Claimed Beauty (The Cubi Book 2) Page 13

  At least Daniel could detect humor in his tone of voice. This was so pushing his limits, but he was adamant about doing it since he had ridden that ass hard and long that morning.

  Seldon really did have a nice ass, Daniel noted as he spread his muscular thighs and began washing him gently. He wondered if he shaved or waxed his buttocks since it was so smooth. Then again, he didn’t have a ton of body hair—just the fine, dark coverage on his chest and a treasure trail going south, and a soft coverage on his legs. Daniel had just about nothing other than places like groin and armpits.

  Upon finishing, Daniel held the tube up for Seldon to see. “Need some of this?”

  Seldon laughed. “Yeah, as I said, you’re not that small.”

  Daniel snorted while unscrewing the cap. He added a dollop of ointment to his finger and introduced it to Seldon’s pucker. Seldon hissed and clenched his cheeks, trapping Daniel’s finger between the muscular mounds, making Daniel snicker.

  “Better?” Daniel asked when Seldon finally relaxed enough for Daniel to spread the ointment a bit more.

  “Yeah. And don’t worry about it, okay. What hurt me the most was getting all excited and trying to move, because lying still is apparently not an option while being fucked. I had hoped I could.”

  “Okay,” Daniel said, thinking he might be right. At least it soothed Daniel’s guilt at having caused Seldon more pain.

  “Think you’ve pampered me enough. Go shower and put on your makeup.”

  “Oh shit, hadn’t thought of the time it takes. Maybe Rosadin will help since I’m in a rush.”

  “I bet she will.”

  Daniel got up and kissed Seldon’s forehead before running off to the bathroom with the washbasin. He showered quickly and found one of his nice sets of clothes before hurrying to the kitchen with his makeup bag.

  “About time,” Rosadin commented.

  “Yeah, would you help me with this? You’re much faster and better at it than I am.”

  “Sure, cub, come here.” She pulled a chair out. “I made you a sandwich so you can finish it as you go.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Your hair is a disaster.”

  “I know,” he groaned. “I need it a bit drier before I can put anything in it.”

  “I can cut your hair later if you want.”

  “Would you cut Seldon’s, too?”

  “He asked for that?”

  “No, I just think he needs to be freshened up once he gets better.” It really hurt to see the big man that disheveled.

  “Well, I ask because he likes it a bit longer and his scruff.”

  “Scruff? He prefers that?” Daniel asked, surprised since Seldon had willingly shaved when Daniel had said he preferred him clean shaven.

  “Well, he changes it up sometimes. But sure, I’ll pamper you both a bit when he’s better and if he’s up for it. Look up and close your eyes.”

  Daniel did, wondering why the smell of makeup and her hands no longer caused negative feelings and black flashes of the day he had been kidnapped. Maybe their initial problems the day he met her again had been resolved. He certainly got some of it spanked out of him. Either way, he was back to enjoying it, and he really enjoyed his life there.

  Rosadin finished, and Daniel managed three-quarters of his sandwich and a cup of coffee before Caledon came in.

  “Your hair!” Rosadin said.

  “Right.” Daniel dried off his fingers and ran to the mirror in the hallway to do the tousled look he liked so much. But his hair was almost too long to look just right. Had to be enough for today so he wouldn’t keep Caledon waiting. Upon returning to the kitchen, he saw he had time, though, because Rosadin had topped off his coffee and Caledon sat with a cup, too.

  “You are going to be a busy cub today, Daniel,” Caledon said. “We’re going to get you registered, and you will officially be going to meet Lord Ildon who is the Grand Lord of my House. You saw him at the trial. You’re also going to get a few hours to work on that essay I requested from you. I’ll give you a tour of House Three and see if we can find a good beginners job for you. Seldon will hate me for this because we’re going to find something he can teach you. And the guy knows how to do most things.”

  “Not shoveling shit?” Daniel asked, smiling theatrically.

  “No, not shoveling shit,” Caledon said, chuckling into his cup. “But we’ll stop by the library too and check you out a book about us. You’ll have to read it before you start school, which we will also be visiting today. Last, but not least, we’re stopping by the hospital wing. I need to collect some test results, and you’re delivering a blood sample for your file here.”

