Total pages in book: 109
Estimated words: 103211 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 516(@200wpm)___ 413(@250wpm)___ 344(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 103211 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 516(@200wpm)___ 413(@250wpm)___ 344(@300wpm)
“Well…it’s not exactly like Yonnie Six.” Kat cleared her throat and shifted in her seat, as humans often did when they had unpleasant news to impart. “It’s a little more extreme,” she told Nox.
“More extreme than Yonnie Six?” Seline’s eyes flew wide. “But…what does that even mean? I already have to put a collar and leash on Nox and pretend that he serves me by hand and foot when we go to Yonnie Six. How can Beselex Station be any worse than that?”
“The Tangle is built on a system of punishments and rewards,” Kat explained. “And I mean sexual punishments and rewards. If a bodyslave is bad, he must be punished. Conversely, if he’s good, he must be rewarded—sexually.”
“Oh?” Seline’s cheeks—which were normally a pale, creamy color—suddenly got pink. “I mean, what kinds of punishments and rewards are we talking about?”
“Spanking mostly. Sometimes flogging,” Kat said.
“What? So I might be expected to…to flog Nox?” Seline turned to look at him, her eyes wide and troubled. Though he had no emotions himself, he recognized the signs of distress.
“Please don’t worry, Seline. I’m sure it won’t amount to much,” he said dryly.
“What? Me flogging you wouldn’t amount to much? How can you say that?” she demanded.
“Because I’m very large and you’re tiny and not very strong,” Nox said honestly.
“What?” Her brown eyes flashed and she put a hand on her full hip. “What kind of thing is that to say?”
“It’s the truth,” Nox said shortly. “I have observed you in the gym when you take a turn at the weights—you are only able to lift—”
“Never mind about how much I can lift!” Seline interrupted him. “I bet if I had a big, long whip in my hand you’d feel differently about how strong I am!”
“I doubt it,” Nox said. “But even if you were strong enough to inflict significant pain on me, it wouldn’t matter. Pain doesn’t last forever and the body can heal itself of injuries.”
“That’s a pretty stoic attitude you’ve got about possibly being flogged, buddy,” Kat remarked sardonically.
Nox shrugged.
“I have faced pain before.” He looked at Seline steadily. “The only way this situation would bother me would be if our roles were reversed and I was expected to punish you.”
“Oh?” Seline’s eyes widened and for some reason her scent got suddenly hotter, though Nox couldn’t understand why. “And…why would that bother you, Nox?” she asked, her voice slightly breathy. “To, er, punish me, I mean?”
“Because you’re so small and breakable, of course,” Nox murmured, looking down at her. “I would worry constantly about hurting you. I would much prefer to bear any pain you might give me than be forced to give you pain myself, Seline.”
“Oh…” she almost whispered and a complicated range of emotions that Nox couldn’t quite read passed over her lovely face. “I, uh, see,” she finished at last.
They had locked eyes and Nox found that he couldn’t look away. Why was it that he found her so appealing when he had never cared about females in the past? What was it about her that got under his epidermis so much? Again he felt that sense of almost-irritation. Why did she affect him so strongly when no female ever had before?
“A-hem,” Commander Sylvan cleared his throat, which caused both of them to look at him, breaking the staring contest. “So…do either of you have a problem with this, er, dynamic that Kat is describing—with the way they do business at Beselex Station?” he asked.
Seline frowned.
“I still don’t like the idea of having to, uh, ‘punish’ Nox.”
“Well, there are punishments that don’t involve corporal punishment…they’re more sexual in nature,” Kat remarked cheerfully.
“What? Why didn’t you tell me any of this earlier?” Seline demanded, turning on her with a look of dismay.
Kat laughed and patted the other woman’s knee comfortingly.
“Because I don’t think you’ll have to actually do any of that. It’s not like you’ll be staying for very long. Just mind your Ps and Qs around Mistress Lendrex and do the deal and come home.”
“Do the deal?” Seline exclaimed. “But it sounds like you’re sending us to some kind of bondage or BDSM club!”
“Well…sort of,” Kat admitted. “But you won’t be there for long. You might have to attend one formal dinner but other than that, you should be able to get in and out pretty quickly.”
“Well…” Seline looked uncertainly at Nox. “I suppose if Nox is all right with it…”
Nox shrugged.
“I don’t foresee it being a problem.”
“Then it’s settled.” Commander Sylvan nodded firmly. “If the two of you are ready, I’ll have engineering fold space for you as soon as you want.”
“I am packed and ready to leave immediately,” Nox remarked. He was already wondering if he would still be required to kiss Seline’s undergarments due to the slightly different social requirements at Beselex Station. He knew he shouldn’t want to, but he did.