His by Right (3 page)

            "You didn't answer me, and you said you would. What is this place? Some kind of floating whorehouse in outer space?"

            "Whorehouse? Yes. You could call this a whorehouse. Or rather, a whoreship."

            She felt her heart pounding heavily in her chest. A faint dizziness wafted behind her eyes. "You can't do that to me. You can't keep me here against my will and tell me I have to fuck your precious clientele. What if I refuse? What if I demand you take me back to Earth?"

            This time, Gleeth's face, with its multitude of shiny black eyes, almost gave the appearance of looking sad. "You were dying on your world. Do you truly wish to be returned to that situation?"

            "If it's my only alternative to being used as a fucking
prostitute,
yes!"

            Gleeth paused. "You were alone. You were dying. You fit our needs."

            "But you don't have my permission. What you're doing is slavery. Slavery is illegal."

            "According to whom? This is not your world."

            Meredith started. The thing had a point. Here in outer space, who was to say slavery wasn't allowed?
Think of all the people who've claimed to have been abducted.

            "If we return you, we will have to put you back exactly the way we found you. You will die. Is it your wish to die?"

            "No, I don't want to die," Meredith admitted.

            "Then you must service the clientele."

            "What if I refuse?"

            "Then you will get very hungry."

            "So I'll starve to death. How different will that be to taking me back to Earth and sticking me in my car?"

            Again, the creature paused as if to think. Finally, it turned and shuffled over to the pallet where it motioned for Meredith to join it. Reluctant at first, she relented and sat down on the surprisingly comfortable mat.

            "What is your name?"

            "Meredith Powell."

            "Mer-ee-veh. That is hard to say. How else can I call you?"

           
Preferably long distance.
Meredith bit back her immediate reply. "Friends call me Merry."

            "Mer-ree. Yes, that is easier to pronounce. Merry, this is something we do not often tell our products."

           
Oh, geez, gotta remember that. I'm no longer a human being. I'm a commodity minus the universal product code.

           
"I do not know what you expect from us, but I can assure you many species are excited when they are selected for this honor."

            "This
honor
?" Meredith made certain her comment dripped sarcasm, and waited to see what Gleeth's reaction would be. Sadly, there was none.

            "To many, it is an honor. They know our clientele receive bonus points if they manage to make the products orgasm."

            She could only raise an eyebrow at that.

            "With those points, the clientele can receive discounts on additional visits, or save up their points to get a visit free of charge."

           
Oh, super! We're also a discount whorehouse!

           
"And what do I get out of this, other than a possible orgasm and two years of servitude?"

            "We keep you healthy. We feed you whatever you desire. We allow you to mingle among others of your kind."

            Her hand involuntarily went to where she'd felt a mark behind her ear. "We'll be able to talk to each other?"

            "Yes, although, you will not be allowed to converse with everyone. There are some species which need to be kept in a specific environment. And there are those which are dangerous to others."

            Her eyes checked out the pallet. "Will I be able to take naps?"

            "You will be given the opportunity to rest, yes."

            Meredith frowned. Actually, the more she thought about the fact that the clientele would be attempting to make her orgasm, the less her servitude bothered her, and that began to bother her. Was she so willing to sell herself?

           
But remember, Merry,
it would only be for two years. Plus there's a very good chance you won't be servicing anyone you know.

           
She shook her head. Mind-blowing sex? Or death?

           
Like I really have a choice?

           
"All right." She cleared her throat. "I'm starving. Feed me, then tell me what I have to do."

            That was definitely a smile that came over Gleeth's face. "What are you hungry for?"

Chapter Four

Rules

            She knew she'd eaten better prime rib, but for a spaceship, its version was damn good. Gleeth remained with her, answering her questions whenever she had one, but otherwise the creature sat silently in the corner after showing Meredith how to order her meals from the yellow box.

            Steeling herself, she decided it was time she got down to the nitty gritty. "All right. Tell me how this pleasuring goes down."

            "You will be placed in a pleasuring room, which the clientele will enter after you've been arranged for them. The clientele are not allowed to see your face. You are to remain an enigma to them."

            "Why?"

            "We've learned that many species do not want to view anything other than the task at hand."

            Meredith winced. The millipede had a very odd way of putting things. "So they don't want to look at my face. How do you manage that? Put a bag over my head?"

            "Neither will you be allowed to touch them with your hands."

            Meredith paused with a green bean halfway to her mouth. Since her food was delivered without utensils, she was forced to eat with her fingers. At this point it didn't matter. She was so hungry, she would have gotten down on all fours and scarfed it like an animal.

            "Why can't I touch them?"

            "Some clientele do not like to be touched. I also need to let you know that, in the past, a few products have shown disfavor at the feel of the clientele."

            "At the feel? Like slime or scales?"

            "There have been."

            Meredith shivered. "But you said my clientele would be humanoid. What do you mean? What do you deem as being humanoid?"

            "When the pleasuring organs are compatible."

            "So what you're saying is that if you had a cock and a pair, you could pay to fuck me?"

            "I am monecious, but technically you are correct."

            "What? Mon..."

            Gleeth waved its tentacles, as if dismissing her last comment. "As I said, you will lie upon a raised pallet, which will then place you inside the pleasuring unit where the clientele will enter. A barrier will be lowered to prevent you from touching or seeing the clientele. Once you have been pleasured, the pallet will withdraw, and you will be lead to a cleansing chamber. Depending on numerous factors, you will either be returned to your room, or placed on another pallet. Either way, you will be given a chance to rest between clientele."