  “Okay. Sounds like a busy day.”

  “Then let’s go.”

  Daniel cleared their cups and his plate from the table, seeing Rosadin smile as he passed her. “Thanks for helping me out.”

  “Oh, you’re welcome, and when you return, my brothers will have arrived.”

  Daniel smiled, still not sure he was looking forward to meeting them, but at least Rosadin would have had time to explain to them that their dad wasn’t the fuck-up, and then maybe they wouldn’t hold anything against Daniel, either. One could hope.

  He followed Caledon out the door, catching someone getting ready to smear something on Seldon’s door.

  The man smiled a bit awkwardly, his blue eyes darting to the bag in his hand. “My Lord.”

  Caledon glanced at Daniel and stepped to the side, so Daniel could close the door. He did so while trying to contain his anger enough to only look annoyed. He then stepped aside and held out his arm toward the door. Then he left, walking briskly as he buried the comments threatening to burst forward.

  Caledon caught up to him. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

  “Because it’s how the Cubi do this, right?”

  “It is. Good call on your part to not say anything.”

  “I figured if anyone should say something it should be you, not me,” Daniel said and shrugged.

  Caledon nodded and turned down a side hall. Daniel followed, but Caledon stopped and peered around the corner.

  “Why are we stopping?”

  Caledon smiled at him. “Because we actually had to go the other way, but I didn’t want to let you lose face when you handled that so well. Do you know why we do it?”

  “To humiliate.”

  “Yes, but what’s the purpose of collectively humiliating a person?”

  Daniel thought about it a few seconds, but his mind came up blank—no good reasons came to mind other than a vendetta. “I don’t know.”

  Caledon peered around the corner before facing Daniel again. “Everybody has to work together here. When someone fails the collective, they are collectively reminded of who they failed. They will feel it so to speak. But once my mark is off his door, it is over and done with. Forgotten.”

  Like the spanking. Daniel remembered Seldon saying that once a punishment had been dished out, it was no longer a factor.

  “He’s going, so let’s go,” Caledon said. They emerged from their hiding spot and walked back the way they came. Daniel looked at the door, finding more mustard smeared in more Cubi language.

  “What does it say?”

  “Unworthy of a gift. The gift being an Untouchable.”

  Daniel almost successfully suppressed a growl. “He’s not,” he finally whispered. “Please let me wash it off before we leave.” Daniel looked up at Caledon and fought his stinging eyes. Caledon studied him for a beat before nodding, and Daniel hurried inside and ran to the kitchen, making Rosadin spin in surprise.

  “Where’s the fire?”

  “On the door,” Daniel said and grabbed the dishcloth and paper towels. Rosadin followed him to the door, seeing what had been smeared on it before Daniel took the paper towels to it, feeling better at seeing it disappear. But the mark that Caledon had someone paint on it was still there—angry red and bright for all to see, and it pissed Daniel off. That one he couldn’t do anythi
ng about, though, so he just hurried up so as not to test the Lord’s patience with allowing him the sense of pride on Seldon’s behalf.

  “I’ll take it,” Rosadin said, smiling gratefully.

  “Thanks,” Daniel said and let her close the door. Caledon showed the way and Daniel noticed they were heading to his home. At least, they were heading up.

  “We’re going to my office first. There will be breeders, but you don’t touch.”

  “No, of course not. I know I’m only allowed to be with you and Seldon. And I do have some self-control when not dosed or tingling all over.”

  Caledon snorted. “Just so you know, going from not tingling to tingling all over and wanting to fuck everything can change like that.” Caledon snapped his fingers. “What do you think caused Jonah to go from having just fed to thinking you were fair game?”

  “So, you’re saying I haven’t experienced hunger yet?”

  “You definitely haven’t experienced hunger yet,” Caledon stated, grinning mischievously. “You’re a spoiled cub. The newly developing center in your brain can’t regulate yet so it can fire off hormones that’ll make you horny in the blink of an eye with the slightest stimulation.”

