“You little bitch!” the short male snarled, finally regaining his composure. “You’ll pay for that—for what you did to Tunard!” He nodded at his friend, who was still doubled over in pain.
“Just stay away from me or I’ll do it to you too,” Elaina threatened with more bravado than she felt. Maybe she could make them believe she was dangerous—maybe she could scare them into leaving her alone.
She started to back away, only to find herself caught by the third male—the tall, thin one with muddy yellow and green ringed eyes.
“I don’t think so, slave,” he snarled in her ear. “You’re staying right here and the Magistrate is going to hear about this—after we teach you a lesson.”
“Leave me alone!” Elaina raised her voice, not caring who heard or how it made people stare. “What’s wrong with you people?” she shouted at the crowd surrounding them. “Is this really all right with you? You think it’s okay for a woman to be stripped of her rights and her dignity on the whim of some sexist man just because he feels like it? Wake up! This is happening right in front of you and you’re not doing anything to stop it!”
“Shut up, you little cunt,” hissed her new captor. He slapped a hand over her mouth, cutting off her cries. “You’re going to be sorry you started this! Once we’re through with you, there won’t even be enough left to take to the Magistrate. You—”
“Are you threatening my female?” A low, growling voice behind them made Elaina try to twist her head around. The heavy hand on her mouth made it impossible, though.
“This is your slave?” her captor demanded, not letting go of Elaina.
“Yes, she’s mine. And if you don’t want two broken arms and a broken neck to go with them you’ll take your hands off her now.”
The low growl was unmistakably Terex. Elaina felt a rush of relief—finally! But the man holding her still didn’t let go.
“This little bitch refused our advances,” he complained. “And then she injured my friend Tunard when he tried to take what was rightfully his.”
“Elaina is not ‘rightfully his’ or yours either.” The rage in Terex’s deep voice was growing. “She is mine and you’re still touching her!”
Still the male holding Elaina wouldn’t let her go.
“The law states that an unattended slave is fair game in the Baths,” he argued stubbornly. “Not only did she injure my friend, she raised her voice in a public place! She shouldn’t have—”
Parting her lips under his damp palm, Elaina bit down hard, sinking her teeth into the tender webbing of flesh between his thumb and index finger.
The male gave a high, breathless scream and shoved her away from him, yanking his hand out of his mouth. Droplets of blood flew in all directions as he shook his wounded hand, swearing and dancing in pain.
“Bitch!” he screamed at Elaina. “She’s a rabid bitch who ought to be put down!”
“I’ll put you down.” Terex aimed a swift, powerful blow at the Nixian’s face. There was a crunching of cartilage and he was suddenly on the floor beside his friend.
The two of them made quite a pair, Elaina thought. The beefy guy, who was still rocking and clutching his crotch right beside the tall, skinny one, who was holding his bloody hand to his streaming nose and wailing that it wasn’t fair.
Terex leaned over both males and grabbed them by their lank black hair.
“Don’t ever come near my female again!” he growled. With a fierce move he smashed their skulls together and let them drop—either senseless or dead, Elaina couldn’t tell which—to the slick Bathing Room floor.
The third male who had approached Elaina stared uncertainly for a moment at his friends. Then he took one look at Terex and scuttled off into a corner, throwing frightened glances over his shoulder as he ran.
“Come on.” Terex grabbed Elaina by the arm and pulled her through the crowd, which parted before them silently. It seemed like everyone was still stunned—too shocked to think what they should do or say. Elaina was pretty shocked herself. She spat the blood from her mouth and wiped her lips on her arm, still feeling unreal. Had that really just happened? It had all been so fast—so awful!
But it’s all right! I’m all right now, she told herself quickly. Wasn’t she? To be honest, no matter what she told herself, she wasn’t entirely sure.
At last Terex dragged her into a semi-private alcove on the far side of the huge Bathing area. He grabbed her by the shoulders and looked her over. It took Elaina a moment to realize his hands were shaking and another moment after that to understand they weren’t shaking with fear, but with pure rage.
