Beasts

By Vic James

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This story is fiction. None of the characters are based on real people.

You can see a list of my stories at http://www.nifty.org/nifty/authors.html#vicjames

Two

We entered the main shopping area. We passed some shops and then turned right. We walked behind the building at the corner. We stopped next to a set of stairs behind the building.

"The club is there," he said, pointing at the wall in front of us. "The apartments are above the club."

We climbed the stairs there was a walkway and a door.

"This is my apartment."

He opened the door of his apartment and we walked inside. It was a large single room. An enormous bed that looked like it could sleep five was against one wall. And I knew five were probably in it each night. Digger is not for you. Digger is not for you—

"Let's look at yours."

We left his apartment and turned right on the walkway. Digger opened the next door. We went inside. It was small. It was about half the size of my small apartment. But it was free, and I felt like it made me free. I didn't have a four thousand dollar a month bill. I didn't have to pick a job based on whether it paid enough to pay that bill. Like his, it was a single room. I was used to that, but someday, I wanted rooms! There was a window in front, along the walkway. I looked out it, onto the empty parking lot below. I saw a Dog and a man walking hand-in-hand down the sidewalk. I smiled. Behind the shops, I could see part of Rainey's Forest, which was really just a wood. But the huge redwoods growing there were beautiful. I turned to look around. Digger showed me the small bathroom.

"There's no cooking area in this unit. Do you cook? No. I remember the roast. Well, you can cook in my unit."

"What if you have guests?"

"They won't be offended by cooking."

I laughed. "I meant you might want privacy." Then I thought how silly that was. Even with me there, it was more private than the sex club. Still, whoever they were, they might not want me interrupting... "Or you might be sleeping."

"I would prefer that you keep the same hours as me. Or similar, at least. Are you still willing to help in the bar?"

"Yes, definitely."

"That will be a big help. We only have one bartender at any given time, and I don't like them leaving the bar area when we run out of something or something goes wrong. I've caught customers pouring their own drinks, and I doubt they planned on paying."

"That's fine."

"Do you want the apartment?"

I smiled at Digger.

"Definitely. Thank you, Digger."

"You are welcome."

"Come on. I'll show you the bar. It's open, but I doubt there are customers."

We walked to the other end of the walkway and Digger opened another door. We were in the club. There was another set of stairs leading down. It was dark in the club, but there were dim lights on the sides of each step.

At the bottom, Digger pointed to two doors.

"Male and female restrooms. We seldom have a female in here. Males sometimes go in the Females if the Males is full."

I nodded.

To the right was a dance floor. To the left was the bar. We walked towards the bar. I saw some slings hanging from the ceiling.

"Harold, this is Eric," Digger said.

The bartender was naked except for a cock ring. He looked like he was my age or a little older. He wasn't what I would call attractive, but he wasn't exactly ugly. I guessed there were a limited number of bartenders willing to work naked for no tips. I wouldn't!

"Hello, Eric."

"Hi."

"Did you two just meet?" Harold asked. I was sure I was imagining it, but he did not seem friendly.

"Eric is going to be working with us. He is an accountant and he will be helping out with other things."

"I'm sure."

I decided I wasn't imagining it. That last word made it seem like he was sneering. I wondered why he didn't want me working there. But Digger kept walking.

"These couches along the walls are for the customers to sit, fuck, or suck on. Mostly sit."

"Why?"

"Not enough humans. I told you."

He led me to an exit sign. I saw a large, muscular human with light brown hair. All he was wearing was a very brief pair of briefs.

There was a sign behind him. It said 'A Club for Enhanced Beasts and their Admirers."

"This is Joe. He's the doorman, bouncer, and he checks the customers' clothes."

"Joe, this is Eric. He's going to be working here. He's an accountant and is going to keep the books and figure the taxes. He's also going to be helping in the bar."

Joe looked intimidating, but he had a nice smile and a great physique. He wasn't cute, but he wasn't bad looking, either. He seemed happy to meet me, as opposed to Harold. I wondered if he was an admirer. He looked like a top, though.

"Hi, Joe."

"Hello, Eric. As soon as you get settled in, I would like a raise," Joe said.

Digger and I laughed.

"Is forty percent enough?" I asked him.

