AllFreeNovel
Share Us
What kind of man—furry or otherwise—bids for a bride? Demands a child?
A desperate one, I guess. One who watched his whole family die, maybe? One who lost his wife and child?
Her hands pulled at her hair, done in a simple, elegant twist in case this Leopardine should reach out to get in touch. She wanted to look worthy of a Knight who lived in luxury, who promised her a life of ease for a simple permanent contract.
One lifelong client.
Better than thousands you saw once or twice? Better than ones you saw weekly—and then found out you couldn’t trust?
Just when she was about to punch a pillow in frustration, her comm beeped from its place on the bed.
“Extra-orbital call? What the...” Jade frowned at the screen and cursed the minor dust storm they’d had overnight. Such events often messed with the technology. Belatedly, she wondered if the storm had caused a delay in communications. The town’s sat-link had been down overnight. Could that mean her offer had been accepted (or rejected) and she was just now finding out?
“Hello!” Jade answered with less poise than she would have liked, eyes wide as she saw an anxious, spotted face and a long Felid torso filling the palm-sized screen.
“Thank Bastet. I’ve been trying to contact you for several hours. This... This is Jade, isn’t it?” the Leopardine asked.
Jade composed herself. “Yes, thank you for contacting me. I’m sorry to say we had some storm interference in my region today, so this is the first communication I’ve received.”
The Felid on the screen relaxed as well, his rich, mellow voice lowering several tones. “You accepted my offer. I wanted to meet here before we meet face-to-face. I’m Ardol.”
“Jade.” Idiot. He knows that.
“Your contract met all of my requirements, and your requests are easily met as well. You’re on Lynx-Nineteen?”
“Yes. Traveling here is quite an issue, but—”
“It’s my next stop. I’ll be there in a few days, and then I’ll be stuck there for a cycle. No offense.”
“None taken. I’m from Sapien-Three. Obviously.” Idiot. Again. This is worse than making small talk with clients. I just had to get them “distracted” for an hour or two. Why am I even thinking about marriage? What will I talk to him about for cycles? Years? “The town I’m in is lovely, really. I do prefer it to Sapien-Three, but I’d much prefer what I’ve seen of the Leopardine planets.”
His eyebrows arched, and a wide smile split his face. “Who could resist them? We’re the jewel of the galaxy. You may as well know that my father is a District Lord, and with a wife and an heir, I’ll be able to claim his title when he steps down or passes. Even being next in line to rule comes with tremendous perks. However, I don’t want my position bandied about and discussed with the other members of my crew. I was hired by a human Queen who knew little about the Felix Orbus Galaxy at the time, and she didn’t make my connections a point of conversation. I prefer it.”
Jade nodded. “I won’t mention it.” But I’ll think about it. I’ll look up the houses District Lords live in. Are they palaces? Mansions? Will I have servants?
Prostitute to princess. I could do that.
“You’re attractive and healthy. Why did you accept my offer?” Ardol’s voice was suddenly brusque.
“I’m not suited for mining or farming. I don’t want to marry a miner or farmer. No, it’s not so much the work. I don’t mind physical work,” Jade admitted, pushing thoughts of long, exhausting sessions in the Pleasure Parks from her mind. “It’s more that I don’t want to live on this planet through another cold, lonely winter. I’m good at pleasing my partners, and I want financial stability and a nice home.” Jade shrugged. “This would be just another job to me.”
Ardol’s face fell, but he snorted and ran a paw over the wave of fur slicked rakishly over one ear. “You’re very practical.”
“I know how to survive.”
His chest puffed with pride. “If you marry me, you won’t have to worry about survival. You’ll have every comfort aboard the Comet Stalker, and every luxury on my home planet. You’ll even have some human companions onboard.” The easy, expansive tone hardened for a moment. “But you will need to produce an heir sooner than later. The methods used are successful, but need a medical officer to oversee them. Only two doctors that I know of have the training, and one is on board. The other is on your planet, just waiting for our arrival and the drugs to inject.”
Jade stalled for time. “I see.” She saw an eager Leopardine. Maybe even desperate.
Desperate men were malleable. “I’d rather not try immediately, but soon is acceptable. Yes. Sooner than later.”
“Are we agreed? You will marry me?”
Her mouth was suddenly sealed, sandy and dry. We don’t know anything about each other. We just need another person, a tool to do a job.
That was my old job. A tool to scratch an itch. A body to jerk off over. A hot hole to use.
Fear threatened to swamp her. Her fingers trembled around her comm, slender forefinger itching to end the call with the tap of a screen.
