“Well, here we are—the Grand Reception Hall,” she said. “Everyone will already be waiting for us. I’ll go first, of course and then you’ll be announced and you can follow. Just come right up to the head table—I have the seat beside me reserved just for the two of you.”
“Thank you, Lady Tam-tam,” Trin said respectfully. “That’s very kind of you.”
“Oh, and one more thing my dear—there is a male here tonight from the Degas system who’s not a slave. I know—I know—it’s shocking.” Lady Tam-tam’s eyes danced. “But I don’t believe they all have to be slaves—actually, he’s royalty, if you can believe that. And I like being a little shocking and naughty sometimes—I’m an old lady. It’s one of the few pleasures I have left.”
Trin smiled. “Of course I’ll treat him with respect as he is your guest.”
“I knew I could depend on you, Lady Trin. Just lead the way and all the rest of the mistresses will follow. Well…” Lady Tam-tam straightened her flowing mu-mu and rapped sharply on the vine and flower-covered doors. “It’s time to put on a show.”
Chapter Seventeen
The doors swung open, revealing a vast room filled with well dressed mistresses and their body-slaves. Flanking the doorway were two muscular male guards in brilliant purple and orange uniforms that matched Lady Tam-tam’s mu-mu.
“The Lady Tam-tam, mistress of Dreaming Hills and of all our hearts. And your hostess here tonight,” one of the guards proclaimed. The entire room erupted in applause—apparently Lady Tam-tam was well liked. Or at least her guests knew they’d better pretend they liked her.
Trin wondered which it was—not that she really cared. All she wanted to do was get through this reception and make the deal with Lady Malroth. After that, she was leaving Dreaming Hills, hopefully forever.
Lady Tam-tam stood framed in the doorway with her chin lifted and surveyed the crowd as the applause swelled dramatically. Then she inclined her head majestically and swept into the room like a queen approaching her throne.
After such an entrance, all eyes were on Lady Tam-tam. Seeing an opportunity, Trin slipped quietly past the door guards and along the perimeter of the room rather that waiting to be announced.
“What are you doing?” Thrace growled softly from behind her as he followed. “You’re supposed to wait to be announced—you just broke a major rule of etiquette.”
“It’ll be fine.” Trin tried to make her voice light. “No one even noticed.”
“You’d better hope not,” he remarked grimly. “Or you’re going to be in a galaxy of trouble.”
Trin felt a stab of apprehension but she refused to show it.
“Stop worrying so much—we’re fine.”
“As long as nobody calls you on it.” He touched her arm lightly, turning her to face him. “Were you that afraid to let me kiss your panties, Mistress?”
Trin bristled. “Of course not—don’t be silly.” Although she had to admit that the idea of letting the big Havoc press his face to the place between her thighs did make her stomach feel tight and her palms damp. “I just…wanted to avoid a scene,” she said.
Thrace snorted. “Right.”
“Don’t make me wish you still had the pain collar on,” Trin snapped. “Now come on—let’s mingle. Look, I think I see Lady Malroth over there.”
The brightly dressed mistresses—all wearing the same revealing fashions that Trin herself had on, were mingling and talking, their high, light voices filling the air. The lower tones of their body-slaves were less frequent but they were joining in the conversation at times, Trin saw.
It seemed evident that some of the mistresses and body-slaves truly cared for each other. There were hands being held and shy but loving glances being exchanged by many couples. Possibly this was the first public gathering they’d ever attended where they felt free to show their true feelings.
It was sweet, Trin thought. Even though she’d been raised to think of males as savages and animals, she knew differently now. She risked a glance at Thrace who was still frowning. If she’d been born someplace where males were considered equals would she have formed a relationship with one of them? A romantic relationship? Even…a sexual one?
Don’t be crude, whispered a little voice in her head which sounded disturbingly like her mother. You know that having sexual relations with a male is no better than having sexual relations with an animal. Only a female with no self respect or dignity would even consider such a thing. You were raised better than that!
