Evan felt strangely uneasy.
He was riding in a luxurious limousine to the residence of the third candidate for his patroness.
He sat — or rather sank — into the incredibly soft upholstery. It was hard to even call his seat a chair; it was more like a small sofa. He looked around. The interior was quite modest for a limousine, but what else could you expect? Everything was black, accented with burgundy red and purple. Red LED lights completed the look.
He glanced to the side. Shawn sat next to him, completely naked except for a collar. Further back was a minibar with a collection of very expensive alcohols. No one from outside could see any of it because of the heavily tinted windows. Even they could barely see what was happening outside.
In front of them sat Lady Onyx. The black pantheress was dressed in a leather dominatrix outfit. Evan felt uneasy just looking at her. The collection of BDSM toys beside her had nothing to do with it… well, maybe a little. Especially that braided whip that looked particularly painful. More important was what was going to happen today. She was the third person he was supposed to talk to about taking him under patronage. The offers from the director and the chief commissioner gave him something, but at the same time took something away.
What worried him most was what her offer might look like. He was facing a professional dominatrix, actress, and porn magnate. That alone was reason enough not to feel comfortable.
Onyx poured wine into three glasses and handed two of them to Evan and Shawn.
"We'll arrive at my estate soon. You'll get to see my business from the inside."
Evan took the glass and thanked her in a trembling voice. For some reason, the word "inside" sounded strangely arousing to him.
They finally arrived. Evan stared in stunned silence. Onyx seemed pleased by his reaction. Everyone got out.
"Let's take a walk through the garden before we go to the mansion. We still have some time."
They headed into the garden. Shawn walked on all fours on a leash, exactly like a pet. After a moment, it hit Evan that he really was Lady Onyx's pet. Finally, he couldn't hold back and asked when they stopped for a moment.
"Is everything okay?"
Shawn looked at his mistress. She made a small gesture with her hand. Evan quickly understood it was a permission signal.
"It's fine. Besides, no unauthorized people will see us."
That was true. The estate was surrounded by a high wall. No unauthorized person could just walk in.
"Besides, look at them."
He pointed to the side. Among the hedges, a pair of wolves was having sex. One of them glanced at them without even stopping thrusting into his partner. He just smiled at them. Evan immediately understood that shame had been left behind at the gate. They walked on.
A huge swimming pool, gardens, marble statues, and benches. And then the mansion itself. Even a Playboy mansion would look pale in comparison. The interior was equally luxurious. At the entrance — granite flooring, burgundy wallpaper, and ebony wood paneling. Two statues in submissive poses stood on either side.
They went to the salon. Although "go-go club" would have been a more fitting name. A bar lit by neon lights with a vast collection of alcohols. Black leather couches, booths, and armchairs. Dance poles. Dim lighting and atmospheric music.
Evan sat down awkwardly in one of the booths and looked around. On one couch, a couple was busy with each other. Further away, two guys were arguing heatedly about something. He only caught fragments, but words like "shots," "deadlines," "copies," and other business terms stood out. Shawn stood at the bar and prepared two drinks, which he brought to the table. He placed one in front of his friend and the other in front of his boss, who settled down comfortably next to Evan. The ram sat on the floor beside his Mistress's knees.
"How do you like it, Evan?"
He didn't know what to say. Luxury was luxury, but after everything he'd been through with the girls, he thought he'd grown somewhat immune to this kind of blatant display. He was wrong. He couldn't hide his excitement and arousal either. By now he had already given up trying to conceal the obvious bulge in his pants. Still, the words got stuck in his throat.
Help came from a rather unexpected direction. A young African wild dog girl approached and knelt beside Madame Onyx.
"Hello, Zuri. How is Shenzi feeling?"
The wild dog bowed lower.
"She sent me to inform you that everything is almost ready."
The pantheress stood up and looked at both of them.
"Good. Let's go."
Both boys followed her, whispering to each other.
"Who's Shenzi?"
"A hyena. Dominatrix, actress, and sex worker."
