Ch. 2.2

He was taken by surprise when someone sat across from him. The guy's high hair was the color of ripe cherries and his large mouth was stretched into a radiant smile. He shook his hair to let the strands caress his shoulders in a coquettish gesture and offered Riordan his hand.

"Hi Riordan, I'm Tasha."

"Fuck off." Riordan growled and ignored the extended hand.

"Ugh, that's not very nice. Since you're a new comer and all. Don't you think you could use a friend?"

"Nah, I don't plan on staying long."

He had no actual plans just yet, but he knew it was dumb as hell to admit such a thing in front of a stranger who could just as well go to Xana to rat him out.

The redhead make a silent o with his perfect rouged lips and placed his hands over the table, while casting his eyes down.

"Well, sorry for bothering you." Tasha pushed himself to his feet.

"Wait," Riordan said, feeling a bit of an ass for talking like that to a guy he didn't even know. "How do you know my name?"

"Our keepers are best friends." The guy sat back down and his eyes gleamed with happiness. "Xana told Marn he finally got himself a bearer. Do you have any idea how much thought your keeper put into finding you? I must admit I was curious to see you."

"And?" Riordan cut him short. "Are you here to tell me that I'm old and crap and don't deserve having an egg pushed through my ass by an almighty Xeno?"

"Oh, dear," Tasha said softly and linked his fingers to place his chin on them.

"Come on, it's not like I cannot hear everyone whispering!" Riordan hissed. "Just say what you came here to say and beat it!"

"And what exactly do you think I'm here for?" Tasha asked, obviously amused with Riordan's anger.

"To tell it to my face that I don't belong," Riordan said through his teeth.

"Why? Because you're not pretty?"

"Yeah, something like that," Riordan mumbled.

"Hmm, have you looked in the mirror lately, Riordan? Because I can bet that everyone around here either envies you or wants to be with you."

The last words were spoken like some big secret as Tasha leaned over the table.

"Stop joking," Riordan protested. "I'm almost 30 years old. I don't buy that crap. It's bad for my stomach."

"You don' look a day over 23, if you're asking me."

"Well, I'm not asking you."

"And are you bothered by these silicone dolls?" Tasha waved his hand around.

"No way!" Riordan said aggressively.

Tasha laughed, flicking his hair over his shoulders.

"That's the right attitude. Fuck them!"

Riordan looked at the redhead in shock and then he laughed.

"Take a look at you and me, Riordan," Tasha continued. "We're the top dogs here."

"Are we?" Riordan asked amused. "How come?"

"What do you think gives power to a bearer?"

"I don't know. Looks? The ability to bend over like a pro? Cocksucking abilities? Or pussy licking, depending on the case?"

Tasha roared with laughter.

"No, dear. It's all about the position your keeper has on Xeno. And your current lover, sweetheart, along with mine, is ruling this joint."

Tasha wore the same outfit as him and the ring in his right nipple was glinting in the room lit a giorno. But he felt great in his own skin and that made Riordan feel a little better, too.

"Well, he's not my lover," he said, and looked down.

"He'll be soon. Are you disappointed that he didn't take you to bed from your first day? He must have been busy. And they tend to be cold during the first weeks."

Riordan almost choked on his drink that had been perfunctorily placed in front of him by one of the serving bots.

"Are you serious? He filled my stomach with his jizz and fucked me two-way in the ass. Then he deepthroated me. Ass to mouth," he added quickly, while wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.

Tasha stared at him wide eyed then he burst into laughter again.

Riordan huffed. "Quit laughing! I'm serious."

"Oh, shit, that's so funny, oh, please, you're killing me." Tasha hiccuped with laughter. "But that may explain why he had asked Marn so desperately to put me in charge of finding you and keeping you company. The poor soul is smitten with you!"

"He's not. He's just a fucking perv," Riordan said again.

"Come on, man, you cannot tell me that you're disappointed in that! Wait, are you? Like, really?"

"Yeah, I mean it. I signed up for a female, not some dude," Riordan dropped his voice low as he said that. "But he's bent on me, for some reason. Actually, maybe you can help me. What's the procedure on switching owners around here?"