For the second morning in a row, I woke before Mhairi, my body unable to completely relax. Someone had only tried to get into the room twice during the night, and I'd managed to sneak to and from Daniel's office without anyone else seeing me. I hadn't noted the time, but I'd been back far earlier than most of his courtesans.

Before either of us could get out of bed, there was a knock at the door.

It stirred Mhairi, bringing her quickly into a sitting position.

"Who is it?" I yelled, grabbing a dressing gown as I headed to remove the chair.

"A friendly mentor, looking to get on with his day," Yaru's voice sounded, its usual clipped self. I grinned, picturing the slightly sardonic look he'd have had on his face as he spoke.

As soon as I opened the door, he strode inside. A fraction of a second later he spotted Mhairi still sat in the bed, her hair tousled enough to look like someone else might have caused it. He turned to me and raised his eyebrows, his mouth open. Mock surprise more than the real emotion.

"Nothing happened between us," I said immediately.

"No, not yet."

"I didn't want Mhairi to be bullied by the jealous courtesans because she's helping me," I said before I had the sense to question why I was explaining myself to him.

He merely chuckled.

"I'll get what I need and be right back," she said, her face impassive, not even her eyes showing if the conversation bothered her. I felt a stab of fear deep inside me. Fear that I'd upset or hurt her. We were friends. I didn't want a throw-away comment to change that.

Not long after she walked out there was a knock on the door. Kevin stood there with a large box in his hands. I looked to Yaru, but Yaru shrugged.

"It's for you, Auralia," he said, holding it out, a small card on top. "From a guy called Benton."

"Benton? Wasn't that the man who dropped his books on Tomichii's feet a couple of days ago?" Yaru asked as we both walked closer. I took the box and card as I nodded.

"I saw him again yesterday very briefly," I said, before seeing the logo. It was the same brand as the doughnuts he'd dropped. Surprised, I opened the card, Yaru looking over my shoulder.

"I understand these are your favourite," he read aloud. "Thank you for your kindness and I hope you will consider stopping by my office next time you are in the building."

Below that was a small barcode-like strip that had been stuck on. Yaru took the card from me and scanned it with a small device similar to the one he'd given me.

He looked at the name and details as they came up on the screen.

"I'll look into him. You might want to take him up on his offer."

"Oooo, are those doughnuts?" Mhairi said as she returned. I nodded and held the box up to open it. Inside were twenty of the most amazing smelling doughnuts I'd ever seen.

"Auralia has her first gift," Yaru said. "An admirer."

"He has good taste in gifts," she replied, taking one as I offered them. I chose one as well. "You must have done something to impress him."

"So, what's the plan for today?" I asked, wanting to take the focus off what I'd done to deserve a gift. "Back to Tomichii and Kioshi?"

"No. Not today. They'll both be busy, and you need more than a resurrected and a Japanese businessman to come to your unveiling."

"Two Japanese businessmen?" I replied, feeling myself grin.

"Don't count your companions before they've paid. Kioshi may like you but getting him to pay to screw you while others are around would be a stretch."

"Fair point."

"And have you told Daniel of the resurrected yet?"

I shook my head. In all honesty, I'd forgotten.

"Then we're still at zero official companions for your unveiling, and you've got work to do."

I sighed, but went over to the sheets of paint from the previous days.

"Let me guess, we need a new design?"

"Exactly," he replied. "Something that will stand out at a club."

Grinning, I picked up the brightest set of colours in the boxes. I already had a great idea.

***

Two hours later we were done. I wore a set of pants to keep my crotch covered but was otherwise wearing nothing but paint again, my body designed to look like a combination of bright tribal patterns and flames. We'd even styled my hair so it flowed backwards and out from my head like the flickering ends of flames. Under the UV light in a club I was going to look amazing.

Now Mhairi and I were sat in Yaru's car, Jake and Edward with us. Apparently where we were going we needed a little bit more of an escort.

The car travelled out of the better kept areas, as it had done on the day I was brought home. Mhairi had no clients of her own for several hours so she'd opted to join us and Yaru hadn't objected. He'd even encouraged her to use a little of the body paint on herself and create a complimentary design, although only on her hands and face, the rest of her body covered as usual.

