by Sahara Kelly
A large futon had replaced her bed and had been moved into the center of the room. Much thicker than ones she had seen in the past, it was covered with a gleaming white satin comforter that just begged to be snuggled in. Very large cushions were casually tossed here and there—the kind that decorator magazines used to great effect—and these were also white, finished with large and ornate golden tassels.
Brass containers had been placed against the walls—heavy white candles in some of them. A huge, thick, white animal skin rug lay casually next to the futon—what kind of animal it was, Alana couldn’t begin to guess—the abominable snowman?
She brushed her toe through the silken strands as her eyes half closed against the brilliant glare.
“Look up, Alana,” said a voice, and in an instant Hari and Sami were on either side of her, hugging her close.
She obediently raised her head only to draw in a quick breath. She almost forgot to let it out.
Her ceiling had completely disappeared, to be replaced with the most amazing glass dome.
“Good God,” she sputtered, completely awestruck. “What happened to the roof?”
“It is fortunate that you live on the top floor of this building, Alana-love,” grinned Sami. “It would have been more of a challenge if you’d been lower down. But never fear, this is a temporary creation—all can be returned to its normal state.”
“And others will not see it from outside—it is in our dimension, not yours,” added Hari reassuringly.
“But all this—this—white…” She looked at Hari and Sami, questions trembling on her lips.
“It is a special place for a special experience, Alana…but let’s enjoy our meal first, and we will tell you all about it.”
Hari led her unresistingly into the kitchen and seated her at the table, pulling a bottle of mineral water from the fridge and sliding it across to her.
Absently, she opened it and took a long drink.
“OK, guys, please explain to me why my room now looks like an ad for the cleaning power of Genie Sudso? Not that I object, mind you. I have thought of redecorating, but that was a little drastic.”
“It is necessary to remove all external distractions for our next session, Alana,” said Hari.
“Furniture is a distraction?”
“It might be. This way, the neutral surroundings will enhance the experience for you.”
“And exactly what experience would that be?”
“How much do you know about Tantric Yoga?”
* * * * *
Alana gazed at the platter of fruit that Sami had just placed in the center of the table. The pleasing array of chopped papaya and mangoes mingled with the grapes and the shine of the mandarin oranges. But all these mouthwatering colors were wasted on Alana as she tried to pull some data on Tantric Yoga out of her befuddled brain.
“There’s a musician who does it…” was the best she could come up with. “That’s not much to start with, is it?” she winced.
Hari and Sami looked at each other and shook their heads. Sami filled his plate and began his meal, while Hari tilted his chair back on two legs, folded his hands across his marvelously sculpted abs and gazed thoughtfully at Alana.
“Hmmm. Where do I start. Tantra, Alana, is a very ancient perspective on life, which is probably something like five thousand years old. It holds everything, each and every aspect of creation, most sacred. The word ’Tantra’ is from the Sanskrit, and can be translated as—um—expanding, spreading. Tantric beliefs include the concept of energies, which can be expanded and woven together. It’s a very spiritual belief that is difficult to fully explain. It is very mystical in its acceptance of a kind of interconnectedness—a spiritual link, so to speak—between our universe and ourselves. Are you with me so far?”
“Yes, I think so. Where does the sex come in?”
Sami chuckled. “Don’t like to waste time on preliminaries, do you?”
Alana blushed. “It’s all your fault.”
“That’s all right, Alana-love. It would take much more time than we have to instruct you fully in the ways of Tantra—and you’re right, Tantric yoga has become associated mostly with sex.”
He leaned over and took a swig of Alana’s water.
“The practitioners of Tantric yoga believe that sexual energy is one of the most fundamental—it is, after all, the process whereby life is created. So the aim of Tantric yoga is to release that sexual energy, blend it with that of your bedmate and experience a sexual release that is different from any you’ve experienced before. Simply put, the ability to have a Tantric orgasm is a liberating experience, and goes a long way towards releasing one’s inhibitions and preconceived notions about one’s sexual abilities.”
Alana gaped at him.
“Wow.”
Sami bit his lip. “It is really not that complicated, Alana,” he said, trying not to laugh at her rather dubious expression.
“Well—it sounds good, but I’ve never been one for this new-age hippie kind of stuff, and the one time I took a Yoga course I wrenched my back.”
Hari sat his chair up straight.
“Alana, give me your hands,” he said, stretching his arms across the table.
She placed her hands in his palms. He closed his fingers, lightly holding hers.
“Now I want you to close your eyes and try to empty your mind—think of a deserted beach, a piece of black velvet cloth—anything simple and uncluttered.” The warmth from his hands grew as he kept his clasp light but solid.
“I want you to be aware of your breathing—open your lips slightly—inhale through your nose and exhale through your lips. No…” He squeezed her fingers as she blew out a harsh breath.
“It should be a natural breathing rhythm—just in and out, nose and lips. Remember to focus on the simplicity within your mind,”
Alana focused, finding it easier than she thought to catch the rhythm.
“Good, that’s good, Alana,” said Hari quietly.
“Now I want you to remember an erotic experience—let’s try our bath together. Do you remember that?”
