Claimed Beauty (The Cubi Book 2)
Date: 2016-12-13T00:00:00+00:00

Claimed Beauty

The Cubi: Book 2

By

Meraki P. Lyhne

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Claimed Beauty

1. edition

Copyright © 2016 Meraki P. Lyhne

ISBN 13: 978-87-997289-3-0

Cover design by Jay Aheer
www.simplydefinedart.com

Edited by Laura McNellis
www.alternativedits.com

Find more about the author
www.merakiplyhne.com

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any manner without written permission except in the case of brief quotations included in critical articles and reviews. For information, please contact the author.

This book is a work of fiction.

That means I made shit up. All of it.

Chapter One

Daniel almost had to jog to keep up with Lord Caledon’s long strides as the House Lord carried Daniel’s bag with his few worldly belongings. He seemed more quiet and perturbed than the few times Daniel had met him, so Daniel kept quiet even though his mind was racing with questions. All he knew was where they were going—Caledon was leading Daniel to his place. But what exactly had happened? Oh, he remembered some of it, and had a difficult time finding himself in the memory of holding the green-eyed Incubus Seldon down and telling him he wanted to bring him mind-numbing pleasure by fucking him. But a lot of the classification, as Seldon explained it, was gone in a fog filled with such lust that Daniel had trouble processing it.

Seldon’s sad expression, as he told him about having accidentally dosed him, stayed clear in his mind. So did that everything’s-going-to-be-okay smile, Seldon had offered up before he left. Seldon had been arrested and would have to stand trial. What did that mean? What would they do to him?

His next thoughts went to what kind of a Master Caledon was since Daniel obviously belonged to him. Being a Lord, he had to have higher expectations than Seldon. How would he train him? And since Daniel turned out to be a Changeling, what would he be trained to do?

It hadn’t really registered until right then that he was turning into some supernatural sex-vampire and what that meant. The realization made him stop as memories of red eyes on the train and someone coming at him with a needle came to him. That’s what he was becoming.

“Oh, shit,” he muttered and sought support by a wall. Caledon turned further ahead, looking annoyed, but Daniel’s mind spun. He was one of them now. He was going to hunt and have sex to survive.

“Daniel?”

Daniel looked up, but his surroundings didn’t really register. He felt tired. Confused. And a headache settled behind his eyes.

Caledon returned to where Daniel slid down the wall to sit on the floor. The Lord squatted in front of him. “It finally registered, huh? You’re not the first to be shocked by the realization. Come on.” Caledon took his arm and hauled Daniel to his feet, steering him the rest of the way through the maze to a door. They entered a huge apartment, but Daniel didn’t have the surplus of energy to take in the surroundings. He just slumped next to Caledon and followed him through the less modernized, more antiquely decorated rooms.

They ended up in a bedroom with a big four post bed of some dark wooden type. Caledon placed Daniel’s bag by the end of it and guided Daniel to sit on an Ottoman Bench.

“You okay, Daniel?”

“Yes, Master.” He looked up a bit and focused on the man in front of him. “My Lord.”

“No, you’re not. Come on, let’s get you showered.” Caledon rummaged through Daniel’s bag and brought his toothbrush. Daniel followed him into the adjoining bathroom where Caledon put the toothbrush on the shelf before undressing. Daniel did the same, but his mind was still uncooperative, so he just went through the motions and stood there with his clothes in his hands, waiting for Caledon to tell him what to do.

His mind replayed the three purple-eyed Cubi taking Seldon away. He felt naked without the collar on. Unprotected.

“Daniel?”

He looked up, finding Caledon staring at him. “Yes, My Lord?”

“It’s going to be okay. First, go shower, then get some sleep. Put your clothes in here.” Caledon opened the lid of a hamper, and Daniel put his clothes in, letting Caledon close it again. He noticed Caledon’s clothes lying on the floor. He picked them up and deposited them in the hamper as well. In the meantime, Caledon turned on the water and stepped inside. He motioned for Daniel to join him and he did.

Caledon stepped closer and turned Daniel around before pouring shampoo into his hair. Daniel didn’t object. He didn’t object to being nudged through everything from drying off, brushing his teeth, or being steered to bed, either. He just felt…empty.

* * * *

Once out of Daniel’s line of sight, Seldon dropped the façade of everything being okay. He was scared shitless. He’d heard of two other Cubi, who had been entrusted with an Untouchable, who had ended up dosing them. Both had suffered starvation, but not just for a week as he had figured he’d put Gordon through. He was far older than Jonah, and Jonah would get hurt from that long. Three days was a maximum for someone so young. Seldon, on the other hand, wouldn’t be physically or energetically hurt from a month, but that wasn’t saying he wouldn’t be in severe pain.

The two Seldon had heard about had dosed their Untouchables because they lost control and wanted to feed on them. Both suffered more than a year of starvation for their transgression. Going that far would age a Cubi. Take away their youth, and they couldn’t get it back. They were called ghosts and were only allowed to feed on the aged breeders who were moved to labor. That was the House the ghosts lived in with no access to the rest of the compound.

God, he hoped they wouldn’t take it that far since he, unlike the two he’d heard of, hadn’t done it on purpose. Since punishment in their world was measured by the consequences of an action and not the intent, he truly feared he’d end up a ghost, cut off from everyone. Even his children.

The Grand Ladies and Lord took Seldon to the floor of the Grand House without speaking a word to him. He was grateful for that in some way. As they entered the prison, Seldon noticed that Jonah sat in one of the cells. Seldon looked away, angry that the red-eye’s lack of respect for the rules in his home had cost both him and Daniel so much.

One of the women opened a cell further down. Seldon entered and plopped down on the bed, which was more comfortable than he had expected from jail. The cell even had a small kitchenette and a divider so there was privacy at the toilet.

“We will be by later for your statement. As we suspect you are more than satiated from classifying the Changeling, you won’t feed before tomorrow afternoon.”

“Yes, Grand Lady. Thank you.” Seldon cringed as the lattice door closed with a metallic sound. He sighed heavily and got up to check out the kitchenette. He had coffee. Fantastic. But he was more or less mentally exhausted, so he took off his clothes and went to bed.

His mind went over the last week. From when he first learned that Lord Caledon thought him worthy of the honor of training an Untouchable to the first time he saw Daniel and his beautiful green eyes. The boy had grown so much in a few days. Maybe the difference was so noticeable because he had completely withdrawn into himself after he saw Seldon rip the nails off a troublesome breeder? Once the boy had found out what training meant, what he was expected to learn and become, and how Seldon planned to go about it, he had opened up little by little as he grew more secure in his new life.

From that to a complete power-bottom who was extremely focused on visual stimulation during sex. Seldon hadn’t expected that. Well, maybe the part about needing the visuals during sex, but not that he was so naughty. It didn’t matter if he didn’t feed until tomorrow night because he was full. Then again, maybe Daniel was his last feeding for a year. The thought made him shiver, and he desperately tried to think of something else. Or sleep.

Neither seemed to be a possibility, and he passed the time by going over his statement again and again in his head until sleep finally claimed him from sheer exhaustion sometime early the next morning.

Chapter Two

Daniel woke up, staring into the heaven of Caledon’s bed. Next to him, the Lord reclined against the headboard, reading an old tattered notebook bound in scarred leather. He turned his head and peered at Daniel over his glasses, smiling at him. He looked quite hipster intellectual.

“Good morning.”

Daniel sat up, rubbing his eyes. “Good morning.”

“Hungry?”

“Yes, My Lord.”

“I must say, Seldon certainly taught you to answer respectfully.”

“Uhm…thank you, My Lord.”

“Let’s figure out a way to tone it down, though.” Caledon closed the notebook and turned to face Daniel. “When I asked if you were hungry, I also meant sexually. Do you need to feed?”

“I don’t know. I just know I could eat food.”

“Hmm…does your skin tingle?”

Daniel focused on feeling his body. He could feel his ass without trying hard, but that was about it. His mind fed him memories of riding Seldon hard, and his stomach fluttered. Not what he wanted right then, so he shoved the thoughts away.

“No, My Lord.”

“Okay. We can wait a bit then.” Caledon turned his attention back to the book, and Daniel thought about how hunger worked. Then the word we struck.

“My Lord, can I ask something?”

“Mhm?”

“If…if Cubi can only feed on lower energies, does that mean I can only feed on humans now?”

Caledon turned his head again with a pleased smile. “Yes and no. Until your eyes change to full red, you can feed off doses and get as much if not more energy as you would a fully satisfying fuck. Actually, you will continue to be able to, but it becomes less and less fulfilling compared to sexually obtained energy.”

“What kind of energy?”

“Since you are a Changeling, you will start school along with the other Changelings. There you will be told of our history and physical functions. But the short answer is that it’s a change in hormones and a protein. We’re a mutation, and the dose triggers mutations in people with a certain gene, making them Changelings. This mutation then makes a part of the preoptic area of the Changeling’s hypothalamus grow. It regulates mating behavior and is also responsible for creating the doses. Once it has reached its full size, your eyes turn. The rest is determined by stimuli. That’s why it was so important to get you thoroughly dosed upon the change, because the stronger you’re dosed the first time and before your eyes change, the stronger you and your doses will get.”

“Okay. Then why isn’t it only purple-eyes who dose Changelings?”

“Good question. The answer to that lies in the strength of our doses. A pure dose of that strength can kill you or cause brain damage. That center in the brain can short-circuit from overload if the body hasn’t been subjected to a dose before. Thus, we never classify breeders and don’t feed from them until we know whether they’re Changelings or not. Now that we know that you are, I will be your primary doser until we figure out what will happen with Seldon and where you should go.”

“He didn’t do it on purpose.”

“I know, I was there, remember?” Caledon looked sad, and he sighed heavily before returning his attention to the notebook. “These are our laws. As the Lord of Seldon’s House, it is my job to act as his lawyer so to speak. It is also my job to come up with a punishment. It’s kind of a negotiation with the Grand House. They’re like…our government. You will have to appear at the hearing later on today. I’ll have to leave earlier, but someone will come and get you.”

“What am I supposed to say at the hearing?”

“The truth. If you lie, I will punish you.”

“Yes, My Lord.” Daniel’s brain began a list of possible punishments, but he was pretty sure it wouldn’t be anything like having fingernails removed.

“We better get you some breakfast. If you start feeling a tingle in your skin, let me know immediately.”

“What if you’re gone? To the hearing?”

“I’ll dose you before I leave just to make sure.”

“Just dose?”

“No.” Caledon laughed. “That would be cruel, and I’m not cruel.”

Well, that was good news, especially regarding punishments. But the realization that he’d be fucked by Caledon set a fight off in Daniel.

Caledon got out of bed and padded naked to the closet to find clothes. Daniel took in the man’s body more closely than he had been able to when the Lord had fucked Seldon. Okay, the guy was attractive, everyone in the place was. With what he remembered from last night, he chose to just not think of having to have sex until it had to happen, and then he’d just let his thoughts go in a dose. Jeff’s advice about just letting it happen or be sulky was good, but it was far easier said than done.

Daniel found his bag and emptied it to find clothes, remembering he had a set in the hamper. He picked a set and put the rest back into the bag. He smiled at the makeup bag and looked around the bedroom, finding a beautiful ornate vanity table made from wood in a corner. He had no idea what kind of wood, and he had no knowledge of antique furniture. But it matched the bed, bedside table, and dresser, and it all looked suitable for a Lord. He left the makeup out, wanting to sit at the vanity table and apply it. The freedom still amazed him. It made him feel good looking his best.

Caledon came over and put a pair of slacks and a t-shirt on the bed. “You should probably just dress in something easy to remove for now. You can put the nice clothes on when I leave because you can be picked up at any time after that.”

“Yes, My Lord.” Daniel found a pair of loose pants and a t-shirt, figuring he’d wait with the makeup until he changed into nicer clothes. He laid the clothes out over the bridal chest so they wouldn’t wrinkle and placed the makeup bag next to them.

“Are you going to wear makeup again?”

Daniel looked up. “Do you want me not to?”

“No, by all means.” Caledon smiled secretively. “You were pretty hard on Seldon wearing that yesterday.”

Daniel smiled, knowing he had been. Then a thought occurred to him. “It’s all my fault, isn’t it? If I hadn’t worn it, then this wouldn’t have happened.”

“No!” Caledon said, pointing at Daniel. “Jonah chose to touch you even though he had been told not to. His lack of self-control is on him, not you. You could have been dancing that ass-shaking dance naked, wearing makeup, glitter, and a fucking tiara, and you would still not be to blame for his choice to touch you. So, wear makeup and shake your ass to your heart’s content, cub.”

That made Daniel smile and he felt a bit better, but he still felt like he had a hand in it.

“Come on, let’s find you some breakfast.” Caledon left the bedroom and Daniel followed, pulling on his t-shirt as they went.

There were six naked men in the kitchen, all very attractive, going about their business, which was either eating, talking, drinking coffee, or working through a thick book with Sudoku’s.

“Good morning, everyone.” Caledon stepped behind Daniel and put his hands on his shoulders. “This is Daniel, a new Changeling. He’ll be staying here for a while. He’s almost been fully classified.” Caledon half-turned Daniel to get eye-contact. “No touching my breeders without permission.”

“Yes, My Lord.”

“And that might seem easy now with the amount of doses you got twelve hours ago, but I promise you, you’re going to have trouble following that order. Always tell me when you get that itch.”

“Yes, My Lord.”

“Good. Now, coffee and breakfast.” Caledon went further into the kitchen, and Daniel glanced around at the six men who smiled and nodded at him. He finally joined Caledon who was offered a cup of coffee by one of the naked men.

“What would you like to eat, sir?” the man asked, and Daniel gaped at being called sir.

“You’re an Incubus now. Normally, you wouldn’t be addressed as Sir before your eyes turn red, but you are a guest in my home, so you will be.”

“Oh, thank you. I don’t know, just…something. Cereal.”

The man smiled. “I’ll bring you something, then. Coffee, too?”

“Yes, please.”

“Come on.” Caledon took him to the dining table where he sat at the end of the table. Daniel sat next to him, looking around. It was so different from Seldon’s place which was modern, glass, chrome, and smooth black, white, and gray surfaces. Everything here was warm wood and impressive handy-work.

Caledon continued to read in the old notebook while Daniel ate his cereal. Daniel spent the time listening in on the men’s conversations. They seemed happy and like good friends. One came over and topped off their cups, brushing against Daniel’s arm as he took Daniel’s empty bowl. Daniel pulled away a bit as the short physical contact stirred something in him and he got a boner. But his skin didn’t tingle.

“My Lord?”

“Caledon, please,” Caledon said and looked up from his reading.

“Oh, Caledon…”

“Yes?”

“Well, I’m like nineteen, so I get like at least eleven different kinds of boners a day, but…”

Caledon laughed loudly. “Skin tingly yet?”

“No, My Lord.”

“Hmm…then we’ll wait. I want you to experience the feel of hunger, but no matter what, I’ll be dosing you before I leave regardless of whether you’ve felt hunger or not.”

“Yes, My Lord.”

“Unless I give you a direct order or you have to address me outside of my home, you don’t have to call me by my title all the time, okay?”

“Yes…” Was this a direct order?

“Seldon told me you had problems balancing that. Were you still scared he’d rip your fingernails off?”

“No, not anymore, but I’d want to avoid a spanking, too, ‘cause that hurt.”

“That’s one of my preferred methods of punishment, just so you know.”

“Duly noted,” Daniel said, fondling the handle of his cup.

“You’re still getting used to things, so we’ll take it one day at a time, okay?”

“Yes…”

Caledon smiled, putting Daniel’s confusion to rest, and drank his coffee while returning his attention to the notebook. Daniel sat back and contemplated his boner. Focusing on his body’s needs, the need for a bathroom registered. Not wanting to disturb Caledon, he waved one of the naked men over.

“Would you show me the nearest bathroom?”

“Sure thing.”

Daniel got up, getting Caledon’s attention. “No touching, remember.”

“My skin isn’t tingling. Plus, I’m pretty sure he’s way stronger than I am.”

Caledon chuckled. “Put your hand on his chest.”

Daniel was about to ask why, but remembered that orders were never negotiable, so he did as he was asked. Uh…what the hell? The boner filled more, and Caledon closed his book and got up to stand behind Daniel.

“How does he feel?”

“Like…a good taste?” Daniel mused out loud. That was so weird.

Caledon nodded, smiling. Then he leaned in to whisper in Daniel’s ear. “Lick his nipple.”

Daniel couldn’t believe he was doing this, but something in him wanted to. He followed the urge and flicked his tongue over the naked breeder’s nipple. Nothing. He sucked it gently, and the man stiffened. That sent something through Daniel, and the skin on his neck began to tingle. With that came the urge for more. He wanted to hear the breeder moan, so he stepped closer and put an arm around him to suck at his nipple more.

“That’s enough,” Caledon said, grabbed Daniel’s elbows and pulled him back. Daniel whimpered and breathed heavily, trying to will the growing tingle and slight light-headedness to go away.

“I’ll take it from here,” Caledon announced.

“Aw, he was good at it.” The breeder pouted theatrically.

“Your nipples will get special attention later,” Caledon promised in an amused tone as he led Daniel away. Nervousness mingled with the increasing tingly sensation. Even Caledon’s touch had Daniel shivering. He sped up to get away and try to get a sense of himself. But the tingle that had begun at his neck crept further down his back, arms, and chest, spreading warmth in its wake.

“Is this the hunger?” Daniel asked moving his limbs as if the friction of fabric against his skin could make it stop.

“Mildly, yes.” Caledon led Daniel toward the bedroom, and unease about the impending sex crept past the excitement he had felt while licking the breeder. His mind even wanted to rebel at the fact he had done it and thought he tasted great. He was still working on getting past questioning his sexuality since he had arrived there. First, he got turned on by watching Seldon fuck a guy, then he began checking out the men. Seldon’s view on labels and sexuality as a Cubus had given him something to think about, but he had far from come to any conclusion. And now he had this tingly shit and a constant hunger-boner to worry about. It kind of blew the whole straight/bi/gay thing out the window, yet his mind wouldn’t let go of it. And how could it? He’d grown up being conditioned thinking very differently about sex, yet he had to feed on sex the rest of his life.

“Can I ask something,” Daniel asked and stopped. Caledon looked at him patiently while Daniel scratched his arms. “Are you even attracted to me?”

Caledon smiled and cupped his face—the physical contact sending a new wave of warmth to settle and increased the tingle. “I know you as a slightly shy and timid boy who in spite of it all shows something…” Caledon seemed to weigh his words. “Erotically exciting. That dance.” Caledon’s voice dropped, and his eyes darkened with lust. “What you can do with your ass, cub…” Caledon breathed out theatrically.

Daniel found a certain amount of power in that. He had found equal power in being able to make Seldon lust for him. However, things changed, he changed making him fair game. And not only that—he had to be fucked to change. Knowing that he could cause that lustful look in a purple-eyed Lord of a House meant the ball was in his court. He didn’t even mind the thought of having a cock in his ass if that look of pure need and admiration succeeded it, because he caused it.

Daniel bit his lower lip, thinking whether he was courageous enough to play this out. The look in Caledon’s eyes made it easier, though.

“What’s your fantasy?” Daniel asked, pressing himself against the Lord. “What turns you on?”

Caledon’s eyes darkened further, and he stepped closer, pressing Daniel to the wall of the hallway. “I love the muscles of a man’s back. Shoulders in particular.” His hands traveled to the parts of the body he described. “How they work under the skin. The hollow of the spine as it snakes to follow the ass grinding against my crotch.”

“You like the ass? Moving like I dance?”

“Oh, yeah.” Caledon ran his hands over Daniel’s buttocks. “A plump, bouncing ass…but before we get any further, let me show you something. I’m sure you’ve seen it at Seldon’s place, too.” Caledon shivered as if trying to catch himself as he stepped back to lead Daniel to the bathroom and into the shower stall. He pointed to a device hanging on the wall with a hose attached to it.

“Soap dispenser?” But taking the design into account, Daniel couldn’t figure why it had a hose. Caledon laughed.

“You really are naïve. That’s for an enema. Dispenser to the right is lube to ease the nozzle into your ass. Press the button, and it releases about a liter of fluids into you. It’s ph neutral to your bowels. Hold it as long as you can, and dispense of it—” Caledon turned and pointed to the toilet, “—there. When you’re done and clean, I’ll worship that dancing ass.” Caledon closed in to lick across Daniel’s lips, and even though he felt shocked by it, the gentle touch set his skin ablaze.

Caledon smiled wickedly and left the bathroom, leaving Daniel with itchy skin and a thing to put in his ass.

What the hell was wrong with him? His dick stood at attention, his skin crawled in a completely new way, and he had just asked a guy about his fantasies. He looked at the nozzle, thinking whether he was really about to shove that thing into his ass. He could see the practicality of it, but…shit. He definitely saw the intelligence of nature when it made Cubi stop needing human food at some point. But he had to shove that thing in his ass and then go to the bedroom and get dosed by Caledon.

He tried to focus on Jeff’s statement. Enjoy the sex or be miserable. The fact that Caledon was attracted to him helped. He needed that sense of being desired. To be able to incite. To cause that darkened purple color of his eyes. Daniel gave up trying to figure out the many labels of his world and wished he could have put on makeup before he got in there. But that wasn’t what Lord Caledon had answered to. It was the show.

Daniel smiled as he lubed up the thing and gingerly shoved it up his ass, wondering if it would hurt or not. Thinking he could always pull it out, he pressed the button. It gave off a whirring sound, and he felt his eyes bulge as liquid poured into his ass. His intestines twinged, and he pulled it out, groaning at the sensation. But he held what he’d been filled with inside and watched the nozzle spill the rest onto the floor. Not much, though.

It was not pleasant. Not at all. He squeezed his ass tightly shut before he went to the toilet on stiff legs. There, he stood and waited, holding the liquid in as he’d been told to. He had no idea what to expect, but it felt like the time he had eaten at that Chinese stand on a trip with the class. He hadn’t been the only one screaming for the person on the toilet to be done with his business that day. Or night.

Finally, Daniel couldn’t hold it anymore, and he sat and let go. It was not sexy at all, but the tingle to his skin kept at it, and his boner refused to deflate all the way. Talk about sexual hunger.

Daniel finished up and washed, feeling nervous about going into the bedroom where he pictured Caledon lying on the bed, trying to look all sexy, while Daniel had just emptied his bowels like sex was the last thing on the agenda. He washed his ass and dried off before he cracked the door open to find Caledon sitting naked on the edge of the bed with a book in his hand. Yeah, intellectually hip, except he’d left his glasses in the kitchen. So Daniel eased into the room, getting Caledon’s attention.

“Ready?”

“I…I’m horny, and my mind is all over the place, and…I don’t know you…really.”

“That’s what the dose is for.”

“I know. I just…want to settle into this…change.”

“The only thing unbecoming in a man as beautiful as you, is your current insecurity.”

Daniel looked at Caledon whose full attention was on Daniel. Once again, he was reminded that the power was in his hands, and it made him high to think that he could manipulate someone as strong as a Lord. Maybe it was the hunger, but at that point, Daniel didn’t really care. Seeing Seldon letting himself get pinned down in his memories had his lust rise, and his body reacted to it. In more ways than just his cock standing at attention.

In leisurely movements, Daniel ran a hand over his boner, the other up his torso to finally circle a finger around a nipple. “Do you like dimples?”

Caledon sat forward, leaning his elbows on his knees as he studied Daniel, smiling. “I do, but you don’t have any.”

“My ass does.”

Caledon bit his lower lip, and his purple eyes darkened even more. “Your ass has dimples?”

“Mm-hmm.” Daniel cocked his head, and Caledon sat back, studying all of Daniel. A bead of pre-cum slid from the crown and down the Lord’s shaft, and Daniel got the overwhelming urge to lick it off. His mind took him back to the first time he’d tasted a cock. Last night when he licked Seldon. Cum didn’t taste like he’d thought. Or like his own when the jets missed their target and hit his mouth during masturbation. Seldon’s spunk had been pure nectar.

The sight of Caledon pushed a need to make him move forward. Daniel pushed away from the wall and sauntered closer, keeping his eye on Caledon. Those were definitely bedroom eyes.

“Are you going to show me those dimples?”

Daniel turned around and bent slightly at the knees to get the perfect stance to twerk his ass while looking over his shoulder to watch Caledon’s expression. He wanted more from him before he’d let the Lord dose him. It had to be the hunger that drove Daniel to do that. His skin was tingling all over, but the boldness stemmed from elsewhere. He figured it wasn’t just the part about finding his place as a Changeling, but that part of the brain regulating mating hormones that was sending off signals he didn’t understand.

Whatever it was, he felt a strong urge to be watched and appreciated. It was fucking vain, but he wanted Caledon horny for him and not just satiating his hunger on another body.

Caledon licked his lips and cocked his head.

“See the dimples?” Daniel asked and bobbed his ass three times. Caledon nodded, never taking his eyes off his ass. “Like ‘em?” He rotated his hips in sharp jerks.

“Like them? I want to lick them.”

Daniel smiled, counting the distance between them. “Well, I know you guys have long tongues, but…three feet?”

“You could back up.”

“Or, you could come and get it.” Daniel shook his ass again, and Caledon got up growling, and if his purple eyes had turned dark before they were practically black now. Caledon dropped to his knees behind Daniel, grabbed his ass, and buried his face in there like nothing Daniel had ever imagined. He’d seen Seldon eat out an ass and thought it would be a frosty night in hell before he’d experience anything like that, but God that felt amazing.

Daniel gasped and leaned forward to allow Caledon better access. A fleeting thought interrupted about whether or not he had done a good job with cleaning himself out. Hunger took over and all Daniel could think about was having Caledon roar in rapture. Daniel’s legs gave out from the pleasure, and he fell to his hands and knees. Caledon groaned as he munched harder, and Daniel felt Caledon’s tongue go into his ass and it felt fucking wonderful.

Heat spread from his ass and rushed up his spine before a mind-numbing need for release erupted in a loud groan, and he pressed himself backward to get more stimulation from the tongue drilling his ass.

He needed more. He needed something else, so he pulled away and turned to push Caledon to his back on the floor and straddle him.

“Lube, we need lube,” Caledon said and sat up. He hooked an arm around Daniel and backpedaled toward the bedside table. Daniel was going out of his mind with need for more while Caledon rummaged through the drawer with his free hand. Daniel finally lowered his head to kiss Caledon, greedily, hoping he’d hurry the fuck up. With not much effort, Caledon stood up with Daniel in his arms and placed him on the bed.

“Let me see that smiling ass again.”

Daniel flopped over and got up on his knees, about to complain that he didn’t want to wait when a cold, slick finger slipped into his ass. He groaned and lowered his head and shoulders to the bed, pointing his ass in the air. More fingers pushed in, filling him up.

“Come on, move up to face the headboard,” Caledon said and climbed onto the bed. Daniel did and stuck out his ass while looking over his shoulder to see the need in Caledon’s eyes. He finally moved closer to push into Daniel who reached behind to grab Caledon’s hip to draw him closer. His body tingled from the contact, and it intensified as the cock filled him up, making him moan loudly. Caledon set a slow rhythm, making Daniel whimper and push back for more.

“Impatient cub,” Caledon leaned in to whisper in his ear. But at least he increased the pace and thrusts so Daniel wouldn’t go mad from hunger and desire. The tingle in his body pooled toward his spine and moved down to his ass and gathered as heat. It felt so good, and the friction from the cock pulling out and ramming back in made it even better, so he held onto the headboard and offered up his ass for the Lord to pound into and cause more of that wonderful heat.

A smile spread on his face when Caledon’s words of appreciation about his ass stood somewhat clear in his lust-dazed mind. He reached back to still Caledon’s hips before rotating and thrusting his ass back to impale himself on the thick, hard meat.

“Oh, God, that’s hot,” Caledon whispered, and Daniel picked up the pace and put his best effort into grinding his ass back against the Lord’s crotch.

“I wanna see you. I wanna watch you when you fuck me,” Daniel panted, his muscles burning.

“Turn over.” Caledon pulled back and flopped Daniel to lie on his back on the bed. He then crawled closer and pulled one of Daniel’s legs up so his calf rested on his shoulder, the other around Caledon’s waist. “You may be a power-bottom, but you still have no idea what your body can feel, and you didn’t allow Seldon to even show you a fraction. Let me find that spot. That good spot.” Caledon pushed into him and changed his angle a few times before shots of pleasure exploded inside Daniel and rushed up his spine. “Yeah, that’s it, that’s the spot!”

“Oh, fuck,” Daniel managed and held onto Caledon’s arms as Caledon leaned in closer and rammed that spot again and again.

“Feel that tingle being soothed?”

“Yes!”

“You’re feeding. Oh, fuck, so am I, and it feels fucking fantastic!” Caledon closed his eyes, his expression showing deep focus on making Daniel feel good. Daniel let go and let Caledon take his body to new heights of pleasure, gasping and groaning non-stop when Caledon closed his hand around his dick and stroked it in time with his thrusts. Each hit to that spot Caledon had found had pleasure building exponentially and Daniel cried out from the intensity before reaching for the back of Caledon’s neck to pull him down for a kiss.

Caledon happily dove in and locked his lips to Daniel’s, deepening the kiss and moaning loudly into Daniel’s mouth.

Daniel’s orgasm pressed forward. “I’m gonna come, I’m gonna come!”

“Oh, yeah,” Caledon groaned and thrust harder, locking gazes with Daniel, and the intensity in his eyes pushed Daniel over the edge. Caledon went rigid over Daniel, his thrusts losing their rhythm, and he moaned loudly before finally releasing Daniel’s leg and collapsing on top of him.

“What do you feel?” Caledon asked, panting.

“This feeling of something rushing up through my spine and spreading in my body.

“Yeah.” Caledon propped himself up on shaky arms to look at him. “That’s the feeding energy. Your body is absorbing the energy from my semen, too, sending it to your brain to be used and distributed. Whenever your spine tingles like that, you’re feeding, be it a lot of energy or just a bit. Once you progress, you’ll be able to feed from more than the dose. The tingle will change during sex.”

“Wow,” Daniel said, grinning. The feeling was wonderful, and he got chills from it. Further exploration of his body had to wait, though, because Caledon’s phone went off somewhere.

“Guess it’s time for me. Someone should come and get you before you get hungry again.”

“How often?” Daniel panted. “How often do I get hungry?”

“As a new Changeling? It can be several times a day. Don’t deny yourself, but don’t touch breeders that are collared. You’ll only get into trouble from that.”

“Yes, My Lord.”

Caledon pulled out from Daniel and sat on the edge of the bed, fishing out his phone. “Yup. I have to go. You should take a shower and get ready, too. Have George show you around the house while you wait.”

“Okay,” Daniel said, wondering which one of the naked men was George.

Caledon took his clothes and went to the bathroom while Daniel stayed on the bed, looking up into the canopy. His first feeding was done, not counting Seldon classifying him. The dose had worn off with Caledon’s orgasm, and Daniel smiled at not feeling as weird as he feared he would. He felt satiated and content. He contemplated why as he snuggled under the covers to keep warm now that his muscles were relaxing and the sweat on his body cooled him.

How could he be okay with having sex like this? He certainly hadn’t been after Seldon, but things had just gone from no sex for three years to coming to after a dose with a serious case of WTF.

“Better get out of bed,” Caledon said, laughing from the door to the bathroom. Daniel watched him wrap the towel around his waist as he walked back into the bathroom, and it occurred to Daniel he might just be okay with it because he felt like he somewhat knew the two men he’d had sex with. But soon he’d be with strangers. Maybe even just fuck some stranger some place because he would be too hungry. Translated into human terms, too horny to keep it in his pants. Or, in his case, to be hungry enough to just bend over and take some stranger’s dick up the ass, just because. And that thought kind of freaked him out while his teenage hormones coupled with the Cubi excited him.

Chapter Three

Seldon jumped awake when someone clanged on the bars.

“Sorry for the rude awakening. It’s almost noon, are you hungry?”

Seldon focused on the purple-eyed man and shook his head, regretting doing so if he was about to be starved for a year. Not that feeding just prior would matter in the long run. “In that case, we’re ready for your statement. I’ll pick you up in fifteen minutes.”

“Thank you.”

The man left, and Seldon used the toilet. The sink was too small for him to wash in, and he was still covered in both his and Daniel’s spunk and the spilled dose they had smeared all over each other. Inhaling, he could still smell Daniel on himself, and he didn’t mind that at all. He then made himself the cup of instant coffee he had found in the drawer. It wasn’t until then he noticed that a comb and a new toothbrush lay out on the counter. He used those, too, before sitting on the edge of the bed with his coffee and ran the statement through his head one more time.

The purple-eye finally returned and unlocked the cell, and Seldon glanced at his hands. He didn’t have a Lord’s ring or a Grand Lord’s ring, meaning he was just a purple-eye. Seldon rinsed his cup before following the man out.

Jonah got up as they passed his cell. “Seldon—”

“Do not speak!” the purple-eyed man shouted and pointed ominously at Jonah. Seldon didn’t look at Jonah or say anything, but he had trouble fighting the anger of the situation Jonah had helped land them in.

They left the prison and walked the halls, ending up in a room Seldon had only been in twice while living in the compound. All eight from the Grand House—four Ladies and four Lords, all dressed in loose fitting robes—sat at a long elevated table at one end of the room. Caledon stood by a small table in front of them and to the right. Across from that, another table for one faced the first small table, and opposite the Grand House’s long table were ten chairs by the wall. The room wasn’t as extravagant as some courtrooms he’d seen on TV, but the room certainly held some authority by the tapestries, showing the pedigrees of the eight Grand Houses, showing their bloodlines back to the first Queen, Nil-Kardin.

“Hi, Seldon,” Caledon said, trying for a smile but it didn’t really reach his eyes.

“Lord Caledon,” Seldon replied and mimicked his attempt at smiling.

“Please sit.” The Grand Lady motioned to the chair by the table. Seldon took a seat and waited. He wasn’t sure of all the Grand Lords’ and Ladies’ names—only his own Grand Lord Ildon, so he hoped she’d introduce them all. “My name is Grand Lady Geodin. Grand Lord Ildon of your House has asked me to take the lead in your case, and I have by unanimous voting amongst the Grand House been appointed as the lead authority in your case. Lord Caledon, you may proceed.”

“Thank you, Grand Lady.” Caledon turned to look at Seldon. “Sire Seldon. Your statement will be the first we hear. After that, you’ll hear the other attendees at your dinner party’s testaments to what happened. You may not comment on them. Jonah’s statement was given in private earlier to keep order in here. Do you understand?”

“Yes, My Lord.”

“Good. Please continue with your account.” Caledon made a sweeping motion, and Seldon ran the statement through his head again. It had changed every time, but the details were still the same. What he focused on the most was to not sound like he was putting the blame on anyone but himself because no matter what, Daniel’s safety had been his responsibility and no one else’s. He had signed a contract that he would protect the boy, after all, and in the contract, the rough outlines of punishments had been listed so it wasn’t like he didn’t know what could happen.

“Before the food, my…Daniel had prepared, Caledon made sure that Gordon and Jonah knew how to act and, more importantly, what not to do around an Untouchable. We also had Jeff, a claimed breeder, helping Daniel in the kitchen that day, and both were fully clothed as is usual for someone not to be touched.

“During the preparations for the second dosing, which I was about to administer to Derek, I heard Daniel yell for someone to let go, and then he yelled my name. I looked up to find Jonah pinning Daniel to a pillar with his hand on Daniel’s crotch. I had the dose in my mouth, so I spat it out as I made my way to him. Daniel had a rough start with me, and he’s been very scared, so I put my arms around him to let him know that he wasn’t the one who had done anything wrong. So he’d feel safe.

“I told Jonah off, and Lord Caledon joined us. That’s when I noticed something was off with Daniel. He held me tighter, and he began rubbing an erection against me. I don’t know how it happened exactly, but I suspect that some of the dose liquid dripped from my chin. Either way, I was the only Cubi with a strong enough dose near him to have caused the dosing.”

“So, you take responsibility for it?” the Grand Lady asked.

“Of course. Whether I was the one who dosed him or not, it doesn’t change that Daniel’s well-being, until he reached of age, was my responsibility. Ergo, I am responsible.”

The Grand Lords and Ladies looked to each other as if silently debating his answer.

“What happened then?” she continued.

“Lord Caledon had dosed the breeder Will, so he ordered Gordon to feed on him while Lord Caledon ordered me to properly dose and classify Daniel. I did.”

“Did you finish the classification?”

“No, not completely. But I did find out he’s for Incubi, a versatile in oral sex, and he’s a bottom. Power-bottom.” Seldon could barely contain the grin from spreading, but he thought he managed.

The Grand Lady sat forward, looking at the others at her table. “Why didn’t you finish the classification in the time you had?”

“Because he turned me on too much and I lost control of a dose.”

“Sire Seldon, may I remind you that you told me you lost control of two doses,” Caledon said, looking unhappy.

“I did lose control of two—one a double discharge—but only one inside of him. The first spilled on his thigh.”

“Thank you for clarifying that,” Caledon said, not letting his expression give off whether he was satisfied with the answer or not.

“Our arrival is the reason you did not also test Daniel as a top?”

“Yes, Grand Lady,” Seldon said, wondering why it was important. Versatile was so rare that there was no chance he’d be versatile in both blowjobs and penetrative sex. Yet, it was customary to try.

“Do you have more to add to your statement?” the Grand Lady asked.

“No, Grand Lady Geodin, I don’t,” Seldon answered.

“Thank you, Sire Seldon, your account has been logged.” The Grand Lady nodded to Caledon, who in turn nodded at the man who had brought Seldon to the room. He left only to return minutes later with Alex in tow. Seldon hadn’t seen him in clothes that many times, but he wasn’t surprised that the breeders were clothed during a hearing. Alex was placed at the table across from Seldon’s, and he smiled as weakly as Caledon had. Seldon winked at him.

“Please introduce yourself and tell us everything you remember,” Caledon said. “This may include your thoughts or feelings.”

“Yes, Lord Caledon. My name is Alex, and I’m a regular breeder at Sire Seldon’s home. I was at the dinner party along with two other regular breeders.”

Seldon listened and watched Alex closely as the breeder recounted his observations of what had transpired the night before. What warmed him was Alex’s faith in Seldon’s good intentions, however bad the outcome.

“Thank you, Alex. Please take a seat,” Caledon said and pointed Alex to one of the chairs by the wall. He then nodded to the purple-eyed man again, who left only to return with Derek. Seldon listened to his statement, too, happy it was so consistent with both his own and Alex’s. So were Will’s, Gordon’s, and Jeff’s.

Next up was Daniel, and Seldon gaped as the beautiful young man came in, looking confident and satiated. Seldon’s stomach dropped as Daniel smiled at him, but there was no hiding the nervousness of the situation, even behind the mask of makeup. His eyes screamed of it as he took a seat.

“Welcome to our race, Daniel,” the Grand Lady said.

“Thank you, Grand Lady.”

“How are you settling into your changes?”

“I’m learning. I have a lot of questions, and Lord Caledon is helping me. I…think I’ve come to terms with what I’m becoming pretty well.”

“Do you understand the ramifications of what has happened?”

“That I have to feed sexually?”

“No, that you were changed prematurely.”

“Oh. No, I haven’t.” Daniel eyed Seldon, his eyes revealing the many questions to be asked.

“Sire Seldon, will you inform him of the consequences your action can have on him?”

“Yes, Grand Lady,” Seldon said, looking at his beautiful boy. However much he really didn’t want to tell him, he was actually happy to get the chance to be the one who did. “When I explained to you how the Cubi society is structured, how we are responsible for each other, there are aspects of our history and the choice of waiting until you’re at least twenty-two that I didn’t explain. At that point, it was irrelevant. We once lived in much smaller…houses, families, whatever you want to call it, but in those times hunting was done differently and slavery was allowed in the human societies as well.

“Age has always been a factor in a person’s social rank in human societies, so has beauty to some degree, not to mention gender. However, a Cubus too young can either have trouble finding someone to feed on, or he or she can be in danger when doing so. Not so much now in a compound like this, but we can live for more than a thousand years, and our current social structure might not last. Times change and so do attractions and human’s ideals. These are the ones that allow us to feed, and we have to make sure that anyone changed would be old enough to be safe when hunting under the different parameters set forth by the changes to the human societies we hunt in.

“The problems you may face because of the early dosing is due to how the dose affects aging. It slows down and eventually stops. If you’re too young, even looking too young, you can probably see how this could become a problem?”

“Yes, Master…Sire, sorry.”

“In this time and age, your youth and beauty would allow you to feed on whoever you want, but your youth also poses a threat to you in the human world,” Seldon continued. “You’ll get carded all the time, and people will notice you more because you’re so young. It is, after all, an instinct for most to protect children. You’re pretty well-built for someone your age, and you even have a nice scruff.” Seldon rubbed his own chin, feeling the need for a shave. But the compliment made Daniel smile. “You might even be developed enough to buy a beer without being carded. But being remembered by vigilant people weakens your possibilities to not just feed, but to contribute as a hunter.

“These are the consequences of my actions. However unintentional they were. You could have a difficult time finding humans to feed from if you’re with a hunting party in the human world. Worst case scenario, you could be picked up by the authorities in some attempt to aid a young person, prohibiting you from feeding enough to keep you strong and healthy. If you’re held by the authorities, because you look so young, that stay could starve you to a point where you need to feed so badly, you do something that will land you in trouble with the human laws. Especially since your doses, like any other newborn Changeling, aren’t strong enough to induce the lust you need to feed on.”

Daniel finally looked like he understood the ramifications this could have on his life.

“Would you help me?”

“Always, Daniel, but whether I’m allowed to is not up to you and me.” Seldon felt like he had abandoned Daniel with so many troubles at his doorstep. He had failed not only Daniel, but his Lord’s trust and expectations. It burned in him, making him nauseous.

“Thank you,” Grand Lady Geodin said. “Daniel, will you take us through the event as you remember it?”

“Yes, Grand Lady.” Daniel locked gazes with Seldon and told his side of the event. Anger boiled in Seldon at hearing what Jonah had requested. For Daniel to dance for them. The lack of respect the red-eye had shown made him regret ever having taken a chance on inviting a red-eye unknown to him. That was one mistake he’d never make again. Providing he got the chance, that was.

“Jonah licked your face?” Geodin asked.

“Yes, Grand Lady.”

“Caledon, you were dosing Jonah, correct?” she continued.

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“How long since the last dose? Could it be a dose transferred from you to Daniel via Jonah’s saliva?”

Seldon felt hope, but Caledon shattered it immediately by shaking his head.

“No, Grand Lady. We had showered, and Jonah had drunk a bottle of water after the dose. All would have been washed away.”

The Grand Lady sat back and nodded to herself in thought. “Thank you, Daniel, you may take a seat by Gordon,” she finally said.

“Yes, Grand Lady.” Daniel got up, looking back at Seldon as he went.

“Jonah’s statement has already been given with Lord Caledon present. I will read it now before we move on to sentencing.” The Grand Lady picked up a tablet. She read from the transcript, and Seldon suppressed a growl at Jonah’s whinery about only touching on the outside, and that he at least hadn’t lost himself enough to dose Daniel. What stuck out, though, was that Jonah hadn’t mentioned licking Daniel’s face.

“Jonah’s sentence will be measured tomorrow at noon. Daniel, your presence is expected.”

“Yes, Grand Lady,” Daniel answered.

“Lord Caledon. The floor is yours.”

“May I ask for a convening to debate the agreed upon punishment a bit further?” Caledon asked.

“Do you have something to add?”

“With Daniel’s account of the incident, I propose a slight change, yes,” Caledon said.

“Please proceed and make your suggestion openly. We may convene after if we feel the need to debate it further before making it final.”

“Yes, Grand Lady.” Caledon went to stand in front of Seldon. “I have known Sire Seldon for many, many years. I handpicked him for his first responsibilities in my House. I even thought him ready for an Untouchable. I testify that Seldon did his best to secure the Untouchable’s status and safety, and that he did not intentionally dose Daniel. I also know the consequences for the Untouchable, who turned out to be a Changeling. I have since the incident thought long and hard about this. Knowing Seldon and our usual punishments, making him a ghost will not have as big an impact on him as the knowledge of the consequences his actions will have on the Untouchable. Seldon has always taken his responsibilities to heart, and not living up to this one will be more of a punishment than any we can come up with.

“That being said, I am also more than aware that we still need to carry out punishment. My idea for a punishment, the one we have come to agree upon up until now, takes into consideration that Seldon didn’t do this with intent. The past six ghost-punishments were different in that those Cubi lost their self-control and dosed the Untouchables, they were entrusted to care for, on purpose.”

With increasingly sweaty palms, Seldon watched his friend and Lord and wondered what had gone through his head while coming up with a suitable punishment. And which part of what was about to be revealed was added by the Grand House.

“Untouchables are rare,” Caledon continued and turned to look at Daniel. “We rarely find any as beautiful as this one.” Caledon turned to look at Seldon again. “So, I proposed a different punishment. A life sentence.”

Seldon’s heart skipped a few beats. Was he being made a ghost anyway?

“A life sentence because the consequences can be a life sentence to the Untouchable Changeling. The boy will stay with Seldon, and Seldon will not only finish the training but take the boy in and be his main doser. They are compatible. To secure the boy, he will legally, under our law, be entitled to a heritage equal to that of Seldon’s children, and Seldon will assist the boy in anything regarding his well-being. Be it food, doses, housing. Anything. Seldon is of sufficient level to secure him, so the consequences the boy will face will be soothed and met by Seldon. For the duration of the four hundred thirty-six years, Seldon is old, he will match that in supporting the Changeling he dosed too early.”

Holy shit, Daniel’s getting a gift. Seldon had no illusions that placing Daniel at the status level of a biological child—a born Cubi—meant Daniel would come out well on top. What made it a punishment for Seldon was that no Cubi had ever paired up for so long, and it was bound to be hell sometimes. He still found it fair and hoped his children would find it fair, too.

When Caledon glanced at him, Seldon saw both nervousness and that the man was very pleased with his own genius plan. Seldon glanced at the Grand Ladies and Lords. Their expression told of both somewhat acceptance, but also that they didn’t think it a suitable punishment.

“And the last part,” Caledon said, locking eyes with Seldon. “The part I want to add since I wish to take away public whipping and starvation. You will be somewhat starved, as you are not allowed to feed on any human breeder for the next year,” Caledon said.

Several gasps were audible, including Seldon’s. Well, looked like he’d be a ghost anyway. Or at least very old and frail. But that didn’t make sense with some of the other aspects Caledon had come up with.

“You will, however, only feed from Daniel, and Daniel will only feed from you. Whenever he’s hungry.”

Seldon glanced at Daniel who looked both confused and happy. Seldon felt happy, too, but as a green-eye he had about one-third of a Changeling’s libido. Seldon could definitely see the punishment in that as it would become too much of a good thing.

“Do you find the punishment fair?”

“Yes, My Lord,” Seldon answered. “I’m honored that this incident hasn’t caused you, My Lord, to lose faith in my commitment to your order and the one you placed under my care. I even find My Lord’s request for my sentence, to only match my age, lenient.”

“Really?” the Grand Lady exclaimed. “Do you find it a reward, too, since he is compatible with you?”

“Yes, but does the Grand House know of any Cubus who has paired up with someone for a lifetime? Or any green-eye with a hunger big enough to match that of a newborn?” Seldon glanced at the high table.

That made the Grand Lady snort. “Oh, I think I see the punishment in your Lord’s request. Do you have more to add, Lord Caledon?”

“No, Grand Lady, I do not.”

“We will convene. Stay in your seats.” The Grand Lady left, trailing the last seven Grand Lords and Ladies and Caledon. The rest waited in silence. Well, Seldon did. The breeders, Gordon, and Daniel spoke too quietly for Seldon to be able to eavesdrop, but Daniel kept glancing at him with a worried frown.

