Our Time in Eden - In Castor’s orbit

Jim Carnicelli
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JimCarnicelligmail.com

Gluttony

Renee began reaching out to Castor more. She couldn’t figure out why but he felt very comfortable to her. He spent much of his time engaged in a combat game named “Se Shijie”. He and his teammates were fellow fighter pilots in a dystopian world filled with mostly abandoned supercities and deep tunnel complexes. At first Renee mostly observed in out of character mode. But eventually she started standing in for Castor’s gunner.

{Track:Noisestorm.Sentinel}

Castor’s open-air hovering vessel only had room enough for one pilot and one gunner. She wore a harness with a thick leather strap that tethered her to a large gun turret mounted hastily bolted to the hull behind Castor. She had just enough room to run around in a tight circle to aim the gun in whatever direction she needed. The tether saved her from falling off on a couple of bumpy rides.

Renee had never been interested in fighting games. Se Shijie was way outside her daily fare. But she found it oddly engaging. Partly because it was simple to learn but required a lot of tactical thought. She was realizing she had an aptitude for guessing what her opponents would do in a dogfight. She felt as though she could read their minds and guess what they would do next. This gave her time to aim at the right spot just as an opponent would dart out from behind some obstacle. She relied mostly on Castor to communicate with the rest of their team. From them she learned quite a few fighting formations.

Now and then Renee got shot or Castor crashed into something. The synth was designed to spare players from significant pain. Anything that was likely to kill her would cause her to be thrown out of the battle. There were a few nonfatal shots and she took some shrapnel. And there were times she simply got battered against the gun or something else aboard the ship. All these certainly were painful and she opted to surrender to some of them rather than attempting to carry on while wounded. She discovered there was a setting that allowed her to control how much pain she was willing to endure before the synth pulled her out. It was set very low by default. She dialed it up a little and found she would keep fighting through more pain than she imagined she could. One bullet shattered her leg and left her writhing on the metal deck below her gun mount. The pain was awful. It wasn’t enough to automatically kick her out. But it was obvious she wasn’t going to be able to stand up and shoot any longer. So she “tapped out”. Her PA could detect when she intended to do so and relayed this intention to the synth controller.

Renee was astonished by how much Castor was willing to suffer for this game. There were times when he took a headshot or some other death blow. For lack of an active pilot the craft would at best slow down and come to a safe rest somewhere. This safety measure was not very reassuring because it left Renee a sitting target. Other times Castor would become quite injured. He often wouldn’t even let Renee know. Once she became alerted to Castor’s injury when she discovered a slick of his blood on her arm. She looked back to see quite a bit of it on the deck and on the gun mount. And he just kept flying on. They actually survived that battle and their team was victorious. And sometimes the craft did not successfully take over and they spun out of control to crash into the side of a building, the ground, or some nearby ship. In all of it Castor’s willingness to suffer astonishing levels of injury for this game inspired Renee to dial up her own pain threshold level. She once saw Castor successfully pilot the ship through an entire battle in which he took 18 small caliber bullets and two larger ones that were particularly brutal. He took a certain pride in that one when they discussed it later.

The worst for Renee came one day when she had dared fate by dialing the pain threshold level all the way up so as to nullify it. It seemed to be paying off after taking three bullets to the gut. Yet she managed to swivel the gun around in time to take out both their pursuers. And then something knocked their craft into a jagged bridge overhead. That almost completely tore the gun from its mount. It smashed into Renee, slashing her face and smashing much of her torso. She was still tethered to the broken gun but was now dangling off the side of their ship. Pain from her abdomen competed with pain from being battered around like a ragdoll. She watched helplessly as another enemy ship came up from behind. Its gunner mercilessly riddled Renee with dozens more bullet holes. To her own surprise she never opted to tap out. She couldn’t feel much as her body was disintegrating in a shower of gore. She felt a certain pleasured defiance in sticking it out. A bullet smashing her jaw definitely hurt. But the next headshot finally sent her out of the game.

Renee could not say why but she laughed very loudly when Castor joined her upon his own demise. She felt intoxicated by the immense weight of all the sensations, the incredible violence she endured, and the absurdity of emerging unscathed from it. But thereafter she dialed the pain threshold back down quite a bit. She tried to put that experience behind her but it wasn’t far from her thoughts for the next few weeks.

***

Castor’s teammates were a jocular bunch. They were a little skeptical at first but quickly came to appreciate Renee’s fast study of the game. After a while they started admiring her dedication to the battles. Her willingness to keep going despite her injuries. She brought a little new life to the team. If only because she was someone new they could tell all their war stories to.

Castor rarely talked in the group. His teammates did his bragging for him. And he just shrugged it off when they made fun of him. Renee even found herself coming to his defense at times. The others started referring to Castor as Renee’s “battle wife”. Which he again shrugged off.

***

{Track:BlankAndJones.PerfectSilence}

Renee found Castor’s dogged stoicism surprisingly attractive. He felt like a mysterious box she wanted to see inside of. And in her own way she did. About a week after her arrival at Kalju they had their first sexual encounter. She invited him to see her home synth. While giving him the sixty second tour of her little cabin he picked her up and threw her on her own bed. Renee let her eyes and body speak her consent for her.

Castor may not have been the most skillful lover Renee ever had sex with. But he seemed like the first man she felt a genuine connection with before they ended up in bed together. Afterward she felt suddenly afraid.

Curled up next to him with her head on his shoulder she asked, “Was this okay?” Castor looked puzzled. “This won’t spoil our friendship. Right?”

“It would why? You’re still my friend.”

“Yeah. Good. I just don’t know what I want yet. But I liked this. No rush. Right?”

“Never rushing. Only enjoying you. Do what you want. Fuck me. I’m happy. Don’t fuck me. I’m fine.”

“Okay. Good. And yeah. That was hot. I’ll take more of that anytime.” She playfully bit his ear and then kissed it.

The two quickly settled into a daily routine after that. A few hours of battle. A quick romp immediately after. And then an hour or two hanging out with the team. Renee appreciated the ordering of things. It meant not having to talk much about the relationship neither was apparently acknowledging existed. And Castor took a day off once every five for other things.

Xiao time

Renee also found time to hang out with Xiao. Every few days Xiao would reach out. Each time they got together Xiao would surprise Renee with some new adventure. An old fashioned picnic under a lone tree in a meadow one day. Thruster gliding through a vast open central cavity of a spinner. A lesson in some modern form of ballroom dancing. An afternoon curled up in a cushioned puddle of sunlight in the corner of a vast old library reading a book together. And always talking.

{Track:Rogue.Air}

Xiao had been something of a designer of structures, interiors, and gardens. She showed Renee some of her designs. She had quite a collection. One garden set in a sprawling hilltop meadow spoke to Renee. She introduced Xiao to her own home synth. They walked to a similar looking hilltop not far from her cabin. Xiao loved the view. When asked she said she would be honored to remodel it.

Renee watched as Xiao’s hands waved and wove and the land responded to her invisible machinations. A patch of ground rose into a hillock. Another got smoothed down. The mix of vegetation changed here. A new tree sprouted there.

Xiao unexpectedly introduced a large backless couch in the middle of the bowl-like depression she was standing in. Renee sat on it and continued to watch in wonder. Xiao was practically dancing. Renee figured that probably wasn’t necessary. But it was clear Xiao knew exactly what she was doing and loved the process. After 15 minutes she stopped and looked around. She seemed entirely unaware of Renee as she felt her creation. Renee could not see any changes still happening but it was apparent that Xiao was fine tuning things.

Xiao smiled and exhaled. She turned to face Renee. “Good enough. Stopping.” She threw herself on the couch opposite Renee. She adjusted the pillows and intertwined her legs among Renee’s as she settled in.

“Honey. This is amazing. I can’t even remember exactly how it looked before because it’s not that different now. I was expecting you’d replace all the grass and stuff with manicured flowers or whatever. And yet it’s beautiful. We’ve got a perfect view of the mountains over there. You gave us a little shade. Bumped up the flowers. Couch outside? Brilliant.”

“Synth has good bones. Sweetly natural. I didn’t want spoiling. Just little face changes. Not my best work. Not bad. Comfortable.”

Renee had still not gotten over Xiao’s taste in clothing. She often wore very little of it. What she was wearing now looked to Renee like a lacy white teddy. It seemed ridiculous to the point of serving no function. Yet it did serve to distract Renee often. She looked around a lot so as to not let on how very lithe and feminine Xiao appeared. And this was a synth after all. There was no point in worrying about rain ruining a couch left out in a field. Nor covering up such a perfect body on a perfectly cloudless day in the sun.

Xiao really had perfected this spot. Renee felt the urge to bring Castor here to show him Xiao’s brilliant work. The couch had quite a bit of potential for sexy fun time. But as she thought about this she felt like that was a bad idea. She once had gone home with some man she met in a bar for a dalliance. She remembered feeling uncomfortably aware that they were having sex in the bed he shared with his wife. She could even smell the woman’s perfume and body scents on the pillow. Renee knew if she brought Castor here that she’d have a similar unease. Xiao had made love to this little patch of ground. It would always carry her sweet scent.

***

{Track:VallisAlps.Young}

The two carried on their conversation as the sun slid across the sky. Renee was typically not one to pry. But Xiao discussed her art and many of the other things she had done in life in response to Renee’s open-ended questions. She never seemed to be bragging. But it was clear she had done a lot. Many years’ worth. Many. So Renee was getting ever more curious about Xiao’s age. She looked like she was somewhere between 19 and 25. But Renee had never seen the actual woman outside of synths. Even Renee had opted to adjust her appearance to look at least half a decade younger than she had looked the year she died. For all Renee knew Xiao could be a fat seventy year old bald man with a grisly beard and suspenders.

But then that seemed unlikely. In the few times Renee had ventured out with her humech she was very aware of how perfect and youthful everyone looked. They could each be older than they look. Not only could these people live forever. But they could also stay bodily youthful forever too. Did age even mean anything at this point? How sensitive a topic was this now? Xiao had been skirting the subject ever since Renee met her.

“Can I ask how old you are?”

Xiao bit her lip and continued smiling. “You’d be happy if I said you’re older than me, Jiaren?”