Trin sighed. She wished she didn’t have to keep having this conversation with herself. Honestly, she’d never given any male a second thought before she met Thrace. Now, everything seemed so upside down and backwards somehow.
It’s just until after you do the deal, she told herself comfortingly. Then you’ll go your separate ways and you won’t have to think of it ever again. For now, just find Lady Malroth and get it done.
Almost as soon as she thought it, she saw the very woman she was looking for. Lady Malroth appeared to belong to a second set of mistresses—the ones who were standing a little apart from their body-slaves with bored or irritated looks on their faces. Clearly they were here for business or social networking reasons—not because they had secretly fallen in love with their slaves.
Lady Malroth was standing at the far edge of the crowd, sipping a glass of deep blue wine and looking with complete disinterest at her own body-slave. He was standing beside her but it was clear he had no interest in her either, other than guarding her as part of his job. In fact, the look on his face was so expressionless Trin had no idea what he was thinking—or if he was thinking at all.
“Oh, Lady Trin,” she said icily when Trin and Thrace walked up. “How good of you to finally join the rest of us commoners. But I can see why you were late—you were in exalted company.”
“I was late because I woke up with a horrible headache and Thrace had to fetch me some mint oil,” Trin said. “We just happened to meet Lady Tam-tam on the way.”
“Of course you did.” It was clear Lady Malroth didn’t believe a word of her story.
Trin decided to try a different approach.
“I’m really sorry we…intruded earlier when we first met Lady Tam-tam,” she said. “I never meant for that to happen or for her to give us your room.”
“Are you joking? Not sleeping in the dreaming suite is a relief.” Lady Malroth laughed nastily. “Let someone else perform for her for a change.”
“Perform for her?” Trin exchanged glances with Thrace. “What do you mean?”
“What do you think I mean?” Lady Malroth snapped. “The viewscreen across from the bed—it records images.”
“It does?” Trin exclaimed. So Thrace had been right about Lady Tam-tam wanting to watch, even if he’d been wrong about where the images were being captured. What were the black dots on the bedposts then?
Lady Malroth took another big sip of wine and nodded.
“The 3-D viewer in the fresher does as well. So be sure you put on a good show tonight—I guarantee Lady Tam-tam will be watching.” She sneered. “That shouldn’t be too hard—seeing as how you and your pet male are so in love.”
Trin ignored the jab.
“What? What if I don’t want to put on a show?”
Lady Malroth shrugged.
“Then we have no deal, my dear Lady Trin. I am your sponsor here so what you do reflects on me. Please lady Tam-tam and it looks good for me, as I brought you here. Displease her and it will tarnish my reputation—not good at all either for my social life or my business as most of the mistresses gathered here tonight are my trade partners.”
“So you’re saying we need to do what Lady Tam-tam wants in order to make you look good. Otherwise, no deal,” Thrace growled.
Lady Malroth glowered at him and then turned to Trin.
“Kindly tell your slave not to speak to me as if he were my equal. I know we’re here at Dreaming Hills where free love between mistresses and slaves is the o
rder of the day but I will not tolerate insolence.”
“He wasn’t being insolent,” Trin protested, feeling a surge of protective anger. “He was simply restating your point.”
“He was speaking directly to me as if he had every right.” Lady Malroth looked at the big Havoc coolly. “If we were back in Opulex instead of stuck out here in this Goddess-forsaken wilderness, I’d have his tongue cut out for even daring to address me unless I spoke to him first.”
“He—” Trin began, her fists clenched at her sides. But Thrace cut her off.
“Forgive me, Mistress,” he said smoothly, making a deep and respectful bow to Lady Malroth. “I did not mean to offend.”
Trin looked at him, amazed that he could remain so unaffected by Lady Malroth’s highhandedness. Far back in the depths of those silver-blue eyes she thought she detected a hot spark burning. But his strong features were set in lines of honest repentance, as though he was really sorry for making the other mistress so upset.
