Chapter 21: New You, Two

Sophia entered next, but Calix still wasn’t over what Julia had said. He looked at Sophia with his eyes wide and his face startled – like a deer in the headlights. Sophia couldn’t help but almost double over in laughter.

“Oh, my god. Oh ... my ... god. She did it, didn’t she? She said she was going to melt your brain and she did. God ... the look on her face when she came out ... and the way she was wiggling her hips as she walked! And now the look on your face. God, I wish I had a camera so I could replay that over the years.”

“I’ve a recording of the entire incident,” Artemis interrupted helpfully. “You can play the complete sequence back from beginning to end since Calix has placed you in charge of his household.”

“That may have been a mistake,” Calix moaned, his hands moving to his face.

Sophia’s smile grew bigger. “Oh, no. It’s great. If you ever get too full of yourself, I’ll just play it for you.”

Calix could only shake his head. In truth, it was just an act. Oh, not his reaction to Julia – he knew the former Detroit Police Officer was more of a leader than a follower, but he had not quite expected her to be so bold. His reaction to her words and actions were genuine.

His reaction to Sophia’s threat was far less so. Calix had never been one to mind people making fun of him – he had had enough problems dealing with those trying to kill or hurt him and the rest of the Cholos. He was a firm believer of the ancient adage ‘sticks and stones may break my bones... ‘. Words, derogatory or vile, never really bothered him – unless they were preludes to a battle. If such were the case, he was all in and ready to use whatever force necessary to neutralize the threat.

With Sophia, there would never be a battle. He was certain they’d have their arguments – he was certain he’d have arguments with all his women at one time or another – but it would never come to blows because there was respect and love between them. He felt the same way about Brianna and, provisionally, Whiskey. Julia, Heather, Tamara and Yolanda, he wasn’t too sure about. And Alicia – well, she was a fight just waiting to happen. He could only hope to head her off.

“Fine,” Calix said, making a big show of looking at his wrist. The time, he noted, was really flying. “We can discuss it later. Now, do you have any requests?”

“Do you have any changes you’d like?” Sophia threw the question back at him as she sat beside him on the bed.

Calix wrapped one arm around her, pulling her close. “Sophia, if you never believe another word I say to you, believe this: I think you are absolutely perfect just the way you are. If it were up to me, I’d not change a single thing. You are, by far, the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.”

Sophia’s eyes grew large and they began to water.

“You actually mean it, don’t you?” she whispered. Then she was crying and wrapping him in a hug, pulling his face down so her lips could reach his. It was a rather chaste kiss but no less passionate and it only lasted a few moments. “You, my master, my Papi, are too good for me.”

Calix just smiled. “Artemis, please pull up a hologram of Sophia.”

Sophia looked a question at him, and he just nodded. “Artemis, please improve my vaginal muscles and pleasure centers – I think Avery calls it a ‘standard package’. Do you understand?”

“I understand the context, though there are variations,” Artemis intoned. “For example, most women opt to have the modifications to their vaginal area but some include the oral cavity and even fewer the anal region.”

“Oral cavity?” Sophia said with some surprise. “I heard Calix mention it when he was making alterations to Alicia, but I didn’t quite understand what he was doing. What can you do there?”

“The oral cavity is devoid of the pleasure receptors found in great density in the clitoris and in lesser density in the breast and vaginal walls,” Artemis explained. “However, they can be placed there, in the back of the throat. The benefits include heightened sexual pleasure from performing oral sex on your male partner, but it can be a detriment when eating or drinking. It is not dangerous, but you may find yourself becoming sexually stimulated during meals.

“Adjustments can also be made to the taste receptors in the tongue and nose,” Artemis continued. “While sperm changes smell, color, consistency, and taste based on many biological processes such as diet, exercise and so on, there are baselines in each male which do not change. We could alter your tongue to ensure you enjoy the taste of Calix’s ejaculate.”

Sophia paused thoughtfully. “Well, I’ve never had a problem enjoying Calix’s essence but ... I think I can handle those changes and I can always change it back if it becomes too distracting, right?”

“Affirmative,” Artemis replied. “As long as there is a functioning med-tube nearby, further changes can always be made.”

“Let’s add those to Alicia as well,” Calix interrupted with narrowed eyes. “It might prove useful.”

“I’ve accepted the change to the Alicia Gebel unit,” Artemis intoned. “Do you wish the same, Sophia Gebel?”

Sophia shrugged. “Yes, give me the full package. Oral and anal as well as vaginal. Increase my breast sensitivity by half, too.”

“Acknowledged,” Artemis acknowledged. “Do you have any further changes you’d like to request?”

“I’d like my tits to be firmer, please,” Sophia requested thoughtfully. “My ass, too. I don’t want them to change – to be bigger or smaller – just firmer.” She thought a moment more. “That’s all? That’s all I want.”