“I’m sorry. I’m just all kinds of curious. I probably shouldn’t ask.”

Xiao sighed. “I’m old Renee. Body and brain are young. Renewed. I lived long time. I remember much. I prefer being young.”

Renee said nothing. She smiled at her friend.

“I was birthed in 2125. I’m 173. You remind me of my young days.”

Oh God. Was that why Xiao seemed so interested in Renee? Nostalgia? “What was it like back then?”

“Very different. You remember China?”

“Yeah. Of course. A bunch of my classmates and coworkers were Chinese. I spent a lot of time exploring Chinatown. Met and talked to a bunch of them about their roots. I never visited China though. I never left the US.”

“Much changed. Economy opened up. Chinese people getted richer. Economy crashed. Government watched everybody. No more privacy. Several military coups. Millions died. Economy closed up. More repressioning. Everyone required to serve. No dissenting. Trade wars and border disputes with India.”

“Wow. Quite a lot to live through.”

“No. Before I’m birthed. My parents were farmers. I lived poor. Married poor. Had children poor. My husband died poor. I would die poor. But machines taked over farms. No more farmers. I was retired into group home at 41. Enough food there. Decent medicine. But boring. So dull.”

Renee had never seen Xiao with such a dour look on her face. It seemed unnatural for her.

Xiao continued. “My friends watched videos. Gardened. Whatever. Most fun for me was in virtual reality. Old fashioned synths. No cortical interfaces in most people yet. I learned to create in synths. Created for years. By age 86 most home friends were dead. I would die soon too. I getted lucky. Offered youth therapy. Experimental. I almost died. In coma for two years.”

“Lucky?”

“Saved my life. They finded problem and cured it. No more coma. And now younger. Stronger. Not like today but alive.”

“Boy. Your children. Are they old now? Do you still keep in touch?”

“Keung died as young boy.”

“Oh, I’m sorry honey.”

“Long time ago. Long time. It’s okay. Wen is beautiful woman now. 143. Ha! We still vidmail sometimes.”

“Wow! Well that’s good at least. So what happened to China? Does it still exist?”

“Ya. Wen is happy now. Yes. China exists. Not same. Whole world changed. FAMZ growed bigger in provinces.”

“FAMZ?”

“Autozones. Um. Federation of Autonomous Municipal Zones. Oh. Maybe after your time. Cities called ‘autozones’. Private corps runned by sapients that hired humans and eventually just accepted immigrants. They made little countries inside countries. Payed lot of taxes and stayed out of politics. So mostly left alone. Chinese government stopped them growing. Transformed their own cities into fake autozones under Chinese rule. Tried forcing real autozones to accept rule. Lot of frictions there. Lot of Chinese humans immigrated to autozones. Better life. Not required to work. Bonuses for rare-skills work.”

“Did you go to live in one of these autozones?”

“After coma. Yes. I learned design. Getted very good at it. Sold furniture designs first. Eventually whole buildings. Big awards for small community designs.”

“I’m surprised you were a farmer before that. Why didn’t you become an architect or something?”

“Brain changed. I was birthed little creative. After coma and youth therapy I getted more creative.” Xiao giggled. “Also more rebellious. Chinese government hated my activism. I fled to Xuzhangcun autozone.”

Chessie zoomed in on a period map for Renee showing the Xuzhangcun AMZ nestled within the Jiangsu province. It was about 70 kilometers from the eastern coastline of China not far from Korea’s southern tip.

“Autozones were hot with rebels like me. Chinese people didn’t hear from us. Censorship still. And Xuzhangcun kept us from political actioning outside.”

“I don’t follow. Did you have freedom of speech in that autozone city?”

“Yes. We say whatever we want. Just not allowed interfering with China outside.”

“So was it better living there?”

“Much better. Lot of intersol trade out of autozones.”

“Intersol? Oh, like trade with other planets and stuff?”

“Ya. Most trade offworld through autozones. Anyway. I getted rich enough. Leaved Earth. Traveled. Lived on several spinners. About 55 years of that. Then here 25 years. Kalju is best.”

“Forgive me for asking but have you been this young ever since your coma?”

“Like now? No no. More like 60 year old body and brain. Before Kalju was Bacchus. More treatments there for youngering. Much better medicine by then.”

“Does this change you? I mean not just your body. But you mentioned your brain.”

“Ah. Ya. It’s why. It’s better. Young is best for me.”

“What’s it like?”

Xiao picked up one of Renee’s feet and began to massage it as she considered the question. “Young for you was like what?”

Renee hummed with pleasure. She sighed. “Me? What do you mean?”

“You thinked how? You feeled how? When 10? 20? 30?”

“Well I’m 35 now so 30 wasn’t that long ago.”

Xiao giggled. “So so young. Young Jiaren.”

“I’m not sure what to tell you. I don’t mind being 35. I still feel young. But when I was actually young I was quieter. And maybe a little precocious. I was all kinds of curious. And I thought I would do great things.”

“And passionate?”

“Passionate? I don’t know about that. If anything I was confused.”

Xiao said, “My passion died by 20 years. By 86 I was bored and angry. Younging waked me up. I getted creative. Started loving life. Younging more at 136 years waked me up more. I love being young. More sex. More fun. More joy. You see?”

It all fell into place. Xiao was not just acting young. She was actually young at heart. A long life of experiences without the weight that seemed to drag down so many older people. Xiao had achieved through medical technology an apparent serenity of being childlike. She was spunky yet wise. She could put two or possibly more careers behind her and just enjoy life. “I remember someone once joking with me that youth is wasted on the young.”

Xiao chuckled. “Too true Renee. Best life yet is now. Young is best when older. Fuck a lot. Enjoy your body and mind. Live your passion.”

Xiao lunged forward and grabbed Renee’s knee. With wide eyes she said, “Tonight is Nuit Rouge. You’re joining me?”

“Oh! I forgot about that. I’m sorry I missed the last one. Me and Castor got caught up in something.”

Xiao grabbed Renee’s hands and jerked her gently forward several times. “Come on Jiaren. Enough shooting things. Get out more. Meet new people.” Her pout turned into a hopeful grin. Renee couldn’t resist.

“Okay okay. Twist my arm. Literally. Okay. Let’s go.”

Xiao hopped off the couch and kissed Renee’s face several times. She ended with a smooch on her lips. “Okay baby. I’m going. See you tonight.” She disappeared.

Renee voke requested Xiao. Xiao picked up immediately. Renee voked “Man. You ran off too soon. I just wanted to thank you for making my home synth even more beautiful.”

“Ya. Sure. It’s fun. Good home Jiaren. I’d live there. Okay. Bye.”

“Bye sweetie.”

An invitation

{Track:AboveAndBeyond.WereAllWeNeed}

Renee voked to Castor. “Hey Renee. I’m playing Rust of Judas. You’re wanting to join?”

“I don’t even know what that is. I think I’ll pass hun. Actually. I was wondering if you’d like to go to Nuit Rouge tonight with me. At Lust. I missed it last deciday.”

“It’s not my interest.”

“Yeah. I know. You said last time. I just figured change of pace maybe. Try something new together.” Castor said nothing. “I know. I know. It’s your night with Delyth. You can bring her too.”

“No. Not interested. Lots of guys there for you. Enjoy the night. Tell me all tomorrow.”

“Yeah. Okay. Sounds good. You have fun with Delyth too. Give her hugs from me.”

Renee hadn’t met Delyth yet. In truth she wasn’t all that interested in doing so. Her profile was filled with 3D photos of her in the real and in synths. She was stunning. No doubt Castor would have fun with her tonight. Renee knew she probably shouldn’t have even suggested interrupting their date night with her invitation. But she had a mix of wishes. One was that she might get a little piece of his attention too. One was that she might finally meet Delyth in a public space where she could easily get away if things got tense. And she had to admit to herself that one wish was that he might show a hint of favoring Renee over Delyth.

Renee knew Castor had fluid relationships with women and some men. It seemed that many and possibly most people on Kalju did. He had a few regular partners he spent a lot of time with. There were other good friends he occasionally had sex with like Lacag. He never bragged about any of it. He just matter of factly talked about them now and then when their limited conversations warranted it. These conversations tended to remind Renee of why she didn’t much care to have them.

Renee realized it was their second deciday anniversary since meeting. It seemed odd to mentally commemorate knowing someone for 20 days. And they certainly hadn’t become a thing that day. Whatever “thing” they were now. They didn’t get their usual alone time after yesterday’s Se Shijie battle ran longer than usual. Today was Castor’s day off. And it seemed to Renee that their romps were getting a little shorter each day. Truth was that Renee was feeling frustrated. And she didn’t want to admit it but she was also feeling a little jealous and nervous.

But fuck that. She was free to do what she wanted. And Castor had encouraged her to go have fun. Renee resolved to forget about Castor for one evening and just enjoy a night of unbridled fun. Last Nuit Rouge Renee was bombarded by invitations from tons of men who obviously wanted her. Tonight she would have her pick of the litter. Fuck whoever she wanted until the sun came up. And then she wouldn’t have to feel any jealousy.

Black and silver

{Track:Xandria.BlackAndSilver}

It took a while for Renee to find the perfect outfit for the evening. Something assertive. But not too slutty. In light of what she saw people wearing — and more importantly not wearing — last time she wondered if there were anything that would qualify as too slutty for Lust. Chessie helped her find the perfect outfit to fit her mood.

Renee was decked out in all black leather with smooth silver trim. A leather bra hooked into a leather midriff corset. Long leather shorts tucked into thigh high leather boots with pointed silver toes. All interconnected and edged with silver and leather curls. She complimented the clothes with black lipstick and black eye makeup and an intricate updo in her naturally black hair. The sleek black leather gave her rich desi skin a golden sheen. She knew she looked hot. Time to go shopping.

Ainsi nous sommes entrés

“Jiaren! Hot sexy. Let’s go in.”

Xiao had just teleported Renee to the cobblestone driveway and fountain outside the main entrance to Lust. She eyed up Xiao’s own outfit. Her body was covered in a web of dark red latex-like material painted on in an unstructured web of tendrils. Her hands and feet looked like they had been completely dipped in the stuff. The red latex perfectly complimented her red hair, irises, and makeup. “Wow. That’s wild hun.”

