Educated Page 4

  “I know, I know.” I wave him off as he helps me find a seat on the platform table. The medical room is surprisingly similar to a doctor’s office back home – all the way down to the table and thin paper covering it. There’s also that strange smell that can only be described as a doctor’s office. “I didn’t feel like fighting today, Solass.”

  “You never fight; you never win.” Solass shakes his large, horned head as he turns to something that looks like a tablet in his hooved hands. “You, two weeks more stay, yes?”

  “Two more weeks?” I tilt my head as his bobs. “Time flies when you’re having fun.”

  Solass smiles wordlessly and types something onto the tablet before he sets it down on an empty table next to mine. His eyes are a startling shade of blue, and there’s something so human about his appearance that sometimes I think about him coming to my room instead of Wavlo or one of his friends. Solass knows by now that I wouldn’t stop him, and despite most of the Entlas being kind, I’m sure they want sex just as much as the next species.

  “Deep breath, yes?” He asks, lifting one of his hooved hands towards my chest. The surface is freezing, and Solass blows warm air on it before dropping it towards my chest again. His touch is surprisingly soft, and I follow his instructions without a fight, taking in a few breaths while keeping my eyes locked on his. I can feel the heat in his gaze, but it’s silly to even think about it.

  Humans are nothing outside of earth.

  Solass lowers his hand. “Too rough.” He shakes his head. “’Nother Octonod, right? You let him rough you?”

  “I told you, I didn’t want to fight tonight.” I slide off the table and brandish my hands at my bruise covered body. “You see this? This is what the Octonods think pleasure should look like. I don’t think I’m ready to see how I’ll look when I’m being punished by one.”

  Solass frowns deeply. He knows I’m right.

  “I no like you getting hurt,” he grumbles. “Want to see you smile.”

  I laugh. “It’s a little late for that.”

  “I mean what say.” He pinches his brows together, knowing that his language isn’t perfect, and for the first time, he seems genuinely disturbed by my injuries and compliance. “Be-lythe, not all others bad. Some good. You understand, yes?”

  I nod. I’m guessing it’s impossible for all aliens to be bad. I believe him. Sort of. I’m sure there are kind aliens in the galaxy who want nothing more than to lavish others with kindness and gifts. But I’m not sure if any of them are the type to rent out a human whore.

  I roll my eyes and turn away from Solass, finding his behavior tonight to be a little strange. It’s bad enough I don’t find him ugly or cruel, but now I’m wondering if I like him.

  Like him. Like this is boarding school and not an intergalactic whore training facility.

  “I just need the creams,” I mutter, rubbing one of my bare arms, keeping my back to him. “I need the one for the bruises and the one for the limp.”

  Solass scoffs, but I hear him opening and closing drawers, doing as I ask.

  “Be-lythe,” he says in a low voice, making me wince. “Be-lythe, I wish…” He trails off, and my eyes widen. For the first time in months, I’m interested in what someone has to say to me. I lower my arm and turn slightly to my right so that I can see Solass out of the corner of my eye. He’s closer, but his hands are empty. Looking past him, I see the tubes resting and waiting on the table.

  I lick my lips. “You wish… what?”

  Two hooved hands land on my shoulders. Stumpy fingers extend from both, curling carefully around me. I lose my breath and suck in a surprised gasp before turning towards him. I don’t want him looking at me like this. Not Solass. Anyone but Solass. He’s the only one who’s gotten past my walls. He’s the only one who makes me think there might be goodness left in this galaxy. I lower my eyes, not wanting to be weak in front of him. I try to keep up my steely demeanor.

  I can’t crack because no matter how kind Solass is, I can’t be with him. He couldn’t afford me. And like he mentioned earlier, I only have a few weeks left before I’m shipped off to the highest bidder.

  “I’ve never want to be rich,” Solass says in his garbled English. “I like job. I like life. Hard work. Difficult work. But money okay.”

  “That’s nice,” I whisper.