  “When does that go away? I mean, I remember just brushing one of your breeder's arms and…” Daniel made a fist and bent his elbow slowly as to indicate a huge boner growing.

  “Yeah, and that can be a lot stronger. It never really goes away, but it changes after the first few years. If you touch a breeder who doesn’t want you, right now, your brain will still go all mating crazy and send off the hormones. It’s like your brain tries to dose you to get stimulation…it’s completely out of whack. When you get to around blue, you’ll only get that kick when you are desired. Hence the doses because that makes the breeders desire us even if they don’t swing to that side.”

  “I’ll stay clear then.”

  “Good plan, cub.” Caledon stopped by a door and opened it before leading them down a busy hallway with offices on either side. “The ones with a collar on are breeders. The rest are self-explanatory since they’re all purple-eyes.”

  “Why only purple?”

  “Because every Lord gets purple-eyes unless they handpick others to do specific jobs.”

  “Are all purple-eyes Lords, too?”

  “Yes, just not with a House. My title is Lord of a House. They are Lords to a House. Like Seldon is Sire of a House, a House in my House, and the green-eyes working with him are Sires to a House. My House in my House run by Seldon. It’s a pyramid structure, and he is my fourth Sire of my Fourth House, which is responsible for training.”

  “And the Grand Lords?”

  “Grand Lords to the Great House of Dahlidin. Each House is under a Grand Lord or Lady, one of which is the one I am Lord of.”

  “Aha,” Daniel said feeling overwhelmed. But one thing did stick. “If the Grand Lords and Ladies are Grand Lords to a House, who is…whose Grand House is it? The Great House of Dahlidin?”

  “It’s a longer story, but Great Lady Dahlidin’s House. The King or Queens rule over a monarchy which consists of the, in this case, eight Houses under the Grand Lords and Ladies, yet we have neither a Queen nor a king. The Grand Lords and Ladies are caretakers of the monarchy called the Great House of Dahlidin until a King or Queen steps forward of full strength to be crowned and rename it. Once we fanned out from the old world, which is Europe, we spread out so thinly that not all monarchies are under a King or a Queen.”

  “Does Grand Lords or Ladies become one?”

  “No, actually,” Caledon said and stopped to turn to face him. He smiled as he studied Daniel. “Kings and Queens are born royal. This monarchy is so far without a King or Queen.”

  “Uh, sounds interesting.”

  “Glad you find it interesting. It will help ease the boredom of your study in our history.” Caledon began walking again, and Daniel followed him to an office at the end of the hall where a purple-eyed woman sat at a desk and worked on a computer. She looked up upon their arrival.

  “My Lord, and…”

  “Changeling. We’re going to register him.”

  “Oh, good. Nice to meet you. My name is Jadin. Would you like me to…” She pointed to Daniel.

  “Sure. I have a few things to look through, so please.”

  Daniel sat next to her desk.

  “Full human name?”

  “Daniel Thomas Evans.”

  “Age…twenty…” She looked skeptical.

  “Nineteen.”

  “He’s the Untouchable who was prematurely changed,” Caledon said, not looking up from the papers he had buried his nose in. Reading glasses and all. Daniel kind of liked the nerdy side of the Lord. Back to the task at hand. Daniel turned his attention to the Succubus in front of him. Jadin arched a brow but didn’t comment.

  “So, no college degree to put in. High School major?”

  “Didn’t finish. I was held back a year because I worked on a TV show as an actor.”

  “Actor. We’ll put that in, then.” She smiled and typed. “And model? With your looks?” Her eyes darkened and if he had learned anything then a Cubus’ eyes darkening meant they were aroused, and if they lightened in color and glowed more brightly, they were pissed off.

  “Yes,” Daniel said and smiled sweetly, once again loving the fact that he could bring that out in a Cubus of this level.

  “Jesus, cub! She’ll slide off the chair if you keep that up,” Caledon exclaimed.

  “So, I’m hungry, bite me!” she snapped, making Caledon laugh.

  Oh shit, Daniel loved the banter. He could even make a Succubus all hot and wet. “Parents names?” she continued, her cheeks growing a bit crimson.

