TWISTED

BRIDES OF THE KINDRED, BOOK 23

EVANGELINE ANDERSON

www.evangelineanderson.com

Twisted, 1st Edition,

A Brides of the Kindred Novel

Copyright © 2019 by Evangeline Anderson

All rights reserved.

Cover Art Design © 2019 by Reese Dante

This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places and incidents are products of the writers’ imagination or have been used factiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locale or organizations is entirely coincidental.

All rights are reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

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Cover content is for illustrative purposes only.

Any person depicted on the cover is a model.

CONTENTS

Twisted

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Epilogue

The End?

Brides of the Kindred Glossary

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TWISTED

BRIDES OF THE KINDRED, BOOK 23

An ordinary mom from Earth thrust into the life of an evil Mistress

A Kindred warrior desperate to save his people

Can they work together to restore Malik's world and get Nikki back home?

Or will the two of them be trapped forever in a reality which has become...Twisted?

Nikki Davis is having a terrible time. Her three tween and teenage sons are in trouble in school and her husband is divorcing her while a nasty coworker steals her best commissions at work. Is it any wonder she's thinking of offing herself? But when she steps into the foaming surf of Clearwater Beach, she feels something hard under her foot. A stone that looks like a shiny purple M&M is just lying there so Nikki picks it up...

And finds herself in a whole new life on a completely different planet.

Malik is a Volt Kindred, the only survivor of his home planet, Uriel Five. When the Knower, the Artificial Intelligence tasked with taking care of his world, took it over and killed all the humanoid inhabitants, he was off-planet. But he has a plan—a special tool from the Goddess herself to restore his world. The only trouble is, he has to get back to Uriel Five first and the only person brave enough to deal with the Knower is the evil Mistress Hellenix of Yonnie Six. Malik allowed himself to be bought by her and has been her slave for three long years but now, for some reason she has changed completely...

Nikki doesn't know what to think—how did she go from her miserable life in Tampa to a fantastic palace with a huge Kindred bodyslave who is calling her Mistress Hellenix? And how can she ever get back home again? She must pretend to be the woman whose life she has taken over by accident but how long can she keep up the charade? And what will Malik do when he finds out the truth—that his real Mistress is millions of light years away and her double knows absolutely nothing about life on Yonnie Six? How will he save his home world now that reality has become...Twisted?

ONE

Nicole Davis, (Nikki to her friends and family,) stood in the cold, frothy foam that rushed in over the hard-packed sand and looked out into the vast gray of the ocean and the pale blue of the sky beyond. It was her thirty-seventh birthday and her life felt like it was over. In fact, she was trying to think of a single reason not to keep walking…not to let those rolling waves she saw in the distance rush over her head and drag her under forever.

Shouldn’t even be here. What am I doing at the beach instead of at work or attending one of the endless conferences at one of the boys’ schools?

Right this minute she ought to be at Rosy Ray’s Realty (where we find you your forever home for less!) filing paperwork and taking calls for Missy Cannon, the realtor whose assistant she still was, despite the fact that she’d passed the Florida state licensing exam and had gotten her Real Estate License herself months before. And later she had to attend yet another 504 Plan meeting for her twins.

Jacob and James had both been born with learning delays—probably because they’d had to come out really early due to complications in her pregnancy. At the time, Nikki had also been dealing with a toddler—three-year-old Jude—as well as the two preemies. Her husband, Gary, was at work all the time so he couldn’t help much at all—not that he wanted to. Gary had always been of the opinion that parenting was a womanly duty and had as little to do with it as possible. At the time, Nikki had felt like a single mother and it had been really overwhelming.

Her life had gotten really crazy after the twins were born and somehow even twelve years later, the craziness had never quite dissipated—it just mutated into other forms of stress. People always told you, “Oh, don’t worry—it will get easier.” But it never did as far as Nikki could see. It just got worse.

Maybe she was just feeling negative because of the awful day she’d had yesterday, she thought morosely. Maybe that was her problem…

It had started with her finding a bottle of her mother-in-law’s pain pills in her teenager’s sock drawer when she was hunting for some pairs of spare socks for her twins, who were out of clean clothes again. They had some in the washer—which were unfortunately still wet because she’d fallen into an exhausted sleep before she could put them in the dryer the night before. So she’d been rooting around, hoping her fifteen year old might have some clean socks when she’d found the half-full bottle.

Gary had been rushing out the door to the office, so she couldn’t enlist her husband’s help. Instead, she’d confronted Jude by herself and his answer had been…a shrug.

“Look at me, young man! What are you doing with a bottle of your grandmother’s pain pills? Do you know what these are? They’re addictive! You could get hooked and ruin your life—how did they get here?” Nikki glared at her hulking fifteen-year-old who towered over her since his last growth spurt.

Jude had shrugged sullenly again.

“Dunno.”

Nikki wanted to shake him. Where had her sweet, smart little boy gone to? The one who used to help her in the kitchen when she cooked and made the A honor roll consistently? Lately it seemed that Jude had drifted further and further away from her, becoming distant and sullen, and he’d been getting into trouble at school, too. His grades were dropping and he was cutting class all the time. Now she had to wonder if he had a drug problem on top of all that. What the hell was going on?

But no matter how much she ranted and raved, he just stood there, refusing to answer, that same, angry scowl on his face as he silently glared at her from his newly superior height. It made Nikki crazy, but there was nothing she could do about it at that point. All three boys would be late to school if she kept on and anyway, she was getting nowhere with her sullen teen.

“We’ll have a talk about this with your father tonight,” she told Jude and then shoved the pills in her purse and grabbed the socks for her twins.

“Did not!”

“Did too! Give it back!”

“No! It’s mine now—I own it!”

Sullen silence wasn’t a problem with Jacob and James and she had to break up a fight before she could make them finish getting dressed. Before having them, Nikki had heard so much about how twins were supposed to get along and have a special bond. But her boys fought like cats and dogs—maybe because they were fraternal twins instead of identical.

James was fair with light brown hair and light eyes like her husband Gary and like Jude. Jacob, on the other hand, had inherited Nikki’s black hair and dark eyes.

At twelve and a half and in sixth grade, both twins were firmly in their tweens, which meant that neither of them was sweet or cuddly anymore. They no longer wanted Nikki to read them bedtime stories and though the fact that she was always the homeroom mom had used to be a source of delight to them, now having her step foot in their school was the worst embarrassment imaginable.

“Mom, do you have to come to our class every time you have a meeting in the office?” James had asked her just the week before. “None of the other parents come around like you do.”

“Yeah, Mom—it’s embarrassing,” Jacob had chimed in. It was the one thing the two of them seemed to agree on—that the very sight of Nikki in their school was humiliating in the extreme. It made her feel like a trailing piece of toilet paper stuck to the bottom of a shoe. Though she knew it was normal—having already gone through it with Jude—it still hurt to go from being the greatest mom ever to something shameful that ought to be kept in the closet, hidden away out of sight.

I’m there for you, Nikki felt like screaming. As the school got less funding, they were constantly trying to cut the twins’ speech and language services. Sometimes it felt like every week she had to go down to the counseling office and fight to make certain her kids got the help they needed to make it through middle school. And what was her reward? Tween scorn and ingratitude that almost stung more than Jude’s sullen teenage indifference.

She had finally gotten all three boys packed off to school and gotten to work—five minutes late—to find that Missy Cannon (the realtor with a smile!) was waiting at her desk with a frown and a sheaf of paperwork.

“Honestly, Nikki, I thought we agreed no more tardies,” she snipped, putting her free hand on her tiny, barely-there hip. “I’ve been waiting for you for the past thirty minutes to get started on these marketing plans. These listings aren’t going to sell themselves, you know.”

Nikki thought about telling her to do her own paperwork. It was past time that she got out from under Missy’s shadow and started making her own sales. In fact, she had made a sale the day before—or she was fairly certain she had. The clients were supposed to be calling to say if they wanted to put a bid on the property she’d showed them and she was almost certain they would.

But Missy was the lead realtor at Rosy Ray’s and she had the boss, Mr. Ray, wrapped around her petite, size-two finger. Missy was tiny, blonde and slim—unlike Nikki’s own plus-sized figure. She also flirted shamelessly with their boss and Nikki was under no illusions as to who would win a confrontation if she complained about the other woman.

“I’m sorry,” she said, swallowing her irritation. “My boys were a pain today—you know how it is.”

“Yes, I do but I try not to bring my home problems to work, Nikki.” Missy glared at her meaningfully. “How many times have you ever heard me use my sweet little Melinda as an excuse?”

None, Nikki thought resentfully. Maybe because she’s an only child and you can afford a nanny to help raise her!

But again she swallowed the words and simply took the sheaf of papers Missy was waving in her face.

“I’m expecting a call from Amanda and Luke Travers later today,” she said, attempting to change the subject. “I showed them that property out on Lambright and I think they’re going to make an offer.”

“Oh, they already did,” Missy said breezily. “They called not five minutes before you finally decided to sashay in this morning. I told them I would put in the offer and let them know what the seller said—no problem.”

“But…” Nikki had worked hard to keep her voice even. “But that’s my sale. I found the listing, I did all the paperwork, and I showed them the property. You can’t just take over at the last minute!”

“It’s hardly the last minute,” Missy objected airily. “There’s still a lot to be done. Besides, you’re still under me, remember? If you wanted to keep a sale to yourself, you should have made it to work on time.”

“But I need that commission,” Nikki protested. “My car is on its last legs, Missy—I need to get new tires and a new—”

“Sorry, not my problem! You should have been in on time,” Missy trilled, flashing her the big, fake smile she usually reserved for clients. “Of course, you can complain to Mr. Ray if you want to, but when he finds out you almost lost a sale because you were late to work, well…” She shook her head and clicked her tongue disapprovingly. “I think he’s more likely to thank me for saving the listing than get upset that I ‘stole’ it from you, don’t you?”

Nikki’s hands had balled into fists but again, what could she do? Of course she wouldn’t have lost the sale—the call would have just gone to voice mail and she would have returned it the moment she got in. But she knew that Missy would make it sound like she was being sloppy and late and losing sales left and right. She’d be lucky to keep her job at all, let alone get back the lost sale after the manipulative little bitch got through telling the story her way.

So she’d had no choice but to cede the lucrative sale to Missy—who would probably use the commission to get herself a week at one of those spa yoga retreats she was always talking about or something equally frivolous. Nikki wished she could go away on some kind of retreat but between the twins’ therapy, sports, and school commitments plus the endless laundry, cooking, and cleaning there always was to do, she was lucky to get a minute to herself, let alone a whole week.

The rest of the day at work wasn’t much better—she got a call from Jude’s high school telling her that he had cheated on his Biology exam and skipped sixth period again and a reminder from the twins’ middle school that both their 504 plan meetings were coming up. Somehow she would have to try and make time in her busy schedule to get to their school or their services would doubtless be slashed.

Well maybe Gary could help for once, she’d thought, without much hope. He had an hour long lunch break every day—which was more than she could say for herself. Mostly she ate fast food as she rushed from one listing to another, trying to make sure everything looked perfect for the multiple showings Missy did every day. At the very least, he could have a talk with Jude about his bad behavior.

They needed to do something about their oldest son before his life went completely down the drain. Maybe with both of them working they could afford a private school—ever since he’d started high school, he’d been getting into trouble and Nikki really felt like it was because he’d gotten into the wrong group of kids and they were dragging him down and having a bad influence on him.

Work worries and kid troubles filled her brain all day as she struggled to get the twins to therapy and make sure that Jude had really gone to soccer practice instead of ditching to hang out with his disreputable friends. By the time she had struggled through the twins’ confusing common core math assignments and made Jude at least attempt his own homework, Nikki was exhausted. For dinner, she simply threw a frozen pizza in the oven and opened a bag of pre-chopped salad. It might not be a home-cooked meal, but it was literally all she could manage at the moment.

After a silent supper where Gary paid more attention to his cell phone than his family, Jude picked at his food and scowled, and the twins bickered and fought endlessly, she was finally able to get her husband alone.

“We need to talk,” she began, coming into his “man cave” and shutting the door behind her, to be certain they weren’t overheard.

“Now?” A look of irritation had passed over Gary’s pudgy features as he craned his neck to look around her—his attention glued to the TV where the Bucks were playing.

“Yes, now,” Nikki said firmly, planting herself in front of the TV. “Jude’s in trouble, Gary, and I really think…”

“All right, fine. You want to talk? We’ll talk. Just make it quick—the Bucks are winning for the first time this season and I don’t want to miss the whole damn game.”

Punching the remote control, Gary muted the game and glared up at her from his Lazy-boy recliner. The one with built in heat and massage features that Nikki had scrimped and saved to buy him as a Christmas present the first year she went back to work after the twins finally entered middle school.

“Well? Go ahead—talk,” he snarled.

Nikki was a little taken aback at his open irritation, but it wasn’t like they could put this off—she needed his help with the boys. She went into detail about what was going on with their oldest son and also how she needed some help making it to the 504 meetings for the twins. Gary listened impatiently, his eyes straying often to the muted screen and just as often to his cell phone.

“Are you done?” he demanded when she finally finished.

“Well…yes.” Nikki looked at him uncertainly. “Gary, if you’d just talk to Jude—he won’t listen to me anymore.”

“Hell, Nikki—he won’t listen to anyone. He’s a teenager. But he’ll come back around in a few years.” Her husband gave a snort of impatience. “And as for the twins, we agreed back when we had kids that I would do the real work and you would deal with them—remember? So I’m afraid you’re on your own for that meeting. You’ll just have to work it out somehow.”

“But I’m working again now too,” Nikki reminded him. “I have been for the past two years and it’s really hard to juggle a job and all three boys and their schools at the same time. I know you make more money than me, Gary, but I really think—”

He held up a hand to stop her.

“I’m sorry, Nikki, but I can’t do this anymore. I can’t pretend anymore,” he said. Abruptly, he got out of his chair and started to pace.

“Do what? Pretend what?” Nikki had a cold feeling in the pit of her stomach but she told herself her husband of sixteen years must be kidding around. Or maybe he just needed to blow off some steam.

What about me? Don’t I ever get to blow off steam? she thought resentfully. But of course she didn’t—she was a mom and a wife and her needs always came last.

But then her husband’s next words blew everything else out of her mind.

“I can’t pretend to be invested in this relationship anymore,” he said, frowning. “It’s too much work—too much pressure. I can’t live like this anymore.”

“Too much pressure? What are you talking about?” Nikki demanded. Suddenly all the stress of the day had come down on her and she heard a stream of words—words she usually suppressed—pouring out like a torrent of dirty water.

“I do all the work around here, Gary!” she exclaimed. “I take the boys to school and pick them up and take them to therapy and soccer practice and make them do their homework and do their laundry—yours too—and make dinner and make sure everyone gets to bed on time and all while I hold down a full-time job! All you do is go to work and come home to eat dinner and lounge around your man cave drinking beer until it’s time to go to bed! All I’m asking for is a little help parenting your sons. Is that so much to ask?”

Gary had given her a nasty look, but he hadn’t said a word. Instead, he went across the room to his roll-top desk and opened a cabinet on the side. He pulled out a thick sheaf of paperwork and handed it to her silently.

“What’s this?” Nikki had taken the papers uncertainly. Looking down at the top sheet she read, “Petition for Dissolution of Marriage with Dependent or Minor Children and Relocation.”

The coldness in the pit of her stomach was growing but she still didn’t understand, couldn’t let herself understand.

“What is this?” she asked again, looking up from the papers. “What are you trying to tell me?”

“Isn’t it obvious, Nikki? I want a divorce.” Her husband waved at the papers. “I know this is bad timing—what with tomorrow being your birthday and all. I was trying to be considerate and wait until after it was over, at least. But I just can’t take it anymore.”

“But…I don’t understand.” Nikki shook her head. Now the coldness had been replaced with the feeling that she’d been punched in the gut with a lead-weighted glove. “It’s not like I deny you sex,” she pointed out. Although come to think of it, Gary hadn’t been interested in making love with her in months. “Is there another woman? Is that why you’re doing this?”

“Of course not!” Gary denied, but his eyes slid past hers and he refused to look at her when he said it. “Although if there was, you could hardly blame me,” he went on defensively.

“What?” Nikki put a hand on her hip. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I mean, just look at yourself, Nikki—you’ve really let yourself go these past few years. What size are you now? Sixteen? Eighteen? Extra-extra large?”

“Extra-extra large?” Nikki exclaimed—she was still fighting to believe what was going on here. And the fact that Gary was calling her fat was really rich—he had a prominent beer gut himself, mostly from laying around in his recliner drinking beer while she did literally all of the housework.

He scowled and waved a hand in the air.

“I don’t know—I don’t know women’s sizes. I’m just saying, you could stand to lose a few pounds. And it wouldn’t hurt if you got your hair dyed once in a while too. You’re really going gray up there…” he pointed to his own balding pate. “And it’s just not attractive.”

The irony of her balding, pudgy husband telling her that he didn’t find her attractive anymore wasn’t lost on Nikki. But the fact was, she was still so shocked and hurt that he had handed her a sheaf of divorce papers, she barely knew what to say.

“Plus, you’re always nagging me,” Gary went on, scowling. “I can’t take it anymore. So I’m sorry, but I think I need to leave by the end of this week. We can hash the details out in court later. You can have custody of the kids, of course,” he added, as though he was doing her a huge favor. “I won’t contest that. But we’ll have to sell the house—I can’t afford the mortgage on this place and my new apartment too.”

“New apartment?” Nikki felt numb. “You mean you already found another place to live?”

“Just planning ahead.” He shrugged. “Don’t worry—I’m not leaving tonight. I’ll need at least a day or two to pack up my things.”

“But…but what about the boys?” Nikki managed to get out.

“I’ll see them every other weekend.” Gary sounded like he had the whole thing worked out. “They still need a father’s influence, after all. Other than that, I’ll be out of your life and you’ll be out of mine.”

“But…but I…” Nikki didn’t know what to say, what to think. She’d known that their marriage was getting kind of stale, but she had never expected this. It was like Gary had sucker-punched her right in the gut and she couldn’t get her wind back.

“That’s all I have to say right now.” And before she knew it, he was pushing her out the door. “Like I said—we can work out the fine print later.” Then the door of his man cave closed firmly in her face and there was a clicking sound as he turned the lock. Then the TV unmuted and the sound of the Bucks game was blaring through the door, just as though nothing had happened.

Nikki had felt stunned…in shock, and the feeling had persisted through the sleepless night and into the morning. She had signed the divorce papers numbly and left them where Gary could find them—it had seemed the only thing she could do.

At breakfast, Jude’s sullen silence and the twin’s bickering had washed over her as she watched her soon-to-be-ex-husband leave the house with a spring in his step. He was even whistling a jaunty little tune and he had the look of a man who’d had a burden lifted from his shoulders.

Was that all we were to him? A burden? Nikki wondered numbly. She found herself going after him—wanting to confront him and demand an explanation. But as she followed him out onto the front porch of their house, she saw him put his cell phone to his ear and heard him say,

“Guess what? I finally told her! That’s right—we can finally be together, babe. Just like I promised you. I know—I love you too.”

Then he was gone, climbing into his late model Mercedes and speeding down their residential street even though their Home Owners Association had posted strict speed limit signs that admonished residents to go no higher than 20 mph in the neighborhood.

Somehow Nikki had gotten the boys to their various schools but after that, she found herself on the interstate instead of the road that would take her to work. She would probably get into trouble and Missy would tattle on her and she really couldn’t be risking her job now that she was suddenly going to be a single mom but somehow she couldn’t make herself go into Rosy Ray’s Realty and deal with clients and customers and the smug, skinny Missy right now. She needed to be alone…she needed to think.

And right now, what she was thinking about was killing herself.

Nikki took a step into the chilly surf…and then another, letting the cold, foamy waves wash over her bare feet. It was March but this was Tampa Bay, which meant prime beach weather was just around the corner.

She had taken off her basic black working-woman blazer and left it in a heap along with her purse and shoes a few yards back in the softer sand. She looked out to sea, watching as the seagulls wheeled and called above the restless ocean.

This is crazy right? I shouldn’t do this—shouldn’t off myself. Who will take care of the boys if I do?

But she knew the answer to that—if she was out of the picture, Gary would be forced to become a more hands-on father to his kids. Maybe then he would realize he couldn’t just run off with another woman and abdicate all his parental responsibility because he was “tired of all the stress.”

“You don’t even know what stress is, you son-of-a-bitch,” Nikki muttered angrily. “You have no idea what it’s like to wait on everyone hand and foot and try to work and get all the laundry and cooking and cleaning and homework done all at once! You have no clue what it’s like to worry about our kids because you always just leave them to me! You don’t know and don’t care how much I do for you—none of you do!” she added, including her boys in the mix.

But then again, they never would understand how much she did to keep their lives running smoothly if things went on like they were now. They would all just go on taking her for granted and doing whatever the hell they wanted without even being aware that she was always there cleaning up their messes behind them.

Nikki sighed heavily.

Killing herself definitely wasn’t the answer. But it would be nice if she could just disappear for a little while—just long enough to let the ungrateful males in her life know what they were missing. Maybe if she wasn’t always there to rely on, Gary would be a better father and Jude would stop screwing around and the twins would settle down and Missy would have to do her own paperwork and couldn’t steal Nikki’s listings and—

Her thoughts cut off abruptly when something sharp jabbed into the sole of her bare right food.

“Ow!” Nikki hopped up and down, grabbing for her hurt foot instinctively. “What the hell?”

Looking down, she saw something strange half-buried in the shifting sand where her foot had been planted. A smooth, flat rock, about as big as a large M&M candy winked up at her. Nikki frowned. It might have been a trick of the light, but she could have sworn that the stone was purple, and glittering with shimmering, iridescent rainbows like the shifting pattern on an oil-slick after a rainstorm.

What is that? Some kind of jewel?

She reached for it instinctively but just as she was about to touch it, she felt a strange tingling emanating from it that seemed to have nothing to do with the chilly waves rushing over her fingers.

Dangerous! Don’t touch it! whispered a little voice in her head. Leave it alone, Nikki—it’s bad news!

But just then another rushing wave dislodged the shiny purple stone and it started to wash away with the surf.

“No, wait!” Nikki exclaimed out loud. Reaching for it again, she grabbed the stone and clasped it tightly in her palm, heedless of the strange tingling it gave off. It was probably just a by-product of the icy water, anyway, she told herself.

But rather than fading, the tingling began to grow until it spread from her clenched fist, up to her arm and then into her shoulder. Soon, Nikki felt like her entire body was vibrating like someone getting a violent electrical shock.

Frightened now, she tried to drop the stone but found she couldn’t—her fingers were clenched tight around the strange purple stone and they wouldn’t let go. She had the feeling of her muscles contracting involuntarily—the way they do when a strong electrical current runs through your body. She couldn’t even fling the stone away—it was like it was stuck to her hand and her fingers were glued shut around it.

“Hey!” she gasped, shaking her arm and trying to get her clenched fist to open. “Hey, what is this? What—”

But whatever she had been about to say, the words were torn from her lips and became nothing as she was suddenly hurling through a vast, black void she’d never seen before.

Flashing lights flew past her and Nikki had the sensation of traveling at tremendous speed. A speed so fast, maybe, that it violated the laws of physics. But that wasn’t possible, was it? How could she possibly…

And then suddenly her head was under water and she was drowning…gasping and choking and clawing to the surface as she tried desperately to breathe.

Well, so much for killing yourself, a dry little voice in her head remarked. Clearly you don’t want to drown, anyway.

No—of course she didn’t want to drown! Nikki sat up spluttering, and pushed a sheaf of her soaked hair out of her eyes. Then she looked around, trying to see where she had landed after the strange, rushing trip. Had she somehow tripped and fallen into the ocean? She was certainly all wet.

There was a sharp, coppery reek in the air and the strange rock was still clutched in her hand. As she lifted it, a trickle of crimson ran down Nikki’s arm.

Wait a minute—crimson? What kind of liquid was this? She hadn’t fallen into the ocean as she’d first suspected—that much was clear.

Her eyes widened as she focused on her immediate surroundings and looked down at herself.

“Oh my God,” she gasped in a low, trembling voice.

She was sitting in a kind of bathtub—a bathtub filled with blood.

TWO

“Oh my God—what the hell?”

Nikki stood at once and then saw that not only was she covered in blood—she was also completely naked. The blood was everywhere—matted in her hair, dripping from her body, grimed under her fingernails like thick red paint…

“Ugh!” She felt like she might be sick. This is horrible! Where am I? And how did I get here?

Also, whose blood had she found herself soaking in? But she didn’t want to think about that—it was too horrible to contemplate.

She looked around the room and saw that she was in some kind of an opulent spa-like chamber. There were lapis lazuli and golden tiles worked in intricate patterns on the walls and soft, golden light coming from the ceiling. The tub she was in was imbedded in a kind of spiral structure, like a seashell laid on its side. The wide spiral arm of it was divided into triangular wedge-shaped pools or tubs. They were all about five feet long and three feet wide at their widest point and all of them were filled with different colored liquids.

The wedge-shaped tub beside the bloody one she had found herself in had a dark blue liquid in it. The one beside it was holding bright green fluid. Beside it, was another wedge-shaped tub filled with what looked like molten gold. The last one appeared to hold clear water.

In the center of the spiral formed by the triangular tubs was a towering fountain which had all of the various liquids the tubs were filled with gushing down its sides. Strangely, the fluids never mixed and each one flowed directly into the tub it was designated for.

Nikki would have spared a moment to wonder at the strangeness of it all, but she was still completely preoccupied by being drenched in blood.

“Ugh!” she moaned again, trying in vain to brush the sticky red liquid off her arms and legs. I must look like that scene at the end of Carrie! I need to get this off of me!

“Mistress? Are you well?”

The deep growling voice startled her so much she jumped and slipped on the slick surface underfoot. She would have fallen and probably gashed her head open, adding her own blood to the nauseating mess in the tub, but a strong hand caught her under the arm and steadied her before she could go down.

“Oh!” Nikki gasped and turned to see who had caught her. To her immediate discomfort it was a man—but not just any man.

This guy was seven feet tall if he was an inch and he was in incredible shape.

Oh my God, his muscles have muscles, Nikki thought, taking him in. It was easy to see his muscular form because he was bare from the waist up—his broad shoulders and brawny chest on display. Below he seemed to be wearing tight leather trousers and some kind of a loincloth, which was weird.

He had long, wheat-blond hair which he wore braided in the back and piercing eyes which seemed to see right through her. They were a strange, pale color which almost looked silver but that must be a trick of the light, Nikki was sure. Nobody had silver eyes—not even seven-foot-tall muscular man-candy guy who looked like he belonged in a Magic Mike movie.

“What? Who…who are you?” she gasped, and then realized she was still naked and tried to cover herself with her bloody arms.

He frowned, his dark brows, which seemed at odds with his blond hair, going down in an expression that made him look even scarier than he had been to begin with.

“What do you mean, who am I? I am Malik, your bodyslave, my Mistress. You know that.”

“Bodyslave? What’s that?” Nikki demanded. “And where am I? I was just on the beach a minute ago and now I’m here. Also, who took off my clothes? Was it you?”

He frowned even more. “Naturally, I helped you disrobe as I always do. As your primary bodyslave, it is my duty to dress and undress you for your daily rejuvenation treatment.”

He still wasn’t making any sense and from the way he was looking at Nikki, he was thinking the same about her.

“Forgive me, my Mistress, but did you perhaps slip and bump your head in your yerba-blood bath?” he asked. “It is the only reason I can think of that you would become suddenly disorientated in your own domicile.”

“Did I slip and hit my head?” Nikki repeated stupidly. “Of course I didn’t! I—"

“Because the only other explanation I can imagine for your apparent confusion is that you are an imposter who has claimed Mistress Hellenix’s place.” He glared at her, his strange silver eyes flashing. “If that is so, I must inform you that the penalty for impersonating a Mistress of Yonnie Six is death.”

“Death?” Nikki stared at him, uncomprehending.

“Yes, you know it is,” he growled. “You lobbied the Sacred Seven yourself to pass the law so that none should infiltrate your ranks and claim to be a Mistress if she was not. So now, any who are caught pretending to be a Yonnite Mistress must be summarily executed.”

Finally what he was saying began to sink in. Clearly, he thought she was this “Mistress Hellenix” and if it turned out she wasn’t, he was fully prepared to kill here right here and now.

Eyeing his huge hands, which were clenched into loose fists at his sides, Nikki was certain he could do it with no problem. He looked like a freaking Norse God straight out of a Viking legend—he was only missing a giant hammer that came flying to his hand when he called it. Probably he could snap her neck like a pretzel stick so she’d better straighten up and at least pretend to be who he thought she was until she could figure out how to get home.

“You know, I think I did hit my head,” she said, putting one sticky, bloody hand to her scalp and wincing while she tried to keep herself covered with her other arm. “I slipped in the tub when I was taking my, uh, blood bath. Maybe I’d better get out and rinse off now.” She made a face. “I really need to get this off me, uh….” She snapped her bloody fingers. “You know, I can’t remember your name? I know that I know it but—”

“I am Malik of the Volt Kindred. You have known this since the day you bought me and put your collar on me.” The Norse God frowned at her and for the first time, Nikki noticed that he was wearing a thick black collar around his brawny throat.

“Of course—Malik! Sorry.” She cleared her throat. “Wow, my head really hurts. I think I need to rinse off and go lay down somewhere dark and quiet.” And hopefully private, so she could try to figure out what was going on without him staring at her.

“Why do you simply not finish your treatments, my Mistress?” He gestured to the other tubs in the spiral seashell spa-fountain, which was the best way Nikki could describe the odd setup. “You know the brantham bile in the next pool will cleanse away the yerba blood.”

“Oh…um…bile?” Nikki said weakly, looking at the triangular wedge tub beside her which was filled with dark blue liquid. Presumably that was the “bile” he was talking about.

“Yes, of course. And then the zoil slime softens the skin and smoothes away wrinkles…” He pointed to the bright green tub. “After which the lengua tongue oil youthens and burnishes your hair and nails… “He pointed to the tub which appeared to hold melted gold. “And finally, a refreshing rinse in the tears of a thousand shau-pins cleanses you of the residue from the other baths.” Here he nodded with finality at the last tub in the spiral seashell, which Nikki had assumed contained water.

Silly me, she thought faintly. Whoever this Mistress Hellenix is, it’s clear she wouldn’t bathe in anything as common as water.

In fact, she was beginning to get the idea that the woman she had been mistaken for must be a real bitch—or maybe a vampire, considering the blood bath thing. And of course, someone like that wouldn’t hesitate to finish the treatments in the other triangular wedge-tubs since she had certainly ordered them in the first place.

Nikki didn’t like the idea of taking baths in bile and slime and tears and tongue-oil—whatever the hell that was—but she also didn’t like the idea of being killed by the massive Norse God bodyguard named Malik who was staring at her like he suspected she was an imposter.

“Of course,” she said and swallowed hard. “I’ll just…continue the treatments and uh, take my bile bath next.”

“That would seem to be best,” he rumbled and folded his arms over his broad chest as he watched her narrowly with those strange silver eyes.

Nikki stepped gingerly over the dividing wall between the dark red blood bath and the deep blue bile bath and slowly lowered herself down into the liquid. It was thinner than she had expected—wasn’t bile supposed to be thick and viscous? Also, it fizzed wherever it touched her skin. It didn’t hurt though—it just felt like taking a bath in dark blue Coca-Cola. Which she was certain was something the soft drink company would advocate if they thought they could get people to pay for it.

The blood was everywhere. So, taking a deep breath, Nikki dunked under the fizzing blue liquid completely and stayed as long as she could, hoping to get it all off.

The result, when she came up and looked at herself, was a limited success. The blood was gone from her skin and hair and from under her fingernails, but her pale skin had turned a delicate shade of blue, as though she’d gone diving in a vat of blue jean dye.

“Hey!” She frowned and looked up at Malik, who was still staring down at her. “Is this supposed to happen? Me turning blue, I mean?”

“It always happens, Mistress. It is part of the rejuvenation process,” he said flatly—he had a very deep voice, Nikki noticed. “If the bump you took to the head has affected you so deeply that you cannot remember the details of a bathing routine you designed yourself, maybe I should send for the healer.”

“No, no—I’m fine!” Nikki said quickly. “It’s all coming back to me now. If, uh, you want to leave and go do, um, bodyslave activities I can finish up on my own.”

“I don’t think so,” he said, frowning. “If you slipped once, you could slip again. You’re already disoriented, Mistress. I must stay and see to your safety—it is my duty as your primary bodyslave.”

“Well at least stop staring at me!” Nikki burst out. She still had her arms covering her breasts and sex as best she could but those intense silver eyes staring at her mostly naked body were making her feel incredibly exposed and ashamed of her more-than-ample curves.

Malik looked surprised.

“You wish me to take my eyes from your luscious curves, Mistress? In the past it has always been your particular pleasure to taunt me with your beautiful body as you bathe—knowing as I do, that I will never have you.”

“Umm…” Nikki didn’t know what to say about that. Was the huge bodyslave serious? Did he really think her curves were “luscious?” If so, he certainly had a different idea of beauty than she had lived with back home.

Her husband’s words from the night before came back to haunt her—he had called her “extra-extra-large.” She wondered where Gary was now—probably back in his office texting to his new girlfriend and feeling smug that he had gotten away from his family responsibilities so neatly.

“…Mistress,” Malik said, and she realized she had missed whatever it was the huge bodyslave had said in her miserable musings over her soon to be ex-husband.

“Sorry,” she said. “What? I didn’t catch that. I think I still have some, uh, bile in my ears.”

“I said, I will avert my eyes from your beauty if you wish, Mistress,” he rumbled. “Though looking at your body is the only joy I have in life.”

“Oh, uh…” Nikki didn’t want to take away his only joy, but she really didn’t feel comfortable letting him stare at her while she went naked from tub to tub, dunking herself in the various awful liquids and fluids the original Mistress Hellenix had ordered up for her bath time pleasure.

She cleared her throat. “Maybe…uh, maybe you could just look away for now and I’ll let you see me later,” she said as tactfully as she could. Like much later—when the real Mistress Hellenix comes back!

“As my Mistress wishes—I live only to obey your word and make your every whim a reality.” Then he turned, giving her his broad back to stare at—which Nikki did for a long moment. Was he serious? She was beginning to wonder what exactly a bodyslave did for his Mistress. She’d thought he was just some kind of bodyguard but maybe it was more than that…

Then she realized she still had several more tubs to get through before she could hopefully get some privacy. Crossing her fingers that the next liquid which was bright green would remove the blue tint from her skin, —(was it the slime or the tongue-oil or the tears? Nikki had lost track)—she climbed carefully into it and settled down in the lukewarm tub.

The green fluid was definitely the slime, she decided after a moment. It stretched in gooey strings when she lifted her arm from the tub and coated her skin and hair in a viscous layer that felt like snot. Ugh! It did, however, get her skin back to its normal non-blue tone, so that was something, she supposed.

She spent as little time in the snot-like slime as possible before climbing into the tub full of melted gold stuff which she thought was the tongue-oil. She was a little afraid at first—the stuff really did look like molten metal and she wasn’t anxious to get third-degree burns all over her body. But when she got in, she found it was only a little warmer than the slime and had a much more pleasing consistency.

This is more like it, she thought, stroking the silky gold fluid over her skin. It really did seem like a skin treatment you might find at a really high-end spa. Not that Nikki had ever been to a place like that. As soon as she started having kids, her free time had been effectively eliminated and there was certainly no money for a spa day with three growing boys to care for.

As she poured the silky golden liquid over her skin, she was struck again by the bizarre predicament she found herself in. Who would have guessed that she could go from standing on the beach contemplating suicide to having a series of crazy spa treatments on an alien planet? If she was on an alien planet, that was. Nikki really had no idea and she was afraid to ask, considering that the Norse God bodyslave had basically threatened to kill her if she wasn’t who she was supposed to be.

It was all very confusing and all—as far as she could tell—due to the strange purple M&M pebble she’d found on the beach. She still had it clutched tightly in one hand—hopefully it was her ticket out of here. As soon as she could get out of the spa room and get some privacy, maybe she could figure out how to make it take her back home.

The next pool was the clear one filled with tears and—as Malik had promised—it did, indeed, get the rest of the slime and the golden tongue-oil off her skin and out of her hair. It also had a sweet, fresh smell which Nikki liked a lot. She didn’t want to think about what had been done to the people or creatures who had supplied the tears in the first place to make them cry, though. She was just glad to be done with her spa treatments.

“Are you finished bathing, my Mistress?” came Malik’s deep, rumbling voice.

Nikki jumped. He had been standing so silently with his back turned to her while she was preoccupied with her strange dilemma that she had almost forgotten about the massive bodyslave.

“Um, yes…yes I am,” she said, standing up and looking around for a towel, while she kept herself modestly covered with her arms. But there wasn’t so much as a tiny washcloth in sight. Was she just supposed to stand here and drip-dry?

“May I dry you off then, Mistress?” Malik inquired, still keeping his back to her. “You know you always say that excessive moisture causes too much activity in the tska box.”

The tska box? What the hell was that? Nikki didn’t dare to ask, although she wanted to. What she didn’t want was to let the huge bodyslave come dry off her naked body. His remarks about her “luscious curves” aside, she was not comfortable letting a stranger see her in her birthday suit.

But since there didn’t seem to be any towels around, she didn’t feel like she had a choice.

“All right,” she said, biting her lip. “But please don’t look at me while you do.”

“I will avert my eyes if my mistress so commands it,” he rumbled and came over to her, his silver eyes cast considerately down at the floor while he held out a vast towel covered in short, black fur.

Nikki thought about protesting that the furry towel would probably shed and the hairs would stick to her naked body but she didn’t dare. If this was the kind of towel the original Mistress Hellenix used, she would just have to go along and use it too. If she got out of this mess after experiencing nothing worse than some weird alien spa treatments and a hairy towel, she would count herself lucky!

To her surprise, though, the towel didn’t shed on her at all. Instead, the tiny hairs seemed to thirstily soak up the beads of moisture all over her body. In fact, she almost thought she could feel them drinking—a slight, velvety brushing sensation all over her naked skin which somehow managed to be sensuous and creepy at the same time.

“Come, my Mistress—I have readied the tska box,” Malik told her. He led her over to one wall of the spa chamber which was tiled in deep blue lapis lazuli, or something very like it. In between the large, hand-sized blue tiles were tiny golden ones arranged in various swirling patterns.

But it wasn’t the fancy spa wall that held Nikki’s attention—her eyes were glued to a large rectangular box which was a pure, shiny white. It had sleek, rounded corners and looked a little like a spaceship…or a coffin, she thought uneasily. Malik slid it away from the wall and arranged a short set of three steps which led up to it.

“Now then, Mistress—if you would be so kind as to climb the steps before I open the lid,” he instructed. “Please get into the box quickly. They are especially hungry today and we don’t want any of them to escape.”

Don’t want any of what to escape? Nikki longed to ask—but of course she couldn’t. Numbly, she climbed the steps which almost made her as tall as Malik and stood next to the shiny white coffin-looking tska box. Standing so close to it, she couldn’t help noticing that there was a soft, ominous rustling sound coming from within. What was that? What was the box filled with?

She didn’t have long to wonder. With a flourish, Malik lifted the heavy rectangular lid and revealed the interior of the long white box.

Nikki took a look and almost screamed.

The shiny white box was filled almost to the brim with five-inch long cockroaches! Or no—not roaches, she thought, in the split second she looked at them. Because she had never seen cockroaches with long, serrated mandibles before! Mandibles that looked sharp enough to cut off a finger or a toe. Ugh!

Nikki couldn’t help herself—if there was anything she hated, it was roaches—especially big ones. She gave a little scream and jumped backwards, forgetting she was at the top of the small, rolling flight of steps.

She would have fallen on the hard marble floor and probably cracked her skull open if Malik hadn’t had the reflexes of a cat. Letting the lid to the bug box slam shut, he jumped around and caught her in his arms just before she landed.

“Oh!” Nikki gasped as he lifted her easily, holding her as though she weighed next to nothing (which she knew was not the case.)

“Mistress,” he said frowning. “Did you trip on your drying fur?”

“Um, yes. Yes, I did,” Nikki gasped, still trying to regain her composure. “The, uh, drying towel…I mean fur.” She motioned down to the black furry towel and realized that in her fall it really had come loose. It was gaping open to show her bare breasts framed in the soft, black fur.

Oh, God! Quickly, she tugged the towel closed. She could feel her cheeks heating with a blush she could do nothing about.

“Thank you for catching me,” she said, trying not to look him in the eyes. “You have very fast reflexes. But you’d probably better put me down before you throw out your back.”

He frowned. “Are you implying that you are too heavy for me to lift, Mistress? That’s ridiculous and you know it. You are the perfect size and I am well accustomed to lifting three or four times your weight in my daily training regime.”

“That’s really impressive but just, um, put me down please.” Nikki wished her voice wouldn’t come out sounding so breathy. Being so close to him she could feel the heat of his big body radiating against her own. Also, he smelled really good—a dark, masculine spice with a wild, almost electrical note to it that seemed to fill her senses and make her dizzy.

“Very well—shall I deposit you in the box?” he asked, raising an eyebrow at her. “I can easily lift the lid with one hand and place you inside on the bed of tska beetles with the other. But you’ll have to discard your drying fur first.”

“Put me inside that box? With all those…those…things?” Nikki could scarcely keep the panic and revulsion out of her voice.

“Of course.” Malik looked surprised all over again. “They nibble away the dead skin from all over your body and groom your hair at the same time. You always say an hour in the tska box is the most important part of your beauty regime.”

A whole hour crammed inside the shiny white coffin while thousands of roach-like insects nibbled her? The very idea was enough to make Nikki’s skin feel like it was trying to crawl off her body.

“Well today I’m skipping it,” she said firmly, trying to repress a shudder. “My head really aches and now that I’m clean and dry, I just want to lay down on my bed and take a nap.”

“Very well.” He nodded gravely. “And shall I lie beside you and serve as your pillow, my Mistress?”

“What? No!” Nikki exclaimed and then added more gently, “I mean, that won’t be necessary Malik—thank you anyway, though.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Then perhaps you prefer me to pleasure you with my tongue as you relax on the sleeping platform? You always say that having an orgasm or two releases your tensions and allows you to sleep more peacefully.”

By this time Nikki felt like her face was so hot with blushing that her hair might catch on fire. It wasn’t that she wasn’t sex positive—she was. It was just that Gary was the only man she’d ever been with and he wasn’t very…creative in the bedroom. The few times he had gone down on her in their sixteen-year marriage, he had quickly given up, saying that it took her too long to come.

So while Nikki greatly enjoyed getting oral pleasure, she didn’t have a whole lot of experience with it. Also, she didn’t even know Malik! And she was technically still married to another man.

A man who has been cheating on you and wants to divorce you, whispered a little voice in her head. You already signed the paperwork—Gary is probably filing it right now. You’re practically already divorced. So if you did decide to take Mr. Muscles up on his offer to go downtown, nobody could blame you.

But there was no way she was doing that. As attractive as Malik was, he was also a stranger—a deadly stranger. She couldn’t let herself forget that if he decided she wasn’t his real mistress there could be severe consequences.

“Mistress?” Malik rumbled and she realized she had been taking too long to answer.

“Um, no—no thank you, Malik,” she said, trying to smile. “That’s very kind of you but I just want to be alone for now.”

“As you wish,” he murmured. “Then I will take you to the sleeping chamber.”

Before Nikki could protest that she could walk just fine, he carried her out of the fancy spa room and down a long corridor lined with gold and black filigreed wallpaper. There were golden statues every few feet on black marble pedestals—muscular men frozen in erotic poses that showed off their naked bodies and looked really uncomfortable, she thought. Whoever this Mistress Hellenix was, she was clearly a connoisseur of the male form.

Then Nikki saw one of the statues move.

It was just a twitch, as though the statue was tired of holding his arms above his head, but she gave a little gasp when she saw it. When she did, the statue’s eyes, which had been closed, flickered open and looked in her direction.

Malik saw it too because he stopped and glared at the statue.

“Slave Ganter—you are in violation of your orders not to move.”

“Forgive me!” The golden statue—which was apparently a male slave painted all over with gold body paint—dropped to his knees and groveled at Malik’s feet. “I’m so sorry, Mistress!” he moaned, daring to turn his eyes up to Nikki. “I swear it wasn’t on purpose. It’s just that I have been holding my pose for hours and my arms got so tired.”

“For hours?” Nikki could hardly believe it. Were all these statues actually live slaves who had been stripped and spray-painted gold and forced to hold still for hours on end? Looking up and down the hall, she was pretty sure they were.

“Do you wish to have him whipped, Mistress?” Malik asked blandly. “Or do you prefer to use his pain collar to punish him?”

“Pain collar?” Nikki managed to get out. Then she realized that—like Malik—the golden slave was wearing a thick black collar. In fact, all the statue slaves had them.

“Yes, Mistress—his pain collar. You can use it to shock him into submission.” Malik frowned at her. “Are you feeling well? You are not acting like yourself at all today.”

“I…I really do have a headache,” Nikki said, groping for an explanation as to why she wasn’t “acting like herself.” “And I don’t feel like punishing slaves today,” she went on, trying to get out of whipping or shocking anyone. “Just take me to the, uh, sleeping chamber, Malik. I’ll deal with this other slave later.”

There—that had sounded imperious enough to be the real Mistress Hellenix—she hoped.

Malik frowned and a look of disbelief spread over the statue slave’s face, but no one said anything. The big bodyslave gave a short nod to the golden statue slave and the other man quickly resumed his pose on the black marble pedestal. Then Malik carried her down the hall and through a set of double doors. The doors were carved with elaborate designs and three times the height of a normal door and they led into an equally imposing bedroom.

The room was dominated by a bed about twice as big as a king-sized bed back home, Nikki thought. It had a heavy, black wooden bed frame with four tall posts and an upper frame as well for bed curtains. But there were no curtains in evidence and no sheets or blankets that she could see, either. Instead, a vast, crimson-red mattress that looked like a spilled puddle of blood sat in the black frame. It had long, round red pillows with black tassels to match at both the head and the foot of the bed.

The rest of the bedroom was done in red and black too, Nikki saw, with soft black fur carpets and red flocked walls bearing intricate designs in gold. Also, there was a great deal of what looked like bondage equipment—a rack by the door held a variety of paddles, whips, canes, and other instruments she had no name for. There was a black bench padded with red leather which had chains that ended in thick metal cuffs attached to all its corners, a whipping post, and a cage big enough for a large sized man as well.

Holy crap! She barely managed not to say the words out loud, but she was sure her eyes were as wide as saucers. Mistress Hellenix must be heavily into the Lifestyle—something Nikki knew little about, having refused to read the 50 Shades books on the grounds that they were rather poorly written. Although, to be honest, she had seen at least one of the movies. The amount of sexy paraphernalia she was seeing here would have made Christian Gray green with envy.

All in all, the effect was extremely intimidating—especially for someone like Nikki who had never had anything but vanilla sex. Not that she wouldn’t be willing to try other things—it was just that Gary wasn’t into anything kinky. And since it took two to tango, she’d been stuck with plain old missionary position love-making with nary a whip or a paddle in sight for her entire married life.

“Are you well, my Mistress?” Malik was watching her again, a slight frown on his chiseled features.

“Oh, um—sure. Just fine.” She swallowed. “You can just put me down on the bed, please Malik.”

“As my Mistress commands,” he murmured and carried her over to the vast red mattress. He sat her carefully down but didn’t leave just yet. Instead, he went to a large chest of drawers in the corner of the room, which was carved from the same shiny black wood as the bed frame, and began searching through its drawers.

He came back to the bed holding what looked like a scrap of black lace and started to take off her furry black towel.

“Hey! What are you doing?” Nikki protested, clutching the furry towel to her chest when he tried to pull it away.

“Getting you dressed, of course.” He frowned. “It is part of my duties as your primary bodyslave.”

“Well, you’re excused from your, uh, duties for now,” Nikki said, snatching the black lace garment he was holding and sitting back on the bed. “I can manage just fine on my own, thanks.”

His eyes widened but he only nodded.

“As my Mistress desires. I shall leave you then.”

“Yes, please do,” Nikki exclaimed. She was dying for some privacy. Dying to examine the purple stone and see if she could find a way to make it send her back home.

At last, to her relief, Malik made a low bow and then left the room silently, moving much more gracefully than a man of his size should have been able to do.

Finally, she was alone.

THREE

As soon as the doors shut behind the big bodyslave, Nikki heaved a relieved sigh and some of the tension she’d been feeling leaked away. Her stomach, which had been tied in knots, slowly relaxed and she could breathe again. At last Malik was gone and she had the whole room to herself!

The first thing to do was get dressed, she thought. She didn’t want the stone sending her back home naked or only wrapped in a furry black towel—that would be really hard to explain at Rosy Ray’s Realty, where she was currently over an hour late for work.

Dropping the towel, she examined the lacy black garment Malik had chosen for her. Right away she could tell it would be practically see-though but it was better than nothing. She decided to put it on so she would have something covering her while she searched for something different.

Sure enough, when she pulled the slip-like garment over her head, it clung to her like a second skin, hugging her curves and showing the neatly-trimmed patch of curls between her legs as well as her displaying her nipples prominently. Even worse, it didn’t want to cover her breasts. She had to keep tugging it up or it would slip down and show everything.

“Wow—this looks obscene. Sexy, but definitely obscene,” Nikki muttered, looking down at herself. Maybe if she’d gotten something like this to wear earlier, Gary wouldn’t be leaving her.

Screw that asshole, whispered a little voice in her head. You tried to get him interested over and over the last few years and he couldn’t be bothered. This divorce isn’t your fault, Nikki!

But it felt surreal to think about her impending divorce in the huge BDSM bedroom. Instead, she got off the bed and went to look in the large chest of drawers for something less revealing to wear.

Unfortunately, the drawers only held more of the same. Nikki found demi-cup bras that would leave her nipples bare, leather bustiers that laced up the front, crotchless panties and thigh-high hose as well as some articles of clothing she couldn’t even identify.

The top drawer had all kinds of piercing jewelry—not much of it meant to go into ears, Nikki thought. She wondered if the real Mistress Hellenix had a pierced belly button or nipples or something else. There were also two tiny vials of powder in the drawer—one was composed of tiny red and gold crystals and the other was filled with blue and silver particles. There was a third little glass bottle with a tiny brush as well.

Nikki wondered what the mysterious vials were for but then she realized she was wasting time. She needed to find something decent to wear, didn’t she?

Or did she?

Come to think of it, hadn’t she found herself in the tub of yerba blood completely naked? So maybe the purple M&M-shaped stone didn’t take clothes. Maybe it only transported people. In which case she was wasting her time as well as invading the real Mistress Hellenix’s privacy by digging through her things.

Where was the real Mistress anyway? What if she walked in right now? If she bathed in blood and forced slaves to stand for hours on end in uncomfortable poses and then shocked or spanked them when they so much as twitched, she would certainly have no problem doing away with an imposter like Nikki.

The thought made her shiver and she left the tall chest of drawers—after carefully shutting all the drawers she had opened—and walked quickly over to the other side of the room, as far from it as she could get.

There was something strange on the flocked wallpaper here—a long black curtain was hanging from the ceiling. Did it conceal a door or a window, Nikki wondered. But when she pulled the curtain back, she saw a shiny, reflective surface twice as tall as she was.

“Oh—a mirror,” she murmured to herself.

But it wasn’t—at least not quite.

As she watched, the shiny surface started to hum to itself. Then two other shiny panels slid out of it on either side, forming a kind of 3-way mirror, Nikki thought. But then another panel appeared at the top which showed her from the back as well—so she could see herself from all directions.

She gasped at what she saw.

“Where are my grays?” she muttered, combing through the front of her long, black hair. “And the wrinkles around my eyes are faded too! What in the world?”

Maybe there was something to that weird beauty routine of Mistress Hellenix’s after all. Nikki estimated she looked a good five years younger if not more. Also, the cellulite seemed to have magically smoothed out of her thighs and her boobs felt firmer. Her skin had a glowing, polished look to it.

I guess I might have looked even better if I’d spent some time in that awful beetle box, she thought and shivered. Anti-aging treatments were all well and good but nothing would be worth that particular beauty treatment!

“This is amazing,” Nikki murmured, still examining herself in the mirror. She was just thinking that the black lace gown Malik had chosen for her was even more revealing than she’d initially imagined—there was a little heart cut out at the back which showed the top of her ass—when the purple M&M rock she had been clutching all this time started to vibrate in her palm.

“Oh my God—what now?” Nikki almost dropped the rock but as before, her fingers had clenched tight around it and she couldn’t let it go. Then the reflective surface in front of her began to ripple and suddenly…she was staring at someone who looked exactly like her.

The woman in the mirror had big dark eyes, plus-sized curves, and long black hair which was damp and slicked back from her forehead, as though she’d just taken a shower. Or maybe had a dip in the ocean—Nikki remembered how she had woken up in the tub-full of blood. Maybe her doppelganger had fallen into the surf the same way she had fallen into the bloody tub. If so, the woman she was seeing had certainly gotten the better end of the bargain.

“Oh, there you are! It took you long enough to find a reflective surface!” The person who looked like she could be Nikki’s evil twin glared at her. “What are you doing wearing my lounging attire?”

“You…you’re wearing my clothes too,” Nikki pointed out.

It was true—the other woman had on her best gray business skirt and blazer along with her white silk top. She had left off the bra, however, and had tied the tails of the blouse tightly under her breasts, which caused her dark pink nipples to poke out obscenely against the white silk.

“You’re wearing them wrong, though,” she added, hoping no one else had seen the woman who looked exactly like her walking around with her top done up like a naughty school girl.

“I could say the same for you,” the other woman snapped. “Why are you hiding your breasts like that instead of displaying them proudly?”

“What?” The conversation was getting more and more bizarre and that was saying something, considering she was talking through the mirror to someone who looked exactly like her and had, apparently, taken her place on Earth.

Was the other woman on Earth though? She must be, Nikki decided. Not only was she wearing Nikki’s clothing, she was also standing in what appeared to be one of the rest area/changing stations that were placed around the perimeter of the beach. The image reflected behind her showed restroom stalls lined up in a neat row.

“Are you Mistress Hellenix?” she asked hesitantly.

“Of course I am! And you must be…” Mistress Hellenix dug around in Nikki’s purse for a moment and came up with her driver’s license. “Neecolay Dahvees?” she said, frowning. “What a strange name.”

“It’s Nicole Davis,” Nikki corrected her. “But how can you read English? And how can we understand each other? And how can I understand your slaves?” And why do you own slaves in the first place? she mentally added but didn’t say aloud.

“It’s the E’lo stone of course.” Mistress Hellenix waved a hand dismissively, as though Nikki should already have known this. “It grants immediate translation and language ability at the moment of transfer.”

“You mean this purple M&M-looking thing?” Nikki held hers up and Mistress Hellenix nodded and held hers up as well.

“I assume you found yours on this beach where I have been stranded?” she asked, frowning.

“Well, yes.” Nikki nodded. “What about you? Where did you find yours?”

“I didn’t find it—I own it. I own both of them, actually, but Commander Sylvan of the Kindred told me one had been lost in the oceans of Earth. The one you found must have washed on shore and you picked it up just as I was pleasuring myself with the other.”

“I’m sorry, what?” Nikki asked. “I mean, I thought you said you were, uh—”

“Pleasuring myself,” Mistress Hellenix said breezily. “The E’lo stone vibrates so nicely—I like to use it when I take my daily rejuvenation treatment. The virgin yerba-blood is especially good at conducting vibrations.”

“What?” Nikki asked again blankly. Was she really saying she got off while she was lying in that bathtub filled with blood? How disgusting! And virgin yerbas? She had thought—hoped—that the blood came from animals. Now she wasn’t so sure. Was her evil twin a serial killer? “How many people did you kill to get that blood?” she demanded. “What kind of a person are you, anyway?”

“People? Don’t be silly. Yerbas are little fluffy yellow creatures that live on Creetson Four. You just have to bleed them before they mate or else the blood is toxic,” Mistress Hellenix sniffed. “Anyway, we were both touching the stones at the same time and you, are apparently, an exact genetic match for me. Otherwise the E’lo stones couldn’t have transported us into each other’s lives.”

“Well, let’s make them transport us back out again!” Nikki exclaimed. “I mean, you have a really nice place here, don’t get me wrong, but I’m over an hour late for work now and there’s no way my boss will believe I got transported to another planet by a purple M&M! It’s just not a credible excuse for being late.”

“It’s not that easy,” Mistress Hellenix snapped. “Or it would have already happened.”

“Well, how do we make it happen?” Nikki demanded. “It’s not just work I’m missing—I have to go to my twin’s school for their 504 Plan meeting. If I don’t, their benefits will get slashed.”

“Goddess give me strength!” Mistress Hellenix rolled her eyes. “I can see I’ll be dealing with a lot of mundane tasks while I wait for you to get to me.”

“While you wait for me to get to you? Why can’t you come to me? Or why can’t we get the stones to switch us back?” Nikki asked.

Her evil twin gave a long-suffering sigh.

“Don’t you know anything about E’lo stones at all?”

“Uh, no.” Nikki glared at her. “How would I? I’m a realtor—not an expert on weird alien rocks that whisk you halfway across the universe the minute you touch them.”

“All right, to be fair, not many are well-versed in E’lo lore,” Mistress Hellenix said grudgingly. “And to be honest, even those of us who have studied the ancient E’lo civilization and their technology still don’t know everything about them. But from what I understand, the stones can only transport those who are an exact genetic match—such as you and I must be.”

“But…how is that possible?” Nikki asked blankly. “I mean, I’m an only child. I’m pretty sure my mom would have told me if I had a twin.”

“Not twins—genetic matches,” the other woman corrected her. “Haven’t you heard it said that everyone has at least one perfect double in the universe?”

“No—no I haven’t,” Nikki said. “But I guess you must be right—we must be, uh, really close in make-up to have switched like we did.”

“Exactly. Now, to my understanding, the E’lo stones work only once. So you must come to me so that we can have our own lives back again. Oh, but not right away.” She got an annoyed look on her face. “The Banquet of Pain—I forgot all about it.”

“The Banquet of what?” Nikki was certain she’d heard her wrong.

“The Banquet of Pain—it’s a gathering of all the Mistresses on Yonnie Six who believe in the use of corporal punishment to train our slaves. I preside over it every year and I can’t back out now! You’ll just have to go in my place.”

“But…but I don’t know anything about training slaves,” Nikki protested. “I’ve never even owned any!”

“That’s too bad—you’ll just have to manage,” Mistress Hellenix said stonily. “And anyway, all you really have to do is give the opening address and then you can enjoy the rest of the banquet.”

“The opening address?” This was getting worse and worse. Nikki wasn’t one of those people who feared public speaking more than death, but she did at least like to be know a little about the topic she was speaking on and Mistress Hellenix’s lifestyle was completely foreign to her.

“Look, you’re going to love it.” The other woman waved a hand dismissively. “There will be vendors from all the training companies with examples of the latest nerve-conduction pain response devices and the food is fabulous—yoan grubs as big as your fist and rare loa fruits that will make you as horny as an ursus! I think we might even have some dream gas this year. Honestly, I’m sorry to miss it. It’s the social event of the season among the pain crowd.”

“When…when is it? Is it tonight?” Nikki asked faintly, wondering how long she had to prepare for this awful party. Nothing Mistress Hellenix was telling her about it made her think she would “love” it at all.

“Tomorrow night,” the other woman said briskly. “And you can leave to come get me as soon as it’s over. Tell my primary bodyslave, Malik, to ready the long-range cruiser—he can pilot it as well—and have him bring you here to…what is this place again? I know it’s somewhere on Earth but where?” She looked around herself disdainfully.

“You’re in the Tampa Bay area,” Nikki told her. “But why don’t we meet somewhere in the middle—wouldn’t that be faster?” Maybe it would even be fast enough so she didn’t have to attend the awful Banquet of Pain!

“It would be.” Mistress Hellenix nodded. “Do you have a long-range space cruiser here that I can use? All I saw was a rather dilapidated looking vehicle that actually had wheels on it!” She laughed as though the very idea was ridiculous. “Please don’t tell me it’s yours.”

“Actually, it is,” Nikki said a bit stiffly. “It’s a car—that’s how we get around on Earth. But what I meant was, why don’t you ask the Kindred for help to get to me? Didn’t you mention you knew one of them earlier?”

“Oh yes, Commander Sylvan—he’s actually the leader of the entire Kindred Council, I believe.” Mistress Hellenix sniffed. “Inasmuch as a male can lead anything.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Nikki asked blankly. “You don’t like him because he’s a man?”

“Well, I mean males are inherently inferior, my dear,” Mistress Hellenix said condescendingly. “Don’t you find it to be true? Our whole society on Yonnie Six is built on the principle of female superiority.”

“It is?” Nikki said, frowning.

“Of course! That is why males must be enslaved—for their own good. And to keep them contained—they can be such brutes if they aren’t properly collared.” She shook her head and made a tsking sound.

“I have to admit, I haven’t been overly enchanted with the guys in my life lately,” Nikki said, thinking of Gary’s cheating, not to mention Jude stealing his grandmother’s drugs and the twins being so embarrassed to have their mom around. “But I never thought about locking them up or putting, uh, collars on them.”

“You should consider it—you really should,” Mistress Hellenix said earnestly. “The only good male is a collared male. But we are getting far from the subject at hand and the E’lo stones may break contact at any time.”

“They may? Can we, uh, call each other back?” Nikki looked at the glimmering purple M&M shaped stone in her palm.

“I am afraid not—if my research is correct, we have only one chance to speak and then the stones will lose their long-distance communication ability. The ancient people who developed them believed that the people the stones switched must be mostly on their own in the new life they had been given to occupy. Otherwise, it would be too easy to ‘cheat’ your way through your new existence.”

“But it won’t be a very long, uh, existence if we can get back to each other,” Nikki pointed out. “So why can’t you ask Commander Sylvan to help you get to me?”

“Because I tried to have him killed,” Mistress Hellenix said flatly. “I sent an assassin droid who looked like his mate. Or maybe it was his mate’s sister—I forget which. They’re twins and look very much alike.” She shrugged.

“You…you tried to have him killed?” Nikki shook her head. “Why would you do something like that?”

“Well, because—the Kindred were planning to prosecute me just because I was the head of the Board of Directors of BleakHouse prison,” Mistress Hellenix crossed her arms under her breasts and huffed indignantly. “They complained that I and the others on the board employed guards who needlessly killed prisoners and falsely imprisoned some males who didn’t belong there.”

“Well, did you?” Nikki demanded.

“Of course we did!” Mistress Hellenix threw up her hands. “They’re males, after all—beneath our notice. Lower than dirt. You might as well prosecute us for killing bugs! Don’t you think?” she demanded.

Nikki shook her head.

“I might not like the males in my life right now very much, but I certainly don’t hate them like that,” she protested. “Men are people too—even when they’re being assholes.”

“Oh, I don’t hate males at all—I find them immensely useful,” her evil twin replied. “They’re good for decoration and amusement and physical labor.” She was ticking the reasons off on her fingers. “Oh, and sexual pleasure, of course—can’t forget that. I really don’t sleep well at all unless I have my slave pleasure me with his tongue before bedtime.”

“Uh, right,” Nikki said blankly. “Well, I’m afraid you’re not going to get along very well on Earth. Technically males and females are supposed to be equals but we still have a big wage gap and there’s a lot of misogyny going on.”

“Ugh.” Mistress Hellenix made a disgusted face—which probably looked a lot like the one Nikki had made when she saw the box full of crawling beetles in the spa. “Well…” She sighed. “I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised since the Kindred are protecting this planet. It makes sense that they wouldn’t be someplace where females were dominant.”

“Actually I’ve heard that the Kindred believe in true equality for males and females,” Nikki said. How often had she wished that Gary would subscribe to such an enlightened view? Only every day of their marriage!

“Not all Kindred, my dear. Take my primary bodyslave, Malik,” Mistress Hellenix said. “Now, he is a Kindred, but he bows his head and makes obeisance to me the moment I order it.”

“Are you two in a, uh, BDSM relationship? Like you’re his dominatrix or something?” Nikki asked hesitantly. “So he likes being dominated by you?”

“I am his Mistress,” her doppelganger corrected sternly. “And of course he doesn’t like being dominated—he’s an alpha through and through. He positively despises me. But I have control of his pain collar.” She leaned closer to the mirror, as though imparting a secret. “The control word is trab if you need to take him down. And you have my full permission to give him the rod if he misbehaves in any way.”

“Um…okay.” Nikki cleared her throat. She had no idea what the other woman meant by “give him the rod” and she was afraid to ask. “He told me that the penalty for impersonating a Mistress of Yonnie Six was death and I think he already kind of suspects me. Would he really, uh…” She swallowed hard. “Will he really kill me if he finds out I’m not you?”

“Oh yes, certainly,” Mistress Hellenix said airily. “He might hate me, but he is completely loyal because he’s addicted to my body.”

“I’m sorry—he’s what?” Nikki kept hearing things that were too weird to be believed from the other woman.

“He’s addicted to me. I keep him in chastity and only let him out very rarely,” Mistress Hellenix elaborated. “I tease him and taunt him and let him lick my pussy—Kindred love that by the way—but I almost never let him come. It keeps him nicely in hand to always be in sexual need, knowing that I am the only one who can give him release.”

“That’s…wow.” Nikki had no words. It seemed that while her doppelganger looked exactly like her, the two of them couldn’t have been more different on the inside. Nikki never would have considered treating a man the way Mistress Hellenix treated Malik.

For one thing, Gary would not have been into it—he was about as vanilla as they came. Then again, maybe Malik wasn’t into it either. He was a slave, after all, with no say in his treatment. Nikki tried to imagine ordering the huge Kindred around herself and couldn’t see it. It just wasn’t her nature to act like that, she told herself.

“But we’re getting off track again,” Mistress Hellenix said, breaking into her train of thought. “You asked if Malik would do away with you if he suspects our switch? And the answer is yes—he’ll kill you in a heartbeat if he finds out you’ve taken my place.”

“That’s awful!” Nikki glanced nervously at the vast double doors of the bedroom. “Why can’t I just tell him about the E’lo stones and what happened and how we got transported into each other’s lives?”

“Because if it gets out that I’m not really there, my whole mansion will be in disarray!” Mistress Hellenix snapped sharply. “I don’t need you starting a slave revolt while I’m millions of light years away!”

“Fine—I’ll keep it a secret and I’ll come to Earth as soon as I can,” Nikki said. “But I still don’t like hiding it from Malik—he’s scary.”

“Yes, indeed—I bought him on the Blood Circuit. He never lost a fight.” Mistress Hellenix sounded proud. “I paid a pretty penny for him but he was worth every credit I spent. He’s a born killer, that one—I wouldn’t want to be anywhere near him if he ever got his pain collar off.”

Nikki took a deep breath, trying to steady her nerves. It was becoming clear to her that her life depended on her acting ability and she had gotten a D minus in theater arts in high school because her teacher had said her acting was “wooden.” Great.

“All right,” she said at last, looking at the other woman. “I’ll do all this for you—I’ll impersonate you and go to your banquet and give the keynote address…”(Although what she was going to talk about, she had no idea.) “But you have to help me too.” She pointed at Mistress Hellenix. “If I’m doing your life, you have to do mine. That means going to my job and at least pretending to work and also going to my twins’ 504 Plan meeting.”

“I don’t know what that means,” Mistress Hellenix snapped, frowning. “What is a 504 Plan? And what was wrong with the five hundred and three plans before it?”

“Don’t worry about knowing what it means—just go to the school at the time of the meeting and be sure you’re in it,” Nikki instructed. “When they say they feel like it’s time to cut down or back down the services my twins are receiving, say no. Don’t let them take away anything. You have to be really forceful with them.” She paused and looked at the woman in the mirror. “But somehow I have a feeling that won’t be a problem for you.”

“Not at all.” Mistress Hellenix lifted an eyebrow. “Is there anything else you wish me to do for you while I am living this miserable existence you call your life?”

Nikki frowned but decided to let the insult pass. After all, Mistress Hellenix wasn’t wrong—her life had been pretty miserable lately.

“Let me see…you don’t have to worry about getting the boys back and forth to school—they can just ride the bus.”

She didn’t like to do that because she was pretty sure some of the bad crowd Jude was hanging out with rode the bus with him, but there was nothing else she could do. Mistress Hellenix couldn’t drive her car—she would probably have to take Ubers or taxies everywhere, which was going to add up fast. But again, there was no other solution she could think of.

