Free To THE LAND OF THE ELECTRIC ANGEL: Hugo and Nebula Award Finalist Author (The Frontiers Saga) by William Rotsler

to tell him in confidence, "Everyone but the girls is leaving tomorrow, and none too soon. We'll have time to work then." Voss smiled easily. "I really want to start this project going. I'm eager to have it completed."
    Blake stifled the words that would ask whether Voss thought he was going to die soon. Instead, he said, "Will your enthusiasm wear off as swiftly?"
    Rio laughed softly, and Voss gave him a quick grin.
    "I see your point. No, it won't," he said seriously. "This is very important to me."
    "I do have some appointments."
    "Put them off a few. days. I want to get the basic plan laid out, and then you can start to fill in the details."
    "Please stay," Rio said, and put her hand on his arm. Caren joined them at that moment. "Yes, stay," she urged.
    Blake didn't look at Caren and he didn't look at Rio. He nodded and shrugged. "A couple of days," he muttered.
    Voss slapped him on the back as they parted.
    Who am I? Blake Mason thought. What the hell am I looking for in this world? Is it the expensive house with the wall screens, the Life-style furniture, the fat bank account, the servants? Do I want to live like Voss? Is it the fame, the power that fame can give? After variety, fame is the greatest aphrodisiac there is, but is that what I want? Why am I not content just to plunge into this freely offered fleshpot and wallow about?
    He closed his eyes, and the quiver music drove his mind into a room and shut the door.
    Rio.
    Rio.
    The name, the face, the tiny postage-stamp glimpses of her mind were racing across his brain. Rio. Where does she come from? Where is she going? Where does she want to go? What is she doing here?
    Blake laughed at himself, and Caren stirred and cupped his crotch again, looking up at his face expectantly. "Honey, she said, "Honey ... ?
    Blake shook his head, the colorquick patterns shifting jewel-like images across the inside of his lids.
    Voss's girl.
    The boss's woman. Boss Voss. The carrier-to-fame. Rio. A river. Flowing water. Freudian symbol. Life-giver.
    Blake felt a body come down onto the couch next to him and hair brush across his face. He opened his eyes, but it was only Doreen.
    She put a leg across his and grinned impudently.
    "Hi!" she said.
    "Good-bye," Caren said firmly.
    Doreen ignored her as she bent to give Blake an expert kiss. Her tongue lanced into him like a snake striking.
    Caren grunted something, sitting up to press herself against Blake's other side. Her tongue went wetly into his ear and her hands began to open his shirt.
    Blake opened his eyes and saw all the nude or near-nude girls covering every male guest. They are earning their living, Blake thought. Expert technicians in the Palace of Love. That kind of love.
    A sudden revulsion seized Blake, and he heaved himself up. But the two women dragged him back, kissing and caressing more enthusiastically. He tried again, and tore away from Caren almost cruelly. She made mewling sounds at him, but he struggled to his feet, wrenching at Doreen's hands. Both girls looked at him in shock.
    "What's the matter?" Caren said. "You wanna do something else?"
    "Want to go somewhere else?" Doreen said with a wicked grin, coming to her feet, weaving her glistening body seductively.
    Blake put out his hands in protest. "No. No, you don't understand."
    "Did we do something wrong, honey?" Caren asked anxiously, licking at the corner of her mouth. "You want us to–"
    "No, no, thank you, I–"
    Blake couldn't finish, and abruptly he turned away, threading his way through writhing triplets toward an exit.
    Caren and Doreen exchanged glances, then separated to join different groups.
    Blake found himself in a corridor, and he fled from the sounds of revelry. He passed through a couple of rooms, then walked down some steps into a room lit by bluish-green light. One wall was a huge window that looked underwater into a large swimming pool. There was no one in the room and Blake sank into a big chair close to the glass and just stared into the