“Oh, I'm ready all right.” He chuckled. “For the first time in my life, my body is in my control.”
So is mine. She smiled. Being able to say no had never been a factor with any of her lovers. She hadn't cared. But Senth was different.
“I need you to know this, Senth. However long it takes, whatever it costs us, I only want to be with you. When you can give yourself to me freely, I'll be waiting for you.”
The awe on his face sent a surge of unexpected warmth through her.
“NarrAy.” His fingers stroked down her face, leaving a trail of heat. “I've always been free to give you my heart.” He ran a finger across her lips. “It's yours. So is the rest of me. Forever.”
The innocent Senth, with all his purity, his adorable charm, his beauty—hers. “Oh, Senth, yes. Yes. I want you forever.” She put herself in his arms.
*
Senth knew the moment NarrAy came into his arms that she had yielded to him. This was so different from before, when she'd told him what to do. Guided him. Put his hands where she wanted them.
He slid his arms around her and dragged her up close to him, body to body, mouth to mouth as he leaned back onto the bed.
“You smell so good.” He bent over her, burying his face against her throat. He inhaled her scent. “Mmh, vanilla and sugar cookies and hot melted butter.”
Her soft fingers brushed back his hair. “That's my pheromones. It's called cresting. It happens when I'm turned on.”
“I've smelled it before. In the elevator on the ship.”
“Mmh.”
“And our cabin.”
“Yes.” She reached up and touched his face. “Pheromones are in all my body fluids. Blood, sweat, and tears. When I'm hot, my vagina lubricates. It's the strongest source of pheromones. But what you smell is from all of me.”
He kissed her fingers, drew one into his mouth and sucked on it like candy. Her eyes closed, her head tilting back as she sighed.
“You like that.” He licked her fingers. She moaned again. “And that, too.”
“Your tongue.” She rubbed the tip of it. “You have a cat tongue. All rough and scratchy. I love it. I love your cat eyes, and your fangs, and your whole body. I love everything about you.”
“I love you.”
Her astonishment reflected his own.
She brought both hands to his face and held him. “I love you, too, Senth.”
He propped himself on one elbow. “NarrAy?”
“Yes, my tiger?” She ran her hand across his chest.
“Will you teach me how to please you?”
“What?” Her voice was as faint as a third echo.
“This is my first time at sex.”
Her sassy smile said she knew that. “You're doing just fine, Tiger.”
“But I haven't had … you know, any kind of sex.” He licked his lips. She was watching him, waiting for something—he didn't know what. He quieted himself, working up the courage to continue.
The back of her fingers cooled his cheek. “You haven't played with yourself?”
He shook his head. “It wouldn't have done me any good. On Shackle, I never cared. I couldn't even get hard.”
“So, you've never had an orgasm?”
He shook his head.
“Oh, my.” She set a hand over her heart. “Oh, Senth! I feel so privileged.”
“You do?”
“This is so special to you. To me. To us.” The shared wonder on NarrAy's face told him more of her love than any words.
“I don't know what it is a man does. I've seen stuff on the streets. When Khyff didn't know I was watching sometimes, and I know there's this ache inside me and it's about to kill me, but I don't … you know. Oh, ffffftt! How do I get started and everything?”
“Oh, Tiger.”
Uh, oh, she's got that “how cute” expression on her face. Is that good—or bad?
“So, um, NarrAy. Could you tell me what to do? Show me, maybe?”
*
When would she ever have a more perfect lover? One who would respond to her pheromones without comparing her to previous lovers or harboring expectations she could never meet? Far from a detriment, his virginity made Senth even more precious to her.
“I would love to.” NarrAy pushed herself off the bed and held out her hands. “Come with me, pet. I think it's time I rewarded my tiger with a nice warm bubble bath.” Taking him by the hand, she led him into the bathroom. “Take off your shoes and socks.” NarrAy kicked off hers, unfastened her hair, and shook it loose. “No. Nothing else.”
Senth had been unfastening his shirt.
“I want to do that for you.”
