by Aubrey Ross
He moved toward her. “I was talking about me. You worked like hell to keep me alive. I drifted in and out of consciousness, but I was more aware than you realize.”
“If you hadn’t jumped in front of me in the first place, you wouldn’t have needed saving. I was just returning the favor.” She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
“You’re emanating the most bizarre combination of emotions.” He placed his hands lightly on her shoulders. “What’s going on?”
“My life has been one calamity after another since we snatched you off Halley Prime.” Even knowing it was ridiculous to blame him, she couldn’t resist the accusation. He just chuckled, so she moved closer, resting her head on his shoulder. “You were supposed to be an arrogant, self-absorbed jerk. That way I could hate you.”
“I’m definitely arrogant, and I can be self-absorbed. Why don’t you hate me?” His warm fingers swept up and down her spine, making her skin tingle.
His embrace felt wonderful and natural. She snuggled against him, stroking his back and inhaling his scent. “I’ve tried to hate you. This would all be so much easier if I could.”
“But you don’t?”
Easing back far enough so she could look into his eyes, she let affection heat her gaze. “You know exactly how I feel about you.”
A sexy smile parted his lips. “We’ve cheated death twice since leaving Borrelly. I think we should find a way to celebrate.”
She heaved a ragged sigh and dragged her gaze away from his handsome face. “Unfortunately, the Perrlain agree with you.”
He raised her chin, drawing her gaze back to his. “What are you talking about?”
“We’ve got serious trouble.” Tension coiled within her. How the hell was she going to make him understand what Lutton had just told her? “Most of this tribe wants us dead.”
“They just spent three days nursing us back to health.” His brows drew together and confusion clouded his eyes. “Why do they want us dead?”
“The Perrlain are separatists. They migrated to Temple-Tuttle decades before the catastrophe. The elders believe the Deity allowed the comet to destroy Shardrake because the population squandered the sacred resources.”
“Shardrake was destroyed because we didn’t appreciate the planet?”
“It’s more complicated than that. They believe we failed to value the divine gift of life and all its bounties. They find our materialism and lack of faith intolerable.”
“Then wouldn’t they want us gone as soon as possible, before we contaminate their tribe?” His tone was light and playful. Mischief sparkled in his eyes.
She narrowed her gaze. “This is serious.”
He teased her skin with his thumbs. Each feathery caress made her more aware of her nakedness.
“I’m listening.” He smiled lazily.
“Lutton has been interceding with the elders on our behalf, but he can—”
“Who is Lutton?”
“He’s the chief’s son and we’re damn lucky he found us.” She rubbed her eyes and twisted away from his light hold. “I don’t know where to begin.”
“Begin where I blacked out.”
“I’d stabilized your fever, but the antitoxin only slowed the spread of the poison. It wasn’t neutralized. Lutton and his lover came to the pool to pray and found us. Lutton sent Baylott for help. I passed out before Baylott returned, but apparently the tribe’s healer refused to treat us. He said the Deity obviously wanted us dead.”
“And how did the healer come to this conclusion?” Ashton crossed his arms over his chest, his lips pressed together.
“We survived the crash only to be attacked by a malignari.”
“Is that what you call those little monsters?”
She nodded. “By saving a life, the Perrlain believe you interfere with the will of the Deity.”
“Doesn’t their healer interfere every time he or she treats someone?”
“We didn’t fall ill. We were attacked by a malignari. The Perrlain believe they’re the Deity’s henchmen, delivering punishments for secret sins.”
“Wonderful. So what do we have to do to repay our debt to the elders?” Ashton raked his fingers through his hair, pacing the narrow breadth of the hut.
“This is where it gets tricky. Our debt isn’t owed to the elders. It’s owed to the entire tribe and to the Deity. As I said, Lutton is the chief’s son and the Perrlains’ thinking on such matters is almost reversed from more common philosophies. The tribe doesn’t belong to its leaders. The leaders belong to the tribe.”
Ashton pushed his fingers through his hair, his brow furrowed. “What does this have to do with us?”
“You saved me, I saved you, and Lutton saved us both.”
“How did Lutton save both of us? Did some of the quills hit you?”
She shook her head. “I contaminated myself when I pulled them out of your shoulder. Lutton gave us the antidote even though the healer forbade it.”
Ashton sat on the pallet and crossed his legs. His short, flimsy garment tempted her to peek beneath. Wet heat curled through her body. Maybe the price of freedom wasn’t so high after all. Except for the tribe and Lutton…
“What do we have to do? I gather the Deity doesn’t accept coalition credits.”
“That part is called the Celebration of Life, but I’ll take you through this a step at a time.” She glanced away from his handsome face and took a deep breath. “We have to prove ourselves worthy to participate in the celebration, and the tribe, as a whole, makes that decision.”
“How? What makes us worthy in the eyes of the tribe?”
“Respect of their traditions and a willingness to abandon pride.” She tried to remember as many of the phrases Lutton had used as possible. He made it sound so spiritual, so exalted. “There are three stages along the journey toward worthiness. Giving, receiving and sharing.”
“What exactly would we give, receive and share?”
