by Treva Harte
"Fine. Which of the pets would you like?"
"What?"
"I'm going to see to dinner. Just tell Dorinda. There's a nice selection right here. Just pick one. Or two." Morgena bustled away.
One of the blond males standing about broke away from the rest to follow Morgena.
"No, no, la-Garic. Let Salla get a look and decide if she could use you," her mother told the male firmly. Morgena turned to call over her shoulder. "That one's new, Salla. Just named him, but I believe he knows what he's called already. He's become quite attached."
Salla realized the young blond man looked a bit distressed even though he stayed as bidden. Salla opened her mouth to ask for more clarification, but Morgena had long since disappeared. She'd forgotten how quickly Morgena could move when she chose.
"Very well. Which one do you want?" Dorinda asked. "There's plenty here to choose from and more outside if these don't suit."
That was when, a little too late, Salla remembered the ranch custom. She'd been too young to have the pets attend her bathing before she left, but such baths were an accepted fact of ranch life. Salla took a deep breath. It seemed a bit early to set everyone straight about what one should and shouldn't do with males. Especially since these males were under orders to attend her.
"None, really." Why had she said she wanted to bathe? Why hadn't she remembered in time? "I can do it alone."
"Then who will take up the hot water for you?"
Salla opened her mouth to say she'd have a cold bath. She paused, swallowed. Salla looked at all the expectant male faces waiting for her decision. Principles were easier to hold to when others didn't get hurt by them. It was also much easier to be strong when you weren't back in your mother's house, feeling about five years old again.
"Any of them would be honored to attend to the patroness' daughter," Dorinda said, softly.
My word. Now she'd be seen as rude when she said no. None of these people had any authority to change house customs. The person she needed to set straight had gone to the kitchen to see Salla had a homecoming dinner. The only thing that would happen if she said no here and now would be a useless argument. Dorinda would be distressed to see Salla being treated improperly and insist on doing her duty.
My gracious word. What to do?
Salla looked desperately around.
There was one huge pet in the background, leaning with his back against the wall and arms crossed as if he had no stake in her decision. If she had to pick someone, surely she could dismiss someone like him quickly.
"Him. I'll take him." Salla pointed.
He straightened up in surprise, his disinterest vanishing as he stared at Salla. Dorinda looked troubled. Salla had the feeling she'd done the wrong thing. What pet could possibly be off limits to her?
"I don't know—" The majordomo turned to the man. "Do you think Mistress Arness would mind?"
He immediately lowered his eyes in that ridiculously subservient manner of all pets, his surprise covered up with unnatural docility. His obedience looked all the more out of place because he was such a large male.
"I am sure she would insist on having me honor the daughter of the patroness and her choice." He might be too humble, but he spoke perfectly. The deep rumbling voice combined with the beautifully articulated words aroused a tiny flutter of interest.
"I'm sure you're right." Dorinda seemed relieved when she turned to Salla. "As you can tell by the shade of his collar, he's not one of ours. His mistress left him here for a few days. But Primary knows everything there is to know about attending a female."
"I'm only an out-country pet." Primary inclined his head again, this time to Salla. "But I will do my poor best."
What had she gotten into? Salla smiled, a little nervously, as the huge bear of a male disappeared to ready her bath. The other men refused to follow his example, however. They seemed to be incapable of budging from the hall.
Did they think she was going to take her mother's suggestion and pick an additional one?
"Thank you, everyone. You can go now," Salla said, crisply.
My word, now she was ordering them about. Not that any of them seemed to pay attention.
"Stop your gawking. The mistress has made her choice. Have you no work to do? If not, I can find some!" Dorinda clapped her hands.
With that dismissal, the crowd of males dispersed almost instantly.
Dorinda winked at Salla.
"Primary won't break the monogamy leash, of course, but from what I've heard, he's remarkably good with his hands and his attentions. After all, those older ones have plenty of experience. You made a better choice than most city girls." Dorinda sounded pleased. "I suppose you have your mother's eye for male talent."