His cheeks darkened in that innocent blush of his she found so endearing. I wonder how long he'll keep that around me? NarrAy crossed her arms and pulled off her sweater, tossing it aside. I'm betting it won't be long. Her breasts tingled with the crest of pheromones. Senth's rapt gaze on them added to the feeling of fullness as her nipples stiffened to rigid points. She longed for his touch to ease them.
Unfastening the waistband of her pants, she let them drop.
He bit into his lower lip with his fangs, a big grin on his face. “You were naked under all those clothes.”
She giggled. “I didn't want to waste any time once your brother left.”
He dropped his gaze only for a second, smiling. “You weren't surprised when I wouldn't leave with him.”
“I was counting on it.” She went to stand in front of him. “Finding out you're a complete virgin—that's a surprise. A pleasant one. One I'm never going to forget.”
She arched into his touch as his hands went to her shoulders.
“You're so soft.” Senth's hands slid down her arms, transferred their warmth to her waist, and moved back up, over her ribs.
“Mmh.” NarrAy closed her eyes as he cupped her breasts. He moved his hands across them slowly, as if memorizing their contours. When his palms rubbed across her hard nipples, she gasped in delight. “Oh, I like that, Senth.”
“Your breasts are beautiful, NarrAy. All of you is beautiful.”
She brought her hands under his. “I'm yours to touch, Senth. All of me. Before the night is through, I want you to touch every single part of me.”
The thought of that evoked another crest, and she and Senth shivered at the same time. He made a little sound in his throat, like a growl crossed with a cry. Her inner muscles clenched.
NarrAy took his hands, brought them to her mouth and kissed his knuckles. “Let's get into the water.” She stopped him from removing his shirt. “No. Not yet. I want you fully dressed for a while.”
“In the water?”
“Yes. It will help slow me down.”
He grinned. “What if I don't want you to slow down?”
She swatted him playfully on the rear, and squeezed his butt cheek. “I'm in charge this time. Next time, you get to be the boss. Now, get in the water.”
“Yes, mistress.” He stepped into the tub, his smile sparking with mischief.
“You can keep calling me that, you naughty boy. I may let you come first if you do.”
“Ooh, nice reward!” Senth sat and leaned back against the wall.
Climbing into the tub, she faced him and put her knees on either side of his hips, lowering herself onto his lap. The water rose to just below her breasts. She picked up a large natural sponge and dipped it in the soapy water before handing it to him.
“Bathe me, Tiger. Make sure you don't miss anything.” She placed her hands on the edges of the wide tub and watched him as he set about thoroughly obeying her.
His exotic eyes fastened on her as he worked. Seeing him between her thighs, all wet, so serious about pleasing her and making her happy, shot heat through her.
The open white shirt clung to his skin, showing off his abs, the definition of his arms. Droplets of water sparkled on the array of necklaces and darkened the leather bracer on his wrist. Senth was some fantastic creature from an erotic dream, a man conjured up from
too many nights with no one in her bed, a phantasm of lust made flesh.
She relished the feel of the sponge against her skin as he worked his way down from her shoulders, across her breasts. The trickle of warm water and pressure of his hands delighted. She gasped as the sponge brushed between her legs.
“Did I hurt you?” Concern knotted his brow.
Senth's fingers stroked her as he sought to soothe, and the elation of his intimate touch made her breath catch. He stopped.
She brought her hand to his, holding him there. “No,” she whispered, unable to speak. “Good.”
He raised both brows. Experimentally, he slid his fingers between her labia. “You feel wet here. Not from the water. It's thicker.”
One of the advantages of being a Better. Only the fact that he was fully dressed kept her from taking him inside her. “When I'm aroused.” She nodded jerkily. “Hot.”
“Touching you here makes you hot.” Gently, he wiggled his fingers and smiled at her reaction.
She moved his hand. “My turn.”
“For…?”
“To bathe you.” She took the sponge.
“But, mistress, I never got to wash your legs.”
