Candidate (Selected Book 4) (73 page)

"All right," I said. "Fine. Dinner out with you."

"I can't."

"Why not?" I demanded.

"How am I supposed to eat? Yes, I'm letting some of the women see us like this now, but not the entire town."

"Oh. I'm sorry. I didn't think of that." I paused. "I think you should stop hiding. I'd love to see you walking around with your tentacles free. If anyone can't handle it, screw them."

"It makes some of the guards nervous. If I hide them, they're okay. But the employees aren't screened as well as the mating candidates. We look for different attributes. Xenophobia is higher."

"They'll get over it."

"I don't think so."

"Ask them. That's what I want. You ask the guards that get most nervous. See what they say. Then decide."

She paused. "All right. There might be more than one challenge with them."

"Dinner out."

"I still can't, even if I start going more exposed here. The guards do not represent the entire town."

"Fine. They can take me out. Someplace nice. I want lobster."

She smiled. "This is between you and me. They'll probably take you out anyway. What do you want from me?"

"I wouldn't suppose you'd let me wear more clothing in my cell."

"No."

"How about more variety?"

"That's what you want?"

"You're not going to give me the things I really want, Jasmine. You're not going to let me go home. You're not going to give me any more freedom than I currently have. You're going to make me go shackled whenever I'm acting as a mating candidate, because it amuses you. I already have every privilege on the list. I don't know what to ask for. I'd love my own apartment, but if you aren't going to let me pick my own clothes, you're certainly not going to let me have my own apartment."

She didn't say anything. "Do you want your apartment for the privacy or the space?"

"I'd like a space that really felt like my own. I'd like the clothing you do let me have right there instead of somewhere else. I'd like my own shower. I'd like a refrigerator with food for when I get the munchies. Heck, I'd like a bigger bed. I have a queen size at home. I like to sprawl. And yes, I'd like sheets and blankets. And I wouldn't mind if I never felt eyes on me. Some of the aliens watch me while I sleep. I don't really like it."

"You're asleep."

"Why do they watch me sleep?"

"You're just that fascinating."

"Bullshit."

"What if I gave you most of that? Your own apartment, but it would be in the cell block."

I thought about it then nodded. "I'd love it, Jasmine. I bet you can give me transparent sheets that feel like real sheets."

"You give these women every chance, and you do your best in the challenges they ask. You be charming. You don't get mad if they are a little forward. Are we agreed?"

"We're agreed."

"Thank you."

* * * *

Peony was delightful to work for, and she seemed to enjoy being back in a control room. We only had a few challenges left before the new batch, but with her looking over my shoulder, they were the best I'd run yet.

She was surprised by the changes to the process. Clover had said there were changes, but they really hadn't talked about them. But she admitted, "It's about time."

And I could see she was popular with the other humans. Sal took a hug, although there were no tentacles involved. And that was when I realized the tentacles didn't appear if there were other humans in the control room.

Then the new batch arrived. Peony monitored my meetings with them. We all had lunch together, and she expressed amazement. "Is she always like this?" she asked everyone, gesturing to me.

"Yes," said Cedar. "She's amazing. Bay and I have begged Jasmine to put her on permanent staff instead of mating her away, but so far, we've made no progress."

"Perhaps she will lure someone to be her mate under the condition they both remain here," Peony said. "Then we would solve several staffing problems at once."

"I'd have let Dark Skies keep me," I said, feeling a moment of pain.

"Oh, Dark Skies," said Peony. "I hope she's happy." She tangled tentacles with Clover. "She gave us a gift one day."

I laughed. "I can imagine the nature of the gift."

"I have never been more insatiable," Peony said.

I did my interviews. I had my usual luck with willing candidates and a higher than average number of women who were willing only if it was another woman, even a few we were sure were straight. But then Jasmine told me we had to reverse the order of the two receptions. And so we held the reception for the women willing to be mated to a male the first night, and the ones who would accept a female the second night.

* * * *

I was nervous. Jasmine had traded out my usual "let's embarrass the crap out of the mating candidates" clothing for "Andromeda doesn't mind putting it all on display" clothing. Except Andromeda certainly did mind putting it on display, and right about then, I wanted nothing more than a hoodie and a pair of sweatpants.

I was nervous.

Dilly and Piper came for me. They'd told me their real names long ago, but they seemed amused to be called Dilly and Piper, so that's who they were to me. They stopped inside the cell. "Well. Let's just hang 'em out there, shall we?" Piper said.

"I didn't pick this outfit," I said. "Tell me, does this see-through kimono make my butt look fat?" I turned around and let them look.

"Honey," said Dilly. "Your butt will never look fat. Damn, you look good."

"Thanks, Dilly," I said. "Does Jasmine Brighteyes have any special treats for me tonight? Going to dangle me from the ceiling or something?"

They exchanged looks.

"I don't want to know, do I?"

"How did you know we had special directions?"

"Because it's Jasmine Brighteyes, and she put me in this outfit, and she already told me someone special is coming to fondle me in ways that will make me squeak."

"I thought you were leaving with the Kitsune."

"Yeah, well. Jasmine seems to want me to test drive a few more options. And the Kitsune hasn't committed yet."

"They usually pick so fast."

"I know. But they get a taste of me and get cold feet," I said. "Will you warn me what you're supposed to do?"

"Sorry," said Piper. "We weren't told not to."