"That would be just fine."

"I'll see what I can do."

Digger took my hand. We walked to an empty game room.

"I'm sorry about Harold."

I wasn't imagining it.

"Why didn't he like me?"

"He's been chasing me since he started working here. You are much more attractive. Much nicer, too."

I sighed. "I don't really understand how things work in—this world. Do you have sex with him at night?"

"No. I've never had sex with him."

"Oh. I just assumed everyone had sex with everyone else."

He looked at me. It was a dimly lit room, but I could see he looked amused.

"So you picture me having orgasm after orgasm every night."

I thought about it.

"I guess I do."

"It doesn't work that way. I'm not all that fond of Harold and having sex with him would only make things worse. He would assume there was a chance there could be something more, when there isn't. I told you why I started this club. It was to help people meet. I would be lying if I said I never had sex with anyone I met here, but it isn't that common, and the times when I did was because I was desperate. It wasn't with employees. I probably jack off as much as you do. Maybe more."

"That's a crime!"

He laughed.

"If it is, I'm a major criminal! You'll have a better idea of what the place is like tonight. There might be sex and there might not. Sex is possible, but it isn't as common as I would like. It would boost business."

"If you had sex, that would boost business," I said.

He grinned at me.

"I would have to have a partner. Will you pick him for me, Eric?"

That was the worst idea I ever heard, and I'd heard a lot of really bad ones from my father.

"Uh..."

He laughed.

"I'm kidding."

"Is Joe your only doorman?"

"No. There's another one who works the late shift."

We left the game room. He opened a door the opened to a medium sized empty room.

"Here is area to expand, if we ever need it. Let's go back upstairs."

We left the bar and were back on the walkway. He opened the door to my unit.

"Well, what do you think?" he asked me.

I sighed. What I thought was that my heart would get broken. If I didn't get away from him soon and permanently, it seemed inevitable.

He waited. "Well, I'm glad you are giving it serious thought. Let's go next door."

We left that unit and went to his. He sat on a sofa and I sat next to him.

"I'm guessing by the lack of answer that you are trying to think of a polite way of saying no, thank you."

"No. That's polite enough as it is."

"What are your reservations, Eric?"

"I'm afraid I will end up like Harold."

"Do you mean naked and behind the bar? Because you do very well. You are much better looking."

I laughed, nervously.

"That's not what I meant." I sighed. "You have to know how attractive you are."

"What does that have to do with anything? You are attractive, too."

"I don't want to spend the next few years..."

I couldn't say it. I didn't want to spend them wanting someone I could never have. He might have sex with me, but I wanted more. Being around him all the time would be torture.

"I know it doesn't pay much..."

"Oh, Digger. That has nothing to do with it. I like you, Digger. I like you too much to work for you."

"Oh."

He leaned back on the sofa.

If I fell in love with you, it would be a disaster, I thought to myself.

"You could try it for a few days. I need you and you need a job."

I thought about it.

"I could. I don't have anything else to do. I could try it. I should."

"Good. And I will pay you a month's salary for help with the taxes."

I grinned at him and shook my head.

"You are a terrible businessman. Free apartments, full month's wages for a few minutes of work..."

"Did you think I was treating you like just anyone off the street?"

"No. I guess not. Why, then?"

"I like you. I like you so much, I want you to work for me."

I smiled at him.

"I want other males to look as jealous as Ed did when he saw you with me. If it doesn't work and you don't like working for me, you could still rent this apartment for eight hundred. You need it."

I nodded. "I do. OK! I need to buy a bed. And chairs. My apartment is furnished."

"Do you want to buy them now?"

I checked the time.

"When do you sleep?"

"Normally from about four in the morning to ten."

I nodded.

"Is there somewhere you had in mind to buy it?"

"No. I've never bought furniture. I've always gotten furnished apartments."

"Well, I have a friend who will probably give you a very good deal. Do you mind if I come?"

"Mind?" I laughed. "I was ready to beg! I don't know what to look for or how much things should cost."

He nodded.

"Let's go!"

We stood. He walked out and I followed him. We walked about a block and entered a shop called Attica.

"Hey, Digger! How are you?" a Chimp asked. He had a beard and he was attractive.

