Llewelyn’s dark eyes flashed but he only nodded impassively. “Yes, my lady.”
“Very good.” Ambassador Sha’rak cleared her throat and looked at Lissa. “Now where were we? Ah yes—I was asking where you were staying.”
“Just at a lodging house—if you’d be so kind as to recommend one?” Lissa said hesitantly.
“Nonsense, my dear.” The ambassador laughed. “I can’t let you stay in some pokey little dump when you might be a distant relation! Besides, I can see how innocent you are, especially when it comes to our ways here on Yonnie Six. You must stay here with me.”
“Oh, you’re too kind!” Lissa exclaimed with real enthusiasm. “I accept your offer with all my heart, Lady Sha’rak.” She could scarcely contain her excitement. Staying here with the ambassador would enable them to search her house—or floor—much more easily. And Lissa was sure that with such a distinguished person as their host, she and Saber would be invited to all the best parties. An introduction to the other collectors on her list was practically assured, and all because the ambassador liked her!
This is too easy, she thought exultantly. Why, we’ll find the scrolls and be back home before the solar week is out!
But Ambassador Sha’rak’s next words brought her crashing abruptly back down to reality.
“I’m so glad you’ve accepted,” she said, smiling fondly at Lissa. “Because I really want to take you under my wing, so to speak. It’s clear you don’t know the first thing about disciplining a body-slave and I am the one to teach you.”
“Oh, er, well…” Lissa swallowed hard, trying to think of a way to refuse without hurting her new hostess’s feelings. “Actually, since I’ve had Saber for so long he’s, uh, he’s really no trouble at all,” she said. “I mean, he’s always so good and obedient I never have to do a thing to…to make him mind.”
“Is that so?” Lady Sha’rak’s elegant blue eyebrows shot up in surprise. “What about the way he refused to put you down earlier, as soon as you commanded him to? A slave should obey his mistress’s every order at once. Also, when he finally did comply with your order, he just stood there. Not once did he bend to kiss your foot.”
“Well, my feet are dirty right now from going barefoot,” Lissa faltered. “And we don’t really…do that so much on Zetta Prime anymore.”
“Oh? You don’t require your body-slaves to make a proper obeisance? How strange.” Lady Sha’rak frowned. “Well, what about the way he stood there and met my eyes so boldly when you were first introduced? A proper body-slave doesn’t make eye contact with a female—especially a high ranking one his mistress is meeting for the first time.”
“Oh, I…” Lissa wasn’t sure what to say. “I had no idea he was, uh, looking at you,” she said, though she couldn’t help feeling like the Yonnite ambassador was nit-picking. “Forgive me, my lady.”
“I will forgive you with all my heart,” Lady Sha’rak said magnanimously. “As long as you promise to let me guide you and teach you the proper way to train a male. After all, you can hardly go out in polite society until you’ve learned, and being the ambassador I have to attend lots of parties. I want to be able to take you with me.”
“I see.” It was exactly what Lissa had been hoping for—the party part where she got to meet lots of influential Yonnites who might have the missing scrolls, that was. The part where she had to pretend to let Ambassador Sha’rak teach her to train Saber wasn’t so good. But she didn’t know what else to do.
Forgive me, Saber, she thought, risking a glance behind her at her kinsman. He looked back at her, his face as impassive as Llewelyn’s had been while receiving his punishment. But Lissa thought she saw a spark somewhere deep down in those green and gold flecked eyes. Feeling a deep sense of misgiving, she turned to the ambassador and tried to smile.
“I’d be honored to take instruction from you, my lady.”
“Excellent!” The ambassador smiled. “Well then, first things first. I saw how confused my display of the pain-taste and the sweet-taste made you. Have you never seen such before?”
“No, never,” Lissa answered truthfully. “It, uh, is not the fashion on Zetta Prime at the moment.”
“So strange.” The ambassador frowned. “They usually follow us so closely. But then, I suppose you have other things to keep you occupied.” She smiled at Lissa. “Here, let me get you a starter kit.”
As if on cue, Llewelyn held out a little brown leather case worked all over with golden embroidery. Lissa took it and looked at it uncertainly.
