She wanted to leave before Challen reached her, she really did, but that smacked of cowardice, and so she stood her ground. Being brave was a pain sometimes; so was pride nudged with stubbornness. All she could do was hope Challen wasn’t too angry with her for being where she wasn’t supposed to be.

But as he got closer, she could see that the fire in his eyes had nothing to do with anger. She relaxed, and even began to be faintly amused, recognizing that look by now. The barbarian was inflamed with lust, and Tedra had little doubt that it wasn’t just her but the chauri that had inspired it. He liked her in the farden thing, oh, did he ever. His eyes told her so as they moved all over her.

When he reached her he didn’t say a word, just took her elbow and led her out of the room. He didn’t stop outside it either, but started off down the wide corridor, her elbow still in his hand.

“Where are we going?” she asked with a knowing grin that he didn’t turn around to see.

“To my chambers,” was all he said.

“Now why would I want to go there?”

“Woman-”

“No, I mean it. Will you hold up a minute?” When he stopped to look back at her, she stated flatly, “I’ve got no reason to go to your room, Challen.”

“I do.”

“Then go ahead. I’m not stopping you.”

He had his desire under control, but in no way had it diminished. “You will come with me, kerima,” he said in a reasonable tone.

“Why should I?”

“Woman, you know very well why.” This in a less reasonable tone.

It was all she could do not to laugh at this point, but her expression didn’t reveal how amusing she found this situation. “Maybe I do, but you have to look at it from my viewpoint, babe. Your sudden need of me isn’t at all flattering. It’s actually insulting, since I know very well it’s not me who brought it on, but this damned outfit I’m forced to wear. If I were able to dress in something of my own, which I could retrieve from my ship, by the way, if you’d just give me back my communicator, you wouldn’t have been willing to leave your business for a little sex-sharing break. You’d probably have just barked at me to leave the room, instead of leaving it yourself.”

She waited a moment while it dawned on him that he had left a room full of warriors awaiting his attention. It was comical, really, to see exasperation and chagrin mix with desire, but still she didn’t laugh. This was “getting even” in a splendid way, and she didn’t want to spoil it by letting him know she was getting even.

“And another thing,” she continued, “is that I’m presently acquainting myself with your castle and really enjoying the tour, so I don’t see your request as being at all reasonable just now. You did tell me I had the option of refusing unreasonable requests, didn’t you, as well as being able to refuse you my service if we aren’t in a place where you sleep? Now, if you’re going to tell me you’ve slept in this hall-”

“Enough, woman,” he cut in, for once doing nothing to hide his displeasure. “Do I carry you to my bedchamber, the matter will be settled.”

“Well, yes, you could do that,” she said, feigning surprise before she closed the door on that option. “But if you did, I’d see it as a breach of our agreement, which it would be, and that would release me from my service as far as I’m concerned. So if you want to find out what it’s like to have a fight on your hands every single time you get near me, go ahead and carry me off.”

He stared at her for a long moment, and she suddenly knew without a doubt that he was remembering the last time he’d joined with her in a place other than “where he slept,” and how she’d admitted to him that she hadn’t been able to even think of refusing once he kissed her. Warily, she tried to pull back, but he was still holding her arm, which meant she could forget about getting loose until he decided to release her.

“Now you can just get those thoughts right out of your mind, warrior.”

“What thoughts?”

“You know farden well what thoughts. I’m going on record right now as saying no, so any advantage-taking on your part would still be breaking the rules this time.” At his sigh and the release of her arm, she relaxed again, enough to say, “Cheer up, babe. It’s not so many hours until moonrise, and then I’ll be right where you want me.”

“The thought of this does not help at the moment, kerima. ”

He said this so wistfully she almost changed her mind. His wanting her made her want him, too, which was strange when she considered that other men had wanted her without having that effect on her. But she wasn’t going to lose this opportunity of getting even for being forced into wearing the hated chauri. She’d just have to see that they both made up later for the loss of mutual enjoyment now.

She stepped closer to him now that he wasn’t holding her, and was even so bold as to run a finger down the center of his chest, from the base of that large golden medallion to the point of the V of his comtoc, just above the rim of his bracs.

“You should be glad I made you see reason, Challen. Wouldn’t you be embarrassed returning to that room so much later that every man in there would know why you had kept him waiting? Now they’ll only think you took me out of there to chastise me for showing up where I wasn’t supposed to be.”

“No warrior awaiting me would have thought I left him for any other reason than the one I had, woman, not after seeing you for himself. But do you mean to tell me you were aware you had trespassed where you did not belong?”

She thought about lying, she really did, especially with him suddenly looking like a man who had found the means for some “getting even” of his own. She stepped back, frowning, but she had hesitated too long in answering, leading him to assume the correct one.

“As you do so well at remembering rules a warrior could wish you had forgotten, I will do as well at remembering rules broken.”

Tedra’s mouth dropped open, then snapped shut for some teeth grinding. “If you mean to punish me, Challen, you can farden well do it right now. It’s not my fault you got all heated up because of this damned chauri, which I hated wearing in the first place!”

He chuckled, his humor returned now that hers had flown. “Much as you assumed otherwise, kerima, this had no bearing on my sudden need for you. I see women every day dressed as you are, but none have ever given me such a powerful urge to fill them with my heat, not as you do.”

“But that urge came only because you saw me as you deem proper, in clothes you insist I wear. Admit it, Challen. It’s still the fault of the chauri. ”

“I cannot deny I find you both beautiful and desirable in the clothes of Kan-is-Tran women, but no more desirable and beautiful than when you wear no clothing at all.” Hot color stole into her cheeks, but he wasn’t finished. “Nor can I deny I still wish you would reconsider and come with me to my bedchamber now.”

“If I did, you’d forget about punishing me for trespassing, wouldn’t you?” she said, thinking darkly that blackmail was prevalent on all worlds.

“No.”

She hadn’t expected that answer. “At least you’re honest,” she replied grudgingly. “But under the circumstances, you’ll understand why I’m not in the mood to reconsider.”

“Of course.” He nodded and started to return to his business.

“Wait a minute.” She caught his arm. “I meant what I said. If you’re going to punish me, do it now. I’m not going to have the rest of my day ruined by worrying about it all afternoon.”

At that a single golden brow rose to taunt her. “Did you not tell me it was not so many hours until moon-rise? That is when you will be seen to, kerima, not before.”

She gave him a fully loaded glare he couldn’t mistake before turning on her bare heel to stomp away, noting with disgust that Jalla hadn’t waited around to receive any of the punishment being doled out. Smart girl.