I felt that little bit bolder, being able to walk into a new place with someone beside me, and it helped me relax as we got out of the car and stood on the edge of a long red carpet.

A canopy covered it all the way to a roped-off door. As we got closer I could hear music that I didn't recognise.

Holding my head high, I walked up to the two doormen, Mhairi beside me and the three men in a semi-circle behind. Before I was even close, one reached forward, unhooked the rope and held it out of the way.

"Courtesans," he said. "Enjoy your visit."

Mhairi didn't respond, merely giving them a brief acknowledgement with a tip of her head. I repeated the body language, but opted to be kinder and more polite by thanking them.

It earnt me a couple of smiles and a glance from my friend.

Perhaps courtesans didn't normally say thank you. I knew I would always want to, though. Maybe it would help me stand out.

The room inside was busy, but not so busy you couldn't walk among the men and women dancing to get to a booth.

Just like in Tomichii's relaxation room, there were people making out all over the place. We passed one table with a woman laid out backwards over it, four men using her at once. I tried not to stare, everyone else with me appearing oblivious, but I couldn't help it.

It looked rough, intense, but equally I found myself wondering what it would feel like to have my body so full of the men around me. Could I enjoy it? I'd enjoyed fooling around with Daniel so far.

Yaru pointed to a set of empty booths towards one end of the room. Mhairi led the way, stopping at the first one and scanning her identity card. Within a second her name had popped up on a small screen on the back wall, the number fifty-three underneath.

"Have a good night," she said, "Make 'em drool."

"You too," I replied as Jake stopped with her and Yaru ushered me on. Edward followed.

"Scan your card here," Yaru said, going two farther on. I did as he instructed, noticing my own name appear. But instead of a number I had a single word.

Veiled.

I wondered what the difference meant, looking back to Mhairi. Already a man stood in front of her, holding some of the small circles I'd seen a courtesan present Daniel when using tips to pay their debt. He put them down on a small pad at the end of the booth. After it began glowing, Mhairi pressed a button and the credits were dropped into some kind of hatch.

She grinned at the man as he stepped closer, pushing her legs open to do so. I looked away as he unzipped himself and rammed his manhood into her. Before I could fix on a new target of interest, I saw her throw her head back as if it had been exactly what she wanted.

Trying to ignore it, I focused back on my own table and the people nearby. I'd drawn the watchful gaze of several people, some of them openly staring while others glanced, talking to other men, dancing, or drinking by the bar.

"Auralia, what a pleasing surprise," I heard a familiar voice say. My eyes found Keaton as he strode closer, his eyes on my body. He reached for my waist as he came near, eyes still not on my face. "Damn, you look hot. I'd bend you over and fuck you senseless if you weren't veiled still."

"Would you now? You seem pretty sure I'd let you," I replied, stepping a little closer to him anyway, letting his fingers settle just above my hips. Finally he drew his gaze up to my face. He had a smug grin.

"Courtesans quickly learn not to say no to me."

"Oh, I bet they do. I look forward to the lesson."

"Not as much as I do, Courtesan. Not as much as I do."

Yaru coughed from nearby, making it obvious he was still there. Keaton glanced his way, a frown appearing.

"Why don't you go have a drink at the bar?" Keaton said, his eyes back on me. "I'll keep Auralia company for a while."

Yaru looked to Edward.

"If Auralia has no objection. But Edward will be nearby to ensure Auralia's honour remains intact."

"She doesn't object. Do you, Courtesan?"

I had a feeling the question wasn't really a question, his voice dropping just enough I could tell there was a hint of threat to it.

You chose him out of all the men the other day, my brain reminded me as I let Yaru know I didn't mind spending more time with him. As Yaru had pointed out. I needed some more men to commit to my unveiling. And soon.

He helped me onto the padded seat that ran in a semicircle around the other half of the table, while Edward lingered near the end, his body mostly turned away, watching the room more than us.

After getting onto the bench beside me, Keaton shuffled closer, throwing one arm over the back of the seat and resting his hand down my shoulder and arm on the opposite side. His other came across himself, finding my hand and pulling it onto his lap.

