by Treva Harte
“I need your help in hiding some women.”
“You need my humble aid to conceal women? I don’t understand. Most men show off their prizes.”
“Most men have their prizes snatched away by others then. I intend to hang onto these. If you are willing to aid me, I can pay.”
Ka suddenly looked more sly than delicate when he glanced up at Quinn. “I’m expensive, my dear. My price may well be higher than you can manage.”
“I have prizes to barter. If you will help me conceal these women while we prepare to leave the city and then come with us until we reach the safety of my House, you may have a female for yourself.” Quinn hesitated. “That is, if you care for one.”
He had no idea what preferences a sheman might have. He’d never had to consider a sheman’s preferences in anything. No man did. Shemen were paid to consider a man’s preferences, not the other way around.
Ka’s reply didn’t really answer Quinn. The sheman’s hiss was a perfect imitation of a Bellizan’s, though he looked too exotic to truly be one of them. “Faz-ziiiiin-ating. You keep so many women that you can easily part with one?”
“I don’t think keeping any of them is easy or I wouldn’t make you such an offer.” After all, he’d already had to give one up. If he wasn’t careful he’d have none left.
Then again, a part of him wouldn’t care. He wasn’t going to surrender easily, but his original plan wasn’t going to be needed if Jewel was correct. He didn’t need to sell any woman to stay alive, so keeping them didn’t matter. Just as long as he kept Ara. She was a whole different matter.
Ka smiled, his gaze suddenly meeting Quinn’s. Quinn blinked. Ka actually looked amused. “I enjoy a challenge. Also, I have a particular desire to leave this city for a short vacation. Perhaps if you tell me more, I can more fully assist you, mighty sir.”
* * * * *
“You don’t wear paint?” Ka tilted her head. “Or jewelry?” Ka’s thinly rimmed eyes looked mysterious.
“Only during time of favor. The others make me.” Ara scowled. “I hate it.”
Though if she looked half as pretty as Ka, she might have reconsidered her aversion to makeup. Ara now believed Ka could sell favor though Ara had been startled by the idea when it was explained to her. She’d never before realized the women of her own keep must be dreadfully lacking ‑‑ they gave favor to men and accepted anything the men would give to them as tribute.
“What is a sheman and why does a sheman have to teach us anything?”
“A sheman…ah…yes. A sheman um, well, sells favors to men.”
“Sells favor? She must be exceptionally good at favor then. Goddess!”
“Ah ‑‑ well…”
Ka’s soft voice had interrupted. “Let me explain to the ladies here, Master Quinn. In my own way. If you would allow me to do so, honored sir.”
Ka’s well-groomed hand reached out to touch her own. Whoo, Ka was strong, even though she looked fragile. Ara knew better than to try to pull from that grip. “But, Ara, that’s wrong. Why do you only want to adorn yourself for men? You’re so beautiful. All you women are beautiful. Don’t you enjoy pampering yourself? Just being lovely for your own delectation?”
“I do,” Leesha cut in.
Ara blinked. It was the first time Ara ever remembered hearing Leesha speak in front of a stranger. Not that they’d run into many strangers while at Castle Bloomingdell. Then again this stranger, dressed in a silk bustier and a low-slung miniskirt, looked so shy…even more than Leesha was. It would be hard for even Leesha to be intimidated.
“An excellent attitude, Leesha. Come now, ladies. Let me work on your makeup while you paint my toenails. While you do so, I can start with Ara and show her that makeup can be well worth the effort. Wouldn’t that be a fair exchange?” Ka glanced at them all, but her gaze rested longest on Ara.
Ara felt a small flutter of excitement as those dark eyes studied her. Oh, dear. This should mean no more to her than any other woman offering to fix her hair. Why didn’t it?
But Ka wasn’t all feminine somehow. Ara couldn’t explain it, but her breath caught when Ka took her chin and, lips pursed, began to smooth glitter into Ara’s cheekbones. Ka didn’t make her feel the way she did with other women. Something about the sheman made her think of men…and sex. Then again, Ka must be a famous courtesan for a reason. Perhaps she could make anyone think of sex.
“Close your eyes, dearest. I’m going to work on your eyelids. And don’t frown. It spoils the paint.” Ka hummed the words to her.