Oh. My. Word.
* * * * *
Salla ducked under the froth of bubbles as the man easily hauled up another bucket of water. The bath was the perfect temperature—not icy cold but not too hot for such warm weather. Clearly he was experienced in such matters.
Not that she had the least intention of letting him continue to show he was remarkably good with his hands and attentions.
"I really can manage on my own now," she said.
"Surely you can't reach the small of your back properly. I know how my mistress aches after a long journey." Before she quite knew how it happened, his hands, strong and slow, were kneading at the tight muscles in her back.
Heavenly.
"Really, I can…manage." She managed not to whimper with delight.
"Better?" His voice rumbled at a spot behind her ear. As he spoke, little puffs of air tickled her skin. "You were very sore."
"Yes. But—” Her head lolled back as he began to massage her neck.
She realized she was tilting her breasts a bit far out of the bubbled water and hastily sank further down into the tub. Primary wasn't stepping anywhere outside the bounds of respect and she was feeling remarkably…relaxed…around him. If there was just a little insistent tingle of awareness of how strong those hands were—well, she was only human after all.
"You weren't used to pets at your Academy, Mistress Salla?"
"Not really. I mean, why do you say that?"
"You seem a bit more shy than most mistresses. I hope I'm not making you upset."
Her nipples were hardening. She hoped it was from the water but she feared she was wrong.
"No. Oh, no! Not in the least. Your hands are—I mean, your massage is perfect." She bit back a moan as he eased into working on her shoulders. Slick fingers soothed and teased.
No. Not teased.
She was imagining things because she wanted—
No. She didn't want.
Salla's eyes shut.
"It's a pity you haven't learned your place," she said, half-asleep.
"Am I being disrespectful, Mistress?"
"No. I mean your rightful place in the world. You're too clever to want to stay so submissive." Salla yawned. "I learned that at The Academy."
"Indeed." He began to lather her back with soap. "I'm merely a male, Mistress Salla. I'm born to obey."
"Nonsense. No one was born for that." A spark of her usual zeal made her open her eyes though she yawned as she said the words. "In fact, I've studied the role of the genders in history. In ancient times there is reason to believe women were subservient."
The hands rubbing over her skin paused.
"No."
"Yes. I have been privileged to research a historical artifact from our past life called The Flame and the Flower. I did my honors project on it. The work is incomplete, naturally, since the crash destroyed almost everything from Earth, but if my translation of the archaic English is correct it seems conclusive that men often dominated ancient society. Anyhow, I'm sure that in the manuscript women were slaves. Chattel. Sexual objects." Salla's head drooped, rested against the side of the tub. "And rather stupid."
"You think this is how the world should operate?"
Salla smiled a little at the horror in his voice. "Of course not.
I just think nothing is unalterable among people. No person is born to be or act a certain way. I think males are people too."
Primary watched her eyelids fall and stay shut. Very gently, aware she was too deep in sleep to be embarrassed, he lifted her from the tub and patted her dry with a towel. That was one of any bath-giver's tasks, but he suspected Mistress Salla would have refused to allow him to do his proper job had she been awake.
He looked down at her diminutive but very feminine body. Her breasts rose and fell as she breathed deeply in sleep. Ha. Mistress Salla was a very delectable little morsel. She spoke so firmly and then acted so shy. Primary had the odd notion she was more uncertain than she allowed herself to appear. A shy, uncertain female hiding under the assertiveness expected of women?
He wondered how a woman who combined those traits would treat a pet in bed. Unexpectedly, he felt his cock spring to life at the idea. Primary adjusted his leggings to ease the sudden discomfort. What was he thinking of? Primary knew he had a secret weakness for small women—perhaps because he was such a large clod.
Perdition, if he wasn't already bound—
But he was. Despite his own mistress' recent odd questions and this mistress' even odder reading material, he was bound. Unalterably.