Evan looked at his friend in surprised silence. Shawn just shrugged.
"I'm curious who she'll be filming with."
The pantheress smiled, showing her teeth, and spoke to her sub.
"I'm glad you asked, Shawn, because you're going to be Shenzi's partner."
The ram stopped dead in his tracks, as if his hooves had grown into the floor. He timidly pointed at himself.
"Yes."
She patted him on the head.
"You've worked hard these past months. You're ready for your first performance. A photoshoot and a clip with a well-known actress is a good start."
Suddenly someone handed Lady Onyx a folder. She opened it and took out several sheets of paper, which she gave to Shawn.
"It's a simple role. You'll manage."
Shawn took the papers and stared at them blankly.
"Stage fright?"
Evan asked his friend, who nodded absentmindedly.
After a few moments they reached the makeup room. At that moment Evan thought he was hallucinating because he saw Aiko, only a few years older.
"Good afternoon. I'm Nekogawa Hana. I'll be doing your makeup today. Please."
The girl pulled out one of the chairs, and Shawn sat down. That's when Evan connected the dots.
"Nekogawa? As in Aiko?"
The girl looked at him.
"Oh, you're Evan. My little sister's boy."
So it really was Aiko's sister.
"I didn't expect to see anyone from Aiko's side here. I knew Lady Onyx had connections with her family, but…"
"You didn't expect us to work in films."
He nodded. "Our parents work in publishing. I've always had a talent for makeup."
The debut actor sat in the chair.
"Is makeup really necessary?"
"Very much so. Without it, the face can look unnatural under camera lights."
The makeup artist got to work while Lady Onyx took Evan and Zuri with her. Soon they arrived at the filming location. It was a BDSM studio. Work was in full swing everywhere. Cameras and lighting were being set up. The director — a gecko wearing a floral t-shirt — was supervising the setup. He immediately looked their way and approached. He examined Evan carefully.
"These last-minute changes!!!"
Evan felt surprised. He didn't understand what was going on.
"They could have told me earlier that we had a scene with a human."
That really surprised and worried him.
"Although…"
He looked again.
"Excellent makeup, and the mask… it looks completely real, and that facial expression. Great work."
The pantheress laughed.
"Ringo, he's not an actor. He's my guest."
The director named Ringo looked at him in surprise.
"Really? He's not an actor? The makeup is perfect."
Finally Evan spoke.
"It's not a costume. I really am human."
The gecko turned his pair of large eyes toward him. Evan wished he wouldn't.
"Really?"
He turned his head toward Onyx.
"Today is just for reference."
The gecko looked at the dominatrix. She nodded. The director went back to work. Behind them appeared a hyena in a leather outfit.
"At first I thought you were joking, but a real human on set. That's like a wet dream."
She laughed. Suddenly something clicked in Evan's mind.
"I know you."
She looked at him surprised.
"You were in the bar where I worked and you picked up that deer whose girlfriend had just dumped him."
A look of realization appeared on the hyena's face.
"Oh right, I remember. At first he was surprised, but once he was between me and Zuri he was squirting like crazy."
She cleared her throat.
"Alright, officially then. I'm Shenzi. Professional dominatrix, actress, and sex worker. Today we're filming my new compilation and taking photos for my new album."
She looked at the pantheress.
"So where's your little lamb?"
"He'll be here soon."
"Okay."
The hyena looked at Evan again.
"You can leave us alone for a moment."
"Fine. Just don't eat him."
Onyx walked away. Shenzi laughed again. Evan felt himself getting hard.
The hyena approached him. She looked him over. Then, without any warning, she hugged him and sniffed him thoroughly.
After that she squeezed his ass. A moment later she let him go and looked at him as if evaluating him. Evan felt the evaluation was positive — especially since a noticeable bulge had appeared in her panties. A big one. He remembered Shawn's words. Female hyenas have bigger dicks than males.
She looked at him. She just smiled and said:
"You have a lot of experience being submissive."
He looked at her surprised. She smiled lightly and laughed.