Hari’s voice soothed her with its rich cadence, and she smiled, eyes closed, remembering.
“Oh yessss…” she breathed.
“Now I want you to move your body a little, just rock back and forth in time with your breathing, can you do that?”
In answer to a little tug from Hari’s fingers, Alana rocked forward and then back as he released her.
“Now as you rock back, I want you to clench your pubic muscles—then release them as you rock forward. Try now…” encouraged Hari.
It took a few tries, but eventually Alana got the hang of it, coordinating her breathing, her rocking and her clenching. Hari’s fingers were still on hers, helping her keep a smooth rhythm and gentle movements—there was nothing overt here, it was so subtle that she could have been swaying to music.
Hari and Sami nodded to each other, but their actions went unnoticed by Alana. She had grasped the idea of the movements and was completely focused on what she was doing.
“That is excellent, Alana. Tell me, what are you feeling?”
“I’m feeling—I’m feeling very warm where your hands are holding mine, Hari, and I’m feeling a kind of fullness—um—it’s very arousing—“
Her grip on Hari’s fingers tightened.
“I’m thinking of Sami’s mouth and lips and tongue on me while you touch me in— um—other places…”
Alana blushed slightly and her rocking became a little more rhythmic.
“Oh my—this is incredible—I feel—I feel…”
“What do you feel, Alana?” asked Hari, keeping his hands on hers as she started to breathe more quickly.
“I feel like I’m going to—going to—oh, God—I’m going to come!”
She gasped and threw her head back, squeezing Hari’s fingers ‘til they were bloodless. Her mouth opened in a silent scream and shivers racked her, finally leaving her drained and bowed, head
resting on the table.
Her hands slid from Hari’s.
“Holy cow.”
* * * * *
“That was excellent, Alana.” Hari beamed at her with pride.
“You said it,” agreed Alana, blowing hair away from her forehead with a big whoosh. “And I don’t feel tired, either.”
“Tantric sex is energizing rather than depleting,” added Sami. “You are feeling the effects of having tapped into the energies around you to have an orgasm. Wait ‘til you have one with Hari.”
Alana’s jaw dropped as she considered the possibilities.
“But first, eat—the fruits are an excellent pre-Tantric meal. The papaya and the pineapple contain digestive enzymes which will aid in your digestion, thus freeing up your body’s physical resources,” said Sami, sounding like a nutrition class.
“The other fruits contain sugars and carbohydrates that are easily converted into energy that will help sustain you, and there is nothing here that will slow any of your body’s processes down—you will be fully fueled for your journey.”
“Um—if you say so,” said Alana, tucking into a plate full of delicious fruit that Sami slid across in front of her.
“We will spend the afternoon in a restful fashion—both Sami and I would like to try our hand at your puzzles—we have some items which are similar in our quarters. Would this be a possibility?”
“Hari—you don’t even need to ask. Of course, you may do whatever you like. Is there anything I should be doing to prepare for this—er—Tantric thingy?”
“You may rest, you may take a leisurely bath, you may read—all we ask is that you keep your activities tranquil so that the body and the mind may be fully relaxed by the time we begin. I will also tell you now that Sami will not be joining us for this experience—the presence of another would be too distracting.”
“Oh, and you’re not, I suppose,” muttered Alana, enjoying the sensual picture Hari made as his hand idly stroked across his chest and flat nipple.
“Truth to tell, Alana, my decorating stint this morning has exhausted me. I will relish the chance to sleep for several hours and sort of recharge my energies. Having you in my arms at night can be disturbing on many levels…” Sami wiggled his brows playfully.
Alana sighed. If George could only manage that little maneuver.
Of course, having two lovely Djinns doing jigsaw puzzles on her coffee table wasn’t the most restful thing in the world, mused Alana a few hours later.
Her heartbeat quickened just from watching them. Sami’s golden silk hair fell onto his shoulders as he nibbled a finger and tried to fit the piece he was holding into an available slot.
Alana’s clit twitched at the sight of his tongue as it swept across his lips.
Hari had secured his hair at the back of his neck with a loose tie. It was a flattering look, throwing his finely sculpted features into prominence and letting light flash from his dark eyes every now and again.
She started getting wet—just their presence was so sexually overwhelming.
“Alana, do you have a favorite novel?”
“Huh?”
“A book? Do you have a favorite book?”
Caught off-guard for a moment, she yanked her thoughts back from where they’d been. “Er—yeah—sure, why?”
“Does it have any sexual content?” Hari asked.
“A little, yeah…”
“Well, may I suggest you take that book and go have a nice long, soothing bath. You’re getting too excited too soon. You need to relax. And make sure you skip the sexy bits.” Hari grinned at her.
“How do you know? You guys have some kind of arousal antenna?”
Sami smiled. “We can smell you, Alana.”
“Eeeuuuw. Gross.”
“Not at all. The scent of your arousal is a very exciting thing. For lovemaking to be all that it can, the man should relish the aroma of his woman’s body preparing itself for his loving.”
“Oh. Well, when you put it like that, I suppose…“ said Alana, still struggling with an assortment of issues, none of which were making much sense.
“I’d better go have that bath.”
