Shownotes
[18+] Sometimes, meet your heroes.
Today’s story is the first of two parts of “Concert Movement Number Four” by Kandrel, who is the world’s biggest Rex fan. And Bringing Down Upworld, their most recent delve into dystopia, is available on Furplanet. You can find more of his stories on SoFurry.
Read for you by Rob MacWolf — werewolf hitchhiker.
thevoice.dog | Apple podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts
If you have a story you think would be a good fit, you can check out the requirements, fill out the submission template and get in touch with us.
https://thevoice.dog/episode/18-concert-movement-number-four-by-kandrel-part-1-of-2
Transcripts
The
Speaker:Voice
Speaker:of
Speaker:Dog.
Speaker:This
Speaker:is
Speaker:Rob
Speaker:MacWolf, your
Speaker:Fellow
Speaker:Traveller,
Speaker:and
Speaker:Today’s
Speaker:story
Speaker:is
Speaker:the
Speaker:first
Speaker:of
Speaker:two
Speaker:parts
Speaker:of “Concert
Speaker:Movement
Speaker:Number
Speaker:Four”
Speaker:by
Speaker:Kandrel, who is
Speaker:the
Speaker:world’s
Speaker:biggest
Speaker:Rex
Speaker:fan.
Speaker:His
Speaker:book,
Speaker:Bringing
Speaker:Down
Speaker:Upworld, a
Speaker:delve
Speaker:into
Speaker:distopia,
Speaker:is
Speaker:available
Speaker:on
Speaker:Furplanet.
Speaker:You
Speaker:can
Speaker:find
Speaker:more
Speaker:of
Speaker:his stories on SoFurry.
Please
enjoy
“Concert Movement
Number
Speaker:Four”
Speaker:by
Speaker:Kandrel,
Speaker:Part 1
Speaker:of 2
The
bass
Speaker:snarl
Speaker:that
Speaker:punctuated the
Speaker:lyrics
Speaker:was
Speaker:so
Speaker:severe
Speaker:that
Speaker:I
Speaker:could
Speaker:feel
Speaker:it in
Speaker:my
Speaker:chest
Speaker:rather
Speaker:than
Speaker:my
Speaker:ears. It was
Speaker:that
Speaker:same
Speaker:fluttering
Speaker:of
Speaker:the
Speaker:diaphragm
Speaker:after
Speaker:recovering
Speaker:from
Speaker:a
Speaker:punch
Speaker:to
Speaker:the
Speaker:gut.
Speaker:Some
Speaker:people
Speaker:claim
Speaker:that
Speaker:a
Speaker:song
Speaker:takes
Speaker:their
Speaker:breath
Speaker:away—but
Speaker:when
Speaker:you’re
Speaker:standing
Speaker:as
Speaker:close
Speaker:to
Speaker:the
Speaker:amps
Speaker:and
Speaker:speaker
Speaker:towers
Speaker:as
Speaker:I
Speaker:was
Speaker:it
Speaker:was
Speaker:a
Speaker:literal
Speaker:phenomenon.
Guitar
wails
Speaker:floated
Speaker:over
Speaker:the
Speaker:turbid
Speaker:sea
Speaker:of
Speaker:stomach-churning
Speaker:growls.
Speaker:Every
Speaker:once
Speaker:in
Speaker:a
Speaker:while,
Speaker:the
Speaker:fuzzy
Speaker:whine of
Speaker:the
Speaker:tortured
Speaker:amps
Speaker:managed
Speaker:to
Speaker:make
Speaker:itself
Speaker:heard
Speaker:over
Speaker:what
Speaker:even
Speaker:I
Speaker:would
Speaker:struggle
Speaker:to
Speaker:call “music.”
Speaker:I
Speaker:was at
Speaker:the
Speaker:front,
Speaker:staring
Speaker:up
Speaker:and
Speaker:over
Speaker:the
Speaker:security
Speaker:divide
Speaker:at
Speaker:Pig,
Speaker:Johnny,
Speaker:Valentine,
Speaker:and
Speaker:Rex
Speaker:as
Speaker:the
Speaker:stage
Speaker:lights
Speaker:swelled.
Speaker:Johnny’s
Speaker:drums
Speaker:pounded
Speaker:the
Speaker:rhythm of
Speaker:my
Speaker:heart
Speaker:as
Speaker:Pig’s
Speaker:bass line
Speaker:drove
Speaker:nails
Speaker:into
Speaker:it.
Speaker:Valentine’s
Speaker:vocals
Speaker:soared
Speaker:an
Speaker:octave
Speaker:as “People
Speaker:Machine”
Speaker:ground
Speaker:to
Speaker:a
Speaker:squealing
Speaker:end.
It was
July 16th in
Speaker:Baton
Speaker:Rouge.
Speaker:The
Speaker:sun
Speaker:had
Speaker:long
Speaker:since
Speaker:swan-dived
Speaker:below
Speaker:the
Speaker:false
Speaker:horizon of
Speaker:the
Speaker:Tiger
Speaker:Stadium's
Speaker:open-topped walls
Speaker:and
Speaker:the
Speaker:moon
Speaker:was
Speaker:out
Speaker:in
Speaker:force.
Speaker:Stars were
Speaker:up
Speaker:there
Speaker:too,
Speaker:probably,
Speaker:but
Speaker:no
Speaker:one
Speaker:could
Speaker:see
Speaker:them
Speaker:over the
Speaker:light
Speaker:show
Speaker:on
Speaker:stage.
Speaker:The
Speaker:dry
Speaker:heat had
Speaker:scorched
Speaker:the
Speaker:crowd
Speaker:to
Speaker:a
Speaker:sweaty
Speaker:mess,
Speaker:and
Speaker:the
Speaker:cool
Speaker:summer
Speaker:night
Speaker:air stank
Speaker:with
Speaker:the
Speaker:musk
Speaker:of
Speaker:fifty
Speaker:thousand
Speaker:assorted
Speaker:animals
Speaker:watching
Speaker:the
Speaker:concert
Speaker:set
Speaker:up
Speaker:at
Speaker:the
Speaker:fifty
Speaker:yard
Speaker:line.
Speaker:I’d
Speaker:paid
Speaker:two
Speaker:hundred
Speaker:bucks
Speaker:for
Speaker:pit
Speaker:tickets
Speaker:to
Speaker:see ‘em.
Speaker:My
Speaker:ears
Speaker:hurt.
Speaker:My
Speaker:shoulders
Speaker:hurt.
Speaker:Someone
Speaker:had
Speaker:punched
Speaker:me
Speaker:in
Speaker:the
Speaker:jaw and it
Speaker:was
Speaker:swelling
Speaker:a
Speaker:bit.
Speaker:I’d
Speaker:returned
Speaker:the
Speaker:favor,
Speaker:and
Speaker:we’d
Speaker:screamed
Speaker:at
Speaker:each
Speaker:other.
Speaker:He
Speaker:was
Speaker:a
Speaker:dog,
Speaker:so
Speaker:I
Speaker:called him
Speaker:a
Speaker:crazy
Speaker:bitch.
Speaker:Since
Speaker:I
Speaker:was
Speaker:a
Speaker:rabbit,
Speaker:he
Speaker:just
Speaker:called
Speaker:me
Speaker:lunch.
Speaker:We
Speaker:punched
Speaker:knuckles,
Speaker:smiled
Speaker:wild
Speaker:grimaces,
Speaker:and
Speaker:went
Speaker:our
Speaker:separate
Speaker:ways.
Speaker:Money
Speaker:well
Speaker:fucking
Speaker:spent.
The
other
Speaker:opening
Speaker:bands had
Speaker:been
Speaker:shit.
Speaker:First
Speaker:there’d
Speaker:been
Speaker:some
Speaker:forgettable
Speaker:emo
Speaker:posers,
Speaker:with
Speaker:black
Speaker:ink
Speaker:dye
Speaker:still
Speaker:fresh
Speaker:in
Speaker:their
Speaker:fur. Their
Speaker:lead
Speaker:singer
Speaker:had been a
Speaker:lemur,
Speaker:and
Speaker:eyes
Speaker:that
Speaker:big
Speaker:just
Speaker:couldn’t
Speaker:look
Speaker:dark
Speaker:and
Speaker:troubled.
Speaker:Their
Speaker:stage
Speaker:presence
Speaker:was
Speaker:in
Speaker:the
Speaker:negative.
Speaker:After
Speaker:that
Speaker:was
Speaker:some
Speaker:old
Speaker:stoner
Speaker:band
Speaker:no
Speaker:one
Speaker:had
Speaker:listened
Speaker:to
Speaker:in
Speaker:a
Speaker:decade,
Speaker:and
Speaker:fuck if
Speaker:they
Speaker:didn’t
Speaker:look
Speaker:it.
Speaker:Grey
Speaker:muzzles,
Speaker:all
Speaker:of
Speaker:them.
Speaker:Dogs
Speaker:with
Speaker:bald
Speaker:patches
Speaker:and
Speaker:half-missing
Speaker:ears
Speaker:and
Speaker:scars.
Speaker:Those
Speaker:scars
Speaker:ran
Speaker:deep.
Speaker:I
Speaker:don’t
Speaker:know
Speaker:what
Speaker:they’d
Speaker:been
Speaker:shooting
Speaker:into
Speaker:their
Speaker:veins
Speaker:these
Speaker:last
Speaker:ten
Speaker:years,
Speaker:but
Speaker:it
Speaker:hadn’t
Speaker:done
Speaker:them
Speaker:any
Speaker:favors.
Then
it
Speaker:was
Speaker:time.
Speaker:This
Speaker:was
Speaker:the
Speaker:whole
Speaker:reason
Speaker:I
Speaker:was
Speaker:here.
Speaker:Love
Speaker:and
Speaker:the
Speaker:Canine Hegemony. Us
Speaker:fans
Speaker:just called them LATCH.
Speaker:On
Speaker:drums
Speaker:we had
Speaker:a
Speaker:bull
Speaker:named
Speaker:Johnny.
Speaker:He
Speaker:had
Speaker:all
Speaker:the
Speaker:manual
Speaker:dexterity
Speaker:of
Speaker:an
Speaker:elephant
Speaker:wearing
Speaker:mittens
Speaker:and
Speaker:played
Speaker:like
Speaker:a
Speaker:Parkinson's
Speaker:patient
Speaker:on
Speaker:caffeine. At
Speaker:least
Speaker:he
Speaker:could
Speaker:keep
Speaker:time.
Speaker:Pig
Speaker:was
Speaker:a
Speaker:massive
Speaker:bear.
Speaker:The
Speaker:bass
Speaker:guitar
Speaker:fit
Speaker:in
Speaker:her
Speaker:hands
Speaker:like
Speaker:a
Speaker:toothpick.
Valentine
was
Speaker:the
Speaker:one
Speaker:that
Speaker:got
Speaker:all
Speaker:the
Speaker:fans.
Speaker:There
Speaker:he
Speaker:was,
Speaker:up
Speaker:on
Speaker:stage,
Speaker:with
Speaker:pants
Speaker:dangling
Speaker:so
Speaker:low
Speaker:I
Speaker:could
Speaker:see
Speaker:his
Speaker:stripes
Speaker:zagging
Speaker:down
Speaker:almost
Speaker:illegally.
Speaker:He was a
Speaker:scrawny
Speaker:tiger
Speaker:compared
Speaker:to
Speaker:the
Speaker:other
Speaker:members
Speaker:of
Speaker:the
Speaker:group,
Speaker:but
Speaker:Val didn’t
Speaker:project
Speaker:size.
Speaker:He
Speaker:radiated
Speaker:style.
Speaker:He
Speaker:was
Speaker:skinny
Speaker:and
Speaker:barely
Speaker:taller
Speaker:than
Speaker:five
Speaker:foot
Speaker:six,
Speaker:but
Speaker:he
Speaker:wasn’t
Speaker:the
Speaker:type
Speaker:of
Speaker:cat
Speaker:that
Speaker:hulked
Speaker:over
Speaker:you.
Speaker:He’s
Speaker:the
Speaker:type
Speaker:of
Speaker:cat
Speaker:that
Speaker:just
Speaker:looked
Speaker:at
Speaker:you
Speaker:and
Speaker:made
Speaker:your
Speaker:knees
Speaker:go
Speaker:weak.
