Page 26 of Breaking Ties

“For you. There is a power dynamic here. I am the weaker partner, and I get to do a lot of the teasing. It’s a rule or something.” She grinned. “Order your meal, Lord Vress.”

He blinked. “Bossy.”

“I am hungry, and it’s called assertive.”

He snorted and began ordering an incredible array of items.

She smiled.

“I really want you against me right now.”

“After the contract.”

Vress raised his hand, and one of his guards handed him a contract tablet. While they waited, Vress tapped rapidly on the tablet before nodding. “Here, add anything you wish.”

She took the tablet and read through the standard statement that his need for sex was paramount. That was standard in a Hmrain contract. Without sex, they didn’t consume energy, and without that, they were unable to remain powered up. With regular feeding, they got stronger and smarter. That was one of the main reasons for needing other species.

Aubrey went to town. She demanded a fruit market, open coms with anyone who needed to speak with her. A temple or some kind of office so she could meet with others who needed the oracle. Wardrobe, regular meals. A recreational budget and some vacations every five years or so. Visits to nearby Terran consorts.

She nodded and handed the tablet back.

“That’s it?” Vress stared at the items she added.

“Yup. My world was dead. I am starting from nothing. I need a wardrobe. I need shoes. I need food, and I need a budget so I can buy craft supplies.”

“The temple?”

“I need a building where folk can gather that doesn’t interfere with your home.”

Vress looked at her. “Are you wanting to carry on other relationships?”

“Nope. Just don’t want you to have to deal with people hugging and crying on me. You are free to cover the interior and exterior with surveillance devices. I only want to provide people with the illusion of privacy when they speak to me.”

Vress blinked, and food began to arrive. He said, “You trust me with that information?”

“People want to find love, foresee death, and seek money. Those things are universal. If they come to me seeking war, I will show them their own death, either in a vision or physically.”

That surprised him. “You are violent?”

“The white eyes came with some defensive skills. I am pretty sure I could turn them offensive if I were in danger.”

Her guards chuckled.

Aubrey bit her nail. “Can you eat something? Etiquette is not my favourite thing.”

One of her guards laughed.

Vress looked at him. “What happens if I don’t?”

“Uh, one of the other Hmrain refused to eat, so she threw a vegetable stick at them, said the food had touched their lips, and started eating. No one knew what to do.”

Vress’s shoulders were shaking. “I see. So she is food motivated.”

Aubrey looked at him. “Yes, she is. So start eating or pick a food you don’t mind wearing.”

He blinked, reached, and got a fried meat stick. He put it in his mouth, and she burst into action. Her guards snickered, but she didn’t care. She didn’t need to eat every ninety minutes anymore, but it was dinner time, and she was hungry.

She used the long chopsticks to pick up food and made sure she ate neatly.