“Pleasure. We must eagerly give pleasure to one of the tribe members and we must willingly receive pleasure in return. Last, we must share in the pleasure of others. Only then will we be allowed to bring our offering before the Deity.”
His dark eyes gleamed, but she couldn’t read his expression. What she wouldn’t give for his empathic abilities right now.
“You still haven’t told me what we’re supposed to offer,” he reminded her.
“A tangible expression of our gratitude and a demonstration of our commitment to celebrate life.”
“What exactly do we have to do?”
“Fuck.” She snapped out the word, embarrassed yet wary. Wait until he realized the specifics. “The festival sounds more or less harmless. We pleasure them, they pleasure us, and then we watch them screw. We all sleep under the stars around the ceremonial fire, and at sunrise the tribe decides if we’re worthy or not.”
“Define pleasure. What are they allowed to do and who is allowed to do it?”
“I’m not sure who, but Lutton said no more than three will participate in the giving. They will abide by our sexual orientation and we only have to come once.”
“Well, thank the Deity for that.” His sarcasm made her cringe. “Are we talking touching and kissing, or licking and sucking? You’re still leaving a lot up to interpretation.”
“I think they can do whatever it takes to accomplish the goal, so the faster we come the less…”
“This is one interesting religion. I’m surprised they’re not more popular.” His chuckle sounded almost sincere.
“This isn’t funny.”
“Let’s get the hell out of here. I’m strong enough to travel.”
“We can’t.” She met his gaze directly, her heart pounding in her chest. “They’ll kill Lutton. He saved our lives. We can’t just walk away.”
“Then we’ll take him with us. It might be good to have a—”
“He’s the chief’s son. He belongs to the tribe. They have provided him with the best of everything knowing he
will guide and protect them when his father’s time has passed.”
Aghast, he spread his arms and shook his head. “What the hell are you suggesting? You want to go through with this ritual?” He studied her silently for a moment. “You said we don’t have to fuck the tribe members to be found worthy. What about Lutton? What does this Celebration of Life entail?”
Overcome by self-consciousness, Corry crossed her arms over her breasts. She should have let Lutton explain it. He’d done a much better job. She didn’t subscribe to their beliefs, but he’d helped her understand them. “After the tribe finds us worthy, we will be purified. Then at sunset, we go to the Cliffs of Enarre and…Lutton has left the actual logistics up to us.”
“Am I supposed to find that comforting?”
“The Perrlain have a very unusual attitude about sexuality. The concept of permanent mates is alien to them. They’re a true community, sharing everything. They put no more significance on sexual desire than on hunger. They eat because they’re hungry and food is enjoyable. They have sex with anyone who stirs their desire because it feels good.”
“What about children?”
“Children belong to the entire community and are nurtured by all.” Impatient to get to the heart of the matter, Corry tossed her head, sending her hair back out of her face. “They’re not asking us to join the tribe, just respect their beliefs.”
“By participating in an orgy?” He scowled. “I put more importance on my sexual encounters than a good meal. Stop avoiding the question. What do we do when we get to the Cliffs of Enarre?”
“Lutton will have to join with each of us or we’ll all have to join together for the ceremony to be complete.”
“I’m heterosexual. He’s not touching me. I say we fight our way out.”
She shook her head. Ashton still didn’t understand. “They won’t stop us if we try to leave. They’ll simply sacrifice Lutton.”
Silence stretched between them. Ashton looked at her, averted his gaze, then stared at her some more. “Have you ever been with two men at once?”
She shook her head, glancing away from his fierce expression.
“I didn’t think so.” After another long pause, he asked, “Is it something you’ve fantasized about?”
Licking her lips, she dragged her gaze back to his face. “For about a year after my father died I had a belated fit of adolescent angst. I experimented with a lot of things, including reality simulators.”
“That’s how you knew about the Pleasure Palace. They have the best reality simulators in the sector.”
She laughed. “They have the only reality simulators that provide the sort of experience I was after. I only went a couple times. I…saw someone I knew really well and never went back.”
“Hundreds of people visit the Pleasure Palace every day. Why would—”
“My brother was one of the Pleasure Masters. I only used the simulators, but I was taken on a tour of the dungeons and there he was. He was masked of course, but he has a birthmark on his thigh. I just couldn’t go back, knowing he was there.”
“That would definitely ruin the mood.” He held out his hand and smiled. His gaze warm and inviting. She joined him on the pallet, curving her legs to one side. “So, you’ve experienced the simulation of two lovers, but you’ve never—”
“The simulation progressed in stages. That would have happened during my fourth session.”
His dark gaze caressed her face, searching, assessing. “If Lutton risked his life to help us, we need to help him, but I’m sensing something else. You want to do this. The tribal test, the moonlit ritual, all of it excites you.”
“I… It’s not like I want to… This isn’t that much different than the simulation. We can abandon ourselves to the pleasure, knowing we’ll never see these people again.” She took a deep breath and rushed on. “Besides, we have no choice.”
He stroked her face, his dark eyes glistening. “You used that excuse on the schooner. When are you going to be honest with yourself? You want to be overwhelmed. You want to be stimulated until you scream.”
