Excessica Anthology BOX SET Winter (98 page)

I
grinned at her. "Not me for sure; I just wanted to help."

"Aww,
Wes, I know." She pulled the maternity skirt up over her right leg.
"But...you made me whole again and I'll never forget."

"Janie...I
don't know how to ask this, but are you okay? I mean...how are you taking all
of this?"

"Taking
it? I am God's child, the Mother of Jesus, I am the vessel of God's will; I am
the luckiest woman in the world, I am fulfilled, I am in rapture and I am so
happy, I only wish I could share it with you."

I
left her then, with the halo of light around her, the spotlights in the night
beaming into the dark sky, the wise men hovering near, a nation, if not a
world, in waiting.

When
she gave birth, it was told, the midwives were dismissed and the stable was
empty save the lowing of sheep and the hay in the manger. Maternal labor eased
in a glow of golden light and a boy child with a perfectly healed umbilical
came forth into the world, welcomed by all.

Three
weeks later I looked out my window to see a white robed figure moving
gracefully towards my old farm house.

She
did not knock but pushed the door aside with a less or more than a Madonna look
on her face and stood before me.

"I
remember...on that table...seeing you looking at me...I felt a rapture unlike
anything I had ever felt before. I wanted to share it with you."

She
looked at me with a look I knew, wrapped her arms around me and took my thigh
between her legs and buried her face in my neck. I went from Zero to a Billion
in an instant and joined her rapture with the Stars and the Lights....

About
Amicus

Amicus
aka John Cole had a long career as a Radio Talk Show host in Honolulu, Hawaii, and
Portland, Oregon, along with an accompanying career as a newspaper reporter. He
has previously published a political treatise, "A Call to Convention, A
Call to Arms" (1984), a collection of short stories, "Surprises of
Love" (ISBN 1413731007 - in 2004) and "The First Chief, Ahjeed,"
a novel of Native American early history (ISBN 0595350003 - in 2005).

Of Pets and Pleasures

By
Annette Gisby

Lord
Sebastian Bennett was a man of distinction and refinement, but his friend, Lord
Leon Mallon had pointed out the man's one social lack which prevented him from
being invited to the very best parties on Terra Five. Not that Sebastian ever
attended parties, but one's social standing was based upon how many invitations
one could
reject
, not how many parties one attended. Leon was getting
short with him and warned him that if Sebastian didn't remedy it soon, he would
no longer be welcome at Mallon House.

Since
Mallon House was the only place Sebastian ever visited, or wished to –
and he couldn't let his godson just have the one influence after all –
Sebastian found himself in a rather dodgy part the capital city one day.
Sebastian had rarely ventured out of the more gentrified parts of the city and
it was a shock to the system to see so many aliens gathered in one place and to
see the slums they lived in.

Sebastian
would have stared longer and perhaps even tried to help those few unfortunates
who seemed to be sleeping in the gutters, if Leon hadn't tugged on his cloak
and pulled him further down the alleyway.

“You
can't help them, Sebastian. They know no better. Even if you gave them credits
they'd just spend it on drink or drugs. They don't even have enough sense to
buy food. They’re little better than animals really.”

“But
they look so pitiful!”

“Pity
them all you like, just don’t go wasting your credits on them. Here, this is
the place. I’ve used him before, he’s very discreet.” Leon had stopped at a
glass-fronted shop, the shiniest thing in the alleyway. The window was divided
into five boxes and each box had a different ware for sale. Sebastian stopped
and perused the pets in the window, but not one took his fancy.

Three
were female, which ruled them out at once, despite their provocative poses and
painted faces. The other two were at least male, but were so muscle bound that
Sebastian felt intimidated. He had never been drawn to brawn.

“See
anything you fancy?” asked Leon by his elbow, his experienced gaze taking in
the wares in the window.

From
a distance, they almost looked human, but moving closer to it was obvious that
their skin had a slightly bluish tinge, belying their alien status.

Sebastian
shook his head, in truth it was the real reason he had never acquired a pet
before, he just hadn’t found one he thought was suitable. Most gentlemen had
had a number of pets by the time they were nearing thirty, but Sebastian had
never had one and thought he might be too old to start now.

“Come
inside, the best are always kept in the back,” said Leon as he dragged
Sebastian by the arm giving him no choice but to follow his friend into the
shop.

A
bell above the door tinkled as they entered the shop and a few moments later a
tall, balding man appeared from behind a curtained off part of the premises.
Brown eyes lit up as soon as he spied Leon – no doubt the fire was
fuelled by the credits he soon expected to get from Leon.

The
proprietor greeted Leon like an old friend and with the amount of pets Leon had
acquired over the years, it was no wonder. It was probably Leon Mallon’s
patronage that enabled the store to remain open when other businesses on Terra
Five were struggling.

