“Didn’t I tell you that Iresearched your past?” Lady Tam-tam demanded. “And in the course of that, Ilearned all about your family—your motherto be exact. Lady L’zara of Temple Trees—that is the name of your family estate on Zetta Prime, right?”

“What are you saying?” Thracedemanded. “Are you threatening us?”

“Not you, my dear Havoc,” LadyTam-tam purred. “Only your mistress. Lady Trin, how would you like it if therecording I just showed of you and your slave somehow found its way to yourmother? And to all the priestesses ofyour home temple? The ones who doubtless trained you from childhood about howvery wrong it is to have anything todo with a male—especially sexually?”

Trin’s face went so pale thatfor a moment Thracewas afraid she might faint.

“You wouldn’t,” she whispered.

“Oh but I would my dear. Unless you comply with my request.”

“You—” Thrace took astep towards her but the small but deadly muzzle of a mini-destroyer suddenlyappeared in Lady Tam-tam’s hand.

“Uh-uh, my dear,” she admonishedhim. “I know how protective you are of your mistress but believe me, I won’thesitate to use this. And it’s quite powerful enough to blast a hole throughthe both of you so don’t think thatstepping in front of her will save her.”

“I can’t believe this.” Trin’svoice shook. “You’re actually demanding that one of us penetrate the other?That I break either my promise to Thrace or my deeply held beliefssimply for your entertainment?”

“Well, when you put it likethat, it sounds rather mean,” Lady Tam-tam said mildly. “But yes, essentially.I want to see your first penetration—I don’t care which way it goes but it must happen.” She shook a finger at Trinsternly. “And don’t think you can fake it—I can see the most vivid detail here.Either you penetrate your slave or allow him to penetrate you. If you do—andyou put on a good show about it—I will buy your crystals for triple what theyare worth and send you on your way. If you don’t, however, your mother and allthe priestesses who taught you growing up will see your secret shame and knowthe truth—that you are in love with a male.”

“I…I never…” Trin seemed to beat a loss for words and Thracedidn’t blame her. The choice before them was a grim one.

“Mistress,” he said, taking herby the hand. “Come on. Let’s go talk about this. In private.”

“Yes, do go and talk it over.”Lady Tam-tam smiled languidly. “Take your time, my dears. But don’t take too much time. We only have a few morehours before the feast tonight and I want to see results long before then.”

“How can you do this to us?”Trin asked numbly, looking at her. “What kind of a monster demands such thingsof her guests?”

Lady Tam-tam frowned. “A very generous monster, my dear. I’m preparedto make you a rich woman if you do as I say.”

“Or break my mother’s heart andbring shame to my entire family if I don’t.” Trin’s voice was shaking and hereyes were filled with helpless rage.

“Yes, or that.” Lady Tam-tamshrugged. “Don’t think too harshly of me, Lady Trin. I’m just a lonely old ladywho’s in need of entertainment.” Her eyes hardened. “Now go—you have an hour toget started. After that, I’m sending the entire vid of you and your slave toZetta Prime.”

She made a motion, dismissingthem. Trin looked like she wanted to say something else but Thrace stopped her with a shake ofhis head. Lady Tam-tam had made up her mind and she clearly wasn’t going tochange it. She wanted to see a ‘first’ and she was damn well going to see oneor she would ruin Trin’s life.

Can’tlet her do that. He led hismistress out of the secret viewing room and back the way they had come. Can’t let her shame Trin in front of all herfriends and family. Can’t let her ruin Trin’s professional and personalreputation—it’ll keep her from ever trading again either on Yonnie Six or herhome planet.

He had to stop Lady Tam-tam fromacting. But he knew couldn’t ask Trin to give up her long-held beliefs and lethim penetrate her. Thracecould tell she honestly believed that to accept his shaft and seed within herwould damn her soul to the Seven Hells—or whatever Hell the priestesses of theGoddess of Judgment had cooked up. So the penetration had to happen but itwasn’t going to be him penetrating her.

It would have to be the otherway around. No matter how painful that might be…

“Saythe words—say them, damn you!”

Thethrust and push of a thick shaft inside him, invading him, taking him againsthis will…the rush of shame as his nether entrance was pierced and penetrated…thefeeling of his pride and his body being torn at the same time…

No—stop!Don’t think of it! Don’t remember the past—it only makes things worse!

Thrace clenched his hands into fists, trying toforce the painful memories back. If only he hadn’t had that dream the nightbefore! It had brought everything he had tried so hard to forget back in vivid,painful detail.

Well, at least Trin didn’tremember the contents of the dream, even though she had shared it. Thracewatched her from the corner of his eye as they made their way back to theirsuite. If she had remembered the nightmare, this would be so much harder. Notthat it wouldn’t be hard enough already…

But as hard as it was, Thrace wasdetermined to do it. He had reached the Crux—hewas devoted to Trin—owned by her body and soul. But more even than that, heloved her. Loved her as he had never loved a female in his life—and had neverexpected to love one.

TheHavoc do not bond.

But at least he could do thisfor her—though he couldn’t tie her to him for life, he could save herreputation and keep her from shame. And he was determined to do it.

Anythingfor you, Mistress, hethought, looking at her lovely, troubled profile. Anything—even this.

Eventhis.

Chapter Twenty-six

“We can’t do this,” Trin said,as soon as they got back into their room. “We can’t. I can’t.”

“Yes, you can.” Thracewent to the sleeping platform and got the double-ended heart’s blood phallus.“You have to.”

The implications of what he wassaying suddenly sank in and Trin looked at him, wide-eyed.

“Thrace…you don’t mean…?”

“Yes.” He looked at her sternly.“I know you can’t be penetrated yourself, Mistress—I wouldn’t ask it of you.But you can…” He took a deep breath, as though trying to calm himself. “You can penetrate me. It must be done.”

“No!” Trin exclaimed, backing upa step. “I don’t want to…to do that to you! I know how you feel about it—youdon’t want it!”

“No, I don’t,” Thrace said softly. “But I do wantwhat’s best for you and this is it. So come on, Mistress—let me help you onwith your equipment.”

He knelt between her legs butTrin pushed him away.

“You can’t be serious! You toldme this would make you feel less of a male—subjugated…dominated. I know youwell enough to know that you’re proud—as proud as I am. You don’t want tosubmit to this, Thrace.”

“I’d rather submit to you thansee your professional reputation ruined! Than see you never be able to tradeagain, either here on Yonnie Six or on your home planet.” He sighed and raked ahand through his hair. “I’d rather do this than let you be shamed in front ofyour mother.”

Trin crossed her arms over herchest and narrowed her eyes.

“What do you know or care aboutmy mother?”

“I know that you care about her and you care what shethinks of you. Look, Trin…” He rose to his feet, the heart’s blood phallusstill held loosely in one hand. “I have no parents left—my Sire was killed whenI was only sixteen cycles old. But you do—you have your mother. You shouldn’tbe shamed in front of the one whose good opinion matters to you most.”