Blueblood 3: The Others - 20. Field Test

The end of the year and a New Year’s Party we had with just the four of us. Mom and Dad decided to spend their first New Year’s alone, not that I blamed them. Gabriella and Alex were doing the same as they celebrated alone. Amasis knew about a celebration for a year and got more into this day. With Amir, we all watched the ball drop in New York.

The year began and I was working more with Amasis to get him to understand this world. I got him books to help him as English would be his other major language. He was a very smart man, I knew he could do it, but if he was going to help us in the future, he needed a stronger base of the language than he had. The adult readers were helping and he was pouring into learning and insisted we talk to him in English and tried not to use the translator. Amir was learning as well, but he didn’t have the patience that Amasis had. We didn’t feel either of them was ready yet. There were dangers they both needed to know about. Amir was enjoying the world he was discovering, especially with the Internet and it wasn’t long before he was surfing like a pro! I warned him that some sites were not safe, but we had the antiviral software. I chuckled when I came in and realized he’d discovered porn! He was wearing those earbuds and didn’t hear me come in. He was in the media room and his attention was transfixed on what he was looking at. Naturally, it was. He was a young human male and there were these women on the screen showing you everything they had and wanted you to look. He was looking! I tried clearing my throat, that didn’t work, so I had to come up and tapped him on the shoulder. He spun around and pulled his earpieces out so fast in panic. At least he had no other portion of his anatomy out. Yet. He jumped and was starting to get up in a hurry.

I chuckled and put my hand on his shoulders and pushed him back down. “It’s okay, Amir. You’re not in any trouble.” I looked at the images on the screen, tilted my head. “She’s pretty.” I grinned. “I’ve looked some very attractive images.” I smiled. “But I don’t think you’d like them.” What male hasn’t seen porn?

“I didn’t hear you.” Amir almost stammered.

I looked closer at Amir. “I said…it’s okay.” I smiled at him. “You’re male, looking is what we do.”

“I don’t understand,” Amir said still embarrassed.

“We descend from hunters, Amir. For countless generations, we’ve been taught to use our eyes.” I explained. “Everything is governed primarily by what we see. We even see women…well, most of us…and judge them by what they have. Big breasts mean they will provide nourishment for young. Big hips mean they should be good at having children.” I pointed at a woman. “She has eyes that are not uneven, a good balance of left and right and she looks very healthy.” I pointed to her vagina. “She looks receptive. Naturally, you will look.” I leaned forward like I was going whisper. “But, it could have been my mother or Gabriella. They would not like it.” I smiled. “Tell you what. I’ll get you a laptop. You can look at what you want in your room but lock your door. That way you can look naked and do…” I chuckled as I waved down at his crotch. “…whatever you feel you need to. We’re male. It’s what we do.” Then I did whisper. “I’ve done it myself.”

Amir looked surprised. “You do?”

I gave a shrug and a nod. “Well, not anymore, I have Colin!” I grinned.

“But I don’t have a Colin,” Amir said logically.

I rolled my eyes. “Of course, you don’t. You haven’t found him yet…or her in your case.” I shoved him lightly back. “Don’t be obtuse!”

Amir chuckled. “I do not know obtuse, but I think I understand from how used it in the sentence what it means.”

I nodded. “Well, whatever you understood: stop it. You aren’t stupid.”

Amir was now laughing more. “I will try to do that.” He waved at the computer. “There are many places on the Internet to see the naked women.”

I nodded. “Just be careful. Sex is very important, but there are dangers out there that come from it.”

“Oh?”

“Diseases and injuries,” I said. “Not to mention seeing women only as an object. That is a danger that many people get. You don’t want to objectify them. They are human. People. Not playthings.”

Amir nodded. “But they like to be enjoyed.” He said.

“And they would like to enjoy you.”

“Enjoy me!?”

I smiled. “Why not? You’re an attractive human, male and yes…I’ve noticed.” I smiled. “I looked.”

I watched his eyes widen.

“Not used to being seen as an object of sexual desire, are you?” I chuckled. “A woman might do the same thing and see you as just a sexual object, not love. I’m sure there were some, but because I’m a man and said that…I’ve treated you like you would to a woman you only look at and desire sex.”