Ara felt her pulse jump. It was very confusing. A little naughty. Exciting. She’d never been so flustered around any woman before this. But she’d been told to let Ka teach them to be shemen. Obviously makeup was a part of the requirements. Quinn himself had ordered them to listen and do what Ka required.
Not that she had to obey Quinn unless she wanted to.
It was just ‑‑ well, she thought she might want to obey him this time.
“What do you think of peach, Ka? I think it might compliment the ribbons in your hair.” Leesha’s cooing to the sheman jarred Ara from her thoughts.
“Peach would be delicious, my darling. But a lighter shade, please, if you can find some in my bottles.”
For a long moment, everything was silent. All that could be heard was just the lightest scritch of sound as Ka went to work on Ara with a makeup brush.
Such strong, gentle hands. Sooo soothing. Almost. A little skitter of excitement kept leaping through Ara.
“You have such elegant feet.” Reina’s voice sounded as dreamy as Ara felt.
“You’re welcome to inspect them more closely, my sweetness. Be gentle. My feet are very sensitive.”
“Oooooo.” Reina giggled. Leesha sighed.
What was going on?
Ka’s fingers circled Ara’s temples, brushed her hair from her face.
“Calm down, Ara dear. Breathing heavily mars my work. And don’t even think of opening your eyes. I’m putting gloss over the glitter. I think you’ll love it. But it will take a minute or two to dry. Ahhh, darlings ‑‑ that is delightful. Rub just a little higher up, Leesha.”
There was another giggle from Reina. A longer sigh from Leesha. Ara felt a sudden wash of heat. What was Ka doing to them all? Suddenly she could imagine doing dark, dangerous things with all of them. Delightfully dangerous. Ka was a magician.
Oh, whatever magic Ka was working, it was lovely. Ka’s hands, rubbing the back of Ara’s neck, made her head feel quite weightless. The rest of Ara’s body began to prickle with excitement. Oh my. She’d never had a woman make her feel so…so…tingly. She wanted to shift her body, squirm against the edge of her seat.
“How about your legs, Ka? Are they sensitive to the touch too?” Was that Leesha?
“In some areas, love. Test and see. In fact, if you’ve finished with my nails, why not take a razor and make sure my legs are quite smooth and hairless? I do that because shaving always makes a man happy. He loves to touch things that are soft. And sheman are happy to please their customers.”
Ara, who hadn’t shaved her legs since the last time of giving favor, suddenly thought about how scratchy her own legs must feel. She wondered if Quinn had been distressed at her stubble. Oh, dear.
Just why had Quinn thought it necessary to hire a sheman ‑‑ one who was so happy to please? Hmm. Instead of feeling so oddly seduced, perhaps she ought to feel threatened.
“Don’t frown, love. That spoils the smooth effect. Though your skin is beautiful even without enhancement.” Ka whispered the words almost in Ara’s ear as Ka leaned over, still working on Ara’s face.
“Oh!” Leesha gave a particularly loud squeak. “Ka!”
Ara jumped.
“Just a moment, Leesha. Don’t distract us. Ara, your face is complete.”
Ara opened her eyes.
“But--!”
“A moment, Leesha. What do you think, Ara?”
What did she think? What could she think?
Ka had made her into a shimmering beauty. Was that really her? Ara reached out to touch the mirror Ka held out.
“But – but --”
“Leesha, dearest, you just can’t wait, can you?”
Apparently Leesha couldn’t. She cleared her throat.
“You’re a man!” Leesha gave each word a full squeal emphasis.
Ara’s hand jerked. Ka deftly caught the mirror before it shattered. Ara stared at Leesha, who was still sputtering. Hmmm. She was sputtering, but Leesha hadn’t taken her hand away from Ka’s thigh.
“Be gentle with the razor, Leesha. A sharp blade can do a great deal of damage right there.” Ka put the mirror down. “And yes, as you so astutely observed, a sheman is male. I am quite, quite male. Does it make a difference to you?”
“Of course it makes a difference!” Ara couldn’t believe she ‑‑ he ‑‑ would even bother to ask such a question. She ignored the nagging sense of relief that she had somehow sensed Ka’s maleness and been ‑‑ irritated. Yes, irritated.