“Well…” Lady Malroth looked somewhat mollified. “That’s better. At least he knows how to behave when prompted.” She looked at Trin, who was still angry and irritated, though she was trying not to let it show on her face. “So—even though it was badly put, your body-slave is correct. Please Lady Tam-tam and I will still deal with you. Incur her wrath or displeasure and you incur mine as well. In that case the deal is off and you can flush the crystals into deep space for all I care.”
“But…how do I please her? What does she want?” Trin asked in exasperation.
“What do you think she wants?” Lady Malroth snapped. “She’s a dirty old woman! As for what she’s in the mood to see tonight, don’t worry—she’ll drop some hints at dinner. I noticed you’re sitting in the place of honor at her right hand—the very place I was supposed to sit.”
“Again, I’m sorry,” Trin said. “I never meant for that to happen either.”
“No matter.” Lady Malroth dismissed the matter with an airy wave of her hand. “Yet another embarrassment you’ve saved me. Those swaying love chairs they have at the head table are not at all comfortable. As I’m sure you’ll find out.” She grinned nastily.
“Love chairs?” Trin was beginning to feel more and more worried. “What—”
But just at that moment three high, sweet chiming notes sounded loudly throughout the vast room and a male voice proclaimed, “Dinner is served my ladies!”
“Better hurry or you’ll be late,” Lady Malroth remarked coolly. “Good evening, Lady Trin. I’ll see you tomorrow if all goes well tonight.”
Then she swept away with her body-slave in tow, leaving Trin to look after her in disbelief.
* * * * *
“Looks like we’re stuck here—at least for the night,” Thrace remarked under his breath. Trin was looking pale and upset and he wanted to get her talking and make sure she was all right.
“Did you hear what she said?” Trin turned to him, ignoring the crowd of mistresses and slaves that were making their way to another large room through a vast golden archway.
“Yeah, I heard. Sounds like you have a choice to make,” Thrace said. “Either forget about the deal or put on a show for Lady Tam-tam tonight.”
“Why only me? Why am I the only one making the choice?” Trin demanded, her eyes flashing. “This involves you too. Don’t you care that Lady Malroth is basically telling us we have to prostitute ourselves to earn her business?”
Thrace shrugged. “Honestly? No.” He let his eyes travel over her body from the rectangle of see-though lace pulled tight over her full breasts to the tiny scrap of turquoise fabric which barely covered her pussy mound. “You’re gorgeous and soft and curved in all the right places,” he said, letting his eyes return to hers. “And you smell so damn good it makes me ache. I have no problem in ‘putting on a show’ for Lady Tam-tam if it means I get to stroke your soft skin and bring you pleasure.”
“Thrace!” Trin bit her lip and crossed her arms protectively over her breasts. “You’re not supposed to talk like that. It’s not…”
“Proper? Here it is,” he pointed out. “But I’m not trying to embarrass you. You asked me a question and I gave you an honest answer. If you want to go through with the deal, we’ll have to do whatever Lady Tam-tam wants. It’s up to you.”
“Maybe…” Trin bit her lip. “Maybe she doesn’t want much—just something romantic. Like you holding me, the way you did last night.”
“Maybe,” Thrace acknowledged although he couldn’t help hoping for a little more. Not that he wanted to make Trin uncomfortable or take what she didn’t want to give, but even now her scent was hot. She might not know what she wanted, but her body clearly did.
“Or maybe we can pretend—act like we’re doing…whatever it is without actually doing it.” Trin was beginning to sound more hopeful.
Thrace shrugged again. “It’s worth a try.”
“All right, we’ll do it.” Trin lifted her chin. “I need this deal to go through. Normally I would never consider anything like this but since you don’t mind…”
“Not a bit,” Thrace growled. He took her hand in his. “Didn’t you hear me tell Lady Tam-tam there was nothing I wouldn’t do for you?”
“But…” Her cheeks got flushed. “You were just trying to charm her when you said that.”