“You can wash those later, Tiger. Any more of those magic fingers of yours and you won't be the one coming first.”
He grinned at her. “I don't really care, you know.”
“I do.” She tapped his nose with the sponge, leaving bubbles. She laughed and tried to wipe them off with her fingers, leaving more in their place.
Senth shook his head and tried blowing them off to no avail.
“Here, let me.” NarrAy rose on her knees and reached for a towel. She squealed as the slippery floor of the tub made her fall against Senth's chest, splashing water onto the floor. Holding on to him to keep her head above water, she ended up taking Senth with her. She came up sputtering, wiping at her eyes.
Soapy water dripped down Senth's face as he sat up, his hair coated with bubbles. He slicked it back. “You're all bubbly.”
“So are you.” NarrAy scooped up a handful and arranged them on his head in a crown shape. “King Senth.”
“Have to make one for you then. Here.” He piled on the bubbles, his hands stroking them into points. “It needs a few jewels.” He pulled off a necklace and draped it over her hair. “There, a lovely crown for my queen.”
When she made a mock bow to him, the necklace slid down and hung on the end of her nose. Laughter burst from both of them.
He moved the necklace to her throat and wiped at the bubbles on her nose. He brushed both hands across her face tenderly. “There. That's better.”
NarrAy took Senth's face between her palms. His sincerity and trust made her even more naked before him.
“NarrAy.” His wet hands slid over her back. “NarrAy, I love you.”
All the passion she'd felt for this man flooded her at once and her second wave of pheromones kicked down all resistance to desire.
Senth's pupils dilated so fast, his eye color went instantly to black. Nostrils flaring, he bared his fangs and tugged her down against him.
At the scrape of his tongue on her throat, she clutched the edges of the tub and threw back her head. He laved her skin, and pushed her back from him to capture one nipple between his teeth.
She splayed a hand behind his head and clutched him against her. His scratchy tongue wrenched a sob from her throat.
Exquisite rawness. Her clit twitched and throbbed.
“Oh, god. Have to have you. Now.” NarrAy reached beneath her, fumbling in the water for the fly of Senth's pants. Her palm found his erection, felt it jerk when she touched him. “I need you inside me, Senth, now.”
He helped her, both of them hurrying to unfasten his wet trousers. She pushed them down far enough to straddle him.
Her hand wrapped around his rigid length but her fingertips could not meet.
Rising over him, she placed the tip of his shaft at her entrance. Seizing his mouth with hers, she plunged her tongue inside and slid down him, impaling herself on his cock.
Senth's cry of pleasure escaped into her mouth as she took him.
She wrapped her arms around his neck, clung to his mouth with hers and rocked her hips forward to bring his fullness all the way into her.
She moved aside to let him breathe, heard his cry of lust as she pushed her way down, taking every bit of his hard male heat inside. He filled her, stretched her, made her knees go wide apart to accept him.
NarrAy licked her lips with pleasure when his eyes rolled back.
A deep rumble sounded in his chest.
She pushed Senth back against the tub and moved up the hard length of his cock, pausing at the top. He watched her, his burning gaze as powerful as a touch.
When she plunged down his rigid shaft, he cried out—the howl of a beast, hungry and wild.
“Now you're going to come for me, my tiger.”
She began to ride him, milking his cock as her hips made frantic circles. Her body hummed with desire as Senth writhed beneath her, lost in bliss. Seeing his pleasure increased her own.
Senth braced his hands against the sides of the tub and thrust up against her, his thighs parting her legs as he drove into her.
Water sloshed over them, wet slapping noises mingling with their panting cries as they both plunged into the depths of ecstasy.
Chapter Thirteen
Tarth, Tarth City
Empire Central Starport
Killing time before boarding the sleepliner back to Kelthia, Khyff ambled along the length of the secured area of the port. He'd already checked out the entryways and ramps to the ship and acquainted himself with landmarks surrounding the area so he wouldn't get lost.
