One Star Shining, Ch. 1 (Patreon)

Ch. 1
Mr. Cross

Felix paced back and forth across the floor of the hotel room, bare feet sinking into the plush carpet. His phone lay nearby on the end table, close to the immaculately made, satin-sheet covered bed. A tracking app showed his location, the Waterbury Holiday Hotel, an obscure vacation spot for most out-of-towners, located just outside the Human-inclusive, but Anthro dominated city of Kallos. 

City goers, like Felix, had little use or knowledge of the place, despite how nice it was. He was used to staying at luxurious, five-star locations that preened themselves on fine dining and other sorts of frustratingly annoying and high-brow amenities. He hated them. All those family holidays with his parents, siblings, cousins, all the preprepared games and activities, being forced to join in with people he didn't like being around, didn't like himself when he was around them. All the passive aggression, the needling, the infighting, and bickering. And all while posing for a big, family portrait that made it seem like they were all one big happy family.

Not for the first time, Felix wondered what the hell he was doing here. Why had he, the heir to Felix Enson's Family Trading, one of the largest commercial, construction, and advertising companies in all of Kallos, potentially even the country, come here in secret to a holiday resort? Why had he arranged for this night, the last night before he officially took his position as executive head of the new Kallos branch, in a place like this? It was too warm, homey, and well cared for. 

The people here seemed genuinely nice, Humans and Anthros alike. He couldn't help but doubt their intentions, so used to the hidden sneers of his personal life. Growing up the son of a tycoon like his father, Felix Enson II, he was used to being coddled, looked down on, disliked, and whispered about, whether by staff or even family.

He considered just canceling, paying the fine, and going back to his penthouse apartment in the city. Another lonely night of watching old animated movies to try and find that one spark of childhood wonder and enjoyment before he stepped into the big boy shoes that had been prepared for him since being born. Maybe he should just do that, have a night to do nothing with his mind but splurge in hopeless innocence before surrendering to the drudge and pressures of living up to his father's name. 

The phone chimed then. A message flashed across the screen and he glanced at it. "Your Star will be arriving at your location in 30 minutes!" His stomach clenched. Crap.

He flopped back onto the bed in frustration and indecision, putting his hands over his face and blotting out the view of the red-tinted room. Where had his life gone so dramatically off-kilter to end up like this, in a hotel room outside of the city, waiting for... Why couldn't he just be like everyone expected him to be? Prim, proper, well-sophisticated, repressed, shut-in, professional, marry a girl who was probably only after him for his family money, live every day to satisfy someone else... His eyes closed. Take a deep breath, in and out.

His mind flashed back to the beginning of the day

***

His alarm clock blazed to life, flashing the time at him. 6:30 AM. Time to wake up. 

Happy birthday to me. 

He struggled up from his plush pillows as the automated curtains began to pull back on their own, releasing a dazzling beam of sunlight that illuminated his purposefully dark bedroom. The bed was massive, lonely, and clean. His closet doors opened on their own as well. Down the hall, the coffee machine began to hum. Everything was done ahead of time, arranged by staff or electronic timers. He glanced at his smart-phone, to see a backlog of messages, the very first of them from Mother.

"Happy birthday Felix!" it read.

There was another one from his father. "Rise and at them my boy!"

Another one, from Thomas, his second-younger brother. "Get rekked old man! You're 25 now, get the big pants on!"

Felix flopped back onto his bed, contemplating just going back to sleep. It was his birthday, couldn't he sleep in just once? But of course not. A knock at his door came, followed by possibly the only person he didn't mind that worked for his father. "Good morning, young master Felix," said Benedict, a gray-haired man in immaculate tuxedo and tie. His gloved hands expertly carried a tray of breakfast and pills.

"Good morning, Ben," sighed Felix who swung his legs out from beneath the sheets.

Smiling at the nickname, Benedict placed down the tray, then turned to balk at Felix's appearance. "Young master, what on earth are you wearing?"

Glancing down, Felix smirked. The rumpled superhero t-shirt hung loosely on him since he had bought it a size too large at a convention he had secretly gone to a year ago for his last birthday, featuring some overly sexualized female Anthro posing while wielding a sword and gun. It was even signed by the actress who had played her in the movie. His sleep pants depicted Stewie from Family Guy, with numerous lines repeating 'Victory shall be Mine!' He looked back at Benedict's unapproving stare. 

"What, you don't like Veronica Vivaine, aka Ms. Sable?" he teased.

