in Mingan's arms. He'd said nothing to anyone about how his experience with Zesiro and Raoul made him feel. He knew that it was to remain a secret. Blondies rarely touched their Pets and almost never touched their Furniture. For a Blondie to have actually had sex with one… Hakhan was suddenly worried about what would happen to Raoul if word got out.

 

“That's ridiculous. Why would I have sex with a Furniture?” Raoul demanded determined to brazen it out.

 

“Because Zesiro wanted to and you wanted to please him. Hakhan liked it very much. Even thought he knows something like that won't happen again, he'd be very happy it if it did. He felt safe when he fell asleep with you two. He liked being your Furniture before you had sex with him because you didn't beat him. He'd rather die now than leave your house,” Sevilen explained before he closed his eyes and rubbed his cheek against Mingan's chest.

 

“He knows it won't happen again but he hopes you'll let him touch you like you and Zesiro talked about. He's hungry for touch just like Zesiro said. He'll do anything for you if you allow him even the smallest contact,” Sevilen added as he smoothed his hand over Mingan's chest to palm a nipple through his shirt.

 

“No! It's not true. Master Raoul has never touched me. Master Raoul would never touch a Pet never mind a Furniture like that,” Hakhan denied in a rush. He was not going to be the cause of any trouble for his master. Not after how good Raoul made him feel. Not after Raoul made him feel like he had value.

 

“He did. I saw it. Felt it. I can still feel the pleasure you experienced. I don't want to push those memories out of my head,” Sevilen said as he slowly blinked his eyes open.

 

Raoul stared at the Pet in Mingan's arms. That he was aroused was obvious from the way he was rubbing his body against his master and the husky tone in his voice. Raoul was simply having a hard time understanding what Sevilen meant when he said he didn't want to push Hakhan's memories out of his head.

 

“Mingan, Hakhan's memories of his time with Zesiro and Raoul are making me want. They're too strong. Too fresh. I can't seem… I can't think. I've said something I shouldn't have, didn't I? I'm sorry. They felt too good to push away. So much tenderness. So much want from all of them,” Sevilen said as he pinched his own nipples through his shirt and gave Mingan a desire heavy look.

 

Mingan looked down into Sevilen's golden eyes and saw arousal and need. A quick glance down his Pet's body revealed a tell-tale bulge in Sevilen's pants. His Pet's breathing was coming faster and he shifted restlessly in Mingan's lap. Mingan caught Zesiro's gaze as he looked up and understanding dawned in the Awh'anise's eyes.

 

“Raoul, let Mingan use a spare room. Sevilen isn't going to be able to wait until they get home,” Zesiro said as he inhaled sharply the scent of arousal Sevilen was giving off.

 

“I want to know what the hell it is this Pet is talking about,” Raoul said as he surged to his feet.

 

Sevilen wriggled his hips into Mingan's lap. He was aware that the desire he was feeling wasn't entirely his own but he seemed helpless to stop the feelings Hakhan's recent memories stirred to life in him. Sevilen nuzzled Mingan's neck and started to smile when he felt Mingan's body react to him.

 

“I learn people's secrets when I touch them the very first time. I get all their memories, all their thoughts, all their desires. I don't want them but there's nothing I can do about that,” Sevilen said in a husky voice as he rolled his head to look at Raoul.

 

Mingan swore as he clutched Sevilen tighter to his chest. Zesiro stared in wide eyed shock. Raoul's mouth was open in surprise. Hakhan remained pressed to Zesiro's leg but horror was dawning in his eyes from Sevilen's words. Sevilen waved his hand indolently.

 

“Your secret is safe,” Sevilen said as he tried to concentrate. “I won't tell.”

 

“This is insane. People can't do things like this. Your Pet is making things up, Mingan. I demand you punish him right this instant for telling lies like this,” Raoul blustered as he towered over the still seated Mingan and Sevilen.

 

Sevilen blinked slowly and exhaled as he flopped his hand out to catch Raoul's. The breath hissed out of Sevilen and his body stiffened as his mind was assaulted by everything Raoul experienced and knew. A whimper left Sevilen's throat and quickly turned into a moan of desire.