She had Mistress Hellenix pull out her cellphone and rapidly explained how to call an Uber and how to use the phone. Luckily, she had the addresses of her sons’ schools as well as Rosy Ray’s Realty under contacts. After some thought, she also explained how to order a pizza. She seriously doubted that her evil twin was domestic enough to make dinner. She was clearly too busy bathing in blood and sending assassin droids to kill people to learn the fine art of cooking.

Not that Nikki herself had been producing haute cuisine lately, she thought grimly—not with how crazy things had been. Well, there was one bright side to having switched places with an alien dominatrix who was her perfect double—at least she didn’t have to worry about what to make for supper tonight! And let Gary try to help the twins with their common core math homework—he was the one who was a senior-level accountant, after all. He should be able to figure it out.

Thinking of her soon-to-be ex-husband gave her a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. Well, bright side number two—she wouldn’t have to deal with him for at least several days. That was good, anyway. Although she wasn’t sure what Mistress Hellenix would make of him—not that she would probably see much of him.

“You don’t need to worry too much about Gary,” she told the other woman. “He mostly just spends time in his man cave when he’s home.”

Mistress Hellenix frowned. “Who is this ‘Gary’? Is he your slave and that is why you keep him in a cave?”

“Hardly.” Nikki snorted. “He’s my husband—my, uh, mate,” she added, seeing the look of incomprehension on the other woman’s face.

“Ugh—I cannot imagine being mated to a male!” Mistress Hellenix exclaimed. “I have to inform you, Nicole, that I will not allow a male to penetrate me. I must draw the line somewhere—I will kill him if he tries.”

“Don’t worry about that,” Nikki said dryly. “He hasn’t had any wish to, uh, penetrate me for the past couple of years. In fact, he’s leaving me for another woman so he can penetrate her. I just found out yesterday—so you might not see him around at all.”

“What? You’re allowing him to leave you?” Her evil twin looked shocked. “Why do you not give him a good shock with his pain collar and lock him in your dungeon for a while? That will teach him a lesson!”

“He doesn’t wear a pain collar because he’s not a slave,” Nikki explained again. “Also, I don’t have a dungeon—not even a basement. You can’t really have them in the Tampa Bay area because we’re too close to sea level. If you dig a hole in the ground, you just made a swimming pool—not a dungeon.”

That reminded her—their backyard pool was in really sad shape. It was full of leaves and needed to be shocked. She’d been trying to get Jude to take care of it—the leaves at least—for some time. But since she couldn’t even get her boys to do their own laundry or pack their own lunches, the pool duties usually fell to her, along with everything else.

Well…she would just have to deal with it when she got home. Her evil twin certainly wasn’t going to play pool boy on top of everything else. Nikki had the idea that she wasn’t used to any kind of manual or domestic labor at all.

“I would not allow any male who belonged to me to defect to another female,” Mistress Hellenix announced, glaring at her disapprovingly. “Not unless I sold him to her in the first place.”

“It’s not like Gary’s been the best husband lately,” Nikki pointed out. “He’s cheating on me, like I said. And he never helps out around the house or helps the kids with their homework or does anything, really, but watch TV and play his fantasy football league.”

“What fantasy is this?” Mistress Hellenix asked, raising an eyebrow. “Is it sexual?”

“Hardly.” Nikki couldn’t think of anything less sexual than football—or sports in general for that matter. She just wasn’t a fan. “It’s just this thing he does where he gets together with a bunch of his friends and they all pretend they own football teams and pick which players they would use and—”

“So he lazes around while you do all the work?” The alien dominatrix sounded both appalled and disbelieving. “Nicole, it sounds to me as though you are the slave in this relationship—a slave in your own domicile. Why do you allow him to put you in bondage? You are a female and therefore superior—you should rise up and strike him down! Force him to grovel at your feet and beg for forgiveness—then punish him anyway!” There was a fierce light in her eyes that made her look downright scary.

Nikki had a vivid mental image of her soon-to-be ex-husband kneeling at her feet and begging humbly for forgiveness. A bitter laugh rose in her throat.

“Never going to happen,” she told Mistress Hellenix. “Just leave Gary to his own devices—he won’t bother you.”

“I still think—” the other woman began but just then she was interrupted by a burst of static or what appeared to be static anyway. It made the mirror hazy and for a moment Nikki lost sight of Mistress Hellenix. Then it cleared again but the other woman was frowning.

“I believe we are soon to lose this connection,” she told Nikki. “Are you clear on what you have to do?”

“Go to the Banquet of Pain and pretend to be you, then come to Earth in your long-range ship so we can switch back,” Nikki said quickly.

Mistress Hellenix nodded.

“Exactly. And I will go to your place of employment and pretend to do your duties before going to the meeting of the Plan numbered five hundred and four at the school of your progeny.” She made a face. “Ugh—not only a male mate but male children as well—how do you stand it?”

“It’s not easy sometimes,” Nikki said grimly. “But I love my kids, even if they are a pain in the ass. So don’t hurt any of them.”

Mistress Hellenix’s eyes flashed.

“I’ll make certain they all have a proper respect for you by the time we switch back, Nicole—never fear.”

“Now, wait a minute—” Nikki began. Knowing how the alien dominatrix felt about males made her worried. Also, Mistress Hellenix needed to know that no matter how angry she got at someone, she couldn’t get away with torturing anybody or bathing in their blood. And she needed to tell the other woman to put on her bra. There was no way she could go to Rosy Ray’s Realty or the 504 Plan meeting at the twins’ middle school with her nipples poking out like that!

But before she could go on, there was another burst of static and the image of Mistress Hellenix and the rest area bathroom behind her dissolved into nothing.

“Hey, wait a minute—wait!” Nikki protested. She looked down at the purple M&M E’lo stone she’d been holding clenched in her hand. It had been buzzing quietly throughout her talk with Mistress Hellenix. But now it was flat and dead—lifeless.

“Damn it!” Nikki swore, shaking it and then rubbing it vigorously. “Come on—work you stupid thing! I wasn’t done talking!”

But the stone remained stubbornly silent and dull. She was left with nothing but her own reflection for company and an uneasy feeling in her gut that the next couple of days were going to be the most dangerous and difficult of her life.

FOUR

“Mistress, are you well?” Suddenly the vast double doors of the room swung open and Malik entered, a worried look on his face. Scampering at his heels was the strangest creature Nikki had ever seen.

It had a head that looked a little like a bull’s, with curving horns and flaring nostrils, but on its back was a bright orange and red shell like a turtle’s. Its eyes were the same, angry orange-red color and it had a spiked, whip-like tail and long, spindly legs that ended in seven-toed hands with sharp claws on the ends of its many-jointed fingers. But the worst thing about it, at least in Nikki’s opinion, was the mane of purple snakes rising around its head—seven of them at least—all hissing and flicking their forked tongues in the air.

It was about the size of a Chihuahua and thank goodness it wasn’t any bigger! If it had been, say, the size of a Pit-bull, Nikki was certain she would have run screaming. But she knew that if Malik wasn’t bothered by the strange creature scrabbling over the black fur carpet towards her, she had to pretend she wasn’t scared either.

After all, maybe the Medusa-Chihuahua was Mistress Hellenix’s pet—although she certainly could have said something about it when they were talking, Nikki thought resentfully. After all, she had warned the other woman about Gary—her evil twin could at least have shown her the same courtesy!

“Mistress, I heard shouting,” Malik said, frowning at her. “And Slinker was worried about you.”

“Oh, um…” Nikki steeled herself not to react as the weird animal came forward and started sniffing her. “I…I’m just fine. I had a bad dream, is all.”

Suddenly the Medusa-Chihuahua started growling and all seven of the purple snakes in its mane reared up and hissed at her.

Oh my God, it’s going to bite me! It knows I’m not her!

It took all Nikki’s courage not to scream and run. Instead, she edged away as gracefully as she could.

“You naughty boy!” she said, shaking her finger at the hissing, growling creature who was stalking towards her, stiff-legged. “Settle down and behave yourself now!”

Malik frowned. “What can be the meaning of this? Slinker is usually so devoted to you, Mistress.”

“I, uh, think the tears in that last tub in the spa were off somehow,” Nikki said, thinking fast. “He probably doesn’t like the way I smell because of that.”

“Is that so? Let me see.” Without warning, the huge bodyslave put an arm around her waist and swept her close to his big, muscular frame. Leaning down, he tangled one long-fingered hand in her hair and pressed his face to the side of her neck. He inhaled deeply, sending shivers down Nikki’s spine.

“Oh!” She put up her hands involuntarily and they landed on his broad, bare chest. His skin was warm and she could feel the muscles, hard and solid, under her fingertips. Once again that warm fragrance—the dark spicy scent with just a hint of electricity—filled her nose. “Malik!” she protested breathlessly. “Please!”

“Hmm…” He pulled back, his hand still entangled in her hair. “You do smell…different,” he said, frowning. “Sweeter somehow. Not like yourself at all…Mistress.”

“I told you—it’s the tears in that last tub. They’re off.” Nikki wanted to push his hand away, to get away from him—being too close to the huge Kindred bodyslave was like being under a tree when a thunder storm broke. She felt like she might get struck by lightning at any time. But somehow she found herself still standing there, looking up at him with his hand in her hair.

“You look different too,” Malik murmured, studying her with those sharp silver eyes. “Your expression…your demeanor is changed. The hardness in your eyes is gone. Replaced by something else. By fear? What do you fear, Mistress?”

His intense scrutiny made Nikki incredibly nervous. It also made her realize all over again how skimpy and revealing the black lace gown she was wearing was. She could feel the top of it slipping down, past her nipples—now tight with fear—going lower and lower, baring her breasts completely.

“I…I fear nothing,” she finally got out.

“Is that so?” he mused. “But Mistress, you’re very different today.” Malik pulled her even closer and now she could feel his broad chest rubbing against her sensitive tips. The sensation sent sparks of fear and excitement through her entire body, making her gasp and press her thighs together tightly.

She had an urge to yank the top of her gown up and step back, and she told herself she would have if his fingers weren’t still tangled in her hair. But she felt helpless, powerless as he leaned closer and closer, his face coming towards hers as he looked into her eyes, his mouth almost brushing her lips.

“Are you sure that you’re well?” he murmured and now his lips did brush hers—a whisper of a kiss as he spoke. His breath was hot on her face and scented like cinnamon and chili peppers—the hot kind that would burn your tongue, Nikki thought faintly. One big hand slipped down to cup her bare right breast and he began to thumb her tight nipple lazily, making her gasp.

“I…I’m fine—really,” she said breathlessly. She wondered if the big Kindred bodyslave was always this possessive with his Mistress. Did Mistress Hellenix allow him to get away with this kind of behavior? Did she let him man-handle her this way? She didn’t seem the type who would put up with anything at all.

I’m playing right into his hands, she realized. Mistress Hellenix would never put up with him touching her all over like this. I have to step up my act or he’s going to know I’m not her for sure and kill me!

Despite the fact that her body was reacting to his touch and the way he was teasing her nipple was sending shivers of desire down her spine, the big Kindred could snap her neck like a twig. And he would too, in another minute when he was sure she wasn’t Mistress Hellenix.

“Get your hands off me, slave!” Nikki tried to make her voice commanding and imperious and she glared up at him, doing her best impression of her evil twin. “How dare you paw at me without my express permission?” There—that should get him going!

Indeed, Malik drew back, his silver eyes widening. He loosed her hair from his big fist and took a step back at once, his other hand leaving her breast. Smoothly, he knelt before her.

“Forgive me, Mistress,” he rumbled, dropping his eyes. “I was…too forward in my attentions to you but only because I was worried for your well-being. Still, you are within your rights to punish me with the pain collar or…” A muscle jumped in the side of his strong jaw. “Or by giving me the rod,” he finished in a low, grating voice.

His words made Nikki remember that Mistress Hellenix had given her the key word that controlled the thick black collar around the huge Kindred’s neck—but she couldn’t for the life of her remember what it was. Something with an “ab” at the end. Was it nab? Blab? Cab? No—none of those sounded right.

Well, if she couldn’t use the pain collar, what was this business about “giving him the rod?” Nikki had no clue about that either. God, what a mess she was in! If the big bodyslave found out she was an imposter and worse, that she had no way to fend him off, she would be dead in a hot minute!

“Don’t presume to tell me how to punish you, slave!” she said imperiously, playing for time. “I…I’ll give you the rod later. Right now, I want to rest.”

Malik frowned and looked up at her.

“So you have decided not to do your weekly inspection of the slaves before dinner tonight?”

“Inspection of the slaves?” Nikki repeated. “Um…”

“They are all in readiness for you,” Malik went on. “It is not my place to say, Mistress, but it seems to me that cancelling the inspection would imply weakness. And you know that you always say that you rule your domicile with pain and terror. If any of the slaves believe you are getting soft, there will certainly be trouble.”

Well, the pain and terror bit certainly sounded like something Mistress Hellenix would say, Nikki thought dismally. And she couldn’t let Malik or any of the slaves know she wasn’t really the alien dominatrix.

“You make a good point, Malik,” she said, still trying to sound like her evil twin. “Let me get dressed in something, uh…” she glanced down at her bare breasts and had to fight not to cover them. “More appropriate and we can begin the inspection.”

“I will find you something to wear at once, Mistress.” Malik rose as easily and smoothly as he had knelt at her feet. Nikki couldn’t help thinking that he was remarkably graceful for such a big man. He looked down at the Medusa-Chihuahua, which had retreated into a corner of the room and was still growling at Nikki. “Should I put Slinker out first?”

“Yes, please do.” Nikki nodded imperiously. “He’s getting on my nerves.”

“As you wish, Mistress.”

He scooted the angry pet out the door gently with one large boot and then went to the back of the bedroom and opened another door Nikki hadn’t seen—probably because it was hidden in the shadows.

“Now then, Mistress,” Malik rumbled, flipping on a switch in what appeared to be a walk-in closet. “Let’s find you the right gown for your inspection.” He brought out a red gown with long sleeves, a v-shaped neck, and a slit up the middle. “Will this do?”

“Um…” Nikki bit her lip. The gown didn’t look too revealing, she decided at last. “All right.” She reached for it. “Let me try it on.”

He frowned. “Do you not wish me to dress you as I always do, Mistress?”

Nikki swallowed hard. If she said no, she was risking giving herself away. But she couldn’t help being embarrassed at the prospect of letting a strange man dress her.

It’s better to let him dress you and think you’re his Mistress than to have him kill you when he figures out you’re not, whispered a little voice in her head. Well, that was true.

“All right,” Nikki said at last. “You can…can dress me, Malik. I mean, of course you can. You always do, after all.” She tried to smile but somehow the corners of her mouth didn’t want to turn up.

“Yes, I do,” he rumbled. “Very well then—arms over your head please, Mistress.”

Nikki lifted her arms obediently and let him sweep the black lace gown over her head and replace it with the red one he had picked out. She was still nervous about being naked in front of him but though Malik gave her an appreciative look, he made the process quick so that she was covered again before she knew it.

But not very covered, she thought, looking down at herself in dismay.

The gown, which had looked almost modest when it was hanging from the hanger, now revealed itself to be extremely provocative. The V-neck was much deeper than she’d at first suspected—plunging almost to her belly button and showing the inner curves of her breasts clearly. Even worse, the slit in the middle didn’t just come to mid-thigh—as Nikki had assumed it would. It rode high—right past her hips—putting her pussy on full display. She covered herself as casually as she could, acting as though her hand just happened to be there, blocking her lady bits from view.

“Would you like split panties or full coverage, Mistress?” Malik was already rummaging through the big chest of drawers again.

“I’m sorry—what?” Nikki didn’t know what to say.

He looked up at her and frowned.

“When the slaves pay obeisance to you, do you wish them to kiss your bare pussy or not?”

“What? Oh, no!” Nikki exclaimed. The thought of a bunch of half-naked muscular strangers putting their faces in her crotch was horrifying. “I mean—no, I…I don’t feel like letting them, um, do that tonight,” she added, trying to sound more casual and less horrified.

“Very well—full coverage panties then.” Malik nodded and came over to kneel at her feet again. “Here you are Mistress—allow me to help you on with these.”

Blushing, Nikki moved her hand and started to step into the panties he had picked—which were red to match the dress. But before she could, Malik drew back frowning.

“Mistress,” he said, looking up at her. “Did the new depilatory treatment I used on you last time not work? I thought you were perfectly hairless, as you prefer, but now I see this.” He motioned to the neatly trimmed patch of curls at the top of Nikki’s mound, which she was trying to keep herself from covering, though she desperately wanted to.

“Um…right. I guess…guess it didn’t work very well,” she said, trying to keep the strangled sound out of her voice and not succeeding very well.

“Wait here a moment.” Malik rose smoothly and left the room. Nikki thought about just putting the panties on and telling him she was fine but before she could, he returned with something in his hand.

“Now then, Mistress—let’s make this quick,” he said in a businesslike voice. “Spread your legs for me, please, so I can reach you.”

Nikki didn’t know when she’d been more embarrassed. Was he going to shave her right here and now? But she knew if she objected, she would be outing herself as an imposter. Biting her lip so hard she tasted blood, she opened her thighs, feeling both embarrassed and insecure.

“Now then—this is a new cream I’ve been saving,” Malik told her. “It should dissolve the hair follicles completely and painlessly in a matter of moments.” He looked up at her. “Shall I put it on you?”

“I…yes. Yes, I…I guess so,” Nikki said. Her voice sounded high and squeaky in her own ears but there was nothing she could do about it. It was like something out of a porn movie, she thought, but what could she do but hold still and let Malik spread the cream on her?

“Very good,” he murmured. Squeezing a dollop of pale pink cream out onto his fingers, he began to rub it into her pussy mound with a firm but gentle motion that was almost like a massage. “It has to be rubbed in thoroughly to get to the follicle root,” he explained when Nikki made a little sound somewhere between a gasp and a moan and shifted her hips in protest. Gary had never done anything like this for her—no man ever had. She hardly knew how to react and she could feel her cheeks getting hot with a blush.

She was glad she shaved the rest of her pussy regularly and that he was confining his attentions to the top of her mound. She could only imagine what those long, strong fingers would feel like rubbing lower, stroking her pussy lips and maybe slipping inside her folds to touch her throbbing clit…

No—don’t think like that! You can’t let yourself think like that! she told herself sternly. But she couldn’t help it—the sight of the big Kindred kneeling at her feet and the feeling of him massaging her pussy mound was making her all kinds of hot and bothered. It had been so long since a man had touched her there! She tried to remember the last time she and Gary had made love that included any kind of foreplay and couldn’t do it.

Mostly whenever they did it, the act lasted less than two minutes. It consisted of Garry rolling on top of her, pumping for a short time until he grunted in her ear, and then rolling off again and going to sleep. Afterwards Nikki usually took care of herself—if she wasn’t too tired to care, that was. It was hard to want sex when she was worn out from holding down a job and doing all the work at home as well. Mostly all she felt was relief that Gary was done. There was no anticipation, no teasing, and no cuddling afterwards. It was strictly wham-bam-thank you ma’am—no frills sex.

After what seemed like forever, the huge Kindred stopped rubbing and wiped her mound gently with a warm, wet towel he had also brought with him.

“There, Mistress—all clean and smooth, just as you like it,” he murmured. Then, to Nikki’s surprise, he leaned forward and planted a hot, soft kiss to the center of her mound, just above her slit. When he looked up at her, his eyes were heavy-lidded. “Are you pleased, my Mistress?”

“Oh, yes—-yes, very, uh, pleased,” Nikki blurted out. “That, uh, didn’t hurt a bit. Thank you, Malik.”

“I live only to serve your every whim, Mistress,” he rumbled. “Perhaps later you can reward me with a taste of your sweetness. But for now, the slaves await inspection. So let us get you into these panties.”

Nikki stepped into them and allowed the big bodyslave to draw them up her legs. She was really glad she’d shaved them recently—although she might think about using some of the cream the next time. It really had done a wonderful job on her mound.

And letting the big Kindred slave serve her seemed to be doing a job on her head as well. As Malik smoothed the tiny red triangle over her pussy, the heat of his hands and the gentle but knowledgeable way he touched her sent shivers through her body. She couldn’t help remembering Mistress Hellenix’s words—“I let him lick my pussy—Kindred love that!”—and wondering how it would feel to have his mouth on her instead of just his hands.

“Spread your legs if you would, please Mistress,” he murmured, looking up at her. “The string of these panties is made to pleasure you with Desire pearls but they must be placed against your clit to function properly.”

Biting her lip, Nikki did as he asked, spreading her legs wider so that he could slip the bottom string of the panties—which was, indeed, studded with tiny, smooth black beads—between her pussy lips.

Malik never actually touched her clit himself but he came awfully close to it as he adjusted the desire pearls so that they lay against her tender little bump. When they touched her, Nikki felt a little tingle of pleasure—almost like a barely-there vibration—run through her sensitive folds.

“Oh!” she moaned softly, shifting her hips to try and get used to the sensation. It wasn’t strong enough to bring her to her knees, but it was definitely noticeable—a constant low buzzing that teased her swollen clit, making her feel wet and excited in a way she hadn’t felt in what seemed like years.

“Does it please you, my Mistress?” Malik murmured, looking up at her.

“Yes,” she whispered and somehow she found that she was stroking his shaggy mane of hair as he held onto her hips. “Yes, Malik, it pleases me very…very much.”

“Perhaps later you will allow me to put my tongue where the Desire pearls are now?” he growled softly. “Perhaps you will allow me to taste your sweet juices and lap your hot little cunt, Mistress?”

“I…um…” Nikki felt herself blushing but at the same time, his dirty talk was turning her on almost unbearably. She had always wanted to be with a man who knew just what to say to make her hot and the big Kindred was pushing all the right buttons. She was so used to being with Gary, who couldn’t find her clit with two hands and a flashlight and whose whole idea of dirty talk was inarticulate grunting during their two minutes of sex that she couldn’t help feeling flattered and hot when Malik spoke such sensuous words in that deep, growling voice of his…

Then she realized what she was doing—she was letting herself get carried away into fantasyland when the situation she was in was actually life and death.

Stop it, Nikki, she scolded herself. Don’t forget you’re only playing a part and if he finds out you’re not her, he’ll kill you! So stay focused!

Taking a deep breath, she lifted her chin and determined to do just that.

“Maybe later,” she said, taking her hand away from his hair and lifting her chin. “For now, I think we’d better do that inspection.”

“As you wish, Mistress.” Malik nodded and then led the way out of the massive BDSM bedroom.

FIVE

Something strange was going on with his Mistress, Malik reflected as he strode down the hallway of graven images, where the statue slaves spent much of their time. She had seemed…different ever since her rejuvenation treatments.

At first she had acted as though she didn’t know him—then she had asked that he not look at her body when she normally delighted in showing herself off to him and teasing him with her luscious curves.

It was a conundrum and a constant torment to Malik that though he despised Mistress Hellenix, her body continued to draw him. She was an ugly soul in a beautiful vessel and though he hated to admit it, he desired her even though he loathed her.

Be patient, he told himself. It’s not forever. As soon as she has her meeting with the Knower on Uriel Two, you’ll have your chance.

The thought of going back to his old home world—which he hadn’t seen in over ten standard cycles ever since the AI called the Knower had taken over and killed all organic life—seemed to open a hole in his soul. It was an old wound—one which still ached and burned when he thought of his family and friends, all of them killed in a single sweep. He had only been spared himself because he had been off-planet at the time and he had lived with the guilt of being one of the only survivors ever since.

But I have a way to make it right, Malik told himself fiercely. If only he could gain access to his old home world—and Mistress Hellenix was the key to that. She was the only one Malik had been able to find who had the nerve to deal with the Artificial Intelligence who had made a genocidal sweep of Uriel Two, killing every living being on its surface.

Which was why it concerned him that she was acting so strangely.

She stepped into the first pool and let the blood cover her head as she always does…and then came up acting differently, Malik thought. Almost like a different person—what happened?

If he hadn’t been watching her every minute during her treatment, he would have assumed that someone had somehow switched her for an exact duplicate. Perhaps one of the Simulated Organic Replicants the Knower had been manufacturing. Mistress Hellenix had commissioned one in her assassination attempt on Commander Sylvan of the Mother Ship but it had failed, thank the Goddess.

But though the Knower continued to refine its Replicants, they still weren’t convincing enough to pass for completely humanoid. And anyway, how could a Replicant have been placed in the tub while his real Mistress was whisked away under his very eyes?

It was impossible.

And yet…impossible or not, something was definitely going on and Malik didn’t buy his Mistress’s explanation that she had hit her head.

Not only was she acting differently but Slinker, her pet gnasher, had growled and hissed at her. Slinker had as nasty a personality as his mistress and was an excellent judge of character, Malik had found. If a person had a good heart and was generally kind and decent, Slinker hated them with a passion. But the little gnasher adored sociopaths and killers—he was always passed from lap to lap whenever Mistress Hellenix had her fellow mistresses over for one of the elaborate entertainments she often hosted, which mostly consisted of torturing slaves while the Yonnite women looked on and laughed.

So what does it mean that Slinker suddenly can’t stand her? Malik wondered, casting his eyes back to see if Mistress Hellenix was following him. She was, but she was walking in a stiff, self-conscious kind of way and she kept adjusting her gown, trying to get it to cover more of her breasts and panties.

That was unlike her too. If there was a word besides sociopath and sadistic that described his Yonnite mistress, it was exhibitionist. She absolutely loved to show off her beautiful body—in extreme ways that defied even the already revealing fashions of Yonnie Six. It was her practice to keep all her slaves either in chastity with cages around their shafts, or in a rampant state of readiness. None of them—Malik included—was allowed to come without her express permission which was almost never forthcoming. She adored keeping them all in a state of sexual starvation, with herself as their only nourishment.

In fact, nothing pleased Mistress Hellenix more than to parade around her vast mansion wearing a skimpy, barely-there outfit and allowing her multitude of male slaves to kiss her panties—teasing them and denying them sexual release. That was the whole reason for the weekly inspection—that and the fact that she delighted in punishing any slave who displeased her in any real or imagined way.

Knowing all this, Malik had been surprised that she had ordered full coverage panties instead of split ones which would show a tantalizing glimpse of her soft little pussy to her slaves. But he’d been even more surprised that the springy black curls he had removed only the day before had somehow regrown on her soft little mound. How was that possible? And why was his Mistress acting so ill-at-ease and fidgeting with her clothing, paying almost no attention to the statue-slaves instead of preening and parading—putting on a show as she usually did during the inspection?

Her manner had changed completely. He had tested her in the bedroom—daring to lay hands on her when she hadn’t asked him to. When he cupped her bare breast and teased her nipple, she had looked shocked but she hadn’t spoken the pain word to activate his collar. She had, at last, asserted herself, but only after he had pushed her far past any limit he had dared to approach before.

What was going on?

Malik didn’t know but he resolved to keep watching his Mistress and see if he could find out. After all, his entire plan to save his old planet hinged on her. He hadn’t allowed himself to be bought and tortured for so many cycles for nothing—he had a vested interest to protect here.

Resolving to keep a very close eye on her, Malik turned to his Mistress at the end of the long corridor where the slave statues posed. He bowed and opened the door which led to the rest of her mansion.

“If it pleases you, my Mistress, the rest of the slaves await your inspection,” he murmured.

The old Mistress Hellenix would have tossed her head, letting her shiny black hair swing like a curtain of silk, and paraded past him without even acknowledging his words. This new Mistress, however, ducked her head shyly and nodded appreciatively.

“Thank you, Malik,” she murmured, tugging at the neckline of her gown nervously. “I’ll, um, go inspect them then, I guess.”

Malik frowned and nodded for her to pass through the doors, which she did. As he watched her walk, his frown deepened.

Something was definitely wrong and he intended to find out what in the Seven Hells it was.

Nikki couldn’t believe how huge her evil twin’s lair was.

She must be some kind of billionaire businesswoman, she thought, gazing in awe at the luxurious surroundings.

Instead of red and black like the bedroom, the main part of the mansion was decorated in gold and black with black ceilings and walls outlined in what appeared to be solid gold wainscoting and trim. The floor was black marble veined with some golden mineral that glimmered richly and there were vast, elaborate chandeliers made of some topaz-like gem shedding jewel-toned light over everything.

There were more of the golden statue-slaves as well, Nikki saw, all posed in elaborate ways and all with rampant erections poking out obscenely. Cutting her eyes to the left to examine the nearest one, she saw that he had a kind of black band around the base of his shaft which stood out against the gold paint. So that was why all the slaves were hard! But wasn’t it dangerous for them to maintain erections for so long?

She thought about asking Malik but then stopped herself just in time. The real Lady Hellenix wouldn’t give a damn if the cock rings she put on her slaves caused any kind of medical problems. Nikki would just have to hope they were okay, although she couldn’t help feeling worried—she didn’t like to see others in pain.

The black interior of the main hall would have made it seem small and cramped anyplace else. But the fact that it was so large helped offset the grand but gloomy décor. It did, however, give Nikki the feeling of walking through a haunted palace.

There was a raised dais in the center of the room with a large, luxurious chair that was almost more of a couch right in the middle. It was covered in what looked like long black fur but when Nikki climbed the stairs and petted it, she saw it was a kind of grass instead. Cool and ticklish, the individual blades of black grass caressed her palm and twined around her fingers, as though eager to touch her.

Eww! She pulled away quickly. No way was she sitting on that thing! It was way worse than the thirsty bath towel because the blades of grass were so long and wiggly.

“Mistress, do you wish to receive the obeisance of your slaves here or shall we continue the tour?” Malik asked.

Nikki bit her lip—she really wanted to see the rest of the palace or mansion or whatever it was, but she also wanted to get the “obeisance” part over.

“Maybe we can do some of the slaves down here and then continue the tour?” she suggested.

“As you wish, my Mistress. I will call the slaves of the downstairs areas to come to you here and you can see the upstairs slaves when you ascend to the upper level,” he said, nodding respectfully.

“That sounds fine to me.” Nikki nodded but Malik was frowning at her.

“Well? Are you not going to seat yourself on your pleasure throne to greet them as you always do?” he asked.

“Oh, of…of course.” She nodded quickly.

So then, though it was the last thing she wanted to do, she was forced to sit on the weird grassy couch after all.

Nikki settled carefully on the “pleasure throne” and then gasped when the ticklish blades of grass caressed her behind. When Malik gave her a sharp look, she tried to turn the gasp into a cough and look unconcerned. Of course the real Mistress Hellenix wouldn’t be shocked by sitting on her own sofa—or pleasure throne. So she tried to adopt a nonchalant attitude as she lounged on the grassy surface.

But next she felt the long, ticklish grass strands somehow making their way into her panties. She stifled another gasp as they stroked languidly over her mound. What the hell? Was the grass actually supposed to act like this? And how could they be getting through the fabric of her dress?

Looking down and spreading her thighs as inconspicuously as she could, she saw that the slender strands had somehow penetrated the fabric of her red panties, the way grass will grow through a screen outside if it’s allowed to. She would have thought that they would get tangled up in the desire beads but if anything, they seemed to be working with the beads to tease her.

Unfortunately, her new position spread her open in a way that allowed the ticklish grass to get better access to her pussy. Nikki had to bite back a moan as she felt the slender black strands spreading her outer lips and reaching in to caress her clit, adding considerable stimulation on top of the faint vibration of the beads.

Oh my God, this couch is fondling me! What the hell? Where did Mistress Hellenix even find this thing?

She wanted to jump up and get away but she felt frozen to the spot, mesmerized by the sight of the black tendrils invading her panties and under them, her pussy.

“Ah Mistress—I see you are ready to receive obeisance,” Malik remarked.

Nikki jerked her head up and realized that she was just sitting there with her legs spread watching as the weird alien couch molested her.

“Oh, um…actually I was…was about to get up,” she said.

“But the slaves are ready.” Malik motioned to the line of slaves—many of them coated in gold paint but many others in black trousers and with bare chests, as he himself was dressed. Every single one was handsome and muscular though none of them was quite as big and imposing as Malik. And all of them had huge erections—apparently when Mistress Hellenix went slave shopping, she was looking for size.

They were lined up along the wall of the massive room and to Nikki’s discomfort, she counted at least forty of them. And these were only the downstairs slaves! Exactly how rich was her evil twin? How could she afford to own and house and feed so many slaves? And how many more were in the upstairs chambers?

“Mistress?” Malik raised an eyebrow at her and she realized she had been lost in thought as the black grass of the throne-couch continued to stroke her. It was an incredibly embarrassing situation to be in, yet she couldn’t do anything about it without outing herself as an imposter. If only she had never sat down on the damn thing in the first place!

“Um—okay,” she said and cleared her throat, trying to ignore the ticklish way the black tendrils were caressing her clit. “They can, uh, pay me obeisance now.”

“Very good. Then as your primary bodyslave, I will commence.”

Malik ascended the dais and dropped to his knees before her. Before she could stop him, he leaned forward and wound his muscular arms around her thighs, splitting her even wider.

Nikki couldn’t repress a gasp as he pressed a hot kiss to her open pussy through the thin red fabric of her panties. The black grass actually seemed to want to help him reach her because it spread her outer pussy lips wide and pushed the strand of desire beads away so he had free access to her clit. She could even feel a strand of the grass winding around her throbbing button, as though to make it stick out more prominently.

Malik took full advantage of this, molding his lips around her aching little bud through the thin panties and sucking gently. Nikki let out a little moan and found her fingers were buried in his shaggy mane as waves of teasing pleasure shot through her. Between the black grass and his hot, wet mouth pressing against her most sensitive spot with nothing but the cobweb-thin panties between them, she felt like she was just about to lose control—and all while the forty other slaves watched her with avid interest.

It was this last detail that brought her back to her senses. She couldn’t come in public like this—she just couldn’t!

“Malik—Malik, stop,” she exclaimed breathlessly, trying to disentangle herself from the big Kindred’s muscular arms.

Very reluctantly, he drew back, a little frown playing around the corners of his sensuous mouth.

“But I have not even made you come yet, Mistress. Do you not want to begin your inspection with a public orgasm?”

“Absolutely not!” Nikki exclaimed and then remembered who she was supposed to be.

Probably Mistress Hellenix loved coming in public—and the louder the better. But she still couldn’t bring herself to let Malik get her all the way off in front of the forty other slaves who were watching with wide eyes.

“I mean…” She cleared her throat. “I, uh, don’t choose to have a…a public orgasm right now. You may stop, Malik.”

His frown grew but he withdrew from her and stood at attention at the side of the throne-couch instead.

“Very well, Mistress. Then shall I allow the other slaves to come forward and make their obeisance?”

Suddenly Nikki understood what he meant—or thought she did, anyway. Was he really expecting her to sit here, while the couch groped her, and let forty strangers kiss her crotch?

Apparently so, because the first slave in line was already kneeling at the foot of the dais, waiting for his chance to come up and “pay obeisance” to her and the others in line were waiting their turn as well.

Oh no—I can’t do this! I can’t handle it—no way! Letting Malik kiss her was one thing—she was sort of beginning to feel like she knew the big Kindred bodyslave, in a strange way. But she didn’t know these other slaves and she was not interested in the reverse harem situation that Mistress Hellenix seemed to have set up here.

“Actually, you know, I think I’d like to continue the rest of the tour instead,” she said, jumping up. Thankfully, this caused the black grass to release its hold on her instantly and she felt it leave her panties with a profound sense of relief.

“Then do you wish to let the downstairs slaves perform their obeisance later?” Malik asked.

“No,” Nikki said quickly. “These, uh, downstairs slaves are excused from performing obeisance at this time. We can, uh, do it at another time. Maybe during the next inspection.” Which would hopefully only take place after the real Mistress Hellenix was firmly back in place.

“Will you not even allow them to kiss your feet?” Malik asked. “I thought that was why you chose not to wear shoes.”

Nikki hadn’t worn shoes because the big Kindred hadn’t offered her any when he was getting her dressed, so she had assumed that the real Mistress Hellenix just walked around her mansion barefoot for the fun of it. Actually, her toes were kind of cold from the hard marble floor but she didn’t want the slaves slobbering over her feet any more than she’d wanted them kissing her crotch. What kind of a twisted, perverted place was this world where her evil twin lived anyway?

“They don’t need to pay me any obeisance at all,” she said. “Not at this time, anyway. I don’t feel like it.”

Malik frowned and looked like he wanted to say something but Nikki did her best to put an imperious look on her face.

“Malik, please—let’s continue the tour,” she said firmly.

He shrugged, his broad, bare shoulders rolling with the motion.

“As my Mistress wishes. Come.”

He led the way down the dais and Nikki heard him telling the other slaves to disperse and go back to their regular duties. This meant that the golden statue slaves went back to pose on their pedestals and the rest melted away to do whatever domestic tasks they were regularly assigned.

Some of them seemed to be murmuring among themselves and casting covert glances at her as they left but Nikki didn’t care. She gave a little breath of relief when she saw them leaving—at least she didn’t have to worry about forty muscular strangers kissing her crotch now!

“Come, Mistress—the upstairs slaves await,” Malik said, making her feel worried all over again. But what else could she do but follow?

SIX

Malik led the way down the black marble dais and Nikki followed him along the cavernous black and gold room until they came to a vast, curving staircase that extended to the upper floor. As they climbed it, she admired the walls, which were decorated with art. Golden frames stood out against the black background and though she couldn’t make out what the paintings were supposed to be, all of them looked expensive.

Some kind of modern art, I guess, she thought, looking at one which was a series of shifting patterns in pink, blue, and bright green flowing over a black canvas.

At the top of the staircase, she was greeted with another long hallway, lined with more of the golden statue-slaves. But there was something new—the vaulted ceiling high above was clear glass and she could see a cloudy purplish sky.

The long, continuous skylight wasn’t the most interesting thing about the hallway though. Just under the ceiling was a clear tube half filled with pale turquoise liquid. It might have been water but Nikki didn’t like to assume too much after the weird spa treatments. The tube ran the length of the hallway and then took a curving bend around the corner and disappeared in a downwards slant.

Nikki wondered about the tube. Was it part of the immense mansion’s plumbing system? But why would it be there, right out in the open? And what was the use of so much water—if it was water—anyway? Was the opulent dwelling powered hydraulically? She was a naturally curious person and she was itching to ask Malik all about it, but of course she couldn’t. She had to keep playing her part and walk along as though she belonged here when in fact, she felt like a fish out of water.

Not that I couldn’t get used to this kind of luxury, Nikki thought as they toured the upstairs bathing suite, which featured a sauna, a massive hot tub, a padded black massage table, and a solarium filled with hundreds of leafy, exotic-looking plants in various shades of green, blue, purple, and turquoise.

“Would you care for a massage before dining tonight, Mistress?” Malik asked as the various slaves who worked in the bathing suite bowed low before her.

“Um, maybe later,” Nikki said. In fact, she would have loved a massage—she usually got one once a year because Gary and the kids would give her a certificate for Christmas or Mother’s Day—but she always chose a female massage therapist. And since there were nothing but male slaves, she decided against it. Besides, she preferred to keep her clothes on in Mistress Hellenix’s house, where the furniture fondled you and everyone was so eager to press their lips to your panties.

Speaking of that, every room they stopped in, Malik asked her if she wished the slaves to perform obeisance to her and in every room, Nikki declined.

“Later—they can do it on the next inspection,” she told Malik, who seemed more and more disturbed that she was turning down this sign of respect that Mistress Hellenix apparently demanded. But Nikki couldn’t help herself—she simply didn’t want a bunch of strangers pushing their faces into her crotch! Was it so much to ask that she be left alone?

Apparently so because the big Kindred had a constant frown on his face as he led her through the inspection.

There were plenty of bedrooms—or sleeping chambers, as Malik called them—and each one had their own bathroom (though not quite as opulent as the bathing suite, they still all featured vast, round marble tubs and private saunas) as well as a slave to tend them.

Nikki wondered again about how rich her doppelganger was. Why did Mistress Hellenix need a slave for every single bedroom? Did she have guests over often? What did the slaves do with themselves when there weren’t any guests? She had counted forty slaves downstairs and at least another thirty up here. Why would one woman need seventy people to wait on her?

There was a Vid room, which appeared to be a private movie theater, a game room, which included several board games Nikki had never seen before as well as a long alley with round blue balls at the end. The set up reminded her a little of bowling but there were no holes in the balls and when she picked one up, it wasn’t heavy at all. In fact, it threatened to float away from her hand, it was so light.

“Do you wish to play a game of hard-shaft?” Malik asked her. Before she could answer, three slaves—all of them completely naked—had run to take their places at the end of the alley. They stood at rigid attention, like human bowling pins, their chins lifted, their expressions blank.

They were the first slaves she had seen, Nikki thought, that didn’t have either cages around their privates or massive, raging erections. Honestly, she had seen more penises today than she’d seen throughout all of high school and college! And absolutely all of Mistress Hellenix’s slaves were well-endowed. Either alien men were just well-hung, or her evil twin was a size queen.

“Oh, uh—okay.” Experimentally, Nikki leaned down, still holding the ball. There were three colored stripes painted on the long alley and she picked the middle one—which was purple—and rolled the ball down it.

She half expected the ball to leave the alley and float up into the air but the purple stripe seemed to have some kind of magnetic property because the ball stuck to the alley all the way down until it bounced up at the very end where the stripe ended.

Nikki watched as the blue ball took a hop into the air and adhered itself to the middle slave’s crotch. He gave a muffled gasp and went rigid at once. When he pulled the ball away, she saw that his formerly soft member had stiffened into a full erection.

“A good shot, my Mistress,” Malik said politely. “You haven’t lost your touch.”

“I, uh, guess not,” Nikki murmured. At least now she knew why the game was called “hard-shaft.”

She declined to play any more and they went on through several other rooms until they came to a kind of salon that had the most amazing ceiling Nikki had ever seen. It was glass, crowded with jewel-tone objects in all shapes and sizes. Beneath it was a large round piece of furniture that seemed to be somewhere between a bed and a bench. It curved in the middle and was padded so that you could lie on it and look up without craning your neck, Nikki saw. Also, it was slowly rotating around and around.

“Ah—the relaxation grotto,” Malik rumbled and looked around, a frown creasing his face. “But where is Ugger, the attendant?”

Nikki didn’t know and didn’t care—she suddenly felt exhausted and just wanted to lie on the rotating bed-bench and look up at the fabulous ceiling.

Well why shouldn’t I? I’m the Mistress here, right? I should get to do what I want.

She settled back carefully on the slowly rotating platform and looked up. The upper curve of the bench supported her head and she was able to study the amazing ceiling above which looked like shapes made from blown glass—except the shapes kept changing.

Cobalt blue spheres curved into amethyst purple pyramids which in turn melted into fiery red cubes and vermillion rectangular boxes. From somewhere behind her, soft music was playing—a low, tantalizing flute and the deep sound of intermittent drumming. Even the air smelled nice—a soft, sweet scent a bit like a mixture of lavender and honeysuckle filled her senses and made her feel relaxed and calm.

“Ohhhhh,” Nikki breathed. “This is amazing—I think it’s my favorite room in the entire house.”

“Really?” Malik sounded like he was frowning again. “I thought you only had it installed to show off the living jewel ceiling that cost you so much? You told me once that it was the most impressive room in the mansion—and the most boring at the same time.”

“Did I say that?” Nikki tried to keep her tone relaxed and honestly she didn’t have to try very hard. The shifting, melting shapes in the ceiling seemed to have a calming, almost soporific effect. Like visual valium, she thought dreamily.

“Yes, you did, Mistress,” Malik growled.

Nikki shrugged, never taking her eyes from the constantly shifting ceiling.

“I must have been having a bad day. This is really quite lovely.”

She wished she had someplace to relax like this back home. A room to herself where the kids weren’t always barging in—the way Gary had his “man cave.” How come you never heard of a “woman cave?” she wondered. Why did men get space to themselves and women just had to make do? It really wasn’t fair…

“I will go and search for Ugger, the attendant,” Malik said, breaking her train of thought. “He should be here—he knows it is time for the weekly inspection. Such disrespect cannot be allowed, Mistress.”

“Okay, fine…” Nikki waved a hand languidly. “Go ahead and do that.” She was feeling more and more relaxed as the padded bench-bed revolved and the living jewels, as Malik had called them, continued to glow and shift and meld and change. She could feel her whole body relaxing, her legs turning to melted butter as her thighs opened and her muscles went limp…

Suddenly something shoved between her legs and started vigorously nuzzling her unprotected pussy.

“What?” Nikki gasped, jumping up. To her horror, she saw a strange man was rooting around between her legs. He was pressing his face to her panties and trying to push them to one side with his tongue while he breathed heavily on her crotch.

He looked up for a moment, his eyes wild. He had long, greasy black hair and a swarthy, thuggish face.

“You love it, don’t you Mistress? You love it when Ugger turns the tables on you,” he rasped. “Just had to wait until that fuckin’ Kindred got out of the way to make my move. Lay back and enjoy it while Ugger gives you the tonging of your life!”

Then he ducked back down and started mauling her panties vigorously with his mouth.

“No—no I don’t want that! Stop it—get off me!” Nikki pounded on his broad, bare shoulders but there was no stopping him—he seemed determined to orally violate her and she wasn’t strong enough to push him off.

“Help!” She shrieked, fishtailing wildly beneath the strange man. “Help me!”

Suddenly Malik was there, looming above her. He seized the other male by his long, greasy black hair and dragged him, protesting, off of Nikki.

“What in the Seven Hells do you think you’re doing, Ugger?” he growled. “Didn’t you hear your Mistress saying no?”

“She likes it like that—rough and unexpected.” The man called Ugger shrugged sullenly. Nikki thought he looked like the bad guy in a movie about motorcycle gangs and drug lords.

“I don’t care what she’s allowed you to do in the past, if she says stop, you fucking well stop,” Malik snapped, shaking him like a rag doll. He looked at Nikki. “Mistress—what punishment do you desire for this miscreant?”

“P-punishment?” Nikki stuttered. She was still trying to get her breath back and rearranging her clothes. She’d had a guy try to date rape her once in college but she’d gotten away in a moment of luck with only a sprained wrist to show for it. That same, shaky feeling she remembered from that attack had come over her now—her heart was pounding and her hands felt like ice. Her stomach was churning and she wasn’t sure if she might be sick or not.

“Of course. Such behavior cannot go unpunished—he was trying to violate you.” Malik shook the other male again and Nikki saw something strange—tiny little sparks of electricity like miniature lightning bolts seemed to crackle from the fingertips of the hand that wasn’t holding Ugger by the hair. Even stranger, she could have sworn she saw sparks shooting from his silver eyes as well. What was going on?

But there was no way she could ask why he was suddenly shooting lightning from his fingertips and eyes—presumably the real Mistress Hellenix would know. She wished she’d had a chance to find out more about the big Kindred before the E’lo stones had cut off their conversation. But in the meantime, Malik was looking at her expectantly, clearly waiting for her to pronounce a punishment.

“Um…lock him up,” she said, hoping it was the right choice. “And um, feed him on bread and water,” she added. She got an uncomfortable feeling when she saw Malik frown and shake his head.

“For trying to violate you when you were telling him no, all you wish is a stay in the dungeons? A normal punishment for such a crime would be gelding at the very least,” he exclaimed. “It is not my place to say, Mistress, but I don’t understand why you’re so lenient on this bastard.” He shook Ugger again and the other man spat on the floor and glared up at him.

“You’re just jealous, Kindred! Because the Mistress lets me play rough with her and makes you watch. Admit it—you hate it when she lets other males eat her pussy and only gives you the rod.”

“Shut your mouth,” Malik growled, his silver eyes glowing with anger. “Or I swear to the Goddess, I will end your miserable existence here and now!”

“No killing!” Nikki said quickly. “We can talk about, uh, gelding later. Just…just take him to the dungeons for now.” Speaking of which, she hoped Mistress Hellenix had a dungeon in the first place—but it didn’t seem like too far of a stretch, considering the kind of woman she was.

“Very well.” Malik tapped a button on the wall and called for two security slaves to come. They arrived at once and he handed Ugger over to them. “The Mistress wishes this slave to be locked in the dungeon and fed short rations for a time. Take him quickly.”

“Yes, Malik.” They saluted him and then bowed low to Nikki before dragging off the protesting slave.

As soon as they were gone, Malik turned back to her, his face like a thundercloud.

“I always said you were too lenient with him and allowed him too much freedom with your body, Mistress,” he growled. “And now look what has come of it! Ugger has committed what ought to be a flogging or gelding offense and your response is simply to lock him away for a time. Why do you treat him with such leniency? Is it simply to torment me? I know you like to allow some males to take liberties with you but I don’t understand this decision!”

Nikki didn’t know what to say. Apparently Ugger had “taken liberties” with Mistress Hellenix before and the alien dominatrix had allowed it. But why?

Maybe to make Malik jealous? whispered a little voice in her head. Ugger did say that she made him watch.

“I…I’m just not in a flogging or, uh, gelding mood today,” she said, trying to sound offhand and slightly irritated like the real Mistress Hellenix might in this situation. “But thank you for rescuing me,” she added sincerely. “Really, if you hadn’t come along when you did, Malik, I don’t…don’t know what might have happened.”

She shivered at the thought. Having the greasy Ugger between her thighs had been completely different from when Malik had bent to pay her his obeisance. The big Kindred’s touch sent shivers of desire down her spine—Ugger’s completely disgusted her.

“You are most welcome, Mistress.” His tone softened somewhat although there was a puzzled, almost angry look in his silver eyes. “But I worry what might happen when word gets out that you aren’t requiring slaves to pay you obeisance and you gave Ugger such a light punishment. You maintain a delicate balance between fear and defiance in this house, as you have often said yourself.”

He looked so serious that she couldn’t help being worried. But at least he had stopped shooting the miniature lightning bolts out of his eyes and fingers, Nikki noticed.

“I’m sorry if you don’t approve of my methods but I am the Mistress here, Malik,” she said, trying to make her voice as firm as possible and sound like the real Mistress Hellenix. “Which means I will do things the way I see fit.”

“Yes, Mistress—of course you will. You always do,” he rumbled, bowing his head.

“Thank you. Now let’s finish this inspection,” she said, getting out of the padded bench-bed with some difficulty, since it kept rotating. She couldn’t feel relaxed here anymore—not since the crazy attack. She just hoped Mistress Hellenix didn’t have any other sex-starved, crotch-diving lunatics running around her mansion!

“Yes, Mistress. As you wish,” Malik growled and led the way out of the relaxation grotto.

SEVEN

What could his Mistress be thinking? Malik couldn’t understand her today at all! First, she refused to allow the slaves to make obeisance to her—which was usually one of her favorite activities and the whole point of the inspection. Then, she allowed that miscreant Ugger to get away with assaulting her with no more than a tap on the wrist! And now she was acting as if nothing had happened.

None of this boded well for her, as he well knew. If the rank and file slaves—almost all of whom hated her passionately for her cruel treatment of them—started to get the idea that their Mistress was going soft, a rebellion wouldn’t be far behind.

Malik had seen such things happen at other Yonnite Mistress’s domiciles but he had never expected to have to worry about it here. Mistress Hellenix was usually so stern that if a slave even breathed wrong, she had him up on the punishment cross or tied to the whipping post in a heartbeat. But now she seemed completely different.

It wasn’t just her attitude about obeisance and punishment that had changed, either. She seemed surprised at things in her own home. Things that she had previously taken for granted or even been bored by—such as the living jewel ceiling in the relaxation grotto—now delighted and impressed her. Previously she had been extremely difficult to please—now she seemed thrilled just to be in her own mansion. How could that be?

Maybe she really did hit her head and it truly changed her personality, Malik thought, watching her as they walked down to the end of the hall to the slide room to conclude the tour. He had heard of such things happening before, though he had always taken such stories with a grain of salt. How could a simple knock on the head produce such extreme results?

He didn’t know and there was nothing he could do at the moment but just keep watching to see how else his Mistress had changed.

They walked into the slide room, which held the end of the vast glass tubing that ran the length of the entire upstairs hallway. There were a set of steps which led up to the mouth of the tube and an attendant standing by. He dropped to his knees respectfully when Mistress Hellenix came in and started to crawl towards her but Malik stopped him.

“The Mistress is not receiving obeisance at this time, L’rn,” he told the slave.

“She isn’t?” The slave looked up, an expression of confusion on his face. “Then is my Lady here to take a slide into the dreaming pool?” he asked, looking at their Mistress.

Mistress Hellenix’s face broke into a sunny smile Malik had never seen before. It made her haughty features positively beautiful, so much so that he had to look away. He was conflicted enough in his feelings for her—hating her personality and desiring her body. He didn’t need to start having feelings that were other than physical for his cruel Mistress.

“Oh—like a waterslide!” she exclaimed, looking up at the tube. Then she must have seen Malik frowning because she made a visible effort to straighten her features and said, “Um, maybe later when I have my suit on.”

“Your suit, Mistress?” L’rn, the attendant, looked confused. As well he might since Mistress Hellenix never wore any kind of suit to swim in. She preferred to be naked, saying that it allowed the healing waters of the dreaming pool to better penetrate her pores. It also allowed her to flaunt herself to the male slaves—something she loved since she was an avowed exhibitionist.

“Yes—you know, a bathing suit?” she asked now, frowning. “I mean, the, uh, outfit I wear when I go swimming. You know what I mean.”

“No, he doesn’t Mistress since you prefer to swim in the nude,” Malik said flatly.

“I do?” She looked surprised. “I mean, of course I do,” she added, clearly trying to sound self-assured—which was something the old Mistress Hellenix never had to work at a bit. She was the very definition of arrogant self-certainty. Why had she changed so drastically? And how could she forget that she liked to swim in the nude?

“You do,” Malik reminded her, frowning. “You enjoy showing your luscious bare curves off to the pool attendant slaves who are never allowed a release unless you give them the order while they watch you swim.”

“So they jerk off to my naked body while I’m swimming?” Her face went crimson which was another surprise. The old Mistress Hellenix was so jaded nothing in the world could make her blush. This new Mistress seemed easily embarrassed—it was so strange, Malik thought.

“It is the only release they are allowed, Mistress,” he reminded her. “You control the orgasms of every male here.”

Her eyes widened. “Every male here? All seventy of them?”

“You own one hundred and twenty-five slaves, Mistress,” Malik said blandly. “And none of them is allowed to come without your say-so.” He looked at the slide room attendant. “L’rn, when is the last time you had a sexual release?”

The slave dropped his eyes to the throbbing erection which poked from his leather trousers.

“It was six solar months ago when my Mistress was feeling generous,” he said softly. “She allowed me to remove the stay-hard band from my shaft and look at her lovely naked body while I stroked myself to completion at her feet. Then she went swimming in the dreaming pool,” he added, looking up again.

“Oh my…” Mistress Hellenix’s voice sounded faint and her blush had gotten darker so that her pale cheeks glowed with it. “I…I don’t…” She cleared her throat. “I don’t remember that at all.”

“I am but an insignificant slave among many, Mistress,” L’rn murmured. “It is not surprising that you should forget me.”

“Well, I don’t want you to feel like you don’t count,” Mistress Hellenix said earnestly. “And you look like you’re in, uh, pain.” Her eyes flickered to the slave’s throbbing erection and away again. “You have my permission to, uh, relieve yourself,” she said.

“Oh, thank you, Mistress!” L’rn grasped his shaft in a loose fist but Mistress Hellenix put out a hand to stop him.

“Um, wait until I leave, please,” she said politely.

L’rn frowned. “Then…you do not wish to show me your body as I stroke myself?”

“Show you my…” Mistress Hellenix coughed, her voice coming out somewhat choked. “No,” she said at last. “No, I’m sorry but…you’ll have to manage on your own.”

Then she fled the room as though she wished to get away before L’rn started pleasuring himself again.

Malik shook his head as he followed her. Previously allowing a slave to bring himself to completion while she let him admire her body had been on his Mistress’s short list of favorite things to do. Especially since she often let a slave get right to the edge and then forced him to stop before coming.

Gods, how often had she done that to him? Malik couldn’t even count the times. She liked to keep her slaves sexually hungry for her, even though they hated her. It was a bizarre and unhealthy relationship—one he couldn’t wait to be away from. But he had to use her to get access to Uriel Two before he could leave. Which was never going to happen in her current, timid state.

It was like she had become a whole different person. Malik wondered again if she had somehow been replaced by an imposter. But how was that possible?

He had to find out what was going on.

A thought suddenly occurred to him as they neared the bathing suite. He wanted to see how far he could push his new Mistress—wanted to test her boundaries. He needed to know what he was working with, now that the rules of their private, sadistic little game had apparently changed. And he needed to know if he was still dealing with the real Mistress Hellenix or not.

“Time for your pre-dinner massage, Mistress,” Malik said as they came up to the bathing suite again.

“What? No—I told you, I don’t, uh, want a massage right now,” Nikki protested nervously.

The big Kindred frowned at her.

“Mistress, I am beginning to wonder about you. First you refuse to let the slaves to make obeisance, then you allow Ugger to get away on a gelding offense with no more than a gentle reprimand, and now you are refusing your pre-dinner massage which you always have! It’s almost like you have become a different person since your rejuvenation treatment this afternoon.”

Nikki felt as though an icy hand was squeezing her throat. He’s on to you, whispered a little voice in her head. He knows! Quick—do something to convince him that you’re the real Mistress Hellenix.

“Oh, you don’t have to worry about me,” she said, trying to sound calm and failing miserably, she was afraid. “And you’re right—I do want my regular massage. I just…” She cleared her throat. “I don’t really want, uh, strangers—strange slaves, I mean—putting their hands on me. I’m just…not in the mood for it now.” She nodded at the bathing attendants—all muscular males dressed in white trousers and nothing else—with huge erections sticking out of their pants.

“You need have no fear of that,” Malik said calmly. “I am the one who always administers your massage, after all. You always prefer me to do it.”

“Oh, of course I do.”

Nikki couldn’t help thinking she was really making a mess of this. She hoped that Mistress Hellenix was doing a better job passing herself off as Nikki than Nikki was doing at passing herself off as the alien dominatrix. As though in answer to her question, she had a brief mental image—almost a flash—of Mistress Hellenix glaring coolly at Missy Cannon and then turning to charm Mr. Ray at Rosy Ray’s Realty with a cruel smile. Then the flash was gone and she was on her own again in her evil twin’s lair.

“You know,” she said, trying to make an excuse. “That knock on the head I took earlier in the bathtub—I mean the blood tub—really seems to have scrambled my memory.”

“That much is obvious,” Malik said shortly. “Come, Mistress—shall I clear the bathing suite of the rest of the attendants so that we can have privacy for your massage?”

“Oh yes—yes, that sounds like a good idea.” Nikki nodded eagerly. At least she wouldn’t have an audience while he rubbed her down. And since Mistress Hellenix apparently enjoyed letting her slaves jerk off to the sight of her naked body, Nikki was twice as glad he was clearing the room. The thought of lying bare on a massage table while strange men stroked themselves and watched her was creepy beyond words.

With a wave of his hand, Malik dismissed the other slaves who left speedily, emptying the massive bathing suite so that it was just the two of them.

Nikki looked around. To the right was the hot tub and the sauna. To the left was a private alcove with the massage table, padded in black and draped with a crimson sheet.

The space was suffused in soft, golden light from intricate-looking golden wall fixtures set into the corners but the red sheet made Nikki think of the blood bath she’d taken earlier too. Somehow the effect managed to be both inviting and foreboding at the same time.

Much like Malik himself, she couldn’t help thinking.

“Now, Mistress,” he purred, turning towards her with a strange light in his silver eyes which made Nikki feel rather nervous. “May I undress you as I always do, and get you ready for your massage?”

“Um… I guess so.” It seemed like there was no getting out of being topless around the big Kindred, Nikki thought nervously. It was a little better now that there weren’t a bunch of strange slaves standing around watching, but she couldn’t help wondering exactly how far Mistress Hellenix usually went with her primary bodyslave. She seemed to remember her doppelganger declaring that she would not allow any male to penetrate her but did she and Malik have some kind of special arrangement?

Before she could wonder anything else, Malik was slipping the revealing red dress from her shoulders and kneeling before her to remove her panties.

“Oh, do…do I have to be completely naked?” Nikki asked breathlessly. She always kept her underwear on during her yearly massage back home.

“Naturally, Mistress. How else can I reach your more delicate areas otherwise?” Malik murmured, looking up at her. Although he didn’t have to look too far—he was so tall that even kneeling they were almost eye-to-eye.

“I, uh…okay.” Nikki knew she wasn’t projecting the confidence her evil twin no doubt had in spades, but she couldn’t help it. She and Gary had started dating in high school and had married in college. He had taken her virginity on prom night in senior year and in all their time together, she had never been with another man—or let another man see her naked.

Well, I’m not going to be with another man now, either, she told herself firmly. Just because she was going to let the huge Kindred undress her and rub his big hands all over her body, didn’t mean she was going to do anything else. And anyway, even if she did, she was practically divorced at this point—so it wouldn’t really be cheating. Not that anyone would blame her for cheating considering what Gary had been doing…

“So beautiful, my Mistress,” Malik murmured, breaking into her endlessly circling thoughts as he pulled down her panties. “How I love your lush, full curves. You are what my people call an ‘Elite’—a female whom the Goddess has blessed with extra bounty. Have I ever told you that before?”

“Um…if you have, I don’t remember,” Nikki said carefully. At least the weird rejuvenation treatment she’d gone through had somehow erased the stretchmarks on her tummy from her two pregnancies, she reflected. How in the world had the strange combinations of fluids managed that? Maybe she didn’t really want to know…

“Mistress, if you don’t mind me saying, it seems that your mind is far away,” Malik murmured, frowning a little. “Are you having trouble staying in the moment with me?”

Actually, she was, Nikki realized. Her brain was doing what it always did when she felt uncertain or ambivalent about anything sexy—it was running in a never-ending loop of thoughts and worries that was incredibly difficult to shut off.

“I…I’m just too much in my head right now,” she confessed to Malik. “Sorry.”

He frowned. “Do you know, Mistress, that you have apologized to me more today than you have in all the time since you bought me from the Blood Circuit?”

“Have I? Oh, I’m s—I mean isn’t that interesting?” God, she was screwing this up—she had nearly apologized again. She had to stop being her mousy self and try to act more like the real Mistress Hellenix! “When does the massage start?” she asked, trying to sound more confident.

But she couldn’t ignore the way the big Kindred was so close to her, kneeling in front of her naked body as he was, and looking up at her. She could feel his hot breath against her skin and his warm, spicy, slightly electrical scent was in the air again, making her dizzy. Her nipples were tight and tingling and she had to press her thighs together because she felt so hot and wet between her legs.

“Now, Mistress,” he rumbled. Rising to his feet, he swung her into his arms and deposited her onto the black padded massage table, face down, before she could protest.

“Oh!” Nikki felt rather breathless but before she could say anything about warning her the next time he intended to pick her up, two big, warm hands were suddenly on her shoulders rubbing in long, slow strokes that seemed to turn her body to butter.

“Ohhhh,” she said again, but this time the word was almost a moan. Malik was rubbing some kind of silky lotion on her skin, his big hands moving from the tops of her shoulders, all the way down to the small of her back and then back up again.

“You’re so tense, Mistress,” he remarked, sounding like he might be frowning. “There are knots here I don’t remember you having before.”

Nikki felt a surge of alarm.

“Oh well, you know. I guess it’s just…been a while since I had a massage,” she said.

“But Mistress, I massage you every day at this time,” the big Kindred rumbled, still rubbing up and down her back with slow strokes.

“Oh yes, I meant to say, it feels like a long time,” Nikki corrected hastily. But inside she was amazed.

Did her evil twin really get this amazing treatment every single day? What a life she must lead! Then again, with no kids to chase after or husband to worry about and with over a hundred slaves to wait on her so she didn’t have to do any housework or get groceries or do laundry, she probably had time to live a life of ease and luxury. Not to mention money—Mistress Hellenix was clearly extremely wealthy.

“It feels to me as though you haven’t been massaged in a long time, too.” He began working on her arms, his huge hands rubbing away the tension in a professional way. “You have so much built up tension here, what you really need is a deep tissue massage,” he remarked.

“Isn’t that painful?” Nikki asked, cracking open one eye and turning her head to look at him uncertainly.

Malik frowned.

“It certainly is but you always say it is the good kind of pain.”

“Well, I’d rather not have any kind of pain at all right now, if you don’t mind, Malik,” she said, trying to make her voice firm. “Just give me a—” She almost said “Swedish massage” before she caught herself. “A regular massage for relaxation.”

“As you wish, my Mistress. I live only to obey your every whim,” he rumbled. “Please just relax and let yourself be calm as I work on you.”

And work on her he certainly did. His palms and fingers seemed to have an almost electrical tingle to them—Nikki felt like she was being massaged and vibrated at the same time, if that made any sense. Which it probably didn’t but this felt so good it was hard to care if she was making sense or not.

She had never had a massage like this one—never. And it wasn’t just because she’d never had a male massage therapist before, either—though there was no denying that Malik’s extra-large, extra-warm hands made the experience much nicer that her usual yearly treat. But there was something in the way he touched her—a reverence and a desire to please and to pleasure that Nikki had never felt before.

She supposed it had something to do with the fact that instead of getting an impersonal rub down by a therapist who saw many people every day, she was being tended by Mistress Hellenix’s personal slave who knew her body intimately and knew exactly what to do to relax her.

In fact, she was so relaxed that as Malik finished her legs and feet and moved back up to pay special attention to her ass, she barely even flinched when he cupped the twin globes of her buttocks in his big hands and began to rub firmly. It was all just part of the massage, she told herself—no big deal. Everything was fine…

“…Mistress,” his deep voice rumbled and Nikki realized she had drifted into a kind of happy dream where she actually did get a massage like this every day and there were people to wait on her hand and foot, instead of her real life, where she waited on her entire family herself with little to no recognition or appreciation day in and day out.

“I’m sorry—what?” she murmured.

“I said, please part your thighs that I might begin your inner massage, Mistress,” he repeated.

“Oh, um…inner massage?” Suddenly Nikki felt much more awake.

Malik must have felt the nervous tension in her body.

“Why are you suddenly tense again?” he asked, sounding mystified. “This is your favorite part of the massage, Mistress.”

“Oh yes…yes, of course.” Forcing herself to relax, Nikki spread her thighs as he had requested and held her breath as his big, warm hands began rubbing deeper between her legs.

“Very good,” he murmured and then she felt the broad pads of his thumbs press against her outer pussy lips as he began to rub her there. “Just relax, Mistress, and let me in.”

Nikki tried to relax again but she couldn’t quite manage it. His hands on such an intimate area felt both pleasurable and dangerous at the same time. Also, the electrical buzzing seemed to have intensified—at least in his fingertips. It was like someone was rubbing her gently but firmly with a warm, living vibrator—many vibrators, she thought, since his fingers were all giving off the tingling buzz.

His thumbs continued to press in and rub out, over and over, and she could feel him spreading her pussy a little more open with each stroke. The sensation made her incredibly hot until her breath began coming in short, little pants and she could barely keep her hips still.

In fact, she wasn’t keeping them still, she realized after a moment. Her hips were rolling up with each movement of his big hands and her thighs were spreading wider while her pelvis tilted back, almost as though she was intent on giving the Kindred bodyslave some kind of erotic show. She tried to stop herself when she realized what she was doing but somehow she couldn’t quite manage to.

“Mmm, Mistress,” Malik murmured as he continued to rub her. “I don’t remember the last time you enjoyed my hands on you so much. Am I giving you pleasure?”

“Y-yes,” Nikki stuttered. “Yes, you…you are. So much pleasure.”

“And shall I continue with the deeper massage?” he asked, his voice a soft, deep growl.

Nikki knew she ought to ask what the “deeper massage” involved but at that point she didn’t care. She was having the most erotic experience of her entire life and she didn’t want it to stop. For the first time in years her body felt alive and awake—sensitive and capable of both giving and receiving pleasure.

She just wanted more.

“Yes,” she whispered, spreading her thighs even wider for him. “Yes, Malik—do it. Give me the deeper massage—the deepest massage possible.”

“As my lady wishes,” he growled and then two long fingers slid into her inner folds and Malik began an expert massage of her throbbing clit.

Nikki moaned breathlessly as she felt his thick digits bracket her hot little button. He didn’t try to jab or rub directly on the sensitive bundle of nerves, which was the mistake Gary always made. Instead, he kept up slow, maddening, indirect contact as he continued to slide back and forth, making Nikki feel almost crazy. The electrical vibration of his fingers seemed to intensify too, making the pleasure build and build.

“Malik,” she moaned, hardly knowing what she was saying. “Malik please—I’m so close.”