“Those fucking bastards,” he growled, his eyes blazing. “Did they hurt you? What did they do?”
“Nothing. N-nothing,” she gasped and then burst into tears.
“Elaina? Gods, I’m so sorry!” The big Kindred gathered her into his arms and held her close to his bare chest, running his hands through her hair and over her trembling shoulders. “It’s all right now. I won’t let anyone touch you—it’s going to be all right,” he murmured.
“You don’t understand.” Elaina pushed away from him, her eyes still damp. “I…I’m not c-crying because I’m s-scared.” She took a deep breath, swiping one arm over her eyes and trying to control her emotions. “I’m crying because I’m angry!”
“You have every right to be angry—to never forgive me.” Terex looked deeply remorseful. “I was detained by a messenger from Krumf—some trivial bureaucratic Council nonsense. I tried to put him off but he insisted on reading me an entire scroll and getting my signature to show that I had heard it. But I never thought—”
“No!” Elaina exclaimed. “You don’t understand—I’m not angry at you. I’m angry at them.” She waved her hand to indicate the rest of the Bath. “Not just the men who attacked me—the people who stood around and watched and did nothing. What is wrong with the people here? They’re sick!”
“I agree,” Terex said in a low voice. He took a deep breath, plainly trying to purge the anger from his system. “I don’t think I understood how sick until just now. Did they really feel they had the right to—”
“To rape me just because you weren’t right at my side, yes, they did,” Elaina said flatly. “God, I hate this place.”
“I do too, sweetheart.” Terex sighed and stroked her cheek tenderly. “But you gave as good as you got—I’m so proud of you for not letting them get away with it.”
“You’re the one who clonked their heads together like a couple of cocoanuts,” Elaina pointed out, stifling a slightly hysterical giggle. God, her emotions were so out of control right now! “I bet they have a horrible headache when they wake up. Except for the first one, who’s going to have a headache and a ball-ache.”
“He ought to have his balls cut off for what he tried to do,” Terex growled. “Both of them should. I wanted to kill them, especially the one holding you, but the grip he had on you, I was afraid he might…might break your neck.” The look in his eyes was fear now—fear of losing her, of seeing her killed right in front of him. “Elaina,” he said hoarsely. “If something happened to you—”
“Don’t.” Lifting on tiptoes, she put her arms around his neck and held him tight. “Don’t even think it. I’m fine. We both are.”
They stood together, trembling and holding each other in the alcove until Elaina felt like she’d gotten back some semblance of self control.
“All right.” She took a deep breath and released the big Kindred reluctantly. “We’re not here for this—we’re here to bathe. And make a big enough scene to attract Krumf’s attention.”
“I think we already did that,” Terex said dryly. “Although I’m not sure the scene we just made was the kind that’s going to get us invited into the Private Baths.”
“I doubt it.” Elaina sniffed and straightened her shoulders. Wiping at her cheeks, she took a deep breath. “Come on—let’s go do what has to be done—whatever that is.”
“Agreed. But this time I??
?m not leaving your side,” Terex growled. “I don’t want any other males getting any ideas about you.”
“That suits me fine,” Elaina assured him. As long as they were on this awful planet where women had absolutely no rights, she needed the big Kindred right beside her. Gripping his hand, she entwined her fingers with his and felt safer with his muscular bulk at her side. Ignoring the curious stares directed at them, she and Terex left the alcove and made their way through the crowded Bathing area.
At least no one is trying to stop us or arrest us, she thought, keeping her chin high and ignoring the crowd. I just hope we don’t have to put on a scene as bad as the one we just went through to get an invitation to the Private Baths!
* * * * *
Terex squeezed her small hand in his and looked at Elaina with new eyes. She wasn’t just beautiful and intelligent and compassionate—she was brave too! Courageous in the face of evil.