As
always, Leon was impeccably dressed; today he wore in a navy blue tunic with
silver serpents adorning the collar, and the cut and drape of the fabric were
the height of fashion. Although Sebastian’s clothes were well-tailored and of
fine quality, if one were to look closely they would see that they were a few
years out of date, for Sebastian was not a slave to fashion as his friend was.

“Lord
Mallon! What an honor it is to see you back in our humble shop so soon! I've
just had a special delivery today; I think you'll be impressed.”

“I
am not in the market today, Atwell,” said Leon and Sebastian could almost feel
the man’s despair at those words. “But my friend Lord Bennett is looking. We
want to see your best merchandise.”

“Of
course, of course. This way if you please, gentlemen. Male or female?” Atwell
asked as he held the curtain up for them to pass through. There were no glass
boxes within this room; it was decorated like a parlor from Old Earth, with several
velvet settees and a plethora of bookcases. Three doors stood ajar and
Sebastian could just make out that each of them held a pet sitting on a chair.

“Male,”
said Sebastian.

Atwell
pressed a button and two of the doors slid closed with a soft hiss. “Those
won't interest you, then,” he said sagely.

Atwell
went into the remaining open room and brought out the alien youth who’d been
sitting there before pressing another button. This time a glass box completely
enclosed the boy. They could talk, but the prospective pet wouldn’t be able to
hear them. By now Sebastian had forgotten there was anyone else in the room. He
had never seen such exquisite beauty on a male alien before. High cheekbones,
lips as full and plump as ripe strawberries and hair so dark it was almost
violet rather than black. The youth was short, coming up to Sebastian’s chest,
or maybe his shoulder if the pet stood on tiptoes. His dark hair was messy and
windblown, as if he'd just that moment stepped off a hovercar or tumbled out of
someone’s bed. That thought brought a pang of jealousy Sebastian wasn’t
expecting.

Emerald
green eyes stared out at them a bit warily, as if the youth wasn’t sure what to
expect. He was wearing a sleeveless white tunic, his bare feet were peeking out
from beneath the hem and Sebastian found his eyes drawn to those little pink
toes with their hint of blue. Twelve toes rather than ten.

“What
age is he?” asked Leon, bringing Sebastian back from his contemplation.

“By
their reckoning, twenty three solar years. We’re not exactly sure. They don’t
keep track of birthdays like we do. They reach maturity when they are ready to
mate. Age doesn’t really come into it.”

“And
is he ready to mate yet?” Sebastian asked.

“Oh,
yes,” replied Atwell. “He's ripe and ready, my lord.”

Sebastian
felt his heart speed up. A perfect age. Ripe indeed. Old enough for what
Sebastian wanted him for, but young enough to be biddable and molded into
Sebastian’s perfect lover. Lover?

“How
much?” Sebastian asked, knowing in his heart that he didn't care about the
price. He wanted this pet and he was going to have him, money was no object.

“Five
thousand credits,” said Atwell with an apologetic air.

“Five
thousand? You are out of your mind! No pet is worth that much money! Not even
one who’s still pure!” Leon spluttered.

“Well,
he is pure,” said Atwell, turning to the vidscreen on the wall behind him. He
touched the screen so that the pet’s details were on display for all of them to
see. “I have his purity certificate right here.” He tapped the screen three
times to point it out.

Leon
and Sebastian exchanged glances, before Leon removed his pocket scanner to
detect any falsehood in the electronic records. “It’s true, Sebastian. This pet
is indeed a virgin.”

The
youth was a virgin and now Sebastian wanted him more than ever. To be the first
to claim him.
Mark
him.
Possess
him.

“And
whom did he previously serve?” Leon asked then. “It’s very unusual for an older
pet to be still a virgin.”

“He’s
never served before,” said Atwell. “He wasn’t one bred for service. He lived
with his parents until they were killed over six months ago, but they left
debts. He was claimed as property by the creditors and sold.”

“And
you're only getting him now?”

“Indeed,
Lord Bennett. The probate's only just gone through. The red tape is almost
worse than back on Old Earth!”

“Still,
it is rather a lot of credits,” said Leon, who was well known for haggling.

“He’s
not just pure,” said Atwell. “He’s unique! Born in the wild he was; he wasn’t
bred to be a pet. Just think, Lord Bennett, you would be the only man to own
such a pet. You will be the one to tame the wild beast within him.”

“Nonsense,”
scoffed Leon. “Anyone with enough credits for a hunting permit can get a wild
one. Don’t listen to him, Sebastian. The pet is only worth two thousand, if
that.”

“Four
thousand credits. That's my final offer.”

“Not
a bit over three or we will see what is available elsewhere. You aren't the
only dealer in alien flesh, Atwell,” said Leon.

Sebastian
found it quite amusing to watch Leon bid on his behalf, but he let his friend
continue, for Sebastian wasn’t sure he could walk away. This was the pet he
wanted and no other. He had to have him and he was breathless at the thought of
losing him.