He caught sight of his reflection in the shop windows as he strolled past. Saint-Cyr had tricked him out in new clothes, treating him first class all the way. He smiled at his image, smoothing a hand down the finest coat he'd ever worn. Shaking his head at his vanity, Khyff continued along the concourse.
He passed a children's store, one with sporting goods, and another with an android hawking duty-free liquor imported from the far side of the empire. Across from him, an elderly cyborg with metallic arms demonstrated restored weapons from the Badledeerin War. He steered clear of a shop filled with Androg designed sex toys. Double-ended phalluses, jointed female couplers, and their various combinations held no novelty for him.
Khyff stopped in front of a jewelry store displaying Kyrenie fire crystals ranging from clear to the finest quality ice blue.
The pictures in the background showed the Great Kyrenie Desert stretching horizon to horizon. A full two thirds of the world, its golden landscape broken and pocked by black craters. Shallow pits less deep than the height of a man, quarried in an instant by firestorms.
No one had ever seen a firestorm up close. No one had filmed one of the instantaneous orbs of lightning that melted sand and fused it into fire crystal. The electromagnetic pulse unleashed by a firestorm disrupted all power around it.
But as soon as a pit cooled enough to enter, miners went in after the crystals. Miners under age ten. Older slaves could not stand up inside the mines. Older slaves too often fainted from the heat.
Khyff set his fingers against the glass of the window and remembered the scrape of jagged crystals laying open his scalp. The blinding sting of stitches in raw skin. The only time anyone held him as a child, to keep him from thrashing too hard while they sewed him up. The cramps in his neck, back and legs from long hours hunched over, laboring in the dim light reflected from uncut gems. The burn in his arms from reaching overhead with a drill, sweat stinging his eyes behind dirty goggles.
Sometimes when he closed his eyes at night, he could still smell the sweat of the other kids, feel the grit on the floor where they slept in a huddle. They took turns being at the center, so everyone got a chance to be warm once in a while. Even now, when he showered, he washed and rinsed again and again, trying to erase the memory of sand in e
very pore and the black crust of dirt on his hands and feet.
Khyff turned and walked past a bar without slowing. The storefront was genteel enough, but adult patrons could enter stand-up booths in the back and choose any of a dozen or more slakes for a few minutes' mouth-pleasure. Stark black and white symbols on the door meant it also catered to travelers desiring fetishes he preferred not to contemplate.
An identical facility across the lobby had icons in one window that meant beds could be had. In the other window sat a pair of scantily dressed twin boys younger than Senth. Just barely legal.
Khyff strode in the other direction, trying to put distance between himself and his memories.
A light in the window of a bookshop drew his attention, and he stepped into a recessed foyer in front of a display of open volumes. He'd learned to read schematics when he worked jump port maintenance at age eight, but aside from that had no schooling until prison.
His last year there, a guard had taken it on himself to teach Khyff letters and numbers and enough words to read two complete children's books. The man had shown him how to apply for parole and coached him until he'd gained a hearing and then release.
Into Stalkos' custody. Stalkos, who laughed at the idea of an educated slake. Stalkos, who addicted him to Thrust and kept him chained for days on end.
He shook his head, forcing back that memory. You're free, Khyff. Don't think about him.
The reading lessons had been less than a year ago, but Khyff could no longer recognize even one word on the pages showing in the window.
When NarrAy tossed that note reader at me, I thought I'd die. What's Saint-Cyr going to say when he finds out I had no idea what it said?
Movement reflected in the glass, but the warning came too late.
Khyff ducked. The syringe forced against his neck connected and stung. The reflection distorted into darkness.
Firm hands supported him when he fell.
* * * *
The Palms Hotel
Suite 1221
Senth woke without opening his eyes, content in the warm luxury of NarrAy's arms. She lay behind him in bed. Her body fit perfectly, all along his length.
He snuggled into the pillow and lifted his lashes. The sodden heap of his discarded clothes rested on the tiled bathroom floor. A trail of necklaces and rings lay scattered across the carpet, hastily discarded on the way to the bed.
At the Mercy of Her Pleasure Page 12