"Eve is unique among her kind," Rafe says. "She has a higher IQ than most Imperials."
"Then perhaps she can explain why this one," Marath nudges the male pet with her tail, "refuses to perform properly. He orgasmed too quickly during yesterday's demonstration. If he does that in front of the judges, it will lose me points. I’m worried he’s defective."
"Different stimulation techniques work better for different individuals," I say. "Perhaps a lighter touch would help maintain control."
Marath laughs. "A lighter touch? How delightfully naïve you are. Shall I demonstrate proper technique?" She coils her scaled tail around the male's cock.
He gasps but doesn't cry out; I assume he’s been trained too well for that.
I watch with horror as she increases the pressure slowly, like a snake suffocating its prey. It’s deeply unsettling to see green scales against such delicate human skin. It makes my stomach turn, and I have to fight to keep my expression neutral. I quickly glance at Rafe and Lorian,Are they enjoying this?But I’m reassured when their expressions are just as blank as I hope my own is.
“You see? He almost just orgasmed again. It’s too soon.” Marath pulls hard on his penis to hurt him, and he screams out in pain. Then she looks at me with her serpent eyes. "Perhaps you'd like to try? I'm curious what anelevatedhuman knows about managing her own kind."
The challenge in her voice is clear. Around us, other trainers have noticed our conversation. And now they're all watching, waiting to see if I'll accept or decline. I make eye contact with the Sovereigns. Their expressions give nothing away.
What do I do? Do they really want me to jack-off this man here in front of all of these people?
I survey the crowd of trainers surrounding me and feel pressure to perform. I put one hand in my pocket as if it’s a nervous habit and manage to get one drop of Dr. Veil’s medicine on my finger. Then I say, as confidently as I can, "Of course. I’d love to demonstrate.”
Inwardly I’m thinking,How hard can it be? Men do it all the time.
I kneel beside the man. He’s bound, cock hard and angry looking, straining against the air as if the act of being alive is already too much for him. His blue eyes meet mine. As one human to another, I want to tell him I’m trying to help him, but I can’t say the words out loud.
I’ve never touched a man before, not like this, and certainly not with an audience. I don’t even know how to begin, but I take a deep breathand will myself to do it. I reach out and carefully press my finger to the head of his cock. He jerks, hips rising, and for a second I think I’ve ruined him. But the compound does its work, and the tension in his thighs ease.
I stroke his length slowly. Carefully. Just the crown and then just the shaft. Nothing more. I’m clumsy, but I keep going, because something in his face shifts. His eyes soften, and his breathing becomes even.
“You’re alright,” I whisper. I don’t even know if he can understand me; not everyone speaks English. But maybe I’m just saying it for myself.
His trainer says, “Interesting. He hasn’t come. Normally he spends himself in under a minute. Are you mocking me, human, or did you stumble onto something useful? Since you’ve started, you’ll finish. Bring him to climax, and we’ll count his strokes. If you’ve truly steadied him, he should last longer than before.”
Heat scorches my face, but I can’t refuse now, so I nod and close my hand around his cock again.
I’m too soft at first, then too rough. My fingers slip where I think they shouldn’t. I know nothing of technique, nothing of what men actually want. Yet the man groans and bucks under my touch, responding to me all the same. All the while I’m wondering if he actually will be able to come with my bad technique and the medicine. We might be here all day.
The trainer notices. “Look at that awkward grip. Humans must rut each other like this, fumbling like clueless animals. No wonder Earth stock is so easily aroused by our touch.”
I keep my hand moving, embarrassed for myself and for the man.
Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, how did I get here?
Each stroke is counted aloud.
“Eight… nine… ten….”
The trainer’s voice grows grudging. “Better. At the Championships, trainers are scored on duration. Hold a male pet between twenty andfifty strokes before climax, you gain a point. Between fifty and one hundred, you gain two. Over one hundred, three points and prestige. This one usually loses me points.”
His cock is hot and slippery in my fist, twitching wildly now. Within seconds, the man bucks and then his come spills over my hand, thick and hot.
“Forty-five. Still not worthy of two points, but much better than his usual disgrace. Perhaps your human receptionist has her uses after all.”
I make eye contact with Rafe as laughter ripples from the other trainers.
His silver eyes meet mine, and I see the thought form on his face:she just broke the rules I never gave her.
My pulse quickens. I can almost feel his hand in my hair, forcing me to kneel. I imagine his palm across my ass for daring to show initiative without permission, and then the Venus Lock spikes. Of course it does. There’s no trying to hide my feelings. The Sovereigns know I want them. But so does every other woman in this hotel, so it doesn’t make me special. But what does make me different is that I’mtheirhuman liaison, and for the moment, they have a strong interest in me.
A waiter from the Spire hands me a towel to wipe my hand, and I take it, grateful and ashamed of the evidence of what I just did.