“Women can do that?” Amir asked surprised.

“I know my mother did on several occasions. There were women I knew in the past and yes, they saw a man with a good ass and yes…they like a nice sized cock.” I smiled. “Of course, knowing what to do with it is important, but they appreciate the size.”

“Really?” He gave a shrug and shook his head. “I was always told a woman’s…” he waved at the vagina, “place was to please the man.”

“That’s all they do?” I hated how there had been training that reduced any human. “Told to you by who?”

Amir looked doubtful. “By the village elder.”

“Who was a man, right?”

Amir actually backed his head up a little. “Well…yes, of course, he was.”

I waved at his statement. “There you go! He’s not a woman!”

He got up and turned to the screen. “But they want me to look.”

With his back turned I placed my hand on his ass, right over his asshole. He was wearing clothes. He spun around in a hurry. “You didn’t like that, did you?”

“No. Why’d you do that?”

“What she more than likely wanted was to pay her rent. She has bills!” I waved at the image. “She was offered money to do pose like this.” I sighed. “There are websites to visit where there are people that will want you to look. They aren’t paid a thing. Those people can just be having fun, but many times they can be dangerous. There are mental problems out there as well. Men and women who will want you to look while they pleasure themselves and watch them have sex with someone else. Be careful. If someone online offers you sex, you should know that there are many that are dangerous, some are not. My point is, you’ll never know. They would rape and even kill you, trapping you. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is too good to be true.” I looked at Amir. “You’re what? Twenty-eight? I know you’re not a virgin.”

Amir was suddenly turning red. On a man with an Egyptian complexion, it was still easy to see. “I should be. I never married.”

“And?” I asked. I sighed because I was giving him an okay. “You don’t have to marry to have sex. You should marry, but for love. Did you love her?”

He smiled and scratched the back of his head and was looking a little guilty. “Not really. She was pretty and she agreed.”

“Didn’t you worry about getting her pregnant?”

He nodded. “I did! She couldn’t get pregnant she said, but I worried.”

I grabbed Amir’s arms. “I hope you find someone to connect with. I hope you find that one person you need to have in your life a make it better.” I shrugged. “We all do. Sex is great! I love it. We’re made for it, that’s why we get so much pleasure from it. We obsess about it, but just like you didn’t like it when I grabbed your ass. Don’t treat another human being that way.” I looked in his eyes. “I’m sorry I did that…” then I laughed, “…okay, I did enjoy it, but it was more of an object lesson. At least that’s how I intended it.” I waved at him. “You do have a nice ass.”

Amir began blushing again and looked away, but smiled. “Do I say thank you?”

I smiled. “Well, you really didn’t have too much to do with creating it. It’s a product of your mother and father, but you stayed in shape and that did help.” I smiled. “You’re welcome.” I felt I was becoming too parental, but I wanted him to be careful. “You warned us about the dangers we faced when we came to Amasis’ City. Why did you think we would we listen to you?”

“Because I lived there. I knew the dangers.”

I nodded. “I’m not that much older than you, but I live here. I know there are dangers to look out for. Please. You’re a smart man, but this is a new world I don’t want you unprepared for. I like you a lot, Amir. I consider Amasis like I would a brother. That makes you family. There are men out there that are predators, I don’t want you hurt.”

Amir’s eyes softened as he smiled. “You really care about me?”

I nodded. “I do.”

Amir nodded again with a smile. “I care for you, too.” He turned and changed the screen to something…less pornographic. “Do I call you Uncle Devon now?”

I smiled. “Why don’t we settle for a big brother?”

Amir nodded. “I will.” He smiled. “You think I have a nice ass?”

I grinned. “It’s very nice, but Colin’s ass is better.”

Amir’s eyebrows rose, but he smiled.

Wayne came back and said he’d had a great time with his daughter, son-in-law, and children, but felt he was getting in the way and decided to come home. He looked very happy but said that much time with his grandchildren, he needed medication to stay longer. Especially with Kelly.