"Hardly," sniffed Benedict haughtily. "Everyone who knows anything knows that Captain Hellion could kick Ms. Sable's buttocks in a fight. At least if you're going to insist on wearing personal attire while at home, at least pick better role models." And that was why Felix liked Benedict, the one person who let him have a modicum of freedom and acceptance. The old man had been his personal aide, butler, and life coach since childhood, and possibly was his only real friend. Still, it was hard to really depend on a man that was paid by his father. Maybe that was just Felix's pessimism being hard at work.

Chuckling, Felix nodded along with the old man and pulled the tray closer to himself. The cooking was excellent as usual: poached egg, bacon, biscuits, coffee. He made himself take his antidepressants, another secret kept from his father, first, and then took to the meal.

"Any plans for the day, young Sir?" Benedict asked as he went into the closet to take out a few clothes and holding them up for Felix to look at. All he had to do was shake his head at the options and Benedict would go get different ones. A 'casual' lunch at O'Ceasars, and then the day would be his, with tomorrow's outfit of yet another tuxedo already ironed and hanging in a plastic covering.

"Other than family lunch?" he asked bitterly, shaking his head at another presented button-up shirt. "None. You can take the day off too if you want, go see your grandkids; I'm sure your granddaughter especially hates me for keeping grandpa busy so often."

Benedict paused, about to go back for another option, and then smiled warmly over at Felix, thin mustache crinkling with his mouth. "You are very kind sir, thank you. I'll do so." Wordlessly, Benedict produced yet another leather jacket, and feeling guilty, Felix just nodded. The last bites of his breakfast lingered in his mouth before he drowned it all in coffee. "Perhaps you should take a personal day too, sir," the butler suggested as he laid out a heavy leather jacket, blue-jean pants, clean white undershirt, and socks. "After lunch, why not go see a movie?"

Sighing, Felix stripped off his sleep shirt and pants, unafraid to do so in front of Benedict since he had been around since Felix was very little, and began to get changed. "No thanks, not in the mood." He did smile a little as Benedict picked up his sleep shirt as if carrying something foul and delicately deposited it in a laundry bin. "Ok you have got to tell me," Felix chuckled. "How does a 60 year old man know about Caption Hellion and Ms. Sable?"

Giving a withering stare, the butler sniffed. "What, an old man cannot appreciate the art and action of youth?" He grinned then, breaking the facade. "My oldest grandson just turned 16 and asked me to take him to see the newest movie about her. I was impressed, to say the least, although it was a bit loud."

"Which one did you go see?"

"Hellscape, Part 2," Benedict replied, adding the sleep pants to the hamper as well. "You wouldn't think a born-again Christian like myself would enjoy an Anthro super-heroine with demonic powers. They handled her character arc very well.  I immediately had to see part 1."

"Maybe you missed your calling as a movie critic," joked Felix as he adjusted his shirt before sliding the leather jacket on over it.

Benedict waved away his hands before fixing the collar of his shirt securely but comfortably around his neck. "Never too late to throw my hat into the online ring," the older man joked back. "If I ever find the time when not taking care of you." Becoming a bit more serious, Benedict picked the now empty tray back up. "Do look after yourself today, young master Felix. You seem to be sleeping worse and worse lately."

Sighing again, Felix walked over to his closet door and pressed a button. A panel opened and revealed a full-length smart-mirror, allowing him to check himself and smooth down his chaotic blonde hair. He glanced at his smart wristband, which measured his heart-rate, breathing, and rem cycles during sleep. It had been a suggestion by his dietician and therapist. "Just a lot on my mind, Ben."

Nodding, Benedict bowed. "Take my advice, young master Felix," he murmured in a grandfatherly tone, voice serious but warm. "Take some time for yourself today. Indulge a little, go out on a date, go meet someone. I'll make sure that you aren't disturbed after lunch. The usual. Your schedule becomes rather busy after tomorrow, so live a little today." He winked once, then nodded, and walked out of the room.

Felix looked at his own reflection as the door closed. "Take some personal time?" he asked softly. "Right, and go on a date with who?" Grumbling, Felix slouched off down the hall into the main living room of his penthouse apartment. The entire place was huge, with a spiral staircase leading up to a second-floor complete with an outdoor hot tub, and every amenity that he could ever ask for. 

A personal theater was down the hallway past his bedroom, luxurious bathroom, study; all in all it would have been any young bachelor's dream house. For a dream life, one without the social obligations, toxic family, and general discontent he felt daily. 

Sinking down into the plush couch, he pulled up his laptop, an older model that he kept just to hang onto the memories. His wallpaper, another image of Ms. Sable posing in more revealing clothing, stared back at him. An unrealistic and laughable fixation perhaps, and one that his siblings would heckle him to death for should they ever find out.  It wasn't even how sexually attractive the white-furred Wolf was; it was her eyes, the bearing she held in them, as if fully aware her hypnotic gaze could capture the heart and hold it. 

