Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 87050 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 435(@200wpm)___ 348(@250wpm)___ 290(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87050 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 435(@200wpm)___ 348(@250wpm)___ 290(@300wpm)
I couldn’t suppress a shudder at his words. The memory of Gamma’s large hand coming down on my bare bottom was still fresh in my mind, the lingering sting a reminder of his strength and authority. The thought of experiencing that again, combined with the threat of the cane, made me tremble.
To my surprise, Gamma shook his head. “I appreciate your advice, Doctor,” he said, his deep voice rumbling through the room, “but I believe such harsh measures are unnecessary at this time.”
Dr. Ashcroft’s eyebrows rose in surprise. “Mr. Gamma, I must stress the importance of consistent discipline in training a new concubine, especially one from… Miss Tessara’s background.”
But Gamma remained firm. “Tessara is new to Prosperia and its customs,” he explained, his alien blue eyes meeting mine with an unexpected gentleness. “She has already endured much today. I believe a more gradual approach to her training will yield better results in the long term.”
I felt a rush of gratitude toward Gamma, even as confusion swirled within me. Why was he being so lenient? After everything I’d experienced aboard the Conqueror of Bresla, I had expected my new master to be just as cruel and demanding as the Vionian officers had been.
Dr. Ashcroft’s lips pursed in clear disapproval, but he nodded. “As you wish, Mr. Gamma. She belongs to you, of course. However, I must insist on at least some measure of control. The rule followed by most Prosperian husbands, keeping their wives set to level five, would be appropriate for Miss Tessara. As I said earlier, that setting allows for arousal but prevents climax, reinforcing a woman’s dependence on her husband or master.”
Gamma considered this for a moment, his eyes studying me intently. I held my breath, acutely aware of my nakedness as I awaited his decision. The soft ambient lighting of the room seemed to heighten the subtle glow of his skin, reminding me once again of his origins beyond the stars.
Finally, Gamma nodded. “Very well,” he agreed, his deep voice sending shivers down my spine. “Level five it is, for now.”
With a few deft movements of his large blue fingers across the holographic display, Gamma adjusted my governor. The change was subtle but immediate. The overwhelming arousal that had been consuming me moments ago receded, leaving behind a pleasant warmth and a low, persistent thrum of desire. It wasn’t uncomfortable, exactly, but I could sense that any attempt to find release on my own would be futile.
Dr. Ashcroft nodded approvingly. “Excellent. Now, Mr. Gamma, regarding Miss Tessara’s status—will you be seeking Prosperian female citizenship for her?”
Gamma’s gaze met mine, and I felt a flutter in my chest at the intensity I saw there. “Yes,” he said firmly. “Tessara deserves the protection and benefits that come with citizenship.”
The doctor made a note on his handheld device, the soft glow of its screen casting strange shadows across his face. “Very well. I will recommend citizenship, but with a proviso.” He looked at me directly, his gaze stern. “Should Miss Tessara prove rebellious or unable to adapt to Prosperian customs, she must be consigned to a pleasure house.”
My breath caught in my throat at his words. I had heard often of pleasure houses during my time on the Conqueror of Bresla—places where women were used constantly for the gratification of men, with no hope of a life beyond serving as a receptacle for male desire. Indeed the Vionians had told me I would be sent to one once they had tired of me. The thought of such a fate here on Prosperia sent a chill through me, despite the lingering warmth of arousal in my cunny.
Dr. Ashcroft continued, his tone matter-of-fact. “Pleasure houses serve an important function in our society, providing unmarried gentlemen a place to relieve their everyday stress with the pleasures of intimate feminine company. It’s a perfectly respectable institution, but I’m sure Miss Tessara would prefer to avoid such a fate.”
I nodded vigorously, unable to find my voice.
“To avoid the pleasure house,” Dr. Ashcroft explained, “you might consider sending Miss Tessara to a finishing school for unmarried young women, Mr. Gamma. She would learn proper wifely submission there, which would serve her well whether she should end up as your concubine, your wife, or even as a pleasure girl. Dr. Porter’s Academy for Young Ladies comes highly recommended, if you should decide on that course for her. Their curriculum covers everything from etiquette and household management to the finer points of pleasing a husband in the bedchamber. They also have extensive experience with… rehabilitating women from less civilized worlds.”
I felt my cheeks burn at his words, shame and indignation warring within me. But beneath it all was a flicker of curiosity. What would it be like to learn such things in a formal setting, rather than through brutal trial and error as I had aboard the Conqueror of Bresla?