As nice as it was at Wentworth, there was a limit what we could do. It was safe here, but not safe enough just go somewhere, anywhere you wanted, whenever you want. There were other vampire capitals to go to, but Amasis wasn’t ready. His grasp of English was growing stronger as forced himself to use it, but neither Colin or I felt he was ready for a big city. He could defend himself physically, but he’d stand out with others and would not be able to hide what he was. A Pharaoh, out of history or just plain insane. Amasis was confident about his abilities, but we weren’t. Take for instance, the common things we do in this modern world. Like deodorant. They had things in the past to deal with body odors. Amasis just accepted that the human being stunk sometimes! It does! He knew of the perfumes they used in Egypt, things that would mask odors or just add another smell to make the smell more tolerable. He knew of the perfumed baths and be honest. A pharaoh did work, but not as hard physically as…the man working construction, and they used a lot of big rocks or labored hard in the fields. A pharaoh did have the opportunity to take hot perfumed baths. That man in construction gets home after working hard, didn’t want to work to make enough water hot to take a bath. He would be too tired to care. Amasis could always take hot perfumed baths, so he didn’t consider his daily…stink? It was these commonly understood things that set him apart. Yes, there were people still that didn’t take care themselves this way even today, but usually they were people that couldn’t get those things they needed to prevent the stink, or even if it was a religious practice not to use them, they knew there was a problem, but had resolved that they would stink on occasion! Amasis had access to these things but didn’t realize he could do something about it. Because I didn’t tell him yet! He didn’t understand.

Amasis was having lunch when I noticed, even in the winter he would sweat. Amir, Colin, Wayne and I were together. We were all men, so I didn’t beat around the bush. No one else addressed it, but I did.

“Amasis,” I said smiling at him. “You know we all love you, right?”

Amasis looked up a little unsure why I said that. “Yes.”

I reached over and took his hand. “And you know I love you and never want to offend you.”

Amasis was now very uncertain. “Yes.”

I nodded. “You stink,” I said smiling.

Amasis looked startled. He took that moment to lift his arm and sniffed. “Yes, I suppose I do. I got hot and sweated this morning.” He smiled. “I put that stuff on when I realized.”

“When you were a full vampire…” I began. “Tears and sweat didn’t really happen for you. Now you can cry and sweat. You may not realize it, but, that stuff is used before you stink.”

Amasis looked confused. “When you don’t stink?” It was clear he hadn’t understood what to do with it. I blamed myself. Toilet paper was easy to figure out and I didn’t have to explain that, but deodorants and antiperspirants were different.

I nodded with a chuckle. “It’s called an antiperspirant,” I said. “Reading English is coming, but I don’t think you understand what it’s meant for. You put it on before you stink, to stop you from sweating…and then start to stink. Not afterward and it’s too late.”

“Oh,” Amasis said simply.

“You’re a man,” I said. “We’re all men here. We all stink!”

Colin chuckled. “Even Devon can stink.” He waggled his eyebrows at me.

Amasis looked surprised at Colin. “I’ve never smelled him stink.” He looked puzzled. “I never thought about it.”

Wayne nodded. “I can stink, too.”

Colin nodded. “Me, too.”

I smiled. “My point is…in this new world, there are things you need to know to…” I thought of how to explain “better merge with society. That knowledge is a part of it.”

Amasis smiled and nodded. “I must have misunderstood.” He put his fork down. “I shall go and bathe now.”

“I hope you weren’t offended,” I said to him. “We’re all the same and we do the same things.”

Amasis smiled. “If we were in my city, I might have had you executed.” He looked offended, but it was all for show. “How dare you tell a god he stinks.”

Colin laughed. “Well, you can’t, this is my kingdom.”

Amasis nodded as he patted me on the shoulder. “It’s nice to be treated like just another man after all these centuries.” He said to me. “I was not offended. I was just…unaware. I apologize. I shall bathe and then use that…antiperspirant afterward. If you’ll excuse me.” He went off to take care the problem.

“Wow.” Wayne smiled watching him leave. “I just noticed, he wasn’t wearing his translator! His English has improved so much! He’s even polite!”

I nodded. “His spoken English is damned good.” I grinned. “But reading it is still an issue. As you heard with the antiperspirant.”

Colin nodded. “Amir, what were his specialties?”