Pressing it against his trousers and the erection underneath, he leaned in close to my ear.

"I like you, Auralia, and I've got plenty of credits to help make you the most successful courtesan ever to be unveiled, but I like it when women do as they're told, especially when it involves my pleasure."

"I'm listening," I whispered back, not fighting as he used me to stroke his member. It stiffened and grew even further, increasing the pressure against me.

"Good," he replied. "Unzip me. Get acquainted with the cock your cunt's going to be filled with first, and most, at your unveiling."

"You seem very sure no one is going to outbid you." I obeyed, but slowly, letting go of him just long enough to find the zipper and pull. As I did, I felt his hand lift away and reach over towards my lap.

It was only as he ran his fingers over the top of my barely covered pussy that I realised I had been squeezing my thighs over the hot tightness he'd already created.

"Relax," he said as he rested the tip of his hand between my thighs. "I promise I won't do anything but touch your lips and stroke your clit today, but if you're very well behaved I'll get you to orgasm for me."

I wasn't sure that was allowed, but the table was in the way of anyone seeing what we did and Yaru was nowhere in sight. I tried to comply and focused on my own hand as I slid it into his underwear and found his erection.

He let out a small moan, pushing his fingers down between my legs, before roughly grabbing my pussy. I gasped at the suddenness. He laughed.

"You're wet, Courtesan. I think you like the idea of letting me toy with you."

"I like having someone so clearly in command of themselves teach me a few things."

"Oh, I can tell." He grinned as I stroked him and he stroked me, the rest of the room entirely forgotten.

Although I tried to draw out the act, not working his penis too swiftly, it wasn't long before I felt him tense, not moving except to jerk his hips and fill my hand with a hot sticky liquid. He exhaled, the only outward sign that he'd orgasmed.

After cleaning my hand and himself up with a wipe that seemed to materialise from nowhere, his fingers began to move faster over my sex.

"Now orgasm for me," he said. "Let me see you enjoy having someone else in control."

I whimpered, trying to shift slightly to get a better angle and bring his fingers nearer my clit, but he hissed and moved away.

"Keep still, Courtesan. I'll do this my way." His voice grew darker and quieter.

"That sounds like a threat," I replied, my breathing uneven as he ran slow circles, making me hotter but not enough to tip me over the edge. Suddenly the hand on my shoulder shifted, finding my exposed nipple and giving it a twist.

I gasped, wanting to cry out but not quite daring to.

"You don't want to disobey me, Courtesan," he said. I lowered my gaze and shifted my body a little closer to him, as if I'd learned my lesson.

"Better," he said, his grip loosening but his hand staying over my breast, cupping it and stroking my aching nipple.

No longer as aroused, I looked towards the rest of the room, wondering where Yaru was. He'd implied this sort of thing wasn't allowed, but he was nowhere to be seen, and Edward never once looked our way.

I tried to concentrate on what Keaton was doing again, his fingers just the right mix of speed and firmness to reignite the fire inside me. Before long I was panting again, hungry for him to finish me off, but every time I tensed close to my peak, his hand would move and slow, and I'd cool just enough. When he did this for the third time I mewled my frustration, wanting to jerk my hips against his hand.

He laughed, his eyes twinkling as he watched me and the effect he was having.

"Keaton! Haven't seen you in here for weeks," another young male's voice came.

Keaton didn't look away from me, or stop touching me. "I was busy with a job for my father, but I'm back on earth for a while now."

"And you've not wasted any time. Why don't you introduce me to your new courtesan?" The guy sat down on my other side, sliding along the seat until he was almost as close as Keaton.

"She's veiled," Keaton said so I didn't have to. I felt myself relax, not realising I'd tensed.

"That isn't stopping you playing with her."

"No. She's learning to be my new sub. You can touch her too, but she doesn't do anything for you," Keaton said, his eyes never leaving mine. "Isn't that right, Courtesan?"

I gulped, not sure I liked what was happening. On one hand, I was as hot as hell, so close to an orgasm I couldn't think straight, but on the other hand, didn't Yaru make it clear I wasn't meant to be fooling around?