"Fine, Stefan. This is Eric."

"Hello." Stefan said. He stared at me the way Ed had. I wondered if he wanted me.

"Eric is moving into the apartment next to mine."

"Next?"

"Yes."

"Why? Does he snore?" Stefan asked.

Digger laughed. I wondered why.

"I don't know yet. Do you?" he asked me

"No one has complained yet," I said.

"Oh, I can believe that!" Stefan said.

"Did you come in here looking for something really nice, that is dependable, attractive, and not going to break your...bank balance, Eric?" Stefan asked.

"I wouldn't complain."

"I should say not!"

"What about you, Digger?" Stefan asked.

"I don't need anything."

"Good for you! Good for me!"

I had a feeling I was only understanding every third word.

"I am on sale," Stefan said.

Digger laughed.

"Quick sale!" Digger said.

"Now, now! You had your chance and you only managed to get him next door. Eric, I don't care if you snore. Marry me."

I laughed.

"He thinks you are joking," Digger said to Stefan. "He doesn't realize that because of your age, you are becoming desperate."

"I am not going to let him talk about you like that, Eric. As if you would only appeal to someone who was desperate," Stefan said.

"I didn't mean that and you know it," Digger said.

Stefan walked over and picked Digger up. Digger laughed. Stefan carried him to the door. He was stronger than he looked. He put him down next to the door.

"If you are going to insult my customers, you will have to leave," Stefan said.

"I'm sorry. I only meant to insult the proprietor," Digger said.

Stefan shook his head.

"Customers aren't what they used to be," Stefan said to me.

"You would know. How old are you? Eighty?"

Stefan laughed.

"I'm three years older than him," Stefan said to me, pointing with his thumb at Digger. "But let's just ignore him, my dear," Stefan said to me. He put his arm around my shoulder. "May I ask you a personal question, Eric?"

"Uh. I guess."

"Are you married or engaged?"

"No."

"Are you a top or a bottom?"

"A bottom."

After I said that, I wondered why I didn't feel the least nervous about admitting sexual positions. It was a very personal question, especially now that I knew from Digger that most gay Apes were tops. I wondered if it was because it didn't sound sexual. Top. Bottom. It was like left and right. Up and down.

Stefan closed his eyes and sighed. Then he started singing.

"E-ric. At last, I've found you.

"Ah! At last I know the secret of it all.

"For the longing, seeking, striving, waiting, yearning,

"The burning hopes,

"The joy and idle tears that fall."

Digger shook his head.

"I told you you would be popular, didn't I?"

I laughed.

"You forgot to mention the singing!"

"That's because he can't sing, Eric," Stefan said. "Are you doing anything this evening?"

"Uh."

"Yes, he is," Digger said.

"Would you go out with me tomorrow night?" Stefan asked me.

I didn't know what to say. Stefan was quite attractive, and no one had asked me out in a while. I looked at Digger and his face was immobile. I didn't know what to do. I wanted Digger, but he was basically unavailable. Or way too available, maybe. But he didn't have that expression on his face because he was happy and I wanted him to be happy.

"Stefan, can I take a rain check?"

"Of course!"

He reached for my ear. "May I?"

"Yes."

He touched my meme and gave me his number. He also gave me some pictures. They were in three folders, 'Cold', 'Warm', and 'Hot'. No one had ever memed me sex pics. It made me feel so normal. I thought about it and decided to open the Hot folder. I was curious, and I didn't have to tell him I'd looked. I gasped. It was a photo of Stefan naked with an erection. He looked even better without clothes. He was big, too. There were four other photos. I didn't look at them, though. I was getting an erection and I didn't think I wanted to imply anything. I definitely planned to look at them later while I jacked off.

"Um...thanks."

Stefan had a satisfied look on his face. I wasn't sure why.

"My pleasure."

I opened the Cold folder. They were nice shots of him smiling.

Digger touched my meme without asking. I was surprised. That was very rude, since we weren't in a relationship.

"What did he say?" Digger asked over the connection.

"He gave me his phone number. He didn't say anything."

"He sent you pictures."

"Yes."

"If we are through talking about unpleasant things..." Digger said, aloud.

"Bitch!" Stefan said.