“Well, go on—open it!” Lady Sha’rak sounded excited, as though she’d just given Lissa a particularly nice present.
“All right.” Lissa opened the case. Inside was a tiny red bottle, a tiny blue bottle, and a small pot of what appeared to be some kind of salve.
“Do be careful with that,” the ambassador said anxiously when Lissa pulled out the red bottle to look at it. “It’s extracted from the burning blossom—one of the hottest substances in the known universe. You put it on your right nipple—only and always your right, you know for that is the custom—and make your slave suck it off, as I did to Llewelyn, if he displeases you.”
“And this one?” Lissa lifted the blue bottle.
“The antidote to the burning blossom extract, of course. It has numbing and cooling agents as well as a very pleasant, sweet taste. It can be used to cool your slave’s mouth after a punishment, or as a reward for when he pleases you.” Lady Sha’rak smiled. “I don’t give rewards very often though—pain is a much more effective motivator, you know.”
“Of course,” Lissa said faintly. “But…” She looked apprehensively at the red bottle again. “If this is one of the hottest things in the universe and you expect me to put it on my…” She cleared her throat. “In such a sensitive area. I don’t see…”
“Oh, that’s what the pot of soothing salve is for.” The ambassador nodded to the little pot. “You must coat your nipples with it thoroughly first and only then can you apply the two elixirs. Both of them must be licked directly off the skin to be effective. Be very careful when you’re putting on the burning blossom extract though—if it gets on your bare skin it burns like fire and even the antidote won’t help. It can only be dissolved by saliva.”
“I see…” Lissa nodded. Inside she was thinking there was no way she was ever going to wear this stuff. Or even if she did, there was no possible way she’d use it. Just the idea of letting Saber suck the various “elixirs” from such an intimate part of her body made her feel like sinking through the floor in embarrassment.
“I’m glad you get the idea.” Lady Sha’rak smiled. “And don’t forget that you must wear it every day. You must not leave your rooms without a prompt and effective way to discipline your slave.”
Lissa had a disturbing thought. “But what about when I retire to my rooms and I want to take it off? If it can only be dissolved by, uh, saliva…”
“Oh, that’s only if it gets on your bare skin. I’ll send a bottle of the solvent to your rooms so you can remove the extracts at the end of the night. Provided you put the soothing salve on first, you should have no trouble.” The ambassador smiled and patted her shoulder. “Of course, that’s assuming you haven’t already had them removed by your slave. And we know how very unlikely that is. Males need constant discipline.” She gave a light laugh as though correcting a slave through the use of painful chemical agents licked off an intimate part of one’s anatomy was entirely normal.
Which it probably is here on Yonnie Six, Lissa thought unhappily. Aloud she only said, “Thank you, my Lady.”
The ambassador nodded. “You’re very welcome. Now then, it’s almost time for dinner so I’ll send you to your rooms to get ready.”
“Oh…dinner?” Lissa had never felt less hungry in her life. She wondered if there was any way she could beg off and get their host to excuse them. But Lady Sha’rak’s next words crushed her hopes.
“It’s just a small gathering tonight, myself an
d Lady Pope’nose. I’ll be so excited to introduce my long lost distant cousin from Zetta Prime to her.”
“Oh, thank you. It’s very kind of you to claim me as a relation,” Lissa said tentatively. “But I was just wondering, well, we’ve had such a long journey…”
“Oh, you must be tired, you poor thing.” Lady Sha’rak patted her shoulder again. “Of course, I didn’t even consider that! How dreadfully rude of me.” She sighed. “Ah, Lady Pope’nose will be so disappointed. Well, maybe you can meet her later. She’s a dear friend and quite important in the cultural world—one of the foremost collectors of antiquities on the planet.”
At this, Lissa’s ears pricked up. “Um, antiquities did you say?”
“Why yes, that’s how I met her, you know. I dabble in them myself just a bit. Of course my collection isn’t as large and extensive as Lady Pope’nose’s but I do all right for myself.” Lady Sha’rak laughed modestly.
“Since you know so much about antiquities, I wonder if you might have anything from the Hoard Wars in your collection?” Lissa asked, deciding to take a chance.