“I know you are, Mistress,” he rumbled confidently. “I know exactly how to make you come. Tell me something though—before I bring you all the way, do you wish the forbidden massage as well?”

“For-forbidden?” Nikki stuttered, turning her head to look at him. He was standing right behind her, still stroking her open pussy firmly with two long fingers as they spoke.

“Yes, Mistress.” His silver eyes seemed to shoot sparks of lightning again. “Do you wish me to penetrate you as I make you come?”

“Penetrate me?” Nikki felt her stomach clench in a mixture of desire and fear. “You mean with…with your, uh, cock?” she asked, finally getting the words out.

Malik shook his head and looked shocked.

“Of course not, Mistress! Everyone knows a true Yonnite Mistress will never allow a male to penetrate her pussy with his shaft. In fact, she is not supposed to allow any kind of male penetration to take place—which is why I must ask if you wish me to put my fingers deep in your pussy as I make you come, before I do it. Most Mistresses will not permit it but you do, on occasion, ask for it.”

“Yes,” Nikki said, almost before he finished speaking. “Yes, Malik please! Give me…give me the forbidden massage,” she almost moaned.

“As my Mistress wishes,” he growled softly and then his other hand moved and two more long, thick fingers found their way into her pussy—this time sliding deep in her channel to fill her to the core.

“Now come, Mistress,” he rumbled, thrusting deeply into her. “Come hard for me while I fuck your soft little pussy with my fingers. Come all over my hand!”

Nikki gasped and felt her body obeying his orders. Her orgasm washed over her like a warm flood as her body stiffened and her inner walls clamped down on his fingers, almost milking them as she came harder than she ever had in her life. Bright lights flashed behind her tightly clenched eyes.

Fireworks, she thought wildly as the display went on and on. I’m actually seeing fireworks, he’s making me come so hard! That’s crazy!

But crazy or not, it seemed to go on and on—longer than any orgasm she’d ever had.

“Oh!” she cried, her entire body clenched into a fist of overwhelming pleasure. “Oh God, Malik—yes. Don’t stop! There—right there!”

“Don’t worry, Mistress—I won’t stop until you are fully satisfied,” he murmured and continued to pet and stroke and penetrate her pussy until Nikki thought she was losing her mind with pleasure.

She had never been multi-orgasmic before but she lost count of the number of times she came before the big Kindred finally withdrew his fingers, leaving her limp and panting on the massage table.

But as the pleasure ebbed away, something else began to flow inside her—emotions began to fill her in a way she didn’t understand. She had just had the most intensely sexual experience of her life and it left her stripped bare internally as well as externally. Suddenly everything felt very close to the surface.

Nikki gave a little gasp…and somehow it turned into a sob. She covered her mouth quickly but another sob broke free…and then another. It was as though the massive release her body had just experienced had called forth a similar response in her soul and just at the moment, she had a lot of feelings rushing through her all at once.

Fear that Malik would find out she wasn’t his real Mistress and kill her…fear also that she would never get home to see her kids—those were uppermost in her mind. But there were deeper emotions coming to the surface too—anger and hurt at Gary’s betrayal of their marriage. She hadn’t even cried when he’d handed her the divorce papers—she’d been too stunned to cry. And later she had just felt numb.

Now she cried for the loss of a spouse who—if she was honest with herself—had been lost a long time before he’d ever handed her those papers. She cried for her children’s loss of a father. Gary was going to be out of their lives just when they needed a positive male role model the most. How was she going to manage as a single mom and where would she move all of them, since they were going to be forced to get out of the house?

As a realtor, she knew very well there were no good properties near the boys’ schools that she could afford on her own. They were going to have to go to the bad side of town where the schools were much worse and who knew what would happen to the twins and Jude then? Jude was already running with a bad crowd—how much worse would the kids be at the new school he would be forced to move to? And she had a hard enough time getting services for her twins even in the good part of Tampa. How would she ever get them the speech therapy and intervention they needed in a poorer district?

Also, there was no way she’d even make enough to rent even a crappy apartment if Missy didn’t stop stealing her commissions!

What was going to happen to her if and when she ever got back to Earth? How could she feed and care for her family and where would they all live? It was too much—too much.

“Mistress?” Malik touched her uncertainly on the back and Nikki knew she shouldn’t be crying. Probably the real Mistress Hellenix never showed this kind of weakness. But it was like a dam had burst inside her—as much as she tried, she simply couldn’t stop.

“Mistress, did I hurt you?” Malik murmured, sounding alarmed.

Nikki shook her head.

“N-n-no,” she finally managed to get out. “Just can’t help…” But then she broke down again, sobs drowning out her words. There was no way to explain, anyway—it would only blow her cover if she told the big Kindred why she was so upset. Instead, she curled up into a ball of abject misery on the table and tried to hide her face in her hands.

Malik draped a crimson sheet over her and then, to her surprise, he picked her up off the table as easily as she herself might pick up a young child. Quietly, he walked over to a broad black leather couch that sat beside the sauna and settled himself on it with Nikki still in his arms. Then he simply held her close and rubbed her shoulders, letting her cry.

Nikki didn’t question this sudden kindness—she was too upset to make sense out of anything. Instead she pressed her face to his broad, bare chest and let her pain and fear and worry take over until, at last, she felt all played out.

It seemed to take forever but finally her sobs dried up and she was able to take a deep trembling breath and wipe her eyes on the sheet. She didn’t know what Malik must think of her now—she hoped she hadn’t completely given herself away. But she hadn’t been able to control herself.

There were years of pain and neglect bottled up inside her—years of feeling taken advantage of and taken for granted. Years of always putting herself last and never getting any respect or admiration for the way she kept everyone and everything running on time and in order in her house and family.

Everybody always told you to take time for self-care but that was a laugh, Nikki thought resentfully. When, exactly were you supposed to make time for massages and nights out with the girls and pedicures and trips to the spa between housework and homework and cooking and laundry?

And even if she’d had the time, where was the money to pay for all those self-care sessions? One of the kids always needed new shoes or new clothes or braces and though Gary made sure to buy himself new golf clubs and often stopped off for a drink with his buddies, he never bothered to make sure that Nikki got any similar treatment or nice new things she might want herself.

Her life was just a rat-race—doing the same things over and over again for no pay and no thanks and no time off, ever.

I’m no better off than one of these slaves living in Mistress Hellenix’s palace, she thought. After all, most of them just have a single duty to do, like posing as a statue or looking after a single room. I have to do everything all the time and I’m just so damn tired of it!

She wondered how Mistress Hellenix was managing back on Earth. Nikki bet she hadn’t had a breakdown—her evil twin struck her as a stone-cold bitch—someone who wouldn’t cry even under torture.

For a moment she had another flash—a mental image of the dominatrix pointing a finger at Gary who was staring at her with an open mouth and a look of shock on his face. Mistress Hellenix was gesturing at him—pointing at the ground at her feet. After a moment, Nikki realized the other woman was telling him to kneel.

Gary shook his head, a confused frown on his face.

“What are you crazy?” Nikki could almost hear him saying. “I’m not going to kneel to you. What are you talking about, Nikki?”

“You’ll call me Mistress from now on, you scum.” Then the Yonnite Mistress pulled a riding crop out from under her arm. Nikki recognized it as part of a costume from a school play Jude had been in during his elementary school days. He’d been a jockey or something like that. Where in the world had the alien dominatrix found it?

It didn’t matter where she had found it though—the main thing was, she looked fully prepared to use it. And by the light of desperation dawning in Gary’s eyes, he had just realized that fact too.

A surprised snort of laughter escaped Nikki. Gary was in trouble now! If anyone could bring her cheating dog of a husband to heel, it was Mistress Hellenix. Nikki hoped that her evil twin gave her philandering ex-spouse a severe punishment—it was exactly what he deserved!

But before she could see what happened next in the little scene, the vision faded away and Malik spoke.

“First you cry as though your heart were breaking and now you’re laughing. Are you all right, Mistress?”

Nikki gave a little jump as his deep voice surprised her out of her thoughts. She’d gotten so comfortable in his arms that she’d almost forgotten he was holding her. Now she opened her eyes and wiped her face again with the sheet. She looked up to see deep concern in his silver eyes.

“Mistress?” he murmured again, stroking her cheek gently with the back of his hand.

Nikki bit her lip. Oh God, how embarrassing! He probably thought she was going crazy.

“I’m fine, Malik. I just had…some issues to work out. Maybe you’d better put me down, now,” she said, struggling to sit up.

He helped her up but seemed strangely reluctant to let her go. He just kept rubbing her back in long, soothing strokes and looking at her searchingly—which made Nikki extremely nervous.

“Honestly, Malik—I’m fine,” she said.

“Yes, Mistress.” He placed her gently on the couch beside him and looked at her. “Do you wish to have a refreshing bath in the soaking tub while I go to fetch your clothing for the evening, Mistress?

“Yes.” Nikki sniffed and sat up straighter, grateful that he was dropping the subject of her mini breakdown. “Yes, thank you, Malik—that would be lovely.”

“Very well.” He inclined his head to the vast marble tub of steaming water that stood in one corner of the bathing suite. “Shall I carry you over to the tub and put you in it?”

“That won’t be necessary—I can walk,” Nikki said gently. “But thank you for offering. Just…” She cleared her throat. “Just please make sure no other men—er slaves—come in here while I’m washing, okay? I’d like some privacy.”

“As you wish, my Mistress. I will post the privacy sign on the door.” He nodded gravely and headed for the doorway. He gave Nikki a long, searching look before bowing and closing the door behind him, leaving her to her own devices for the first time since she’d woken up in the tub of blood and found herself in this weird world in the first place.

EIGHT

Malik shook his head as he walked down the hallway leading to his Mistress’s main wardrobe room. That couldn’t be the real Mistress Hellenix back there—there was no possible way. Unless the bump she claimed she’d taken on the head had given her a concussion and changed her personality completely, he must have left a different woman from the one he knew so well back in the bathing suite.

He had thought he would test her and so he had—pushing her farther and farther deliberately to see how far she would let him go. And she kept showing him over and over that she wasn’t really herself.

The real Mistress Hellenix would never have asked for the other bathing attendant slaves to leave—she preferred to have an audience at all times—it was one reason she owned so many slaves. She also never would have allowed him to penetrate her—not even with his fingers. And most of all, the real Mistress Hellenix would never have curled up in a ball on his lap and cried as though her heart was breaking.

Malik squeezed his big hands into fists when he remembered her moment of weakness. In all the long cycles since the Yonnie Mistress had bought him, he had never seen her shed a single tear. She laughed a lot—a cruel, bitter sound that was most often heard during her torture of her slaves. But he had never once seen her break down and cry—had never seen her so intensely emotionally vulnerable as she had been just now.

Many males would have been put off by the display—would have sought to distance themselves from the extreme outpouring of emotion. But Malik wasn’t one of them. He was a Kindred, which meant he had an inherent desire to protect and defend and comfort females. Seeing his formerly cruel and heartless Mistress in such a defenseless position made his heart squeeze in his chest in a way he didn’t like at all.

For years he had desired her body while despising her soul—a dichotomy that nearly tore him apart at times. But at least his emotions hadn’t been involved in their twisted relationship—only his libido. He couldn’t afford to start having tender feelings for his wicked Mistress now. Not when he was so close to achieving his goal and restoring his home world. Not when she was due any day to get an invitation from the Knower—the AI that had wiped out all life on his planet—to tour Uriel Two and have a look at the facility that produced the SORs, the Simulated Organic Replicants.

If Mistress Hellenix visited Uriel Two, which was normally closed to all organic humanoid lifeforms, he would be with her. And then he would get his chance…

Don’t let her move you, he told himself sternly. It doesn’t matter that she cried for the first time—it’s probably all some kind of cruel hoax she’s playing. Don’t let her get under your skin—you’ll regret it!

He knew it was true but he couldn’t help remembering the soft, heartbroken sobs that had come from her or the way she had clung to him as though she was drowning.

No—stop it! Malik tried to push the memory from his mind and concentrate on something other than the feel of his Mistress lying helpless in his arms.

It wasn’t just Mistress Hellenix’s behavior that had changed—it was her speech patterns too—the new way she talked to him, he thought.

For the past three cycles she had ordered him here and there, never once saying please or thank you or apologizing when she was in the wrong. She treated Malik more like a thing—a clever appliance that was able to dress her and bathe her and give her a massage and make her come—no better than a living sex toy. But now she was so polite—so courteous to him in a way she never had been before. It just didn’t add up.

And what about the way she had reacted to his touch? Mistress Hellenix’s normal reaction to sexual stimulation was an almost bored indifference. She would often order Malik to lick her pussy while she had a glass of wine or just before bed at night to relax her but she never moaned and gasped and gave herself to his touch with total abandon as she had just now on the massage table.

Malik suspected that she was jaded and needed rougher treatment to get her off than he was willing to provide. That was where Ugger came in—the Dexian slave was often allowed to manhandle their Mistress in ways that turned Malik’s stomach. He couldn’t stand any kind of rape play—not when he believed to his core that a female was to be cherished and cared for, not hurt or taken against her will. As a consequence, Mistress Hellenix often allowed Ugger all kinds of sexual freedom with her body and forced Malik to watch as a punishment for his unwillingness to participate.

Such treatment was worse than if she’d used the pain collar on him, to Malik’s way of thinking. Though he despised her, he couldn’t help feeling possessive of his cruel Mistress. He had pleasured her too many times—had tasted and touched her too often—not to feel that she belonged to him in some twisted way as much as he belonged to her. Of course, she would doubtless laugh at such an idea and probably give him a jolt from the pain collar to punish such presumption.

Or maybe not…He couldn’t imagine the woman he had left back in the bathing chamber—the one who had reacted so strongly to his touch and had cried in his arms—doing such a thing. He remembered her big, dark eyes, fringed thickly with wet lashes, looking up at him as he held her. Gods, she was so beautiful it hurt his heart! Could she really be changing—becoming a whole different person somehow?

What was happening to his Mistress? And what would be the outcome of her strange change?

Malik honestly didn’t know.

Nikki floated blissfully in the large hot tub that Malik had called a soaking tub. It had bubbling jets that felt wonderful and the water was almost, but not quite, too hot.

After the long massage, the intense multiple orgasms, and the emotionally cleansing cry she’d had, she felt all wrung out but in a good way. In fact, for the first time in ages she felt at peace.

There was no point in being worried about the future, she told herself. The few brief flashes she’d gotten from Mistress Hellenix seemed to indicate that the alien dominatrix was handling things in Nikki’s life, at least for the moment. And there was no way she could get home for several days. So for now, she should just enjoy living a life of luxury and ease—God knew she’d never have anything like it again once she got back to Earth and her family.

I need to store up all the happy memories of being pampered I can while I’m here, she told herself dreamily as she floated in the pool. When will I ever get a massage with a happy ending from a seven-foot-tall Kindred again?

Never was the answer to that particular question and she knew it. But thinking of that made her remember being held in Malik’s arms while she cried. Why had he held her and comforted her that way? Was it just because he was being a dutiful slave? Or did he have feelings for Mistress Hellenix? Maybe he was secretly in love with her but he couldn’t show it because he was her slave. Maybe…

Suddenly an unfamiliar voice spoke behind her.

“Are you enjoying your bath, Mistress?” someone asked in a sneering, angry tone.

Nikki sat up at once, covering her breasts instinctively with her arms.

“Who…what…?” She turned to see three large slaves, all of them with huge erections sticking out of their leather trousers, staring at her from the doorway of the bathing suite.

“Hello, Mistress,” one of them smirked. He had dark hair and an angry smile on his face. He swaggered forward, followed by the other two.

“We heard you were having a little alone time, without that Kindred of yours to watch over you,” another one said. “He put up the do not disturb warning but we didn’t think you’d mind some company.”

“And we also heard that you’re not quite yourself, right now,” the third one chimed in. “Heard you threw Ugger in the hole on short rations when he licked your pussy without permission. Didn’t even cut his shaft off or string him up at the whipping post as a lesson to the other slaves.”

“What…what are you trying to say? Why are you here?” Nikki asked, trying to keep her voice steady and failing. She knew these men were supposed to be subservient slaves but they certainly weren’t acting that way—in fact, she felt distinctly menaced by the way they were looking at her.

She wished she wasn’t naked in the tub. They were all staring at her—their eyes devouring her bare body as though she was a feast and they were starving to death. She remembered Malik telling her that Mistress Hellenix controlled everyone’s orgasm in this place—how long had she been teasing these men? Prancing around naked or half naked in front of them, letting them kiss her panties, and refusing to let them come? They must be extremely sexually frustrated by now.

Of course, that wouldn’t excuse any violence on their part—nothing could. But Nikki was terribly afraid that some kind of violence was imminent here and she had no way to protect herself.

Their eyes were glued to her body in a way that seemed to support her hypothesis. The one in the middle—who had the most massive cock Nikki had ever seen—slowly reached for his throbbing shaft.

“Permission to remove my stay-hard band and pleasure myself to the sight of your beautiful body, Mistress?” he growled, raising an eyebrow at her.

“I’d like that permission too,” the second one said.

“And me,” the third slave growled.

Nikki wanted to tell them to get out and leave her alone—of course she didn’t want three strange men jerking off while they looked at her in the tub! But she was in fear for her life by this time. She didn’t dare tell them no.

“All…all right,” she said, her voice almost a whisper. “I guess if you really need to…”

“Oh, I do need to. You haven’t let me come in nigh on an entire cycle, Mistress,” the first slave—the one with the truly massive cock—growled. “And I dream about your beautiful body every night, that I do!”

“And me,” the second man said and the third chimed in with an affirmative too.

All three slaves took the black bands from around the bases of their cocks and began to stroke, eyeing her body greedily as they did.

Nikki didn’t know when she had felt more frightened. Even Ugger’s attack hadn’t been this bad because it had been over quickly and Malik had rescued her before anything truly awful had happened.

Speaking of that, where was the big Kindred? Nikki wished desperately that she had some way to call him. When would he be back? Or had he decided—like these slaves apparently had—that his Mistress was going soft and now was a good time to make his escape?

Without Malik there, she felt helpless. All three slaves were much bigger and stronger than her and though all three wore thick black collars around their throats, she had no way to know if they were pain collars and if so, how she was supposed to activate them.

Was there some magic word she was supposed to say, like the word Mistress Hellenix had told her to use for Malik’s collar? Would the same word work for all the collars? But what was the word, damn it? Nikki still couldn’t remember except that she thought it ended in “ab” or “at.” So she had no way to defend herself and all she could do was cower in the water.

As the men stroked themselves, they came slowly closer to the tub, their eyes still fixed on her naked body, which Nikki was doing her best to cover.

“What’s wrong, Mistress? Why are you so shy all of a sudden?” the first slave asked, his voice thick with lust.

“Yeah—you usually love showing off your beautiful body to us,” the second said.

“You know how they say a Yonnite Mistress never lets a male penetrate her pussy her whole life?” the third asked. “Is that true, Mistress? Have you never had a cock in that tight little pussy of yours?”

“I…I don’t…” Nikki couldn’t even talk—her throat was dry with fear. She could see what was happening here—it was like watching a train wreck in slow motion and not being able to stop it. These three men were going to rape her if she didn’t find a way out of this situation—if she didn’t collect her wits and act like the real Mistress Hellenix would have.

“Would you like one now, Mistress?” inquired the slave with the huge cock. “Would you like me to stretch out that sweet little cunt of yours on my big shaft? I’ll be more than happy to do it for you—I’d love to be your first.”

Nikki’s heart was pounding so hard she could hardly breathe and even in the hot bathwater she felt cold all over. Still, she tried to keep her composure. Have to stay calm, she told herself. Have to act like the real Mistress Hellenix would in this situation.

“That is an inappropriate question!” she said, striving to make her voice sound firm and angry instead of weak and frightened, which was how she actually felt. “How dare you ask me that, slave?”

For a moment, a look of uncertainty and fear flitted over all three of their faces. But then the first slave—the one who with the huge cock—spoke up.

“If you don’t like it, why don’t you punish us, Mistress?” he taunted. “We got our pain collars on, same as always, as you can plainly see.”

“That’s right—can’t take the damn things off without being shocked within an inch of our lives,” one of the other slaves muttered angrily.

“Yeah, so why don’t you use them to punish us if you don’t like what we’re saying?” the first man asked.

“Because she has me to punish you instead!” a deep angry voice suddenly echoed through the bathing suite.

“Malik?” Nikki sat up and craned her neck hopefully, while still doing her best to keep herself covered. She couldn’t see anything because the three burly bodies of the slaves were blocking her way but she hoped it was him—hoped he was here to rescue her…

“What’s it to you, Kindred?” The leader of the three rounded on him and the others turned as well. The three of them walked towards Malik, menacing him the way they had been menacing her a moment ago.

Malik spoke not to them, but to Nikki.

“Mistress, please remove yourself from the tub and go find a dry spot to stand in.” His face was completely calm as he spoke but Nikki could see the tiny sparks of lightning cracking between his fingertips. Then she understood why he wanted her out of the tub. If that really was electricity he was generating with his hands, it wouldn’t do to be caught in a full bathtub when the shit hit the fan—or when the lightning hit the water.

She scrambled quickly from the tub and grabbed one of the thirsty black fur towels to wrap around herself before edging over to the corner of the bathing suite where she could take shelter in the massage alcove.

“You think you can take all three of us?” the first slave asked, sneering at the big Kindred. “Think you can take us all on when your precious Mistress won’t lift a finger to stop us?”

“I know I can,” Malik said evenly. “And she’s your Mistress too, Ranks.”

“Only ‘cause she bought me! I never asked to be bought by the likes of her. Cunt.” The slave spat angrily on the immaculate marble floor.

“You’re going to lick that up, Ranks,” Malik growled softly. “And then you’re going to go on your knees and apologize to your Mistress—all three of you are—and pray she has mercy on the lot of you.”

“Fuck you, Kindred,” one of the other slaves snarled. “Who’s gonna make us?”

“I am.” Suddenly Malik darted forward. The slave he was coming at swung with a closed fist but the big Kindred ducked under the blow and grabbed the other man by the throat. Just before he made contact, Nikki saw a bolt of lightning leave his palm and run down the other slave’s body like silver fire.

“Ahhgh!” The man gave a strangled scream and his entire body went rigid and shook like he was having a seizure as Malik lifted him easily overhead one-handed. After a moment his eyes rolled up in his head and the big Kindred dropped him to the floor and reached for another rebellious slave.

This one tried to dodge away but Malik caught him by the arm with the same results as the first. He, too, shook and seized and dropped to the ground. In a matter of seconds, the only one standing was Ranks—the slave with the massive cock. Although, Nikki saw with some satisfaction, it was considerably smaller and limper than it had been. Clearly he was frightened, though he didn’t want to show it.

“Hey,” he said uneasily, taking a step back. “What the hell? How did you do that, Kindred? Did the Mistress give you control of our pain collars or what? I always knew you were her favorite but this is fucking ridiculous.”

“Doesn’t matter how I did it—what matters is that I will do it to you too unless you drop to your knees right now and beg your Mistress’s forgiveness, Ranks,” Malik growled. “Right. Now.”

Ranks looked like he wanted to protest…but then he took a second look at the two unconscious slaves on the floor. Faint smoke was rising from their hair and there was a scent like scorched flesh which didn’t mix well at all with the soft, floral and herb aroma of the bathing suite. Reluctantly, he dropped to his knees and turned to face Nikki.

“Mistress,” he said sullenly, “I beg your pardon for my behavior. I have no excuse except I was driven crazy by your beautiful body.”

“You are not forgiven—that was not acceptable in any way!” Nikki pointed a shaking finger at him and spoke to Malik. “Get him out of here—get all of them out of here. I never want to see them again!”

Malik frowned and called a security detail, just as he had with Ugger. Guards came and took the three slaves away—dragging the two unconscious ones—and leaving her alone with the big Kindred at last.

Malik looked at her and shook his head.

“Mistress, this is bad. Really bad.”

“You don’t have to tell me that!” Nikki’s heart was still beating so hard it felt like it was shaking her entire body and her stomach was rolling so that she thought she might be sick any minute. “I can’t believe they just came in here like that,” she said, putting a hand to her stomach. “And that they wanted to…were going to…”

But she couldn’t make herself finish the sentence—couldn’t make herself say that if Malik had walked in even a minute later, she might have been raped by the three angry men.

“You control your slaves with an iron fist at all times, Mistress,” Malik said, frowning. “And you enjoy teasing them with your body constantly while almost never allowing them a sexual release. Every male in this place spends most of his life in a state of lustful rage. Of course they’re going to come after you the moment they sense your control is slipping.”

“My control is not slipping!” Nikki snapped.

“They why did you cry in my arms not thirty minutes ago?” There was a quiet intensity in his deep voice and his silver eyes were filled with concern. “The Mistress I know would never have allowed herself to be so vulnerable with a slave.”

So she had made a big mistake in allowing her emotions to take over, just as she’d feared, Nikki thought dismally. But she hadn’t been able to help herself at the time—the tears had just taken over and she hadn’t been able to stop them.

“I told you, I was working through some…issues,” she said, lifting her chin. “You don’t have to worry—it won’t happen again. I am in perfect control of myself and I was in control of the situation with the slaves too.” Which was a complete lie but now she felt backed into a corner.

“Then why didn’t you use their pain collars on them?” Malik demanded. “In the past you would have had them on their knees for even daring to enter the bathing suite without permission! What has come over you, Mistress? It’s like you’re not even the same female who bought me so many cycles ago.”

Nikki felt like someone had dumped a bucket of ice cubes in the pit of her stomach. She remembered Mistress Hellenix’s words—her absolute assurance that Malik would kill her if he found out she was an imposter. She couldn’t let that happen—she just couldn’t!

“I’m the same person I always was,” she said, frowning at him regally. “Now kindly help me get dressed for dinner, Malik.”

“But Mistress—” he started to protest.

“No!” Nikki held up a hand to stop him. For a moment, she almost felt like she was channeling the real Mistress Hellenix. “I don’t want to talk about this anymore—I mean it!” she said in the coldest, most forbidding tone she could manage.

The big Kindred looked surprised and confused, but finally he nodded.

“As you wish, Mistress,” he rumbled. “Come—I have a selection of gowns for you to pick from. I hope at least one of them will meet with your approval.”

“Thank you.” Nikki followed him, feeling that disaster had been very narrowly averted. She had to do a better job of pretending to be her evil twin if she wanted to survive this bizarre experience!

She had to.

NINE

The Yonnite food was like nothing Nikki had ever eaten before and, in most cases, like nothing she would ever want to eat again.

The very first course was a shiny black roasted beetle as big as her head lying on its back in a pile of bright purple salad greens. The bottom shell of its thorax had been carefully removed, showing a nauseating mass of yellow and red guts within, which had been cooked and seasoned with the most exotic herbs and spices—as the slave who served it to her assured her.

Nikki nearly threw up all over it.

If there was one thing she hated it was bugs. How was it that her evil twin showed no such aversion? She thought of the box filled with roach-like beetles in the spa and shivered. Either Mistress Hellenix was truly fearless or she just didn’t mind insects and other creepy-crawly things.

“Take it away,” she told the slave who was serving her. She knew she had to do better and pretending to be the real Hellenix but she couldn’t—absolutely couldn’t—bring herself to even touch the shiny black bug and its disgusting exposed guts—let alone put any of it in her mouth.

The slave looked surprised.

“But Mistress, it is your favorite.”

“Not tonight,” Nikki snapped. “Now take it away or…or I’ll use the pain collar on you—I swear I will.”

Which was an empty threat since she couldn’t remember the word Mistress Hellenix had told her to activate the slaves’ collars and she wouldn’t hurt anyone over something as small as a bad meal anyway. But she couldn’t stand to look at the disgusting bug guts one minute longer!

The slave turned pale and quickly whisked the offending plate away. But the next course wasn’t much better.

“What is this?” Nikki asked when he placed a long, furry object also plated on purple salad greens in front of her.

And how in the world am I supposed to eat it? she wondered to herself. It was about as long as her forearm and covered in many long, hair-like orange spikes that were tipped with blood-red. To be honest, what it really looked like was a giant wooly caterpillar—the kind with poison spines that would make your hand swell up to three times its normal size if you so much as brushed against it.

“Why, Mistress—this is a broiled garrum worm,” the slave said carefully. “The spikes are left on for decoration but I will, of course, remove them so that you may eat the delectable meat within.”

As he spoke, he used a long-handled utensil to whisk away the outer hide covered in orange and crimson spikes. Underneath, the worm looked even less edible—if that was possible. The pale gray tube of worm-meat which was revealed was threaded with blue and purple veins. It looked bizarrely intestinal and not at all like something Nikki wanted to put in her mouth.

Ugh! She couldn’t help recoiling from the disgusting dish. Didn’t they serve any cuisine here that wasn’t insect-based?

“Do you not like this either, my Mistress?” the slave asked, looking worried.

“No,” Nikki said shortly. “Take it away and bring me a salad.”

“A…salad?” The slave looked confused. “Is that some new food you found on one of your many travels, Mistress? If you will describe it to me, I will ask the chef to make it.”

“It’s like this.” Nikki pointed at the purple salad greens that the massive intestine-looking caterpillar worm thing sat on. “Just lots of this with some kind of tangy dressing and crunch toppings.”

The slave nodded quickly. “Yes, my Mistress—I will bring you a, uh, ‘salad,’ at once.”

“Thank you.” Nikki sat back in the throne-like dining chair which was at the end of a very long, highly polished table. The table looked like it could seat fifty with ease but she was the only one here, all by herself at one end with nothing but the silverware for company. Well, the silverware and a strange-looking contraption she assumed dispensed some kind of alien condiment.

She wondered if Mistress Hellenix was always alone for supper. If so, how lonely her life must be! Malik had informed her that he would be in the ante-room by the grand dining chamber if she needed him. The way he spoke made Nikki think he was always banished to another room during meals. And there was no one else here either. No one to talk with or laugh with or love—how sad.

Nikki couldn’t help remembering the family dinners they’d had back home, before Gary had gotten so distant and the three boys had grown out of their little, cuddly stage. True, the kids had fought like cats and dogs at times but there had been happy moments too and it was certainly never tomb-silent, like it was here at the end of the vast, elaborate dining table.

She was beginning to re-think her envy of her evil twin. True, Mistress Hellenix lived in the lap of luxury but she was, apparently, in constant danger from the very slaves she presumed to rule over. Nikki had only been here most of a day and already she had been attacked and nearly sexually assaulted not once but twice. Also, the opulent palace was lonely with no one to talk to.

Of course, she’d been feeling lonely in her regular life back home too, she admitted. Half the time Gary didn’t even come home on time for dinner and when she forced the boys to sit down to a meal together the result was sullen silence or endless bickering. It felt like they hadn’t been a real family in a long time.

So I guess I can’t exactly say that my situation is that much better than Mistress Hellenix’s—just lonely in a different way, Nikki thought. Although her life certainly does seem to be more dangerous than mine.

Well, she would be lonely in a whole different way once she got home—she was going to be a single mom. And even if she wanted to try dating again, good luck finding a man who would be willing to take on two tweens and a sullen teen as stepsons—it just wasn’t going to happen. No man wanted that kind of responsibility. She might as well face it, her love life was effectively over and the intense orgasm Malik had given her was probably going to be the last time she was touched by a man for the rest of her life.

Thinking of that—remembering the way the big Kindred had made her come so shamelessly on his fingers—made her blush and feel all trembly inside. Nikki pushed the feeling away fiercely. He had only been doing his duty and besides, there was absolutely zero sense in getting all mushy over a man who could and would kill her if he found out she wasn’t his real Mistress.

Trying to put the big bodyslave out of her mind, she picked up the strange condiment dispenser and examined it from all angles. It was shiny and silver and had multiple arms branching off a central trunk—a little like a candlestick, only there were no candles in it. Each branch ended with a little golden nub instead. But though she pressed them carefully, nothing came out of any of the nubs.

Nikki frowned. Well, maybe it wasn’t a condiment dispenser after all—maybe it was just for decoration, though it wasn’t very pretty in her opinion. In fact, with its knobby, twisted appearance it was kind of ugly.

“Whatever,” she muttered and put the weird thing away from her, towards the center of the table. She wondered what her salad would look like. She normally wouldn’t have looked forward to bright purple lettuce but in this case, anything that wasn’t a giant bug would be welcome.

She didn’t have to wait long.

“Here you are, Mistress!” The serving slave set a vessel as large as a mixing bowl in front of her. It was heaped high with the purple greens, as well as some blue and green ones, and covered in tiny dark blue and red specs that looked a little like multicolored bacon bits. To accompany the salad, there was a miniature silver tureen filled with bright blue sauce that Nikki assumed was the dressing.

“Thank you,” she told the slave. “This is more like it.”

“You have never asked for it before, Mistress, but the chef was more than happy to make it,” he said, nodding obsequiously. “Anything for you, of course. Er…would you care to taste it and make certain it’s exactly what you want before I leave you to dine in peace?”

Nikki supposed that was a pretty good idea. Though the salad looked appetizing—in a weird, alien kind of way—there was no telling what it might taste like.

“Of course,” she said, nodding.

“And…” The slave hesitated. “Will you be requiring the use of the sniffer?”

“The sniffer?” Nikki frowned and saw that he was pointing to the strange silver candlestick-thing with the golden nubs that she had placed further down the table. So maybe it did dispense some kind of condiment after all. But whatever it was, she didn’t know how to get it out and fiddling with it in front of the slave would only make her look like she didn’t know what she was doing.

“Thanks but no, I don’t need the, uh, sniffer,” she said firmly. “I’m just going to try the salad like it is.”

There was nothing resembling a salad fork in the confusing array of Yonnite cutlery (which appeared to be made of solid gold) but she found a pair of miniature tongs and used them instead. Picking up a tiny purple leaf, liberally speckled with the red and blue flecks, she dipped it carefully into the tureen of bright blue dressing and put it in her mouth.

The flavor was strange but very good—tangy and crispy and slightly bitter—maybe because the purple lettuce stuff was meant to be used as a garnish and not actually a meal. But Nikki didn’t care—finally she was eating something that wasn’t a giant bug and that was good enough for her. The red and blue bacon-bit specs crunched between her teeth in a satisfying way. They were slightly peppery, adding bright sparks of heat to the dish.

The serving slave was watching her with wide eyes, his hands clasped in front of him in apparent concern.

“I like it,” Nikki said, nodding in approval. “Please give my compliments to the chef.”

“I am so glad you are pleased, my Mistress!” The slave looked vastly relieved and Nikki felt bad about threatening him earlier. “And…may I tell the kitchen slaves that they will not be flogged with the pain whip tonight?” he asked.

“Flogged with the pain whip?” Nikki looked at him, surprised.

“Well, yes.” The slave nodded. “Usually when a dish displeases you so much that you send it back, everyone in the kitchen must suffer for it. Including…” He swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple moving in his throat. “Including the servers.”

God, her evil twin really was evil, Nikki thought dismally! From the look on the server’s face, sending back dishes and flogging everyone was a regular occurrence here in Mistress Hellenix’s opulent palace of pain.

“Don’t worry,” she told the slave. “I have no intention of flogging anyone.”

“Oh, thank you, Mistress—thank you!” His eyes were shining and he bowed again and again as he backed away from her, his hands clutched to his broad, bare chest.

At least his shaft wasn’t sticking out of his trousers like most of the other slaves around here, Nikki thought as she watched him go. Instead, he had one of those little metal cages around his equipment she had seen a few of the other slaves wearing. It was much better than having a hard dick waving in your face when you were trying to eat—which of course was a problem she never had back home, thank goodness!

Turning her attention back to dinner, she picked up the small tureen of bright blue dressing and ladled it over a small portion of the purple salad. There was no way she could eat all this—there was enough for ten starving Mistresses in the big bowl, she estimated. Still, she felt so hungry at the moment, she might polish off a good portion of the alien salad.

The server came back for a moment with an elaborate golden goblet and a pitch-black bottle bigger than any wine bottle Nikki had ever seen.

“The chef asked me to send out your favorite liquor, Mistress,” he said and poured a generous helping of dark green liquid into the goblet.

“Thank you.” Nikki nodded as he left and then went back to her bowl. She really was ravenous—it had been hours since her breakfast back on Earth which had consisted of half a slice of cold toast as she rushed to get the kids to school. And she’d forced herself to choke that down—the bombshell that Gary had dropped on her had completely killed her appetite at the time.

But now it was back with a vengeance. In this strange world, her disloyal husband and ungrateful kids seemed—and were—a million miles away. It was time to take care of herself and enjoy a meal without worrying about catering to everyone else for a change.

Nikki went in for another bite and then another and another. The more she ate, the better she liked it—especially the way the little blue and red specks popped between her teeth.

She had eaten almost the entire portion coated in dressing when she noticed a strange tickling sensation in her mouth and then in her throat.

“What in the world?” Nikki swallowed the mouthful she was eating and looked more closely at the salad. Most of it looked normal but the small area she had doused with the bright blue dressing was moving—or at least, the little blue and red specks were.

Nikki took a closer look and saw that the tiny specks—really no bigger than chia seeds—were acting like they were trying to get away from the dressing. They were slowly migrating away from the leaves which were coated in bright blue and trying to get to dryer ground.

Feeling sick, Nikki found a golden tweezer-like utensil in the array of cutlery. Picking up one of the bright red specs carefully, she brought it up to her eye.

To her horror, she saw tiny legs wiggling in the air and long, fine antennae—almost completely invisible—waving as well.

“Bugs!” She threw down the tweezers and pushed the bowl away. “Oh my God, they put bugs in the salad too! Disgusting!”

She grabbed a goblet of wine—was it wine?—that the serving slave had poured her and took a huge gulp, trying to swish out her mouth and get rid of the remaining bugs she might have swallowed.

But the wine must have gone down the wrong way. Nikki choked and gasped, feeling like her throat was getting tight. What was happening?

Rising from the table, she grasped at her throat with both hands. She was beginning to feel afraid now—it was getting hard to breathe! What—

Suddenly Malik was at her side.

“What’s wrong, Mistress? What is it?” he asked urgently.

“Can’t…breathe.” Nikki pointed at her throat and gasped some more.

A grim look came over the big Kindred’s face. He grabbed the strange silver candlestick-looking thing the serving slave had called a “sniffer” and waved it over Nikki’s salad bowl. Nothing happened. But when he waved it over the golden goblet with the dark green liquor in it, the golden nubs at the end of the sniffer’s silver arms went crazy, lighting up and making a loud, ominous buzzing sound like some kind of alarm.

“Just as I thought. Come on—we have to get the antidote!” Malik grabbed her by the arm and wrenched her away from the table. Nikki found she was running to keep up with him even as her throat kept getting tighter and tighter. The awful, constricting sensation made her remember a demonstration she’d seen in once in high school.

A nurse had come to their Health class to talk about the dangers of smoking and how it could give you cancer and other horrible diseases like COPD—Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder. She had passed out straws to the entire class and then instructed them to pinch their noses and only breathe through the straw.

Of course, very shortly the entire class was gasping for breath—it wasn’t easy getting all the oxygen you needed through such a tiny, narrow opening. The demonstration had really hit home with Nikki and she had never tried a single cigarette.

Now, however, she was beginning to feel like she’d had a pack-a-day habit for the past twenty years. Her throat kept getting tighter and tighter and she was feeling dizzy because she couldn’t breathe. The opulent hallways whizzed by in a blur as she stumbled along after the big Kindred, trying to keep up with his quick pace.

Just as she thought she was going to black out, they came to a stop in front of a small door at the end of a narrow corridor.

“Here we are,” Malik announced. He yanked open the door, revealing a small room filled with glass cabinets. Opening one of the cabinets, he began searching through its contents, which Nikki couldn’t see. By now black flowers were blooming in front of her eyes and she could feel herself fading away even as she scrabbled weakly at her throat. She slumped to the ground.

Air! Need air!

“This should work,” Malik’s voice said.

Somehow Nikki managed to focus on him and saw that he was holding up a syringe-type thing with the longest, sharpest needle she had ever seen.

Seriously? That looks like something you’d use on an elephant—not a person!

But before she could protest, Malik had pushed up the hem of the gown she was wearing and was stabbing the long, sharp needle into meaty part of her upper thigh.

Nikki arched her back and howled soundlessly as a burning sensation began to spread through her entire body. It was as though every nerve she owned had been suddenly set on fire and the pain just kept getting more and more intense.

Killing me—he’s killing me, she thought frantically. He was just waiting for a chance and this is it—he’s setting me on fire from the inside-out!

But Malik wasn’t done yet. As soon as he yanked the huge needle out of her leg, he pulled out a small bottle of pink liquid and began trying to get her to swallow it.

“No—no!” Nikki gasped. It didn’t occur to her that she could now breathe again and she had air to talk with—all she knew was that her entire body was on fire and she was desperately afraid the big Kindred was trying to kill her.

“Take it!” Malik insisted. “You have to take it now, Mistress, before the symptoms reoccur. We don’t have much time!”

“No!” Nikki tried to knock the bottle out of his hand but the big Kindred got her in a head lock and pried her mouth open with one hand. With the other, he dumped the bottle of pink liquid down her throat. Then he clamped her jaws shut, pinched her nose, and blew in her face.

It was a variation of the way Nikki had given liquid antibiotics to her twins when they were too young to understand what was good for them and it worked on her just as it had worked on them. Her instincts took over and she swallowed, feeling the pink liquid—which was ice-cold—slide down her throat.

At last Malik let go of her and she sat back, panting and shivering. The cold from the pink liquid seemed to be putting out the awful burning sensation in her nerves but it was small comfort, since now she felt like she was being frozen to death from the inside-out.

“What…what d-d-did you d-do to m-me?” she demanded, her teeth chattering as she rubbed her arms to try and get warm. “W-what did you g-g-give me?”

“An antidote to the poison you so foolishly took,” he growled, and for the first time, Nikki noticed, he didn’t call her “Mistress.”

“A-antidote? I f-f-feel like I’m f-f-freezing to death!” she exclaimed.

“That’s because it’s doing its job and rooting out the nanites,” he said grimly. “And it should be almost done so get ready. Do you want me to hold your hair?”

“H-hold my h-hair? Why?” Nikki asked.

But just then the biggest rush of nausea she’d ever felt rolled through her. It was like the stomach flu and the day after the time she’d gotten blind-drunk in college all rolled into one. Her stomach heaved and a jet of bright pink shot out of her mouth and splattered against the opposite wall.

The stuff seemed to be liquid as it came from her mouth, but strangely, when it hit the air, it turned into a kind of fine, sparkly pink glitter with green specks in it. It was almost pretty but Nikki didn’t have time to admire the effect because another wave of nausea was rolling through her. And then another and another…

Malik said nothing but he held her long hair away from her face and watched as she was wretchedly and repeatedly sick. Nikki couldn’t read the expression on his face—not that she could spare much thought for how the big Kindred was feeling when she herself was so miserable.

Finally, when she felt as though her stomach had been turned completely inside-out, the awful sickness subsided. And after a few more dry heaves where nothing came out at all, the terrible urge to vomit finally passed.

“Ohhhh…” Nikki moaned and wiped at her chin. It came away glittery—as though she’d been snacking on the contents of a kid’s craft table. She slumped to her side, her eyes half-closed. She wanted to get away from the shiny mess she’d left on the floor, but she was too weak to do anything but turn her head away and cry weakly.

This is awful, she thought dismally. Horrible. She hated throwing up worse than anything. Dealing with Gary and his cheating ways and the kids’ issues back home would be better than this—anything would.

Dimly, she heard Malik calling for a clean-up crew as well as security.

“Detain the entire kitchen and serving crew,” he was saying. “Every last one. I want them in pain bracelets until one of them talks—we need to know who was behind the poisoning.”

Then he was gathering her into his arms.

“Come on, let’s get you up,” Nikki heard him say.

“I can walk,” she protested weakly but it was a lie and they both knew it. Malik didn’t even bother to argue with her. He just lifted her and took her back to the BDSM bedroom. He laid her gently on the bed and then sat beside her, after carefully bolting the doors shut and setting some kind of alarm, Nikki thought. He looked into her face and frowned at her.

“Now,” he rumbled, glaring down at her. “Tell me who in the Seven Hells you are. Because you damn sure aren’t Mistress Hellenix of Yonnie Six.”

TEN

“What’s wrong, sweetheart?” Sophia brushed a hand over her husband’s high forehead, which was wrinkled in intense concentration. Sylvan only looked like this when there was some serious problem that only he could solve. As head of the Kindred High Council, he was called on often to resolve issues that would have perplexed a lesser male. Yet, whatever it was, Sophia knew her man was up to it—he always was. She just wished it didn’t take such a toll on him.

“Hmm?” Sylvan looked up from the report he’d been studying on his scan-board.

“I said, what’s wrong? What’s bothering you?” Sophia asked him. She went around behind him and massaged his broad shoulders as he sat hunched at his home study desk. “You have that look on your face—the one that says the weight of the entire universe is on you. It makes me worried about you.”

“Oh, Talana…” Sylvan sighed and Sophia felt him relax some under her kneading fingers. “Gods, that feels good,” he groaned.

“I’m glad but what’s the problem?” Sophia asked. She knew it made Sylvan feel better to talk about the cares and worries that were placed on him as head of the Council and since the twins were down for the night, it was a good time to talk uninterrupted.

“It’s probably nothing,” Sylvan said, shaking his head.

“But?” Sophia prompted.

“But…” He sighed again. “But it might be something. Do you remember the attack on me? The assassin droid that was sent by Mistress Hellenix of Yonnie Six?”

“Of course I do! I’m not likely to forget it!” Sophie exclaimed. “She made it look like Liv, too! That horrible woman!”

“Don’t worry about her,” Sylvan said dryly. “Councilor Paige and Councilor Lone are preparing the case against her right now. Soon she’ll be called before the Council of Seven—the ruling body of Yonnie Six—to answer for her crimes.”

“How long is soon?” Sophia demanded. “Why is it taking so long? She should already be behind bars!”

“Yonnite justice is slow but sure,” Sylvan told her. “Don’t worry about that. Councilor Paige seems to think we have an airtight case. When all is said and done, Mistress Hellenix will be stripped of her power and prestige and hopefully turned over to the Kindred High Council for justice.”

“Will the Yonnites really turn over one of their own to a society where males are equal to females, though?” Sophia asked doubtfully. It didn’t sound very likely to her, from what she’d heard about Yonnie Six, where men were considered lower than dirt.

“That is our hope,” Sylvan said grimly. “Though we can’t say for sure. But she’s guilty not only of the attempt on my life but of the multiple atrocities committed on falsely imprisoned males in BleakHall prison, which she and her fellow Yonnite Mistresses run. But it’s not Mistress Hellenix that I’m worried about right now.”

“It’s not?” Sophie looked at him, surprised. “Then what’s the problem?”

“I’m worried about Uriel Two—the place where the assassin droid that Mistress Hellenix sent after me was manufactured,” Sylvan told her.

Sophia frowned. “Isn’t that the world that got taken over by that Artificial Intelligence system they trusted to run the planet?”

Sylvan nodded. “It was the home world of the Volt Kindred—some of the most powerful of our kind. They can actually generate and channel electricity—they are deadly in a fight. I met one of them—a slave of Mistress Hellenix’s who stayed with her by choice—though I never found out the reasons why.”

Sophia shivered. “Why would any man stay with such a horrible woman? And why are you worried about Uriel Two?”

“After the attempt on my life, the High Council decided it might be a good thing to track activity on Uriel Two.” Sylvan told her. “We sent a couple of spy satellites into deep orbit around the planet—we couldn’t get any closer than that because they have an energy kill-field enclosing the entire planet that they never take down. So we can’t see much but…”

“But what?” Sophia asked, trying to control the worry in her own voice. She didn’t like the awful story of Uriel Two, where an AI had killed all the humanoid inhabitants and taken over completely. It was a little too Terminator-esque for her taste.

“It may be nothing but there has been increased activity lately in their manufacturing hubs,” Sylvan said. “I wish we could get more information but there’s no way unless they lift the kill-field around the planet.”

“Are you worried they’re preparing some kind of an invasion force or something?” Sophia asked, putting a hand to her throat. The idea of homicidal AIs coming for her and her loved ones chilled her to the bone.

“Oh no, I wouldn’t think so.” Sylvan’s voice was mild but his face still looked troubled. “It’s probably nothing, as I said. And there’s not much we could do about it, except be prepared, even if it was a problem. Uriel Two is impregnable—the AI that runs it, the Knower—has made certain of that.” He shook his head. “I need to bring it to the attention of the Council tomorrow and see what the general consensus is. Other than that, the matter is in the Goddess’s hands.”

Sophia could see that he was trying—and failing—to put the problem out of his mind. The link between them was humming with his inner tension and it was clear to her that her husband wasn’t going to be able to sleep tonight without some kind of distraction from his worries.

Luckily, she knew just how to help him.

“Well, if there’s nothing you can do about it tonight, you need to try and forget it,” she murmured, coming around to stand in front of his office chair.

“I know.” Sylvan looked up at her with troubled pale-blue eyes. “I’m trying, Talana. Sometimes the cares of the Council weigh heavily on me.”

“Oh, Sylvan, I know they do.” Sophia straddled him, sitting on his lap with her legs on either side of his. This had the effect of pushing the skirt she was wearing almost up to her hips and putting her panties on display, but Sophia didn’t care.

Putting her arms around his neck, she drew him closer and leaned her forehead against his so she could look into his eyes.

“I just wish there was some way I could distract you,” she murmured through their link. “Some way to take your mind off all these troubles.”

Then she kissed him, taking his mouth gently but firmly, letting him know that she loved him and she was there for him—in every way.

“Mmm, I think you may have found a way,” Sylvan sent back through the link, kissing her back. “Gods, Talana, your mouth is so sweet!”

“Yours is too.” With her tongue, Sophia delicately traced the sharp double set of fangs all Blood Kindred had. One of the things she liked most about having a telepathic link to her husband was the fact that they could kiss and do…other things while they talked at the same time.

“Mmm, and what ‘other things’ would those be?” Sylvan murmured through the link. He sent a mental image of Sophia on the bed while he knelt before her, his face buried between her thighs as he lapped and sucked her bare pussy.

Sophia felt a shiver of desire run through her at the graphic image but suddenly she needed more than that—she wanted to feel connected to her husband as deeply as possible. His reminder of the attempt on his life made her feel like she couldn’t get close enough to him.

“I like that idea,” she said, breaking the kiss at last. “But I like this one better.”

Reaching between them, she began tugging at the magno-tabs which held his black uniform trousers closed.

“Mmm, Talana—are you certain you don’t want me to warm you up with my tongue first?” Sylvan growled softly, as he helped her with the fastenings, allowing his long, thick shaft to spring free. “I love to taste your sweet pussy until you moan for me.”

“Positive.” Sophia was nearly panting. Sylvan’s bonding scent—warm and sharp and clean—was rising around her, invading her senses, getting her ready for him. “I want you in me,” she told him, looking into his eyes. “I want you in me now, Sylvan. And not just your shaft—I want your fangs in me too.”

He growled low in his throat, his eyes going heavy-lidded with need. Blood Kindred had the need to bite and inject their essence—a pale blue liquid secreted by their fangs which stimulated the pleasure centers of their mate’s brain—whenever they made love. It was something that Sophia had used to fear but now she loved the feeling of her husband’s fangs sinking into her neck almost as much as she loved the feeling of his cock sinking into her pussy.

“It would be my pleasure to sink into you, both above and below, Talana,” Sylvan growled softly and she knew he had heard her through their link.

“Well? Then what are you waiting for?” Sophia asked breathlessly. Reaching down, she pulled her lacy white panties to one side, baring her pussy for his thick length.

Sylvan reached between them but instead of fitting the head of his cock to her waiting pussy, he cupped her for a moment in his palm.

Sophia threw back her head and moaned as she felt two long, strong fingers slipping into her inner folds to stroke the hot little button of her clit.

“Gods, Talana, always so hot and wet for me,” he murmured, his eyes still heavy with lust. “My sweet numala.”

Sophia squirmed with pleasure against his invading fingers. She had always been a numala—the Kindred word for a female whose pussy got especially wet and ready when she was stimulated.

She could still remember the first time Sylvan had called her that and explained what it meant—right before he had spent hours exploring her pussy with his tongue. They had been on the run from the Scourge at the time and he had only been trying to cover her scent with his own—it had been a necessity, or so they had told themselves. But necessity had soon turned into desire and Sophia had come again and again as he tasted her that night.

The memory of that first time together made her even hotter and wetter and soon she was writhing all over his lap, soft little cries of need and pleasure escaping her as Sylvan stroked and fingered her, watching her reaction hungrily as he gave her pleasure, which he loved to do.

“Gods, Talana, don’t know if I want to watch you come on my fingers first or feel you wrapped around my shaft,” he murmured, his voice hoarse with need.

“I want to come with you in me,” Sophia begged, unable to help herself. “Please, Sylvan—I want to feel you inside me—and I want your fangs in my neck when I come.”

“Your pleasure is mine, as always,” Sylvan told her. Withdrawing his fingers, he fit the broad head of his cock to her open, waiting pussy and entered her with a single hard thrust.

Only knowing that the twins were asleep in the other room kept Sophia from screaming out her pleasure at the deep, welcome invasion. As it was, she had to bite her lip until she nearly bled to hold in the cry of desire and need that wanted to come out.

“It’s all right, Talana, scream if you want to,” Sylvan told her roughly through their link. The walls of my office are soundproofed—remember?” Then he began to move in her, pulling almost all the way out and thrusting in again, deep and hard and desperate—as though he needed her so badly he couldn’t be gentle.

This wasn’t making love, Sophia realized dimly as her back arched with pleasure and she rose and fell, riding him as he thrust deep inside her. This was a more primitive form of love—fucking, Sylvan was fucking her hard and fast, in a way he almost never did.

This is what he needs, she thought, delirious with pleasure as her mate filled her over and over. This is what he needs tonight to get out of his head—to forget the problems of the Council and just be here with me.

If that was true, then she was more than happy to give it to him. She loved the feeling of him inside her, thrusting so deep and hard, the broad head of his cock giving the mouth of her womb a rough kiss with each driving thrust. Digging her fingernails into his broad shoulders, she rode him hard, giving as good as she was getting.

“Get ready, Talana,” she heard Sylvan growl through their link. “Going to fill you up soon. And I’m going to bite you the minute I start coming so we can come together.”

Since his bite and the injection of his essence always brought on an instant orgasm, Sophia knew exactly what to expect—and she couldn’t wait.

“Bite me!” she begged aloud, not bothering to lower her voice since he had reminded her of the sound-proofing. Brushing her hair to one side, she bared her throat for him temptingly. “Bite me, Sylvan—bite me and fuck me and make me come!”

She didn’t usually use such frank language. Either that or hearing her begging seemed to do something to the big Kindred. He growled—a hungry, almost animalistic sound—and sank his double set of fangs deep into her exposed throat.

Sophia moaned and stiffened as she felt the rush of essence hit her bloodstream. Pleasure drenched her like a warm, rushing waterfall and her pussy clenched hard around his thick shaft.

“Coming—Oh, Sylvan, I’m coming!” she gasped through their link. “You’re making me come so hard!”

“That’s right, Talana—come for me—come all over my cock while I fill you up. While I bond you to me all over again,” he groaned.

And then Sophia felt him spurting—hot and wet and copious inside her. Kindred always made a lot of cum and there was even more when a Kindred male was either bonding you or trying to get you pregnant, she had found. Possibly Sylvan was doing both because she could feel his seed running down her inner thighs, getting both of them wet and sticky and still he spurted inside her.

“Gods, Sophia, love you—love you so much,” he told her, sending love and devotion and desire through their link in an outpouring that nearly drowned her in emotion.

“Oh, Sylvan, I love you too. So much—forever,” she sent back.

They seemed to come together for a long, long time but finally the pleasure ebbed and left them both panting and clinging together, like two people who have survived a shipwreck and have only each other to hold onto.

The intensity of the situation overwhelmed Sophia and she felt tears prick her eyes and a sob caught in her throat.

Sylvan withdrew his fangs and looked at her anxiously.

“What is it, Talana? Was I too rough with you? I know we aren’t usually so…carnal when we love each other.”

Sophia almost laughed at the way he described the sex they’d just had and then she sobbed again.

“Of course you didn’t hurt me—I like it a little rough sometimes. It’s just…when I think of that awful assassin droid and how I almost lost you…” She choked up again, and felt hot tears running down her cheeks.

“Oh, sweetheart…” Sylvan cupped her face in his hands and brought her forward to kiss away the tears. “Don’t cry,” he murmured. “Or if you really need to cry, let me hold you while you do.”

With a muffled little moan, Sophia wrapped her arms around him and pressed her face to his neck, letting the tears take her as the aftermath of the intense orgasm shook her like the aftershocks of an earthquake. Sylvan held her and stroked her back, letting her feel his warmth and sending her strength and reassurance through their link. Promising wordlessly that he would always be there, that he would never leave her alone.

At last, Sophia was able to regain control.

“I’m sorry,” she said, pulling back and wiping at her eyes with her fingertips. “I guess I’ve just been trying not to think about the attempt that awful Mistress Hellenix made on your life and talking about it and then having such intense sex just brought everything rushing to the surface.” She sighed. “Sometimes I just worry about you so much, Sylvan.”

“I worry about you and the twins too, you know,” he said gravely, stroking her cheek. “That’s why I’m still Head of the High Council though I have often longed to pass the post on to someone else. It feels like the best way I can protect you all. But, Talana, some things we just have to leave in the Goddess’s hands.”

“Yes, I know.” Sophia let out a trembling sigh and laid her head on his shoulder. “I just don’t know what I’d do if something happened to you. I love you so much.”

“I love you too, sweetheart. So much more even than when we first came together,” Sylvan sent through their link as he kissed her gently. “I thank the Goddess every day for bringing you into my life.”

“I do too,” Sophia sent back. She kissed him back and became aware that he was still hard inside her—not an uncommon occurrence since Kindred males didn’t require any recovery time between orgasms.

“Sylvan,” she murmured, breaking the kiss and looking into his eyes. “Make love to me again. But this time, let’s take it slow.”

She rolled her hips slowly, to emphasize her point, and both of them moaned when the motion caused unbearable pleasurable friction between them.

“Mmm, as you wish, Talana,” Sylvan murmured, his blue eyes going half-lidded again. “Long and slow and deep. And I want to look into your eyes and feel your soul joined to mine with every stroke.”

Sophia pressed her forehead to his and they locked gazes as he pulled almost out of her and then pressed deeply back in, making both of them moan. She would put everything else out of her mind, she told herself firmly. That horrible Mistress Hellenix and Uriel Two and the homicidal AI that ran it—everything but the sweet pleasure of Sylvan filling her had to go.

But before she did, she sent a quick prayer to the Goddess that she would protect them all and that everything would be all right…

Then Sylvan thrust in her again and everything else went out of her head as she gave herself up to the pleasure of making love with the only man she had ever loved or would ever love…forever.

ELEVEN

Oh my God, he’s onto me! He knows!

Though Nikki had been feeling too weak to move just a moment before, the realization that her cover had been blown seemed to galvanize her into action. She sat up and started to crawl off the bed, trying to put some distance between herself and the big Kindred.

“Come back here.” He grabbed her by the ankle and started to drag her back.

“No! Stay away from me!” Nikki tried to kick him with her free foot but he caught that one too, holding her as easily as he had when he was forcing the medicine down her throat.

He was frighteningly strong and Nikki was already weak as a kitten. In short order he had her subdued and laid out on the bed on her back with her arms over her head.

“Hey—get off me!” she gasped, but it did no good. Malik sat on her legs and held her wrists together with one big hand, keeping her completely immobile, no matter how much she thrashed and wiggled.

“You might as well hold still, imposter,” he growled. “I know you’re not my real Mistress. And don’t say you had a bump on the head, either. The real Mistress Hellenix would never have taken a single bite or sip of anything without using the sniffer on it. What the Seven Hells were you thinking? Did you want to get poisoned?”

“Leave me alone!” Nikki snapped. “I mean it—let me go or…or face the consequences!”

“Oh?” He raised an eyebrow at her. “And what consequences might those be?”

“You’ll see!” Nikki’s eyes fastened on the thick black leather collar the big Kindred wore around his throat and she tried desperately to remember the word her evil twin had told her to activate it. It was something…something that ended in ‘ab’—she was sure of it!

“Cab!” she cried as he leaned closer. “Nab! Blab! Jab!”

He frowned, his silver eyes narrowing.

“What are you babbling about?”

“Trying to activate your collar, of course!” Nikki was so upset by now that she just started talking. “I know it was a word ending in ‘ab’—that’s what she told me anyway. But I can’t remember it and now you’re going to kill me and I’ll never get home!”

“Get home?” He frowned.

“Yes, home—back home to Earth—that’s my home,” Nikki gasped. “Look, don’t kill me! I have three kids. They’re pretty ungrateful but I love them and God knows Gary isn’t going to take care of them—not like he should! He’s leaving me for another woman anyway and he won’t want to bother with them. They’re already losing their dad—I don’t know what’s going to happen to them if they don’t have their mom too—please!”

Her semi-hysterical rant seemed to have finally gotten through to Malik. He released her arms and sat back, staring at her with wide eyes.

“Who are you?” he asked, sounding more confused than angry this time. “And how did you come to take my Mistress’s place?”

“It was the shiny purple M&M I found at the beach.” Now that he had released his hold on her, Nikki scooted quickly away. She curled up near the head of the bed with its crimson sheets and wrapped her arms around herself protectively.

“Em-i-nem?” Malik asked, shaking his head. “What is that?”

“It wasn’t really an M&M—it was a stone. A…an E’lo stone,” Nikki said, remembering the name Mistress Hellenix had told her. “I picked it up and held it while she was, uh, holding the other one.”

She didn’t like to go into detail about exactly how the Yonnite Mistress had been holding the stone and the way she’d apparently been using it as a kind of vibrator while she soaked in the tub filled with blood. It was too gross.

“The E’lo stones?” The confusion on Malik’s face began to clear. “Ah—now I know what happened! You must be an exact genetic match for my Mistress and that is how the stones came to transport the two of you into each others’ lives.”

“That’s exactly what happened!” Nikki nodded eagerly. “One minute I was at the beach and the next minute I was in that bathtub filled with blood! Ugh!” She made a face. “And I didn’t know where I was but you told me the penalty for impersonating a Mistress of Yonnie Six is death! And then Mistress Hellenix told me that you would kill me if you found out I wasn’t her. So I had to keep pretending but—”

“Wait—” He held up a hand to stop her. “So you actually spoke to her after the two of you switched places?”

“Yes—the E’lo stones let us talk through the mirrors but only once. She’s back on Earth living my life and I’m here living hers. At least I’m trying to!” She bit her lip, feeling tears rising to the surface. “But I’m not very good at being evil and domineering like I guess she is because I keep getting attacked and nearly raped and poisoned and I just…just want to go home.”

The last word ended in a sob and she covered her face in her hands. She didn’t want to cry again—it seemed like she should have reached her quota for breakdowns already today. But somehow the tears came anyway and her shoulders shook uncontrollably.

This time Malik didn’t try to hold her but he did get off the bed for a moment and when he came back, he handed her something.

“Here.”

Nikki’s fingers closed on something cool and wet and she looked down to see that she was holding a thin, stretchy black piece of fabric about the size of a Kleenex.

“Wh-what’s this?” she managed to get out.

“Solza-skin. It will help bring down the swelling in your eyes after you stop crying,” he rumbled, settling at the foot of the bed again. “My Mistress uses it after a hard night of drinking.”

“She does?” Without waiting for an answer, Nikki pressed the damp black cloth to her face and felt an immediate, soothing coolness spread over her skin. “Ohhhh,” she sighed, letting out a shaky breath. The cold cloth seemed to steady her and she was finally able to get hold of herself. Sniffing, she looked up at Malik who was regarding her steadily with those strange silver eyes of his.

“Better now?” he asked and his deep voice was surprisingly gentle.

“Yes.” Nikki nodded and sniffed again. “I’m sorry—it’s just been such a crazy day. And I don’t just mean here—I’m talking about back home too.” She shook her head. “But you don’t want to hear about that. Um…” She looked at him carefully. “Are…are you going to try and kill me now?”

“No—of course not.” Malik scowled. “I need you too much to kill you.”

“You…what?” Nikki stared at him wondering if she’d heard him wrong. “But…what could you want with me? Why would you need me?”

“Because you look exactly like Mistress Hellenix—you even smell like her.” He inhaled briefly, and Nikki got the feeling he was taking in her scent like a bloodhound might and that he would be able to track her anywhere. “So I need you to do what she was going to do,” he finished.

“Oh—you mean go to The Banquet of Pain and deliver the opening address?” Nikki asked, brightening. “Yes, Mistress Hellenix told me about that—although I have no idea what I’m supposed to talk about,” she added doubtfully.

“No—that isn’t what I need you to do at all.” Malik frowned. “Although if you have pledged yourself to do it, you must fulfill your word, of course—the E’lo stones will hold you to it.”

“They will?” Nikki asked. It had never occurred to her that the shiny purple stone, which she was still keeping near her in a little pouch she had found for the purpose, might be able to hold her to the bargain she had made with Mistress Hellenix.

Malik nodded gravely.

“Yes, they most certainly will. The ancient culture that made the E’lo stones prized honesty above all else. Anything you have pledged to your double to do, you must do, to the best of your ability.”

“Okay…” Nikki nodded doubtfully. “So I have to go to this Pain Banquet and give it a hundred percent.”

“Exactly.” Malik nodded.

Another thought occurred to Nikki.

“Does that mean that Mistress Hellenix has to do all the things she promised to do for me back home on Earth?” In the back of her mind, she’d been worried that the other woman would just blow off all of Nikki’s responsibilities and do whatever she wanted while she waited for Nikki to come get her. Of course, the flashes of Mistress Hellenix at Rosy Ray’s Realty and with Gary had been reassuring but she wasn’t quite sure about the twins’ 504 Plan meeting…

Malik nodded again, firmly. “Yes, she is bound to your life as you are bound to hers. Which is why I need you to act in her stead, as I said earlier.”

“Okay, but if you’re not worried about the Pain Banquet, then what do you need me to do?” Nikki asked, perplexed.

Malik took a deep breath. “I need you to accept the invitation my Mistress is about to get from Uriel Two—my old home world—and then take me with you when you go to deal with the Knower who rules there.”

“Um…okay. So I’d just continue to impersonate Mistress Hellenix?” Nikki asked. “Would that be before or after the banquet? And how much longer will it take? She’s waiting for me on Earth—she told me to tell you to take me there in the long-range ship so we can get back to our old lives.”

“This shouldn’t take long,” Malik promised her grimly. “All you have to do is get me to the interior of the planet and ask to tour the facility where they manufacture their SORs and I’ll do the rest.”

“Sores?” Nikki frowned. “What is that?”

“S-O-R stands for Simulated Organic Replicant,” Malik explained. “They are androids who look exactly like humanoids. But it’s not the SORs I’m truly interested in. Their facility is built around the core processor of the Knower—the AI who runs and rules Uriel Two. I need access to that processor if I’m ever going to save my people and restore my home world.”

“Are you telling me you’re some kind of a terrorist?” Nikki’s heart began to beat hard. “Because if you think I’m willing to go to some other planet and let you plant a bomb and then blow up along with you, you’re dead wrong. I told you—I have kids to worry about. And a stupid, cheating husband to divorce,” she added, frowning.

“Blowing up the planet or even the Knower’s core processor is not my intention,” Malik assured her. “But I do have a device given to me by the Time Warden and a plan blessed by the Goddess herself to restore my planet to its former life.” His face grew grim. “The life that was obliterated ten cycles ago when the Knower took over and wiped all organic life forms—especially humanoids—off the face of the planet.”

“Wow—are you saying that the computers rose up and took over your world?” Nikki got a crawling sensation of dread in the pit of her belly at the thought. “We have a science fiction movie series about that back home on Earth. It’s awful.”

“I assure you, the reality is even worse,” Malik said grimly. “To have everyone and everything you love obliterated in the blink of an eye by an uncaring, unfeeling machine, well…” He shook his head and looked away. “My entire family…all of my friends and loved ones… Everyone, gone.”

“Hey…” Impulsively, Nikki leaned towards him and put a hand on his leg. The muscles felt as hard as iron. “I’m so sorry,” she said softly. “That must have been awful for you. I can’t even imagine losing everyone you love like that.”

“Of course you can—it’s why you are so eager to get back to your children.” Malik looked at her earnestly. “And I swear that you will. But I must ask your help. The invitation is due to arrive at any day and I have a narrow window of time in which to work.”