"I can tell whether someone is submissive or not. You've got a few levels — one of them quite strong — but none of them are pro yet."
Evan blushed red as a boiled lobster and looked away.
"You're adorable. I honestly don't know whether I want to fuck you or eat you."
Evan felt himself smiling stupidly, getting even harder, and being flooded with heat. Suddenly salvation arrived. They were called to the set.
Everything began.
Shawn sat on the bed on set. The director shouted:
"Lights! Camera! Action!"
A guy with the clapperboard stepped in front of the camera.
"Pre-intro. Take one."
Clap. The actor started speaking. He talked a bit about himself. About his beginnings as a meat orphan, his training, and how he grew to like it. Another clap.
"Take two! Start with sadness, then shift to dreamy. Action!"
"Pre-intro! Take two."
Shawn began speaking sadly about his past in the orphanage and becoming a meat orphan. With relief he recalled how Lady Onyx had chosen him. And with growing excitement he described how he had come to love being a sub.
Clap.
"Great. Take three. Let's try…"
There were several more takes. Evan was surprised by how many there were. He had always thought you just filmed something once and that was it.
Then came the actual action. Shenzi stepped into her dominatrix role and took Shawn from behind. He moaned with every thrust. There were several takes. One faster. One slower. One with louder moans and a different facial expression. The fourth was something else.
Even the whipping scene had multiple takes. First, several moments of cracking the whip before the first strike, preceded by applying rose oil to the skin. Then dry-run strikes to match the rhythm. Then the actual whipping scene. The sounds of impacts on skin, reddening buttocks. Cameramen close to the actors. Sometimes right behind their backs. Above them, outside the camera's view, a microphone catching every crack of the whip and every sigh. Clapperboard snaps. The director's shouts.
There were many scenes. Many repetitions. Many makeup touch-ups. The male actor had to stay hard and ready the entire time. There was one more rule. Like in the army during tense situations: "don't shoot without orders." The difference was that this was a film set, not a battlefield.
Finally, it was time for the finale.
"Alright. On three. One… Two… Three…"
At that moment Shawn came with a loud moan, and Shenzi laughed like a hyena.
In the end there was a pre-outro scene with several takes, until finally…
"Cut. That's a wrap. Everyone did great. Take a rest."
Shawn could barely walk. It was obvious he was exhausted after all that work. Evan checked the time on his silenced phone. Several hours had passed and it was already late evening. Evan couldn't believe how long it had taken. Onyx approached him and praised him. Shawn smiled. But now the conversation about his patronage awaited him. The pantheress was already walking toward him.
Evan sat in a small lounge. One entire wall was glass, offering a panoramic view of the whole city. It was night now, and the lights of the nocturnal city were breathtaking. On the opposite side was the entrance. On the sides stood cabinets with crystal decanters full of alcohol, glasses, and toys meant for one specific purpose.
In the middle stood an ornate chaise longue. Opposite it were several armchairs and a low table between them.
Everything was bathed in soft, dim light.
Lady Onyx lay on the chaise longue, while Evan sat in one of the armchairs. The chair was soft and comfortable, yet he sat as if on pins and needles.
"Evan, how do you like my estate?"
"Well… it's very luxurious."
She smiled, and one of her fangs gleamed.
"Let's get down to business."
Only now did Evan tense up.
"I understand that Arslan and Ernst have made you various offers. Now it's my turn."
She stretched on the chaise longue as if her offer contained quite a lot.
"In your world, people like us are pure fantasy."
He could only nod.
"Similarly, in our world humans are pure fantasy. Well, not entirely. The fulfillment of those fantasies is sitting right in front of me."
He felt himself smiling stupidly.
"I'll be direct. I want you to become one of my actors."
Just as he had thought.
"You would be famous. Everyone would want to see you. The living embodiment of the deepest and wildest fantasies."
"But… would I even…"
"Be suitable? Don't worry about that. I'm sure you are."
She looked him straight in the eyes.
