Chapter 36

Once they were on their way, Bel returned to the table and began to collect the dirty plates and cups. Callum felt compelled to help her. Feeling nervous, he groped for a conversation topic and blurted out the first thing he thought of.

"Will Jella's father be coming home tonight?" As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he wanted them back. He did want to know but words sounded so blunt and desperate.

Bel's sad smile confirmed how tactless his question had been and drove a knife into his heart. "Jella's father died during the fighting on Sarlla." There was nothing accusatory in her voice but Callum felt sick and furious at himself for asking. He should have guessed it was something like that. Everyone on the ship had almost certainly lost family to the carcha. He also hated himself for the sudden feeling of relief that spread through his body at finding out that Bel wasn't married.

They loaded the washer machine in silence so when Bel suddenly laughed, Callum almost had a heart attack. "I had heard that Shargi was overly deferential and meek as a mistebari man but I had no idea. I'll need to talk to Niso about this. She's always been a stern woman but there is no reason Shargi should still be jumping at nothing the way she is." Bel shook her head and then glanced at Callum and grinned, "She's cute, though, isn't she?"

Callum wasn't sure he'd call her 'cute.' Her personality was too fragile and her looks were too voluptuous. But he decided just to agree. "She is. I'm glad she is my aide." A question he'd had came back to him. "Why did Shargi say it would be inappropriate for a fie to be my aide?"

Bel grimaced. "Most fie women would find it...embarrassing...to act as an aide to a man. It's a silly and outdated thing but…" She shrugged as if to say that it couldn't be helped. "I think Shargi is the best choice in any case." Callum didn't know what she meant by that and he didn't really understand the first part either. Embarrassing? Why? And if so, why not just assign a man?

Bel walked back out into the living room and Callum tried not to stare at her thighs. He did not succeed. Bel stopped close to the low table and turned back to him. Callum snapped his eyes up the moment she began to turn but the grin on her face made him think that she'd noticed. "Before I forget, Lady Tsyirinsaku has summoned you to meet with her tomorrow. You, Mikan, Valencia and Century, should we be able to find her. I think she's decided what to do with you."

"Really?" Callum's heart started beating a little faster at the prospect that he would finally learn what his future would be like. Also at the prospect of meeting the Last Princess of the Fie again. She had been quite a presence.

"So," Bel said, very casually. "Now that we're alone, will you tell me how is it you humans gain power?"

Callum almost choked. He'd forgotten about that. He supposed there was no reason to hide it, however. If he understood how this all worked now, only other species in Venus's domain could shared power via sex. Since the fie weren't, he didn't have to worry about them hounding him. 'Would that be so bad?' Callum shook off the thought. For one thing, Valencia might actually murder him. "Sex," he said bluntly. Callum tried to remember how Venus had put it. "If two humans that can use ether have sex, their souls merge and both retain some of the other's power." He almost added that the intensity of the sex seemed to have something to do with how much power was exchanged but that felt like a little too much information.

"That's...that's amazing," Bel said, an expression of wonder on her face.

Callum rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, it has its drawbacks. We can only do it once and both participants have to be willing. I don't know how we could create an army the way the carcha did."

"That's still way better than ours," Bel said. "Sex. Amazing!" She glanced at him with considering, half-lidded eyes. "So have you and Mikan…?" Callum blushed and Bel nodded as if she had already known. "Interesting."

For some reason Callum felt compelled to say, "It was only once, though!" Well, it had only been one night. "And under strange circumstances." He mentally cursed himself as soon as he said the last. He did not want to talk about getting poisoned by Chajin. For many reasons, not the least that it may influence the fies' decision to let Chajin live or not. Bel raised an eyebrow but luckily Shargi and Jella came out of the bathroom before she could ask.

All thoughts of Mikan and Chajin were driven right out of his head. He'd thought they'd just been washing their hands and faces but they'd clearly taken a shower. And while Jella was very properly wrapped in a large towel that covered her from chest to knees, Shargi was using her towel to mop her face and it didn't cover another speck of her. Callum's eyes bulged, drinking in the sight of her incredible curves for a moment. Then he remembered where he was and who he was with and turned his head so fast that he hurt his neck.

"Shargi!" Jella said, her voice pitching high. "It's not proper to walk around like that. Use the towel to cover yourself like me."

Shargi apologized and then there was a moment of silence. "Shari is trying, Mistress, but it won't go around Shargi!" She sounded on the edge of panic. Callum was very tempted to look.

"Why don't you take her to your room, Jella?" Bel asked, her voice trembling with the effort of not laughing. "You don't mind sharing your bed tonight do you?"

"Of course not, Mama!" Jella squealed. If Callum was any judge, she was actually quite excited at the prospect. "Come, Shargi, I'll show you my room." Callum didn't turn to look but he could hear them leave. He hoped Shargi would be alright. And wondered why he had to worry about a grown woman being dominated by a child.