  “But I no like dis.” The tiny fingers curl more tightly. “I no want you go. Wish could… wish could keep Be-lythe. Wit Solass.”

  My eyes widen, and finally, I’m able to turn around in his arms, incredulous as I’ve been in months.

  “You want to buy me?” I ask.

  He shakes his head. “No. No, buy. Solass want Be-lythe. Want show… good.” He lowers his head further, pressing his forehead against mine. He’s soft where there are no horns, and he closes his eyes for a moment, leaving himself completely defenseless. If I was a monster, I could kill him. Reach for one of the medical tools and stab him right between the eyes or in the chest. One less monster at this training facility.

  Of course, I can’t do that.

  Because, yes, as much as it pains me to admit it, I want to be shown a little bit of kindness. I want to know that for all the monsters in this universe, there’s also something good. Something pure. Something gentle. Solass has been nothing but kind to me. Nothing but patient. And though he knows all the times I’ve spread my legs and received what I didn’t ask for, he never did anything but scold me verbally.

  What is Solass’ life like beyond the training facility? Does he have a home like Earth? Does he have a home with a fireplace? What’s the temperature like? Would a human be accepted as anything other than a pet or plaything, or is that simply the way all aliens think of those who aren’t members of the Galactal Association?

  “Hu-mans… press lips together, yes?” Solass asks, all but speaking against my lips. His are soft and pink, so much like a human, and it would only take a centimeter or two for ours to touch. “Dey like… de mouth pleasure, yes?”

  “It’s called kissing,” I say quietly, not leaning any closer. “And yes, humans do like to kiss. It’s how they show they care for each other.”

  “I care you,” Solass says, brushing his lips against mine. “I care much, yes.”

  I close my eyes, about to accept his kiss, but something makes me pull away. At first, I’m not sure what, but after staring into Solass’ surprised face, the answer thumps me in the face.

  I’ll never be able to have anything but this moment.

  This here. This now.

  Once tomorrow comes, I’ll only have one more alien to add to my list of those I’ve given pleasure to. And it’s not like Solass could ever buy out my contract. And even if he could, what would I be to him? His pet? His toy? His whore? And that’s if he could buy out my contract, which he never could.

  I stumble back a few feet. “I can’t.” My voice is soft and timid, and I half-expect him to lunge forward and take what he wants anyway because that’s all that’s happened since signing my contract. I brace myself, preparing to enter that place I go when an alien takes advantage of me, but Solass only remains to stand, flustered and a bit embarrassed.

  “I’m sorry.” I’m not sure why the words pop up, but looking into his blue eyes, I can’t find anything else to say.

  “No, be,” Solass says, shaking his head. “Sit table, please. I put cream on knee, yes?”

  I nod, allowing him to help me back onto the table and he squeezes a bit of the orange salve onto his stumpy fingers. He gently massages it into my knee, and I’m left sitting there in silence, wondering if he wants me to say anything.

  “I ask Be-lythe, question?”

  My head lifts. “Sure.”

  “Why no me?” He seems completely perplexed, and if not for the absurdity of the situation, I would laugh in his face. “You pleasure Todas and Octopods. You no want pleasure Solass.” His eyes find mine. “You not like face?”

  A startled sound leaves my lips. “Are you seriously ask
ing me if I think you’re ugly, Solass?” I’m completely thrown back, and for a moment, I think about having sex with him anyway. But then I remember. “Solass, it’s because I don’t think you’re ugly that I can’t have sex with you.” His eyebrows furrow as though he doesn’t understand, so I continue. “With the Todas and the Octonods, I’m able to turn off my feelings. I don’t care about them, so I don’t care what they do. I’m just living another day, you know? I’m not hurt, and I’ll probably never see them again. I don’t want to see them again. But with you…” I trail off, blushing as I lower my head. “If I kiss you if you give me pleasure… I know I’ll like it.”

  “Why you know?”