As if being called a bitch meant nothing, Digger told him I needed furniture for my apartment.

"What all do you need?"

"A bed."

"A bed?" Stefan asked. "He needs a bed?"

Digger looked confrontational. I should have been upset, but it seemed like they were fighting over me. I was very flattered.

"Stefan, I'm moving out of a furnished apartment. I don't have anything, but I don't have a lot of money, either. I have about a thousand dollars I can spend now. I can buy more things later. For now, I just need a bed and a comfortable chair, if I can afford both."

"What's the address?"

"688B Central V." Digger said.

A small virtual version of my apartment appeared in the middle of the shop. He filled the room with furniture.

"This bed is inflatable. You can save a lot of money if you go that route. A single is two hundred. A double is two fifty. Triple and quadruple add fifty each. Alternately, you could get a single standard bed for four fifty. A head board adds from between fifty to seven hundred to that."

"Inflatable single then," I said.

Digger and Stefan stared at me.

"You plan to sleep alone for the rest of your life?" Digger asked.

"Maybe he's planning to sleep in my bed," Stefan said. "Or didn't that occur to you?"

"I don't think about stupid things, if I can help it," Digger said.

"This chair," Stefan continued, "is very comfortable and only two hundred thirty."

"I'll take it."

"You need at least a triple," Digger said.

"A triple chair?" I asked.

"No! A triple chair!" Digger said.

"That's what I said," I said to him.

"What?" Digger asked.

"He asked you if you meant a triple chair. You said you meant a triple chair," Stefan said.

"No, I didn't!"

"Yes, you did."

Stefan grinned at me. I nodded at Digger.

"I meant a triple bed!" Digger said.

"Digger, I'm not ever going to sleep with two people," I said to him.

"Are you a one Chimp man?" Stefan asked.

I laughed.

"I am a one Ape man, I think."

"Ah. I see. You haven't excluded Digger completely. Not to his face, anyway. You are a nice guy. You want to let him down easily, right?"

"Uh..."

After about an hour of that, I had a double bed, chair and kitchen table and chairs ordered. They would be delivered in two hours. We left the shop.

"I thought you said he was a friend."

Digger chuckled.

"He is. You liked his pictures."

"Yes."

"We could both smell your lust. That's why he was so pleased."

I gulped.

"Uh. I'm sorry."

"You don't have to apologize." He sighed.

"Was it the first you smelled?"

"Your lust?"

I nodded.

"No. I've been smelling it since we met. It was just the first I smelled for someone else."

I closed my eyes. Had my body been saying 'I want you' all afternoon? He was just too polite to tell me he wasn't interested. I stopped walking.

"What's wrong?"

I wondered if I should go on that date with Stefan. I liked him enough to go out with him, and he was sexy. He didn't own a sex club. A normal relationship might be possible with him. I looked at Stefan's photo again. I looked at another in the Hot folder. It was a close-up of his cock. It was dripping. I groaned.

Digger grabbed my arm. I was shocked. Then he kissed me. I opened my mouth and he thrust his tongue into me. I groaned again, and this time, Digger made me do it. He wrapped his arms around me. That kiss was better than the sex I'd had with my last boyfriend. I didn't want it to ever end. He shifted position and I felt his erection pressing against me. I groaned into his mouth. I heard a whistle and laughter. Digger touched my meme while we kissed.

"Ignore everything and everyone but me, Eric."

"That's easy."

We continued kissing on the sidewalk. After several minutes, he pulled away.

"Please don't go out with Stefan."

"Oh, Digger. I don't really understand."

"I want you. You want me."

He knew I wanted him, but he didn't know I also didn't want him. I wanted a lover who spent their evenings with me, not working at a sex club. I didn't want to worry whether he was getting a blow job while I was upstairs working on the accounts.

"I know you are also worried. Let me explain what I had in mind. I hoped we could date and get to know each other. Maybe your reservations will disappear. You are scared because I work in a sex club and you have no idea what that is like. When you see me wiping the sinks in the restroom, you will start to understand. I work. My customers are almost all Beasts and I only have sex with humans. Hardly anyone is having sex in the club, but Harold. Harold is the only person I can have sex with at the club and I will never do that. I haven't had sex with anyone in several weeks."

I was shocked by that.