“Ya. Hot. Right?”

Renee voked Xiao, “So Castor won’t be joining me tonight.”

Xiao voked back, “Oh ya? Sorry baby. You okay?”

“Yeah. I’m good. I’m actually feeling kinda randy.”

“What?”

“I mean show me something hot hun. Something really fucking hot. I know there are tons of guys all around here. I’ll meet them and find someone fun to play with. But I don’t know. Blow my mind. I know you’ll go off on your own and probably get eaten alive in a steaming pile of fuck-all. So while I have you here show me something fun.”

Xiao laughed out loud and kissed Renee’s cheek. She grabbed Renee’s hand and bit it.

Renee yelped aloud. “Ow! What the fuck?”

Xiao laughed and tugged at Renee’s hand to speed her toward the entrance.

Xiao voked, “Come on Jiaren. We’ll find you hot fun. You saw dungeon last time?”

“Dungeon? I don’t think so. What’s that?”

“First we say hello inside.”

“Okay. I’m following you. Lead on.”

{Track:SuzySolar.OceanOfLove}

The front doors opened as the two marched up to them. Inside the great entrance rotundata and grand staircase were filled with people. It was even more tightly packed than Renee recalled from last time. Xiao wove right into the throng but never let go of Renee’s hand.

As Xiao slowly walked up the stairs she greeted everyone. She seemed to know almost all of them. And they put their hands all over her. No part of her body was off limits. And no act seemed too vulgar for her. One woman fondled her crotch enough to make Xiao buckle a little as they kissed. She knelt for a moment to grab and kiss a half naked man’s penis. She only had one hand free to greet everyone with but she was most industrious with it.

Sometimes Xiao seemed to forget that she had Renee in tow. But most of the time she tugged Renee forward and introduced her to her many flatterers. Renee remembered that Lust very strictly enforced its rules about consent and respect. Perhaps it was because she engaged people this time and was less afraid to indulge kisses on her cheeks or arms snaked around her waist. In any case people were physically affectionate with her while being surprisingly respectful. A little part of her wanted some of the handsomer men here to manhandle her the way they did Xiao.

One rather tall man gently put a giant hand around Xiao’s tiny neck. Renee wondered what that hand would feel like on her own throat. But he only put his fiery hot hand gently on her shoulder as he greeted her. Into his ear she said, “Maybe see you later Madhav,” and kissed his cheek.

They eventually reached the top of the stairs. But they didn’t go through the doors at the top that led to the main dance floor. Instead they walked the full circuit around the balcony greeting more people.

When they were about halfway around the balcony Renee voked Xiao, “Something tells me this isn’t the dungeon.”

“Hungry girl! You need your fun now eh?” Xiao gently pushed Renee to the stone railing overlooking the stairs. She pointed out and voked, “Love all around you.” She pressed up against Renee’s back. She wrapped her arms around her waist and snaked her hands up her torso. “See anything you like yet?” She cupped and massaged Renee’s breasts.

Renee inhaled sharply and closed her eyes. “Well. Some really hot guys. That one guy with the big hands. Madhav? I’ll probably reach out to some of them later.” She hummed softly as Xiao’s thumbs circled her nipples. “But I still want you to blow my mind first. Show me something amazing. This dungeon or whatever sounds … interesting.”

Xiao stopped massaging Renee’s breasts and wrapped her arms around Renee’s torso just under them. “Baby loves cock. You hungry Jiaren? Want pure fuck toys before you shopping for love?”

Renee leaned back into Xiao and wrapped her arms over Xiao’s. “Now you’re talking. I have no idea what about. Show me.”

Xiao grabbed her hand once again and led her the rest of the way around the balcony. She stopped to greet a few more people but was making more of a point of making it quick.

Renee once again had a long and growing list of private messages from people she was meeting. But this time she had prepared her profile with a little note. “Yes, I’m here at Nuit Rouge looking for fun tonight. Yes, you can PM me if you’d like to hang out. Be a gentleman and treat me like a lady and maybe you’ll get lucky. No vokes tonight please.” She did have a few voke requests but not nearly as many as before. And she ignored them all again. As they continued on with their greetings Renee watched the feed of PMs scrolling by. She pointed out a few for Chessie to flag and set aside for later.

***

Once they had completed the circuit around the balcony Xiao led them back down the grand staircase. They turned left and followed the rotunda floor along the outer wall. They greeted a few people who were loitering there but the crowd was thinner. Once they reached the space under the stairs the smaller double doors opened for them. They walked through into a short hallway that led to a long stairwell down.

“Oh yeah. I remember this place. I ducked in for a minute to get away from the crowd last time. There’s a room off to the side here.”

“We’re going down Jiaren”. She giggled.

“Okay then. Lead on lady.”

Galerie de jouets

The stairs apparently wound down along the circumference of the rotunda. Renee lost track of how far down they walked along the dimly torchlit corridor. At the bottom was again an open rotunda like the one above but with a much lower ceiling. And more dimly lit. Doorways branched out along the circumference of the room.

Xiao voked, “Dungeon starts here Jiaren. Lots of rooms. Let’s start in boy toys.”

“In what?”

{Track:TheSmiths.Ask}

Xiao smiled and walked through one of the doors. Renee followed. She was stunned by what she saw on the other side. The room was nearly pitch black. But on either side of a central walkway were tables with naked men fastened to them somehow. They lay on their backs with their legs spread open. Most of their bodies were shrouded in the darkness of the room. But each had a spotlight on his pelvis.

Renee giggled through her voke. “What the fuck? Are we supposed to fuck them?”

“Ya! Use them how you want. Suck them. Ride them. Tease them. They can’t be talking to you. No voking. They can’t be seeing you. They wait for people playing with them.”

“Seriously? This looks like a teenage boy’s wet dream. Is this for real?”

“Aww. Don’t let them hear you say. You’ll make them sad.” Xiao giggled. “Let me show you. Help this poor boy.”

Xiao walked up to one of the tables. She started to sit and a cushioned stool appeared under her. She grabbed the man’s cock and played with it a little. It grew a little harder and longer. She motioned for Renee to come closer. Renee stood nearby with a smirk half hidden in her hand.

Xiao said aloud, “Poor boy. So lonely. Needs loving. Watch when he gets some.” She kissed the hardening cock a couple times. “Poor poor boy.” She continued stroking him and smiled at Renee. “So simple. Little fun. Like appetizer. Here. Watch how easy this is.” Xiao bent the man’s cock down so she could put the tip in her mouth while she continued stroking. By now the cock was very hard. Although the man was squirming a little against his restraints he said nothing.

With her mouth full of cock Xiao voked to Renee, “If he says anything he gets kicked out. He can ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to questions. He can ‘stop’ if it’s bad. He can make non-word sounds. He can’t say any other. Oh! He’s nearing orgasm. Ya. It’s time.”

Renee watched as Xiao finished the now groaning man’s orgasm and swallowed it all down. She hummed gently on him as his throbbing slowed and he started getting flaccid again. She said aloud, “Some nights I suck them all. Make everyone happy.” Renee noticed that some of the other cocks down the line were getting harder. “Well. Except no-girls ones.” She said a little louder, “Raise your cocks if you want hot women sucking and fucking you.” She giggled.

Renee voked, “What do you mean by ‘no-girls’? Like they’re gay maybe?”

“Every man has their preferences listed. Personal assistant tells users. Monitors usage. Reports violations.”

“What sorts of preferences?”

Xiao walked to the next table. Renee followed. Chessie began listing the man’s preferences and limits. Xiao was voke reading them off too. “Women only. No anus. No pain. Likes tickles.” She climbed up on the table beside his pelvis. Her latex-like outfit vanished. She faced out toward Renee who was between his legs. She voked, “You like this cock? He’s already hard. I haven’t even touched. I’m ready for first filling. Won’t take him long.” She crawled forward just past his cock. As she did the table brought his legs together. A curved rail appeared in front of her to support herself. Her other hand worked him into her vagina. “Mmm! Jiaren. Go take one.” She put both hands on the rail and started riding vigorously.

{Track:Zircon.Memory}

Renee laughed through her voke. “This is crazy Xiao.” She wandered to the table on the opposite side of the walkway from Xiao’s table. She petted one of the man’s legs. He started getting erect. She checked his preference list and found nothing standing in her way.

Renee grabbed the man’s cock and gently squeezed it. She said softly, “Yeah. I bet you like that.” She looked back at Xiao and giggled at how vigorously she was pumping the man. “Man. You should see how hard she’s fucking that poor boy. You hear him? He’s coming now and she’s just not stopping. She just might kill that poor boy.” She bent down to examine her new toy more closely. As she looked down behind her a stool appeared. “Nice.” She sat on it and scooted it forward. “You know something … Michael? I’ve only ever sucked one cock. And he was just a synth. I’m assuming you’re a human.”

“Yes.”

Renee was surprised to hear his voice. She giggled. “Well. I guess you’re mine for now. Let’s see what we can do here.” She kissed the tip of his cock. She caressed it gently with both hands and kissed along it. Then she put the tip in her mouth and sucked a little. “You like that Michael?”

He groaned his “uh huh”.

“Of course you do.” She continued playing a little more vigorously now. She bent his cock more toward her and took more of it in her mouth.

A hand landed on Renee’s shoulder. She jumped on her stool and swiveled her head. Xiao voked, “Sorry Jiaren. Didn’t want interrupting. Go on. It’s hot.”

Renee chuckled and went back to her machinations. As she sucked she voked, “I don’t really know what I’m doing. I don’t have much experience.”

“It’s good. He’s happy. Grab his balls. Massage lightly.”

Renee did. She could feel him getting a little harder. She hummed her pleasure on him.

Renee was working him for several minutes without the expected result. Xiao ran her fingers up along Michael’s leg, his hip, and his torso. She said aloud, “Come for pretty lady. Isn’t she good? She’s very beautiful. Hot lady sucking you.” She bent down and bit one of his nipples. He jumped a little in surprise. She looked back at Renee. “You ready for drink? Watch this.”

