“Give it time. This is all coming at you so fast. And you’re still sick, and you’re dealing with Iain. If there’s something there, let it grow at its own pace, and don’t tie yourself in knots if everything isn’t wrapped up in a bow by lunchtime. Okay?”

“Okay,” I said. “What would I do without you?”

She laughed and said, “that’s easy. You would think too much and you would worry yourself silly. You’re in lockdown with a good looking guy who wants to kiss you. Just enjoy it!”

I have amazing friends.

“I’ll let you use the rooms upstairs rent free if you’ll hire LGBT+ folk, Mary. There are loads come in here who are highly qualified, but can’t get work despite the equal opportunity legislation. Many like you had decent paying jobs till their management discovered they were different. Make it clear you will hire anyone who can do the job. The LGBT+ are taking a chance just by breathing, for sure they’ll take a chance on a future job even if it means working for free for a while. Everyone that comes in here knows you got fired for being trans. They’ll be more than willing to help get some guaranteed discrimination free employment off the ground.” Mary who was acutely aware how it felt to be unfairly treated and how little it took to hurt someone who was already suffering decided to take Elsie’s advice, and so it started.

Chapter Four – Crystal’s Demise

Soviet spy Crystal Greystone is under pressure from her handler to get her hands on the documents in Professor Brett Beaumont's safe before her cover is blown by the FBI agent Liam Dresser who has become besotted with her and is closing in. This is the climax and final chapter.

Chapter 2 I Am A Slave Girl

There are legends that a group of travelers from ancient Qin arrived in this land a thousand years ago bringing with them their culture and their language.

A former military contractor of Earth wakes up as a slave girl in a distant land.

A pastiche of the Gor inspired Zhor stories of which the finest exemplars are Aardvark's The Warrior From Batuk and some short stories by Christopher Leeson. Except I didn't want to deal with all the exotic terminology and tinkered with many of the properties of the serum as well as the world at large.

Getting it Wrong.
by
Angharad

It had been a wonderful evening, I had pulled a nice guy and we'd been for a meal. Then it had all gone wrong. Feeling all romantic and full of lust and dying to road test my new fanny we went off to his place for a cuddle and I hoped for more.

We cuddled and snogged for ages, swapping spit and whatever people do when they are randy. I'd always thought I was asexual but not since I had a vagina, this girl was going to make up for lost time.

Part 3

The Meaning of Family

“Please, Marcella, just let me do something, anything!” I begged the red-haired girl who stood at the prep station, pressing a wooden roller into a piece of dough. She glanced up at me, amused.

“Lyra,” She laughed. “You’re no longer a servant. I cannot allow you to do anything.”

“I could do the dishes!” I gestured toward the wash basin, a black-haired servant girl looked up at me, her hands elbow-deep in suds. “Or…or…I could cut vegetables! Please! I’m so bored!”

I took a deep breath as I walked into the crowded sitting room. The room was filled with ladies drawn from all four corners of the Mississippi Delta. Ladies who like me wore fine summer dresses. The room was filled with chatter but the moment I walked into the room, the chatter stopped. All eyes it seemed zoomed in on me. I could feel their eyes peering at me. It was as if they were judging me.

“Unbelievable. That is so rude!” I pointed out.

“Yes, I agree. I understand that she is not crazy about the idea of having to teach you dancing, singing, and acting. She could at least be professional about it.” Mary added to our weird little discussion.

“Absolutely true! She may feel frustrated about having to work with Riley but without Riley being willing to take the part of backup Belle there wouldn’t be a musical.” Alice pointed out.

“Oh, Alice I have a question. I wanted to ask you for a while but I kept forgetting. Who will play the beast in the musical?”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~Jayde~

Not long after I arrived at David’s house. It was almost as rundown as the place I lived in. However, where the condition of my apartment complex was the owner’s fault, Dave’s house was his own. He said he inhaled inherited it from his father, and it was paid before he only needed to take care of the maintenance utilities and taxes. Yeah, that would be nice. I always felt a touch envious towards his situation.

“Lucky Bastard.” Was my normal quiet comment on the state of his living arrangements whenever they came up.

A sea of snow stretched out over an endless barren landscape, culminating at the curve of the world beyond the eyes of even the Boy as he sat on a jutting rock above the expanse. His arms were bare and he should have been cold but his abnormal ody temperature kept him fairly comfortable in spite of the shivering of the others. Lilli, Byron, Emely, Leopold; he could hear their teeth chattering even from over here. In front of him the ice glittered beneath the radiant northern lights hanging in the sky high above like a celestial curtain.