The Outer Veil, Ch. 01

"It's okay." He answered, his voice sounding very small. "Can I get my clothes back?"

Dreik shook his head. "I'll get you new ones."

Shaylin nodded resolutely.

Once it looked like he had dried off, Dreik got up and began to strip off his bioshielding suit piece by piece, only realizing too late that Shaylin was now staring at him, his mouth ajar. He glanced down at his reflection in the helmet that he had just removed. In it he spotted bright sharp teeth along elongated yet muscular jaws, small brown eyes and large pointed ears.

"You... The Hosts... are dree?" The thrael asked, his voice trembling.

Dreik shook his head. "No." His voice sounded hoarse. He was not in the habit of explaining his past. "I was taken in young."

He turned away from the boy and finished stripping off the protective suit, revealing his grey clothes underneath. He adjusted them slightly, buying time before having to turn back around.

"Let's get you dressed."

[...]

Shaylin trotted to keep up with the dree Host's long strides, clutching the soft fabric tightly against body as they ventured through frigid, metallic passageways. Their angular structures and flat surfaces bore an unsettling resemblance to those beneath the forbidden grounds of Talus, stirring questions within Shaylin's mind. How could it be that the venerated lands of the Outer Veil resembled the secrets forbidden by the elders? Was this a trick, or a test?

Turning a corner, the dree led Shaylin into a small chamber adorned with a shimmering rear wall. With a commanding gesture, the dree activated the wall, transforming it into a display of clothing that floated across its surface as if draped on invisible figures. Amidst the multitude of colors and sizes, the dree deftly swiped aside options until he found a handful of garments that caught his attention. These selected pieces began to emit a subtle shimmer.

Content with his choices, the screen dimmed once again. He reached forward and pressed a rectangular panel in its center, causing it to open outwards, revealing neatly folded clothes. He handed a few items to Shaylin, whose eyes widened with a mix of curiosity and apprehension.

"Put these on. They should fit you." The dree instructed.

Shaylin gingerly unfolded the unfamiliar garments, their smooth and vibrant fabric feeling alien in his fingertips. First he put on a pair of stringy underwear, a triangle of pink fabric that protected his modesty while something narrow slid between his cheeks in a gentle invasion. Next, he adorned himself with a pair of blue shorts, slightly coarser than the rest, which ending just above his thighs. They had a narrow slit at the rear to accommodate his tail, and hugged his hips snuggly enough to slightly accentuate his butt and bulge.

The top was looser, with a large collar that draped over one shoulder, lending an asymmetrical charm. Its hem hung cropped, exposing his midriff. As Shaylin fiddled with the fit, he noticed the dree presenting one last item. It was a dark, solid-looking strip of shiny leather. Shaylin stared at it blankly, unsure what to do, until the larger creature leaned in close and wrapped it around his neck. The thrael could barely feel the strip being pulled snuggly and locked in place, so intoxicated was he by the scent and warmth of the imposing figure enveloping him.

Straightening up, the dree swiped his broad hand across the wall, causing it to transform into a flawless reflection of the small chamber. Shaylin stared at his transformed appearance, a cute thrael in exotic clothes. His plump thighs squished slightly near the shorts, accentuating the feminine contours of his buttocks and hips. Above, a narrow waist was left bare, unhidden by a white crop top cascading down, hanging off one shoulder with an alluring disarray. And then, encircling his, rested the dark collar, a narrow band snug enough to hold in place midway up his neck at its narrowest point.

As Shaylin stared at his reflection, his gaze intersected with the hunger gleaming in the dree's dark eyes. A flush of warmth suffused his cheeks as rational fear yielded before a tide of primal instinct. Whatever lay ahead, his body communicated one undeniable truth. He yearned for it.

"Are these acceptable?" The broad figure asked, snapping Shaylin out of a strange reverie. He was still holding a bundle of other clothes.

The small thrael nodded hazily, before being beckoned back out of the room and up a flight of stairs and into a large and very solid looking curvd glass frame. A pair of doors slid quietly behind the pair, and the entire structure began to glide upwards through an opening in the metallic ceiling, along some near-invisible rails.