Xiao leaned over Michael’s neck and bit it. He inhaled sharply. Renee could feel him get suddenly harder. Xiao bit a little harder. Renee felt him getting closer to coming. He was starting to throb involuntarily and his testicles were drawing back a bit. Xiao bit harder still. He groaned lightly. And then he exploded into Renee’s mouth. He came so much that she was unprepared to take it all. His semen dribbled down her chin. She swallowed what she could.

Renee voked, “Oh my god! What a fucking mess. I’ve got his cum on my leather.”

Xiao walked back to Renee. Renee was now holding her dripping hands out and wondering what to do with them and her face. Xiao grabbed her head and kissed her cheek. “Just ask PA for clean.”

Renee voked Chessie, “Yeah. Please. Clean me up. And him too.” Her hands were suddenly clean. She felt her chin. It was now clean too.

Xiao laughed out loud. “Fun?”

Renee laughed too. “Thank you Michael. I’m glad you enjoyed this too.” She grabbed his half erect cock and kissed it lightly. “Bye Michael’s penis,” she teased. “Yeah. That was fun. Unexpected.”

“Good. Fuck one now?”

“Yeah. Yeah. I’m really horny now hun. I really do want one of these in me. Hmm. Which one.” She called out a little louder. “Who wants to be ridden? Show of hands.” She giggled. Several cocks got a little harder. Renee found one that looked like the perfect size for her. But Chessie warded her off indicating that he only wanted men playing with him. She moved on to another nearby. His preferences were a fine fit. And so would be his cock.

Renee climbed up on his table. She straddled him facing toward his head. Looking down Chessie anticipated her need and removed her shorts. She voked to Chessie, “Boots too please.” They disappeared. She raised her pelvis with a bent leg. A curved rail appeared before her. She steadied herself with it as she used her other hand to get this man’s cock harder and slip it into her vagina. This was often the awkward part for her but she was very wet now. She was very ready for this. She voked Xiao. “Oh yeah. I’m all over this. Yeah. This feels good.”

Renee had almost always been on top with her men. She felt quite at home. And this was like an extreme version of the one night stands she had gotten used to. But this was much hotter. She wondered why this didn’t exist back in the 1990s.

Xiao appeared beside her petting her back. Renee opened her eyes and paused to look down at Xiao. She voked, “I can play with him too?”

“Um. How do you mean?”

Xiao climbed up on the table in front of Renee. She grabbed the same rail supporting Renee. She arched her back and backed her vulva into the man’s face. “Like this.”

Renee laughed through her voke. “You dirty girl. I love it.” She leaned forward and kissed Xiao’s forehead. Then she kissed her lips.

Just then the man under her came. Xiao moaned a little against Renee’s lips. Renee ground his cock deeper into her. She stroked him a few more times as he finished.

Renee said aloud, “Well. I’m glad you finished. I didn’t. Time to find another boy toy. Thanks for the ride.”

She sighed and dismounted. She felt his semen draining out of her. She voked Chessie, “Clean up on aisle six.” The mess disappeared from her. The rail disappeared. Renee sat back on the man’s thighs.

Xiao crawled forward and sucked the man’s semi-hard cock just a foot from Renee’s own crotch. She voked, “Mmm. Now I’m knowing your taste too. Little bit.”

Renee petted Xiao’s hair. She hopped off and perused for another cock to ride. Once she found one and mounted it she said aloud, “Now you be a good boy and hold out for me. You want me to have my orgasm on you. Right?” The man nodded and managed an “uh huh” sound. “Good boy.”

Xiao climbed up on the empty table next to Renee’s. She leaned forward with her hands on the edge and lightly kicked her dangling legs. She smiled at Renee as she watched. After a minute she climbed up and lay on her side. A large cushion appeared for her head. Another smaller pillow appeared between her knees as she spread them apart for it. Renee looked at her occasionally and smiled. But she was busy now.

“No no. Don’t come yet. You hear?” Renee slowed down for a moment and then sped up again. “That’s it. Good boy. I’ll tell you when. Okay?” The man writhed in an obvious battle to keep from having an orgasm. Renee pounded harder and began to moan. “Not yet Jemal. Almost.” She was panting and moaning harder. “Almost.” She shuddered and paused a moment. Then she revved up. “Yes!” She rode him hard and stopped breathing for at least ten seconds. “Yes,” she gasped. “Yes! Oh. Hey. You’re coming too. Good boy. Simon didn’t say but that’s okay.” She pumped some more and panted heavily. “Mmm! Oh. God. Yeah. Yeah.” She let go of the rail and slumped over onto Jamal’s chest. She let out a long “yeah” and breath. After a minute she sat up. She attempted to stroke his cock a little more but he had gone soft. “Thank you Jamal. I needed that. Thank you.”

Renee climbed down off the table. She stumbled and landed on her hands and knees. Xiao appeared from somewhere and helped her up. Renee laughed. “Wow. My legs are noodles now. I need a rest.”

Xiao led Renee out of this room. Once back in the rotunda she led them into another door. Inside was a room whose floor was littered with cushions and blankets. Most of the space was occupied. The two sat down in a pile of them between two separate tangles of people cuddling. Renee eased back against some head cushions against the wall. Xiao lay on her side with her head on Renee’s shoulder. She pulled a silk sheet over the two of them.

Renee voked, “Wow. That was exhausting. And fucking amazing. I asked you to blow my mind. You sure as hell did. I like the dungeon.”

Xiao giggled through her voke, “That’s not dungeon. Rest some. I’ll show.”

Renee chuckled softly. She pulled Xiao tighter against her and sighed.

***

{Track:FerryCorsten.ADayWithoutRain}

The two rested in silence for around ten minutes before Renee voked again. “So is there a room full of women too?”

“Ya. You want visiting?”

“Not much. Maybe for laughs later.” She paused. “Anyone can do it? Get on a table?”

“Ya. You?”

“I don’t know. Maybe? I never thought about it before. But I like being in control. I can’t believe I just played with a bunch of hog tied men. I wouldn’t have if you hadn’t talked me into it. But I kinda got off on it. Literally actually. I’m used to being in charge when I take a man to bed. This made it really easy. No seduction required. Thinking about that now I guess I realize why it was also a little disappointing too.”

“Ya. Too easy. But I like. Appetizer. Good starting night with bunch of orgasms. And making bunch of men happy. Makes me happy. Gets me warmed up.”

“Huh. I think I get you. That did feel good. I really was feeling really hard up. I probably would have jumped the first man that said ‘hi’ to me. God. I probably looked to you like a leg-humping dog before.” Xiao giggled. “And now I’m feeling really relaxed. I’m ready to explore more. Maybe do some dancing. Meet some new people. I don’t know if I’ll fuck anyone else tonight but yeah. I’m relaxed now.”

Xiao laughed through her voke. “You will Jiaren. No hurry. Do relax. Do have fun. Nothing but love here.”

“So have you been on one of those tables?”

“Ya.”

“What’s it like?”

“You get what you bring to table.”

Renee chuckled. “What do you mean?”

“Hard explaining. I love it. Blindfolded and wide open. Can’t see ID of users. Anyone can tease. Anyone can fuck. Someone love me? Someone hate me? Anyone. I lie there for hours. Sometimes nobody coming for long time. Sometimes ten in line. One finishes and next starts.”

“And you have no idea who they are?”

“They can tell me if they want.”

“Can you tell? Like by how they feel or smell or something?”

“Sometimes. Some people have unique style. Things only they do. Sometimes they don’t talk but make sounds. They don’t realize. I hear. I know.”

“Have you ever had someone you really, really hate fuck you there?”

“I don’t hate.”

“Okay. Well. How about people who hate you then? Or just people you aren’t — I don’t know — compatible with in some way?”

“I see. Yes I have.”

“What’s that like?”

“Hot.”

“What do you mean?”

“I had one man jealous of me. Very angry. Spreaded bad rumors. Cruel. He fucked me on blind table.”

“Were you angry?”

“I laughed.”

“What?”

“He telled me who he was. I laughed. He said he would tell all he fucked me. I laughed. He asked if I wanted it. I laughed. Said ‘yes’. He getted soft. I laughed. He getted angry. He slapped me. I laughed. He punched me. He disappeared.”

“Disappeared? Club sent him away?”

“Ya.” She giggled. “Banned for whole year.”

“Okay. You are now officially my hero.”

Xiao giggled a bit more and sighed happily. “I love the tables. Get what you bring. Like mirror. You angry? You’ll get angrier. You sad? You’ll get sadder.”

“Well. You’ve definitely got me curious. I just might try it out sometime. Not now though.”

“You ready for dungeon?”

“Yeah. I guess. I still feel a little worn out. But I don’t want to spend my night just lying around. Not that you’re not fun to lay with.”

Xiao crawled up to sit on Renee’s pelvis. She was still naked. She looked down at her with a big grin. She took one of Renee’s hands and kissed it. “Okay. Let’s go.”

Mort d'innocence

{Track:Karmacoda.DreamingTragic}

Xiao led Renee on a winding tour of the main part of the dungeon. For a half hour Xiao did not let her stop at any single place as they walked. Renee felt immediately lost. There did not seem to be any regularity to the layout. At first they walked along a gradually snaking large corridor with what looked like market stalls on either side and hallways branching off. Then she led them down one of the branches. More stalls. Eventually they were snaking through small rooms that no longer had hallways but were simply chained together by open doorways.

Each small room was different. But the whole thing felt like some third world bazaar at night. Each place was lit by ad hoc lanterns, christmas lights, or whatever else illuminated. Each room or stall had walls littered by bric-a-brac of all sorts. Each space had its own distinctive cultural flavor. And all of it was shabby yet elegant.

More importantly, every room was a scene. Most had people trussed up, battened down, chained, jailed, crossed, encased, and generally restrained. And people to torment them with knives, canes, fire, floggers, feathers, needles, bats, bricks, claws, clips, and endlessly more. Rooms were filled with moans, screams, commands, replies, orgasms, and just about any other sound a person can make.

Renee wanted to stop at most of them and study but Xiao kept her moving along at a fast walk. “Study buffet before filling plate,” she had voked. At Renee’s request Chessie kept count of how many scenes they had encountered. At around a half hour Chessie indicated they had walked through 312 distinct scenes and passed within sight of another 258. They had surely passed a thousand people participating in or watching these scenes.