“What do you want?” She glanced at him through her thick lashes, uncertainty tightening her belly.
“I want to prove my worth to the tribe and revel in the Celebration of Life.”
Chapter Eight
At sunset Ashton and Corry were ushered to the clearing in the center of the Perrlain settlement. Despite the balmy breeze a fire burned in a shallow pit. The fire crackled and popped, shooting sparks into the hazy sky. Wavering light illuminated a sea of curious faces. Lutton indicated a large mat situated slightly apart from the others. Ashton sat in the middle and pulled Corry down beside him, forcing Lutton to take his place on Ashton’s other side. If Lutton noticed the possessive maneuver, he didn’t react.
Drums throbbed in the distance, giving the night a distinct pulse. The rhythm sped as five men emerged from a dwelling on Ashton’s right. Their swarthy skin gleamed in the firelight and their long black hair had been decorated with tiny pieces of polished stone and what looked like bleached bone. With regal features and watchful eyes, they sat across the fire pit from Ashton and Corry.
“The man in the middle is my father,” Lutton said. “The other four are our village elders. They are here to observe the festivities, not participate.” A row of women exited the dwelling on the other side of the clearing. Bare-breasted and graceful, they knelt on a mat beside the elders. “The high priestess and her acolytes. They will dance for you in a short while. The one near the end, with the red flowers in her hair, is Serena, my youngest sister.”
Ashton gazed at the young woman and acknowledged the beauty of her face and form, but he felt nothing more. Turning his head, he looked at Corry and tenderness swelled within his heart. Her features might not turn heads, but her spirit captivated him and he felt triumphant each time she graced him with her smile.
Bowls of sliced fruit and fresh vegetables were passed along the rows. Everyone ate with their fingers and spoke in hushed tones, studying them with obvious curiosity. The primitive setting had a certain charm. Sweet berry wine was poured into carved wooden cups. The rich red liquid stained Corry’s lips and Ashton had to kiss her.
He curved his fingers around the back of her neck and brushed his tongue lightly over her lips. “Delicious,” he murmured then pushed into her mouth for another taste.
After responding for only a moment, she wiggled away. “Everyone is watching us.”
“I know, and we’re going to have to do more than kiss before the night is through. Are you sure you don’t want to find another way to pacify the Deity?”
She took another sip of wine. “The only other option is to let Lutton die for saving us. I couldn’t live with myself if I let that happen.”
“Would it help if I spoke with the elders?”
“Not this time Director VinDerley. Their customs are clear. It’s one or the other.”
“Then give me some more wine.” She held out her cup and he shook his head. “I want to taste it on your lips.”
Her gaze darkened as she raised the cup to her mouth. Like most of the women there, Corry was naked to the waist. She kept her arms in front of her as much as possible, which made Ashton smile. The fiery part of her nature that craved this experience was buried beneath layers of inhibitions.
He took her face between his hands and settled his mouth over hers. She wrapped her arms around his torso and pressed her breasts against his chest. Soft, warm and his. How was he going to survive watching others touch her and seeing her give pleasure to another man or men? His tongue stroked her lips then curled around her tongue, sliding and caressing.
If we’re going to do this, let’s do it together. Let me strengthen the link.
She deepened their kiss and opened her mind, welcoming his telepathic touch. He found the fragile strands he’d woven before and reinforced them, binding them together, making them stronger.
“The dancing is about to begin.” Lutton’s tone h
eld a note of warning.
Sending warmth and affection across their link, Ashton separated their mouths. “Here we go,” he whispered, and she smiled. Stars, she was beautiful when she smiled.
The acolytes stood and made their way across the clearing, forming a neat row between Ashton and the fire. One looked slightly older than the others and she spoke to the crowd surrounding them.
“Do you understand their language?” Corry asked Ashton.
“No. I’m surprised Lutton was able to speak with us.”
She leaned around him and tapped Lutton on the knee. “How did you learn our language? And what is she saying?”
“I attended university on d’Arrest, as is the custom for all Perrlain chieftains. We live our lives with different priorities. That doesn’t mean we’re ignorant or barbaric.” He nodded toward the speaker. “She’s calling upon the power of pleasure to burn away your worldly taint.”
“Can a person convert to your way of life or must one be born into your tribe?” She moved closer to Ashton so the Perrlain prince could hear her better.
“We offer shelter and seclusion for souls in need. Sometimes they are able to refocus their spirit and return to the world beyond, other times they’re accepted into the tribe. If we never took in new members, our gene pool would become corrupted.”
“True.” Ashton tossed a piece of succulent fruit into his mouth and tried to identify the taste. Most of the Perrlain food was unrecognizable to him.
“Are you seeking spiritual guidance?”
“No,” Corry said. “Our goals haven’t changed.”
“Then watch the dance. Once the high priestess senses an adequate level of sexual energy, she will present Ashton with his team.”
“Give, receive and then share?” Ashton asked.
“Yes. You will give then receive pleasure. Corry’s team will be presented to her and she will do the same. First give then receive. After that you are free to share in the festivities in whatever way you want.”
“This is a test,” Ashton reminded him. “What are the tribe members looking for? What makes us worthy or not?”