“The Hoard Wars?” The ambassador frowned suspiciously. “Those are rare and valuable items indeed. Why do you ask?”
“Um, my family has some interest—it was my father’s special area of expertise. In fact,” Lissa added, with sudden inspiration. “This is one of the pieces he collected before he died.” She patted the mirror-mere dagger at her side and smiled. “We think it dates from First World around a thousand years ago.”
“Oh, indeed?” Lady Sha’rak’s eyes flitted hungrily to the dagger and then away again. “Well, I’m afraid I don’t have anything from that era but Lady Pope’nose might. Though she doesn’t collect objects so much as written or recorded records. They’re so much more useful in sensation play.”
“Oh, of course,” Lissa said blankly. She had no idea what sensation play was, but it was sounding more and more like Lady Pope’nose was the person to start with when searching for the missing scrolls.
The ambassador laughed. “I can see you have no idea what I’m talking about—how could you, though? I’m sure you don’t have Dream Gas on Zetta Prime. It’s only found here on Yonnie Six.”
“Oh yes, Dream Gas.” Lissa’s heart was suddenly pounding as she recalled the extremely vivid hallucinations she’d had while crossing the trench. They had been positively indecent. “We… I mean I experienced that for the first time on the way here.”
“Exciting, isn’t it?” Lady Sha’rak’s eyes gleamed. “And it’s so much better when combined with the right medium. I’ll show you but not tonight—we’re having a big Dream Gas party tomorrow and I want my synapses to be fresh. Of course you’ll be attending as well. Oh, it’s so exciting!” She gave Lissa a quick hug. “I’m so glad you’re here, my dear. I do love company.”
“I’m glad to be here too.” Lissa smiled, hoping she sounded sincere. “And, well, I think I’m feeling better now. Not so tired. I’d like to accept your invitation to dinner after all and meet Lady Pope’nose. She sounds like a wonderful person.”
“Oh, she is.” The ambassador beamed. “I’m so glad you’re coming. Well, now…” She straightened up. “We have about an hour to prepare. Just enough time to get yourself serviced if you like and dressed.” She put a hand on Lissa’s arm. “Don’t wear anything too fancy now. Remember, it’s just a little informal get together.”
“All right,” Lissa said, wondering what she was going to wear. All the dresses Kat had packed her seemed formal to her. She supposed she’d just close her eyes and pick one.
“Very good then,” Lady Sha’rak said. “Llewelyn,” she said, motioning to her body-slave. “Take Lady R’awr to the red guest suite and then come to my chambers and service me. And hurry or I swear I’ll take the rod to you!”
Llewelyn’s dark eyes flashed. “Is that a promise, my lady?”
“Why you insolent…I ought to fit you for a collar right now, today!” the ambassador snapped.
“Yes, my lady.” Llewelyn murmured. “You always say that. And yet I’ve no collar on yet.”
Lissa looked at him, confused. He was wearing the same close fitting black collar that Saber had on. What was the ambassador talking about?
“That tears it!” Lady Sha’rak looked really angry now. “As soon as you show Lady R’awr to her room report to me and assume the position. I’m giving you the rod.”
“Yes, my lady.” Llewelyn bowed deeply but there was a look on his face that made Lissa think he was anticipating the punishment rather than dreading it.
The ambassador’s eyes flashed as she looked at Lissa. “And that’s how you deal with a defiant slave, my dear. Sometimes only the rod will do.” Turning, she swept through the blue, billowing panels of cloth and disappeared from view.
“Um, yes of course.” Lissa called after her. She supposed the ambassador intended to beat her slave with a rod in order to make him more obedient. Please Goddess, she prayed. Don’t let me have to do that to Saber. I couldn’t bear to hurt or humiliate him.
“This way,” Llewelyn said, interrupting her private thoughts. “We must hurry. My mistress is waiting. No doubt she’s strapping on the rod as we speak.” There was a definite light of anticipation in his eyes as he spoke, which made Lissa wonder again what exactly Lady Sha’rak was planning to do to him. Maybe it wasn’t a beating after all…
Llewelyn was already on the move and Lissa had to hurry to keep up with the body-slave. She and Saber would simply have to make sure that the kind of treatment Llewelyn was about to receive was never perceived as necessary by Lady Sha’rak. That should be possible, right?
