Page 15 of A Savage Bargain

Maybe they were brainwashed! I didn’t go to orientation. Maybe they’d been told something else at orientation and when the women arrived at the ship, they were drugged—or more likely, had information and desire implanted! If the aliens could erase memories, they surely could do that. Yeah, that seemed more likely than there being an entire selective series of events for women of Earth to choose the oldest profession on our planet for a bunch of unmet aliens.

Right?

Before I could inquire further, the smell of barbecue intensified. Several indentations in the walls shimmered andtheir revealed doors opened. Robots emerged, each holding trays of food. My jaw dropped open at the entire spectacle as one of the robots maneuvered to our table. They were a lustrous metal, with digital eyes in a square face. They each had four arms, which seemed handy for a server. With its dexterous arms and hands, the robot set the platter in the middle of the table before moving away.

“Holy shit,” I exclaimed, taking in the beef brisket, baby back ribs, collard greens, mac and cheese, and biscuits. “It’s like a summer BBQ.”

“Of course it is,” the humanoid alien next to Olive responded. His hands—with six smooth, nail-less fingers—steepled in front of him. He wore a suit similar to Krake, though a very light gray. He was bald, but with smooth gray skin and round eyes with gray irises and cat’s eye pupils. “We want our Obedients to feel comfortable as they embark on their new lives.”

“Oh, of course,” I parroted back. The alien sounded male, his voice raspy with a vaguely mixed Russian and French accent. How odd.

He stared at me, not bothering to hide his appraisal. I watched his gaze start at my face and move down to take in my upper body. His eyes lingered on my exposed breasts. I almost sighed. The love of tits was apparently universal. “Stand,” he said, the casual tone belying the word.

I hesitated.

Krake, who had remained silent and unmoving through all my chatter, tapped my upper thigh. When I looked his way, he jerked his head up. The intention was clear.

I stood, and the alien did as well. He offered a toothy grin, showing very sharp gray teeth. It was very disconcerting, and I failed to not shudder. If the alien noticed, he didn’t seem to care.

“I am Traston. I am a—I believe the word is—merchant. I procure rare items for wealthy individuals.” He glided aroundthe table to stand next to me, where his tall, thin frame dwarfed me. “Rotate.”

Despite the awkward phrasing, I knew what he wanted. Stifling a sarcastic retort again, I placed my hands on my hips, jutted them out just a saucy bit, and then twirled for the alien. Krake was watching with undisguised interest as well, I noticed when I faced him.

Cold hands grabbed my shoulders before I could complete the turn. Krake’s eyes narrowed and then resumed their placid expression. Traston ran his hands along my shoulders, down my back, in and around the straps. When he reached my ass, his large hands easily cupped both butt cheeks. He squeezed hard several times before making a sound that might have signaled approval. Guess he was an ass-man, too.

I gasped when he cupped my pussy, the cold freezing me. Krake sat up straighter, but said nothing, as Traston explored the folds of my vagina from behind. I felt the chill from his fingers, though he thankfully did not penetrate me. His powerful hands spun me the rest of the way, and he stared into my eyes.

“Nice.” With the one word, he released me and returned to his seat. I numbly sat in my own, trying to reconcile the idea of consent in the Obedient process with what had just happened. I certainly didn’t say no, and Traston clearly knew what to expect at these meet-and-greet dinners.

Olive caught my eye, and she looked so excited for me that I second-guessed myself. Maybe the women considered Traston a good catch? I risked a glance at Krake. He remained impassive, though I thought the corner of his eye twitched.

“Very good,” he said to me in a low voice, before filling his plate with the barbecue that now threatened to turn my stomach.

The rest of the evening simultaneously flew by and moved at a glacial pace. I did my best to engage the way a happy Obedient would, but my anxiety grew to towering levels.

The Collector still hadn’t approved me as an Obedient. I still preferredthatalternative to guaranteed death out of an airlock.

Was I prepared to be a sex submissive? I wasn’t sure that’s what all the aliens wanted, but it had to be close.

What if I ended up with someone like Traston? I shuddered at the thought. Although, could my reaction to him be chalked up to cultural differences? After all, Olive’s and Krake’s words and body language suggested Traston would be a successful match. From Traston’s perspective, I was already 100% in favor of the Auction and consented to be here, groped like a piece of meat.

When Krake finally stood for us to leave, it wasn’t a minute too soon.

Chapter Eight

Krake remainedsilent during the return to his quarters. And, for once, so did I, my mind swirling with all of my newfound information. Or, confirmed information, since technically everything Olive had told me, Krake had already told me.

“Sit,” Krake ordered when the door to his quarters closed behind us.

I did, crossing my legs to somewhat hide my exposed genitalia. The movement did not go unnoticed by the alien, but he did not comment.

Instead, Krake sat beside me. “Tell me how you feel tonight went.”

The question stunned me. “You want to know my opinion?” This was the first time he’d cared to ask. Well, other than whether I’d rather be an Obedient or chucked out of an airlock.

“I do.”

“I was glad to hear Olive confirm what you’d told me about consent,” I began slowly.

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