Please let me keep him, please let me keep him, Seldon thought, but his own words repeated in his mind. Having Daniel with him as he progressed would also be a nightmare, and as he evolved energetically, it would be a headache. But their laws were from older times where they didn’t live in structures the way they did now. The structure Grand Lady Goedin’s mother had put in place as she established this place. Some of their laws were from when each Cubus had to be able to fend for themselves and their House under a monarch. From times where the red-eyed were slaves to the higher evolved because they couldn’t dose humans on their own. Now the red-eyes collected the energy for them all, and the higher evolved Cubi assisted them with doses and dosings as payment for their hard work. Should they devolve into the old kind of structure again, the order would still hold, and Daniel would be secured. Seldon found some peace in that.

He had heard of punishments of the sort Caledon proposed, but in today’s structures it was unheard of and deemed cruel to the transgressor. Then again, so was a slow death as a ghost. He could take a flogging. The last time he had suffered one, he had been a blue-eye, and it was for neglecting his responsibilities when breeders breached the stable boundaries. No Cubi made it through the red-eye level without a flogging or two. Especially any his age who had lived under a monarch and with a Lord. Back then, whippings were a lot more common than under the rules set forth by Grand Lady Dahlidin.

They were hurt, they healed with no scars to show, but the mental scars remained, and even though Seldon had lost count of the whippings he had suffered before coming there, he still remembered the pain, fear, and humiliation.

Seldon glanced at Daniel who looked way too nervous. Seldon had no idea what the boy was thinking, and he gave up even trying. All he knew was that the boy did him proud with how respectful he answered the Grand House’s questions.

Ten to fifteen minutes had passed before the nine purple-eyed came back. The Grand House took their seats while Caledon went to stand in front of Seldon.

Grand Lady Geodin stood and looked at Seldon. “It will be as your Lord suggested with one thing added by the Grand House. Physical and public punishment will be carried out tomorrow evening. One hundred lashes.”

Seldon’s mouth grew dry.

“For the next year, you will not be allowed to feed on any human. You will feed only on the Changeling who will, for the next four hundred thirty-six years, be under your protection and guidance in your home. He will be of the status as a Halfling born to you. Lord Caledon will check in on you more often the next year, making sure you are capable of providing for and covering Daniel’s hunger.

“You will be under house arrest for the year you are starved of humans. Your work in the stables will be done from your home. If it is absolutely necessary for you to be present in the stables, you will be accompanied by a purple-eye to make sure you do not feed on a human. No human is allowed in your home without Lord Caledon or a representative chosen by him present. Your door will be marked for all to know this. Should Daniel need someone to accompany him outside your home, you must make the arrangements for one to do so or ask your Lord to help provide the necessary escort.

“Daniel will start school in three months as is usual for Changelings. This concludes our decision regarding your punishment.”

A public whipping, a year with at least double or triple the sex he needed, house arrest, and the public humiliation of having it written on his door. Those he could definitely see the punishment in. Maybe even having Daniel for so many years, but he was also glad about that one. He would not let the boy down again.

“I promised that you could dish out the punishment for Jonah touching Daniel,” Caledon said. “What punishment did you have in mind?”

Seldon could hardly believe Caledon stood by that promise in light of everything that had happened since. But Seldon thought for a second, reminding himself he took pride in being an honorable man and that he had worked hard on imprinting a similar sense of honor in his children. “My initial thoughts? Had it been Gordon, it would have been public starvation for a week. Since Jonah is so young it would hurt him, so three days and a whipping.”

“And now?” Caledon kept a blank expression.

Seldon sighed heavily. “The same. The dosing was my doing, so the consequences of it should not be put on him. Anything else would be petty revenge and abuse of the power you give me,” Seldon said even though he had thought up very different ways to make the red-eye pay for what he’d done. He looked up, finding Caledon looking very pleased. He turned to look at the Grand Lady, and she looked more surprised.

“You were right to insist on Sire Seldon’s integrity. I will allow it.”

“Thank you.” Caledon turned to face Seldon with a formal body language. “Sire Seldon, tomorrow you will be assisting me in the trial against Jonah. You will be the one to disclose the verdict the Grand House and we agree upon, and you will also be the one to execute any corporal punishment. After his whipping, should this be the punishment agreed upon, you will receive yours.”

“Yes, My Lord.” Seldon didn’t manage to hide his surprise at that. He’d thought it would all be out of his hands because he wasn’t exactly objective anymore. But the pleased look on Caledon’s face gave Seldon some peace. How he’d be able to feed Daniel after being whipped was a different matter, though.

Caledon turned to the Grand House. “Thank you for your time and dedication. We will return here tomorrow at the specified time so Sire Seldon can finish this and receive his punishment.”

“Good,” the Grand Lady said and turned to look at Seldon. “Sire Seldon, a copy of the decision will be sent to you. You will be appointed a contact should you feel the need for emergency assistance during this time that your House Lord cannot provide for any reason. Any questions about the parameters of the punishment should also be directed to your House Lord.”

“Thank you, Grand Lady.”

The Grand House Cubi stood and left, Grand Lord Ildon stopped by Seldon’s table on his way out. He extended his hand, and Seldon stood, taking his hand. “Don’t mess up over the next year.”

“No, My Grand Lord.”

“Good.” With that, the Grand Lord left, and Caledon glanced after him.

“For the sake of my ass, too,” he whispered once the Grand Lord was out of hearing range.

“Yes, My Lord.”

“Come on, let’s get your boy home.” Caledon winked and led Seldon to the chairs.

“Was that good or bad, Master?”

“Seldon or Sire. You’re no longer a slave, cub.”

“Oh, yeah.” Daniel smiled nervously.

“Let’s go to your home and discuss this further,” Caledon said.

“Oh, wait, Alex?” Seldon said, catching himself in reaching for the human. No longer allowed physical contact, Seldon reminded himself. Alex turned and looked at him. “That curse you muttered the other morning about my dick becoming minced meat? You just got your wish. For a year.”

Alex scoffed. “I might have held that second dosing against you that morning, but I never wanted this.”

“I know. See you in a year.”

Alex nodded—his sadness more pronounced than Seldon would have expected. But then the conversation about Elias came back, and Seldon promised himself he’d talk to Caledon about it. However, it was not the time, though.

Chapter Four

Daniel followed Seldon and Caledon back to Seldon’s home, and he was relieved that he’d get to stay with Seldon. But he was not happy to hear that Seldon was going to get whipped and denied feeding on humans for a year. That he and Seldon had just been ordered by the Cubi version of a court to be exclusive was kind of a blow, but he didn’t mind, either. Wondering why it didn’t freak him out, he ended up at the same reason he hadn’t freaked at being dosed by Caledon that morning. He knew them, and he even felt comfortable around them. Well, as comfortable as a young man could be around the people who kidnapped him and turned him into a supernatural sex-vampire. The other part about feeling okay with it was probably that he hadn’t really had all this in his head for long enough to really figure out what he thought about it.

Seldon stared at his door as they arrived.

“What?” Caledon asked.

“Just imagining the door telling everyone that I’m on house arrest and can’t see a human like I’m some undisciplined newborn.”

“We’re not that bad,” Daniel said.

Seldon and Caledon turned to look at him before they both laughed loudly.

“You couldn’t go a day without feeding,” Seldon said.

“Oh, yeah?”

“Oh, yeah!” Caledon said. “And I’d advise you against trying.”

“How come?”

“It can make you sick. So when you get all tingly, you tell Seldon.”

“But if I’m so much hungrier than he is, then…will you even want me?” Daniel immediately wanted to pull back the question, because he finally managed to put a finger on something he might really have a problem with. He wanted sex to mean something, and not just be feeding with nothing valuable to it. Well, he’d had sex like that with a few girls at a few parties, but this was different. He lived with the guy. At first, he had feared becoming something Seldon just took out to play with whenever it suited him. Like the breeders going around to the Cubi to feed them and that was it.

He didn’t want Seldon to just dose him because he was ordered to and get it over with as if he wanted to do other stuff than fuck Daniel for the third time that day.

Seldon looked like he weighed his words. He finally just unlocked the door and went in. “Let’s continue this over a cup of coffee.”

“Good plan,” Caledon said and held out his hand for Daniel to enter first.

Well, with that kind of enthusiasm from Seldon, Daniel’s hopes for life with the big man plummeted. And it wasn’t just for a year—it was for four hundred thirty-six years. Why was Daniel being punished, too? Was he part of the problem since they ended up with wanting him to suffer, too? Right then, Seldon was far from his favorite person in the world.

“Would you make the coffee?” Seldon asked.

“Thought I wasn’t a house slave anymore.”

Seldon grabbed the front of Daniel’s shirt and pulled him so close, their noses almost touched. His eyes burned a bright green, and Daniel fought to get away from him.

“No, and you might remember me telling you that I raised my children with more firm a hand than I would a slave. You’ve just been elevated to the status of my biological child, so if you think shit like that lip is going to fly from now on, you have another thing coming! You will earn my respect just like they have!”

“I didn’t mean to say that out loud,” Daniel croaked, sure he’d get his ass spanked now. And he really hadn’t meant to say it. His thoughts had been on why he was being punished, too.

“And that’s the problem.” Seldon guided Daniel to a chair, kicked its leg to move it out, and planted Daniel on the seat. “Respect is a mindset, not just the tidbits you choose not to say to my face.” Seldon looked up, surprised, and Daniel followed his line of sight, finding Caledon pouring water into the coffeemaker. “Caledon, please don’t do that. My house is degraded enough as it is, and my guests shouldn’t be making their own coffee, Lord or not.”

Caledon set the pot down and backed away, eying Daniel, while Seldon took over the project. Other than getting ready for a punishment, Daniel actually felt like shit for making Seldon feel humiliated like that. Not that Daniel had any understanding about why making coffee could become that big of a problem, but Seldon had tried to keep Daniel safe from Jonah, and because of that the big man was going to be whipped in public. On top of that, a sign would be painted on the front door of his home saying he was unworthy of feeding as a punishment, and he was grounded. Being grounded at that age had to suck, big-time.

But it wasn’t like any of this was easy for Daniel, either. He was changed into something he was still learning about. This wasn’t exactly fun and games for him, either. Yeah, so maybe Seldon had a right to be angry, Daniel did cause some of it, but he could at least cut him some slack in all these changes.

Seldon came back to the table and placed three mugs on it, taking a seat along with Caledon.

“Where did that snide remark come from just now? I’d really like to know why you thought that would be okay.”

“I’m overwhelmed by all these changes, and I’m pretty pissed that I’m getting punished, too, since I’ve also been told it wasn’t my fault Jonah groped me.”

“Punished?” Seldon and Caledon exclaimed together.

“Oh, man, if you see what the Grand House awarded you for Seldon’s transgression as a punishment, then I’m going to come and get you tomorrow morning after you’ve fed,” Caledon continued. “We’re talking six o’clock, you’re ready to work, and you get to start where every other Changeling does. See if you still think being elevated to the status of a Cubi child is a punishment.”

Oh, shit, that didn’t sound good. “I don’t know anything about your world yet.”

“You will. Seldon won’t have the opportunity to show you some of these things because of the house arrest, but you can be sure I’ll help him where he is limited to show you because it is also in my interest that you get out of this entitled-brat mentality. Being of his House means you will be raised to live and work in my House, and you can be damn sure that I will not tolerate behavior like that. I trust Seldon to take care of your upbringing, but I won’t leave him with only half his methods of doing a good job.”

“Half my methods?” Seldon asked. “Is an overdose and denying him to feed open to me?”

“Within reason, yes—a balance I have full confidence you know since you didn’t get vindictive with Jonah when I told you that you’d still get to punish him. The Grand House wasn’t so sure, but you proved them wrong when you measured it out today. You did me very proud then.”

“Thank you, My Lord.”

Daniel had almost stopped paying attention at the mention of an overdose and denying him to feed because he was pretty sure that was way worse than getting spanked. It had certainly looked painful on the breeder he had witnessed receiving overdoses in the arena.

“Now, you asked Seldon a question by the front door that we agreed we were going to talk about over coffee,” Caledon said. Daniel turned his head to see if the coffee had run through. It had, so he got up, but so did Seldon who pushed him back down to sit.

“No, no, if making coffee is so beneath you, now that you’re turning into one of us, I’ll do it.”

That actually stung. So did the look on Caledon’s face.

Well, fuck them, Daniel hadn’t asked to be there, hadn’t asked to be dosed, hadn’t asked to become some thing feeding on sex. The Cubi‘s ways were completely over the top, and Daniel found both Seldon and Caledon unreasonable in their ways when making coffee could become that big of a deal.

“Oh, man, you’re the sulkiest kid I know. Seldon, I might go have a talk with the Grand House about your punishment, this is cruel and unusual.”

Daniel looked up. “What’s the usual?”

Seldon poured coffee for Caledon and himself and placed the thermos in the middle of the table, meaning Daniel would have to get up or ask for them to hand him the thermos if he wanted some. Well, thanks for shit, pal.

“Being made a ghost,” Caledon said and drank his coffee.

“A ghost is what we turn into if we’re starved for a year,” Seldon explained. “We age. More like the aging that stops when we feed catches up to us. We’re banned to a part of the compound where breeders don’t come, and we die a slow and tormented death over the course of about ten years,” Seldon said.

“They were going to do that to you?” Daniel exclaimed.

“That’s the usual punishment,” Seldon said, looking unaffected. Caledon’s words about having to live with Daniel being a worse punishment hit home, and that was so not fair.

“I may not be the best-behaved person here, but saying that death is an easier punishment than having to deal with me is not fair!”

“Actually, I meant the life sentence of having to aid you in anything for nearly four hundred fifty years,” Caledon said.

“Oh, the cub will get a job,” Seldon said, looking at Daniel. “And if you thought packing other people’s groceries was beneath you, you’re in for a rude awakening. Just because you’re to be treated like a Cubi born child doesn’t mean you won’t get to shovel shit, because as long as you act like that, you’re going to learn like any other Cubi kid thinking their own shit doesn’t stink.”

“So, you’re gonna take it out on me?” Daniel asked, incredulously.

“Oh, no, cub, I don’t get vindictive. You’re going to get exactly what that poor attitude reflects you deserve.”

“Deserve? To shovel shit?”

“Yeah. A shitty attitude deserves shit.”

“So don’t wear your best clothes tomorrow morning,” Caledon chimed in.

“I don’t believe this,” Daniel said, rubbing his face.

“Would you like to be a house slave instead?” Seldon asked. “They don’t shovel shit.”

“No, they’re just slaves and fucking food.”

“I don’t care if you cuss or swear but you will never take any of those words in your mouth when addressing anyone of higher energy than yourself!” Seldon growled. “One day you’ll be forced to look at these humans as food, too. It’ll be a delayed lesson, but you will learn it, anyway.”

There was just no winning with them. No matter what he said, he was getting punished for it somehow. Yes, Daniel understood that he had to get to know and live under a whole new set of rules, and in a hierarchy he still didn’t fully understand, but he hoped he’d never become as rigid as these two old Incubi. One thing was for sure, if how Seldon ran his house said anything about the Cubi society’s social structure, Daniel was in for a rude awakening.

“I’m allowed to show him,” Caledon said. “The last classification doesn’t have to be you.”

“You’d do that?” Seldon asked. Caledon nodded, glancing at Daniel.

“Maybe I should leave so you can get on with showing this cub that his choices have consequences, and as he was shown today, consequences are what we focus on here, not intentions.”

“I have no problems disciplining while people watch, least of all you. I’m waiting, because he asked a question as we got here, and knowing the cub, it’s a very important question.”

“If you even want him,” Caledon reflected and sat back with a thoughtful expression.

“He’s new, and there’s been a lot of changes in his life in a very short time. See, Daniel, I don’t mind taking your needs into consideration. I have to in order to make you grow as an individual that will fit into our world. What I will not tolerate is a lack of respect for the respect I show to you and your needs. I changed how I train you based on your needs. So I show you how irritating that is by not showing you respect in return. Respect is earned, not something you just demand unless you’re a tyrant.” Seldon made his point by lifting the thermos and placing down it again.

Okay, so Seldon hadn’t poured coffee for Daniel because he didn’t feel Daniel deserved the respect of being offered coffee. Daniel almost wanted to roll his eyes at Seldon’s methods, but he kept the urge under control. What did the big guy have against talking to people? This more or less left Daniel guessing at a set of social rules he had no premises of understanding, and that’s why he couldn’t win with either of them.

“You show me basic respect, and I’ll show you basic respect,” Seldon said and sat back. “If that shit isn’t fair in your brain, some wires got crossed. I asked you to make the coffee because I hoped you’d help me a bit. That you could take into account that I haven’t fed since last night. That I haven’t slept a wink because of the trial and the thoughts of how I’ve failed you, and because I thought I’d be starved to become a ghost and then die slowly without the chance to say goodbye to my children. But you could only think about yourself and how all this has impacted you.”

Okay, that one hit home, and Daniel felt like shit. He hadn’t considered what Seldon had been through since the Grand House had picked him up the night before. He hadn’t even known about the possible conviction of being made into a ghost when he’d said that snooty remark about no longer being a house slave. Of course, this had to be difficult on Seldon, too, but it still didn’t make his methods of making Daniel guess at their ways okay.

What eventually really drove home the guilty conscience was the disappointed expression, and that Seldon didn’t even bother to yell. He wasn’t mad, he was hurt. Or maybe he was just exhausted.

Daniel’s thoughts went to the last time he’d seen his mother. That tired expression when they talked about the upcoming interview at a Business College. He had put that tired expression on her face. And now on Seldon’s face, but for completely different reasons. In both cases, he was an unwanted child, though—one that just kinda came in from the sideline as a surprise.

A burning sensation started somewhere in Daniel’s stomach and spread to include nausea. His eyes stung, and he looked down, feeling ashamed of not thinking about just how much this had impacted others other than himself.

“I’m sorry. You’re right, I didn’t think of you. I didn’t know what…I could barely keep up with what was happening to me, but I am sorry I said that. You didn’t deserve that,” Daniel said quietly, still not looking up because his vision blurred from tears he didn’t want to wipe at because it would give away that he was crying. Plus, it would smear his makeup.

“At least look at me when you give an apology.”

Daniel looked up, and the tears tipped over the edge and ran down his cheeks. “I’m sorry.”

Seldon gave a weak smile and reached for a napkin to hand him. Daniel accepted and scrunched up the corner to soak up the tears and not rub at the makeup.

“Considering the lack of discipline and responsibilities you come from, this is not the first nor will it be the last time we have this conversation. But it’s a step in the right direction for us to get to know each other and to be able to live together and not despise one another.”

“So…you don’t just want to mold me completely into something else?”

“No, people are supposed to grow together. And if you think I haven’t grown with you, the fact that we talk shows I’ve learned something and molded my ways to accommodate your needs. If you don’t believe me, ask Rosadin.”

“I’ll testify to it, too,” Caledon said.

Daniel nodded, thinking of the past week. Going from scared shitless that Seldon would rip his fingernails off to seeing the man keep a distance because Daniel was scared certainly proved Seldon’s claim. Seldon had even held Daniel after a nightmare. They had talked about disciplining, and Seldon had reevaluated his usual methods to fit Daniel’s life experiences, and they were having yet another conversation. Daniel had accused him of only using corporal punishment and told him the best way forward was always to talk, and Seldon had proved that both were necessary by spanking Daniel—‘cause that had definitely worked regarding Rosadin. With thoughts of Rosadin, Daniel realized just how much Seldon had taken her advice too, and he felt grateful for her.

“Do you want a cup of coffee?” Seldon asked and placed the thermos in front of Daniel. This was definitely a test if Daniel had come to understand anything about the rigid old Incubus.

“Yes, thank you.” Daniel poured for himself and was about to screw the top back on when he noticed their cups were half empty. “Do you want a refill?”

“Yes, thank you,” Seldon said and smiled. Caledon repeated Seldon and pushed his cup toward Daniel who topped off their coffee. Daniel remembered that even when he had been a slave, Seldon had always said thank you when Daniel did something like that.

“Now, to the important question you asked. Would you repeat it? Maybe phrase it a bit more clearly?” Seldon asked.

“Yeah,” Daniel said, sitting back. He’d asked if Seldon even wanted him because he was denied anyone else to feed from. Daniel didn’t really want to be a punishment. He didn’t want Seldon to feel annoyed about him if he had to live with him. Like him having to be there was…like Caledon said—a cruel and unusual punishment.

According to the two old Cubi, Daniel would be so hungry that Seldon couldn’t keep up. Speaking of which, the skin on his neck tingled. Well, it would have to wait until they got this sorted out.

“I’m a part of your punishment. I don’t really like that. What if you grow tired of me and don’t want me anymore, but you still have to for over four hundred years. I’d be pretty pissed if all I could eat for a year was bland cheese crackers.”

Seldon blinked. “Did you seriously just compare yourself with a cheese cracker?”

“Bland cheese cracker at that,” Caledon added.

“Damn. Daniel…correct me if I’m wrong, Caledon, but I think I know My Lord well enough to know that the part about you only being allowed to feed from me, too, isn’t a punishment. But because it will also teach you that sometimes feeding isn’t as interesting as a lot of humans, and especially new Changelings, would like it to be. Therefore, the part about you seeing humans as food is one thing, but you’re going to view me that way, too.”

“You know me too well,” Caledon said, looking pleased with himself.

“If every time could be like when I classified you, hot damn, cub, that would be awesome. But it won’t be. It can’t be. To stay with the food analogies, you can be a ten-star meal, and it wouldn’t change the fact that it can’t be awesome every time. Especially since this particular ten-star meal is going be breakfast, lunch, and dinner for someone who only needs that amount of food once a day. This is the consequence of changing you. I don’t get to enjoy you as often as I want because sometimes I’ll be so full that I can barely roll off the bed.”

“So you’re gonna tire of me.” What irritated Daniel the most was that he’d no longer be special to Seldon. Like he was as an Untouchable. He wouldn’t be looked at and appreciated. He felt so damn vain for thinking it, but he had also been told enough times that he was allowed to be vain because that was how his new race was.

Looking at Seldon, the man looked disheveled, tired, and he’d lost that air of attractiveness. Daniel felt sorry for him.

“Remember that sex to the Cubi race is different from what humans think of it,” Seldon said.

“Which is what you will learn over this year,” Caledon added.

“So, sex is never something special?” Daniel asked.

“Oh, it can be. Classifying you was very special to me.” Seldon looked sincere enough for Daniel to believe him. Caledon snickered and made two splat noises.

“Don’t give the boy a big head,” Seldon said and fought to keep a grin from spreading.

“What does it mean?”

“It means,” Caledon said, holding up a finger to stop Seldon from complaining while looking smug. “Being a young man, you can probably remember having an oops-ejaculation. Like, hot damn, this chick is gorgeous, and then she does something, and the party came to an end in your pants.”

Daniel blushed. Yeah, he’d had that. At a party, and luckily no one noticed, but even after cleaning up and tossing his underwear to go commando he had a wet spot in his black pants for hours. Or what felt like hours. “Yeah, I’ve tried that.”

“Good. Cubi lose control of a dose when we get that excited. It can be an oral dose or whatever, but Seldon lost control twice when he classified you. Twice, cub. That’s like a double dosed red-eye with his favorite porn star.”

Seldon groaned and sat forward, hiding his face in his hands. And all the power Daniel had found in riding him came back with a vengeance and the tingle spread to cover his entire torso and upper arms. His dick grew rock hard, and the image of Seldon under him had him swallow a few times because he actually started drooling.

“He might not always be in the mood for the goodness you offer, or in the next year force him to take. But if he’s in the mood, he’s going appreciate the hell out of you.” Caledon said and winked at Daniel.

It occurred to Daniel that he could control that, too. To some extent, at least. He’d stop wearing makeup at home with Seldon and not wear the sexy clothes. He’d save that for special occasions to give Seldon something special. When the big guy earned it. Two could play at that game. Right now, Seldon had earned being pampered. Daniel just hoped he could fight his hunger long enough because getting Seldon naked and in the shower to clean him up, shave him, and make him look like the beautiful Incubus he usually did was going to demand some self-control. Daniel was going to have to really suck it up because his hunger was actually getting a lot worse.

“Are you hungry?” Seldon asked. Daniel looked up from his thoughts and became aware that he was scratching his arms.

“Yeah.”

“Then come here.” Seldon reached for Daniel.

“I was actually just thinking about feeding. And contemplating hunger and how it works in my body. Can we try something?”

“What do you have in mind?” Seldon asked with a positively curious expression.

Daniel smiled and glanced at Caledon. “Something that’ll take a while.”

“Well, that’s my cue to leave.” Caledon stood. “See you tomorrow at six. Be ready, cub.”

If Daniel wasn’t a Cubus now, he was pretty sure that statement would have been enough of a mood killer to kill his erection, but the thing just kept raging on while Daniel internally groaned at the prospect of shoveling shit. “Yes, My Lord.”

“Good boy,” Seldon said, smiling.

“See you tomorrow.” Caledon left, and Daniel looked for his resolve to pamper Seldon. It didn’t take more than to look at him again. Daniel got up and held out his hand for him. Seldon took it and followed Daniel to the bathroom where Daniel turned to face him. He smiled, hoping this would show Seldon that he could indeed take other people’s needs into consideration. He stepped closer and pulled Seldon’s shirt out of his pants, thinking the idea of giving him a shower was needed. By the smell of him, he hadn’t had a shower after all the sweaty sex last night, and he was still covered in everything from Daniel. Dried cum stuck as crusty spots on his chest when Daniel managed to pull the shirt over the big man’s head.

He wasn’t surprised to find Seldon’s cock hard when he made to remove Seldon’s pants. But he wanted him hard for other reasons than hunger, too. He wanted there to be something special between them.

Daniel threw Seldon’s clothes in the hamper and turned on the water, careful not to get wet himself.

“Aren’t you going to take off your clothes?”

“Patience. Should be easier for you than me, right?”

Seldon just smiled crookedly and watched as Daniel stripped out of his own clothes, and he was so fucking horny by then.

Chapter Five

Seldon stood naked and very conscious about his body odor. He felt like something only worthy of being scraped off the floor. Daniel looked beautiful, and he smelled wonderful. And there stood Seldon, looking like a bum and smelling like a whorehouse sans the perfume.

Upon finishing with Seldon’s clothes, Daniel undressed, slowly. Oh, hell, the boy was a tease. But Seldon wanted to see where he wanted to take this. What parts of himself he was exploring or trying to come to terms with.

Once naked, Daniel guided Seldon into the shower and under the sprays where he left him to soak under the hot water while he poured soap on a loofah. He motioned for Seldon to step out before stepping closer to wash him. Seldon kept his arms passive by his sides, wondering if this was the power-bottom or the newborn trying out his own limitations at not being able to be straight anymore. Or maybe it was the boy trying to smooth the waters after the coffee incident.

Daniel’s breath caught, and he reached to squeeze his own cock, knitting his brows in concentration.

“You challenging yourself? Seeing if you can put it off?”

Daniel looked up, biting his lip. “Both, but probably not for the reasons you think.”

“Oh, what do I think?”

“That I’m shy about it.”

Cub got him there. He did think that.  “So why are you?”

“You deserve to be pampered after the night you’ve had. To look beautiful again,” Daniel said, his breathing growing faster as his eyes roamed the body his hands explored.

Seldon’s stomach fluttered at the sentiment and thoughtfulness.

“There’ll be times you just feed me,” Daniel said, watching where his hand soaped Seldon’s chest in slow circles. “But I want there to be times like yesterday, too.” Daniel looked up at him, and Seldon groaned. They held the same intensity as the first time he saw those beautiful green eyes framed by carefully selected makeup to accentuate his features. “This may have to be an item off a fast food menu sometimes.” Daniel stepped closer, running his hands down Seldon’s torso and thighs. He was so close their erections rubbed against soap-slick bodies, and Seldon’s hunger rose.

“And your plans right now?”

“I want you to enjoy me.” Daniel slipped his hands around Seldon’s hips and ran them up his ass and all the way to his shoulders before caressing the expanse of his back.

“No chance of me not doing that today, I can promise you that.” Seldon lowered his head for a kiss, but Daniel stepped back looking at him with heavy-lidded eyes. Oh fuck, that look went straight to Seldon’s dick.

“Don’t dose me yet. I want to feel this. To know this…naturally. For a Cubus, that is.”

“Okay. But if you get me all hot and horny that I spill a dose, don’t complain, okay?”

“Oh, I won’t.” Daniel looked like Seldon had just given him a goal in life. Daniel wasn’t just a power-bottom, he was a seductor. A predator. And Seldon loved being in his line of sight.

He moved in for the kiss and was rewarded by a deep and hungry one in return. Daniel forced his tongue into Seldon’s mouth, and even though he knew it was the hunger pressing the boy to go beyond his experience, he didn’t care. It was so beyond anything he’d imagined the first feeding of Daniel to be.

Daniel drew back to gasp for air before whimpering and pressing himself harder against Seldon. “I need to come so bad.”

“Won’t help you since you can only feed on my doses. Starvation can feel like an overdose. Where do you think we got the idea to use it on breeders?”

“So, you have to dose me?”

“Yeah.”

“But I wanted to do something nice for you.” Daniel reached between them and pumped Seldon’s cock leisurely.

“You considering of my well-being is nice, Daniel. You trying to seduce me is even nicer.” Seldon couldn’t stop the grin from spreading.

“Yeah?” The fire was back in the boy’s eyes, and even though the sprays hitting his face made his makeup run, he still looked hot as hell. In fact, it made him even hotter because it was the result of what they were doing.

Daniel pressed himself against Seldon as he stood on his toes to whisper in his ear. “Tell me a fantasy.”

Another groan escaped Seldon, and his hunger rose to an almost painful prickle on his skin. “Seduced, being seduced.” Seldon gasped and shuddered, his dick twitching in Daniel’s hand. “But without hunger and doses. It’s a normal fantasy for Cubi. And you got it, too. You want to be desired without feeling like food. We all do. It normally ends with no sex and making out on the couch until one loses a dose.”

Daniel grinned, rubbing more enthusiastically at Seldon’s erection, tearing another loud moan from his throat. “I don’t feel like food with you acting like this.”

“I’m fucking starving, don’t think I’m not.”

“I like it this way.”

“Me, too.” Seldon reached between them to take over Daniel’s attempt to wash him because the boy was clearly distracted from the task. He wanted the shower over with so he could just enjoy Daniel’s body. Moving in for another kiss while washing himself was a bad idea, though. Daniel latched onto him and thrust his hips, managing to force his dick between Seldon’s arm and body.

“Oh God, please make me come,” Daniel whimpered.

“Ask me to feed you,” Seldon whispered, pulling them under the water to wash off the soap.

“Feed me, oh fuck, feed me!”

Seldon released a dose orally and moved in for another tongue-wrestling kiss, eagerly returned. When Daniel pulled back and screamed in dosed frustration, Seldon dropped to his knees and swallowed the boy’s cock, sucking hungrily. Daniel grabbed the back of Seldon’s head with both hands and squirmed against the tiles as he fought to get more. Energy rushed to and down Seldon’s spine. He pulled back a bit, opened his throat, and let Daniel fuck himself to orgasm in his mouth. Didn’t take long, and Seldon came, too, when the first jets of semen spurted from the boy’s cock accompanied by the most delicious whimpers and moans.

“Woah,” Daniel finally gasped and stumbled enough for Seldon to have to reach up to steady him. “Oh shit, you really know how to suck a dick.”

Seldon laughed as he sat back on his haunches to look up at Daniel. “This was not sucking dick, cub.”

“Really, what would you call it?”

“Sucking dick is an art form,” Seldon said and got up, still holding onto Daniel. “One day, when you haven’t starved yourself first, I’ll show you. Skin stopped tingling?”

Daniel steadied himself by grasping onto Seldon’s forearms as he heaved for air, trying to keep himself upright on shaky legs. “No,” he finally said.

“Good, ‘cause I’m still hungry, too. We could take this to the bedroom.”

“Actually, I think we need to continue pampering you now that you took the edge off my newborn hunger.”

Seldon cocked an eyebrow. “Really?” He liked Daniel’s ideas.

“Really,” Daniel purred and picked up the loofah. “Turn around.”

Seldon smiled and did, contemplating whether he should finish the classification himself or let Caledon find someone to bottom for Daniel. The way the cub turned him on, he actually wanted to be the one to do it.

Daniel gently massaged the soap around in circles on Seldon’s back, shoulders, and arms. He even had him lift his arms to scrub his armpits, standing so close that Seldon could feel the hungry erection press against the top of his thigh. His own still stood full mast, but at least their initial hunger was over, leaving them time to enjoy each other’s company and touches. Seldon loved this. He didn’t have the chance often as most of his breeders didn’t want that if not dosed, and once dosed they had everything but slow intimacy in mind. But not Daniel, and it made him wonder. Was the boy okay with this because Seldon had forced the boy to shower with him since he arrived?

Hands moved lower, caressing his ass and he spread his legs a bit, wanting to see what the boy would do. Daniel stayed away from that area and moved lower to wash his thighs. He wasn’t as shy about washing Seldon’s hard-on and balls, though, so Seldon figured Daniel just wasn’t comfortable with Seldon’s ass, knowing it wasn’t the area Seldon enjoyed being touched the most. Well, if Seldon was adamant about finishing the classification, Daniel would just have to get over that part. Later.

Being washed all the way down to the feet, Seldon was surprised when Daniel had him lift his foot to be washed and massaged by gentle fingers. Daniel did the same with the other foot before standing back up and taking the shampoo bottle. He took his time massaging the shampoo into Seldon’s short hair. This was first-grade pampering, and Seldon once again felt grateful for the boy’s thoughtfulness. Yeah, he was sometimes an egocentric little prick, but what kid that age wasn’t?

Daniel stopped and guided Seldon around and under the sprays. The boy was so gentle about it, and Seldon felt spoiled as he closed his eyes and leaned his head back for Daniel to rinse the suds from his hair.

“All clean again,” Daniel said.

Seldon looked down at his smiling face. “Thank you for this.”

“I don’t think I’m good enough at shaving someone to shave you.” Daniel cupped Seldon’s face, brushing the stubble with his thumbs.

“Too much?”

“I like you clean shaven.”

“Let’s go do that, then,” Seldon said and left the shower. Daniel turned off the water and followed, choosing to lean against the sink vanity and watched as Seldon found what he needed. His hard-on still pointed straight at Seldon, which made him smile. Yeah, it was a hunger-boner. “Would it surprise you if I said I expected you to fight this every step of the way for at least a year?”

“Why?”

“Because you’re straight, and because you definitely ended up just loathing me after you stopped fearing I’d rip off your fingernails.”

“I don’t loathe you, I just don’t like all the things you expect of me. Not sex things, but chores and stuff. You’re so rigid. Not your…fuck.” Daniel groaned and squeezed his eyes shut.

Seldon laughed. “And the I’m straight part?”

Daniel gnawed at his lip, looking off in thought. Seldon applied the shaving cream to his stubble, giving the boy time. But he was very interested in knowing the answer. In the meantime, he contemplated how the answer to the first had surprised him. The boy didn’t loathe him as much as he’d initially thought. That was good news. Maybe this wasn’t just hunger, then? No. He pushed the thought from his head to not put more into the situation than there was. Just because Seldon’s stomach flopped around when the boy looked at him that way didn’t mean Daniel had any feelings remotely close to those about Seldon.

“I’ve given something you said a lot of thought, and I talked with Jeff about it.” Daniel looked up, still with a contemplative look on his face. “Learn to enjoy or be miserable.”

“And you just learned to enjoy? You’ve been a Changeling for like a day.”

“No, but…I also listened to you and your theories on labels. Me and makeup. Watching you fuck dudes.”

“Did that turn you on?”

“Didn’t turn me off as much as I would have thought which led me to think that my somewhat homophobic parents conditioned me to think something I deep down just didn’t know I’d disagree with.” Daniel looked like he was still contemplating that one.

Seldon finished shaving one-half of his face before turning to look at Daniel, still with the frown on his face. “So, when you’re not fighting me on this—”

“It’s because I’m attracted to you somehow.”

Seldon stared at him wide-eyed while a rush tore through him. “Never thought I’d hear that one.”

“Oh, come on. Me jacking off to you guys in bed kind of had to have been a neon sign.”

“Not that you liked me. Are you disrespectful and somewhat of an ass to everybody you like?”

“Only the ones who also hold me prisoner, spank me, and treat me like a slave.”

Seldon chuckled. “Touché. But only one of those is relevant now if you make me. Unless you like it, that is, then I’ll do it for fun, too.”

Daniel’s gaping expression made Seldon laugh loudly.

“You’re talking about spanking me, right?”

“Yes.”

“You into that?” Daniel asked, wrinkling his nose.

“Depends on the one getting spanked. But no, I get nothing sexual from disciplining you like that.”

“Oh, good.” Daniel blinked theatrically.

“I think it would be good to try different things. You’re so inexperienced, and you need to find out how you can feed best. And how to cause the most pleasure in the human you’re feeding from because the more pleasure they feel, the more you get. Upon their release, your hunger is released, too.”

“I’m a bottom, right?”

“You’re turning into an Incubus who can only feed from men. You can feed in any way from a human male once your eyes change blue. It’s kind of gradual. What limits you until your eyes change is your classification as a breeder, and you’re actually very diverse. You can both give and receive a blowjob. Usually, you’re either only a receiver or a giver. I haven’t seen someone who could be both before, but don’t worry—you’ll get to explore that with humans. Either with me in a year’s time, or sooner with Caledon.” Seldon leaned closer to the mirror and continued his shaving.

“I’d prefer to wait.”

“Why?”

“Because I was thinking that maybe I don’t have as big a problem with all of this because it’s only been you and Caledon, and I feel okay around you guys. I mean, I know you.”

“Hmm,” Seldon mumbled, finishing up and rinsing his face. It gave him time to further contemplate the part about finishing the classification, and whether Daniel would have fewer problems feeding from humans he knew. Whether knowing them would make him see them less as cattle which was normal for red-eyes—especially Changelings who sometimes needed the distance to come to terms with what they had become. And maybe also because they didn’t build relationships with their breeders like the higher ranking Cubi normally did.

At that moment, Daniel could feed from Jeff, and Jeff had apparently gotten through to him. But if he could also feed from being a top then the breeders he already knew from his first week here were a possibility, too. Didn’t matter, Seldon reminded himself. He had to be the one to feed the boy for a full year, and humans weren’t allowed in his apartment.

Daniel reached up to feel the result of the shave. “Much better.”

“Which reminds me. Before we take this fun further…have you ever used one of those?” Seldon pointed to the enema machine in the shower. Daniel blushed.

“Yeah, Caledon introduced me to it this morning. I’d really like to be alone for that.”

“Okay,” Seldon said, nodding. “I’ll wait in the bed.” Seldon moved in for a kiss just to test the waters now that the boy’s initial hunger was down enough for them to have a conversation. Yeah, the boy’s hunger was far from satiated enough to not clutch at Seldon as he returned the kiss.

Seldon pulled back and breathed heavily, but those bedroom eyes made it difficult. Seldon had grabbed Daniel’s wrists before he reached for Seldon’s dick. “You’d better get that over with so I can feed you again.”

“You’re a tease.”

“Outmatched only by you, my little power-bottom.”

“Really?” Daniel smiled slyly.

“Don’t think I haven’t seen that look in your eye and know you fucking love that power. While baking or when I’m winning a game of pool.”

“I do.”

“With it comes responsibility.”

“You gonna quote me Spiderman?”

“I’ll quote Shakespeare if it gets you to clean up faster. I’m still fucking hungry for you,” Seldon complained, knowing full well he sounded whiny. Daniel bit his lower lip, his eyes burning with lust, but he managed to step back and wiggle his eyebrows at Seldon.

“Better get out then so I can finish up.”

Seldon left, thinking it was not the day to push the boy and insist on staying so he could lose some of the shyness. Daniel was so much further along than Seldon would have even dreamed of. He wanted to talk to Caledon about that at some point. And with that came the reminder that he hadn’t talked to Caledon about Alex. Seldon hopped in bed, finding he’d apparently still had a cleaner come by since his sheets were clean. Rummaging through the bedside drawer, he found a marker and wrote ALEX on the back of his hand.

Lying back on the bed, Seldon wondered yet again if he should finish the classification. He wasn’t keen on it, which was why he’d let Daniel clean up, should Seldon change his mind. Daniel definitely had to be undosed if he was going to shove his dick in Seldon’s ass. He needed him focused and not too horny. The question was if Daniel would be up for that.

Seldon looked up at Daniel standing next to the bed, surprised.

“You nodded off,” Daniel said, grinning.

“Hmm. Well, sleep wasn’t good in prison.”

Daniel sat on the edge of the bed. “Too tired then?”

“You’re not getting off a feeding that easily.”

“Not trying to.” Daniel climbed onto the bed and straddled Seldon. “Because I’m still hungry.”

“Me, too. I was contemplating finishing your classification. But you’re not going to be dosed for that.”

Daniel gaped. “As in…how?”

Seldon smiled and put his hands on Daniel’s legs to push him to lie flat on top of him before shuffling his legs free to wrap them around Daniel’s waist.

“If I can feed from you like this, then you’re a verse. They’re rare this early on.”

“What does that mean? A verse?”

“Versatile. Means you can feed from both top and bottom humans any damn way you’re in the mood for. But don’t get too comfortable between my legs,” Seldon said, smiling. “This won’t happen often.”

The nervous look on Daniel’s face had Seldon think that if hunger hadn’t prickled his body as badly as it did, he would have lost his erection from the nerves of the prospect of fucking Seldon.

“But you don’t like it.”

“You’ve seen me love it. And in your case, I actually want to see your classification through. But not dosed. I want you focused on what you’re doing to me.”

“You gonna enjoy it? Because, even though I still don’t remember the details of last night, I do remember loving the look on your face when you enjoyed my ass.”

“Then love the look on my face when I enjoy your cock, too. I’ll guide you to where it feels good.”

A shy smile spread on Daniel’s face. “Okay.”

Seldon reached for the lube and handed him the bottle. Daniel hesitated. “Do you remember what I did to you before I put my cock in you?”

“Not detailed, no. Just that you made the unbearable need go away.”

Seldon smiled. “Pour some on your fingers and put one inside me.”

Daniel did, but his hands shook even as he pushed in. Seldon relaxed and closed his eyes, focusing on the sensation of the slim finger moving slowly in and out him.

“Yeah, that’s it. Ease one more in.”

Daniel did—a moan escaping him when both fingers were buried knuckles deep. Seldon cracked an eye to see the boy, but Daniel’s eyes were fixed on where his fingers were.

“One more, your cock isn’t that small.”

Daniel grinned at Seldon and pushed one more in, less gentle about it than Seldon would have liked since he wasn’t dosed to not care about the sting as long as he got friction. But he was popping another cherry even though he was the one offering the ass to be explored. He had done this before, but the last time was when he was a light blue-eye. He had no great expectations. The level of experience usually set the bar for the fuck. Especially since Daniel’s cock was just on the good side. Had he carried a totem pole between his legs, Seldon would have thought longer about classifying him than he had today.

“More?” Daniel asked.

Seldon smiled, shaking his head. “Lube yourself up and push in, slowly.”

Daniel slathered lube all over his cock and by the amount of pre-cum visible before he closed a lubed fist around the head, Seldon figured the hunger would keep the boy from adhering to the world slowly.

In for a penny, in for a pound. Seldon snickered at the pun as he drew his legs further apart to make room for the cub. But Daniel definitely heard the word slowly, and the gentleness screwed with Seldon’s mind and set his hunger for more friction and sensation ablaze. So he wrapped his legs around Daniel’s ass and drew him in, grinning as the boy yelped at being sheathed fully in one motion.

“Oh, Jesus, that feels good,” Daniel panted, making Seldon smile and loosen his leg’s grip a bit. Daniel set a slow pace, clearly testing these new waters because his eyes were closed and brows knitted.

The prickling on Seldon’s skin moved to his spine and down. He was feeding. His boy was a versatile. For some reason, Seldon once again felt proud of having him with him, and the task of having to feed the boy and taking care of him for so long did nothing to dim the pride of being able to call Daniel his boy.

Daniel stopped and shivered, and Seldon knew it was because he wasn’t feeding without a dose. He got stimulation, but his hunger made lust rise with no satiation.

“Can you feed from me?” Daniel asked.

“Yeah, you’re versatile.”

“Please feed me, then.” Daniel still shook as he stayed buried balls deep.

Seldon grabbed his cock and pointed it upward. “Come and get it. Then fuck me again. I want you to make me come with your cock in my ass.”

Daniel looked at Seldon’s cock, stalling. “You wanna dose my mouth with that?”

Seldon gave him a pointed stare because the boy had to learn. “I will force you if you don’t do it. You need to get past this. And you have to learn to swallow my cum, later, because that feeds you, too.”

Daniel scooted back a bit, dislodging himself from Seldon’s body. He finally leaned over and gently closed his mouth over the head.

“Earn it,” Seldon growled and gasped when Daniel took him in a bit further.

Daniel hesitantly sucked more, but he looked fucking hot with a dick in his mouth. Daniel held onto the rigid length and bobbed his head, using only his lips to press around the shaft.

“Use your tongue, too. Swirl it around the head,” Seldon said, hoping to urge the boy a bit further. It was a sweet kind of torture to let the newborn cub try, but Seldon didn’t want to draw it out too much since the boy was so hungry. “Swallow when I release the dose.”

Daniel attempted to nod and grunted something, so Seldon focused on the release, feeling heat spread from the gland as it burst at the base of his cock. Daniel swallowed, putting pressure on the sensitive head. Once dosed, the boy got eager at sucking cock, and Seldon groaned.

“Come on, cub, put your dick back in me.”

Daniel moaned around Seldon, sending shivers through him, but he finally released Seldon’s cock with a pop and climbed up to push inside him again. The level of inexperience would have been fun if Seldon wasn’t so hungry. He guided Daniel to sit with his legs bent and knees under Seldon. Once in place, Daniel set a slow and deep pace, looking to where their bodies were connected.

“Oh, shit, that looks hot,” he murmured.

“Feels good, too,” Seldon said, getting his attention. A smile spread on Seldon’s face, and he grinned at the pleasure being awakened in Daniel. But he was too young to be able to fight the teasing and urge for full control, which was fine by Seldon, and Daniel picked up the speed and intensity of his thrusts. Seldon laid back and relaxed to enjoy the rarity and to let Daniel get a feel for it. But he soon needed more.

“Snap your hips.”

“Like this?” Daniel did, hitting the right spot in Seldon.

“Fuck yes, again, fuck, do that again!”

Daniel grabbed hold of Seldon’s thighs and snapped his hips again and again—the sounds of skin slapping against skin loud in the otherwise silent bedroom. Moans soon competed with the skin slapping as Seldon’s prostate was tapped over and over and Daniel found his confidence in the response.

“Oh shit, that’s good,” Daniel croaked and stopped to grind his hips against Seldon’s ass, grinding his dick against the sensitive walls.

“Yeah, that’s it.” Seldon jerked and rotated his hips to stimulate them more.

“Oh fuck.” Daniel set a brutal pace, and there was no question that the cub had met his limit. Seldon grabbed his dick, hoping he’d be able to tip over the edge into an orgasm and satiation soon, too. But Daniel cried out and dug his fingers into Seldon’s thighs to get some sense of leverage as he plowed into Seldon hard and erratic before going rigid and screaming as he came in a shuddering orgasm.

“Fuck, boy!” Seldon growled, his insides already sucking up the energy of the load shot deep inside of him. But Daniel’s hunger wasn’t satiated—it was locked to the dose, and Daniel wouldn’t get his peace before Seldon came. But he looked so fucking hot in rapture. Seldon slammed his head back into the pillow in the sheer need to come soon, too. Seldon squeezed Daniel’s cock with his inner muscles, wanting more.

“Come on, fuck me more. You got this. You got my pleasure at the tip of your cock, give it to me.”

Daniel locked gazes with Seldon and continued to fuck him, even pushed an arm under Seldon’s leg to push it back to get more room. Seldon twisted his body to have Daniel hit his prostate again, grabbing fistfuls of the sheet as the intensity of the fucking and eye-contact drove his hunger and pleasure up.

“Oh yeah, you like this. You enjoy my cock,” Daniel panted and sped up. “Tell me how you want it. I want to hear you!”