“Should it make a difference?”
“What do you mean?” Reina spoke up. “How couldn’t it?”
“I said I would teach you how to please a man, how to pretend to be a sheman. Why should my gender make a difference?” Ka’s eyebrows rose. “Are you afraid of men?”
Ara rose to her feet. She might have yelled, but she suspected her beautiful facial paint would never survive. She decided for a regal, icy tone that would barely move her lips. “We’re not afraid of men.”
“Yes we are,” Leesha said.
Reina nodded. “Very afraid.”
“Oh, my dears.” Ka spread his hands open. “Let me teach you differently.”
* * * * *
“Yes. Absolutely.” Jewel smiled at them both. “You’re pregnant.”
Ulrich’s breath came out with a whoosh. Even his sighs were gale force. He sat down, heavily on the bench next to Maryam. “Well. Well, then.”
“Actually --” Jewel paused.
“Actually what?” Ulrich stood again, fists clenched. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. But, Maryam, your measurements…your age…the fertility herbs you took in far too much abundance…”
“What?” Maryam looked a trifle alarmed, too. “I can tell this pregnancy is already wearing at me more than the others, but I’m older now.”
“Yes. Well, you may have more than one baby in there.” Jewel rocked back on her heels to avoid Ulrich’s twitch of surprise. His arms missed her nose by a quarter inch.
“More?” Ulrich grinned.
“More?” Maryam gasped. “How many more?”
“It’s too early to know. Too early to even be sure there is more than one. But I wouldn’t be surprised.”
“I’m carrying Ulrich’s litter?” Maryam gave the litter’s father a hard stare. “Great Goddess to us all. I should have known the man would do something like this.”
“I’m just proud…grateful…” Ulrich stopped and turned blue with embarrassment. “Well, never mind about me. What about Maryam? Is she healthy enough? She said she was worn.”
“She’s healthy for now. But she needs to get somewhere where she can rest a great deal. Having more than one child is a great stress to the system. All this travel is no good for her.” Jewel said the next words with an odd tone to her voice. “You’ll need to get to Castle M’Cee quickly. Before anything happens. Our midwife, Mama Zee, will know exactly what to do for the babies.”
“I can get her there. I’ll carry her every step of the way if I must.” Ulrich put his hand on Maryam’s shoulder.
“I’m not sure I want you to touch me right now.” Maryam’s tone was acidic, but she relaxed against his touch.
“But you don’t know how to get there. Someone will have to show you the way. Someone who knows how.” Jewel sounded even sadder. “I can only think of one person.”
“I’ll gladly get there and stop traveling. As soon as possible. But ‑‑ uh ‑‑ speaking of stress -- ah --” Maryam hesitated, then spoke firmly. “Sex. What about sex?”
Ulrich grunted, another wave of even deeper blue washing over his face.
“Sex.” Jewel glanced at Ulrich. “Yes. I suppose we do have to discuss that.”
“And then we have to go tell the others the news.” Maryam tapped her fingers.
“About our sex?” Ulrich gasped.
“I’m sure they are aware we’ve had some sex and, sooner or later ‑‑ as you tell us, Jewel ‑‑ we intend to have more.”
Ulrich grunted again but, after looking Maryam over, said nothing.
“No, silly man! The important news. Someone from our keep is finally pregnant again. Perhaps even a little too pregnant. More than one, indeed. Ulrich, sometimes you are just excessive.”
* * * * *
“Faaaaaz-zin-ating.” Ka’s head tilted to one side. “And you and Leesha do this often? Do all women?”
“No! Absolutely not,” Ara broke in. Just because she was somehow cushioned against Ka’s thigh, where she could feel a very hard bulge pressed near her cheek, didn’t mean he had to think she indulged in some of the things Leesha and Reina were confiding.
Goddess, she’d lived in the keep with them all her life. She was a cousin of theirs and she hadn’t known some of the things the two of them did together and separately. She hadn’t ever wanted to know, either.
Even if it was rather fascinating. Or faaazzinating.
“Never?” Ka’s gaze shifted back to her.