“Might I recommend defoliation of your lower torso since you seem to shave your legs and pudenda?” Artemis queried. “If you like, we can also include your arms and etc.”

“Oooh!” Sophia laughed. “I forgot about those. Yes, please. I’d like to have no hair on me except what’s on my head and my eyebrows.” She tilted her head back and forth. “Well, maybe some nose hair as well. It’s disgusting but probably necessary.”

“I’ll leave fine ear hair as well,” Artemis suggested. “There are medical reasons for both fine ear hair and nose hair.”

“Fine, but I’d rather it not get too long,” Sophia requested.

“I’ve prepared your package as requested, Sophia Gebel,” Artemis acknowledged.

Sophia stood up and smiled at her lover. She leaned forward, her eyes never leaving his. “I’ll send Tam in now, Papi.” She stole a soft, gentle kiss and walked out.

Tamara was another beauty. Like her slightly older sister, she had long, black hair that just kind of melted and flowed around her slight, oval face. Unlike Alicia, Tamara let her hair flow free, unencumbered by ponytail or braid and it flowed all the way down past her cute, little butt. Her butt wasn’t so little - she did have a bubble butt but it wasn’t quite as big as Alicia’s. It was a taut thing of firm beauty.

Her breasts were also smaller than Alicia’s, but her areolae were huge, covering almost half of her breasts. She had the most beautiful hazel eyes, warm and cheerful above a rather small Greek nose and lips that were full and red.

She stopped just inside the door, looking around frightfully. She wasn’t sure what to expect, wasn’t sure if what Avery had said was true. She had seen her sister come crawling out of the room and she worried Alicia had ruined everything just like she always ruined everything. She couldn’t compete with her sister in beauty and raw sexuality, and she didn’t want to compete with her manipulation skills nor her self-centered attitude. She knew it was only a matter of time before Calix tossed her away – it was even why she’d volunteered to have his baby, in the hopes, for the baby’s sake, he would keep her when he finally got rid of Alicia.

“Where do you want me?” Tamara asked forlornly.

Calix looked down at his arm. He had less than an hour left but it was time and more than time to deal with this. He wasn’t sure what was going on – though Sophia thought the young woman had a crush on him, he wasn’t certain she was correct or that Tamara wasn’t just acting - but Tamara hadn’t been acting normally since the pick-up. Was she upset because he hadn’t taken Robert? She’d said she wanted to go with him, not Robert – but had that been the truth? If it wasn’t, why was she volunteering to have his children?

“Come here and sit next to me,” he patted the bed on his right side and motioned the fifteen-year-old over.

She was slow to move, knowing he was just going to break it to her nicely. If he’d gotten mad enough at Alicia to have her crawl out of the room, she could only imagine he was going to get rid of both of them. If only she could make him see, while she loved her sister, the two of them weren’t a package. She knew he’d only taken her in the first place because Alicia had demanded it – but couldn’t he see she belonged here on her own merits?

To Calix, Tamara dragging her feet was just proof she didn’t want to be here. Sure, she was nicer than Alicia but obviously neither of the young women were interested in being part of his family anymore. It was sad because he couldn’t see keeping Amelia without keeping the other two – and he genuinely loved Amelia and didn’t want to see her go.

“You know they can’t send you back to earth,” he said softly after she’d sat down. “Have you thought of another Sponsor who will take you?”

All of Tamara’s fears came home. He was kicking her out. She shook her head.

“They-they won’t just k-k-kill us, will they?” she asked, her voice catching and tears rolling down her eyes.

“I don’t know,” Calix admitted. “I don’t think so – I’ll do my best to find you another Sponsor, okay?”

Tamara hung her head down and just nodded. Calix was baffled. Why was she crying? Isn’t this what she wanted? Isn’t this what she was asking for?

“Why are you crying?” he asked, finally. “I’m sorry I didn’t take Robert – but it wouldn’t have worked out. He’d have never submitted himself – and I’d have had to kill him.”

He shook his head. “Besides, I thought you didn’t like Bob? Isn’t that what you said? You said you had someone who would take you? Who is he – or she? If he or she is a sponsor, maybe we can work something out to make sure he gets picked up.”

“You,” Tamara whispered, her voice on the barest edge of audibility. Sobs wracked her body and tears coursed down her cheeks.

“Who?” Calix asked again, unable to hear what she’d said before.

“You!” Tamara yelled, turning toward Calix. “I want to be here with you – but I want you to want me here. I don’t want you to kick me out when you kick out Alicia. I know she’s fucking everything up, but I don’t want her to ruin it for me! I know you only brought me because she guilted you into it – but I’m here, now. Can’t you keep me? Do you have to throw me away with Alicia?”