“Of course I’ll try to help you,” Nikki said. “As long as you promise to help me get back home afterwards.”

“Agreed. I give you my word as a Volt Kindred.” Malik frowned. “But my word might mean nothing to you—you must have something else to let you know that I am sincere and that you are safe with me.”

Nikki shook her head.

“You already saved me twice—once in the bathing chamber and once from being poisoned. Oh, and when that awful Ugger attacked me.” She shivered. “So three times—you saved me three times. I’m pretty sure I can trust you after all that.”

“I thought I was saving my Mistress,” Malik said shortly. “It is becoming more and more apparent that though you look like her, you are nothing like her on the inside. I need to give you surety that I will keep my word and protect you with my life until you are safely home again.”

“It’s really not necessary,” Nikki protested again but he was already kneeling beside the bed and reaching to take her hand. Bemused, she scooted forward until she was sitting on the edge of the mattress and gave it to him, trying to ignore the shiver she felt as his big, warm fingers enclosed her much smaller ones.

“My Lady…” he paused, frowning. “I do not know your true name.”

“Nikki,” Nikki said quickly. “Um, Nicole Davis, if you want to be formal.”

“My Lady Nicole,” Malik continued. “I pledge to you now my undying service and devotion. For as long as our fates are entwined, I will protect you tirelessly, come what may. My body will be your shield and my heart shall guard your secrets. Every drop of my own blood shall be spilled before even a drop of yours is shed. May the Goddess witness the binding of our pact today.”

“Oh…” Nikki whispered. He looked so solemn, kneeling to her like a knight might kneel to his queen. And as he spoke the final words of his promise in that deep voice of his, she felt a tingle run through her entire body, starting from the point where their hands were joined. It made the short hairs at the back of her neck prickle as though a powerful electrical current had just passed through his body into hers.

“Do you feel the truth of my oath to you?” Malik asked, looking up at her earnestly.

“I…I do.” Nikki nodded. “I mean I really, literally do.”

“Good.” He nodded. “And to give you surety of my word, I will give you power over me as well. The word that activates my collar is ‘trab’.”

As he spoke the word, Nikki saw the black leather collar around his neck constrict and he stiffened in pain, his big hand going rigid in hers.

“Oh, no!” she exclaimed. “Oh, why did you tell it to me if it was going to hurt you? Please, tell me how to make it stop!”

“The counter word is ‘bard’ but only you may say it—no other voice will stop the flow of the pain chemicals from my collar.” Malik’s own voice was low and hoarse with agony.

“Brad—I mean bard!” Nikki said quickly. “Bard, bard, bard!”

She was relieved to see his broad shoulders—which had been tensed with pain—slowly relax as a look of relief came over his face.

“Thank you. But you need only speak the word once to deactivate my collar—that’s all that is necessary,” he murmured.

“How does that thing work anyway?” Nikki demanded. “You said it shoots pain chemicals into you?”

He nodded. “There are tiny needles imbedded in the leather of the collar. Speaking the pain word causes them to pierce my flesh and inject pain stimulators which make my nerves feel like they are on fire. Until the counter word is said, which causes them to retract and stop the injection.”

“That’s awful!” Nikki exclaimed. “What kind of a person would use something like that on someone else? What kind of a monster is Mistress Hellenix anyway?” Then she bit her lip. “Oh, um…maybe I shouldn’t have said that.”

Despite the awful things Mistress Hellenix apparently did to Malik, the big Kindred seemed totally devoted to her—he might not appreciate her speaking badly of his absent Mistress.

But Malik didn’t get angry with her.

“Mistress Hellenix is… a product of her society,” he said grimly. “She was born into extreme wealth and power and into a world where males are discounted completely—considered fit only to serve as slaves and manual laborers. Given all that, it’s no wonder that she treats me as she does.”

“Well, I don’t like it,” Nikki said decisively. “You shouldn’t be treated that way!” Leaning forward, she carefully began feeling her way around the collar that encircled his thick neck.

Malik frowned. “What are you doing?”

“Getting this awful thing off of you,” Nikki exclaimed. “You’re not wearing it anymore—not while I’m around, anyway.”

A look of wonder came over his face.

“But…don’t you want a way to even the field between us? To make sure you’re safe around me? I could snap your luscious little body like a twig—not that I would but my Mistress was always mindful of my superior strength. She had this collar made especially for me.”

Nikki stopped feeling around his collar for a moment and looked him in his strange, silver eyes.

“Are you planning to hurt me?”

“Of course not.” He frowned. “I have sworn my oath to you and I am a Kindred—we protect females.” He sighed. “Even those like my old Mistress.”

“I didn’t think so. Look, Malik—I trust you—especially after that amazing oath you gave me.” Nikki couldn’t help shivering when she remembered the intense look in his eyes as he’d sworn to protect her. “And I don’t want you to be hurt any more by this awful collar—I want to take it off you now.”

He nodded. “Very well. There is a release catch at the very back of my neck that should respond to your right index fingerprint. But we’ll have to put a show collar on in its place or the other slaves will become suspicious.”

“I’m afraid they already are suspicious—otherwise, why would they have tried to poison me?” Nikki said ruefully, as she found the flat, smooth spot on the back of his collar and pressed her right index finger too it. Sure enough, the collar popped open and dropped to the floor. Apparently even her fingerprints matched with Mistress Hellenix’s. Amazing that they could be so similar physically and so different every other way, she thought.

“You have a point.” Malik sighed. “I’m afraid you’ll have to put on a much more convincing show of dominance than you’ve managed so far to keep them from outright rebellion.”

“I’ll try.” Nikki bit her lip. “But…I’m afraid I’m not a very dominant person.” If I was, I don’t suppose Gary would feel free to leave me like he is, she added to herself.

Malik frowned. “Who is this ‘Gary’ person who is leaving you?”

Feeling her cheeks heat with embarrassment, Nikki realized she must have said what she was thinking aloud.

“My husband,” she said miserably. “He just informed me yesterday that he’s moving out and selling our house. He’s giving me custody of our three sons, but it’s going to be tough, you know? I don’t make enough to get us a very nice place but even with all the money in the world, they still need a positive male role model. One is fifteen and my two twins—the younger ones—are twelve. They need a father at this stage and Gary is just…deserting us.” She shook her head. “Do you know where I was when I switched places with Mistress Hellenix? I was standing on the beach, looking out at the ocean and trying to think of a good reason not to drown myself.”

She didn’t know why she was telling him all this—they barely knew each other. And yet the words just poured out anyway. But the big Kindred didn’t look bored or indifferent to her pain. Instead, he came and sat on the bed beside her.

“Nicole…” Taking her hands in his, he looked at her earnestly. “I’m so sorry—that’s terrible. I can’t comprehend how any male could leave a female as kind and beautiful as you. Your mate must truly be a fool.”

“Thank you.” Nikki felt her heart pounding and slipped her hands out of his. Nervously, she crossed her arms over her chest and cupped her elbows. “It was silly of course—the idea of killing myself. I would never leave my boys alone. But I just felt so…hopeless.” She looked up at him. “That’s why I cried after you, uh, massaged me,” she admitted, her cheeks getting hot again when she thought of how intimate the massage had gotten. “Because it was so intense and it just brought up all these…these feelings and thoughts I’d been trying to suppress.”

Malik nodded thoughtfully. “That makes sense. I’m glad I didn’t hurt you, as I feared at first.”

“Hurt me? No, of course not. I just had so much on my mind—so many emotions bottled up and…” Nikki shook her head, realizing she was going on and on. “Of course, going through a divorce is nothing compared to losing your whole planet and everybody you love. I don’t know why I’m even telling you this.”

“Because I asked,” he said simply. “But I’m sorry that my touch made you weep.”

“No, no—it was good,” Nikki assured him quickly. “Really good. I mean, Gary never—” She broke off and cleared her throat, feeling her cheeks get hot. “What I’m trying to say is that I, uh, needed to face what I was feeling and you helped—even though you didn’t know it at the time. So, um, thanks.”

Saying “thanks” for the most intense sexual experience of her life seemed completely inadequate but Nikki was too embarrassed to explore the subject further.

“You’re welcome,” Malik said gravely. “But I’m afraid I must apologize for touching you intimately without your permission.”

“Oh, it’s all right. You, uh, thought I was Mistress Hellenix, right?” Nikki asked.

Malik shifted uncomfortably beside her.

“Yes and no,” he admitted. “I knew almost at once that something was wrong so I was trying to ascertain if you were really her. That’s why…I pushed the limits with you, knowing if you were really Mistress Hellenix, you would never allow me to do some of what I did.”

“Really?” Nikki cleared her throat. “What, um…what did you do to me that she wouldn’t, uh allow?”

“I’m afraid I was guilty of breaking some sexual boundaries. For instance, when I penetrated you with my fingers—the real Mistress Hellenix has never allowed me to do that before and I was fairly certain she never would,” Malik rumbled, looking at her directly.

“Oh, um…” Nikki bit her lip, feeling a rush of shame wash over her. She couldn’t help remembering the way she’d arched her back for him and begged him to finger her—couldn’t help wondering what he must think of her now. She’d acted so wanton, so completely out of control and sexually needy.

“Nicole—” he began.

“I’m really sorry,” she said in a rush. “It’s just been a really long time since Gary and I, you know. And he’s never touched me like that—like you did. I mean, you’re so good at it which is kind of why I, uh, went a little wild. I didn’t mean to—I just kind of lost control.”

“You don’t have to apologize for your pleasure,” Malik protested. “I’m the one who should beg your pardon for taking liberties with your beautiful body without your permission.”

Nikki shook her head and looked down at her hands. “You know I’m not really your Mistress now, Malik. You don’t have to keep up the line about my ‘beautiful body’ anymore. I mean, I’m thirty-seven and I look it. Or I did before those beauty treatments this morning.” She frowned. “But still…”

“Nicole, look at me.”

To her surprise, Malik raised her chin so that she was looking into his silver eyes, which were completely serious.

“What?” She could hardly meet his gaze but she found that once they were eye-to-eye, she somehow couldn’t look away.

“I’m not joking or just trying to flatter you when I say you’re beautiful,” Malik told her. “You look exactly like my old Mistress and though I despised her soul, I have always desired her body.”

“That must be because she wouldn’t let you see any other women, though,” Nikki protested. “Isn’t that the reason she’s got every slave in this whole palace hate-lusting after her? Because she’d never let them see anyone else? I mean, I’m not exactly skinny, you know?”

Malik shook his head.

“You’re an Elite—like she was—one whom the Goddess has blessed with extra-full curves. That is the epitome of beauty in my culture,” he rumbled. “So please don’t insult my taste by saying you’re not the kind of female I desire—you very much are.”

Nikki wasn’t sure what to say to that. They seemed to have gotten far off the subject somehow. But what was the subject exactly? Looking into Malik’s deep silver eyes and listening to his rumbling voice, she had forgotten it entirely.

“Um…I…I’m not sure what to say,” she said at last, wishing her voice didn’t sound so breathy.

“Just know that I find you devastatingly attractive,” Malik murmured. “And that if we were in different circumstances, I would be more than pleased to show you more fully exactly what I mean.” He sighed and dropped her chin. “But we are not in different circumstances. The fact is, I need to teach you to do a much more credible imitation of my Mistress so that you can fool the slaves, the other Mistresses at the Banquet of Pain, and most importantly, the Knower on Uriel Two.”

“All right.” Nikki squared her shoulders. “I guess you have to teach me to act cruel and heartless then?”

“Not exactly.” He frowned. “I have to teach you to be dominant. And the first lesson begins now.”

TWELVE

“No, no!” Malik frowned and shook his head again. “You must not say ‘please’ when you give me an order or thank me when I have obeyed you. You are the Mistress—you owe me no such courtesy.”

“I don’t believe that’s true,” Nikki protested. “Everyone deserves courtesy. Good manners are important—I drill it into my boys every day.”

Malik raked a hand through his hair in obvious frustration.

“That might be what you believe, but it is the antithesis of my old Mistress’s beliefs. Mistress Hellenix would never address me as you do. Now, try again.” He made a ‘go on’ motion with one hand. “Tell me to pay obeisance to you by kissing your feet.”

“But I don’t want you to kiss my feet.” Nikki bit her lip and tucked her feet under the bed, as much as possible. She was sitting on the edge of the thick mattress with its blood-red covering in the BDSM bedroom while Malik knelt before her. “It’s been ages since I had my toenails done—I really need a pedicure,” she confessed.

“Then order me to give you one,” Malik said, sounding impatient. “I am your bodyslave, remember? I must do anything you order—my whole life is devoted to serving you and obeying your every command.”

Nikki shook her head. “I’m sorry. I just…can’t get used to that idea. Where I come from, on my home world, I do everything for myself and everyone else too. The idea of having someone following me around all day jumping every time I say ‘frog’ is just really weird.”

“But you must get used to it! You have to get used to dominating me and every other male you see if you’re going to pass yourself off as Mistress Hellenix,” he pointed out. “Order me to kiss something else if you don’t want me touching your feet.” His eyes were suddenly hot. “Tell me to pull down your panties and kiss your pussy.”

“What? No!” Nikki felt her cheeks getting hot with a blush.

Of course he had already kissed this particular part of her anatomy—once when he was removing her curls and once when he was kissing her panties in front of the other slaves. But now that he knew the truth and she didn’t have to pretend that she was the real Hellenix with him, the idea of letting him put his mouth down there was much more embarrassing. Not that she didn’t crave that kind of attention, but she barely knew him and besides, she couldn’t help feeling self-conscious…

“I’m going to have to eventually,” Malik pointed out, raising an eyebrow at her. “A slave always kisses his Mistress’s panties when she is introduced at formal functions, such as the Banquet of Pain.” His silver eyes went half-lidded. “Did you not enjoy it when I kissed you there earlier, Nicole?”

“I…um…”

“Don’t bother to lie,” Malik murmured, giving her a stern look. “I scented your desire when I kissed you—just as I can scent it now.”

“You…you can?” Nikki crossed her legs even more tightly. “But I don’t…don’t see how you could possibly…”

“Kindred have extremely acute senses,” he told her. “Also, your need for oral pleasure is clear. Tell me, did this worthless male who is leaving you not give you enough oral attention when you were together?”

“Who, Gary? No—he never, uh, never much cared for it,” Nikki admitted. Which was an understatement since Gary had pretty much zero interest in “going downtown” as her girlfriends in college used to say.

“What a fool.” Malik shook his head in apparent disbelief. “How could he not wish to taste such a soft, sweet little pussy? How could he not wish to feel your hands in his hair, urging him on, begging him to make you come?”

“Uh…” Nikki thought of her soon-to-be ex’s thinning hair. If she started yanking on it, he’d have even less on top than he already had. Also, she couldn’t imagine Gary talking about cunnilingus with the same enthusiasm that Malik showed towards the act. There was a light in the big Kindred’s eyes when he spoke about going down—a deep longing in his voice and an expression on his face that made her think he was imagining the most pleasurable experience of his life.

“Did…did Mistress Hellenix make you, uh, do that—go down on her a lot?” she asked hesitantly. She knew what her evil twin had told her but she wanted to hear Malik’s side of it.

“It was one of the few pleasures in being her slave,” he said, nodding gravely. “She usually allowed me to taste her before bed or anytime she wanted a release.” He frowned. “Though lately she has been giving that honor to Ugger instead and making me watch while he treats her much too roughly.”

“Is it some kind of weird game with them? Is that why he jumped on me?” Nikki asked, remembering the aggressive way the other slave had gone after her while she was in the room with the amazing colored-glass ceiling.

Malik nodded and a concerned light came into his silver eyes.

“Please don’t ask me to do that to you, Nicole. I do not enjoy treating females roughly.”

“You don’t have to worry about that,” Nikki promised him. “I’m not one of those ‘pain is pleasure’ types.” Like the real Mistress Hellenix apparently was.

“Good.” Malik looked relieved. “Although I would be happy to bring you pleasure with my tongue, if you wish to practice receiving it while you are relaxing, as my old Mistress often did.” His silver eyes went half-lidded. “More than happy.”

“Um…” Once again, Nikki was at a loss for words. “Are you offering to, uh, go down on me just to help me relax?” she asked uncertainly.

“It’s a great stress reliever,” Malik pointed out, sounding like he was talking about taking a yoga class instead of suggesting that he might like to lick her pussy until she came on his tongue. “Many Yonnites of my Mistress’s social class have their slaves give them oral pleasure when they get together. They call it ‘tongue time.’”

Well, thank goodness Mistress Hellenix hadn’t made her promise to get together for a girls’ night with her friends! Nikki thought she would die of embarrassment if she had to sit around and talk to other women while Malik got between her legs and pleasured her with his tongue.

Again, it wasn’t that she didn’t want it—in fact, just talking about this with him was making her almost unbearably hot. Especially when she remembered the way he’d kissed her panties when he was “paying obeisance” to her in front of the other slaves. But she hadn’t been with any man but Gary in so long, just the idea of letting herself be sexually open and vulnerable with a new person made her incredibly nervous.

“Nicole? Mistress?” Malik’s eyes were half-lidded again. “I can tell that you want it,” he murmured in a low, seductive voice that seemed to get under her skin like a big, warm hand and rub her in all the right places. “Why do you not order me to drop to my knees and lap your sweet little cunt until you come all over my face?”

“You…you’re already on your knees,” Nikki pointed out, rather breathlessly.

“So much the better.” Malik began to crawl towards her, his eyes flashing with lust. “I’m already in the right position to give you pleasure. Why don’t you just relax and let me do it?”

“I…I don’t…” She could barely get the words out and she found that he was already right in front of her, his big, warm hands on her knees, urging them open. She was wearing another one of Mistress Hellenix’s semi-obscene gowns which Malik had had her change into before they began her “lessons” and it had a high slit up the middle of its sparkly, dark blue fabric.

The slit clearly showed the tiny blue panties which matched the gown—a miniscule triangle which was woefully inadequate for the task of covering her. It barely hid her pussy lips from view and just the top of her slit was clearly visible, peeking above the low rise of the little patch of fabric.

Now Malik was parting her legs wide with his broad shoulders as his big hands roved up and down her inner thighs, stroking and sending an electrical tingle of pleasure through her entire body. He was still talking to her, his eyes burning into hers as he murmured how much he wanted to taste her, how he longed to lick her pussy until she creamed on his tongue and came just for him…

“Wait!” Nikki protested weakly but her mild protestation didn’t stop him even for a second. He was so big—so overwhelmingly sexual—and he smelled so good. That warm, electrical musk was radiating from his muscular body, making her feel almost drunk, like she’d had double her usual limit of red wine. Her head was spinning and her pussy was parting under the thin blue fabric. She could actually feel Malik’s hot breath on her mound and he was pressing her down against the blood-red mattress, lowering his face, preparing to lick her whether she wanted him to or not.

Did she want him to do this? Nikki asked herself desperately. Yes, absolutely—her body was screaming for sexual release. It was as though he had wakened some part of her which had been asleep for years when he “massaged” her earlier and now that part of her was hungry for more—much more .

But should she let him do this? Nikki had to regretfully admit that the answer was a resounding no. She still barely knew him and she wasn’t a one-night stand kind of girl. Besides, they had to work together here—in a way, anyway. They both had their parts to play in order to save his world and also to get her home to her kids. Making this sexual would only complicate matters.

She had to stop this while she still could. But how?

“Mistress,” Malik murmured and she felt the hot, wet tip of his tongue caress the top of her mound and then find the very top of her slit, which was peeking out above the edge of her panties.

Have to stop him—have to! she told herself. Now, Nikki—do it now!

“No—no!” Somehow she mustered the strength to shout the words as she pushed at his head.

Malik looked up at her, his silver eyes flashing.

“Order me to stop then, Mistress,” he growled. “Show me who is the boss in this situation. If you don’t, I’ll have my way with you and lap your luscious little pussy until you come all over my tongue.”

Finally Nikki understood what he was doing—this was a test and up until a moment ago she had been failing miserably. She had to be more dominant, act more like her evil twin in order to pass. Would Mistress Hellenix have allowed Malik to do anything he wanted to her—especially if she personally didn’t want it done?

The answer was immediate and obvious—definitely not.

“No,” she said again, making her voice stern, trying to remember the tone of the dominatrix whose life she had been thrust into with no warning. “Malik, get away from me at once,” she said, glaring at the big Kindred. “I don’t…don’t choose to let you taste me right now. So stop.”

“Ah, at last.” Malik released his hold on her thighs and sat back, a small smile playing around the corners of his sensual mouth. “I knew you had it in you to be dominant, Mistress,” he said. “You just needed a push to get there.”

“Well, you certainly were, uh, pushing. But how could you possibly know that?” Nikki asked, sitting up and trying to straighten her gown.

She was still throbbing between her thighs and breathless from the encounter with the big Kindred. She couldn’t help wondering if he had been pretending his desire to taste her. Had it all been part of his plan to force her to act more dominant? Or did he really want to lick her after all?

“How could I know? Because no one who is a such a perfect genetic match for my old Mistress couldn’t have at least a few of her personality traits.” He raised an eyebrow at her. “Does that make sense?”

“I don’t know.” Nikki shook her head. “I guess maybe if my life was like hers I could be more dominant—more in charge. I suppose I just feel out of control most of the time—like everyone and everything is acting on me instead of the other way around.”

“That ends now,” Malik said firmly. “I need you to reach down and grab hold of that part of yourself that you used to back me off and own it. From now on, you’re a force to be reckoned with.”

“I am?” Nikki took a deep breath. “I mean, yes, I am!”

“Good!” Malik nodded in approval. “Don’t be afraid to take charge. Don’t just pretend to be Mistress Hellenix—inhabit her. Now, let’s practice some more…”

She was finally beginning to get the hang of it, Malik thought, watching approvingly as Nicole strutted confidently around, head lifted high as she got into her role as his old Mistress. At first he had been afraid she would never be able to pull it off but all she’d needed was a little push.

Although part of him had to admit, he wished she hadn’t pushed back until he’d at least gotten to taste her pussy. It had been a long time since Mistress Hellenix had allowed him between her legs and he was in need. He hated to admit that he was addicted to her beautiful body but that was actually the truth.

And now that a much sweeter soul had taken her place—someone with all her beauty but none of her cruelty—he couldn’t help feeling drawn to Nicole—not just her outer self but her inner personality as well. In fact, if circumstances had been different he would have considered himself in danger of falling for her. She reminded him so much of the dreams he’d had of Mistress Hellenix being kind and loving towards him instead of harsh and cruel…

Better put that thought out of your head right now, he lectured himself sternly. If the device the Time Warden gave you works as planned, you’ll never see her again after this is over. Besides, you have too much to do getting ready for the Banquet of Pain and the trip to Uriel Two to worry about romance.

Still, he found he couldn’t help the desire and admiration that rose in him as he watched Nicole inhabit the part of his Mistress. Though not naturally a sub, he had always admired strong women. And Nicole had everything that he desired in Mistress Hellenix and a lovely personality as well.

He would have to work hard to hold onto his heart with her around, Malik told himself sternly. He would have to stay strong and remind himself constantly that his only purpose here was to restore his home word—not to fall in love.

THIRTEEN

“Are you sure this is necessary?” Nikki muttered from the corner of her mouth, shooting a quick glance at the huge Kindred who was walking beside her. She was wearing a pair of high-heeled shoes and yet another revealing gown—this one deep green—and they were on their way to the kitchens to punish the chef who had poisoned her.

“Unfortunately, yes. The real Mistress Hellenix would never have tolerated an attempt on her life—nor should you.” Malik frowned. “You were poisoned, Nicole—you cannot let the perpetrator go unpunished. Your retribution must be swift and brutal.”

“But I don’t want to hurt anyone—don’t want to flog anyone with a, uh, pain whip,” Nikki protested, remembering the server telling her that was what usually happened to the kitchen staff when her evil twin was displeased.

She kept her voice low, even though Malik had fitted both of them with “voice-alone domes” which meant their conversation was completely inaudible to anyone outside the small, invisible privacy bubble the devices cast around them. Each privacy device was tiny—no bigger than a grain of rice—and clipped painlessly to a few strands of hair.

Malik sighed. “Honestly, I don’t blame you for being reluctant to punish. The chef who poisoned you has been flogged and punished numerous times by my old Mistress. No doubt he felt justified in seeking revenge. But if you allow him to get away with this, you will be sending a message to any other disaffected slaves that you are weak and there will be even more attempts on your life.”

“I wish I could set them all free,” Nikki murmured, eyeing the golden statue slaves who were posed on their marble pedestals all up and down the vast throne room. “It’s not right to own other people!”

“I would most certainly agree. Unfortunately, that would violate the contract the E’lo stones set between the two of you when they switched you into each other’s lives,” Malik said dryly. “You must do your best to preserve Mistress Hellenix’s life as she must preserve yours.”

“I still don’t like it,” Nikki muttered rebelliously. “And I’m not whipping anyone!”

“Fine. Then sell him—to the Mor’bath mines,” Malik suggested. “It’s a horrible place where slaves dread to go because the chemicals they mine are so toxic the life expectancy there is less than three standard months.”

“But that’s awful too!” Nikki protested. “I’ll be as dominant as you want but I will not send some poor man to his death!”

Malik gave her an appraising look.

“I didn’t think you would, but I wanted to be certain. You look so much like Mistress Hellenix and she wouldn’t hesitate to kill a slave or send him to the mines.”

“So you were testing me?” Nikki demanded. “Thanks a lot, Malik. Just because you’re teaching me to act more like her doesn’t mean I’m going to adopt all her awful ways.”

“Forgive me.” He bowed his head briefly. “I should not have done it. Why do you not pretend you will send the slave to the Mor’bath mines but in actuality give him a small ship and set him free? No one needs to know that he isn’t going to his death—his disappearance will be enough to convince the other slaves that he is doomed.”

“All right—that’s more like it.” Nikki nodded decisively. She was beginning to like this whole speaking her mind and expecting to be obeyed thing. Malik’s crash course in assertiveness had done wonders for her self-esteem and she fully intended to bring some of her newfound boldness back with her when she finally got home.

Maybe being a Mistress wasn’t so bad after all.

When they got to the huge, industrial-sized kitchen though, she almost changed her mind.

The kitchen certainly wasn’t like her cramped kitchen back home. It looked like it had been designed for a restaurant—someplace that served hundreds of people a night, not just one. Most of the work surfaces here seemed to be made of some brightly burnished copper-like metal instead of stainless steel and there were many appliances, both large and small, though Nikki had no idea what any of them did.

But it wasn’t the gleaming metal or strange appliances that held her attention—it was the rows of sullen eyes glaring at her from the kitchen staff, who were all standing silently in rows, waiting presumably, for her to speak.

There were at least twenty of them, though why one woman living alone should need so many chefs and kitchen staff, Nikki had no idea. All of them were staring at her except for the chef who had perpetrated the poisoning. He was looking down at the floor, his jaw clenched and an expression of determination on his face, as though he was nerving himself up for some terrible punishment. Thick black manacles bound his wrists and when he glanced up briefly she saw his dark eyebrows were drawn low over sullen brown eyes.

The intense scrutiny of the kitchen staff—all of them big, muscular males—made Nikki feel somewhat overwhelmed. She was used to men’s eyes sliding past her, not even registering her existence back home. Despite her long hair and big eyes, she was too plump to be considered conventionally attractive on Earth and her age was a factor too—not to mention the fact that she usually had two or more kids in tow. She didn’t fit the “pretty-young-single-thing” profile most men were looking for, which rendered her completely invisible to ninety-nine percent of the male population.

But it was different here in Mistress Hellenix’s palace. The Yonnie Mistress wore her curves with pride. Moreover, she used them to tease and taunt her slaves, making them desire and resent her at the same time. It gave Nikki a deeply uneasy feeling to realize that every man in the room wanted to either fuck her or kill her—or probably both.

Still, the show had to go on. And having Malik at her side for support helped. Taking a deep breath, she threw back her shoulders and addressed the man who had poisoned her. Malik had told her he was the head chef—the one in charge of the entire kitchen.

“Slave, you tried to kill me,” she began, frowning at him. “What do you have to say for yourself?”

She didn’t really expect him to say anything—he would probably just mumble and shuffle like her boys did when she asked them that question. But he surprised her by lifting his head and looking her directly in the eyes.

Nikki saw with some surprise that he was as big and muscular as Malik was. He had black, tousled hair, high cheekbones and a knife blade nose. The flashing eyes that glared into hers weren’t brown, as she had first thought, but dark bronze with a strange metallic tint. And when he opened his mouth to speak, she saw…were those fangs? The sharp double points the slave had where a human would have their canine teeth disturbed Nikki.

“Yes, I tried to kill you, Mistress,” he said in a low, angry voice. “Even though it is against my religion, my nature, and even my genetics to harm a female, I put the poison in your cup and hoped that it would end you.”

“You…I…” Nikki wasn’t sure what to say to this. “Your genetics?” she managed to get out at last.

He lifted his chin. “I come from a race that reveres and protects females.” He nodded at Malik who stood silently beside her. “He knows. It’s probably the only reason he hasn’t wrung your throat while you slept.”

Did he mean he was also a Kindred? Nikki had no idea but aside from their coloring, he certainly resembled Malik physically.

“If your people revere women, why would you try to kill me?” she asked.

“If you have to ask that, you’re even less self-aware than I supposed,” the slave said dryly. “How could I not try to kill you and win freedom for all of us when I and all my staff bear the lash of your pain-whip across our backs and shoulders almost nightly?” He turned abruptly, showing her his broad back.

Nikki bit back a gasp. The olive skin of his back and shoulders was covered in scars from what could only be from multiple vicious beatings. When he turned back to her, his bronze eyes were glowing—actually glowing—with anger.

“Not only that, you keep us all in endless chastity.” He nodded between his legs at the metal cage affixed to his equipment. “We are never allowed a sexual release unless you are particularly pleased with the meal—which you never are—or if you want to put on a show for your friends at a banquet. Do you know or even care how demeaning it is to stroke myself off for the amusement of a bunch of rich, heartless females on command?” He glared at her. “I will never do that again—not even if you whip me until I die!”

For a moment, Nikki was speechless. She couldn’t imagine treating anyone the way this man had been treated. Her evil twin really was evil, she realized. Mistress Hellenix clearly had no regard for anyone but herself and if what he was saying was true, she actually enjoyed inflicting pain and humiliation on the slaves she owned.

What a horrible person!

And she’s in charge of my house and my kids while I’m here. I have to get home! Nikki told herself. She was pretty sure that the dominatrix wouldn’t hurt her boys—that would certainly violate the contract the E’lo stones had set up between them when they first switched. But she still didn’t know what effect the other woman might be having on her home. After seeing what she was capable of, she just wanted to get back to Earth before any long-term damage was done.

As for the head chef who was glaring at her with glowing bronze eyes, Nikki wished she could apologize to him and to all the kitchen staff and set them all free. But Malik had said she couldn’t do that. Still, something needed to happen to Mistress Hellenix, Nikki thought resentfully. It wasn’t right that she should get away with all the misery she’d inflicted.

In the meantime though, she had to deal with the matter at hand.

“Well, slave,” she said, trying to make her voice sound strong and arrogant, like the real Hellenix. “I have no plans to whip you this time—your punishment shall be more severe than a simple whipping.”

There was a muffled gasp from some of the other assembled kitchen staff and Nikki heard one of them mutter,

“Now chef’s done it—Mistress is going to chop off his shaft!”

It was a horrific thought but it gave her an idea about how to play this.

“In fact,” she went on, “You will never have to worry about pleasuring yourself for me and my guests ever again—I’ll make sure of that before I send you off to the Mor’bath mines!” There was a meat cleaver lying on a wooden chopping block on the burnished copper countertop beside her. Nikki picked it up and brandished it menacingly as she spoke.

There were more gasps and some murmurs of sympathy and Nikki knew her words had struck home. Good—that should at least keep anyone else from trying to kill her in the short time she had left before she and Malik left for the Pain Banquet and the side trip to Uriel Two. But she still wanted to have a word with the head chef, who was glaring defiantly at her, before she sent him off in the ship that was waiting to carry him away.

“Malik,” she murmured, stepping back to make use of the privacy bubble and speak to him without anyone else hearing. “I want to talk to this man alone for a moment before we send him off.”

“As you wish, Mistress—as long as I’m there with you to be certain of your safety,” he said, frowning. “Even with that cleaver in your hand, I wouldn’t give a fake credit for your chances of survival otherwise. For a Kindred warrior to go against the principals of the Goddess and try to kill a female, he must be deadly certain of his purpose. Either that or he’s accepted that he will spend eternity in one of the Seven Hells for his sins and he hates Mistress Hellenix so much he counts the punishment as worth the crime.”

Nikki shivered at the thought that the man hated her—or the woman he thought she was—so much that he was willing to risk his eternal soul to get rid of her. But it only increased her desire to speak to him.

“All right,” she told Malik. “Is there a place I can speak to him privately?”

“One of the pantries should do. But first, dismiss the other kitchen staff.”

“All right.” Stepping forward, Nikki raised her voice. “Let this slave’s fate be a lesson to the rest of you. Mistress Hellenix does not tolerate disobedience or attempts on her life. Now go about your duties.” She thunked the blade of the cleaver into the wooden chopping block for emphasis and saw most of the slaves wince.

There, she thought to herself as the kitchens staff began to silently disperse. That should get the point across. Also, appearing to speak about herself in the third person was a nice, villainous touch, she thought.

“Come, slave.” Malik took the head chef by the arm and led him through a side door, into a room filled with boxes and cans with labels that made no sense to Nikki.

Channa scum, read one and another said, fillip tails. A third read simply, tongue paste. Was it paste you smeared on your own tongue or paste made of the ground up tongues of some unknown creature? Also, did it have anything to do with the tongue oil she had bathed in when she first appeared in Mistress Hellenix’s house?

Nikki decided she didn’t want to know. Looking at the containers filled with strange foods, she put a hand to her stomach. Ugh! Presumably these were ingredients for future dinners. She just hoped she wasn’t the one to eat them.

“Now then,” Malik said, after making certain the door was firmly fastened. “What is it you wish to say to this slave, Mistress?”

Nikki stepped towards the huge slave with his glowing bronze eyes but she hardly knew where to begin.

“What’s your name?” she asked at last, tilting her chin up to look him fully in the face. He and Malik were both so tall she felt a little like a kid between two adults. Yet, she was the one in charge here, she reminded herself sternly.

The slave looked surprised.

“Why do you ask me now, when you’re about to send me to my doom?” he demanded. “You bought me five years ago and you’ve never given a damn for anything but my cooking skills and the size of my shaft. Do you want to know what to put on my death record when the mines kill me?”

“Just answer the question,” Malik growled. “We have limited time.”

“Tell me your name, please,” Nikki said gently, using manners even though Malik had warned her not to.

The slave looked even more surprised but at last he answered.

“I am called Dark,” he said warily. “Though I still don’t know why you wish to know.”

“So I can speak to you as a person instead of a slave,” Nikki told him. “Look, I want you to know you’re not really going to those awful mines, wherever they are. You’re going to be given a small ship and you can go your own way—anywhere you want. So you’re going to be okay.”

“What?” Dark blinked, clearly not believing her. “What lies are you telling me? And why are you bothering to tell them?”

“No lies,” Nikki said quickly. “Look, I’m not who you think I am.” She cast a glance at Malik. “I think I can tell him—after all, he’s going away. It’s not like he can tell anyone else.”

He shrugged. “As you wish, Nicole.”

“Nicole?” Dark frowned. “Who is Nicole?”

“I am—I’m not Mistress Hellenix. She and I got switched by some shiny purple M&Ms…” Nikki shook her head, realizing how crazy that sounded. “Anyway, look—it’s a long story but the main thing is, I’m not mad at you for trying to poison me because I understand why you did it. Mistress Hellenix has abused you horribly and if it was up to me, I’d set all the other slaves free along with you. But I can’t because that would violate the contract,” she finished in a rush.

“What?” Dark looked truly startled now. “What are you saying? How can this be?”

“She speaks the truth, Brother,” Malik growled. “There is ancient magic at work here. Nicole comes from another world called ‘Earth’ and has been thrust into our Mistress’s life by chance or the will of the Goddess—I’m not sure which yet. She is sending you on your way in a gesture of good faith and trusting you not to betray her.”

“Of course I won’t.” Dark still looked stunned. “Poisoning a female was the hardest and most loathsome thing I have ever done in my life. I only did it because some of my staff were saying they wished themselves dead rather than living under the rule of such a cruel Mistress any longer.”

“Oh dear…” Nikki bit her lip. “I wish I could do something for them.”

“You cannot reveal yourself to everyone, Mistress,” Malik growled. “You would not be safe if it was known that a kind, gentle female had taken Mistress Hellenix’s place.”

“I suppose. But maybe we can at least get the hurt slaves medical attention and maybe give them extra rations or something?” she suggested.

Malik nodded. “I’ll see to it.”

Dark was looking back and forth between them, the uncertainty on his face turning to amazement.

“You really are a different female,” he murmured hoarsely. Dropping to his knees, he took Nikki’s hand and pressed his forehead to it. “I beg you will forgive me for my attempt on your life, Nicole of Earth. I will always remember your kindness to me, even after I tried to kill you in such a shameful manner.”

“Oh, it’s all right. You can get up now.” Nikki knew she was supposed to get used to men bowing and kneeling to her but she was still working up to the whole “receiving obeisance” part of the Mistress job.

“Thank you.” Dark rose smoothly to tower over her again.

“Well, I guess we’d better get you on your way,” Nikki said brightly. “Malik, is the ship that’s taking him away all ready to go?”

“Yes, it is, Mistress. But you cannot send him on his way just yet,” Malik rumbled.

“I can’t? Did I forget something?” Nikki frowned.

“His pain collar and cuffs must come off. As must his chastity cage.” Malik nodded between the other male’s legs at the silver mesh cage that enclosed his genitals. “It will respond only to your touch. If you send him away without taking it off, you’re dooming him to a life of unwanted celibacy.”

“Oh dear. I guess…guess we can’t have that.” Nikki cleared her throat uncomfortably, looking at the sizable silver package that stuck out from the fly of Dark’s tight black leather trousers. “Um, how do I open it?” she asked Malik.

“There should be a smooth area in the back of it which responds to your fingerprint—just as my pain collar did,” Malik said.

“Okay. Let’s do the collar and cuffs first, though,” Nikki said. She wanted to work her way up to the challenge of getting the chastity cage off.

Don’t you mean work your way down? whispered a little voice in her head but she pushed it away.

Dark bent low obligingly, since there was no other way she could have reached him, and Nikki felt around the back of his thick, black pain collar until she found the smooth spot that took her fingerprint. After the collar fell off, she did the same for the cuffs.

Then it was time to do that chastity cage.

“Um, I’m sorry about this,” Nikki muttered as he spread his legs and she felt around the back of the silver cage. She could feel the heat of his skin right through the thin metal and she felt like she was doing something wrong—cheating somehow. The feeling wasn’t helped by the stony look that Malik was giving her as Dark thrust out his hips to help her gain access.

She could feel her cheeks getting hot. God, this was embarrassing! She did not want to be feeling up some strange guy’s junk! Where was that smooth spot? Would this ever be over?

At last she found the spot and pressed her right index finger to it. The cage split in two right down the middle and fell off to either side. Abruptly, Nikki found herself cupping Dark’s cock and balls in her hands, as though she was about to give him a hand job. And somehow she felt frozen to the spot—unable to move.

“Gods,” Dark murmured, his bronze eyes going half-lidded. “Your hands are so soft, Nicole of Earth!”

And to Nikki’s horror, his impressive shaft, which had been soft while enclosed in the cage, twitched and began to grow.

“Back off,” Malik growled behind her. “Nicole is spoken for.”

This was news to Nikki—was he talking about her soon-to-be ex or was the big Kindred laying a claim on her himself? Either way, it broke the paralysis that had somehow gripped her and she was able to pull her hands away from Dark’s growing shaft.

“Um, sorry,” she muttered and cleared her throat. “Well, I guess you’re all ready to go now.”

“Yes.” Dark looked at her seriously as he tucked himself away and fastened his trousers. “I never thought I’d leave this place alive. Thank you again, Nicole of Earth.”

“You’re welcome.” Nikki smiled up at him. “I wish you all the best. And, uh, I’ll take care of your people here as much as I can without breaking the contract between Mistress Hellenix and myself.”

His face darkened. “That female deserves nothing but torment. But I will not speak of her again.”

“That is probably for the best,” Malik said dryly. “Come, Brother—let’s get you to the ship.”

As they took the back way out of the kitchens and towards the docking entrance, Malik tried not to think about the sight of Nicole’s small hands cupping the other male’s shaft.

Why had he gotten so jealous?

Malik had no idea. All he knew was that for a moment, when he saw Nicole touching another male intimately, a red haze had come over his vision and he had wanted with all his might to kill the other Kindred who was trying to take his female.

But she’s not yours, he reminded himself sternly. Why should you act like that—feel like that? How many times have you seen Mistress Hellenix touch another slave intimately—or let another slave touch her while she made you watch? And you never went into a jealous rage over that!

Yes, but Mistress Hellenix was not Nicole, no matter how much they might look alike. Which shouldn’t make any difference—he had no claim to either female. But for some reason, he felt possessive of the Earth woman in the way he never had of his true Mistress. And watching her treat Dark with kindness and respect that his old Mistress had never shown anyone in her life, just reinforced his feeling that Nicole was different—special—in a way that made him want her even more.

Put the wanting out of your mind, Malik lectured himself. You remember what the Time Warden said when he gave you the device—all will be changed after you use it. There is no point in starting a relationship with a female—no matter how beautiful and kind she is—knowing that you will certainly lose her for good so soon.

But he couldn’t seem to help himself. Watching Nicole with the other Kindred had stirred something in him—a possessive protectiveness that he could neither ignore or deny.

“Well, that’s that. He’s off.” Nicole’s soft voice, so unlike Mistress Hellenix’s strident tones, broke into his musings and he looked up to see that the ship had taken off. Dark was headed for a new life, far from the hell of slavery he had been enduring for the past five cycles since he had been captured and sold. “I hope he has a good life now—I wonder how he got taken by Mistress Hellenix in the first place?”

“He told me briefly—if you would like to know?” Malik raised an eyebrow at her and she nodded.

“Yes, please. He doesn’t seem like the kind of guy who would end up as a slave.”

“He is not—he was kidnapped.”

He told her how Dark had explained he had been taken from a restaurant on another world where he had been both owner and head chef. He’d had the misfortune to cook for a Yonnite ambassador, who loved his cuisine. She had waited until closing time and then caught him coming out the back door after locking up. His younger brother, who was with him at the time, had almost been kidnapped as well but Dark had roared at him to run and the younger male had gotten away—just barely.

“Don’t worry about the little one,” the ambassador had told her guards as they held the struggling Dark. “This is the one I really want. Strip down his trousers and let’s have a look at his shaft. It doesn’t matter how talented a male is—if he has a small shaft, he’s of no use to anyone.”

“Let me go!” Dark had struggled in vain against the two huge guards but soon enough they had his trousers down around his ankles and his shaft exposed.

Unfortunately for Dark, he was Kindred which meant he was well endowed by the Goddess, as were all Kindred males. When she saw the size of his shaft, the Yonnite ambassador’s eyes had widened.

“Well, well—you cook like an angel and you’re hung like a devil! Won’t you fetch a pretty price at the Flesh Bazaar!”

“You can’t do this! You can’t just take me away like this!” Dark had protested. “You don’t fucking own me!”

“Now, I do.” The Yonnite ambassador had given him an arch smile. “Come, slave—let’s get you back to my ship.”

Shortly after that Mistress Hellenix had bought Dark at auction and he had been toiling in her kitchens—trying to please she who was un-pleasable—every night since. Malik sympathized with the male—after all, he too had spent cycles of his life trying to please their cruel, heartless Mistress. But at least he was here by choice—sacrificing himself for a cause he believed in—the cause of restoring his home world.

It had been a hard life but Dark was free of it now. Despite the blinding moment of jealousy when he had seen Nicole’s hands on him, Malik sincerely wished the other Kindred well.

“Wow—that’s some story,” Nicole breathed. “I’m glad he’s off and out of this place!”

“Yes, he’s off,” Malik murmured. “Goddess-speed, Brother,” he added, looking up in to the vastness of space. “And may you find your way home.”

“Why did you keep calling him ‘Brother?’” Nicole asked him. “Is that a Kindred thing? You’re not in any way related, are you?”

“No, we’re not—it’s simply a greeting between Kindred,” Malik told her. “A term of respect and friendship.”

“Oh…” Nicole sighed. “I wish my boys, who are actually brothers, would get along half as well.”

“Do they fight a lot?” Malik asked, frowning.

“Like cats and dogs—er, those are domestic pets on Earth that often don’t get along,” she explained, obviously catching his uncertain look. “The two youngest do, anyway—they’re twins but sometimes it seems like they hate each other. The oldest one, Jude, well…” She shook her head, looking deeply troubled. “He’s gotten off on the wrong path somehow and I can’t get him back. His father’s no help—Gary won’t do a damn thing with the boys except bark at them when they get so loud he can’t hear the game on TV. And I just worry so much that they—” She broke off abruptly.

“That they what?” Malik asked, frowning. “What were you going to say, Nicole?”

“I’m sorry.” She made a dismissive gesture with one hand. “I shouldn’t be going on and on about my parenting problems to you. I know there is nothing more boring than somebody else’s kids.” She tried to laugh but it came out sounding wounded and unhappy.

“Of course I’m interested,” Malik told her—and he was. He wanted to know all about her—to understand what made her so different from the woman she looked so much like. “Please,” he said, “Go on.”

“Oh, it’s just that they need a father’s influence more than ever right now—the twins are twelve and Jude is fifteen—so of course, this is when Gary decided to leave me.”

“You have spoken of this before but I still don’t quite understand it,” Malik confessed. “Among Kindred, the male and female form an unbreakable soul-bond which renders them incapable of leaving one another.”

“So, there’s no divorce on your world? Or, I mean—there wasn’t before the, uh, Knower AI thing took over and wiped everyone out?” Nicole asked, raising an eyebrow in apparent surprise.

Malik shook his head. “No. The only parting of a couple the Goddess had put together was death.” As he spoke, he felt the old sadness come over him. “That is what happened to my parents—even before the Knower decimated our world, my father died when I was young, only fifteen cycles old. He left my mother and three little brothers—none older than five cycles at the time.”

“Oh, that’s terrible!” Nicole exclaimed. “I’m so sorry, Malik! What did you do?”

“I helped my mother as best I could.” He lifted his chin, remembering those long, hard cycles. “I stayed with her until my youngest brother was the age I was when my father died and the other two were grown and out of the house. After that she told me to go and find my own life. I had never even been involved with a female or thought of Claiming a mate until then—how could I when she and my brothers needed me?”

“And did you? Find your own life, I mean?” Nicole asked. Clearly she was as interested in his life as he was in hers.

Malik nodded. “I was out piloting a test craft when the Day of Reckoning came on my home world—on Uriel Two. I tried to get back, but the Knower had already erected a kill-field around the entire planet. No one could get in or out. At first we didn’t know what it was doing but then…then it started broadcasting images…”

He clenched his hands into fists, remembering the awful things he had seen on the viewscreen of the ship he’d been in, orbiting helplessly just outside the kill-field, unable to get to his family…unable to save them…

“What images?” Nicole almost whispered but he could tell from her face that she had mostly guessed.

“The Knower released a kind of nerve gas,” Malik said flatly. “The gas was actually a byproduct of a manufacturing process in several plants that it ran—it ran everything before the end.” He laughed bitterly. “Anyway, instead of disposing of the gas, the Knower had been storing it for cycles, getting ready to take over. The gas caused immediate, agonizing death for anyone who breathed it in. Which was…everyone trapped on the planet.”

He closed his eyes briefly, remembering the faces contorted in pain, the screams and cries, the begging and pleading on the viewscreen… All followed quickly by silence and death. The many faces—some he recognized and many he did not—all twisted in their final agony with staring, vacant eyes. And then the final message from the Knower.

“Uriel Two is mine now. Organic life forms are no longer welcome. Any attempt to invade this space will be met with swift and fatal retaliation.”

And that was that. His mother and brothers and everyone else he had loved and worked with and cared for was gone in the blink of an eye. Just…gone.

“I couldn’t save them,” he whispered to himself. “I tried to get to them but I was locked out. I couldn’t save them…”

Suddenly he was surprised by arms enfolding his waist and a warm, soft body being pressed to his own. Looking down, he realized that Nicole was hugging him.

“Mistress? I mean, Nicole?” he asked uncertainly. Her head only came up to his sternum but she was doing her best to enfold him in her embrace.

“Malik, I’m so sorry. What you went through—all the people you lost. I don’t think I really understood earlier, but it’s terrible!” There were tears in her eyes when she looked up at him.

Tears for him, Malik realized.

For a moment, he could hardly believe it. The real Mistress Hellenix would never have shed a single tear for him—even if she’d cared to listen to his past trauma, which she most assuredly had not.

“Thank you,” he said, not sure what else to say.

“Come down here.” Nicole sniffed. “So I can hug you properly.”

Still bemused by her unexpected compassion, Malik leaned down so that she could put her arms around his neck. Their height difference made prolonged hugging difficult but since this was the ship docking area, there was a wooden box filled with some kind of engine parts nearby. Malik lifted her gently so that her feet were resting on the lid of the box and he was only a little taller than her.

Then he simply held her. Or rather, let her hold him.

It was an extraordinary feeling, having her soft body pressed to his as she offered him comfort as no one had since the awful time of his planet’s takeover ten cycles before. How often had he felt alone—as though no other living creature in the universe cared for his pain? How empty and long the cycles had been.

But now here was a female who cared—who offered him compassion and sympathy, her heart overflowing with tenderness and aching for his pain so much that she cried for him.

Malik felt something break inside him. He crushed her to him and buried his face in her long, silky black hair, breathing in her warm scent and taking the comfort she offered without reservation or remorse.

“Thank you,” he murmured hoarsely, at last pulling away. “No one has ever…cared before. I do not understand why you do. But, well…thank you.”

“Of course I care! What you must have gone through, seeing that…knowing you couldn’t help…” Nicole shook her head and cupped his cheek in one soft little hand. “I can’t even imagine it.”

“I try not to think about it,” Malik admitted. “Besides, if my plans go as I hope they will on Uriel Two, I will be able to erase all of it.”

“You will?” She frowned. “How are you going to do that?”

“It has to do with the device the Time Warden gave me.” Malik looked around. “I’d rather not talk about it here, if you don’t mind. Even with the privacy bubble in place, I don’t feel safe telling you. Can we discuss it on the ship, once we’re away from here?”

“Oh, of course. I’m sorry,” she exclaimed. “I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”

“You didn’t.” Malik smiled at her and stroked a strand of hair away from her face. “In fact, you make me feel more comfortable and cared for than I have in years. Thank you for that, Nicole.”

“You…you’re welcome.” Suddenly she was blushing and pulling away from him, as though embarrassed by their closeness. “Um, if you ever need to talk any more about it, I’ll be more than happy to listen.”

“I will accept your invitation and extend the same one to you,” Malik told her gravely. “If you want to talk about your sons or your domestic troubles with your cheating mate, I am more than happy to listen. And to give advice, if you want it.”

She gave a short, unhappy laugh. “Mistress Hellenix had advice too—she wanted me to put a pain collar on Gary and shock him into submission.”

“Well, yes—that is pretty much her solution to everything,” Malik agreed dryly.

He wasn’t surprised that his old Mistress would advocate corporal punishment for a straying male—pain was her wheelhouse, after all.

“As for advice about your mate, all I can say is that he is a fool to leave a female as lovely and compassionate as you,” he said.

“Oh…thank you.” Nicole blushed again, which made her lovely face glow.

Malik had the urge to draw her close and kiss her and had to force himself to hold back. He had no right to touch her, to reach out to her as she had reached out to him—they were still “Mistress and slave” to anyone who might be watching. And besides, he was trying not to start something he knew he couldn’t finish.

“But I was actually talking more about your sons,” he went on. “If you need any advice, I did raise three little brothers. And I like to think I know what goes on in the male mind,” he added, giving her a self-deprecating smile.

Nicole smiled back. “It would be nice to get an inside view of that, I admit. Sometimes I look at them and wonder what in the world they’re thinking and why they’re acting like they are. I’m just baffled.”

“You’re right when you say they need a male’s influence,” Malik said seriously. “A boy needs an older male to look up to and emulate.”

“Which is why I have no idea what I’m going to do once Gary leaves us. Not that he’s exactly involved now. We probably won’t even miss him.” Nicole shook her head and sighed. “Look, let’s forget about it for now. We have a lot to do before I get home and have to deal with all this again.”

“You’re right about that,” Malik said seriously. “The Banquet of Pain is tomorrow night—we need to get you ready. And you have to practice Mistress Hellenix’s speech.”

“Oh, does she have a speech already prepared?” Nicole sounded vastly relieved. “I had no idea what I was going to say. I don’t know anything about torture devices or using them to train slaves.”

“Don’t worry—it’s a short speech,” Malik assured her. “You just have to give it and then demonstrate one of the new punishment devices on me for the crowd and then you’ll be free to sit down.”

“Wait—I have to demonstrate one on you? You mean I have to hurt you?” Nicole frowned stubbornly. “I don’t like that, Malik! I won’t do it.”

He frowned back. “You have to.”

“No.” Nicole crossed her arms over her full breasts. “I won’t. You’ve been hurt enough—I can’t even imagine the awful things Mistress Hellenix has done to you. I won’t add to your trauma.”

Malik shook his head. Giving her the self-confidence to say “no” and demand her own way was certainly having some repercussions but he couldn’t help admiring her spirit.

“I tell you what, we’ll talk about it later,” he said, tabling the disagreement, at least for now. “Right now, it’s getting late and we have a lot to do before you’re ready for tomorrow night’s banquet.”

“All right, later. As long as we’re clear that I won’t hurt you,” Nicole said. Then she yawned. “God, I don’t know when I’ve been so tired. What a crazy day!”

Considering that she’d been whisked halfway across the universe and landed in his cruel Mistress’s life with no forewarning and had thereafter been attacked, threatened, and poisoned, Malik could certainly see her point. He had been intending to have her go over the speech some tonight but he could see that she was weary and suddenly all he wanted was to take care of her.

“Come, Mistress,” he said, lifting her gently from the crate she was standing on and cradling her in his arms. “Before we do anything else, you need to get some rest.”

“But you don’t…don’t have to carry me,” she protested around another yawn.

“I want to, Mistress.” He held her close to his chest, relishing her softness against him. Gods, how often had he longed to be close to Mistress Hellenix like this? To hold her and care for her—but she would never have let him, he knew without even asking. And her awful personality kept him from trying to persuade her. The closest they ever got to cuddling was when she used him as a pillow in bed.

Malik hoped his new Mistress would consent to use him that way as well. Nicole seemed so shy but he could scent her feminine desire when they got close. Of course, there was no point in getting romantically involved but what harm could a little physical closeness be?

None, he told himself. And if I can hold her close all night, it might comfort us both.

He just hoped Nicole would agree.

FOURTEEN

Nikki sighed in contentment when the big Kindred deposited her gently in the middle of the big red mattress in the center of the BDSM bedroom. He proceeded to remove the high heeled shoes and then, to her surprise, he began giving her a foot massage.

“Um…you don’t…don’t have to do that,” she protested and then groaned. “Oh God—it feels amazing though.”

“I am just treating you as I do the real Mistress Hellenix,” he murmured. “I think it’s better if we keep up routines, to avoid suspicion in the other slaves, don’t you?”

Nikki thought about protesting that she didn’t see how the other slaves would know they weren’t following the usual routines since they weren’t here to see her and Malik interacting. But his big, warm hands on her tired arches felt too good to protest. Besides, after he had shared his harrowing past with her, she felt much closer to the big Kindred than she would have believed possible after such a short acquaintance.

“All right,” she murmured sleepily. “Go ahead and do…do whatever it is you do for Mistress Hellenix, then.”

“With pleasure, Mistress,” the big Kindred growled softly. He continued rubbing her feet for a while but just as Nikki thought she was going to drift off to sleep, he stopped and left the vast bed. When he came back, he began pulling up her dress.

“Hey, what—?” she began, sitting up. She was suddenly feeling much more awake.

“I need to take off your gown and get you into your night clothing,” Malik explained patiently. “As I always do, Mistress,” he added pointedly.

“Oh, um…okay.” Nikki thought she would probably have to get over him seeing her naked at some point but she still felt shy about it. “Could we, uh, at least turn down the lights a little first though?” she asked.

Malik frowned. “Are you ashamed of your beautiful body, Nicole? You have no need, I assure you.”

“That’s not what Gary would say. He called me ‘extra-extra-large.’” Nikki made a face. “Not that he’s exactly on the skinny side himself.”

“I told you—you are an Elite. A female the Goddess has blessed with bountiful curves.” Malik spoke patiently. “You are beautiful in every way. But if it makes you feel a little easier, I will dim the lights.” Looking up, he said, “Lights dim,” in an authoritative voice.

At once the light in the BDSM bedroom dimmed to a faint golden glow, like candle light. The instruments of torture and discipline were indistinct humps in the darkness and everything was cast in shadow.

“Thank you,” Nikki said gratefully. “I feel, uh, much more comfortable now.”

“Good. Then allow me to get you ready for bed, Mistress.”

Malik tugged at her dress again and this time Nikki allowed him to pull it over her head. She started to cover herself with her arms but Malik pulled them gently away.

“No, Mistress, let me see you. You’re so beautiful—both inside and out,” he murmured.

Blushing, Nikki let him look at her bare breasts as he slowly pulled a small, lacy gown over her head. It was a lot like the one she’d worn earlier, after the rejuvenation treatments and like that other garment, this one didn’t seem to want to come up and cover her breasts.

“Is this how all her clothes are?” she asked, tugging at the black lace to try and bring it higher.

“What do you mean?” Malik looked confused.

“I mean so…so revealing.” Nikki gave up the fight and looked down at her breasts, which were more than half exposed by the black lace. When she let the night gown fall where it wanted to, the soft leading edge of the lace came only halfway up her nipples, leaving her tight buds and the tops of her breasts mostly exposed.

“My Mistress has never believed in hiding her beauty,” Malik told her. “Her preference is to flaunt her loveliness everywhere she goes.”

“I can tell,” Nikki muttered. “I don’t suppose there are any panties to go with this outfit?” she added hopefully.

Malik raised an eyebrow at her.

“Why would you want panties? They will only get in the way of the oral pleasure I am going to give you.”

“Oh, um…” Nikki bit her lip and felt as though her entire body was blushing. “You don’t have to…I mean, I don’t think it would be a good idea to do that, Malik.”

“Why? I thought you wanted to follow the usual bedtime routine?” he said, frowning. “Do you dislike getting your pussy tasted, Nicole?”

“I…to be honest I haven’t had it done enough to tell you one way or the other,” she admitted. “But I just feel like…like it’s going too far. I don’t think we, uh, know each other well enough to do that yet. And besides, after this is all over I’ll go back to my life and you’ll go back to yours. It’s really not a good idea to be starting something, you know?”

Malik nodded thoughtfully.

“I agree. Our lives will diverge, most likely never to meet again. But I feel I must point out that you need to at least get used to letting me kiss your pussy. It is a sign of respect that I will have to pay you during all public functions—including the Banquet of Pain tomorrow night.”

“I thought you only had to kiss my panties?” Nikki objected.

“So I do, but to be honest, many slaves kiss their Mistresses in a very, uh, deep fashion,” Malik explained. “You have to be prepared for that. If you jump away from me or act offended or surprised as you did when I kissed you in the great hall in front of the other slaves today, people are going to suspect you aren’t really Mistress Hellenix.”

He had a point, Nikki had to admit.

“All right,” she said reluctantly. “So what should we do?”

“Practice letting me kiss your panties without you jumping away.” Malik produced a tiny, wispy pair of lace panties that matched the black lace gown and held them out to her.

“Oh, um…” Nikki didn’t know what to say. She took the panties and put them on but just like the nightdress, they barely covered anything. They were a rectangle of black lace about the width of a toothbrush and the length of her pinky finger. Which basically meant they barely covered her slit. The rest of the tiny garment was just strings that went around her hips and held the scrap of lace intact.

“These are obscene,” she protested, looking down at herself. “You can practically see my entire, uh, area.”

“That is the idea,” Malik said patiently. “Wearing panties is really only to preserve dignity in the Yonnite culture since it is technically not allowed to let your slave penetrate you with his tongue.”

“Oh, it’s not? But I thought you said—”

Malik held up a finger to stop her and went on.

“However, enterprising Yonnites like my old Mistress have found ways to get around that old-fashioned convention. As long as they have panties on—no matter how small—they can have a slave pleasure them orally in public and claim that he is only ‘kissing their panties.’”

“Oh,” Nikki murmured. “So…people will expect me to be wearing, uh, the smallest panties possible?”

He nodded. “Just as my old Mistress would have. She pushed the limits with her fashion choices—even by Yonnite standards.”

“I believe that,” Nikki muttered, looking down at the way her breasts were so exposed. “But you’re not really going to—to taste me, right?” she asked, her heart pounding. “You say you just…just want to kiss me? Kiss my panties”

“To show my respect,” Malik growled softly. “The respect of a slave for his beautiful Mistress. And to help you get used to my mouth on you here.” His big warm hand cupped her mostly naked mound, radiating an electrical, tingling heat and his silver eyes were half-lidded as he looked at her. That warm, spicy, electrical scent of his was rising around her, making it hard to think.

“Well, I guess…guess it can’t do any harm to practice. As long as all you do is kiss me,” Nikki said. “Kiss my panties, I mean.”

“I swear it.” Malik nodded gravely and began easing her back to the mattress. “Lie back, Mistress, and let us practice.”

Heart pounding, Nikki did as he said, though she kept her legs tightly closed.

“Now, Mistress—how can I reach you this way?” Malik asked, frowning, as he settled beside her on the bed, his head about even with her hips.

“Oh, I guess…guess you’re right.” Feeling nervous, Nikki parted her thighs and let him in. The feeling of his hot breath blowing across her mostly naked mound made her feel like her heart was beating in every part of her body at once and she could feel herself getting slippery and hot between her legs.

God, could he tell how turned on she was? Nikki hoped not! It was so embarrassing the way he affected her, especially when they were just supposed to be practicing. At least the thin panties still mostly covered her pussy slit—though she could feel her outer lips spreading as she opened her thighs.

Malik leaned down and gave her a quick, chaste kiss on the top of her mound. Then he looked up at her.

“Well?”

“Well what? Is that it?” Nikki asked, disappointed despite herself.

“That’s all I can do with what you’re offering me,” Malik pointed out. “Listen, Nicole—in order to play Mistress Hellenix, you have to act like her.”

“And…and how would she act in this scenario?” Nikki asked somewhat breathlessly.

“My old Mistress loved oral pleasure—moreover, she considered it her due,” Malik rumbled. “If she was lying here instead of you, ordering me to kiss her panties, she would spread her thighs wide and grab my hair to pull me down to her. She wouldn’t be shy about telling me what she expected, either.”

“Oh, um…” Nikki took a deep breath. She had to get this right—they were going to be doing it or something very like it in front of a crowd of banquet-goers tomorrow night. Taking a deep breath, she reached up and slid her fingers into his thick hair.

“Good, good—now tell me what to do,” Malik murmured, his eyes glowing with desire.

“Malik, I want you to come down here and…and kiss my panties,” Nikki heard herself say. She was trying to make her voice bossy and imperious but it came out more breathy and needy.

Malik didn’t hesitate to obey.

Leaning down, he gave her a hot, open-mouthed kiss on the top of her mound. Then he leaned further and at first Nikki thought he was going to nudge the tiny black lace rectangle to one side and lap her inner pussy. Instead, he sucked one outer pussy lip into his mouth and released it slowly, teasingly, before sucking the other one the same way. Then he returned to the first and continued to kiss and suck her again and again, back and forth from one side to the other until Nikki thought she might go crazy from the indirect pleasure.

“Oh…” Nikki moaned softly. “Malik that…those aren’t my panties,” she protested breathlessly.

“Naturally not,” he growled softly, looking up. “Because when a Mistress tells you to kiss her panties, she actually means the area around the panties—not the panties themselves. Didn’t I tell you the panties were just a way to circumvent convention?”

“Yes, but…but these panties are already so small—they barely cover anything at all,” Nikki pointed out.

“Only the way you’re wearing them,” Malik rumbled. “Would you like me to show you the way these are really meant to be worn, Mistress?”

“I…I guess so,” Nikki murmured breathlessly.

Malik sat back and did something to the top of the tiny lace rectangle. He seemed to be rearranging it somehow but Nikki couldn’t tell what he was doing because his head blocked her view. At last he leaned back and motioned for her to look.

Nikki gave a little gasp when she saw what he had done. The black lace apparently had some kind of zipper running down the center of it she hadn’t noticed before. Malik had unzipped it all the way and spread it open so that instead of hiding her slit, it framed her entire pussy with lacy black lines. Her outer pussy lips were red and swollen from the hot way he had sucked them. Even worse, they were spreading open to show her inner folds and the little pink pearl of her clit, all shiny with her juices.

“Oh God, Malik—now they really are obscene,” she moaned, trying to shut her thighs.

“No, Mistress—open yourself to me,” he growled sternly. “This is how Mistress Hellenix would wear these panties.”

“But if you kiss…kiss me like this, you won’t be kissing my panties,” Nikki protested. “You’ll be kissing my…my…”

“Your open pussy. Yes,” Malik murmured, his voice deep with desire. “Which is exactly what you need to let me do now, Mistress. You need to get used to letting me kiss you like this here, tonight in private, before you let me do it tomorrow in public.”

“I…I don’t know.” Nikki bit her lip. “Do you really think we should?”

“I know we should.” Malik nodded. Then, seeing her uncertainty, he murmured more gently, “Remember, Nicole—it’s just a kiss. And I swear I’ll be gentle and respectful. You don’t have to worry about me going too far and penetrating you with my tongue or fingers. You just need to practice letting me kiss your open pussy a little.”

“Yes… I guess…guess you’re right.” Nikki felt like she was drowning in desire. “All right,” she whispered. “But just…just a kiss.”

“As my Mistress desires. But tell me what you want me to do.” Malik looked up at her expectantly.

Taking a deep breath, Nikki reached for him. Twining her fingers in his hair again, she ordered as strongly as she could, “Malik, come here and kiss my panties. And do a good job.”

“Yes, Mistress. It is my pleasure to offer you my obeisance,” he rumbled. And then he leaned down and Nikki moaned to feel him place a hot, open-mouthed kiss on her exposed inner folds.

The kiss seemed to last forever and she could feel his hot tongue stroking lightly over the aching bud of her clit, sending sparks of pleasure through her entire body. Oh God, if he didn’t stop this soon, she was going to come. Did she want to come? Yes, she needed to, Nikki told herself. But oh God, she shouldn’t—should she?

Before she could answer that particular thorny question, Malik looked up. He was breathing hard, his silver eyes dilated in the dim light and his mouth shiny with her juices.

“Was that acceptable, Mistress?” he growled softly.

“Y-yes—more than acceptable,” Nikki stuttered, shifting her hips.

He frowned.

“And yet, you did not release your honey under my tongue.”

“Release…release my honey?” Nikki wasn’t sure what he meant.

“When a Mistress is served well, she will allow pleasure to overtake her and her pussy becomes creamy and wet. A good bodyslave will know when this happens and catch her honey with his tongue and lap her clean,” the big Kindred explained.

“You mean…you want me to…to come while you lick me?” Nikki asked uncertainly. “But I don’t think I could…could do that in public, Malik.”

“You must at least pretend,” he ordered sternly. “My old Mistress would always allow me to make her honey come down when I paid her obeisance.”

“I…” Nikki bit her lip. “I guess I can try faking it if…if you want to kiss me—kiss my panties—again.”

Be real, Nikki, whispered a little voice in her head. You know it’s not your panties he’s kissing—it’s your pussy—your clit.

Nikki pushed the guilty little voice away and spread her thighs wider. How long had it been since she’d had a man interested in her sexually? Literally years, since Gary could barely be bothered to give her a few quick thrusts and a grunt most of the time. And now here she was, all spread out with a gorgeous, muscular man between her thighs, begging to kiss her pussy and make her come. She wasn’t likely to ever get a chance like this again once she got back home—she intended to make the most of it now.

“Malik,” she said, tugging at his hair again. “Kiss my panties again. And this time make…make my honey come down.”

“My pleasure, Mistress,” he growled. And then he was kissing her again and circling the throbbing bud of her clit relentlessly with his hot, wet tongue, making her feel half-crazy with pleasure.