“Oh, fuck,” Seldon whispered, seeing the huge and dominant Incubus Daniel could have been if the accident hadn’t happened and stunted his aging. The unyielding eye-contact and intense demeanor he was being fucked by sent Seldon reeling. “Jack me, fuck, make me come,” Seldon screamed and felt a hand close around his cock.

“Yes! Let me hear you enjoy me,” Daniel demanded and plowed into him. Seldon convulsed in a violent orgasm, and everything he thought he knew about the undisciplined and timid boy went streaming out the window as he roared in climax. Fuck, he needed that boy to train. And he needed to show the boy way more than a rare topping of his ass.

Daniel collapsed on top of Seldon, panting and sweating, and Seldon was too spent to move. The cooling and sweat-slick body on him felt amazing. So did the soft phallus in his ass, and he was too satiated and spent to care. He did manage to glance out the corner of his eye at the alarm clock. He had to wake Daniel up in seven hours to have time to feed him before Caledon would come for the boy.

Daniel scrambled up to hold himself on shaky arms to stare at Seldon. “Damn.”

“I’m going to have fun helping you explore yourself. And I’m going to be fucking exhausted doing so.”

“Getting old?” Daniel grinned, yelping when Seldon smacked his ass.

“Getting old? Get out of bed and take a shower.”

“Gonna join me?” Daniel asked and stood, holding out his hand. His eyes were finally clearing of the red mist clouding his beautiful green eyes, and Seldon wanted a portrait of him as he looked right then. Before his eyes changed. He was definitely going to change before everyone else his Cubi age if he could only feed on a green-eye for a year. Seldon took Daniel’s hand and joined him for the second shower in an hour.

Daniel looked exhausted, and Seldon just wanted to fall into an oblivious sleep. But he did have enough energy to take in the overall satiated and calm cub, supporting himself against the wall of the shower as they stepped in.

“Did you like being on top?”

Daniel turned and smiled. “You’re beautiful in rapture.”

Oh, hell, if that didn’t do something to him. Was he blushing? Yep, Seldon felt his ears grow warm.

“Wash up, I’m tired,” Seldon said, sighing in relief when Daniel turned and finished up. He stepped out, leaving Seldon alone for the few minutes it took him to wash the cum leaking from his ass, and rinse his body of sweat and his own spunk smeared across his stomach and chest. It did give him a few seconds to think about the classification. Technically, the boy had a lot to learn, but his eyes stole the show and caused a thunderstorm in Seldon’s soul when he looked at him during sex.

It was new. He had lusted after the boy—the cub was fucking beautiful—but he stirred something more. Something deeper.

Seldon’s thoughts were cut off when Daniel stepped in with a fresh towel. Seldon turned off the water, dried off, and climbed back into bed with Daniel, happy he no longer had to be shackled to the bed by the wardrobe. He trusted him not to do stupid things with steak knives and other foolishness now. And he wanted to hold him. Luckily, the boy didn’t object, and he slept easier than the first time Seldon had taken him to his bed.

Chapter Six

A scratchy feeling to his skin awoke Daniel. That and a pleasant tingle along his spine and a fantastic suction around his cock. Daniel opened his eyes, finding the familiar ceiling of Seldon’s bedroom above him. The warmth that spread from his cock along with a soft caress to it had him gasp and snap to. He looked down to find Seldon lying flat on his stomach with his mouth closed around the base of Daniel’s cock.

“Good. Morning,” Daniel managed to gasp, and then the hunger registered. The itchy feeling was the one Seldon was soothing.

“Good morning,” Seldon murmured and licked from balls to tip. Daniel jerked, sighing as his cock once again disappeared into velvet softness, and the itchy feel to his skin subsided. Contemplating it, it wasn’t itchy. It was like his body had fallen asleep sans the needles. The sensation was so hard to place because he really didn’t have any physical experiences prior to the change to compare it with. And he had no experiences to compare the pure pleasure spreading from his groin area too either. Now he knew why Seldon called it art.

“That’s one helluva an alarm clock,” Daniel muttered.

“Yeah, well, Lord Caledon is picking you up at six, so I figured five o’clock would be a good time to wake you up and feed you. Then there’s still time for coffee and…other food.”

Daniel punched a pillow into submission behind his head to be able to relax and watch Seldon’s skillful mouth descend on him again. “Are you going to do the tongue thing?”

Seldon pulled back slowly, revealing his elongated tongue swirling around the head of Daniel’s dick, caressing the crown. Daniel groaned and shivered.

“That was my plan.”

“Does it hurt?” Daniel asked.

“I had actually thought about dosing you before you woke up, but you gotta learn, right?” Seldon’s normal tongued swirled around the sensitive glans before he dipped it into the slit. Daniel stared gaping as the Incubus’ tongue elongated and thinned at the tip before a strangely erotic feeling of fullness took over.

“Oh, shit,” Daniel gasped and jerked when Seldon closed his lips around him again and sucked a bit. Warmth spread rapidly from his groin before the lust took over. He grabbed Seldon’s head and thrust upward into his mouth. The tongue still lodged in Daniel’s dick went a bit deeper, and mind-numbing pleasure took over. He’d had his dick sucked before, but this was a special kind of heaven. So had the sucking he’d gotten in the shower the day before.

And the sex. An image of Seldon’s expression when he came the night before floated through the pleasure. Daniel had done that, and it made him smile. The memory sent another a surge of pleasure through his body and he wanted more. Finally, he understood the dose. It definitely broke down the barrier between the mind and mouth because as he found the need for more, his mouth poured out the explicit pleas for stimuli.

A spit-slicked finger eased into Daniel’s ass. He groaned loudly in relief as the finger caressed that spot Seldon kept finding—the one that heightened it all. Daniel lost it, riding the finger and pushing into the delicious heat of Seldon’s mouth.

He jerked and moaned, feeling the tongue retract from his dick, seconds before he came. Seldon kept sucking as Daniel’s cock erupted, leaving Daniel a quaking mess. But he needed more. He was far from full yet, and the dose was still in effect. “More, please!”

“Make me come, too. That’s what you need for the dose to wear off. For me to suck the energy out of you. And this time you get to swallow.”

Daniel scrambled around on the bed to get to Seldon’s hard cock and no hesitations delayed him with the hunger burning away in him. He wanted to make Seldon moan again, so he tried everything Seldon had done to him, sans the finger in his ass, since he was pretty sure that was a no-go now that he had been classified.

“Ah, you’re a quick study,” Seldon said, breathlessly. Daniel looked up, finding Seldon propped up on his elbows to watch. He liked being watched. It spurred him on to make a show of sucking and licking. He hadn’t watched when Jeff had pleased Seldon. Maybe he should have. Maybe he should ask Jeff for pointers. Oh, no, no breeders were allowed in the house for a year so Daniel would just have to learn by doing.

Daniel popped the dick out of his mouth and smiled at Seldon. “Tell me how to make it feel good.”

“What you’re doing feels good,” Seldon said and bit his lower lip. “But try creating a vacuum in your mouth.”

Daniel plunged down on Seldon again, and on the way up, he tried to close off the air in his mouth, growing hollow-cheeked.

Seldon grunted in response. “Oh, that’s it.”

Daniel kept it up and tried to mix it up with other techniques, feeling the tingle move toward his spine faster as Seldon’s breath grew shallow.

“I’m about to come, oh, shit.” Seldon shivered and closed his eyes while Daniel sucked a bit harder, getting ready to taste the semen. Seldon jerked and hot, sticky liquid jetted from his cock into Daniel’s mouth. Just like when he’d been classified, it was delicious. Oh, man, with a reward like that, he was going to do this more often.

“Oh, shit, stop, stop,” Seldon gasped, putting his hands on Daniel’s shoulders.

Daniel pulled back reluctantly. “I liked it.”

“Yeah, felt like it. Like you were trying to suck another load from me.”

“Guess that’ll have to wait until lunch.” Daniel grinned and leaned in to lick the softening cock to make sure he got it all. Seldon quaked and moaned again, letting himself fall back onto the bed.

“Still hungry?” Seldon asked.

Daniel smiled at the sight of the exhausted Incubus. Either that or Daniel had done a good job sucking him off. He contemplated the question, and his skin didn’t tingle anymore. After he’d just come, he’d wanted more, but now that Seldon had sucked the dose out of Daniel, all that was left was a satiated feeling and a softening dick. His stomach felt empty, though.

“Not for sex. I’ll go make the coffee.” Daniel crawled off the bed and looked around for his bag, but he didn’t find it. “Oh, shit, my bag with all my clothes and makeup is still at Caledon’s place.”

“I’ll text him,” Seldon said and rolled onto his stomach to find his phone on the bedside table.

“Thanks.” Daniel left for the kitchen and cringed at finding the thermos and three mugs from yesterday on the table. Clean house, he remembered, so he was happy he was the first in the kitchen. But Seldon had deserved to be pampered. Even after sending him to shovel shit today. He imagined himself doing that while he made the coffee, and wondered how long he was going to stand in a mountain of feces and gag at the stench.

The fact that they also had to go to Jonah’s trial around noon would mean he didn’t have to for long. Or so he hoped. That Seldon had to be whipped came back to him, and he wondered just how bad a whipping would be for an Incubus of his strength. He hadn’t been bruised by being hit with a chair, but Daniel had seen whippings in movies really open up the skin. Would Seldon be scarred for life? A permanent reminder of how he had failed Lord Caledon in keeping Daniel safe until he was ready for the attempted changed? It wasn’t fair on top of having to aid Daniel for more than four hundred years, but Daniel guessed he just didn’t get the ramifications even after they were explained to him. He still had trouble imagining his life now. One day at a time seemed easier. Or one dose at a time.

Seldon came into the kitchen wearing nothing. He stopped short and frowned at Daniel. “What’s up?”

“Nothing, just waiting for the coffee.”

“You look worried. What’s on your mind, cub?”

Cub. Daniel smiled at the endearment. He preferred it to boy.

“The punishment today.”

“You shoveling shit or me being humiliated in public?”

“You being whipped,” Daniel said, wondering why Seldon would focus more on being humiliated than being in pain.

“I’ll be needing your help for a few days.” Seldon plopped down on a chair.

“A few days?”

“Yeah, three to five days is about the time it takes for wounds like that to close up on a green-eye. Depending on the skills of the one executing the punishment.”

“Will you be scarred?”

“Not for long. In a month’s time, you won’t be able to see it ever happened.”

“Good,” Daniel said, nodding to himself, lost in thought. He hoped he didn’t have to watch.

“Hey, coffee’s done,” Seldon said.

Daniel poured it into the thermos and brought it and two mugs to the table.

Seldon took his cup and sat back while Daniel stared into the steam from his own cup. “You need to remember to eat normal food, too. Some Changelings become sick because they forget it.”

Daniel looked at the clock on the wall, seeing he had about twenty minutes to get ready, so he made some toast with cheese.

“Hello,” Caledon hollered from the hallway. Seldon got up and found another cup while Daniel finished his toast, hoping he wouldn’t see it again soon from shoveling shit.

“Hi,” Daniel said when Caledon entered the kitchen.

“Brought you this.” Caledon lifted Daniel’s bag and placed it on the floor.

“Thanks.”

“Ready? After a cup of coffee, I see.” Caledon took a seat where Seldon placed a cup.

“Yeah, he’s ready. He hasn’t mentioned it yet, though,” Seldon said, grinning.

“You’re coming, so get dressed.”

“Me?”

“Yes, you. Because you’re the one who has to teach him this.”

Seldon groaned. “Yes, My Lord.” Seldon got up and left the kitchen to return a few minutes later wearing clothes. Caledon dug into Daniel’s bag and tossed Seldon a bright red shirt. Seldon did not look happy about it, but he pulled it on. The chest and back were adorned with a white symbol Daniel didn’t know. It looked like all the other symbols around the place—in the halls and on the elevator buttons.

“What is it?” Daniel asked, cleaning up his place and putting the plate in the dishwasher.

“It means everybody can see that I fucked up royally by dosing you. It kind of translates as fuck-up.”

“You’ll learn our language and alphabet once you start school,” Caledon said and drank his coffee. “Better get dressed.”

Daniel found his bag and pulled out the set of clothes he’d be least upset about seeing off after the day. He dressed in the kitchen and glanced at the clock. It was two minutes to six, so he cleared the table of their empty cups and hurried to the bedroom with the bag.

Seldon and Caledon were waiting in the hallway when he returned.

Knowing he’d be shoveling shit all day was not something he looked forward to, and he still thought they pulled out a way bigger arsenal than called for. But he didn’t know anything about the Cubi hierarchy other than what Seldon had explained—everybody started at the bottom. He was changing into something else in a world he didn’t understand yet. Maybe the huge-ass arsenal could help him understand the cast he had been placed in because of the premature dosing?

Learning that he could take pride in making the bed and being able to use a washing machine on his own had him rethink a few things, too. At home, he’d made his bed if someone came over. Why had he been so indifferent with everything else?

As they walked, he thought back to his upbringing with his parents. He had prizes on a shelf in the living room—some given to him for just attending something where he made no effort at being the best. A corner of the living room was like a shrine to him with hand prints in plaster, a mask he had made from papier-mâché, and pictures from birthday parties where he sat with a huge cake. Some of those parties were so huge that he didn’t know or remember half the kids invited. He had been invited to some of the birthday parties of the kids on the street—kids he never spoke with, and his mom had bought the present and set off what resembled a military operation to wrap the thing. Daniel rarely knew what he was bringing to the party or who to give it to once he had arrived. He hated those parties.

Look your best.

Be nice to the others.

Those were the words his mother had sent him and the gift out the door with. At home, it had been different. Take out the trash, empty the dishwasher, put your clothes in the hamper. That was the extent of it, but for the life of him, Daniel couldn’t remember a time when she had told him why to do these things. He had thought it unfair because she was a housewife. It was her job. He had school and homework, that was his job as a kid.

What had he missed in the big picture? Seldon kept saying Daniel’s parents hadn’t done their job, and since he couldn’t even use a washing machine, sure something had gone wrong, but what else?

“Daniel,” Caledon said, breaking Daniel’s train of thought. He hadn’t even noticed where they were. “I see you’ve gotten good at sulking about today’s task on our way here.”

“What? No, My Lord!” Daniel looked at Seldon, who cocked an eyebrow. “I was thinking about something Seldon had said. That we each have a place, and we must each take responsibility for our place. I didn’t even know my place in the human world because apparently, my parents never took the time to think further than my age. As a Changeling, I know even less about this world, and…” And it finally struck Daniel what the huge difference there was between his parents and Seldon. He had felt they didn’t care because they never pushed him in other directions than where he wanted to go.

“Oh, my, the wheels are churning in there,” Caledon said, smiling. “Good. Manual labor is the best to keep the mind occupied constructively.”

“The plan is that, for the next three months, I teach you while you get accustomed to all the changes you’re going through,” Seldon said. “Once you’re ready, you’ll start school. This is your first lesson, and I’m very proud that you remembered me saying exactly that. Because that’s actually what I’m going to teach you today.”

“You know it theoretically,” Caledon said, nodding. “The difference between knowledge and wisdom is knowing something in theory or being able to apply said knowledge in practice. Today, you get the opportunity to turn knowledge into wisdom.” Caledon held his hand out to the red door with markings Daniel couldn’t read.

“Yes, My Lord.”

“Good. Follow me.” Caledon opened the door and went through.

Seldon had winked at Daniel before they followed the Lord into an office where six people sat. One with green eyes.

“Sire Jaydon.”

“My Lord, welcome.” Jaydon stood and shook Caledon’s hand. The sincerity fell away and was replaced by sadness as he shook Seldon’s hand, but curiosity took it’s place upon turning his attention to Daniel. “You must be Daniel. Jeff has spoken of you a great deal.”

The name Jaydon finally rang a bell. “Yes, I am. Are you…Jeff’s Sire?”

“I am.” Jaydon looked proud at that. “I’ve been asked to find you a gig today. I’m the head of Sanitation in House Three.”

Daniel cringed but tried to keep it from his expression. Sanitation. Fantastic. Shoveling shit. Seldon smothered a laugh. Daniel glanced at him, wondering about his amusement since Seldon was the one who had to teach him and thus had to get his hands dirty, too.

“Follow me.” Jaydon led them from the office into a huge industrial complex with a lot of workers in coveralls with the same mark as on the door. It didn’t smell like shit in there, and the place was as clean as you’d expect a warehouse to be. People pushed pallets around, and a forklift drove down the length of the place with a stack of what looked like different kinds of fabric.

“Jaydon, would you tell the new cub about this place?” Caledon asked.

“Certainly, My Lord.” Jaydon put an arm around Daniel’s shoulder and pulled him to the forefront of their little expedition crew. “This is Sanitation, meaning we are responsible for everything that has to do with keeping House Three clean. We keep the plumbing running, keep the feeding stalls clean and stocked, we paint the halls, grease the elevators, change light bulbs, clean windows…in short, we make our Lord Caledon’s House look pristine and proud at all times.”

They passed a blue-eye who stopped long enough to nod at them, and Daniel noticed his tool belt. He looked like an electrician with the things in his belt.

“We have everything here from old breeders to Changelings and the entire array of eye colors, except for purple.” Jaydon continued and stopped by a door. “Now. What are you good at?”

Had Jaydon asked two weeks ago, Daniel would probably have told him he was good at everything. Now he knew he wasn’t good at anything.

“Nothing,” Daniel said quietly.

“Nothing?” Jaydon looked surprised at this. “You’ve got to have some kind of experience.”

“Never found something I wanted to do.”

“Daniel is nineteen and a curling-kid,” Caledon said.

“A…a what?” Daniel asked.

“You know the game curling? That ball on ice and two people run ahead of it and brush the ice of all obstacles?” Caledon asked. Daniel nodded. “The two with the brush are curling-parents. The kid’s the curling ball in this analogy…kids who never had the chance to meet and tackle an obstacle in their life and thus never grow from it. There’s a balance somewhere between not putting child safety caps on a bottle of poison and letting the kid play with the bottle to not let them experience any obstacles at all.”

Okay, crude but apt analogy. “Well, in that case, I’m not a complete curling-kid because I did do summer jobs at my dad’s hardware store. But Seldon was the one who taught me to use a washing machine.”

“Good. You get a spot on the cleaning crew today.” Jaydon led them through the door and down a long hallway with little offices behind windows to one side.

“But…Seldon said I was going to shovel shit.” Daniel slapped a hand over his mouth, making Jaydon laugh loudly.

“That’s a metaphor for shitty assignments,” Seldon clarified. “The point of shitty assignments is to teach you to see a job through no matter how much you dislike doing it, for the simple reason it has to be done.”

“If we take pride in what we do, we take pride in ourselves and the contribution we make,” Jaydon said, opening the door at the end of the long hallway. They exited on a platform high above the floor of another huge industrial complex. Train tracks went through it and in the middle of it stood five train wagons with some kind of logo on the side.

“You might remember those,” Seldon said.

“That the train we came in on?” Daniel asked.

“Yes.” Jaydon turned to look at Daniel. “You’ve been here about a week, right?” Daniel nodded, not taking his eyes off the wagons. “Then these are the very wagons you came in on. Someone messed up one of the rooms pretty bad, and we’re fixing it. You get to help clean them. Think we should put you on the guard’s wagon.”

“Seldon will take you through it and help you.” Caledon looked at his watch. “You have four hours.”

“Yes, My Lord,” Seldon said. Daniel repeated and followed Jaydon and Seldon down the stairs. Once on the platform, Seldon led Daniel into a wagon with windows. It had passenger compartments, but they were fitted like small rooms with a desk, a closet, and a bed. Seldon went into the first room and looked around, running his hands over the surfaces, stopping short when he did on the desk. He lifted his hand and pulled a face at his palm.

“Someone either had sticky sex on this desk or spilled a soda.”

Daniel shivered in disgust. “So we clean the desk.”

“We clean it all. Think of it this way. If you had to live here for a few months, how would you want it to look when you got here? Think…you book a hotel room. You expect it to be clean and that the furniture isn’t falling apart, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Good. So leave this place in a state you’d be happy with paying for if you checked into a three-star hotel. Let that be your guide for the quality of your work. Now.” Seldon came to stand next to Daniel to look around the place. “What would be our first order of business?”

“Vacuum the floor?” Daniel asked.

Seldon glanced at him and smiled. “I always start at the top. Cleaning is actually very dirty work, and everything goes down. Laws of physics. So vacuuming would be the last order of business.”

“But, wouldn’t that whirl dust into the air?”

Seldon smiled and glanced at Daniel out the corner of his eye. “Guess it’s an individual taste then. Humor me. First, we empty the room of everything that needs to be disposed of and to be changed. Trash, bedding, towels, clothes, whatever. Then we air out the mattress while we wipe the place down. Let’s start with that. Get the bedding, I’ll grab the towels.”

Wow. They weren’t kidding when they said Seldon would be helping him.

Chapter Seven

Seldon and Daniel worked through the compartments in relative silence. Like Caledon, Seldon had at first thought the boy was sulking as he stayed quiet on their way to Sanitation, but his answer to Caledon trying to call him out on it had knocked Seldon for a loop. He somehow felt honored getting to train Daniel differently—not as a slave but as a Changeling—because he kept discovering layers of the boy that he hadn’t expected from a nineteen-year-old high school washout with dreams of fame and life in the fast lane.

Maybe it was the age that made such a difference. That he adapted so readily. That and the fact the boy had no idea what he was capable of or who he was. Then again, these insights into oneself came with age and life experience, and Daniel had lived a pretty cushioned life.

“Master?”

“Hmm?” Seldon turned, registering the word. “Seldon, and if we’re in public, Sire. You’re not a slave anymore.”

“Oh, yeah.” Daniel shook his head as if mentally shaking himself to get rid of the habit. “I’m…hungry.”

Oh, shit, the cub had an appetite. “Food or feeding?”

“Both.”

Seldon looked at the clock on the wall of the room they were cleaning, and his sense of time told him it was way off. “Come on. And tell Jaydon that this clock needs new batteries.”

“Why don’t you tell him?”

“To let you have the credit.” Seldon picked up the bucket with filthy water to be changed since they had to leave the train.

Jayden and Caledon stood by a desk and went over some paperwork, and Seldon figured he’d better see if Caledon had figured Daniel’s ferocious appetite into their schedule. Upon reaching the two Cubi, Seldon nodded for Daniel to inform Jaydon.

“Sire, the clock in compartment three needs new batteries. It’s like, five o’clock in there.”

“Thanks, cub,” Jaydon said and noted it on a tablet.

“You done?” Caledon asked, looking surprised.

“No, but the cub is hungry, and I didn’t know your schedule for us.”

Caledon smiled, looking at Daniel. “How hungry?”

“Like, whenever he bends over, I can think of only one thing,” Daniel said, pointing to Seldon.

Caledon laughed affectionately. “Guess we better get your classification finished soon.”

“Did that last night,” Seldon said. “He’s an all-around Incubus verse.”

“Uh,” Jaydon said, looking at Daniel while Caledon froze a second and his eyes lit up.

“Well, if you feed now or when you get home doesn’t matter, just make it quick,” Caledon said.

“Okay. Figured showing him the feeding stalls would be good.” Seldon pointed toward the row of cubicles. Caledon nodded.

“What’re feeding stalls?” Daniel asked as Seldon guided him along.

“We have two kinds of lunch rooms. Feeding is done quickly and unceremoniously. Like something pre-packed or off the fast food menu. Lunch, where you sit down and eat, talk, and relax a bit, are half an hour. We just keep the feeding in these stalls to one, keep bodily fluids somewhat contained to ease cleaning up, and two, so we know where we can find lube and wet wipes.” Seldon stopped by an enclosure, consisting of a back wall and two laminate plates, and pointed. “And we’re not shy about it.”

Daniel gaped at the sight of the enclosure. Seldon took in the sight of the shelves in different heights and two dispensers on the wall. One with lube and one with wet wipes. He wondered what Daniel saw for the first time and what he thought. He didn’t care enough to ask, though, because they didn’t have the time for that.

“What are the shelves for?”

“Get out of your pants, and I’ll show you,” Seldon said and nodded him into the room. You don’t get to change your mind and think you can suffer your hunger until we get home. I’ll strip you of the shyness that can keep you from feeding when necessary, and this is your first lesson.”

“Shyness,” Daniel muttered, more like an afterthought than a complaint. He worked the laces in his pants and stepped inside the enclosure before letting his pants drop to the floor.

“Shirt, too, and one foot out of the pants leg,” Seldon said as he pulled his own pants down. It wasn’t necessary to strip the boy that much, but if he was going to give him a lesson on leaving shyness behind he needed to push the envelope a bit. He just hoped he didn’t push too hard as he’d done with the fingernails of the breeder.

“So, this is fast food time?” Daniel asked as he got out of his shirt and kicked his pants off one leg.

“Yes.”

“You gonna dose me first?”

“No. You asked me to wait a bit yesterday because you wanted to feel it. The natural side of the Cubi way.” Seldon lifted Daniel’s right leg a bit and had him place his foot on a low shelf. “So I won’t dose you before I’m inside you.”

Daniel nodded and took a shaky breath. “I see the point of the shelves now.”

Seldon leaned in and kissed Daniel’s neck. “Guess the use of the handlebars, then.”

Daniel cocked his head to give him room, and Seldon was happy about being able to feed on him and not an unknown breeder. That he was completely full and not in the mood at all was a different matter. He’d start Daniel out on the more clinical side of feeding a bit gentle, though, so he continued to kiss the boy as he lubed up his fingers.

Daniel moaned when Seldon pushed a slick finger into him, but it was clear he was trying to be discreet about it. That would change soon. Seldon was happy the boy responded to his touches without a dose. Most Changelings fought it for a while, but Daniel took it pretty easy. To see how easy, Seldon reached around and felt the boy’s dick, and it was already filling up.

Perfect. So Seldon introduced another finger, carefully stretching him. As Seldon introduced the third finger, someone walked by the enclosure, making Daniel shy toward the corner.

“Fast food,” Seldon whispered and moved closer. “This is like them walking by a booth at McDonalds, watching people eat. Pack away your notions from your human world and enjoy the Cubi feeding. Enjoy me.”

“I’ll learn,” Daniel moped.

Seldon grinned and moved in to position himself. He pushed in, slowly, focusing on Daniel. It was the first time the young Changeling was penetrated without a dose, and he wanted to make sure he was okay even though he thought the boy had made quantum steps already by washing and pampering him.

Another moan escaped Daniel, but Seldon didn’t stop until he was sheathed completely inside him.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. Fuck, the tingling is getting worse.”

Seldon set a slow pace. “You like this?”

“Uh-huh,” Daniel said, but held still, his hands locked on the handlebars in the stall, and his foot still on the bottom step to help give Seldon room to move.

“Booths are for quickies,” Caledon said, leaning against the frame. Daniel tightened in Seldon’s arms.

“He’s tight, let me open him before I dose him.”

“He’s not dosed yet?”

“No.”

“Damn. Dose and get done.” Caledon left. Seldon ignored Daniel’s disapproving murmur and thrust in and out of him a few more times, slowly, before reaching around Daniel to pull him in close.

“Ready for a dose and a quickie?”

“Sure. I prefer us home and with a good amount of time. I love watching you,” Daniel said and arched his back enough to steal a kiss. Seldon growled and gave into the kiss, happy to at least feel an appetite stir as the dose released into Daniel’s ass. They continued to kiss for the seconds it took the dose to work. But then Daniel had other things in mind. He groaned loudly and thrust his ass back onto Seldon’s cock. Seldon didn’t mind—he had to feed the boy, and he had. Now he just had to let himself be worked too excruciatingly full. Daniel kept pushing back, and Seldon felt the tingle to his spine.

“Oh, shit, I can’t see you. I love watching you,” Daniel panted, twisting his upper body. Once the eye-contact was in place, Seldon’s appetite awoke. He pulled out and turned Daniel to have his back against the side with no shelves. Seldon then lifted the boy to hook his arms under Daniel’s knees and struggled a few tries to position himself again.

“Now you can see me,” Seldon said and thrust into Daniel who cried out. Oh, shit, those sounds were sweet. Daniel clasped his hands behind Seldon’s neck and locked gazes with him.

“Come on, give me that quickie. Give me what you got.”

Seldon complied, but he still held back, not sure if Daniel could really take a pounding like his heavy-hitter, Alex. Fuck. He needed to talk to Caledon about him. But Daniel definitely responded to the pounding.

“Oh, man, dinner’s gonna be good. You could take me in the kitchen. Or I could totally snack out on your cock at the dinner table. Tastes so good when you come in my mouth. I’m gonna be good someday. You’re gonna fucking love my tongue.”

“I fucking love your mouth already,” Seldon said, diving in for a bruising and demanding kiss. But it was the things coming out of Daniel’s mouth he loved. The things he said could drive him crazy. Seldon hadn’t pushed feeding like this for at least fifty years. One reason was not having a need to feed and another was to open a new cycle of feeding.

Daniel released the kiss and gasped into the air. “Oh, yeah, you love my ass, too, don’t you?”

“Yeah!”

“Find that good spot, oh you’re good at finding that spot,” Daniel cooed, and Seldon leaned back, digging in for Daniel’s prostate. The moans and tension in the boy’s body changed, and Daniel’s arms flailed for something to hang onto. Once he found it, he screamed into the air for more cock, and Seldon’s new cycle of hunger ignited into a frenzied fuck. Hunger crashed over him, setting his skin ablaze from the need for release. If they hadn’t needed to get this done because it was just a feeding break, he would have dosed the boy again and fucked it out of him. Daniel hit orgasm first, and his ass muscles clamping down on Seldon’s cock.

“Fuck, boy!” Seldon roared and stilled a second, trapped, but it felt so good. Two more thrusts and Seldon’s orgasm rolled over him, pumping his semen into Daniel. The orgasm ebbed away, and Seldon stared into Daniel’s face as he surfaced, the red mist slowly evaporating from his eyes.

Daniel finally focused on Seldon, grinning. “Screw McDonalds.”

Seldon laughed and slipped out of the boy, kneeling to lick the spunk from Daniel’s chest. Daniel plucked wet wipes from the dispenser and handed them to Seldon as he got to his feet to dry off his own stomach. Seldon used the wipes and straightened his clothes, finishing about the same time as Daniel finished wiping his ass.

“Ready to go clean?”

“Sure. Why is the stuff in the blue bottle for windows but not for surfaces? What’s the difference?” Daniel asked as they left the enclosure to head back to the wagon.

“Soap and alcohol.

“You two done?” Caledon asked.

“Yeah.” And the thought of Alex hit him. “Before I forget again, please remind me I have a matter of a breeder named Alex to talk to you about.”

“Tell me now because you’re done for today.”

“The stuff? Should we get that?” Daniel pointed toward the wagon they had worked in.

“No, others will take over. Did you learn something?”

“Yeah,” Daniel said, shoving his hands into his pockets only to find he hadn’t tied the laces and thus pulled his pants down. He struggled with pulling them back up and tying the laces as they went. “I learned a lot about the things to use, but…” Daniel stopped halfway up the stairs and looked out over the platform where around fifty people worked. “Cooperation was taught in groups at school. Stuff like passing buckets of water from one end of a room to the other and imagining a fire we had to work together to put out. Or standing in a row and passing boiled eggs from one spoon to another from one end of a line to the other. Winners got a prize. So did the losers, just a smaller one.” Daniel leaned his arms on the railing and stared at everything going on below him. Deep thoughts roamed behind his eyes. “I may not like that I cleaned the rooms of the people who held me captive and brought me here, but I see the point. I see all these people working as one for a common goal. Common goals at my house were spending three hours together without an argument. Not sure I cooperated too well on that one.”

Seldon glanced at Caledon who brushed a finger across his chin, lost in thought.

“Daniel, I’d like you to write me an essay,” Caledon said, getting Daniel’s attention. “I’ll get you a computer. You won’t be able to log onto the internet, that’s just a rule we have, but I want you to think long and hard about this and write me an essay. The specifications will be in a document on the computer when you get it. Get you ready for school.”

“Yes, My Lord.”

Seldon put an arm around Daniel’s waist to get him moving, and the boy began climbing the stairs. The silence left Seldon to get a sense of the day’s schedule, and it wasn’t exactly welcome thoughts.

This was it. A shower and Jonah’s trial. And Seldon would be out for the count for several days in pain. He’d been able to keep it out his mind as long as he had something to do, but the number of things to be done before that time was trickling down to a number so low he couldn’t keep his thoughts off if any longer.

What he couldn’t wait for was to get rid of this fucking shirt. Normally, when walking the halls of the compound, there were a few turned heads, winks, smiles. Today there were a lot of turned heads, but they were accompanied by scowls, snorts, and even a few rude comments, labeling him a loser, a fuck-up, and a disgrace.

“Seldon?”

“What? Sorry,” Seldon said, looking at Caledon whose eyes revealed more compassion than he had expected. “Yeah, I was lost in thought.”

“You said something about Alex.”

“Guess I don’t really have a say anymore. At least not for the next year. Hope they’re still mine after that.”

“Unless they rotate out or are claimed they are. So, what’s up?”

“Did you notice Alex had a shiner at the dinner party?” Seldon asked, glancing Daniel’s way, but he was as lost to the world as he had been on the way down. Caledon nodded. “Elias did that because we had a really late night feeding, and we overslept. He missed an appointment, so I wrote a note for the blue-eye. He apparently didn’t care and took it out on the breeder.”

A ruthless expression ghosted across Caledon’s face, and had Seldon not stared right at him, he would have missed it.

“How fond are you of this breeder?”

“You mean enough to claim him? I can’t for a year, and even if I wanted to, my responsibilities lie with Daniel.”

“Is it the first time this has happened?”

“No. Alex isn’t the first breeder I’ve heard or even seen grow pale at the sound of Elias’ name. He’s just…cruel.”

“You aren’t the first to complain, either. But I keep getting some mixed signals because the breeders he surrounds himself with are the ones who like it rough when dosed. You know the guilt in breeders and Changelings, and it doesn’t exactly make my job easier.”

“One thing is a rough fuck, another is being slapped around. I’m not trying to make you come to any specific conclusion here. But I felt like I needed to make you aware of a situation since Alex likes a rough fuck but nothing physically hard other than that. My aim is to inform you since you can’t run a House blind.”

“Every breeder who holds their own in my House has a quota of feedings, so we at least need to find another top to keep Alex in his own apartment.”

“Can’t help you there. I don’t know who or what unless I go through the schedules, and I only have the breeders compatible with me. Other than Daniel.”

“Daniel?”

“Hmm?” Daniel looked up.

“A top. We’re talking about a breeder,” Seldon explained.

“And you finished his classification,” Caledon said, nodding, his eyes giving away excitement.

“But he can only feed from me for a year. Daniel, walk a bit faster.”

Daniel looked surprised but did, turning his head to look at them while Caledon slowed to a halt. Once Daniel was out of hearing range, Caledon turned to face Seldon.

“Spill.”

“He’s dominant, too,” Seldon said, smiling a bit.

“While dosed?”

“Yeah.”

“A dominant verse?” Caledon looked like a kid the day before Christmas.

“What?”

“I’ll tell you later. For now…let’s get you two ready for Jonah’s trial. You’ll be wearing that.” Caledon pointed to the shirt. “And I’ll look into the business with Elias.”

“Yes, My Lord.”

They made their way back to Seldon’s apartment for a quick shower, and Seldon opted to not wear a shirt under the humiliating red thing since he had to be shirtless the next few days anyway. Daniel was given fifteen minutes to eat before they had to leave, and Seldon’s nerves were picking up. But he needed to play it cool because he had a job to do, first.

Chapter Eight

Standing next to Seldon in the courtroom again had Daniel restless. The guy, Jonah, had groped him. Seldon had gotten the brunt of the punishment, and Daniel still found it really unfair that he was punished for an accident, but it was the way of the Cubi, and he had to learn to deal with it.

Daniel and Seldon were the first ones there. Caledon led them through the room and into a back room where the eight Grand Lords and Ladies from yesterday sat and talked.

“Hello, everyone,” Caledon said and motioned for Daniel and Seldon to sit.

“Ah, you’re here early. Thank you.” The Grand Lady, who had presided over Seldon’s case, stood and came to where Daniel and Seldon sat, bringing her chair. She sat and studied Daniel openly. “You’re very beautiful.”

“Thank you, Grand Lady.” Daniel couldn’t help the blush. And he’d barely had time to do his makeup, settling with eyeliner, a bit of eye-shadow and mascara.

“Can you keep up with him?” she asked Seldon, who chuckled.

“Barely. Forcing feeding cycles was something I had happily forgotten was a possibility.”

“What does that mean,” Daniel asked.

“It means my body tries to keep up by producing more of that hormone. It increases hunger, the tingle, and can result in headaches, light-headedness, and nausea after feeding until it levels out to your need. In short, I’m going to be as horny as a newborn in less than a month.”

“I’m making you sick?” Daniel asked, thinking he just found one more reason why all of this wasn’t fair to Seldon. These people were so strict. Now he knew why Seldon was, too.

“I said it can result in it.”

“How do you feel now?” Daniel turned on his chair to face Seldon who smiled at him.

“Nauseous, but that’s probably just nerves.”

“But when it goes away, I won’t be force feeding you anymore, right?”

“No, you won’t.” Seldon put a hand on his shoulder. Daniel smiled a bit, thinking that if Seldon became generally hungrier, Daniel wouldn’t feel so bad about needing to feed more than Seldon would like. He wanted that look. He wanted to feel craved and desired. “Jesus, boy, are you hungry again.”

“No, I’m good. Really.” And he was.

“Promise me, if you’re even the slightest bit hungry, then you feed before I receive my punishment.”

Well, that killed the fun thoughts of how sex could be when Seldon’s hunger matched Daniel’s. “Promise. However, it’s easiest for you while you’re not hurt.”

“Good thing you’re a verse.” Not even a smile formed on Seldon's face when he said that. Daniel took his hand, apparently surprising Seldon by the gesture. But it made him smile and squeeze Daniel’s hand.

“I see this is going well,” the Grand Lady said and smiled. But she was staring, and Daniel didn’t really know what to think about the look she gave him.

“Yeah,” Seldon said, looking like he was still surprised by it. As was Daniel. There were still so many little kinks to be worked out, but he was happy Seldon thought they had to get to know each other and learn from each other. There really was a noticeable difference between being trained as a slave or future Cubi partner than being taught as a Changeling. The morning’s lesson had shown they worked quite well together, and Seldon hadn’t just stood in a corner and barked orders at him as he’d feared.

Either way, Daniel was going to be on his best behavior to not cause Seldon any more humiliation than he was already subjected to because of the red Fuck-up shirt and the whipping he had to endure later. And the remarks of people passing in the hallways. They set Daniel’s teeth on edge.

A purple-eyed man came in. “It’s time. Jonah and the breeders are here.”

Everybody got up and walked into the adjoining room where everyone from yesterday sat on the chairs lined up against the wall. Jonah sat in the chair by the table where Seldon had sat while getting his punishment read to him. The eight Grand Ladies and Lords took a seat, and Caledon guided Daniel to sit at the table opposite Jonah. He wondered why.

Seldon took a stand next to Caledon between the two tables.

“Jonah, you gave your statement yesterday,” Caledon began. “So did everyone else, and Seldon’s punishment has been set. Do you have anything to add to your statement now that you have read the ones given by the other people present?”

“No, everybody seems to agree,” Jonah said.

Seldon got that irritated look on his face, and Daniel thought he knew why. Jonah spoke in a disrespectful manner to Lord Caledon. He wondered how old Jonah was. By the name, it was clear he was a Changeling.

“Daniel, do you have anything to add to the statement you gave yesterday?”

“No, My Lord, I don’t.”

Seldon looked pleased, giving Daniel a bit more confidence and easing the nervous hold on him.

“I promised Seldon that he could dish out what he thought fair if anyone touched Daniel,” Caledon continued. “Because of the way things unfolded, you are responsible for setting in motion what led to Seldon’s dosing of the Untouchable. The consequences of your actions led to more consequences, and you will be convicted of your hand in it.”

“You’re seriously letting him come up with the punishment?” Jonah asked and pointed at Seldon.

“Take care with how you address me,” Caledon growled. “You will not speak out of turn to me or anyone else in this room.”

“But he’s gonna get all vindictive!” Jonah pointed at Seldon.

“The lack of faith you have in our ability to run the Houses is staggering, even for a red-eyed Changeling your age,” Grand Lady Geodin said and stood—her authority clear to everyone. “We have heard Seldon’s chosen punishment and found it lenient. This, I can assure you, will no longer be the case, and we expect Lord Caledon to take the matters of your disrespectful nature under his care.”

“You can be sure I will, Grand Lady.”

She sat down again, and Daniel looked at a gaping Jonah who still sent hateful glares at Seldon. It pissed Daniel off because the guy seemed to think he was the only one getting punished. Did he even see the shirt Seldon had to wear? Did he know what it meant? With that came the thought whether he even knew what Seldon’s punishment was. Didn’t matter, Jonah was pissing on Seldon, and it pissed Daniel off. Being at the trial didn’t allow Daniel to contemplate the reasons behind it further, though, as the trial commenced.

“Sire Seldon, please go through your decision,” Caledon said and stepped to a side.

Seldon stepped forward looking calm, collected, and authoritarian. “The night it happened I had already come up with the punishment. I haven’t changed it because of what it led me to do. I’ve even taken into consideration how young you are. Had it been Gordon, it would have been double because he’s stronger at his age compared to you. Three days public starvation and thirty lashes before three days of public feeding with three overdoses a day. To get your energy back up.”

“Would you change that with the lack of respect and trust he has shown in your abilities to run your home?” Caledon asked.

“I’d raise it to fifty lashes.”

“And the disrespect he has shown the Grand Houses and my House?”

“That one is not for me to measure out, My Lord.”

Caledon nodded, looking pleased, and Daniel felt proud of Seldon, but Jonah’s glares pissed him off.

“We will convene. Daniel, stay in your seat,” the Grand Lady said.

“Yes, Grand Lady,” Daniel said, feeling a bit alone when he saw Seldon leave with them and Caledon.

“This is not fair, you’re not hurt,” Jonah complained to Daniel.

“You don’t know shit, so shut the fuck up!” Daniel said.

The purple-eye stepped forward and grabbed Jonah’s shoulder, squeezing it hard enough for Jonah to scream. The purple-eye sent Daniel a pointed stare as if telling him to take his own advice.

“I’m sorry, My Lord,” Daniel said. The purple-eye nodded and gave a hint of a smile. Daniel looked anywhere but at Jonah, finding Jeff winking at him. It eased Daniel’s anger at Jonah’s outburst. Gordon looked sour and kept sending Jonah angry stares. He wondered if the two were friends since they had been invited together. He couldn’t ask him now, though.

The door opened, and the Grand House, Caledon, and Seldon returned. Everybody but The Grand Lady, Caledon, and Seldon took a seat.

“It will be as Sire Seldon has decided. Three days of starvation, three overdoses a day over three days of public feeding, and fifty lashes. As I said, we find his punishment lenient, and we find your lack of respect for the hierarchy we live under in the Great House of Dahlidin disturbing. Therefore, this punishment will be once a month for ten months. One for each House you have disrespected today,” she motioned for the eight of them. “And one for your own House Lord.” She pointed to Caledon. “And once for the disrespect you showed Sire Seldon. He will be the one to execute the punishment monthly, and we will each give you the three overdoses for your insults. Lord Caledon will find the ones to participate in the monthly feedings.”

Jonah sucked in air to complain, his expression revealing the true horror of what lay in his future.

“And now might be a dandy time for you to think before you speak,” the Grand Lady warned, pointing at Jonah.

He sat back, looking petulant.

“Is the punishment understood?” the Grand Lady asked.

“Yeah.”

“What?”

“Yes, Grand Lady.” But Jonah sounded more like he attempted to spit the words in her face.

“The punishment is upped to count twelve months,” she said and gave Jonah a challenging stare. “The last day of Sire Seldon’s punishment will be the last of yours as well. Once done, Sire Seldon is freed of the demands for him to meet, too.”

Jonah gaped, but he chose to shut up. Daniel couldn’t believe Seldon’s chosen punishment had just been multiplied by twelve because of lack of respect, yet he thought the Grand House’s opinion of it being too lenient was the real reason behind upping it that much.

“Lord Caledon, find Jonah a shirt matching Sire Seldon’s,” Grand Lady Geodin continued. “Jonah, you will wear it whenever you leave your home. If you are found not wearing it, you will receive ten lashes for every time you don’t.”

“What does it mean?” Jonah asked, looking around.

“Daniel, would you enlighten the red-eye?” Caledon asked.

“Yes, My Lord.” Daniel looked at Jonah. “It means you’re a Fuck-up.”

Grand Lady Geodin snorted laughter. “In a crude term, yes. It means you’ve lost your status due to either ignorance or deliberate lack of respect for our ways. The limitations it will have for you will be explained by Lord Caledon upon delivery of the shirt.”

Wow, that was a lot more than Daniel had thought, and his anger at Seldon having lost his status because of Jonah picked up. At least Seldon was under house arrest so no one would see him degraded like that often. Why he suddenly cared so much about Seldon’s position still escaped him. But he knew that when he looked at the big man, he felt somewhat possessive and like the honor and status of one reflected on the other.

“Our business here is thus concluded. Sire Seldon, if you would go feed Daniel, we will meet in the arena of your House for the conclusion of the punishments.”

“Yes, Grand Lady,” Seldon said.

The purple-eye guided Jonah to his feet as the Grand House stood and left the room. Daniel followed Seldon back to the apartment, stopping short when he saw the mark on the front door. It looked familiar. He turned to pull at Seldon’s shirt to flatten the fabric enough to see the symbol. It was the same.

“What does the status mean? She still called you Sire.”

“It means we lose our privilege to feed on the breeders. It’s like temporary ghosting. In my case, I get to feed on you, and you saw Caledon’s face when he pulled that one off because that’s more like a gift with too much of a good thing being the punishment. In Jonah’s case, it means he’s not allowed to feed on anyone but the labor. The old breeders that no longer feed us. Like the cleaning lady.”

“So…old and wrinkled people.”

Seldon nodded and opened the door. “Exactly. This shirt also means that other Cubi are allowed to ridicule us while we wear it.”

“Good thing you have house arrest. Can’t imagine anyone coming in here to give you lip about this.”

“No, they might just spit on my door or some shit. Write derogatory words. I know I’ve done that to others.”

“How often do people get this shirt?”

“Pretty often. Humiliation is Caledon’s favorite weapon for disrespecting him. Hell, I use them, too, when the ones under my area fuck up.” Seldon snorted and leaned against the wall, looking at Daniel.

“What?”

“Feeding time.”

Daniel finally registered what was amiss with Seldon. He had that brave smile. The one he’d had after Daniel had come to after the dose and classification and he was taken away. The one he’d had when he told Daniel that everything was going to be alright. The one he smiled during his sentencing to make Daniel feel at ease. Later on, Seldon would receive his one hundred lashes, and all Seldon tried to do was calm Daniel down. His respect for the big man grew, and so did the anger that he had to go through it because of Daniel. It wasn’t Seldon’s fault, and Daniel decided to make sure he’d never felt like it was.

“In the mood for something in particular?” Daniel asked and leaned into Seldon.

“Don’t have time for what I’d like.”

Daniel stretched to plant a soft kiss on Seldon’s lips. “Anything,” he whispered.

Seldon drew him in close and deepened the kiss, sidestepping them to hip-bump the door to his office open. Daniel had never been in there, and the only thing he got to see was from the view lying on the desk where Seldon placed him.

“Anything? I’m in the mood for hard, fast, and sweaty.” Seldon pulled the red shirt off so fast Daniel could hear the seams stretch and crack. This could hurt. “I’ll be careful with you, don’t worry.” Seldon leaned over him for another deep kiss, and Daniel’s hunger rose. Fingers moved between them to unbutton Daniel’s shirt and pants, leaving more skin contact that set his hunger ablaze. Hard, fast, and sweaty became more and more appealing, and Daniel groaned as his pants slipped over his ass and down his legs.

