Page 2 of Bound to the Tiger Scout
One of the more reasonable men among them cleared his throat and said, “I think the point Administrator Rijal is making is that in Norlish culture such an event is normal and acceptable.” He chuckled. “I’m pretty sure my first sexual partner would’ve appreciated it if I’d known more than I did.”
“Gentle and instructive is wonderful,” another woman added.
“Look,” snapped a very polished man with a greasy smile. Everyone startled into silence at his volume, which I assumed had been his goal. “I’m not saying no American can participate. What I’m saying is that there’s already a subsection of people who prostitute themselves. Why not just give them to the aliens?”
I stared in disbelief. I knew sex work happened in America, but also that it was deemed illegal and often done by those who felt they had no other method of earning money. Because it was unregulated, there was no dedicated medical care or even basic protections available to the workers. Disease, assault, and even murder were common. Drug abuse seemed to coincide as well. To suggest that we simply “take” those people?—
Alexandra gasped in outrage. “Are you seriously suggesting that they take away the prostitutes? A section of the population that hasn’t had a choice in the work they do? Why not give them the drug addicts, too?” she snapped.
“That’s actually a good idea,” the man said. “They’re probably used to selling themselves for their next fix. It would help clean up a lot of neighborhoods for the good, Christian citizens of Indiana.”
I nearly cut the connection, sharing the horror that several faces were conveying, but some small part of me that was meant to be a professional stopped me. After a deep breath, I said, “While we would happily assist those who feel they have no choices with finding another sort of work or other methods of improving their situations, we are actually seeking humans who are truly interested in providing and receiving pleasure with paying clients as a career.”
“A career?” the woman scoffed.
Alexandra said, “In several other countries sex work is deemed a profession where the workers receive medical care and?—”
“Othercountries being the key phrase there, girlie.”
“Don’t you dare diminish my?—”
“This is ridiculous! We’re debating the wrong thing here?—”
“Let’s put this to a vote. All in favor of removing the undesirables from our states, say aye.”
I saw red and muted them all again. As clearly as I could say it while my jaw was clenched, I said, “Thank you for your input regarding these matters, but we will proceed with selecting and interviewing the volunteers from thetwo millionthat we already have.”
I ended the call and slumped back in my chair with a long sigh. The silence was a blessed relief, but it didn’t last long, and I really should’ve known that it wouldn’t.
“Should I book you in for a meeting with Prince Ye Lena to make your case for ignoring the leaders of this world and just doing whatever you want?”
I snorted and rubbed at my eyes, not bothering to look over at my assistant. Layleen, a gray and long-eared Pip, was a former brothel worker who’d happily left the business when she’d found her mate amongst her clients. She was currently pregnant with triplets and that hormonal situation had definitely impacted how freely she spoke to me.
“Yes, please,” I said with a grin. “Let our illustrious leader know the many ways in which I’ve fucked this up and see if he has time to guide me through repairing everything. If you wouldn’t mind.”
“Absolutely, sir.” She popped up from her chair and there was a definite hop in her step as she left the room.
I stayed where I was and sighed again. I should’ve become a bread maker like my father and left brothels and politics to some other fool.
My grandmother was probably cackling in the Great Beyond over how I was handling things. She’d been the one to leave me her brothel and instill her standards of stewardship in me. I saw myself as the leader of a people and took care of them in the best way I knew how. Bringing in new workers to fill a client need had seemed like the logical next step, so of course I’d answered the call to join the delegation to Earth.
“Idiot,” I muttered to myself even as I approved the computer’s request to upload the session. Yes, I was going to cause a few issues with this, but that wasn’t new. Maybe if the delegation had come here asking for oranges instead of sex workers as the one thing they would like in return for their help, I would be seen as a hero.
Now that I knew what a devil was, I felt as though that title fit me much better anyway.
CHAPTER 2
SQUIRE LANDRY
Iwas sweating as I looked up from watching the latest group session the Norlons had held with a bunch of American politicians about the sex workers volunteering to go to Nor and work in brothels. My mother and her new pastor stood in front of where I sat at the kitchen island, her scowling like she always did nowadays and him smiling like a used car salesman. I had to choose my words carefully.
“What, um, did you want me to do?” I asked, not even trying to offer an opinion on what I’d just watched. They didn’t want my actual thoughts, and I didn’t want to risk getting this week’s preferred rally cry wrong. They might want me to walk the neighborhood and write down the names of anyone I suspected to be a drug addict or?—
“We want you to fill out the form,” Pastor Halbert said, “and get recruited so that you can infiltrate their organization.”
The fuck? Okay, that was nowhere near what I might’ve guessed.
“You want me to become a sex worker?”
