Exiled Read online

  “Sell one of my documents?” Lady Pope’nose sounded aghast.

  “Why not?” Lissa asked. “I know it’s not usually done but Lady Hake’bean sold it to you.”

  “Snyra Hake’bean is an ignorant child who is selling off her mother’s valuable collection as fast as she can to feed her ridiculously indulgent lifestyle. I am not Snyra Hake’bean!” Lady Pope’nose exclaimed.

  “Forgive me, I didn’t mean to offend you.” Lissa took a deep breath. “Please try to understand—my people are under attack. We need this scroll—not for any kind of sensi-play or collectable value but because it may be the key to keeping us from being destroyed by the Hoard.”

  “The Hoard?” Lady Sha’rak frowned. “I thought they were killed off a thousand years ago—by the Kindred.”

  “They were driven underground but they’re back now and more of a threat than ever,” Saber growled.

  “And why should I care what kind of threat your people are under?” Lady Pope’nose snapped.

  “You ought to care because the Hoard won’t just stop with us.” Lissa leaned forward, as far as the brawny arms of the slave that was holding her would allow. “They could come for you next! Our Council has reason to believe that the Hoard has worm hole generating abilities now. They may be light years away but they can be on your doorstep tomorrow if my people can’t hold them back.”

  “Lissa speaks the truth,” Saber said, adding his voice to hers. “If you’ve really read any of these old documents you’ve been collecting you’d know that once the Hoard lands they strip a planet bare—why do you think they’re called The Darkness which Eats the Stars?”

  “Your scare tactics won’t work on me,” Lady Pope’nose sneered.

  “Well then, let me offer you something besides fear,” Lissa said, sounding desperate. “Look at the mirror-mere dagger I carry on my belt. It’s solid and genuine and worth more than your entire collection put together. You can have it—just trade me the document I need, then Saber and I will be on our way.”

  “Absolutely not! The dagger is mine!” Lady Sha’rak snapped, jumping into the conversation.

  “What?” Lissa looked at her blankly. “It’s not yours—I brought it with me.”

  “Under the hospitality laws of Opulex I have the right to ask for any one item from you as a hostess gift.” Lady Sha’rak eyed the dagger greedily. “And I’ve had my eye on that from the moment I first saw you, my dear.”

  “No wonder you were so eager to have us stay with you,” Saber growled. “And you pretended you thought Lissa was a distant relation.”

  “Well, the two of you pretended to be persons of quality from Zetta Prime,” Lady Sha’rak shot back. “After all the time and trouble I’ve spent on you, I deserve that dagger. I earned it.”

  “Manda, do stop yammering—you can have the dagger,” Lady Pope’nose said, sounding irritated.

  “What?” Lady Sha’rak looked at her uncertainly.

  “I said, you can have the dagger,” Lady Pope’nose repeated. “I want something else.” Her pale eyes gleamed as she looked between the bars of the cage, eyeing Saber as though he was a prime cut of meat. “I want the slave.”

  “No! Absolutely not!” Somehow Lissa tore free of the burly slave who was holding her and ran to stand in front of Saber. She put herself between him and Lady Pope’nose and glared fiercely at the other woman. “You can’t have him!”

  Saber felt sick but he had sworn to see this mission through to the end.

  “Lissa,” he said softly, reaching through the bars to stroke her hair.

  “No!” She shook off his touch and turned to face him. “Forgive me, Saber, but I can’t—I just can’t let her have you. Not even to save everyone we know and love. I’m sorry.”

  “Ah, true love…” Lady Pope’nose laughed nastily. “Very well, my dear—it’s too much trouble to break a free-born slave anyway. They’re always so exhausting.”

  “Then…you’ll take the dagger after all?” Lissa asked uncertainly.

  “No, of course not. The dagger goes to Manda.” Lady Pope’nose gave them an evil grin. “What I want is something completely different.”

  “Well…what?” Lissa asked, looking worried.

  Lady Pope’nose’s eyes gleamed. “Why, I simply want to see your male’s domination at your hands. I want to watch as you punish him properly for the first time.”

  Lissa went positively pale and Saber felt his heart clench in his chest.

  “You mean…?”

  “Yes.” Lady Pope’nose nodded. “I want to watch you give him the rod.”

  * * * * *

  “I can’t do this. I can’t do this to him.” Lissa paced back and forth in the private punishment area, which was actually a small, plush bedroom stocked with every conceivable sexual torture and punishment device imaginable. Paddles hung from pegs on the walls, whips and riding crops decorated the dresser. Gags and restraints of every kind spilled out of drawers.

  And then there were the rods. Lady Pope’nose had already spent a good half hour with her picking out just the right one and they were still looking.

  “You must do it,” she said coldly, giving Lissa a disdainful look. “Those are the terms of our agreement. You will dominate your lover—that is, fuck him to completion while Lady Sha’rak and I watch from another room on the viewing device above the bed. Then and only then will I give you the scroll you so desperately need and let you be on your way. And remember,” She held up the rod she apparently wanted Lissa to use. “You must make him submit completely—and by that, I mean I want to see him come.”

  “How can I possibly promise that?” Lissa looked at the selection of harnesses in dismay. “I can’t make him—”

  “Oh, yes you can!” Lady Pope’nose gestured with the thick black rod with a bulbous end and flipped on a small switch at its base. “Prostate stimulation,” she explained while Lissa stared at the massive, vibrating monstrosity in horror. “This one has a vibe implanted that will hit him at just the right angle. He’ll come harder than he ever has in his life. And if that doesn’t do the trick, there’s always manual stimulation.”

  “I don’t care what our agreement says, I’m not using that on him.” Lissa crossed her arms over her chest. “It’s too big! Saber’s never done anything like this before any more than I have—I don’t want to hurt him.”

  “Very well.” Lady Pope’nose made an irritated gesture. “I do have a smaller one. And after all, pain isn’t the object of this little exercise—pleasure is.”

  “I don’t understand.” Lissa shook her head. “I mean, I know why you want to make me dominate him. But why do you want me to make him…to make him come?”

  Lady Pope’nose’s pale eyes gleamed. “Why because, my dear. In my experience—and believe me, I have had plenty in my day—nothing strips a male of his dignity like forcing his pleasure.” She leaned closer to Lissa. “You think he loves you with all his heart? Wait until you take his male pride and shred it to bits by forcing him to come for you. We’ll see how well your precious equality works when he’s the one being penetrated instead of the other way around.”

  “Stop it!” Lissa almost shouted. She put a hand over her eyes and had to breathe deeply before she could go on. “Just don’t…don’t say things like that. Saber loves me and he always will, no matter what you make us do to each other.”

  “Very well. Think whatever you like.” Lady Pope’nose smiled coolly. “Now then, I believe we were looking for a smaller rod? I do have one whose size you might prefer but it’s the same kind Lady Hake’bean was wearing the other night.”

  “The same kind? You mean…”

  “Yes.” Lady Pope’nose pulled out a much smaller rod—a slender silver, double ended one. She raised an eyebrow at Lissa. “I hope you’re a fan of deep penetration, my dear.”

  “Oh my,” Lissa whispered faintly.

  “This end fits inside you.” Lady Pope’nose gestured to one end of the rod. “Every time you t