"I was trying not to rush you, but I see now I need to get my claim in. What you saw in Attica is just a taste of what will happen in the future. When you are sighted in the bar, every single Beast will be trying to get your attention. There are a lot of lonely gay Beasts looking for a human. Ready to settle for anyone, even a human much less attractive than you. You are new, you are a very nice person, and you are attractive."

"Why would they want me? I'm not nearly that attractive."

"You are almost attractive enough to get ignored."

I had no idea what that meant!

"What?"

"Your face is attractive and has character, but you don't have the glossy attractiveness of Beasts. We ignore that beauty the way humans ignore the faces of robots. Yes, they are attractive but it is also meaningless. Your attractiveness is random, but more importantly, genuine. Very attractive humans don't appeal to most Beasts. We assume they bought their beauty. Do you look at a news announcer and think how attractive they are? Most people don't. They expect it and when they are seeing what they expect, they ignore it. An imperfect real flower can be more appealing than a perfect artificial flower. A real flower can have charm. An artificial one can never have it."

That made sense.

"So they will all be chasing you. But I want to take you out. If you want a date, or sex, please come to me. Will you?"

"Yes, Digger. I will. Thank you for not pushing me."

He smiled at me.

"You don't know how hard it was for me not to move you into my apartment. That's what I wanted to do. You needed a place to live and I want you in my bed. But I knew you needed time. I want you to trust me."

I hugged him.

"I think you are wonderful. You know how much I want you, but I like you, too."

"Let's head back. Do you want to sleep in your new place tonight?"

We were walking back to his club. His hand was next to me. I almost touched it. Then I took his hand and held it. He grinned at me.

I thought about where I wanted to sleep.

"I think so. I'm going to be working late, right?"

"I wasn't sure. You may get tired early."

"I think I will force myself to stay up so I can sleep tomorrow during the day."

I thought about what I needed to bring from my apartment for the night.

"I need to get things from my apartment for tonight."

"Let's go."

"You don't have to go if there is something you need to do," I told him.

"I can go with you or go into the club and talk to Harold."

"You should definitely come with me."

He grinned.

"I need to use the restroom, first," Digger said.

We walked to his unit and I waited for him.

Several minutes later, he came out, grinning. He held his hand near my ear.

"I'm sorry about earlier, when I didn't ask."

"It's OK, Digger. In a way I was glad you assumed we were that close. And we're dating, right?" I had to grin at that. I was dating the most attractive male I had ever seen.

He nodded. He touched my meme. He sent me photos. I was very nervous. I wondered why I was more nervous about his pictures than I'd been about Stefan's. I decided it was because Stefan didn't really mean that much to me. He might someday, but I was starting to doubt it.

"You haven't looked," Digger said.

I was very nervous. I hadn't been when I looked at Stefan's.

"I don't know why, but I feel I should wait. I don't want to rush it. I guess I think looking at the pictures will lead to sex, and I want to wait at least a day."

"A day? I thought it would be a week at the absolute minimum."

"I don't think I'm that strong."

"Will it bother you being in the club tonight?"

"I don't think so. I'm very curious. I'm not a virgin, Digger."

"But you aren't married!" he said, in mock condemnation.

"I know. I pretended I was married and had sex!"

"Shocking!"

I laughed.

"I really have trouble picturing a roomful of Stefan's. Will they be that obvious?"

"No. They will be naked. They will be much more obvious." He sighed. "Everyone checks their clothes at the entrance. You saw how Harold was dressed."

"Oh. And you'll be naked?"

"Yes. But I won't be having sex. Unless you change your mind about having sex with me sooner. I wouldn't mind."

I laughed.

"Wouldn't it ruin all your plans?" I asked him.

"Only the ones I don't like."

I laughed.

"I'm going to do my best to fit in tonight. I guess I should be naked."

He didn't look happy.

"I'm trying to think of a way to keep you dressed, but people will complain. What do you want?"

"I don't know. I've never been in this situation before." I shook my head. "I will feel weird being the only person in clothes and weird for being naked. I think I will try to fit in. I can worry about what to do if I don't like it, then. You know I'm going to be hard if you are around."