As they ascended, the dree shuffled nearer Shaylin, his arm wrapping around the slender shoulders and pulling him closer, until they stood side-by-side. The movement slowly accelerated, growing faster and faster until the speed became alarming. The ambient light dimmed, leaving only a spotlight above them, that grew closer and larger with each passing second.

"My name is Dreik," The large creature finally presented himself, looking up with Shaylin at the approaching opening. "Welcome to your new home."

With that, the glass capsule crossed the threshold into a gigantic opening, framed by a metallic double helix that spanned kilometres in width. Countless towers of glimmering steel and reflective glass intermingled within, displaying unnaturally rectangular shapes. Lights of all colours danced across their surfaces, refracting through countless transparent frames and tunnels that crisscrossed the interior, seemingly desperate to connect every segment to each other.

The world beyond the helical frame could be seen through enormous sheets of curved glass. There, utter darkness could be seen, interspersed with stars, brighter and more numerous than Shaylin had ever seen. They surrounded this artificial world of glistening false daylight with an endless night.

The pod carrying the two creatures sped across the expanse, twisting and turning as it seamlessly swapped rails multiple times, navigating its way towards the furthest point. Shaylin looked around, realizing that as they traversed its length, opening tapered off and narrowed into a tip, which appeared to be their destination.

However, just as they were about to reach it, the glass structure veered sideways towards a large tower. It plummeted through an opening in its top, narrowly missing the steel in all directions, and descended in a steep deceleration, before finally stopping midway down the height of the building with a soft hiss.

Dreik clambered out, pulling Shaylin along as he descended a short ramp and crossed a pair of double doors leading into a warmly lit hallway. Here, the shiny metals, reflective glasses and dancing lights gave way to faux-wooden floors, walls and ceilings adorned with thick rugs, paintings and yellowish lamps. The contrast was so great as to give one whiplash.

The dree led Shaylin down the hallway, stopping before a room stamped with the letters "SC". The door opened at his touch, and the pair entered. The space beyond was vast and sparsely decorated. An immense four-poster bed occupied one corner, carefully made with military precision. The rest of the room was occupied by a dining table with two chairs, a couch facing inward, some more minimalist furniture and a large singular rug in the center.

A long window traced across the rear wall, opening up onto a small park of light greens that had not been visible from outside. Three doors led into adjoining rooms on either side.

"That's my office, and the bathroom," Dreik explained, waving at the two to the left dismissively, "And this is your bedroom." He opened the door on the right, revealing a much more vibrant ambience that had clearly been decorated by someone else.

Shaylin walked in, noticing the light pink tint of the walls, the fluffy heart-shaped pillows piled high atop the slightly smaller bed, and the finely carved bedside table. There were colourfully drawn pictures of thrael framed and hung on the walls, and a large dresser taking up almost an entire wall. The place was almost obscenely cutesy in its presentation, and yet somehow Shaylin found that he loved it nonetheless. He smiled slightly, and turned back just in time to see the dree sigh in relief.

"I was worried you might hate the decor." He added, his face relaxing for the first time.

Shaylin reached up to feel the collar around his neck. "This is amazing." He stated simply. "Does this mean that you own me now?"

Dreik's face froze.

[...]

The next few hours proved exhausting for Dreik as he shared as much information as he could think of with the thrael. They were now aboard Midnight, a ever-voyaging spacecraft. Here, society was built on a hierarchical structure based on needs and abilities. One's possessions and rights were contingent upon their merit. Those who contributed more to society enjoyed greater privileges, while those who offered less faced more restrictions.

Despite being confined within a steel and glass sarcophagus, this society relied on perpetual progress and growth. To ensure genetic diversity and replenishment of their population, they periodically introduced new individuals from various planets known as Seedlings. Talus, the home of both thrael and dree, was one such planet.

The regularity and ceremonial nature of these long-distance extractions stemmed from the limited power supply. Transferring even a small number of people through the onboard transfer chambers consumed significant amounts of energy, and the resources generated aboard Midnight were finite. Hence why the exchange with Sanfloch occurred every five years, amidst many other scheduled transfers.