He thought again about what might have happened if he’d gotten there just a few seconds later…and ground his teeth together, trying to repress the red Rage that wanted to come creeping back over his vision. It was a wonder he hadn’t killed the two males who had dared to try and hurt her—only the greatest effort of self control had kept him from going back and pounding them until they were nothing but a bloody mess on the slick Bathing Room floor.
The Rage—a berserker-like killing fury that was a male Kindred’s response to a threat against his female—hadn’t come over him since his days with Solange. It signaled something to Terex: even if he hadn’t made up his mind completely how he felt about Elaina, his body had. The primitive part of him—the male animal part that had no words—had claimed her as his own.
No doubt about it, the little female had found a place in his heart. In fact, the thought of losing her or of anything bad happening to her turned his guts inside out and made him want to rip anyone who threatened her apart with his bare hands and sharp fangs.
Have to keep her safe, he told himself. Can’t let anything happen to her! I won’t leave her alone again—no matter what!
It was a promise he intended to keep.
Chapter Nineteen
Elaina was relieved when they came to a slightly richer and more lavish section of the Baths where no one seemed to be staring at them. There was a male attendant standing at the archway and Elaina saw him turn several people away. But when Terex told him he was a member of Krumf’s Private Council, he simply nodded and let them pass.
“This seems to be the right place,” Terex muttered as they walked into the large chamber. “I see males that were at both the banquet and the Council meeting last night. Hopefully Krumf will pass through on his way to the Royal Baths.
“It’s a lot nicer that the other areas,” Elaina agreed, using the hand slang instead of talking.
Terex watched her rapidly moving fingers and nodded.
“Yes, much nicer.”
Instead of plain stone walls and floors, there was blue and purple tile and the steam coming from the hot tubs that were scattered around was scented like flowers. In fact, as they reached the center of the area, Elaina saw a set of rich golden doors on the far wall.
If that isn’t the way to the Private Baths, I’ll eat my bathing garment! she thought. Nudging Terex, she nodded at the golden doors and signed, “Private Baths?”
“It must be!” he signed back. “We need to pick a good spot and be ready.”
Elaina looked around, wondering where a “good spot” might be. Everyone seemed to be in the hot tubs—maybe they should get in one too.
Terex seemed to have the same thought because he led her to the least crowded tub. There were only two other couples in it and since it was quite large, they were able to have a good section of it to themselves.
They went in using the broad, stone steps and Elaina gave a little hiss as the fragrant, heated water caressed her sensitive nipples. God, now that the altercation with the three awful would-be attackers was over, she was beginning to feel the return of her earlier symptoms. Her breasts ached and her pussy felt incredibly tender and sensitive.
She looked down at herself uncertainly. The thin white bathing garment was molded to her full breasts, outlining the dark pink points of her nipples clearly. Were they a darker pink as Jessa had thought? Was it possible that she might be exhibiting symptoms of the Need?
Don’t be silly, she scolded herself. It’s just the after-effects of that damn syrup from last night.
Whatever the reason, she was really beginning to feel antsy—like she needed to do something to find relief soon.
“This is…nice,” Terex murmured to her in a low voice. “At least the water feels good.”
Elaina was thinking that his big hands on her would feel a whole lot better but she wasn’t sure how to say that—or even if she should say it. She was wondering how to express her problem to the big Kindred, when there was a distant sound like a musical note being blown on a brass instrument of some kind.
At once the attendant at the arched doorway straightened to attention and spoke loudly.
“His Supreme Excellency’s fanfare has been heard. His Supreme Excellency has entered the Royal Baths on the way to the Private Bathing Chamber.”
All around them, there was a scramble of activity. Most of the Masters got hastily out of the tubs and arranged themselves so that they were sitting on the edge with their legs and feet dangling down into the water. Their female slaves, however, stayed in the hot tubs, standing between their Masters’ thighs.
“What are they doing?” Elaina signed.
“I don’t know,” he signed back. “But I think we’re about to find out.”