Speaker:Class.
Speaker:Passion.
Speaker:Sex. A
Speaker:body that
Speaker:looked
Speaker:like
Speaker:he
Speaker:hadn’t
Speaker:eaten
Speaker:in
Speaker:a
Speaker:week
Speaker:and
Speaker:ribs
Speaker:showing through
Speaker:the
Speaker:stripes.
Speaker:Sweat
Speaker:ran
Speaker:down
Speaker:his
Speaker:head
Speaker:and
Speaker:dripped
Speaker:from
Speaker:his
Speaker:lips as
Speaker:he
Speaker:screamed
Speaker:into
Speaker:the
Speaker:mic.
Speaker:Power
Speaker:that
Speaker:wasn’t
Speaker:physical.
Speaker:Dominance
Speaker:from
Speaker:sheer
Speaker:force of
Speaker:personality.
Tonight
he
Speaker:was
Speaker:standing
Speaker:shirtless
Speaker:in
Speaker:the
Speaker:spotlight
Speaker:with
Speaker:his
Speaker:fly
Speaker:open.
Speaker:The
Speaker:guitar
Speaker:resting
Speaker:over
Speaker:his
Speaker:crotch
Speaker:was
Speaker:the
Speaker:only
Speaker:reason
Speaker:his
Speaker:pants
Speaker:didn’t
Speaker:fall
Speaker:down
Speaker:and
Speaker:give
Speaker:us
Speaker:all
Speaker:an
Speaker:entirely
Speaker:different
Speaker:kind
Speaker:of
Speaker:show.
Speaker:He
Speaker:was
Speaker:as
Speaker:tall
Speaker:and
Speaker:proud
Speaker:as
Speaker:a
Speaker:god
Speaker:of
Speaker:rock.
Speaker:His
Speaker:mouth
Speaker:opened
Speaker:for
Speaker:the
Speaker:beginning
Speaker:lines of
Speaker:the
Speaker:next
Speaker:song, and
Speaker:his
Speaker:tongue
Speaker:flicked
Speaker:over
Speaker:viciously
Speaker:long
Speaker:fangs.
Speaker:Valentine
Speaker:wasn’t
Speaker:just
Speaker:singing
Speaker:to
Speaker:the
Speaker:mic.
Speaker:He
Speaker:was
Speaker:seducing
Speaker:it.
My
heart
Speaker:skipped
Speaker:a
Speaker:beat.
Speaker:I
Speaker:knew
Speaker:that
Speaker:opening
Speaker:riff.
Speaker:It’s
Speaker:what I’d
Speaker:been
Speaker:waiting
Speaker:for
Speaker:all
Speaker:night.
Speaker:The
Speaker:drums were
Speaker:followed
Speaker:by
Speaker:a
Speaker:complicated
Speaker:synthetic
Speaker:noise
Speaker:that
Speaker:fit
Speaker:no
Speaker:known
Speaker:instrument,
Speaker:halfway
Speaker:between
Speaker:a
Speaker:theramin and a
Speaker:piece
Speaker:of
Speaker:industrial machinery.
Speaker:That
Speaker:was
Speaker:from
Speaker:the
Speaker:last
Speaker:member
Speaker:of
Speaker:the
Speaker:group, and
Speaker:my
Speaker:personal
Speaker:favorite.
Speaker:Technically,
Speaker:he
Speaker:was
Speaker:keyboard,
Speaker:synths,
Speaker:and
Speaker:the
Speaker:titular
Speaker:mascot.
Speaker:Unlike
Speaker:the
Speaker:other
Speaker:three
Speaker:who were
Speaker:flesh,
Speaker:blood,
Speaker:and
Speaker:sweat,
Speaker:Rex
Speaker:was
Speaker:robotic.
Speaker:Entirely
Speaker:synthetic. From his
Speaker:metal
Speaker:jaws
Speaker:to
Speaker:his
Speaker:wire
Speaker:tail.
He
was
Speaker:grand
Speaker:artistry
Speaker:of
Speaker:chrome
Speaker:and
Speaker:steel.
Speaker:Every
Speaker:curve
Speaker:was
Speaker:smooth
Speaker:and
Speaker:rounded,
Speaker:and
Speaker:every
Speaker:straight
Speaker:was
Speaker:sharp
Speaker:as
Speaker:a
Speaker:knife.
Speaker:Sworls
Speaker:of
Speaker:metal
Speaker:design
Speaker:twisted
Speaker:around
Speaker:semitransparent
Speaker:globes,
Speaker:lit
Speaker:from
Speaker:inside
Speaker:and
Speaker:pulsing
Speaker:in
Speaker:time
Speaker:with
Speaker:the
Speaker:music.
Speaker:He
Speaker:was
Speaker:fashioned
Speaker:to
Speaker:look
Speaker:like
Speaker:a
Speaker:dog—a
Speaker:big
Speaker:one
Speaker:like
Speaker:a
Speaker:Rottweiler or
Speaker:German
Speaker:Shepherd.
Speaker:It was
Speaker:obvious
Speaker:he’d
Speaker:been
Speaker:a custom
Speaker:build,
Speaker:made
Speaker:specifically
Speaker:for
Speaker:the
Speaker:stage
Speaker:show.
Speaker:Every
Speaker:bit
Speaker:of
Speaker:him
Speaker:fit
Speaker:the
Speaker:techno-industrial
Speaker:bent of
Speaker:the
Speaker:band.
Speaker:Sexually
Speaker:throbbing
Speaker:lights
Speaker:at
Speaker:every
Speaker:joint.
Speaker:Ergonomically
Speaker:designed
Speaker:speakers
Speaker:set
Speaker:into
Speaker:his
Speaker:side
Speaker:blasted
Speaker:out
Speaker:counter-point
Speaker:to
Speaker:Pig’s
Speaker:driving
Speaker:bass.
But
even
Speaker:with all that
Speaker:utility,
Speaker:he
Speaker:didn’t
Speaker:look
Speaker:like
Speaker:a
Speaker:robot.
Speaker:He
Speaker:didn’t
Speaker:move
Speaker:like
Speaker:a
Speaker:robot. He
Speaker:was
Speaker:a
Speaker:four-legged
Speaker:dog
Speaker:in
Speaker:robot
Speaker:form.
Speaker:Servo-driven
Speaker:muscles
Speaker:imitated
Speaker:life
Speaker:so
Speaker:closely
Speaker:that
Speaker:he
Speaker:was
Speaker:waving
Speaker:back
Speaker:at me from
Speaker:the
Speaker:far
Speaker:side
Speaker:of
Speaker:the
Speaker:uncanny
Speaker:valley,
Speaker:just
Speaker:artificial
Speaker:enough
Speaker:to
Speaker:avoid
Speaker:being
Speaker:creepy.
Speaker:Rex
Speaker:was
Speaker:industrial
Speaker:down
Speaker:to
Speaker:his
Speaker:titanium
Speaker:bones,
Speaker:but
Speaker:when
Speaker:he
Speaker:prowled
Speaker:around
Speaker:the
Speaker:stage,
Speaker:he
Speaker:stepped
Speaker:with
Speaker:mechanical
Speaker:grace
Speaker:and
Speaker:programmed
Speaker:precision.
Speaker:In
Speaker:short,
Speaker:he
Speaker:was
Speaker:gorgeous.
Right
now
Speaker:was
Speaker:the
Speaker:moment.
Speaker:First
Speaker:verse
Speaker:done
Speaker:in
Speaker:Valentine’s
Speaker:banshee
Speaker:wail.
Speaker:Pig
Speaker:broke
Speaker:into
Speaker:the
Speaker:chorus
Speaker:while
Speaker:the
Speaker:tiger
Speaker:shucked
Speaker:his
Speaker:guitar
Speaker:and
Speaker:pounced
Speaker:on Rex as he
Speaker:prowled past. It
Speaker:was
Speaker:all
Speaker:perfectly
Speaker:rehearsed.
Speaker:They
Speaker:were
Speaker:all
Speaker:shouting the
Speaker:lyrics
Speaker:now
Speaker:as
Speaker:Rex’s
Speaker:light
Speaker:show
Speaker:strobed.
Speaker:Valentine’s
Speaker:arm
Speaker:scooped
Speaker:up
Speaker:under
Speaker:Rex’s
Speaker:front,
Speaker:lifting
Speaker:him
Speaker:up
Speaker:to
Speaker:show
Speaker:the
Speaker:robot
Speaker:dog
Speaker:off.
He’d
been
Speaker:built
Speaker:accurate,
Speaker:right
Speaker:down
Speaker:to
Speaker:the
Speaker:bits
Speaker:Valentine were stroking openly towards
Speaker:the
Speaker:crowd.
Speaker:This
Speaker:was
Speaker:the
Speaker:bit the
Speaker:recordings
Speaker:always
Speaker:censored.
Speaker:Technically,
Speaker:Rex
Speaker:was
Speaker:a
Speaker:mechanism.
Speaker:The
Speaker:red
Speaker:shaft
Speaker:that
Speaker:was
Speaker:being
Speaker:brazenly
Speaker:jacked
Speaker:off
Speaker:right
Speaker:now
Speaker:was
Speaker:legally
Speaker:just
Speaker:a
Speaker:sex
Speaker:toy,
Speaker:and shock
Speaker:rockers
Speaker:had
Speaker:been
Speaker:waving
Speaker:sex
Speaker:toys
Speaker:around
Speaker:on
Speaker:stage
Speaker:for
Speaker:years.
The
crowd
Speaker:screamed.
Speaker:Fans
Speaker:like
Speaker:me knew
Speaker:to
Speaker:anticipate it.
Speaker:They
Speaker:pulled
Speaker:this
Speaker:stunt
Speaker:off
Speaker:at
Speaker:every
Speaker:show.
Speaker:They’d
Speaker:been
Speaker:banned
Speaker:in
Speaker:three
Speaker:states
Speaker:because
Speaker:of
Speaker:it,
Speaker:but
Speaker:that’d
Speaker:only
Speaker:made
Speaker:them
Speaker:more
Speaker:famous.
Your
Speaker:shaking
Speaker:legs
Speaker:embody
Submission
Speaker:to
Speaker:the
Speaker:demagogy
Bend
Speaker:your
Speaker:knees
Speaker:and
Speaker:kneel
Speaker:before
The
Speaker:new
Speaker:canine
Speaker:illuminati
In
Speaker:our
Speaker:hands
Speaker:we
Speaker:hold
The
Speaker:only
Speaker:thing
Speaker:that
Speaker:can
Speaker:sate
Speaker:your
Speaker:itch
‘Cuz
toni-i-i-ight-
Rex ‘gonna
Speaker:make
Speaker:you
Speaker:his
Speaker:bitch
Right
on
Speaker:cue, the
Speaker:lights
Speaker:pulsed
Speaker:bright.
Speaker:Rex
Speaker:let
Speaker:out
Speaker:a
Speaker:howl,
Speaker:and
Speaker:Valentine’s
Speaker:lewd
Speaker:stroking
Speaker:swayed
Speaker:the
Speaker:robotic
Speaker:phallus
Speaker:around
Speaker:side-to-side.
Speaker:Long
Speaker:arcs
Speaker:of
Speaker:liquid
Speaker:sprayed
Speaker:over
Speaker:the
Speaker:front
Speaker:rows
Speaker:of
Speaker:the
Speaker:crowd.
Speaker:I
Speaker:was
Speaker:right
Speaker:where
Speaker:I
Speaker:wanted—no, where
Speaker:I
Speaker:needed
Speaker:to
Speaker:be.
Speaker:Arms
Speaker:upraised, it
Speaker:splattered
Speaker:my
Speaker:front.
Speaker:I
Speaker:opened
Speaker:my
Speaker:mouth
Speaker:and
Speaker:got
Speaker:a
Speaker:taste.
Speaker:Rum and
Speaker:coconut.
Speaker:Hell.
Speaker:That
Speaker:was
Speaker:one
Speaker:classy
Speaker:ejaculation.