Daniel sat up and pulled his shirt off, while Seldon made short work of his own pants. Man, Daniel practically drooled at the sight of Seldon’s naked body. And he wasn’t even dosed, but the guy was pure sex on legs. So far, he’d been gentle yet demanding, given and received both oral and a dick up the ass.

Growling at only managing to get one hand free, Daniel decided to not care about the other sleeve and focus on a nipple instead since it was just at his height. Seldon groaned and pressed against him, the sound and feel of him sending a jolt of pleasure to Daniel’s already achingly hard cock. He reached down to close his hand around Seldon’s hard-on, loving the feel of the soft skin over the thick hardness.

“Oh, yeah,” Seldon moaned and drew back to cup Daniel’s face and kiss him again. “Lie back so I can prep you.”

Daniel did, keeping his eyes on Seldon who had magically made a tube of lube appear from somewhere. Daniel grinned at the stuff being everywhere, but he saw the practicality of it.

“What are you grinning at?” Seldon asked, looking amused as he grabbed Daniel’s ankles and hoisted his legs up to rest on Seldon’s shoulders.

“Nothing,” Daniel said. “I was thinking how thankful I was that you stock that stuff everywhere.”

Seldon wiggled his brows at him and put a cold, lubed finger between Daniel’s ass cheeks. Daniel hissed at the coldness, but warmth soon spread and right behind it came the pleasure.

“Oh, man, this feels so much better when you do it,” Daniel said, breathing heavily.

“Me? Compared to whom?”

“Myself,” Daniel said, laughing.

“Oh, so you had tried this. Makes more sense then.”

“I tried a little when I watched Caledon fuck you.”

“Really? Why?” Seldon pressed in another finger, making Daniel gasp as his hunger rose and the prickly sensation spread over his skin.

“I wanted to know what it felt like because I knew you were going to do it someday.”

“Did you like it?”

“Not as much as I do now.”

“Glad to hear it.” Seldon sat on his chair and rolled it closer. Daniel looked down to see what he was doing but gave up focusing on it when Seldon gently sucked a nut into his mouth. Holy, shit, that felt good.

“Like that too!” Daniel groaned and floated away in pure pleasure and rising lust as Seldon continued stretching him and teasing him with his mouth. Hunger rose to unbearable heights when Seldon groaned loudly and shoved his fingers in harder. “Oh, fuck, Seldon…now, please.”

Seldon got up, his eyes dark and heavy-lidded as he pulled his fingers out and positioned his cock. Daniel loved that look, and his dick twitched in anticipation when he felt the head press against his slick opening. Relaxing as much as possible and anticipating the sting, Daniel breathed through the breach as he’d done earlier. Seldon leaned over Daniel as he pushed into him in one long thrust, groaning into Daniel’s mouth.

He held still for a few seconds, giving Daniel time to adjust, but he really wasn’t kidding when he said he wanted hard, fast, and sweaty. After the initial thrusts to probably make sure Daniel was up for it, the thrusts changed, and Daniel thrashed on the desk as Seldon set a bruising pace that overwhelmed Daniel with so much pleasure he could barely stand it. Had he been dosed? Was it the dose? Damn, Daniel was so horny he didn’t even know the difference at that point.

“Look at me, cub, look at me with those beautiful eyes,” Seldon urged, and Daniel looked up at him.

“Oh, yeah, big guy, give it to me,” Daniel panted. A mask of pure bliss slid over Seldon’s face before he ground his teeth and growled from deep in his throat. It sounded almost animalistic, and Daniel felt more heat spread in his ass.

“Fuck!” Seldon roared and shuddered in climax, but Daniel definitely knew that was a dose along with spurts of semen. A desperate need to get fucked harder slammed over him as his body began absorbing the energy from Seldon’s cum. Once again, the dose removed the barrier between brain and mouth.

“Oh fuck, don’t stop, don’t stop fucking me! I need it hard, oh God, fuck me harder!”

Seldon reached under Daniel’s ass and lifted it off the table, thus adjusting his angle to really be able to plow into Daniel, whose spine and ass felt on fire. The grunts from Seldon and the sound of their skin slapping against each other resounded in the office. Daniel held on tightly to the edge of the desk and stared up at the Incubus giving him the hardest fuck he’d ever had.

The fire in his spine moved south to pool in his balls as they drew up and his cock grew harder.

“I’m gonna come, Seldon, oh God, you’re making me come so hard!” Daniel’s orgasm hit, and Seldon went rigid again, roaring into the office. Another batch of semen filled Daniel while his own coated his chest and even hit his cheek when his cock jetted thick ropes of cum.

Seldon slumped forward, holding himself above Daniel on shaky arms, heaving for air. “Damn, cub.”

“How many times did you dose me?”

Seldon cackled. “Oops.”

“Oops? You lost one, again?”

Seldon grinned, looking thoroughly spent and satiated. For some reason, making Seldon lose control of doses made Daniel feel attractive and lusted for, and he fucking loved it. This was gonna be a fun sport—making Seldon that horny.

“Oh, good.”

Both Daniel and Seldon jumped and looked to the door where Caledon stood with his arms crossed over his chest and a grin plastered on his handsome face.

“Maybe the cub will be full enough to leave you alone tonight.”

“Are we late?” Seldon asked and pulled out, finding wet wipes in his drawer. But then he seemed to think better of it and leaned over Daniel to lick up the cum from his face and body. Daniel actually liked that and relaxed at the tender treatment.

“No, but you’re cutting it close. Do a quick clean-up and put some clothes on.”

“Yes, My Lord,” Daniel and Seldon said. Daniel fought against the shirt still attached by the cuff on his right hand. Caledon sputtered laughter and left the office, while Daniel scrambled off the desk and looked around for his clothes. Seldon looked mighty pleased with himself as he walked around the office naked and picked up clothes. One piece of clothing he fished from the top of a file cabinet.

“Could you get that?” Seldon pointed to Daniel’s pants by the desk leg. Daniel picked them up and followed Seldon through to the bathroom where they threw the clothes in the hamper, and Daniel finally managed to free his hand from the shirt.

Chapter Nine

Upon arriving in the arena where he had picked up Daniel just a week earlier, Seldon let his eyes roam the spectators, and he cringed at seeing his daughter sitting there looking thoroughly pissed off at him.

“Is she angry with us?” Daniel whispered.

“Us?” Seldon asked, surprised. “She’s angry with me.”

“But why? It wasn’t your fault even though it still changed me.”

“If my children act disrespectful or do something stupid, it’ll reflect back on me. This reflects on her, too.” Seldon plucked at the red shirt.

“So, she’s gonna watch you get whipped?”

“Yes, Daniel, and so are you. You have to watch me whip Jonah, too, because you’re the one wronged.” Seldon figuring Caledon hadn’t broken it to the boy yet because he looked absolutely heartbroken.

“I don’t want to.” Daniel’s beautiful green eyes grew blank. Seldon’s heart squeezed, and he wished he could allow the boy to leave, but, as with Rosadin, they both had to keep up a façade.

“Please do me proud and sit next to Rosadin and watch,” Seldon said, putting his hands on Daniel’s shoulders. “And don’t cry. Wait with that until we get home. You’ll ruin your makeup.” Seldon tried for a smile, and the boy seemed to dig deep for some courage. Then he straightened his back the way he had that first day. Did the boy chose his battles or did he just have deposits of bravery he was still not sure how to tap into?

“Ready?” Caledon asked.

“Yes, My Lord,” Daniel said, sounding sure of himself. Caledon arched a brow at Seldon.

“Yes, My Lord, I’m ready, too.” No, he wasn’t, but he wasn’t a coward. Just like his boy wasn’t one judging by the façade he managed.

“Daniel, you should go find a seat.”

“Yes, My Lord.” Daniel took Seldon’s hand to squeeze it before leaving. He didn’t look back until he sat next to Rosadin and Seldon’s nervousness grew.

Caledon took the floor. “Well, all of you here have heard about the trial against Sire Seldon and the red-eye, Jonah. These are the results.” Caledon held up his tablet and read from it both the conclusion of Seldon’s trial and Jonah’s. He then nodded toward the entrance where the purple-eye, who had stood silently during the trials, led a fighting and complaining Jonah to the pole. He shackled the struggling man’s arms to the top of the pole and stood to the side, his hands clasped in front of him.

Seldon picked up one of the whips and glared at the one he left on the hook as it would soon rip through his skin. But he bit back the fear and stepped forward. Fifty lashes, and he had to distance himself to not really lay into Jonah. He had become quite angry with the red-eye, and he couldn’t let that take over. He also couldn’t let the fear hinder him so he’d end up not hitting hard enough. Therefore, he focused on the last person he had been forced to whip—one of his trainers who lost control with a breeder and broke her leg. First order of business was to tune out Jonah’s pleas for him not to do it.

As with any other punishment, Seldon did it because he had to. He didn’t get off on it. He just remembered a different time and knew that this was the lesser of the evils. That gave him the calm needed to crack the whip on Jonah’s back. Forty-nine more, and the next crack of the whip would be from the first of a hundred landing on his own back.

* * * *

Daniel felt relief when Rosadin grabbed a tight hold of his hand when Seldon stepped forward to whip Jonah. The red-eye was as rude and disrespectful as he had been during the trial. And in Seldon’s home. It kind of scared Daniel that he wasn’t as opposed to the punishment as he would have sworn he was a week ago.

He wanted to talk to Rosadin about all of it, about why she would sit there and be angry with Seldon, but he also thought it best to wait until they returned to the apartment. At least he could ask her to come along.

Rosadin leaned closer. “It helps if you focus on something a few inches to the side of what you’re supposed to be watching,” she whispered, a slight tremor in her voice betraying her calm. Daniel felt better knowing she wasn’t as unfazed as she seemed, and he figured it was her respect for Seldon that she kept up the appearance just like he tried to do.

The crowd murmured, and Daniel squeezed Rosadin’s hand a bit harder when a lash opened up the skin on Jonah’s back. His screams reached new pitches of pain, and after the first fifteen lashes, Daniel lost his resolve to feel like the guy deserved it.

Upon finishing the fifty, Seldon unceremoniously dropped the whip, pulled the red shirt off, and dumped it next to the whip. He then went to the empty pole next to Jonah where he reached up, grabbed the chain, and ducked his head between his arms. The purple-eyed man who had led Jonah in stepped closer, looking at Seldon.

“No need to shackle him. Unless you want us to?” Caledon asked.

“No need,” Seldon declared, and Daniel felt a growing admiration for Seldon’s guts.

The purple-eyed man looked impressed as he got the second whip from the wall. Caledon stepped back, glancing Daniel’s way.

Daniel and Rosadin squeezed each other’s hands as the first lashes hit, and Daniel tried to be strong for Seldon since the man apparently was strong enough to just stand there and take it and not even scream. The third lash opened up a wound, yet Seldon said nothing. Daniel tried the trick about looking only in the vicinity of Seldon, but when two people came in and lowered Jonah to the floor, shackling him to the foot of the pole instead, Daniel felt like he got a few minutes to look at that since it also happened on the arena floor.

A good portion in, Daniel wished he had counted the strikes so he knew when it would end. Seldon’s back was ripped open from neck to waistline and blood soaked through the hem of his green pants. The muscles in his arms and back tensed under every strike and his legs gave way at one point, but he caught himself by still holding onto the chain and staggered to keep himself upright.

The next hit tore a scream from Seldon, and Daniel bit down hard, fighting nausea and a constant stream of thin saliva.

Stay strong for Seldon, stay strong for Seldon, he repeated to himself as he tried to not hear the pained cries. Nausea grew stronger, and Daniel’s mantra changed to Don’t throw up, don’t throw up.

The purple-eyed man finally stopped and walked off, and Seldon collapsed onto his knees and just sat there, shaking. Daniel glanced at Caledon to see if he was allowed to go to him, but Caledon discreetly shook his head. Daniel stayed in his seat and watched as Seldon pulled himself together and got to his feet on the second attempt.

Jonah lay limp on his stomach, his face turned toward Seldon, and he had long since stopped complaining. Daniel guessed that seeing Seldon take his punishment so willingly and not scream like some wuss had made Jonah realize he was one.

Seldon finally let go of the pole and turned around. He looked even more horrible than after he had spent the night in jail, which was no surprise to Daniel.

Daniel kept glancing toward Caledon, but he looked like he was getting ready to speak.

“This concludes the corporal punishments in regards to Sire Seldon’s early dosing of the Changeling, Daniel,” Caledon said loudly.

All eyes went to Daniel who once again repeated the mantra to stay strong for Seldon.

“Jonah. Your three days of being denied sexual feeding started when Sire Seldon concluded your corporal punishment—”

“But it’s been hours since I fed, why aren’t they counted?”

“Are you sure you want to continue questioning how I or the Grand Houses run things? Since you apparently didn’t learn from your corporal punishment being raised by twenty lashes, we’re going to raise it again, and you will be delivered fifty more as soon as the starvation period and dosing is over.”

“No, please,” Jonah begged, barely managing to scramble to his knees. His back was far from as destroyed as Seldon’s, and even halfway through, Seldon had looked far worse with more open wounds than Jonah had.

“Don’t!” Caledon bellowed, and an eerie silence fell over the arena. “Sire Seldon, your skills with the whip will be needed in about a week.”

“Yes, My Lord,” Seldon answered in a thick voice.

Jonah collapsed in defeat.

Caledon finally looked directly at Daniel and gave a sharp nod. Both Daniel and Rosadin got up and walked to Seldon who managed another it’s gonna be okay smile.

“Grab the shirt, will you?”

“Yes, Seldon.” Daniel hurried and picked it up. “You coming with us?” Daniel asked Rosadin, hopefully. She nodded, and they left the arena at a slow tempo while people yelled at both Seldon and Jonah. Daniel was furious, but he knew there was nothing he could or should do other than following Seldon back to the apartment. It was the Cubi way. And if he ever thought it would be a good idea to listen to Seldon when he schooled him and disciplined him, not ending up getting whipped was a damn good reason.

Upon returning to the apartment, Daniel actually bristled at seeing the door smeared in what looked like ketchup and mustard and a few eggs.

“Let’s get you inside, Seldon, and I’ll take care of that,” Daniel said.

Seldon didn’t argue, he just stepped in and toed off his shoes, leaving them in a heap by the wall. Daniel straightened them and placed them in the rack before taking off his own and placing them neatly next to them. It occurred to him he’d never done that at home.

“Thanks, cub,” Seldon said and moved slowly down the hall. Daniel caught a look at Rosadin, and her façade had crumbled. She looked devastated.

“I’ll get him to bed,” Daniel said, putting a hand on her arm. “Would you make us a cup of coffee or something so we can talk?”

“I’ll make you coffee, but I need something stronger. You can find me in the pool room.”

“Okay.”

They followed Seldon and split up on the stairs. Seldon stopped by the bed and undid his pants.

“Don’t try to wash those out, just toss them, okay,” Seldon said and let the pants fall to the ground to pool around his ankles. Daniel knelt to help him out of them, and Seldon held onto his shoulders for balance. “Would you get the thick, black blanket from the walk-in? Spread it out on the bed, so I don’t bleed on it.”

“Yeah.” Daniel hurried but couldn’t find it.

“Top shelf to the left,” Seldon hollered. And there it was. Daniel jumped to grab a corner and was surprised at the heaviness of the bundle as it landed on his head. Yeah, the thing was thick enough to absorb anything. He hurried back and spread it out on the bed, making sure there were no wrinkles under it or in it that would dig into Seldon’s skin as he was probably going to be lying flat on it for a long time.

“Do you need help cleaning the wounds?” Daniel asked, hoping he didn’t because even looking at them had his stomach churn.

“It’s hopefully stopped bleeding.”

Daniel moved around Seldon to have a look despite his distaste at the gory sight. Blood still trickled down his legs. “Almost. Not that I know how much something like this would bleed.”

“More on Jonah than on me, that’s for sure. We heal faster the stronger we get. Getting on the bed is the worst part now.”

“Can I help?”

“No. If you’d wring a towel in very cold water, I’d appreciate it on my back to help ease the pain a bit.”

Daniel ran off to the bathroom and rummaged through the closet, finding a black towel that seemed big enough to cover Seldon’s back. He wet it under the shower head, not stopping until the water was cold enough to make his hands sting. He then wrung the towel and brought it back to Seldon who was still in the process of climbing onto the bed and lowering himself with pained whimpers. Once he was finally laying on his stomach, panting and covered in cold sweat, Daniel gently spread the towel and placed it on his back, wincing as Seldon hissed.

“How could you not scream?”

“I did.”

“I meant from the beginning. From the first lash that ripped your skin open.”

“Because I’m a stubborn fucker who wouldn’t let them hear it, but I couldn’t keep it in.”

“I think you’re very brave,” Daniel said and went back to the bathroom to wring up a washcloth, too. He brought it back and perched on the edge of the bed, running the cold, damp cloth gently across Seldon’s face.

“Thanks,” Seldon huffed. “Where’s Rosadin?”

“In the bar making me coffee and finding something stronger for herself.”

“How are you? Shook up?”

“Safe to say.”

“Then have one drink with her. Help calm your nerves. I’ll just relax for a bit, but if you’d change this towel about every twenty minutes, I’d be grateful.”

“I will,” Daniel said soothingly and ran his fingers through the black tousle of hair. Seldon could use a haircut, he thought. “You want me to leave this cloth on your forehead?”

“Yeah, thanks, boy.”

“I prefer when you call me cub,” Daniel said, smiling, hoping the conversation would lighten Seldon’s mood. He chuckled, so it worked.

“Okay, cub. Now, go talk to Rosadin and let me sleep a bit.”

“Okay.” Daniel stroked Seldon’s hair one more time and left, leaving the door open so he could hear him if he called out.

Rosadin sat on a barstool with a glass filled with some kind of amber liquor. The pool room also smelled of coffee, so Daniel started with a cup of that, wondering what kind of drink he wanted.

“Seldon said you were angry with him because of this,” Daniel finally said in an attempt to ease into the difficult topic.

“I was. I really couldn’t believe he’d do that, but then Lord Caledon read the verdict and…can’t believe I thought so little of him.”

“Well, when the six other cases were deliberate, there isn’t a lot of reason not to at least think it,” Daniel said.

“Six?”

“Yeah, Caledon said six Cubi had done it intentionally. Still, can’t believe he’s punished like this when he was trying to protect me. I kind of get the consequence thing but…I don’t know. Still hate seeing him like this when he was just trying to protect me.”

“You sound like you’ve warmed up to him.”

“I have. I’m grateful I get to stay with him. Jesus, feeding is gonna be hell the next few days.”

“What’s your classification?”

“Verse amongst Incubi.”

“Really?” she exclaimed, gaping at him.

“What?”

“That’s…rare. I’ve heard of one who turned out versatile with Succubi and he became fucking strong even early in his transformation to a red-eye.”

“Strong how?”

“He could dose a human while only a red-eye.”

“Wow,” Daniel muttered, turning his cup in his hands and staring at the shimmers of light on the black surface of the coffee. His brain was shutting down from all that had happened, and no thoughts seemed to stick.

“I called my brothers and told them what had really happened. They were furious at first, too, but not now. Thank God they were out of the House.”

“Are they hunters, too?”

“No, they both work in House Three, both red-eyes, but Talidon is a craftsman and Marcadon works Housing and they had different assignments out of House. They’re on their way back…tried to make it for today. We kind of have to be there if we can for stuff like this. They’ll be here tomorrow.”

Daniel wasn’t looking forward to meeting them. Not under these circumstances because he still felt it was somehow his fault because he had worn the makeup and leather.

“Hey,” Rosadin said and reached over the bar to put her hand on his shoulder. “What is it?”

“I just remembered something you said. When you guys were talking, and I was eavesdropping.”

Rosadin chuckled. “Yeah, that was an eventful day. Still angry with him for spanking you?”

“No,” Daniel said, smirking. “But you said that you sometimes view humans differently because you’re closer to them and live in their world to hunt.”

“And?”

“And would that mean you look at the fault versus consequences more like they do in the human world, too?”

“I agree that Dad shouldn’t have been punished if that’s what you mean.”

“No, not that. I’m…Caledon says it wasn’t my fault but I keep thinking if I hadn’t worn makeup around someone so horny and out of control then maybe he wouldn’t have groped me and Seldon wouldn’t have landed in this situation.”

“Victim blaming. Get that stuff out of your head because even though we live amongst humans and see this shit daily, we don’t agree on that. We were raised Cubi, and some things never change our opinions. Like this stupid thing.”

“So, your brothers won’t think it’s my fault?”

“If they do, I’ll kick their asses,” she said, looking like she was ready to. “But no, I don’t think they will. Plus, you’re kind of family to us now with the position the Grand House gave you.”

“Don’t call me that!” Daniel said, the words Daddy play ringing in his head.

Rosadin laughed. “What just went through your head?”

“I am so not into Daddy games.”

That sent Rosadin into fits of laughter. “Okay, let me tell you a bit of Cubi history that will make you understand the irony of what you just said. Before the Grand Lady Dahlidin changed our social structures to what you see around you today, Cubi lived in Houses, too, but with a matriarch or patriarch known as the Mother or the Father. Today, the Grand Lords. Cubi children were sent to serve one of those upon their maturing into the Rite of Empowerment, which is the same age as we’re allowed to attempt to change humans by the way. It was this new Father’s or Mother’s job to get us classified and dosed in a huge orgy, and they were primary dosers of their families. Not blood-related kin which is called kin, not family.”

“Shit, so me being here is Seldon being that Father?”

“Actually, that would be Grand Lord Ildon, but the changes to our social structures means Seldon can claim a Changeling to be responsible for. So yeah, he’s your Daddy.” She winked at him, looking smug.

Daniel groaned and looked around the bar. “I definitely need that drink now.”

“Top me off, little brother.” She held out her glass, grinning as Daniel wrinkled his nose at her, but he saw the irony in her smile. Daniel found a bottle standing lonely on the bar and figured it was the one she was drinking from so he poured himself one, too, and topped hers off.

“Well, here’s to…one incestuous new family.”

“Incestuous?” she asked, laughing, but she still held up the drink. They clinked the glasses and took a sip. Daniel wheezed from the burn. He usually cut his shit with soda.

“Yeah, you know. My new brothers can feed from me too, not that I’m fond of that idea.”

“Why not?”

“Because you keep calling me your brother.”

“Ah. Don’t put too much into it. If you really want to turn this around, then look at it this way. You’ve been elevated to the status of a Halfling—”

“—born to Seldon.”

“No, no, no, hear me out. A Halfling. And you will inherit from Seldon like we will. But you’re more like…married.”

Daniel choked on the coffee he had just sipped to ease the burn from the liquor. “How do you figure?” he croaked and thumped him chest.

“You have to stay together for the rest of Dad’s life, right? Or almost.”

Well, that made sense then, but Daniel still didn’t see that as them being married. Seldon disciplined him and married people were supposed to be equal.

“Did that help?” Rosadin asked.

“Not sure I agree,” Daniel said, but smiled at her attempt.

“But we might be compatible to feed from each other, too, since you’re a verse. They’re so rare you might be able to feed on women, too.”

“Really?” Daniel looked up, surprised.

“Really, ask Dad. But be careful how you phrase it because he seems pretty possessive of you.”

“He does?”

“Yeah! Do you think Lord Caledon would have tried to pull this off if he hadn’t seen it in Seldon, too?”

“Don’t know. But they did say something about whether Seldon viewed getting me as being a gift. He asked if they knew of anyone who’d been in a relationship for four hundred fifty years.” And finally, he got the married idea.

Rosadin snorted. “I suspected Dad liked you when he didn’t treat you like a slave. I mean the hours I was there, I saw how different he was with you. This might be Lord Caledon’s reason for making you the same status as us.”

“How well do you know Caledon?”

“Very well. Him and Dad have been friends since I was a child. Not as close as they are now, but still, they’ve always had a healthy banter. I think he recognizes the honor and respect my dad has…usually has.” Rosadin looked sad a moment. “I’m really proud of being his daughter, so this surprised me. The details out in the open, not so much, and I really hope others will see it that way too.”

Which reminded Daniel that he had a door to clean. He’d be damned if Seldon was humiliated more after the verdict had been read publicly. And during the dinner party, Daniel did get the idea that rumors traveled fast in the compound.

“I’ll just go clean the door before I forget. And then I’ll change the towel on Seldon’s back.”

“I’ll help you with the door.”

“No. This I’ll do for him,” Daniel said and drained the rest of his coffee.

Chapter Ten

Sleeping wasn’t easy when Daniel came in and changed the towel so often, but the coolness allowed Seldon to rest a bit. Other than that, Daniel left him alone, and Seldon heard him and Rosadin laugh sometimes. It put him at ease to know that his daughter and charge were finally on good terms considering the beginning of their acquaintance.

When night fell, Daniel tiptoed in and brushed his teeth before undressing and sitting on the edge of his old bed.

“Are you going to sleep there?” Seldon asked.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to wake you.”

“It’s okay, I don’t really sleep.”

“Just thought it would be best, so I don’t accidently hit your back during the night. I put Rosadin in the other room.”

“She’s staying the night?”

“Yeah, she dug into that bottle of scotch pretty well.”

Seldon snorted, happy she stayed. “How many shots did you get?”

“One. I need to take care of you. And I washed the door.”

“Thanks,” Seldon mumbled, grateful for how the boy stepped up when he was needed to. “Are you hungry?”

“You in any state to take care of it if I was?”

“You being a verse, sure. Just be careful.”

Daniel chuckled. “Your oops keeps me full, I guess. I barely tingle.”

“Okay.” Seldon couldn’t help but smile at that. “Would you take the towel off? The moisture isn’t good for much more since I’ll probably start to scab over during the night.”

Daniel got up and gently peeled the towel off, and it definitely caught in something. Seldon bit down on the pain and fisted the blanket as Daniel removed it. “Some of your wounds already have scabs. Some are stuck in the towel.”

“Just leave it in the sink for tomorrow,” Seldon croaked. “Sleep well, cub.”

“You, too,” Daniel said and got rid of the towel before he turned down his bed. Then he stopped and looked at Seldon. “Do you need a glass of water or something?”

“That would be nice, yeah.”

“Be right back.” Daniel tiptoed out of the bedroom and returned shortly after with a tall glass which he placed on the bedside table. He then ran his fingers through Seldon’s hair again—a gesture so intimate yet soothing. Yeah, his cub was settling in nicely as a Changeling, and Seldon was still amazed that the boy didn’t hold as much animosity toward him as he had thought at first. He liked the care Daniel took to show him they were becoming better friends. The situation could have been hell, but things looked promising.

Seldon woke up to a murmuring, and by the scent in the room, Daniel was in the middle of a wet dream. Okay, so hunger came to him during the early hours of the morning. Seldon flexed his back to know how much it had healed, but it still stung like a motherfucker. Like the wounds had finally grown scabs but only superficially, and any movement made the newly formed layers break free from the still frayed flesh underneath.

Either way, he had to feed his boy. He’d just have to relax through it.

“Daniel, Daniel!”

The boy jumped awake, short of breath. “What?”

“Your hunger is taking over. Come on.”

“Are you better?” Daniel asked, sitting up, apparently still dragging himself out of whatever dream had his cock ooze pre-cum by the buckets.

“No, but you need to feed,” Seldon said. Daniel looked concerned and came to kneel next to the bed. A shiver tore through his body, and he ran his hands over his arms as if trying to soothe the ache. “Preferably before you get so out of control you could hurt my back.”

“But it hurts you.”

“Hey, Daniel. Just…top this pain I’m in with some pleasure, would you?”

Daniel looked off in thought. “Didn’t think of it like that.”

Probably not, no, but Seldon knew it wouldn’t take much to talk a Changeling into giving in.

Daniel opened the bedside drawer and pulled out a tube of lube. “So, I top a bit more than you thought I would.” Daniel smiled cheekily and leaned in for a kiss.

“Can’t dose you before you’ve prepped me.”

“I know, just wanted a kiss,” Daniel murmured against Seldon’s lips before he stuck out his tongue to tease Seldon. It worked. It kept surprising him how much Daniel could affect him, and he moaned softly when their tongues met. “I’m gonna give you some pleasure. Take your mind off things,” Daniel whispered, planting soft kisses on Seldon’s jaw before he got up, leaving Seldon wanting more of his mouth.

Daniel crawled onto the bed and settled between Seldon’s legs, and Seldon could hear the cap of the lube open. Turning his head would stretch some of the closing wounds high on his shoulders so he settled in, hoping Daniel could control himself enough to not hurt him once dosed. He didn’t have to wait long, and Daniel didn’t seem as nervous as he had been the first time. Not that kind of nervous, anyway. His hand was steady and secure in where it was going when he pushed a finger into Seldon. The burning and pinching sensation of his back still took all his focus and only a little pleasure made it to Seldon’s brain.

Another finger and a slow but steady tempo pushed more pleasure at him, and he sighed in relief. A third finger pushed in, and Seldon could definitely feel that Daniel was getting impatient.

“God, you have a delicious ass,” Daniel purred, pushing into him a bit harder.

“Thanks. Then fuck that delicious ass for a few minutes before I dose you, okay?”

Daniel snickered. “Okay…shit, I’m scared I’m gonna lean on your lower back.”

“Help me by pushing my legs together. That way you can straddle them. It’ll help you sit upright a bit more. Don’t just shove in there.”

“No, no,” Daniel said, rearranging Seldon’s legs. Shortly after, Seldon felt a slick cock find its way between his cheeks, and he jutted his ass up a bit to help while trying to ignore the pain in the skin over his lower back. But Daniel found his mark in the semi-darkness of the bedroom, and Seldon groaned as pleasure spread enough to make it through the signals of pain.

“Yeah, that’s it,” Seldon said softly, thinking how he was going to dose Daniel as even raising his head from the mattress enough for a tongue kiss caused pain. Dosing glass, he finally remembered and carefully reached for the drawer. He opened it and rummaged through it blindly, finally finding a vial. His tongue fit if elongated, and he released a dose in it and popped the lid.

“What are you doing?” Daniel asked, chuckling, keeping the slow, deep rhythm.

“Dose,” Seldon said, holding up the vial with the light green viscous liquid. Daniel leaned forward, mindfully, and took the vial.

“Just drink it?”

“Yeah, it’s how we usually deliver doses to break in breeders. We mix it up with juice or something since they tend to balk at getting a kiss.”

“Oh, clever,” Daniel said and sat up. Seldon waited while Daniel’s hips kept a slow rhythm—so slow that the minute friction of Daniel’s cock sliding in and out was driving him crazy and didn’t give enough to rival the pain in his back.

Then Daniel groaned loudly and jerked. “Fuck.” Daniel sped up.

“Careful, cub.”

“Yeah, oh fuck, your ass feels amazing.” The dose made Daniel’s speech slur like he was drunk on lust.

“Try to control yourself. That’s what the dose is supposed to teach Changelings. Try to hold back a bit.”

Daniel grabbed an ass cheek in each hand and gently kneaded them, moaning loudly as he decreased his pace to almost as excruciatingly slow as before. But Seldon could definitely feel the boy’s focus on both giving and taking pleasure from him.

“Uh, yeah…shit.” Daniel sounded like he had trouble with the whole self-control thing but his increasing speed was well within what Seldon could handle without feeling more pain in his back. He could feel his spine tingle at feeding, but it was pretty much drowned out by the constant burn on his entire back. It struck him that the burn might be enough to keep him from reaching orgasm since the fucking hadn’t drowned out the pain enough for him to focus purely on the pleasure.

Shit, if that was the case, he couldn’t suck the dose from Daniel, and the boy could fuck him until noon and not get the release he needed.

Daniel’s moans grew louder, and his breathing shallower as he thrust harder.

“Daniel, lean forward and place your hands on either side of me. Change your angle of fucking me,” Seldon urged, hoping he could get the boy to fuck his prostate enough to blow a load. Daniel erupted in orgasm and filled Seldon’s ass a minute later.

“Oh, fuck, I need more, your ass feels so fucking good.”

“Then fuck that ass, find that good spot in there,” Seldon said, gripping the sheets because pleasure definitely took over now that Daniel leaned forward and shoved himself in deeper. “Oh, yeah boy, oh fuck!”

As the feeding became stronger, Seldon needed more, but every attempt to move with the thrusts made pain tear through his back, minimizing the pleasure. It was, contrary to what he had hoped, not possible to lie still and let the boy feed them both. Every time he felt a rise enough to think he would reach orgasm, his body would roll with the pleasure and shoves and the pain would pull him back down from the pending climax.

Daniel sped up, groaning louder and louder, and Seldon knew he was on his way to the second orgasm. However, he could do that all fucking day and not get anything out of it if Seldon couldn’t reach a climax and the boy wasn’t skilled enough to find and keep tapping his prostate to at least milk it from him.

As Daniel hit his second climax, Seldon scrambled on the bedside table for his phone, calling Caledon. A groggy voice answered on the other end.

“I can’t come because of the pain, and Daniel is dosed going on—”

Daniel cried out another orgasm, before declaring once again that he needed more, that he needed to come again.

“On my way!” Caledon said and disconnected. Seldon bit down, riding the pain/pleasure train he had willingly gotten on while Daniel kept going. His ass was going to be so fucking sore tomorrow. Good thing he wasn’t going to move or sit anywhere.

“Why isn’t this stopping? Aren’t you feeding? Don’t you enjoy me tonight?” Daniel sounded hurt by the prospect.

“Oh, I’m feeding cub, I am enjoying you. Pain just won’t let me reach orgasm, so I can’t work the dose out of you.”

“Oh, shit, am I gonna hurt you?” Daniel stopped, shaking from pent up and unfulfilled lust as he fought the dose to keep still.

“No, keep going, just slow down a bit if you can. You do keep the pain at bay,” Seldon said, panting. Daniel whimpered and continued at a slower pace. “Caledon is on his way to help us out.”

“Good. I don’t want you in any more pain. I want you well again. Beautiful again. I want you strong and smiling. So we can play pool.” Daniel’s chest came into contact with Seldon’s back, and he tensed up, sending a new wave of pain through his sore skin.

The door opened, and Caledon made his way to the bed, stripping off his clothes as he went. He climbed behind Daniel. “How you holding up, Seldon.”

“Been better.”

“I’m sorry,” Daniel said, still trying to hold still.

“Hey, not your fault. I was planning on coming by early. Like, in an hour, hoping you hadn’t gotten this far. I know this is impossible, come on,” Caledon said.

Daniel groaned loudly and ground into Seldon who cried out from the pleasure of Daniel hitting a sweet spot.

“You get to try what you watched, cub,” Caledon whispered, getting a whimpered response and more groaning from Daniel. “Don’t worry, I’ll suck that dose right out of you.”

“Oh fuck…argh!”

Seldon grinned at picturing Daniel in the middle. Good thing the boy was a verse. They could have so much fun with that if Caledon was up for it. There was no doubt as to when Caledon entered Daniel because the thrusts changed, and so did the sounds the boy made. Seldon was back on fire, both ass and back, and his lust was spiraling as Daniel’s heightened pleasure fed both Caledon and Seldon.

“Yeah, that’s it, cub, will you come for me, too?” Caledon whispered, snapping his hips and sending Daniel’s dick into Seldon in short and quick thrusts. Once again, Seldon slammed back against the thrusts, sending pain down his back.

“Yeah, yeah,” Daniel panted.

“Feed Seldon again, come in him so he can get strong again.”

“Yeah…oh fuck this is good!”

Caledon growled and thrust harder, and Seldon pushed back, his back searing, but fuck if the boy wasn’t right that the three of them were good together. He’d even bottom for them again when he could move to participate fully.

“Fuck!” Caledon roared and pumped three times hard. Daniel shuddered and filled Seldon for the third time before the party at the back came to a halt. Seldon quivered and sweated, his back stung like hell, and his ass burned. And his dick was thoroughly displeased with not seeing any action but the friction against the blanket and the slipperiness of his own pre-cum.

Daniel collapsed onto the bed next to Seldon, and Caledon took a seat on the edge of the bed.

“Seriously, Seldon, I wasn’t going to let you go these days alone while you heal. You really thought that?”

“Yeah.”

“I’m not that cruel.”

“Figured I was being tested or something.”

“Oh, you were. But I planned on being here when I wanted to see if you would give it a go or ask for help.”

“At least tell me if I passed your test,” Seldon said, finding enough energy for a chuckle.

“You did. Flying colors. And I never doubted you would since you’re an honorable man. You keep your word and carry out every order given. I’m not the only one testing you, you know.” Caledon got up and crouched next to Seldon’s head. “How’s the back?”

“In pain.”

“Do you want the towel back on?” Daniel asked.

“Yeah, thanks, cub.”

Daniel left them, and Caledon turned his head to look at the boy. “This was fun.”

“Yeah, could have been a lot more fun.”

“Mind if I stay?”

“No.”

Caledon got up and looked at Daniel’s old bed. “Is he sleeping there?”

“He insisted on it, scared he’d hit me during the night.”

“Too bad,” Caledon said, slipping under the covers.

Seldon chuckled at Daniel’s puzzled expression as he returned. “Come on, cub, sleep next to me. That way I can wake you when I need my towel changed.”

“Okay,” Daniel said and gently placed the cold towel over Seldon before climbing in. “I’m sorry.”

Seldon turned his head to look at his beautiful boy. He wasn’t supposed to look sad over this, so Seldon reached out and took his hand, smiling at him. “Don’t be, cub. Let’s talk tomorrow…well, later today.”

“Okay.”

Seldon fell asleep from sheer exhaustion.

Chapter Eleven

Waking up to the scent of coffee was great. Then Daniel’s brain kicked into gear, because who had made the coffee? He opened his eyes and sat up, finding Rosadin sitting on the edge of his old bed with Caledon reclining against the pillows with a cup of coffee in his hand. They spoke quietly. Daniel checked on Seldon. His face was turned toward Daniel, and he was still sleeping. He looked beautiful when he slept, and Daniel found him beautiful. Was it the Cubus in him making it easier to accept that he had sex with men? He had no idea how a newborn Cubi usually felt or transitioned into their new life, and he only had born Cubi around. He couldn’t ask them.

Daniel looked at Rosadin and remembered that the photographer Heimli was a Changeling, too. And that Seldon had mentioned something about a calendar for Caledon’s birthday. Maybe he could ask Heimli then? He then wondered how he’d feel about meeting the big Viking again, but it had gone okay with meeting Rosadin. Well, it was okay now.

Taking a closer look at Rosadin, she looked so much like her dad. The chiseled features were just softer and feminine. Talk about a beautiful gene pool. Her eyes weren’t Seldon’s though, and her hair was colored, so Daniel had no idea if it was Seldon’s almost black or her mother’s…something. The luscious lips were from Seldon that was for sure.

“Morning, Daniel.”

Daniel looked up, finding Rosadin looking at him. “Morning.” He smiled and sat up as carefully as possible to not stir Seldon. He looked at his back, seeing it scabbing over nicely so Rosadin must have removed the towel. The very early morning fuck came back to him and with it came guilt.

“Hey, cub,” Caledon said. “Have some coffee with that morning guilt.”

Rosadin poured him a cup and served it on the bed.

“He’s going to be better, soon. Caledon said you gave him three fills of semen?”

That was just so wrong to be asked by the guy’s daughter, but sex was something different to them, he reminded himself. So he nodded.

“Good. It’ll make him heal faster.”

“So, I should just feed him semen? Great. I can do that without a dose and hurting him.”

Seldon’s arm moved to feel for Daniel, finally finding a thigh to rest a hand on. Daniel had very few places other than the arm, ass, and thigh to caress, so he chose to hold the hand.

“Don’t do this to yourself, Daniel,” Seldon said.

“Yeah, it’s a miscalculation on my part. I had hoped the three doses you got in the office would have kept you over,” Caledon said.

“Two, I got two doses,” Daniel corrected him.

“Oh, well, that would definitely explain my serious lack of timing. I’m sorry about that.”

“It’s okay,” Seldon mumbled and turned his head to look at Caledon.

“My plan for today is to have Daniel with me. Since I have to register him as a Changeling and all, I figured it to be a good excuse for him not to be here to feed on you, giving you some time to heal. I’ll take care of his feeding today.”

“Thanks,” Seldon said, squeezing Daniel’s hand.

“My brothers are coming later today,” Rosadin said.

“Yeah, the train arrives in four hours,” Caledon informed them, looking at his phone. “And I have an appointment soon so Daniel, if you would shower and make yourself presentable, I’ll come and get you in an hour. Don’t forget to eat human food before I arrive, too.”

“Yes, My Lord.”

Caledon drank the rest of his coffee and got up to find his clothes. “Thank you for the coffee, Rosadin.”

“My Lord,” she answered.

Caledon left, and Daniel sighed in relief at knowing that Seldon would get some rest.

“You gonna stay with him?” Daniel asked.

“Of course, I am,” Rosadin said and smiled. “But I’d appreciate if you took the task of washing him upon yourself. I’ll make you some breakfast in the meantime, so we won’t keep the Lord waiting.”

“Thanks,” Daniel said and finished his coffee, too. Rosadin took his cup and left, and Daniel hurried to the bathroom to find a washbasin and filled it with warm water. He also looked under the sink where Seldon had once told Alex the ointment for a sore ass could be located. Reading the labels on the tubes, he finally found it and brought it and the water to the bed.

“Never done this before,” Daniel informed Seldon who just chuckled.

“Just wash my ass. I’ll be able to get up tomorrow and move around a bit. I can have a more thorough bath then. And if I stink, feel free to sleep in your own bed again.”

At least Daniel could detect humor in his tone of voice. This was so pushing his limits, but he was adamant about doing it since he had ridden that ass hard and long that morning.

Seldon really did have a nice ass, Daniel noted as he spread his muscular thighs and began washing him gently. He wondered if he shaved or waxed his buttocks since it was so smooth. Then again, he didn’t have a ton of body hair—just the fine, dark coverage on his chest and a treasure trail going south, and a soft coverage on his legs. Daniel had just about nothing other than places like groin and armpits.

Upon finishing, Daniel held the tube up for Seldon to see. “Need some of this?”

Seldon laughed. “Yeah, as I said, you’re not that small.”

Daniel snorted while unscrewing the cap. He added a dollop of ointment to his finger and introduced it to Seldon’s pucker. Seldon hissed and clenched his cheeks, trapping Daniel’s finger between the muscular mounds, making Daniel snicker.

“Better?” Daniel asked when Seldon finally relaxed enough for Daniel to spread the ointment a bit more.

“Yeah. And don’t worry about it, okay. What hurt me the most was getting all excited and trying to move, because lying still is apparently not an option while being fucked. I had hoped I could.”

“Okay,” Daniel said, thinking he might be right. At least it soothed Daniel’s guilt at having caused Seldon more pain.

“Think you’ve pampered me enough. Go shower and put on your makeup.”

“Oh shit, hadn’t thought of the time it takes. Maybe Rosadin will help since I’m in a rush.”

“I bet she will.”

Daniel got up and kissed Seldon’s forehead before running off to the bathroom with the washbasin. He showered quickly and found one of his nice sets of clothes before hurrying to the kitchen with his makeup bag.

“About time,” Rosadin commented.

“Yeah, would you help me with this? You’re much faster and better at it than I am.”

“Sure, cub, come here.” She pulled a chair out. “I made you a sandwich so you can finish it as you go.”

“Thank you.”

“Your hair is a disaster.”

“I know,” he groaned. “I need it a bit drier before I can put anything in it.”

“I can cut your hair later if you want.”

“Would you cut Seldon’s, too?”

“He asked for that?”

“No, I just think he needs to be freshened up once he gets better.” It really hurt to see the big man that disheveled.

“Well, I ask because he likes it a bit longer and his scruff.”

“Scruff? He prefers that?” Daniel asked, surprised since Seldon had willingly shaved when Daniel had said he preferred him clean shaven.

“Well, he changes it up sometimes. But sure, I’ll pamper you both a bit when he’s better and if he’s up for it. Look up and close your eyes.”

Daniel did, wondering why the smell of makeup and her hands no longer caused negative feelings and black flashes of the day he had been kidnapped. Maybe their initial problems the day he met her again had been resolved. He certainly got some of it spanked out of him. Either way, he was back to enjoying it, and he really enjoyed his life there.

Rosadin finished, and Daniel managed three-quarters of his sandwich and a cup of coffee before Caledon came in.

“Your hair!” Rosadin said.

“Right.” Daniel dried off his fingers and ran to the mirror in the hallway to do the tousled look he liked so much. But his hair was almost too long to look just right. Had to be enough for today so he wouldn’t keep Caledon waiting. Upon returning to the kitchen, he saw he had time, though, because Rosadin had topped off his coffee and Caledon sat with a cup, too.

“You are going to be a busy cub today, Daniel,” Caledon said. “We’re going to get you registered, and you will officially be going to meet Lord Ildon who is the Grand Lord of my House. You saw him at the trial. You’re also going to get a few hours to work on that essay I requested from you. I’ll give you a tour of House Three and see if we can find a good beginners job for you. Seldon will hate me for this because we’re going to find something he can teach you. And the guy knows how to do most things.”

“Not shoveling shit?” Daniel asked, smiling theatrically.

“No, not shoveling shit,” Caledon said, chuckling into his cup. “But we’ll stop by the library too and check you out a book about us. You’ll have to read it before you start school, which we will also be visiting today. Last, but not least, we’re stopping by the hospital wing. I need to collect some test results, and you’re delivering a blood sample for your file here.”

“Okay. Sounds like a busy day.”

“Then let’s go.”

Daniel cleared their cups and his plate from the table, seeing Rosadin smile as he passed her. “Thanks for helping me out.”

“Oh, you’re welcome, and when you return, my brothers will have arrived.”

Daniel smiled, still not sure he was looking forward to meeting them, but at least Rosadin would have had time to explain to them that their dad wasn’t the fuck-up, and then maybe they wouldn’t hold anything against Daniel, either. One could hope.

He followed Caledon out the door, catching someone getting ready to smear something on Seldon’s door.

The man smiled a bit awkwardly, his blue eyes darting to the bag in his hand. “My Lord.”

Caledon glanced at Daniel and stepped to the side, so Daniel could close the door. He did so while trying to contain his anger enough to only look annoyed. He then stepped aside and held out his arm toward the door. Then he left, walking briskly as he buried the comments threatening to burst forward.

Caledon caught up to him. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

“Because it’s how the Cubi do this, right?”

“It is. Good call on your part to not say anything.”

“I figured if anyone should say something it should be you, not me,” Daniel said and shrugged.

Caledon nodded and turned down a side hall. Daniel followed, but Caledon stopped and peered around the corner.

“Why are we stopping?”

Caledon smiled at him. “Because we actually had to go the other way, but I didn’t want to let you lose face when you handled that so well. Do you know why we do it?”

“To humiliate.”

“Yes, but what’s the purpose of collectively humiliating a person?”

Daniel thought about it a few seconds, but his mind came up blank—no good reasons came to mind other than a vendetta. “I don’t know.”

Caledon peered around the corner before facing Daniel again. “Everybody has to work together here. When someone fails the collective, they are collectively reminded of who they failed. They will feel it so to speak. But once my mark is off his door, it is over and done with. Forgotten.”

Like the spanking. Daniel remembered Seldon saying that once a punishment had been dished out, it was no longer a factor.

“He’s going, so let’s go,” Caledon said. They emerged from their hiding spot and walked back the way they came. Daniel looked at the door, finding more mustard smeared in more Cubi language.

“What does it say?”

“Unworthy of a gift. The gift being an Untouchable.”

Daniel almost successfully suppressed a growl. “He’s not,” he finally whispered. “Please let me wash it off before we leave.” Daniel looked up at Caledon and fought his stinging eyes. Caledon studied him for a beat before nodding, and Daniel hurried inside and ran to the kitchen, making Rosadin spin in surprise.

“Where’s the fire?”

“On the door,” Daniel said and grabbed the dishcloth and paper towels. Rosadin followed him to the door, seeing what had been smeared on it before Daniel took the paper towels to it, feeling better at seeing it disappear. But the mark that Caledon had someone paint on it was still there—angry red and bright for all to see, and it pissed Daniel off. That one he couldn’t do anything about, though, so he just hurried up so as  not to test the Lord’s patience with allowing him the sense of pride on Seldon’s behalf.