“Three?
That's cutting my own throat! But seeing as you are such a good customer, Lord
Mallon, three it will have to be. I'll just go and get the owner’s papers for
your friend.”

“Very
well. As always, it was a pleasure doing business with you.”

* *
* *

Haleth
stood nervously while he watched the three human men talking and arguing, his
heart beating a mile a minute in his chest. He knew he was for sale, as were
most alien children when their parents died leaving too many debts to be paid
by their estates alone. His parents had never been well off (ever since the humans
came, none of his people had remained solvent) and now with the new inheritance
taxes, most children left behind, and even some adults, had been sold as pets
to pay off their relative’s debts. Haleth had heard of pets, he even knew they
were some sort of slave – a special type of slave – but that was
all he knew. What would his new owner want him to do? Household chores and
cooking? Haleth was a good cook; his mother had taught him from an early age
and he knew his meals were edible, but he had never cooked human food before.

While
Mr. Atwell and the other two men were engrossed in their talks, which remained
silent to Haleth, he took his time to peruse the two strangers. One of them was
going to be his new owner, that was pretty obvious and Haleth wasn’t sure which
one he wanted to pick him. The blond man was handsome, but from what little
Haleth could see of him, he came across as haughty and arrogant. His companion,
in contrast, was as dark as his friend was fair. He had shoulder-length hair
tied back with a velvet ribbon and the darkest eyes Haleth had ever seen. He’d
been gazing at Haleth intensely for the past few moments and Haleth tried not
to give in to his fear. Slaves had no rights and could be beaten or sold on if
their Masters tired of them, or even imprisoned and killed if they dared try to
escape. Haleth sighed, what would he escape to? There was nowhere for him to
go. He would just have to get through this, and perhaps if he worked hard
enough he might be able to earn his freedom when he was older, for he’d heard
that sometimes that did happen.

Mr.
Atwell disappeared for a moment and the dark-haired man was back to staring at
him again. Haleth blushed under the scrutiny, not sure what the man was looking
for. It seemed he liked what he saw, for he graced Haleth with a small smile.
When Mr. Atwell returned, he had an electronic device in his hand and offered a
stylus to the dark-haired man. Once the dark-haired man signed the device, Mr.
Atwell pushed a button and Haleth’s box disappeared.

Mr.
Atwell beckoned Haleth forward with a pointed finger. “This is your new owner,
Lord Bennett.”

Haleth
bowed from the waist and tried not to shake too badly.

“Has
he no other clothes?” asked Lord Bennett, raking his gaze from the top of
Haleth’s head right down to his toes.

“Of
course not, Sebastian,” said the blond-haired man. “If he was sold to pay off
debts, the bailiffs would have taken everything in the house as well, including
the boy’s clothes. Send for a tailor and fit him with a new wardrobe picked to
your choosing if you must. It’s a waste of credits if you ask me, but I’m not
his owner. Do what you want with him.”

Lord
Bennett nodded. “Very well. What is your name?”

“Haleth,
sir.”

“Atwell,
have you a spare cloak at least? I don't want the boy to catch his death of
cold before we get him home. Nor do I want eyes other than my own ogling my
purchase.” Lord Bennett looked pointedly at Haleth’s bare arms, giving Haleth
the urge to hide them somehow. Only slaves wore sleeveless garments and it
would be pretty obvious that’s what he was once they were out in public.

“I
can sell you one for twenty credits,” said Mr. Atwell.

Lord
Bennett rolled his eyes. “At least make sure it is warm. Oh, and if you have
one in green, that would suit. I want it to match his eyes.”

“Very
good, my Lord,” said Mr. Atwell as he hurried off to retrieve the garment.

“Just
need your thumb print for the credits,” said Mr. Atwell once he’d returned with
the cloak. He left it hanging over his arm while the payment went through before
handing it to Lord Bennett. Lord Bennett strode towards Haleth with it and held
it up to Haleth’s body. The cloak was made from heavy wool, with silver fur
adorning the collar and a silver clasp to hold it closed. Lord Bennett draped
it around Haleth’s shoulders and made sure it covered almost every inch of him
besides his head, smoothing down the fabric once it was on.

“Beautiful,”
Lord Bennett whispered and Haleth didn't know whether the man was referring to
the cloak or to Haleth himself.

“Time
to get you home, Haleth,” his master said, holding out his hand.

Haleth
had no choice but to take it. Slaves didn't get choices.

* *
* *

Haleth
had never been teleported anywhere before; when he'd travelled with his
parents, it had either been by public hovercar or airship like all the rest of
the alien commoners. Only the upper class humans like Lord Bennett were allowed
to teleport or use private ships. When the teleportation started the breath
felt as if it was being squeezed out of him by a giant’s hands, and when the
dizzying whirl finally stopped Haleth found himself standing in the middle of a
large, marble-tiled room. Mirrors adorned the wall and there were large windows
overlooking a garden dusted with snow. Bare-limbed trees swayed in the breeze,
their branches sparkling with frost.