The song
paused
Speaker:for
Speaker:a
Speaker:few
Speaker:seconds
Speaker:as
Speaker:the
Speaker:roar
Speaker:from
Speaker:the
Speaker:crowd
Speaker:reached
Speaker:its
Speaker:own
Speaker:crescendo.
Speaker:Around
Speaker:me,
Speaker:the
Speaker:front
Speaker:row
Speaker:was
Speaker:mostly
Speaker:content
Speaker:with
Speaker:their
Speaker:soaking. A
Speaker:guy
Speaker:next
Speaker:to
Speaker:me
Speaker:took
Speaker:his
Speaker:shirt
Speaker:off and
Speaker:was
Speaker:swinging
Speaker:it
Speaker:around.
Speaker:More the
Speaker:fool,
Speaker:him.
Speaker:More
Speaker:explicit
Speaker:sprays
Speaker:shot
Speaker:from
Speaker:Rex’s
Speaker:swaying
Speaker:shaft.
Speaker:Valentine
Speaker:was
Speaker:aiming
Speaker:it
Speaker:at
Speaker:the
Speaker:crowd.
Speaker:I
Speaker:knew
Speaker:with
Speaker:the
Speaker:blazing
Speaker:lights
Speaker:glaring
Speaker:down
Speaker:at
Speaker:the
Speaker:stage
Speaker:he
Speaker:wasn’t
Speaker:aiming
Speaker:specifically
Speaker:at
Speaker:me,
Speaker:but
Speaker:I
Speaker:got
Speaker:a
Speaker:good
Speaker:helping
Speaker:of
Speaker:it
Speaker:being
Speaker:front-and-center.
On
stage,
Speaker:Valentine
Speaker:ground
Speaker:himself
Speaker:against
Speaker:the
Speaker:robot
Speaker:dog
Speaker:lifted
Speaker:against
Speaker:his
Speaker:front.
Speaker:He
Speaker:made
Speaker:the
Speaker:typical
Speaker:guitarist ‘lewd’
Speaker:face, with
Speaker:mouth
Speaker:open,
Speaker:tongue
Speaker:out and
Speaker:curled
Speaker:up, and
Speaker:eyes
Speaker:wide.
Speaker:He
Speaker:gave
Speaker:Rex’s
Speaker:cock
Speaker:a few
Speaker:more
Speaker:twirls,
Speaker:then
Speaker:let
Speaker:the
Speaker:robotic
Speaker:canid
Speaker:drop
Speaker:back
Speaker:to
Speaker:the
Speaker:stage.
Speaker:The
Speaker:lights
Speaker:swirled
Speaker:around
Speaker:the
Speaker:set.
Speaker:The
Speaker:drum line
Speaker:came
Speaker:back,
Speaker:and
Speaker:the
Speaker:song
Speaker:continued.
Speaker:I
Speaker:screamed
Speaker:until
Speaker:I
Speaker:was
Speaker:hoarse.
Two
songs
Speaker:later
Speaker:their
Speaker:set
Speaker:was
Speaker:over
Speaker:and
Speaker:the
Speaker:headlining
Speaker:band
Speaker:took
Speaker:the
Speaker:stage.
Speaker:I
Speaker:gave
Speaker:my
Speaker:front-row
Speaker:spot
Speaker:to
Speaker:some
Speaker:kid
Speaker:who
Speaker:was
Speaker:going
Speaker:crazy
Speaker:when
Speaker:Megaknux
Speaker:started
Speaker:their
Speaker:feature
Speaker:song.
Speaker:They
Speaker:weren’t
Speaker:bad,
Speaker:really,
Speaker:but
Speaker:it
Speaker:wasn’t
Speaker:my
Speaker:kind
Speaker:of
Speaker:thing.
Speaker:I
Speaker:was
Speaker:here
Speaker:for
Speaker:LATCH.
I
gave
Speaker:as
Speaker:good
Speaker:as
Speaker:I
Speaker:got on
Speaker:my
Speaker:way
Speaker:back
Speaker:through
Speaker:the
Speaker:pit.
Speaker:I’d
Speaker:have
Speaker:bruises
Speaker:for
Speaker:days.
Speaker:There
Speaker:was
Speaker:a
Speaker:side
Speaker:exit
Speaker:to
Speaker:the
Speaker:arena—to
Speaker:the
Speaker:backstage
Speaker:area
Speaker:instead
Speaker:of
Speaker:out front
Speaker:to
Speaker:the
Speaker:parking
Speaker:lot.
Speaker:A
Speaker:solid
Speaker:row
Speaker:of
Speaker:security
Speaker:stood
Speaker:in
Speaker:front
Speaker:of
Speaker:it,
Speaker:along
Speaker:with
Speaker:those
Speaker:useless
Speaker:barrier
Speaker:ribbons.
Speaker:Thump-thump-thump
Speaker:went
Speaker:Megaknux.
Speaker:There
Speaker:was
Speaker:a
Speaker:crowd
Speaker:of
Speaker:losers
Speaker:around
Speaker:the
Speaker:backstage
Speaker:entrance,
Speaker:each
Speaker:one
Speaker:of
Speaker:them
Speaker:eyeing
Speaker:the
Speaker:security
Speaker:and
Speaker:waiting
Speaker:for
Speaker:any
Speaker:excuse
Speaker:to ‘trip’
Speaker:past
Speaker:the
Speaker:line,
Speaker:or
Speaker:sneak
Speaker:past
Speaker:when
Speaker:one of
Speaker:the
Speaker:muscle-clad
Speaker:bouncers
Speaker:weren’t
Speaker:looking.
I
didn’t
Speaker:bother
Speaker:with
Speaker:their
Speaker:antics.
Speaker:I
Speaker:walked
Speaker:straight
Speaker:up
Speaker:to
Speaker:the
Speaker:first
Speaker:guard.
Speaker:He
Speaker:was
Speaker:a
Speaker:thick
Speaker:looking
Speaker:husky
Speaker:with
Speaker:startlingly
Speaker:blue
Speaker:eyes.
Speaker:His
Speaker:eyes
Speaker:narrowed
Speaker:at
Speaker:me.
Speaker:What
Speaker:excuse
Speaker:was
Speaker:I
Speaker:about
Speaker:to
Speaker:throw
Speaker:at
Speaker:him?
Speaker:Family? Friend
Speaker:of
Speaker:the
Speaker:band?
Speaker:Delivery-and-here’s-their-pizza-they-said-I-had-to-hand-it-to-them-personally?
Speaker:He
Speaker:looked
Speaker:like
Speaker:he’d
Speaker:had
Speaker:a
Speaker:long
Speaker:night.
Speaker:I
Speaker:don’t
Speaker:think
Speaker:he
Speaker:expected
Speaker:me
Speaker:to
Speaker:stretch
Speaker:my
Speaker:shirt
Speaker:out
Speaker:towards
Speaker:him
Speaker:from
Speaker:the
Speaker:hem
Speaker:and
Speaker:exclaim, “I’m
Speaker:here
Speaker:for
Speaker:Rex.”
The
first
Speaker:time
Speaker:I
Speaker:said
Speaker:it,
Speaker:he
Speaker:ignored
Speaker:it.
Speaker:In
Speaker:fact,
Speaker:his
Speaker:eyes
Speaker:left
Speaker:me
Speaker:entirely,
Speaker:with
Speaker:that
Speaker:thousand-yard
Speaker:gaze of
Speaker:not
Speaker:looking
Speaker:at
Speaker:anything
Speaker:in
Speaker:specific,
Speaker:but
Speaker:specifically
Speaker:not
Speaker:looking at
Speaker:you.
Speaker:I
Speaker:repeated
Speaker:myself.
Speaker:The
Speaker:second
Speaker:time,
Speaker:a
Speaker:guard
Speaker:next
Speaker:to
Speaker:him—a
Speaker:muscular
Speaker:leopard—leaned
Speaker:over
Speaker:and
Speaker:whispered
Speaker:something.
Speaker:The
Speaker:husky’s
Speaker:eyes
Speaker:flicked
Speaker:back
Speaker:to
Speaker:me
Speaker:and
Speaker:went
Speaker:wide.
Speaker:The
Speaker:edges
Speaker:of
Speaker:his
Speaker:mouth
Speaker:lifted
Speaker:up
Speaker:in
Speaker:a
Speaker:smile.
I
was
Speaker:about
Speaker:as
Speaker:atypical
Speaker:for
Speaker:a
Speaker:LATCH
Speaker:fan
Speaker:as
Speaker:you
Speaker:could
Speaker:get.
Speaker:Most
Speaker:of
Speaker:their
Speaker:fans
Speaker:were
Speaker:aggressive
Speaker:predators.
Speaker:Dogs,
Speaker:cats,
Speaker:wolverines
Speaker:and
Speaker:weasels.
Speaker:You
Speaker:wouldn’t
Speaker:expect
Speaker:a
Speaker:lanky
Speaker:bunny
Speaker:like
Speaker:me to be
Speaker:wearing
Speaker:the
Speaker:black
Speaker:t-shirt
Speaker:with
Speaker:Rex’s
Speaker:symbol
Speaker:splashed
Speaker:across
Speaker:the
Speaker:front
Speaker:in
Speaker:lurid
Speaker:red
Speaker:and
Speaker:white.
Speaker:But
Speaker:fan
Speaker:I
Speaker:was,
Speaker:and
Speaker:I’d
Speaker:said
Speaker:the
Speaker:magic
Speaker:words.
Speaker:I’d
Speaker:heard
Speaker:the
Speaker:urban
Speaker:legend.
Speaker:Now
Speaker:it
Speaker:was
Speaker:time
Speaker:to
Speaker:find
Speaker:out
Speaker:if
Speaker:it
Speaker:was
Speaker:true—and
Speaker:by
Speaker:the
Speaker:look
Speaker:the
Speaker:husky
Speaker:was
Speaker:giving
Speaker:me
Speaker:it
Speaker:appeared
Speaker:I'd
Speaker:heard
Speaker:right.
He
extended
Speaker:a
Speaker:finger
Speaker:and
Speaker:pointed
Speaker:at
Speaker:me,
Speaker:then
Speaker:gestured
Speaker:me forward. He
Speaker:took
Speaker:a
Speaker:hand full
Speaker:of
Speaker:my
Speaker:shirt
Speaker:and
Speaker:lifted it
Speaker:up
Speaker:to
Speaker:his
Speaker:nose.
Speaker:Even
Speaker:through
Speaker:the
Speaker:rank
Speaker:sweat
Speaker:and
Speaker:blood
Speaker:and
Speaker:piss
Speaker:of
Speaker:a
Speaker:big
Speaker:rock
Speaker:tour
Speaker:experience,
Speaker:I
Speaker:knew
Speaker:I
Speaker:still
Speaker:reeked
Speaker:of
Speaker:Rex’s “cum”.
Speaker:I smelled like
Speaker:Captain
Speaker:Morgan
Speaker:had
Speaker:fucked a
Speaker:coconut.
Speaker:I
Speaker:couldn’t
Speaker:hear
Speaker:the
Speaker:guard
Speaker:over
Speaker:the
Speaker:intense
Speaker:beat
Speaker:of
Speaker:Megaknux’s
Speaker:music,
Speaker:but
Speaker:it
Speaker:looked
Speaker:like
Speaker:he
Speaker:mouthed
Speaker:the
Speaker:words, “Fuckin’
Speaker:pervert.”
Speaker:I’d
Speaker:be
Speaker:offended,
Speaker:but
Speaker:he
Speaker:said
Speaker:it
Speaker:through
Speaker:a
Speaker:tooth-filled
Speaker:smile.
Speaker:My
Speaker:kind
Speaker:of
Speaker:dog.
Much
to
Speaker:the dismay
Speaker:of
Speaker:the
Speaker:losers
Speaker:surrounding
Speaker:the
Speaker:backstage
Speaker:entrance,
Speaker:the
Speaker:guard
Speaker:pulled
Speaker:me
Speaker:past
Speaker:the
Speaker:ribbon.
Speaker:A
Speaker:few
Speaker:of
Speaker:them
Speaker:quickly
Speaker:tried to hold out
Speaker:their
Speaker:own
Speaker:shirts
Speaker:in
Speaker:a
Speaker:desperate
Speaker:attempt
Speaker:to
Speaker:mimic
Speaker:my
Speaker:success,
Speaker:which
Speaker:the
Speaker:guards
Speaker:stolidly
Speaker:ignored.