“Specialties?” Amir asked. “What was he good at?” He sat back a little and thought. “History told us he was a warrior. A military leader. He was good at forming battle strategies and deployment of troops. He did that for thousands of years…according to history. He did it more on the sidelines after he became a god…I mean, vampire. He could plan assaults and defenses.”

Colin nodded. “That could prove most valuable.” He smiled. “Alex and Willie were in the military. They’re good at being the ones to assault and defend, but a military leader that can plan the assaults…”

“We need to explore that with Amasis,” I said.

The weeks had begun to stretch on. Mitch was often coming over, giving Amasis lessons, especially with the computer. Sasha even came a few times when he could tear himself away from his restaurants. He even brought his son Alik over to spend time with Amir, they were young adult males. Sasha told us his son was marrying and he wanted to spend time with his son. But spending time with Amir was important, too. Sasha had three restaurants and was a busy man.

Even the best of us were showing signs of cabin fever. Colin rolled over one night before we drifted off to sleep and let out a grunt as he sat up. “I want to do something!”

I rolled over to face him and chuckled. “We just had sex, so it isn’t that. What do you want to do?”

“I want to go out! To eat, to see a movie or even dance!” Colin said.

I nodded. “You want to leave Wentworth?”

“Yes!”

I shook my head and pulled his face down to mine. “You poor, poor man. You’re looking for something to do?” I asked kissing him.

“Yes.” He said pitifully. He thought about what and I saw the idea come in his mind. “Why don’t we plan a test run for Amasis and Amir.” He suggested. “Amir should do fine, but Amasis? We can see a show, he’d really like those 3D movies. We can take him to a local night club. Show him this small portion of the world.”

I nodded smiling. “Sure. Why not?”

Colin smiled. “I’ll make arrangements. I’ll make us reservations at the Charleston Place Hotel. We’ll stay a weekend! See a show and show Amasis a Southern version of nightlife.”

I smiled at his new enthusiasm. “That sounds like a plan.”

Colin grinned and even in the dark, which really was pitch black I could see it. “It is a plan. I’ll plan and I’m excited about this plan!” He nodded. “I am planning.”

He did plan something and we were all going. Wayne, Colin and I were taking Amasis and Amir out on the town! Mom and Willie (Dad), Gabriella and Alex were going out with us, as well. Colin booked us suites for Wayne, Amir, Amasis and us.

The weekend arrived and the five of us rode into the city in our limousine. It wasn’t a big deal for me, but it perked up Colin and Amasis was a little nervous about going out in public and fascinated by the city. We did a movie and Amasis and Amir wasn’t ready for this. Putting those glasses on, they watched the screen and were reaching out to touch the characters!

Going out of the theater Amasis was…well. “Everything was like they were right there! The only thing missing were smells and wind!”

Colin nodded. “And I’m sure that too is coming. One day we’ll not only see the actors, but we’ll feel breezes, feel rain if it’s there and smell the earth, flowers and all forms of smells, good and bad, to make it just all that more real.”

Mom smiled as she gave back her glasses to be used again by other theatergoers. “One day, we’ll feel like we’re there.” She said as she took Willie’s arm as they walked with us.

We took them to a nightclub next. Amasis was not happy with the volume, but he liked the energy but didn’t dare try dancing. He watched for now. Amir, however, loved it! He hit the dancefloor with a number of pretty young ladies that attracted him and consented to a dance. This wasn’t a gay club, but Colin and I got out and danced together anyway. We did get a few surprised looks, but it was the South. We didn’t care and we didn’t stop. Colin was having a great time.

After all the excitement, we got in our suite just before sunrise exhausted.

Colin sighed and stretched. “I’m taking a shower.” He grinned and turned to me. “Care to join me?”

I nodded as I saw him toss his jacket on the bed. “Sure. Start and I’ll be in.”

Colin nodded and headed to the bathroom.

I shook my head and picked up his jacket. I went to the closet and opened the door to put it away. That was when a man in a dark mask popped into my field of vision, aimed what looked like a gun and fired. I heard the near-silent sound made and felt a sting on my neck. I was going to shout, but whatever it was, everything went black.