Typically, the individuals chosen for these events were predetermined based on prior data. However, Shaylin proved to be somewhat of an exception. Dreik worked as an enforcer for the authorities that upheld order on Midnight and had been assigned a delicate caseload. He carefully downplayed the sensitivity of the matter, avoiding specific details.

As a result of his new assignment, Dreik had been informed that he would now have access to an unconventional support structure. During the following transfer, he would be expected to select an additional thrael for transfer based on his own judgment. This individual would live with him and provide non-work-related support in whatever form he required. Shaylin's expressive purple eyes widened at this revelation, brimming with unspoken questions.

"Listen, I'm not sure what they anticipated," Dreik added. "But I want to give you the choice. You can stay with me, or you can leave. Whether the latter means establishing a new life on Midnight or requesting a transfer back to the Seedlings is entirely up to you. Either way, I can leverage my contacts to assist you in the transfer process."

Dreik paused, his voice betraying signs of fatigue, and he already regretted his decision to some extent. The weight of his impulsive action--plucking a thrael from his homeworld with minimal consideration or communication--began to settle upon him.

As he spoke, Shaylin, who had been perched attentively on one of his dining chairs, slid off and approached him. Settling onto the couch within arm's reach, his tail swished slowly, while his eyes remained focused, tinged with apprehension. He delicately opened his mouth, revealing a row of small, sharp teeth barely visible beyond his lips.

"Can... Can I stay?" He asked, his fingers instinctively caressing the collar that Dreik had bestowed upon him.

The dree stared at the slender creature, feeling his worries boil over into frustration.

"You want to stay? Even if that means doing whatever I tell you to do?" he asked, his voice sounding harsher than intended. But the thrael did not look down. Instead, his gaze stood firm, its initial apprehension fermenting into a mix of fear and determination.

"Are you ready for me to mistreat you or make you my slave? Do you want me to use you, to hurt you, to tie you up and fuck you?" Dreik shouted the last two words, forcing the thrael to finally look down. The expression on Shaylin's face resembled that of being struck, yet his small hands reached out nonetheless.

"Please..." He whispered, sounding faint. "I don't want to be on my own."

The thrael had been reduced to the verge of tears, begging to stay. Dreik sighed, his fury drowned out by guilt, as he looked down at the fragile creature. Every instinct in his trained mind told him that he was surrendering to weakness, but he no longer cared as much. He would allow for a little vulnerability.

"Alright," He reluctantly conceded. "You will stay with me. But that means doing whatever I need of you, truly and fully. Do you understand?"

The thrael nodded.

"That means following my order, calling me Master, and warming my bed. You can leave any time, but if you truly want to stay, I am going to make you mine. You will be my property, with no need for a bedroom. Is that understood?"

The thrael nodded again, before adding in a barely audible whisper, "Yes, Master."

[...]

Shaylin woke up with a start several hours later, his mind still tingling from another strange nightmare. As he regained his bearings, he found himself lying in an immense and luxuriously soft bed, curled up against a peacefully slumbering dree. A warm fuzzy feeling simmered within him as he recalled the conversation they had shared the previous day.

Someone now owned him, someone he had to address as 'Master'. This someone had gently placed him in his bed without asking, and fallen asleep while spooning him for warmth.

Shaylin's thoughts drifted back to the days when his brother used to lead him across the desolate plains of Talus. During those times, Seral would constantly worry about the roaming dree, known for capturing stray thrael as playthings if they ventured beyond the protective woods surrounding their village. While Seral planned meticulously on how to escape or avoid detection, Shaylin would silently listen and obediently follow his brother's lead.

Shaylin had complete trust in his brother's ability to keep him safe, but his silence had sometimes been mistaken for indifference or absent-mindedness. There were moments when Seral would teasingly accuse him of secretly desiring capture.

It was an open secret secret that many thrael intentionally sought capture for the thrill of what might happen to them. The stories of those who succeeded, usually returning with only minor injuries, were renowned for their exciting and spicy details.

As a result, some thrael attempted capture repeatedly. The elders discouraged such actions, viewing those labeled as "dree whores" as sources of shame, which led those who engaged in it to do so discreetly. Seral would often playfully taunt Shaylin with the title during their time on the plains, relishing in his brother's flustered reactions. Strangely, despite the teasing accusation, Shaylin would sometimes experience a flutter in his belly at the name-calling.