"Right. I don't want you to get into trouble. I'll try not to hold it against you, but if you get stuck hauling all the bitchy women, it's an accident. I promise."

They both snorted. "Hands out, please, Andromeda."

* * * *

I could neither see nor hear. That was typical. But the walk was familiar by now. They led me into place, and that was when things became different. Normally the wall reached forward for me. But this time it locked my ankles in place. Then I could hear a voice in my ears. "Do not be startled."

I didn't recognize the voice. It wasn't Dilly, Piper, or any of the aliens I knew. I didn't bother asking.

A moment later, the wall grabbed my ankles. Normally it grabbed most of me at once. But it grabbed my ankles. Then Dilly and Piper pulled me backwards, off balance, and if they hadn't supported me, I would have fallen. The wall grabbed more of me: my legs, then my shoulders. It supported me at an angle, and then the floor adjusted under my feet, lifting my toes to match the angle I was leaning. Piper and Dilly released my hands, and the wall took control.

It finished encasing me, and it felt like I was held completely. I was well supported in back, but I felt it pressing against me, around me. My face was free, but it even held my head tightly.

It was comfortable, but a little disconcerting.

"There are rules," said the voice. "Until you are released, you may speak only to someone who initiates the conversation." I didn't say anything, as I hadn't been asked a question. I had long learned not to violate rules.

Yes, in that way, I was completely cowed. It hadn't even taken that long. I could get mad, but when Jasmine set a rule, I knew breaking it meant punishment. Most of the time, the punishment was far harsher than I was willing to pay. And so I followed the rules.

I was cowed, and I knew it, and I was bitter about it, but I tried not to let it control my moods.

"I am authorized to play music of your choice. I will display your playlists, and you may pick one." A moment later, my music playlist appeared in front of me, and I picked Upbeat Instrumental.

I was kept that way for what seemed like a long time. I didn't count songs. I simply closed my eyes and listened to the music. What else could I do?

But eventually the visor brightened. I opened my eyes.

I was near the center of the room, facing back towards the other women. I was supported in a pillar similar to how Charoite had kept me. I was inclined at a slight backwards angle, enough the material could support me a little. And, of course, the material was transparent.

The other women were all still hugged by the wall, and it was clear they had just been given their own vision. They were looking around, several of them turning their heads to look at me before moving on.

I couldn't do as much. My head was held firmly, and it felt like the material was even holding my hair. But I looked around as much as I could, which wasn't much. The room was full of aliens, all of them female, as far as I could tell. I didn't see any species I hadn't dealt with before, but they could be behind me.

I closed my eyes and tried to relax. I was sure I would receive attention. I usually did, although it didn't necessarily result in being freed from the wall. And I was pretty sure this time I was reserved for the Whiteblacks. I hoped they didn't make me wait forever.

It was some time later that I felt more light on my eyes. I opened, and the visor said, "Visor Control Activated." I looked, and the last of the women was being led from the wall by -- of all people -- Lotus, the Catseye who wouldn't go swimming with me. She didn't give me a glance, which didn't bother me in the slightest.

I still didn't see any new species. I closed my eyes and zoned out.

It was some time later -- I wasn't watching the time -- when I heard Jasmine's voice. "They're here. You're going to want to watch."

"Fashionably late, hmm?" I asked.

"Comfortable?"

"Not bad, actually, even if you have me quite on display."

"Like you noticed whether anyone checked you out."

"I know they did. I ignored them doing it. What I don't know is if you did."

"Of course I did. So did Peony and Clover."

"Are they discussing an adjustment to their household?"

She laughed. "I think they were each teasing the other one. That would be unusual for Catseye. But I won't let them have you. They don't need you, and there are too many women who do."

"Got it," I said. I looked around. "I don't see any new species."

"They're behind you. They know you can't move. Enjoy yourself, Andromeda."

"Yeah, because I love when you do this to me."

She chuckled in my ear for a moment then it was quiet.

And so I watched while I waited, looking around as best I could, which wasn't very good at all. I saw other aliens watching me, or perhaps watching things behind me, but no one approached.

But then from behind me, from very close behind me, I heard a voice. "Hello, Human."

And a second voice said, "We find you very-"

The first one finished the sentence. "Intriguing." And that was how they spoke. They didn't alternate words, but it would be odd that one would speak an entire sentence. It would take getting used to. One should assume this style of speaking for all future conversations.

"Do I get to see you?"

They moved around me, one passing on either side, coming to a stop side-by-side in front of me. And they were... stunning. I'm sure I've used that word before, but for them, it absolutely fit.

One was as black as I've ever seen; the other was equally as white. But they were clearly of the same species, with similar facial features and physiques.

"Oh. My. God."

"Is that an expression of appreciation?"

"It is this time," I said.

They were both... built. Perfect. They had similar bodies, the sort you expect from a basketball player, although not as tall. And they knew how to display it, dressed in leather, but with bare shoulders and arms and tight waists. The pale one wore black, and the black one wore red. Somehow it worked.

They had hair, and this was where they switched colors. The white woman's hair was as black as night, and the black woman's hair was pure white. Both wore their hair long, very long, and it was stunning. I would learn in the future they liked to braid it, but tonight it tumbled over their shoulders and down their backs.

Individually, they were everything I found amazing.

"Will you introduce yourselves?" I asked.