"I know. And I am going to be hard near you. We have that effect on each other. The Beast customers will enjoy looking at you and the humans will look at me. You may be hard when I'm not around you. I'm used to it and you aren't. Think of it as porn. You are supposed to be aroused. There will be naked Gorillas there. If I excite you, they probably will, too. And Stefan will definitely be there to see you. You got an erection when you looked at his photo. I'm sure you will get one when you see him. I won't think anything of it. There's no point in feeling guilty about being aroused. That's why we are naked. If you are like Harold and Jack, it will eventually just be another Chimp cock and you won't get erect. That reminds me. Customers, especially new customers sometimes get grabby after they've had a few drinks. They have grabbed me, they will grab you. Just ask them not to do it. If it bothers you too much, you can go behind the bar."

I nodded.

We walked back down Central V. This time Digger took my hand. I smiled at him. As we walked, I thought about the fact that I would see him naked with an erection at the club. What was the point of not looking at the photos, then?

"Will any of your ex-lovers be at the club tonight?"

"No. They've all found other lovers."

"You said they ended up hating your job."

"Yeah. You may, too. But you are very different from them. I'm hopeful."

"Was it the hours?"

"It was everything. The hours, the business, us, the customers. They thought I didn't love them enough. I thought they didn't love me enough. Relationships are hard and the bar didn't help. That's not to say they aren't possible. One of my employees has a spouse. His name is Jack. His lover is a Dog and they are monogamous and happy. They plan to get married as soon as it's legal. I have had sex with customers a few times, but normally I avoid it, even when I don't have a lover. It is bad for business."

"How?"

"I'm preventing that human from having sex with another customer. When they have sex with each other, I have two happy customers and sell drinks to both. If I have sex with a human, I have one happy customer, but they expect free drinks."

"Well, that makes perfect sense."

"I'm glad. Harold is the only employee who has sex regularly with customers. He is the day bartender. At night, he mingles in the club, allowing Beasts to fuck him. I told you about the human shortage." I nodded. "On nights when there are no humans, he is the only reason they are there."

"It's a little different in the financial services sector."

Digger laughed.

"Is it? Fewer naked males?"

"And no Harolds."

Digger chuckled.

"If you are uncomfortable there, you don't have to stay. You can go to your apartment and think about me. Maybe look at my pictures."

Then Digger grunted.

"What was that?"

"Nothing."

Tell me."

"I was picturing you jacking off while you looked at my pictures."

"Oh."

"I'm sorry if that offended you."

"Digger, I would be lying if I said I hadn't already thought of that. But why would I look at the pictures when you are in the club naked?"

"You mean you want to jack off in the club while you look at me?" I laughed, nervously. "Because while that would be good for business, I have trouble picturing it."

"I'm pretty sure I'm not ready for that!"

He nodded.

"Let's exchange numbers." We did.

"Do you have much contact with your father?"

"No. Less and less. I talk to him briefly every couple of months."

"What about your mother?"

"She moved to Shanghai to get away from him when I was fifteen."

He laughed. "That's a long way."

"I know, and when he calls, she says it's the middle of the night, no matter what time he calls, so she gets him off the phone quickly."

Digger laughed.

"They're divorced?"

"No. Dad doesn't believe in divorce. Mom says being on the other side of the planet is better, anyway."

Digger shook his head.

"Didn't she want you with her?"

"Yes. I didn't want to go to Shanghai. Also, I knew that if we both went there, Dad would move there, too. Mom was unhappier than I was."

"Is she like him at all?"

"No. Neither one of us are. Dad used to be less extreme. I'm not sure why he has changed, but he has. It started around ten or eleven years ago."

"Do I appeal to you because of your father?"

I frowned.

"Do you mean do I want you because of him?"

Digger nodded.

"Forbidden fruit."

"No. I want you because you are a sexy hunk and a nice guy, too."

He grinned.

"That's a pretty good reason."

"I agree."

"How do you want me to introduce you to my friends? As your date, your boyfriend, your lover, what?"

I knew which of those I preferred—lover. But we weren't lovers, yet. We were potential lovers, maybe. I wasn't just a date. We had plans for the future, so I was more than a date.

"I guess boyfriend." And hopefully, monogamous boyfriend, but I didn't say that.

Digger nodded.