Loving a Stranger_A Kindred Tales Novel Read online

  “Ah, Arch-General Parokk,” one of the priests said, coming up to them. He was wearing the bright orange robes of the temple and there were orange and blue tattoos around his eyes to make him look wise and solemn. “So glad to see you again this year.”

  “It’s a pleasure to be here,” Harryx said stiffly, although he didn’t sound like he was pleased at all. Under his long black robes, he was wearing the traditional male costume of a Ritual Supplicant—tight black trousers with the crotch cut completely out, leaving his shaft bare.

  It was not visible, of course—would not be visible until he took off his robes in the private room reserved for them. But just knowing his long, thick shaft was bare beneath his robes was enough to send a shiver through Nallah because she also was bare beneath the scarlet robes she had on.

  Her own outfit was very like the sex garments she wore when she offered her sexual submission to Harryx each night but this one was red—the color of marriage and of procreation. Also, instead of just having a slit at the crotch, this garment had no crotch. There was only a rounded cut-out area fringed in golden lace that framed her pussy, which was freshly shaved and smoothed with sweet oil for the occasion. Likewise, the material around the breasts had been cut out too, leaving her bare in all her most sensitive areas.

  Nallah dreaded the moment when they would enter the private room and Harryx would remove her outer robe and force her to her hands and knees on the padded golden altar. She always felt so naked—so vulnerable with her bare breasts hanging down and her spread pussy on display. The feeling of strange male eyes watching her from the slits in the wall was almost as bad as the actual act of penetration and procreation. Almost.

  “I have reserved your room for you, as usual,” the priest was saying to Harryx. “Myself and a few of the other higher priests will observe your Ritual. It will be an honor to watch one of the Inner Circle give a performance of fertility.”

  “Thanks,” Harryx said shortly but Nallah thought that he looked even more angry and upset after the priest’s flattering words. Which was strange—usually Harryx loved this kind of flattery and any mention of his high status. But then, he hadn’t been acting like himself at all lately—she supposed she shouldn’t be surprised.

  Just wait, he’ll act like his old self in a minute, whispered a little voice in her head. The minute he shoves himself inside you and starts pounding away.

  Well, that was true enough. Nallah shivered unhappily as the priest swung wide the golden door of one of the elite rooms and gestured for them to enter.

  Here we go, she told herself. Just remember, it’s not forever—it will be over soon. Hang on to that and try not to cry, no matter how much it hurts.

  Taking a deep breath, she headed for the altar at the center of the room. It was a rectangular platform about waist-height—well, to Harryx, anyway—on Nallah it was closer to chest-height, and it was painted gold. Lying on top of it was a scarlet padded mattress which at least was easy on the knees.

  Nallah knew she shouldn’t complain—the padded altar was much more than the common folk who had lower status got. They were relegated to the hard black marble floor while performing the Ritual. It must be painful on the knees.

  And yet, somehow, she thought she would rather be on the floor—would rather be out of sight instead of having her pain and submission put on display for the lecherous priests to see. They always made remarks to Harryx after the Ritual about how perfectly her breasts jiggled when he thrust inside her and how tight they imagined her pussy was. It made Nallah sick just to think about it.

  “Now then,” the priest was saying to Harryx, who had come to join her beside the golden altar. “I will slip out of the room take my place at the viewing slits.” He motioned to several dark slashes in the white wall of the room directly across from the altar. “And you and your lovely little wife can get started.”

  But though he talked about leaving, he stayed right where he was, staring at them expectantly.

  Harryx stared back at him, clearly waiting for him to leave.

  “What are you waiting for, a tip?” he growled.

  “Forgive me.” The priest frowned uncomfortably. “It’s just that…generally we wait until the couple about to perform the Ritual has removed their outer robes and gotten into position.” His eyes flickered hungrily over Nallah’s robed form, making her skin crawl. “It’s…so much easier to be certain everything is in the right…position that way.”

  Harryx must have caught the priest’s gaze wandering over Nallah too because he stepped in front of her and glared down at the smaller man.

  “And is that part of the Ritual?”

  “Well…no,” the priest faltered. “It’s just an…extra service we perform for the elite of the Inner Circle.”

  “Well you can skip it this year,” Harryx snapped. “Now go on—get out of here.”

  The priest’s eyes widened but he nodded stiffly.

  “Very well, I will make my way to the viewing slits.” He left the room, his back straight and shoulders tight. Clearly he wasn’t happy about Harryx’s treatment but there was really nothing much he could do about it. Harryx outranked almost everyone but some of the higher members of the Inner Circle and there weren’t many of those, as Nallah understood it.

  “Okay, sweetheart?”

  Nallah realized that his words were directed at her. Not trusting herself to speak, she only nodded.

  “No, you’re not. I can see that.” Harryx spoke in a low voice, meant for her ears alone. “But everything is going to be all right—I promise.”

  Nallah didn’t see how it would be all right. He was about to pound her into submission in front of the watching priests. She just wanted to get the Ritual over and done with.

  “Yes, my husband,” she murmured listlessly and raised her arms, waiting for him to remove her outer robe as he always did. She was in clear view of the viewing slits and she was certain the lecherous priest and several of his fellow perverts were probably watching for the moment of unveiling but there was nothing to do but get through it.

  However, instead of stripping off her robe to bare her for their unseen watchers, Harryx did something which surprised her. He faced Nallah, deliberately putting his broad back between her and the viewing slits in the wall. Only when he was certain the priest’s view was obstructed did he remove her outer robe.

  Nallah blushed to be so exposed, her nipples getting tight in the chilly air as she squeezed her thighs together, trying to hide her pussy. But at least Harryx was the only one to see it this time.

  “You’re beautiful, sweetheart,” he breathed, brushing his fingertips over her heated cheek. “So gorgeous it hurts to look at you. But don’t worry—nobody is going to see you but me.”

  Then, slowly, he removed his own robes.

  Nallah shivered when she saw his long, thick shaft come into view. Soon it would be inside her, as it had been so many times before. And every time it hurt.

  She often thought that if only Harryx would give her a little time to get ready for him it might not be so bad. These last few days when he was being sweet to her, her pussy had gotten wet and swollen just for him. If only he would touch her and kiss her and help her get ready that way before her sexual submission!

  But she knew better than to wish for that now. Holding rigidly still, she waited for Harryx to tell her to mount the altar platform and get on her hands and knees—but the order never came.

  “Nallah, baby…” Harryx cupped her face in his hands and leaned down to speak to her, still blocking the view of the slits in the wall. He searched her eyes with his own. “I know this is hard for you,” he murmured in that low voice that would reach only her ears. “But I want you to know something—I’m not going to penetrate you here—not going to take you or use you or hurt you. I promise.”

  Nallah stared at him—was he saying what she thought he was saying?

  “But…my husband,” she breathed. “To refuse to perform is a death sentence!”