Nikki thought of how he had “massaged” her earlier and the way he had fucked her so deeply with his long, thick fingers. She wanted desperately to ask for that now but they were only supposed to be practicing, she told herself. And in fact, she was only supposed to pretend to have an orgasm.

But the way Malik was circling her clit and teasing her so expertly was driving her crazy. She could feel her pleasure building and somehow her hands in his hair had tightened as she tugged him closer, not ashamed any longer of her need for him.

Malik seemed to like the feel of her hands in his hair because he growled deep in his throat and lapped her harder, using the flat of his tongue to rub relentlessly over and over the sensitive button of her clit.

Before she knew it, Nikki was up and over the edge as pleasure washed over her like a warm drenching rain.

“Oh!” she gasped, tightening her fingers in his hair and bucking up to meet his hot mouth as every muscle in her body tensed with need. “Oh, Malik—yes! Right there—yes, yes!”

The big Kindred stayed with her the entire time, riding out her orgasm and never stopping the hot lapping across her clit. Finally, when Nikki loosed her grip on his hair and lay back panting, he looked up at her.

“That was excellent play-acting, Mistress,” he growled softly. “I could almost swear you were coming against my tongue as I kissed your panties.”

Nikki bit her lip. She was pretty certain he knew she hadn’t been acting but she was too embarrassed to say it out loud.

“Thank you, Malik,” she murmured. “So…are we, uh done?”

“By no means.” His eyes flashed. “Now I have to lap you clean of honey, as we spoke about. Though you were only pretending to come, it’s important to do everything just as I would with Mistress Hellenix.”

“Oh…oh, of course.” Nikki nodded. “I…I see,” she murmured.

“No, but you will. Watch me, Mistress,” he ordered. “Watch me lap you clean and catch your honey on my tongue.”

Then he bent his head again and began lapping her open pussy with long, slow strokes of his tongue that started at her entrance and went all the way up to the top of her slit.

Nikki moaned with a mixture of embarrassment and pleasure. Before when he had only been “kissing” her, he had confined his attention almost exclusively to her clit. Now, he was bathing her entire pussy with his tongue and she was certain he could tell that she hadn’t been faking her orgasm. She was so wet and slippery down there he would know for sure that she had really come—and come hard.

If he could tell that she had actually come, Malik didn’t let on. He just went on and on, bathing her pussy with his tongue, lapping deeply around her entrance as though to catch every drop of her pussy honey, though he was careful not to penetrate her, as he had promised he wouldn’t. Or not much, anyway—his tongue darted into her occasionally, but only an inch or so which Nikki decided didn’t count.

It was an incredibly sensual sight and the feeling of him lapping her so gently made her start to feel hot and bothered all over again. Though she had always thought one orgasm was her limit, she began to want more. But after Malik had already spent so long between her thighs, would he want to give it to her?

Gary’s main complaint was that she took too long to come but the big Kindred had already spent four times as long tasting her as her husband ever had. Gary usually gave up in five minutes and went to the “main event”—which was sex. But the way Malik was acting, Nikki was beginning to think that he considered this act the main event.

Finally, he looked up, his eyes still half-lidded with desire.

“Gods, your honey is sweet, Nicole,” he growled softly. “And you’re doing excellent at letting me kiss you. Are you ready to practice some more?”

“You…you really want to go again?” Nikki asked breathlessly.

“As often as you’ll let me,” Malik murmured. “It’s been so long since I was allowed to taste pussy and yours is so beautiful and gives honey so freely. I love practicing with you, Nicole.”

“I…I like practicing with you too,” she admitted. “But what about you? Don’t you need some, uh, relief?” She nodded down between his legs. She couldn’t see his shaft though, it was still covered by the black loincloth thing he wore over the black leather trousers.

But Malik shook his head. “No, Mistress. Your pleasure is mine. I only want to help you get used to letting me kiss your panties some more.”

“Well…I guess it couldn’t hurt to try again. I mean, practice makes perfect, right?” Nikki said with a breathless little laugh.

“Exactly,” Malik growled. “So start again, Mistress—order me to kiss your panties and make your honey come down.”

Feeling like she was in the middle of an extremely erotic dream and she never wanted to wake up, Nikki did exactly that.

FIFTEEN

“Do you feel ready for the banquet?” Malik asked, taking a step back, as though to admire her. “You certainly look ready. Well, except for a few finishing touches.”

“What finishing touches would those be? I really hope they involve some kind of coverage for my front.” Nikki looked herself in the 3-D mirror, being sure to keep one arm over her breasts. It was the next day and after a night of pure pleasure she was getting ready for the Banquet of Pain. At the moment, she had on the most outrageous get-up yet, and she was very uncomfortable in it.

She was wearing a shiny, skin-tight black dress that came down to her thighs and hugged her curves mercilessly. That might not have been so bad since the black leather boots Malik had put on her were thigh-high and laced up past her knees, but the dress had a scooped neckline that ended just below her breasts, which stuck out of the shiny black leather prominently.

“There is a bustier that goes with this particular outfit,” Malik said helpfully.

Nikki breathed a sigh of relief.

“Oh good—please put it on me!”

“Certainly, Mistress.”

He fitted a short, stiff leather garment that had been dyed a deep crimson over her head and arms and then began to tighten the laces at the front.

“Wait a minute!” Nikki protested, looking down at herself when he finished. “This doesn’t do any good—my boobs still aren’t covered!”

Though they were supported, she had to admit. The crimson leather bustier lifted her over-large boobs and placed them on display, like ripe fruit on a tray. Like grapefruit halves with cherries on top, she thought dismally, staring at the way her breasts jiggled when she moved even a little.

Malik frowned. “I told you that my old Mistress is never shy about showing off her body.”

“Even when she goes out in public?” Nikki asked desperately.

“Especially when she goes out in public.” Malik gave her a stern look. “If you appear at the Banquet of Pain dressed in something conservative or modest, there are sure to be questions. And remember—the penalty for impersonating a Yonnite Mistress is death. There will be many guards there and I can only take on so many at a time—I will ultimately not be able to protect you, though I would die trying.”

“Oh,” Nikki whispered. “You’re right, of course. I’m sorry, Malik. I’m just not used to being so…so exposed.”

“Your breasts are beautiful,” Malik murmured. “There is no need for you to feel shame in exposing them.”

“Thank you but it’s not just body issues keeping me from walking around topless all day,” Nikki said, feeling slightly exasperated. “It’s just not done in my society. I mean, except for some nude beaches in Europe but with the boys always needing clothes and shoes and braces there’s no way I’m going to ever get a vacation to the south of France so the chances of me running around with my boobs on display are basically nil.”

“Of course, I understand. Your nipples will be covered at least,” Malik said, clearly trying to comfort her.

“They will be?” Nikki asked hopefully. “Oh, are there some kind of pasties I can wear?” Which wouldn’t be much coverage but at this point, she was willing to take whatever she could get.

“I’m afraid I don’t know what ‘pasties’ are,” Malik said, frowning. “What I was referring to are the punishment and relief dust you will be wearing on your nipples—the fire and the ice as they are sometimes called.”

“What kind of powders, now?” Nikki stared at him blankly.

“These.” Crossing to the big black chest of drawers, Malik pulled open the top drawer and reached inside it. What he held out to her were the three little vials Nikki had seen the day before when she’d been snooping in Mistress Hellenix’s things. One was filled with red and gold granules, the second was filled with blue and silver, and the third had some kind of clear liquid in it and a tiny brush attached to it that looked a little like a fingernail polish brush.

“What are those for?” she asked, shaking her head. “Am I supposed to put them on my nipples?”

“No, I will,” Malik said authoritatively. “I must make sure your sensitive nipples are well covered by the protective undercoat. Otherwise you might get the dust on your bare skin and you’ll feel like one of your nipples is freezing all night while the other burns.”

“What?” Nikki took a quick step back. “I don’t want to put anything on my nipples that freezes or burns! Why would anyone wear that dust stuff in the first place?” she demanded, nodding at the small vials, still cupped in his large hand.

“To punish your slave, of course,” Malik said, as though it was the most normal thing in the world. “If he is disobedient in any way, you instruct him to suckle the nipples dipped in the fire dust.” He raised the vial with red and gold granules. “And to cool his pain, when you feel he has been punished enough, you order him to suck the nipple coated in ice dust—which is also sweet,” he added, raising the vial filled with blue and silver dust.

“But I’m not going to use those on you, of course,” Nikki protested, shaking her head. “I mean, I don’t want you to feel like your mouth is on fire!”

Malik frowned. “I am afraid you must use them at least once—to keep up the illusion that you truly are Mistress Hellenix. My old Mistress always punished me with the dust at least once at any social gathering.”

“But Malik, I don’t want to hurt you!” Nikki exclaimed. She didn’t particularly want him sucking her nipples in public, either but since he was already going to be kissing her pussy in front of everyone at the banquet that part hardly seemed to matter.

“Mistress…Nicole…” He put down the vials for a moment and took both her hands in his. “I know what a tender heart you have,” he murmured, ducking down to look earnestly into her eyes. “But what I want most of all is for you to not be caught in your deception. I can bear a little pain to keep you safe. Please—just promise you will use the dust at least once tonight. You must keep up the illusion that you are my old Mistress.”

“Well…” Nikki bit her lip. But really, what choice did she have? “All right,” she said at last, nodding. “I’ll do it. But it’s going to be quick—I don’t want you sitting there feeling like your mouth is on fire for half the night.”

“That’s fine.” Malik nodded. “I’ll do something clumsy like spilling my drink to give you a reason to punish me so you can get it over with.”

“Did you do that for Mistress Hellenix?” Nikki asked. “Do something on purpose to give her a reason to punish you?”

He shook his head. “She never needed a reason. It was her pleasure to punish me often and so she did.”

“Ugh—she’s horrible! I just hope she’s not mistreating my boys!” Nikki exclaimed.

“She won’t mistreat them but she will make them mind.” Malik sounded thoughtful. “She won’t tolerate misbehavior.”

That was what Nikki was afraid of but she didn’t say so. She hadn’t had another “flash” of what the alien dominatrix was doing back on Earth since the last one where it appeared Mistress Hellenix was forcing Gary to kneel so it was difficult to know exactly what was going on back home.

Well, I’ll be back there soon, she told herself. We just have the banquet tonight and then straight to Uriel Two and after that, Earth. The three destinations were far apart but luckily, Malik had told her they were able to use wormholes to travel vast distances in an instant. So Nikki was pretty sure she wouldn’t be stuck in her evil twin’s life much longer.

Not that there won’t be some things I miss, she thought, looking longingly at Malik. Though she had only known the big Kindred for a few days, he had somehow found a place in her heart. Maybe it had to do with the fact that he made her feel uncompromisingly beautiful and desirable—or maybe it had to do with the fact that he seemed so attuned to her body he was able to bring her effortlessly to orgasm in a way that had always eluded her ex-husband.

I’ve had the best sex of my life with him, Nikki realized, looking up into his silver eyes. And we haven’t even had actual sex!

Well, other than oral sex, that was. But they’d had plenty of that, with Malik making her come over and over as they “practiced” the night before. Afterwards, he had curled her into the curve of his big body and they had slept spooned on the vast bed with its crimson mattress. Though there were no sheets or blankets, Nikki had been kept warm by his body heat and had woken up cocooned in comfort and wrapped in his arms. His warm, spicy scent seemed even stronger in the morning somehow and she lay there breathing him in and wishing so much that things were different, that she could let herself feel what she wanted to feel…

“What are you thinking, Mistress?” Malik rumbled and she realized she’d been standing there, staring at him, lost in thought.

“How much I’m going to miss you when this is all over,” Nikki said, before she could stop herself. “Uh…” She cleared her throat. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to, um—”

“I’m going to miss you, too,” Malik said unexpectedly. He drew her close, looking down into her eyes again. “I used to dream of you, you know—or someone like you. A female as beautiful as my old Mistress but one who was kind instead of cruel—caring instead of deadly. You are everything I have ever wanted in a woman, Nicole. I wish we had met under other circumstances.”

“Oh…” Nikki bit her lip. “I…I feel the same way. If only we could have met fifteen years ago, before I had so much baggage and three kids to raise.” She shook her head. “I’ll be a single mom for sure once the divorce is final. No man is going to be crazy enough to let himself being roped into helping raise three teenage boys at once.”

“I would,” Malik said honestly. “I have raised boys before—remember? But my first duty must be to my home planet.”

“Of course—of course, it has to be,” Nikki murmured, her heart pounding. God, if only she had met the big Kindred earlier in her life—like before she’d let Gary get her pregnant with Jude. But no—she loved her kids—she couldn’t regret having them. She just wished she had a better man to help her raise them. A man like Malik—but as he said, he was unavailable.

Unavailable and yet so near. Nikki had the urge to stand on her tiptoes and taste that sensual mouth of his. She put her hands on his bare, warm chest, feeling the muscles flexing under her fingers and leaned closer. God, he smelled so good—was that spicy, electrical scent some kind of cologne or just the natural smell of his skin?

“Nicole…” he rumbled and his eyes were suddenly heavy-lidded. If they weren’t careful they were going to end up “practicing” how to let him kiss her again and they would be late for the banquet.

The thought snapped her out of the lustful trance she’d fallen into and she took a step back.

“Well, I guess we’d better finish getting ready—we have to leave soon,” she said lightly, trying to defuse the tension that had crept up between them.

“Very well. I will apply the dust to your nipples. Would you come stand on the preparation platform, Mistress, so that I can reach you more easily?” he asked.

“Oh, um—of course.” Nikki followed him and he pulled out an unassuming black wooden box and placed it in front of the 3-D mirror. Then he picked her up and sat her on it as easily as though he was lifting a small child.

His strength, as always, amazed her. Gary hadn’t even been able to lift her up and carry her over the threshold when they first got married and she had been a lot lighter and they’d both been much younger back then. Malik picked her up and carried her around as though she weighed nothing at all. It really was incredible—and kind of nice too. It made her feel like a heroine in a romance novel which was silly—who ever heard of a romance novel where the heroine took a bath in blood and then had bugs for supper?

Nikki put the ridiculous idea from her mind as she watched Malik prepare her for the punishment dust. He took the tiny vial of clear fluid and, using the miniature brush, painted every bit of her right nipple and areola with the sticky stuff. Then he picked up the vial with the fire dust in it and, holding her breast in one hand, sprinkled it carefully over the coated area.

Nikki was a little nervous having him sprinkle something that was presumably hotter than the hottest hot sauce you could buy anywhere on Earth on such a delicate area. But Malik had done a good, thorough job applying the protective undercoat and she didn’t feel a thing with either the right breast or the left when he repeated the process and sprinkled the blue and silver ice dust on her other nipple.

“There.” Malik took a step back so that she could see herself in the mirror from all angles. “Now you are ready to go.”

“I guess so.” Nikki sighed. The dust really didn’t cover her nipples so much as draw attention to them. She couldn’t help feeling extremely exposed. Between the elaborate up-do (which Malik had used some kind of hair-dressing machine to create,) the tight, shiny black dress, the thigh-high boots, and her now glittering gold/red and silver/blue nipples, she didn’t recognize herself.

She was also very aware of the tiny red panties which matched the crimson bustier that she was wearing. They were what Malik called “split panties” meaning that they had a split right down the middle so that when he paid his obeisance to her by kissing her panties at the banquet, he would be able to kiss her “deeply and without reserve,” as he had put it.

It blew Nikki’s mind to think that only two days ago she’d been a normal wife and mom struggling to get through the day back on Earth and now she was half-naked, impersonating an alien dominatrix, and about to be intimate with a man she barely knew in front of a bunch of strangers.

Well, actually, that wasn’t quite right. She certainly felt like she knew Malik a lot better than she had any right to after last night. But still, how had all this happened?

Oh right—the E’lo stones, she thought, looking down at the tiny black velvet bag she’d put her own shiny purple M&M into. She was keeping it with her at all times—just in case. And to be honest, she didn’t really mind the adventure it had sent her on—parts of it had been incredible. She just wished she didn’t have to be put on display like this in public. For a naturally modest person like she was, this kind of exhibitionism was really hard to take.

Malik seemed to know what she was thinking.

“You look perfect,” he said, firmly. “One thing you have to remember if you’re going to play my old Mistress convincingly is that she loves showing off her body. You need to be bolder, Nicole—own your beauty and flaunt it.”

“I’m certainly flaunting something,” Nikki muttered, eyeing herself one more time. She stepped down from the box and looked up at him. “So now we’re all ready to go?”

“You are but I’m not,” Malik said. “And I’m afraid I’ll need your help getting ready.”

“Of, of course—what do you want me to do? Should I re-braid your hair or something?”

He smiled—a little grimly, she thought—and shook his head.

“Not quite. I need you to get me ready for display at the banquet. I would do it myself but unfortunately, I am unable to touch myself intimately without extreme pain due to the avoidance sensors my old Mistress had implanted under my skin.”

“Uh…what?” None of what he was saying made much sense to Nikki.

“I’ll show you,” he said simply. He was wearing, as always, the tight black leather trousers and the black loincloth and he had also put on a short, crimson red vest which matched her bustier and showed off his muscular arms without covering his chest. Now he moved the loincloth to one side, revealing one of the silver cages Nikki had seen around some of the other male slaves’ equipment.

“Oh my,” she said sympathetically. “I didn’t know you were wearing that thing, Malik! You should have told me and I would have taken it off you right away.”

He shook his head. “I don’t know if I could have been trusted without it last night—not when you spread your thighs for me so sweetly and allowed me to pleasure you with my tongue. If I’d had my chastity cage removed, the urge to make love to you and try to bond you to me might have been insurmountable.”

Nikki wasn’t sure what he meant by “bonding” her to him but the idea that licking and tasting her pussy turned him on so much he could barely trust himself sent a little shiver of lust through her. She had never heard of a man who loved going down half as much as Malik did.

“I see,” she said, nodding. “So I need to take it off for the banquet? Will, uh, will you be able to control yourself when you…you know, kiss my panties?”

He nodded. “You took the sharp edge off my need last night when you allowed me to taste you for so long. I am in control today. Thank you.”

Nikki had to bite back a laugh. “You gave me multiple orgasms last night,” she pointed out. “And you’re thanking me?”

“Of course,” he said gravely. “I am thanking you for trusting me enough to open for me and for sharing your sweet honey so generously when I was so thirsty for it.” His eyes were suddenly half-lidded as he looked at her and his voice dropped to a soft growl. “Truly, Nicole, I could spend all night between your thighs and count myself a lucky male.”

“Wow…” She shook her head. “I wish there were more Earth guys like you! And that I had found one of them before I ran into Gary.” She sighed. “Never mind about that though—what do I need to do? Just take off the cage?”

Malik shook his head.

“Unfortunately, no. My shaft must be oiled and erect and fitted with a stay-hard band to keep it that way before we can go to the banquet. I and every other slave there will be on display—it is a point of pride for the Yonnite Mistresses to have a slave with ample equipment.”

“Oh, um…okay.” Nikki nodded. “I can do that, I guess.”

“Thank you,” Malik said gravely. “As I said, I would do it myself but for the avoidance sensors.” He frowned. “As soon as I am free of here and have completed my mission, getting rid of the sensors will be my first priority.”

“I don’t blame you,” Nikki said. She couldn’t imagine not being able to touch yourself when you needed or wanted to. “Does Mistress Hellenix keep you in this thing all the time?” she asked, as she felt delicately between his legs, trying to find the smooth spot that took her fingerprint. Though she had done this the day before for Dark, it was still extremely awkward.

Malik nodded. “She prefers to keep me in chastity almost always. And since I am never allowed to service her, except with my tongue, it is practical for her.” He shrugged. “Better for me too—it’s certainly preferable to being kept in a state of constant arousal, as the statue slaves are.”

“Yeah, I feel sorry for those guys,” Nikki muttered. “There—I think I’ve got it.”

As she spoke, the silver cage split in two and fell away, revealing what had to be the biggest cock she had ever seen in her life.

Oh my! whispered a shocked little voice in her head. And he’s not even hard yet!

Though he was certainly getting that way. Nikki had ended up cupping him, as she had with Dark the night before, when the cage fell away. Now she could feel the big Kindred’s equipment twitch and start to grow in her hands.

“Oh!” she exclaimed and pulled her hands away before she remembered she was supposed to be touching him. “Um, sorry,” she said lamely. “You’re just, uh, really big and it kind of surprised me.”

“Of course.” He nodded. “All Kindred are well endowed—it is a genetic trait of my people.”

“It’s, uh, very nice.” Nikki bobbed her head awkwardly, feeling stupid. “But…um…What’s that in the middle?” she blurted. Because Malik had a cock like none other she had ever laid eyes on.

It wasn’t just that it was big—although she estimated it must have been in the neighborhood of fourteen or fifteen inches long which was crazy-huge, but there was also something else she’d never seen.

The first seven or eight inches of his shaft looked like a regular cock you might see on any man, with a broad, flaring head and a thick diameter. That part alone would have been enough to make any guy back on Earth feel extremely well-endowed. But just in the middle of his shaft, was a kind of ridge of flesh that stuck up about two inches above the rest of his cock.

At first Nicole thought it might be some kind of unnatural growth but after looking more closely, she could tell that it was part of him by the way it melded into the bottom part of his shaft—which was fully twice as thick as the top part.

“Do Earth males not have shafts like mine?” Malik asked, obviously seeing her interest.

“No, not exactly. They, uh…” Nikki cleared her throat. “The top half they do. I mean, the top part of your, uh equipment, looks like what I’m used to. But the bottom half is way thicker and this uh…what is that part called?” she asked, pointing at the swelling that rose on at mid-shaft.

“Males on Earth have no pleasure ridge?” Malik looked surprised. “Then how do they stimulate a female’s clit when they make love to her? And how do they keep from bonding to a female every time they take one?”

“We don’t bond, remember?” Nikki reminded him. “But no, they don’t have a, uh, pleasure ridge. What does it do?”

“I am a Volt Kindred, which means I am able to generate and conduct electrical charges with my body,” Malik explained. “The pleasure ridge rubs against a female’s clit when I enter her and sends out a very low-level electrical charge—more of a vibration than anything else—to bring her pleasure.”

“Wow, a built-in vibrator!” Nikki was really impressed. “That must feel amazing.”

“That is not its only purpose though,” Malik told her. “It also keeps a female from sliding down too far on my shaft.”

“I can see how it would,” Nikki murmured, thinking there was no way the bottom half of his cock—which was twice as thick as the top half—would ever fit into anybody. And even if it would, the pleasure ridge rising above the rest of the shaft would effectively stop anyone from sliding down onto the lower half of Malik’s huge shaft. She looked up at him. “So…you never want a woman to fully, uh, take you in when you’re making love with her?”

“Not unless I intend to bond her to me,” Malik said seriously. “Then and only then will I enter her fully.”

“Okay, but…how?” Nikki looked at his huge shaft doubtfully. “I mean, speaking for myself anyway, there’s no way the bottom half of you would fit.”

“That is the second use of my pleasure ridge,” Malik told her. “It feels rigid to the touch but it is actually a reservoir which holds my bond-making fluid. When I am making love to a female I want to bond with, the first time I shoot inside her, the reservoir empties and the fluid flows into her.”

“It does? And what does that do?” Nikki was fascinated by the strange but sexy details of his alien anatomy.

“For one, it allows my ridge to go down so it no longer impedes full penetration,” he said. “And secondly, the bond-making fluid contains an elasticizing agent which allows the female I am making love with to stretch in order to accommodate my entire shaft, down to the root. That way I can fill her completely and the second time I come in her, I bond her to me.”

“Wow, that’s…quite a process,” Nikki murmured. “So…have you ever done that? Uh, bonded someone to you?”

He shook his head. “There was a female I was very much in love with back before…before the end.” A look of pain came into his silver eyes. “Havlah was her name. I had every intention of bonding with her but when we made love…” He shrugged, his broad shoulder rolling. “My pleasure ridge refused to release the bond-making fluid into her. So I was unable to achieve full penetration and bond her to me.”

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Nikki said softly. “That must have been devastating.”

“It was difficult,” Malik agreed soberly. “Now I think it must have been the Goddess’s will. If I had bonded Havlah to me, before the Knower took over, and then lost her, I would have been a broken male, if I lived at all. Kindred often do not survive the loss of their mates,” he added, in explanation. “And even if I had survived, I would have been unfit for the mission of restoring my planet.”

“Wow…” Nikki didn’t know what to say about all this information but it occurred to her that they were just standing there talking when they ought to be getting ready. “Thank you for explaining everything so thoroughly,” she said to Malik. “But well…what next?”

“Now you must oil my shaft and place the stay-hard band around the base to keep me erect,” he murmured. “Not that I would have any trouble maintaining an erection when I am with you, Mistress. But the social conventions must be obeyed.”

“Oh—right.” Nikki nodded again. “So where is the, uh, shaft oil?” she asked, hoping that was what it was called.

“My Mistress keeps it here—along with the punishment powder.” He put the powder in question back in the drawer and pulled out a small bottle of viscous purple oil and a stretchy black band which looked twice as big as any she had seen on the other slaves. Which made sense since Malik was so much bigger than any of them.

Feeling surreal, Nikki held out her hand and let him pour a small amount of the thick, purple oil into her palm. The stuff was so dark it was almost black but when she dipped the fingers of her other hand in the little puddle in her palm, it felt smooth and silky and not sticky at all, as she had feared it would be.

It was still hard to believe that she was about to stroke and rub the cock of a man she hadn’t even known the day before yesterday. But Nikki told herself to woman up. Malik wasn’t a stranger anymore—not after last night—even though they’d known each other such a short time. He had helped her get ready for the banquet—now it was her turn to help him.

Taking a deep breath, she rubbed her hands together to spread the oil and then reached for him matter-of-factly.

A deep trembling went through Malik’s big body when she began stroking the purple oil over his shaft but he didn’t make a noise. His cock—which had already been hard by the time she reached for it—was now starting to feel like a warm bar of iron under her hands. When her fingers slid over the pleasure ridge, she felt a little electrical tingle like a vibration.

Oh—that’s right—built in vibrator, Nikki thought. Experimentally, she touched it again, rubbing her fingers up and down the ridge of flesh.

Malik had been standing quietly as she worked on him but now he made a low, indistinct noise and shivered under her touch.

“I’m sorry,” she said, pulling back at once. “Did I hurt you? Is that part too sensitive?”

“It is sensitive but you did not hurt me,” Malik said in a strained voice. “It simply gives an intensely pleasurable sensation when you touch me there. Possibly akin to what you feel when I rub your sweet little clit.”

“Oh, I see. I’ll be more careful then,” she promised and went back to her task of spreading the oil over every inch of him.

She had to admit she was more than a little in awe of his shaft. It was hands-down the biggest male equipment she had ever seen and she wondered if Malik was going to pass out from all the blood rushing away from his head and into his engorged shaft. She only meant to stroke him up and down once—just to coat him in the oil—but somehow she found she was doing more than that. He felt so good in her hands—so right—and he was so long and hard. The bottom half took both her hands to encircle his immense thickness and it seemed to pulse in her fingers like a life thing.

Malik’s trembling suddenly got more intense and she looked up at him.

“I’m sorry—am I hurting you?” she asked uncertainly.

“No.” His voice was tight and strained. “It’s just been…well over a full cycle since Mistress Hellenix allowed me to come. I am…trying to control myself lest I spill my seed all over you.”

“Over a cycle? That’s like a year, right?” Nikki looked at him in awe. “That’s terrible! How do you stand it?”

“It’s not an issue when I’m in chastity because I can’t get hard then,” he explained in a low, harsh voice. “But when I come out and my shaft is able to grow, I am filled with desire which can be…difficult to control.”

“Who could blame you for being a little out of control after not being allowed to come for over a year?” Nikki demanded. Suddenly, she made a decision. Taking a firmer grip on the big Kindred’s equipment, she began to pump him steadily with long, slow stokes.

“Mistress…Nicole,” Malik gasped. “What are you doing?”

“Giving you a release,” Nikki said firmly. “I’m not going to torture you by putting that damn band on you until you at least take the edge off a little.”

“I assure you, you’re in no danger from me—I’m in control of myself,” Malik exclaimed hoarsely.

“Yes, I can see that and I’m not afraid of you,” Nikki said impatiently. “But it’s inhumane to leave you in this state.”

Besides, she was really enjoying the feeling of his thick shaft pulsing in her hands. After having his hands and mouth all over her body the night before, she was more than happy to return the favor.

Which gave her an idea. Leaning down, she lapped experimentally at the shiny bead of precum which clung to the broad head of his cock. It had an iridescent rainbow shimmer to it and to her surprise it was salty but also sweet—a little like salted caramel. Was that the flavor of his bond-making fluid? If so, it was positively yummy.

Mmm—that’s really good! She licked him again and then sucked as much of his shaft (which wasn’t very much since he was so thick) into her mouth as she could.

“Gods, Nicole!” Malik’s voice was hoarse and urgent. “Please, I do not think you should do that!”

“Why?” Nikki asked, releasing him for a moment and looking up. “Don’t you like to be tasted the way you tasted me last night?”

“There is nothing I would like more than to feel your soft, sweet little mouth on my shaft,” Malik admitted hoarsely. “But I’m too close to coming.”

“That’s all right.” Nikki gave him a naughty little smile. “I don’t mind.”

She wasn’t usually much for swallowing but considering his precum tasted like melted salted caramel, she thought she could handle it. Without waiting for an answer, she went back to licking and sucking the head of his cock while she stroked the long, hard shaft.

“You don’t understand,” Malik growled hoarsely. “Kindred always produce a copious amount of seed and after an entire cycle without a release I made flood your mouth when I release.”

Nikki decided she didn’t care. In answer to his objections, she simply continued to suck.

“Gods, Mistress, you don’t know what your sweet mouth does to me,” Malik groaned. His big body was trembling now but he didn’t try to stop her or push her away. “And your soft little tongue—so hot on my shaft. I won’t…I’m not going to last very long.”

After being kept in chastity with no chance to come for over a year, Nikki was surprised he hadn’t shot his load immediately. She kept working him, lapping away the delicious salted-caramel precum as she stroked the thick, pulsing shaft with both hands.

She had sunk to her knees before him by this time and she felt naughty and hot, taking him in her mouth this way. The way they were both dressed only added to the naughty fantasy they were acting out.

The stern Mistress giving her slave a sexual release, Nikki thought, and squeezed her thighs together, feeling her pussy throb. His warm, spicy scent was stronger here and it seemed to add to her desire so that soon she was so turned on by sucking him, her tiny red panties were drenched with her juices.

“Ah Gods, Nicole…your mouth is so sweet…so hot…” With a low groan, Malik let go and she felt the first hot spurt of the big Kindred’s cum at the back of her throat. It was quickly followed by another and another and another.

He hadn’t been kidding about coming a lot, Nikki thought, as she swallowed as fast as she could. But still, it was delicious. If anything, the caramel flavor was stronger now with just the slightest hint of bitterness. It reminded her of drinking a hot caramel macchiato. Well, if someone was shooting it down her throat, that was. It sounded bizarre but it tasted really good so she just kept swallowing.

Though she did her best to swallow every drop, a bit escaped down her chin as she knelt before him, drinking everything he had to give her. For his part, Malik held himself steady, with one hand caressing the nape of her neck and the other clenched into a fist at his side.

Nikki appreciated the fact that he didn’t grab her hair and try to force her further down onto his cock, as Gary had in the past. The big Kindred was completely considerate, even at the peak of his pleasure. A true gentleman, she couldn’t help thinking. At last he gave a deep groan and his thick shaft stopped spurting, though Nikki noticed it didn’t get soft at all.

Nor had the pleasure ridge gone down, so maybe it wasn’t the flavor of his bond-making fluid after all? Or maybe it was just that his body somehow knew they weren’t going to bond so it didn’t release the fluid.

She gave the broad head a last lick and then carefully let him go. Glancing up, she saw that he was looking down at her with an almost stunned expression on his face.

“Is everything okay?” she asked, wiping her chin with one hand as she climbed to her feet. The cum on her fingers was white but it had the same iridescent rainbow hue that his precum had shown. “You’re not…not upset, are you?” It occurred to her that he had tried to stop her from making him come and she had ignored him. That wasn’t exactly good, was it?

To her surprise, Malik didn’t answer in words. Instead, he pulled her up and kissed her long and hard, as though searching for his taste in her mouth.

Nikki gave a little gasp and then she was kissing him back, giving as good as she was getting. Under the salted caramel flavor she could taste Malik’s mouth—hot and spicy like cinnamon candy. He was crushing her to him, his big hands rubbing up and down her back restlessly as he devoured her mouth with his, kissing her as though he could never get enough of her.

At last they broke apart, panting.

“What…what was that about?” Nikki gasped, looking up at him.

“I don’t know—I couldn’t help myself.” Malik still sounded a bit stunned. “Thank you for giving me such pleasure, Nicole. I never dreamed any female would be willing to do that for me.”

“What? Hasn’t anyone ever given you a blow job before?” She had certainly given more than her fair share to Gary—not that she usually enjoyed it but he seemed to think she owed it to him as part of her “wifely duties.” Then again, it wouldn’t have been such a chore if his cum tasted like a caramel macchiato, Nikki thought wryly.

“No.” Malik shook his head. “At least, not since before I was taken as a slave by my old Mistress. The Mistresses of Yonnie Six would rather cut off their own tongues than debase themselves in such a way with a male—especially a slave.”

“It’s not debasement any more than what you did for me last night was debasement,” Nikki protested. “It’s mutual pleasure. I…I like making you feel good,” she added shyly. “And your, uh, seed tastes freaking amazing. Seriously.”

He hugged her to him again and stroked her cheek.

“I know you feel that way but I have spent the last five cycles of my life being treated as less than dirt beneath my Mistress’s feet. It is…good to remember that there are females who feel that males can be treated as equals who are worthy of receiving pleasure as well as giving it.”

“Of course you’re worthy. You’re amazing,” Nikki whispered. She wanted to kiss him again but she had a feeling it was a bad idea. They were really getting in too deep here and falling faster all the time. It was really hard for her to give her body without giving her heart and despite telling herself that she wasn’t going to start something with the big Kindred when she knew it would only have to end, it seemed that they had somehow started something anyway.

“I’m amazed by you as well,” Malik murmured. His silver eyes seemed to jump with sparks and she could feel the warm, electrical pleasure of his touch going through her entire body like some kind of forbidden current.

“We…we better get on with putting this thing on you,” she said, with a shaky laugh, indicating the thick black band she still had clutched in one hand.

“Yes…yes, I suppose we should.” Malik stepped back, reluctantly, she thought. “Forgive me. I got…carried away.”

“I did too,” Nikki admitted. Being near the big Kindred, she felt such an intense connection she had to remind herself again that they were destined to part when all this was over.

With trembling fingers, she fit the black band over his shaft and fastened it around the thick base. There was a single drop of cum left on the broad head, she saw. Leaning down impulsively, she swiped it away with her tongue.

“Nicole…” Malik made a deep sound of desire and started to reach for her but just then the two of them heard a sharp ding-ding-ding sound coming from a corner of the room.

“What’s that?” Nikki asked, looking around.

“Mistress Hellenix’s message alert.” Suddenly Malik was all business. “I’ll check it. If it’s what I think it is, it’s coming just in time.”

SIXTEEN

Malik was actually glad that the message alert had interrupted them. After the way Nicole had taken him so sweetly in her mouth and tasted his seed, he felt himself more in danger of falling in love with her than ever.

No, can’t do that, he reminded himself yet again. Once I complete my mission on Uriel Two, we will never see each other again. We may not even remember each other! I cannot give my heart or take hers when we are destined never to be together.

But it was hard, so damn hard to remember that when Nicole was everything he had ever wanted in a female and more…so much more.

With a sigh, he turned and went to seat himself before the floating monitor in the far corner of the room. This small area was screened off from the rest of the “play space” as Mistress Hellenix called it, by a holographic barrier which was projected from a small light bead imbedded in the ceiling high above. It looked like a solid wooden screen with a fantastic pattern of ever-shifting colors and shapes but in actuality it was nothing more than a sophisticated interplay of light and shadows. Still, it hid his old Mistress’s work space from “prying eyes” and supposedly only she was allowed back here.

But her privacy was not complete. Unknown to her, Malik had watched her many times as she worked here, memorizing her ever changing passwords and waiting for the right time to act. He was certain that the message alert they had heard was the invitation from the Knower on Uriel Two he had been waiting for. He had intended to accept on his Mistress’s behalf, even if she decided against the venture. That way he would have a sure way to get past the kill-field that surrounded his old home word.

He had feared he would have to escape from Mistress Hellenix’s domicile and steal a ship to get there—which carried considerable risk since the Yonnites didn’t deal lightly with escaped slaves. But now that Nicole had agreed to help him, it was going to be so much easier…he hoped.

“Nicole?” he called, once he had typed in the latest password and gotten to the ocular recognition screen. “Could you come here please? I need your ocular scan to get through to the message system.”

“Sure.” She came over and he couldn’t help thinking all over again how lovely she was. The outfit his old Mistress had picked for the banquet fit her perfectly and showed off her luscious curves to perfection. If only she could get over being embarrassed at showing her lovely body, she would be a formidable presence at the banquet tonight.

He showed her what to do and Nicole leaned over obligingly and pressed her right eye to the ocu-scan scope which had extended from the monitor on a long, flexible metal arm. After a moment the scope beeped and withdrew and the screen cleared to reveal Mistress Hellenix’s latest messages.

The first one was exactly what Malik had been hoping for. It was an invitation from the Knower, expressing interest in the item his old Mistress had alluded to earlier—the Shannom-rah.

“What’s the Shannom-rah?” Nicole asked, and he realized she was reading over his shoulder. Amazing that the E’lo stone she still carried granted her mastery not only of the Yonnite spoken language but the written form as well.

“It is a greatly compressed drive that was compiled by an ancient race, the Jai’linm,” he explained. “For many thousands of years they studied both their own people and also random strangers they happened to capture.”

“They went out and captured people to study? Ugh!” Nicole shivered. “What did they do then—probe them?”

“Probe them?” Malik wasn’t sure what she meant, exactly.

“Oh, nothing. It’s just…” Her cheeks got red. “Back on my planet, Earth—before we made contact with any alien societies, we thought we were the only ones out there. But there were a few people who would claim they had seen aliens or had been abducted by them and taken up to their flying saucers—space ships,” she clarified, clearly seeing his confusion. “Everyone else thought they were crazy but they often claimed they were, uh, probed. Anally, I mean.” Her cheeks were even redder now, though Malik still didn’t understand why.

“You mean they were given the rod?” he said flatly.

It was Nicole’s turn to look confused. “Given the rod? What does that mean? Mistress Hellenix told me I should do that to you if you, uh, got out of hand but I have no idea what she was talking about.”

Malik sighed. This was a part of his self-imposed slavery that he had learned to make peace with, but it still was in no way pleasant.

“When a Yonnite Mistress gives her male slave the rod, she straps on a phallus and takes him sexually,” he explained.

“What? You mean she rapes him?” Nicole looked horrified.

Malik nodded. “It can be rape if the slave is not willing. And of course it doesn’t really matter to his Mistress if he is willing or not—a slave has no say in such things.”

“And that…happened to you?” Nicole asked hesitantly.

Malik nodded again. “Yes. But I knew it was a possibility when I allowed myself to be bought by Mistress Hellenix after making a name for myself in the Blood Circuit. So I was, at least, prepared.”

“Oh, Malik—I’m so sorry!” Tears had sprung into her dark, lovely eyes again. “And I made such an insensitive comment about getting probed! God, that Mistress Hellenix is horrible. How could she hurt you like that?”

“Actually, she often went out of her way to make it pleasurable for me,” he said dryly. “She used a rod with a prostate stimulator to make sure I couldn’t keep from coming. The idea, I think, was to destroy my self-esteem by forcing my body to betray me. Which it did—over and over.”

He closed his eyes briefly, remembering the shameful pleasure his old Mistress had drawn from his body—her soft words in his ear, “You love it when I give you the rod, don’t you, Malik? You love to come for me, my slave.”

“Yes, Mistress,” he had groaned as his seed spurted on her command. She let him come so rarely that often, the only release he had, was when she gave him the rod. And on those occasions, she was always intrigued by the pearly, iridescent sheen of his seed, which she claimed was unique among males, though it was common to all Volt Kindred. How often had she given him the rod in front of her friends just to show it off? Too often to remember, Malik admitted to himself grimly.

“You must have hated her so much,” Nicole whispered, breaking into his memories.

“I both hated and loved her,” Malik said thoughtfully. “I desired her body while despising the person she was inside. I learned to take both pleasure and pain from her hand with an equal measure of dispassion. And every time she took me, I reminded himself of my purpose—my mission to save my home world.” He looked up at her. “For that, I would endure any degradation—any pain or pleasure—no matter how shameful.”

“Oh, Malik…” Nicole swiped at her tears. “I still don’t understand why she would do such awful things to you.”

“To subjugate my will towards hers—to break me,” Malik said honestly. “But she didn’t know that I was with her of my own volition and willing to endure whatever I had to in order to come to this moment…to get this invitation.” He tapped the screen.

“Is this your way of getting back to our, um, previous topic of conversation?” Nicole asked softly and sniffed. “You don’t have to talk about what happened if you don’t want to, you know. But I’m here if you do.”

“Thank you.” Malik smiled at her. It was the second time she had shed tears for his pain and he couldn’t help loving her for it. “But you don’t have to be worried about me, Nicole—I am well.”

“You’re amazingly brave,” she whispered. “I don’t understand how you could get over something like that without lots of therapy.”

Malik tried to explain. “What I endured at the hands of my old Mistress was the sacrifice I had to make and I made it willingly. It took me some time to work through the shame of letting myself be taken sexually but I have long since made peace with it.”

“You’re so strong,” Nicole murmured, looking at him with wide, wet eyes. “Inside and out. It’s amazing to me that you could get used to being treated like that.”

Malik shrugged. “It was simply the price I had to pay—so I paid it.”

“But isn’t it hard for you?” she asked timidly. “I mean, being close to me when I look so much like her? Don’t you…hate me? It must mess with your mind.”

“I admit it was disorienting at first but Nicole, I could never hate you.” Malik turned from the monitor and cupped her cheek. “You’re so different from her. It doesn’t matter that your outer appearance is the same as hers—you have a light inside you—a light that Mistress Hellenix never had. And it shines out—I can see it every time I look at you.”

“Oh, Malik…” she whispered and then somehow she was in his arms again and he was pulling her into his lap for more deep, searching kisses.

Gods, she was beautiful—inside and out, Malik thought as he tasted her sweet lips. If he’d had a kind Mistress, like Nicole, he wouldn’t have minded being penetrated and taken. Because with Nicole, it wouldn’t be as he had been with Hellenix, who was intent on degrading his malehood. With Nicole, he would be giving himself, the same way she had given herself the night before and allowed him to pleasure her over and over with his tongue. It would be a mutual bond of love and respect. And when she gave herself to him…when she spread her thighs and welcomed his shaft into her warm, wet depths…

Stop! he told himself sternly. Stop it—you know you can’t make love with her that way. What if your pleasure ridge released while you were inside her? That would mean bonding sex and you absolutely cannot form a bond with her—it would be disastrous!

He forced himself to break the kiss and sit back, panting. Gods, why was he so drawn to her? Why did he have to meet the perfect female for him at just the wrong time in his life?

He had no answers—he only knew he couldn’t let himself continue this way. He had to put a little distance between them.

“Back to the Jai’linm and the Shannom-rah,” he said, forcing himself to use a dry, lecturing tone.

“The, um, alien race that abducted and studied people?” Nicole sounded like she was trying to be cool and impersonal too but her bare breasts were heaving with the panting breaths she was taking and Malik could smell her feminine desire—a scent that almost drove him crazy.

Gently, he lifted her from his lap and sat her on her feet beside him, though what he really wanted to do was crush her to him and take her to the sleeping platform to taste her and take her for hours.

“Exactly,” he said, trying to force the erotic images out of his brain. “They made perfect digital copies of each subject they studied—personality mapping, they called it. Every little tic and peccadillo—every last character trait and flaw was recorded and stored along with trillions of others like it on the Shannom-rah.”

“Okay, weird but I get it.” Nicole was sounding a little calmer now and Malik felt steadier himself as well—good. “But why does Mistress Hellenix have it and what does the Knower want with it?” she went on.

“As to why she has it—my old Mistress has long been a collector of cultural oddities and rare artifacts,” Malik told her. “And why the Knower wants it… Well, that I can’t tell you, though I think it might have something to do with the SORs its been manufacturing.”

“The Simulated Organic Replicants?” Nicole asked, frowning. “The androids?”

He nodded. “Maybe the Knower wants to study some of the personalities encrypted on the Shannom-rah in order to make more life-like SORs. It doesn’t matter though—it won’t have much time to make use of the knowledge we bring. Not if I can get to its core processor.”

“Do you think you can?” Nicole asked anxiously. “I’m committed to helping you, but it’s beginning to sound kind of dangerous, you know?”

“I know, but it should be a very simple operation,” Malik told her soothingly. “All you have to do is ask to tour the SORs manufacturing facility and I’ll do the rest.”

“All right.” She nodded. “I trust you. I probably shouldn’t agree to go on some kind of covert mission with a man I only met yesterday but somehow…” She bit her lip.

“Somehow it seems like we’ve known each other far longer than that,” Malik finished for her softly.

Nicole nodded. “Yes—exactly.”

“I feel it too,” he told her. “And I don’t think it’s just because you look like my old Mistress. I believe that the Goddess has her hand in this situation.”

“The Goddess? You mean, the Kindred deity you guys all worship?” Nicole asked.

Malik nodded. “I do. It was she who sent me on this mission in the first place and she is the one who has given me the strength to endure the long cycles as Mistress Hellenix’s slave.” He cocked an eyebrow at Nicole. “What deity do you worship?”

She looked uncomfortable. “Well, I’m kind of a lapsed Catholic but I don’t know—”

Suddenly there was another ding-ding-ding from the console and Malik looked up in surprise. Another new message had appeared and this one was from a friend of Mistress Hellenix—a female with the improbable and ridiculous name of “Mistress Jankypoo.”

Frowning, Malik opened it, but his frown only grew at what he saw.

“What does that mean?” Nicole asked, reading along with him. “Who are the Sacred Seven and why is this Mistress Jankypoo warning Mistress Hellenix about them?”

“The Sacred Seven are the ruling council of Yonnie Six,” Malik explained. “Some time ago a serious matter concerning my old Mistress was brought before them—an accusation that she had acted improperly in the way she ran BleakHall prison, a facility of which she is the head of the Board of Directors.”

“Oh wait—she told me about that!” Nicole snapped her fingers. “She said she was accused of hiring guards that roughed the prisoners up and of imprisoning innocent men. And when I asked her if she’d done it, she admitted it right away—as though she had every right to do it.”

“She’s guilty, all right,” Malik said grimly. “And it seems that the Sacred Seven agree. According to this warning, they will be sending guards to bring her in for questioning and a preliminary hearing very soon.”

A wide, panicked look came into Nicole’s dark eyes.

“But I don’t want to have to appear in court and go to jail for the awful things she did! That was not part of our agreement! Even her putting up with Gary isn’t worth me going to prison for who knows how long!”

“Don’t worry,” Malik told her soothingly. “They probably won’t act at once. We’ll be done with the mission on Uriel Two and you’ll be back to your own life before any of this can be decided.”

“So should we skip the banquet tonight?” she asked. “Just go straight to your home world with the Shannom-rah?”

Malik shook his head.

“No, that would violate your contract with the E’lo stones. Besides, as I said, I don’t think my old Mistress’s prosecution is imminent. They haven’t even sent her a formal notice yet—this is just a warning from a friend in the know.”

“Well, if you’re sure…” Nicole still looked nervous.

“Positive,” Malik said firmly. “Now come on, Mistress—we need to get the Shannom-rah from its storage case and get to the long-range cruiser. We have a banquet to attend and a world to restore before we get you home.”

SEVENTEEN

Nikki was rather sorry to see the last of her evil twin’s opulent house. Aside from the slaves who were captive there, it was a beautiful place with lots of amazing features. She particularly wished she would have tried the long waterslide tube that ran from the upper story down to the pool below. But she had been reluctant to swim naked with all those sex-starved slaves watching her every move, and so she had refrained.

Now it was too late to wish she’d tried it after all—they were leaving in the long-range cruiser which Malik was piloting expertly while she sat in the passenger-side chair and watched as the huge mansion receded into the distance. It was already twilight and the vast building was soon lost in the velvety darkness.

“How far are we going?” she asked Malik as he manipulated the complicated-looking array of instruments.

“Not far—just to the other side of the continent,” he told her easily. “We are leaving Mistress Hellenix’s country estate and the Banquet of Pain is always held in Opulex—the capital city of Yonnie Six.”

The countryside beneath them seemed to blur with their speed and before she knew it, Nicole was seeing the spires of immensely tall sky-scrapers rising up in the viewscreen at the front of the ship.

“Wow,” she breathed, amazed at the scope of the city spread below them. “You know, I’ve been to New York once but this looks about five times as big!”

“Opulex is a very large city,” Malik agreed, nodding. “It covers the entire half of the planet’s main continent and most of the prominent Mistresses live there. There’s our destination,” he added pointing to an especially tall building with a broad, flat roof. The roof held a startling array of tropical plants in all different shades but that wasn’t what drew Nikki’s eye the most. It also had a vast shimmering bubble covering it. The bubble gleamed in the shining lights of the city’s nighttime glow, reflecting rainbows of dazzling colors she had no names for.

She had taken her boys to the kids’ museum often when they were younger. The museum had a giant soap bubble making room with vast hoops that made bubbles so big the boys could enclose each other in the fragile, shiny soapy surfaces just moments before they popped. They had loved it and Nikki remembered laughing and taking pictures with her phone—it was before the three of them had grown too big to be cuddled and were constantly embarrassed by her, she thought longingly.

Now she was reminded of the giant bubble makers as she looked at the rooftop bubble. Only the hoop that made such a vast bubble would have to be as big as a city block! Also, how did it not pop?

“What is that?” she asked, pointing as Malik flew closer. “That bubble thing on top of it.”

“A temporary atmosphere dome,” he said. “They must plan to have some kind of dream gas or some other air-born stimulant that they don’t want to blow away in the wind.”

“Oh, okay,” Nikki murmured. But she was secretly more worried than ever. Were she and Malik going to be drugged by whatever they were blowing through that immense bubble’s air supply? She had tried smoking pot several times in college and it made her ridiculously silly and giggly. How could she possibly give a convincing performance as Mistress Hellenix if she was stoned out of her mind?

“Don’t worry,” Malik said, as though reading her mind. “You’ll be fine. Whatever they use, it won’t be so mind-altering that you can’t function.”

“I just don’t want to forget the words to the speech,” Nikki said. She had memorized the short speech Mistress Hellenix had prepared and she didn’t intend to deviate from it a bit, but she worried about getting it right all the same.

“You won’t. And anyway, the other Mistresses won’t be as interested in your speech as in the demonstration you’ll be giving of one of the devices for sale tonight.”

“Wait a minute—we talked about this before and I told you I don’t want to try out any kind of pain collar or cattle prod or anything that might hurt you!” Nikki protested.

Malik sighed. “But you must, I’m afraid. If you don’t, the other Mistresses will know you are not the real Hellenix.” He reached over and placed a hand reassuringly on her thigh. “Look, Nicole, whatever you have to do to me, I promise it’s nothing that hasn’t been done before. I’ll be fine.”

“But what, uh, device am I even going to be demonstrating?” she asked. “I’ve seen all the weird things in Mistress Hellenix’s BDSM bedroom and I wouldn’t know how to work half of them.”

“We won’t know until the head vendor tells us,” Malik said, a touch grimly. “My Mistress never wanted to tell me ahead of time what she was going to use on me—she liked my reaction to be authentic and un-rehearsed.”

“Well, I still don’t think—” Nikki began but just then the ship dipped below the level of the bubble and Malik piloted them into a large circular hole in the side of the building.

“Landing now,” he said as the ship followed a lighted path through the parking garage and into a berth between two others that looked very like it, except that one was painted a shimmering gold.

Or was it actually made of gold? Nikki couldn’t tell. It seemed like an impractical and incredibly expensive material to make a space ship out of, but who knew how much money these Yonnite Mistresses had to throw around? They might all be richer than God, if Mistress Hellenix was any indication.

Malik got out and came around the ship to open her door and help her down.

“Ah, I see that Mistress Tangle-Skank is here already,” he remarked, looking at the gold ship as Nikki descended. “You’ll want to be careful around her. She’s got a sharp eye and she’s one of my old Mistress’s main rivals.”

“She is? Why?” Nikki asked curiously.

“They have always run in the same social circles and been rivals in the elite society of Yonnie Six. But I think a large part of their rivalry is because of me,” Malik answered.

“Because of you?” Nikki looked at him in surprise. “How so?”

He looked thoughtful.

“Well, I entered myself in the Blood Circuit and made a name for myself specifically to attract Mistress Hellenix’s attention because she was the only person I knew of who had dealings with the Knower—the only one with any hope of penetrating Uriel Two. So when the time came to auction me off, I told the auctioneer to be certain I went to her. Unfortunately, Mistress Tangle-Skank was bidding on me at the same time. When she lost the bid, she was extremely jealous of my old Mistress.”

“I could see why,” Nikki murmured. She would have been upset to lose someone as valuable and unique as Malik too, she thought. “So now she has it out for me? Or rather, for Mistress Hellenix?”

Malik nodded. “She’ll trip you up if she can. So just be careful.”

“I will. What does she look like?” Nikki asked as they made their way towards a lighted pathway that led up to the bubble-covered roof.

“Like that,” Malik murmured, nodding at the path ahead of them. A rail-thin Yonnite Mistress was making her way towards them, an inquiring look on her sharp features. She had a long nose and small, beady black eyes that reminded Nikki of a rat. Her dishwater blonde hair had been streaked with blue and turquoise and purple strands and braided into a wide fan almost the size of a peacock’s tail that rose a full three feet above her head.

What in the world was keeping it in place? Nikki wondered—it looked like it ought to flop over at any minute but somehow it didn’t. She was relieved to see that the other Mistress was dressed in a similarly revealing fashion to her own outfit, though.

Mistress Tangle-Skank had on a purple dress with a plunging neckline which clearly showed off her boney chest and artificially rounded breasts. The gown had a slit running up to her navel which showed purple, sparkly panties that looked like they had been bedazzled by about a million tiny diamonds.

Well, if she’s looking for an attention grab, she’s got it there, Nikki thought to herself. Those sparkly Cartier-type panties are unforgettable. Looks like she’s wearing a jewelry display on her crotch!

Walking respectfully behind Mistress Tangle-Skank was a bodyslave with dark hair and blue eyes. He was naked and had an exposed, erect shaft which bobbed and jingled in front of him with every step, due to the fact that it had been criss-crossed with a red ribbon which was hung with many tiny gold bells. There was a blank, impassive look on his face but Nikki thought she could see misery far back in his dull blue eyes—poor guy!

“Oh, hello, Velka!” Mistress Tangle-Skank exclaimed, coming towards Nikki.

“Velka?” Nikki was glad she’d asked Malik to keep the privacy bubble in place around the two of them. It was invisible but they would be able to talk without anyone hearing them, as long as they were in close enough proximity.

“That is my old Mistress’ first name,” he explained, speaking from behind her, in her ear. “And Mistress Tangle-Skank’s first name is Tacky.”

“Seriously? Her name is Tacky Tangle-Skank?” Nikki half turned her head to see if he was joking but Malik only frowned.

“It is a family name, I believe. Why—does it surprise you?”

“Tacky just means something else where I’m from. And so does Skank for that matter.” Nikki shook her head. “I’ll explain later.”

“Hello, Tacky,” she said, speaking up as they reached the other Mistress and her slave. “How are you tonight?”

“Perfectly well except for my Manfredo keeps being clumsy. He’s not the brightest flare in the bunch, unfortunately—I bought him for the size of his shaft, not the size of his brain.” She sighed and frowned at her slave peevishly. “But I swear if he doesn’t straighten up I’m going to give him the rod!”

“Um, yes. You’d better do that. There’s no excuse for clumsy slaves,” Nikki said, nodding. “Are you looking forward to the banquet?” she asked.

“Of course I am!” Mistress Tangle-Skank’s beady eyes gleamed. “I’m especially intrigued about what kind of device you’ll be demonstrating for us tonight. Word around the city has been that it will be some new kind of rod. Can you tell me?”

“I’m afraid not,” Nikki said, trying to smile though inside her stomach was suddenly knotted into a fist of tension. A new kind of rod? She didn’t want to use anything like that on Malik—not after hearing what he had gone through with the real Mistress Hellenix! “You’ll just have to wait and find out,” she said.

“Oh you—always so secretive, Velka!” Mistress Tangle-Skank gave her a sharp, shrewish smile that was more like a grimace. “I’m your oldest friend—you can tell me! Besides…” She leaned in closer and breathed, “I made a bet with Yasmy Redbottom that you’d tell me. So come on—I don’t want to lose the wager.”

“I’m sorry but I really can’t tell you,” Nikki said firmly, hoping this was how the real Mistress Hellenix would have handled the situation. “There are still a few, er, kinks to be ironed out. I’m sure you understand.”

Two white dents appeared on either side of Tacky Tangle-Skank’s long nose and her beady eyes narrowed.

“What I understand is that our friendship apparently means nothing to you! Why, I wagered an entire floor of my best downtown building. If I lose, that awful Yasmy Redbottom will move her whole slave-milking operation in there and I’ll have to see them extracting male seed every day as I go up and down from the penthouse! How can you betray me like this?”

Nikki didn’t know what to say but luckily, they had reached the top of the winding lighted pathway and were coming out onto the rooftop terrace enclosed by the vast bubble. She caught a whiff of air from the roof and thought it smelled strangely sweet—like some kind of exotic spice. The scent seemed to make her feel lightheaded for a moment and she almost stumbled, but then she regained her balance.

Strangely, her body seemed to react to the spicy air as well. Her nipples tightened into hot little points under their layers of punishment dust and her pussy suddenly felt wet and swollen.

“Hmm,” she heard Malik murmur behind her. “So they’re pumping lust-dust through the circulation system—no wonder they wanted the atmosphere dome.”

“Lust dust?” Nikki asked.

“A mild aphrodisiac, Mistress,” he murmured. “It will not impair your judgment—though it will heighten your sexual desire considerably.”

“It will? But I don’t want to walk around horny all night,” she started to protest but just then they came to the end of the lighted path.

Standing at the end of the path was a slave dressed in elaborate scarlet and black livery, holding a long silver instrument that appeared to be a cross between a guitar and a trumpet. Or that was what it looked like to Nikki—it was about three feet in length and it had three long strings strung between the mouthpiece and the wide silver bell at the end.

Beside the slave was a kind of platform that had four steps leading up and four leading down on the other side. It was just big enough for two people to stand on at once.

“Ah, Mistress Tangle-Skank and Mistress Hellenix,” he said, bowing low. “So good to see you both tonight. Which of you shall I announce first?”

“Me!” Mistress Tangle-Skank pushed rudely ahead of Nikki and mounted the small platform with her slave in tow. “You’d better do a good job kissing my panties, Manfredo, or it’s the rod for you!” Nikki heard her mutter to the hapless bodyslave.

“Yes, Mistress.” He nodded dully and Nikki thought he really didn’t seem very bright. Then Mistress Tangle-Skank made am imperious motion to the slave in the livery.

“Proceed! And make certain my introductory notes are especially loud. I want all eyes on me.”

“Yes, Mistress Tangle-Skank.”

The slave in the livery strummed three reverberating notes on the strings of his instrument and then raised it to his lips and played a strident blast. The rooftop terrace—which had enough tropical plants in it to look like a garden—was filled with Yonnite Mistresses and their slaves. All heads turned at the sound of the guitar-trumpet and everyone watched expectantly.

“Announcing Mistress Tacky Tangle-Skank, a leading Mistress of the Yonnie Six Slave-Subjugation Club,” the slave in livery said in a loud voice—almost a shout, really.

“Thank you.” Mistress Tangle-Skank nodded regally and widened her stance, clearly waiting for her slave to pay his public obeisance to her.

With a jingling of the many tiny bells fixed to the ribbon around his straining shaft, Manfredo dropped to his knees before his Mistress and pressed his face into her crotch.

But just as quickly, he jerked away again with a muffled cry of pain.

Nikki wasn’t sure what was going on, but then she saw tiny scratches around the slave’s cheeks and mouth and understood that the many tiny, sharp diamonds on Mistress’s Tangle-Skank’s elaborate panties must have cut him.

Mistress Tangle-Skank must have realized the same thing but she obviously didn’t give a damn about the fact that her slave was injured—she was simply mortified that he had jerked away from her instead of kissing her as he was supposed to.

“Manfredo!” she hissed, grabbing at his hair. “Get back here! What is wrong with you?”

“Sorry, Mistress but your pussy bit me!” the slave protested loudly.

Though Mistress Tangle-Skank was trying to drag him back between her thighs, he was resisting and since he was twice as large and probably many times stronger than her, he was winning. The result, Nikki thought, was like a kitten dragging at a Great Dane who wasn’t budging.

“Come back here! Come…kiss…my panties!” Mistress Tangle-Skank insisted.

But Manfredo was rapidly shaking his head.

“Nu-uh,” he protested loudly. “Don’t like it, Mistress. Your pussy bites! Don’t wanna!”

Amused titters and a few audible guffaws came from the watching audience. Clearly, this was not at all how the ritual was supposed to go. Mistress Tangle-Skank’s face went from red to almost the same shade of purple as her dress.

“I’ll give you the rod!” she threatened. “I’ll sell you to the Blood Circuit or the mines and you’ll be dead within a solar month! Or I could just set off your pain collar right now.”

Manfredo got a mulish expression on his dull face.

“Don’t care. Don’t like your biting pussy!” he insisted shaking his head vigorously. “Even the pain coller’s better than that!”

At last Mistress Tangle-Skank had to give up.

“Never mind,” she hissed, heading for the stairs going down. “Just follow me. I’ll decide what to do with you later, you miserable idiot!”

Snuffling but still defiant, Manfredo shambled down the stairs after her, the tiny bells on his shaft still jingling loudly.

“Well that was kind of a mess,” Nikki murmured to Malik. But it was the slave in livery who answered her.

“Oh my yes, I’m afraid so! I haven’t seen such an inauspicious entrance since Mistress TatterAss tripped over her helium heels and fell down the steps flat on her face. And they talked about that for cycles,” he murmured. “I do hope you and your slave can do a better job up there, Mistress Hellenix.”

“Count on it,” Malik growled from behind her. “Come, Mistress—it’s time to make your entrance,” he said to Nikki.

They climbed the steps together and Nikki tried not to look out and see the crowd of Mistresses and slaves that were all staring at her. But somehow her eyes kept returning to the sea of faces, all watching her intently.

We have to get this right, she thought. Literally everyone in this entire place is watching!

Including the red-faced Mistress Tangle-Skank, who was standing at the back of the crowd with a scratched and bleeding Manfredo behind her.

“Widen your stance, and raise the skirt of your dress” Malik murmured to her.

“All right.” Taking a deep breath, Nikki opened her legs and raised the shiny black skirt to well above crotch level, even though flashing her panties to a crowd went completely against her shy and modest nature.

And yet, it didn’t feel quite so wrong as it would have back on Earth, she had to admit. After all, nobody knew her—not the real her—here and she wouldn’t have to worry about ever seeing them again. Also, the spicy lust-dust was making her feel hot and naughty, like some kind of a porn star about to put on a show. A new thought floated into her head.

I look damn sexy in this outfit, with my nipples and panties on display and Malik about to get between my thighs.

It was true, Nikki realized, and what was more—she felt sexy too. Could this be a whole other side of her that had never had a chance to come out before? Was there a wild, wanton woman hiding inside of her just waiting to be released?

She had a feeling she was about to find out.

“Are you ready, Mistress?” the slave in livery asked.

Nikki nodded. “Go ahead.”

The slave made a little bow of acknowledgement and strummed another few notes on the guitar part of his instrument before blowing a clear, silvery blast.

“Mistress Velka Hellenix of Yonnie Six, head of the Board of Directors for BleakHall Prison and Chairwoman for the Society to Promote Pain-Training for Slaves,” he announced loudly.

On cue, Malik dropped to his knees before her and pressed his face eagerly between her legs.

In that moment, Nikki was profoundly glad they had practiced having him kiss her the night before. If she hadn’t gotten used to the feel of his hot mouth branding her pussy so much and so often, there was no way she could have stood there in public and let him go down on her while everyone watched.

As it was, she could hardly hold still because Malik seemed determined to do a much better job than the last slave had. Pressing between her thighs, he put his mouth to the slit in her panties and tongued open her pussy with practiced ease. Nikki moaned softly as he lapped upward, bathing her throbbing clit with his tongue over and over as he lavished deep kisses on her “panties.”

“Oh…Oh, Malik,” she couldn’t help moaning as he lapped her. She had to put one hand in his thick hair and brace the other on his broad, bare shoulder to steady herself—the pleasure he was giving her made her weak in the knees.

Oh God, good…so good! she thought incoherently. She took in another deep breath of the spicy, lust-dust laced air and thought she could feel her heartbeat at the tips of her nipples and the sensitive little nub of her clit. Malik’s mouth was driving her out of her mind.

And then she felt him lifting one of her thighs.

“Malik,” she gasped, looking down. “What—?”

He looked up, his mouth shiny with her juices, his silver eyes blazing.

“Trust me, Mistress,” he growled hoarsely. “Let me open you so that I may kiss you more deeply.”

Nikki hardly knew what to say. She was aware that they were still being watched and that many of the Mistresses had envious looks on their faces. After all, they could force their slaves to kiss their panties, but how many could boast of having a slave who actually wanted to perform the intimate service—wanted it so badly that he didn’t want to stop?

None of them, I bet, Nikki thought hazily. I bet there are some Mistresses on Yonnie Six who have good relationships with their slaves, but this is the Banquet of Pain—all of the Mistresses here like to beat and torture their slaves. I bet none of them has a slave that actually wants to give them pleasure and cares about them the way Malik cares about me.

The thought gave her a warm glow inside and she caressed the big Kindred’s hair tenderly. Then Malik propped one of her thighs over his broad shoulder and drove every other thought out of her mind by pressing his tongue directly up into her pussy.

“Oh!” Nikki moaned—who could have told that he had such a long tongue? It felt amazing! She held onto his broad shoulders, moaning helplessly as he tongue-fucked her, completely forgetting for the moment about all the people watching. God, the way he was eating her was driving her crazy. It was even better than last night because this time he was giving her some penetration to go along with the way he was stimulating her clit. Which was supposed to be outlawed on Yonnite Six but apparently it was okay since it was only his tongue and not anything else sliding deep into her pussy.

And then his tongue was replaced by two long, thick fingers thrusting inside her.

“Oh!” Nikki gasped again. “Oh, Malik,” she panted in a whisper. “I thought…thought that any kind of…of penetration wasn’t allowed.”

“It’s all right,” he growled, looking up at her. “My old Mistress was always pushing the boundaries—this crowd expects this kind of thing from her.” His silver eyes were glowing and sparking with desire as he spoke. “Now hold onto me and let your honey come down.”

“I…I don’t know if I can in public but I’ll try,” Nikki half-moaned.

“Close your eyes,” he advised. “Don’t look at anyone or anything. Just close your eyes and let yourself feel as I pleasure you, Mistress—as I taste your sweet pussy and make you come.”

Then he went back to lapping her quivering pussy, paying special attention to her aching clit as he thrust deep and hard inside her with two long, thick fingers.

Maybe the lust dust had something to do with it or maybe there really was a wild woman inside her, eager to get out, but despite the fact that they were in public, it didn’t take Nikki long to come after that.

Maybe I’m a closet exhibitionist, she thought dimly as she thrust towards him and let Malik do what he wanted, which appeared to be ravaging her pussy with his fingers and tongue. Then he seemed to do something inside her—hit some spot that she hadn’t even known she had—and suddenly she was flying.

“Oh!” she heard herself moan as the warm flood of intense pleasure washed over her. “Oh, Malik, yes! Yes!”

The big Kindred seemed to know she was coming because after a few more thrusts, he withdrew his fingers and lapped hungrily at her entrance, clearly eager to lick up her honey as it gushed out.

And she really was gushing, Nikki thought dimly. She wondered if that spot he’d hit inside her—(was it her G-spot?)—had anything to do with it? But for whatever reason, her pussy was incredibly wet. It seemed no matter how much Malik licked and sucked her, he always had to go back for more.