  “Because I like you,” I say, blushing like an idiot. “And I can’t… I can’t give myself to anyone I may have feelings for. I’m available physically, but not emotionally. And you…” I bite my lip, suppressing a cry building in my throat, “… you’ll make me miss everything I signed away. I have to make cruelty my best friend because I’m scared to know kindness now. And you’re kind, Solass.” I sniff hard as he stands up and wraps his furry arms around my trembling shoulders.

  He’s so kind. I can’t have sex with him because it’ll hurt too much.

  “I no want make Be-lythe sad,” he murmurs into my back. “I just… want Be-lythe know… there is good.” He pulls away, locking his soft blue eyes with mine. “You get Entlas assignment, you take, yes? Maybe I find.”

  “And then what?” I wipe my tears away. He doesn’t answer, and I ask him again. “And then what? You put a leash on me, and we wander off into the sunset?” I shake my head. “Solass, in two weeks, I’m leaving. And I don’t know where I’m going to end up. It could be with someone like you, or someone crueler. Or a world so terrible I can’t even picture it yet. But that’s just it; I have to go in there thinking the worst. And if I have sex with you, I’ll always want something good. I’ll always crave someone kind. And odds are, I’m not going to get it. Do you understand?”

  He seems to think this over, brushing his hand between the four horns on his head. God, it isn’t fair. I’m finally thrown a shred of kindness, and I’m throwing it away because I’m too afraid of wanting more.

  But it’s the right thing to do because there is no happy ending for a whore.

  “You come here,” he says softly.

  “Solass—”

  “Listen me,” he interrupts. “You come here. Any time, you come. You hurt? You not hurt. You come. I care for.” He shakes his head. “Todas come, you no like? You come me. I care for you. Tell odders you not well.” He cocks his head to the side. “You understand, Be-lythe?” He steps forward and touches my shoulders. “I keep here until you go. I show kindness. I treat Be-lythe good till Be-lythe go. You understand?”

  It’s hard to stop the tears from coming.

  It’s such a simple offer, and so much less than what was offered initially.

  But this makes much more sense, and it means just as much.

  He’s saying any time I don’t want to spread my legs, I can find him. In his way, he’ll protect me until he can’t protect me anymore.

  That’s going to have to be good enough.

  “Others will be kind.” Solass drops a chaste kiss to my forehead. I’m not sure if it’s even fair to call it a kiss, really. More like, his lips touched my forehead. But I held on to those words.

  Others will be kind.

  In those two weeks, I fell hard for an alien with hooves for hands and four horns on his head. I fell for an alien who never hugged me, kissed me, or gave me pleasure. He barely even touched me. And that’s one of the many reasons I fell for him anyway.

  Solass – who I only saw for two months and never saw again after my training – was one of the kindest aliens I ever met. When I received my first assignment off the training academy, he stood there on the brig, watching with a pained expression. So badly, I wanted to run into his arms, and have him wrap me up. I wanted to be his. I wanted to know if it was possible to be his, and what that would mean.

  But of course, nothing happened. I smiled and waved like I was offered a trip to Disney World as I boarded the ship.

  Though I did lock eyes with him and only him.

  He was biting his lip. I’ll remember that.

  Some part of me likes to think he almost ran forward. He almost grabbed me and found a way to keep me with him always. Maybe then I’d know the taste of his furry skin, and the face he’d make when I pleased him.

  Maybe this and maybe that. He’s one of the only things I think about when I’m alone at night. He’s one of the only things I think about when I’m with a good buyer. Or a cruel buyer. And though months dragged on and I never saw or heard from him again, sometimes I wondered how he’s doing. If he still worked at the academy. If he had a wife or even a family. If he tried courting another human who was more open to having sex with him him thinking she’s living in a goddammed fairy tale and not housed at a whore’s training facility.

  I wonder about all of this.

  Some part of me secretly wonders what will happen if I run into him again.

  And then I remember. None of it even matters.

  Just live another day. Do your job. Make another paycheck.