Just as he was preparing to open his eyes and turn back, he felt Bel's forehead hit his chest. She was shaking. Callum glanced at her, concerned, but it turned out she was just laughing quietly. Her closeness made his heart jump into his throat. "You should have seen Shargi trying to put on the towel." She giggled again. "I wonder if all hato are so…" Bel stepped back and held up her hands in front of her own not inconsiderable chest with her eyebrows raised.

"Uh, I don't...I don't know," Callum said lamely.

"Maybe we'll have to liberate their planet and find out. Hey, maybe their Sovereign is the same as yours. That could be fun for you." Whatever look he had on his face, Bel started laughing again. She wiped a tear away. "You should get cleaned up for bed," she said when she was in control. "I'll get your bed ready."

Callum nodded and hurried to the recently vacated bathroom. Being around Bel was invigorating but anxiety inducing. The bathroom was large, painted a mix of yellow, pink and white and still beaded with condensation from the showers Jella and Shargi had taken. The area with the sink and counter was as large as the entirety of his own bathroom and there were two doors leading out of it. He peeked through white solid door and found a toilet. The other door was more opaque and led to the shower room. It was different from what he had been expecting. There was still a shower head attached to a hose with a drain in the floor but there was also a large bathtub against the far wall.

Callum stepped back and thought about what to do. It felt a little weird to take a shower here but he didn't want to be rude. 'Just a quick one, I guess.' The bath looked inviting but he thought he would abstain for now. Callum undressed, carefully folding and stacking his clothes on a shelf where he hoped they wouldn't get wet. Years of having only one outfit to wear had taught him to be meticulous. He stepped through the clear door and squatted down to grab the shower. He flicked it on and was pleased at how quickly it grew hot. He quickly scrubbed himself up, skipping his hair. After just a couple minutes, he was done. Callum flicked off the shower and stood.

"You're fast," Bel said, "I was hoping I could help you scrub your back."

Callum jumped straight up and then spun around, his eyes as wide as they would go. He hadn't heard her come in. Even with the shower on, how had she been so quiet? And more important than how, why? Why was she here and, for the love of God, why was she completely naked? He recognized the inherent silliness of asking why a person would be nude in a bathroom but he was panicking. She was naked. She was almost close enough to touch and she was naked. She was so beautiful his mouth went dry at the sight of her and she was naked.

He couldn't look away, even though he knew he should have. Her light blue skin was flawless, without a single mar he could spot. Hadn't she given birth? Her breasts didn't look like it. They were perfectly shaped, plump and perky with small pink nipples. Her belly was flat and her waist was narrow before widening into womanly hips. Despite himself, his eyes traveled to what was between her thighs. He couldn't see much with her legs closed but she seemed to be hairless down there. Did fie not have hair there?

A voice cried out in the back of his mind. 'Stop looking at her. Stop, stop, stop!' He knew he should heed it but he didn't seem to be able to. He needed to say something, though, at least. "What...what…?" He knew there was something else that should come with the 'what' but he didn't seem to be able to articulate it.

"Well, I was going to change the sheets on the guest bed for you but I forgot to wash them earlier. So I thought you could just sleep with me." She flashed him a grin that made him want to run. Either to her or from her. "Since I finished early," she shrugged, which drew his eyes back down to her breasts, "like I said, I thought I would help you wash your back." She touched her lips with her thumb and he glanced back up at her face. She had seen where he'd looked and wore a teasing smile. "Besides, didn't I promise I would take care of that?" She pointed lazily at his crotch.

Callum glanced down and saw that he was indeed fully erect. He looked back up and almost took a step back as Bel came forward. "I...I'm not sure…"

Bel stopped instantly. "No? You said it was complicated with those girls but you didn't really seem to be with either one of them. Though, I suppose I don't know too much about how human relationships work."

"I'm not," Callum said. That was the truth. He wasn't sure what his relationship with Mikan was but they certainly weren't 'together.' They'd only had that one night and that under the compulsion of Chajin's venom. He liked her but Mikan had hardly spoken to him since. As for Valencia, she'd confessed to him and he hadn't been able to respond the way she wanted. Him sleeping with Mikan had almost shattered their friendship, though, and he didn't want to go through that again. Yet he'd been unable to resist Nita's advances and Valencia had learned of that without going ballistic. Callum didn't understand why. So it was complicated. Very complicated. Yet all Callum said was, "I'm not," one more time.

"Well, then, are you not attracted to me?" Bel asked, the little smile on her face saying that she knew that couldn't be possible. Callum shook his head and Bel stepped close enough for him to touch. "Because I am very attracted to you. So if I'm attracted to you and you're attracted to me and neither of us have any entanglements that prevent it, what's the problem?" She laid a hand gently on his chest. Callum almost whimpered.