As he spoke, Elaina saw the slave and Master couple across the tub from them were already busy. The slave girl was opening her Master’s thin white bathing trousers and pulling his shaft free of the wet, clinging fabric.
“Do a good job, Leela,” Elaina heard her Master mutter to her as she bent to take him in her mouth. “His Excellency will be here soon and I need to be one of the ones he chooses for the Private Baths!”
The girl nodded and started bobbing obediently on her master’s cock, taking as much of his thick shaft in her mouth as she could and sucking and slurping as though her life depended on it.
Which it might, Elaina thought, feeling slightly sick. But at the same time, she felt her own desire rising as she imagined sucking Terex again, taking that long, thick shaft into her mouth, swirling her tongue around his broad crown and hearing him moan as she pleasured him…
“Master?” she murmured in a low voice, not bothering to use the hand slang now that everyone else in the room was occupied. “Should we…do you want me to suck you?”
“That does seem to be what everyone else here is doing.” Terex frowned and looked around. “Well—most of them, anyway.”
In a few of the hot tubs, the Masters had pushed their slave girls against the side of the tub and were lifting their soaked bathing garments to bare their asses. Elaina watched, her heart thudding and her pussy throbbing, as the other couple in the tub beside them prepared to get the Supreme Leader’s attention in this way.
The Master was a tall, well-built man with dark brown hair and broad shoulders. His slave was a little blonde female with small but perky breasts and a sweet, heart-shaped face.
“Oh, Master,” she moaned quietly as he bent her over the side of the tub and spread her thighs to bare her pussy. “Oh yes, Master—please.”
“That’s right, Tareena,” her Master murmured, fitting the head of his cock to her trembling entrance and pressing forward with a long, slow thrust. “Open yourself for me. Take your Master’s cock to the hilt in that tight little pussy and be sure you moan loud enough to get his Majesty’s attention as he passes.”
“Yes, Master,” his slave gasped softly. “Oh! Ahh!”
“Oh my…” Elaina murmured, unable to take her eyes off the blatantly sexual sight that was happening right beside them. The desire and need she’d been
feeling suddenly doubled, then trebled, making her feel half crazy with lust.
That’s what you need, whispered a little voice inside her head. That’s the only thing that will quench the desire that’s eating you up inside! Having your Master’s long, hard cock deep in your pussy, feeling him thrust inside you, fuck you, take you…feeling him spurt his seed deep in your hungry depths…
“Gods,” she heard Terex mutter hoarsely. Dragging her eyes from the sexual scene before them, she looked up to see him staring not at the couple beside them in the hot tub, but directly at her.
“Master?” she murmured, the title coming naturally to her lips. God, it made her pussy throb to call him that! “Master do you need to…to take me like that?”
When he didn’t answer she waded to a shallow side of the hot tub and leaned over the side, feeling the cold marble press against her hot nipples. Raising the back of her bathing garment, she lifted it over her ass and then parted her thighs. She looked over her shoulder at him.
“Master?” she murmured again, her voice throbbing with need. Part of her couldn’t believe she was acting like this—that she was tempting him with her body so blatantly, begging him to take her. But another part—the part that was filled with a burning desire—didn’t care. She only knew there was a deep, sexual ache inside her that could only be filled by submitting to him—by submitting to her Master—and accepting his thick shaft deep in her unresisting body.
“Gods…Elaina.”
Suddenly he was behind her, his big hands kneading and caressing her ass. Elaina moaned from pure need and pressed her bottom back to meet him. Behind the wet, clinging fabric of his bathing trousers she could feel the hot, hard length of his shaft throbbing against her. She couldn’t help remembering how thick he was, wondering how he would get it inside her. But at this point, she didn’t care—she just knew she needed that thick length filling her, thrusting in and out of her hot, aching pussy as he made her his and claimed her completely.
Terex lowered his trousers and she felt something slippery and hard bumping against her inner thighs.