“I’ll take it,” Rosadin said, smiling gratefully.

“Thanks,” Daniel said and let her close the door. Caledon showed the way and Daniel noticed they were heading to his home. At least, they were heading up.

“We’re going to my office first. There will be breeders, but you don’t touch.”

“No, of course not. I know I’m only allowed to be with you and Seldon. And I do have some self-control when not dosed or tingling all over.”

Caledon snorted. “Just so you know, going from not tingling to tingling all over and wanting to fuck everything can change like that.” Caledon snapped his fingers. “What do you think caused Jonah to go from having just fed to thinking you were fair game?”

“So, you’re saying I haven’t experienced hunger yet?”

“You definitely haven’t experienced hunger yet,” Caledon stated, grinning mischievously. “You’re a spoiled cub. The newly developing center in your brain can’t regulate yet so it can fire off hormones that’ll make you horny in the blink of an eye with the slightest stimulation.”

“When does that go away? I mean, I remember just brushing one of your breeder's arms and…” Daniel made a fist and bent his elbow slowly as to indicate a huge boner growing.

“Yeah, and that can be a lot stronger. It never really goes away, but it changes after the first few years. If you touch a breeder who doesn’t want you, right now, your brain will still go all mating crazy and send off the hormones. It’s like your brain tries to dose you to get stimulation…it’s completely out of whack. When you get to around blue, you’ll only get that kick when you are desired. Hence the doses because that makes the breeders desire us even if they don’t swing to that side.”

“I’ll stay clear then.”

“Good plan, cub.” Caledon stopped by a door and opened it before leading them down a busy hallway with offices on either side. “The ones with a collar on are breeders. The rest are self-explanatory since they’re all purple-eyes.”

“Why only purple?”

“Because every Lord gets purple-eyes unless they handpick others to do specific jobs.”

“Are all purple-eyes Lords, too?”

“Yes, just not with a House. My title is Lord of a House. They are Lords to a House. Like Seldon is Sire of a House, a House in my House, and the green-eyes working with him are Sires to a House. My House in my House run by Seldon. It’s a pyramid structure, and he is my fourth Sire of my Fourth House, which is responsible for training.”

“And the Grand Lords?”

“Grand Lords to the Great House of Dahlidin. Each House is under a Grand Lord or Lady, one of which is the one I am Lord of.”

“Aha,” Daniel said feeling overwhelmed. But one thing did stick. “If the Grand Lords and Ladies are Grand Lords to a House, who is…whose Grand House is it? The Great House of Dahlidin?”

“It’s a longer story, but Great Lady Dahlidin’s House. The King or Queens rule over a monarchy which consists of the, in this case, eight Houses under the Grand Lords and Ladies, yet we have neither a Queen nor a king. The Grand Lords and Ladies are caretakers of the monarchy called the Great House of Dahlidin until a King or Queen steps forward of full strength to be crowned and rename it. Once we fanned out from the old world, which is Europe, we spread out so thinly that not all monarchies are under a King or a Queen.”

“Does Grand Lords or Ladies become one?”

“No, actually,” Caledon said and stopped to turn to face him. He smiled as he studied Daniel. “Kings and Queens are born royal. This monarchy is so far without a King or Queen.”

“Uh, sounds interesting.”

“Glad you find it interesting. It will help ease the boredom of your study in our history.” Caledon began walking again, and Daniel followed him to an office at the end of the hall where a purple-eyed woman sat at a desk and worked on a computer. She looked up upon their arrival.

“My Lord, and…”

“Changeling. We’re going to register him.”

“Oh, good. Nice to meet you. My name is Jadin. Would you like me to…” She pointed to Daniel.

“Sure. I have a few things to look through, so please.”

Daniel sat next to her desk.

“Full human name?”

“Daniel Thomas Evans.”

“Age…twenty…” She looked skeptical.

“Nineteen.”

“He’s the Untouchable who was prematurely changed,” Caledon said, not looking up from the papers he had buried his nose in. Reading glasses and all. Daniel kind of liked the nerdy side of the Lord. Back to the task at hand. Daniel turned his attention to the Succubus in front of him. Jadin arched a brow but didn’t comment.

“So, no college degree to put in. High School major?”

“Didn’t finish. I was held back a year because I worked on a TV show as an actor.”

“Actor. We’ll put that in, then.” She smiled and typed. “And model? With your looks?” Her eyes darkened and if he had learned anything then a Cubus’ eyes darkening meant they were aroused, and if they lightened in color and glowed more brightly, they were pissed off.

“Yes,” Daniel said and smiled sweetly, once again loving the fact that he could bring that out in a Cubus of this level.

“Jesus, cub! She’ll slide off the chair if you keep that up,” Caledon exclaimed.

“So, I’m hungry, bite me!” she snapped, making Caledon laugh.

Oh shit, Daniel loved the banter. He could even make a Succubus all hot and wet. “Parents names?” she continued, her cheeks growing a bit crimson.

Daniel’s smile faltered a bit. “Bill and Susan Evans.” But he calmed himself and went through the last trivia she wanted such as date of birth, allergies, special skills. The latter was another big failure in Daniel’s eyes, and for a second he wondered if Jeff would teach him to play the piano.

“How are you settling in with the changes?” she asked, and Daniel liked the sincerity in her eyes as she folded her hands and leaned a bit closer over the desk.

“Pretty well, I guess.”

“Pretty well?” Caledon snorted. “Cub, you’re probably the most interesting Changeling I have ever fucked this close to a change, and I’ve fucked a lot. Knowing you fuck Seldon like he’s the only guy in the world makes me so jealous.”

It was Daniel’s turn to blush.

“Really?” Jadin asked.

“Uh-huh. He’s naughty.”

“Ugh, and for Incubi.” The Succubi adjusted herself in her seat.

Caledon made a noise Daniel couldn’t tell what it meant. “You two done? Because then you and I have a tour to finish, a library to visit, and a blood sample to give.”

Daniel looked to Jadin who sighed and sat back. “We are, and now I’ll go feed.” She stood and smoothed her tight skirt down her legs, and Daniel couldn’t help his eyes from wandering. It had been a while since he had enjoyed the smooth curves of a woman’s body. “You’re gonna make me blush.”

Daniel looked up, finding himself caught ogling, so he looked away. “Sorry.”

Jadin left, and Daniel stayed seated, inhaling as she passed him. She left behind a sweet fragrance, and he was sure it wasn’t a perfume. It was too natural for that. She smelled like spring. Daniel contemplated it since he had begun noticing scents differing. Seldon’s seemed to change. Right then, he just smelled like copper. Like blood.

“Do you remember the topic I wanted you to write about?” Caledon asked. Daniel thought for a second.

“Yes. My thoughts about the way the House and everyone in it works together.”

“Good. Find a pad and a pencil on Jadin’s desk and write down some questions you have about it and maybe Cubi in general. You’re going to answer them yourself and string it together coherently as one subject.”

“Okay, but you should know I’m not good at this.”

“I don’t expect babies to be able to run three minutes after they’re born, either, but you don’t get better if you don’t start somewhere.”

“True. Will it be graded?”

“No, we don’t do grades, we do overall assessments.” Caledon looked up from his papers and smiled encouragingly. “Go on. I have some paperwork to finish, too.”

“Yes, My Lord.” Daniel went to sit at Jadin’s desk and found the legal pad and pen to the left of her keyboard. On it were a lot of scribbles he couldn’t read so he flipped the page and began on a new one.

Chapter Twelve

It was tedious work, but Daniel managed to fill a page with questions. Actually, making a list of questions wasn’t the hard part because he had so many, but he tried to prioritize them since he’d have to find the answers himself and string it all together.

“Did you get anything written down?” Caledon asked, glancing at him through his hip glasses.

Hot teacher type.

Focus.

“Yeah. Think this is gonna be good.”

“Excellent. Then I guess it’s time to go check out the library. Come on, stud,” Caledon said and got up. Daniel folded his questions up and shoved them into his back pocket. As they left the office and walked the hall, Daniel still thought about the questions he had written down.

“Do you know if it’s normal for someone to not know if they were bisexual?”

“At your age? Definitely. We have breeders who don’t figure other stuff out until they’re in their thirties. And that’s with all they get to experience here.”

“Like what?” Daniel opened the door for them.

“Like figuring out that they actually like BDSM or have a kink for some fetish.”

“Don’t think I have a fetish.”

“Actually, you do. Makeup. You might not need it to get sexually aroused, but damn if it doesn’t get better for you when you know the one you’re fucking thinks you’re stunningly beautiful.”

“Okay! I have a fetish,” Daniel said, grinning. They entered the elevator and went down to some other level. Daniel still hadn’t figured out the things on the elevator buttons. “Would you explain the levels and buttons?”

“White levels are common areas for all, including breeders,” Caledon said and pointed to the row of buttons, one of which he had pushed. “The rest are colored depending on eye color. You already know the breeders with a collar are off limits, but they have a code tattooed on their neck if they’re not claimed. They can be tattooed if claimed, too, but then the collar is the one to pay attention to. You’ll get a list of the feeding codes when we make it to the library.”

“Okay. Good thing I have a whole year to learn them,” Daniel said, grinning. The doors opened, and they went into a hallway with a lot more people walking around than in any other hallway they had walked earlier. Or any other time once he thought about it. It was like stepping into a mall. There was every eye color there and a lot of naked men and women. So far Daniel had mainly seen men, and he asked why that was.

“To make housing of the breeders easy, we divide the Cubi into hallways depending on how they feed. You live with Seldon, who only feeds from men, and his areas are mainly regarding men. He also trains women, but you’ve never seen him work. Except that one time.”

Daniel didn’t need to be reminded of that one. He was still shaken up that Seldon could look and act so cold, but he also thought he understood how his age could have provided the mental distance to what he had to do.

“So, the ones clothed are Cubi or claimed breeders?”

“Yes. Except some of the women, wearing a red shirt with a mark on it. It means they have their period. You’ll find men wearing a black shirt with a similar sign on it which means they are unable to be fed from. Like…if they’re sick. The marks will be on the list, too.”

Female breeders on their period. He hadn’t thought of that very natural cycle.

“My Lord, what if…what if a female breeder gets pregnant?”

Caledon stopped and smiled before he turned his attention to Daniel. “You have a lot to learn, cub, one of which is our biology. Short version. Since this is how we feed, procreation has to be willed by both parties when Cubi, and by the Cubus if he or she is with a human.” Caledon put a hand on the small of Daniel’s back to lead him further into the populated hall. “Cubi have a ritual. We blend our doses. A lot of them—it can take a week to get that much. Then we drink the blend and get euphoric. We don’t lose control like we can in a normal dose, but it will stimulate the semen to be procreative and the egg to release. Cubi women don’t have cycles unless it’s forced by the blend. It takes a surrogate when a Cubus decides to breed with a human, too—someone to add to the blend. In this case, it is only the Cubus who has to drink it.”

Another nifty side of the Cubi evolution.

As they went, Daniel looked around, finding that the place had a lot of English sentences as well as the markings that made up the Cubi language. With the knowledge, they stemmed from Europe, he thought it could be Greek letters, but having seen those he discarded the idea. But he saw everything from a movie theater, gaming room, a bar, social corners, and a few occupied feeding stalls. He still didn’t know what to do around one of those, because watching some guy or woman fucking a Cubus was still something he didn’t know how to react around. He preferred being at home. Then again, once he had been dosed, he hadn’t cared at all who saw or heard them in Sanitation. But he was pleasantly surprised at this whole place existing.

“Library is this way. You can come here another time.”

Yeah, in a year since Seldon was on house arrest and Daniel wasn’t coming back there without him, and definitely not bringing him in a red Fuck-up shirt, marking him as free to be ridiculed. Daniel wasn’t going to air those thoughts to Caledon, though. He was the Lord of their House after all, and he was the one who had dished out the punishment, so Daniel was going to pretend like he agreed or at least respected the man’s decisions.

The library was huge and looked modern, but some of the books looked ancient.

Caledon took Daniel to a row and pointed down the aisle. “These are our history books so find one you want to read. But!” Caledon held up a finger and squinted at him. “If I find you coming back with a book with less than one hundred pages, I’ll be the one finding a book for you, and I can promise you it’ll be the longest I can find.”

“Yes, My Lord,” Daniel said, grinning. “You guessed being a nerd wasn’t me in school, huh?”

“Go look.” Caledon looked around as if searching for something. “I’ll find you a copy of the list if I can locate a librarian…ah, happy hunting, cub.” Caledon left Daniel to prowl the hundreds of books, and it seemed almost an insurmountable number of books to find one between. Walking the aisle, he skimmed the titles on the spines and hoped one would stand out.

“Well, well,” someone said and ran a hand from Daniel’s neck to his ass, so he turned swiftly, finding himself face to face with a young man with red eyes.

“I’m off limits.”

“Really? Don’t see a collar.”

“Or a tattoo, I’m a Changeling, and I’m off limits to anyone but our Lord Caledon and Sire Seldon.”

“The fuck-up who dosed his Untouchable?” the red-eye asked, surprised. Daniel’s anger flared.

“Listen up, red-eye,” he sneered and stepped close enough for their noses to touch. “You may be granted the right to temporarily ridicule My Sire to his face, but you do not disrespect him to my face, alone, do you understand me?”

“Problem?”

Both Daniel and the red-eye turned to find Caledon staring at them with a blank expression.

“No, My Lord, just…testing the Changeling’s buttons.”

“Think you found one that works. He’s off limits, go find a breeder if you need to feed.”

“Yes, My Lord.” The red-eye left, and Daniel sighed heavily to get his heart rate back down.

“That was quite a display of respect and confidence. You make your Sire proud. I’ll be sure to tell him.”

“Thank you, My Lord,” Daniel said, feeling his stomach flutter at having done what he just did, and gotten Lord Caledon’s respect from doing it on top of that.

“Didn’t find a book then?”

“Didn’t have time.”

“Let’s look.” Caledon walked the aisle and Daniel followed, once again searching the titles on the spines.

“Who wrote all these?”

“Cubi. We have a section on fiction about our race which is pretty…explicit.” Caledon grinned at him, wagging his eyebrows. Daniel sputtered laughter. “Don’t laugh too much, because you have to read some of them as part of your education.”

“Reading smut is part of my education?”

“Trust me. Some of these authors have great ideas.” Caledon picked a thick book from the shelf in front of him. “This one is good. It touches upon most things.”

“How many pages is it?” Daniel tried to hide his smile, but the scowl on Caledon’s face ruined it.

“Three hundred twenty-one pages.”

“I’ll trust your recommendations,” Daniel said and reached for the book.

“Glad to hear it.”

Daniel looked at the cover, finding the name Caledon and a Cubi scribble on it. “You wrote it?” He looked up, finding Caledon grinning.

“I did.”

“Wow, that’s cool.” Daniel leafed through the pages finding more of the scribbles and English. He stopped to read some of it, finding it an explanation of how a symbol made up words.

“Okay, nerd, let’s go find a better spot to read,” Caledon said and turned Daniel on his heels to get him moving in the right direction. Daniel laughed and closed the book.

“Do I need like a library card?”

“You’ll get one, but this time we’ll put it on mine, and I’ll make sure you remember to return it.”

They exited the aisle and bumped into someone. Daniel’s hunger turned on instantly, and he grabbed the guy’s arm.

“Hey,” the young man said and stepped closer to stand flush against Daniel.

“Self-control,” Caledon said calmly.

Not for me, not for me, not for fuck he feels…tasty.

In a fog, Daniel remembered the first time he felt a breeder after his change. The one whose nipples he had licked at Caledon’s place the day after the classification. He wanted to lick this one, too, and he breathed heavily as his focus zeroed in on the areola and the little goosebumps surrounding it.

“Self-control,” Caledon repeated as calmly as before, but he got the breeders attention. “He’s a new Changeling, and we’re trying out some things. You hungry, Daniel?”

“Yes,” Daniel said, grabbing his own dick as it throbbed, and he wanted friction. He wanted to run his hands up the naked abs of the breeder, and doing so made his skin go from tingly to almost catching fire where he touched him. This one was gorgeous, and he wanted to lick him. Feel the nipple harden to a little pebble at being flicked by a tongue. He wanted to watch the breeder in climax.

“Self-control,” Caledon said again, stirring some small part of Daniel’s brain, screaming at him to step back and turn to Caledon. But the man felt so good…he looked up seeing the strangers face looking at him, and Daniel wanted to kiss his lips.

You are still Untouchable, you are for Seldon and Caledon, only, his mind screamed at him. The breeder ran his hands up Daniel’s flanks setting off a new wave of tingles that spread like wildfire across his skin.

“Untouchable,” Daniel whispered.

“I’m not,” the breeder said, cupping Daniel’s face. More heat spread and flowed down his body to his groin, making his dick twitch and ache.

“Self-control, cub,” Caledon repeated, and Daniel grabbed the breeder’s wrists and held them away from himself.

“I am…Untouchable,” Daniel whimpered. A pained cry escaped the breeder and Caledon grabbed Daniel’s wrists.

“Let go, you can hurt him.” Caledon tightened his grip, and Daniel let go, squeezing his eyes shut and shivering from trying to hold back.

He began a jumbled mantra in the hopes of finding something to help him focus, picking words like “Seldon, Caledon, Untouchable, only them, only for them. Honor, respect…honor the House…Seldon, honor Seldon…” and finally the wildfire of lust coursing through his body dimmed enough for him to recognize his surroundings again. The breeder was gone.

“Very good, Daniel, very, very good,” Caledon whispered. Daniel turned in his arms and pressed himself flush against the Lord, looking up at him.

“Please fuck me.”

“Pick up your book and let’s go get lunch.”

But Daniel’s hunger was far from down again. He bit his lower lip and moaned when he felt Caledon grow hard against him.

“You hungry, too?” Daniel snuck his arms around Caledon and drew him closer.

“Oh, those bedroom greens don’t belong in a library, cub,” Caledon said and cocked his head.

“Not even in the smutty section?”

“Oh shit, Daniel.” Caledon’s demeanor still looked pretty relaxed, but his eyes darkened.

“You said some of these authors have interesting ideas. We could go all hot and nerdy in that aisle.” Daniel leaned in and kissed Caledon on the neck. “Test some of those ideas out.” Another kiss closer to the ear. “We could try one you like.” Daniel kissed his ear. “I’ll even read one of your favorites after we fuck so we can try out more,” Daniel whispered.

Caledon groaned. “You are a very. Naughty. Little cub.” Caledon pulled back to look at Daniel.

“Yeah, and you could be a very. Naughty. Author. I can be your muse.” Daniel slid his hands under Caledon’s shirt and up his abs. Caledon’s eyes darkened further, and Daniel felt a bit of control both over his hunger which had cleared up slightly, but it had far from slaked. “We can go all nerdy together after this. I write the essay and read your book, and you write me a smutty fantasy for us to try out. But every author needs inspiration.” Daniel tweaked a nipple, getting another groan in return. “Let’s go see what the smutty section on Cubi has to offer on Lords being seduced by Changelings and ridden hard in that aisle.”

Caledon shuddered and moaned again, the purple growing so dark his eyes almost looked black. A bruising kiss reignited Daniel, and the tingles rushed to his spine, making him groan into Caledon’s mouth and thrust against the Lord’s hard-on. He felt himself be pushed backward and stumbled to keep up while holding onto Caledon. Moments later the kiss ended, and they both panted while tearing their clothes free and halfway off before Daniel ended up on the floor with Caledon on top of him.

“Naughty little muse,” Caledon whispered and sat back on his haunches to pull at Daniel’s pants. Oh God, he loved being able to bring Caledon that far out. That look in his eyes.

“Let’s see what the naughty author has for the naughty muse.”

“Spit, because we’re not in a designated fuck-area, so no lube handy. But, very practically, a dose is pretty slick, too.” Caledon grabbed Daniel’s legs and pulled them up and back, so Daniel ended up resting on his shoulders, bent almost in half and with his ass in the air. Caledon repeatedly spat onto Daniel’s pucker before he forced a finger in, making Daniel groan awkwardly from having his lungs somewhat compressed in that position. More spitting and another finger that sent a sting of pain through Daniel’s ass, but fuck if Caledon didn’t look hot from that angle, and that turned up both hunger and pleasure.

From this position, Daniel could see everything Caledon did, and once he shoved a third finger in, Daniel felt alive and desired when a man could dig into him like that and look so fucking excited. Then Caledon’s tongue elongated, and Daniel squirmed from the expectations of pleasure.

He cried out as the soft warmth finally touched his sensitive puckered skin, and the fingers working his ass felt so good. Then the dose took over and clouded his brain, making him even wilder.

“Fuck! Fuck me, oh God!”

Caledon lowered him and pulled him closer, guiding his dick into Daniel who thrashed for something to hold onto, but all he did was scratch at the linoleum. A long and loud groan escaped them both as Caledon slid in to the hilt. He wasted no time and set a hard pace, making Daniel feel hungered for, and he fucking loved it.

“I wanna ride you. Hard,” Daniel panted, locking eyes with Caledon. “So the naughty author can look and be inspired by his sexy muse.”

Caledon threw his head back and roared before grabbing Daniel and turning them around. “Show me, little muse.”

Daniel reached back to reposition Caledon and impaled himself in one hard drive down, tearing another loud moan from the Lord.

Oh, yeah, he was going to drive Caledon mad, and he stared at him while he tried out what felt good. He then remembered Caledon being fixated on shoulders, ass, and spine, so Daniel pulled his shirt all the way off and got up to turn around and impale himself again. He leaned back a bit, grabbed hold of a shelf, and rotated and lifted his ass as if he was dancing his ass-shaking dance as Caledon called it.

“Holy fucking shit, that’s hot!” Caledon growled and grabbed hold of Daniel’s hips. Caledon panted hard, and Daniel changed to another hip movement, driving himself down hard only by the movements of his hips. And there was the sweet spot. Daniel cried out and moved faster and harder. Books fell from the shelves, and Caledon’s fingers dug into Daniel’s hips harder while his panting became louder and louder.

“How do you like my dimples now?”

A strangled cry escaped Caledon, and Daniel’s ass caught fire. Hard thrusts from beneath sent Daniel reeling from pleasure because Caledon definitely found a good angle.

“Oh God, fuck those naughty ideas out of me!” Daniel roared and grabbed his dick to stroke it, still holding onto the shelf with the other hand. All the prickling on his skin rushed to his spine and down to his ass, pooled in his balls, and the orgasm ripped through him, making him scream from his system being completely overloaded from the dose and the hard cock driving into him at a brutal pace.

Caledon went rigid under him, and Daniel’s oversensitive body felt the spurts of semen coat his insides and absorb, fulfilling him and draining him of energy at the same time.

Daniel fell back and collapsed on Caledon, both heaving for air. Caledon seemed a bit more collected, though. Enough to help straighten one of Daniel’s legs before he rolled them onto their sides, Caledon spooning close to Daniel and still with his dick lodged inside Daniel’s hole.

“Oh, look. A Cubi smut novel. This one is actually a fair read, so my muse gets to read this while I write up the inspiration I just fucked out of you in a fucking library.”

Daniel couldn’t help a dopy grin at the amused tone. He managed to open an eye to find Caledon holding a book in his hand while he slumped against Daniel and heaved for air. “Man, and I always thought libraries were boring.”

“Yeah, well, I’d like to see the librarian of this library having tried to shush us.”

Daniel sputtered laughter. “Oh God, can’t imagine that going well when it’s the Lord of the House himself fucking someone senseless in the smut aisle.”

Caledon snickered and planted a kiss on the nape of Daniel’s neck before pulling out and turning Daniel onto his back. He then licked the cum from Daniel’s stomach. Daniel relaxed, sprawling amongst the books and clothing items, not giving a shit that he was lying naked in a library.

“There. We even managed to clean up after ourselves,” Caledon said.

“Except the books.”

“Except the books,” Caledon agreed and scrambled to his knees. “Still hungry, cub?”

“No, I feel like I just had my fill for the day, but I’m a Changeling so what the hell do I know.”

“Oh, you might just have. I lost a dose when you started ranting about your dimples. Fuck, I love that thing you do with your ass.”

Daniel snapped to. “You lost a dose?”

“Yeah,” Caledon said, smiling sheepishly. Holy shit. He made a Lord lose a dose. “You look entirely too proud of yourself knowing that.”

“Oh, I like it. A lot!”

“I bet you do, but we better…get up, because even though the librarian hasn’t shushed at us, he is giving us quite the glare right now.”

Daniel propped himself up on his elbows to look at the end of the aisle. Other than a guy with a scowl on his face and arms crossed over his chest, there were at least six other people with a grin on their face. The human side of Daniel kicked in, and he blushed what he imagined to be a deep crimson.

“Yeah, let’s do that.” Daniel scrambled to his feet and found his shirt and pants, getting into them and straightening his clothes while Caledon did the same and tried to stack a few of the books. He stopped to look at one of them.

“Hmm, never read this one,” he said and stacked it on another book. They finally finished straightening themselves, and Caledon picked up the two books. As they neared the end of the aisle, all but the librarian scattered. The librarian held out the book Daniel had apparently dropped when the breeder bumped into him. Oh shit, he had really figured out what the snap-of-the-fingers hunger meant.

“My Lord may have dropped this?” the librarian said.

“We did, thank you. We’ll take these, too,” Caledon said, handing the librarian the other two books.

“And please leave the mess. We’ll take care of it.”

“Are you being snooty with me?”

The red-eye smiled. “No more than My Lord usually is with people who fuck outside the stalls.”

Caledon looked like he debated it with himself. Then he reached over to grab Daniel’s shoulders and hold him between them. “Can you blame me?”

The red-eye let his eyes roam Daniel, but his eyes zeroed in on his face. Then the stern expression evaporated, and his red eyes darkened. “No, My Lord. He’s fucking beautiful.”

“That he is,” Caledon said almost in a whisper.

Daniel couldn’t help but beam. He had fucked a Lord to lose a dose, and these were the guys teaching self-control. The red-eye seemed to have trouble with his hunger, and it made Daniel slightly nervous, remembering what the ordeal with Jonah had ended up with. Daniel unconsciously stepped back against Caledon who put an arm around him. He felt safer.

“Back to your duties.”

“Yes, My Lord.” The red-eye turned, trailing Daniel and Caledon to the counter. He ran the books and placed them on the desk, his eyes cutting to someone behind them several times. Daniel sneaked a peek and found the breeder he had bumped into. His initial hunger satiated, the guy was barely his type. Jesus, he had a type in men? Yeah, he was definitely bi or something. Or was it the change?

Caledon nudged Daniel to follow him from the library.

Daniel stopped just outside to look back at the librarian and the breeder. “Caledon, is it the hunger that makes someone attractive?”

“No. Why?”

“Because the breeder I bumped into wasn’t as attractive after I fed.”

“His desire for you had shifted. The focus. The more you focus on someone, the more attractive they become to you. How do you think desire works? Or working two bodies to climax?” Caledon looked around as if he wanted to make sure their next words were to remain private. “How else do you think you keep making me and Seldon lose a fucking dose?” Caledon’s eyes darkened again. “You demand all of our attention.” Caledon’s voice dropped, too. “You lure us in. You steal our focus and direct it to whatever it is you want from us. Seldon was right when he labeled you a predator. There’s not a lot of hunters out there who can match you, and the only problem is you have no fucking idea. You need to learn this about yourself as you grow stronger. Whatever disadvantage we thought you’d have from being dosed early, you make up in pure charisma and hypnotic sexual skills, cub.”

Oh, damn if that wasn’t exactly what he wanted to hear. But also, the scariest shit he’d ever heard.

“Predator?”

“Seductor as Seldon calls you. He’s an aggressive top and a bossy bottom at best. Never saw him submit to anyone like he did to you the day you were classified.”

Daniel’s brain still hadn’t let everything from that night shimmer to the surface, but he got glimpses of Seldon lying back with his arms over his head and an expression of pure rapture on his face. And damn, Daniel felt hunger rise again. He looked up at Caledon whose eyes darkened again.

“Oh shit, you’re going to be the death of us,” Caledon said, breathlessly.

“Self-control,” Daniel said, smirking as he took the books from Caledon and stepped back.

Caledon gaped. “Self-control? Cub, you just poked the bear!”

Daniel set into a sprint down the hallway, weaving in and out between the people in the hallway, laughing loudly and hearing Caledon close on his tail, laughing ominously. But where were they going? Oh shit, he’d have to stop, and he did by the elevator, holding up the books as a shield and giggling like some damn school kid. Caledon caught up to him and hauled him over his shoulder like he weighed nothing.

“Blood tests!” Caledon pushed the elevator button, still laughing by the feel of the shoulder in Daniel’s stomach.

“Yeah, that’s not one of my kinks,” Daniel croaked. Caledon slapped his ass hard, making Daniel jump. “Ow!” The elevator pinged, and Caledon stepped inside.

“Let’s try some of that self-control later.” Caledon placed Daniel back on his feet to be able to look around at two blue-eyes and a couple of breeders, all grinning. “I need to take care of something, so you stay exactly where I leave you. Don’t wander off down there.”

“You’re gonna leave me?”

“In the hands of a doctor, yes.”

“Yes, My Lord.” Daniel hugged the books to his chest and contemplated what Caledon had called him. A predator. And Seldon had called him a seductor. Focusing on the breeder had made him attractive, so it was when Daniel made them focus on him that he became irresistible to them. When he could make them lose control of a dose. He looked at the books in his arms thinking he had to learn to control what he said while being dosed because he had just promised to read a book. An additional book. A smut book. He’d never read one before.

The elevator stopped, and people got off and more got on, all nodding at Caledon, and one addressing him My Lord in passing. Daniel wanted to know how long he had been Lord of House Three but decided to wait until people weren’t listening in. The next time the elevator pinged the light in the display shone red, so Daniel knew they had arrived on the red-eyes level.

Caledon led the way, and Daniel thought he recognized something. The office he and Maldon had waited in before Seldon and Caledon came back all horny. They continued and entered a set of double doors, and the place both smelled and looked like a hospital.

A blue-eye came their way. “Lord Caledon. And…”

“Daniel, House Three’s newest Changeling.”

“Sire Seldon’s…”

Daniel grit his teeth, making the blue-eye step back a bit.

“Claimed Changeling, Daniel. Yes, and he’s very protective of his Sire.”

“Admirable. Daniel, my name is Doctor Shelton. If you would follow Nurse Gerald, he’ll take your blood sample and have it sent to be added to your registration. My Lord, if you would follow me.”

“Thank you, Doctor Shelton. Daniel, stay where the blood will be drawn, and I’ll come and collect you when I’m done.” Caledon looked at the books. “You have enough to keep you, I see.”

Daniel looked at the books in his arms and snorted. “Yes, My Lord.”

The red-eyed nurse smiled and pointed for Daniel to follow so he did. “Rough start to the change?” the nurse asked, not looking at Daniel as he sat on a chair and found what he needed.

“Debatable,” Daniel said, placing the books on the table next to him.

“Mine was hell. But I managed.” The nurse smiled a bit and placed Daniel’s arm on a slanted leather armrest before tying something around Daniel’s upper arm then staring at the elbow joint as a vein filled.

“How long did it take?”

“Two months and two overdoses.”

“Damn,” Daniel muttered, happy it wasn’t him. He figured he should stop asking before he got some sappy story he didn’t want to know about. Like he hadn’t wanted to know the girl’s name. Right then he was happy he hadn’t.

“Yeah, they caught me on my honeymoon.”

“I really don’t want to know,” Daniel said, regretting his tone immediately.

“I’m sorry. Some need the sharing.”

“I like the detachment. Don’t even think about my parents. Often.”

The nurse looked up at him from his work at preparing the needle. “You look young.”

“I am young.”

“The Untouchable,” he muttered and sighed heavily, and Daniel hoped he kept any further comments to himself. “I have absolutely fallen in love with the scenery. Me and a few of the others go camping sometimes. We’re in the middle of a National Park. So beautiful. But you don’t strike me as the camping sort of guy.”

“Never went camping so I wouldn’t know,” Daniel said, happy the nurse changed the subject. So, it wasn’t all wrong when people said nurses were people-people.

“You should go see this place when you get the chance.” The nurse smiled and warned of a prick before jamming the needle into Daniel’s vein. He wasn’t squeamish, but he didn’t watch, either.

“What’s the blood for?”

“Before the change of our eyes, we’re still susceptible to some diseases. Some allergies still need to be taken into account while we still eat. Like severe allergies to shellfish, asthma, stuff like that.”

“Oh,” Daniel said, not caring since he didn’t have any of it. He’d never been prone to sickness. He even avoided the crabs some girl he had been with had spread to six other guys at school so he could deny ever having been with her after that. She was hot, but that was fucking embarrassing once it came out just how many she had been with within a week.

The nurse took three vials of blood before rolling his chair back to look at his collection. “That would be it. Lord Caledon asked for you to stay here, so…would you like anything while you wait?”

“Is hospital coffee as bad here as it is in a human hospital?”

The nurse laughed, nodding. “Yes, it is. Can I tempt you anyway?”

“Actually, yeah. And water.”

“Water in the tap,” the nurse said and pointed to a sink. “But I’ll bring you a cup of coffee. Don’t say I didn’t warn you, though.”

He left, and Daniel went to drink three cups of water to quell his thirst after all the moaning in the library. God, how could he not be ashamed of having fucked with spectators and fucked hard enough to tip books from the shelves?

Maybe there was something about Changelings in Caledon’s book. Daniel sat back down in the chair and used the leather armrest as a support as he settled in and looked through the book. It had a table of contents, and he looked up Changelings.

A Changeling is a human with the genetic predisposition for growing the preoptic area of the hypothalamus. This center…

Caledon had already explained it, so Daniel skimmed ahead. The Changeling will, during the growth of this area, experience uncontrollable hunger and an irrational need to feed as the newly developing center hungers for the hormone the body will release during sexual stimulation. This can be quelled by the doses of higher evolved Cubi, which is advised to keep the Changeling from feeding on humans at all hours of the day.

The nurse came back and placed a cup of coffee and left immediately. Daniel sniffed the coffee, and it was bitter as hell. But he drank it and skipped a bit more of the book, knowing he was going to return to that part.

Changelings who are classified to the opposite sex of how they identified themselves in the human world often experience long periods of habituation. A so-called “straight” or “heterosexual” will have a time of adjustment. The religious and cultural impacts are the most relevant aspects of this as shame stems from these unnatural imprints on the mind.

Daniel skimmed for more words to be of relevance.

The rare and blossoming Changeling will be the ones suppressed against their nature in the human world. These Changelings will accommodate to their new way of life with relative ease or even ferociously feed and nourish themselves as their nature is set free from restraints imprinted on them by a society which has deprived them.

As with any other Changeling, the blossoming one needs help and guidance. For more information on how to support these, look under section C, II.

He flipped to that section, thinking he saw something of himself there.

When a blossoming Changeling is finding his or her new footing in the Cubi world, it is important that they are guided as best as possible. Changelings of this nature are to be pointed out as early as possible to be claimed and raised so that they may grow into potent and full individuals in the Cubi society. Blossoming Changelings often evolve faster than the Changelings fighting their transformation. Examining the blood from Changelings has revealed a higher level of the so-called Cubi protein in the blossoming Changelings.

After that, it became more technical than Daniel thought he could understand, but apparently, this protein could transport the hormones. Or something.

Someone moved in the curtain opening, and Daniel looked up, finding Caledon watching him.

“Blossoming Changeling?”

“Case in point.” Caledon pointed at Daniel. “You ready?”

“Yeah.” Daniel collected the books and followed Caledon.

“I’m happy to see that you’re already reading the book.”

“Well, I am very curious about…everything I’m going through. So suppressed against my nature would be me not having the faintest idea that I was bi?”

“Possibly. You never looked at a guy and thought, fuck me, or that you wanted to slip your dick in there?”

“No. I’ve looked at guys during photo shoots and thought, he’s fucking hot, he’s gonna take my spot, but I’ve seen guys kiss, and it never did anything for me.”

“Were they hot?”

“No.”

“So, if you saw a girl you found unattractive would that make you not interested in girls in general?”

“No…and now I see your point.”

“Let me give you some advice. Never limit yourself unless not doing so will do harm unto others. You mentioned your makeup. Your ass dance, which I’m a big fan of by the way, especially after finding out you can do that shit while fucking.” Caledon took a deep breath. “When I told you that Seldon and I spoke of him classifying you as a top, too…there is no mention of versatile Changelings in there, and there’s a very good reason for that. You won’t find one book in the library that speaks of it because they’re all in the library of the Great House.”

“Why?” Daniel asked.

“As soon as I get an answer, I’ll let you know. But you’re far from done exploring yourself, my little blossoming Cubi.” A dangerous smile spread on Caledon’s face. “Let’s go explore…after we meet the Grand Lord.”

Daniel ran the questions on the note in his pocket through his head again while he followed Caledon through the many hallways and two elevator rides. He had nothing written about being a verse as he didn’t know it held any significance. Apparently, it did.

“Remember,” Caledon said as he stopped them by huge wooden and beautifully ornamented double doors. “Showing respect to this man is the absolute most important part of your meeting here, okay?”

“Yes, My Lord.”

Chapter Thirteen

Seldon woke up to Rosadin stroking his arm.

“Hey, baby girl.”

“Hey. How are you?”

Seldon tensed his back and bit down as the scabs cracked off its edges. “I’ll be staying here for a while longer.”

“Okay. Do you want anything? Marcadon and Talidon just arrived. I told them the full version.”

“How did they take it?” Seldon asked, hoping his sons would understand.

“Marcadon is upset, Talidon is calmer.”

“That’s like their personality traits,” Seldon said, chuckling.

“Do you want coffee? I’ll bring it in here.”

“I’d prefer tea.”

She winked and left, leaving Seldon to wait for Marcadon to march in there and give him a piece of his mind which was usually pretty clear cut and measured in millimeters. Both his sons dropped down to sit on the carpet where Seldon could see them and both looked sad or disappointed. With Marcadon it was hard to tell sometimes. He was so like his mother. Temperamental but strong, pigheaded, and with a fierce sense of justice. Talidon was a sweetheart. Got that from his mother, too. Seldon could barely contain his smile. It had been years since he’d had all three of them gathered at the same time.

“How are you holding up, Dad?” Marcadon asked.

“Better, now that Lord Caledon saved me from the hunger of a newborn Changeling.”

“No way you could feed him like this.”

“Oh, with this one you’d be surprised.”

“I second that,” Rosadin said and sat between her brothers. Talidon poured coffee, and Marcadon got up.

“Relax completely in your body.”

Seldon did, and Marcadon pulled the blanket at an angle that slid Seldon’s torso and head to the edge of the bed without him having to move a muscle. He could now drink a cup of tea on his own with his head close to the edge and one arm over.

“So…no one’s furious?” he asked, setting his cup down again.

“We read the transcript,” Talidon said, looking into his mug. He looked heartbroken, and it was probably the sight of Seldon’s back.

“You tried to protect him,” Marcadon said. “If I’m proud of anything, it’s knowing that.”

“Wait ‘til you see him,” Rosadin said, grinning. “At least you Marca.”

Seldon laughed. “You haven’t told him anything about my cub, have you?”

“Not a word.”

“Dad?” Marcadon asked, looking expectantly at him.

“Wait. But I’ll give you a hint. I’d take this punishment ten times over to claim him.”

Marcadon’s eyes grew wide.

“Hello!” someone bellowed from the hallway.

It sounded like Caledon. He knew where Seldon was so he didn’t bother responding.

Caledon leaned against the doorframe. “Oh, good, everyone’s home. Cub’s hungry. Not for you, Seldon, I took care of that.”

“Splat!” Daniel shouted from the hallway, and Caledon disappeared from the doorway.

“Seldon, your cub needs a spanking!” Caledon came in with a grinning Daniel in his arms while Marcadon, Talidon, and Rosadin got to their feet to greet Caledon. The splat comment stuck in Seldon’s mind, though.

“What did he do? I’m not going to spank him now, it’ll have to wait.”

Daniel laughed. “Oh, shit. Sorry. Hi, I’m Daniel.” Daniel shook the hands of Seldon’s sons who introduced themselves. Rosadin got a hug, which made Seldon smile. His sons and daughter respectfully greeted their Lord in his house, making Seldon feel proud of all he had around him.

“Actually, Sire Seldon, your cub did you proud today,” Caledon said and let go of Daniel who stopped laughing immediately. They found their way into Seldon’s limited line of sight from his prone position. His children sat on the floor along with Lord Caledon. Daniel scooted closer to the bed so he sat right next to Seldon, reaching up to run his fingers through his hair.

“Are you better?”

“Slowly.”

“I’ll be full ‘til tomorrow at least. Lord Caledon is mean.” The amusement that danced in Daniel’s beautiful eyes didn’t convince Seldon about the statement.

“Cub, you’re the one who told me to learn self-control. A double overdose is fair game when poking a Lord.”

Seldon sputtered laughter, but the pain crushed the fun of it, and he coughed his way through the fit in an attempt to stop himself. “I’ve got to hear that story sometime.”

“Oh, you’ll get it,” Daniel promised. “Maybe along with the story of the smut aisle.”

“Laugh it up, cub!” Caledon growled, still grinning.

“Smut aisle?” Rosadin asked, pouring coffee for Caledon. Daniel made the same splat sound Caledon had made when referring to Seldon losing a dose.

“No! Caledon? You lost a dose to Daniel?”

“What?” Marcadon burst.

“You lost two when classifying him,” Caledon pointed out. “One a double if I remember correctly.”

“Not in the fucking library!” Seldon argued.

“You guys don’t have to sound like I’m not worth it, just saying.” Daniel held up his hands and made a prissy expression. Caledon laughed loudly, while Seldon kicked the mattress and fisted the blanket to stifle his own. God, the boy must have had a fun day coming home in a mood like this.

“That’s it, Daniel, I’m never doing your makeup again.”

“Yes, you are, Rosa,” Caledon said, chuckling, “because this was fun.”

Seldon glanced at his boys. Marcadon, who also fed of men, had his dark red eyes glued to Daniel.

“On a serious note, though,” Caledon continued. “The cub’s got teeth. In the library, some red-eye got snooty with him when feeling him up, and Daniel told him he was off limits. He said something derogatory about you, well within the limits of your sentence had it been to your face, but Daniel didn’t feel it right when you weren’t there, so he put him in his place. He honored you, Seldon.”

Warmth spread in Seldon for the umpteenth time. Everything from the little things like just planting a chaste kiss on his forehead or, like when Daniel had come home, and ran his fingers through Seldon’s hair. The boy had taken care of him all night and gotten angry at their house being dishonored. But this? For Caledon to say it like that, Daniel had done something extraordinary.

“Thank you, Daniel,” Seldon said, recognizing the tenderness in his own voice. Daniel turned and stroked Seldon’s arm.

“The meeting with the Grand Lord went well, too,” Caledon continued, settling back with a cup of coffee. He looked upbeat considering he’d had a hungry Changeling with him all day. “He passed a test of respect when Ildon made a remark similar to that of the red-eye and Daniel didn’t flinch. Anyway. The boy has been dosed six times today and sent my secretary sliding off her chair, so he should be good for tomorrow around noon.”

“I’ll help if called for,” Marcadon said.

“Unless you want to look like your dad, you keep your hands off him. No one but Seldon and myself touches this cub,” Caledon growled, getting all of Seldon’s attention. That, he had not expected, and he wasn’t sure he managed to hide his expression of surprise. Maybe the prone position hid his face enough? He hoped it did.

“Yes, My Lord,” Marcadon answered.

“See you guys tomorrow before noon. Call if I miscalculated.” Caledon got up. A collective farewell resounded in the bedroom, and Caledon left them. Seldon listened for the front door to close, but he couldn’t so he counted the time before interrupting the conversation.

“Daniel, what the hell did you and Caledon do?”

“We…went hot and heavy enough in the library for the librarian to scowl at Caledon.”

Holy shit. “And after that?”

“We went to Grand Lord Ildon’s place. That’s a fucking palace if ever I’ve seen one. Then we went to Caledon’s office for me to write that essay and read two books, but he double dosed me on the desk and let his secretary watch while he just held me down and teased me about self-control.”

“Jesus.” Seldon would actually have loved to witness that.

“She called in for a breeder. Things got interesting on the other desk, but I really didn’t care because I was dosed heavily. I don’t remember half of—” A jaw-splitting yawn interrupted Daniel.

“Take a shower, cub and come to bed.”

“Yes, mas…Seldon…do you need anything?”

“Just you under the covers next to me.”

“Okay.”

Rosadin smiled at Daniel and squeezed his hand as he passed her to go to the bathroom. He closed the door behind him which was probably a good thing with Marcadon staring after him.

“Jeez, Dad,” his oldest whispered.

“He’s beautiful, isn’t he?”

“Yeah! And Lord Caledon wants your claimed beauty.”

“Grand House’s orders. He’s mine for the next four hundred thirty-six years. Not even the Grand House can change that now.” And Seldon fucking loved the fact of that point.

“He’s rolling with the change pretty well if he was dosed the day before last,” Talidon mused.

“Yeah, he is. I looked up some youth psychology theories when I first got him because he was such a prick. The only one that made sense, and still does with all his changes, is that he was fighting because something was missing in his life. Something vital. Something that now makes him feel whole.”

“And being turned into an Incubus helped?” Marcadon asked.

“Think it’s his need to be appreciated for his beauty. He likes being in the center of focus,” Rosadin said reflectively, and Seldon agreed having had the same thoughts. “That’s why he likes wearing makeup.”

“Yeah, and his parents were homophobic, he says,” Seldon added.

“Ah, and we all know what that kind of hate can cause in a young mind,” Talidon said, nodding thoughtfully.

“Still getting to know him, but he’s evolving far quicker than I can follow,” Seldon said, holding his cup out.

It was barely seven in the evening and his boy was trashed from the doses. That he had managed to make Caledon lose a dose, fuck in an aisle in the library, and gotten a double purple overdose blew his mind. And Caledon refused anyone else to touch him. Had Seldon not been ordered by the Grand House to secure the boy, Caledon would no doubt have claimed the boy as his own. It still filled his heart with joy that Daniel was with him, and, as he has stated the day he got him, he loved the surprise.

But that Caledon was so infatuated with Daniel caused a stir of feelings in Seldon. The boy was his. Could he deny Caledon access to him? Did he even want to? This possessiveness was new to him and knowing the boy had defended him caused a plethora of feelings he hadn’t felt in many years. Well, he had, but differently. He had it with his kids. His baby girl in particular. The need to protect. And Marcadon. The pride.

“Dad?”

“Hmm?” Seldon snapped to at the sound of his daughter’s voice.

“Where are you at?” She smiled, looking curious.

“Daniel. For Lord Caledon to come and say the boy did me proud. Just how many teeth did he show?”

“I’m gonna come by more often because this is different. This is new, Dad,” Talidon said.

“And I’m gonna stay away because the cub turns me on big-time,” Marcadon said and adjusted himself.

“Please, don’t do that,” Seldon said. He already felt he saw too little of his oldest son.

“Think of Daniel like your little brother. He has the status of one,” Rosadin said.

“My dick doesn’t care, it thinks he’s fair game!” Marcadon said, rubbing his face. “And if I’m gonna stay here another three hours, I’m gonna be in pain, I need to feed.”

Seldon grabbed his phone and ran the schedule of his regulars, hoping one hadn’t booked his night since they’d been told not to schedule Seldon anymore. Alex was still free, so Seldon called him.

“Seldon?”

“Yeah, hi, Alex. I know you can’t see me for a year, but…are you free? My oldest son needs to feed badly, and he’s here.”

“I don’t have any planned now. How are you? Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, Alex. Would you mind? At your place? Just…come and get him here because he doesn’t know where you are.”

“Sure…”

“I talked to Lord Caledon like I said I would. He’s looking into it. He’s not pleased by learning you’re being abused, either.”

“Thank you, Sire. I’ll…fifteen minutes, and I’ll be there.”