 

The memories in Raoul's mind were a heady mix of pleasure and pain. Sevilen had a moment of clarity when he understood what Mingan had been telling him earlier about how pain could be a pleasure as well. Sevilen blinked slowly as he looked at Raoul. The Blondie had some very… unusual ideas that he wanted to try out with Zesiro. If Sevilen hadn't been feeling so aroused from Hakhan's memories, his cycle and the memories and ideas Raoul had for Zesiro; he would have been blushing from the soles of his feet to the top of his head. He never would have guessed that the self-assured Blondie would enjoy playing the bottom so much for Zesiro. Sevilen was almost curious enough to ask out loud about the thing Zesiro did with his cock that made both Hakhan and Raoul mentally shiver with delight.

 

Raoul jerked his hand away from Sevilen's loose grasp. The contact was brief. Only a few seconds but when the Pet opened his eyes, there was knowledge there that hadn't been present moments ago. Raoul backed away from Sevilen and wiped his hand on the leg of his pants.

 

“Tell Hakhan he's allowed to play with your hair as long as nobody else sees. You've already made up your mind to let him do that just to make Zesiro stop bugging you about touching your Furniture,” Sevilen said in a clear voice as some of the desire he was feeling backed down slightly.

 

Raoul hadn't said anything to either Zesiro or Hakhan about his decision. That Mingan's Pet had somehow used the exact words he was planning to say unnerved Raoul. He sat when Zesiro tugged on his hand without realizing he'd moved back to the couch. Raoul jumped a little when he felt a light touch on his leg. He looked down to find Hakhan crouched on the floor between him and Zesiro. Fragile hope was in the Furniture's hazel eyes. Without thinking of how it would look and before he could stop himself, Raoul added his hand to the one Zesiro already had tangled in Hakhan's caramel coloured hair. Raoul heard Hakhan make a soft noise of relief before hiding his face against Raoul's knee.

 

Sevilen smiled, pleased that Raoul was going to allow the contact that Hakhan craved so badly. Even if there was no further sex between them, Hakhan would be happy with being allowed to touch Raoul. Thinking of the contact that Hakhan wanted made Sevilen think of the type of contact his body was demanding of him. Sevilen had one thing he wanted to do before desire stole all his reason. He focused his attention on Zesiro.

 

“You told me the night of the party that you are mine and that you'll do anything I ask. I need you to get a message to somebody on the northern continent for Mingan without Jupiter knowing about it,” Sevilen said.

 

Mingan jerked his gaze from the sight of Raoul and Zesiro comforting the Furniture to Sevilen. He'd had no idea that Sevilen planned to ask Zesiro for a favour on his behalf. He was about to protest that he didn't need the Awh'anise, or anyone for that matter, running messages for him when Sevilen looked him directly in the eyes.

 

“You'd go without me. I can't let that happen,” Sevilen said as he touched Mingan's jaw.

 

The shift in Zesiro was subtle but noticeable. The shock and questions begging to be asked about Sevilen's declaration of getting a person's memories were pushed behind him. He leaned forward and fixed his attention on Sevilen. Cool professionalism settled over the Shal-hazal.

 

“As my Vi'deshron wishes,” Zesiro said as he inclined his head to Sevilen. “Tell me exactly what you want me to do after you get Mingan to take care of that itch you need scratched and it will be done.”

 

Sevilen's lips quirked and he nodded his head. He knew he should feel embarrassed at having his needs known and discussed so openly. But, the desire moving through him combined with the breeding cycle he was under, wiped away any discomfort he would have normally felt.

 

“Go show Mingan and Sevilen to a spare room, Hakhan,” Zesiro said as he stroked a hand down the Furniture's back.

