“Trin?”He took a step towards her but she shook her head and stepped back.

“I’msorry,” she said softly. “Your door was open so I thought…but if you’re leavingnow, I won’t bother you. Don’t…don’t let me stop you.”

Sheturned but Thracewasn’t about to let her go. In one stride he was across the room, taking her bythe arm.

Trinwinced and made a little sound of pain as his hand made contact with the weltson her skin.

“Sorry,I’m sorry!” Thracedropped her arm hurriedly. “I just…didn’t want you to go.”

“Whynot?” She turned to face him again. “Youare.”

“Ihave to find my first mate, Solar. He was sold as a slave too,” Thracereminded her. “And besides, you didn’t want to see me—didn’t want anything todo with me.” He tried not to let the hurt and frustration creep into his voicebut it was hard. “Why are you even here?” he asked bluntly.

Trinbit her bottom lip. “To…to be healed,” she whispered. I was told that I neededto seek help and Commander Sylvan said he had something that might heal these…”She gestured to her welted skin. “But that you were the only one who could giveit to me.”

“Indeed,and Yipper and I just came to drop it off.” Sylvan, who had been standingquietly to one side, nodded at the little vial of blue liquid Thrace stillclutched tight in his hand. “In fact, I think we ought to leave you alone now.”

“Thecompound is best applied in private. Yes it is, yes it is.” Yipper noddedvigorously.

“Goodluck.” Sylvan put a hand on Thrace’sshoulder and squeezed briefly. “Come and see me after…one way or the other.”

“Thankyou.” Thracenodded and looked at the vial in his hand uncertainly.

“Itbecomes effective the moment you take it. Yes it does, yes it does,” Yippertold him and then he and the Kindred commander left, shutting the front door ofThrace’sguest suite quietly behind them.

Thrace sighedand looked down at the vial.

“Well,here goes.” He unscrewed the lid and put the vial to his lips, downing itscontents in three quick swallows.

* * * * *

Trinstared at him blankly.

“Whatare you doing?” She shook her head. “Why did you drink the medicine that wassupposed to be for me?”

“Whydid I…oh Gods…You mean Commander Sylvan didn’t tell you?”

“Tellme what? What are you talking about?” Trin asked, frowning. “He just told me tomeet him at your suite.”

“Gods…”Thracewent to the couch and sank down on it, putting his head in his hands.

“Thrace?”Trin went to him. Her hand hovered over his head but she didn’t quite dare totouch him, though she longed to bury her fingers in his thick, wild hair. “DidI ask the wrong question? What was Commander Sylvan supposed to tell me?”

“Thatthe medicine he gave me wasn’t for you to drink. Or to rub on your wounds.”

“Butthen…how was it supposed to help me?” Trin shook her head, not understanding.

Thrace lookedup at her, his silver-blue eyes blazing.

“Itwas for me to drink. It enables mybody to make a healing compound I can apply to your cuts and abrasions.”

“Apply…how?”Trin was beginning to feel uncertain all over again.

“Bylicking you,” he said softly. “By bathing your hurt areas with my tongue.Apparently it’s the only way the medicine is effective.”

“I…Ididn’t know that.” Trin edged away from him. “No one told me that.”

“BecauseI’m sure you wouldn’t have come if they had.” Thrace’s deep voice was hurt andbitter. “I know how you feel about letting me touch you intimately. Letting me taste you intimately—especially now thatyou know my past. I understand how wrong it makes you feel so I won’t even ask.I’ll just go.”

Heturned away, presumably to get back to his packing. But something inside Trincouldn’t let that happen. She couldn’t bear to watch him walk away—couldn’t lethim leave not knowing when or if she would ever see him again.

“Thrace,wait.” Hesitantly, she reached for him and let her fingertips drift lightlyover the back of his arm.

Avisible shiver ran through him at her light touch. Turning, he faced her oncemore, a look of pain etched on his strong features.

“Whatis it, Trin?”

Trinbit her lip. Not “Mistress,” not “baby” just Trin. Was that all she was to himnow? Had she pushed him away for too long? Would she ever be able to get himback?

“I…”She didn’t know what to say but she couldn’t remain silent. If she did, shewould lose him forever.

“Yes?”Thraceasked impatiently. “What is it you want?”

“Iwant you to try it.” Trin lifted her chin. “I’m not afraid. Well…not much,” sheadded honestly.

Thrace sighedand went back to the couch. “I don’t even know if it will work. It’s supposedto be for bonded couples and you and I…I don’t even know if we’re bondedanymore.”

Trinlooked down at her hands.

“Iknow I’ve been blocking you,” she whispered. “I started it for your owngood—because I didn’t want to hurt you or drag you down with me. And now…now Ican’t seem to stop.”

“Well…”He sighed again. “I guess you can’t help it—I don’t blame you after what youfound out about me on Yonnie Six. Not to mention everything you went through inthat fucking temple. Come here.” He gestured for her and Trin came to standbetween his thighs.

Shecould feel the heat of his big body and the warm scent of his skin seemed toenvelope her. He was wearing black leather trousers and a deep red long sleevedshirt which looked like the uniforms the Kindred wore. For a moment she wastempted to unfasten the buttons that held it closed and caress the strong chestshe knew lay beneath…But she held back. Would her touch be welcomed? Or was Thrace still tooangry with her to want anything to do with her?

“Soyou want to be healed?” he asked, taking her hand in his.

“I…I’dlike you to try. If you don’t mind.” Trin could barely look him in the eye.

“Idon’t mind.” His deep voice came out sounding rough.

“Itdoesn’t have to mean anything,” Trin said quickly. “I mean, if you don’t wantit to. You can…can still leave after if you want, of course. I wouldn’t presumeto keep you.”

“Youwouldn’t, huh?” He looked up at her, his pale eyes narrowed.

“No,of course not. After all…I have no hold on you anymore.” Trin let her fingersdrift lightly to his throat, where the collar had been for so long. “I’m notyour Mistress anymore. I’m nothing to you.”

“Oh,Trin…” He closed his eyes briefly and for a moment she almost thought she feltsomething through their blocked bond. Some deep current of emotion she couldn’tname. Then it was gone and when he looked up at her, his eyes were hard.“Fine,” he said flatly. “I’ll do my best to heal you and then I’ll be on myway.”

“Allright.” She lifted her chin. “If that’s the way you want it.”

“That’sthe way you want it.”

Beforeshe could answer, he seized her hand in his and bent down as though he meant tokiss the back of it. Instead he licked it—dragging his tongue in a long, slowcaress up her wounded arm, bathing the welts made by the hrakka in a single stroke.

“Oh!”Trin gasped. But it wasn’t just his gesture that surprised her—it was the cooltingling which immediately followed it—like a hundred tiny bubbles popping atthe same time on her wounded skin.

Thrace stoppedat once and released her.

“I’msorry—did I hurt you?”

“No—itdidn’t hurt, exactly.” Trin examinedher arm. “It was more like a tingling sensation.”

“Didit work?” Thracewas staring at her arm too. As they watched, the long, red welts made by thecruel instrument of torture slowly began to heal. Trin gasped as she saw thered turn to white. After a moment the only thing left to show where the hrakka had marked her were four parallelscars, thin but visible white lines running up the smooth brown of her arm.

Shelooked up at Thrace.

“Youhealed me!”

“Notcompletely.” He frowned at the scars. “Let me try again.”