“Thanks, Alex.” They hung up, and Seldon put the phone down. “My steady breeder, Alex, is coming by for you in fifteen minutes. He likes it hard, not rough.”

“Perfect,” Marcadon said, smiling.

Seldon found a dose vial in the bedside drawer and released one for Alex since Marcadon’s doses wouldn’t be strong enough. “Go with him to his place and come back after.”

Marcadon took the vial. “Thanks, Dad.”

Daniel came out from the bathroom, naked and without makeup. He crawled into bed and shuffled under the covers. “Oh, God,” he groaned.

“Need some ointment?” Seldon asked, grinning.

“Used it, and if you weren’t hurt, I’d kick your ass.”

“Cub’s got teeth,” Marcadon said, grinning.

“You mean you’d fuck my ass and not kick it,” Seldon corrected Daniel.

“That, too, but I’m too tired and full. God, now I know how you must feel.”

“And I haven’t fed since this morning.”

“Oh, I’ll feed you tomorrow.” Daniel already sounded drunk on sleep, and Seldon snickered.

“He a top?” Marcadon asked.

“A verse.”

“I’ve heard of one of those,” Talidon said.

“I looked for one, didn’t find anything. Figured it could be fun,” Marcadon said.

“They’re rare,” Seldon contributed, not really knowing more than that. He’d met one in Europe a few years before he moved to America, but that was two hundred years ago. The Cubi had been claimed by a purple-eyed as soon as he had been empowered.

“They’re stronger, right?” Rosadin asked.

“Yeah. Guess it’s because they can get energy from more sources than the rest of us.”

“No, because we feed equally,” Marcadon said.

“Then what is it?” Rosadin asked.

“Dunno.” Talidon shrugged. “Maybe they’re just noticed more because they can feed differently.”

“Wonder if it’s like the blossoming Changelings? More Cubi protein in their blood,” Daniel mumbled, and Seldon smiled. So, the cub had learned a lot today. The others shrugged and nodded. It was a plausible theory.

“Oh, did I tell you I got moved up in maintenance? I fixed an engineering problem that had vexed them for a month. Boom, fixed!” Talidon said.

“Great!” Marcadon said and patted his little brother’s shoulder.

“Awesome!” Rosadin chirped and hugged her brother.

“What did you fix?” Seldon asked, enjoying the everyday insight into his children’s lives.

“I figured out the problems of the ventilation system in the transport wagons. The circuit boards were located in the common area as in right above the bar where they smoke. Nicotine plastered the plates. Changed it and moved it.”

“Good thought, son,” Seldon said. “Marcadon?”

“There’s talk of reassigning me.”

“Yeah, where to?”

Marcadon hesitated. “To you.”

Seldon didn’t know what to say. “Better do Daddy proud then, because I’d hate to dish this shit out to you, but you know I will.”

“Oh, I know, Dad, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. But we had trouble with the housing, and I stepped in. Sire Kadon was impressed, and even though I’ll be moving down from House Three to Four, he said, and I quote, your organization skills are less than those of your father, and you’d advance faster under his skilled guidance.”

And Seldon felt proud again. “Haven’t heard of it yet.”

“It was yesterday.”

“I’d love to work with you, son.”

“The breeders being housed still talk about you. They say you’re strict but fair. You keep the red-eyes in check.”

“Wonder what I’ll do when my eyes change,” Rosadin said.

“I don’t know, baby girl. We all start somewhere,” Seldon said.

Daniel grunted and put his hand on Seldon’s arm, squeezing it a second before letting go, and his breathing returned to that of someone in a deep sleep. Seldon smiled, feeling rich.

The doorbell rang.

“That would be Alex. Go feed, Marcadon.”

His oldest got up, smiling, and left the bedroom. Left were Rosadin and Talidon, settling into the pillows and covers they pulled from Daniel’s bed. All the mundane chitchat of a normal family continued until Marcadon came back, looking satiated and happy. A few comments about the quality of the feeding fell, and they chatted until eleven with the steady breathing of Daniel as their background noise. If it took a whipping to get his kids together, Seldon might just have to get himself in trouble again. This was lovely.

Before leaving, Marcadon pulled Seldon back to lie comfortably on the bed. He hoped Marcadon would be transferred to him. The boy was a rough stone, sure, but he had potential. More than the trainer who had ended up poisoned.

Seldon fell asleep with a smile on his face and an itchy back.

Chapter Fourteen

Seldon woke up to a bright room and no sounds but a heavy breathing behind him. Turning his head, he found Daniel curled up next to him. Waking up with a breeder next to him after a night of feeding was one thing. But Daniel was…different. Not just because he was a Changeling but because he wasn’t afraid of physical contact when not dosed. What the boy had done to make Caledon praise him for honoring Seldon still vexed him. What exactly had his boy said?

Hunger stirred. He hadn’t fed enough which was actually kind of a joke with his sentence. But Caledon had taken the dose and even though Seldon had fed on the boy’s pleasure, he hadn’t fed enough to orgasm and thus be satiated.

Daniel popped his head up, opening his eyes, but he clearly wasn’t focusing on anything. Then he snuggled back in and grunted. Seldon couldn’t help but laugh, which stirred the boy and had him look up again.

“Morning,” Daniel grunted and smiled.

“Morning, cub.”

“How are you?”

Seldon tightened his back and nope, he wasn’t ready. Well, if he really wanted, he could go sit backward on a chair in the kitchen, and feeling like he’d get bedsores if staying in this position for much longer, he actually thought he ought to try. Daniel placed a hand on his cheek, studying his face.

“You’re hungry,” the boy declared.

“Yeah.”

“But I’d hurt you too much for you to be able to cum.”

Seldon smiled. “You could feed me cum.”

“Don’t think I’m a good enough shot in this position.”

Seldon chuckled. “Go make us some coffee while I try to get up. I have an idea.”

“You need help?”

“No, just time.”

Daniel scooted off the bed and went to the bathroom to, by the sound of it, brush his teeth. In the meantime, Seldon scooted himself to the foot end of the bed, keeping his back as immobile as possible so he could land on his knees and get up. He had gotten to his knees by the time Daniel reemerged from the bathroom. He didn’t say a word and continued naked through the door, and Seldon gathered strength to push himself up. He hadn’t even seen how extensive the damage was, but he could definitely feel it. He wanted to heal as fast as possible so he could feed Daniel, and that meant he had to lie still.

And he had to pee. The tea the night before hadn’t helped, so he started with relieving himself. A handheld mirror gave him a chance to look over his shoulder, and the purple-eye had managed to cut him open from neck to beltline and every inch of his width. Damn, he was skilled. It wasn’t just the same areas he had gone over but as wide and high and low as possible, distributing the damage for maximum pain and discomfort during healing. And he had opened the skin on the majority of the lashes, telling Seldon he had gone easy on Jonah. Well, another fifty awaited the red-eye in less than a week. He’d barely be healed enough for the wounds to have scabbed over, while Seldon would probably just have to bite back discomfort from his own back’s new skin still protesting at being stretched. At least that’s how he remembered it.

Seldon turned and put the mirror down, feeling like he needed a wash up and a thorough tooth brushing.

By the time he made it to the kitchen, Daniel was frying eggs, wearing an apron and nothing else. Seldon remained naked. As soon as Seldon stepped into the kitchen, Daniel left his endeavor and came to the table to pour him a cup of coffee.

Turning the chair to sit astride, Seldon lowered himself and took the cup, thanking Daniel.

“So, I got that I should just feed you semen. Any ideas?”

“Yeah, but get your breakfast first,” Seldon said, smiling.

Daniel grinned. “Oh, you have an idea. I’m gonna look forward to that.”

“Not sure I dare feed you while I feed, though. Just to not repeat the fucked up attempt from yesterday morning.”

“That’s okay, I’m still full. But I’ll take care of you, too. This isn’t one way,” Daniel said and flipped his eggs with a more practiced hand than he had a week ago. Daniel arranged the eggs on toast and brought his breakfast to the table and sat across from Seldon. Next to him lay two books and Seldon reached, finding himself three inches short when scabs threatened to loosen.

“Mom always told me it was rude to read at the table, but she always did crosswords.”

Seldon chuckled and pulled back. “Okay.”

“No, no, you can look, I was just…dunno, testing the waters, because I’m actually looking forward to reading Caledon’s book.” Daniel pushed both books to Seldon.

“It’s good. A pretty all around touch upon all subjects Cubi without the nerdy depth. Good references for further reading, too.”

“I take it you’ve read it?”

“It’s mandatory in this House. His philosophy on how this place is to be run and function is woven into those pages.”

“I read that…I’m a blossoming Changeling.”

“You are, and I’ve met about eight the past fifty years. You’re evolving quickly.”

“Hope I don’t break my neck on it,” Daniel said, digging into his breakfast.

“You have me and Caledon to lean on, you know that, right?”

Daniel smiled around his mouthful and nodded, while Seldon picked up the other book. It looked like fiction with a half-naked guy with some wild tattoos on the cover. Turning it to read the blurb, Seldon snorted.

Daniel swallowed and grinned. “Yeah, sometimes I wished the dose wouldn’t delete all filters between brain and mouth because I managed to promise Caledon I’d read it while fucking him hard enough for the book to fall off the shelves.”

Seldon stared at Daniel who just kept eating like he hadn’t just given the résumé of something Seldon would have loved to watch never mind participate in. His dick stood hard and hungry, leaking a heavy bead of pre-cum at the images of Daniel riding Caledon amongst books dropping from everywhere.

He finally managed to push the thought aside enough to read the blurb, finding it to be an erotic fiction about an Incubus who fell in love with some guy at a bar.

“Caledon says it’s good.”

“I’ll read it, too, then. Haven’t read this one.”

“You guys all read Incubus smut stories?”

“Yeah,” Seldon said, grinning. “We’re a part of human’s fantasies. It’s fun.”

“I never had fantasies like that.”

“You thought we were a fucking rock band,” Seldon exclaimed, putting the book down. Daniel had just filled his mouth and put on an indignant expression and grunted around the mouthful. Seldon sent him a stern look before the boy would begin to speak with his mouth full. While Daniel finished his mouthful, Seldon read the first few lines of the book.

“I meant, I never had fantasies about being used sexually by supernatural beings.”

“Supernatural,” Seldon said, chuckling. “We’re a mutation. Green eyes are a mutation. So is hypertrichosis.”

“What’s that?”

“Werewolf-syndrome. Like serious body hair all over. Doesn’t make werewolves real enough to be things ripping out people’s hearts and eating them anymore than it makes us demons devouring human souls while making them do sinfully delicious acrobatics on the sheets at night.”

Daniel dropped his fork, laughing hard. Seldon loved the sound and chuckled.

“Oh God! That was probably the coolest rejection to supernatural things existing. But I still think we’re sexual vampires.” He made a hand gesture to make two fingers look like fangs.

“Vampires?”

“Yeah, you know, sucking something vital out of people.”

“Get done with those eggs and sit on the table here, and I’ll suck something vital out of you. Vital for me that is.” Seldon smiled theatrically.

“Oh, the sweet talk.” Daniel clasped his hands together and put them to his cheek while batting his eyes.

“You should hear my pillow talk.”

“Can’t wait. Guess that’ll be once I feed you a lot of semen so you’re all good to go all… sinfully and deliciously acrobatic on the sheets again.” Daniel wagged his brows and stuffed the last toast and eggs into his mouth.

Blossoming Changeling? This one had to be a thistle or some other fast-growing hard-to-kill weed. And thistles had beautiful flowers. Seldon certainly wasn’t complaining.

Daniel cleared his place and dried his mouth on a paper towel, discarding it in the trash before turning to face Seldon, still with the apron on. He reached behind to undo the loop, smiling broader as Seldon’s eyes raked over him. His cock twitched at the sight of something tenting the fabric of the apron.

“You’re a tease, you know that?”

“You love it,” Daniel whispered and lifted the apron by its strings to ease it up his thighs. Seldon caught himself dipping his head to get a sight of what was about to be revealed. “When you’re well again,” Daniel said and wiggled the fabric, “I want you to take me to the pillows again. You’re gonna be hungry by then.”

“Go on,” Seldon said, breathing heavier, his eyes shifting between Daniel’s and what he was almost revealing under the apron.

Daniel lifted the apron enough to reveal a hard-on pointing toward the ceiling, and when he tried to lower the apron the fabric got caught on his dick and just pooled on either side of it. He snickered and pulled the apron off, tossing it on the kitchen counter.

“So, would you like me served on the table?” Daniel scooted closer and between the chair and table to sit.

Seldon grabbed two handfuls of ass and pulled Daniel a bit closer, reaching out his tongue to tease the engorged head.

“Oh yeah,” Daniel whispered, letting his head fall back.

Now, this was breakfast. And the perfect time to show Daniel how sucking a cock could be an art form. “Lay back, cub.”

Daniel half-turned to check he wouldn’t knock anything over and moved the cups and thermos before lowering himself to sprawl. Seldon spread Daniel’s legs and pulled him closer before lavishing the boy’s balls with attention until he had him moaning and writhing on the table. He slowly stroked the rigid length, tongue massaging, lips gently sucking, taking his time to drive the boy out of his mind.

By the sounds of it, it worked because Daniel’s breathing grew labored and he was fisting his own hair. The sight of spasms running through abs and the twitches in limbs sent spurts of energy to Seldon’s spine, and he groaned against Daniel.

“Oh fuck, please…more…oh God, that’s so good.” Daniel was breathing heavily. Seldon pointed Daniel’s cock up and took it in to the root, relaxing his gag reflex to force the length down his throat. Daniel cried out and jerked, beginning a long string of incoherent moaned words as Seldon bobbed his head to stimulate the glans against the soft tissue in his throat.

Seldon’s arousal rose steeply, and he was pretty sure he could suck the dose from the boy, so he pulled back and teased the slit with his tongue before he elongated it and slithered it down the boy’s urethra and released a dose.

Daniel cried out again as the warmth spread through him, and Seldon drew back to suck and plunge his mouth down on the straining cock now leaking copious amounts of pre-cum. Oh, the feel of Daniel, the taste of him, and the sounds he made set Seldon’s lust on fire, and he wished he had the ability to just get up from the chair and fuck the boy through several orgasms right there on the dining table.

As it was, he let go of Daniel with one hand to stroke himself while continuing to fuck Daniel with his mouth.

“Oh God, that felt like a dose. I’m so fucking horny, your mouth feels so good,” Daniel whimpered and writhed. Seldon groaned around the cock in his mouth and sucked harder, but he had no way of keeping his own orgasm in check, and he jerked as he came and grunted around Daniel.

Seconds later, Daniel went rigid on the table and fed Seldon a good portion of semen. Seldon leisurely licked the spent and softening dick, enjoying the feeling of the prickly aftermath energy settling at his spine and trickling down to be absorbed.

“You fed me,” Daniel said and sighed in content.

“Yeah, I got so aroused I was pretty sure I could suck the dose out of you.”

Daniel snickered, probably at the choice of words. “You certainly sucked something out.” The boy sat up, grinning.

“Got a clean-up issue here,” Seldon said and held up his hand covered in spunk. Daniel took his hand and licked at the thick, white ropes, looking at Seldon as he did. Oh, damn if that didn’t make his dick harden fully again.

“You taste so good,” Daniel said and sucked Seldon’s thumb into his mouth. “Never thought it would taste this good.” The sight of Daniel’s playful eyes and tongue moving between and up his fingers had Seldon pant. “Hmm, and now you’re all hungry again.”

“Damn you,” Seldon whispered.

Daniel scooted off the table and leaned in for a tender kiss on the lips. “Can you stand and lean against the kitchen counter? It’s the height of your ass.”

“Why?” Seldon asked, smiling against Daniel’s lips.

“So I can taste you some more,” Daniel whispered and licked across his lips, making Seldon’s breath catch.

Seldon growled and got up, slowly, trying out the kitchen counter’s height. The boy was right—he could stand somewhat comfortably there.

“Comfy?”

Seldon nodded, and Daniel kissed down his chest, flicking a tongue over a nipple. “If I get ready to cum, I’m going to dose you again. You being a verse you can feed from it.”

“Oh, I’m gonna be so full today,” Daniel purred as he slipped to his knees and closed his hand around Seldon’s erection. Starting at the balls, Daniel licked up the rigid length slowly, opening his eyes to look up at Seldon when his tongue reached the tip.

“Oh jeez, you’re getting good at that.”

Daniel smiled and licked slowly again, reaching up to fondle the sack with his other hand. Seldon groaned, and his eyes rolled up in his head as Daniel slid his lips around the glans and swirled his tongue.

“Yeah, gentle like that and draw it out,” Seldon whispered. And Daniel definitely continued to draw it out. Seldon kept his eyes on the newborn as he explored Seldon and this new thing. Skills and experience certainly made sex better but the way Daniel sometimes looked up at him under dark lashes, even without makeup on, had Seldon’s arousal spike. Daniel drew back slowly, his cheeks hollow and creating a delicious suction.

“Oh God, boy.”

Daniel groaned and drove down hard, making Seldon buck and strain enough to hurt his back which made him wince.

Daniel popped the dick out of his mouth loudly. “You okay?”

“Yeah, just…the part about being still is difficult.”

“Sorry. Want me to stop?”

“No,” Seldon said, smiling and shaking his head. Daniel grinned triumphantly and took Seldon in, slowly. It was sweet fucking torture. Seldon tried to find a way to stand so he wouldn’t tense too much in his back, and he spread his legs to find a better balance.

Movement out the corner of his eye showed Rosadin entering and turning on her heels to leave again. He hadn’t known she had stayed another night.

A rogue finger got Seldon’s attention as Daniel slipped it behind his balls. The boy had better not try to slip that one in dry, but the pressure spot he found felt quite good. Focusing on standing still let Seldon focus entirely too much on what Daniel was doing and once again pleasure built fast.

“I’m going to dose you.”

Daniel mumbled a consenting sound around the dick in his mouth, and Seldon focused on only releasing the dose, groaning from the warm pleasure spreading with its release. Daniel groaned loudly and tightened his grip a bit around the base of Seldon’s cock while he sucked harder. Then he pulled back abruptly, let a huge glob of saliva land on the fingers he’d toyed behind Seldon’s balls with, and reintroduced them to that spot, going just a bit further and sliding one in.

Seldon groaned again and fought to keep his body still at the invasion. The boy had topped him more than once, so it was difficult to tell him that his ass was now off limits. Especially when dosed. And he kind of liked it.

Daniel sucked enthusiastically and dug that finger around like he was looking for something, and he definitely grazed that something once in a while. And he found it. Focusing on standing still became difficult, and Seldon had to release the counter with at least one hand to run his fingers through Daniel’s hair.

A loud moan tore from him, and his legs shook from trying to stand still, but his body took over and set a slow thrust into Daniel’s mouth. From then it didn’t take long before Seldon lost it and roared his orgasm into the kitchen.

Coming to after the orgasm, he had apparently stayed still enough to not rip something open. Daniel withdrew his finger and looked up, still looking horny and slightly desperate.

“Didn’t come?”

“I’m so close,” Daniel muttered. Seldon went to sit on the chair again, guiding Daniel to stand in front of him so he could suck him to a second orgasm. And he really was close. Seldon had barely sucked three or four times before Daniel grabbed his head, held it still, and shuddered against him as he shot his load down Seldon’s throat.

Full, satiated, and depleted from moving around, Seldon felt exhausted.

“Damn,” Daniel sighed, brushing Seldon’s cheeks with his thumbs.

“I’m ready for my bed again.”

“I could do an hour horizontally again, too.”

“Bring your books,” Seldon said and got up.

“Good idea. I’ll just clear the kitchen.”

Seldon stopped and watched Daniel move swiftly around the kitchen. “You’ve gotten pretty good at that.”

Daniel flashed him a brilliant smile. “Do you want coffee in bed? I can bring it?”

“You guys done?”

Rosadin. Seldon had completely forgotten she walked in on them feeding. He really was tired if he could forget his daughter was in the house.

“Yeah, and I’m completely full, so I thought I’d go to sleep again.”

“Oh, I don’t blame you. Go sleep so you can get well,” Rosadin said and hugged him awkwardly to not touch his back. Seldon relished being able to hold her.

“So…no coffee,” Daniel said. “I should read that book of Caledon’s.”

Seldon felt proud that the boy prioritized study time. “Can I borrow the smut?”

“Sure.”

Seldon picked it up, kissed Rosadin on the forehead, and padded off to bed.

Chapter Fifteen

Daniel found a second cup for Rosadin who was about to turn the chair Seldon had sat on.

“You didn’t get it all,” she said. Daniel snorted and wetted a few pieces of paper towel to clean it up while Rosadin found another chair to sit on.

“I’m gonna have to go find someone to feed on soon,” Rosadin said.

“How often do you feed?”

“Three to five times a day.”

“And you don’t have regulars? Where do you go?”

“To the stables. They have a herd for us.”

“Herd. Still can’t get over the terminology.”

“Well, not all of us are lucky enough to have a Sire and a Lord feed us daily. Your eyes should evolve long before anyone else’s with the amount of energy you get. I only get dosed once a week if I’m lucky.”

“Do you have a regular doser then?”

“No. For me, it’s going to the floor of Mistresses and Ladies who feed on women and hope to get picked.”

“Oh,” Daniel said, glancing at the book he was to read.

“You can read that while I’m gone and when I get back you can ask questions if anything arises while you read.”

“Thanks.”

“I’m gonna go because I need to feed more than I need to eat.” Rosadin got up and left, leaving Daniel with the book. He’d better get his homework and sit on the couch so Seldon could get some rest.

Seldon was already asleep when Daniel tiptoed into the bedroom. The sight made him smile, and he was happy Seldon found the peace to relax. Looking at Seldon’s back, he saw that some of the scabs were loosening and only red and irritated skin was underneath. No longer open. It was obvious that others were still covering open wounds and he had definitely exerted himself while feeding Daniel. It made him sad, but Seldon had been hungry, too, and had to feed.

Daniel dressed in loose fitting clothes, found what he needed, and went back to the den. Bringing juice to the coffee table, Daniel debated whether he dared go into Seldon’s office to find a pad and a pen. He figured he’d be allowed to since these were studies Lord Caledon had ordered him to do, so he figured it to be a good reason to go in there. He’d just tell Seldon before the big guy noticed for himself.

How much time passed with reading, taking notes, and trying to answer the questions he had put down while sitting with Caledon in his office, Daniel didn’t know. But at some point, the Lord stepped through the front door, smiling.

“Hi, Caledon.”

“Hi. Have you checked the door lately?”

The vandalisms, Daniel remembered and got up. Because no, he hadn’t thought of it that day. “Is it bad?”

“I’d guess more than one person has been by.”

Daniel groaned and went to the kitchen for a trash bag, a roll of paper towels, and a wet cloth. Caledon was still standing in the hallway by the front door when Daniel made it there. A mix of different food ingredients hit his nose, and he winced. “At least it’s only food.”

“Those are the rules. Nothing permanent.”

“Thank God,” Daniel said and cleaned off the door. Caledon stood patiently and waited until Daniel was about halfway through the huge amount of muck.

“Have you looked at your essay?”

“Yeah, I was working on it when you arrived. It’s a slow read because I keep taking notes.”

“Really?” Caledon looked positively surprised. “Maybe you’re a bit a nerd after all.”

“Ha ha,” Daniel stated but grinned at the Lord. “The notes are for the essay. I’m not just taking notes to keep in a binder to never be looked at again.”

“Did you know that we remember through our fingers? That when we put it down on paper it triggers a memory? Not to be mistaken for when typing it into a computer.”

“Cubi?” Daniel asked, stuffing the used paper towels into the plastic bag and pulling off more sheets.

“No, humans, too. We’re human other than the glands and ability to camouflage and smell feelings and stuff.”

“How does that work? The camouflage thing I mean.”

“A question for another essay, I think.” Caledon smiled, crossing his arms across his chest.

“It’s already way longer than any essay I’ve ever written.”

“And how long is that?” Caledon teased.

Daniel laughed. “Two pages, and that’s now two out of eleven questions almost answered.”

“Oh dear. Okay, the camouflaging is us sending out a hormone that confuses senses. It actually shuts down the human’s ability to see this hormone, and while we’re emitting it, we’re covered. You can’t just go poof, invisible in front of them, but shimmery if they’re staring right at you. We usually do it in peripheral vision.”

“And when you just step out of nothing?”

“We stop emitting the hormone but emit a counter hormone for a brief time.”

“So, I can hide from Seldon?” Daniel could see the fun in that, but Caledon’s shaking of his head took the fun out of those ideas.

“I can, you can’t, just like he can’t hide from me.”

“Ah, the strength of the gland thing.”

“Yes, and that means?”

“The more powerful we are, the stronger hormones we can emit.”

“Very good.”

Daniel smiled and wiped down the door, having to rinse the cloth twice in the kitchen before he was done. Caledon moved to the den the first time Daniel made the trip to the kitchen, and he was looking over Daniel’s notes when Daniel returned from the task at the front door.

“This looks promising.”

“Thanks. It’s cool to study a subject I actually find interesting,” Daniel said and was about to sit when Seldon’s voice rang in his head, reminding him of hospitality. “Sorry, would you like something?”

“No, thank you, Daniel. I came by to see if you’re hungry. Where’s Seldon?”

Daniel grinned. “He’s sleeping. Apparently, I wore him out.”

Caledon looked worried. “He okay?”

“Yeah, just…he made it to the kitchen table to sit and have a cup of coffee and apparently, that’s the perfect height for blowjobs.”

“You got three blowjobs?”

“No, two, but I also gave him one. But I shouldn’t be hungry already, should I?”

“Are you?”

“It tingles.” Daniel looked at the clock, counting the hours. It was only around noon, and they had slept in. “Is there a difference in how much energy we can get from the different sexual acts?”

Caledon glanced at the book.

“Or I could look it up,” Daniel said and picked up the book.

“No, no, we can talk, too.” Caledon put his hand on the book to make Daniel put it down on the table again. “Yes, there are differences. The energy comes through both sexual stimulation but mostly through the bodily fluids emitted through sex organs during sex. All this is mating and produced by the body for this single purpose. Saliva isn’t.”

“Oh. So, it’s primarily semen that keeps me full right now.” And Daniel had never thought he’d say that. The thought of what he’d become and how he lived made him snicker.

Caledon glanced at him with an amused and curious expression.

“It’s nothing, I’m just still a bit confused at what I’m becoming even though I mostly manage to push it out of my head and just feed. That it’s just you two is a huge help, I’m sure.”

Caledon cocked his head, studying Daniel. Then he smiled. “I’m pretty surprised at how far you’ve come. How well you’re adapting.”

“I’m glad to hear it.”

“And yeah, that it’s just two you know is probably a huge help. But that won’t always be the case. You do know that, right?”

“I do. I’ll just enjoy it while it lasts.”

“Just so you know. I knew I had to come here and help you feed, so I haven’t fed today.”

“So you’re hungry?” Daniel asked, hoping for a yes because sex was so much hotter when the older Incubi were hungry. Made him feel much more attractive.

Caledon nodded, and Daniel got up to straddle Caledon on the couch.

“Better do something about that.”

“God, you’re receptive,” Caledon sighed and grabbed Daniel’s ass. Grinding against Caledon, Daniel found the Lord’s cock already rising to the occasion.

“That’s because I know you like this,” Daniel whispered, nibbling at a full earlobe. Caledon breathed heavier, and Daniel set on his quest to coax moans from him. The first attempt was to run his tongue along the shell of Caledon’s ear. Nope, just more heavy breathing. Daniel ran his hands up Caledon’s chest, finding a nipple to tease through the fabric. A smile spread on his face when the Lord jerked, and a small groan escaped him.

Daniel sat up fully to look at Caledon. “I’ve never sucked your cock, have I?”

Caledon sputtered laughter. “You have, once, dosed on my desk.”

“Oh.” Daniel looked off in wonderment, trying to remember. But those doses had him so far out of his mind he couldn’t remember any details. It all blurred together in a fog of pleasure, desperation, and tingly skin. “I should try again without a dose because I don’t remember it.”

A sneaky smile had spread on Caledon’s face before he nodded. “Yeah, exploring yourself would be good.”

“Uh-huh. I’m actually sorry I don’t have a tongue like you guys. That could be fun,” Daniel said as he backed off Caledon’s lap, his eyes falling on the cock straining to escape the confinements of the pants. Caledon unbuttoned them and lifted his ass to scoot his pants down, making the rigid length spring forward.

“Yeah, that could be fun. Get naked, too.”

Daniel grinned and pulled off his shirt, waiting for Caledon to do the same. The Lord finally got out of his shirt while Daniel tugged the pants the rest of the way off Caledon’s long legs and then made short work of his own. He then pushed Caledon to lie on the couch and crawled between his legs, stretching out on top of him for a kiss. Caledon returned it greedily, and Daniel smiled to himself at the hunger he felt rising in his partner. He loved this game. It turned him on so much, and he felt his own dick rise to meet the feel of Caledon’s rock hard cock, sliding against his stomach.

Oh man, kissing was his new favorite activity. He loved the fucking, especially when not dosed, but just kissing was so sensual. He wondered if the change in focus was because he had to fuck to feed. Seldon’s fantasy of being seduced made sense somehow.

A shiver ran through Caledon, and he moaned loudly into Daniel’s mouth. “Oh fuck, feed me more, I need more.” Caledon drew Daniel in closer and forced his tongue in for a kiss of pure hunger. It set Daniel on fire, and he thrust against Caledon, making him grunt and rut in return.

Pulling away from the kiss, Daniel smiled at the expression on the Lord’s face. Oh, yeah, he was hungry, and Daniel felt desired. He kissed his way down the writhing body beneath him, giving attention to a nipple and every ab muscle as he made his way south to follow the trail of dark hair to a jutting and dripping cock. Spreading Caledon’s legs a bit, Daniel licked from behind the balls to the tip of the cock, enjoying the whimper and shiver his tongue caused. He found he absolutely loved manipulating hunger like that. He also found he really liked the taste and musky earthy scent of Caledon’s groin. Seldon smelled different, more like a forest, and he loved that scent, too. Having been rimmed himself, he figured it was as good a time as any to try it. If Caledon was a fan, he’d soon find out.

Dipping low again, Daniel summoned up the courage to stick his tongue in another man’s ass. Caledon released a shuddering groan and pulled his legs back, opening himself up completely to Daniel. Oh, the sight was exquisite—the vulnerability a complete turn-on. He dove in more eagerly to coax more sexy noises from Caledon.

“Oh, shit. Feels like you’re trying to get me ready to be topped,” Caledon said between hoarse breaths.

“Would you like that?” Daniel asked, tonguing the pucker again while grabbing the Lord’s cock to stroke slowly.

Caledon laughed and then groaned again. “Maybe one day. Today, I’m all caught up with the fantasy my naughty little muse inspired in the library. The sight of your delicious ass bouncing on my cock.”

An image formed in Daniel’s head and his own hunger stirred, spreading like wildfire across his skin. He certainly liked that fantasy, so he moved his attention to Caledon’s balls, sucking and licking, taking one into his mouth to massage gently with his tongue.

“Oh fuck, you’re getting good at that.”

Daniel didn’t respond, he just continued the attention on his goal to make Caledon groan and writhe more. He spread the attention of his tongue to include shaft and glans. The prickly sensation on his body moved to his spine faster and intensified before rushing toward his ass. Yeah, his hunger was definitely spiking, too, and he wanted to take the top off before getting dosed. With that came the thoughts on how he wanted to be dosed. And being in full control of himself when being with someone was necessary to drive them crazy.

He noticed that the rush of energy to his spine changed and got strongest when his partner liked it the most. It helped Daniel explore, and he sucked and fondled, made the vacuum as Seldon had taught him, ran the soft underside of his tongue over the sensitive glans, pressed his tongue against the thick vein, and tried taking Caledon’s long and thick cock down his throat without gagging.

Every time energy rushed to his spine, he slowed down. At one point, it felt like he was teetering on the verge of orgasm, and he held it just shy of that point.

“Oh, for fuck sake, stop edging me, it’s fucking torture!” Caledon roared, grabbing fistfuls of his hair, writhing and whimpering.

That turned Daniel on so much he felt his balls draw up, and he swallowed Caledon’s cock whole and bobbed his head. Caledon went rigid and cried out, pumping his semen down Daniel’s throat. Daniel swallowed to keep up, making Caledon jerk and flail his arms to grab onto the backrest of the couch and Daniel’s shoulder.

Daniel finally pulled back, licking gently and enjoying the quaking and panting body under him.

“Holy fucking hell,” Caledon managed.

“You look so happy with your accomplishment.”

Daniel looked up to find Seldon standing in the doorway, smiling.

“Oh, I am,” Daniel said, looking at the Lord who barely looked like he wanted to crack open an eye to see what was going on.

“Cub learned to edge, that’s for sure.”

Seldon grinned and came closer, his dick standing hard and hungry. “How did you figure that out, Daniel?”

“The prickling on my skin changes.”

Caledon looked up at that with a puzzled expression. “I didn’t dose you, right?”

“No, don’t think so.”

Caledon took a deep breath and sat up, stroking his still hard cock.

“I’m still hungry, just so you know.”

“Yeah, so am I. And you had a fantasy for us to try out.”

Caledon grinned and got up. “Got the lube?”

“No.” Daniel thought where he could find that.

“In the drawer under the table,” Seldon said walking to the kitchen. He returned with a chair from the dining table to sit on. Apparently, he planned on watching. Daniel didn’t mind, hoping he’d soon be able to participate more than he had the last few days.

Daniel found the lube and squeezed a dollop onto Caledon’s outstretched hand.

“Turn around and lean over the back of the couch.”

Daniel did and spread his legs.

“Care to tell me a bit more about that fantasy of yours while you get me ready for you?” Daniel asked.

“Oh, it’s a pretty rough sketch. From this position, I’m going to penetrate you, and you and that delicious ass will do the work. And I’ll enjoy the view.”

Daniel snickered, letting his head fall forward to lean on his arms. Warm and slick fingers pressed in, and he groaned, thankful that Caledon had taken the time to warm the lube. The slow stretch felt good, and Daniel needed the friction even though he had just spent a load all over the edge of the couch and floor from making Caledon come so hard.

“Ah, man,” Seldon muttered, sounding disappointed that he wasn’t physically up for joining them.

“You’ll be better soon,” Caledon said. “Do you want to join efforts sometime? I’m pretty sure this cub would love it.”

“Hell yeah,” Daniel said and groaned as Caledon stroked his prostate with a finger.

“I absolutely want that,” Seldon said. Daniel turned his head to see his expression and Seldon smiled.

Caledon pulled his fingers out and aligned his cock with Daniel’s opening, having him spread his legs a bit more before pushing in. Daniel groaned and held onto the backrest of the couch, letting Caledon work himself in. Taking a dick was not as big a problem as Daniel had feared it would be. Watching Seldon feed on the breeders, when Daniel had still been an Untouchable, had made him think about it many times yet it was very different from what he had thought. It was fucking good.

“Oh, yeah,” Caledon purred. “Seldon, could you come stand here. You should see this.”

Seldon got up to stand near Daniel’s head, still with a hard-on, and looked at where Caledon and Daniel had joined. Daniel smiled and twerked his ass slowly, smiling at their responses. Caledon let out a long groan while Seldon made a noise of appreciation.

Daniel moved faster for selfish reasons—he wanted to feel more. Seldon’s cock was within reach, so he grabbed it with a hand and stroked slowly. Seldon grunted and stepped closer, and Daniel opened his mouth to urge him closer still. He did, and Daniel hungrily took him in his mouth while steadying himself on the backrest of the couch to bounce his ass like Caledon’s rough sketch of a fantasy detailed.

Both men moaned loudly, and Daniel loved the feel of Seldon’s hands, gently running through his hair as he sucked him. He wasn’t forcing him to take him in deep, which he was pretty sure would ruin the fun.

Caledon moaned and gripped Daniel’s hips tight to grind his hips. “Oh God, think it’s time to dose him,” he panted.

“Yeah,” Seldon croaked, and shortly after Daniel’s ass burned from the dose. Then his mouth. The mind-numbing hunger took over, and Daniel cried out in need, writhing to move his ass for friction before he grabbed hold around Seldon and pulled him closer to suck him off again. Seldon cried out and grabbed his arms tightly, but Daniel didn’t register thoughts anymore.

“Jesus, you dosed him, too?” Caledon asked.

“Yeah.”

Caledon laughed and set a pace of deep and hard thrusts. Pleasure built fast as Caledon adjusted his angle. Daniel focused on tightening his ass and sucking hard. His second orgasm since Caledon arrived rolled over him and he grunted around Seldon’s thick meat in his mouth. Caledon didn’t slow down, and Daniel bucked back to meet the onslaught, desperate for more and desperate to come again.

“Oh, fuck yeah,” Seldon growled and grabbed a fistful of Daniel’s hair before spurting thick ropes of cum into his mouth. Daniel swallowed and groaned, not willing to let go because he was still itching from the dose.

Caledon grabbed Daniel’s hips tighter—hard enough to cause pain, but at that point, it was welcome because Daniel needed to feel more as another orgasm rose. Seldon pulled away, panting, and Daniel focused solely on the dick in his ass.

“Oh yeah, fuck that ass,” he screamed and found Caledon’s rhythm to help impale himself.

“Oh no, you’ll feed Seldon, too,” Caledon said, pulled out, and flipped Daniel around. He landed on his back, panting and moaning.

“Okay, just fuck me, please.”

Caledon moved between Daniel’s legs and hoisted each leg over his shoulders before pushing back in. He then picked up the same brutal pace as before, and the position had Daniel in fits on the couch. Their moans rose to match that of the slapping of skin before every sensation on Daniel’s skin rushed to his balls and ass, and he convulsed in orgasm, feeling Caledon go rigid.

“There you go, Seldon,” Caledon managed between breaths. Daniel grinned, feeling satiated and full.

“Can’t bend that far.”

Daniel looked up, finding Seldon sitting backward on the chair again, so he scrambled to his feet and walked to him on shaky legs so Seldon could lick off the semen. He did, slowly, savoring it, and Daniel loved the gentle attention.

Seldon finally looked up, smiling. “Thanks, cub. But you dosed and near my back was a bad idea.”

“What did I do?” Daniel asked, trying to remember. He then remembered Seldon grabbing his arms.

“Not your fault, you just grabbed me like I was taking away your favorite toy or something.”

Daniel mock gasped. “For all I know under a dose, you could have been.”

Caledon snorted and came around Seldon, half-dressed. He crouched down to look at Seldon’s back. “You’re healing nicely. Scabs are falling off easily in several places.”

“Yeah, should be up tomorrow,” Seldon said and got up. “I’ll go put some pants on.”

“Why?”

“So we can have coffee with Rosadin.”

“She’s out feeding,” Daniel said.

Both Cubi laughed loudly.

“With two doses in his system, no wonder he didn’t hear her come in,” Caledon said, snatching his shirt from the floor.

Chapter Sixteen

Seldon relaxed on the couch, enjoying the fact that he had healed enough to lie on his back and not his stomach. He had also healed enough to fuck Daniel to three orgasms in the bathroom that morning.

His thoughts returned to the feeding the day before where Caledon and Seldon had both fed and fed on Daniel at the same time. Remembering that he had thought Caledon asked him to dose but dosed Daniel, too, made him chuckle. Rosadin coming home and rolling her eyes at them as she made her way to the kitchen saying something about lunch. He wondered how long she was planning on staying. Not that he minded, and he loved the healthy banter between her and Daniel.

Before Caledon left the night before, having fed on Daniel again, he aired his thoughts about Seldon being ready to feed the boy himself. Seldon agreed with a small sense of relief. Why did he feel that way? He never had before when it came to someone, but he felt protective of Daniel. Was it because he had failed him? Was that what caused the innate need to keep him safe, satiated, and happy? Was it because he feared not taking care of the boy adequately?

“I think I’ll be done with this essay in a matter of days,” Daniel said, looking up from his homework. He sat further down the crescent couch, working on his assignment. Seldon was proud of the work the boy had put into the essay to Caledon the last few days, but it also reminded him of something else.

“Come and help haul my ass up, I need to show you something.”

Daniel grinned and left his pen and book to grab Seldon’s arms and help him up. His back might have healed and all scabs fallen off, but moving the new skin could still sting like a motherfucker. Daniel had run around with a broom three times a day to sweep the floor from scabs, and Seldon loved him for being tidier. There was still the odd little thing about dirty mugs being left on the table, but Seldon had decided to dial it down since Daniel wasn’t a slave anymore, and the boy was actually doing good.

Seldon took Daniel to the second bedroom he had shown him the day he had arrived. At that moment, it functioned as Rosadin’s bedroom, but at some point, she’d go home. And Daniel needed a study for when he began school.

“I once told you you’d get your own room when you earned my trust.”

Daniel gaped. “You’re kicking me out of the bed?”

“No, cub, I’m not. But you need a study, right? Plus, maybe sometimes you want to be alone or something. The bed stays because it doubles as a guest room, but other than that, it’s yours. You have almost no belongings, but that will change. Clothes, you can still use the walk-in. You can help me clear some room. Probably enough to just restack most of mine.”

Daniel walked in and looked around with more interest than the last time he had seen the room. The smile on his face warmed Seldon.

“When do you think Lord Caledon will get that computer for me?”

“Before you start school. He usually comes through pretty fast when he promises something. A week or so. He did say it wouldn’t have internet access, right?”

“Yeah.”

“If you need it, you can come to me, and I will be monitoring what you look up.”

Daniel didn’t look too happy about that. “What if I wanna look up porn?”

Seldon grinned. “Oh, we can watch that together, too.”

“I was joking.”

Seldon had guessed as much. “It’s not me trying to be a dick here, it’s the rules. No Changeling is allowed to use the internet unsupervised for ten years. Means no Facebook and stuff.”

“Do you have a profile?”

“Yes, I do. Not under my real name, of course, but that’s how I stay in contact with my kids when they’re out in the big world.”

“I just miss some of the fun stuff there.”

“No games.”

“No, no, just…you know, videos, memes, stuff like that.”

Seldon nodded, knowing exactly what he meant. Those were the things he enjoyed about Facebook, too. He never got the hang of any of the other social medias, though.

“Thank you. And thank you for the study.” Daniel looked around the room. “I might need some stuff.”

“Just tell me, and I’ll help you get it.”

“Stuff like…school stuff.”

“I’ve got plenty in the office. And you already informed me that you know where to find it in there. Just let me know when you take something so I can order more and not run out when I need it.”

Daniel nodded, smiling, before his brows knitted in contemplation. “When do you go back to work? I mean, the whole house arrest thing and all.”

“I’m at work when they need me. But only phone calls and paperwork. Unless Lord Caledon tells me to leave the house. Then I’ll be escorted to and fro, and I’ll be wearing that fucking shirt.”

“I washed it,” Daniel said, looking as sour at the thing as Seldon felt.

“Thanks. You’ve been a good help these past few days.”

Daniel beamed. “Is your back well enough to play pool? Or would all that bending over hurt?”

“Bending over, huh?” Seldon asked, grinning. Daniel looked unimpressed, but he couldn’t keep a straight enough face. “Let’s try. We can at least have a few games before dinner. If I’m able.” Seldon turned and led them up the stairs.

“And if you’re not?”

“Well, I’d play some flute—”

“Meat flute?”

Seldon stopped by the pool table and turned to look at the smirking boy. “You hungry again?”

“Not yet, no.”

“Then rack the balls.”

Daniel wiggled his brows, making Seldon snort. “Hey, you started the sexual innuendo. I’m just learning from the best.”

“The best?” Seldon barked laughter. “I’m far from the best. There’s this guy in the stables who can turn just about anything into something sexual.”

“Like?” Daniel asked and knelt to fish out the balls and place them in the triangle on the table.

“Like…I don’t remember the wordings, but he was a mechanic before we collected him, and he made every car name into an acronym for something dirty. I laughed so hard I pissed myself.”

“Really?” Daniel looked up.

“Really. I’ll introduce you sometime.”

“He a breeder?”

“No, Changeling. He’s part of the cleaning crew who works the stables.”

Daniel got up and placed the balls before finding himself a cue. Seldon picked his favorite which had duct tape on the handle. Not to mark it but because the rubber thingy at the end had fallen off. It shot true, and no one was allowed to play with it.

“Wanna break?”

“No, you better do that,” Seldon said, figuring the extra force could be a nuisance to his back. Daniel just nodded and went to the end of the table, looking a bit more secure with the cue in his hand than he had the first few times. The break still sucked but the balls somewhat scattered. And one went in. “Good.”

“Stripes,” Daniel muttered with a small smile of satisfaction. The next one missed by millimeters. Seldon tentatively leaned over the table, feeling the sting as the skin stretched. He found a way to stand, but it didn’t allow him to aim very well. At least he and the boy would be more equal. Missing the shot by an inch proved it, and he noticed Daniel glancing at him, gnawing on his lower lip.

“We’ll stop in time if it hurts me,” Seldon said, seeing relief ease the creases on Daniel’s young face.

“So…tonight is movie night? Now that you can sit on a couch again?”

“That’s a possibility,” Seldon said, leaning against the table to watch as Daniel pocketed another ball. “Or we could read that naughty Incubus book to each other.”

Daniel gaped at him. “You mean read out loud?” Daniel made the shot and missed.

“Yeah.”

“I suck at that.”

“Practice makes perfect. And you suck well.” Seldon lined up a shot that his stiff skin didn’t prohibit him from aiming. It went in, clean. “Plus, you’ve got about a thousand years to practice.”

Daniel snapped his head up, and it was obvious that the prolonged lifespan of a Cubus hadn’t made it into the boy’s contemplations about what the changes in him meant. As it sank in, his eyes went wide, and it looked like he mouthed the amount as if repeating it to himself just to make sure.

“Hadn’t thought of that,” he finally said, looking like this was actually the most difficult difference to swallow. Then again, Seldon hadn’t been around after the first dose and classification, so he had no idea how Daniel had reacted then.

“Let’s grab a drink. You look like you could use one.”

“No, no, I’m okay,” Daniel said and lined up for a shot. Seldon chose not to tell him it wasn’t his turn, because at least the boy focused on something, meaning he wasn’t going into shock or anything. He shot, missed, and stood up, wringing the cue. “I’m gonna be nineteen for a thousand years?”

“You might age a few years still, but you’ll probably always look young because of the early change. You can age through hunger, but it’s uncontrollable and irreversible. It could be fifty years packed on or just five. So yeah. That’s why it’s so serious.”

“I remember you explaining how times can change. But a thousand years…” Daniel shook his head. “Just…surprised at actually hearing the number, I guess. And I’ve had so much to think about that this actually completely slipped my mind.”

“I gathered.”

“What was…what was time like when you changed?”

“It was in Europe. Greece. Come sit, I need a drink for this. You want a soda?”

“Yeah, thanks.”

Seldon went behind the bar to pour himself a scotch and find a soda for Daniel. Luckily, the boy had kept the bar stocked so Seldon wouldn’t have to reach too far down for it. They sat on the couch in front of the bar, and Seldon gently leaned back until comfortable before throwing his feet up. He thought back to the time Daniel had asked about.

“It was a different society back then. We’ve been around since before the current timeline. Cubi has a different timeline than humans because we count from the first Queen. We’re way older, but she’s the marker in our timeline. We’re in the year twenty-three ninety-seven now.

“In those times, many human societies were under a matriarchal rule, and we were no different. Not in Greece at the time but where the first Cubi gathered. She ordered the Cubi to multiply, and we did with both Cubi and humans. They spread and Lords and Ladies were assigned areas of land where the humans knew nothing or little about us. Some details spilled over into human history, others were hidden well, but the idea of the Cubi is old because the mythos is of us. Not very close to home, but still,” Seldon said, sipping his drink.

Daniel sat with his legs pulled up underneath him, a curious expression turned to Seldon. He smiled at the boy, wondering why he hadn’t put makeup on that morning.

“I read a bit about what spilled over into human history and how it was corrupted by human religions making you…us demons. Do Cubi have a religion?”