Perhaps the discussion of women as chattel and sexual objects was what made him want to crawl next to this woman and teach her what her proper role was. For a moment longer he let himself stare at a naked woman who hadn't allowed him the right to look. That was completely against the rules.
And more arousing than he wanted it to be.
Primary wasn't sure how long it took him to remember how wrong it was. Of course his hesitation merely reinforced the common knowledge that a pet's mind and will were weak and easily led by his cock. Right now that knowledge was almost reassuring. The words of this mistress hadn't changed his true nature at all.
Eventually though, he forced himself to cover her naked body with a light coverlet, sternly refusing to allow himself to linger more over the task. He was almost done when he heard a yell from downstairs. Mistress Salla stirred uneasily and he paused, still holding the fabric against her, his two hands on either side of her body. What would she do if she saw them like this?
Perversely, he was almost disappointed when she eased back into sleep.
There was another yell.
Primary sighed. This household was more volatile—and noisy—than most large ranches.
"It's Mistress Arness!" He heard One's voice cry, even through the bedroom door. Primary threw open the door to run to the stairs.
"What's wrong?" Primary forgot himself enough to yell down the stairs in his most booming voice. "What has happened?"
One sounded almost hysterical when he replied.
"She's been bushwhacked!"
CHAPTER FIVE
Adan almost jumped when the man cleared his throat. So far the fellow had said nothing to him since that first visit. He had grown accustomed to the silence.
"I won't be back for a while. I'm leaving you enough food and water to last until tomorrow. My mistress has another pet who can see to your needs. If he is unable, the patroness will take care of it."
"Aren't you pets sworn to obey your mistress? Has she told you to stop?" Was this part of her training plan? Did she want to teach him to fear that she would withdraw her protection if he didn't cooperate? Adan fought the strange sinking in his stomach that told him he did fear that. A little.
He'd thought about the woman too much lately despite his efforts to stop. How she looked, her voice, even her scent. Her absence made him edgy. Adding a mystery to all that was just unfair. He was compelled to show his curiosity about her.
"No. She can tell me nothing. That's why I must go to her. Her need is greater than my strict obedience." The man stood after refilling the water tray, clearly ready to hurry away.
"Wait! Arn-your mistress is in trouble?" Clearly she must be for such a domesticated pet to voice such an amazing sentence. What need could be so great?
"I'm sure of it. On the road back to this ranch a band of bushwhackers attacked her and her one remaining capture. She protected the capture, but was overwhelmed. Thank Goddess, One had the sense to return and tell us. We'll go back to where she was taken as soon as the patroness gives me leave to take some of her pets to save my mistress."
"Let me be one of them." Adan didn't even question the words that burst forth. "I've lived in the bush most of my life but for these past few months. I can track these bastards down."
"You?" The other man paused at the door, looking skeptical. "Mistress would never allow it. Or the patroness. You'd run away."
"I'd never run away at such a time. I give you my word I would never abandon Mistress Arness to bushwhackers."
"Your word?" Primary's voice was more skeptical than his look. "You're a pet. Maybe worse—you have no collar even yet. You're really still a wildling after all this time. Who are you to give your word?"
"I am a man. I mean what I say." Adan wanted to shake the stupid male in front of him. "Do you not mean what you say?"
The man looked confused.
"Yes. Of course. But—” He moved, unexpectedly. In the middle of the sentence the man opened the door, shut it behind him. The lock creaked shut.
Adan was tempted to try to bang the door down though he knew from past experience it was useless. Fool of a pet! Adan knew he could rescue Arness if he were temporarily freed!
The voice came from the other side. "Don't try to confuse me. I will ask the patroness what to do."
* * * * *
“Your pet is ready.” One of the female workers opened the door to the Red Room. “Since this is his first time, we suggest that you keep the restraints on him as a precaution.”
"He's tied?"