Of course it will, she told herself firmly. But she couldn’t help the uneasy feeling of dread that settled in the pit of her stomach as they left the room and followed Llewelyn down the opulent hallway to their suite.
Chapter Seven
“Lissa, we need to talk.” Saber paced outside the bathroom door. She had been in there for nearly an hour doing the Goddess knew what and finally he couldn’t wait any longer. They were about to miss their chance for a private conversation and there were some things that needed to be said before they went out in public in this sadistic, male-hating society again. “Lissa?” he called again. “Are you all right in there?”
“I’m fine,” came her muffled reply. “Just fine, Saber. I just need a few more moments of privacy so I can find the right, uh, outfit to wear tonight.”
Saber sighed. Knowing Lissa, she was probably trying to find the least revealing clothing possible in the small purple cube Kat had packed for her. Not that he blamed her—her natural modesty was one of the things he loved and admired in her. But modesty didn’t look to be one of the characteristics that would get them very far on Yonnie Six.
Which was one of the things he needed to tell her—only he didn’t quite know how to go about doing it. After all, how could he barge into the bathroom and tell her she was being too reserved? Or demand that she stop acting so shy about baring her body in the revealing dresses she was expected to wear here on Yonnie Six?
I’ll sound like a bastard, Saber thought unhappily. An unprincipled bastard who just wants to ogle her body. What was the human word for that kind of male? Oh yes, he’d heard Kat and some of the other Earth girls say it—Jerk. He was going to come off like a real jerk. And yet he felt he had to say something to Lissa. At the very least they needed to talk about their public behavior and plan their next move.
“We need a strategy,” Saber muttered to himself, still pacing. “Some way to—”
Just then there was a breathless scream from behind the bathroom door.
Saber ran to the door at once and grabbed the ornately carved knob—it wouldn’t budge. “Lissa?” he yelled. “Lissa, are you all right? What’s happening in there?”
“N-nothing,” she gasped but her voice was tight with pain and fear.
“Tell me,” Saber insisted. But all he heard was the sound of running water and under it, a
soft whimper of pain. “Lissa?” he shouted again but there was still no answer.
Grimly, he gripped the knob and threw his shoulder against the door as hard as he could. If she wouldn’t open the door, he’d damn well break it in. There was no way he would stand idly by while the female he cared for was in pain or danger. No way in all the seven hells.
* * * * *
Lissa hadn’t meant to get any of it on her. She’d just been looking…
It happened just after she’d finally settled on a dress for the night—a deep crimson sheath with a high neck that fell straight to her upper thighs before flowing out behind her in a stiff train. The dress would have been modest except for a wide diamond cut out in the chest which exposed most of her upper torso. However, it also had a panel of black lace that attached on either side and mostly obscured her bare breasts—which was what Lissa was most interested in. She didn’t even mind the ridiculously high platform heels that went with the dress, though she felt like she was constantly being pushed forward by an invisible hand when she tried to walk in them.
The main thing was that the dress hid her breasts—well, mostly, anyway—and didn’t show her crotch. That was enough for Lissa since so many of the dresses Kat had packed her failed to meet these two simple requirements. She still didn’t know what she was going to wear to the “sensation party” Lady Sha’rak was so excited about but at least for tonight she felt somewhat covered.
After finally wiggling into the dress—which wasn’t easy without help—she sat at the small, ornate dressing table at one end of the enormous gray and black marble bathroom and twisted her hair into a simply chignon at the nape of her neck.
Such ugly hair—she looks like a tzeeba with those green stripes!
The voices of her long ago tormentors from the school she and Saber had both attended when they were younger echoed in her head. Lissa’s long blonde hair with its streaks of jade green was normal enough for a Kindred female, but completely alien on her home world where everyone had dark brown hair and eyes. Saber had defended her when the bullies taunted her and had stopped her from cutting her hair by telling her it was beautiful.