And now, within the span of a single day, he had ascended with the Hosts and taken the first step toward becoming a fully-fledged dree whore. He shifted slightly, feeling the comforting warmth of the dree's broad chest enveloping him as he settled into a more comfortable position. Then, he noticed a slight movement against his buttocks, causing him to gasp and bite his lip. Perhaps the ascension held more excitement than he had anticipated.

"Sharing my bed isn't enough for you, is it?" came Dreik's low voice, jolting Shaylin from his thoughts. "You also need to wriggle up against me like a tease?"

He froze, whimpering, as a strong hand wrapped around his collared neck, while the other hand glided over his body, from his midriff down, past his hips and thighs, and towards his nether region. The touch against his sensitive body was firm yet gentle, leaving no doubt about the power dynamic. Shaylin remained still, his eyes closing as he focused on the sensations from his Master's grip, and his own breathing.

"You smell... and feel... horny," Dreik remarked, his breath tickling Shaylin's soft fur as a gentle squeeze through his shorts elicited a moan. "You're like a little bundle of heat. Do you really enjoy me this much?"

Shaylin moaned again, a hint of desperation in his voice. He craved more, but the dree was in complete control and would not be rushed. "Yes, Master," he panted, surrendering himself to the body behind him.

"Then you should reciprocate," Dreik stated, pulling Shaylin up and onto his lap.

Shaylin quickly maneuvered himself to face his Master, only to be met with a huge erect cock. It was sublime, dwarfing the thrael's, and it left him with flushed cheeks, completely enthralled. As the tip twitched and a broad veiny knot began to form at the base, Shaylin felt his mouth water. A large hand gently cupped his cheek.

"Are you going to show it some love?" Dreik asked, his voice resonating with hunger.

Shaylin nodded, his tongue tentatively caressing the length of the shaft. It was warm, with a subtle hint of saltiness. Beyond the taste, he was enveloped by the alluring scent of pheromone-laced musk, clouding his thoughts and drawing his focus solely to the substantial member before him. He hesitated for a moment before taking another lick, then another, gradually increasing his pace.

The dree groaned contentedly, placing one hand against the back Shaylin's head and guiding him towards the tip. There, the thrael took the tip between his lips and sunk down upon it slightly, then a little further, and so on as he bobbed up and down, taking slightly more of the immense shaft with each stroke. However, as he was unable to take more than a third of its length at a time, he began to gently twist and stoke the rest of the length with both hands.

Dreik groaned contentedly, his hand guiding the back of Shaylin's head, urging him closer to the tip. The thrael took it between his lips, stretching his jaw open as he slowly sank down on it and continued the rhythm, taking in a bit more of the shaft with each movement. As he could currently only manage a third of its length at most, his hands skillfully twisted and stroked the remaining shaft.

The small creature appeared to be entering a frenzied trance, moaning around Dreik's cock as he sucked. Both his hands and the shaft grew increasingly wet and slippery as the thrael lost all awareness of propriety, sloppily glazing it with drool and the pre-seminal fluid that now coated his tongue. His slender waist and comparatively broader hips writhed beneath him in a serpentine dance as he worked, his loose top riding up his back, and his bulge growing visibly damp through his snug shorts.

Lost in a euphoric trance, Shaylin moaned around Dreik's cock, lavishing it with his tongue, coating both it and his hands in a combination of drool and pre-seminal fluid. His slender waist and curvier hips undulated beneath him in a serpentine dance, his loose top riding up his back as his bulge grew tense and damp within his snug shorts.

A gentle tug on the back of his head made Shaylin gasp, a mix of anticipation and slight disappointment as the shaft left his lips. The cock before him stood majestically, it's throbbing surface glistening tantalizingly from its fat knotted base to its tip.

"You were really trying to make me blow, you slut," Dreik teased, his voice tensing slightly as he deftly rolled them over, switching their positions.

Normally, such an insult might have evoked a sense of shame in Shaylin, but in this context, it only fueled his desire as he reveled in the commanding presence of his Master, who now gave him an accusing stare. Squirming beneath his firm grip, Shaylin couldn't help but express his yearning in a soft, pleading voice.