Tanja was just drunk enough to feel amused rather than alarmed by the words. Aroused, too. Dinner had been oysters and champagne, spicy tidbits and little finger foods that aroused all kinds of appetites. She felt relaxed and eager at the same time.
Nara raised an eyebrow.
“You’re the one who wanted a half-tamed breeding pet,” Nara commented.
“I’m tired of the cowed, domesticated ones that I can afford to keep,” Tanja answered, defensively. “I think ones that haven’t been generations in captivity are healthier and smarter. Those are the genes I want for my baby.”
Nara waved her hand.
“Fine, fine. I see you’ve bought into the advertising this ranch does. Me, I just want to see what a wild pet can do for my sex life.”
Once in the room Tanja immediately focused on Four, spread-eagled on the canopied bed. He should have looked foolish stretched out on the lacy red sheets or subdued with the red cuffs on his legs and arms.
Tanja swallowed. He looked dangerous.
Suddenly she wanted dangerous.
She wanted Four.
Tanja began to take off her fancy dining shift, her eyes on Four’s strong frame, fascinated by how tightly his fingers gripped his restraints. Goddess, he looked powerful! If the restraints had been any less, she was sure he would have snapped them off.
“He does look delicious,” Nara said as she began to pull off her shift. “But make sure he’s tied down—at least until he figures out what we want from him.”
Poor Four. Nara was right. He wasn't only dangerous. He must be afraid. He would have no idea why he was being held down.
Naked, except for her high-heeled shoes, Tanja hurried to Four’s side.
“It'll be all right,” she murmured. How much did he understand? He couldn’t speak the language well yet.
“Miss Triss will—hurt?” Four swallowed hard.
“Mistresses will feel good,” Tanja answered. “Two of us.”
Four’s eyes darted over to the stripped down Nara. Nara was smaller-waisted than Tanja, though Tanja had been trying to eat right and exercise to get ready for motherhood. Nara had a nicer ass, too.
Four’s eyes moved back to Tanja.
The fear that lingered in his eyes left as he looked over Tanja’s body. Then his look heated up.
Tanja could feel the wetness begin to trickle in her cunt. Four wanted her. He wanted her more than Nara.
“Is he hard enough yet?” Nara asked, shaking her dark hair loose from her hairpins.
Tanja looked.
“Oh yes,” she said.
His shaft was sticking up high and stiff. So were his male nipples. Tanja moved closer, ran her hands over the hair on his chest and then let her fingers trail down to his groin.
Four whimpered.
“This time—pliss?” he asked.
Tanja frowned, then realized what he meant as clearly as if he could tell her exactly how hungry he was and why.
“Others have teased you?” she asked. “Just teased and stopped? Sexually?”
“Yess. Good tease. But more this time. Pliss?”
“Tease me instead.” Tanja didn’t hesitate. She already felt as if she were dipped in warm water, the heat swirling up and around her, hotter and hotter. Four’s cock quivered.
Then Tanja swung one leg over Four’s body, letting her pelvis touch just the tip of his cock. Four whimpered again. Strained upward another half inch and relaxed back, frustrated.
“Hey! What about me?” Nara asked.
“Hurry,” Tanja said, through gritted teeth. “I really want him.”
“You’ll both really want each other more if you wait for me,” Nara said, unconcerned.
She walked forward, stopped, rested her hand on one hip as she surveyed Four. Four turned his face toward her. Tanja saw the glazed look, the quick breathing. She slipped forward just a little to run her aching clitoris against his shaft. He jerked as if she'd hit him.
“Tanja! Greedy!” Nara slid one leg over Four’s head, letting her vulva rest tight against his mouth. “We’ve shared pets before. Wait for me.”
“I don’t know if I can,” Tanja said, truthfully. “For Goddess’ sake, hurry.”
“Lick me, pet.” Nara jiggled her body impatiently.
“He doesn’t understand—“ Tanja began and then saw the smile on Nara’s face as she began to rock herself forward and back.