Calix’s confusion was profound. Everything he’d seen, the way she acted – it was always like she was two people, one of them wanted to be here and the other didn’t. Then, thinking on what she had just said, he started thinking back. She was partially correct – he had brought her because Alicia wrangled him into it. It wasn’t why he kept her around, though. How had she gotten that idea?

“Tamara, I’m not throwing you away,” the young man said seriously. “Hell, I’m not even throwing Alicia away – I’m just trying to make her act better. No matter what, though, you’re not Alicia’s Siamese twin. Even if I were to kick her out – it would have nothing to do with you.”

“R-r-really?” Tamara asked, her eyes wide.

“Really,” Calix confirmed. “You’re right, you’re mostly here because of Alicia. I didn’t know you at all when she decided I needed to take you, and she browbeat me into it. Once you’re here, though – well, you’re here on your own merits. Alicia or no Alicia, I still want you here – I just worry how mad you’re going to get when I have to do something about your sister.”

“The cow deserves it,” Tamara sniffed, wrapping her arms around Calix’s right arm and holding on for dear life. “She’s – she’s so mean and nasty. I’m not sure when that happened. We’re only a year apart – more like ten months – and we always used to play together and she was so sweet and nice. It’s just – I don’t know – maybe the past five years or so when she started acting like a prissy little twat.”

Calix laughed. “Don’t hold back – tell me how you really feel.”

“I love her – she’s my sister – but I don’t always like her,” Tamara admitted. “I really thought she’d ruined this for me. I thought she’d fucked this up so badly you were going to get rid of both of us. I knew you didn’t want me here and I was afraid you’d lump me up with her.”

“Push that from your mind,” Calix said softly, pulling his arm from hers and wrapping it around her instead. The poor girl was still trembling, still shuddering. He pulled her close to him and held her for a moment.

“Yes, Alicia got you here – sort of. If you want to stay, though – if you want to be part of my family – you’re welcome. I like you, Tam. I really do. I think you’re funny and beautiful and sexy – when you want to be. You just need to get out of your sister’s shadow.”

“You really mean it?” Tamara asked, her voice almost a whisper. “Even if Alicia does horrible things, I can stay?”

“Of course,” Calix replied just as softly. “I’ll tell you a little secret – I’m going to do everything I can to get Alicia to stay, too. I’ve got some surprises in store for her which she isn’t going to like, but I hope will change her rotten attitude – just don’t tell her, okay? Heck, through Rico you guys are my closest family right now. I really don’t want to let you OR Alicia go.”

She threw her arms around him and hugged him close, something she’d wanted to do for ages. She was still crying, still trembling but she buried her face in his chest, her arms around his neck. Calix held her, rubbing her back.

“You know, you don’t have to have a child with me right now if you don’t want to,” the young man said softly. “It’s not a requirement for you staying. I mean, eventually you will – but if you’re not ready yet, I’ll understand.”

“I want to,” Tamara said softly. “Don’t you – don’t you want me to?”

Calix chuckled wryly. “Somehow, you and I are going to have to get on the same page. You’re going to have to realize you are wonderful and desirable all on your own.”

He pulled back and lifted her face up gently to look into his eyes.

“We’re probably going to argue – maybe even fight,” he shook his head. “Well, not fist fight but maybe have screaming matches or something. Nothing is going to be perfect – this isn’t a fairy tale. If it were, I’d be getting paid a lot better than this. It’s a fact of life we’re not always going to get along, Tam. I promise you now, though, nothing you do will ever make me push you away for good – unless it’s what you want and you specifically ask me to leave.”

“So,” he continued. “Knowing those things – are you still ready to have kids with me? Knowing if you aren’t ready – that’s okay. I won’t hold it against you. You’re only fifteen and it’s young to be having kids – I understand. You will eventually have to have children with me – it’s the entire purpose of this messed up system – but we can put it off until later.”

Tamara was quiet for a few minutes, her beautiful hazel eyes, wet with tears, gazing off into the distance. Finally, she spoke.

“If we were on Earth, things would be different. I’m not sure I’d be ready for it if we were there.” She looked up at him. “We’re not on Earth and nothing is the same anymore. I don’t understand what’s going on, and I’m really scared out of my wits – but I’ve had a crush on you since the moment I met you three years ago. So, if you’re ready to have a child with me, then I would really like to carry your baby.”

Calix chuckled and pulled her into a hug. “Okay. However, I’m not ready to do it right this moment.”

“Damn,” Tamara laughed. “I was just thinking there was no time like the present.”

“Right now, we need to figure out if you want any changes. I’ll be honest with you – I think you look absolutely stunning just the way you are – but if you want to change anything, then now is your time.”

Calix lifted his head up. “Artemis, please display a holographic representation of Tamara.”