Chapter 12
The scent of Blue Lotus greeted Alana as she stepped out of the bathroom swathed in the long white silk robe she’d found hanging on the back of the door. One thing you could say for these guys—they certainly knew their fabrics.
The long, indulgent soak had relaxed her considerably. It was with a great deal of tactile pleasure that she allowed her fingers to drift over her hip and down her thigh, feeling the slick material gently cascade through her fingers.
The light was changing as the sun set, and she noticed that the candles had been lit. Hari walked in with a long container of matches.
Alana gaped. He was wearing a matching silk robe, only in black, and he looked like every hero from the cover of every romance novel she’d ever seen come to life— and he was in her bedroom. Thank you, Lord!
His hair fell loose over his shoulders and he smiled at her, adding to the devastation. My God, this man was about a thirty-eight on the sexual Richter scale.
He moved to the small braziers that stood between the candles and lit a match, touching it carefully to the contents. Soon a delicate smoke emerged, scented with cinnamon, vanilla, a touch of sage, and the ever-present Blue Lotus. It was soothing, unusual, and Alana found herself lifting her head and sniffing at the air like a dog catching a strange scent.
Taking her by the shoulders, Hari led her to the soft animal skin rug. He stood her just about arms-length away from himself and pushed an errant lock of hair back behind her ear.
“We will start by clearing our thoughts, Alana-delight. As you did earlier, try and concentrate on something simple—an empty shore, plain fabric, an empty room— whatever relaxes and eases your mind. However, this time, see if you can do it with your eyes open—you may look into mine as a focus point if you care to.”
She gazed into Hari’s chocolate brown eyes as instructed, trying to clear the extraneous thoughts from her head. The incense was becoming a little stronger now, and she could swear she saw Hari’s pupils dilate as he stared deeply into her eyes in return.
“Now take your hand and place it over my heart—just here,” said Hari, helping her find the correct spot. She felt his warmth and the sturdy beat of his heart through the silk.
“And I shall do the same,” he added.
His right hand reached to her breast, but lay just beneath, on her heart rather than her nipple. Drat.
“Focus, Alana,” reprimanded Hari gently.
“I’m trying,” she muttered, doing her level best to ignore the wonderfully firm muscle underneath her palm.
“We are going to try to feel the energies in our bodies—to tap into the life force flowing through us…” Hari’s voice caressed nerves up and down Alana’s spine.
“Imagine your hand passing through my skin, through my muscle into a place deep within me where there is a rushing and throbbing flow of energy circulating around my body—try to see it in your mind and feel it in your hand. I shall do the same.”
Alana found she needed to close her eyes to concentrate, and as she did, the heat beneath her palm increased.
She could almost see Hari as a silhouette, black and gold, glittering around the edges like an x-ray. The pulsating current under her hand took on a life of its own and she jumped as she felt a tingle, not unlike an electric shock. She pulled her hand away with a gasp, realizing that Hari’s palm was burning into her skin beneath her breast.
Hari backed away, a pleased smile on his face.
“You were almost there, Alana. That is very good indeed for a first attempt.”
She smiled back, feeling a little lightheaded, although whether that was a result of her brush with Hari’s life force or the incense that she was inhaling, she couldn’t tell.
“Now we have sensed our inner energies, it is time to stimulate our auras.”
He
reached forward and loosened the tie on Alana’s robe, allowing it to fall open. He bent his head slightly and raised one brow, indicating that she should do the same. With fingers that only trembled a little, Alana leaned over and freed his robe.
It hung like a black veil down either side of his massive chest, throwing his abs into shadow and revealing his erection, which was impressive, to say the least.
Alana licked her lips.
“Now I want you to move your hands around my body without actually touching me—you’ll be moving your hands through my aura. Concentrate on keeping your mind empty of distractions, and tell me what you feel,” said Hari, as he stepped a little closer.
Alana followed his instructions, refusing to allow the sight of this magnificent, almost-nude male to distract her. Yeah, right. Sighing, Alana started over again.
Hari’s movements mirrored hers, his large hands sweeping slowly across her shoulders and down her sides, never touching, but close enough that she could feel the warmth emanating from his palms.
She ran her hand down his naked chest and gasped as she felt—something.
“What, Alana-love?”
“I—it felt as though—like I was swirling my hand through lukewarm water—kind of there, but not…” she stuttered, trying to explain the unexplainable.
Hari smiled.
“Now remove my robe—push it off my shoulders…” he ordered, as his hands brushed the silk off her body.
Naked, they faced each other.
“Continue your movements, Alana,” encouraged Hari softly.
This time, there was no doubt in Alana’s mind. Her hands passed close to Hari’s body and tingled; it was as if there was a little force field there—and when she moved lower to his hips and abdomen, she wouldn’t have been surprised to see sparks.
“Our sexual energies are being enhanced, Alana-mine,” whispered Hari. “Can you feel it?”
She wasn’t quite sure what she was feeling. Her head was spinning ever so slightly; both her hands were now tingling as they moved around Hari, and she was so focused on her exercise that she didn’t realize that darkness had completely fallen. The room was lit only by the candles, which sent their flickering rays dimly through the swirl of incense.
