Exiled Read online

  It was strange and troubling to feel so out of control of his actions, to be unable to suppress his hidden desires. Saber shook his head. He hoped fervently that their ride over the trench would be their first and last encounter with the strange Dream Gas.

  “We’re almost there.” Llewelyn’s dry voice interrupted his inner musings. “We’re late, though. My mistress will be most displeased with me.” He indicated the chronometer at the front of the hovercar, which stood at fifteen past. His rough voice sounded angry, as though the lateness was their fault.

  “Oh, I’m sorry,” Lissa said at once. “We should have hurried more, Llewelyn. I hope you won’t get into too much trouble.”

  The ambassador’s body-slave cast a surprised glance over his shoulder. “Oh no, little mistress—the fault is mine. And even if it wasn’t, a female never begs the pardon of a male. At least, not here on Yonnie Six.” He raised an eyebrow at her. “But perhaps you do things differently on Zetta Prime?”

  “Of course not.” Lissa’s pale face went red. “I, uh, I just mean I don’t want to upset the ambassador.”

  “Never fear about that,” Llewelyn said darkly, facing front again. “It’s not you Lady Sha’rak will be upset with.”

  “I see,” Lissa mumbled and sat back in her seat. She shot Saber a quick, uncertain glance and then looked down at her hands. But though she had barely looked at him, he had read the fear and self-doubt in her lovely eyes. She was worried about betraying their true identities—what Kat had called “blowing their cover”—by her unconventional actions and words. He wished fiercely that he dared to hold her hand. He wanted to entwine his fingers with hers and give her a reassuring squeeze. Wanted to send her some signal that everything would be all right. But of course, that was impossible. He had to keep his distance.

  With a sigh, he stared out the window at the busy streets of Opulex whizzing by. They appeared to be moving through an incredibly crowded urban area. Tall buildings stood shoulder to shoulder with scarcely any space between them, their long shadows casting the city into gloom. Or they would have, if every available surface wasn’t covered in glowing signs. Saber saw every imaginable service and product being offered for sale, including several that were considered illegal, immoral, and impossible on his home world. Body Modification, read one glowing sign. Make your mistress proud. Another proclaimed, Need more to satisfy her? We can give you three extra inches and girth to match. Low cost, minimal pain.

  Other, similar signs sped past in a blur of light until Saber stopped trying to read them. Instead, he concentrated on the pedestrians he saw on the broad sidewalks. There were many richly dressed females, always accompanied by at least one and often several body-slaves. The males were dressed as he was, with tight black pants and bare chests. Most of them wore collars and leashes around their necks although a few had some other device that resembled a spiked necklace with glowing purple lights instead.

  For some reason the body-slaves wearing these odd necklaces followed even closer to their mistresses and appeared even more abjectly humble than the ones wearing leashes. Saber didn’t know why but the sight made the pit of his stomach cold. What in the seven hells was going on in this Goddess forsaken city?

  Before he could get an answer to his question, Llewelyn turned the hovercar sharply and aimed right for the side of one of the huge buildings. Saber threw a protective arm across Lissa, a shout rising in his throat. But just at the last moment, part of the mirrored side of the building rose, creating a gap just big enough for the car to pass through.

  “Thought I was going to ram it, didn’t you?” The body-slave threw a sardonic glance over his shoulder as they drove in and the building shut behind them. “Not a chance. My lady will punish me for getting you here late but that’s nothing to what she’d do if I wrecked her precious hovercar.”

  Saber frowned, a growl rising in his throat. He liked the ambassador’s body-slave less and less and his urge to pound the insolent male was growing by the minute. It was an urge he reined in with effort—he hadn’t spent years perfecting his self-control to lose it with this imbecile.

  “Um…Saber?” Lissa’s voice was slightly breathless and he became aware that his arm was still thrown protectively across her, pressing against the soft mounds of her breasts. In fact, one side of her dress had slipped open and the creamy curve of her right breast and the pink point of her nipple had popped into view.

  Goddess! The sight made Saber instantly hard.

  “Forgive me.” He pulled his arm back as though he’d been stung. “I was just trying…I mean, I thought we were going to crash.”

  “Of course.” Her face was red as she adjusted her dress and Saber thought his own must be as well.

  Llewelyn turned his head and gave them both a curious gaze. “Are the both of you well?” He frowned at Saber. “You act like you’ve never touched your mistress before. Don’t you service her on a regular basis?”

  Saber cleared his throat. “Of course I do. I mean—”

  “We’re here,” the body-slave interrupted, pulling the long black hovercar into an empty spot by a bank of elevators. “Come on, we need to get you up to my mistress’s floor at once. We’re late enough as it is.”

  He jumped out of the car and held the door for Saber and Lissa. Saber climbed out first and held out a hand to Lissa. After a long moment of hesitation, which caused Llewelyn to look at them oddly, she took it and allowed him to help her out.

  “Should I carry you, mistress?” Saber asked stiffly. “Your feet are bare and the pavement may be rough.” He indicated the gray tarmac beneath his feet.

  Lissa went red again. “I, uh, no thank you, Saber. It’s not far to the elevators.” She glanced at Llewelyn. “Um, if that’s where we’re going?”

  He nodded proudly. “Of course. My lady owns the entire top floor of this building—which isn’t something many can say.” He frowned. “But you really should let your body-slave carry you, little mistress. It isn’t proper for a lady of your rank and distinction to let her bare feet touch the floor.”

  “Oh, is that the custom here?” Lissa asked nervously. “It’s, uh, different on Zetta Prime. We go barefoot there all the time.”

  Llewelyn’s eyebrows shot up. “Really? That’s not what I’ve heard.” He frowned. “Do you not enjoy your slave’s touch? If he isn’t to your liking, I’m sure my mistress can assign one of her own lesser body-slaves to you while you’re here. She won’t mind—she has dozens.”

  “No!” Lissa went pale. “I mean, no thank you. Please don’t mention any such idea to her. I…I want no other male to touch me but Saber.”

  “Really? You could have fooled me—you jump a mile every time he lays a hand on you.” He bowed. “If you’ll forgive me for saying so, little mistress.”

  “I…um…” It was clear Lissa was at a loss for what to say. Saber wanted to help her but he couldn’t think of any plausible explanation to give for why he and Lissa jumped like they’d been burned the moment they touched either.

  We’re not doing a very good job of this so far, he thought grimly. If we can’t even fool a body-slave, how are we going to fool the ambassador herself or any of the other important collectors we have to approach to find the missing scrolls? We have to start acting our parts much better than we have been if we want to escape detection and get what we came for.

  Wordlessly, he scooped Lissa into his arms and, to her credit, she didn’t protest. But she didn’t give any indication of enjoying his touch either. Instead, she went completely rigid, just as she had when he carried her through the mud. It hurt Saber’s heart to see the frozen expression on her face and feel the tension in her slender body as he held her. Just once he wished he could feel her relax in his arms, just once he wished to see pleasure in her face when he touched her, not fear.

  Forget it, he told himself roughly. It’s not going to happen. Still, she needed to loosen up a little if they were going to get through this ruse intact. Saber resolved to talk to h