Seldon chuckled. “Since there are so many Changelings? We’ve got everything. But I’m guessing you mean born Cubi, and yes, we do. We’re brought up to view the kings and Queens as something close to a god or goddess. We don’t pray to them, but we see their powers as godlike. The Royals always bring something new to the table and it reveals itself as they age and mature to rule. The first Queen was the first to be able to camouflage. Over the years, it spread to us. We don’t know how, but it’s theorized that it’s like a hive thing and that the ability passes with the dosing of lesser evolved Cubi. Royals actually empower all their people now because of it. She was the first royal, and she carried many Cubi, fathered by Incubi. All of them had the skill, just stronger than those getting it through fluids. And that’s how it spread. Only born Cubi can camouflage, Changelings can’t.”

“Like the tongue thing are only with pure breeds?”

“We don’t call it that. Not anymore, or at least not in this Great House of Dahlidin. But Halflings can camouflage and elongate their tongues, too. On with the story and you’ll know why we stopped calling ourselves pure breeds. When I was born, the Lords of Europe belonged to one of the Royals. You’re born into that monarchy, and you don’t leave unless the Royals decide you do. Even now. That’s why we don’t have a monarch. We were sent here to expand the Cubi Kingdom and await the birth of the next monarch. Changelings were slaves back in the day, even after their eyes turned. They were a breed of slaves and nothing more. This changed when we came here.”

“When did you?”

“Me or the Cubi?”

“Cubi.”

“With the Mayflower,” Seldon said, and sipped his drink. Daniel blinked. “Don’t tell me you don’t know enough of the American history to know that it was the ship that brought the first immigrants here from England in sixteen twenty.”

“I do now.”

“God, boy!” Seldon let his head fall back against the backrest for a second. “You need another trip to the library. Anyway, there was a lot of sickness on board and the seven Cubi almost starved into aging.”

“How did you explain the eye colors on the ship?”

“They were predominantly Minglers, which are born Cubi whose eyes haven’t changed yet. We call Changelings that, too, now. The one Lady sent here, Great Lady Dahlidin, brought a few Changelings as slaves too, and she played blind to cover her eyes the entire trip. Over the years more came here, including me about two hundred years ago. The Lady is now dead, died sixteen years ago, but this complex is named after her. She was the first Grand Lady of the First House, and sister to Nol-Elakdon, the King of North, who sent her here. Geodin is her daughter, and she accompanied her on the Mayflower.”

“Wow, it’s amazing that there’s so much history in one person.”

“Yeah, and you asked about my history. When I reached the age to be empowered, which is also at least twenty-two years of age, I was sent from Greece to Rome to serve under Lord Feladon. Bastard. Then again, the times were cruel, and he dished out punishments like there was no tomorrow. Never got his hands dirty himself, but he loved watching. He was pretty selfish when dosing, too, and since the dose is also how trades are inherited, every Lord has to dose everybody in their ranks. In those times, only purebloods.

“We did have a pureblood policy back then. It was to keep the bloodlines of the first Queen, Nil-Kardin, clean as all Lords and Ladies, purple-eyes, were pureblood and those of her were the strictest of all. It was considered an honor to be taken in by one of them to be empowered.

“We were traded upon maturing. Sent out of the House we grew up in to move in with a Lord or Lady someplace else. There we were empowered by the dose. The rite is called the Empowerment. It’s a weeklong orgy with the Lord and whoever of high energy he invites. I couldn’t walk for a week after, I was so fucking tired and sore. Luckily, I was classified a top, so I had an easier time feeding. Three of the others I was empowered with weren’t that lucky.” Seldon chuckled at the memory. It was easy now, but the binging on whatever body was near to satiate his desperate and constant need was not fun when it happened. Had Daniel not been dosed several times a day by Seldon, he would have been just as desperate to fuck everything.

“Are you of that line?”

“Nil-Kardin? Yes, I’m of royal descent and a pureblood, but it doesn’t mean anything now. Just that I’m stronger. Caledon is of her line, too. My surname is Echleo-Nil meaning fourth from Nil. Caledon is Udleo-Nil, second from her bloodline.”

“And your children’s names?”

“The mother or father with the name closest to Nil-Kardin gives the name to the child because it’s the blood that matters. So Rosadin and Talidon are Sekleo-Nil, fifth from Nil. Marcadon was counted from his mother who’s the daughter of a Grand Lady. He’s third from Nil.”

“Do you still talk to her?”

“Marcadon’s mother? Yeah, of course, I talk to all the mothers of my children.”

“Didn’t you say it took a hundred years for your eyes to change?”

“Yeah, so?”

“How often were you dosed?”

“Once a month. Feladon had a lot of us to feed. Three months is the max a Mingler should go without a dose. We get sick if we don’t get it. We can start to age, but not in a good way, so still, don’t get any ideas if you think you end up looking too young.”

“I won’t.”

“With the amount of doses you get from us, I’d be surprised if your eyes don’t change way sooner, and Changelings usually take a hundred years to gather that amount of strength.”

“Wow,” Daniel sat staring into empty space, lost in thought. “How do Changelings change other than eyes and dose?”

“Physical strength. When my back is better, you are going to join me in my gym. We are going to pack a bit more muscle onto your frame, but we also have to track your development through a few compound lifts. Deadlift, bench press, and weighted squat. Don’t know if you already know your max, but I tracked mine by lifting boulders.” Seldon chuckled when Daniel’s stomach growled angrily. “Think it’s time to put something in it?”

“I promised to wait for Rosadin.”

Seldon pulled out his phone to text her and find out when she’d be back. She replied shortly after that she had met a friend in the common area.

“Why did the pureblood thing stop?”

“Mainly because we came over here but the Thirty Year War had just broken out in Europe, and it was territorial. There were many aspects of the war in human history, but our King got caught up in a dispute, and we lost a lot of Cubi. Some were taken as…amusement for the rich and powerful. Others died fighting. So, we had to procreate. Until then, we had found that if the Changelings only bred with Changelings, it could thin out the Cubi line to a point where they didn’t really feed properly. We call them washed. It’s a bad translation, but it means diluted to a point where their system is cleaned out. So, washed.”

“And what happened to them?”

“If we fed on them, they’d either…holy shit, Daniel.” Seldon pulled out his phone and called Caledon.

“Don’t tell me you can’t keep up because I’m in an important meeting.”

“The breeder in quarantine. Is he a descendant of a washed? Is it a mutation?”

Silence had followed before Caledon spoke. “I’ll be there in a minute.”

Caledon hung up, and Seldon sat back.

“Daniel, you should go to the kitchen and see if you can get ideas for your dinner. Caledon and I need to talk alone when he gets here, and I need a minute to think this through.”

“Yes, Sire. Did I say something wrong?”

“No, cub, you didn’t.” Seldon smiled at the boy and reached up to caress his cheek, getting a brilliant smile in return.

“Okay then.” Daniel got up and left the pool room, leaving Seldon with his thoughts.

Caledon stormed in a few minutes later with a briefcase in one hand. He plopped down on the couch, looking eager. “Continue that thought and recap how the hell you came up with that.”

“I was telling Daniel about why and how the pureblood policy was removed. Why we started breeding outside the Nil-bloodlines. The Changelings would regress. Some would be impossible to feed on and immune to the doses.”

“Holy hell, why didn’t I think of that?”

“Because it’s just a small bit of unimportant history from a time where we didn’t even put things like that down as more than a nuisance to us. Before science. Before we knew of the dose and the glands and…could it be?”

Caledon pulled out his tablet and looked through it. “I have his blood work here.” He scrolled through the information with a troubled frown on his handsome face.

“Want a drink with that?”

“Yes, please.” Caledon didn’t even look up from his search.

Seldon gritted his teeth and stood with his own glass, pouring them both a two-finger Irish whiskey.

“I’m going to have them do new tests on both the breeder and the red-eye before he dies.”

“Dies?” Seldon exclaimed, almost stopping short on his way around the bar.

“Yeah. He’s lost almost forty pounds, and he can’t feed. We’ve tried a few things with the poison, and it has…you’re never to repeat this, but since you came up with this idea you should know. See if it sparks any more brilliance. The poison works almost like an antidote to the dose. We mixed some with a dose from me, and it only made the poison stronger.”

“Holy shit,” Seldon muttered and handed Caledon his drink before setting his own on the table so he could gingerly lower himself onto the couch.

“If this is the case, Seldon, we need to keep it absolutely under wraps and destroy all evidence. What do you think the human military would do if they knew there was a poison out there that could kill us? We’re almost impervious to every disease.”

“Oh, I see the problem, alright.”

Caledon’s tablet pinged, and he nodded. “They’re doing the new blood work now, finding the protein.”

“How do we know of the protein? I have to admit I don’t know a lot about biology and stuff. Not this level, anyway.”

“We collect blood from every breeder that comes in and follow the process of Changelings very closely. Changelings have a gene code in their DNA that allows for complex amino acids to form. Don’t ask me how, I’m not a biology geek, either, but this DNA is a gene that allows them to change. We found that they can create the protein that carries the dose and breaks it down to both feed them and cause the euphoria. In breeders, it’s not a protein that helps with the euphoria. This protein is only found in Cubi, but the predisposition definitely isn’t from the Washed since there have been Changelings since the times of Nil-Kardin.”

“Okay. And the poisonous breeder?”

“We’re a mutation. No reason to think he couldn’t be carrying a mutation of that gene. It could be from the Washed who were let go to fend for themselves in the early days. We simply don’t know, but your theory helps us narrow down a search. Finally.”

“Glad I can help.”

“You did good, Seldon. So, I’ll keep you in the loop with more info than that the red-eye probably isn’t going to make it. Maybe with identifying the protein,” Caledon mused and sipped his whiskey. “So, you were schooling the cub?”

“Yeah, it finally hit him that he was going to live for a thousand years or so. He asked about my life, and we got around to how we ended up over here without a monarch.”

Caledon smiled sitting back. Seldon had known him for too long to not know that the smile hid something. And he didn’t think it was satisfaction that Seldon took his role as caretaker for the Changeling seriously.

“Hi, Dad!” Rosadin yelled.

“Hi, baby girl!” Seldon went back to studying his Lord. “Are you going to tell me why you’re smiling like that?”

Caledon snorted and winked at him. “I’d better. When you told me that Daniel was a verse in giving and receiving blowjobs it made me think of how rare that is so early on. Therefore, I looked into it. When you told me he was a verse with Incubi in general, then his classification actually isn’t done.”

“What did I miss?”

“The Succubi. We’re going to test him to see if he can feed from or feed a Succubus, too.”

“Is that possible?”

“Very rarely, but yes, it’s possible. Lady Geodin will do it. Tonight. She’ll come here around eight so make sure the cub has bathed and stuff.”

“Yes, My Lord,” Seldon said, thinking of what he’d heard of the versatile. Rumors went rampant once in a while saying their energy was exquisite. Daniel’s certainly was, but Seldon questioned whether it was that or because he had developed protective feelings for the beautiful boy. That and that the beauty alone was enough to make Seldon hungry. Speaking of which, he’d be starving until the morning when Daniel could be hungry again.

“I need to move around a bit,” Caledon said. “I’ve been trapped by my desk all day. Do you want to go for a round of pool and brainstorm? Or did you stop the game because of your back?”

“No, we can play. I suck because I can’t aim right, but we can play.”

“So, I get to win for once?” Caledon laughed when Seldon smiled sardonically. “I’ll rack them,” Caledon said, emptied his glass, and got up.

Chapter Seventeen

Daniel and Rosadin had tried a new recipe in Seldon’s collection and it smelled heavenly. He just hoped it tasted better than it looked because it was chicken and cheese in a pan which had stood in the oven and looked mushy.

Seldon and Caledon were still in the pool room, and Daniel wondered what he’d said that had sparked whatever thought that was important enough to get Caledon to hasten over.

“Oh, by the way, I’m leaving the day after tomorrow with my team. Dad asked me to bring Heimli by to take some photos of you before that. You okay with that?”

“Yeah. I’ve come to terms with what I’m becoming.”

“I’m glad to hear that,” she said, smiling sincerely. “And Heimli and Chas are truly great guys. So a photo shoot?”

“You gonna do my makeup?” Daniel asked, hopefully.

“Of course, I am!” Rosadin hugged him, and Daniel felt great. “Let’s set the table.”

Seldon and Caledon came into the kitchen just as Daniel was about to place the plates.

“You get your wish tomorrow, Seldon. Rosadin says she and Heimli will come by to take the photos.”

“If your schedule is free. I’ll get back to you on that,” Caledon said, looking at Rosadin.

“Yes, My Lord.”

Daniel looked at Caledon, trying to guess what the Lord had planned for him. But he just smiled at Daniel and took a seat. So did Seldon, still turning the chair to sit backward on. Daniel got the juice from the fridge, and when he returned, Rosadin had placed the food on the table.

Seldon smiled and glanced at Daniel. “That looks like one of my recipes.”

“It is.”

“Enjoy.”

“Thanks,” Daniel and Rosadin said. She poured, and Daniel wondered why a stomach would stop growling while preparing food. He almost didn’t feel hungry anymore. For food that was. The tingle had settled around his neck.

A thought occurred to Daniel. “Oh, Caledon.”

“Uh-huh?” The Lord perked up.

“Seldon and I thought about reading the book out loud to each other.”

Caledon knitted his brows in confusion. “My book?”

“No, the one from the smut aisle.”

“Oh, that aisle.” Mischief danced in the Lord’s eyes.

“Yeah, that aisle. Where I managed to promise you, I’d read it.”

“Sounds fun. And the inspiration wasn’t for nothing. I’ll have a short story for you soon. You can read that to him, too.”

“And try it out, maybe?” Seldon asked.

“Yeah, once your house arrest is over.”

“Ah.” Seldon pouted. “Well, good to have something to look forward to.”

“I heard about an incident in the library when I was in the common area today,” Rosadin said, grinning.

“Jeez,” Caledon muttered, rolling his eyes. “What’s the gossip this time?”

“That Lord Caledon has a favorite Changeling.” Rosadin glanced at Daniel.

“We’re allowed, you know. Hell, Seldon is a favorite of mine, too. Why do you think he got a life sentence instead of a ghosting?”

Seldon smiled secretively and focused on fingering a mark on the table. Daniel, on the other hand, felt thoroughly grateful for Caledon and flashed the entire Colgate-smile.

“You wouldn’t have given others that sentence in those circumstances?” Rosadin asked surprised.

“I probably would, but I might have folded easier when the Grand House disagreed. I fought harder for Seldon. My favorite bossy bottom.”

Seldon snorted.

“Which reminds me,” Caledon said, turning his attention to Daniel. “Did you know that it is every Lord’s and Grand Lord’s duty to dose everyone in their House?”

“Yeah, Seldon said so when he told me of the Lord he was empowered by.”

“The cub listens,” Caledon said, looking happy. “I’ll still be your doser even now that Seldon can keep up again. But since you’re classified a versatile to Incubus we actually want to test you with a Succubus, too.”

Daniel noticed they had Rosadin’s full attention. “Why? Is that possible?”

“Yes, it is. And Geodin…you remember her from the trial?”

“Yeah, the Grand Lady who was asked to pass judgment at Seldon’s trial.”

“Exactly. She’d like to be the one. And before you say anything, that’s a huge honor shown you.”

“I liked her.”

“You attracted to her?”

“Well, like everyone else in this place, she’s gorgeous!” Daniel exclaimed.

“Why, thank you,” Rosadin said, grinning at him.

“No problem then. She’ll be here by eight.”

Eight? That had to mean they had already planned it, and he was just being told politely to fuck her. The fact that he’d be with a woman again struck him. He had that very morning, minutes before being bent over the sink in the bathroom and fucked silly by Seldon, thought about never being with a woman again. It hadn’t bothered him, but he still thought he’d miss the softness under his touch. He liked the rougher feel of male body hair under his hands, too, the ripples and hardness of solid muscles twitching. But the soft curves of a woman were different and held an equal appeal in the sheer contrast.

“Meaning that you should probably go make yourself presentable after dinner,” Seldon said. “More than that, show her you’re worth her attention. You remember who I told you she is?”

Daniel thought for a second, and finally, he put the name to the face. He hadn’t when Seldon had first told him of Dahlidin. “The Great Lady’s daughter.”

“Exactly,” Caledon said.

“Want me to do your makeup?” Rosadin asked.

“Please,” Daniel said, smiling at having her as a friend. He thought of how the meeting would go, and with that came the realization that the woman who came to classify him was a Succubus. Oh great, now he was nervous. A nineteen-year-old with almost no experience with women other than a few girls, and the woman was a Succubus who probably knew every trick in the book. Hell, she could have written the book on female pleasure for all he knew.

“Calm down, Daniel,” Caledon said, putting a hand on his shoulder.

“What if I can’t get it up?”

Well, apparently that question wasn’t one to ask at a table full of Cubi because all he got for it was a roaring of laughter and the clatter of cutlery as Rosadin dropped hers.

Caledon wiped a tear from his cheek, still chuckling as he put his arm around Daniel’s shoulder. “Trust me, my little cub, you’ll never have that problem.”

“Well, that’s nice to know.”

“At least not when hungry. You already know of the hunger-boner,” Seldon added.

“How does that work in women?” Daniel asked Rosadin who was scrambling under the table for her knife.

“We get all tingly and wet, of course,” she said and got up to get herself a clean knife, leaving the dirty one in the sink. “It’s like the fucking Niagara Falls decided to run down your legs.”

Daniel chuckled, not really able to imagine what the Niagara Falls would feel like.

“Don’t be nervous. She’ll guide you,” Caledon said.

“And skip all the human male ideas of having to be a stud in bed,” Rosadin added, sitting back down.

“How do you know? You feed from women,” Seldon said.

“Doesn’t mean I can’t find a guy attractive.”

“Guess not.”

“But I do enjoy the softness of a woman’s touch more.”

Daniel finished his plateful and sat back, contemplating the versatile Cubi and Changelings. “Caledon, why aren’t there books on the versatile in the library?”

“You might be told that later.”

“You mean if I’m one, you’ll tell me?”

Caledon nodded. Daniel saw that they had all of Seldon’s and Rosadin’s attention, too.

“Are there rumors about them?” Daniel continued, looking to Seldon and Rosadin.

“Of course, there are. They’re said to be exquisite energy,” Seldon said.

“I’ve heard there’s different levels of verse,” Rosadin said.

“You’re well informed then, my dear,” Caledon said. “And Seldon isn’t far off, either.”

“So, we do know something.”

“A bit, yeah,” Caledon said, grinning.

Rosadin sucked in air but must have decided not to say whatever was on her mind. Instead, she stood with her plate, and Daniel followed her with his own and the empty pan.

“Do you guys want coffee while I shower and stuff?” Daniel asked.

“Yes, please,” Seldon said. Daniel made a pot and put mugs on the table on his way to the bathroom. His thoughts were far away on what was going to happen that night, and he felt nervous even though Caledon had said not to be. But Geodin was such a strong and authoritarian woman, how could he not be nervous?

Should he trim the bush? Shave? Not that he had a lot. He rubbed his cheeks. At least it was soft. Would it be against the even softer female skin?

He turned on the shower, thinking that decision could wait until he’d showered. If he decided to shave afterward, his skin would be softened for a close shave. Smelling the different shampoos, he wondered what kind of aftershaves, deodorants, or perfume Seldon had and he was over-thinking everything again.

Using the soap he liked the best, he washed thoroughly because they had said to show himself worthy of a Grand Lady. Once he was done and had dried off, his nerves couldn’t take it anymore, so he wrapped the towel around his waist and ran for the kitchen. The three Cubi had moved to the crescent couch.

“Rosadin, I need your help.”

Rosadin chuckled and got up. “Come on, cub. We’ve got another half hour.” She followed Daniel back to the bathroom where he let his frustration show.

“Should I shave or not? Or trim?” He pointed to his groin. At least she still had that friendly smile on her face.

“Drop the towel and let me see.”

“Let you what?”

“Come on, get over your human shyness and drop the towel.” She planted a fist on her hip and scowled at him but the smile kind of ruined it.

Daniel took a deep breath of courage and peeled it off. She bent and looked closer, and he yelped and sucked in a breath when she closed her soft fingers around his balls.

“Keep it natural,” she finally said and stood. Daniel exhaled. She felt his cheeks before leaning in and rubbing her cheek against his. “Keep it, too.”

And that was just all kinds of embarrassing because the hunger-boner rose. “Please ignore that, I’m just hungry. Haven’t fed since this morning.”

“Hope you can still feed my dad tonight if you turn out verse and feed from Grand Lady Geodin’s dose. He needs it.”

“I will, no matter what.” Daniel ruffled his hair with the towel again to see if he could get it dry enough to put something in it to tame the locks.

“Wait, you only fed once today?” she asked, incredulously.

“Three times, actually. But at the same time.”

“Still, no matter how many orgasms I get from one roll in the hay, I still need it spread out three times a day.”

“Would that mean you’re a…” He didn’t really know how to label that one.

“A receiver, yes.”

“Oh. Well, hunger set in again around five, but not a lot. Do you think it’s because Seldon doses me every time?”

She smiled. “He does?”

“Yeah, he’s a sadist, I swear.”

She laughed and turned to the shelves to find a deodorant, smelling them until she found one. “Here. Light touch, though.”

Daniel used it and brushed his teeth, remembering halfway through that he’d already done that before the shower. Once done, Rosadin had already left the bathroom and sat by the vanity table, looking through the makeup.

“I’ll just dress.”

“Okay, I’ll get my makeup so we have a bit more to work some magic with. I’d like to try another look.”

“I trust you with it,” he said as he made his way to the walk-in where he found the last set of nice clothes he had. One set was in the hamper, and he didn’t know if leather was in the Grand Lady’s taste.

Well, he had this set, and it was good, so he put it on and sat by the vanity table. Rosadin came in and handed him a lotion which he rubbed into his skin while she found what she wanted to use. He sat back, grateful for her help. The whole process of having makeup applied relaxed him. The scents, the sensations of brushes and sponges, and fingers working his hair into place. He didn’t open his eyes before she was completely done because he wanted the overall impression of the complete piece of work.

“Thank you so much for doing this, Rosadin, you have no idea how relaxing this is.”

“You’re very welcome. I keep hoping Dad or my mom will give me a sister, but apparently, I’m to be the only girl. Now I have you who lets me give makeovers, and I friggin love it.” She giggled, and Daniel couldn’t suppress one, either. “And you’re welcome to just call me Rosa if you want. The others do.”

“Rosa,” Daniel mumbled, tasting the word.

“There. All beautiful.” She gave his locks a last few nips and tucks as he opened his eyes and looked in the mirror. Yup, she definitely knew what she was doing.

“Wow. Very subtle yet…”

“Accentuating?”

He nodded, smiling at her in the mirror. They talked shop a few minutes—Rosadin taking him through a few tips and tricks. The doorbell interrupted, and Daniel’s nervousness crashed in full force. So much for that breather.

“You’re ready. Oh, and a woman’s advice. Take your time to make yourself familiar with her body. This isn’t a sprint. It’s a marathon. Make her feel special. Be a gentleman.”

“Thank you, Rosa,” Daniel said and hugged her tightly. She made a content noise and hugged him back. Daniel pulled away, took a deep breath, and a final look in the mirror before nodding to himself, determined. Rosadin waited for him and let him leave first.

Upon making it to the den, Grand Lady Geodin stood with Seldon and Caledon, looking absolutely stunning. Daniel had only seen her wear a long judge’s robe kind of garment that hid her figure. Now she wore an evening dress with strategic holes in it, giving view to her bronze skin.

“Gentleman,” Rosadin whispered and gently pushed passed him to bow her head and find her place next to Seldon.

“Good evening, Grand Lady Geodin,” Daniel said, thinking he knew absolutely nothing about being a gentleman other than what he had seen in old movies.

“Good evening, Daniel,” she said, coming closer. “How are you?”

“I’m…nervous…”

“Oh, don’t think of it, dear boy.” Her smile and eyes showed a lot more friendliness than they had the days in the courtroom. She looked so relaxed, and the darkening eyes took his breath away.

“You look beautiful, Grand Lady,” Daniel said, barely recognizing his own voice.

“Why, thank you, Daniel.” She reached up and caressed his cheek. “Most Changelings could learn a lot from you. A man who takes such care of himself.”

Daniel actually blushed, and Geodin giggled. The sound and feel of her made him even harder and he glanced at Seldon who, accompanied by Caledon and Rosadin motioned for him to take her with him. Was he supposed to say something? And what? Let’s go shag? Hell no. He was so out of his depth.

“May I classify you?” she asked, taking the lead to his relief.

“I’d be honored.”

She held out her hand, and he took it, leading her down the hall. For some reason, he definitely wouldn’t take her to the bed he shared with Seldon, and he knew from earlier that day that Rosadin had changed her bed linens, so he took her there. It was his room after all.

“I don’t have a lot of stuff yet,” he said when he noticed her eyes roaming the sparsely decorated room.

“You will make it yours in time, I’m sure.” She stepped so close that he could feel the heat from her body through their clothes. Daniel gave himself over, remembering what Rosadin had said about this being a marathon. His skin tingled, and upon moving in to press his lips gently against hers, the prickly sensation moved slowly toward his spine.

Chapter Eighteen

Seldon smiled even though he felt weird about seeing Daniel go off with the Grand Lady. The cub had greeted her well, and Seldon felt proud of being his guardian and having him belong to his household.

“Did he seriously just take her into my room?” Rosadin asked.

“To my knowledge, he hasn’t changed our bedding today,” Seldon said. “I’m still lying on the black blanket because the scabs haven’t come all the way off.”

“Good reason,” Rosadin said and hooked her arm through his. She looked up, smiling. “I’m so happy he’s here.”

“Yeah, me too, baby girl.” Seldon planted a kiss on her forehead, enjoying that she stayed with him for so long.

“He’ll do fine,” Caledon said, sounding like he believed it.

Seldon could definitely understand why the boy was nervous. Caledon took a seat on the couch, and Seldon and Rosadin joined him.

“Is this versatile thing an only Lords and Ladies need to know kind of thing?” Seldon asked and held his cup out for Rosadin to top off, too, since she was pouring herself a cup.

“Yes,” Caledon said and pushed his cup closer. “As you progressed through the levels of energy you have been let in on more and more. There are even things only the Grand House knows that I don’t. It’s always been like that, and I don’t think it’s going to change. It’s a security thing.”

Seldon just nodded, remembering getting a book to read over a week before it was collected again. That had happened every time he his eyes had changed and he had moved up a floor. But none of that was secret stuff—it was more like levels of an educational system. He even had his notes, and he figured it was because they didn’t have enough books to hand them out. Digital printing had changed that, but they didn’t want to send things like that out of the Great House, and he hadn’t heard of any House buying a printer of that size. The topic about the versatile certainly sounded like a secret. Another sixty years to go and he’d learn something new.

“How rare are they, Caledon,” Rosadin asked.

“If he’s just verse amongst Incubus then he is one in about ten thousand. If he’s verse amongst Cubi he’s one in…I don’t even remember that number. But let’s see what he is and I’ll look up the number for you.”

“You mean I can know, too?” she asked, surprised.

“If he is, you’d have to know because he has a legal bond to Seldon. But you’d be sworn to silence, and failing to keep it a secret means you die. No ghosting or anything, just…” Caledon ran a finger over his throat and made a cutting sound.

“Damn. That’s one helluva secret,” she said, snuggling up close to Seldon’s arm. He lifted it to put it around her shoulder.

“Once you know why, you’ll understand,” Caledon said and sat back with his cup. He looked relaxed, but Seldon had been close enough to his Lord the past many years to see when the cogs turned vigorously in his head.

“You’re making me nervous,” Seldon said.

“Don’t be, my friend. Don’t be.” Caledon smiled in a way Seldon had never seen before.

“And since they aren’t done yet, I’m guessing that’s a good thing?” Seldon asked.

“Yeah. Oh, there’s a show on tonight I wanted to watch. You mind?”

“No, go ahead,” Seldon said and nodded toward the table. “Remotes are in the second drawer from your left.”

An hour and a half later, Daniel and Grand Lady Geodin turned up, both looking a bit more tousled and with what looked like a decent attempt to save smeared makeup. Daniel showed her to the toilet by the hallway, smiling a bit awkwardly.

Caledon turned off the TV and turned on the couch, looking eager. “Well? Could you feed?”

“Yeah.”

“How many ways?”

“She said I’m a verse.”

Caledon collapsed over the backrest and Seldon had trouble figuring out whether he was crying or laughing. Or both.

“You okay?” Seldon asked. Caledon looked up with such vulnerability in his expression.

“A hundred percent verse from my House, Seldon. Do you have any champagne?”

“Grand Lady Geodin asked for that, too,” Daniel said and leaned against the backrest of the couch.

“Behind the bar,” Seldon said, nodding toward the stairs.

“I know dick about champagne,” Daniel whispered loudly. Seldon chuckled and was about to get up when Rosadin put a hand on his arm.

“I’ll help him, Dad.”

“Thanks, baby girl.”

“Oh, and seven champagne flutes,” Caledon said.

“Yes, My Lord.” She stood and left with Daniel, giving Seldon a few minutes alone with Caledon who sat forward, leaning his elbows on his knees and wrung his hands. He then fished out his phone and sent a text.

“So, I’m guessing a hundred percent verse is a rarity and pretty cool to have in your House?” Seldon still wondered who the last two glasses were for.

Caledon just nodded with an awestruck smile on his face. Geodin chose that moment to emerge from the toilet and Caledon jumped to his feet immediately. Seldon fought his way up, but what surprised him and made him stay seated was that the two hugged. He’d never seen them that close.

They hugged for a while, murmuring incoherently.

Daniel and Rosadin returned with the champagne and flutes. Seldon got up, feeling underdressed in his loose pants and no shirt while both Daniel and Geodin looked freshened up and his daughter looked classy as always.

Caledon reached for the champagne, looking at it for a few seconds. Then he handed it to Seldon. “Do the honors, please. But wait for your sons.”

“Oh,” Seldon said, glancing at Rosadin. She looked as confused as he felt. Caledon’s phone burped, and he looked at it, nodding. The phone burped again, and Daniel snickered.

“They’re on their way,” he said and took a seat along with Geodin.

The front door opened, and Marcadon stormed in, almost slamming the door behind him.

“Marcadon, the door has a handle!” Seldon said, getting up.

“Sorry, but Lord Caledon asked me to get here pronto. Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. We’re…about to have a glass of champagne.”

“Champagne?” Marcadon exclaimed and looked around. “My Lord.” Then he saw Grand Lady Geodin and bowed a bit deeper. “Grand Lady. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“Likewise…” She glanced at Seldon who for a second completely lost his bearings.

“Marcadon. I’m sorry. Marcadon, Grand Lady Geodin.”

The front door opened and slammed again, and Seldon squeezed his eyes shut. But if Talidon had understood whatever Caledon had texted them the same way as Marcadon then he was happy his son hurried through the door.

“Dad, you okay?”

“Yes, Talidon, come in. We have guests. Lord Caledon and Grand Lady Geodin.” Seldon looked at Caledon.

“I’m sorry for the cryptic hurry up message. But now we’re all here. Please, cubs, have a seat. Seldon, would you do the honor of popping the cork? It is your boy after all.”

Talidon followed Marcadon around the couch, stopping short when he noticed Geodin. He introduced himself gallantly and sat next to her.

Seldon smiled and took the bottle, wondering when he was going to be let in on why this was such a big deal. And he certainly hoped it was cause to pop a two hundred dollar bottle of champagne. The cork popped, and he poured into the glasses.

“Cheers.” Caledon held up his flute, the rest following suit before drinking the very expensive bubbly. Apparently, it was for a time like this, judging by the looks on the Lord’s and Lady’s faces.

“Tomorrow at ten, the five of this house will be picked up. Look your best. You’ll be wearing the shirt until you get to the Grand House, and then you can take it off,” Caledon said, looking at Seldon whose stomach dropped at his entire house and children being invited. What that hell did this mean?

“I’m guessing this isn’t a bad thing since we’re drinking champagne, but…” Daniel looked troubled by all of it and Seldon knew by then how bad he was with sudden changes.

“It’s just because your kind is very rare,” Rosadin said, moving to stand on the other side of Daniel, so he was flanked by her and Seldon. “Makes you kind of a status symbol, I guess.”

“Do we get to know why we’re drinking champagne?” Marcadon asked Seldon.

“Yes,” Caledon said, looking to Geodin. She just nodded formally. Caledon went around the table to stand by the far side of the crescent couch to be able to see everybody.

“Okay. I called you here for this because you are Daniel’s legal family with Seldon. So, you’re going to be told what a versatile is.”

Marcadon sucked in air, then seemed to think better of it.

“Yes, Marcadon?” Caledon asked.

“Just…they can feed from both genders, right?”

“They can. Which is why Grand Lady Geodin is here. She has just classified Daniel. So, he’s a one hundred percent versatile feeder. And not even a week old.”

“What does it mean?” Daniel asked.

“It means you’re very special.” Caledon found a piece of paper in his back pocket. “But what I have to tell you next…you should sit down.”

They all sat, and Seldon took Daniel’s hand to show support for whatever came next. It couldn’t be bad since they were drinking champagne but he really didn’t like being kept in the dark when it regarded Daniel.

“I had you give a blood sample a few days ago,” Caledon said. “Standard procedure where we check for a protein only found in Cubi born. And you’re Cubi born.”

“What?” Daniel exclaimed, looking to Seldon, but he was as surprised as Daniel. But it would explain his quick adaptation. But not the part about being versatile. Well, he didn’t know if it did because he still hadn’t figured out what that meant.

“Daniel, to understand what I’m about to tell you, this means I’m going to have to let you all in on a secret. The Grand House has approved this, and you are all sworn to keep it a secret. Understood?”

A collective “Yes, My Lord,” sounded from Seldon and his children before they looked to Geodin who nodded, still smiling.

“Okay,” Daniel said, but he didn’t sound okay. Seldon put an arm around him, happy when the boy leaned into him for comfort and strength.

“Seldon informed you of some of our history earlier. That we came here to multiply. All purple-eyes still hunt amongst humanity under camouflage. Incubus once a year, Succubus when they’re able and ready. We then find the most beautiful and strongest person we can. And we impregnate or let ourselves be impregnated by this human.”

“Why haven’t I ever heard of this?” Seldon asked.

“Because this is information that isn’t given until you become a purple-eye.” Caledon looked at Daniel again.

“But what if it’s a Changeling? Your dose could kill them?” Daniel asked, and Caledon smiled proudly at Geodin.

“We don’t dose them. We drink the blend like I told you about and we seduce. We breed because the Halfling offspring of a purple-eye is strongest. But the point here is. Your dad in the real world isn’t your biological dad. Your dad is an Incubus. We’re trying to track him down right now.”

“Someone hunted my mom?” Daniel gaped.

“Bet she’s beautiful.”

“Fuck, yeah!” Seldon said, getting Daniel’s attention. “I googled you when you got here.” Seldon shrugged.

“What does all this mean?” Rosadin asked, taking Daniel’s hand.

“It means, Daniel will get purple eyes. It also means that Seldon will probably be leaving his station as head of training.”

Seldon’s stomach dropped. “Yes, My Lord. May I ask why? And…what I’ll be doing then?”

“You will be Daniel’s right hand, doser, teacher, friend, confidant, cook…whatever his Majesty might need.”

“Come again?” Daniel burst.

“You’re a royal, Daniel. Only the Royals are one hundred percent verse so when you, Seldon, said he was verse with you during classification, I had to move on it and get the boy classified by a Succubus, too.” Caledon held out his hand toward Geodin who looked proud.

“My boy’s a king?” Seldon asked, feeling a strong sense of both pride and panic rise.

“What does it mean?” Daniel asked in a tiny voice.

“It means your life will change…again,” Caledon said, handing Daniel the paper. “Learn, evolve, but you will be dosed daily by yours truly, too, because the more potent the doses the faster you will rise. You’ll be dosed daily, too, Seldon. You will be with Daniel and support him in becoming King of this monarchy. A monarchy that has been without a monarch since its establishment under Grand Lady Geodin’s mother, the Great Lady Dahlidin.”

Daniel slumped against Seldon, his eyes wide and his mouth hanging agape. Not exactly an expression worthy of a royal, but he was just a boy. And the thought hit Seldon like a sledgehammer.

“The consequences of an early dose? How much more did I hurt him?” The thought made him nauseous, and his heart hammered away in his chest. He even began to shake, and that got Daniel’s attention.

“Have you ever met a royal, Seldon?” Caledon asked. Seldon shook his head and glanced at Daniel. “They are very powerful…their doses are three times stronger than non-royal Cubi at any level. Which reminds me, Daniel, would you mind if I gave you a physical?”

“Like…turn your head and cough kind of physical?”

Caledon laughed. “In this case, yes. I want to see if your glands are growing in faster, too.”

Daniel got up and went to stand in front of Caledon who unbuckled and unsnapped Daniel’s pants and pulled them down before fondling the cub’s jewels.

“And there it is. This little bump that kind of feels like a third nut. Your gland is growing in nicely. Usually, this size is found on a red-eye going full red.” Caledon looked at Marcadon shortly before returning his gaze to Daniel. “Your eyes haven’t even begun to change, which means you will, soon. And you’ll be able to dose. This is why you need the strongest doses possible as often as possible.”

“But, I’m not ready to be a king.” Daniel sounded exactly his age and exactly as the boy Seldon took in almost two weeks earlier—the one who had never had any responsibility, and now he got a whole monarchy. The conversation with his children hit Seldon. About the youth psychology article he had read that said Daniel struggled because he was missing something. His Cubi side suppressed by homophobic parents and a school system teaching abstinence. Could that be it? It would certainly explain why he’d blossomed the way he had—it was instinctual. But it wouldn’t explain why Seldon sometimes found Daniel in somewhat control during a dose. Could it be the royal side of him? What would he empower their race with?

“You’re a Prince without an official crown until your eyes turn green,” Caledon said, ripping Seldon out of his thought. “Upon turning purple, you are crowned King.” Caledon cupped the boy’s face. “I need to feel the gland in your tongue, too, which is easiest to do with my own tongue. A kiss.”

Daniel opened up to him and what looked like a passionate kiss commenced.

Caledon pulled back from the exploring kiss and smiled. “It’s there, and a nice size.”

“I felt your gland, too.” Daniel looked like he was munching on something, but he was probably just trying to detect his own gland. He pulled up his pants and returned to sit between Seldon and Rosadin.

She seemed as shocked as Seldon. A look toward his boys, and they were floored.

“Daniel, I would like to give you some advice,” Geodin said, sitting forward. “The way things are today is the result of my mother’s vision. She made the groundwork for how this monarchy functions today. The Cubi societies in the rest of the world have evolved, too. Some have let themselves be inspired by our way. While others have gone in a different direction, and one has remained the same. I’m not just saying this because I’m proud of what my mother managed to do here. But I’d advise you to work your way up like any normal Cubus so you will know the Kingdom you will one day rule, and, more importantly, you will understand every level and know every level. This way you will be able to rule fairly and with compassion, not distance and ignorance. This is why our social structures were changed into the pyramid it is today. Therefore, it would no longer be under the tyrannical rule my mother grew up under.”

Daniel looked thoughtful and nodded. “Do I get…advisers and stuff?”

“The meeting tomorrow is to fill you in. All of you.” Geodin looked at Seldon and his children, too. “For now, I think we will leave you to your thoughts, My Prince.” Grand Lady Geodin stood and turned to find her purse, apparently not seeing the gaping expression on Daniel’s face at the title. “Oh, by the way,” Geodin said and looked in her purse. “I have a present for you.”

“For me?” Daniel glanced at Seldon.

“I very rarely get to classify, and I know I’m not the first woman you’ve been with, but I’m allowed a bit of sentimentality when I get the honor of classifying the royal to rule the monarchy my mother helped establish for him.” Geodin smiled as she handed Daniel a small box. He opened it, staring at cufflinks with purple stones.

“Jesus! Are those amethysts?” Seldon asked.

“Yes. They were a gift to me many years ago by a lover. A claimed breeder. Upon his death, he gave them to me. I find a Prince worthy of such a gift.”

“What’s an amethyst?” Daniel asked.

“A purple quartz deemed as valuable as diamonds,” Seldon said, leaning closer.

“From Ceylon,” Geodin informed.

“The finest of its color,” Seldon added, gaping.

“I…I can’t accept this,” Daniel said.

“Please don’t ever lose that humility. But it is a gift worthy of a Prince. To be honest, I wouldn’t have given them to you had you not been.” She smiled and winked, and it apparently made some weird form of sense to Daniel, because he nodded and returned the smile, albeit a bit awkwardly.

“Thank you, Grand Lady Geodin.” Daniel stood and closed the box, and Seldon hoped he’d get a chance to look at them again. “And thank you for everything.”

Geodin hesitated a second but then hugged Daniel. He returned the embrace and followed her around the couch. Seldon and his children stood, too, and followed them to the hallway where they all said farewell to the Grand Lady.

Caledon hugged Seldon. “Your boy,” he whispered, and Seldon felt another burst of pride spread in his chest. “I’ll see you all tomorrow around ten.” Caledon shook hands with Marcadon, Talidon, and Rosa before he hugged Daniel. “Don’t worry. Seldon and I will never leave you without help. Remember that.”

“Thank you,” Daniel squeaked and tightened his grip around the Lord. When he finally let go, he replaced the void in his arms by grabbing Seldon’s arm.

The two guests closed the front door behind them, leaving a strange silence behind. Seldon glanced at his kids who still looked too taken aback to say anything.

“Don’t know about you guys, but I need another drink,” Seldon said and guided Daniel back to the couch.

“Me, too.” Marcadon plopped down on the couch. Talidon poured them all more champagne and Seldon decided that the news definitely called for the two hundred dollar bottle of champagne. Talidon gave Daniel his glass first.

“My Prince.”

“Daniel, please!” Daniel said, looking up. “Please.”

“Daniel,” Talidon said and smiled. He then served Seldon, Rosadin, and Marcadon before reclining with his own glass.

“What does this mean?” Rosadin asked.

“It means all eight Houses will party for a week, I imagine,” Seldon mused.

“Why?” Daniel asked. “I’m…what will I have to do?”

“We find out tomorrow.” Seldon still couldn’t get over the fact that his job as a caretaker for the boy would change to be the right hand of a monarch. And that he’d be dosed daily to rise faster.

“Can’t believe I’m half Cubi,” Daniel said, staring straight ahead and not drinking his champagne.

“Maybe we should move this to the bar,” Seldon said and got up. Rosadin shook Daniel who finally stood, and they brought the rest of the champagne. The glasses from Caledon and Seldon’s conversation earlier still stood on the table, but only until Daniel passed it as he picked them up and put them in the dishwasher. Seldon had finally taught the boy to keep house, and now the boy was a Prince.

“What are we having?” Daniel asked, taking place behind the bar.

“Something strong,” Seldon said and perched on a high stool. He just hoped a drink could help the boy not think so much because he’d just be a wreck from wondering about scenarios that might not be relevant after all without more information. He’d seen Daniel do that before and didn’t want him running himself scared again.

Seldon had a lot more experience with not letting things get to him, but Daniel was different and didn’t handle too big of changes too fast with that clear of a head. That was Seldon’s experience so far, at least. Then again, the boy had surprised him on more than one occasion.

For now, Seldon just wanted to kick back with all his kids and Daniel. He felt rich and happy and ignored all the worrisome thoughts getting in line, hoping the ease would rub off on Daniel.

Chapter Nineteen

Seldon didn’t let Daniel drink more than two glasses of whiskey even though Daniel felt like he needed the entire bottle. With all the people around him, talking, laughing, joking, it was hard to focus on the bomb Caledon had dropped on him, and he had trouble processing it all. He didn’t know whether to feel most shocked about being told that his dad wasn’t his real dad or that he was now the Prince of the entire compound. The first took the prize, simply because it was something he could relate to. Being royalty was a distant second because all he knew of those was what he’d seen on TV, and they mostly just paraded around in fancy clothes and waved funny.

Marcadon talked him into playing a game of pool which was nice. He was about as much a shark as Seldon was and Daniel fell behind a few shots in.

“Well, at least you have time to practice before next time I’m gonna try and beat you at this game,” Marcadon said.

“Oh, when’s that?” Daniel asked and tried to think the next few shots ahead.

“Next time I come here. Not counting tomorrow morning.”

“Thought you might stay the night,” Seldon said.

“Need clothes.”

“You’re my size, grab something from my closet.”

“Oh shit!” Daniel exclaimed. “I don’t have any clean, nice clothes. This is my last set, and I spilled on it.”

“You’re the Prince, you could stalk in there in briefs.”

“No, he couldn’t,” Seldon corrected his oldest son. “If anything, he has to set the example that we must follow.”

“Briefs, go for briefs. I’d come in briefs, too,” Marcadon said and pocketed his next to last striped ball. Daniel grinned, happy that joking was mixed with Seldon’s comment about Daniel having to be an example. He could barely live up to Seldon’s expectations, and he wondered how he’d ever manage to get ready to take on the responsibilities of running a monarchy. Or ruling or whatever it was called.

“Your turn, little brother.”

“Little brother,” Daniel said, smiling. “Better than Prince.”

“Well, actually it’s more of a practical approach. You’re fucking beautiful, and I’m getting hungry. If I remind myself that you’re my brother, even though you smell delicious, maybe it would be easier to not advance on you. And end up as sore as my Dad. If you were off limits before, you certainly are now.”

“For a while at least,” Seldon muttered.

“Okay,” Daniel said and lined up a shot. He found that Marcadon’s admission bothered him, but he knew it was only because of Jonah and his lack of control that Marcadon’s red eyes bothered him.

“Wonder if Caledon had already expected this result when he told you you’d get whipped if you followed your urges to hit on him,” Seldon said.

“He might,” Marcadon said, shrugging. “When did he first give a hint that it was something bigger?”

“The day after I finished the classification which was the day I got whipped. He looked so giddy when I told him that Daniel was verse.”

“He said something when I went with him to his office,” Daniel said. “Well, actually it was more the way he said it and the way he looked at me when he said that Royals are born.”

“But now I know why both Caledon and I keep losing doses to you. I’ve heard of a royal in Europe who could make that happen in their feeders almost by will. And your energy certainly is exquisite.” Seldon’s eyes darkened. “Can’t even imagine you at full strength.”

“Wow,” Marcadon mumbled and lined up the shot for his last ball. He didn’t miss, so Daniel placed his cue in the rack, expecting Marcadon to pocket the black, too. He did. Game over. “Thanks for the game.” Marcadon held out his hand, and Daniel shook it. “When you’re older, and Dad lets you drink, we can have some fun with this. Play partners or poker pool.”

“That might be a few years,” Daniel said and made his way behind the bar where Rosadin sat on the counter, smiling.

“Better give him a cold beer for winning,” she whispered. Daniel found one and placed it on a coaster in front of Marcadon.

“Thanks. So, Dad, what do you think Lord Caledon meant about you having to stop as head trainer?”

Seldon pulled a face. “Dunno, but whatever the reason it’s in Daniel’s interest.”

“Can’t wait to find out what his last name is gonna be,” Rosadin said.

“My last name?”

“Yeah, like mine is Echleo-Nil,” Seldon reminded him. “You’ll get your Cubi father’s surname in here. And Royals have a special first name, too.”

“Like what?”

“For starters, it’ll end in don like all Incubi. But it’ll have Nol in the beginning, meaning Sovereign.”

“But…how does the whole King thing work? I mean…” Daniel didn’t want to think about it. Just the question pushed a feeling of inadequacy at him. His pulse rose, his cheeks warmed, and his mouth went as dry as Nevada.

“As Grand Lady Geodin said, every Cubi monarchy in the world functions differently,” Seldon said. “So, in the end, I guess you form it.”

Oh shit, that was a ton of responsibility Daniel didn’t think himself ready to handle. Two weeks ago, he’d have thought himself capable of running it right away but he had learned so much in a week. Just how much he could learn before becoming a green-eye calmed him a bit.

Seldon got up and rounded the bar to pull him in for a hug. Daniel put his arms around him and remembered the sore back when Seldon tensed in his arms, so Daniel moved his hands to the only safe place—Seldon’s tight ass.