Straight
down
Speaker:the
Speaker:hallway,
Speaker:first
Speaker:left,
Speaker:then
Speaker:third
Speaker:green
Speaker:room
Speaker:on
Speaker:the
Speaker:right,
Speaker:the
Speaker:husky
Speaker:told
Speaker:me.
Speaker:Don’t ‘make
Speaker:a
Speaker:mistake’
Speaker:or
Speaker:they’d have to
Speaker:come
Speaker:down
Speaker:and
Speaker:remove
Speaker:my
Speaker:fluffy
Speaker:ass.
Speaker:Then
Speaker:before
Speaker:I
Speaker:dashed
Speaker:off,
Speaker:the
Speaker:husky
Speaker:leaned
Speaker:down and
Speaker:whispered
Speaker:to
Speaker:me. “Enjoy
Speaker:yourself,
Speaker:lucky
Speaker:bunny.”
Speaker:He
Speaker:slapped
Speaker:my
Speaker:ass
Speaker:as
Speaker:I
Speaker:scampered.
I
walked
Speaker:with a
Speaker:spring
Speaker:my
Speaker:step.
Speaker:Rumors
Speaker:had
Speaker:been
Speaker:flying
Speaker:on
Speaker:the
Speaker:LATCH
Speaker:fan
Speaker:forums
Speaker:for
Speaker:years.
Speaker:Be
Speaker:at
Speaker:the
Speaker:front
Speaker:during “Rex’s
Speaker:Bitch.”
Speaker:Get
Speaker:soaked.
Speaker:Then
Speaker:tell
Speaker:the
Speaker:road
Speaker:crew
Speaker:that
Speaker:you’re
Speaker:there
Speaker:for
Speaker:Rex,
Speaker:and
Speaker:if
Speaker:you’re
Speaker:the
Speaker:first
Speaker:one
Speaker:of
Speaker:the
Speaker:night,
Speaker:they’ll
Speaker:let
Speaker:you
Speaker:back
Speaker:to
Speaker:meet
Speaker:Val
Speaker:and
Speaker:Pig.
Speaker:And
Speaker:Rex. It was
Speaker:supposed
Speaker:to
Speaker:be
Speaker:the ‘ultimate
Speaker:rock
Speaker:tour
Speaker:experience’.
Speaker:No
Speaker:one
Speaker:on
Speaker:the
Speaker:forums
Speaker:wanted
Speaker:to
Speaker:admit
Speaker:they’d
Speaker:done
Speaker:it,
Speaker:but
Speaker:there’d
Speaker:been
Speaker:oblique
Speaker:references
Speaker:to
Speaker:it
Speaker:everywhere.
Speaker:I
Speaker:had
Speaker:no
Speaker:doubt
Speaker:what
Speaker:I
Speaker:was
Speaker:heading
Speaker:back
Speaker:to
Speaker:get.
There
was
Speaker:surprisingly
Speaker:little
Speaker:security
Speaker:in
Speaker:the
Speaker:hallways. The
Speaker:place was
Speaker:wide
Speaker:but
Speaker:low, with
Speaker:bits
Speaker:of
Speaker:discarded
Speaker:stage
Speaker:props
Speaker:leaning
Speaker:up
Speaker:against
Speaker:the
Speaker:walls
Speaker:on
Speaker:either
Speaker:side.
Speaker:I
Speaker:counted
Speaker:out
Speaker:the
Speaker:doors.
Speaker:One,
Speaker:two,
Speaker:three,
Speaker:then
Speaker:gave
Speaker:it
Speaker:a
Speaker:knock.
“Who’zat?”
Johnny
Speaker:answered
Speaker:the
Speaker:door.
Speaker:He
Speaker:stood
Speaker:almost
Speaker:twice
Speaker:my
Speaker:height,
Speaker:with
Speaker:thick
Speaker:fingers
Speaker:that
Speaker:were
Speaker:halfway
Speaker:to
Speaker:hooves
Speaker:gripping
Speaker:the
Speaker:doorknob.
Speaker:He
Speaker:spent
Speaker:a
Speaker:good
Speaker:few
Speaker:seconds
Speaker:looking
Speaker:down
Speaker:at
Speaker:me
Speaker:before
Speaker:the
Speaker:smell
Speaker:hit
Speaker:him.
“Oh,
man.
Speaker:Val,
Speaker:I
Speaker:think
Speaker:this
Speaker:is
Speaker:yours.”
Speaker:Johnny
Speaker:squinted
Speaker:down
Speaker:at
Speaker:me
Speaker:with
Speaker:poorly
Speaker:disguised
Speaker:distaste.
Speaker:His
Speaker:eyes
Speaker:rolled. “I’m
Speaker:goin’
Speaker:out.
Speaker:You
Speaker:have
Speaker:a
Speaker:good
Speaker:night.”
He
pushed
Speaker:past
Speaker:me,
Speaker:leaving
Speaker:the
Speaker:door
Speaker:open
Speaker:as
Speaker:he
Speaker:went.
Speaker:From
Speaker:inside,
Speaker:a
Speaker:familiar
Speaker:voice
Speaker:called
Speaker:to
Speaker:me. “Don’t
Speaker:mind
Speaker:him,
Speaker:kid.
Speaker:What’s
Speaker:your
Speaker:name?”
Inside,
the
Speaker:room
Speaker:was
Speaker:heavily
Speaker:scented
Speaker:with
Speaker:beer.
Speaker:I
Speaker:shut
Speaker:the
Speaker:door
Speaker:behind
Speaker:me
Speaker:as
Speaker:I
Speaker:stepped
Speaker:in.
Speaker:To
Speaker:one
Speaker:side,
Speaker:the
Speaker:massive
Speaker:form
Speaker:of
Speaker:Pig
Speaker:was
Speaker:collapsed
Speaker:face-down
Speaker:on
Speaker:a
Speaker:mattress.
Speaker:Against
Speaker:the
Speaker:far
Speaker:wall,
Speaker:Val
Speaker:sat on the
Speaker:floor
Speaker:with
Speaker:Rex
Speaker:laid
Speaker:down
Speaker:next
Speaker:to
Speaker:him.
Speaker:Both of
Speaker:their
Speaker:heads
Speaker:turned
Speaker:towards
Speaker:me.
Speaker:Valentine’s
Speaker:eyes
Speaker:were
Speaker:strikingly green.
Speaker:He smiled
Speaker:slyly
Speaker:at
Speaker:me.
Speaker:Rex
Speaker:had
Speaker:two
Speaker:slim
Speaker:visors
Speaker:that
Speaker:worked
Speaker:as
Speaker:his
Speaker:eyes,
Speaker:and
Speaker:they
Speaker:were
Speaker:pointed
Speaker:at
Speaker:me.
When
I
Speaker:didn’t
Speaker:immediately
Speaker:answer,
Speaker:Val
Speaker:laughed.
Speaker:He
Speaker:had
Speaker:a hand
Speaker:on
Speaker:Rex’s
Speaker:head and
Speaker:was
Speaker:stroking.
Speaker:I’m
Speaker:not
Speaker:sure
Speaker:whether
Speaker:Rex
Speaker:had
Speaker:some
Speaker:kind
Speaker:of
Speaker:sensors
Speaker:so
Speaker:he
Speaker:could
Speaker:feel
Speaker:the
Speaker:petting,
Speaker:but
Speaker:he
Speaker:acted
Speaker:the
Speaker:part
Speaker:exquisitely.
Speaker:His
Speaker:tail
Speaker:gave
Speaker:a
Speaker:wag
Speaker:that
Speaker:ended
Speaker:in
Speaker:a
Speaker:metallic
Speaker:clunk
Speaker:as
Speaker:it
Speaker:hit
Speaker:the
Speaker:wall.
“If you
came
Speaker:this
Speaker:far,
Speaker:you
Speaker:can’t
Speaker:have
Speaker:been
Speaker:shy.
Speaker:Come
Speaker:on
Speaker:over
Speaker:here.
Speaker:You
Speaker:can
Speaker:pet
Speaker:him
Speaker:if
Speaker:you
Speaker:want.” Valentine’s
Speaker:nose
Speaker:twitched,
Speaker:and he
Speaker:gave
Speaker:me
Speaker:a
Speaker:gap-jawed
Speaker:grin. “Hell, it
Speaker:smells
Speaker:like
Speaker:you
Speaker:want
Speaker:to
Speaker:do a lot
Speaker:more
Speaker:than
Speaker:petting,
Speaker:but
Speaker:why
Speaker:don’t you
Speaker:start
Speaker:there.”
His
laugh
Speaker:broke through
Speaker:my
Speaker:shock.
Speaker:Behind
Speaker:the
Speaker:stage-persona,
Speaker:he had
Speaker:a
Speaker:friendly
Speaker:smile.
Speaker:I
Speaker:took
Speaker:off
Speaker:my
Speaker:shirt
Speaker:and
Speaker:threw
Speaker:it
Speaker:at
Speaker:him.
Speaker:He
Speaker:caught
Speaker:it
Speaker:one
Speaker:hand and
Speaker:pulled
Speaker:it to
Speaker:his
Speaker:face.
Speaker:He
Speaker:breathed
Speaker:in
Speaker:through
Speaker:his
Speaker:nose.
Speaker:I
Speaker:knew
Speaker:what
Speaker:he
Speaker:was
Speaker:smelling.
Speaker:Rum
Speaker:and
Speaker:coconut.
Speaker:He
Speaker:lifted
Speaker:the
Speaker:shirt up
Speaker:as
Speaker:I
Speaker:walked
Speaker:towards
Speaker:them
Speaker:and
Speaker:knelt. “Hey,
Speaker:I
Speaker:remember
Speaker:this
Speaker:tour.
Speaker:Remember
Speaker:that
Speaker:Rex?
Speaker:Cincinnati,
Speaker:under
Speaker:the
Speaker:big
Speaker:dome?
Speaker:Great
Speaker:night.”
Then
Val
Speaker:looked
Speaker:directly
Speaker:at
Speaker:me,
Speaker:piercing
Speaker:me
Speaker:with a
Speaker:lascivious
Speaker:gaze. “Remember
Speaker:that
Speaker:night,
Speaker:Rex?
Speaker:After,
Speaker:when
Speaker:that
Speaker:gazelle
Speaker:girl
Speaker:came
Speaker:down
Speaker:to
Speaker:visit
Speaker:us.
Speaker:Remember
Speaker:the
Speaker:fun
Speaker:we
Speaker:had?”
Speaker:I
Speaker:knew
Speaker:what
Speaker:he
Speaker:was
Speaker:doing.
Speaker:He
Speaker:was
Speaker:making
Speaker:sure
Speaker:I
Speaker:knew
Speaker:exactly
Speaker:what
Speaker:I
Speaker:was
Speaker:getting
Speaker:into.
Speaker:He
Speaker:was
Speaker:giving
Speaker:me
Speaker:a
Speaker:chance
Speaker:to
Speaker:back
Speaker:out.
Speaker:I
Speaker:gave
Speaker:him
Speaker:a
Speaker:knowing
Speaker:smile
Speaker:and
Speaker:pet
Speaker:Rex’s
Speaker:head.
Rex
sniffed
Speaker:at
Speaker:the
Speaker:shirt.
Speaker:Then
Speaker:the
Speaker:thin
Speaker:sound
Speaker:of
Speaker:a
Speaker:guitar
Speaker:riff
Speaker:emerged
Speaker:from
Speaker:his
Speaker:side-mounted
Speaker:speakers.
I
Speaker:can
Speaker:still
Speaker:remember
Speaker:her
Speaker:face
Thin
Speaker:and
Speaker:dark
Speaker:and
Speaker:beautiful
Speaker:as
Speaker:sin
Curled
Speaker:up
Speaker:comfortably
Speaker:on
Speaker:my
Speaker:bed
As
Speaker:our
Speaker:night
Speaker:dripped
Speaker:down
Speaker:her
Speaker:chin.
I
recognized
Speaker:those
Speaker:words.