"I'm not sure—" His fingers moved to my lips, cutting my sentence off. I tried to pull away, but I just bumped into the guy as he came in close on my other side.

Both men laughed, Keaton's hand still over my shoulder, cupping the opposite breast, the other underneath my chin.

I was cornered.

"Are you worried what your sponsor will say if he finds out you've been letting me sample the goods before the big day?" Keaton said, his hand trailing down my throat.

"A little," I confessed, knowing I was also not sure I liked the idea of being shared. "Daniel seems to be strict."

"As long as we don't fuck you, he won't care what we do to you. And once you're unveiled, well, as long as we pay you plenty of credits..." Keaton trailed off, but his hand went lower, heading back to my sex.

I let out a moan as he resumed the pressure, his thumb brushing straight past my clit. The fabric between my thighs was drenched, my body so ready to orgasm.

"Courtesan," Keaton said, "this is my good friend, Trey. Trey, this is our toy for the evening."

Trey let out another laugh, shifting even closer.

I felt his hand turn my face towards him, until I was looking at two piercing green eyes, his face youngish, his hair short with a floppy fringe brushed to one side. I was older than him, but he didn't seem to care.

Within seconds his mouth was crushing down on mine, his hand moving to my other breast. I'd never been shared before. Never been interested in two men at once, let alone had more than one set of hands roam my body, but my mind immediately showed me images of all the courtesans I'd seen being shared over the last few days.

And Daniel had said there weren't many women.

Better get used to being screwed by several men at once, I thought before Keaton brushed his thumb over my clit again and stole the last of my ability to think.

While both men ran their hands over my body I orgasmed, my cry muffled against Trey's mouth.

But they didn't stop there, both of them kissing, sucking and touching every inch of me, until Trey was so horny he could barely cope.

"I've got to go find something I can fuck," he said, letting me go and pulling out of the booth. Keaton merely laughed before grabbing my hair and tilting my head back.

"Do you know when your unveiling is going to be?" he asked. I nodded.

"Just under three weeks' time."

"Good. I'll be there."

"I thought I issued the invitations," I replied as he trailed kisses down my throat, nipping and sucking with his teeth and mouth. Once more, he chuckled.

"Officially you do, but we both know you need someone like me there. Someone with the money to make you look valuable."

I didn't deny it. He was right. I needed his money, and a part of me wasn't sure I objected.

"I'll make sure you're invited," I said when he tugged on my nipple a little more roughly.

"Good girl. I'm going to be the first to bend you over and mount you. And then, when the night is almost over, I'm going to be the last as well."

With that, Keaton suddenly pulled away.

"I've got to go now. I'll see you soon, Courtesan.

With that, he was gone, leaving me breathless, exhausted and feeling more than a little ashamed of what had just happened. But I also knew it had felt so damn good.

Before I could figure out what I was supposed to do next, Yaru reappeared beside Edward. The pair conversed for a couple of seconds, almost as if Edward was informing him of what happened, and then Yaru slid into the booth beside me.

I sat, shivering, staring at him for some time, almost waiting for him to ask what happened or apologise, but he didn't.

"Keaton seems to like you," he said eventually. "Do you know if he'll accept an invite to your unveiling yet?"

My mouth dropped open, not sure how to respond.

"I don't know if I want to invite him," I replied after a moment.

"Why not?"

"He... Why did you leave me with him? He..."

"I know what sorts of things he and his friend did. He's notorious for it."

"Yet you walked away anyway. It's against the rules, isn't it?"

"Completely, but I've made it very clear before. I'll let any man do whatever he wants to you if it will make me my investment back. If Keaton wants to be the first to fuck you at your unveiling and I've got to turn a blind eye to him using you to secure his interest, I'll look away while he pins you down and does what he pleases."

I felt my eyes sting with the threat of tears at his harsh words. He meant them.

"May I also remind you you chose Keaton? I warned you about his preferences. You walked over to him and struck up a conversation."

I nodded. Yaru was right, but I was already starting to wonder if I'd made the right choice. Had I made a huge blunder? But then the orgasm he'd given me had been phenomenal and I'd been wet long before he touched me. Was a part of me so attracted to him that I could do anything he asked? Only time would tell.