"Shawn told me about your dance at the party. Plus your life with the girls and today. I've been watching you the whole time. Shenzi also gave me her assessment."
She licked her lips lightly.
"You have potential, but you need training. I can already say you'd be good as a sub, classic hetero, and the rest we'd have to discover."
Evan swallowed.
"Shawn told me about that."
"Yes, it's true. I made him do various things."
Onyx paused for a moment, lost in memories. Evan finally blurted out what had been weighing on him.
"Luxury and fame, but loss of privacy."
The dominatrix sighed.
"That's how it is in every segment of show business. When you become famous, you gain money but lose privacy. Every actor goes through it. Every part of your life ends up in the tabloids. No privacy at all."
She stood up and poured wine into two glasses. She handed one to Evan.
"However, every offer will give you something, but at the cost of something else."
He had to admit she was right.
"Do you have any questions?"
"It's about Shawn."
She murmured.
"I know what you mean. Yes, I bought Shawn as a meat orphan. Back then I didn't see him as an actor. He was simply meat for a banquet. A young, juicy ram — nothing more."
She held the glass in front of her and looked through it.
"But I have a habit of observing. You have no idea how many small details, invisible to an untrained eye, say a lot about someone."
She swirled the wine.
"I saw something in him. The way he walks, how he looks at the estate. Then I tried a few things and I knew."
She took a sip of wine.
"Shawn is a masochist and, on top of that, has natural acting talent. He was too good to just eat like that."
"So when will you eat him?"
She sighed heavily.
"That's the problem. Shawn lives with the conviction that his sentence wasn't canceled, only postponed. He's sure it will happen in a few years."
Evan had to admit she was right — Shawn had said the same thing.
"He has even adapted to that role and built his personality around it."
"Is there anything that can be done?"
"Shawn needs to achieve success. Everything depends on whether the audience falls in love with him. But it's not certain. Many good actors pass by without a trace."
The boy shuddered slightly.
"What then?"
Onyx sighed again.
"I'd like Shawn to take some technical job in the industry. Remember Ringo, the director? He was an actor once, but…"
He looked at her.
"Everything depends on how Shawn handles the trauma."
"Meat erosion?"
Onyx chuckled lightly.
"No. It's not erosion."
She sighed heavily.
"Nihilism mixed with the conviction of an inevitable end. Shawn is convinced that no matter what he does, he's already doomed to end up on a plate."
"Can something be…"
"Shawn needs to achieve success or start believing he isn't doomed to the plate from the start."
Evan smiled faintly.
"I'd love to see him as a director after his acting career ends. If that turns out to be impossible, I'll throw the best possible banquet in his honor."
"Both endings are good."
Onyx murmured and looked out the window, then at the clock.
"It's getting late. You'll stay the night. You'll sleep with Shawn. You could use some time to calm down before you return to the academy."
Evan sat in the jacuzzi. The bubbles made all the stress and hardships lose their importance. He calmed down immediately.
Shawn sat in the water beside him.
"What a day."
"You can say that again."
Evan could only agree. When he thought about the conversations regarding his patronage, he felt… tired. Especially after everything he had gone through during those talks.
"I didn't think my debut would happen so quickly."
He looked at his woolly friend.
"How are you holding up?"
"Not bad. It's just that it all happened so suddenly. And you? Have you finished all your patronage talks?"
He sank deeper into the bubbles.
"Yes, but…"
"All of them have some 'but'."
He could only nod.
"You know, you can always ask the girls to eat you."
"Yeah, they'd probably do it better than that secret club."
Both of them started laughing.
"You know, I'm jealous of you, Evan. You've been here only a few months and you've already created something like a family. Sure, they might eat you, but it's still a family."
"And you?"
Shawn sighed heavily.
"I don't know. For years I was alone. Only after my Mistress took me in did I start building something."
"Maybe you'll find someone yourself."
Another sigh.
"Who knows."
Shawn reached for two cans of beer. He handed one to Evan.
"May we settle down or get eaten by those we like."
"Well said."
Before going to sleep they raised a toast, then went to bed.