And then Renee recognized that they had returned to the entrance to this part of the dungeon. The two sat down in a couch along the outer wall. Xiao voked, “What you’re thinking?”

“I don’t know for sure what to say. I’m not sure whether to be horrified or amazed. Maybe both. It looked like a lot of pain. People like that?”

“Ya. You should go exploring now.”

“Yeah. I’d like to go back and watch some more. You not coming?”

“I’ve someone to meet. Go have fun. Just don’t interrupt any scene. You can leave PMs. But don’t talk to anyone in scene. Unless they talk to you.”

“Yeah. Okay. I think I get it. I’ll be good. You go have fun dear.”

The two shared a light kiss. Then Xiao got up and left, smiling as she rounded the corner.

***

Renee stood up and looked around. She appeared to be at the corner of a giant square shaped space with a 4 meter high black ceiling. The doorway out was directly at the tip of its corner. From this open area she could proceed along the diagonal side wall to her left or right or along the cross corridor gradually snaking straight ahead of her into the maze. She couldn’t tell exactly how far each corridor stretched because of a persistent haze, the poor lighting, the endless clutter, and the shifting crowds of people.

Renee felt a bit uncomfortable with the bustling crowd. She had lived with its sort for years in New York City. But that now seemed so far from her new life. She was getting used to small communities, one on ones, and straight up solitude at times. So she resolved to find a quieter part of this dungeon like the ones Xiao had dragged her through. She walked up the central corridor a bit before turning down one of the smaller corridors branching off of it. The foot traffic was lighter here.

All along this corridor were three-walled stalls with fetish scenes. Renee stopped at one to watch a woman using long metal fingernails to electrically zap parts of the naked body of a man. He was tied to a metal grille that was part of the back wall. She ran all her fingers along his belly. He cringed and groaned as she did. He panted as she paused. She snaked one fingertip from his right foot all the way up his leg and side. He flinched in response. She turned a knob on a nearby machine. Then she tapped a fingertip on his arm. A bright spark accompanied a loud pop where she touched. He yelped in response. She continued tapping various other parts of his body. Red welts were appearing where she had touched.

“You looking little surprised.”

Renee turned to see a woman next to her also watching the scene unfold. The floating name tag read “Carylonne”. “Oh. Hi. Do I? I guess I haven’t seen this before.”

Carylonne laughed.

“I don’t get it. He doesn’t look happy. But he chose to have this done to him. Right?”

Carylonne laughed again. “Ya. He chose. Of course. It’s fun. You should try.”

“You’ve been electrocuted before?”

“Ya.”

“Does it hurt?”

“Ya! Hurts lots.”

“What’s the appeal?”

The woman turned the dial back down and continued running her hands over her victim’s body. He seemed much more relaxed now. He even giggled as some touches seemed to tickle. She ran her fingertips through his scalp as he tipped his head forward.

Carylonne continued. “See? That’s no hurt. Feels good. Sends chills. Like fingernails on skin.”

Carylonne ran her own sharp fingernails down Renee’s neck and back. She arched her back and inhaled sharply. Then she shivered and giggled. “Wow. Wasn’t expecting that. That feels weirdly nice. Can you do it again?” She turned her back a little more toward Carylonne. She repeated the motion. This time more gradually and sweeping her hand in curving motions back and forth on her way down. Renee shivered once and then again. Both giggled.

“Feels good. Right? Electro is like that. Until turning it up.”

“So why do it?”

Carylonne shrugged. “Bravery? Self control? Submission? Catharsis? Depends on your you.”

“What do you suppose is his reason?”

“I don’t know him. Maybe PM to ask.”

“Heh. Maybe I will. Hey. Thanks for your insights. It was nice meeting you.” Renee waved and started walking away.

“Nice meeting. Voke me for trying electro or other things.”

“I just might. Thank you.”

As she walked Renee sent a private message to Bjarki Ingvarsson, the man being zapped. “Hi. When you get a chance, could you tell me what you liked about being electrocuted today? It was a bit painful to watch. But I could tell you enjoyed it, too. I hope you don’t mind me asking so directly, but I’m really curious. Thanks.”

***

{Track:Polarheart.Hypnotize}

Renee perused the stalls along this corridor until she found a smaller side corridor. She followed it into a room larger than most she had found. She stood behind a small crowd of other onlookers who were mostly seated. The crowd was growing gradually and getting louder with their sounds of admiration. Filling much of the space were a dozen naked women. All were tied up and suspended in a web of variously colored ropes. The space was defined by a large steel-tubed cage with grids of eye hooks along the walls and ceiling to which the ropes were tied. Three men and four women crawled within the webworks putting finishing touches on the masterpiece.

One of the free climbing women named Malikat Al'alm spidered her way down to one of the bound victims. She was tied upside down with her legs spread open in a vee and had a ball gag in her mouth. Malikat settled among some ropes just above the bound woman. An object appeared in her hand. She pressed it against the woman’s vulva. Which caused the woman to start writhing within the tangle of ropes that bound her. Renee wondered if the object was a vibrator. The woman began to groan through the gag. And then drool down to the floor. Gross. But at least she appeared to be enjoying it.

Renee was reminded that there was a room somewhere where she could be bound and blinded for other people to fuck. Or just fuck with. She resolved to check it out later.

She perused her incoming private messages while she watched other flies in the web get pleasured and tormented by other spiders. Many of the PMs seemed far more intriguing than what she saw last time. It seems they had read her little profile message. She skimmed a few of the senders’ profiles in turn.

One of the PMs was from Bjarki. It read, “Thanks for asking. Life can get same same. I like spicy. Electroplay pleasures me. Scares me. Wakes me. I lose control for some time. I lose time. I turn me over to someone. They lead me where. I have no choice. I’m happy there. Try sometime.”

Renee PMed in reply. “I think I get it. Thank you for explaining. Maybe I will try it sometime. Have a good night.”

***

Renee realized she could stay here to watch this scene for a long time. But she really did want to experience more things here in the dungeon. She moved on and wandered a while, stopping for a few minutes to watch this or that scene.

{Track:MassiveAttack.ButterflyCaught}

Then she came upon one that seemed practically hidden. She snaked her way through several empty rooms following cries of pain. She found a small room dimly lit by a single strand of white christmas lights laying on the floor near the back wall. In it was the tall silhouette of a woman standing over a hunched figure. She guessed that he was a man by the sound of his agonized voice. The woman’s name tag read “Mistress Toxin” and the man’s read “Paul”. Both of them appeared to notice Renee’s arrival. She sat down on a small carpet near the entrance and sat still for them to continue.

Toxin was holding some sort of flogger. She raised her hand high over her head and smashed it down against Paul’s hunched back. Renee could see that he was on his knees and hugging a cinder block on the floor under his belly. He flinched and yelped a little. Toxin said, “You worthless shit. Nobody cares about you. Even that woman coming to laugh. You are proud?”

“No Mistress. I’m worthless.” She struck his back again so his final word transformed into another yelp.

Toxin started swinging her arm back and forth, striking one of Paul’s sides and then the other in turn. He was clearly in pain and shivering but he stayed put. “Stop complaining. Nobody wants to hear. It’s pathetic.”

Renee felt nauseous. She felt an impulse to help the man. But she reminded herself this was all consensual. He must want this or he would leave. As the beating continued Renee noticed spatters of liquid coming off his back. It was probably sweat. Then some of it hit her face. She flinched and wiped it off with her hand. It was blood. She reminded herself this was all just a synth. But what the fuck?

“Worthless shit. My arm is tired. You’re wasting my time.”

“I’m sorry Mistress.”

“No you’re not. You’re loving this. You’re sicking me.”

“Forgive me. I don’t deserve your time.”

“Only good feel is your suffering. Teaching you lesson.”

“Thank you.”

“But I’m tiring. You should die.”

“Yes Mistress. I should die. Kill me when you wish. How you wish.”

“Maybe I should shit in your mouth. Make you choke on it.”

Renee couldn’t help but open her own mouth in a silent gasp. She shut her mouth and held her place. What the fuck was this?

“My life is yours. Kill me how you wish.”

“I’m sick of this. Say goodbye worthless shit.” Mistress Toxin picked up a baseball bat leaning against the back wall. She walked around to stand in front of Paul’s head.

Renee stood up. She really wanted to step forward. To say something. To stop the silhouetted woman. Toxin looked at Renee for a moment and then back to the heap of a man cowering on the floor. She lofted the bat up behind the back of her head.

Renee shouted, “No!”

“Stand back bitch.” She wound the bat up again.

Renee voked, “Chessie!”

Toxin swung her bat down. It crunched into Paul’s head, crumpling his body onto its side. A spray of blood spattered the back wall.

“Get me home!” Renee’s view blacked out. She found herself in her home synth’s cabin.

***

{Track:SarahFimm.Strange}

Renee was breathing heavily and sweating. “What the fuck?” She slowed her breathing as she paced the cabin floor. “It was just a synth. That was sick but just a simulation. Nobody died.” She exhaled sharply.

She voked Chessie, “Tell me that wasn’t real.”

“It wasn’t real. Some people have snuff fetishes.”

“Snuff? You mean all that insulting shit or the murder or what?”

“What you witnessed is technically classified as humiliation and ‘snuff’. Snuff is a scene that ends in the death of one of more participants. Typically as part of sexual gratification.”

“That didn’t look sexually gratifying for anyone. Did it to you?”

“It’s hard to tell what motivates a given person.”

“Yeah. But seriously?”

Chessie voked, “Yes. Neither looked happy. Neither looked like they were getting sexual gratification.”

“That’s what I’m saying. That was just fucking mean. Who gets off on that?”

“I think they were more focused on the humiliation part. I suspect the killing was part of that. Consider it an ultimate humiliation. Ending someone’s life rather than even continuing to torment them.”

“Sick. But maybe.”

“You could PM Mistress Toxin to ask about her motives.”

“You fucking kidding? She told me to ‘stand back bitch’. I’m not reaching out to that sick fuck.”

“You may be surprised by what she has to say if you ask.”

“Nah. Besides. I’m more interested in that guy’s motives. Something tells me there’s a story there.”

“Correct. Perhaps you’ll get some insight if you PM Paul then.”