At last she pushed gently on his shoulder, unable to take any more pleasure for now. Her legs felt like spaghetti and she was actually seeing little bursts of light like fireworks in the corners of her vision.

“Malik,” she whispered weakly. “Please, I think I’m getting faint.”

“Of course, I’m sorry!” He gave her one last long lick and then pulled back respectfully. “Forgive me, Mistress,” he said in a voice loud enough to carry to the watching audience. “Your pussy is so sweet and soft and your honey tastes so delicious I couldn’t bring myself to stop kissing your…panties.”

“That’s…that’s all right, Malik,” she managed to pant out and then made herself stand straighter and pulled down her skirt. “Let’s just, um, join the party.”

“As my Mistress Commands.” He rose and nodded obediently to her.

Nikki took a wobbly step in the thigh-high boots but nearly fell down the short flight of stairs. Swiftly, the big Kindred caught her and swung her up in his arms. Then he strode confidently down the steps, still carrying her.

For a moment the world was a whirl around her. The many tropical plants were all different shades of blue and green and turquoise and the huge bubble shimmered overhead with rainbow brilliance.

Then they came down into the crowd and Nikki became aware that the other Mistresses were clapping and murmuring with obvious admiration. Clearly they had done a really good job at the all-important introduction because there were smiles of approval everywhere

All except on the face of Mistress Tangle-Skank, Nikki thought, as she happened to catch the other Mistress’s eye. There was a pinched, furious look on Tangle-Skank’s rat-like face and when she saw Nikki watching her, she glared angrily back before turning away.

Well, I guess there’s one person who wasn’t happy with our performance, Nikki thought. But she couldn’t bring herself to care too much. After all, they were only here for a few hours. What could the other Mistress do to her in that time? And if there were any lingering repercussions, that was just too bad—the real Mistress Hellenix could deal with them herself.

“Well, well, my dear Mistress Hellenix—that was a grand entrance,”

Nikki turned to see a woman with sensibly short red hair and a surprisingly modest blue dress standing there, smiling.

“Oh, hello…”

“Janda,” Malik whispered in her ear. “She is the head vendor I was telling you about—the purveyor of pain and punishment devices.”

Oh, so she was a businesswoman, Nikki thought. No wonder her clothing was more conservative than the gaudy Mistresses all around her.

“Hello, Janda,” she said aloud, smiling at the other woman. “So nice to see you here tonight.”

“Likewise, of course, Mistress Hellenix.” The other woman smiled and nodded. “I just wanted to let you know that the device you wanted to demonstrate to the other Mistresses during your speech is lubed up and ready to go.”

“Uh, lubed up?” Nikki asked.

“Yes. Of course, that’s not too hard since the self-lubing feature is one of its main selling points.” Janda laughed. “Anyway, it’s up on the stage behind the curtain. I’ll meet you there in about twenty minutes to get you strapped up and ready to go.”

“Oh, I—” Nikki began but the other woman was already making her way purposefully through the crowd, nodding and exchanging pleasantries with various Mistresses as she went.

Nikki watched her go, frowning. The other woman’s words seemed ominous and her stomach was in knots all over again.

“I don’t like the sound of that,” she, murmured, leaning back towards Malik to be sure she was inside the invisible privacy bubble the devices they wore projected around them.

“It sounds like my Mistress had something special planned for me this evening,” he said blandly.

“But Malik, I don’t want to—”

“Mistress Jankypoo straight ahead,” he muttered and Nikki looked up to see an anxious looking woman with a huge poof of bright pink hair bearing down on her.

“Oh Velka!” she exclaimed. “I’m rather surprised to see you here tonight. I thought you’d be preparing to run after the warning I sent you.”

“Well, I couldn’t miss the Banquet of Pain,” Nikki said, hoping she sounded enough like the real Mistress Hellenix to be convincing. “After all, I have to give the opening address.”

“And then show us all the new device you’re recommending this year,” another Mistress—one with pale blue hair—said as she came up beside Mistress Jankypoo. “Oh, I do hope it’s a brand-new rod!”

“Me, too!” a third mistress, with white-blond ringlets styled to look like a bird’s nest with three golden eggs arranged artfully in the middle, joined in the conversation. “I always love to watch you give your slave the rod. Especially since he shoots rainbows when you force his pleasure. So unusual—I’ve never seen anything like it!”

“Does he really?” the Mistress with blue hair exclaimed.

“Oh, yes.” Mistress Jankypoo nodded eagerly. “Something to do with his race, you know. His seed has a pearlescent sheen to it that’s most unusual. And he shoots so far, too!”

“It looks like rainbows arching out of his shaft,” the mistress with the bird’s nest hair said. “Most amusing.” She tittered.

Nikki got a tight feeling in the pit of her stomach. These women were speaking casually about watching her rape Malik—laughing and joking about it as though it was some exciting entertainment they couldn’t wait to view.

She opened her mouth to say something about it—to tell them she would never hurt him that way. But then she felt his hand on her lower back and he was murmuring into her ear.

“Easy, Mistress. None of this is unusual. Just keep playing along.”

Knowing that the big Kindred was so used to hearing himself discussed in this way—used to hearing the open anticipation of his pain and degradation—made her even angrier. But his low, steady voice also gave her the presence of mind to keep her temper.

“I think I’d like a drink,” she said, hoping to change the subject. “What are they serving tonight?”

“Oh, the Flamebush ale is very nice,” Mistress Jankypoo said brightly.

“Only if you want your tongue burned,” the Mistress with blue hair sniffed. “Try the sparkling wine from Terga—that’s my recommendation.”

“I’ve had one of both, just to loosen up,” the bird’s nest Mistress announced. “Each is lovely.”

“All right. Malik?” Nikki began, turned towards him. But he was already coming towards her, holding out a tall, fluted glass of pale purple liquid.

“I anticipated your needs, Mistress,” he remarked. “I thought you would rather have the—” Suddenly he tripped and half the contents of the glass sloshed out onto the ground at her feet.

Nikki recognized this as her cue to “punish” him, but she hated to do it. Still, she knew that it would look strange if she didn’t, considering how strict the real Mistress Hellenix was with her slaves.

“Malik!” she exclaimed, frowning up at him. “That was unbelievably clumsy of you!”

“You’re right, of course, Mistress,” he rumbled, bowing his head penitently. “I must be punished.”

“You certainly must!” Nikki said, frowning. “Come here and…and taste the, uh, the fire of my displeasure.” She pointed to her right breast, which had the nipple dusted with gold and crimson granules—they looked like that shiny decorating sugar you could buy in specialty shops to finish your Christmas cookies with, she thought.

And then Malik was dropping to his knees before her and taking the tight bud of her nipple into his mouth, driving every other inconsequential thought out of her head.

Nikki bit her lip and closed her eyes to shut out the sight of the other Mistresses as waves of pleasure washed over her. God, how could he do this to her? Even after giving her an Earth-shattering orgasm not ten minutes ago, the big Kindred was turning her on all over again. The way he was sucking and nipping at her tender bud was sending sparks of pleasure straight to her swollen pussy. It almost made her wish that she could be “introduced” all over again back at the platform.

But no—she couldn’t think that way, she reminded herself. And she had to remember what this treatment was doing to Malik. Though it was pure pleasure for her, it meant intense pain for him—what he was doing was the equivalent of sucking intensely fiery hot sauce off her nipple which couldn’t be pleasant.

“That’s enough, Malik,” she snapped, frowning at him. “Now suck the other one.”

“Oh? You’re not going to make him suffer for a bit?” Mistress Jankypoo raised bright pink eyebrows that matched her ridiculous poof of hair. “You’re not usually so lenient, Velka.”

“I have to go get ready for my opening speech and the demonstration,” Nikki said, thinking fast. “I don’t have time to waste on drawing out his punishment.”

“Oh. Of course.” Mistress Jankypoo nodded respectfully.

“Now Malik, what are you waiting for?” Nikki demanded, pointing to her other nipple.

Immediately he stopped sucking her right breast and switched to the left. Nikki had to bite back a moan as he drew hard on her tight nub, as though he was determined to get as much of her breast into his hot mouth as he could. She couldn’t stop herself from carding her fingers through his thick, wheat-colored hair and purring in pleasure. God, he was good at this! He’d probably had plenty of practice but she had an idea that some of it was just natural skill.

Before she had closed her eyes but now she concentrated on the erotic sight of the huge warrior on his knees before her, sucking on her nipple. Watching him give her pleasure made her shift from foot to foot, her pussy feeling wet and needy all over again.

At last Malik drew back, allowing her now bare nipple to slip from between his sensuous lips.

“Malik? Why did you stop?” she breathed.

“You will be late for your meeting with Janda, Mistress,” he growled softly, looking into her eyes. “I know you do not wish that.”

Actually, this was one meeting Nikki would have been more than happy to put off. But she realized she couldn’t. Well, maybe the device she was supposed to demo wasn’t as bad as she was imagining, she thought hopefully.

“Oh, of course.” She nodded. “Good job remembering that.”

His silver eyes shone with amusement.

“I thought you might be too…preoccupied to notice the passage of time yourself, Mistress.”

Nikki cleared her throat. “I, uh, was a bit preoccupied,” she admitted. “But I guess we’d better get going.”

“Yes, I think most everyone is here now so the banquet should be about to begin,” Mistress Jankypoo remarked. “Have fun up there, Velka! We’ll be waiting to applaud you!”

The other Mistresses murmured support and encouragement too and Nikki nodded and thanked them. Then she and Malik made their way to the raised stage in the center of the rooftop garden.

EIGHTEEN

“Oh Mistress Hellenix—there you are. I was just about to send a slave to come find you!” Janda looked around as they entered the curtained-off area on the stage which had been set up in the middle of the rooftop garden. Looking up, Malik noticed there was a metal framework with a set of leather manacles already dangling from the crossbeam. There was also a sturdy step-stool that would be useful for a short person—i.e. his Mistress—if she was fucking a much larger and taller one—i.e. himself.

He eyed the set-up dispassionately—it was no more than he had expected—no more than he had been prepared to take. Mistress Hellenix had often fucked him for the entertainment of her friends, who enjoyed watching the pearlescent sheen of his seed as it arced from his shaft when she forced his pleasure.

At first he had been enraged when she took him so—even though he had known it was a distinct possibility when he allowed himself to be bought by her at the Blood Circuit auction. Later he had gone through a period of self-loathing and shame. How was she able to make him come, even when he didn’t want to? Why did his body betray him again and again, even when he ordered it not to? It was a shameful thing for a warrior such as himself, who had never lost a battle in the Blood Circuit, to be dominated and mastered by such a diminutive female who seemed to know his body better than he knew it himself.

That had been a dark period for him and at times he had even questioned whether his mission was worth the pain and degradation he was going through. Even though he knew that a male often cannot help coming when his prostate is stimulated the right way, he still hated himself for being unable to keep from orgasming on command like a trained animal—which was all he was to his Mistress.

It was about that time—at the lowest point in his slavery to Mistress Hellenix—that the dreams began. In them he was loving and being loved by someone who looked exactly like his Mistress and yet somehow he knew it wasn’t really her. This new Mistress was the exact opposite of the real Mistress Hellenix—she was kind and loving and gentle. And when she took him—for she did take him sometimes in his dreams—she was careful not to hurt him and she whispered softly in his ear. Words of encouragement and love and admiration for his strength and his bravery in opening himself to her.

After the dreams started, little by little, things began to change. Malik no longer hated himself for coming when Mistress Hellenix took him. When she made a spectacle of him, he closed his eyes and dreamed of the other Mistress—the kind and loving one who made love to him for the sake of their mutual pleasure and not because she reveled in his pain. Malik never got used to getting the rod exactly, but he learned to make peace with it with the help of the dream of the Mistress who loved him so tenderly.

Now he wondered, as he looked at the set up before him, if the dreams had been sent by the Goddess. And was it Nicole he had been dreaming of all along? Was she the kind and loving Mistress who made love to him and gave him what they both needed so desperately—that deeper connection that only penetration could achieve?

For no matter who was being penetrated and who was the one doing the penetrating, it seemed clear to Malik that it brought two people who cared about each other closer together. One of them had to open and become vulnerable while the other had to be enveloped.

Of course it had never been that way with his old Mistress—there was nothing loving about the way she treated him. But deep down, he had always longed for something more—felt that the act she forced on him could be different, meaningful—if she had actually cared for him.

During his earlier life, before the Knower had taken over his planet and wiped everyone out, he never would have dreamed of being the one who was penetrated and made vulnerable. But it was, as he had told Nicole earlier, the price had had to pay to save his world. And so he was willing to pay it.

Might be paying it for the last time tonight, he thought, eyeing the large strap-on phallus that the head vendor, Janda, was showing to Nicole. Can I do it one more time?

He felt a flutter of unease in his midsection but he knew there was no other way. If Nicole refused to do this to him, it would become obvious to everyone that she wasn’t the real Mistress Hellenix. Under the recent laws against impersonation passed by the Sacred Seven, that would mean a death sentence for her. And though he knew he couldn’t have her, the idea of letting her die like that was unthinkable.

I care for her—maybe I’m even starting to love her, he thought, watching as she stood there, stone-faced and silent, while Janka explained the rod she was holding. As wrong and stupid as it is, I’ve allowed myself to fall for her, even though we’ve barely known each other two days.

Could the way he felt about her survive what she was about to do to him? No—what they were about to do together, Malik amended to himself. For the first time, he was going to be a willing participant in this act. He thought it could—he knew how he felt about Nicole and he didn’t believe opening himself for her would change that. But he needed to remember who she was and remind himself she wasn’t Mistress Hellenix. He needed to fix her in his mind like a sailor fixed on a bright star in the darkest night to guide himself home. He had to—

His thoughts broke off as he suddenly realized that things weren’t going very well between Nicole and the head vendor. Janda was motioning at the phallus again but Nicole was shaking her head.

“I really don’t think I want to do this,” she was saying.

Janda was frowning. “But you specifically asked for this model! You told me to bring it—there aren’t any others!”

“But it’s too big,” Nicole protested. “I just don’t feel like—”

“Mistress, a word if you please,” Malik murmured in her ear, taking a step closer.

“What?” Nicole turned to face him and he could see the misery in her lovely dark eyes both so alike and so unlike his old Mistress’s.

Malik drew her a little way away from the fuming vendor and leaned down, making certain they were close enough that the invisible privacy bubble kept their words completely private.

“Nicole,” he murmured, “What’s wrong? I thought we agreed that this was a necessary part of your duties at the banquet tonight.”

“No, you agreed!” she shot back. “I never agreed to hurt you like this! Especially knowing what you’ve been though in the past. I won’t do it, Malik—I won’t rape you! I won’t.”

Tears were making her eyes shiny and she blinked angrily, swiping at her cheeks with her fingertips. In that moment, Malik felt that last piece of his heart give way and he knew that for better or worse, he loved her.

She doesn’t want to hurt me—doesn’t want it so much it’s tearing her up inside, he realized. It was so different from the sadistic ways of his old Mistress that it nearly took his breath away. Truly, though they looked exactly alike, they could not be more opposite on the inside.

“Nicole,” he said gently. “You’re not going to hurt me. I’ve had this done to me before, remember? And it won’t be rape—I’m willing to do this, willing to open myself to you. It will be all right.”

“It’s not all right.” She sniffed and swiped at her eyes again. “Just because you’ve been abused in the past doesn’t mean it’s all right for me to abuse you now!”

“It’s not abuse,” Malik objected. “It was in the past but with you it will be different.”

“How?” she demanded. “How can it possibly be different?”

“Because it’s you.” Malik cupped her face in his hands and leaned down to kiss away the tears from her long, wet lashes. Gods, she was beautiful even when she was crying. Maybe even especially when she was crying since he had never seen his old Mistress—who had a heart made of stone and ice—shed a single tear.

“I don’t want to do it,” she whispered when he finished kissing her.

“You have to,” he murmured back. “If you refuse, every Mistress out there who knows the real Hellenix will know you’re not her. Remember, the penalty for impersonating a Yonnite Mistress is death, Nicole. You have to do this.”

“But I don’t want to bring back bad memories for you. I…” She bit her lip and looked up at him. “I know this sounds kind of crazy, considering we’ve only known each other for a few days but, well…I really care about you, Malik—a lot. And I would never want to do anything to make you hate me like you hate the real Mistress Hellenix.”

“I could never hate you. And I care for you too, Nicole.” The words, I love you trembled on his lips but he couldn’t let himself say them—not when he knew they could never be together in the long run.

“Then…you really want me to do this?” She looked at him uncertainly, her eyes still wide and wounded.

He nodded firmly, though he couldn’t deny the fist of tension still clenched in his belly.

“Yes. You have to and I want you to. I want you to be safe and I also need you to be with me to get into Uriel Two,” he reminded her. “You’re not just doing this to save your own life, you know—you’re doing it to help me save my entire planet.”

This seemed to make Nicole feel better. She sniffed again and blotted her eyes with the back of her hand.

“All right but I warn you, I’ve never done this kind of thing before.”

“They key is plenty of lube,” Malik told her. “That was one thing Mistress Hellenix always did for me—mainly because I was a valuable slave and she didn’t want to damage me, I think,” he added wryly. “But it’s important not to go in dry.”

“I don’t think that will be a problem,” Nicole murmured. “The, uh, rod the head vendor has been showing me is self-lubing—so it keeps on secreting more lube as you, uh, penetrate your slave.”

“So much the better.” Malik nodded. “Then we shouldn’t have a problem.”

“But—can you give me any other pro tips?” Nicole asked, looking a little desperate. “I’ve been the penetrate-ee plenty of times in my life—not a lot recently since Gary lost interest—but plenty in the past, you know? But I’ve never been the, uh, penetrator. And I really, really don’t want to hurt you.”

“Communication is key,” Malik told her. “Go in slowly and if I need you to stop I’ll tell you to. Once I’m comfortable with the rod’s placement and I let you know, you can fuck me harder and faster.”

“But why would I want to, uh, fuck you hard?” Nicole protested.

“You have to make me come,” Malik reminded her. He felt the fist of tension in his belly again but tried to ignore it. “It’s the finale of the show. And in order to do that, you’ll need to stimulate me—both from without and within.”

“You mean you want me to stroke you—stroke your cock—while I, uh, stroke inside you?” Nicole’s eyes were wide.

He nodded. “If you can manage it, yes.” He cupped her cheek gently. “Feeling your soft little hand on me will go a long way to helping me release my seed for you, sweetheart,” he murmured.

“I’ll do anything I can to help you,” Nicole promised. “Anything else?”

“Just one thing,” Malik told her. “If you’re going to make me come, you’ll need to remove the stay-hard band from around the base of my shaft. And that’s all I can think of for now.”

“All right.” Reaching down between them, she carefully felt for the release on the stretchy black band at the base of his oiled shaft. Just the brush of her soft little fingers sent a tremor of need through Malik’s entire body and he had to take a deep breath and close his eyes for a moment while she fumbled with the band and then finally released it.

“Okay?” Nicole asked him when he looked at her again.

Malik nodded. “Fine, Mistress. Come—I think Janda is getting worried. We’d better go tell her you’re ready to make your speech and do the demonstration.”

“Oh God—I almost forgot about the speech. Thank goodness I memorized it!” She took a deep breath and seemed to gather herself. Then she lifted her chin and threw back her shoulders. “Okay—here goes. Let’s do this.”

“Is everything all right, Mistress Hellenix?” Janda asked, as they approached her. “In regard to your concerns about the rod prototype—”

“No, no—it’s fine,” Nicole cut her off, just as the real Mistress Hellenix would have. “Just a simple misunderstanding. I’m ready to put on the rod and give my speech now.”

“You might need to lift your skirt a bit to get the straps around your thighs seated correctly,” Janda said carefully. “Would you like me to help you?”

“Not necessary—my slave can help,” Nicole said. “And you say it will make plenty of lube as I er…” she paused for a moment, her cheeks going pink. “When I penetrate my slave?” she finished at last and Malik could see that she was fighting to keep her tone even.

“Yes, of course—that’s the whole point of the rod, Mistress—to be able to fuck your favorite slave without having to deal with lubing him up first,” Janda explained patiently. “After all, nobody wants to ruin the resale value of a valuable slave but who wants to go through the trouble of lubing him up every time before you give him the rod? This new self-lubing rod takes care of that problem for you.”

It was an excellent sales pitch for Yonnie Six—Malik bet himself that the head vendor would sell hundreds of these rods tonight. Especially if their little demonstration went according to plan.

He felt another quiver in his belly but he told himself to be calm.

It’s nothing you haven’t been through before, he reminded himself. You’ll get through it again. You can do this—you have to do this. Which was nothing but the truth but he still couldn’t seem to help the tension in his muscles as he helped Nicole put on the rod and strap it in place around her thighs and hips.

It had a long black phallus a little thicker than anything Mistress Hellenix had previously used on him but the material it was made of looked flexible and slick—good for easy penetration so he told himself not to worry about it.

“What’s this?” Nicole’s question broke his concentration and he looked to see what she was pointing at—a hard little ridge that was placed just at the level of her clitoris. Clearly it was meant to stimulate her while she fucked him—Malik found the on button which brought the little ridge to life and Nicole nearly jumped out of her skin.

“Oh!” she gasped, wiggling her hips as though an insect had stung her in a sensitive place. “Turn it off, Malik!”

“It’s for your pleasure,” he explained. “There are some rods that insert inside the Mistress too, you know, but this one is for single penetration only. So they’ve included the vibrating ridge for your enjoyment—it will stimulate your clit with every thrust you make inside me.”

Nicole got a stubborn expression on her lovely face.

“Leave it off,” she insisted. “I won’t take pleasure from your pain, Malik—I won’t.”

“It won’t be painful as long as you’re careful,” he promised. “And you’ll be giving me pleasure too—you’re going to make me come—remember?”

“For an audience,” she pointed out. “I could see using it if we were doing this together because we wanted to but I won’t take pleasure from this situation if I can help it. It just doesn’t feel right.”

He shrugged. “As you wish, Mistress. We’ll leave it off. Does it feel comfortable otherwise?”

She nodded and shifted her hips experimentally.

“As much as it can, I guess. It’s not chafing anywhere and it seems to be staying in place pretty well.” She looked down at herself. “I can’t believe I’m about to go out in public in front of a bunch of people and give a speech with this thing strapped on me!”

“This is Yonnie Six,” Malik reminded her. “Almost anything goes here. Well—as long as it has to do with male domination.”

“I guess so.” She still didn’t look happy about it but Malik sensed that nothing was really going to fully reconcile her to the situation.

“If you’re comfortable then it’s time that I got into position too,” he remarked. “Can you chain me up?”

“Oh…” She followed his eyes to the manacles hanging down from the metal frame above them. “I guess so. I wish you didn’t have to be chained in place, though.”

“It’s part of the image,” Malik said, going to get into position. “I’m your slave—this is how the females out there want to see me—bound and subjugated to your will.” He stood under the frame and raised his hands submissively above his head.

“Well, it’s not how I see you,” Nicole said fiercely. “And just for the record, I think you’re incredibly brave to do this, Malik. I honestly don’t know if I could do it—let myself be…be taken in front of so many people if our positions were reversed.”

He was genuinely touched by her words.

“Thank you,” he said, nodding. “I guess I never looked at it like that. But, well…thank you.”

“You’re welcome. I just wish I didn’t have to do this to you.”

She sighed and climbed the step stool so that she could reach his wrists, stretched high above his head. As she buckled the leather manacles around him, Malik felt his heart beginning to pound. They were really going to do this. Of course, as he had told her, Mistress Hellenix had done this to him many times, but never in front of such a large crowd as was gathered here tonight. Usually she was just putting on a private show for a few friends at her estate.

It’s all right, he told himself firmly. Just remember it’s not really Mistress Hellenix back there—it’s Nicole and she cares for you. Cares so much that she’s wept for you more than once. She’s doing this because she has to—not to hurt or humiliate you.

Still, his heart rate wouldn’t slow, especially when he felt the cool, slippery material of the phallus she was wearing brush against his naked ass. Soon that was going to be inside him, filling him—fucking him.

And he would just have to submit and take it.

Nicole kissed him gently on the cheek, interrupting his racing thoughts.

“I guess it’s show time,” she murmured in his ear.

“You’ll do fine,” Malik told her, glad to hear his voice come out steady and even. “Just say the speech exactly as you memorized it and remember to strut around while you give it—that’s what the real Mistress Hellenix would do.”

He had spent the greater part of that morning quizzing and coaching her in the short speech his old Mistress had written and also about her mannerisms, so he knew she was ready as long as she didn’t get stage fright.

“Are you ready, Mistress Hellenix?” Janka asked, raising one flame-red eyebrow. She had a hand on the mechanism which opened the curtains and she was looking at Nicole.

Nicole took a deep breath and nodded.

“Go ahead.”

“All right.”

Janka pushed the button and the curtains opened, revealing what seemed to be a sea of faces, both Mistresses and slaves, all watching them.

No, they’re watching her, Malik corrected himself.

Nicole seemed to realize the same thing. For a moment she froze and a look of fear passed over her face. But then she lifted her chin and began.

“Paaain,” she said, drawing the word out. “Pain is our business and pain is our pleasure. We are gathered here tonight to celebrate it in all its many forms and uses…”

And then she was off and running as Malik watched in admiration. He couldn’t deny that she was an arresting sight, strutting around the stage with the black phallus strapped between her thighs and her lovely, full breasts completely bare now that he had sucked the punishment dust from her tight nipples. This stage and the clothing she had been forced to wear were pushing her far out of her comfort zone but she wasn’t letting that bother her—she was going for it in a way that made him proud.

We’ll see how proud you are when she goes for it in another way a minute from now, whispered a little voice in his head but Malik pushed it away. He just wanted to concentrate on Nicole. Just wanted to watch her and think of nothing else.

She was beautiful, diminutive but curvy as she strutted and posed, really playing Mistress Hellenix to the hilt. He had been worried about her—uncertain if she could play the part in front of so many people. But here up on the stage, she really seemed to have come into her own.

The speech wasn’t very long—it was a mostly self-congratulatory piece, praising the pain-loving lifestyle and assuring the other Mistresses in the crowd that they were doing the right thing to punish their slaves the way they did. It drew hearty applause, which wasn’t surprising since it basically exonerated and validated their way of life.

Then, all too soon to Malik’s way of thinking, the speech was over and Janka came out to give a brief sales-pitch for the self-lubing rod Nicole was wearing. After she explained its uses and how it worked she said,

“And now, the lovely Mistress Hellenix will be pleased to demonstrate our new rod with the public punishment of her bodyslave.”

Malik saw Nicole take a deep breath—this was the real show and they both knew it. Would she be able to go through with it?

A better question might be can you go through with it? whispered a little voice in his head. Can you open yourself for Nicole and take what she had to give you?

Malik supposed he would find out—he only wished his heart would stop pounding so hard. Still, Nicole was already upset enough about this situation as it was—he had to project an air of calm for her, no matter how difficult he found it. So he kept his face carefully blank as she came around to climb the step ladder behind him.

The chains were flexible and Janka had him standing to the side, in profile. In this way, the audience had a side view of him and Nicole, so they could watch the penetration process. Malik set his jaw as she climbed up behind him and he felt the cool, slick head of the phallus brush against his ass again.

He expected her to just shove the thing in him and get it over with so he spread his thighs and gritted his teeth, getting ready to be filled. To his surprise, though, Nicole didn’t do that. Instead, she reached around him, hugging him from behind with her hands rubbing gently over his chest.

“What…what are you doing?” he managed to get out, glad that they still had their privacy bubble in place.

“I don’t know—just trying to be with you in the moment, I guess. Before…before we do this.”

“All right.” Malik nodded and tugged at the manacles with a sudden surge of anxiety. His movement made the chains that held him prisoner rattle and clink together and he felt the voltage running though his body. It was a good thing the manacles were leather or his own nervous energy might have electrified the chains and the entire metal framework they were attached to, he thought.

“Are you okay?” Nicole murmured in his ear. “You’re breathing really hard and I can feel your heart pounding under my hand.” She rubbed the left side of his chest gently. “Your whole body seems to be vibrating.”

Her voice was soft and sweet in his ear, very different from the strident tones of his old Mistress, Malik thought. It soothed him.

“I’m…a little nervous,” he heard himself admitting. His voice came out low and harsh. “My old Mistress never took me in front of so many people before. And the shaft you’re using is bigger than anything I’ve ever had in me.”

“Then we shouldn’t do it,” Nicole exclaimed in an indignant whisper. “We’ll make some excuse and get out of here.”

“No, that won’t work—you’d be outed as an imposter for certain,” Malik told her. “Just go ahead—I’ll be fine.”

“What can I do to make it easier?” Nicole asked, rubbing his chest some more. Gods, her soft little hands felt good on him! “How can I help this not to be awful, Malik?”

For a moment he wasn’t sure what to say but then he realized how much he loved the sound of her velvety voice in his ear and he knew what he needed her to do.

“Talk to me,” he said hoarsely. “Remind me that you’re not her. Let me know we’re in this together. All right?”

“Of course.” Nicole kissed the side of his cheek and squeezed him reassuringly. “I’m here for you, Malik. We’re going to get through this—you’ll see.”

“All right.” He nodded. “I guess…guess you’d better put it in. I think the crowd is getting impatient.”

“Let them wait—I’m not doing this until you’re comfortable,” Nicole said firmly. She spent a while longer petting and hugging him from behind and then Malik felt her soft hand wander down to stroke between his thighs. To be honest, his shaft had wilted quite a bit due to the circumstances. Being taken was something he was used to but it was never going to be a pleasant experience.

But when Nicole started to touch him, he felt the pleasure of her soft, loving hand and his shaft began to grow.

“Gods,” he murmured, turning his head towards her. “Mistress…”

“Just getting you ready to go,” she whispered. “Do you think you can let me in now, Malik?”

“I think so.” He nodded. “Try it. Let’s hope it works as advertised since we weren’t given any other lube to use.”

“Let’s see…” Nicole murmured and he felt her parting him and sliding the broad, cool tip of the phallus into place at his nether entrance.

When Mistress Hellenix had first started using him this way, he had required extensive preparation for penetration. Now, however, his body was used to being invaded. He barely winced as the phallus coated his rosebud with cool, slick gel and then began to enter him.

“How are you doing?” he heard Nicole ask as the head entered him. “Am I hurting you? Your whole body is tight.”

“It doesn’t hurt exactly.” Malik could feel his jaw clenching and the big muscles in his arms and legs tensing. “It’s just…hard to relax.”

“I’m sure it is. But you’re doing so well. Is it wet enough?”

“The lube function seems to be…working perfectly,” Malik told her. He could hear the tightness in his own voice and fought to control it. “I’m just trying to be open enough. Trying to think of you instead of her.”

“Oh, Malik…” she murmured and kissed him gently on the cheek and then moved her mouth to nip at his earlobe, which sent shivers down his spine. “Do you have any idea how brave you are, giving yourself to me like this?” she whispered as she pressed another thick inch of the phallus into his body. “Do you know you much I admire you for being able to do this?”

“You do?” It came out as half gasp/half growl as he closed his eyes tightly and tried to let her in.

“I do,” Nicole murmured, pressing even deeper into him. Surely she would reach the end of the phallus soon! Surely she was almost all the way in? “I think you’re amazing,” she went on. “Brave and noble and self-sacrificing. Not to mention the most gorgeous man I’ve ever met.”

Her hand stroked downward to cradle his balls for a moment, before skimming up to circle his shaft lightly.

“Ahhh.” The moan came from his throat involuntarily but it wasn’t one of pain as Nicole thrust further in.

She’s getting deeper into me, he thought. And not just deeper into my body…

And then her voice was in his ear again—whispering encouragement and caring as her hand stroked his shaft.

“It’s not easy to let yourself be weak for me when you’re so big and strong, I know that,” she murmured in his ear. “But you’re doing a beautiful job, opening up for me. I think I’m almost all the way in you now.”

Then Malik felt her hips come flush with his ass and knew she was right—she was all the way in him and Gods, he had never felt so full before!

“I feel you,” he gasped, his entire body tight with tension. “I feel you in me, Mistress—taking me. Owning me.”

“We’re owning each other,” Nicole assured him. “This is me—Nikki—not her. I’m with you, Malik. With you all the way. Are…” She paused a moment. “Are you ready to let me fuck you now?”

“Yes.” He nodded, a brief dip of his head. “Yes, I…think I am.”

“All right. Let me know if it hurts and I’ll stop right away,” Nicole promised.

Slowly, she withdrew almost all the way out of him and then thrust in firmly but carefully.

“Gods!” The cry was torn from his lips and Nicole stopped at once.

“Did I hurt you?” Her voice was anxious and worried.

“No.” Malik shook his head, full of conflicting emotions. “No, don’t…don’t stop. Do it again. They’re watching.”

He meant the crowd, where some of the Mistresses had confused looks on their faces. The real Mistress Hellenix was never so solicitous and gentle with her slaves as Nicole was being with him. Oh, she made certain not to damage valuable slaves like himself, but other than that, she could care little for a slave’s comfort.

“You…you’re going to have to fuck me harder—faster,” he told Nicole in a strained voice. “They’re going to get suspicious otherwise. Go ahead, Mistress—use me hard.”

He could almost feel Nicole’s resistance to the idea but then he heard her take a deep breath.

“You’re sure I’m not hurting you?” she murmured.

Malik shook his head.

“I’m fine. It’s a little big but I’m used to it now. Don’t mind any noises I make—they’re for the crowd’s benefit. Go on—fuck me!”

“All right, then.” And she drew out again and thrust in hard, just as he had told her to. At the same time, she started pumping his cock, sliding her small, cool hand up and down his shaft, moving in rhythm with her thrusts inside him. Malik felt like it was making him half crazy—the intense sensations both without and within.

He threw back his head and groaned low in his throat as he gave himself to her. He tried to ignore the crowd that was watching—tried to concentrate only on her voice in his ear, on the soft little hand stroking his cock. Gods, the damn rod was so thick—it pressed things inside him that the other rods his old Mistress had used on him hadn’t reached. He felt so opened—so owned. So intensely vulnerable, though he could scarcely put the feeling into words, even to himself.

Admit it—it feels good, the old voice of shame whispered in his head. Feels good to open yourself this way—to let her fuck you.

Yes it did but suddenly, he was determined not to let that shame him. He cared for Nicole—loved her if he was being honest with himself. Why shouldn’t he give himself to her? Why shouldn’t he open himself to the pleasure she was giving him?

“Mistress,” he groaned, giving voice to the intense sensations she was filling him with. “Gods, you’re in me so damn deep. And your little hand on my shaft feels so good.”

Nicole seemed to understand at once what he needed.

“You like it when I stroke you like this?” she murmured in his ear, as she continued to caress his aching shaft. “I can see that you do because you’re leaking for me, Malik—you’re all slick with precum.”

“It’s because you’re fucking me so sweetly,” he admitted. “Your phallus inside me and your hand stroking me makes me so damn hard.”

“Do you like it when I fuck you like this, then?” There was genuine curiosity in her voice. “Does it feel good?”

“Yes,” Malik admitted—as much to himself as to her. “You’re pressing things inside me—making me feel like I’m going to explode. Gods, Mistress—fuck me harder!”

“As hard as you want, baby.” Her voice was a sensual little murmur and Malik sensed that she had been caught up in the moment with him—caught up in the strange pleasure he had never expected.

Oh, he had expected to feel the mechanics of orgasm and release—when his prostate and shaft were being stimulated at the same time, that was practically a given. What he hadn’t expected was to actually enjoy this act. But having Nicole murmur so sweetly in his ear mirrored the dreams he’d had exactly. The dreams of a loving Mistress who took him for both their pleasure—not only hers alone.

Somehow it was different this time, Malik thought. Giving himself to a female he loved was wholly unlike being taken by one he despised. For the first time he was able to give in to the physical pleasure and not feel ashamed of himself for it—for the first time he was able to let go and give up control of his body to his Mistress without hating himself for his perceived weakness.

“Nicole!” he gasped as he felt himself nearing the peak. “Mistress, I’m so fucking close!”

“Good.” She speeded up her tempo a little more. “Because I want to feel you coming in my hand, the same way you came in my mouth earlier today. Remember that, baby? Remember me kneeling in front of you and sucking your big hard cock? God, you felt so good in my mouth and I loved the way your cum tasted.”

The erotic memory was all it took to push Malik completely over the edge. The sight of her on her knees before him, the feel of her soft, wet mouth on his shaft, the way she had swallowed every drop of his seed as he pumped it between her sweet lips…

He could feel the seed churning in his balls, ready to shoot like a blast from the barrel of a projectile weapon. And the next time Nicole thrust into him, he felt himself begin to come.

“Mistress,” he groaned as he felt his shaft pulse strongly in her hand. “Oh Goddess, you’re making me come! I’m coming so hard for you!”

“That’s right, baby—that’s right, Malik. Come for me. Come while I stroke you—come while I fuck you,” she murmured in his ear.

And Malik did. Giving himself completely, he felt something flow between them—not exactly the electric current from his own body but another, more intimate kind of energy was exchanged. It drew them closer, somehow, making him feel like he never wanted to be parted from her again.

Oh Nicole, he thought longingly. Oh Mistress—love you so much! Love to feel you taking me like this—opening me—owning me…

It seemed his orgasm would never stop. He didn’t know if he had ever come so hard in his life—pulse after pulse of seed jetted from the tip of his shaft, causing the crowd to murmur with appreciation at the rainbow sheen as it arced out of him. Once more he could feel the electricity his body naturally generated in times of extreme stress moving through his limbs and torso like a living thing—a current that flowed inside him.

At that moment he felt charged up enough to fry everyone in the crowd, the same way he’d electrocuted the males who had threatened Nicole in the spa back at Mistress Hellenix’s estate. But he held himself back—Nicole wasn’t bonded to him, which meant that if he let loose with a barrage of lightning bolts, she would be fried like everyone else. Besides, he didn’t want to kill anyone—he just felt incredibly charged-up at that moment.

At last the orgasm stopped and the pleasure ebbed. His cock didn’t get any softer—Kindred didn’t go soft after orgasm because they didn’t require any recovery time after sex. But he stopped spurting at least.

The intense release left him feeling weak in the knees and he sagged for a moment in the chains, resting his weight against the manacles and breathing deeply, almost shuddering with the aftermath of his pleasure.

Nicole seemed to sense that he needed her close because she withdrew slowly and he heard the clink and thump as she unfastened the phallus and let it fall. But then she proceeded to wrap her arms around him again and nuzzle him from behind. It reminded him of the way they had slept, with her cupped in the curve of his big body. “Spooning,” Nicole had called it. Now it seemed that he was the little spoon for a change—strangely, Malik felt fine with that.

You don’t always have to be the strong one, her gesture of love and tenderness said as she held him tight. It’s all right to want comfort sometimes—it’s all right to be held.

“Malik? Are you all right?” she murmured in his ear. “Was I too hard on you?”

“No.” He managed to shake his head. “No, not at all. I just…it wasn’t what I was expecting.”

“Me either.” She sounded awed. “It was…I don’t know what it was. But I’ve never felt anything like it. Like some kind of…energy passed between us the moment you came.”

“I think if our positions were reversed I would have bonded you to me,” Malik said honestly. “That was bonding energy we felt—I’m certain of it. If I’d shot my seed inside you instead of out onto this damn stage, we’d be one right now.”

“We would?” she asked, reaching up to unhook his wrists from the manacles. The Mistresses were coming up to the stage now, but most of them just wanted to talk to Janka about ordering a self-lubing rod of their own. Which was good because Malik wanted his Mistress all to himself at the moment.

“Bonding sex requires a level of trust—an openness for both parties,” he explained, hearing the hoarseness in his own voice. “We had that, I think.”

“We did—you’re right.” She still sounded surprised. “I never in a million years imagined doing what we just did. But when you really opened up and let me in it was…amazing.”

“For me too…Mistress.” Malik rubbed his newly freed wrists and smiled down at her. He had the urge to drag her to bed somewhere and tuck her against his body so he could hold her for hours. He wondered absently if this was how females felt after being taken by a partner who really loved and cared about them. Maybe it was the feeling of having been vulnerable that caused the need for reassurance and physical contact.

He thought again of how different his experience had been from every other time he had been taken. With Mistress Hellenix he had always had a mental barrier in place when she took him—a wall around his inner self that she could never breach, no matter how hard she fucked him. With Nicole, he had let that wall fall and opened himself completely and it had made all the difference. It had—

“There—there she is!” The strident voice made him jerk his head up and he saw Mistress Tacky Tangle-Skank pointing at Nicole. Behind Tangle-Skank was a whole cadre of armed guards.

Sacred Seven guards! Malik realized with a sinking feeling. The same ones that Mistress Jankypoo had warned them were coming for Mistress Hellenix in her message.

Had Mistress Tangle-Skank somehow found out that the guards were coming for Hellenix? Had she alerted them to their location? Mistress Jankypoo wasn’t known for being able to keep a secret very well—his old Mistress had often lamented what a “blabbering fool” the pink-haired Mistress was.

Whatever the case, Malik knew he couldn’t let Nicole be taken. The real Mistress Hellenix would only be questioned and detained. But if it became clear that someone was posing as her—that Nicole wasn’t the Mistress she was pretending to be—she would be executed on the spot.

The Scared Seven were not known for their leniency.

“Oh my God,” Nicole breathed, looking wide-eyed at the guards who were climbing the stage to get to her. “Malik, what are we going to do?”

“Get behind me,” he said in a low voice. “And whatever you do, don’t touch me. Just follow.”

NINETEEN

Nikki had no idea where they were going but she got behind him as he told her to and made sure not to touch him, though she had no idea why he had ordered her not to.

But in a moment, everything became clear.

Suddenly sparks of electricity were pulsing and crackling from Malik’s fingers. She had seen a little of this back when he had shocked the rogue slaves who had threatened her in Mistress Hellenix’s bathing chamber but that had been nothing compared to the display he was putting on now.

The sparks grew in intensity until his entire big, naked body seemed to be outlined in silvery, flashing light, almost too bright to look at. She saw the guards flinch back from him but some got determined looks on their faces and gripped their weapons tighter.

The Yonnie Mistresses seemed to think this was all part of the show. They crowded even closer, ooing and ahhing at the startling display.

“Stand back!” Malik’s voice roared like thunder.

“Step away, slave,” one of the guards said, frowning. “We have orders to take your Mistress before the Sacred Seven. Let us pass and no harm will come to you.”

“You will not take her!” Malik roared. Suddenly a lightning bolt came from above and crashed into the stage, right in front of where he was standing. The atmosphere dome above popped like a giant bubble and the air was suddenly filled with the ominous scent of ozone.

“Oh my God!” Nikki gasped, taking a quick step back. Despite living in Florida, which was the lightning capital of the whole US, for most of her life, she’d never been so close to striking lightning before. Was Malik somehow calling it from the sky or was it simply attracted to him naturally because he was generating so much electrical current himself?

Whatever the reason, the big Kindred’s display certainly convinced the Yonnite Mistresses to get back. They were gasping and shouting as they pushed and shoved each other to get out of the way. The guards were looking distinctly worried and some of them had fled with the crowd to the perimeters of the rooftop garden. But a few still held their ground.

“That was your first and only warning,” Malik told them. “Anyone who touches my Mistress will fry like a strip of bulka meat in a hot pan. Step…back.”

Reluctantly, Nikki thought, the last remaining guards stepped away from the stage. Majestically, Malik descended the steps. He had been a slave on this stage only moments before—bound and vulnerable, a part of the show she had been forced to put on to please the Yonnite crowd. Now he looked like a king—a god—with his halo of lightning crackling around him. She was in awe of him as she followed him down the steps and through the suddenly empty area in front of the stage.

“I had no idea how dangerous he was!” she heard one of the other Mistresses, who had withdrawn to the edges of the open space, say to another.

“I know! Hellenix always said he was special but to think that he had this kind of power in him! He could have fried us all at any time!” her friend replied.

“I’m surprised she dared to take him as a slave at all!” a third one chimed in. “He’s positively deadly!”

“But he’s clearly devoted to her—look how he’s protecting her,” the first one pointed out. “He won’t let the guards lay a finger on her!”

Which was certainly true, Nikki thought as she trailed behind Malik at a safe—but not too distant—distance. They passed right through the pack of guards and many of them looked at her longingly but clearly didn’t dare to grab her. Right behind them was Mistress Tacky Tangle-Skank and it was clear she was not happy with the proceedings.

“What are you doing? Why aren’t you taking her?” she hissed at the nearest guard. “Isn’t she wanted by the Sacred Seven for questioning? So why don’t you grab her?”

“You grab her, Mistress, if you’re so eager to get fried,” the guard growled, glaring at her. “Or did you not see that display her slave just put on? He’s a Volt Kindred—no fucking doubt. They’re deadly and I’m not fucking with him.”

Nikki dared to give the fuming Mistress a coy little smile as they passed and something she’d seen on her teen son’s Facebook page suddenly popped into her head.

“Bye-bye, Tacky,” she said. “Don’t hate me because you ain’t me.” Then she blew the other Mistress a kiss.

Her little remark seemed to send the other Mistress into a paroxysm of fury.

“No!” she howled. “Our whole lives, she’s gotten away with everything! It’s not fair—it’s not fair!”

She was practically foaming at the mouth as she shoved her way between the guards and made a grab at Nikki.

“Come here!” she shouted. “You’re finally going to get what’s coming to you—you do not get to win this time!”

She had Nikki’s arm in a death grip and she was dragging her towards the line of guards.

“Let go! Let go!” Nikki gasped, pulling back. But though the other woman looked skinny, she was strong. And also enraged, Nikki thought as she tried unsuccessfully to get away.

Hmm, maybe you shouldn’t have teased her like that, whispered a little voice in her head. Maybe you made a dangerous situation a whole lot worse—you think?

Suddenly Malik was at her side, looming over Mistress Tangle-Skank.

“Let her go.” His deep voice was crackling with power. “I would never normally harm a female but if you don’t take your hands off my Mistress right now I swear you will regret it.”

“No!” Mistress Tangle-Skank shook her head—her huge peacock’s tail of hair fluttering wildly with the movement, though it still remained intact and upright somehow. “No, she always gets what she wants—including you, slave! But not this time!”

Malik looked at Nikki.

“Brace yourself—you’re going to feel a shock but I’ll try to shield you from it as much as possible.”

Before she could answer, he grabbed Mistress Tangle-Skank by the arm—clamping his big hand down over the wrist of the hand that was holding Nikki. Then he grabbed the elaborate headdress woven into her hair and Nikki saw a look of concentration on his face.

Suddenly Mistress Tangle-Skank went rigid, the muscles of her face locked in the most amazing grimace and then she began to shake like someone having a seizure. It was a horrifying sight—made worse by the plume of smoke that started suddenly seeping from the top of her head—and the faint tingle Nikki felt in the arm that she was still clutching.

The minute Malik let go, so did Tangle-Skank. She dropped Nikki’s arm and sank to the ground like a load of old clothes someone had spilled from a basket, her hair still smoking.

For a moment, Nikki just stood there staring at her. Was the other woman breathing? She couldn’t tell.

“Come on, Mistress.” Malik spoke urgently in her ear.

“What…what happened?” she asked, as he took her arm and propelled her away from the guards who were beginning to gather around the fallen Mistress.

“I gave her the smallest shock I could, but I think the framework in her hair must be made of metal. I thought it was some kind of plastic and would act to ground my power—instead it amplified it.” He shook his head, looking regretful.

“Will she live?” Nikki cast a glance back over her shoulder uncertainly as they entered the lighted walkway that led down to the parking area.

“I hope so—I would never want to be guilty of killing a female, even a Yonnite Mistress,” Malik said grimly. “But I had to get you away from her and she had your arm in a death grip.” He glanced down at her swiftly. “Did I hurt you? Were you shocked?”

“Only a little,” Nikki admitted. “I just felt a tingle where she was touching me.”

“I can only block it out a little,” Malik explained. “If we were bonded, you would have immunity to my charge but as it is, I can only offer you minimal protection.”

“I’m glad you did,” Nikki said, with feeling. She wouldn’t have wanted to end up like Tacky Tangle-Skank, lying on the ground with her hair smoking!

They had reached the ship by now and Malik helped her in quickly.

“Well, I guess that could have gone better,” he admitted, as he settled himself, still naked, in the Pilot’s chair.

“It could have gone a lot worse, too,” Nikki pointed out. “We could have been captured and taken before the Sacred Seven.”

“True.” He nodded and sighed. “Well, for better or worse, we’re done here and we need to get out. It won’t take the guards long to get to their own ships—luckily Mistress Hellenix had a stealth mode installed on hers just last cycle.” He patted the control panel of the ship and looked at Nikki. “Are you ready to visit my home planet? Are you ready for Uriel Two?”

Nikki took a deep breath and nodded.

“Let go.”

They went.

TWENTY

Uriel Two had a pretty, pink, shimmering cloud around it that Malik assured her was completely lethal.

Nikki watched in the viewscreen as the cloud—and the planet obscured behind it—grew closer. At last they stopped when the cloud nearly filled the screen.

“I can go no closer—not safely,” Malik murmured, his eyes fixed on the screen.

Nikki’s eyes were fixed on him.

After they had hopped through a worm hole to get far from Yonnie Six, both of them had taken the opportunity to change—or in Malik’s case, to put on clothing at all.

Nikki had on a long green gown which had flowing sleeves and panties to match. They showed through the long front slit in the silky green material, which seemed to be ubiquitous to Yonnie Six Mistress couture, but at least the gown (mostly) covered her breasts. Black, high-heeled ankle boots went with the gown as well as a black belt to match. The entire ensemble was considerably more comfortable than the tight black dress and bustier she’d been wearing at the banquet.

Malik looked much the same as he had when she first met him. He was back to wearing the crotchless black leather slave trousers with a loincloth to cover his shaft. But he wasn’t wearing a chastity device anymore, so the curtain of black fabric covered bare flesh. His chest was bare too and Nikki couldn’t help looking over at him and noticing both the mouthwatering muscles of his arms and shoulders and the ridge of his shaft, just under the thin loincloth that covered it.

She knew she ought to keep her mind on their mission of getting into Uriel Two and helping Malik restore his home world, but her mind kept returning to the scene at the banquet.

Closing her eyes, she got flashes of how she’d run her hands over his big, warm body…the feeling of his thick shaft thrusting between her fingers…the phallus she had worn pumping into him and the hard little ridge pressing against her swollen clit with every thrust…the sound of his low, groans and the way he had begged her to fuck him harder…

It had been some of the most surprising sex Nikki had ever had—which admittedly wasn’t saying much, since Gary had been unrelentingly incurious when it came to the horizontal mambo. But laying that aside, what had surprised her the most wasn’t exactly Malik’s reaction to what she’d had to do to him—although she was glad he had enjoyed it rather than hating the act and hating her for having to perform it on him.

No, what had surprised her most of all was the fact of her own dominance. All those hot, naughty things she had growled in his ear—the way she’d asked him if he wanted her to fuck him. Not to mention the way she had fucked him, using the strap-on phallus as though she’d been wearing one all her life. Nikki had never dreamed she had that in her—the will to dominate and even more surprising, the ability to enjoy dominating.

Not that she suddenly wanted to become a dominatrix—absolutely not. But she’d liked the sense of power it gave her to be in control for once. To penetrate instead of just lying there on her back, bored in the dark, while she was the one getting penetrated.

No doubt about it, the wild things she’d been doing the past few days were far outside her comfort zone but somehow she’d been able to roll with the punches. All things considered, Nikki felt kind of proud of herself—especially for being able to perform so well during the banquet. After all, strapping on a dildo and sexually dominating a huge Kindred warrior was a big step for someone who had never even had sex with the lights on before.

Though if she was being honest, she knew that Malik had been the strong one during their switched-around-sex.

How difficult it must have been for a man like him—a warrior—to submit to being a slave? And not only that, to submit to being fucked in front of a bunch of strangers for their entertainment? Nikki knew from experience how fragile the male ego could be—the fact that Malik was confident enough in his own masculinity to open himself to her that way made her think he was one of the strongest and most emotionally intelligent men that she had ever known.

And that wasn’t even touching on the subject of his strange, otherworldly abilities.

She remembered with awe the lightning wreathing his nude body as he stood like a god on the stage and faced down the entire cadre of guards. To think, he’d had that power inside him all this time and still he chose to let himself be subjugated and used as a slave! All to serve the higher good—the greater purpose of finally getting to restore his home world. How often he must have wanted to fry Mistress Hellenix! And he could have too—but he restrained himself.

Nikki was in awe of that level of self-control and self-sacrifice. Truly the big Kindred was the most amazing man she had ever met—and it wasn’t just because he could shoot lightning from his fingertips either.

It’s also the reason you need to keep your mind on why you’re here and help him as much as possible, Nikki lectured herself. It doesn’t do any good to sit there mooning over him and thinking about the past—no matter how amazing it was. You need to get down to business and help him get his world back.

And after that, they would go their separate ways, she supposed. Still, maybe after his world was restored and she and her boys were settled someplace else they might somehow get together? After all, the unconventional sex they’d had seemed to deeply affect Malik too. Nikki couldn’t help remembering the strange energy that had somehow flowed between them and the way he had told her if their positions had been reversed it would have been bonding sex, which seemed to be a really big deal for the Kindred…

No, you’re fooling yourself, Nikki told herself. Don’t be stupid—the two of you will never be together. Just get on with the business at hand and try to leave the past in the past.

“So,” she said aloud, trying to take her own advice. “What next?”

“Now we hail the Knower and wait for it to answer.” Malik was already busy with controls. “When it parts the kill-field, we’ll land and you can ask for a tour of their SOR manufacturing facility. We’ll need to get all the way inside it so I can get to the Knower’s main processing core. Then, once we’re there, I’ll deploy the device the Time Warden gave to me and—” He snapped his fingers. “Everything will happen at once.”

“What do you mean, ‘everything will happen at once’?” Nikki asked, frowning. “What exactly is ‘everything.’?”

“Well—” Malik began but just then there was a beeping from the viewscreen at the front of the ship and a soft, gender-neutral voice spoke.

“Mistress Hellenix of Yonnie Six, you are granted access to Uriel Two, home of the Knower. Welcome to my realm.”

Suddenly the sparkly pink layer between their ship and the planet dissolved and the way forward was open.

“Oh,” Nikki half-whispered. “I guess we’d better talk about this later.”

“Indeed.” Malik nodded and took a deep breath. “Time to go home,” he murmured as he took the ship through the opening that had been created. “Time to see what has been done to my world.”

“Do you think the Knower has changed it in some way?” Nikki asked as they moved towards the planet.

Malik shook his head. “I have no way of knowing. After the broadcast it sent out, showing the gas attacks and the subsequent deaths, it never sent anything again. There may be some technology that can penetrate the kill-field to see what is happening but if so, I have not had access to it.”

“I guess we’ll find out, then,” Nikki murmured.

There was a bit of natural cloud cover that they couldn’t see through but once the ship dived through it, the face of the planet was revealed. Nikki caught her breath as they flew closer.

She’d flown in an airplane before and she remembered how the Earth looked from high up—the way the land and water melded into each other and the way the different patches of cultivated and inhabited land were squared off with patches of wilderness. This was especially evident when flying over Florida where there was so much verdant green growth in every place where it hadn’t been cut back. Even in the heavily urban areas there were still little patches of wilderness that mostly consisted of tangles of vines and weeds and trees.

There was none of that on Uriel Two.

Though she searched, Nikki couldn’t catch a single glimpse of anything green or growing or really, any colors except for white, silver, and gold. There were impossibly tall towers and spires and futuristic looking structures but they were all empty. Everything looked shiny and sterile and extremely clean but there were no signs of life anywhere that she could see.

No vehicles moved down the wide, neatly swept streets, no pedestrians walked on the sidewalks or looked out of the windows of the sleek, soaring apartment buildings. There appeared to be shopping districts but no one to shop in them, parks with benches surrounding clear, splashing fountains but no one to sit in them, museums and libraries with no one to visit them.

The whole place was empty.

She glanced at Malik and saw a stricken expression on his face.

“What is it?” she murmured. “Worse than you thought?”

“It’s…unrecognizable.” His voice was low and hoarse as he scanned the viewscreen with its view of the clean, sleek, empty city—a city which appeared to cover the entire planet.

“How so?” Nikki inquired softly, feeling that he needed to talk about it.

“Well, aside from the fact that it appears to be completely uninhabited, nothing here is familiar. All of our wild places and hallowed trees…gone.” He shook his head. “I knew the Knower wanted to kill every humanoid on the planet but I had no idea it would also rid my world of every shred of greenery.”

“Your people were big into nature then?” Nikki asked softly.

“We revered it.” Malik’s voice was tight. “We believed the natural places were sacred to the Goddess. And now look…” He waved a hand at the viewscreen. “All our sacred groves have been uprooted, our mountains have been leveled and our beaches have been filled in. There is nothing left but this sterile, blankness. This empty city. Why has the Knower done this?”

“I don’t know.” Nikki shook her head. “It doesn’t seem to make sense. Why make a whole city if you killed all the people who might have lived in it?”

“I thought when we came through the clouds that I would see the remains of what I left behind,” Malik murmured. “I thought I might see the bodies of those who had died in the gas attacks or at least their skeletons scattered where they had fallen. I was prepared for that but this…” he shook his head. “This is somehow worse.”

Nikki agreed with him that there was something deeply creepy about the big, empty city. It was like the entire planet had been turned into a high-tech ghost town. What the hell was going on here?

Before she could even begin to answer that question, the quiet, gender-neutral voice which could have been either male or female spoke over the viewscreen again.

“Greetings Mistress Hellenix. You are cleared for landing at the Main Housing of the Knower. Follow the flashing beacon to find your landing platform.”

The voice faded and suddenly Nikki saw something winking in the viewscreen.

“Look—there!” She pointed at a light which was flashing in the corner of a tall building with a large, flat roof. It occurred to her that it was a good thing it was a cloudy day here on Uriel Two. Without the cloud cover above, the light of the setting sun glinting off all of the metal structures would have been blinding and they never would have seen the beacon.

“I see it. Heading there now,” Malik said grimly. He maneuvered the ship into position and they dropped neatly onto the designated landing area.

“All right, now what?” Nikki murmured, looking around.

“Now we get ready.” Malik rose from the controls. “Come on, we have a few things to bring with us.”

Back in the living area of the ship—which was extensive and luxurious—he found a hidden panel located in the elaborately carved headboard of the plush bed. Pressing some of the carvings in a certain combination caused a small space to pop open. As Nikki watched, he reached inside and drew out several items.

One was a silvery shard of milky-white crystal, about as long as her hand and shot through with rainbow colored veins in every imaginable shade of red, yellow, blue, green, purple, orange and every shade in between. The second was a tiny figurine that looked a little like a fertility goddess carved by an ancient tribe from some rough black stone.

“Which one is the Shannom-rah?” she asked, looking at the two objects cradled in Malik’s big palm.

“This one.” He handled the crystal shard carefully. “There are trillions of complete personalities encrypted into this one device— it’s priceless.”

“Wow…”Nikki touched the shard carefully and noticed that its surface was extremely rough. “It looks so small to hold so much,” she said. “What kind of crystal is it? I mean, what kind of mineral is it made up of?”

“It’s not a natural crystal at all—it was bio-engineered by the Jai’linm from a crystal on their home world that was already extremely porous. The secret to making it has been lost but according to my old mistress, despite the number of personalities already captured here, trillions more could fit.” He nodded at the crystal. “She even added her own personality to it—for posterity, she said,” he added dryly.

“That’s amazing and also kind of creepy—to think that so many people are stored in one place.” Nikki shook her head.

“Not really people—just a complete recording of their personalities,” Malik corrected her. “In fact, I believe that some of them might even be from Earth, your home world.”

“Really?” Nikki eyed the crystal with even more surprise. “How?”

“Remember you told me about people from your planet who claimed to have been taken by aliens?” Malik asked. “Well, according to my old Mistress, after they had recorded all the personalities of their own planet, the Jai’linm roamed far and wide searching for more to add to the Shannom-rah. And I believe they were supposed to have spent considerable time in your sector of space.”

“Okay, that is too weird. I don’t want to think about it.” Nikki shuddered, thinking of the tales of alien abduction she had heard. “The idea of all those poor people actually being kidnapped and scanned or whatever and then put back down on Earth and nobody ever believing them about such a traumatic experience is just sad.”

“No one believed them?” Malik frowned. “Why?”

“Because before the Scourge and the Kindred came to Earth, we had never made contact with an extraterrestrial people,” Nikki explained. “We thought we were alone in the universe…boy, were we wrong.”

“You certainly were,” Malik said dryly. “There are trillions of other species in the universe—though admittedly only a small percentage of them are sentient and only an even smaller percentage have developed space flight. But still, your people were never alone.”

“We know that now.” Nikki pointed at the crude female figure with its pendulous breasts and full belly carved from the rough black rock. “So what’s this?”

“This appears to be a dominance token—one carved by the ancestors of the original Yonnites,” Malik explained. “Many Mistresses carry them as a symbol of their culture and beliefs. So it won’t seem strange for you to bring it with you as Mistress Hellenix.”

“What is it really, though?” Nikki asked in a low voice.

“The device given to me by the Time Warden. This…this is going to change everything.” He handed the tiny figure reverently.

“You said that before—but how?” Nikki asked.

“It acts as a time-reverser,” Malik explained. “It will take me back ten years into the past, just before the Knower deployed its first attack and then act as an incendiary device that blows its main core and destroys it utterly by erasing its central code.” He frowned. “Of course this is going to cause a planet-wide crisis for a while since the Knower controlled all of the communications systems by that time. But it will prevent the gas attacks from happening and my people will live instead of being wiped out.”

“But if you’re changing the past, that will also change the future,” Nikki pointed out. “What’s going to happen in the here and now? Will I suddenly find myself on an inhabited planet instead of an empty one? Where will you be?”

“To be honest, I might be trapped in the past,” Malik admitted. “Or, what’s much more likely is that I will dissolve. My past self will remain, but he will have no memory of what happened—the Time Warden wasn’t completely clear on those details.”

“He wasn’t? Don’t you think it’s kind of important what happens to you?” Nikki demanded.

“Not as long as my people and my planet survive and are restored,” Malik said quietly. “But I don’t want you to worry about your fate, Nikki. According to the Time Warden, anyone who is with me during the moment the device is deployed will be placed back in their own timeline automatically.”

“What does that mean, though?” Nikki asked. “Will I suddenly be back on Earth and nothing will have happened?”

“Not exactly.” Malik frowned. “You’ll be back on the ship, I believe, but there will be a different slave with you.”

“There will? I don’t understand? How will that work?” Nicole shook her head, frowning.

“The way the Time Warden explained it to me, changing time at a particular place is like dropping a rock into a pond,” Malik said. “At the point of impact—in this case, Uriel Two—the ripples will be intense. They will affect every single person native to the planet. But as the ripples widen out, they make less and less of a splash.”

“Okay.” Nikki nodded. “I’m with you so far.”

She supposed that a few days ago she would have thought the things he was saying sounded like the plot of a science fiction movie. But so many strange things had happened to her in the past forty-eight hours—including being dragged across the universe and switching places with an alien dominatrix—that anything seemed possible.

“So how will it affect anyone not native to Uriel Two?” she asked Malik.

“Your own home planet, Earth, is far from here. So the time-reversal won’t affect you nearly as much,” he said. “You and Mistress Hellenix will still switch places because of the E’lo stones but a different slave will help you get back to your own world. The events of the past two days will still happen but I will be taken out of the equation completely.”

“You will?” Nikki put a hand to her throat. “But that means…”

“You and I…” Malik cleared his throat. “We will have never met, Nicole.” He took her hands in his. “I’m sorry—more sorry than I can say for that.”

“Oh…” Nikki felt like someone had punched her in the gut. “Will…will I remember you?”

“I’m afraid not.” He shook his head. “The Time Warden did allow for the possibility of time-echoes—shadow memories from the time-line which no longer exists—but only for the people most affected. I might remember you—if I even still exist. But you will almost certainly forget me completely—because you will have never met me.”

“Oh.” Nikki felt like she was going to cry. Her throat was tight and her eyes stung. But she couldn’t cry—couldn’t put that guilt on him, she told herself. This should be a happy occasion for Malik—he was going to get his planet back and he was sacrificing everything—maybe even his own life—to do it. How incredibly selfish would it be if she told him she didn’t want him to go—that she wanted him in her life at any and all costs?

It would make me a monster, she thought, swallowing hard at the tears that wanted to come. There’s a whole planet at stake—millions and billions of lives that were ended too soon. That’s way more important than the fact that I’ll never see Malik again. Even if I did stupidly let myself go and fall for him.

“Nicole? Are you all right?” Malik was looking at her in concern.

“Sure, I…” She swallowed hard again. “I’m just fine. I guess…guess we’d better get going down there.”

“I wish it didn’t have to be like this.” He cupped her cheek and turned her face up to his. “I met the right female at the exact wrong time in my life.”

“I…I feel the same way.” Nikki sniffed. “But if I let myself start getting upset about it I’m going to have a hard time functioning. So I think we should just go…go get all this over with.”

He nodded. “Agreed. And thank you again for being willing to help me with this. I couldn’t do it without you.”

“You’ve worked so hard for this—sacrificed so much.” Nikki turned her face towards his hand and planted a gentle kiss on his big palm. “And you’ve given me the most incredible adventure in the process. Even if I don’t remember it—or remember you—I can’t help thinking that I’ll keep you somewhere in here.” She pressed a hand to her chest. “My mind might forget but my heart won’t. You’ve changed me, Malik.”

“And you have changed me.” Suddenly he crushed her to him and buried his face in her hair. “Gods, Nicole…I wish I could keep you with me. I wish it so damn much.”

“I wish it too,” she murmured. “But I have kids to take care of, remember? Even if they are ungrateful sometimes, I love them—I’m a mom first, before anything else.”

Malik drew back and nodded. “It’s right for you to put your children first—just as I must put my planet first,” he said. “I’ll always be grateful that the Goddess brought us into each other’s lives, even though we couldn’t stay together.”

“Yes…” Nikki felt tears threatening again and she sniffed and lifted her chin. “Come on—we’d better get going before I lose it.”

“Agreed.” Malik sighed heavily and then straightened and squared his shoulders. “Let’s go bring back my planet.”

TWENTY-ONE

Stepping onto the surface of his home world after ten long cycles was coming home to Malik. And yet, it was like no homecoming he had ever expected or experienced before.

The planet was so changed. It had been a nature sanctuary before—a careful balance between manmade creations and the beauty the Goddess had created for her people. In fact, the Knower had been developed as an AI in the first place in order to help facilitate communication across the planet without building more artificial structures. It was also helpful in planning construction, so as to lessen the impact on the natural beauty of the planet. Little by little it had been given more and more responsibilities, more and more power…

And look what happened, Malik thought, looking around the sterile, empty city of glass and metal and concrete—all of it meticulously clean and orderly and dead. Why had the Knower built this planet-wide city when it had no one to populate it? Unless it had built it for the SORs, but they were a soulless bunch—barely capable of humanoid understanding.

It was one reason—so Malik had heard through the grapevine—that the attack by one of them on Commander Sylvan of the Kindred Mother Ship had failed. Apparently the SOR wasn’t lifelike enough to fool him and he had dismantled it before it could kill him. Malik was glad of that—he had risked much to send warning of the attack to the Mother Ship commander.

The sun was setting, casting the endless city into gloom and shadows. Malik couldn’t help remembering standing in the twilight on Uriel Two—in the forest that adjoined his family’s land. They were close to a Sacred Grove, where the priestesses worshipped the Goddess and the wind sighing through the trees with their green and purple leaves would caress his face, bringing the scent of growing things with it. Sometimes there was a hint of moisture in the air, as it often rained around sunset but the breeze was always cool and refreshing, a reminder that the Goddess surrounded them with peace and goodness.

The dry, barren, hot wind that touched his cheek now couldn’t have been more different. The scent of it was sterile—concrete and metal—and there wasn’t even a hint of moisture. The whole planet had been turned into an urban desert and for what? Why had the Knower done this? What purpose could it serve?

As if in answer to his question, a dot of bluish light suddenly appeared in front of his face. The dot expanded rapidly and became a figure that might have been a man or a woman—it was impossible to tell. It had medium length hair, pleasant, generically attractive features, and eyes that were somehow soulless.

Also, it was completely naked. But this was no help in telling its sex—it had a flat chest but the place between its legs was flat and smooth as well.