“Well, just a dildo. Sometimes. When I’m not giving favor.” How did the man make them say such intimate things out loud? “In private.”
“Alone? What a pity. I’d love to see how you honored ladies do such things. How you enjoy it. I’d enjoy it very much, both on a personal level and a professional one.”
Ara thought her face would turn into one bright flame of humiliation. “I couldn’t. I just…no.”
Maybe for Quinn. If he asked nicely. The image made her shift uncomfortably. Almost as if she was transferring the thought, Ka’s cock jumped underneath her.
“I could.” Reina glanced at Leesha. “We could.”
“If you’d like.” Leesha pursed her lips.
How had she gotten herself involved in this? Ka’s fingers twined through her hair, so Ara stayed where she was.
“Would you kiss for me?”
Kiss? Sister females gave each other kisses all the time.
“Of course, Ka.” Reina twined some of Leesha’s hair around her wrist. She leaned forward.
Sisters did not kiss each other like that. As if they were starved for the taste of each other. As if ‑‑ as if ‑‑ Leesha licked the top of Reina’s upper lip delicately.
“No.” Ara knew she was staring. “That’s just…no.”
“Oh, Ara! You’re so backward!” Reina glanced over her shoulder. “What do you think most of us do of an evening at the keep?”
“But we’re all related!” Ara protested. They were sisters only in the way all women were sisters, but they were truly cousins.
“There now, Ara. Don’t smudge the makeup.” Ka’s fingers trailed down her neck and Ara shivered. “Ladies, Ara is feeling uncomfortable.”
She wondered if he knew the discomfort wasn’t just embarrassment. There was a distinct twinge of interest. Naughty interest, but interest nonetheless. Ara somehow imagined that Ka knew everything there was to know about naughty interests. If Ka would just remove his ‑‑ his large member from the back of her head, she could go back to feeling merely embarrassed.
“I’d never force anyone to do something personally distasteful. It doesn’t excite me in the least.” For a moment a flicker of some unhappiness showed in Ka’s eyes. Then his eyelids drooped, sexily. “As long as you’re quite, quite sure it’s distasteful.”
“I --” Ara stammered, gulped for air. “It’s almost tempting, Ka. You are. But not enough. I ‑‑ there ‑‑ there’s Quinn.”
Quinn. Was that what had been tickli
ng in the back of her mind, telling her not to get too close to what was obviously going to happen next? Because she was going to leave, even though a twist of that same lusty interest made her suddenly ache. Ara squirmed again.
Ka patted one of her cheeks. Not the one on her face.
“I think you should go before I devour you in big bites, Ara.” His voice lowered an octave, became all male. “I’ll manage to make do with what else I have at hand.”
Big…bites. Oh, goodness. Ara managed to get on her feet, though she wasn’t sure how. She forced herself not to look at Ka.
Quinn. She should think of Quinn. He wanted her to be a wife. She still wasn’t sure what her betrothal meant, but she was sure that marriage to several husbands didn’t include adding a sheman and her cousins to the wedding group.
“Thank you.” Ara wasn’t quite sure how she got her voice to work. But she was sure that if Ka hadn’t given her permission, she never would have been able to get away.
“Ah. Shut the door firmly when you leave, Ara.” Ka’s voice, higher and more feminine again, called after her.
“Oh.” Ara stopped short. “Hello.”
“Hello.” Jewel’s eyes narrowed. “What is it?”
“It what?”
“Something is going on.” Maryam answered for Jewel. “What?”
“Um…oh. I --” Ara tried again. “There’s a surprise for us from Quinn in the antechamber there.”
“A surprise?” Jewel turned toward the door. A giggle and a crash clearly wafted through.
“What is it?” Mio reached for the knife at his belt.
“No, no! No knives! There’s no danger.” Ara held out her hands. “Just ‑‑ well, I need to talk to Quinn about his ideas. Right now.” She almost ran down the hall.
“Something is going on.” Mio moved toward the closed door. Maryam followed.
“Mio ‑‑ Maryam. Wait. Before we go in, I have something to say.” Jewel hurried the words out before they ran away as quickly as Ara did. “About our journey. Mio, you need to go with your mother. Back to the Castle M’Cee.”