  Daniel’s smile faltered a bit. “Bill and Susan Evans.” But he calmed himself and went through the last trivia she wanted such as date of birth, allergies, special skills. The latter was another big failure in Daniel’s eyes, and for a second he wondered if Jeff would teach him to play the piano.

  “How are you settling in with the changes?” she asked, and Daniel liked the sincerity in her eyes as she folded her hands and leaned a bit closer over the desk.

  “Pretty well, I guess.”

  “Pretty well?” Caledon snorted. “Cub, you’re probably the most interesting Changeling I have ever fucked this close to a change, and I’ve fucked a lot. Knowing you fuck Seldon like he’s the only guy in the world makes me so jealous.”

  It was Daniel’s turn to blush.

  “Really?” Jadin asked.

  “Uh-huh. He’s naughty.”

  “Ugh, and for Incubi.” The Succubi adjusted herself in her seat.

  Caledon made a noise Daniel couldn’t tell what it meant. “You two done? Because then you and I have a tour to finish, a library to visit, and a blood sample to give.”

  Daniel looked to Jadin who sighed and sat back. “We are, and now I’ll go feed.” She stood and smoothed her tight skirt down her legs, and Daniel couldn’t help his eyes from wandering. It had been a while since he had enjoyed the smooth curves of a woman’s body. “You’re gonna make me blush.”

  Daniel looked up, finding himself caught ogling, so he looked away. “Sorry.”

  Jadin left, and Daniel stayed seated, inhaling as she passed him. She left behind a sweet fragrance, and he was sure it wasn’t a perfume. It was too natural for that. She smelled like spring. Daniel contemplated it since he had begun noticing scents differing. Seldon’s seemed to change. Right then, he just smelled like copper. Like blood.

  “Do you remember the topic I wanted you to write about?” Caledon asked. Daniel thought for a second.

  “Yes. My thoughts about the way the House and everyone in it works together.”

  “Good. Find a pad and a pencil on Jadin’s desk and write down some questions you have about it and maybe Cubi in general. You’re going to answer them yourself and string it together coherently as one subject.”

  “Okay, but you should know I’m not good at this.”r />
  “I don’t expect babies to be able to run three minutes after they’re born, either, but you don’t get better if you don’t start somewhere.”

  “True. Will it be graded?”

  “No, we don’t do grades, we do overall assessments.” Caledon looked up from his papers and smiled encouragingly. “Go on. I have some paperwork to finish, too.”

  “Yes, My Lord.” Daniel went to sit at Jadin’s desk and found the legal pad and pen to the left of her keyboard. On it were a lot of scribbles he couldn’t read so he flipped the page and began on a new one.

  Chapter Twelve

  It was tedious work, but Daniel managed to fill a page with questions. Actually, making a list of questions wasn’t the hard part because he had so many, but he tried to prioritize them since he’d have to find the answers himself and string it all together.

  “Did you get anything written down?” Caledon asked, glancing at him through his hip glasses.

  Hot teacher type.

  Focus.

  “Yeah. Think this is gonna be good.”

  “Excellent. Then I guess it’s time to go check out the library. Come on, stud,” Caledon said and got up. Daniel folded his questions up and shoved them into his back pocket. As they left the office and walked the hall, Daniel still thought about the questions he had written down.

  “Do you know if it’s normal for someone to not know if they were bisexual?”

  “At your age? Definitely. We have breeders who don’t figure other stuff out until they’re in their thirties. And that’s with all they get to experience here.”

  “Like what?” Daniel opened the door for them.

  “Like figuring out that they actually like BDSM or have a kink for some fetish.”

  “Don’t think I have a fetish.”

  “Actually, you do. Makeup. You might not need it to get sexually aroused, but damn if it doesn’t get better for you when you know the one you’re fucking thinks you’re stunningly beautiful.”

  “Okay! I have a fetish,” Daniel said, grinning. They entered the elevator and went down to some other level. Daniel still hadn’t figured out the things on the elevator buttons. “Would you explain the levels and buttons?”