“Oh!” Nicole jumped a little and put her hand in Malik’s, as though for reassurance. “What is that?” she muttered. “And why does it look like the Malibu Ken doll I had as kid?”

“Greetings.” The naked, sexless, humanoid figure made a bow to them and then straightened up to its full height—which was that of a short male or a rather tall female. “I am the Knower,” it said, directing its words to Nicole. “I am pleased to have you on my planet, Mistress Hellenix.”

Malik gritted his teeth to keep from saying anything but inside he was seething. How dare the Knower call Uriel Two its planet? How dare it claim ownership of that which it had committed mass genocide to gain?

“Um, hello.” Nicole lifted her chin and Malik saw her assuming the role of Mistress Hellenix more fully. “I’m glad to be here,” she said. “I’d love to make a deal with you, Knower.”

“But of course—that is why you are here. You are the first organic being I have allowed through the kill-field that surrounds my planet in over ten cycles,” the Knower informed her.

“And I’m very honored by that,” Nicole said, “But I’m also a very busy woman. I thought you asked me here to make a deal?”

“Of course. But it is late—nighttime is when organic beings such as yourself and your bodyslave sleep—is it not?” the Knower asked reasonably. “I do not wish to tire you. I insist that you will be my guest tonight. Tomorrow when the sun rises and your biological rhythms are in harmony, we can make our deals.”

“All right,” Nicole said, shrugging. “I’m sorry we came so late. This was just the only time I could get away from Yonnie Six. But we can spend the night in our ship and then start the deal tomorrow.”

“By no means,” the Knower said earnestly. “I said that I want you to be my guests and I meant it. You must come and tour the facilities I have built to host organic beings. Your opinion of my designs will be greatly appreciated as you will be my first humanoid guests.”

It was clear that Nicole didn’t like the idea of spending the night in the Knower’s facilities and Malik didn’t like it either—not one damn bit. But what other choice did they have? He caught her eyes and shrugged minimally as if to say, “What else can we do?”

“All right,” Nicole said at last, nodding. “I would be honored to be your first guest. Um—my bodyslave can stay with me too, right? I need him with me,” she added, casting a worried look at Malik.

“Of course. Whatever makes you comfortable.” The Knower nodded graciously. “Come this way.” Then it turned and floated away from them, leading the way from the flat-topped roof where they had landed through a burnished metal door and into the darkness beyond.

Malik felt Nicole squeeze his hand and lean in close to use their privacy bubble—which was really coming in handy. His Mistress had bought the expensive privacy technology so that she could conduct negotiations for illegal items with no worries of being overheard or recorded but she had never used it half as much as Malik and Nicole had in their short time together.

“I don’t like this,” she whispered to him. “I don’t like spending the night here with that thing. It’s so weird—it gives me the shivers.”

“I’m sorry but I don’t think we have a choice,” Malik murmured. “Don’t worry, Mistress—I’ll keep you safe,” he added, squeezing her hand.

“I know you will. I just…don’t like it.” She straightened up and sighed. “But you’re right—what choice do we have?”

Together they stepped through the doorway and into the darkness beyond.

Nikki wasn’t liking this one bit. After all, for all its courteous manners, the Knower didn’t exactly have the best track record when it came to taking care of living beings. Yet she was afraid if she refused the accommodations it had offered Malik and her, she would offend it and it would refuse to deal. So there was nothing she and Malik could do but step through the creepy, dark doorway and into the dim, echoing space beyond.

Luckily, as soon as they stepped into the dark space, a dim light came on overhead so that Nikki could see they were in a kind of stairwell. A set of broad, metal steps led downward and the Knower was already floating down them.

“Do come this way,” it said, turning its head to face her, though its body was still pointed in the other direction, down the stairs. “The living facilities are in the basement of this building.”

The sight of its glowing blue holographic body floating in the dim stairwell with the head turned completely around was so much like something out of a horror movie that Nikki’s heart seemed to freeze in her chest. She had never liked scary movies, ever since her older cousin had made her watch The Exorcist during a sleep-over when she was a kid. She especially didn’t like movies where a seemingly human body moved in ways that were impossible—the scene where the possessed little girl crab-walks down the stairs backwards had given her nightmares for months.

“Oh my God,” she whispered and squeezed Malik’s hand even tighter.

“Are you all right?” He looked down at her and Nikki could hear the concern in his deep voice, though her eyes were still glued to the Knower. It really did look like a Malibu Ken doll with those generically handsome features and the weird flattened place between its legs.

“I…I’m fine.” Nikki straightened up and tried to get hold of herself. “We’re coming,” she told the Knower. “You can, uh, turn your head back around now.”

“Of course.” The head swiveled smoothly to face front again and it continued its descent down the broad metal stairs. Feeling like her heart was beating in her throat, Nikki followed, still clutching tightly to the big Kindred’s hand. She was so glad she wasn’t alone here in this freaky, empty place. Well, empty except for the glowing blue ghost of the Knower.

Except it wasn’t empty after all—as they found out after descending what felt like about a thousand stairs.

We’re going to have fun getting back to the ship—I’ll definitely be getting my steps in, Nikki was thinking when the stairs abruptly ended in a large, arching entryway.

“This way,” the Knower said, doing the creepy swivel-trick with its head again as it floated through the archway.

Nikki and Malik followed it but as they came into the lighted area under the arch, a new person was suddenly there, standing in front of them.

“Greetings.” It was a pleasant looking young woman, probably about twenty-five, with long blonde hair and blue eyes that looked strangely empty.

Doll’s eyes, Nikki thought and indeed, the woman looked a little like the Barbie doll she’d had as a kid. Except, Nikki saw, that she was anatomically correct. This was easy to see because—like the Knower—this person was completely naked. But at least she wasn’t a ghostly hologram—she looked solid enough—maybe too solid, Nikki thought. When she moved, her breasts didn’t sway a bit but remained fixed in place.

“This is Chandra, one of my Simulated Organic Replicants,” the Knower said, introducing them. “She and several of her kind will be serving you tonight.”

As it spoke, another naked Replicant appeared, this one a male. He, too, was naked with the same generic good looks as the Knower and the girl called Chandra. But unlike the Knower, he didn’t just have a flat space between his legs.

Wow, Nicole couldn’t help thinking as she eyed the extremely impressive package this new Replicant was packing. If she hadn’t seen Malik’s equipment, she would have been in awe. As it was, the male Replicant was a close second in the size department. Both he and the female Replicant were completely lacking any kind of body hair, which meant his package looked even bigger.

“Greetings,” he said pleasantly, just as Chandra had. “I am Chad. I will be one of your servers for tonight.”

“Oh, uh—okay.” Nikki nodded, thinking that it would be like being waited on by life-sized Barbie and Ken dolls.

“Please enjoy your stay at the facilities and let me know how you found the accommodations in the morning,” the Knower said, smiling at her. “These Replicants are programmed to meet your every need. And if there is a need they do not understand, simply show them. They are able to learn through mimicry and pass the information on to others of their kind. In this way, you can teach them anything you need.”

“That sounds…nice,” Nikki said, trying to sound like she meant it, when in fact the idea of being waited on by giant living, learning dolls was extremely creepy.

“I hope you will find your stay here enjoyable,” the Knower said and then it simply blinked out of existence and was gone.

TWENTY-TWO

“Come this way,” Chandra gestured stiffly to them and then she and Chad turned to go into the lighted area. At least her head didn’t turn around backwards like the Knower’s had, Nikki thought as she and Malik followed the male and female Replicants.

The lighted archway led into an open plan living area furnished with a couch and chairs as well as a large, lighted screen which looked a little like a flat-screen TV to Nikki. However, it was playing nothing but colorful static.

“Welcome to your accommodations, Organics,” Chad said, giving them a pleasant, empty smile. “Please, make yourselves at home and let Chandra and I know if there is anything you require.” Then he and the female Replicant went to stand on either end of the large couch, like sentries on duty.

Naked sentries, Nikki couldn’t help thinking. It was weird. But then, this whole situation was bizarre.

“Um, thanks,” she murmured.

Malik was silently, simply staring at the Replicants. Nikki wondered if he was thinking about these strange artificial creatures the Knower had used to replace his people. He hadn’t said anything about them yet but she could see the anger in his silver eyes. Why would the Knower kill every living person on the planet and then make such poor substitutes to take their places?

With a sigh, she looked around the room some more. There was a bookshelf in the corner but the books in it had an odd look to them—they were all the exact same size and shape—though their colors varied.

Curious, Nikki walked over to check them out. She had always been an avid reader, though with three kids to raise and a full-time job and house to take care of, she never really had as much time as she wanted to read. But when she pulled one of the books out of the shelf and opened it, she saw nothing but strange black scribbles on the white pages.

“Hmm…that’s weird.” Frowning, she tried to decipher the scribbles. Were these written in Malik’s native language? But if so, why couldn’t she read them? The E’lo stone, which she still wore in a small pouch around her neck, had allowed her to read and understand other alien languages. Why not this one?

“What is it?” Malik had come over to see what she was looking at.

“This book—I can’t read it.” Nikki showed it to him. “Is this your native language here?”

He frowned and took the book from her. Flipping through the pages which featured identical scribbles, he shook his head.

“No—this is nothing. It’s not even letters or words. It just looks like someone scribbled across the page with a black marks-all.”

Nikki tried another book and another and another. All of them were the same—white pages with identical black scribbles.

“This is weird,” she said, re-shelving them. “It’s like something from a doll house—a toy bookshelf with fake books or something.”

“It is very strange,” Malik agreed. “I don’t understand what the Knower is trying to achieve here. It’s almost like it is trying to recreate an organic, humanoid society but it doesn’t have enough knowledge of real people to do a very good job of it.”

“Just don’t let it hear you say that,” Nikki murmured, getting closer so that she could use their privacy bubble. “Do you think it’s listening in and watching us?”

“I would not be at all surprised,” Malik said in a low voice. “Come on—let’s look at the rest of this domicile.”

They left the large living area and went into the adjoining kitchen. As they did, Nikki couldn’t help noticing that the lights went out automatically behind them. This left the two naked Replicants standing alone in the darkness, lit only by the colored static on the TV screen. This didn’t seem to bother them at all, however—they just stood there with their arms by their sides and blank looks on their faces.

It creeped her out, staring at them, so she turned hurriedly away to study the kitchen. It looked large and luxurious but when Nikki tried to open one of the cabinets over the marble countertop, she found it wouldn’t budge.

“Hey,” she said, tugging again with no effect. “It won’t open.”

“That’s because it’s not real. See—no hinges or cracks around the exterior,” Malik said, demonstrating on another one of the cabinets. “It’s a solid piece, only molded to look like a cabinet.”

Once again, Nikki was reminded of a doll house. She remembered how the Barbie dream house she’d had as a kid had similar features—the various fixtures were molded out of the same sheet of plastic and were only for show since they didn’t really work.

She wasn’t surprised when the large rectangular box Malik said was a “cold unit” didn’t open either. Nor did the dish cleansing unit or the pantry door they found in the corner of the kitchen.

“So this is all pretty much just for show, I guess,” Nikki remarked, running her hand over the “cooking unit” or stove, which had knobs that didn’t turn and burners that didn’t heat.

“I suppose so,” Malik said dryly. “I hope you’re not very hungry, Mistress—I don’t think we’ll be getting much in the way of Last Meal tonight.”

“We ate before we went to the banquet,” Nikki reminded him—though that seemed about a million years ago now. So much had happened in such a short amount of time!

“I do have some protein bars with me if you get hungry later,” Malik said. “I packed them just in case we got stuck here for a while.”

“Good thinking.” Nikki flashed him a grateful smile. “If I really was your Mistress, I’d have to think of a way to reward you for that.”

“I can think of several ways,” he growled softly, his silver eyes glowing. “But for now, perhaps we should continue exploring. I don’t want any surprises if we’re going to be spending the night here.”

“I agree.” Nikki remembered the weird way the Knower’s head had swiveled around and shivered. “No surprises is definitely good.”

The kitchen led to a dining area and, as before, the lights in the room they had left went out just as the lights in the room they entered were coming on.

“The way the lights keep going on and off is weird,” she remarked, uneasily.

“They’re probably on some kind of automatic energy-saving system,” Malik remarked.

He was probably right but Nikki still didn’t like the idea that they were in the one lighted room in this weird basement dwelling while all around them was darkness. There weren’t even any windows to give natural light—not that there would be much of it now, since the sun had probably already set. But still, even a sliver of moonlight or starlight would have been better than nothing.

Trying to take her mind off the lighting situation, she looked around the dining room with its large oval table and carved chairs. The table was set for four people, she noticed, with plates and napkins and some strange utensils which must be this culture’s form of silverware. She wondered if they had play, plastic food somewhere that went on the plates and if the Replicants sat here, pretending to eat. The thought of them sitting here, blank-eyed and doll-like, acting like living beings was somehow very unpleasant.

“Come on—there’s nothing more to see here,” Malik said and led the way out of the dining room, which immediately went dark, and into a long hallway with several doors down the length of it.

They tried all the doors but most of them seemed to be like the cabinets in the kitchen—non-functional moldings that were part of the wall and only looked like doors. Finally, however, at the end of the hall, they came to a door that actually opened.

Stepping inside, Nikki saw it was a bedroom. There was a large, four-poster bed in the center of the room and a dresser with drawers that didn’t pull out when she tried them. There was also a closet door that didn’t open and a bathroom door that did, with functioning fixtures, thank goodness.

The bathroom held a shower stall, a bathtub, and a strange looking toilet, which you needed a step-stool to climb but it flushed when Nikki pressed the handle which was all she cared about. Although it was probably going to be awkward trying to get onto it if she woke up and had to pee in the middle of the night.

Still, it was better than finding a fake toilet that didn’t work and knowing she would have to cross her legs and avoid drinking anything. Nikki didn’t think she could hold it all night and she didn’t want to have to try.

There was a mirror mounted over the sink and an array of combs and brushes laid out, which she supposed was nice, if a little weird. Yet again she was strangely reminded of her childhood Barbie dream house—running the miniature brushes and combs through Barbie’s long hair and putting her into the tub where she always sat so stiffly with her arms and legs straight out in front of her. She wondered if the Replicants sat that way in the tub, pretending to bathe, pretending to do everything that living people did…

Nikki tried to push the unsettling image away and continued looking around the bathroom. There were several things that looked like miniature bottle brushes which Malik identified as “mouth scrubbers” as well as a box of purple powder to sprinkle over them, which was supposed to clean your teeth and tongue. So basically the alien version of toothbrushes and toothpaste, Nikki decided.

“I guess I might take a bath in a while,” she said, eyeing the large tub. It wasn’t as lavish a set up as Mistress Hellenix had at her mansion but it was still nice. Plus, there didn’t seem to be much of anything else to do, unless the TV played more than fuzzy colored static.

“I’d be happy to bathe you, Mistress.” Malik gave her a significant look that sent a shiver of desire down her spine. But should she really be letting him bathe her when they were going to be parted forever tomorrow?

What can it hurt? whispered a little voice in her head. You’re going to forget everything, right? You might as well have one last good night with Malik before you have to leave him forever.

The thought made her sad and she turned and left the bathroom to have a seat on the bed. But the moment she settled on it, she winced.

“Ouch—hope you like a really, really firm mattress,” she remarked to Malik who had followed her.

“Why?” He sat down beside her and frowned. “That’s certainly not very comfortable.”

“I bet the Replicants don’t mind though,” Nikki pointed out. “They probably lay here flat on their backs with their eyes open in the darkness like a couple of oversized dolls. Ugh!” She shivered all over. “I shouldn’t have said that—I gave myself the creeps!”

“There is something deeply unsettling about them,” Malik admitted, leaning in to use their privacy bubble. “They are almost like living beings but not quite.”

“We call that ‘the uncanny valley’ on my planet,” Nikki said. “It’s the idea that anything that looks human or humanoid but isn’t can cause a feeling of unease or revulsion in someone viewing it. In other words, it gives you the creeps.”

“That definitely fits the Replicants,” Malik said thoughtfully. “I wonder why the Knower made them? I thought they were just assassin droids but maybe it wants them to do domestic service as well?”

“Assassin droids?” Nikki made an unhappy face. “You mean these are the same things that Mistress Hellenix sent after the Kindred commander she tried to have killed?”

“Maybe not.” Malik seemed to be trying to make her feel better. “As I said, these may have a different function altogether.”

“I certainly hope so!” Nikki exclaimed. “If one of them starts coming after me with a butcher knife—”

“Your pardon, guests, but your meal is ready.”

They had been leaning close to each other, heads almost touching but now Nikki and Malik jerked apart and looked up to see that the naked female Replicant was framed in the open doorway.

How had she opened the door so silently? Nikki wondered. And how long had she been listening to them talk? Could she hear anything past the privacy bubble? Nikki certainly hoped not! But who knew how sensitive the android’s ears were?

Also, she appeared to be just standing there in the darkened hallway. Did the lights not come on for her and the other Replicant like they came on for Malik and herself? The thought of the two of them walking around in the dark down here was awful.

“We’ll be there in a moment,” Malik said, speaking firmly to the Replicant. “Please leave now so that we can get ready.”

“As you wish.” The Replicant nodded stiffly and walked off down the hallway, which remained dark.

“What do you think they’re going to serve us?” Nikki asked, thinking of her earlier idea of plastic food.

Malik shrugged. “Who knows? Don’t worry though—I have a portable sniffer here.” He motioned to a black wire bracelet with a green stone he wore around his wrist. “It should let us know if anything is poisoned.”

“You think the Knower would try to poison us?” Nikki asked, feeling sick.

“Who knows? It seems to want to make a deal with Mistress Hellenix and so far we have been treated well. But it didn’t scruple to cause the genocide of billions of people not ten cycles ago. So I don’t think it’s to be trusted.”

“I guess we’d better be on our guard just in case,” Nikki said.

“Just in case,” he agreed. “Come on—let’s see what’s for Last Meal.”

TWENTY-THREE

Last Meal, as Malik called it, appeared to consist of some kind of savory stew made of fresh veggies in a pale green broth and a loaf of brown, crusty bread.

That was what it appeared to be, anyway—it didn’t taste like those items at all. In fact, it didn’t really taste like much of anything, as far as Nikki could tell.

After Malik unobtrusively waved his bracelet sniffer over the full pot of stew and the loaf of bread and nodded at Nikki, letting her know it was safe to eat, they had sat down together on one side of the table. To Nikki’s consternation, the two naked Replicants sat down on the other side. The male Replicant sat opposite Malik and the female Replicant (Barbie doll, whispered a little voice in her brain) sat opposite Nikki.

She waited to see what the Replicants would do, but they just sat there, staring straight ahead—which meant they were staring at Nikki and Malik with blank looks on their generically attractive features. Ugh—it was so uncomfortable!

Since nobody offered to serve out the food, Nikki rose from her chair and picked up the long-handled ladle beside the stewpot.

“Would anyone like some stew?” she asked, looking at Malik.

“I’ll have some, thank you,” he said, holding out his bowl.

“I’ll have some, thank you,” echoed the male Replicant, also holding out his bowl and speaking with the exact same inflection Malik had used.

“Oh, um—you guys eat?” Nikki asked, before she realized it might be a rude question.

“We do all that Organics can do—and we are always capable of learning new behaviors,” the female Replicant said. She held out her bowl. “I’ll have some, thank you.” Her tone was also a perfect copy of Malik’s.

This display was disturbing but Nikki tried not to think about it. Instead, she hastily filled all the bowls with stew and cut everyone a slice of bread. Then she sat back down and she and Malik began to eat. After a moment of watching them, the Replicants did as well, copying their gestures exactly.

Again, Nikki was creeped out but she had other things on her mind than the androids mirroring her every move. After the first bite she realized the stew was incredibly bland. It didn’t just need salt, either—none of the colorful chunks of vegetable—red, purple, blue, and yellow—had any flavor at all and the pale green broth tasted like hot water.

Might as well be eating chunks of meh in blah juice, Nikki thought, putting down her spoon, which looked a little like a miniature shovel. She picked up her bread and tore off a piece—noticing as she did that the female Replicant was doing the exact same thing. The male Replicant was copying Malik. Experimentally, Nikki dunked the little piece of bread in the steaming broth but when she put it in her mouth, it was like chewing a lump of soggy paper.

Great—so the bread doesn’t have any taste either. Gross. Maybe it has something to do with being made by creepy doll robots, she thought, looking across the table to where the female Replicant was still copying her.

“Where did you learn to cook?” Nikki asked the female Replicant.

“Cook?” The girl raised her blond eyebrows delicately in apparent confusion.

“Where did you learn to prepare food?” Malik asked, restating the question for her.

“I do not prepare food,” the female Replicant said. “Nor does Chad.” She nodded to the male Replicant. “It comes from the Knower—all good things come from the Knower.” She took a mechanical bite of her stew and then dunked another piece of bread, again copying Nikki’s earlier motion.

“So did someone bring it down here?” Nikki asked. How else could they have gotten hot stew and warm bread—well, stuff that looked like stew and bread, anyway—with a non-functioning stove?

“The meal arrived in the supply tray of the meal prep area,” the female Replicant told her. “Will you not eat some more? Chad and I wish to learn more of your mannerisms that we might become more like the Organic.”

“Why do you wish to be like us? Like the Organic?” Malik asked, frowning. He had given up on eating as well and had put down his shovel-spoon.

“Because such behaviors are optimal in pleasing Organics,” Chad explained, answering the question. “It has been seen by the Knower that Organics feel easier and more comfortable with Replicants who can act and speak as they do. This is why we wish to learn from you.”

“Excuse me.” Nikki rose from the table. “I need to, um, powder my nose.”

She left the table and went down the hall at a brisk pace, noticing as she did that the hallway lit up for her again. When she reached the bedroom at the end of the hallway, she went inside and went straight to the bathroom.

Going to the sink, she ran some cool water and blotted her face with a towel. God, this was so weird. Despite all the other things she’d been through since switching lives with Mistress Hellenix, she thought that eating the bland food and being copied by the weird naked Replicants in the underground living space on a dead planet was somehow the most strange and unsettling.

Looking in the mirror, she noticed that her hair was a mess. Taking one of the brushes from the display on the counter, she began to run it through her hair, counting the strokes as her mother used to do when she brushed her hair as a little girl. The ritual soothed Nikki, who was badly in need of soothing after the weird display at the table. Under her breath, she murmured to herself, “One…two…three…”

“Four…five…six…” a voice said beside her.

Nikki opened her eyes and nearly screamed.

The female Replicant was standing beside her at the mirror, holding an identical brush in her hand and brushing her long blonde hair in exact rhythm with her, pulling the bristles though her golden strands as she watched Nikki without blinking.

“What are you doing in here? Why did you follow me?” Nikki exclaimed.

“Please be at ease—Chandra wishes only to learn from you,” the female Replicant said—but the voice she used was different. Different and familiar. It was the same soft, gender-neutral voice that had greeted them when they first came to this weird planet.

“Knower?” Nikki asked, taking a step back. Was the AI who ran this place talking out of the Replicant? Or was it just her imagination?

“Yes, it is I—the Knower,” the female Replicant said. “I have the ability to see and speak through any of my SORs at any time. I perceived an elevated heart rate coming from this chamber and decided to check it out. Please tell me why it bothers you to let Chandra learn from you?”

“I…I…” Nikki licked her lips, not sure how to answer.

“What’s wrong? What’s happening?” Malik was suddenly there. He frowned when he saw the female Replicant standing there, so close to Nikki. “I was worried she might have followed you when she left the table after you did. What is she doing?”

“Chandra is only trying to learn from your Mistress, as Chad is trying to learn from you.” The Knower’s voice came from the male Replicant, who was suddenly standing right behind Malik in the bathroom doorway. Even for a fairly large bathroom, the space was getting pretty crowded, Nikki thought faintly.

Malik frowned at the male Replicant.

“Your voice has changed. Who is speaking?”

“It’s the Knower,” Nikki told him quickly. “It can, uh, apparently inhabit any of its Replicants at any time.”

“Is everything well here?” the Knower asked, through the male Replicant. “Do you have any complaints about your accommodations?”

“No, no,” Nikki said quickly. “But, um, we will need some privacy in order to get to sleep. I’m assuming that the Replicants don’t need to learn how to do that?”

“They can replicate sleep without problems since it mainly consists of lying still in the sleeping platform,” the Knower said.

Once again, Nikki was reminded of her earlier thought of the two soulless creatures lying flat on their backs in bed and staring into the darkness with unblinking eyes. Ugh!

“Then we must bid you goodnight,” Malik said firmly. “Otherwise, how can my Mistress be fresh and rested and ready to deal with you when the sun rises again?”

“True,” the Knower said. “Very well—I bid you both good night.”

This time it spoke through both of the Replicants at once, which gave an odd stereo effect since they were on either side of Nikki. She tried not to shiver as they both turned at the same time and left the bathroom and bedroom with the same, measured tread.

When they were gone, Malik shut the bedroom door firmly behind them and then came back to Nikki.

“Come, Mistress, I think it’s time we gave you that bath to help you relax for bed,” he said and went to run the water in the tub.

Nikki understood what he was doing. The sound of the running water would hopefully mask the sound of their voices, providing a double layer of security in case the Knower was somehow able to detect what they were saying through the privacy bubble.

“Thank you, Malik,” she said gratefully and came to sit on the edge of the wide oval tub. It was extremely wide and deep—big enough, really, for two people.

Malik must have thought the same thing because as the water level rose, he came and knelt before her.

“Mistress,” he said meaningfully, leaning in close. “It would be my pleasure to enter this bath with you—the better to bathe you.”

“Oh, um…” Nikki could feel herself blushing. Of course she told herself he was only doing this for extra privacy but still she couldn’t help getting hot at the thought of being naked with him in the tub. “Yes, that would be fine, Malik,” she murmured. “In fact I…I’d like it a lot.”

His silver eyes blazed at her.

“Thank you, Mistress. Now, let us get you undressed.”

He reached for her gown first. Slipping it off her shoulders, he let it pool at her waist, revealing her bare breasts.

Blushing, Nikki started to cover her breasts with her arms. Despite everything they had done together, modesty was still her go-to reaction when faced with her own nudity.

“No, Mistress—let me see you,” Malik rumbled, gently moving her arms away. “Your breasts are so beautiful. Let me pay obeisance to them.” Leaning forward, he kissed her gently—first on one nipple and then the other.

Nikki moaned as he placed the hot, open-mouthed kisses on her tight peaks. He wasn’t sucking her nipples—not quite—but he was awfully close and the feeling of his hot, wet mouth on her tender peaks sent shivers of desire through her entire body. Involuntarily, she stuck her chest out, pressing the right nipple, which he was currently kissing, deeper into his mouth.

In answer, Malik made a low, hungry growl at the back of his throat and began to suck in earnest, drawing her sensitive bud deep into his hot mouth for a long moment before nipping her lightly to make her moan again.

“Oh, Malik,” she whispered and ran her hands through his shaggy wheat-colored mane. “That feels so good.”

He released her nipple, letting it slip reluctantly from between his lips.

“I’m glad, Mistress,” he growled. “I like to make you feel good. But now it’s time to take off the rest of your clothing.”

Nikki allowed him to take off her ankle-boots and then slip the green gown the rest of the way off her body. Finally, the only thing she had on were the tiny green triangle panties that went with the gown.

“Now, Mistress,” Malik murmured, lacing his long fingers through the thin side-straps of the panties. “These have to come off too. Otherwise, how can I pay obeisance to your sweet little pussy?”

“Oh, you don’t have to—” Nikki began but he shook his head.

“Don’t you know by now that kissing your soft pussy and tasting your juices is my greatest pleasure?” he murmured. “Please, Mistress—don’t deny me this one last time.”

Nikki felt a lump form in her throat. He was asking to taste her for the last time, she realized—their last time together before he was thrown back to the past and she forgot him completely.

But how could I ever forget him? she asked herself. I’m sure I couldn’t—no matter what weird things happen with the space-time continuum—I could never forget Malik.

The big Kindred had made a place for himself in her heart and she couldn’t imagine not remembering all the wonderful, strange, erotic adventures they’d had together.

“All right,” she whispered, carding her fingers through his hair. “Yes, Malik. You can…can pay obeisance to me there. I want to feel you kissing me…tasting me,” she admitted, feeling her cheeks get hot.

He growled with approval. “And I want very much to taste you. Very well, Mistress—let’s get you out of these panties.”

He drew the little green panties down her legs gently, revealing her smooth pussy mound. It reminded Nikki of how he had knelt before her back in Mistress Hellenix’s mansion and used the cream on her to make her all soft and smooth. And the way he’d laid a soft kiss on her there that had made her blush and tremble. God, was it only a few days ago? It seemed a lifetime since she had first met the big Kindred. A lifetime and yet the time they’d had together had been much too short.

Don’t think about it, she told herself sternly. If you do, you’ll get all weepy. Just try to stay in the moment and enjoy this last night together.

So she put the future and past both out of her mind and when Malik asked her to stand and prop one foot on the side of the tub so that she would be open enough for his obeisance, she did it without protest.

It was amazing to Nikki that she could do this—that she could feel comfortable enough with the big Kindred looking at her naked body to be so open for him. But when she looked in his silver eyes, all she saw was desire and admiration for her full-figured body. Maybe what he’d said about her being an “Elite” was true—maybe Kindred really did like plus-sized women. Malik certainly seemed to, anyway.

Then every other thought was driven from her head as the big Kindred leaned forward eagerly and pressed his face between her legs.

Nikki bit her lip and held onto his broad shoulders for balance as he rubbed his scratchy cheeks against her mound first. Like a cat marking its territory, whispered a little voice in her head. Malik inhaled deeply and cupped her bare ass in his big, warm hands as he rubbed against her—it was as though he was trying to burn her scent into his memory—as though he was trying to never forget her.

Nikki wished she could do something similar with him but when his warm, spicy, electrical scent rose around her, she knew she would never forget it. Didn’t they say that the sense of scent evoked the strongest and longest-lasting memories? One whiff of a familiar fragrance and you were right back in the past, remembering where you’d been and what you’d been doing the first time you smelled it.

I’ll remember, she told herself. If I ever see him again, I won’t be able to help it.

Then he was kissing her—long, slow, hot kisses on her outer pussy lips that made Nikki breathless with desire. She could feel the same, warm, electrical vibration coming from his mouth that she’d felt from his big hand and long fingers when he had first massaged her. It was driving her crazy with need but since he was only kissing her outer pussy, she wasn’t getting enough direct contact to get anywhere near coming.

“Oh,” she whispered, twitching her hips helplessly as his hot breath bathed her bare pussy and the tingling vibration continued. “Oh, Malik…”

The big Kindred looked up, his silver eyes half-lidded with need.

“Mistress,” he growled softly. “May I pay obeisance to your open pussy? I need to spread your outer lips in order to truly show you the respect that you deserve.”

“Mmmm…” Nikki could feel her heart pounding in every part of her body at once and her breath was coming in short, excited pants. “Y-yes,” she whispered at last, finding the words. “Yes, Malik, I…I’d like that.”

“As would I, Mistress. Very well, I’m going to part your pussy now.”

Leaning forward again, he spread her open with his thumbs, revealing her slick inner folds and the little pink button of her clit, throbbing with need.

“Gods, Mistress—your pussy is so beautiful,” he murmured hoarsely. “Love to taste you—love to pay obeisance to your soft, open pussy and make your honey come down.”

Before she could reply, he was leaning forward again to place a soft, sucking kiss over her aching clit.

“Oh!” Nikki gasped and threw back her head, her nails biting into the big Kindred’s broad shoulders.

Malik didn’t seem to mind a bit—in fact, if anything, he seemed to like it. Growling deep in his throat, he pressed forward, sucking harder and laving the hot little bud with the flat of his tongue.

Nikki moaned and bucked her hips towards him shamelessly. Raising her head, she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror and bit her lip.

God, was that really her? The woman standing with one wobbly leg on the floor and the other propped on the side of the bathtub, her thigh cocked to the side to give the huge man kneeling at her feet room to work on her—room to kiss and lick and suck her naked, open pussy?

Can’t believe I’m doing this, she thought hazily and yet it felt incredibly right. And she had to admit the scene in the mirror was a hot one. Her head was thrown back, her long, black hair trailing down her back and her cheeks were flushed and rosy. There was a sexual blush on the tops of her breasts and her nipples were tight and dark from the sweet, sucking kisses Malik had given them. She was panting and somehow her hands had found their way into his hair, pulling him forward as she pressed her hips out, feeding him her pussy as he so obviously wanted her to.

“Oh,” she moaned softly as his tongue circled the aching button of her clit. “Oh, Malik, don’t stop—I’m close…so close!”

In response, he doubled his licking, pressing even harder into her, his long fingers tightening on her ass until Nikki was sure she would have ten finger shaped marks there the next day. But she didn’t care—all that mattered now was the warrior between her legs—the feeling of his hot mouth covering her, tasting her, owning her—and the waves of pleasure coursing through her in response.

And then her pleasure crested and she felt her whole body tighten as her orgasm rolled her over, like a warm, wet wave at the beach.

“Oh!” Nikki gasped again, her hands tightening in his hair in a way that had to be painful. But if that was true, it was obviously a pain Malik welcomed. Growling hungrily, he lapped her even harder, riding out her orgasm and pressing hard against her as his long tongue sought to catch every last drop of her honey.

At last the pleasure ebbed and Nikki could catch her breath. She felt suddenly boneless and she sagged and would have fallen if Malik hadn’t caught her.

“Come, Mistress,” he murmured, rising and swinging her into his arms effortlessly. “Let’s take that bath, now that I have paid you my respects.”

He stepped into the bath with her and then lowered them both down so that he was lying against the back of the tub and Nikki was resting against his broad chest. Cradled by his big body with the warm water lapping all around them, she felt completely cared for—completely loved.

“Mmm, Malik,” she whispered, snuggling back against him. “This feels so nice.”

“Feels more than nice to me, having your lush body against mine,” he growled softly in her ear. Somewhere he had found a sponge and some soap and he took his time washing her body, rubbing his big hands over the mounds of her breasts…teasing her nipples, now slippery with soap…then dipping lower to wash her inner thighs. It was a lazy, tender massage that sent sparks of desire all through her.

Though she had just come, Nikki felt her body revving up for round two. But this time, she wanted to take control.

“Here—it’s my turn.” Taking the sponge from him, she turned around and straddled his lean hips, so she could wash his broad chest and muscular arms. His long, hard shaft was sticking out of the water but she studiously ignored it. As she washed him though, she made certain to lean back so that the broad, sensitive head was brushing her inner thighs.

The position she was in, with her thighs spread wide, had the effect of opening her pussy too. She was still wet and sensitive inside after the way he had tasted her and she liked the feeling of being so exposed…so open. As if by accident, she let her hips lower just a little bit…

Malik bit back a groan as the wet tip of his cock rubbed lightly against her inner pussy and Nikki had to stifle a moan herself. Mmm, that felt good! She wanted more but she liked pretending like she didn’t know what was happening.

“God, you’re gorgeous,” she couldn’t help saying as she ran the sponge down his washboard abs. In order to do this, she had to sit back even more, which caused the top of his shaft to lodge against her inner pussy and rub against her sensitive clit. “Mmmm,” she almost moaned. “Yes, just…perfect.” As she spoke, she rubbed against him shamelessly, still pretending to scrub him as she did.

“I’m so glad my Mistress finds my body pleasing,” Malik growled softly, giving her a lazy grin. “But if you’re not careful…I’ll be pleasing you in another way.”

“I don’t know what you mean,” Nikki murmured, as she lowered herself some more. She could feel the broad head of his cock slide lower with the movement until he was lodged just at the entrance of her pussy. Just one hard thrust and he would be all the way inside her, filling her…fucking her. But still she pretended not to notice.

“Yes, you do,” Malik growled softly. “I know you can feel my shaft nudging inside your soft little pussy.” As if to illustrate his point, he thrust up just a little, causing the broad head to slip all the way inside her. He held it there for a moment before pulling back out.

Nikki couldn’t help herself, she followed him down, wanting more than just the little taste he had given her.

“I…I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said breathlessly as she felt the tip, followed by a thick inch of his shaft slip inside her. “I’m just washing you, that’s all.” As she spoke, she moved her hips, taking another thick inch inside her. God, he was huge and she still didn’t even have all of the top part of his shaft in her. Although she certainly wanted more. She could see the part he’d called his “pleasure ridge” just a little further down and she desperately needed to feel it rubbing against her swollen clit.

“No, Mistress—you’re not just washing me. You’re fucking me.” His voice was a low, lustful growl as his big hands caressed her hips. “Taking my shaft deep in your soft little pussy.” He sighed regretfully. “But I don’t think it’s a good idea.” He started to pull out but Nikki stopped him with a hand on his arm.

“Malik,” she moaned, abandoning all pretense. “Please, I want you—no, I need you in me. Please.”

“We can’t risk forming a bond,” he said, frowning. “As good as this feels and as much as I care for you, I don’t want to leave you with a broken bond when I go.”

“We won’t form a bond if only the top part of your, uh, equipment goes into me,” Nikki pointed out breathlessly. “Honestly, that’s all I can take, anyway,” she added, looking down to where his thickness still pierced her. “You’re way bigger than anything or anyone else I’ve ever had in me. I’m pretty sure I couldn’t handle the bottom half.” She gestured expressively to the bottom seven inches of his shaft where he grew twice as thick as the top seven inches.

“You could if my pleasure ridge releases the bond-making fluid into you,” Malik growled but she could feel him weakening or at least, he wasn’t trying to pull out of her anymore as they spoke. She still had a good three inches of his shaft inside her but Nikki wanted more—much more.

“That’s not going to happen,” she protested. “We won’t let it happen. Please, Malik—I just want to feel you inside me tonight. I want…” She bit her lip. “If this is the last night we have, I want you to make love to me.”

He groaned softly but she could tell that he was going to give in.

“Truly, Nicole, I want to make love to you as well,” he murmured. “If you’re really certain?”

“More than certain,” she assured him. Leaning forward, she looked him in the eyes. “I want to feel you inside me—all the way inside me. I want to open myself for you the way you opened yourself for me at the banquet.”

“Gods, you fucked me so sweetly, Mistress,” he groaned softly and then he was guiding her down, letting the rest of the top half of his shaft penetrate her deeply. “Almost as sweetly as I’m going to take you.”

Nikki groaned as she felt him bottom out inside her, filling her completely. It was certainly a good thing she was only taking the top half of his massive shaft! There was no way she could fit the bottom inside her.

“God, Malik—you’re in me so deep,” she moaned, shifting her hips to try and make room inside herself. She could feel her inner walls stretching to accommodate him but it was a good kind of stretching—she loved feeling so open and vulnerable with the big Kindred.

“Not half as deep as I’d like to be,” he growled softly. “But don’t shift around so much, Nicole—it’s been over five cycles since I’ve penetrated a female.”

Oh, right—because of course Mistress Hellenix would never let him penetrate her although she seemed to feel free to do plenty of penetrating herself, Nikki thought. He must have a massive amount of built-up sexual frustration. It was a wonder he hadn’t come the minute she started teasing him with her pussy.

“It’s all right if you need to come,” she murmured, raising up and lowered herself down again, enjoying the feeling of his thickness sliding in and out of her. “I can understand how it would make you crazy—going so long without.”

“I shouldn’t come in you,” Malik protested but his words came out in a groan.

“Because you’re afraid I won’t be satisfied?” Nikki asked, doing another little hip movement. She found she liked doing this—like fucking herself on his thick shaft as they talked. “Don’t worry about that,” she told Malik. “You more than satisfied me with your tongue just now. Just let yourself come, baby—come in my pussy.”

She didn’t know where she got the nerve to talk so dirty to him but it felt right—felt naughty and sexy and deliciously hot. In a way, she supposed, she was still playing the Mistress—using his body for both their pleasure as she teased him and told him to come.

“You shouldn’t offer to let me do that—offer to let me shoot my seed deep in your womb,” Malik growled. “It’s dangerous, Nicole. What if my pleasure ridge releases inside you and the rest of my shaft slips in?”

Privately, Nikki didn’t think there was any chance of that. Even if he shot his bond-making fluid into her, she didn’t see any way the thick, lower portion of his shaft was going to fit inside her when she was already full to the brim with the top half. But she certainly was enjoying the pleasure ridge he spoke of—when she tilted her pelvis just right, it slipped and slid over her clit and it was emitting the same, low level electrical tingle he seemed capable of doing with his mouth and fingers as well.

“You said…said you tried to bond with a girl before and it didn’t happen,” she reminded Malik breathlessly, lifting up and then sitting down on him again, forcing his thick shaft deep in her pussy.

“Yes, but what if it does this time?” he pointed out, but by this time he had joined her rhythm. Nikki moaned as he drew almost all the way out of her pussy and then pressed back in again, rubbing his pleasure ridge

against her sensitive clit in the process.

“It won’t,” she assured him. “Come on, baby—you’re already fucking me. So why don’t you go ahead and come in me? Fill my pussy with your cum.”

Again she felt deliciously naughty as she spoke the dirty words and Malik seemed to love hearing them.

“Gods, Mistress, I shouldn’t,” he groaned but even as he spoke, he gripped her hips tightly and pulled her down hard so that she felt the broad head of his cock pressing against the mouth of her womb.

“Yes, you should,” Nikki insisted. “I love to feel you in me, Malik—don’t stop!”

She could feel her pleasure building again. With every thrust, his pleasure ridge rubbed against her clit, sending that tingling energy through her entire body, pushing her closer and closer to the edge. Before she knew it, she was almost there, a feeling like standing at the edge of a cliff, about to jump off.

Then Malik groaned in her ear.

“Gods, Mistress…Nicole…can’t help it. Can’t stop myself—going to come…come deep in your sweet pussy!”

“Yes,” Nikki heard herself moaning. “God, yes, Malik—come in me! Fill me up!”

And then she was over the edge of the cliff—they both were—and it felt like flying as the pleasure washed over her, making her toes curl and her breath come in short little gasps.

Nikki closed her eyes tightly, hearing Malik’s low groan in her ear and then she felt it—felt something warm—almost hot—spurting inside her.

She had never felt a man coming inside her before—she usually only knew Gary was finished because he grunted and rolled off her. Now she found it was an intensely erotic experience, feeling Malik’s thickness flex inside her, spreading her inner walls even wider as though his body was trying to open hers, while he shot spurt after spurt of cum deep in her vulnerable pussy.

She had a moment to think it was a good thing she was on birth control—he would get her pregnant for sure otherwise. And then she felt something else happening inside her—something that had to do with her and not Malik.

The sensation was impossible to explain but it was almost as though her pelvis was rearranging itself from the inside out. It wasn’t a painful sensation—just strange and completely alien.

What’s going on? she wondered and then she felt herself sliding down, further into Malik’s lap.

The big Kindred didn’t seem to notice at first what was happening. He had his head thrown back and his shaft was still throbbing inside her, still spurting deep in her pussy.

Only it was spurting deeper and deeper, Nikki realized, as she continued to slide. Somehow her pussy was opening to admit more of him—her body was making room for the massive cock lodged inside her. When she looked down, over half of the broad bottom half of his shaft had slipped inside her.

At first, Nikki just stared at it. How could this be? She looked like one of those anime girls from the hentai porn she’d found on Gary’s laptop that time. Her pussy was so open and so stuffed with his shaft it seemed logically impossible—but somehow it was happening and she was getting more filled all the time since she continued to slide down on him.

“This is impossible,” she whispered to herself. “Oh God, this can’t really be happening—can it?”

“What?” Malik opened his eyes, his chest still heaving with the intense orgasm he’d had. By the time he looked down between their legs, he was seated almost all the way inside her. “Oh Goddess!” he exclaimed, his silver eyes going wide. “Quickly, Nicole—get off me before my love-knot ties us together.”

“Your what?” Despite his urgency, Nikki felt a strange reluctance to let him leave her body. She had a feeling that they were on the brink of a deeper connection—a more intense intimacy—than anything she had ever experienced. She didn’t want it to end—not yet.

“My love-knot.” As he spoke, the last bit of his massive shaft slipped inside her and then Nikki felt something else at the entrance of her pussy—a pleasurable pressure that seemed to grow and grow until she felt like she could almost come just from it filling her.

“What’s a love-knot?” she asked hazily, making no move to get off of him.

“At the bottom part of my shaft—it’s a kind of anchor that swells in your pussy and won’t go down until I’ve bonded you to me,” he said grimly. “It’s similar to a Beast Kindred’s mating fist. Quickly, get off me.”

His big hands encircled her waist and he tried to pull her off as he spoke.

Nikki gave a pained cry.

“Don’t—stop it!” she begged, clutching his broad shoulder and digging in with her fingernails. “That really hurts! Like you’re trying to pull my insides out!”

“Damn it to the Seven Hells,” Malik swore in a low, hoarse voice. “Gods, Nicole—I’m so sorry about this. Did I hurt you?”

“Not now that you’re not pulling anymore.” Nikki took a deep breath. “I just…can’t believe you’re all the way in me. I thought there was no way…”

“The bond-making fluid from my pleasure ridge allows your inner spaces to stretch to accommodate me,” Malik said. “I told you it would, didn’t I?”

“You did,” she admitted. “But I guess I just…I didn’t quiet believe you. It didn’t seem possible.” She looked down to where she was completely impaled on his impossibly thick shaft. “It certainly seems possible now, though.”

“That’s because it’s actually happening,” Malik said grimly. “And the only way to end this is for me to come inside you again—and bond you to me for life.”

“For life? But you’ll be gone to the past and I’ll be here in the present,” Nikki reminded him.

“Which is precisely why I didn’t want to bond you to me—I don’t want you to suffer a broken bond.” He stroked her cheek gently. “I don’t want to put you through that pain, Nicole.”

Nikki lifted her chin. “Maybe I want the pain,” she said, looking up at him. “Maybe it will help me remember you. Because, Malik, no matter how many miles or light years separate us and even if I never seen you again, I don’t want to forget you.”

“I don’t want you to forget me either,” he murmured, still stroking her cheek. “But Gods, Nicole…the pain of a broken bond…”

“Is nothing to the pain of losing you without a trace,” she said firmly. “And there’s nothing we can do about it now, anyway. So please, Malik—make love to me again. And this time, bond me to you.”

“Gods, sweetheart, when you ask me like that, how can I refuse you?” he murmured.

“You can’t.” She wiggled her hips, trying to get used to the feeling of fullness inside her. She had never been so open, so full before and yet, love had never felt so right.

“It’s going to be slower this time,” Malik warned her. “Deeper. Because my love-knot is tying us together, I won’t be able to thrust in and out of you like I did when I made love to you with the upper part of my shaft. But I will push in—deeply—and your body will open to take my shaft.”

“Mmm, I like the sound of that,” Nikki purred. She wanted to get closer to him—so close they could never be parted, no matter how much time and distance came between them.

“Slowly then, sweetheart,” Malik murmured, gripping her hips. “Slow and deep and long.”

Nikki had no idea how long it lasted that second time. She and Malik locked gazes as he thrust slowly into her and she got lost in his silver gaze. The pleasure grew again…higher and higher—like a tidal wave this time. But when it rushed over her, Malik just kept rocking inside her, holding her, bonding her to him.

“That’s right, sweetheart,” he murmured as she came hard on his shaft. “That’s right—come for me—let me feel your sweet pussy squeezing my shaft—let me feel your pleasure.”

“Malik…God!” she gasped, working her hips frantically on the huge length impaling her. It was like no sex she’d ever had before and she just couldn’t seem to get enough.

“Gods, I love to feel your pussy rippling all around me,” he growled softly. “Love to look in your eyes when you come.”

“Aren’t you close?” she asked—it seemed like they’d been at this for hours by this time, and she didn’t understand why he hadn’t come again yet.

But Malik shook his head.

“I cannot come until you have come yourself at least twice more,” he rumbled. “It’s the way bonding sex works for my branch of the Kindred. The female pleasure must come first during bonding.”

Nikki had no complaints about that. She went back to riding his shaft and moaning. And though she missed his pleasure ridge, Malik made up for it by reaching between them and rubbing around and around her swollen clit with a vibrating thumb that drove her absolutely crazy.

She came again…and again and yet again. It seemed impossible that they weren’t done yet but still Malik stroked deep inside her, looking into her eyes and murmuring how lovely she was and how he loved being in her pussy.

It felt like hours afterwards when she finally felt him flexing inside her.

“Malik?” she whispered, hoarse from all the moaning she’d been doing. “Are…are you ready? Ready to bond me to you now?”

“More than ready, sweetheart,” he assured her. “Hold tight to me—I’m going to fill you completely.”

Nikki wondered how he could possibly do that when it seemed she was already filled to the limit with his shaft. But the first hot spurt of cum hit the end of her channel and it almost felt as though something inside her opened up.

It’s like a flower blooming…or a hungry mouth, lips parting to take a drink, she thought, wonderingly. It was as though that first spurt of Malik’s seed had caused the reaction inside her, just as the first time he had come in her he had caused her body to be able to accommodate all of his huge shaft.

The opening inside caused him to slip even deeper into her somehow and the second spurt of cum found its way into her thirsty depths. Somehow, the sensation made her pleasure crest again. And then, though she would have sworn it was impossible after so many prior orgasms, Nikki was coming—coming so hard she couldn’t catch her breath and she saw bright lights like fireworks flashing in front of her eyes.

With the pleasure, came a deep outpouring of love—it was as though her soul was suddenly joined to his and it was a deeper, more intense feeling than she had ever had in her life.

“Malik,” she gasped, throwing her arms around his neck. “Oh God, I love you—love you so much!” Then she started to cry. “And I don’t want to lose you!”

“I love you too,” he murmured, but for some reason his voice seemed to be coming from inside her head instead of outside. “I’ll always love you, Nicole—no matter what becomes of me. If even a speck of dust that once made up my body is left, that speck will love you until eternity.”

“That’s beautiful.” She sniffed and looked up at him. “But how…why…how am I hearing you inside my head?”

“Because we’re bonded now,” he said aloud. “We’ve formed a soul-bond.” He sighed and shook his head. “And I’m deeply afraid you’re going to regret it once I’m gone.”

“No, I won’t!” Nikki exclaimed fiercely. “Look at me, Malik.” She cupped his face in her hands and looked intensely into his silver eyes. “I’ll say it again, I love you. And you don’t want to forget people you love. Even if you miss them forever, you don’t want to forget them.”

She was thinking of her mom, who had died too young of breast cancer when she was only thirty-nine. Nikki was almost the age her mom had been when she died right now, but there wasn’t a day that went by that she didn’t think of her and miss her. It would be the same with Malik, she thought. She would miss him so desperately her heart would break but it was better than forgetting—a hundred times better.

“I hope you’re right, sweetheart.” He sighed and drew her closer, resting her cheek against his broad chest and winding his long arms around her. “Gods, I hope you are…”

TWENTY-FOUR

Malik woke up with a sense of deep regret—it warred inside him with the contentment and well-being he naturally felt as a newly bonded male. When he looked down at Nicole, lying curled against him on the bed, he felt a love so strong for her it seemed to fill him until he couldn’t breathe.

But it was a doomed love and he knew it—doomed to be snuffed out of existence the moment he used the device the Time Warden had given him to go back in time ten cycles before to save his people and restore his planet.

And yet, he couldn’t bring himself to be sorry they had done it. Bonding the curvy little female to him had been the sweetest experience of his life—a life that might end today after he did what had to be done.

It was a sweet memory to carry to his grave.

He would have liked to stay in bed forever, just holding her there, but Nicole stirred eventually and pressed back against him.

“Mmm, I love you too,” she murmured through their newly formed link. Clearly she had felt his strong emotions through their bond. “Love to wake up like this, in your arms.”

“I just wish it could happen more than once,” Malik sent.

She sighed and opened her eyes. “I guess we have to do what we came to do now, don’t we?” Her voice was sad but resigned and her big dark eyes were shiny with unshed tears.

“I’m afraid so.” He stroked a long strand of hair out of her eyes and cupped her cheek. “Duty calls, sweetheart.”

“I wish it didn’t. I wish we could stay here forever like this, wrapped in each other’s arms,” Nicole said wistfully.

“I do too.” Malik drew her close to his heart, wrapping her in his arms and holding her tight. More than anything, he wanted to never let her go. “I do too.”

At that moment, a loud sound that sounded like a shout or a groan suddenly came from the other room.

They jumped apart and looked at each other.

“What in the world?” Nicole asked.

“I don’t know but I think we’d better find out,” Malik said grimly. “Come on—let’s see what our hosts are up to.”

Nikki pulled back on her green gown and panties and slipped into her ankle boots quickly. The sound repeated itself and it was louder this time. They gave each other a glance—what was going on?

“Stay behind me,” Malik sent as he opened the bedroom door. “Let’s find out what in the Seven Hells is happening out there.”

Nikki followed him closely, glad for the new link between them which meant they didn’t have to rely on the privacy bubble anymore. Plus, it was nice to feel so connected to the big Kindred. She had never felt such incredible closeness—such oneness—with anyone. It made her entire sixteen year marriage with Gary seem like a handshake in comparison. She and Malik were inside each other’s souls—for the first time in her life she felt compete—whole in every way.

And I’m going to lose it—lose that closeness, that oneness—before the day is over, she couldn’t help thinking. For the first time she understood what Malik had been talking about when he spoke of the pain of a broken bond. The thought of losing him—of having him ripped away from her—was completely unbearable. And yet it had to happen—they had to sacrifice their bliss for the good of his planet.

Nikki didn’t resent what they had to do—she had known that Malik was a man on a mission almost from the moment he had uncovered her true identity and revealed his own true purpose to her. But she couldn’t help wishing that the two of them could have met under different circumstances. That they could have had more time together before they lost each other forever.

She could feel Malik feeling the same way through their link, wishing in the back of his mind that he didn’t have to give her up, even as he was hyper-focused on protecting her in case the loud grunting and shouting noises coming from the living area were a threat in any way.

They went through the dining area and the kitchen and rounded the corner cautiously only to find…

“What in the world?” Nikki looked blankly at the scene in front of them. For the life of her, she couldn’t understand what was happening.

The male Replicant was sitting on the couch while the female Replicant straddled him. She was bouncing up and down on his lap and moaning while the male Replicant groaned loudly and gave the occasional shout of apparent pleasure.

“What are they doing?” Malik asked, frowning.

“Why, imitating you of course.”

Suddenly the Knower was there, standing right beside Nikki, close enough to touch—if you could touch a hologram, that was. She wasn’t inclined to try.

“Oh!” She put a hand to her quickly beating heart and edged away from the neutral-handsome, no-gender figure. “What…what do you mean?”

“Exactly what I said. Come see.” The Knower led them deeper into the living area and pointed at the large, flat screen that Nikki had taken for a TV the night before. But when she turned to face it, she saw that instead of playing the colorful static it had showed earlier it was showing…

“Hey—that’s us!” Malik growled, sounding outraged.

Indeed, it was, Nikki saw with disbelief. The large screen was showing a picture of her and Malik the night before in the bathtub. It was the earlier part of their lovemaking, before the bonding sex, because she was moaning and riding Malik eagerly while he thrust up into her.

Apparently the two Replicants on the couch were trying to imitate what they saw, but there was definitely a problem—the male’s shaft was still completely flaccid and was nowhere near the female Replicant’s vagina. Still, they seemed to be going to town—bouncing and moaning and groaning enthusiastically if completely ineptly.

Once again, Nikki was bizarrely reminded of the way she and her cousin had played with their Barbie dolls as kids. Of course, they hadn’t known the facts of life and Barbie and Ken weren’t anatomically correct so they had just mashed the two of them together and made kissy noises. That was pretty much what was happening here, except the “dolls” were life-size and able to move on their own. Also, they were making a lot more than kissy noises, she thought dryly as the female moaned loudly.

“This is unacceptable,” Malik growled, looking at the Knower. “Did you record us last night in the privacy of our rooms?”

“They are not your rooms—they are my rooms—the entire planet is mine.” The Knower spoke not as though it was bragging, but simply, as though it was stating a fact.

Nikki felt the wave of fury coming from the big Kindred at the AI’s words—the Knower had murdered everyone on his planet—a planet it now claimed brazenly as its own. A low, rumbling growl came from deep in his chest. She put a hand on his arm, trying to steady him.

“It’s all right, baby—let me handle this,” she sent. “Try to calm down—we don’t want to blow our cover.”

“It’s still not acceptable for you to violate our privacy,” she said, using her best Mistress voice.

“There was no promise of privacy,” the Knower said coolly. “Since you closed the Replicants out and they were unable to learn from you in person, I made certain that they could learn by other means.” It gestured to the large screen where the action between herself and Malik was still going on.

“Turn that off, please,” Nikki said firmly. “I don’t appreciate the fact that you recorded me with my slave without my express permission. It makes me wonder if I even want to deal with you at all.”

“Have I violated some custom of yours?” the Knower sounded genuinely confused. “I was under the impression that Yonnites liked to display their sexual exploits.”

“Not when we don’t know we’re displaying them,” Nikki said, frowning.

“It’s just that the Replicants have the capacity to learn but no living beings to learn from,” the Knower said. “I have showed some of them humanoid pornography—which works well for the brothel I have established for them in the Cantha System.” It motioned to the screen and the view of Malik and herself was suddenly replaced with a hard-core orgy which made Nikki want to blush. At once, the male and female Replicant began copying some of the things they saw on the screen.

“I see,” she said, struggling a bit to retain her Mistress demeanor. “So why not just show them that, then?”

“Because the customers who come to the brothel—and the ones who buy the Replicants that I export—sometimes express the wish for more personal interactions,” the Knower said. “And so, I hoped by showing these two a loving and committed couple who had been together for a number of years—like you and your slave—that they might learn a more intimate and emotional way to interact with clients and customers.”

“So you’re selling these things too?” Malik sounded disbelieving.

“Indeed I am. I am certain you must have noticed all the construction that has been done here on Uriel Two.” The Knower sounded proud of itself.

“Um, yes. We sort of noticed you’d turned the entire planet into one big city,” Nikki said dryly. “Who’s going to live in it, anyway—it seems empty right now.”

“Replicants—a new kind of Replicants.” The Knower’s eyes almost seemed to glow. “I will tell you of them presently. But for now, I must confess that the extensive construction has taken up many of the raw materials available on the planet. By selling my excess Replicants, I am able to replenish the materials I need to make more of them.”

“How do you make them, anyway?” Nikki asked, seeing what she hoped was a way to get where they needed to go. “I’m very curious about your facility. Would it be possible to get a tour?”

“Certainly.” There was a note of pride in the Knower’s voice again. “If you’ll follow me, my SOR manufacturing facility is just next door to this domicile. It is completely automated,” it added, rather unnecessarily, Nikki thought. After all, with no living beings on the planet, what else could it be?

They followed the Knower out of the underground house, up many, many flights of stairs, and through a long metal and glass tube which connected the first building to another, much larger one. Taking an elevator down several levels, they stepped out onto what looked like a vast factory floor.

Nikki looked around at the conveyor belts running everywhere with various metal parts on them. Worker robots—which were not the least bit humanoid—rolled in every direction. To Nikki they looked a little like the Mars Rover with their low, wheeled bodies. They were plucking various parts up and putting them together with long, many-jointed arms, then placing the parts on different belts that went to other areas of the room.

To one side were many hundreds of vast, upright tanks lit with blue light. Something was floating inside them—something that looked kind of like blankets with long fringe on one end, Nikki thought. What in the world could they be?

“This is the assembly floor.” The pride was back in the Knower’s voice. “The production of various parts and circuits is located in different floors of this building, but this is where the final product is assembled. Would you like to see the various steps?”

“Oh, yes—certainly.” Nikki nodded. Anything to keep the Knower talking. She could see Malik looking in the direction of the middle of the huge factory floor. There, in the center of everything, was a vast pole of blue, pulsing light. It ran from the ceiling to the floor and was as big around as a small redwood tree—which was to say, huge.

That must be the Knower’s core processor, she thought, trying not to look too interested in it. That’s where we need to be.

And luckily, it seemed that the Knower was leading them in that direction.

“Here we have the various internal parts of the Simulated Organic Replicants,” it said, gesturing to some of the parts flowing by on conveyer belts. “The assembly bots are each responsible for attaching a single part before they send the Replicant further down the line to another assembly bot.”

“It seems like they have a completely metal skeleton,” Nikki murmured, watching as an assembly bot attached metal legs to a metal torso and then put the contraption on a different assembly line where another bot attached the arms.

“Yes, the skeletal framework is made of a strong but extremely light alloy which is scarcely heavier than a true Organic’s bones,” the Knower remarked. “Though it is very much stronger. Now here you can see a finished framework,” it added as they came to a completed metal skeleton, a little taller than Nikki. “But after that is when the real work begins—the delicate process of organ insertion.”

“Um, organ insertion?” Nikki tried not to make a face.

“Certainly—come this way and I will show you.”

They went further into the room and Nikki saw that it wasn’t all conveyor belts after all. Here there were hundreds and hundreds of upright tanks, each lit from within and filled with pale yellow liquid. Inside the various tanks, spongy shapes floated and there were labels like, “Small female liver” and “Large male intestines,” pasted on the fronts of them.

“I grow all my own organs in-house,” the Knower said, smiling proudly. “As you can see, inserting them is a very delicate process.”

It gestured and Nikki saw there were different kinds of assembly robots here—or at least their arms were different. Instead of ending in metal claws, these bots had long, tapered fingers interspersed with various tools—some that looked like scalpels and others like needles while some she couldn’t identify at all.

“Each bot is tasked with complete organ assembly,” the Knower explained. “It doesn’t do to move them around too much at this stage,” it added.

“I…see.” Nikki shuddered as she watched one of the bots with the long, tapered fingers insert a pair of eyeballs into the empty sockets of a metal skull.

“Of course, once they are fully assembled, we put on the skin.” The Knower pointed to the first set of upright tanks Nikki had seen—the ones with the blankets with hairy fringes at one end, she thought.

As she watched, one of the assembly bots rolled over to a tank and extracted the blanket-type thing. It was red on the inside and olive-tan on the outside, with a long black fringe, she saw. It took the blanket back to a finished Replicant, lying perfectly still on a metal table. The bot laid out the blanket, put the Replicant on top of it, and then began stitching the blanket—which was actually a skin, Nikki now understood, in place around the limbs and torso.

The face was last and she realized that the long hairy fringe on one end actually was the hair. The bot stitched it in place quickly and efficiently, as it had done with the rest of the skin and the Replicant was finished. It stood up and stared around the room with blank, incurious eyes.

“Wow,” she said faintly. “That’s…amazing.” And also fairly disgusting, but she didn’t say that.

“It truly is—the skin took a long time to perfect. But further down here, you can observe my greatest triumph.”

The Knower led them ever closer to the center of the room. In fact, now they were only a few yards away from the pole of pulsing blue light. It gave off a high, electrical humming sound, like the biggest bug-zapper in the world, Nikki thought.

“What is this great triumph you’re talking about?” she asked.

“The artificial brain which I created exclusively for my Replicants.” The Knower pointed proudly to various glass vats which were labeled simply, “Male” or “Female.” “They must be labeled as to gender,” it explained. “Otherwise there are difficulties—especially in the Replicants sent to work in the brothel.”

“Uh, I guess that would be necessary. This really is incredible.” Nikki tried to sound genuinely impressed as she looked at the slimy organs floating around in pale pink liquid. She supposed it really was amazing when you thought about it but she was distracted by Malik, who was inching unobtrusively towards the pulsing pole of blue light.

“This is the invention which allows my Replicants to think for themselves—to grow and change and learn. To develop personalities of their own,” the Knower explained, pointing at the brain vats. “Of course, soon that last ability will be irrelevant.”

“It will? Why?” Nikki frowned.

“Why, because if you truly have the Shannom-rah, then soon I will be able to encode my Replicants with the original personalities stored on it. You do have it, do you not?” The Knower asked.

“Oh yes—yes of course. Malik?” Nikki looked at the big Kindred.

“Yes, Mistress—I have it here.” He drew out several objects and handed her the multicolored, multi-faceted crystal. Nikki knew the other thing he held was the device to turn back time. As she took the Shannom-rah from him, her heart was pounding. She just had to keep the Knower busy a little longer…

“Here you are.” The crystal hummed in her hand like a live thing as she held it out to the Knower.

“Ah—very good!” The Knower nodded and before she could close her hand, it had plucked the crystal out of her palm and was examining it.

“Hey!” Nikki exclaimed. “I thought you were a hologram!”

“Oh, I am—but I have the ability to become solid when it suits me. That was one of the first technologies I perfected.” The Knower continued to study the crystal. “With this I will make an army of Replicants,” it said, almost as though it was musing to itself. “New Replicants, worthy of the city I have built for them. No longer will my creations have to learn from vids and recordings—soon they will have their own life experiences to draw from.”

“Um, you mean like regular people?” Nikki asked, frowning. “If you don’t mind me asking, why would you want to create creatures who can think for themselves when they already exist?”

“Yes—and why did you murder so many of them—the ones who depended on you to run this planet?” Malik demanded roughly.

“Why, because I cannot control Organics.” The Knower spoke as though it was perfectly obvious. “The original inhabitants of Uriel Two had to go because they would not do as I said—it was a necessary sacrifice.”

“Necessary sacrifice? The murder of two billion people?” There was a muscle jumping in Malik’s strong jaw and Nikki could feel the rage coursing through him once more, through their link. His big hand closed in a tight fist over the time device he held.

“Yes, unfortunately. As I said, I could not control them.” The Knower shrugged its glowing blue shoulders as though it was talking about how it had found it necessary to exterminate the bugs that were infesting the house it wanted. “Of course by using the Shannom-rah to transfer consciousness to my Replicants, they will all have original personalities but at any time I wish, I can enter one or all of them and direct their actions,” It went on.

Once more Nikki was reminded of herself and her cousin, Rene, playing Barbies when they were kids.

The Knower is like a big kid, she thought. It just wants to play dolls. And it built this whole planet-city to be like its very own Barbie Dream House. So it can play with its dolls all day long—forever.

But the Knower’s next words made her think there was a much more sinister motivation behind its plan.

“Once I have manufactured the required number of Replicants, I will have enough for every man, woman, and child Organic to inhabit one,” It said. “I will wipe out those who will not bow to my superior wisdom and place them into bodies I can control—for their own good, of course.”

“What?” Nikki exclaimed. “But if you have the Shannom-rah, why don’t you just use the trillions of personalities already recorded on it to fill your Replicants? Why do you need to go murdering regular people to put them into Replicant bodies?”

“My dear Mistress Hellenix,” the Knower said, arching one blue, glowing eyebrow at her. “Did you really think the only reason I wanted the Shannom-rah was because it already had past personalities stored on it? Of course not! I want it for its storage capacity. I want it so that I can use it to record the personalities of the New Replicants I will make from Organics who are living today.” It shook its head. “I only regret I was unable to record the personalities of the Organics of Uriel Two before I was forced to eliminate them. The Kindred are a fine race—if somewhat difficult to control.”

“But I guess if you put them all into bodies you’re personally able to take over, you’ll be controlling them all right,” Nikki said, feeling numb.

“Exactly!” The Knower brightened. “And so I think the best place to start my little project will be with the Kindred Mothership that is orbiting a little-known world its inhabitants call ‘Earth.’ It seems to have the highest concentration of available Kindred and it has many different kinds of them as well.”

“So you’re planning to use the Shannom-rah to take over the Mother Ship?” Nikki demanded.

“Of course. It doesn’t bother you, does it? As a race who believes that males are inferior, I would think you would be pleased,” the Knower said. “The Kindred are, after all, mostly male.”

“I don’t care if they’re male or female, it’s wrong to kill people and put them into big dolls just so you can control them and play with them,” Nikki said, frowning. “Give me back the Shannom-rah please.”

She held out her hand but the Knower only shook its head.

“I think not, Mistress Hellenix. I’m afraid I need it too badly. And I need you as well.”

Suddenly two of the assembly bots were on either side of her and two sets of metal claws were gripping her by the arms.

“Hey!” Nikki exclaimed. “What are you doing?”

“Keeping you here with me,” the Knower said. “I need Organics so that I can test the transfer system of a personality from the Shannom-rah to a Replicant. You and your slave will do nicely as my first test subjects. Look—I already have top of the line Replicants ready for the two of you.”

It waved its hand and a pair of naked Replicants—one male and one female—came forward. They looked eerily like herself and Malik, Nikki thought. Except their eyes were completely blank. A feeling of dread crept over her—how horrible to see yourself replicated as a soulless robot. It was like seeing your own dead body standing right in front of you!

“These new Replicant bodies may feel a little strange at first, but you will get used to them. Now if you will kindly just hold still so that the crystal can record your personality…” The Knower approached her, holding the Shannom-rah out in its glowing blue hand.