Speaker:That was
Speaker:from
Speaker:their
Speaker:second
Speaker:album.
Speaker:I
Speaker:also
Speaker:recognized
Speaker:the
Speaker:voice.
Speaker:That
Speaker:was
Speaker:Valentine
Speaker:singing,
Speaker:even
Speaker:if
Speaker:it
Speaker:was
Speaker:coming
Speaker:from
Speaker:Rex’s
Speaker:speakers.
Speaker:That he
Speaker:had
Speaker:anything
Speaker:to
Speaker:say
Speaker:at
Speaker:all
Speaker:was
Speaker:a
Speaker:surprise,
Speaker:even
Speaker:if
Speaker:it
Speaker:was
Speaker:with
Speaker:Val's
Speaker:voice.
Speaker:Rex
Speaker:never
Speaker:spoke
Speaker:in
Speaker:interviews.
Speaker:Every
Speaker:time
Speaker:there
Speaker:was
Speaker:a
Speaker:camera
Speaker:in front of him,
Speaker:it
Speaker:was
Speaker:Val up
Speaker:front
Speaker:and
Speaker:Rex
Speaker:lurking
Speaker:in
Speaker:the
Speaker:background. At
Speaker:my
Speaker:questioning
Speaker:glance,
Speaker:Val
Speaker:shrugged. “He’s
Speaker:not so
Speaker:much
Speaker:a
Speaker:talker. If
Speaker:he
Speaker:wants
Speaker:to
Speaker:say
Speaker:something,
Speaker:he
Speaker:says
Speaker:it
Speaker:in
Speaker:song.”
“Mark.
My
Speaker:name’s
Speaker:Mark.”
Speaker:I
Speaker:said,
Speaker:while
Speaker:running
Speaker:fingers
Speaker:over
Speaker:Rex’s
Speaker:ears.
Speaker:Even
Speaker:though
Speaker:they
Speaker:were
Speaker:smooth
Speaker:metal,
Speaker:chrome
Speaker:steel
Speaker:or
Speaker:aluminum
Speaker:or
Speaker:something
Speaker:like
Speaker:it,
Speaker:they
Speaker:felt
Speaker:warm,
Speaker:and
Speaker:they
Speaker:flicked
Speaker:under
Speaker:my
Speaker:hand.
Speaker:He
Speaker:lifted
Speaker:his
Speaker:head
Speaker:and
Speaker:put
Speaker:his
Speaker:muzzle
Speaker:in
Speaker:my
Speaker:palm.
Speaker:A
Speaker:metal
Speaker:nose
Speaker:pushed
Speaker:up
Speaker:and
Speaker:gave
Speaker:the
Speaker:perfunctory
Speaker:gesture
Speaker:of ‘sniffing’
Speaker:while
Speaker:I
Speaker:rubbed
Speaker:his
Speaker:snout with
Speaker:curled
Speaker:fingers. He
Speaker:made
Speaker:every
Speaker:evidence
Speaker:of
Speaker:enjoying
Speaker:it.
“He
can
Speaker:feel
Speaker:it.
Speaker:He’s
Speaker:got
Speaker:sensors
Speaker:everywhere.”
Speaker:Val
Speaker:answered
Speaker:my
Speaker:question
Speaker:before
Speaker:I
Speaker:even
Speaker:asked.
Speaker:It made me
Speaker:wonder
Speaker:how
Speaker:often
Speaker:he
Speaker:did
Speaker:this—but
Speaker:that
Speaker:was
Speaker:a
Speaker:silly
Speaker:question,
Speaker:wasn’t
Speaker:it?
Speaker:He had
Speaker:shows
Speaker:across
Speaker:the
Speaker:continent.
Speaker:They
Speaker:played
Speaker:four
Speaker:nights
Speaker:a
Speaker:week,
Speaker:at
Speaker:least.
Speaker:I
Speaker:didn't
Speaker:expect
Speaker:every
Speaker:time
Speaker:he
Speaker:got
Speaker:someone
Speaker:like
Speaker:me,
Speaker:but
Speaker:the
Speaker:question
Speaker:of ‘how
Speaker:many’
Speaker:wasn’t
Speaker:going
Speaker:to
Speaker:be
Speaker:a
Speaker:small
Speaker:number. I
Speaker:couldn’t
Speaker:count
Speaker:to
Speaker:it
Speaker:even
Speaker:given
Speaker:both
Speaker:hands,
Speaker:and
Speaker:at
Speaker:least
Speaker:one
Speaker:of
Speaker:my
Speaker:hands
Speaker:was
Speaker:currently
Speaker:busy.
Rex
laid
Speaker:his
Speaker:head
Speaker:in
Speaker:my
Speaker:lap
Speaker:when
Speaker:I
Speaker:sat
Speaker:down,
Speaker:cross-legged
Speaker:in
Speaker:front
Speaker:of
Speaker:the
Speaker:two
Speaker:of
Speaker:them.
Speaker:It was
Speaker:heavy,
Speaker:but
Speaker:not
Speaker:uncomfortably
Speaker:so. It
Speaker:felt
Speaker:strange
Speaker:to ‘scratch’
Speaker:metal,
Speaker:but with
Speaker:the
Speaker:way
Speaker:I
Speaker:had
Speaker:him
Speaker:wagging
Speaker:in just
Speaker:seconds
Speaker:gave
Speaker:proof to
Speaker:Val’s
Speaker:statement.
Speaker:I
Speaker:stroked
Speaker:down
Speaker:his
Speaker:neck,
Speaker:and
Speaker:he
Speaker:rolled
Speaker:onto
Speaker:his
Speaker:back.
I
couldn’t
Speaker:help
Speaker:it.
Speaker:I
Speaker:looked.
Speaker:Oh,
Speaker:man,
Speaker:that
Speaker:was
Speaker:everything
Speaker:I’d dreamed
Speaker:about
Speaker:behind
Speaker:those
Speaker:censor
Speaker:bars
Speaker:on
Speaker:the
Speaker:band tour
Speaker:DVDs.
Speaker:It
Speaker:was
Speaker:all
Speaker:metal,
Speaker:but
Speaker:his
Speaker:underside
Speaker:was
Speaker:contoured
Speaker:and
Speaker:textured
Speaker:to
Speaker:look
Speaker:like
Speaker:fur.
Speaker:Or
Speaker:at
Speaker:least,
Speaker:the
Speaker:acid
Speaker:etching
Speaker:and
Speaker:styling
Speaker:looked
Speaker:like
Speaker:the
Speaker:essence
Speaker:of
Speaker:fur
Speaker:if
Speaker:you
Speaker:refined
Speaker:it
Speaker:down to its
Speaker:most
Speaker:fur-like
Speaker:components.
Speaker:He
Speaker:gave
Speaker:a
Speaker:growl
Speaker:that
Speaker:sounded
Speaker:like
Speaker:a
Speaker:bass line
Speaker:as
Speaker:I
Speaker:rubbed
Speaker:my
Speaker:hand
Speaker:down
Speaker:between
Speaker:his
Speaker:front
Speaker:legs.
“Well,
congratulations,
Speaker:Mark.
Speaker:You
Speaker:didn’t
Speaker:run
Speaker:away
Speaker:when
Speaker:he
Speaker:put
Speaker:the
Speaker:goods
Speaker:on
Speaker:display,
Speaker:and
Speaker:he
Speaker:likes
Speaker:you.
Speaker:You
Speaker:want
Speaker:the
Speaker:full
Speaker:tour,
Speaker:then?”
Speaker:I
Speaker:looked
Speaker:up
Speaker:at
Speaker:Val. It
Speaker:surprised
Speaker:me
Speaker:that
Speaker:he’d unzipped
Speaker:his
Speaker:fly.
Speaker:It
Speaker:shouldn’t
Speaker:have—what
Speaker:did
Speaker:I
Speaker:think
Speaker:was
Speaker:going
Speaker:to
Speaker:happen?
Speaker:Oh
Speaker:man,
Speaker:those
Speaker:stripes
Speaker:went
Speaker:all
Speaker:the
Speaker:way
Speaker:down.
Speaker:It’d
Speaker:been
Speaker:Rex
Speaker:I’d
Speaker:dreamed
Speaker:about
Speaker:these
Speaker:last
Speaker:years
Speaker:since
Speaker:I
Speaker:first
Speaker:read
Speaker:the
Speaker:rumor
Speaker:of
Speaker:the
Speaker:myth,
Speaker:but
Speaker:I
Speaker:won’t
Speaker:deny
Speaker:it—I’d
Speaker:jerked
Speaker:it to Val,
Speaker:too.
Speaker:He
Speaker:was
Speaker:so
Speaker:passionate.
Speaker:So
Speaker:dominant
Speaker:and in-control.
Speaker:He
Speaker:must
Speaker:have
Speaker:noticed
Speaker:my
Speaker:eyes
Speaker:go
Speaker:wide because
Speaker:he
Speaker:gave
Speaker:another
Speaker:one
Speaker:of
Speaker:those
Speaker:deep
Speaker:laughs
Speaker:and
Speaker:jumped
Speaker:to
Speaker:the
Speaker:wrong
Speaker:conclusion.
“Oh, Rexy boy. Why do you always
gotta get
Speaker:the
Speaker:cute
Speaker:ones?
Speaker:It’s
Speaker:always
Speaker:the
Speaker:same.
Speaker:They
Speaker:want
Speaker:to
Speaker:get
Speaker:their
Speaker:paws all
Speaker:over
Speaker:the
Speaker:dog, but
Speaker:the
Speaker:moment
Speaker:the
Speaker:kitty
Speaker:whips
Speaker:it
Speaker:out
Speaker:they’re always
Speaker:so
Speaker:shocked!”
“No!
It’s
Speaker:just—I
Speaker:didn’t-”
“Don’t
you
Speaker:worry.
Speaker:I
Speaker:know
Speaker:who
Speaker:the
Speaker:real
Speaker:star
Speaker:of
Speaker:the
Speaker:show
Speaker:is.”
Speaker:Val
Speaker:reached
Speaker:out
Speaker:and
Speaker:ran
Speaker:his
Speaker:fingers
Speaker:over
Speaker:Rex’s
Speaker:belly.
Speaker:The
Speaker:rumble
Speaker:increased.
Speaker:Yeah, that
Speaker:wasn’t
Speaker:a
Speaker:purr or a
Speaker:growl.
Speaker:It
Speaker:was
Speaker:a
Speaker:bass
Speaker:guitar.
Speaker:I
Speaker:could
Speaker:feel
Speaker:Rex’s
Speaker:speaker
Speaker:vibrating
Speaker:against my
Speaker:leg. “I
Speaker:got
Speaker:over
Speaker:being
Speaker:jealous
Speaker:of
Speaker:this
Speaker:hunk
Speaker:years
Speaker:ago.
Speaker:You
Speaker:two
Speaker:have
Speaker:your
Speaker:fun.
Speaker:I
Speaker:can
Speaker:take
Speaker:care
Speaker:of
Speaker:myself.”
Rex
lifted
Speaker:his
Speaker:head
Speaker:off of
Speaker:my
Speaker:lap.
Speaker:For
Speaker:chrome
Speaker:and
Speaker:plastic and
Speaker:glass,
Speaker:there
Speaker:was
Speaker:emotion there. Artificial intelligence. Real fake
Speaker:personality.
Speaker:He
Speaker:didn’t
Speaker:just
Speaker:see,
Speaker:he
Speaker:understood.
Speaker:He
Speaker:looked
Speaker:at
Speaker:me,
Speaker:then
Speaker:he
Speaker:looked
Speaker:at
Speaker:Val.
Speaker:There
Speaker:was
Speaker:something
Speaker:there that
Speaker:went
Speaker:deep—something that
Speaker:I
Speaker:wasn’t
Speaker:privy
Speaker:to.
Speaker:Then
Speaker:Rex
Speaker:closed
Speaker:his
Speaker:jaws
Speaker:around
Speaker:my
Speaker:wrist
Speaker:and
Speaker:pulled
Speaker:my
Speaker:hand
Speaker:lower.
Speaker:Ah. It
Speaker:appears
Speaker:the
Speaker:innocent
Speaker:foreplay
Speaker:was
Speaker:over.
