Page 50 of Loaned to the Leonid Knight

“Gideon, if this is your way of reminding me that you don’t work for me any longer, or harping on about me sending your belongings, I’ll get to it. Honestly, do you even need to wear clothes for what you’re doing?” Farhet gave a sneering laugh. “Well, I certainly doubt you’d need trousers.”

Gideon didn’t respond, and that made Farhet sober, then fidget. “Is that all?” the rich Leonid finally demanded.

“I know you said you are behind, sir. That must mean you haven’t yet seen the letter from Doctor Marcus or the notice of my contract termination.”

Farhet dropped the expensive-looking bottle, and dark splashes appeared on his white shirtfront. “What? What the fuck have you done, Gideon? It’s your stupid broken genetics, isn’t it, you freak? You mutant!”

Sasha put down her drink and began to march over, mouth open to throw insults right back at the pompous ass who apparently dyed his fur. Gideon held a paw out, down low where Farhet couldn’t see it, a staying motion that froze her just off-screen.

“It’s not my genetics, sir. I have successfully bred with the surrogate—”

“She’s pregnant! Bastet be praised!”

“No. But I have fulfilled my obligations.”

“No, your obligations are to keep breeding the human slut until she’s fat with my cub!”

“Well, sir, the contract says that I need to try. I have. The doctor will attest to it. So will she, if you have doubts.”

“No, I have no doubts that someone like you would be content with someone like her.”

Sasha felt the snarl before she heard it, feeling the subtle rumble in her skin and under her feet before she realized how Gideon’s lips were pulled back from his fangs.

“Do not speak of her like that.”

“Why are you leaving the program? If this is a ploy for more money—”

“No. I will not get the 300,000 credits you offered. That’s all right.”

“But... But... what’s wrong? And where will I get some other surrogate sperm donor? Of all the stupid, inconsiderate things, Gideon!”

“Yes, sir. I’m sorry about that, sir. But, if you will take the time to go through your communications—”

“I haven’t had time to hire a new secretary yet, Gideon.” Farhet glared as if his choice to send his secretary on an incredibly difficult mission had been Gideon’s own fault.

“I gathered. But when you do, you will see the surrogacy program is being restructured. Couples will be given aid to connect first, and then to conceive.”

“Couples? There aren’t many of those, for fuck’s sake! If there were, we wouldn’t be in this stupid situation!”

“That is why human Queens will still be used, sir. There are very few Queens here, but millions in the Sapien System. Perhaps hundreds, or even thousands, might one day live here. A brave few will be matched with Felids, and then, because of the intimate nature of procreation, those few will hopefully form loving couples, and those couples will have children.”

“But... But human Queens are repulsive to most right-minded Felids!”

Sasha threw up her hands and walked off, cursing under her breath.

“Not to many of us, sir. For those who find them ‘distasteful,’ there may be another option. In four years, perhaps?”

Farhet’s angry face slackened, twisted, and then a torrent of angry, growling words came flying from his lips. “You stay there, and you fuck that little human until she has my cub, Gideon! I’ll give you a million credits!”

“I don’t want the money. The program is dismantled, sir. You can take it up with Dr. Marcus.”

“But... But you bred her while you were still there for me! So if she’s pregnant—”

“There is no proof she is pregnant, and no way to tell when she might conceive.”

“Yes, but you’re not going to remain with the program, so we just have to hope it took and that she is pregnant before the next male arrives on a shuttle to claim her!” Farhet exclaimed, looking relieved.

“Uh. No, sir. She is also out of the program.”