“We’re all screwed,” Thrace finished for her. “Well,let’s not borrow trouble. Maybe you’ll be able to do the deal and we’ll be outof here by mid-meal time.”

“From your lips to the Goddess’s ears.” Trin sighedand the sigh turned into a yawn. “Goddess of Judgment, I’m so tired. What’swrong with me? Am I still having after effects from the passion berries?”

Thrace frowned. “You shouldn’t be. It should be long outof your system by now which worries me.”

His words sent a chill down her spine.

“Do you think everything is all right?”

He made a dismissive gesture.

“I’m sure it is. I’m just feeling protective of youright now which heightens everything, that’s all.” He sighed. “You’re probablyjust tired from all the stress and from coming so hard just now.”

“I…” Trin felt her cheeks getting hot. “I guessthat could be it. I have to confess I’ve never, uh, come that hard before. Butthen…nobody but me has ever made me come.”

“It was my very great pleasure to be your first,Mistress,” he growled softly. “But now let’s get you to bed.”

He swept her off the countertop and into his arms,making Trin gasp.

“You don’t have to carry me everywhere, you know,”she protested as he took her into the sleeping chamber. “I can walk.”

“I know you can. I like carrying you.Besides, it looks better for whoever’s watching. More romantic.” He grinned ather and nodded at the glowing blue viewscreen.

“I guess so.” Trin was so tired she felt like leadweights were tied to her body. Deciding not to fight him about it, she letherself relax against his broad chest. Goddess, how could something as hard as hisbig body make such a comfortable pillow? She didn’t know but by the time helaid her down on the sleeping platform, she was already half asleep.

Thrace started to tuck her in. “Come on—don’t want you toget cold.”

“Wait…I can’t sleep like this…in the nude,” Trinprotested sleepily.

“Afraid you’re going to have to, at least fortonight,” said Thrace.“Your nipples are looking a little red again. You don’t want to hurt yourselfby letting anything rough come in contact with them.”

As if to illustrate his point, he leaned down andlapped her right nipple, gently, soothing the sharp little ache that had begunto grow, almost without Trin knowing it.

“Oh!” His hot mouth on her flesh woke her up andfor a moment she had to fight the urge to reach for him, to beg him to lick heragain, to suck her some more…

“Sorry, Mistress…did I overstep my bounds?” Hiseyes were half-lidded with desire. “I just wanted to make sure you werecompletely comfortable. Perhaps I should lick the other too? To be on the safeside?”

Again, Trin didn’t want to fight about it.

“All right. Thank you, Thrace,”she murmured. Arching her back, she pressed her breasts up, offering herself tohim.

Thrace took her up on the offer, leaning down again totrace her other nipple gently with his tongue, easing her pain.

“Gods, Mistress,” he murmured thickly when he atlast raised his head. “Your breasts are so beautiful. Thank you for allowing meto help you. Is your pussy in need as well?”

“I…” Trin began to feel a bit breathless and muchmore awake. “I don’t know.”

“Perhaps I should check. If you would spread yourlegs for me, Mistress?” He tugged the sheets down below her thighs and raisedan eyebrow at her.

Feeling hot and uncertain all over again, Trin didas he asked. She bit back a moan as he framed her pussy with his big hands andthen parted her outer lips gently with his thumbs.

“Hmmm…” he studied her critically. “Just a hint ofredness, especially around your clit. Does it hurt?”

“It’s…sensitive,” Trin admitted, biting her lip.

“What about when I do this?” Gently he traced hertender little bump, making her moan and jump against his touch. “I think I havemy answer,” he murmured, looking up at her. “And I know what I need to do aboutit.”

“What…what do you want to do about it?” Trinwhispered. “I…I don’t know if it’s right to let you help me…make me, uh, comeagain. I mean…I’m not really in danger any more.”

“But you are still in pain. No goodlove-slave can allow his mistress to have pain when he can do something to easeit.” He nodded at the viewscreen. “It wouldn’t look right.”

“All right,” Trin said softly. “I just…we’vealready done more…more than I ever thought I would.”

“I know, Mistress,” Thrace murmured. “And I’m notasking you to push your boundaries any more tonight—I just want to lessen yourpain. After all, I didn’t have to suck your nipples again to make them feelbetter—I don’t think another orgasm is necessary to ease the ache in yourpussy, either.” His eyes blazed with lust. “Although the Gods know I’d fucking loveto give you one.”

“What do you recommend, then?” Trin didn’t know ifshe was relieved or disappointed that he didn’t think she needed to come again.

“Just an obeisance—the same thing I did earlier,before your bath.” He licked his lips carefully, making them shiny. “I think Ican transfer enough of the healing compounds to you through a single kiss toease your ache.”

“Just a kiss, then?” Trin whispered.

Slowly, he nodded. “Just a kiss goodnight,Mistress,” he murmured. “Just your soft, sweet pussy spread open for me tokiss. Once. That’s all.”

“All right.” Trin nodded. After all, he’d alreadydone this once. It couldn’t hurt to let him do it again—could it?

Before she could answer the question, Thrace was flaton his stomach between her legs. Spreading her pussy lips wide, he looked up ather.

“Watch me, Mistress,” he said hoarsely. “Watch mekiss your hot little pussy.”

“Thrace,” she protested weakly but his hot words as well asthe way he was looking into her eyes seemed to rob her of all self control.Obediently, she watched as he lowered his head and gave her bare pussy a hot,open-mouthed kiss.

It seemed to go on forever, the feel of his warmlips caressing her clit and inner cunt. But finally, just as Trin was gettingthe breathless feeling of need building inside her again, he pulled back.

“Better?” he asked and she was ashamed to see thathis lips were shiny again—this time with her honey. Goddess, why couldn’t shehelp getting wet when she was around him?

“Better,” she whispered. “I…I guess I should getsome sleep now.”

“I suppose.” But he made no move to leave hisposition between her legs and Trin didn’t try to make him either. “I’m gladyou’re feeling less pain now, Mistress,” he murmured.

“I am too,” Trin agreed. “Especially consideringwhat you…what you had to do to ease my pain in the first place.”

“I don’t mind—you know I don’t.” His eyes werehalf-lidded as he studied her face. “In fact, I think we should make this formof obeisance a regular thing.”

“What—you mean letting…letting you kiss my pussy?”Trin shifted a little, wishing she wasn’t spread quite so wide. Her slipperyinner petals were completely exposed. It made her feel vulnerable…andincredibly hot.

“Letting me kiss your open pussy,” Thracecorrected her in a soft growl. “After all, what better way could there be forme to show my obedience and devotion to you than to spread open your sweet, wetcunt and worship you with my mouth?” Leaning down, he kissed her again,nuzzling gently with his lips to press deep into her wet depths. He wasn’tusing his tongue but it was a near thing—Trin could almost feel the tip of itcaressing her throbbing clit as he gave her yet another sweet, intimate kiss.

“I…I don’t think that would be such a good idea,”she whispered breathlessly. “You…you know how I feel about penetration, Thrace.Even…even oral penetration.”

“Spreading your pussy lips to kiss your inner cuntisn’t penetration—it’s devotion,” he argued softly. “Why should I not show howvery devoted I am to you, Mistress? How very much I lo—” He cleared his throat.“How much I care for you and want to serve you?”