Her Alien Masters by Ann Jacobs

already in my employ, and in the service of other purveyors in the Street of Pleasure?”
    Arik strode to the window, as though considering his response. “Tell me, Romulus, for I’m sure you know. Can your eunuchs perform as men?”
    “Do you mean, can they fuck a woman? Of course, as long as they were allowed to mature fully before being cut and as long as they take the hormones they are prescribed. Some don’t. As with all sentient beings, some eunuchs want to dominate their partners sexually, while others prefer to play a submissive role. Submissive eunuchs play well with male customers whose societies forbid them from having sex with females. Dominant ones are obviously better suited to meeting the needs of female customers. The majority of eunuch sex slaves in my emporiums are submissive. There are, of course, exceptions to every rule. Occasionally one finds a eunuch with a dominant bent, just as a whole male may be sexually submissive.”
    “I see.” Arik turned back to Romulus, his eye compelling Romulus to maintain contact. “Then, if the eunuchs no longer worked in the sex trade, most of them might live normal lives outside the Street of Pleasure?”
    Romulus felt the heat of Garnet’s hand on his thigh. “I suppose they might. But the eunuchs are popular with tourists, particularly Earthling females and males from planets like Aurelion where same-sex intercourse is the norm. I shudder to think of the losses you’ll suffer in tax revenues if you go ahead with this and outlaw eunuchs from working in the emporiums.”
    “You are an Aurelonian, are you not?” Emerald asked.
    “Yes.”
    Arik fingered his eye patch as though it irritated the scar that apparently traversed his eye socket. “Would your countrymen pass on having sex with a woman or a whole man if they were not given the choice of taking a eunuch?”
    “Except for members of the royal family, Aurelonians do not take eunuch lovers. Boys are given their own personal life-companion slaves before they reach maturity, to provide them acceptable outlets for their sexual urges. The slaves are almost always submissive, and they are sterile but whole.”
    When Garnet smiled at him, Romulus couldn’t help smiling back and reassuring her. “I can’t vouch for all Aurelonians, but given the choice, I would take my mate over any eunuch I’ve ever seen. Even over my life companion.”
    “I had heard rumors that you keep a clone. Since we are related now, I will assume that rumor has to do with you having this life-companion slave in your house. I suggest that you present him as your brother and that he do and say nothing to make people question the story.” Arik paused, as though considering his words carefully. “It is not my intent to shut down the sex emporiums on the Street of Pleasure or pauper any of my subjects. However, I cannot condone mutilation. My edict will stand. Your eunuchs may go or stay in your employ, as they choose, for I insist you offer them their freedom. If you have treated them well, I wager many of them will want to stay.”
    Romulus stood and faced his prince. He couldn’t argue with Arik’s logic, or with the rightness of the new rule. Though he couldn’t be certain, he imagined the majority of his eunuch sex slaves would opt to stay, particularly since he was even now considering what enticements he would offer to keep them on. It might not be as bad a rule as it seemed on the surface.
    His only real concern was in Arik’s timing. Why had he decided to issue his edict now? Though the prince could not have known it, Romulus was well on the way to falling in love with Garnet. And Garnet had accepted him sight unseen, but only because he was a very wealthy man.
    “It’s all right,” Garnet whispered as they wound their way down the tower steps and to the luxurious transporter Romulus soon might not be able to afford. “If your business suffers, we can always sell our jewels.” She shot him a dazzling smile as he slid