Tamara looked at the 3-dimensional image of herself naked and her eyes grew wide. The image hadn’t been crying, didn’t have red eyes. As the image rotated, she had to admit she’d never seen herself like this before. She’d seen herself in mirrors, but it just wasn’t the same. Seeing herself, now, in a hologram she could finally see what Calix was saying. She actually was rather pretty.

“What are we going to change first?” She asked.

“We? We’re not changing anything. This is all you.”

She looked at Calix. “Really? There’s nothing you’d change?”

Calix shook his head. “You guys are perfect the way you are – so why mess with perfection?”

“So what do I do?”

“Just tell Artemis what changes you want.”

“Oh. Okay.” Tamara looked thoughtful for a moment. “Artemis?”

“Yes, Tamara Gebel,” the AI replied.

Like the rest of his women, Tamara requested the ‘standard package’ – something Calix agreed with both for the assistance provided in child-bearing and for the restorative effects after. He wasn’t so certain about altering the pleasure nerve endings – but he could see how it might be useful. And fun. Definitely fun.

Artemis suggested the changes to her butt and throat and Tamara looked pensive. She looked up at Calix. “Uh ... my butt is – well, it’s exit only. At least, I’ve always considered it that way. Is that okay?”

“It’s your body, Tam,” Calix smiled. “You set your own limits. I’ve had anal sex but if you don’t want to, you never have to.”

“Okay,” Tamara said happily. She thought for a moment. “Let’s get the anal package anyway. I might change my mind about it being ‘exit only’. I’m not sold on the oral one, though. I think I’d like to keep my mouth the way it is – if I like it, I like it and if I don’t then I don’t. You can make the changes to the tongue and taste buds, though – just in case.”

“Anything else?” Artemis asked dryly.

“Yes, I’d like to add a few centimeters to my bust – say a 34 C instead of my 32 B,” Tamara directed. “I’d also like to add a few centimeters to my butt – but make it rounder and firmer.” She watched as the hologram changed. “Yes! Just like that.”

She glanced at Calix. “I’d also like to – uh – to have no hair. Like no arm hair or – um – leg hair. No – um – body hair at all under my chin except for a little strip above my coochie.”

She blushed. “Oh, and no hair on my face – except eyebrows of course ... and I want to keep the hair on my head.”

“Done.”

Tamara looked up at Calix. “Is that okay?”

“Your body, your choice,” Calix said, kissing her forehead.

“Save those for later,” she giggled. “You know it’s my turn tonight? It was supposed to be yesterday but...” Her voice trailed off.

“But I had some issues I needed to take care of,” Calix finished for her.

Tamara shrugged. “Yeah. Sophia was supposed to be the night before because she was trying to get pregnant, but she pulled Brianna in at the last minute. I’m tonight, though, because I’m supposed to get pregnant next – and I’m not sharing.”

She looked anxiously up at Calix yet again. “Is that okay?”

Calix shook his head and laughed. “It’s fine. Now, I’d like you to stay and we could get started on this whole baby thing – but I still have two more who might want some changes.”

Tamara pouted prettily but got up. She started toward the door before stopping, turning, running and jumping into Calix’s lap. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled his head down to give him a slow, passionate kiss.

“To show you what you’re missing,” she said softly as she pulled away. Then she giggled, jumped off his lap, and ran to the door.

Whiskey was another beautiful girl. Truthfully, Calix figured all of the pot shots which the pernicious Supreme Being took at him was because he’d somehow lucked into eight absolutely gorgeous women. He wondered absently if it was the universe’s way of evening things out.

At 5’6”, Whisky was of median height but her wispy, straight, strawberry-blonde hair, pale, fresh, freckled face and soft, intense blue-almost-gray eyes somehow made her seem younger than she really was. There was just a brash innocence about her, a vulnerability that Calix couldn’t quite place. She was lean and wiry and when she walked, the stretching showed the definition of her ribs beneath her gossamer skin.

For all that, she was beautiful, yet full of sass and spunk at the same time. Her slight, Greek nose perfectly centered above thin, demonstrative red lips that seemed always on the verge of breaking out into a laugh and constantly hiding a secret only she alone knew. Her breasts were small, but perfectly sized and proportioned for her body with tiny nipples sprouting from areolae that couldn’t have been larger than a quarter. Her body was a perfect hourglass from sensual shoulders down to a tiny waist that flared slightly to rounded hips and on to long and lean legs.

“How are you doing?” He asked as she stood nervously just inside the door.

“Okay, I guess,” she responded with her trademark southern drawl, but the look on Calix’s face asked for more. “Scared a bit. Sad I had to leave my Mom. Worried.”

“I guess I can understand all of those,” Calix admitted. “Believe it or not, I feel the same – scared, a bit sad and worried.”

“You?” Whiskey blurted, startled. “Why would y’all feel scared or worried.”