Renee sent a simple private message. “Hi. I was there watching Mistress Toxin beat the tar out of you and then use that bat on you. It really wigged me out. Can I ask if you’ll explain it all to me? Why did you do that scene? I won’t judge or anything. I just want to understand. Thanks.”

Renee voked Chessie, “I’m tempted to call it a night. That really put me off. I’m regretting my curiosity a little now.” She paused. “But I’m not tired. If anything I’m more wired now. You know what I need? I need to cleanse my mind of that. Take me back to Lust.”

Se noyer dans le bruit

{Track:PaulOakenfold.HypnotizedMarkusSchulz}

Renee teleported to the synth’s entry area just outside the main entrance of the large tudor mansion at the heart of Lust. She clacked her heels on the cobblestons on the way to the front doors. They opened for her. The sounds of the crowd of regulars that haunt the main staircase enfolded her. She briskly ascended the stairs giving brief greetings as she went. A couple men asked if she wanted company. She invited them to come dance with her. All she wanted now was to drown in the energy of dance.

At the top of the stairs the doors opened for Renee and her sudden tagalongs. Inside was the great cylindrical fish bowl of slowly spinning aerial platforms and rising and falling columnar platforms on the ground level. Renee descended the stairs from this lower balcony and stepped on the nearest column as it was rising up to meet her. The two men following her had to jump quickly to keep up with her.

Renee put her hands on her hips as she waited for the next column to descend down low enough for them to step onto. This platform was now quite packed with 27 people all dancing with almost no room to dance. More than a few were mashed together body to body.

As Renee boarded, a couple who were dancing together turned to open up a space between them for her. They both reached out a free arm to invite her in. Renee slipped in sideways facing the woman. She reached her own arm out of the tangle to one of the two men who had followed her here. Both crowded near. They all flowed together in dance as the column continued its descent among the six rising columns around it. The heat from sweaty dancers was magnified by the rising walls blocking the gentle breeze wafting through the space. It felt to Renee like she was on an elevator to Hell. She was glad to be in good company on the way down.

{Track:Feint.Phosphor}

Renee closed her eyes and lost herself in the music for a long whilte. She focused on the sensations of the people touching her. Burning man hands on her exposed waist. Small feminine hands on her upper chest just under her neck. The gentle sucking of her middle finger. She put an arm out and found the sweaty tousle of the woman’s hair to weave her fingers into. She responded by leaning in to kiss Renee’s neck on down into her sweaty cleavage.

It wasn’t long before hands and bodies were all over Renee’s. She stopped paying attention to the specific sensations and simply drank the rushing river of it in big gulps. The only thought that interrupted the pure cascade of sensations was the nagging realization that she was out of control and loving it. Miss always-on-top had gladly turned her body over to a sweaty, lustful crowd. She felt the sudden urge to strip all her clothes off and invite them all to rip her to shreds.

Renee voked her personal assistant. “Do me a favor Ches. PM everyone on this platform. Tell them I’m going down to the dungeon to be a fuck toy. Tell them to give me a ten minute head start or something.”

“You sure?”

“I don’t know. Just do it please. I don’t want to think right now. I need this.”

Jouet fille

{Track:TheFlir.Golden}

“So where is it?” Renee stood in the center of the rotunda looking at the doors leading off to different rooms. The biggest door pair led to the large bazaar-like area of the dungeon. One of the other doors led to the room with the tables of naked men. Chessie highlighted one of the doors for her. “Ah. Thank you,” she voked. She walked toward it.

Inside Renee paused a moment. As with the boy-toys room this one had a central walkway with a row on each side of tables. Almost every table was presently occupied. And unlike earlier in the other room there were many users here. Renee had appreciated the ironic privacy she and Xiao had enjoyed for using their boy toys. But now she appreciated the commotion of all the sounds of pleasure. Every woman having an orgasm had her own song of pleasure. How strange that Renee had never noticed this before. She looked forward to bathing in all their songs.

All the men had been on their backs in the other room. The women here were in various positions. Most toys lay on their backs or kneeled on their tables at the behest of their users. Some lay on their sides. All had their hands bound at the heads of their tables by the same invisible shackles that allowed them to rotate but not let go. Some users had their faces buried in vulvas. And apparently anuses. Gross, Renee thought. Is that desirable? Renee thought she needed to consider what to put on her preferences list. Some users wielded vibrators, dildos, and other sex toys.

Renee continued her slow stroll down the line. She brushed her hand on the ankles of some of the women who were not currently in use as she passed. She paused for a moment to massage the feet of one woman. She responded with sighs of pleasure. Renee smiled and moved on.

The next table was unoccupied. Renee looked around. A few users returned her glances and smiled. Maybe some of them would be fucking her soon. She wouldn’t know unless they told her. She would be blinded. No voking. No sneaking a look at their name tags. No profile surfing.

She sent a PM to Xiao. “I’m about to go blind on a fuck table. Wish me luck.”

Renee climbed up on the padded table. She sat her butt in the middle and lay back. She voked to Chessie, “Clothes off please.” Her clothes disappeared. She sighed and felt suddenly self conscious. “Okay. Let’s do this. Lock me in or whatever.”

“What do you want on your preferences list for users?”

“Oh shit. I don’t know. Maybe nothing. What do you think?”

“Keep in mind that someone could intentionally hurt you here. Make you bleed. Burn you. Any number of other sadistic acts.”

“Argh. Okay. Yeah. Um. How’s this? ‘Just fuck me. Don’t hurt me. Be nice. Drain me and make me happy.’”

“There you go. That sounds good. You ready?”

“Any word from Xiao?”

“No. Sorry hun.”

“No problem. She’s probably hip deep in cum or something. I just need to leave myself for a while. Let’s go.”

Renee followed instructions voked in from the table or wherever. She put her hands over her head and felt them grabbed and locked into place with invisible straps just above the table. She felt similar strapping fastening her thighs and calves in place. The table’s cushions and the invisible straps spread her legs open into the default position for new users. She felt the cushions she lay on rising and falling gently to conform to her body’s shape. It was surprisingly comfortable. And then her vision faded to black.

She voked Chessie, “Can I have some music?”

“That’s technically against the rules. Part of your agreement is that you will be fully present. You won’t switch out of your avatar and into some other synth or whatever. That you won’t be distracted by communicating with other people. Or watching vids. Or even listening to music.”

“Ah. Okay. I get it I suppose. Oh! That didn’t take long.” Renee felt someone grab her ankle.

{Track:Hybrid.Beachcoma}

“Hello Renee. I see I’m first. I’m honored. I’ll warm you up.”

Yes. Please do, she thought. Not allowed to speak with the mystery man. He had a nice tenor voice and warm hands. She was sure she didn’t recognize him. She was glad of this. Right now she just wanted to lose herself in the sensations.

“Oh. You’re new to Kalju. Is this your first table?”

Can’t talk you idiot. Oh wait. She could say yes or no. “Yeah.”

“Oh ya. Score. Gonna enjoy you. Invite my friends to fuck you too. Wring you dry. You liking that?”

She nodded. “Just do it.”

The room voked her, “Warning. You may not talk with users. Only ‘yes’ or ‘no’. You will be ejected from Lust for two decidays if you free talk again.”

“Shit! Sorry. Accident. I won’t again.”

“Thank you. Enjoy yourself.”

The man said, “Ho ho. Feisty one. Top from table. We’ll work that out of you. Are you wet one?”

Renee said nothing.

“Okay. Let’s find out.”

Renee felt his fingers probing her vulva. Spreading her open. Circling her vagina. And then felt his tongue on her clitoris. She flinched a little. She felt a finger probing her vagina.

“Ho ho. You are wet one. Let’s drink some out.”

Shut up and fuck me you idiot. Renee wanted to kick this man in the face. Just let it go. This is what you came for. Let him use you. Surrender to it. As he put a second finger in with the first she did. She was getting wetter and hungrier. She stopped hearing his voice and listened only to his fingers. And his tongue as he occasionally licked her clit and his own fingers.

“Flip her over,” he said casually. Renee was surprised to feel her body being picked up off the cushions and rotated into a kneeling position. “Oh yeah. You ready for cock Renee?”

She nodded. “Yes.” She almost added “fuck me” but remembered not to. She did what she could to bend her ass backward toward him and spread her cheeks open further.

Renee felt the table move as he climbed his knees up on it. He put his thumb into her vagina to play a little and open her up. Then he slid the tip of his cock up along his thumb and into her. His sticky hands grabbed her hips near her waist and he worked his way into her. She groaned softly. And then he began banging his own pelvis against her butt. Renee’s world fell away as she felt only the rhythmic pounding and waves of pleasure radiating throughout her body from each pump. Her body was dragged into an escalating orgasm. It wasn’t the big one, as it were. But it was continuous and demanding of all her attention. She noticed herself drooling a little and slurped to stop it. Great. No free hand to wipe that.

She lost track of time. He had been fucking her this way for quite some time now. She could tell he was tired. He said some words she didn’t pay attention to. Her legs stretched out and now she was laying flat on the table’s cushions. He was still inside her but now his legs straddled her thighs. He continued stroking in and out of her. She moaned softly. How was this even possible? Why had she never tried this position before? She was dripping wet. That was good because she felt very tight now as he stroked her slowly. She was more aware of the shape of his cock. The tip pushing her open like a wedge. The little ridge around it massaging as it bumped past the choke point formed by her pelvic floor muscles. A bulging middle to his shaft. She was still coming but the waves were softer and slower now. She hadn’t had a genuine climax yet but that was fine. This was all cleansing her mind. Music would have spoiled it.

Renee realized that the mystery man fucking her was having his own orgasm finally. She didn’t notice when it started but he was shivering and holding himself deep in her. Then he let out a long gasp and started breathing heavily. “Whoo!” He started laughing. He pumped a couple more times and then vigorously jumped off. He slapped her ass and then kissed it. “That was perfect Renee. I might be coming back later. Fuck yeah.” His voice trailed off as he walked away.

Renee felt somehow deflated. Not unhappy. Just used up. She took stock. Yeah. That had felt amazing. It’s exactly what she needed.

“Flip her over,” said another male voice. “Clean up,” he said to the table. She felt her sweat and the cum on her disappear. “My turn Renee. I missed firstsies. You looking like rag doll.”