It took a while to boot up the internet, even with the unbelievable connection this place had. Just like everything else from his past, it was becoming time to finally replace it.

He did not bother turning on the television, a grand plasma-screened device that took up most of the main wall in front of the couch, and instead just trolled around on Youtube for a while before becoming bored. He was just about to turn the thing off when he guiltily noticed he had left a specific window open from his last session of "personal time" the other night. Clicking onto it, he almost flinched at what he saw on screen, and guiltily he began to close the tabs. Even as he clicked the last little 'x', another window popped up. Feeling annoyed, both at himself and the irritation of pop-up ads, he went to close it, but then stopped.

'One-Star Luxury Escorts!' read the subdued and alluring text across the top of the page. A second later, a beautiful woman appeared on the screen. Her eyes were smoky and her smile seductive, but when she spoke, she sounded more like an understanding friend rather than an automated sex-bot advertisement. He found himself unwilling to just close the window as she began to speak. "Are you tired, overworked, stressed, over your head, or just needing something to focus on? Work getting to be too much, feeling lonely or unappreciated?" 

Without really meaning to, Felix nodded glumly. How fitting that the only person who understood his mood was something like this.

"Are you in need of a friend to take the weight off your shoulders?" 

Yeah. 

"Are you not only looking for stimulation but validation?" 

Yeah. 

"Are you afraid to talk to others about what, with us, is all a part of your experience?" 

Yes. 

The woman smiled wider. This website knew how to pull at heartstrings. "Then One Star Shining will find your guiding light for you.  Choose between your select fantasy choice of partners, Human and Anthro available.  All of our staff are highly trained in a wide variety of entertainment venues as well as offering counseling or therapy as desired.  We are willing to provide you with the service you not only want, or need, but the one you deserve. Sign up now, because whether only once or many times, One Star shines brighter than any other." The woman vanished and a questionnaire appeared. His website verification app chimed a second later with a small green checkmark, meaning that the site was clean. It was legit. His face flushed and he closed his laptop.

What was he even thinking? Grumpily, Felix glanced at the clock, noticed that the lunch appointment was only an hour away, and stood. He slipped his phone into his pocket, rode the elevator down, and then began to walk. He could have just ordered a driver, or hell, call Benedict to give him a ride in the limo. But he wanted the time to himself. So he decided on an old favorite. He rode the train.

This time of day, the cross-city Kallos Metro was packed, the massive steel tube filled with clean steel seats and stands, and almost every one of them taken up by passengers of every kind of race or persuasion. Felix found himself crammed against one of the walls, arm hanging onto a ring, since he had given up his seat to a pregnant Feline anthro woman who had two kids with her. 

He didn't mind Anthros, ever since the Cohabitation act years ago they had become a normal sight anywhere in the country. Sure, he didn't understand all the sensitivity training that was normal in schools now, but with the war completely over, the two peoples were just now an equal part of society. Even his father's newest wife was a Vixen. He only hoped that his father had the sense not to bring the admittedly charming woman to a family lunch. He didn't need the drama.

A heavy weight brushed against him as the train doors slid open at yet another station and a rush of new people crammed inside just as several other people left at the same time. Glancing up, Felix jumped a little as a hulking female Canine stood beside him. Easily taller than him by a good couple of feet, she wore dark leathers and fabrics that accentuated her grey and white fur. A thick head of black hair hung past her shoulders and her pierced twitching ears swiveled from time to time. She glanced down at the same time as he did up at her, her eyes, a striking purple locking onto his green, and she gave a polite nod, smile, and then turned back to looking at her phone, held in a fingerless biker-style gloved paw. Her tail waved behind her every so often, like a glorious plume. 

Felix felt himself staring the woman up and down, admiring her admittedly unbelievable curves of soft luscious femininity as well as hardened muscle both in incredibly ample proportions, before guiltily looking away, lest he got caught ogling. Anthros were not built at all like Humans, if anything better in every way, although only a few people wouldn't judge him if he ever said so aloud. Even Anthros weren't entirely whole-heartedly approving on the still delicate concept of cross-species relationships, although there had been a recent upswing of them in recent media.

Thankfully, his station was only one stop away, although it did mean he had to squeeze past the woman in order to get out. An awkward slide had his shoulders brushing against her chest and he flushed hard at the spring and feel of them. He looked back with an apologetic, "Sorry."