He opened his mouth to tell her what the problem was but his brain couldn't formulate an argument. What was the problem again? What was keeping him from taking the most beautiful woman he'd ever met in his arms? There was something, wasn't there? Wasn't there? His body started moving before he decided to give in.

Callum pulled Bel into his arms, lifting her off her feet and kissing her fiercely. Somehow, he didn't catch her off guard. Bel kissed him back just as savagely, twining her arms around his neck. Callum shuffled forward until Bel's back was pressed against a wall, kissing her all the way. Bel was an incredible kisser. Even better than Nita. Callum tried his best to match her but knew he wasn't coming close. 'Her lips are so soft.'

He could have kissed her all night but she wrapped her legs around his hips and bucked lightly against him. Callum broke the kiss, breathing heavily. Bel's face was flushed and she was panting just as hard. God, she was beautiful. He traced his hand lightly down her belly and caressed her sex. It really was hairless, smooth and incredibly wet. He'd thought he'd need to prepare her but she was already almost as wet as Mikan had been after he'd eaten her out.

As if she heard his thoughts, Bel said, "You don't need to. I'm ready and I can't wait any longer. I need you inside me now." Callum didn't need to hear anything more. He couldn't wait any longer himself. He reached down to position himself and slid all the way inside in a single thrust. They both groaned in pleasure. She was so warm and wet and tight. Callum tried to withdraw but Bel tightened the legs wrapped around his hips and whispered, "Hold on. It's been a long time and you're so damn big." Callum was happy to oblige. He didn't know how long he was going to last and it felt so good having her in his arms. She was so warm and her skin was so smooth and soft. After a few moments, she whispered, "Okay," and kissed along his jaw. "Okay, I'm ready."

Callum pulled out slowly and pushed back inside just as slowly. He increased his pace a little but fucked her gently. It was as much for him as for her. He was on the brink already. Bel squeezed him close with her arms and legs and kissed him all along his collarbone and shoulder. He buried his face in her hair, inhaling her scent. No matter how he tried to prolong it, though, he had his limits. He felt his orgasm approach and pulled her down so he was as deep inside her as possible when he came.

They stayed together for several long moments, breathing heavily. Callum didn't think he ever wanted to stop being connected to her. Eventually, though, he took a step back and set her down gently, sliding out of her. Semen ran down her thigh. Bel caught her breath before he did and said, "That was amazing." She stepped forward and kissed him lightly on the lips. Then she reached down and scooped some of the semen leaking out of her with her fingers. She lifted it up and grinned at it. "Are all humans so...potent...or is it just you?"

Callum flushed. "I don't know." How would he?

Bel chuckled and walked over to the shower. "Come here," she said, picking it up. "Let me wash you up." Callum came to her and she sprayed down his crotch and gently hand washed him clean. His cock twitched in her hand but it was a little too soon.

So instead, he took the shower from her and bade her sit on the little stool that was in the bathroom. "You haven't showered yet," he said, "I'll return the favor." She arched an eyebrow but sat with her back to him. He gently rinsed her down and then grabbed the bottle of soap. He knew from using it that a little went a long way and squirted out a palmful. Then he began to work.

He started with her shoulders, gently rubbing the soap in. Then he moved down both her arms and down her back and rib cage. Sometimes he kissed her lightly where his hands had just been. The soap tasted as sweet as it smelled. He moved around to her legs and feet, taking his time to caress and massage every centimeter of her body, even between her toes. He glanced up at her and saw her watching him with a smile. Her expression seemed to be casual amusement–he was beginning to learn she had an astounding amount of control over her facial expression–but he could see just a hint of nervousness in her eyes. That little hint sent his heart pounding. It made him feel like he was doing something right.

Callum moved back around her and wrapped his arms around her. Gently and agonizingly slowly, he worked his way up her belly to her breasts. He caressed the undersides of her breasts before cupping them in his hands. They seemed to be the perfect size to fill his palm. He flicked his thumbs over her nipples, which were achingly stiff and then began to knead and stroke her tits. At the same time he kissed the back of her neck and shoulder. She shuddered in his arms and began to pant. Soon she was moaning softly. Callum felt himself get hard again.

He slid one hand down to the cleft between her legs and ran his fingers over her slit, earning a gasping quiver. He inserted his middle finger and began to stroke inside of her. His thumb found her clit and began to work it. Bel clutched onto his arm but not hard enough to stop him. She just seemed to be clinging to him. Callum took that as a good sign and kept working. After a few more moments, Bel's thighs snapped closed on his hand and she trembled violently in his arms. Her pussy clenched on his finger. Callum stopped, holding her until her orgasm subsided.

