Helen, or Every Ocean Has Its Sharks

He's working his way through school at the Premier Escort Agency.

Jared Ramirez was born in the slums of a mining planet but he found his way to the planet Haivran, the intellectual center of the Four Species Alliance, where the major universities, institutes, research facilities serving all Alliance citizens are located. Agencies are legal, licensed and regulated, and an attractive young man with a flair for pleasing a female clientèle is in great demand. And Jared has an advantage; he can read minds, and sometimes influence the minds of the people around him. It's only a little talent, and he never talks about it, but it can be useful.

The Zamuaons, members of the Four species Alliance, almost all have Ears, mind reading ability, and they tend to be dismissive of such talents displayed by members of other species. And Jared has never met anyone other than Zamuaons who have the sort of Ears he has – until now. Helen needs to hire an escort for her company convention. Jared isn't enthused about ambitious businesswomen, other than his long-time lover Maud, but he didn't expect that this one would have Ears almost as strong as his. They have other interests in common too, and it is obvious before the first weekend is over that Helen will be one of his regular clients, and a friend. Neither of them realize where their friendship will lead them, or what they will learn about using and controlling their Ears.

This is a novella, one of several prequels to The Misborn, to be released in the near future. The story is suggestive rather than explicit.