Renee laughed but said nothing as her body rotated to put her on her back again.

He added, “Not worn out yet. Good. Gonna fuck that laugh out of you.”

Renee laughed some more. This time it was more a provocation than the sex drunk laugh of a moment ago.

“Heh. Sit her up.” The table cushions shifted her to a nearly upright seated pose. Uh oh. She felt him climbing up on the seat. “I’m giving you little taste first.”

Renee smelled and then felt his somewhat flacid penis pressed up against her lips. Was this what she really signed up for? This was something she usually decided on. Not something to be imposed upon her. But what was she doing on this table if not surrendering? At least for now. She opened her mouth and took him in. She explored his penis’ head with her tongue as her lips pulled back his foreskin.

“That’s good. I thinked you might not take. There there. It’s good?”

She had been afraid he might taste unclean and awful. Thank goodness for synths. And perhaps for a conscious choice on his part to clean himself moments earlier. He actually did feel and taste good in her mouth. She hummed her approval. She only wished she had a hand free to work him better.

“That’s enough. Hard now. Good femme. Lay her up.” He withdrew his now hard cock. She sucked a bit of drool off her lower lip as the table put her on her back again. This time it bent her thighs up and knees down and spread her legs wide open.

That’s better. Renee wanted to be used. She wasn’t opposed to being an active participant but she wanted to be somehow more of the passive rag doll this stranger had said she was. She gasped as he slipped his cock into her vagina. He was apparently standing at just the right height. She was thankful for already being wet. Because he didn’t exactly wait. He dove right in and started pounding her hard. She also appreciated that his cock seemed a little smaller than the first man. The first one had knocked her cervix around a bit hard. It was better when he slipped to one side of it or the other. This man seemed to be a perfect length. Just long enough to kiss her cervix without hitting it as hard as he was trying to. And she felt herself rolling up into the gentle waves of a soft orgasm again. She wondered if this man would be able to give her the climax she wanted.

“Getted me all wet. Good femme. Let’s taste that ass.”

What? He pulled out. That was disappointing enough. But then she felt him licking her vulva a little. And then her anus. What? Gross. This was a first for her. At least this was a synth. She assumed she was clean all around. So maybe it wasn’t so gross for him. He licked all around and then pushed the tip of his tongue inside a little.

“Tight little asshole. You like cock there?”

Er. Was it okay to say “I don’t know because I’ve never had one there”? She just sighed.

“Oh! You ever had?”

“No.”

“Oh good. I do get a first. Yeah. Fuck yeah.”

He stood back up and pressed the tip of his cock against her anus. It took him a little work to find the right place. Renee wasn’t helping. She had no idea what to do. She could feel her sphincter tightening up. She wanted to give him what he wanted but just couldn’t figure out how. She giggled. And then she felt a distinctive pop. He was in her.

“Yeah. Tight ass. You fighted little. No more fighting. Let’s get rest inside. Lube me.” Renee felt the difference on his cock immediately.

He stroked gently and slowly. Renee expressed little gasps with each push. She appreciated that he had requested lubricant before. Because her rectum felt tight and strangely dry. And to her surprise she felt pleasure. It wasn’t the same as having a cock in her vagina. It was tighter. And weird. And pleasant. Not orgasmically pleasant. But pleasant.

And then he came. Rarely had Renee felt the throbbing of a man’s cock during orgasm when he was in her vagina. But this she could feel somehow. What a strange and pleasant sensation. She exhaled a pleasured sigh as he pulled out of her.

“Clean up.” She was relieved to know she wasn’t going to be leaking cum from her ass.

Renee heard and felt the man come around toward her head. He said, “You did like?”

“Yes.”

He leaned close and kissed her lips. This was also not something she expected. But she surrendered to this as well. He was a half decent kisser. And then he left. She felt a certain desire to thank him. But she knew she could not now. Nor would she ever be able to. Unless she ever figured out who he was or he reached out to her. Oh well.

The next man stepped up moments later and had his way with Renee. This one did give her an actual climax. She really needed it. And then the next man used her. And another.

Renee purposely lost count. She was beginning to feel completely spent. And she was starting to feel a certain dissociation from her body. She had tried meditation before but thought it was a joke. This felt like a pure realization of what others had described of their meditation experiences. She felt her entire body relax and surrender to the soup of sensations. She laughed a little absent mindedly. Perhaps this confused the men she was barely paying attention to now.

And then the fucking stopped. If there was a line of users all waiting to wring Renee dry and replace all her fluids with their cum then it was now empty. She knew she wasn’t supposed to but she fell asleep.

***

{Track:Corciolli.LivrodasLembrancas}

Renee was awakened by a kiss on her forehead. Small hands cupped her cheeks as the lips kissed all over her forehead and the bridge of her nose. They kissed their way down her right cheek. Down her jawline. Down her neck. Whoever it was said nothing. But Renee was sure this was a woman. Her lips kissed along Renee’s upper chest. They stopped a while to gently suck her nipple to a tight erection. Renee cooed and squirmed. A light bite made her jump and make a squeaky sound she had never heard from herself. But a gentle tongue made it all better. She couldn’t figure out how the tongue was able to soften her nipple back to its smooth default. And then a couple sharp sucks drew it right back up again. What a magical mouth, she thought.

The lips resumed their path of kissing. Aided by a caressing hand leading the way down. Tresses of the woman’s bangs tickled her skin as she went. All of it kept sending shivers through Renee. The woman still said nothing but Renee could hear stifled giggles in her breathing.

Renee resisted the strong urge to utter the name “Xiao”. Was it even her? She resolved to just accept that it was her even if it wasn’t.

She couldn’t tell whether the sounds of other women’s pleasures surrounding her were an enhancement or a distraction. They pulled her a little away from her own delights here. Yet they tantalized with promises of what lay ahead for her. Their screamed, moaned, and grunted orgasms made her hungry again for her own.

The petting hand found its way to Renee’s mound. Its fingers laced themselves within her pubic hair. They gently tugged and massaged. Then they let go.

The lips, hands, and hair petted their way down Renee’s right leg. The hands paused for a while to massage her right foot. That felt heavenly. The lips kissed each toe in turn. Then the party moved to her left foot for the same treatment.

The lips and their friends paraded slowly upward from her foot. She sucked the taut abductor muscle tendons where each thigh met her pelvis. Renee could feel herself getting wetter and cringing.

And then began the real moment of magic. Renee felt lips wrapping around her entire vulva. And a tongue licking slowly all the way from vagina to hood over and over. Over the course of several minutes lips and tongue explored every part of her vulva. Renee had trouble figuring out exactly what was happening as the sensations kept shifting.

Renee suddenly realized she was not just feeling good. Not just excited. She was close to a climax. And then it hit her. Hard. How the fuck did she ...? Renee’s back arched up. She felt like she might break in two or destroy the table. And she screamed. Loudly.

And then she collapsed panting. She felt the lips pressed against her vagina and tongue licking inside. She felt a sucking sensation and the hum of giggling and purring against her. This magical mouth was drinking away all the lubricant and whatever else Renee had whipped up in her frenzy. Renee moaned and squeezed her constrained thighs together in a vain attempt to hug the woman’s head with them. She said the only allowable thing that came to mind. “Yes! Yes yes yes.”

It seemed Renee’s user was not yet done with her. She felt her legs squeezing together. The user climbed up atop Renee and sat on the upper edge of her pelvis. She was naked. Renee could feel an incredible heat from the woman’s vulva against her belly. And a slickness. She felt the woman’s knuckles pressed against her belly as well. She must be fingering herself. But only for a moment. Moments later Renee felt a slick finger against her lips. The smell was pungent. It was similar to her own smell after masturbation. But it was also clean. It didn’t smell like the raunch of a woman who had run ten miles and hadn’t showered in several days. In addition to the distinctive smell of a woman’s vagina there was also a slight hint of something floral. Perhaps she was wearing some sort of perfume.

Renee kissed the finger. Then licked it. She got over an initial squick about the gooey texture. She took the finger in her mouth and licked it clean. And sucked it. The woman fingered herself again and brought her slick fingers to Renee’s mouth. She took both middle fingers in and sucked and licked them clean. She wanted more. “Yes.”

Her user kissed her lips. A deep and passionate kiss. Her hands wrapped around Renee’s jaw and neck to pull her into it. The lips kissed her face all over as she rolled her head gently in her hands. Renee opened her mouth like a baby bird waiting to be fed more. The woman locked her lips on Renee’s again. She was breathing hard. Her hunger felt as palpable in her kiss as Renee’s.

“Yes,” she said again. “Yes.” She wanted so desperately to add “please”.

The woman panted an inch from Renee’s face for a moment. Then she un-straddled Renee and climbed up along the side of the table next to Renee.

Renee had never had sex with a woman. Ever. Was she ready for this? Should she even want this? Could you really want both dick and pussy? Was bisexuality even real? A whole lot of Kaljuans seemed to think so. And right now Renee really wanted this experience. This first. She realized she had no idea how to do it. Would she even know? She was blind and had no hands available. What the fuck should she do? Was she about to let this amazing woman down? Maybe she expected Renee to already be an expert at this. She had no way of letting her know. Don’t expect much, poor user.

The woman surprised Renee. Renee expected her to kneel over her face facing “up” toward her head. Instead she faced “down” toward her feet. She was on her knees and bent her body down. Oh! Renee realized what she was doing. Her knees had been bent upward all along for this user. She felt the user’s hair brushing against her thighs. Her hands moved Renee’s pubic hairs aside and she wrapped her arms around Renee’s thighs. And buried her face in Renee’s vulva again.

Renee felt the warmth of her user’s thighs. And of her pelvis so near. She bent her neck and found her nose tapping something hot and wet. She stretched her tongue out to lick the woman but she was just out of reach. The user backed up and pivoted her pelvis down to meet Renee’s face. She didn’t press hard but simply hovered it in the perfect position.