I
didn’t
Speaker:mind.
Speaker:I’d
Speaker:been
Speaker:looking
Speaker:forward
Speaker:to
Speaker:this
Speaker:for
Speaker:months.
Speaker:I’d
Speaker:even
Speaker:imagined
Speaker:what
Speaker:it
Speaker:would
Speaker:feel
Speaker:like.
Speaker:Would it
Speaker:be
Speaker:soft
Speaker:and
Speaker:squishy
Speaker:like
Speaker:silicone, or
Speaker:hard
Speaker:like
Speaker:metal?
Speaker:I’d
Speaker:practiced
Speaker:with
Speaker:a
Speaker:toy
Speaker:I’d
Speaker:sneaked
Speaker:into
Speaker:my
Speaker:dorm—late
Speaker:at
Speaker:night when
Speaker:my roommate
Speaker:was
Speaker:passed-out
Speaker:drunk.
Speaker:To
Speaker:be
Speaker:honest,
Speaker:I
Speaker:expected
Speaker:it
Speaker:to
Speaker:feel
Speaker:like
Speaker:that,
Speaker:rubbery
Speaker:and
Speaker:fake.
Now
that
Speaker:I
Speaker:closed
Speaker:my
Speaker:fingers
Speaker:around
Speaker:Rex’s
Speaker:sheath,
Speaker:I
Speaker:realized
Speaker:I’d
Speaker:vastly
Speaker:underestimated
Speaker:his
Speaker:craftsmanship.
Speaker:They
Speaker:could
Speaker:have
Speaker:gone
Speaker:cheap. He
Speaker:could
Speaker:have
Speaker:been
Speaker:made with
Speaker:lazy
Speaker:stage
Speaker:props.
Speaker:No
Speaker:one
Speaker:would
Speaker:ever
Speaker:be
Speaker:able
Speaker:to
Speaker:see
Speaker:it
Speaker:clearly,
Speaker:even
Speaker:when
Speaker:they were
Speaker:right
Speaker:up
Speaker:in
Speaker:front
Speaker:of
Speaker:the
Speaker:stage.
Speaker:With
Speaker:the
Speaker:light
Speaker:show and
Speaker:the
Speaker:pyrotechnics
Speaker:and
Speaker:the
Speaker:music—well,
Speaker:anything
Speaker:vaguely
Speaker:penis-shaped
Speaker:would
Speaker:have
Speaker:sufficed.
That
wasn’t
Speaker:Rex,
Speaker:though.
Speaker:He
Speaker:wasn’t
Speaker:even ‘showing’,
Speaker:and
Speaker:I
Speaker:could
Speaker:already
Speaker:tell
Speaker:that he’d
Speaker:been
Speaker:made
Speaker:with
Speaker:care.
Speaker:He
Speaker:had
Speaker:a
Speaker:sheath
Speaker:made
Speaker:from
Speaker:soft,
Speaker:supple
Speaker:leather. It
Speaker:melded
Speaker:into
Speaker:his
Speaker:metal
Speaker:undercarriage
Speaker:seamlessly.
Speaker:Rex
Speaker:crooned
Speaker:melodically
Speaker:as
Speaker:I
Speaker:ran
Speaker:my
Speaker:fingers
Speaker:over
Speaker:it.
Speaker:My
Speaker:thumb flicked over
Speaker:the
Speaker:opening
Speaker:at
Speaker:the
Speaker:tip
Speaker:and
Speaker:came away wet. I lifted it to my mouth and licked it clean. More coconut
Speaker:than
Speaker:rum.
Speaker:Seems
Speaker:he
Speaker:had
Speaker:a
Speaker:different
Speaker:mix
Speaker:for
Speaker:fun
Speaker:rather
Speaker:than
Speaker:stage.
Speaker:Smart,
Speaker:if
Speaker:he
Speaker:was
Speaker:planning
Speaker:to
Speaker:squirt
Speaker:any
Speaker:of
Speaker:that
Speaker:into
Speaker:me.
Speaker:He
Speaker:chased
Speaker:my
Speaker:hand with
Speaker:a
Speaker:little
Speaker:spurt
Speaker:of
Speaker:the
Speaker:cloudy
Speaker:liquid
Speaker:up
Speaker:across
Speaker:his
Speaker:belly.
“Don’t be
shy.
Speaker:No
Speaker:one
Speaker:else
Speaker:is
Speaker:watching,
Speaker:and
Speaker:I
Speaker:won’t
Speaker:tell.”
Speaker:Val
Speaker:commented
Speaker:from
Speaker:the
Speaker:side.
Speaker:He
Speaker:was
Speaker:dangling
Speaker:from
Speaker:the
Speaker:gap
Speaker:in
Speaker:his
Speaker:jeans.
Speaker:He
Speaker:was
Speaker:un-sheathed
Speaker:and un-cut,
Speaker:hanging
Speaker:at
Speaker:half-mast
Speaker:in
Speaker:his
Speaker:own
Speaker:fingers.
Speaker:Fuck.
Speaker:If
Speaker:I
Speaker:hadn’t
Speaker:been
Speaker:entirely
Speaker:occupied
Speaker:with
Speaker:the
Speaker:legend
Speaker:I
Speaker:was
Speaker:now
Speaker:stroking,
Speaker:I’d
Speaker:have
Speaker:bent
Speaker:over
Speaker:for
Speaker:him
Speaker:in
Speaker:a
Speaker:heartbeat.
Rex
was
Speaker:having
Speaker:none
Speaker:of
Speaker:it,
Speaker:though.
Speaker:The
Speaker:slightest
Speaker:inattention and his
Speaker:mechanical
Speaker:jaws
Speaker:closed
Speaker:on
Speaker:my
Speaker:pants.
Speaker:He
Speaker:gave
Speaker:a
Speaker:yank
Speaker:and
Speaker:the
Speaker:denim
Speaker:ripped.
“Hey!”
“What?
You
Speaker:expected
Speaker:him
Speaker:to
Speaker:be
Speaker:tame?”
Speaker:Val
Speaker:laughed
Speaker:at
Speaker:me
Speaker:again.
Well,
no.
Speaker:I
Speaker:didn’t,
Speaker:did
Speaker:I?
Speaker:I
Speaker:looked down.
Speaker:He’d torn my
Speaker:jeans
Speaker:just
Speaker:above
Speaker:my
Speaker:knee.
Speaker:Between
Speaker:the
Speaker:jagged
Speaker:edges
Speaker:of
Speaker:ripped denim,
Speaker:I
Speaker:could
Speaker:see
Speaker:my
Speaker:own
Speaker:white
Speaker:fur
Speaker:peeking
Speaker:through.
Speaker:Rex
Speaker:looked
Speaker:up
Speaker:at
Speaker:me,
Speaker:proud
Speaker:of
Speaker:his
Speaker:handiwork.
“Keeping
those
Speaker:on
Speaker:is
Speaker:a
Speaker:great
Speaker:idea
Speaker:if
Speaker:you
Speaker:want
Speaker:stylish
Speaker:new
Speaker:shreds
Speaker:in ‘em.”
Speaker:Val
Speaker:remarked.
I
couldn’t
Speaker:pull
Speaker:them
Speaker:off
Speaker:fast
Speaker:enough.
Speaker:Rex
Speaker:lifted
Speaker:his
Speaker:head
Speaker:far
Speaker:enough for
Speaker:me
Speaker:to
Speaker:tug
Speaker:the
Speaker:hem
Speaker:down
Speaker:to
Speaker:my
Speaker:knees,
Speaker:then ‘helped’
Speaker:by
Speaker:sinking
Speaker:his
Speaker:metal
Speaker:teeth
Speaker:into
Speaker:one
Speaker:leg
Speaker:and
Speaker:yanking
Speaker:it off
Speaker:my
Speaker:ankle. The
Speaker:move
Speaker:pulled
Speaker:my
Speaker:ass
Speaker:out
Speaker:from
Speaker:under
Speaker:me,
Speaker:landing
Speaker:me
Speaker:on
Speaker:my
Speaker:back.
Speaker:In
Speaker:an
Speaker:instant,
Speaker:Rex
Speaker:was
Speaker:on
Speaker:top
Speaker:of
Speaker:me.
I’ll
give
Speaker:him this. He weighed a lot less than I feared.
Speaker:I
Speaker:think
Speaker:under
Speaker:all
Speaker:that
Speaker:shiny
Speaker:chrome
Speaker:was a
Speaker:light-weight
Speaker:skeleton,
Speaker:maybe
Speaker:carbon-fiber
Speaker:or
Speaker:aluminum.
Speaker:His
Speaker:front
Speaker:paws
Speaker:pinned
Speaker:me
Speaker:to
Speaker:the
Speaker:ground
Speaker:while
Speaker:he
Speaker:squirmed
Speaker:onto
Speaker:my
Speaker:chest.
Speaker:I
Speaker:was
Speaker:thankful
Speaker:now
Speaker:for
Speaker:all
Speaker:those
Speaker:smooth
Speaker:curves.
Speaker:If
Speaker:he’d
Speaker:been
Speaker:sharp-edged
Speaker:or
Speaker:spiky,
Speaker:that
Speaker:maneuver
Speaker:would
Speaker:have
Speaker:drawn
Speaker:blood.
Speaker:As
Speaker:it
Speaker:was,
Speaker:I
Speaker:might
Speaker:have
Speaker:a
Speaker:bruise
Speaker:where
Speaker:his
Speaker:hind
Speaker:leg
Speaker:stepped
Speaker:on
Speaker:my
Speaker:thigh,
Speaker:but
Speaker:otherwise
Speaker:he
Speaker:actually
Speaker:felt
Speaker:rather
Speaker:comfortable.
Speaker:I
Speaker:stroked
Speaker:his
Speaker:back
Speaker:and
Speaker:found
Speaker:his
Speaker:metal
Speaker:shell
Speaker:was
Speaker:warm
Speaker:to
Speaker:the
Speaker:touch.
“Aw, you’re
just
Speaker:a
Speaker:cuddly
Speaker:puppy!”
Speaker:I
Speaker:knew
Speaker:the
Speaker:moment
Speaker:it
Speaker:slipped
Speaker:out
Speaker:that
Speaker:I
Speaker:shouldn’t
Speaker:have
Speaker:said
Speaker:it.
Speaker:He
Speaker:let
Speaker:out
Speaker:a
Speaker:snarl (a
Speaker:dissonant
Speaker:e
Speaker:chord)
Speaker:and
Speaker:his
Speaker:jaws
Speaker:closed
Speaker:around
Speaker:my
Speaker:neck.
Speaker:I
Speaker:couldn’t
Speaker:move.
Speaker:He
Speaker:was
Speaker:at
Speaker:once
Speaker:gentle
Speaker:yet
Speaker:implacable.
Speaker:He
Speaker:wasn’t
Speaker:biting
Speaker:or
Speaker:squeezing,
Speaker:but
Speaker:I
Speaker:got
Speaker:the
Speaker:feeling
Speaker:that if
Speaker:I
Speaker:tried
Speaker:to
Speaker:escape
Speaker:I’d
Speaker:leave
Speaker:my
Speaker:trachea
Speaker:behind.
More
surprising
Speaker:was
Speaker:the
Speaker:slithering
Speaker:wet
Speaker:feeling
Speaker:of
Speaker:something
Speaker:pushing
Speaker:against
Speaker:my
Speaker:belly.
Speaker:Liquid
Speaker:seeped
Speaker:into
Speaker:the
Speaker:fur
Speaker:over
Speaker:my
Speaker:stomach,
Speaker:then
Speaker:quickly
Speaker:cooled
Speaker:and
Speaker:dried.
Speaker:Fuck.
Speaker:He
Speaker:was
Speaker:humping
Speaker:my
Speaker:fur.
Speaker:His
Speaker:hips
Speaker:rolled,
Speaker:and
Speaker:his
Speaker:corded
Speaker:tail
Speaker:smacked
Speaker:my
Speaker:uplifted
Speaker:knee.
Speaker:Big
Speaker:puppy?