 

Hakhan darted a look to Raoul for permission. At the tight nod from the Blondie, he rose and motioned for Mingan to follow him. The Furniture stayed well away from the big Blondie and the Pet he carried. He opened the door to the first available room with a bed and stepped hastily away. Hakhan pulled the door closed behind Mingan and moved back to the living room. He didn't want to go in the room but he had spilled wine on the expensive rug and Raoul would likely want to punish him for that even if he'd just agreed that Hakhan would be allowed to touch him.

 

Hakhan mentally prepared himself for whatever Raoul was going to do to him. He was confused when Zesiro pulled him down to his lap and hugged him tight. Hakhan stared up at Zesiro and wondered briefly if the Awh'anise was going to hold him down while Raoul beat him. His former master, Marslan, had done something like that once with a business partner. A tiny tremor moved through Hakhan's body.

 

“Nobody's mad at you Hakhan. You did nothing wrong,” Zesiro soothed.

 

“I spilled the wine. I ruined the rug. I…” Hakhan said in a trembling voice.

 

“It was an accident. Raoul's not mad about some stupid rug.”

 

Hakhan risked a look at his master. Although Raoul was scowling, he didn't seem to be directing it at Hakhan. Some of the tension left the Furniture. If Zesiro said it was okay, then it was probably okay.

 

“You're sure that Pet won't say anything?” Raoul asked.

 

“He won't. I don't think he cares that we took Hakhan to bed with us. Sevilen seemed to think it was a good thing we did. I'm tickled silly that my bedroom escapade pleases my Vi'deshron. That's probably a first for a Vi'deshron that isn't part of those bedroom activities,” Zesiro said with a grin.

 

Raoul grumbled a little more but he had to agree with Zesiro. Mingan's Pet didn't seem to care that he'd slept with his Furniture. He actually seemed pleased on behalf of Hakhan. Raoul was glad that Sevilen was Mingan's problem to deal with. He didn't think he could deal with any more upheaval in his once orderly, uncomplicated life.

 

Even though Raoul knew different rules applied to the Cadre members, he couldn't help but think of what was going on in his guest room. To be allowed to take his pleasure so openly with anyone he chose… Raoul felt a little twinge of envy. Fellow Blondies may be speculating that he was sleeping with Zesiro but that wasn't proof he was actually doing it. He knew for a rock solid fact that Mingan was fucking his Pet and that the big Blondie had no need to hide that information from anyone, Jupiter included.

 

The more Raoul was around Zesiro and listened to the Awh'anise question the no sex rule for Blondies, the more he dwelled on the law himself. Why were Blondies not allowed to have sex when they were created in such a way to ensure they would enjoy it? Why give them such a high sex drive if they were never supposed to engage it? Why did he seem to be more relaxed and content even if all he experienced was Zesiro sitting close to him and touching his arm or leg? Was Zesiro right about his needing to be touched as much as Hakhan did? Had he been created to need physical contact? Why would Jupiter do that? It made no sense.

 

Raoul scowled at Zesiro as his lover held his Furniture in his arms. Zesiro smiled at him, curled his tail around Raoul's waist and pulled him close so that they touched from shoulder to knee. Zesiro turned his head and nibbled gently on Raoul's ear as he spoke barely above a whisper.

 

“Touch him gently, demsho. He's almost convinced you're not going to beat him over the spilled wine.”

 

Raoul looked into Zesiro's dark blue eyes for several seconds before he slipped his gaze to the dark stain on the expensive rug. By all rights, the Furniture should be whipped for ruining the rug. Before Zesiro dropped into his life, he wouldn't have given taking a whip to his Furniture a second thought. He would have simply done it. As much as he knew it was his right to discipline Hakhan, he found himself unable to do it. The spilled wine hadn't been Hakhan's fault.

 

“You're not going to be punished, Hakhan. There was no way you could have prevented what happened,” Raoul said softly as he turned the Furniture's face to look at him.

 

“Thank you, master. It won't happen again,” Hakhan said as the last of the fear drained from his eyes.

 

Hakhan stared into Raoul's eyes and gathered up every last scrap of courage he had. He wouldn't even have the nerve to ask what he was about to if Zesiro hadn't been holding him so securely.