            "I take it there will steps taken to prevent the transmission of diseases or pregnancy?"

            "You were vaccinated when you were brought on board to prevent any diseases you bore from being spread to the other products. Your reproductive organs were also blocked."

            "What do you mean blocked? I can't ever have babies?" The thought of never bearing children hit her hard, making her face heat up with the threat of tears. Having a family had always been one of the most important ambitions in her life, second to finding a husband. "You made me barren?"

            "No, you are not barren," Gleeth quickly reassured her, apparently aware it had upset her. "You will be given an injection periodically to keep your eggs from being released, and to prevent you from becoming impregnated. Once your time with us is complete, and we come back to this galaxy to return you to your home planet, you will resume your fertility."

            Meredith breathed deeply in relief and reached for her drink. Sadly, although the prime rib was good, the ship's idea of a diet cola left a lot to be desired. Disgusted, she put aside the cup to ask a question that had been nagging her.

            "What are the chances the clientele could hurt me? Or injure me?"

            "All prospective clientele are screened prior to being allowed to use our facility. Everyone must pass through additional screens to prevent them from boarding the ship with a weapon, or with any chemicals, either on them or in them, that could possibly harm the products."

            "Yay. No drugs or drunks," she quipped. "Ever have a client bypass those screens and still manage to cause harm?"

            "Yes."

            At first, the answer surprised her. But then Meredith realized she'd rather have the whole truth than be lied to. Gleeth needed her full cooperation, and the last thing they needed was to lose their trust in each other.

            Gleeth continued. "It was many, many years ago, back before the new safeguards were put in place."

            "How about after that?"

            "None."

            "What if the clientele wants to bring a sex toy with them?"

            Was it her imagination, or did Gleeth turn a shade of blue? What did blue mean, anyway?

            "Any sort of enhancement is against the rules. The clientele must bring the product to orgasm by their own means."

            "But what if they do? What if they manage to sneak something in?"

            "It will not happen." Gleeth was firm.

            "You'd kick them out?"

            "They would be denied their privileges for a considerable length of time, yes."

            "But you said you pay them bonus points if they bring me to orgasm."

            "I did. We do."

            "How do you know if I come? Do you just take their word for it?"

            Gleeth appeared amused. "The pallets are monitored. We are aware of your bodily statistics at all times. If you orgasm or not, we will know."

            Meredith covered her mouth and belched softly. "'Scuse me. So when do I start?"

            "You first must rest. I have ordered an intern to come and check your injuries. Perhaps tomorrow, if you are ready, and there is a need for your services."

            The creature turned toward the doorway, as if to leave. Meredith got to her feet.

            "Wait. I take it I can't call anyone back on Earth and let them know I'm alive, can I?"

            "We are already too far away from your world."

            A pang of homesickness suddenly washed over her. "You mean I have to spend the next two years stuck in this little room all by myself? With no one to talk to?"

            "You can talk to the other products, and you can talk to me."

            "You're my boss. You're not my friend." As soon as the words were out of her mouth, Meredith saw Gleeth's skin turn darker, until it was nearly black. If she didn't know better, she would swear she'd hurt the alien's feelings. At this point, she didn't know if she should apologize or not. Instead, she chose to redirect the conversation.

            "Listen, you said I could visit others. Where?"

            "Products with similar needs gather in their appropriate lounge when they are not resting or working."

            "With similar needs?"

            "You are an air breather. Others who must also breathe go to the lounge where there is an oxygen-rich atmosphere."

            "Where's this lounge? How do I get there?"

            "Do not worry about that now. You will be shown the way after you have rested."

            This time, the creature exited the room, leaving Meredith on her own. The place grew uncomfortably quiet, and for the first time she wished she had something to break the silence. Anything familiar to give her comfort. A TV or a movie was definitely out of the question, and she could forget the internet. She'd even be happy to hear the bustle of traffic.

            "What I wouldn't give for some music. I wonder how Gleeth would handle a little Rolling Stones.
Jumping Jack Flash is a gas, gas, gas.
" She threw up her arms and did a little wiggle and shake in time with her short solo.

            Yes, she would miss hearing music, probably more than anything else. Instead, there was a low rumble, almost a vibration, coming through the walls and floor. It had to be from the ship's engines. There was no telling how big the vessel might be, but she could only assume it was massive, remembering the size of the cargo hold where she'd regained consciousness.

            After a while, she took her bowl and cup over to the yellow box and hit the blue button as she'd been instructed. A small panel slid aside, revealing a slot for her to place her dishes. After leaving them there, she went around the pallet and found the door to where she'd seen a sink. As the panel slid aside, she stared at the small inner compartment.

            "Okay, Merry. Since you're going to be staying here for quite some time, it's time you figured out how everything works, then get some rest."

            She had no idea it would take her nearly an hour to figure out the toilet.

Chapter Five

Well

            She was on the verge of falling asleep, but a nagging headache prevented her from resting. She didn't need a doctor to know she was having to pay for her love of caffeine, and it had been some time since she'd last enjoyed a cup of coffee. Rubbing her temples didn't help either. She was about write it off and suffer in silence, praying it wouldn't last long, when she sensed someone coming into her room.