Speaker:I
Speaker:couldn’t
Speaker:have
Speaker:been
Speaker:more
Speaker:wrong. The
Speaker:mix
Speaker:of
Speaker:dominance and
Speaker:need
Speaker:was
Speaker:so
Speaker:palpable that
Speaker:it
Speaker:was
Speaker:making
Speaker:my
Speaker:head
Speaker:spin.
Speaker:Or
Speaker:maybe
Speaker:that
Speaker:was
Speaker:the
Speaker:lack
Speaker:of
Speaker:blood
Speaker:flow
Speaker:from
Speaker:the
Speaker:jaws
Speaker:around
Speaker:my
Speaker:neck.
“Rex,
I-”
He
growled.
Speaker:It
Speaker:sounded
Speaker:like
Speaker:the
Speaker:chorus
Speaker:riff
Speaker:from “Invisible
Speaker:Strings”
Speaker:from
Speaker:LATCH’s
Speaker:third
Speaker:album.
“I’m
going
Speaker:to
Speaker:turn
Speaker:over,
Speaker:okay?”
The
jaws
Speaker:squeezed
Speaker:once,
Speaker:and
Speaker:I
Speaker:felt
Speaker:light-headed.
Speaker:Nnnf.
Speaker:He
Speaker:wasn’t
Speaker:the
Speaker:only
Speaker:one
Speaker:with
Speaker:needs.
Speaker:I
Speaker:needed
Speaker:him—right
Speaker:here
Speaker:and
Speaker:now.
Speaker:Jaws
Speaker:opened and paws
Speaker:let
Speaker:me
Speaker:up. With
Speaker:all
Speaker:four
Speaker:of
Speaker:his
Speaker:legs to
Speaker:either
Speaker:side
Speaker:of
Speaker:me,
Speaker:I
Speaker:turned
Speaker:over
Speaker:onto
Speaker:my
Speaker:belly,
Speaker:then
Speaker:pushed
Speaker:my
Speaker:rump
Speaker:up
Speaker:for
Speaker:him.
Speaker:Something
Speaker:hard
Speaker:and
Speaker:wet
Speaker:bounced
Speaker:off
Speaker:my
Speaker:tail.
Speaker:Fuck, I
Speaker:had
Speaker:to
Speaker:feel
Speaker:that
Speaker:before
Speaker:it
Speaker:went
Speaker:into
Speaker:me.
Speaker:I
Speaker:reached
Speaker:back
Speaker:with
Speaker:one
Speaker:hand
Speaker:and
Speaker:wrapped
Speaker:my
Speaker:fingers
Speaker:around
Speaker:it.
Speaker:It
Speaker:was
Speaker:thick
Speaker:alright—just
Speaker:like
Speaker:he’d
Speaker:looked
Speaker:on
Speaker:stage—but
Speaker:from
Speaker:a
Speaker:distance
Speaker:I
Speaker:couldn’t
Speaker:have
Speaker:imagined
Speaker:just
Speaker:how
Speaker:hot
Speaker:he
Speaker:felt
Speaker:in
Speaker:my
Speaker:grip.
Speaker:It
Speaker:wasn’t
Speaker:like
Speaker:rubber or
Speaker:silicon.
Speaker:He
Speaker:was
Speaker:slick
Speaker:and
Speaker:hard,
Speaker:taut
Speaker:skin
Speaker:over
Speaker:a
Speaker:firm
Speaker:shaft.
Speaker:I
Speaker:could
Speaker:feel
Speaker:differences
Speaker:in
Speaker:texture
Speaker:and
Speaker:resistance
Speaker:beneath
Speaker:my
Speaker:pads
Speaker:as
Speaker:I
Speaker:stroked
Speaker:him.
Speaker:This
Speaker:was
Speaker:something
Speaker:latex toys
Speaker:never
Speaker:got right.
Speaker:They
Speaker:were
Speaker:all
Speaker:just
Speaker:one
Speaker:material.
Speaker:Squeeze,
Speaker:and
Speaker:you
Speaker:could
Speaker:tell that
Speaker:it
Speaker:wasn’t
Speaker:anything
Speaker:like
Speaker:the
Speaker:real
Speaker:thing.
Speaker:Then
Speaker:his
Speaker:hips
Speaker:rolled,
Speaker:and
Speaker:the
Speaker:length
Speaker:between
Speaker:my
Speaker:fingers
Speaker:throbbed.
Speaker:A
Speaker:hot
Speaker:jet
Speaker:of
Speaker:Rex
Speaker:sprayed
Speaker:my
Speaker:back
Speaker:and
Speaker:dripped
Speaker:down
Speaker:over
Speaker:the
Speaker:sides
Speaker:of
Speaker:my
Speaker:hips.
Speaker:Everything
Speaker:smelled
Speaker:of
Speaker:coconut.
I
had
Speaker:to
Speaker:have
Speaker:him
Speaker:inside
Speaker:me.
Speaker:I
Speaker:tugged
Speaker:down,
Speaker:and
Speaker:he
Speaker:seemed
Speaker:to
Speaker:agree. His
Speaker:jaws
Speaker:closed
Speaker:around
Speaker:my
Speaker:scruff
Speaker:and
Speaker:pushed
Speaker:my
Speaker:head
Speaker:against
Speaker:the
Speaker:floor. It was
Speaker:sticky.
Speaker:I
Speaker:probably
Speaker:would
Speaker:have
Speaker:been
Speaker:disgusted
Speaker:if
Speaker:I
Speaker:wasn’t
Speaker:so
Speaker:preoccupied
Speaker:with
Speaker:the
Speaker:thick
Speaker:cock
Speaker:that
Speaker:was
Speaker:now
Speaker:pushing
Speaker:demandingly
Speaker:under
Speaker:my
Speaker:tail.
Growl.
Bite.
Speaker:Oh,
Speaker:that
Speaker:slick
Speaker:tip was
Speaker:too
Speaker:thick,
Speaker:but
Speaker:it
Speaker:was
Speaker:long
Speaker:past
Speaker:the
Speaker:point
Speaker:of
Speaker:no
Speaker:return.
Speaker:His
Speaker:forepaws
Speaker:pulled
Speaker:back
Speaker:at
Speaker:my
Speaker:hips,
Speaker:and
Speaker:it
Speaker:went
Speaker:in.
Speaker:I
Speaker:think
Speaker:I
Speaker:might
Speaker:have
Speaker:cried
Speaker:or
Speaker:said
Speaker:something
Speaker:disgraceful,
Speaker:because
Speaker:Val
Speaker:laughed
Speaker:at
Speaker:me.
Speaker:I
Speaker:didn’t
Speaker:care,
Speaker:because
Speaker:at
Speaker:that
Speaker:point
Speaker:I
Speaker:was
Speaker:full
Speaker:of
Speaker:what
Speaker:feel
Speaker:like
Speaker:a
Speaker:whole
Speaker:foot
Speaker:of
Speaker:Rex.
Speaker:Fuck, he
Speaker:went
Speaker:deep.
Speaker:leather
Speaker:sheath
Speaker:kissed
Speaker:my
Speaker:tail
Speaker:as
Speaker:his
Speaker:paws
Speaker:pulled
Speaker:me
Speaker:flush.
Speaker:His
Speaker:growl
Speaker:reverberated
Speaker:in
Speaker:my
Speaker:ears,
Speaker:drowning
Speaker:out
Speaker:anything
Speaker:that
Speaker:Val
Speaker:was
Speaker:saying.
Speaker:It was
Speaker:like
Speaker:making
Speaker:love
Speaker:with
Speaker:the
Speaker:radio
Speaker:on,
Speaker:if
Speaker:the
Speaker:radio
Speaker:was
Speaker:playing
Speaker:your
Speaker:song
Speaker:right
Speaker:into
Speaker:your
Speaker:ear.
Speaker:Rex
Speaker:was
Speaker:singing
Speaker:to
Speaker:me
Speaker:as
Speaker:his
Speaker:thrusts
Speaker:pummeled
Speaker:my
Speaker:knees
Speaker:into
Speaker:the
Speaker:floor.
There
were
Speaker:no
Speaker:words
Speaker:in
Speaker:the
Speaker:song
Speaker:this
Speaker:time.
Speaker:It
Speaker:was
Speaker:an
Speaker:instrumental
Speaker:from
Speaker:between
Speaker:tracks—you
Speaker:know,
Speaker:one
Speaker:of
Speaker:those
Speaker:ones
Speaker:you
Speaker:never
Speaker:intentionally
Speaker:listen
Speaker:to,
Speaker:but
Speaker:it’s
Speaker:good
Speaker:enough
Speaker:that
Speaker:you
Speaker:don’t
Speaker:skip
Speaker:it
Speaker:when
Speaker:you
Speaker:listen
Speaker:to
Speaker:the
Speaker:album
Speaker:all
Speaker:the
Speaker:way
Speaker:through.
Speaker:Third
Speaker:album,
Speaker:eighth
Speaker:track.
Speaker:Named “Thrust”.
Speaker:Now
Speaker:I
Speaker:got
Speaker:the
Speaker:joke.
Speaker:I
Speaker:was
Speaker:never
Speaker:going
Speaker:to
Speaker:skip
Speaker:that
Speaker:track
Speaker:again.
Drum
Speaker:beat
Speaker:like
Speaker:Rex’s
Speaker:heart.
Speaker:Guitar
Speaker:riff
Speaker:whined
Speaker:in
Speaker:my
Speaker:ears.
Speaker:And
Speaker:the
Speaker:bass line
Speaker:thrummed.
Speaker:Throbbed.
Speaker:Pulsed.
Speaker:Thrust.
Speaker:Oh,
Speaker:fuck
Speaker:was I
Speaker:going
Speaker:to
Speaker:be
Speaker:sore.
Speaker:Every
Speaker:time
Speaker:his
Speaker:legs
Speaker:pulled
Speaker:me
Speaker:back,
Speaker:I
Speaker:could
Speaker:feel
Speaker:that
Speaker:hard
Speaker:shaft
Speaker:slide
Speaker:all
Speaker:the
Speaker:way
Speaker:in.
Speaker:Around
Speaker:me
Speaker:the
Speaker:room
Speaker:seemed
Speaker:to
Speaker:glow.
Speaker:No,
Speaker:wait,
Speaker:that
Speaker:was
Speaker:Rex’s
Speaker:joints,
Speaker:strobing
Speaker:through
Speaker:colors
Speaker:as
Speaker:he
Speaker:fucked
Speaker:me.
Speaker:Yellows,
Speaker:oranges,
Speaker:blues,
Speaker:and
Speaker:deep,
Speaker:deep
Speaker:red.
Speaker:I
Speaker:reached
Speaker:up
Speaker:and
Speaker:wrapped
Speaker:my
Speaker:hands
Speaker:over
Speaker:his
Speaker:head,
Speaker:pulling
Speaker:him
Speaker:down
Speaker:as
Speaker:he
Speaker:humped.
It
burned
Speaker:a
Speaker:little
Speaker:when
Speaker:he
Speaker:fired
Speaker:off.
Speaker:Liquid
Speaker:back-flowed
Speaker:until
Speaker:I
Speaker:felt it
Speaker:dripping
Speaker:down
Speaker:my
Speaker:thighs.
Speaker:Oh,
Speaker:right.
Speaker:That
Speaker:was
Speaker:rum.
Speaker:The
Speaker:room
Speaker:spun
Speaker:beneath
Speaker:me.
Speaker:Rex
Speaker:let
Speaker:me
Speaker:go,
Speaker:and
Speaker:there
Speaker:was
Speaker:a
Speaker:deliciously
Speaker:slick
Speaker:moment
Speaker:as
Speaker:he
Speaker:pulled
Speaker:out,
Speaker:followed
Speaker:by
Speaker:intense
Speaker:cold.
Speaker:I
Speaker:shivered.
Speaker:He’d
Speaker:been
Speaker:thick
Speaker:enough
Speaker:that
Speaker:some
Speaker:air had blown up where he’d
Speaker:filled
Speaker:me, and
Speaker:with
Speaker:the
Speaker:alcohol
Speaker:still
Speaker:evaporating
Speaker:against
Speaker:my
Speaker:inner
Speaker:walls,
Speaker:it
Speaker:felt
Speaker:like
Speaker:I’d
Speaker:sat
Speaker:on
Speaker:an
Speaker:ice
Speaker:cube.