“It’s all going to be alright, Daniel. You’ll be able to grow with the responsibility. You have time. And I’m going to be right here. So are Caledon, Marcadon, Rosadin, and Talidon. We’re your family now, and we take good care of each other.”

Daniel’s heart swelled in his chest at the promise and softness in Seldon’s voice. Two weeks ago, he never thought he could not hate or fear Seldon. A few days ago, he wondered how he could be so sexually attracted to him, and now…now he just wanted to be held and kissed and loved. Which brought his attention to the hard-on that had pressed against him since Seldon pulled him close.

Daniel pulled back enough to look up into Seldon’s green eyes. “You haven’t fed since morning.”

“No, but I’ll manage if the Grand Lady worked you tired.” Seldon smiled and winked.

“No, I’ll feed you no matter what, so you can heal.”

“I’ll have to go home,” Talidon said and stood. Seldon turned his attention to his youngest son.

“Me, too,” Rosadin said.

“I can’t fit your clothes, Dad, they’d hang off my bones,” Talidon said, and he was more like Daniel’s size.

“And I’d look ridiculous in them,” Rosadin pointed out.

“Marcadon, would you go with Daniel to Provision tomorrow morning and pick him out a couple of outfits? I can’t go,” Seldon said.

“You think I’m qualified to escort the Prince?” Marcadon asked, surprised.

“No one knows he’s the prince yet, and I hope it stays that way for a long time,” Seldon said.

“Yeah, but that makes it worse. No one knows to shut up.”

“Marcadon, you’re a huge guy. I’m pretty sure you’ve earned some respect in the House of Caledon. And if you deck someone for getting too touchy, I’m sure Lord Caledon will just pat you on the back and not throw you in the stockade for participating in a public disturbance.”

Marcadon thought for a beat. “There’s that. Okay, yeah, I’ll do it, but I have to get up early and feed then.”

“I’ll help you find one. I got this level’s schedule for all breeders.”

“Alex would be preferable.”

Seldon smiled and looked at Daniel. “All yours.”

Daniel smiled because he knew Seldon liked Alex. Right then Seldon looked almost happy about only having Daniel and the look in the big man’s eyes made his stomach flutter. Before thinking, Daniel stood on his toes and pressed his lips against Seldon’s. The big man moaned and pulled him closer, forcing his tongue in. Daniel opened up to the deep kiss and remembered not to run his hands up his back and instead tightened his grip on each ass cheek.

“We should go. Looks like that feeding could take the rest of the evening,” Talidon said.

“And we have to get up early,” Rosadin said. Daniel pulled back, wanting them out or in bed as quickly as possible so he and Seldon could go to bed.

“Okay. Good night,” Seldon said, letting go of Daniel with one arm to hug and kiss Rosadin on the forehead. Rosadin snuggled into a hug between them, so Seldon and Daniel reluctantly let go of each other to hug her. Daniel was surprised to get a hug by the sons, too, but he liked it. He certainly preferred the loose and affectionate interaction to the oh shit, he’s our Prince kind of rigidness.

Marcadon left, too, leaving Daniel and Seldon alone in the house at night for the first time since the whipping. And Daniel had every plan of taking full advantage of that even though Seldon’s back still caused for less acrobatic sex but they’d return to that, soon.

They helped each other remove the glasses and bottles and wipe down the table in the den and the bar in the pool room. They then made their way to the bedroom. As they passed his room, Daniel reminded himself to put new linen on tomorrow. And their bed, too. Wow, a Prince doing housework. Was that normal? He didn’t care right then, he just wanted to take Seldon to bed and feed him.

Seldon hugged Daniel from behind, kissing his neck where the shirt stopped. “You should go clean yourself out with that machine in the shower. And take a shower. You smell of female. Not that I don’t like that scent, but I’d prefer to smell you.”

“Okay,” Daniel said and turned in his arms to give him a kiss. Backing away, Daniel reached to massage Seldon’s hard dick through the fabric, getting a growl and an eye-roll. Daniel bit his lower lip and sent Seldon his most convincing bedroom eyes, watching Seldon’s eyes darken to a pine needle green.

“Oh, man, you look so fucking sexy when your eyes darken like that,” Daniel said and turned on his heels to get that shower over with. Once alone, he had trouble making his mind stop wandering as he went through the routine of removing his makeup and showering. Getting an enema was not yet routine enough to not demand some focus, but it still didn’t manage to push his thoughts about his dad completely from his thoughts.

He’d always known he wasn’t a planned child. He was an oops and a reason to marry young. The way his dad liked his work and his mom liked her crosswords when he was home sometimes made him wonder whether they had just married because of him. Or if they’d have been happier apart. If they hadn’t been ready. And as it turned out, Bill wasn’t even his real dad. It was an Incubus who had somehow impregnated Daniel’s mom. But wouldn’t she know? Had she lied to his dad…father figure?

Daniel finished the enema, washed up, and brushed his teeth. Leaving the bathroom, he found Seldon had somewhat made the bed. His blanket was no longer ruffled, and he had turned Daniel’s side down. He lay on his back, reclined against pillows under the black blanket, so Daniel saw the opportunity to ask a few questions. He went to straddle Seldon and leaned in for a soft kiss.

“Can I ask you something? And I won’t be mean and not give you some stimuli when I do.” Daniel rubbed his ass against Seldon’s still hard dick, and he groaned loudly, closing his eyes.

“You think I’d be able to focus on an answer when you do that?”

“Okay, I’ll stop.” Daniel did, and Seldon growled through a smile.

“What’s your question, cub?”

“Did my mother know? That my dad…the man I’ve always called dad, wasn’t my dad?”

“You’d have to ask your Cubus dad once you meet him,” Seldon said, running his hands caressingly over Daniel’s body.

Daniel thought about the dosing and wondered what would have happened if he had turned twenty-two in the human world and no one was there to empower him.

“Why wasn’t I watched?”

“For all we know, you could have been. It could have been a teacher at your school.”

“Wow.”

“Let’s ask Caledon tomorrow. You’ve only been here a few weeks, and even here bureaucracy takes its time.”

“Okay,” Daniel said, thinking it would be for the best. “You can fuck me now.”

“Lie on your stomach,” Seldon said, grinning. He looked like a man with a plan, so Daniel did as he was told.

“Don’t dose me, okay?” Daniel said as he scrambled off to sit next to Seldon who carefully sat himself up.

“Why not? Too full?”

“No, just…well, yes, I’m full, so I want to just be with you.”

The hunger in Seldon’s eyes remained, but the look softened. “Okay.”

Daniel smiled and plopped down on his stomach. Seldon spread Daniel’s legs, and from his prone position, Daniel could see that Seldon moved to lie on his stomach between Daniel’s legs. Hands moved to knead his ass, and Daniel sighed, settling in with his arms under his head. He loved getting rimmed, and it seemed like Seldon was going to make a feast of his ass.

“Oh, yeah,” Seldon purred seconds before Daniel felt his tongue and lips find the pucker. Daniel moaned and let himself float away in sensation, wondering briefly if the start of a new cycle meant he began to tingle all over like when he was hungry. Because the tingle began at his neck like usual and the more Seldon tongued and sucked and nipped, the stronger the tingle became before it slowly moved to the spine and down to heighten the sensations Seldon caused.

“Oh, fuck yeah. Oh man, I love your tongue. Feels so good,” Daniel panted and bucked his ass for more. Seldon growled and pushed his tongue inside, tongue fucking Daniel until he whimpered from the pleasure, sure he’d come soon if Seldon kept it up. “Oh God, Seldon, I want your cock in me, please!”

Seldon gave another smacking suck before something cold hit Daniel’s otherwise warm and slick asshole. He yelped loudly and jumped, hearing Seldon laugh. The sound of a bottle cap snapping followed, and Seldon climbing up to lie over Daniel, propping himself up on his elbows. The big man’s hard dick settled between Daniel’s buttocks, and he groaned as Seldon rubbed the thick meat back and forth, spreading and warming the lube. It was driving Daniel crazy, and he bucked his ass up in hope it would slip inside.

Seldon growled and slowed down, drawing back enough for Daniel to feel the glans at the rim of his opening. Yeah, yeah, it was gonna go in. When Seldon pushed forward and the cock just slid between his ass cheeks again, Daniel roared in frustration.

“Okay, okay, damn, you’d think I’d dosed you,” Seldon said, chuckling. He kissed Daniel’s back and moved up to his neck while reaching between them to position himself.

Daniel turned his head and groaned as Seldon’s dick pressed just enough to breach the outer muscle. Seldon covered Daniel’s mouth with his own and thrust his tongue in before he pushed his dick in slowly.

Daniel moaned into his mouth and fisted the pillow as his ass was filled, but Seldon didn’t stop the kiss. He found a slow pace, pulling almost out before he slowly filled Daniel again, and Daniel floated away in the sensation.

“I love feeding like this,” Seldon whispered.

“Like what?” Daniel asked, opening his eyes to see the big Incubus looming over him, moving slowly. He looked so fucking hot like that.

“With an undosed partner. One who can enjoy it without the dose. And by the purity of this energy, you certainly enjoy me now.”

“Yeah,” Daniel sighed and smiled.

Seldon snuggled closer, shuffling Daniel around enough to get his arms under his chest so he held him tight as he rocked into him again.

“Oh!” Daniel cried out as Seldon found a good angle allowing him in deep. Again, the slow but this time deep grind massaged every inch inside Daniel, and it plunged Daniel into more pleasure. He dropped his head to the pillow and closed his eyes, moaning without thought.

“Oh God, this is good,” Seldon whispered, kissing Daniel’s cheek and ear.

“Yeah,” Daniel sighed and reached behind to run his fingers through Seldon’s hair. He felt so safe and cared for in the strong arms, and the sounds Seldon made turned Daniel on even more as they made him feel desired. The limited friction his dick was getting against the sheets became maddening. “Let me turn over.”

“Okay,” Seldon growled and pulled out to move back. Everything was still slow-motion when Seldon moved with the support of his arms, but that was okay. Daniel turned onto his back and drew his legs back. Seldon scooted closer. “Lift your ass.” Daniel did, and Seldon pushed a thick pillow under his butt before he shimmied closer still and positioned himself to glide back in with ease.

Seldon set another slow pace of slipping in and out of Daniel and matched the rhythm of his hand, pumping Daniel’s dick. “You look so beautiful like this. But you’re even more beautiful in rapture.”

Daniel bit his lip and smiled, locking gazes with the man making love to him. Because that’s what it felt like. Not just mindless feeding with the goal of getting off, but a slow exploration of what felt good. The intensity in Seldon’s dark green eyes ramped up Daniel’s lust, and his breaths became shallow as his senses were overrun with both emotions and sensation. A fire spread all over his body before collecting in his mouth, balls and ass. A thin liquid ran into his mouth, and he sputtered and was pulled back to reality at almost being choked on saliva.

“Oh fuck, oh fuck!” Seldon roared, and the burning sensation in his ass took over before mind-numbing need and hunger consumed him. Seldon sped up, ramming his fat cock into Daniel, hitting all the right spots with both dick and fingers still working Daniel’s leaking prick.

“More, more!” Daniel screamed as the intensity built steeply. More heat spread and the tingle rushed to his spine and raced to his balls as he erupted in a powerful orgasm. Seldon fucked him through it, grunting and growling, and as Daniel’s faded, Seldon’s thrust became erratic before he stiffened and roared, coating Daniel’s insides.

The big man finally collapsed on top of Daniel, panting and sweating. Daniel remained lax and just enjoyed the aftermath and closeness of their sticky bodies.

“You dosed me,” Daniel finally managed.

Seldon chuckled. “Oops,” Seldon whispered and propped himself up to press a ghost of a kiss on Daniel’s lower lip. Such gentleness. Another followed, and Daniel sighed as more kisses fell on his cheek and jaw. Seldon pulled back, smiling at him. “Guess I won’t get my picture,” he finally said, brushing a thumb over Daniel’s cheek.

“Why?”

“Because the red stayed in your eyes.”

“I have red eyes?”

Seldon nodded. “Yeah, but only tiny red specks. Doesn’t surprise me since you lost a dose, and that usually happens from every gland the first time.”

“I was choking on a dose?”

“Yeah.” Seldon chuckled. “You losing a dose with me is what made me lose one. So fucking hot,” Seldon purred.

“What color was it? I mean, yours is green, and Caledon’s is purple. Was mine red?”

“No,” Seldon said, his eyes searching for something on Daniel’s chin. “It’s usually clear in the beginning.” Seldon kissed his lips gently. For the next few minutes, they just reveled in each other.

“Think we need a shower,” Daniel said when they finally pulled away.

“I think you’re right.” Seldon reluctantly moved off of Daniel and got up. Daniel could see the mess left on his stomach and even Seldon’s glistened oddly. “That’s your dose. One of them, at least. You dose from your ass, too, just so you know. Things got pretty intense in there all of a sudden.”

“I’m guessing that isn’t normal?” Daniel asked as he followed Seldon to the bathroom.

“You’re a royal, anything could be normal for you.” Seldon turned on the water and looked at Daniel. “It was fucking hot, though.”

Daniel laughed and caught his own reflection. He stepped closer to inspect his eyes, and the iris had red specks in them. “Shit,” he muttered.

Seldon stepped up close and encircled him in his arms. “This is fast. Way faster than I had expected.”

Guess there were questions enough for tomorrow. For now, he just wanted to shower and snuggle up to Seldon on the bed and fall asleep. Time was an odd thing. When things didn’t change, or changed very slowly, it seemed to fly by without notice. But when things changed rapidly it could stretch and seem endless. He’d been with Seldon for just about two weeks, one of which was as a Changeling. So many things had happened and even though the prospect of big changes had caused a moment of stress or even pure panic and shock, then time had stretched to give him the opportunity to settle with the changes. At least that’s what it felt like since he wasn’t scared anymore.

Seldon finally seemed to want to push Daniel further in tonight’s final program and guided him into the shower. Daniel smiled and let the big man take care of him.

Chapter Twenty

Waking up with Daniel in his arms was Seldon’s new idea of a perfect start to a day. Fear that he had forgotten to set the alarm and that they were horribly late set in and he turned faster than his back thought prudent, sending a searing sting across his back. But there was about fifteen minutes until the alarm would set off.

Daniel sat up, looking at Seldon. “You okay?”

“Yeah, for a second there I thought we overslept.”

Daniel looked at the alarm and breathed out in relief. “Fantastic, we didn’t.” Daniel lay down again, this time with his head on Seldon’s chest—the gesture so heartwarming that Seldon wouldn’t complain even though his back was still searing from the careless movement. At least it was nothing compared to the last few days, and he was sure no wound track drew blood from being stretched.

Their feeding last night shimmered through to his brain as the adrenaline kick ebbed away. Daniel had refused a dose and just…made love to Seldon. Oh man, he’d made Daniel lose a dose. The thought alone had his dick jump for joy and what felt like a swarm of butterflies set off in his stomach. His beautiful boy. With red eyes. He was getting strong so fast. If he could gather the necessary energy to begin the color change already, it would probably not take more than a few weeks for the iris to be entirely red. Especially not with doses from both him and Caledon, daily. Was it different in Royals?

“We should get up,” Seldon said. Daniel’s hand slipped from its resting place on Seldon’s chest and down to grab his erection.

“You are up,” Daniel muttered and squeezed, making Seldon laugh.

“Now, how did you know that?”

“Your scent changes when you get aroused. It becomes muskier. You smell like a forest floor. When you get aroused, you smell like a forest floor after a heavy spring rain.”

The description shocked Seldon. “Is that a good thing?”

Daniel shuffled around and stretched Seldon’s arm down by his side before lying so he planted his crotch in Seldon’s palm. “What do you think?”

Seldon laughed loudly and squeezed the erection. Daniel grunted and thrust against the palm.

“Hungry, cub?”

“Yeah,” Daniel said, rubbing more.

“What do you want?”

Daniel bit his lower lip, thinking. Then a devilish smile spread on his gorgeous face, and he reached for the lube. “Explore,” he said and crawled to the foot of the bed to settle on his knees between Seldon’s legs. The boy didn’t waste much time before he grabbed the base of Seldon’s cock and steered it into his mouth.

Now that was a great breakfast. Seldon chuckled to himself at the food analogy that persisted after Daniel’s arrival at his house. Daniel had learned a trick or two with his tongue over the days Seldon had been out for the count regarding more active participation, and he certainly had nothing to complain about.

Until a cold finger pressed against his opening. Seldon opened his eyes as his ass automatically squeezed shut.

“You have fantasies about putting something in my ass, admit it.”

Daniel’s mouth released Seldon’s cock with a loud pop, and Daniel propped himself up, sending Seldon a brilliant smile. “I love it.”

Seldon snorted and let his head fall back onto the pillow. “Damn, boy.” Who could refuse that level of enthusiasm? Seldon relaxed his ass muscles and felt the digit intrude his ass. “Use your tongue if you love it so much.”

It was a tease, but the finger disappeared, and hands pushed at the back of his thighs before something hot and wet replaced the feel of the finger. Seldon groaned. If he could dose, and his dad was a Cubus, maybe he could do the tongue thing.

“Daniel, show me your tongue,” Seldon said, putting an arm under his own head to raise it.

“Why?” Daniel sat up and stuck his tongue out at him.

“Now elongate it.” Seldon watched while Daniel almost went cross-eyed as he tried to see his own tongue but it definitely did a thing no human tongue could. “Yeah, try that.”

“Oh, shit, I can do that, too?” Daniel asked, surprised and ducked between Seldon’s legs again. Seldon relaxed against the pillow, awaiting Daniel’s new explorations. The cub started out easy with lavishing attention on Seldon’s cock while his hands fondled. Slowly the attention of his mouth spread to include balls, and Seldon sucked in a breath as Daniel drew a testicle into his mouth to suck gently.

Seldon spread his legs wider to give the boy room. It wasn’t often he opened himself up like that. Once a month with Caledon but lately he had done so far more often than he was used to. And right then he didn’t mind because it felt awesome.

Daniel released the nut from his mouth and continued down, holding a torturously slow rhythm with the hand wrapped around Seldon’s dick. Seldon relaxed, letting the boy explore and just enjoyed it. He was still flabbergasted about the night before. The pleasure the boy had found in his touches after so a short time with him that he didn’t want the dose. That he lost a dose…a shiver tore through Seldon at the thought, and he groaned.

The boy’s tongue finally found its way to Seldon’s hole and he certainly wasn’t shy about trying that out. He dove in and licked and sucked like it was his goal in life and Seldon smiled at remembering Daniel attacking something new with the same eagerness. His tongue breached the muscle and Seldon sucked in a breath, holding it as he focused on sensation. Oh, the boy definitely did something with his tongue.

“Yeah, up, feel upward,” Seldon gasped and jerked when the tongue pressed against his prostate. “Fuck!”

Daniel groaned against his ass, squeezing and quickening his rhythm on Seldon’s cock.

“Oh fuck that spot. You feel it?”

Daniel grunted something in the line of an acknowledgment and pressed in further.

“Jeez, I usually don’t love this but with you…” Seldon gave up coherent thoughts as Daniel began to tongue fuck his ass in earnest, so he settled with moaning.

The alarm clock went off, and Seldon slammed his hand down on the annoying thing. Fuck it.

Daniel withdrew his tongue. “I wanna fuck you again.”

“Go for it, boy.”

Daniel moved up, taking Seldon’s cock into his mouth, surprising him enough to cry out. Daniel let go with a pop, creating a vacuum as he went, and Seldon’s hunger rose to ridiculous levels. A quick slather of lube, and Daniel positioned himself to enter.

“You were saying something,” Daniel said, panting. “About you usually not loving this, but with me…”

“Yeah. You’re different.”

“From Caledon?”

“From everybody.” Seldon’s four hundred year memory held a few he loved being topped by, but there was no reason to focus on any of those so long after. He had made love to his boy last night. And that made all the difference in the world.

Daniel pushed in slowly, keeping his intense and beautiful green eyes locked on Seldon’s. He felt naked and stripped raw under the intensity, and it pushed him far past the small morning hunger.

“Grab that pillow,” Seldon said, pointing to the one he had shoved under Daniel the night before. Daniel stretched for it abruptly, and by doing so plowing into Seldon. He cried out and grabbed his pillow, breathing heavily.

“You okay?” Daniel asked, grinning.

“Smart ass,” Seldon growled and lifted his ass, mindful of the sore skin on his back. The movement made Daniel’s prick slip out as they worked the pillow under Seldon’s hips. Daniel penetrated him again and surprised Seldon yet again by leaning in for a deep and demanding kiss, leaving Seldon feeling overpowered and dominated. And he fucking loved it. Which surprised him the most. His body’s reaction completely blindsided him, leaving him breathless as Daniel pulled back from the kiss to push deep inside him.

Oh wow. He might just have an idea of how confused Daniel had been about his own sexuality after coming there, but Seldon fought to push those thoughts of his understandings about his own sexual preferences to the side and just enjoy what Daniel gave. Which was no problem with the care and tenderness he showered Seldon with. Hands caressed every inch within Daniel’s reach while he set and held a slow rhythm. His eyes traveled the route his hands explored, his expression one of pure enjoyment and admiration.

Their eyes met, and Daniel smiled. “You’re so beautiful like this. I love making you come. I love the look on your face seconds before you do. The feel of your body when you orgasm.” Daniel groaned and rolled his hips, touching everywhere inside Seldon. He then changed his thrusts to short and sharp, making Seldon grunt as each penetration ignited him.

“Move your hips up and down a bit when you go in and out,” Seldon said. Ever the bossy bottom, as Caledon called him, but it was his responsibility to make the boy the best Cubi he could become. And that counted skills in lovemaking as it heightened the energy they fed on.

Daniel attempted a few things, rolling his hips, and he finally found that good spot, pressing against Seldon’s prostate.

“Oh fuck!”

“That it? Oh shit, yeah, you like that,” Daniel said, managing it several thrusts in a row, so he definitely found the angle. “Oh God, you look hot.” Daniel sped up, and Seldon placed his hands on the headboard to keep himself from being shoved further up and thus his back from being too grated against the bed.

“That’s the spot. Fuck me hard and make me come,” Seldon said, groaning relentlessly. Daniel moaned loudly, and Seldon looked at him. A devil-may-care smile had spread on the young Cubus’ face before a red tinged liquid ran out his mouth and Seldon’s ass tingled. The cub tried to dose him.

“Yeah,” Seldon growled. “Work those Cubi tools!” But damn if that dose didn’t set his ass on fire and make his prostate grow more sensitive. “Oh shit, Daniel, tap it. Tap it hard!”

Daniel slammed into him, and Seldon pushed back on the headboard to meet every thrust, pleasure building steeply.

“Oh fuck, I’m close,” Daniel shouted and plowed in harder and deeper. “Come with me, Seldon, let me see how beautiful you look when I make you come!”

Energy exploded around Seldon’s body and rushed to his spine and down to his ass and balls before he erupted in orgasm, hugging his legs tightly around Daniel’s waist to ride out the waves of pleasure. Through it, he heard Daniel cry out and he felt fingers dig into his thighs as the nourishing seed coated the walls of his ass.

Daniel collapsed on Seldon’s chest, and they just lay there in the aftermath, heaving for air. Seldon’s feelings reeled as the thrill of the orgasm ebbed away. In the end, he just pushed the thoughts away, wanting to enjoy the presence of the young man in his arms. He then remembered the alarm clock and turned to see what time it was, but the display was dark.

“Shit. I think I broke the alarm clock.”

Daniel giggled against Seldon’s chest and scooted to the side enough to pull Seldon’s pants up from the floor. Seldon took over the attempt to find his phone in his pocket, but it wasn’t there. It couldn’t have been more than half an hour. As their breathing settled, he thought he heard voices in the hall. Someone knocked on the door and walked in like he owned the damn place. Marcadon, not to Seldon’s surprise.

“Get done feeding already, you’re late! Especially if I have to take Daniel to Provision.” Marcadon left again while Daniel’s cheeks took on an adorable crimson.

“We should get going,” Seldon said. Daniel gave him a wide grin, kissed him quickly, and got up, dislodging his soft member from Seldon’s ass.

Seldon and Daniel showered—more like rinsed off—quickly and pulled on the clothes from yesterday. Seldon would change later, but he wanted to see Daniel off. Rosadin and Talidon were making breakfast, both dressed impeccably. Marcadon had outdone himself as he was a gruffer type and his style usually mirrored that. But his choice made Seldon run a few ideas for himself through his head.

“You better go, you have less than an hour,” Rosadin said and attacked Daniel’s hair to make the last locks sit just right.

Seldon felt proud of her. The responsibility she took to care for Daniel. He was sure it had nothing to do with the fact that she had just learned he was the Prince.

Seldon followed the three—an impatient Marcadon, a fidgeting Rosadin, and an eager Daniel—to the door. Upon opening it, Daniel bit down so hard his jaw muscles bunched, and he growled at the sight of the mess on the door.

“We were gonna take care of that,” Rosadin promised.

“I’ll do it,” Daniel said.

“No, go on, go get clothes, I’ll do it,” Seldon said, feeling his heart swell at the pride the boy took in their home. “Daniel, go.”

Daniel smiled saddened and kissed Seldon on the lips before he and Marcadon sped off down the halls.

“Dad, let me. You should find clothes.” Rosadin ushered Seldon inside, leaving the door ajar to the mess.

Seldon relinquished the task to her and pulled her in for a hug and a kiss to the temple. “Thanks, baby girl. I need coffee before I do anything.”

“Talidon made it.”

“Uh.” If his boy was good at anything, it was making coffee. And fixing cars but that wasn’t something Seldon used often. He had seen Talidon’s collection of three old American muscle cars, though, and listened to his son’s enthusiastic explanations about the classics. “Good morning, Sonny.”

“Morning, Dad. Coffee?”

“Please.” Seldon sat at the table, feeling crappy about leaving the cleaning to Rosadin. That would change, he decided and got up to take the paper towels and bucket with water from her as she was about to pass him. “My back’s good, so I’ll do this. Thanks.” He smiled and walked to the front door, ignoring the stares and a few rude comments from a few Cubi passing him as he wiped down the door and floor. Stale whipped cream. Ugh. He’d remember that one for the next time someone fucked up enough to have their door branded. The smell was nasty. But his boy was the Prince so fuck them.

The thought put a smile on Seldon’s face, earning him curious glances from his children as he returned to the kitchen to empty the bucket and throw away the used paper towels. Talidon poured him a cup of coffee in the meantime.

“What are you gonna wear?” Rosadin asked.

“I don’t know.”

“May I?” She stared in wide-eyed hopefulness.

“Go on. Oh, would you do my makeup?”

“You’re gonna wear makeup?”

“I’m going to match my boy,” Seldon said, grinning even wider. Rosadin matched it and skipped from the kitchen.

“It suits you, Dad,” Talidon said as he sat opposite Seldon and sipped his coffee.

“What does?”

“Being in love.”

Seldon gaped. Could he be? He certainly had strong emotions about the boy, and Daniel could make him lose his breath and feel like butterflies the size of zeppelins roamed around in his stomach. Mostly Seldon had explained the feelings as a guilty conscience due to the early dosing, but he’d had them before. They feelings were stronger now, but he couldn’t kid himself. Certainly, hadn’t gone unnoticed by his kids, it seemed.

Plus, he had just been topped for the…he’d lost count how many times Daniel had topped him, but last night had been…amazing. So, had that morning and it struck him he hadn’t fed Daniel earlier.

The losing a dose was one thing, but the kisses, the way he felt when Daniel moved closer during the night, and the butterflies when Daniel looked at him that was something more.

Yeah, Talidon was right. He was falling in love, and the realization coupled with the vulnerability and submission he had felt that morning floored him.

“Dad?”

“I am,” Seldon finally admitted in a small voice. Talidon smiled at him over the rim of his cup.

“Drink your coffee, Dad. It’s gonna be a big day.”

Seldon smiled, proud of the man his son had become. Proud of the support they showed, not only him, but Daniel, too.

“This or this,” Rosadin declared and held up two hangers with two different suits cut in Cubi style—no lapels and one side long enough to cross over the stomach to be buttoned on the flank, and low enough to accentuate a well-built chest musculature.

“Wonder what colors Daniel is gonna wear.”

Rosadin’s gaze cut to her brother, and Seldon glanced his way too in time to see him nod and wink.

Rosadin broke into a wide smile. “I approve!” And then she left.

Seldon glanced at Talidon.

“What?” his son asked, going for an expression of innocence. That look had worked so many times as a kid, getting him out of trouble.

“Spill,” Seldon said, drinking his coffee.

“Okay.” Talidon sighed and put his cup down. “We just talked last night when we left here. The way you are with him, the way you look at him. The way he kisses you. It’s obvious you’re not the only one struck here. Especially when considering how you two met.”

“Don’t tell him. I might actually be his first love, and he’s got enough on his plate.”

Talidon just nodded, looking pleased. The front door opened and slammed, and Seldon squeezed his eyes shut, getting up. Marcadon and Daniel came in.

“Who slammed the door?” Seldon kept his eyes on Marcadon since he’d never heard Daniel do it.

Marcadon cringed. “Sorry, Dad.”

“There are reasons to not slam a door. One, it’s rude! And that should be enough. Especially when you visit other people’s homes.”

“Yes, Father.” Marcadon left it at that, and Seldon knew his son enough to know he was just eager. Didn’t mean he could just forget all his manners. They were running late with all they had to do, so Seldon left it at that and looked at Daniel.

“What did you find?”

Daniel smiled and held up a bag.

“Let’s go,” Seldon said and ushered him to the bedroom where Rosadin still inspected his closets.

“Finally, what did you find? Dad wants to match you.”

Daniel looked at Seldon who just shrugged. What followed was a stressful try-out, and Rosadin ushering them both through a quick shower, a shave, and a fitting, before she expertly and quickly did their makeup. What would have taken Seldon an hour and a half she managed to drill them both through in less than forty-five minutes.

Daniel had picked out an outfit that didn’t fit either of the suits Rosadin had picked because his style was more young and hip. It was a good look, though, and they both ended up in tight fitting pants. Seldon also wore a button-down with a leather vest that matched the color of Daniel’s new leather jacket. The makeup had a neutral feel to it, which Seldon found appropriate in this case.

Rosadin then ushered them both into the kitchen—Seldon remembering to bring the damn red shirt he had to wear—and sat Daniel down, reminding him that even though his eyes were changing, he had to remember to eat normal food. For the umpteenth time, Seldon felt grateful for the support of his children.

Someone rang the doorbell, telling Seldon that it wasn’t Caledon picking them up. He got up to open it while Daniel and Rosadin ate their breakfast. Outside stood a purple-eye he hadn’t met before.

“Good morning, Sire Seldon. My name is Roardon. Lord Caledon asked me to pick up you and your children and escort you to the Grand House.”

“Yes, please, come in. We’re almost ready.” Seldon stepped aside and let the Lord pass before taking him to the kitchen. Seldon introduced the Lord, and his children and Daniel acknowledge him politely.

“Done,” Daniel said and got up, eating the last mouthful on his way to the dishwasher.

“Eager young man,” Seldon said.

“Can you blame me?”

“No.”

Daniel smiled, but it fell a second later, his eyes landing on the red shirt. “Sorry.”

“It’s okay, cub,” Seldon said and pulled it on. Daniel took his hand, squeezing it. He didn’t let go as they left the apartment. Seldon noticed Roardon’s glances as they walked the halls and rode the elevator, but he remained silent most of the trip up the elevators.

“I’ve never known the Grand House to be this secretive. I haven’t even been told what this is about.” Lord Roardon said. “With a shirt like that, I’m guessing it has something to do with it.”

Daniel squeezed Seldon’s hand hard. Seldon glanced at him, and the boy looked like he had sunk his teeth into something foul. Seldon squeezed his hand back and ignored the Lord’s comment.

“Do you know why we’re going?” Roardon continued.

“Yes,” Seldon said. Roardon looked expectant before snorting at the persistent silence.

“Is it about the shirt? Because I haven’t heard of it and don’t know why I was called in then.”

“I think that’s for the Grand House to reveal,” Seldon said, not knowing why Roardon had been called either. But when Roardon turned his head again, and Seldon got a look at the man’s profile, and it hit him. The resemblance to Daniel. This was Daniel’s biological father. Lord Roardon was a beautiful man—definitely one Seldon would have turned his head in the halls to appreciate—but the final step up to drop-dead-gorgeous had to come from Daniel’s human mother. Roardon had a firm athletic build as far as Seldon could see with how the man’s clothes hugged certain places on his body like his broad shoulders and narrow waist. And his ass was as plump as Daniel’s. The biggest difference between the two was the color of their hair where Lord Roardon’s was as pitch black as Seldon’s. And of course, the eye color was way off.

The elevator opened on the floor of the Grand House, and they followed Roardon to where they were to meet. Seldon already worried about Roardon finding out that he was Daniel’s dad and why Seldon was wearing the red shirt, because if anyone had empowered any of his kids that early he would kick their asses.

They reached the huge doors. Someone opened them as they approached. Behind it, Grand Lady Geodin and Lord Caledon stood, smiling.

“Welcome,” she said. “How did you sleep, Daniel?”

“Pretty well, considering.”

“Seldon, may I have that shirt?” Caledon asked. Seldon took it off and handed it to his Lord before straightening his clothes. Caledon held out his arm, and they followed the two inside, finding the rest of the Grand House assembled.

Seldon led Daniel and his children to the end of the line of Grand Lords and Ladies and shook all their hands in turn. Roardon followed suit.

“Sire Seldon, we need to talk about your sentence,” Geodin said. “Not knowing that Daniel was a Halfling changes things. Therefore, your house arrest is lifted. You being banned from feeding on humans is lifted, and the brand on your door is being removed as we speak. The life sentence of caring for Daniel will remain in place since he was under your care when the early Empowerment happened.”

Roardon glanced at Seldon with contempt. Seldon didn’t let it bother him because he would have felt the same toward any Cubi who did what he had done. But he certainly was happy to know about the rest of the punishment being lifted, and even happier that the life sentence stayed in place. He was also sure that it was for Daniel’s benefit the punishments were lifted.

“Thank you, Grand Lady.”

“Lord Roardon, you were asked to come here because Daniel is a Halfling to you.”

“My son?” Roardon looked at Daniel who stiffened next to Seldon and grabbed his hand again. Roardon’s attention then snapped to Seldon, and the surprised expression was replaced by one of anger. “You empowered my son too early?”

And there was the look Seldon expected. Roardon moved fast toward Seldon who’s only thought was to get Daniel out of the way, but he slipped out of Seldon’s arm and rushed between them, pointing at his dad.

“You do not touch Sire Seldon!” Daniel roared. Roardon stopped short, looking surprised, but the hateful glare soon returned to Seldon.

“I’d do as he says,” Geodin said and stepped up next to Daniel. Daniel’s gesture floored Seldon who finally got an idea of the set of teeth Caledon had mentioned. He yet again wondered what had transpired in the library when Daniel and Caledon had been there and Daniel had honored Seldon. Anything like this?

“Let’s all take a seat. We will have no fighting in these halls,” Grand Lord Ildon said.

“Yes, My Lord,” Seldon and Roardon said and moved away from each other to find a seat. Marcadon looked ready to take on an army when Seldon turned and saw his son’s expression. He cleared his throat to remind his oldest where he was, making his son relax his posture and features. Roardon ended up almost across from Daniel and Seldon while Geodin took a seat next to Daniel.

“You okay?” Seldon whispered to Daniel who didn’t hide his animosity toward his biological dad. It had an effect on Roardon, but Seldon wouldn’t pretend to be empathic enough to be able to know how either of them felt.

“Do you know of the implications this early dosing can have on your life?” Roardon asked Daniel.

“Yes, I’m aware. I’m also aware of the support Seldon will show me for the accident and what support I have from his children. But let’s not beat around the bush. I’m not thrilled to find out Bill isn’t my dad, and my mother wasn’t ready for a child. I’ve know my entire life that I was the oops that ruined her career.”

“Are you sorry we gave you life?” Roardon asked.

“No, I’m just sorry about the circumstances.”

“This can wait,” Geodin said, taking Daniel’s hand. He looked at her and nodded. “Lord Roardon, we didn’t just summon you here to be told that a Halfling of yours had been collected by a hunting party. Information like this is not usually something we deal with, as you well know.”

“Yes, Grand Lady.”

“We summoned you here to be told that your son, Daniel, is our Prince.”

Roardon froze, staring agape. “Oh, shit,” he finally whispered and covered his mouth.

“Daniel, I would advise you to at least make friends with your dad as you need as many allies as possible until you rise to take the throne. By the look of the red specs in your eyes, I’d say that will be sooner than expected. Something good came of Seldon only being allowed to feed from you.”

“Yes, Grand Lady,” Daniel said and took Seldon’s hand.

“Geodin, My Prince,” she whispered.

“Daniel,” Daniel whispered, grinning.

“About that. You will be given a new name here.”

“What will it be?” Daniel asked.

“You may choose your own name,” Grand Lord Ildon said. “It will begin with Nol.”

“Sovereign,” Daniel said, nodding, and Seldon smiled proudly. “And my surname will be that of Lord Roardon, correct?”

“Echleo-Nil,” Roardon said.

Daniel smiled at Seldon. “Same as yours. Will you chose my name?”

“Me? If that honor should go to anyone it should be your father,” Seldon said, not missing the grateful look on Roardon’s face.

“You’re the one raising me to this world.”

Seldon certainly didn’t miss the look of shame from that comment. “That’s a very disrespectful comment to your father’s face, Daniel,” Seldon said. “You have to remember that the way we do things are different from the human world, and we do them to survive. Do not disrespect your father for following the rules and laws of our kind.” Seldon left no doubt that he was in fact scolding Daniel for his disrespectful tone. Prince or no Prince, Daniel had just phrased Seldon’s role as the one raising him to the Cubi world, and that was what Seldon was doing by correcting him.

Daniel nodded and turned his attention to Roardon. “I’m sorry for my snappy comment. That I’m both confused and sad about all the changes around and in me shouldn’t be aired like this.”

Roardon smiled at what even Seldon would call a sincere apology. “Apology accepted. I hope you will allow us the opportunity to get to know each other.”

“Have you ever looked in on me?”

“In a manner of speaking. But I’ve never seen you. Each Lord who goes to procreate outside the House of Dahlidin—now the Kingdom of you—has Minglers looking out for the offspring. We’re not allowed close before you’re ready to be empowered because we would want to be closer to you once we know of you.”

“Were you told I disappeared two weeks ago?”

“Yes, and I have been worried.”

Daniel nodded, looking at the table, thinking.

“May I suggest we share the honor of naming you?” Seldon asked. Daniel looked up, mulling over Seldon’s idea. Then he smiled and nodded.

“Good,” Grand Lord Ildon said. “Shall we move on to inform the young Prince of what we know and what the laws say about a Prince?”

“Yes, please,” Daniel said.

Chapter Twenty-One

Sitting across from his biological father, Daniel had needed time to process it. The fact the guy wanted to attack Seldon had not warmed Daniel to him, and he wondered if he instead shouldn’t feel the opposite. Shouldn’t he be happy that his dad would defend him?

Seldon had been right in scolding him for being disrespectful. Daniel wanted to show his father that Seldon was not to be disrespected, but instead Daniel managed to disrespect him in front of the entire Grand House through his own actions. He would do better, he vowed and paid attention as Lord Ildon moved the meeting along.

“As you have not been schooled yet in our history, please stop us to ask questions if you need clarification, My Prince,” Ildon said.

“May I have some paper and a pen? I might need to take a few notes,” Daniel asked, feeling ridiculous for asking.

Geodin looked over her shoulder, and Daniel saw a purple-eyed woman leave. Daniel caught Caledon looking at him. The Lord smiled and mouthed nerd, making Daniel smother a grin.

“It will be brought to you,” Lord Ildon said and continued. “Since the time of Nil-Kardin, the first Queen, Grand Lords and Ladies have been the advisers and caretakers in the monarchies. When the next Prince emerged, he was young, like yourself, and Nil-Kardin decided that the responsibilities of the Kingdom should lie in the hands of the Grand Council until the Prince came of age. The higher you rise in energy, the more responsibility you will gain sovereign rein over. Until then you may comment. Upon becoming a green-eye, you will be publicly crowned Prince, and you will take a seat at every Grand Council meeting where we will ask your opinions and debate them with you in order to also teach you and share with you our knowledge.

“No matter your level of energy, you are always and should always let us know if you disagree with something.”

Lord Ildon left off there for another Lord who stood, bowed his head at Daniel and introduced himself as Grand Lord Neardon.

“In the beginning of your new life here as the Prince of this Kingdom, there will be many changes. It is our objective to make these as easy on you as possible. You will be given an apartment suitable to house you and your staff—”

Daniel snapped his head around to look at Seldon. He wasn’t leaving him, right?

“I will not be leaving you. For at least four hundred thirty-six years.”

“So you’re coming?”

“Yes.”

Daniel smiled and turned to look at Neardon again. “I’m sorry for the interruption. Please continue.”

“No need, My Prince. Please ask questions when you have them.” Neardon smiled before continuing. “Every Lord and Lady of the Grand Houses will be at your disposal, but you are of course allowed to choose your own advisers. It is, after all, natural to form closer bonds with some rather than others.”

Daniel put down advisers on his pad and Caledon followed by a question mark.

“The Grand House also wishes to tutor you as it is our objective to help you become a good king.”

Daniel put down Geodin under advisers, remembering her statement about a good King being one who knew the entirety of his Kingdom on every level. He also contemplated the essay he had almost finished for Caledon about his thoughts on the way the House worked and the way he had seen everybody cooperate and take pride in their job at making the House of Caledon work. And that’s when the nerves kicked in at realizing he was actually attending his first lessons to become a king.

Seldon put an arm around his shoulder and leaned in closer, making Daniel feel safer and less alone.

The Grand Lords and Ladies continued, one by one standing up, introducing themselves, and informing Daniel of something new and different. As they talked, purple-eyed Cubi came in and served lunch for Daniel and Seldon’s children while placing a variety of drinks on the table, ranging from coffee and tea to juice, soda, and something Daniel had no idea what it was. He stuck with a soda with his sandwich, feeling a different hunger slowly rise on his skin.

“Do you have any questions at this time, Daniel?” Geodin asked.

“Yeah. When will we be moving?”

“Tomorrow.”

Daniel gaped. “I have to find people before tomorrow?”

“No, we’ll help you. Our staff will help you, too.” Geodin smiled and patted Daniel’s hand. “It would be wise of you to choose someone, temporary is fine, to help you through this first time.”

“From the Grand House?”

“Preferable.”

“I’d like your help, Geodin.”

“I will be at your service,” she said and smiled proudly. “It is also necessary for you to think of dosers because both you and Seldon have to be dosed as often as possible, preferably daily from now on by a purple-eye to raise you as fast as possible.”

“I’ve been Seldon’s primary doser for almost thirty years, and I’d like to continue that,” Caledon said.

“A primary to your own Sire?” Roardon asked.

“I dose all my sires,” Caledon said, looking slightly defensive. Roardon just shrugged.

“Will you be mine, too?” Daniel asked to get them back on subject.

“Oh shit, cub,” Caledon said, laughing. “I’d love to, but I think I’d need help sometimes.”

Daniel nodded, thinking Caledon would be very busy if he had to dose them both. Then again, they could do that with the three of them. That could be fun. That was the hunger talking.

“I’ll volunteer to help,” Geodin said and winked at Daniel who remembered that with the change to Seldon’s sentence he would no longer be forced to be the only one to feed Daniel. And Daniel’s bigger hunger, because he was so young, meant he needed more than Seldon and Caledon could provide if they were supposed to function with their responsibilities, too. One thing was that Daniel wanted to feed as much as possible on Seldon, another was that he couldn’t.

“I’d like that,” Daniel said and rubbed the skin on his neck.

“Hungry?” Seldon whispered, leaning in.

“Getting there,” Daniel replied quietly.

“Then let’s hope we’re done, soon.”

“I do have another question,” Daniel said, looking around the table. “When will it be announced that the House of Dahlidin has a Prince?”

“Tonight. But your identity will be kept for a while still, for you to settle in,” Ildon said.

“Thank you.”

“Shall we cut this short?” Geodin asked. The Grand Lords and Ladies agreed, and everybody stood. Geodin handed Daniel a folder. “In here are phone numbers and where everyone in your Grand Council lives. We have included a list of questions. Take your time to answer them. It’s important you give each one thought.”

“I don’t have a phone,” Daniel said, but accepted the folder.

“I do, and you get to use it, too,” Seldon said, fishing it out and punching something into it. He then handed Roardon the phone. “Would you add your number so Daniel can find you when he needs you?”

Roardon smiled and took the phone to add his number. “I’m Lord of the Eighth House under Grand Lord Neardon. I’ll show you around one day if you’d like.”

So far, the only House he had been in was Caledon’s, and he wondered if there could be that many differences. “I’d like that,” Daniel said, remembering something he also wanted to know. “Do you have Cubi born children, too?”

“Yes. Six. Four girls and two boys. All empowered. When you are ready, you can meet them.” Roardon handed Seldon his phone back. An awkward silence followed, and Daniel busied himself by looking in the folder.

“How about I follow you back, and we take care of today’s dose,” Caledon suggested.

“Yeah.” Daniel looked at Roardon. No way was he going to call him Dad anytime soon. “I’ll see you soon, I guess.”

“I’ll look forward to it.” Roardon smiled and stepped back as if excluding himself from the following conversation, but he didn’t leave. Daniel hugged Geodin. She laughed warmly and hugged him back. “I’ll see you tomorrow when I come by with people to help you begin your move.”

“Okay, thanks.” Daniel then bid the rest from the Grand House farewell.

A new mark had been painted on the door to Seldon’s apartment—this one not an angry red but green.

“What does it say?” Daniel asked.

Seldon smiled. “Vindicated.”

“Good.”

“We better go so you guys can get dosed,” Marcadon said, squeezing Daniel’s shoulder.

“Will you be helping us move?” Seldon asked.

“No, I have my orders for tomorrow,” Marcadon said.

“And I’ll be leaving tomorrow with my team,” Rosadin said.

“I'll help,” Talidon said. “After noon because that’s when my shift ends.”

“See you tomorrow then,” Seldon said and hugged his children. They left, and Seldon unlocked the door.

It felt strange to enter the apartment now. Tomorrow they’d be relocated to another, bigger apartment. Maybe one the size of Caledon’s. Daniel hadn’t even seen all of it the day he was there and the breeder George had shown him some of it.

“Seldon,” Daniel said, stopping in the hallway. Seldon stopped and turned to face him. “Are you sorry you have to leave your apartment?”

Seldon took a deep breath and glanced at Caledon who seemed to read between the lines that his presence wasn’t needed for that conversation, so he continued down the hallway and turned toward the bedroom. Seldon turned to Daniel again and put his hands on his shoulders.

“I hate moving, but to be honest, all the gross things that have been smeared on my door and that damn mark then…I don’t know, this place feels sullied somehow. So no, I don’t mind. But more importantly, you moved in here with me. Now I move in with you. If you want, we can make a home together.”

A smile stretched uncomfortably wide on Daniel’s face, and he hugged Seldon tightly. “I’d like that.”

“Good. Now, let’s go get dosed.”

Meraki P. Lyhne is a Danish author who mainly writes contemporary paranormal MM and MMM, some with a HEA, some with a HFN, and some with white-knuckling cliffhangers.

Meraki P. Lyhne is also published by eXtasy Books

To learn more:

www.merakiplyhne.com
www.extasybooks.com/meraki-p-lyhne

Also by Meraki P. Lyhne

Chronicles of an Earned

Anchored in Stone #1

Two Sides of a Coin #2

Marked by Shadow #3

Saving Starfish #4

Chronicles of an Earned is a series where you’ll meet the entire spectrum of the paranormal. Where good and evil isn’t black and white, where Angels can be wrong, Demons not always the evil ones, and where witches, warlocks, and wizards aren’t as clear cut as general culture has you believe. Here, historical and mythological facts are twisted but kept as reliable and true to their sources as possible.

All this with a side dish of hot and sweet MM.

Table of Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One