“Well, I’m afraid this might be one of thosesituations. This is going to be intense.”

“All right.” She nodded again. “I understand.Just…just do it.”

Without another word, he sucked two fingers intohis mouth and got them wet. Then he reached between her thighs and touched herinner folds very lightly.

“Oh!” It was, as he had promised, extremelyintense. But Trin found she could bear it, despite the powerful pleasure histouch brought her. “Goddess, Thrace,”she moaned, gripping his broad, bare shoulders. “That’s good…so good.”

“I’m glad, baby.” His voice was a soft, deep growland his eyes were half-lidded as he stroked gently, circling her swollen clitcarefully. “Glad you like it when I pet your soft little pussy. Do you need meto suck your nipples some more while I do?”

Her nipples seemed less red and her breasts feltalmost back to normal. But Trin couldn’t help remembering the intense pleasureshe’d gotten from the hard, steady suckling of his big mouth on her fullbreasts.

Goddess,shouldn’t do this…really shouldn’t do this…

“Yes,” she whispered, knowing she shouldn’t. “Yes, please,Thrace.”

“My pleasure, Mistress,” he murmured. Then, bendingtowards her once more, he sucked one tight nub into his mouth as his fingerscontinued to fly lightly over her clit.

Trin felt a wave of pleasure cresting inside her—agreat rush of sensation poised on the brink of crashing down and drowning herin its intensity.

Amale—a male is touching you! Is about to make you come! whispered a judgmental little voice in her brain. Thisis wrong! You should be punished for such blasphemy!

She knew she ought to care but she didn’t—shecouldn’t. All she wanted was to feel the big Havoc’s mouth and hands on herforever. All she wanted was to come for him as he touched her.

Then, suddenly, she was. With a low wail, shereached for Thrace,threading her fingers through his hair and bucking against his hand and mouthas the wave of pleasure crashed over her.

“Goddess,”she moaned aloud, unable to help herself, unable toshut up. “Oh please, yes, Thrace!…sogood…please!”

Thrace redoubled his efforts, sucking her other nippleinto his mouth and rubbing her spread pussy while she cried and gasped hisname. The pleasure seemed to go on and on until Trin almost felt like she wasdrowning in it. But then, slowly, the tidal wave of sensation began to ebb andshe found she was able to catch her breath.

“Goddess!” she whispered, panting, and slumpedagainst him, her head resting on his broad shoulder.

Thrace stopped touching her but he kept his hand on her,cupped protectively over her open pussy.

“All right, baby?” he murmured in her ear. “Allbetter now?”

“Much.” Trin took a deep breath and straightenedup. Looking down, she took stock of herself—completely naked and spent, sittingon the counter with her legs spread and Thrace standing between her thighs,cupping her pussy. Well, at least everything was back to the normal color butshe still couldn’t believe what she’d just allowed to happen.

Goddess,what did I do? Now that the heat of passion wasrelieved, she felt a surge of embarrassment for what she’d just done.Embarrassment and shame.

She sat up and tried to pull away from him but Thraceseemed to sense her mood.

“Hey…” He caught her chin so that she had to lookinto his eyes. “What’s wrong?”

“I just…I shouldn’t have done that.” Trin movedaway from his hand. “Shouldn’t have let you…do that to me.”

“Do what? Suck you?” He motioned at her breastswhere her nipples were still tight with the pleasure he’d given her.

“Not just that.” She moved to get away from his bighand cupping her pussy and he let her.

“You feel like you shouldn’t have let me ease yourpain? Your need? Why the hell not?” he demanded softly.

“You know why not.” Trin looked away. “I’m reallytired. I want to go to bed now.”

“Not until we talk about this,” Thrace growled.“You were in pain…in need and I helped you out. I served you as a goodlove-slave should.” He tried to catch her eyes. “What’s so wrong with that?”

“You know how I feel…what I believe.” Trin sighed.“Or what I was raised to believe, anyway.”

“Yes, but do you still believe it? Do you stillthink males are animals—lower life forms?”

“You know I don’t!” she exclaimed. “That’s not whatI meant!”

“But you still think it’s wrong to be with one. Tolove one.”

Trin looked up at him uncertainly.

“Who said anything about love?”

“Forget it.” He frowned and shook his head. “Mypoint is, we didn’t do anything wrong. You needed help and I helped you.Nobody, not even the strictest priestess of your Goddess could expect you toincur permanent physical damage just because the only way to avoid it wasletting a male help you. Am I right?”

“I…” She bit her lip. “I don’t know. You don’t knowhow strongly they feel about this kind of thing. About letting a male…”

“But that’s them and this is you,” he rumbledimpatiently. “What are you ashamed of? Do you feel like allowing me to touchyou lowered you in some way? Impaired your dignity as a female?”

“No, I—”

“I didn’t penetrate you,” he pointed out softly.“Gods know I wanted to badly enough—wanted to put my tongue deep in your wetlittle pussy and taste you to the core. But I didn’t, Trin. I would never dothat without your permission.”

“I know.” His words brought vivid images to hermind, pictures of the big Havoc kneeling between her thighs, spreading her wideto lick and kiss and penetrate her with his tongue…No, she told herself.No, stop thinking about that! It’s wrong!

But was it? Was what they had done together thatnight really so bad? Suddenly Trin realized she was getting tired oflistening to the judgmental little voice in her head. She wasn’t a childanymore, to be shamed by the priestesses’ rhetoric. She was certain if she’dallowed Thraceto penetrate her with his shaft she would have felt wrong…dirty… maybe even indanger of damnation—at least according to her childhood beliefs. But as hepointed out, he hadn’t done that. He hadn’t even penetrated her with his tongueor fingers. All he’d done was ease the pressure in her breasts.

Andhe rubbed your pussy until you came all over his hand. Don’t forget about that,whispered that nasty little voice again.

Trin took a deep breath and made the decision toignore it. What good would it do to make herself miserable about somethingwhich had been necessary…something which was over and done with? The thing todo was to move on and swear to keep herself under control in the future.

“Finished thinking it over?” Thrace rumbled and Trin realizedshe’d been sitting there, staring down at her hands and mulling things over fora solid couple of minutes.

“Yes.” She took a deep breath and looked him in theeye. “What’s done is done—there’s no point in getting upset about it.”

“Very sensible.” He nodded approvingly.

“I’m glad you think so,” Trin said dryly. Shestraightened her shoulders. “We were just…under the influence of a lot ofchemicals tonight. The red dream gas, the nectar pods, the schromp…”

“This does seem to be a place where they believe inbetter living through chemistry,” Thrace agreed neutrally. “So whatdo you suggest, Mistress?”

“First that we get a good night’s sleep. Thentomorrow, we’re going to be extra careful about everything we eat, drink, andbreathe. Hopefully as soon as we’ve had first meal with Lady Tam-tam I canapproach Lady Malroth again about completing our deal.”

“And if she won’t? If she wants us to stay longeror do…something else?” He raised an eyebrow at her. “What then?”

“I…” Trin bit her lip. “I don’t know. I’d like tosay that I’ll tell her to shove the whole bag of Jaxite crystals in anunmentionable area but if I do that…if the deal falls through…”