I
looked
Speaker:back.
Speaker:Rex
Speaker:was
Speaker:watching
Speaker:me
Speaker:with
Speaker:his
Speaker:slitted visor
Speaker:eyes.
Speaker:Sat
Speaker:back
Speaker:on
Speaker:his
Speaker:haunches,
Speaker:with
Speaker:lewd
Speaker:phallus
Speaker:still
Speaker:pointed
Speaker:up
Speaker:and
Speaker:spurting
Speaker:little
Speaker:shots
Speaker:of
Speaker:that
Speaker:cloudy
Speaker:drink
Speaker:onto
Speaker:the
Speaker:floor.
Behind
him
Speaker:was
Speaker:Valentine.
Speaker:The
Speaker:tiger
Speaker:was
Speaker:jerking
Speaker:quickly.
Speaker:Fuck,
Speaker:he could
Speaker:see
Speaker:right
Speaker:up under
Speaker:my
Speaker:tail.
Speaker:Rex
Speaker:had
Speaker:left
Speaker:me
Speaker:gaping.
“Hey Val?”
I
Speaker:asked. I
Speaker:still
Speaker:felt
Speaker:cold.
Speaker:I
Speaker:wiggled
Speaker:my
Speaker:tail,
Speaker:and
Speaker:his
Speaker:quick
Speaker:jerking
Speaker:stopped.
He
was
Speaker:on
Speaker:me
Speaker:in
Speaker:a
Speaker:moment.
Speaker:Rex’s
Speaker:coconut-cum
Speaker:lubricated
Speaker:him
Speaker:so
Speaker:slickly
Speaker:that the
Speaker:only
Speaker:thing
Speaker:I
Speaker:felt
Speaker:as
Speaker:he
Speaker:pushed
Speaker:up
Speaker:inside
Speaker:was
Speaker:warm.
Speaker:He
Speaker:wasn’t
Speaker:as
Speaker:thick
Speaker:as
Speaker:Rex,
Speaker:or
Speaker:as
Speaker:long,
Speaker:but
Speaker:the
Speaker:different
Speaker:sensation
Speaker:of
Speaker:something
Speaker:living
Speaker:was
Speaker:a
Speaker:nice
Speaker:change.
Speaker:There
Speaker:was
Speaker:no
Speaker:serenade
Speaker:this
Speaker:time.
Speaker:Just
Speaker:old-fashioned
Speaker:fucking.
Speaker:Thrust
Speaker:and
Speaker:grind.
Speaker:Fingers
Speaker:around
Speaker:my
Speaker:pelvis
Speaker:pulling
Speaker:me
Speaker:back
Speaker:to
Speaker:meet
Speaker:balls
Speaker:that
Speaker:swung
Speaker:up
Speaker:to
Speaker:slap
Speaker:mine.
Speaker:He
Speaker:didn’t
Speaker:last
Speaker:long—maybe
Speaker:five
Speaker:or
Speaker:ten
Speaker:good,
Speaker:hard
Speaker:thrusts.
Speaker:Then
Speaker:I
Speaker:was
Speaker:hot
Speaker:inside with
Speaker:the
Speaker:runny
Speaker:rush
Speaker:of
Speaker:cum—real
Speaker:cum this
Speaker:time—coating
Speaker:my
Speaker:insides.
Speaker:Yeah,
Speaker:I
Speaker:could
Speaker:feel
Speaker:the
Speaker:difference.
Speaker:I’m
Speaker:not
Speaker:going
Speaker:to
Speaker:say I had
Speaker:a
Speaker:preference.
Speaker:It
Speaker:just
Speaker:felt
Speaker:different.
Speaker:I
Speaker:liked
Speaker:that
Speaker:I
Speaker:could
Speaker:feel
Speaker:the
Speaker:throb.
No
one
Speaker:moved
Speaker:for
Speaker:a
Speaker:few
Speaker:minutes.
Speaker:I could
Speaker:feel
Speaker:him
Speaker:twitch
Speaker:every
Speaker:once
Speaker:in
Speaker:a while.
Speaker:The
Speaker:only
Speaker:noise
Speaker:in
Speaker:the
Speaker:room
Speaker:was
Speaker:Pig
Speaker:snoring.
Speaker:She
Speaker:must
Speaker:have
Speaker:started
Speaker:doing
Speaker:that
Speaker:sometime
Speaker:after
Speaker:Rex’s
Speaker:anthem.
“Hey.”
Val
Speaker:said
Speaker:softly at
Speaker:my
Speaker:shoulder.
Speaker:He
Speaker:sounded
Speaker:out
Speaker:of
Speaker:it.
Speaker:He’d
Speaker:been
Speaker:breathing
Speaker:loudly
Speaker:against
Speaker:my
Speaker:ear.
Speaker:There
Speaker:was
Speaker:something
Speaker:soft
Speaker:playing.
Speaker:I
Speaker:thought
Speaker:for
Speaker:a
Speaker:moment that
Speaker:I
Speaker:was
Speaker:hearing
Speaker:something
Speaker:from the
Speaker:concert
Speaker:still
Speaker:going
Speaker:on
Speaker:upstairs.
Speaker:But
Speaker:this
Speaker:didn’t
Speaker:sound like
Speaker:Megaknux.
Speaker:No,
Speaker:it
Speaker:sounded
Speaker:like
Speaker:track
Speaker:eight,
Speaker:fourth
Speaker:album.
Speaker:Song
Speaker:named ‘Afterglow’.
Speaker:Huh.
Speaker:It
Speaker:was
Speaker:quiet
Speaker:and
Speaker:warm.
Speaker:It
Speaker:wasn’t
Speaker:a
Speaker:song
Speaker:that
Speaker:hit you
Speaker:with
Speaker:the
Speaker:bass
Speaker:or
Speaker:assaulted you
Speaker:with
Speaker:the
Speaker:riffs.
Speaker:It
Speaker:was
Speaker:something
Speaker:you
Speaker:heard
Speaker:in
Speaker:the
Speaker:background
Speaker:that
Speaker:just
Speaker:sank
Speaker:into your
Speaker:pelt and
Speaker:let
Speaker:you
Speaker:absorb
Speaker:it
Speaker:while
Speaker:you
Speaker:caught
Speaker:your
Speaker:breath.
Speaker:I
Speaker:looked
Speaker:over
Speaker:at
Speaker:Rex.
Speaker:His
Speaker:joints
Speaker:were
Speaker:thrumming a
Speaker:dusky
Speaker:sunset
Speaker:red.
“Feel like
a
Speaker:burger?
Speaker:I
Speaker:could
Speaker:eat.”
Speaker:Val whispered
Speaker:over
Speaker:my
Speaker:shoulder.
Speaker:That
Speaker:sounded
Speaker:like
Speaker:the
Speaker:best
Speaker:idea
Speaker:of
Speaker:the
Speaker:evening
Speaker:yet.
Speaker:He
Speaker:pulled
Speaker:out,
Speaker:and
Speaker:Rex
Speaker:took
Speaker:his
Speaker:place
Speaker:for
Speaker:a
Speaker:moment.
Speaker:I
Speaker:felt
Speaker:a
Speaker:metal
Speaker:nose
Speaker:push
Speaker:up
Speaker:under
Speaker:my
Speaker:tail.
Speaker:A
Speaker:paw
Speaker:pushed at
Speaker:my
Speaker:butt,
Speaker:toppling
Speaker:me
Speaker:over
Speaker:to
Speaker:the
Speaker:side.
Speaker:Rex
Speaker:found
Speaker:this
Speaker:hilarious.
Speaker:He
Speaker:laughed
Speaker:harmonically
Speaker:as
Speaker:I
Speaker:struggled
Speaker:to
Speaker:pull
Speaker:my
Speaker:now
Speaker:torn
Speaker:jeans
Speaker:back
Speaker:on.
I
tried
Speaker:to
Speaker:get
Speaker:to
Speaker:my
Speaker:feet,
Speaker:but
Speaker:my
Speaker:knees
Speaker:wobbled
Speaker:out
Speaker:from
Speaker:under
Speaker:me.
Speaker:Val
Speaker:caught
Speaker:me
Speaker:by
Speaker:the
Speaker:arm
Speaker:and
Speaker:hoisted
Speaker:me
Speaker:up.
Speaker:All
Speaker:that
Speaker:Rex
Speaker:cum
Speaker:had
Speaker:me
Speaker:feeling
Speaker:drunk. “He
Speaker:didn’t
Speaker:give
Speaker:you
Speaker:too
Speaker:much,
Speaker:did he? He’s
Speaker:used
Speaker:to
Speaker:bitches
Speaker:and
Speaker:bulls
Speaker:and
Speaker:big
Speaker:cats
Speaker:that
Speaker:have
Speaker:a
Speaker:bit
Speaker:more
Speaker:body
Speaker:mass.
Speaker:You
Speaker:feelin’
Speaker:good?”
I
was,
Speaker:actually.
Speaker:Once
Speaker:I
Speaker:had
Speaker:my
Speaker:legs
Speaker:under
Speaker:me,
Speaker:they
Speaker:seemed
Speaker:to
Speaker:work
Speaker:adequately
Speaker:well.
Speaker:The
Speaker:world
Speaker:spinning
Speaker:was
Speaker:pleasant
Speaker:enough,
Speaker:and
Speaker:unlike
Speaker:the
Speaker:last
Speaker:time
Speaker:I’d
Speaker:got
Speaker:this
Speaker:drunk,
Speaker:my
Speaker:stomach
Speaker:wasn’t
Speaker:in
Speaker:open
Speaker:revolt.
Val
steered
Speaker:me
Speaker:by
Speaker:the
Speaker:shoulders
Speaker:out
Speaker:of
Speaker:their
Speaker:room
Speaker:backstage
Speaker:and
Speaker:led
Speaker:through
Speaker:the
Speaker:warren
Speaker:of
Speaker:access
Speaker:slips
Speaker:and
Speaker:elevators
Speaker:that
Speaker:all
Speaker:fed
Speaker:the
Speaker:stage
Speaker:show
Speaker:upstairs.
Speaker:Megaknux
Speaker:was
Speaker:still
Speaker:playing.
Speaker:Somehow
Speaker:I’d
Speaker:thought
Speaker:it
Speaker:was
Speaker:much
Speaker:later,
Speaker:but
Speaker:who
Speaker:was
Speaker:I kidding? Even
Speaker:though
Speaker:it felt
Speaker:like
Speaker:I’d
Speaker:had
Speaker:Rex
Speaker:inside
Speaker:me
Speaker:all
Speaker:night,
Speaker:my
Speaker:phone
Speaker:said
Speaker:it’d
Speaker:really
Speaker:only
Speaker:been
Speaker:about
Speaker:half
Speaker:an
Speaker:hour.
“Come
on.
Speaker:I
Speaker:know
Speaker:a
Speaker:good
Speaker:spot.”
“Are
they
Speaker:any
Speaker:good?”
“Nah.
They’re
Speaker:shit.
Speaker:But
Speaker:they’re
Speaker:still
Speaker:open.”
This
was
Speaker:the
Speaker:first of
Speaker:two
Speaker:parts
Speaker:of “Concert
Speaker:Movement
Speaker:Number
Speaker:Four” by Kandrel, read for you by Rob MacWolf,
Speaker:Werewolf
Speaker:Hitchhiker.
Speaker:Tune
Speaker:in
Speaker:next
Speaker:time
Speaker:to
Speaker:find
Speaker:out
Speaker:whether
Speaker:the
Speaker:burgers
Speaker:were
Speaker:as
Speaker:dry
Speaker:as
Speaker:advertised.
As
always,
Speaker:you
Speaker:can
Speaker:find
Speaker:more
Speaker:stories
Speaker:on
Speaker:the
Speaker:web
Speaker:at
Speaker:thevoice.dog,
Speaker:or find the
Speaker:show
Speaker:wherever
Speaker:you
Speaker:get your
Speaker:podcasts.
Speaker:Thank
Speaker:you
Speaker:for
Speaker:listening
Speaker:to
Speaker:The
Speaker:Voice
Speaker:of
Speaker:Dog.