“I was telling the truth,” Thrace said quietly. “I owe you a great debt, Trin. One I can never truly repay. I’ll do whatever it takes…whatever you want to get this done. And I’ll do it with pleasure.” He raised her hand to his mouth and kissed her palm gently. Gods, he loved kissing her soft little hands. He just wished he could kiss the rest of her as well!
“Thrace…” Her dark eyes were wide and uncertain. “I—”
“Forgive me, my lady, but the dinner chime rang five minutes ago. If you don’t hurry you will be late.”
It was one of the door guards, dressed in his orange and purple uniform. He bowed low and indicated the broad golden archway at the end of the room which most of the other mistresses had already gone through.
“Oh, of course. Thank you.” Trin nodded in confusion and looked at Thrace. “I guess we’d better go.”
“I guess so,” he said. But he couldn’t help wondering what was in store for them later that night. And if Trin would allow herself to enjoy it.
Chapter Eighteen
The head dining table was at the far end of the long, high-ceilinged rectangular room. Two long tables ran the length of the vast hall and all the other mistresses were already seated along them with their slaves.
Trin and Thrace had to walk all the way from one end of the banquet hall to the other with everyone staring at them. Trin could feel her cheeks heating as they strode down the narrow isle between the lengthy tables but she kept her head high and her shoulders back. She refused to be embarrassed by a lot of women she didn’t know and didn’t care about—at least, that was what she told herself.
“Ah, my dear—here you are. I was beginning to get worried!” Lady Tam-tam said when they finally reached the head table which was covered in a gold lace tablecloth and laid with gem encrusted goblets and plates. Lady Tam-tam was seated on a vast golden throne-like chair right in the center of the table.
There were chairs on either side of her, but they weren’t normal plasti-wood ones like the kind the other mistresses and slaves were seated on at the two long tables. Instead, the chairs at the head table appeared to be a kind of high-backed sitting swing made of padded mesh and suspended from the arching ceiling above. Trin saw, with some dismay, that the chairs were meant for two—but not to sit side-by-side. No, the arrangement appeared to be much more…intimate than that.
From what she could see, the body-slave sat in the swing first and leaned back against the padded mesh and then his mistress sat in his lap. It looked rather awkward for the few couples who didn’t appear to want to be together or touching but there were several mistress and slave pairs seated around Lady Tam-tam who seemed to be enjoying the
mselves immensely. One of them was a little blonde mistress and her slave seated directly to Trin’s left. They were giggling and snuggling like a pair of love birds, obviously perfectly comfortable in the strange swing-seat.
There was an empty swinging seat to Lady Tam-tam’s right, right beside the giggling couple, but when Trin moved to go to it, their hostess raised a hand to stop her.
“Wait, Lady Trin. Through some oversight by the door guards I don’t believe you were announced as we came into the reception hall.”
Trin’s mouth went dry and her palms began to sweat.
“Oh, well that’s all right, Lady Tam-tam. I don’t mind, really,” she said, trying to smile.
“But I do.” Lady Tam-tam got a mulish expression on her face. “You’re my special guest—you must be announced! And there is no time like the present. Guard!” she said and one of the guards in orange and purple livery rushed over at once.
“Yes, my Mistress?”
“Announce Lady Trin at once. Yes—right here will do,” indicating the open spot in front of the table. “And see that you speak nice and loudly so everyone can hear.”
Trin had never been a particularly shy person but she felt she wanted to melt into the ground when the guard turned and bellowed,
“Announcing Lady Trin, the special guest of our hostess and the mistress of all our hearts, Lady Tam-tam of Dreaming Hills!”
Trin made a brief bow to all those assembled but she knew she couldn’t be seated yet. Thrace was standing right beside her, waiting for her signal. But somehow she couldn’t give it.
“Well, go on my dear,” Lady Tam-tam hissed behind her. “Have your love-slave make obeisance to you. Then the feast can begin.”
She looked at Thrace, her heart pounding. Goddess, I can’t do this in front of all these people. I can’t…
Thrace seemed to understand her trouble—the way she was frozen to the spot and unable to move, unable to give him the correct signal to make obeisance to her.
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