Enslaved Read online

  “So you truly believe it’s some kind of mortal sin to let a male penetrate you?” he rumbled. “You think this Goddess of yours is looking down on you, ready to blast you if you let that happen?”

  Trin felt her cheeks get hot but she tried to speak lightly.

  “Not blast me, exactly, but I would certainly be damned to the Hell of Defiled Women. But that’s not the only reason I wouldn’t let a male do that to me—only a weak or pathetic woman would allow such a thing.”

  “That’s pretty much what males of my race feel too,” Thrace admitted. “Allowing yourself to be penetrated is the…” He swallowed hard and for a moment is seemed as though he was having trouble getting the words out. “The ultimate sign of failure. The final loss of dignity and pride. When you submit to such a thing…you’re no longer a male of worth.”

  “Exactly,” Trin exclaimed. “But it’s even more than that with us. It’s considered depraved and disgusting…only a few steps up from bestiality.”

  “Huh,” he grunted. “Your people really don’t think much of males.”

  Trin shrugged. “Most of them don’t know any males—except for the body-slaves they see occasionally if they visit Yonnie Six. And those sad, cringing creatures are hardly an accurate representation of your sex.”

  “So what do you believe about it?” he probed, his voice soft and questioning.

  Trin lifted her chin. “Well, I’m not as religious as my mother but I still have way too much self respect to allow my body to be…to be used in that fashion. It’s low and vulgar and degrading. I won’t cheapen myself by allowing anyone or anything to penetrate me. In fact…” She hesitated for a moment and then decided to tell him. “In fact, I’m one of the Unpenetrated.”

  “The who?”

  “It’s a vow you take on Zetta Prime when you decide that you don’t want to join with anyone. You stand before the priestess of the Goddess of Judgment and swear that no one and nothing shall ever enter you…your sex, I mean.” Her cheeks were getting hot again. “I took my vows five years ago and I’ve always adhered to them. I’m very proud of that.”

  “I see,” he murmured neutrally. “So it is a religious issue.”

  “More of a pride thing,” Trin said. “What about you—have you ever allowed yourself to be penetrated…down there?”

  He gave a harsh laugh. “I told you what my people feel about it…that it makes you less of a male, that it negates your self worth. Do you think I would willingly allow such a thing?”

  “So it’s a pride thing for you too,” she challenged.

  “Exactly. And yet, as proud as we both are, I don’t see you being too proud to snuggle up with a male to get warm,” he pointed out.

  “That’s different,” Trin said, trying to make herself believe it. “There’s nothing sexual about this…well, not for me. And even if there was, it’s not like I’d let you actually—”

  “I know you wouldn’t. I wouldn’t try it,” Thrace murmured. “I get it, Mistress—you’re off limits.”

  “I wasn’t trying to say that exactly, I was just letting you know what I believe…how I was raised…Oh, Hell.” Trin sighed unhappily. “Now I’ve offended you. I’m sorry.”

  “Not offended, exactly…” He sighed also and shifted on the bed. “Just confirmed what I already knew, that’s all.”

  “I’m sorry,” Trin said again. “Look, maybe I should just scoot over and let you be.” She started to scoot to the far side of the bed but Thrace stopped her.

  “You think I’ll let you freeze all night just because of what you said?” he demanded. “I’m not that vindictive. And considering that most of your people wouldn’t give a damn whether they offended a lowly male or not, I’m willing to forgive you.”

  “Thank you,” Trin said a little stiffly. “I just want us to know where we stand.”

  “Don’t you mean where we lay?” he rumbled, a half laugh in his deep voice.

  “Exactly.” Feeling better now that they’d clarified things, Trin snuggled closer to his warmth. The top half of her was toasty warm but her hips and legs and feet were beginning to be cold again. She shifted, trying to get a little closer and felt something hard brush her thigh again. “Oh!” She drew back a little, though not as much as before.

  “Sorry,” he said roughly. “I’m trying to keep back.”

  “No…it’s all right.” Trin bit her lip. “I’m just…the bottom half of me is getting really cold.”

  “Well, you can come closer if you want but I can’t promise not to have a hard-on,” Thrace rumbled. “Just because lying here holding you isn’t sexual for you doesn’t mean it’s not for me. You’re too beautiful and too close. I can’t fucking help it.”

  “What if I put my back to you again?” Trin turned over on her other side. Somehow it seemed safer that way—though she couldn’t say why.

  “Works for me.” He pulled her to him, nestling her into the curve of his big, hard body.

  Trin settled back against him, feeling the planes of his flat chest against her back, his long legs against the backs of her thighs…and the hard ridge of his shaft pressing directly against her ass.

  It felt odd at first and she wiggled, trying to get more comfortable. This elicited a low groan from Thrace. She stopped at once.

  “Did I hurt you? I was just trying to get settled.”

  “No, you didn’t hurt me. Not in the way you mean, anyway.” His voice had that slightly strangled quality to it again.

  “How then? Does it hurt when I, uh, touch it?” Trin asked.

  “Does it hurt when you touch your pussy?” he asked roughly. “Hell no, it doesn’t hurt. It just feels so good it’s a little bit painful…if that makes any sense.”

  “Not really,” Trin said doubtfully. “I’ve never felt a pleasure that was so good it was painful.”

  “Then you’ve never been pleasured properly,” he murmured. “Never had a partner who knows exactly how and where to touch your body to make you moan and gasp for more. Who knows how to make you beg them to stop and to never stop in the same breath.”

  “I…don’t know what you mean,” Trin murmured but his words made her feel strange inside—things low in her body seemed to clench.

  “I know you don’t, baby. Sorry…Mistress,” he corrected himself. “I can’t really explain it if you’ve never felt it. Unless you want me to show you what I mean?”

  “If you mean by touching me, that wouldn’t be right and you know it,” Trin murmured, her heart racing. “But…” She cleared her throat, knowing she should stop but not quite being able to. “But you can tell me. Tell me what you would show me if you could.”

  “You want me to talk dirty to you, Mistress?” His voice was a low growl. “Is that it? Because I’ll be more than happy to do that if you want.”

  “I…don’t know about that,” Trin hedged. She felt a little guilty about the situation she was in but honestly, it wasn’t like he was doing anything but holding her…and talking. Surely there couldn’t be any harm in that—could there? “Just tell me what you’d do if…if it wasn’t improper,” she said.

  “Mmm, with pleasure.” He settled her closer against him. “Well, the first thing I’d do is pull off that thin little night dress of yours so I could feel your naked body against me, skin-to-skin,” he murmured, low in her ear. “Then I’d cup these sweet, luscious breasts in my hands and tease your nipples nice and slow.” As he spoke, one large hand drifted over the front of her night dress, his fingertips just barely brushing the aching peaks of her nipples as if in illustration.

  Trin bit her lip and tightened her grip on the remote, which she was still holding in one hand. But his touch was so light, so fleeting, she felt she could hardly complain. Instead of pressing the pain button on the remote she whispered, “Go on.”

  “Then I’d roll you over on your back and take my time sucking and kissing your nipples,” he murmured. “I’d nip you…very lightly, then kiss them to take away the sting. Then suck as