 

“Will you really let me touch your hair as long as nobody sees me do it?” Hakhan asked quickly before his spurt of bravery deserted him.

 

“It's a small enough thing. I don't see any harm in allowing that,” Raoul said with a little smile at the cautious hope in his Furniture's face.

 

Hakhan smiled in delight and Raoul was reminded that Hakhan'd been a Pet before he was a Furniture. A very beautiful Pet. Raoul smoothed his hand over Hakhan's wavy hair and caught the approval in Zesiro's eyes. For some reason, that look from Zesiro made Raoul feel good about allowing Hakhan liberties nobody else had ever had.

 

Raoul once again thought that Zesiro was a very dangerous man in more ways than one.

 

 

*********

 

 

It's been a while hasn't it? Let's not let so much time pass before seeing each other again. Come to the following address in Tanagura and we can talk about old times. I have things to tell you.

MZ

 

Akando stared at the message, wondering if it was real or not. The message was in his handwriting but he couldn't, for the life of him, remember writing it down. It had been on his desk when he woke up in the morning. Akando vaguely recalled a very strange, pushy man in his dreams. The man had exuded violence and sexuality. The Blondie smiled when he thought of the man. He hadn't felt the fire of a redhead in his bed in a while. But above the intrigue of the man from his dream, the note that he found when he woke was of far more interest to the Blondie.

 

Akando'd spent a good portion of the fifty years since the night the Cadre had been decimated trying to find the remaining members. He hadn't been completely unconscious when the last of the Cadre was scattered by Jupiter. He knew others survived, just not exactly who. The only one he knew for certain that lived was Wakiza and that was only due to the fact that he was the only Cadre member who was facing him at the time. Akando remembered seeing Wakiza's grief stricken face and his scream of denial at his lover's death before everything went dark and he woke up in a different location.

 

Akando was only slightly embarrassed that Mingan had found him instead of the other way around. Akando was the spy and infiltration specialist of the Cadre. If he'd been able to use Jupiter and her databases, he could have made short work of finding his brothers. But, after the one attempt to find them using the resources he normally did and waking up with days of time missing from his head, Akando avoided using Jupiter so openly.

 

He did wonder how Mingan managed to find him. Mingan was good as Jupiter's hunter but nowhere near as good as Akando. His fellow Blondie had to have found a way around Jupiter and the road blocks she put up against them. Akando smiled at that thought. Mingan always was a determined individual when he set his mind to something.

 

Akando threw some things into a bag and left the penthouse he was renting. Jupiter was fairly used to him moving around from place to place. She wouldn't think anything of him moving again. Considering it was his purpose to get into places he shouldn't, without being detected, working his way to the address on the note wasn't going to be hard. How she'd react when he showed up on Mingan's doorstep… that was going to be interesting. Akando smirked to himself. After all this time rusticating in the back of beyond, he was more than ready to move to someplace a little more exciting.

 

Mingan seemed to find the most interesting things on the little hunting trips he went on. Akando wondered if something he'd found had broken the secret of where Jupiter stashed the Cadre. As he left the small city, Akando dialled a number and waited for it to be picked up. On the third ring, a breathless masculine voice answered.

 

“I'm done with you. The penthouse is paid to the end of the month. Clear out or take over the lease as you please, my Pet. Keep the cash in the jar as payment for your services,” Akando said briskly before he hung up and tossed the phone to the passenger seat.

 

A young Blondie stared at the phone in disbelief. The silver haired giant named Akando had taken him from his lab a little over six months ago, installed him in the penthouse and declared him his Pet. All protests were over ridden and even a complaint to Jupiter was denied with the simple explanation that Akando was Cadre and could do what he pleased.

 

The Blondie blinked, not able to process yet that he'd been freed from his unusual Pet status and could to go back to his job. He stood in the middle of the shopping arcade with a Furniture waiting patiently holding his purchases and wondered what he was supposed to do now. He'd come to greatly enjoy the illicit sex and even discipline as Akando's Pet.

 

How was he supposed to go back to being a regular Blondie now?