Her expression was amused, if a little distant, and she just shrugged. "No problem," she growled softly, voice dark and rich. She looked back at her phone, but just as the doors were sliding closed, she glanced up at him one more time. That look lingered for a while, and she smiled again. Most Anthros didn't wear makeup, but her lips were accented by a dark gloss that made her pearly fangs glisten.  Her eyes, lavender purple, held his gaze like a viper, transfixing him for that one brief moment, turning it into an eternity of hypnotizing allure.  Her mouth cocked slightly up even farther at the corner, smile just slightly wider than it had been.  Did she know the effect she was having on him?  He should say something. Before he could, however, there was a whisk of rushing air and with a clattering of rails, the train was gone.

Feeling flustered, Felix took a deep breath and turned to keep walking, the restaurant only a few blocks away from the station.  He forced the strange encounter from his mind as best as he could.  For once he was almost grateful to have his usual familial dread to focus on.  He was even on time. Maybe this birthday was going to be all right.

Yeah. Right.

***

Felix reopened his eyes, once again staring up at the ceiling of the hotel room. He bitterly sat up. Lunch had gone about as well as deep down he had expected. Father had indeed brought his new wife, causing his mother to become cold and snappy. His two brothers and one sister bickered over their own business dealings or careers, thinking themselves better than the others, and the whole scene overall had just embarrassed him. 

Mother had stormed out, followed by a tearful Vixen mistress who actually didn't seem that bad of a lady. His parents had split up formally a few years ago. Still, the Vixen was a bit younger than his mom, and his father had a bit of a showing-off complex. Still, God and Spirits forbid just one day without his parents screaming at one another. He grumpily picked at a fingernail, remembering the rest of the day in almost perfect detail.

He had stormed home, taking the Metro back in a vain hope of running into that woman again, but with no luck. It had started raining on his walk back to the apartment, and he had been splashed by a passing car. He had stripped, changed clothes, and pulled up his laptop with the express desire to just succumb to some selfish desires and watch some questionable videos to take off his stress.

Thus was he completely surprised when he saw the advertisement tab for One-Star was still open, and he almost closed it again on reflex.  Something however stayed his hand. He was lonely. He was stressed out. He had no luck with girls, had no future of expecting a real relationship, at least not one based on lies or drama. He was 25 years old. Benedict had said to live a little. "Sorry Ben," he muttered sheepishly and began to fill out the questionnaire. One long list of questions, a credit card number, and a no-questions-asked cab-drive later, and here he was.

He glanced at his phone. "Your Star arrives soon!" said the message across the screen. Was this something he really did deserve? Why did he feel so guilty? Sure, he had gone all out, ordered room service in heated trays, prepped, shaven, showered, everything. He almost felt like this was a real date, even asked on the website for that kind of experience. 

What had surprised him was the list of suggested and actually licensed therapists on call associated with the website.  If it wasn't for him already having Dr. Lakehart, he might have even considered setting up a meeting with someone at their office, apparently right in downtown Kallos.  

Part of him wriggled uncomfortably at the idea of a full on Escort business in the center of a bustling metropolis, but, then again, Anthros were not like Humans.  They did not see the same issues that Humans did about being so casual about carnal affairs.  Maybe Anthros really did have a better society.

He picked at his nails uncertainly, weighing the multiple options. Maybe this was all a horrible idea. Could he just pay the fine, leave a note for the escort to enjoy the food, and essentially have paid them to show up and eat a nice dinner by themselves? And why on earth had he picked an all-night special? How much confidence did he even have in himself in that regard?

He was just about to click into the options on the app to begin the cancelation when his phone went off again, making him jump. "Your Star has landed!" it proclaimed, with little floating hearts all around the text. 

Shit. No turning back now. He typed in the room number into the small box provided, and then nervously resumed pacing. It felt like an eternity before there came a sharp knock at the door.

"Who is it?" he asked, swallowing down his nervousness and trying to muster up an ounce of confidence as he walked towards the door. He had no idea what kind of escort the website had sent, left it open other than selecting 'Female', and filling out a list of desired interests that left him feeling flushed and more than a little excited if also embarrassed. The website had strictly said 'We are not Call girls, we are Companions, tailored to your experience.'

Fittingly, a female voice spoke up immediately from the other side, "Your Companion, Mr. Cross." The tone was serious but also warm, using the requested nickname for him. "I am sorry about the wait, I don't come out of the city often. Your time can be extended if you wish."

Blushing a little at her frankness, he began to unlock the door. "That isn't a problem at all, I was admittedly really nervous and was really excited to meet..." he opened the door as he spoke. The words died on his tongue and he stared up at a beautiful pair of bright, purple eyes. "You?"