Bel was quiet for a while after, until she could catch her breath. Then she said, "You are really good at that. How are you so good at that? I mean, I've been with women who didn't know my body half so well."

Callum blinked. She'd been with women? An image of her and Yemoramato, naked and arms twined around each other appeared in his mind and he grew even harder. Not that it was likely she'd actually been with Yemoramato—there seemed to be little love lost there–but Yemoramato was nearly as beautiful as Bel. 'The two of them together...' Callum shook his head slightly. He needed to focus on the here and now. "Venus told me that anyone as close to her as I was had a natural gift for this stuff."

She glanced at him over her shoulder with a rueful look. "I'm getting more jealous of your Sovereign all the time." Her eyes flicked down to his erection. "Looks like you're ready to go again."

Callum put a hand behind his head and said, "If you want to." He snatched the hand away when he remembered too late where it had just been.

Bel grinned cheekily. "After what you just did, how can I refuse?" She got up off the stool and kneeled down a couple steps away. She bent forward so that she was on elbows and knees, with her ass pointed toward Callum, and craned her neck around to look at him. "My pussy is a little sensitive after all of that though, so why don't we try it here?" With one hand, she cupped one ass cheek and pulled it to the side, emphasizing her anus.

He stared at her butthole in shock. "You want me to put it there?" He'd heard of such things but only as part of the vulgarity of the mines. It was usually an insult. "Won't it hurt? You, I mean," he quickly clarified. Though now that he thought about it…

"Just use some of the soap as lube," she said. "It won't be the first time I've done this. You could say it hurts but in a good way."

Callum blinked. She slept with women and had anal sex before? He didn't think she was that much older than him. 'She has a kid. Maybe she just looks younger than she is?' Callum could believe that. Her features seemed like the type that would be perpetually youthful. Whatever the case, he wanted to fuck her again and he had to admit he was a little intrigued. If this is what she wanted, he supposed he could give it a try. He grabbed the bottle of soap and padded to her. There was even more nervousness in her eyes but excitement as well.

Callum squirted soap into his hand and liberally coated his cock and then her anus, sticking a finger in to try and work some inside. Her anus clenched his finger hard and he wondered how he was supposed to get his cock inside. There was nothing to but try it, though. He lined himself up and began to push. Unlike her pussy, which felt like sliding into a slot perfectly designed for his cock, this felt like he was forcing something where it didn't belong. "You'll tell me if I'm hurting you?" he asked worriedly.

"I'll tell you," Bel said, her voice tight. "Don't be afraid, Callum. Push it in." Callum mentally shrugged and pushed forward. Her rectum seemed to be trying to reject him and that made it incredibly tight. It was also almost painfully hot and had a much different texture; drier and not quite as smooth. It felt so strange that he wasn't even sure it felt good. Bel was twitching underneath him and he saw her hands curl into fists. She grunted as bottomed out inside her.

Callum pulled out, though only about halfway since he was afraid he would pop right out, and drove back in. As he began to develop a rhythm, it did start to feel good. Different from a vagina but it was so damn tight. He was still being cautious though and Bel growled at him. "Go faster." Callum hesitated. "Ram me!" she shouted. "Faster! Ram me! Fuck me! Fuck me as hard as you can!" Callum did as she said, pistoning in and out as fast as he could. It seemed like it had to be hurting her but she just moaned and writhed underneath him, occasionally saying things in fie so slurred that his auto-translator didn't pick them up.

It didn't take too long before she was spasming underneath him in the throes of orgasm. A corner of his mind was shocked at how fast she'd cum, much less the fact that it was from such rough anal sex. But even that little corner was soon drowned out by his own cresting orgasm. He pushed himself as far as he could go and came deep inside her for the second time.

When it was over, they both stayed hunched forward for a long while, panting harshly. Then Callum gathered enough energy to push himself backward, pulling his rapidly softening cock out of her with a wet pop. He practically fell onto his ass. Bel slumped forward so she was lying on her stomach. Callum watched his semen leak from her red and gaping asshole. It was not a sight he had ever expected to see. In fact, he had not expected Bel to be this...dirty. And he wasn't sure how he felt about it.

"I don't know if I am going to be able to walk tomorrow," Bel said, flopping her head around so she could look at him with one eye. She sounded amused, not upset. Callum forced a laugh. "I don't want to move," Bel continued, "but I suppose I can't sleep here. Help me up." Callum stood, feeling a little steadier now, and knelt down to help Bel up onto her knees. She reached back and gently touched her anus, wincing slightly. "We need to get cleaned up." She glared at him with mock severity. "But no funny business this time."

Callum laughed and this time it was real. Some of his anxiety went away. Some. But as he helped Bel clean up and she helped him, he realized he'd introduced another complicated woman into his life when he hadn't even sorted out what to do about all the other ones.