Renee kissed and licked what she could reach. She wasn’t actually sure what was what given her blindness and inexperience. But she figured out that her user had no pubic hair. She found her clitorial hood and explored the crevice on either side of it. She explored it more with her lips and tongue. She guessed that she had found her clitoris when the woman jumped a little at her licking. Hmm. Below should be the vagina. Her tongue tip found a depression. She couldn’t quit fit her tongue in. Too tight? Too small? What the heck? Oh wait! Urethra. Was this a faux pas? No negative sounds or movements from her user. She moved further down and found a more giving depression. Her tongue pushed into it more easily. She felt her user humming against Renee’s vulva as Renee swirled her tongue around just inside the vagina. Wow. Just wow. So different from a man. And so fucking hot.

Renee continued exploring her user’s vulva for a long while. What an amazing playground! At some point she felt her user maneuvering her pelvis to put her clitoris back near Renee’s lips again. Ah. Message received. She figured out she could wrap her lips around the hood and roll her tongue around the little bump. So intriguing to finally explore on another woman what she had never closely explored on herself.

Lick suck lick lick. And just like that the woman started coming. She flicked her tongue against her clit and licked in circles around it enjoying her user’s responses. So much to learn and enjoy.

As soon as her user stopped coming she took her revenge on Renee’s own clit. Renee’s back started arching again. And just like that she started coming again. When she stopped she felt her user cleaning her vulva up hungrily. She returned the favor. Her user had gotten very wet and sticky. Renee licked and sucked all around her vagina. So many new flavors. The hitherto forbidden flavors of a woman. Why had she never tried this before?

The woman seemed as spent as Renee felt. She crawled back up and lay herself on Renee’s body. Her legs straddled Renee’s hips and her head lay against her neck and chest. She kissed Renee’s neck and fondled a breast.

Renee started weeping. Sobbing even. She realized her user might misinterpret this so she kissed her forehead. Her user rose up to kiss Renee’s lips. Renee greedily accepted the gift of kisses. The woman’s mouth now tasted like her own vagina. How strange. She giggled and wept as they locked into an ongoing kiss. “Yes.” She sighed and wept a little extra. “Yes.”

Her user climbed off. She made a circuit around the table kissing every part of Renee she could reach. And with one parting kiss on her lips she giggled softly and left. Or did she? Was she there quietly staring at Renee? Renee listened for any sound to give away her presence for another minute.

Oh Xiao. I really hope that was you. That was you. It must have been. Who else was a sex goddess around here? It was only fitting that she would be Renee’s first.

And at that she was going to be the last. At least for tonight. Renee voked the room, “I’m done. Please log me out or whatever.”

“I hope you’ve enjoyed your time here. You had a lot of users for a first time.”

“I did? I guess I did. I lost count.”

“There are still several people queued up if you’d like.”

“Oh no. I’m definitely done. This was totally a first though. I’ve never really opened myself up like this. At all. You know what the hardest part was?”

“What’s that?”

“Not saying stuff. God. I so wanted to say all kinds of things to her. And to all of them. Really.”

The room laughed. “I understand. I appreciate your compliance with the rules. You are welcome back here whenever you’d like. Have a wonderful night Renee.”

“Thank you. Good night.”

Renee voked Chessie, “I’m done honey. So so done.”

“Home?”

“Yeah. Home.” The sounds faded out and Renee’s view faded back in on her cabin.

Linger

{Track:Kaskade.EyesIceMix}

Renee took a hot shower. There was no need as she was completely clean. As always. But she had come to really love her shower. It seemed a perfect way to end a day and get her ready for sleep. Sitting on the shower floor she fingered herself a bit and remembered Xiao or whoever that lovely woman was. She could not have asked for a hotter first experience with a woman. She really wanted to know if it was Xiao. How to ask? Was it even appropriate to? Probably considered uncouth. And even if it was Xiao she may not have wanted Renee to know.

Renee was still fingering herself and giggling. She crafted a private message to Xiao. “I had a fucking amazing night! I hope you did too. What great things did you do?” She explored herself more and vigorously. She was so eager to get a response. Maybe she’d have to wait all night if Xiao was busy and not paying attention to PMs.

A few seconds later she received a response. Still fingering herself she read it. “My night is perfect. Still more fun. So much loving tonight. But one very special experience with someone precious. Good night Jiaren.”

Gah! That’s ambiguous. Renee laughed as she realized it might be purposely so. She wasn’t just going to come out and admit that she fucked her on that table. But maybe she didn’t. She sighed. Just assume it was her and enjoy the memory, damnit.

Renee felt exhausted. The night wasn’t over at Nuit Rouge. But it certainly was for Renee. She had ended on a perfect note. She got up out of the shower, dried off, and lay down in her bed. The crackling fire warmed the room as always. But she lay uncovered for a moment to cool off. She wrote a simple journal entry.

Journal entry

Hey Sigma. Would you believe that that was my first time with a woman? I was really scared at first because I didn’t know for sure if I would like it. Heck, I guess that was also my first time being tied up and screwed by a bunch of strangers. I don’t think stuff like that happened back before I died. If it did then I didn’t know about it. The crazy thing is that I did all that stuff at the same time I think I’m falling in love with a man. Maybe I just needed to get that out of my system before I admit it to him. I have no idea what I’m doing, but it’s a wild ride so far.

I also have no idea if or how all this is helping your work, but I hope it is. Enjoy all the footage, you pervy compu-bot, man you. Good night.

Your loving arms

{Track:KarenOverton.YourLovingArms}

Renee appreciated taking a day off from Se Shijie. She was getting a little tired of shooting things and, frankly, being shot to bits. And she just wanted to sleep in after last night’s Nuit Rouge.

Renee reached out to Castor to invite him for a more relaxed day. Thankfully he was up for it. She convinced him to go for a run with her in her home synth. Afterward they had a long and relaxed lovemaking session. She cherished having something a little more conventional today. Something with her eyes open. Something with someone she knew. And something with someone she felt more for.

Renee and Castor lay in bed after a delightful romp. She sighed and said, “What would you say if someone said they loved you?”

Castor laughed. “I hear it often. I love hearing. It’s feeling good.”

Renee nodded. “Okay. Yeah. But I mean if they really really meant it. Like loved loved.”

“I don’t understand that meaning.”

“And I don’t know how to explain it. But I guess I’m falling in love with you.”

Castor hugged Renee. “It’s beautiful Renee. I’m loving you.”

“Do you mean like how you feel about your other women and women? Like you feel about Delyth?”

Castor chuckled. “I’m full of love. Love all. Love each differently. All’re special. You’re special.”

“Thank you. You’re certainly special too. I don’t know if you understand what that means to me though.”

“You’re old fashioning. Loving one person per time.”

“Yes. And yeah. I know you’re not monogamous.”

“Ah. Yes. That word.”

“Yeah. You have your other lovers. I’m getting more comfortable with it. But it’s weird for me.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know. I never knew anyone who was with more than one man or woman at a time. Unless they were cheating of course.. Not until I came to Kalju.”

Castor nodded.

“Monogamy was normal where I grew up. Damn. I just assumed it always was and always would be normal.” Castor said nothing. Renee continued. “You know how I said I haven’t actually been married before? I don’t actually think I’ve ever told anyone I loved him either.”

“No? Really?”

“Well. I mean other than my parents. And a couple friends. But that’s different.” Castor looked confused. “I don’t mean like that. I mean like love for, you know, parents and children. And friends. Friend love.”

Castor nodded. “It’s strange to say like so. I understand. So. You love me like first?”

“Yeah. You’re my first. I think. I mean I think I’m falling in love with you that way. Love love. Man-woman love. You know?”

Castor pressed his forehead to Renee’s. “It’s sweetest. I’m loving you.”

“I was thinking. I’d like to meet some of your other loves. Maybe I’d feel better if I acted more like a part of your family. Or whatever you call it.”

Castor’s face lit up. “It’d be fine. Let’s do that. Little party. I’ll voke all.”

Renee chuckled. “Cool. Yeah. Please do. Oh. Hey. Can I invite Xiao? And Aurora? They are becoming a bit like family to me too.”

“Ya. Invite. More loving.”

Renee smiled and lay back as Castor was busying himself reaching out to his partners. She was a little apprehensive at the thought of meeting his other lovers. Would this just make her jealousy worse? On the other hand she liked the thought of becoming a part of what he called his family. It’s not something she was used to. Maybe people in this time did relationships differently. But she figured family must be something basic to humanity. It would be interesting to see what his family was like. And more interesting to see if she could feel like she was a part of it.

Renee reached out to Xiao and Aurora to invite them. Both sounded eager. It was unfortunate that she would have to get back to them about the details once Castor figured them out. But it was a start. It might be strange for her to be inviting platonic friends to a party with Castor’s lovers. But it would be nice to have more people she already knew at her side when meeting the “other women”. And men.

Paul

{Track:DepecheMode.PoisonHeart}

A little later Renee was again exploring the beautiful Blackmore synth with Aurora. She had collected copies of several most unusual artistic objects she intended to decorate her cabin with.

She was interrupted by a voke request from Paul, the tortured man from last night. She accepted and voked, “Hey there. I thought you had decided not to respond to my request.”

“I’m sorry. I’ve been alone all night and today. I wanted aloneness. But you asked questions. I thinked I should answer.”

“Oh good. I don’t recall exactly what I asked. Honestly I’ve tried to put it behind me. That was not pleasant to watch. It was downright awful.”

“Oh. I’m very very sorry Renee. It was not for seeing.”

“Oh no. Please don’t apologize. I chose to be there. I just don’t, you know, understand. But I want to. You chose to be there too. I want to understand.”

Paul paused. “We can meet somewhere for talking?”

“Yeah. That’s a good idea. You know. I’m out exploring with a friend. Let me voke you in a bit when we are done.”

“Yes mistress. Thank you. I’ll wait.”

Renee was puzzled by the “mistress” title. But she decided to leave it alone for now. Maybe something to talk about later with him. “Okay. Voke you soon. Bye.”

Aurora had noticed the change in Renee. She was quieter and not as chipper as a while ago. Observant woman. Renee decided not to tell her about Paul just yet. She wanted to enjoy their time together for a while longer. But it was hard to shake the image of Mistress Toxin swinging a bat at his head like she was teeing off a golf ball. The mental scene kept repeating itself. Along with Toxin’s barked order to “stand back bitch”. Renee had been abnormally stunned. She didn’t really know why but it was bothering her. Hopefully she would understand better in an hour or two. And hopefully she could set it aside until then.