  But on the nights, I wanted nothing more than to fall apart, I tried to hold on to his words.

  Others will be kind.

  ***

  Korben’s arm wraps more tightly around me, putting us chest to chest. At first, I can’t bring myself to look at him, I’m still wrapped up in the memories of Solass. It seems wrong to distract myself when memories of him are still so close to my heart. But I can’t take Korben staring at me so intently. Maybe he’s upset that I’ve cared for another. Maybe he thinks that he’ll never be able to compare.

  Maybe not, but I still don’t want to upset him. Plus, I want to light the heavy mood that’s drifted into the small, heated space.

  I press my nose into his scaled chest. “So, say something.”

  “Do you think he was right?”

  And then I blink, looking up him. “Do I think…”

  He squeezes me gently. “Others will be kind. Do you think he’s right?”

  I smile and roll my eyes. “Maybe. Looks like the jury’s still out on this one.”

  “I am afraid I don’t understand.”

  “Guess you’ll have to wait and see.” I laugh into his chest, knowing he’s a little frustrated.

  Others will be kind.

  Maybe you’re right, Solass.

  Purchased

  CHAPTER ONE

  Blythe

  When I volunteered to become an entertainer, I had no idea I would become a whore – let alone one shipped across the entire galaxy. I shouldn’t have been so eager, but the money was too good and signing the contract without taking anything too seriously came easily. The entire transaction was legit. Supposedly. There was nothing I could do once the ink dried on the paper. Who could I ask for help? My parents? My mom’s dead, and my dad’s the reason I signed the contract.

  I could only hope the money promised was as concrete as the contract I had signed.

  How would I know from five billion miles away?

  Would I ever find out if the money I sent helped my dad at all? Did it even matter? Would he still smile, in selfish relief, if he knew his oldest daughter had sold herself to become an intergalactic space whore?

  This leads to me to where I’m at right now.

  I glance around the room, taking note of the faces as the ship transports me my next assignment. As usual, everyone’s young, female, and at least somewhat athletic. All the girls train when we have a free moment but having something in common didn’t exactly make us friends. Quite the opposite. We look out for ourselves, save for a few of the high-class entertainers who always manage to work jobs together.

  Frowning, I lower my cup of water. This isn’t a bad room. There’s enough space for all of us to stretch out and there’s even a separate space if we need to tak
e a piss. Accommodations have been a lot worse, but there’s still no telling how long this supposed situation will last.

  “Where are they taking us?” one asks, ruining my quiet assessment. I glance up to find a pair of piercing blue eyes fixating on my much darker ones.

  That’s how it is on a lot of these journeys. So many girls turn to me for answers. I’m not exactly sure why. Maybe I look old or more experienced. Maybe I’m more approachable than the others. Either way, enclosed in this locked room with nineteen other girls, I’m not surprised when several of them flock towards my corner. I lick my lips and take in the first who’s brave enough to speak to me, recognizing her immediately.

  Doesn’t mean I have to be friendly about it.

  “I don’t know, Ellis,” I shoot back, dismissing my polite trained ways of speaking that I use with clients. I don’t want to let worry show on my face, but this situation is outside the norm.

  Twenty Human Whores locked in pleasant accommodations, if not for the fact we’d all be forced to spread our legs later for whoever purchased us.

  Still though, twenty? It seems a bit excessive. Maybe it’s for another alien bachelor party of some sort.

  Sighing, I remember I deserve this. I signed the papers. I boarded the shuttle without a second thought to my future or safety.

  “There are twenty of us here, you know,” Ellis goes on, glancing around the sterile enclosed room we’re bunked in. She openly expresses all my worries in her submissive, yet obviously intelligent voice. “Twenty. What could anyone possibly want with twenty girls at once?”

  “Bachelor party?” I guess sarcastically.

  “Maybe they’re like the Entlas?” one asks hopefully, and I’m immediately drawn to her young face and near black eyes. “They weren’t so terrible. Some were even kind.”