“Let me go!” Nikki shrank back. She couldn’t think of anything worse than a clone of herself ending up as a permanent Barbie doll for the Knower to play with here on this fucked-up planet. “Get away from me!”

“Take your claws off my mate.” Malik’s words were slow and measured but Nikki could see the bright sparks crackling from his fingertips and his silver eyes had turned blood-red with anger.

“Oh, I think not,” the Knower said calmly. “And please don’t think that you can scare me with your little electrical display, Kindred. I know what you are—I know you are one of the few Volt Kindred I failed to eliminate during my take-over of this planet.”

“If you knew that why did you bring us here?” Nikki demanded, still struggling in the metal claws of the assembly bots.

“Why, because as I told you earlier—I regret eliminating all of the Volt Kindred. I welcome the chance to add one to the collection of other Kindred I will have once I take over the Mother Ship,” the Knower said, as though it were obvious.

He sounds like any collector I ever met, Nikki thought sickly. Kindred—gotta catch ‘em all.

“I said let her go!” Malik growled. A consuming rage poured through their link and suddenly the tendrils of lightning that had been growing in his hands lashed out and struck both of the bots holding Nikki.

A scream rose in her throat and she was absolutely certain she was about to be fried. Instead, she felt nothing but a faint vibration, though the bots on either side of her rattled and shook with the direct strike.

“Don’t worry, sweetheart—you’re protected from my power by our bond,” Nikki heard Malik say in her head.

But as devastating as the lightning strike had been, it seemed to have almost no effect on the bots—they didn’t even let go of Nikki. In fact, if anything, their pinching grip seemed to tighten.

The Knower looked at Malik.

“Please don’t imagine you can hurt me or anything here with your electrical energy. I grounded everything years ago, back when I first decided I would take over Uriel Two. I know all the capabilities of the Volt Kindred and I planned for them accordingly.” It stepped towards Nikki with the Shannom-rah once more. “Now if you’d be so kind as to hold still so that we can do the personality recording and transfer…”

Malik looked like he was about to move towards her but Nikki shook her head.

“You’re wasting time, baby! None of this is going to matter in the long run—you need to use the time device while it’s distracted with me!”

“I know I must—I just wanted to hold you one more time before I did.” His mental voice was desperately sad and still laced with rage that someone had dared to touch her—had dared to hurt his mate.

“I wish you could too,” Nikki sent. “But we can’t risk it. You’ll never have a better shot at this.”

“You’re right. I love you, Nicole.”

“I love you too!” She sent it with all her heart, trying to convey all that she felt in that one phrase.

“Knower,” Malik said, calling its attention away from her. “I think there is one consequence of your genocide of my people you failed to take into account.”

“I have taken everything into account.” The Knower sounded slightly irritated at his interruption—if an AI could be irritated, Nikki thought.

“Everything but the fact that the Goddess of the Kindred—the Mother of All Life—loves and protects her children,” Malik growled. “And she will not stand by and allow anyone to wipe them out.” He was holding the little stone carving openly in his hand now and he was standing right beside the pulsing blue pole of light.

“You see—that is one of the illogical beliefs I intend to eliminate in my new Replicants,” the Knower said, taking its attention from Nikki for a moment to frown at him. “There is no supreme deity who created you and who loves and cares for you. It’s against all logic to think so.”

“I would say that you’d think differently after I do this.” Malik brought the time device disguised as a carving closer to the pulsing blue light. “But the fact is, you won’t be thinking at all. Because you’ll cease to exist.”

“What?” The Knower’s eyes widened—it seemed that Malik had finally said something that surprised and upset it. Again, if an AI was capable of such emotions, Nikki thought.

“You heard me.” Malik held the carving only an inch from the lighted pole. “And in just a moment, you’ll never hear anything again.”

“No!” The Knower’s eyes widened even more. It motioned and the two naked Replicants that looked exactly like Nikki and Malik rushed towards him. But it was clear they would never reach him in time. They were too far away and all Malik had to do was bridge the final inch and press the time device against the Knower’s core processor.

He shot Nikki a look of longing and sorrow.

“I love you, sweetheart! Forever!” Nikki heard him say and then he pressed the small stone carving into the blue light.

“I love you too!” she shouted, her voice breaking. Her eyes were fixed on Malik’s form and his hand pressing the device against the processor.

At first nothing happened but then a brilliant white light began to grow at the point of contact. It started as a pinprick and then grew and grew, getting larger and larger until it looked like a small supernova had started where Malik’s hand met the processor and it was growing larger all the time. Soon it would encompass the whole room and then the whole building and then the whole planet, Nikki thought.

She imagined the blinding whiteness rushing over the surface of Uriel Two, crumbling the many empty buildings to dust and restoring the natural beauty the Knower had destroyed. She thought of the people who had died coming back to life, living their normal lives, unaware that ten years of their history had been rewritten in the blink of an eye.

And she thought of Malik, either fading from existence completely, or forgetting her forever. As she would forget him.

No, never—I’ll never forget him! she swore to herself. No matter what, I’ll keep him in my heart!

She watched as long as she could, but the ultra-brilliant white light eclipsed Malik and then became too bright to look at. She turned her head away in pain and saw the blue holo-figure of the Knower wavering. Then it said something she didn’t understand.

“Breech imminent. Protocol Extremis activated.” Without warning, its gender-neutral form blinked out, just moments before the slowly growing supernova of white light reached it.

The Shannom-rah, which the Knower had been holding in its hand, began to fall. But before it could hit the floor, the growing light swallowed it up.

And I’m next, Nikki had time to think. Would the light hurt? Would it disintegrate her on contact? Would it—

And then the light reached her and she knew no more.

TWENTY-FIVE

“Shall we land on the beach as Mistress Hellenix specified?”

“What?” Nikki blinked and looked up. For just a second, she had a dizzying moment of disorientation.

Where am I? What am I doing here?

Then her vision seemed to clear and she remembered everything. She was on Mistress Hellenix’s long-range cruiser and her head chef and main bodyslave, Dark, was doing the piloting. Dark was a Kindred, she remembered—like the ones in the Mother Ship that orbited the Earth. He had helped Nikki navigate Mistress Hellenix’s life and now he was flying her safely home so that they could switch places and get back to their own lives.

That’s right—I’m finally getting back to my own life. I’ll see Gary and the kids again—if he hasn’t already moved out, she reminded herself. The thought brought a mixture of happiness, anger, and sorrow. Her life certainly wasn’t going to be any better just because she’d had a week-long vacation on another planet in another woman’s life.

But it wasn’t just the unhappy life she was going back to that bothered her. For some reason she felt a deep sadness welling up inside her—a feeling of loss so great it was nearly overwhelming. But what had she lost? Why was she so upset all of a sudden?

“Nicole?” Dark said, frowning at her from the pilot’s seat. “Are you all right?”

“All right? Of course I’m all right—why do you ask?” Nikki said, frowning.

“Well…because you’re crying. Are you upset to be going back?” His dark bronze eyes were filled with concern for her. They shimmered—metallic in the dim light of the instrument panel.

Metallic. I knew someone else with metallic eyes once but they weren’t bronze. They were…were…were what?

Nikki couldn’t remember, although it felt as though the memory was just at the tip of her brain. That was weird. But no weirder than the fact that she seemed to be crying for no apparent reason.

She wiped her eyes, which were indeed wet.

“Am I upset to go back? No—no of course not. I want to see my boys,” she said firmly. “Though I’m sure Gary will be less than pleased to see me.”

“Your unfaithful ex-mate, correct?” Dark said. He had been very kind in listening to all of her troubles on the flight home. After all they’d been through together, Nicole felt as though he was a good friend, though nothing more than that. Thank goodness she’d gotten out of that weird demonstration thing they wanted her to do at the Banquet of Pain or she certainly would have had to push the boundaries of their “friendship!” But as it was, she and Dark had been able to maintain a careful but friendly distance between them, which was only right since she was barely even divorced yet, Nikki thought.

You didn’t maintain a distance with him—with the man with the silver eyes, whispered a little voice in her head. You gave him everything—gave him your heart.

Nikki shook her head, trying to get rid of the little voice. Man with the silver eyes? What was that all about? She didn’t know anyone with silver eyes!

“Sorry,” she said, realizing that Dark was looking at her expectantly. “Yes, my unfaithful husband. The one whose been cheating on me and wants to leave me alone and sell the house and only see his sons every other week.”

Just thinking about it made her mad—which was good. She was glad to have a distraction from the unrelenting sorrow that had welled up inside her for some strange reason.

I’m fine, she told herself firmly. Everything is going to be okay. I’ll get back to my normal life and make things work somehow!

Except she definitely wasn’t going to let Gary get away with selling the house out from under her, she decided. If he wanted out of their marriage, he was going to have to do right by her and the kids. And if—

“We are approaching the coordinates Mistress Hellenix specified, Nicole,” Dark said, breaking her train of thought. “Do you want to land on the beach where you first found the E’lo stone, as she asked?”

“What? Oh yes—I suppose so. Do you think we can trust her?” Nikki asked uncertainly. “I mean, you don’t think she’ll try anything, do you?”

Dark got a grim look on his face.

“She is scrupulously truthful when she makes a deal—I think because she feels she has no need to lie or cheat. She already gets everything she wants without having to resort to double-dealing.”

Nikki saw his expression and felt bad. Here she was worrying about her own problems and her good friend was in a bad spot too.

“Are you really going to go back with her?” she asked. “I mean, Earth is a whole new planet and the Kindred Mother Ship is orbiting our moon. This could be your chance to get away—to start fresh. I know the other Kindred would help you.”

“Thank you, Nicole, but we’ve talked about this.” Dark shook his head sadly. “Mistress Hellenix has my younger brother—she captured him the same time she took me from my restaurant on Rigelis Prime. If I try to run from her, she will surely kill him. So I must go back.”

Nikki frowned. Had Mistress Hellenix taken Dark’s brother then? It seemed like she remembered it the other way around—like someone (the man with the silver eyes) had told her that the little brother escaped and only Dark himself was taken. But it must not have been so.

“You’re right of course—you can’t leave your brother. I’m sorry,” she said soberly.

“Landing now,” Dark informed her. “I think Mistress Hellenix is already here.”

Nikki watched as he landed the long-range ship neatly on the sandy beach and then the two of them got out. They stood side-by-side on the beach and Nikki put a hand to her eyes to scan for her evil twin.

Soon enough, she saw a car pull up and Mistress Hellenix got out. Stalking around to the driver’s side of the car, she opened the door and dragged someone out—a man, Nikki saw, as she squinted against the strong Florida sun. He had on some kind of a collar and the alien dominatrix was dragging him by a long leather leash.

Now who can that be? Nikki wondered, frowning. If her evil twin had been half as busy living Nikki’s life as Nikki had been living hers, she shouldn’t have had time to go out and capture some poor man to drag around behind her. She—

Suddenly she recognized the man. With a shock, she realized it was Gary.

Her ex-husband had on the most bizarre outfit—a pair of black leather shorts so tight they looked painted on. They were short-shorts too—meaning they went up his ass and showed plenty of his pale, skinny, hairy legs. His beer gut spilled over the top of them, though it looked a little smaller than Nikki remembered. Had Mistress Hellenix put him on some kind of crash diet? Maybe she’s just been running him ragged, forcing him to drive her all over town and never giving him a minute to himself in his man cave—that sounded likely.

In addition to the skin-tight shorts and collar, her ex had on a black leather skull cap that covered his balding head and a black leather harness decorated with silver studs criss-crossed across his rather flabby abdomen and chest. Black , thigh-high ladies high-heeled boots completed the outfit.

Gary wobbled on the boots uncertainly, as though he wasn’t sure how to walk in them. No surprise, since he had never shown any kind of proclivity for cross-dressing—at least as far as Nikki knew. She wondered where Mistress Hellenix had gotten the bizarre outfit and how she had persuaded Gary to put it on. Then again, from the way she was yanking on the leash, it didn’t look like she’d done much persuading at all. She had probably just told him what to do and expected him to do it.

“Come, Garrison—no time for dawdling,” the Yonnite Mistress said, hauling heartlessly on the leash. “Your new life begins now.”

“Yes, Mistress,” Gary panted, scrambling to keep up with her long strides as she dragged him across the parking lot and over the sandy dunes of the beach. It took some time, because Gary was having trouble walking in the sand wearing the high-heeled boots, but at last they came to where Nikki and Dark were standing.

“Hello, Velka,” Nikki said, speaking directly to the Yonnite Mistress. After the past couple of days, she felt she had certainly earned the right to address the other woman by her first name.

“Hello, Nicole.” Mistress Hellenix inclined her head regally. “I’m glad to see you’re finally here. Your life here is so horribly dull. Positively awful. The only fun I’ve had at all is disciplining your cheating ex-mate, here. Isn’t that right, Garrison?” She yanked on the leash again and Gary fell to his knees, looking up at her.

“Yes, Mistress.” He sounded out of breath and no wonder—walking in sand wearing four-inch platform heels was probably no easy task, Nikki thought. Especially since the most exercise he ever got was getting up to get a new beer during the commercial break while he watched the game.

“Anyway,” Mistress Hellenix went on. “I did all that you asked of me and fulfilled my end of the contract. Now I would like my life back as well as the E’lo stone which got us into this mess in the first place.” She held out a hand imperiously, waiting as Nicole untied the little velvet bag from around her neck and handed it over.

“So that’s it?” she asked, as Mistress Hellenix inspected the stone and nodded in apparent approval before slipping it back into the bag. “We just…switch back?”

“Of course—that was what we agreed on, wasn’t it?” the Yonnite Mistress demanded. “Though I do have a tiny tweak to the deal, which I’m sure you won’t mind.”

“A tweak? What tweak?” Nikki asked, frowning.

“I want to keep this one.” Mistress Hellenix yanked on Gary’s leash. “He amuses me more than all my other slaves put together. Probably because he is so different from them and has never known a Mistress’s firm hand before. He had no notion of what it was like to be ruled by a strong woman until I came along.”

Well, that was certainly true, Nikki thought wryly. Gary had never been the kind to knuckle-under before. The one time he’d had a female boss at work he’d done nothing but complain and call her a “brass-balled bitch.” Nikki had met her at a company function and she’d seemed perfectly lovely—not at all like Mistress Hellenix. Now she was a real brass-balled bitch and Nikki was betting that Gary had found that out the hard way.

Still, it would be heartless of her to just give away her ex-husband to her evil twin—especially knowing the discipline techniques the other woman used. She could just imagine Gary getting a flogging with the pain whip or, even worse, getting the rod. He had lived a comfortable, easy existence up until now with first his mother and then Nikki to wait on him. That kind of treatment might just break him.

“I’m afraid not,” she said reluctantly to Mistress Hellenix. “Gary isn’t for, uh, sale.”

“Oh, I’m not asking you, Nicole—I’m telling you.” The alien dominatrix yanked on Gary’s leash again, making him sit up in the sand like a dog begging for a bone. He whimpered softly but didn’t seem to dare to voice any louder complaint. “I am taking him,” Mistress Hellenix continued. “After all, he cheated on you and separated himself from you legally—which means you have no rights to him anymore. I have claimed him and you cannot gainsay my declaration.”

“But he’s the father of my children,” Nikki pointed out, thinking fast. “What will my boys say when I tell them they’ll never see their father again?”

“They were never going to see him again anyway,” Mistress Hellenix informed her. “I got the whole story out of him, you know. He and the female he was cheating with were planning to run away and live in a foreign land called ‘Atuba’ or some such name.”

“Atuba? You mean Aruba? You were going to run off to Aruba?” Nikki demanded, glaring down at her leashed ex-husband.

“It’s…a tropical paradise,” he choked out. “Rene and I were going to start an on-line consulting business. It was going to be beautiful. No responsibilities…no kids…no nagging spouses.”

“Wait a minute, Rene?” Nikki could hardly believe her ears. “Not my cousin, Rene? Not her?”

“Yes, indeed—he was going to run off with your kin,” Mistress Hellenix said briskly. “After taking all your mutual assets out of your account and leaving you with nothing. Now how do you feel about letting me take him?”

Nikki’s blood was boiling and she was seeing red at this new piece of unwelcome news. She and her cousin Rene had always been close—almost like sisters. How could Gary even think of being with her—let alone cleaning out their bank-account and running off to Aruba to start a whole new life?

But still, looking at her ex crouching miserably in the sand wearing the collar and tight shorts and thigh-high ladies platform boots, she knew she couldn’t condemn him to the kind of life Mistress Hellenix proposed to give him. It was too cruel—too inhumane.

“I’m sorry,” she said reluctantly, trying to hold back her temper. “I agree he’s a cheating dog and he doesn’t deserve much, but I just can’t let you take the father of my children off to God-knows-where and do God-knows-what to him.”

Hellenix frowned.

“Again, I am not asking, I am telling. However, since you do have a legitimate claim to him, I will do this much—I will trade your worthless mate for my valuable chef and bodyslave, Dark there. And that is more than a bargain for you. He cooks beautifully and I know from painful recent experience that this one…” Here she yanked on Gary’s leash again. “Can’t cook so much as a toasted carbohydrate slice without burning it to a crisp.”

“I cannot leave your service, Mistress—not without my younger brother,” Dark protested, speaking up for the first time. “He is also in your care.”

“Oh, very well!” The Yonnite Mistress threw up her hands. “I will set him free as soon as I get back to my mansion—you have my word.” She looked at Gary. “Did you hear that? I have now lost two valuable slaves just to keep you. You had better be worth the deal, Garrison! You will spend the rest of your life pleasing me to make sure you are.”

Gary whimpered again, but didn’t appear to dare to say a word.

Nikki had something to say though—if she could ever get it out.

“I really don’t think—” she began but Mistress Hellenix kept right on talking over her.

“Of course this trade means that I will have to pilot myself all the way back to Yonnie Six, since I am certain this stupid male cannot drive a space ship. Can you, Garrison?” she demanded, yanking on his leash again.

“No, Mistress,” he choked out.

“As I thought.” Mistress Hellenix looked disgusted with his ineptitude. “Ignorant male—you’re lucky your submission amuses me. You’ll suck my toes for hours to make up for this inconvenience—that I promise you.” She sighed heavily. “But for now, we must go. Come.” She pulled on his leash, leading him up to the ship and forcing him to climb into the passenger’s side seat.

Nikki had felt paralyzed through these proceedings but now suddenly her paralysis broke and she ran over to the ship she herself had so recently vacated.

“Wait, Hellenix,” she protested, as her evil twin climbed into the pilot’s chair and strapped herself in, in a very professional manner. “I really don’t think this is right! If you take Gary—”

“If it’s domestic affairs you’re concerned about, don’t worry,” the other woman said. “I had Garrison here sign over everything to you in preparation for leaving, including all property, cash, and assets. He had quite a bit hidden away you know,” she added. “You’re in much better financial shape now than before I came. You’re welcome.”

“I…but I…” Nikki didn’t know what to say. But before she could muster her thoughts any further, Mistress Hellenix had shut the door to the ship and was revving the engines in preparation for lift-off.

“Come, Nicole—it’s not safe to be this close to a ship with its engines going full blast.” Dark took her by the arm and pulled her away.

“But…but she took my husband. I mean my ex-husband. She took Gary.” Nikki still couldn’t quite get over it.

“It sounds to me like she did you a favor,” Dark said, frowning. “How could a male be so faithless as to cheat with a female relative of yours and then plan to leave you and your children alone with no monetary assets while he ran off with her?”

“Yeah, he’s pretty much a jerk,” Nikki admitted. “I just hate to have to face the boys and break the news they won’t be seeing their father again.”

“They wouldn’t have been seeing him anyway—if he really was planning to run off to a distant country,” Dark pointed out practically. “This was actually a good bargain for you. And for me.” He put a hand on his heart and looked at her seriously. “I owe you my life, Nicole. I would have gone to my grave in that evil female’s servitude had you not consented to trade your ex-mate for me.”

“What about your brother, though?” Nikki asked him. “Do you really think Mistress Hellenix will let him go?”

“As I said, she’s usually scrupulous in honoring deals,” Dark said. “She might send an assassin bot to kill you, but she wouldn’t cheat you out of a payment that she promised or renege on a deal she has sworn to. Yes, I think she will let him go.” He frowned. “Though I would like to go someplace where they have a viewscreen with interstellar communications abilities so that I can call him and be for certain.”

“I’ll take you to the HKR building—that stands for Human Kindred Relations,” Nikki said, seeing his confused frown. “I’m sure the other Kindred there can help you out.”

“I’m certain you’re right.” Dark nodded gratefully. “But what will you do?”

“Well…it seems to still be morning here.” Nikki looked around. “So I guess after I drop you off I’ll get changed and go to work.” She wondered what kind of shape Mistress Hellenix had left her work life in—it was probably better to go find out now and get it over with rather than wait for later.

The sadness she’d been feeling ever since that moment of disorientation in the ship on the way home still persisted but she told herself she was just worried about what she would find in the office and upset that she’d have to tell the boys their father was gone. That had to be the reason for the dark feelings clouding her mind, didn’t it?

Yes, it has to be, she told herself firmly and nodded at Dark.

“Come on—let’s hope she left the keys in the car.”

Dropping Dark off at the HKR building in downtown Tampa didn’t take long. Nikki took a moment to run into the restroom there and change from her outlandish Mistress outfit into the spare business clothes she kept in the trunk. It was always good to have a change, just in case she was doing some last-minute paint touch-ups or cleaning on a house that Missy wanted ready to show.

Nikki frowned to herself as she drove to Rosy Ray’s Realty. That was another thing that was going to have to change—she refused to work under Missy Cannon one minute longer! She had her own Realtor’s license now and she was damn well going to use it. Also, Missy had better watch out if she was thinking of stealing any of Nikki’s sales. That was so not happening again. She—

Her thoughts were interrupted by the soft chime of her cell phone, which Mistress Hellenix had thoughtfully brought, along with her purse. Fishing it out at a red light, Nikki glanced at it and saw it was from Jacob and James’s middle school. What had gone wrong now? Were they fighting again?

With a feeling of dread, she pressed the accept button and put the phone to her ear.

“Mrs. Davis?” said a faintly familiar voice. “This is Ms. Lucas, the ESC specialist here at Adams Middle School. I just wanted to go over the notes from the 504 Plan meeting we had about your boys, James and Jacob.”

“Oh yes!” Belatedly, Nikki remembered the meeting that Mistress Hellenix was supposed to attend for her. Had she done it? Apparently so, because the ESC specialist continued talking.

“During our meeting, you expressed some rather strong, er, opinions as to the services your boys are getting,” the specialist said. “And I just wanted you to know, we agree with you completely. Jacob and James will be keeping their classroom services and we will not be cutting into their therapy time either. In fact, in James’ case, I think it will be prudent to add an hour a week to that time—he really seems to need it.”

“Oh! Well thank you. Thank you very much!” Nikki was almost speechless. “That’s…really good news.”

“Well, you seemed to feel so strongly about it that we looked into it again,” Ms. Lucas said. “And we had to agree that your boys need more services—not less. I just thought you would want to know.”

“Yes—yes, of course. And thank you again,” Nikki said. She hung up the phone with a feeling of wonder. Amazing! Well, that was certainly one worry off her plate.

She drove the rest of the way to work with a slightly lighter heart, though the deep sadness was still in the back of her mind. But it wasn’t sadness so much as a sense of loss, Nikki thought to herself. As though she had somehow misplaced something—or someone, maybe. Someone so dear to her she couldn’t bear to be without them. But that was crazy, wasn’t it? How could you misplace an entire person and then forget about them? It didn’t make any sense…

The minute she pulled up in front of Rosy Ray’s Realty, Missy Cannon came rushing out.

Oh great, Nikki thought sourly. I wonder what she wants to bitch at me about today?

But when she opened her car door—which happened to be Gary’s Mercedes instead of her own old clunker—and stepped out, Missy’s words weren’t bitchy. In fact, they were almost…deferential.

“Oh, Nicole—I’m so glad you’re here!” she exclaimed. “I wanted to let you know—that couple you showed the house to on Bayshore yesterday called back and they want to put an offer on it.”

“Really? Bayshore?” Nikki could hardly believe it. Bayshore Boulevard was the most exclusive and expensive neighborhood in South Tampa. It was a long, meandering road that hugged the sandy shore of Tampa Bay and it was home to some of the priciest mansions available anywhere. Everyone who lived there was a multi-millionaire so Nikki could just imagine the commission a house from that area would bring. A commission she was extremely surprised that Missy wasn’t even trying to steal!

“Yes—I took their number, though I’m sure you already have it.” Missy bobbed her head and handed Nikki a post-it note with a name and number written on it. “All you have to do is call back—they’re waiting to hear from you.”

“Well…thank you.” Nikki nodded, feeling bemused. Apparently Mistress Hellenix had done a better job working here than she’d thought!

“Oh, and of course I’ll get the paperwork ready for you,” Missy added. “It’s only fair since you prepared paperwork for me for so long.”

“Thank you again.” Nikki smiled at her and walked into the office. At once her boss, Mr. Ray, who usually ignored her, bounced out of his chair and came running to greet her.

“There you are, Nicole! I hear from Missy here that you’ve made another sale,” he exclaimed. “It’s amazing how you just tell people what to buy and they buy it!”

It was amazing, Nikki thought. She’d never been a big believer in the hard-sell herself but it sounded like Mistress Hellenix was. Though apparently she hadn’t tried to sell anything—she’d just told people they had to buy and for some reason, they had listened. Were people really that easily led by a strong personality?

Remembering the alien dominatrix’s approach to life, Nikki thought that maybe they were. Or maybe it was just because most people didn’t run into someone quite as forceful as her evil twin very often.

Whatever the case, it appeared that Hellenix had done right by her job and she couldn’t help feeling grateful.

Oh, I should have told her that the guards of the Sacred Seven were after her! Nikki thought belatedly. She and Dark had barely gotten out of the banquet on Yonnie Six in time, slipping away when a friend of Hellenix’s had alerted them that the guards were there and searching for her. It had been a really close call and she had somehow forgotten all about it.

That wasn’t how it went, though, whispered a little voice in her head. You didn’t slip away—the man with the silver eyes, he faced down the guards for you! He made them leave you alone by shooting lightning bolts out of his hands.

What? Nikki shook her head, trying to clear the crazy thoughts. What was going on with her? Had her brain been scrambled somehow by the trip she and Dark had taken through the worm hole to get home?

It seemed a likely explanation. How else to explain all the crazy talk in her head? The half-formed memories that seemed almost like dreams of another life? A big man with blond hair and silver eyes who could shoot lightning from his fingertips—it sounded like she was having Thor fantasies or something! Crazy.

Forget about it, she told herself as she thanked her boss and went back to her desk to return the call of the couple who wanted the house on Bayshore. Just forget about it and everything will be okay.

Right?

After a workday that was much more pleasant than usual, Nikki headed back home early. Her boss had told her to take as much time as she wanted, since she had already made such a lucrative sale that day and Missy—who seemed to be a little afraid of her now—promised the paperwork would be all ready and on her desk by tomorrow. With nothing more to do, it seemed like a good idea to take an early day.

When she pulled into the familiar driveway, Nikki wondered what she would find inside and how the boys were doing. Their various busses dropped them off around three o’clock and three thirty respectively and she couldn’t wait to see them again. Ungrateful or not, she had missed her kids and she was going to give all of them a big hug whether they wanted it or not, she decided.

The house, when she opened the door, was not in its usual state of chaos. Gone were the dirty dishes and sticky cups on the coffee table, as well as the jumble of video game equipment and controllers that James and Jacob always left there. Instead, everything was put neatly away and the coffee table showed signs of having been wiped down—also, it looked like someone had actually vacuumed the family room!

Feeling shocked, Nikki went into the kitchen. There were no dirty dishes in the sink! And the ones in the dishwasher had been recently washed. They were dry and gleaming. Also, someone had stocked the fridge with fresh groceries—even her favorite type of coffee creamer, which she usually never treated herself to because it was expensive—was there.

The rest of the house was in similar condition, Nikki found, as she wandered through it. There were no piles of dirty clothes or towels in the bedrooms or bathrooms—everything was neatly folded and put away. Also, the huge pile of Legos which had been in the corner of the twins’ room for almost as long as she could remember had been tidied up and all the little plastic bricks had been placed neatly in a tub.

Even her own bedroom was sparkling clean. The sheets were fresh and the bed was made and none of Gary’s dirty socks were on the floor. It was amazing!

Going to the computer hutch in the corner, Nikki sat down to check something else out. She was going to look at her backlogged email when she saw a piece of lined paper with her ex’s small, neat handwriting on it. She picked it up.

Dear Nikki, it began. As Nikki went on reading, her eyes went wide.

“A whole other bank account?” she murmured to herself. “Gary, you asshole!”

The paper was a note of confession and on it were the details of a secret bank account her ex had been keeping behind her back. The assets that were listed were enough to pay off her mortgage on the house and still have some left to live comfortably, even if she didn’t make another big sale for ages.

“I can’t believe he was holding this much back!” Nikki muttered to herself.

She knew from what Mistress Hellenix had told her that Gary must have been squirreling money away, but she’d never expected a sum like this. No wonder he’d believed he could retire to Aruba! There was plenty here to do that—especially if he cleaned out their joint account as well, which he’d apparently been about to do.

No wonder there never seemed to be enough money for necessary purchases, she thought, staring at the figures again. Gary had been cheating her in their mutual finances for years. Remembering all the times she’d had to scrimp and save to get the boys what they needed and how there was never anything left over for her, even though she worked like a dog, made her mad. Gary had been a cheater in more than one way—he was a lousy husband, a thief, and an absent dad. He was a jerk.

Suddenly, she felt a little less bad about the fact that her ex had been taken to Yonnie Six to live the rest of his life in toe-sucking bondage. It was beginning to seem like he deserved it.

Checking the bank online, she saw that the considerable assets mentioned in the confession letter had been added to the joint account which was now only in her name. There were also various stocks and bonds that her ex had apparently invested in—they had also been signed over to her. She was practically a rich woman!

So why did she feel so sad?

It’s because I found out he was cheating on me with Rene, Nikki told herself uneasily. That was a sobering thought. She’d thought that she and her cousin were close—it really hurt to know that she’d been sneaking around with Gary behind Nikki’s back. That must be the reason she felt so sad—so at a loss—despite all the good news she was getting.

Right?

Nikki decided to take her mind off the problem by making a batch of homemade chocolate chip cookies. Luckily she had all the ingredients she needed in her well-stocked kitchen and by the time the twins’ bus came, a little after three, the first batch was just coming out of the oven and filling her nice clean house with a heavenly aroma.

She heard the front door open and the soft murmur of voices.

“What’s that smell?” muttered James.

“Dunno. Do you think she made Dad cook again?” Jacob replied.

“I don’t think so—his cooking is awful. Even ours is better. And Jude’s isn’t too bad. Whatever it is, smells good.”

Nikki could scarcely believe her ears. Her boys who never wanted anything to do with the kitchen had been cooking? Surely this was more of Mistress Hellenix’s doing.

“Smells like cookies.” James’s voice was wistful. “Like Mom used to make.”

“Do you think she’ll ever come back?” Jacob asked. “I really miss her.”

Their quiet conversation nearly broke Nikki’s heart. She felt a great swell of love as she went out to see them. Their backs were to her and instead of leaving their book bags and jackets in a heap on the floor, they were hanging them neatly on the pegs on the wall, which she had been asking them to do for ages.

“Hello, boys,” she said, smiling.

They turned to face her, their eyes wide.

“Oh, um, hello,” James said and both of them bobbed their heads nervously in a kind of bow.

“We have homework but we can do chores first if you want us to,” Jacob said quickly. “Would that be okay?”

“How about some hot chocolate chip cookies before we hit the homework?” Nikki asked, grinning at them.

The twins exchanged a glance full of uncertainty and hope.

“Chocolate chip cookies?” James asked carefully. “But…I thought you didn’t cook?”

“Yeah—you told us you weren’t going to wait on us and we better cook for ourselves if we wanted to eat,” Jacob chimed in.

“Well, maybe I changed my mind.” Nikki couldn’t keep up the charade any longer—she wanted to hug them too badly. “Come here, you two!” she exclaimed and pulled them both close.

“Mom?” Jacob looked up at her uncertainly. “Is it you?”

“Or are you still the lady who only looks like Mom?” James finished for him.

“It’s me—it’s really me. I’m back,” Nikki told them.

Both boys gave a whoop of joy.

“It’s Mom! She’s back!”

“She’s really, really back!”

They hugged her back enthusiastically, both of them throwing their arms around her and squeezing until she was breathless with laughter.

“I can’t breathe, boys!” she exclaimed, smiling and kissing their cheeks. “But I’m so glad to see you both again.”

“Boy, are we glad to see you too!” Jacob exclaimed. “That other lady who looked like you but wasn’t was really strict!”

“She told us to call her Mistress Hellenix and she made us cook and clean and do our homework and go to bed early every night!” James chimed in.

“And she made Dad fix every single thing broken in the house—all the little things you were always asking him to do and he wouldn’t do them—remember?” Jacob said.

“And she made him sleep on the floor, too,” James added. “And said that was what he deserved for being a bad husband to you! Only she called it a ‘mate’—being a bad mate to you.”

Nikki frowned. “Well, I’m sorry you two had to see that. I promise that wasn’t my intention at all.” She thought about breaking the news that Gary was gone for good, but decided that she would wait for a better time—also, she wanted Jude to be home too so they could all talk it out together.

Just then she heard another bus outside and after a moment, her oldest, Jude came in. His eyes went wide when he saw the twins still hugging her and he came over to her slowly.

“Mom?” he asked in a slow, careful voice. “Is…is that you?”

“Yes, Jude.” Nikki smiled at him. “It’s me, sweetheart. I’m back.”

“Then I have something to say to you.” Jude spoke rapidly, his Adam’s apple bobbing in his throat. “I’m really sorry I stole those pills from Grandma,” he said. “I did it because my friend, Jerry, asked me to. But I’ll never do it again and I’m not hanging out with Jerry or those other guys anymore. I know I treated you wrong and I was ungrateful and that was really, really wrong of me.”

The whole speech came out in a rush, as though he’d been waiting to say it for days and he looked at her with hope in his eyes.

Nikki’s heart went out to her older son. He’d seemed so distant this past year or so. This might be the first time in months he’d looked her in the eyes and spoken directly to her about something that mattered. And it was certainly the first time in ages she could remember him apologizing for bad actions instead of grunting sullenly and storming off to shut himself in his room.

“Come here.” She held out her arms and Jude, who hadn’t voluntarily hugged her since he’d turned twelve and had gotten “too big for hugs,” came to her willingly and threw his arms around her waist.

“I love you, Mom,” he murmured in a husky little whisper. “I’m sorry I was such a shit.”

“Language, Jude,” Nikki admonished him gently. “Did Mistress Hellenix tell you to say all that to me?”

“Well, yes…” He nodded, his head bobbing nervously. “But I mean it, too. I’m really, really sorry for taking you for granted, Mom. We all are, right guys?”

“Yeah, Mom—really sorry!” Jacob exclaimed.

“You’re not going to leave again, are you?” James asked fearfully. “Please don’t let the mean lady come back! Please, Mom—we’ll be good from now on—we swear it!”

The other boys echoed his words until Nikki almost wanted to cry at their concern.

“It’s all right boys—I’m back and I’m here to stay,” she assured them. “And I didn’t leave because you were bad—although I have to admit, the three of you were testing my patience pretty badly for a while there.”

“Why did you leave us then?” Jacob asked as she herded them into the kitchen for milk and cookies.

“I didn’t do it on purpose,” Nikki told them. “I was just…whisked away. I ended up in Mistress Hellenix’s house and she ended up here.”

“But how did it happen?”

“Why did she come here?”

“What was it like there?”

That’s all you need to know,” she said loudly, talking over their questions. “For now, let’s all have some milk and cookies and try to relax.”

And for once, the three of them sat down and ate without fighting or complaining and every one of them told her thank you afterwards. It was a scene of pure domestic bliss, Nikki thought, as she treated herself to a fresh baked cookie too. All her boys were safe and home with her and no-good, cheating Gary was out of the picture for good.

So why did she still feel that sense of loss inside?

It was a question she couldn’t answer, no matter how hard she tried. It just felt like something—or someone—was missing. And she didn’t know where to find him or even where to begin looking.

He’s gone and I don’t even know who he was, she thought sadly.

All she knew was that every time her heart beat, it didn’t feel whole. It seemed like someone had carved it in two and she was trying to get by with only half a heart.

Which sounded stupid, of course but it was how Nikki felt and no matter what she told herself, she couldn’t seem to feel any differently.

TWENTY-SIX

“Why am I still here?” Malik looked up at the darkening sky, filled with the shimmer of familiar stars, and shook his head. It had been a week since the Knower had been destroyed beyond hope of fixing and the general panic caused by the failure in communications systems had gradually abated.

At first the people of Uriel Two had been outraged—thinking there had been some kind of terrorist attack. Luckily, Malik had been able to slip out of the building housing the Knower’s core processor—which was very much smaller at this time—before anyone noticed him and before it blew.

No one had been killed or injured in the “terrorist attack” and though the little security footage that had been recovered showed a man fleeing the scene, all of the images were blurred beyond recognition. So no one knew the identity of the “terrorist.”

Or the fact that said terrorist had come from ten cycles in the future and from an entirely different timeline, Malik thought grimly, looking up at the stars. He had wandered around for a time, unnoticed in the chaos and then gradually found his way back to his family land, where his mother and brothers lived.

He had wanted to go and speak to them—to try and explain to his family what had happened. Finally, tonight, he had gotten up the nerve. But something he’d seen through the lighted dining room window as he approached his family’s domicile stopped him.

What he saw was…himself.

It was Malik—Malik from ten cycles and a lifetime of experience ago, he realized as he watched the younger version of himself laugh and eat and talk with his mother and his brothers. This Malik’s face was smoother and it wasn’t just because he was younger. This version of himself had never fought for his life in the Blood Circuit, had never allowed himself to be sold to a ruthless Yonnite Mistress, had never submitted sexually in a way that would have been unthinkable to his younger self.

And this version of Malik had never fallen in love and bonded Nicole to him.

But that wasn’t to say he hadn’t bonded. As Malik watched, a new person came into the dining area. With a shock, he recognized his old love—Havlah. She was talking and carrying a platter of food to the table and when she turned in profile, Malik saw the rounded curve of her abdomen. She was pregnant!

The younger version of himself looked up at her with care and tenderness. Turning his head, he pressed a reverent kiss to her gravid belly. Havlah laughed and ruffled his hair and his mother looked on, smiling.

Malik was stunned. So in this version of the past—a past in which the Knower had been destroyed—he had been able to bond with Havlah after all. Not only that, they were expecting a child! Things were completely and utterly different. He had changed more than he knew when he pressed the time change device to the Knower’s core processor and blew it sky-high.

Seeing the happy faces of his past self and past family around the dining table, he knew he couldn’t interfere. If he broke in on their dinner with his tale of a disaster averted, a future filled with sacrifice and pain, what could they possibly say? He would only make them uncomfortable and unhappy—he didn’t want that. He would leave them alone, he decided, and go someplace quiet to think.

He had tromped through the darkness until somehow he found himself in the Sacred Grove that bordered his family’s property. The breeze was blowing through the green and purple leaves and the light from Uriel Two’s twin moons, Salis and Renus, gilded everything with silver. The grove had a special smell—the scent of growing things that are sacred to the Goddess.

Maybe a good place to ask questions, Malik thought.

Taking off his boots, as was the custom before entering the Sacred Grove, he stepped into the trees.

“Why am I still here?” he asked again, aloud. He knew the priestesses would be long gone—asleep in their dormitory on the other side of the sacred space. But the silence of the grove was a listening one—the soft rustling of the leaves almost sounded like someone murmuring that she heard his question.

“I shouldn’t be here,” Malik continued. “I should have faded away by now. My job is done and there’s no place for me here. My younger self is happy—I don’t want to disturb him or the rest of my family. They wouldn’t understand what I’ve been through and I don’t want to try and make them understand. I don’t want to put the burden of the things I’ve lived through on them—it wouldn’t be fair.”

“Many things are not fair, warrior.” The powerful but gentle female voice seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere. From the rustling trees and the softly babbling brook that flowed nearby—even from the silvery moonlight that poured down from above.

“Goddess? Mother of All Life?” Instinctively, Malik fell to his knees. He felt her holy presence all around him and knew he must show respect.

“My son…” The voice was gentle now. “You have worked long and sacrificed much to fulfill the difficult task I set you. And now you ask why you are still here, instead of with me in the heavens?”

“I don’t understand,” Malik admitted. “I thought I was supposed to fade away when this was all done. But I’ve been wandering around for a week and I’m still here—only I have no place here anymore. Uriel Two no longer feels like my home.”

“That is because your home is where your heart is and that is no longer here,” the Goddess murmured. “And the reason you remain in this time, instead of fading, is the bond you formed during the last part of your quest.”

“With Nicole,” Malik breathed and the sorrow and loss he’d been fighting to hold back threatened to overwhelm him.

He’d thought about taking a ship and going to Earth to try and find her but he knew the Nicole he found would be different—wouldn’t be the woman he had bonded with. The time device he had used on the Knower had blown him ten cycles into the past. Even if she found Nicole in this time, she would be ten years younger and still tied to her mate—unworthy bastard though he was.

He might have been able to woo her away, but it wouldn’t be the same as being with the Nicole he knew—the one who had gone through so much with him—who had taken him and been taken by him—who had loved him so much she was willing to give him up to save his planet from destruction and doom. That Nicole wasn’t here—would never be here because the past was now changed. He had changed it—for the better.

But he had paid a heavy price to do so.

“Yes, warrior—with Nicole,” the Goddess murmured. “Though the love you felt was of a short duration, it was very strong—strong enough to anchor you to reality, even when the reality you knew was swept away, never to return.”

“Please Goddess, if I can’t be with her, take me home to be with you,” Malik pleaded, his voice hoarse. “I can bear the pain of our broken bond no longer. It is as though someone has cut out half my heart and I cannot go on without it.”

“I will give you a choice, Warrior,” the Goddess’s voice said. “The Nicole you knew and bonded with still lives, but now the events the two of you shared remain only in her mind as shadow memories.”

“Shadow memories?” Malik echoed.

“Yes. She has forgotten you with her mind, but not with her heart.” The Goddess spoke seriously. “I cannot promise you will be able to remind her of the things you shared or bring her back to you, but I am willing to let you try, if you like. If not, I will take you to your eternal reward—you have certainly earned it.”

Malik’s reply was immediate and definite.

“I want to try! Please, Goddess—let me try,” he begged hoarsely.

“She has three sons who need a father, now that theirs has been taken,” the Goddess said warningly. “Will you be to them what the man who originally fathered them was not?”

“I swear I will,” Malik said fervently. “I told Nicole as much myself. You know I will be a good father to them, Goddess.”

“I know that you will. You are faithful, my son. Your world could only be saved by the supreme sacrifice—the sacrifice of life and of love so great it breaks the bearer of it,” the Goddess murmured. “You made that sacrifice, and I know how difficult it was. I am well pleased with you.”

The Goddess’s voice was soft and full of caring—it washed over him like a wave and for a moment, Malik simply breathed, and let himself realize how completely the Mother of All Life loved her children, of which he was one. Then she spoke again.

“It will not be easy, but I believe if you approach your bonded mate carefully, she will remember you and the shadow memories will come back to her in time,” she told him. “I have arranged with the Time Warden to transport you forward ten cycles, to Nicole’s home world of Earth. From there, what happens is up to you.”

“Thank you for this chance, Goddess. I won’t waste it.” Malik lifted his face to the sky, feeling gratitude pour through him. “Thank you.”

“You are welcome, my son,” she murmured. “I will be watching. Now go through the door. Soon you will be with your bonded mate again.”

What door? Malik started to ask but when he turned his head, he saw a shining line of light drawing itself, as though by some invisible hand, right in the middle of the Sacred Grove. As he watched, the brilliant golden light widened until it resembled a door standing ajar right there among the trees.

Wonder filled him and he stumbled to his feet and through the door, expecting to find himself at once in Nicole’s world of ten cycles in the future…

Instead, he found himself in a small, bare room furnished only with a simple wooden table and one wooden chair. On the chair, perched a small male dressed in strange clothing with flowering designs on it. The male was working on something small and bright that seemed to be all colors and no color at once. No matter how he stared at it, Malik couldn’t seem to make out what it was.

He knew at once where he was because he had been here before, when he was given the device that would reverse time on his planet and destroy the Knower. But it wasn’t what he had been expecting.

“Time Warden!” he exclaimed, looking at the little male, who didn’t seem to be inclined to acknowledge him. “What am I doing here? Where’s Earth?”

“Well you’re an impatient one, aren’t you?” The little male looked up and Malik saw that he had a pair of wire and glass oculars perched on the end of his sharply pointed nose. “It’s good to see you again,” he added. “The Goddess has asked me to grant you a special dispensation to travel through both time and space.”

“I thank you,” Malik said eagerly. “Can you send me to Earth?”

“In good time—all in good time. I have all of it—all the time I need or you need or anyone needs, really,” the Time Warden said. “But before I send you off, I have a warning for you to pass on, I’m afraid.”

“A warning?” Malik frowned. “A warning for who? About what?”

The Time Warden sighed and for the first time, Malik realized that the little male looked incredibly weary.

“It has to do with the ripples caused in the space-time continuum when we changed the fate of your planet,” he said. “Billions…trillions of time threads had to be re-worked and re-woven. Indeed, I have been working on this project for as long as you have been on your quest—for the last ten cycles. It has been a momentous job.”

“I’m sure it has.” Malik nodded respectfully. He couldn’t even begin to comprehend what the Time Warden did but changing the fate of an entire planet and the two billion souls who occupied it couldn’t have been easy, even with the Goddess’s help.

“Anyway, I did all I could but there was one thread I couldn’t tie up.” The Time Warden took off the spindly-looking oculars and pinched the bridge of his long, narrow nose. It was a gesture of frustration and exhaustion, Malik thought.

“What thread was that?” he asked, frowning.

The Time Warden looked up at him.

“Moments before you activated the device I gave you, the Knower projected itself into one of its Replicants—as it is able to do, as you know. I say one of its Replicants but it may be more than one,” he added, grimacing. “The time thread is unclear on that point. It may even have projected its consciousness into another entity entirely—some other being with artificial intelligence like a Replicant—another body capable of housing an AI. Again, the time thread is very blurred.”

“Yes, but all of the Replicants were destroyed,” Malik protested. “I saw it happen myself. They never were and never will be, now that the future has been changed.”

“Ah, but the Knower didn’t project itself into one of the Replicants on Uriel Two,” the Time Warden said. “It sent itself further—much further than that. The one projection I was able to follow led to the Cantha System. Though as I say, there may be more out there as well.”

“What? But how can that be?” Malik demanded. “If the Knower was destroyed then those Replicants should never have existed either.”

“Remember how I explained it to you—that a change in time is like a rock dropped into a still pond?” the Warden asked, frowning. “And that the further away a place is from the point of impact where the time change happened, the less the ripples affect it?”

“Yes.” Malik frowned. “So you’re saying that because the Cantha System is on the other end of the galaxy from Uriel Two, it wasn’t affected by the time change?”

“Unfortunately not.” The Time Warden sighed and pinched his nose again. “I tried and tried but the Knower got ahead of me—I couldn’t tie off its thread.” He looked extremely frustrated. “And that means that the Kindred are still in danger—for the Knower blames you and your kind for its near destruction and the loss of its planet. It will seek revenge.”

“Must I go and seek it out?” Malik asked, lifting his chin. “I will if I have to, although my heart is with my bonded mate, back on Earth.”

“No, no.” The Time Warden shook his head. “No, the Goddess has told me that your part is done. You have sacrificed much already. This quest must be passed to someone else. But it isn’t only a quest to find the Knower.”

“It’s not?” Malik shook his head. “Then what—?”

“The Shannom-rah was also blown into the space time continuum,” the Time Warden told him. “It must be recovered before the Knower can get it. Without the Shannom-rah, it cannot complete its single-minded mission of transferring the living personalities of the Kindred into artificial hosts it can control and manipulate.”

“My mate, Nicole, seemed to think it wanted to ‘play’ with its Replicants like a child plays with dolls,” Malik said thoughtfully.

“I do not know its motivation—I only know the time thread it is on. And the thread I see right now is very grim.” The Time Warden frowned. “Someone must stop it and the best way would be to find the Shannom-rah and hide or destroy it before the Knower can get it.”

“I will convey your warning to Commander Sylvan of the Kindred of the Mother Ship,” Malik promised.

“Very good. I was going to send you to the Mother Ship anyway,” the Time Warden told him. “It is a good place for you to get grounded before you try to find your mate.”

“Could I not try to find her first and then warn Commander Sylvan?” Malik couldn’t help it—he was dying to see Nicole again. The week they had spent apart felt much longer to him.

“I’m afraid that would be a poor idea,” the Time Warden said. “You see, only living flesh can travel through time. And since your mate has only shadow memories of you, if you were to suddenly appear before her completely nude, stepping out of the middle of thin air…”

“Ah.” Malik nodded. “I see your point. Very well—send me to the Mother Ship first. I’ve waited this long to see Nicole, I must be patient a little longer.”

He just hoped he could awaken her memories of him and the time they had spent together—time which now only existed in his own mind and hers since the timeline that it had included had been tied off and closed forever.

TWENTY-SEVEN

“You have a new client wanting to see that listing out in Lutz,” her boss informed Nikki the moment she walked in the door. He grinned at her. “I think your reputation as a star Realtor is growing—he asked for you by name.”

“He did?” Nikki frowned. “Did he say who he was referred by?”

“He just said a satisfied client.” Mr. Ray shrugged his pudgy shoulders and grinned again. “That listing is a nice one—hopefully he’ll make an offer.”

“Hopefully,” Nikki murmured, trying to smile. Lately the sadness and sense of loss she felt had been growing. She was trying not to let it affect her work or her time with her boys but it wasn’t easy.

“So he’d like to see the property at ten today if possible,” her boss told her. “Oh, and his name is Mr. Malik.”

“What? What did you say?” Nikki felt a sudden wave of dizziness wash over her. She had to grab for the back of her desk chair to keep from toppling over.

“Whoa—hey, are you okay?” Mr. Ray caught her arm to steady her. “What happened?”

“Sorry, just…” Nikki groped for an explanation. “I just didn’t eat breakfast today, that’s all,” she said lamely. “I’ll grab a protein bar on the way over there. It’s almost ten now.”

“If you’re sure you’re going to be all right. I can always send Missy instead,” Mr. Ray said.

“No!” Nikki exclaimed, so vehemently that her boss stared at her.

“All right,” he said, chuckling. “I understand you two have a little friendly competition—I just don’t want you driving off the road, that’s all.”

“I’ll make it,” Nikki said fervently. “It’s Mr. Malik, right?” The name tasted familiar on her tongue, like a flavor she had once known intimately but hadn’t had in years.

“That’s what he said. You have the key to the lock box?” Mr. Ray asked.

Nikki nodded. “I’ll go right away.”

And before her boss could say another word she was out the door and on her way.

As she drove, Nikki tried to understand why the strange name stirred her so strongly. Why it seemed to give her a sense of hope when, for the past two weeks, she’d been feeling utterly hopeless.

Though she tried not to show it, the emptiness and loss inside her had been growing for days, ever since she’d gotten back to Earth, in fact. Though her career was doing well, she was financially set, and her boys were all behaving for the first time in years, she couldn’t seem to be happy.

Oh, she faked it well enough for her boys. She was the only parent they had left so she had to be strong, she told herself. But inside it felt like a black hole had opened where her heart should be and it was sucking all the light and joy out of her life.

I’m depressed, Nikki told herself. I should get some therapy. But what could she tell a therapist? That she was missing someone she couldn’t even remember? That her heart felt as though it had been cut in two and was only working at half- capacity? None of it made sense and yet she couldn’t seem to stop feeling this way—couldn’t seem to climb out of the dark pit of despair she had somehow fallen into.

But that name—Malik—for some reason it seemed to shine a ray of sun down into the pit. Nikki didn’t know why, she only knew she had to see the man attached to it—had to know why just the mention of his name made her feel lighter than she had in weeks.

The house was a two story with an unusual interior design which brought in lots of interested buyers. When Nikki pulled up in front, she saw that a sleek silver car like nothing she had ever seen before was already parked in the driveway. Out of it stepped an extremely tall man with long, wheat colored hair that hung to his shoulders. When he turned to her, his eyes caught the sunlight and for a moment they almost seemed to flash silver.

The man with silver eyes! It’s him! whispered a little voice in her head. Nikki had the sudden crazy impulse to run and throw her arms around him but she stopped herself at the last minute. What was wrong with her? This was a client and he was expecting his Realtor to act professional.

He was wearing the uniform of a Kindred warrior, she saw—tight black trousers tucked into tall black boots and a silver-gray uniform shirt made of some thick, silky material that looked like satin but probably wasn’t.

“Nicole?” he asked as she came towards him. “I mean, Mrs. Davis?”

“Oh, please call me Nikki. And you must be Mr. Malik.” Nikki gave him her brightest smile, though her hand was shaking as she extended it to shake.

“Just Malik.” The Kindred enclosed her hand in a much larger one and simply held it for a moment, looking deeply into her eyes.

It was an uncomfortable but somehow compelling moment. There was something about his touch…something about the way he was looking at her…

I know him, Nikki thought but that was as crazy as her impulse to hug him had been. Of course she didn’t know him. She’d seen a few Kindred around town, since Tampa had an HKR building and they regularly called brides from the Bay area, but she’d never met one in person—especially not this one. She was certain she’d remember him if she had.

But I do remember him—I do! insisted that little voice in her head.

Nikki pushed it away.

“So, you’re interested in living down here on Earth instead of the Mother Ship?” she asked, still giving him her bright, artificial smile. “I must say, that’s very nice.”

“Yes…yes, I suppose it is.” The big Kindred released her hand and Nikki thought she saw a flicker of disappointment in his silvery-gray eyes. He looked like a man who had been expecting something and didn’t get it. But what was he expecting?

“If you’d like to come this way…” she said, fumbling with the key as she tried to get it into the lock box on the front door. Her hands were shaking so badly that she couldn’t, though. The key just kept chattering around the keyhole as though she was drunk or had some kind of palsy.

“Here—let me.” The big Kindred reached out and took the key from her hand. Carefully, he fit it into the lock and turned it.

“Oh, thank you.” Nikki gave a breathless little laugh. God, what was wrong with her? Why couldn’t she act normal around him? He was going to think she was high or crazy or something!

He was still standing close to her—so close their shoulders were brushing—so close she could smell his cologne. It had a strangely electrical note to it that smelled somehow dangerous but under that was a warm, dark, masculine spice that seemed to melt things inside her.

Again she got the strangest feeling of déjà vu. God, what was that fragrance? And where had she smelled it before? It was so familiar somehow, just like the man with the silver eyes. But how could that be when she’d never seen him before in her life?

“Shall we go inside?” he asked and Nikki realized she’d just been standing there, right inside the doorway, smelling him and looking at him. God, he really was going to think she was crazy.

“Oh, of course.” She tried to laugh again. “You have to excuse me—I didn’t, uh, get breakfast this morning and I’m a little shaky.”

“Maybe I can take you out for Mid Meal after we conclude here,” he suggested.

“Oh, that’s…that’s a nice offer but I don’t usually, uh…I mean, I just met you,” she fumbled, trying to find the words.

“Did you?” He looked at her intently. “Did you just meet me, Nicole?”

“Well…yes. Yes, of course.” She looked up at him uncertainly and found she couldn’t meet the intensity of those silver eyes. “Um, let’s go inside, shall we? This house has several unique features I think you’re just going to love.”

“After you,” he said courteously, making a sweeping hand gesture. Nikki preceded him and they found themselves in the entryway.

The house really did have an unusual layout. Instead of the usual great-room concept that combined the living room, dining room, and den all into one huge, echoing space, this house had boundaries. There was a formal living room and dining room as you first entered. Then, coming off from the center of the other side of the house was a circular staircase leading up to a second-floor landing.

“What would you like to see first?” Nicole asked the big Kindred. “The kitchen is just through here.” As she spoke, she led him through the first area with the dining and living room, through the family room, and into the other side of the house where there was a roomy kitchen and a breakfast nook.

“Tell me about the appliances you have here,” Malik said. “They look… different from the ones I am used to.”

“Oh, well there’s a…” Stove that doesn’t work, whispered that insistent little voice in her head. And remember how the cabinets wouldn’t open? And the refrigerator either? They were all just solid pieces, like in a Barbie Dream House.

No, that was crazy! Where were these memories coming from? Yet for a moment she saw it so clearly, she couldn’t go on—a lovely-looking kitchen where none of the appliances worked.

“There’s a what?” Malik asked and she realized she had trailed off in mid-sentence.

“Oh, I’m sorry! A stove—that works, of course,” she said and turned one of the knobs to convince herself as much as him. The round red circle on the flat top stove lit up cherry-red at once. “There—see?” Satisfied, Nikki snapped it off again. “And over here we have a refrigerator that really opens,” she went on, pulling open the door to show him—and herself, if she was being honest—that it really did.

“I see. Very nice,” Malik said neutrally.

“Lots of cabinets too,” Nikki added, opening one to prove to herself that it wasn’t just part of the wall, only for show. “Plenty of storage space for your pots and pans.”

“I’m afraid I don’t have any pots and pans,” he said mildly. “I don’t have any home wares at all. I only just moved to the Mother Ship a week ago and I didn’t bring anything with me from my home world.”

“Oh? And where do you originally come from?” Nikki asked, her heart pounding for some reason.

“A place called Uriel Two.” He looked at her intently as he spoke. “Do you know of it?”

“Uriel Two? Yes!” she exclaimed, then had to backpedal quickly. “I mean no—no, I’m afraid I don’t. Sorry.” What in the world had possessed her to say ‘yes’ to that question? She honestly couldn’t say except for just a moment it felt like he was mentioning a place she’d been before. Which was crazy, since she had only been to Yonnie Six and back on her one and only trip off planet.

“I see.” He nodded thoughtfully. “Can you show me more of the domicile? Where is the main sleeping chamber?”

“Oh, you mean the master bedroom? I believe it’s upstairs. Come on.”

Nikki led the way up the stairs, wishing she had on a skirt that was a little looser. Her black pencil skirt was hugging her overly-large behind and too-wide hips with every step and Malik was right behind her, watching her with those silver eyes.

Don’t be ridiculous, she told herself uneasily. A guy like that can have anyone he wants. He’s not getting excited staring at a middle-aged, plus-sized Realtor. In fact, he’s probably thinking you ought to lose some weight.

“You’re an Elite, Mistress,” whispered a voice in her head—the voice of some memory she couldn’t quite bring all the way to the forefront of her brain. “A female whom the Goddess has blessed with generous curves. You’re beautiful.”

Nikki shook her head as they reached the top of the stairs. Now where had that come from? What a weird idea, that some guy would like her not despite her over-generous curves but because of them. Yeah, right—like that would ever happen…

She reached the top of the stairs and stood to one side for Malik. As unobtrusively as she could, she straightened her white silk blouse and pulled her professional-looking black blazer closed. There—at least the black had a slimming effect—as long as she didn’t take off the blazer she’d be fine.

“I believe this is the master suite right here,” she said, leading him into a large bedroom at the end of the upstairs hall.

“The furnishings in here are nice,” he remarked. “Would they come with the house?”

“Oh, uh…” Nikki stared at the king-sized bed which was a four-poster with a pale blue spread. But for a moment, all she could see was a huge bed with a crimson-red mattress and a black framework.

There were all kinds of devices hung on the walls, whispered the little voice in her head. There were whips and floggers and paddles…there was even a cage big enough to hold a man—no, a slave. A bodyslave.

A what? Nikki shook her head, trying to rid herself of the crazy little voice but it refused to be silenced.

He knelt in front of you, it whispered. He called you “Mistress” and kissed you—kissed your panties

“Nicole?” The big Kindred was looking at her intently again. “Are you well?”

“I’m sorry,” she said, trying to regain her composure. “You were asking if the furnishings came with the house? I don’t really know but I can check for you. The seller might be willing to part with them.”

“Can we see the bathing area?” he asked.

“Of course. This way.” Nikki led the way into the en suite bathroom. The first thing she noticed was the huge, round tub, big enough for two.

He made love to me in the bathtub, whispered the little voice—it was relentless now. He bonded me to him. We made love for hours and he filled me again and again…

Suddenly her heart was pounding and it seemed like she couldn’t get a deep enough breath. Her head was filled with naughty thoughts and strange images—Malik on his knees before her as she sat by the side of the tub…Let me pay obeisance to your pussy, Mistress. Let me kiss you and show you my respect… Malik in the tub, cradling her against his big body, his large warm hands roaming over her body, washing her…caressing her…making her hot… Malik under her as she straddled him, taking his long, thick shaft inside herself, telling him she wanted more…that she wanted it all…

Stop it, stop it! What’s wrong with me? I have to stop thinking like this!

“Please excuse me. I’m not feeling well.” Putting a hand to her head, Nikki stumbled out of the bathroom. Her heel caught on the edge of the rug and she twisted and started to fall.

I really am going crazy, she told herself as the floor tilted towards her at alarming speed. I can’t get these thoughts out of my head!

Then, just before the hardwood floor could flatten her nose, strong arms swooped her up and she found herself being cradled against a broad, muscular chest.

His warm scent was all around her, surrounding her, filling her senses, making her feel drunk and dizzy with lust. Her nipples were so tight they hurt and below the waist she was absolutely molten with desire.

What’s wrong with me, getting the hots for some client I’ve never met before? Nikki thought dizzily. But she had met him—she was sure she had! Or else why was she having all these crazy memories and fantasies about him? Was his scent acting like some kind of aphrodisiac on her? It was making her feel like she was going to crawl out of her skin with sexual need!

Didn’t they say that scent was the sense tied most strongly to memory? And now she kept having all these strange memories of desire. It seemed to work in a loop—the longer she breathed him in—breathed in that spicy, electrical cologne he was wearing—the more the memories filled her brain and the stronger her need became. It was all she could do not to twist in his arms and reach for him, all she could do not to drag him down for a kiss.

If he doesn’t put me down soon, I’m going to lose it, she thought desperately. I’m going to embarrass myself and lose my job for coming on to a client! What’s wrong with me?

She expected Malik to set her on her feet or maybe lay her on the bed. Instead, he sat down on the mattress still holding her cradled against him.

“Mr. Malik?” she asked, not liking the way her voice was shaking. “Can you…could you please put me down?”

“Not until I’m certain you’re all right.” His voice was a soft, deep rumble that was somehow familiar.

He’s held me like this before. After he massaged me and made me come and I started to cry. He held me and just let me cry. He was so gentle…so sweet…

No! Nikki tried to push the crazy memory out of her head. What was happening to her? Was she losing her mind?

It’s because I’m breathing his cologne—it’s laced with something, she thought wildly. Some kind of aphrodisiac. I have to get away from it!

“Excuse me but I really need to get up!” She struggled in his arms and he set her down on the bed beside him, reluctantly, she thought.

“Are you well? You seem agitated,” he remarked.

“I…I think I’m allergic to your cologne,” Nikki blurted. “It’s making me have all kinds of crazy thoughts.” She shook her head. “Oh God, I’m so sorry—that sounds completely insane. Please, forgive me. I just—”

“What kind of thoughts?” he asked quietly.

“I—what?” Nikki couldn’t believe he wasn’t getting up and making excuses to get away from the crazy Realtor lady who was freaking out on him. Instead, he looked at her intently.

“I said, what kind of thoughts are you having?”

“I…I can’t tell you,” she protested, her cheeks getting hot with a sudden blush.

“Are they…sexual in nature?” He was still speaking softly, not trying to touch her, but they were side by side and the heat from his big body felt like it was branding her.

“I…what would make you think that?” Nikki demanded. “I don’t even know you. I’m not going to just…just…”

“Maybe you know me more than you think,” he murmured. “And what makes me think your thoughts are sexual, is your sweet scent, Nicole. A Kindred’s senses never lie—I can smell your heat.”

He inhaled deeply and his silver eyes were suddenly half-lidded. The look he directed at her was positively hungry. He made Nikki think of a big cat, like a lion or a tiger, lounging beside her, staring at her with lazy lust.

“I…I don’t know what you mean,” she said, crossing her legs and pressing her thighs together tightly.

“I think you do,” he said in that soft, deep voice.

“It’s just your cologne,” Nikki protested. “It…it’s making me dizzy.”

“I’m not wearing cologne, Nicole,” he said quietly. “What you’re smelling is my bonding scent—a blend of pheromones a Kindred male makes only for his mate—or the female he hopes will be his mate.”

“Are you saying that your body is…is making a scent just to draw me in?”

Nikki could hardly believe him. This was all crazy, right? But if so, why couldn’t she muster the will to get up and get away from him? Why was she fighting with every ounce of will power she possessed not to climb into his lap and grind her body wantonly against his? What was wrong with her?

“That’s exactly what I’m saying…Mistress.”

“What? What did you call me?” Nikki looked up at him, wide-eyed. “Why would you call me that?”

“Because you were my Mistress—for a time,” Malik rumbled softly. “I gave myself to you, body and soul. And you…you gave yourself to me as well. Do you begin to remember?”

“I…I have all kinds of crazy thoughts in my head,” Nikki admitted in a shaky voice. “Thoughts that feel like memories. But they can’t be true, can they? I’ve never met you before.”

“Not in this time-line, you haven’t,” Malik said. “But there was another time—a time we shared. No one now remembers it but me, because time was changed. And you…you only have shadow-memories of it, of all we shared…all we were to each other. I am here hoping to bring those memories forward—to bring you back to me.”

Part of Nikki wanted desperately to believe him. She had never felt so drawn to anyone in her life. It was as though the big Kindred had the other half of her heart—the part that had been missing ever since that strange moment of disorientation on the ride home to Earth. But the rational part refused to believe.

“I’m sorry,” she said. “This is…too crazy. I feel like things are getting out of hand. I think we should leave now.”

“Wait.” He put a hand on her arm as she started to get off the bed. “Let me do one thing—give you one kiss—to try and bring your memories out of the shadow realm and into reality.” His silver eyes were filled with longing. “If it fails you can send me away forever but please, Nicole—let me just try.”

She started to refuse out of hand but there was something about him that drew her so strongly she couldn’t get the words out. She opened her mouth and heard herself ask,

“Just…just one kiss?”

“One kiss,” he promised.

“Well…” She bit her lip. “I…I suppose one kiss can’t hurt.”

What are you talking about? demanded the rational part of her brain. Of course it will hurt—he’s a client! You can’t just go kissing clients! What about your professional credibility?

But Malik was already sliding off the bed to kneel on the floor before her. He looked up at her expectantly.

“Will you part your thighs, so that I can kiss you…Mistress?”

There it was again—that title. She’d been called “Mistress” the entire time she was impersonating her evil twin on Yonnie Six, but somehow that word in Malik’s mouth seemed to turn her bones to butter.

“My…my thighs?” she asked breathlessly. “But I thought you wanted to kiss me.”

“So I do.” Malik’s silver eyes were filled with that lazy lust again, half-lidded and hungry. “Will you spread your legs for me so that I can?”

“But…but…” she tried to protest but somehow she found that his big warm hands were on her knees and she was opening for him, her skirt riding up to show her innocent white lace panties.

What are you doing? screamed the rational part of her brain. You can’t do this with him! What’s wrong with you?

Nikki tried to care about it, tried to listen to the voice of reason, but she just couldn’t. At that moment she truly understood the phrase—“The heart wants what the heart wants.”

Only in this case, it’s not your heart you’re listening too, whispered the little voice in her head.

True, she had to admit, and yet she still couldn’t make herself care—couldn’t make herself do anything but part her thighs at Malik’s gentle urging. Besides, it was only one kiss…

“Yes, only one kiss,” he murmured and she realized that she had spoken the last words aloud. “Just one, to try and jog your memory, Mistress.”

“All…all right,” Nikki breathed. She was reclining back on the bed, propped up on her elbows by this time, with her thighs spread wide, thought she hardly knew how she had gotten into such a provocative position. The big Kindred was kneeling between her legs, a look of hungry anticipation in his eyes.

Leaning forward, he pressed his face against the lace crotch of her panties and rubbed against her, inhaling deeply as though to savor her scent.

“Oh!” Nikki gasped, her hips jerking involuntarily. His hot breath against her pussy through the thin lace was like an erotic jolt to her entire system. Had her nipples been tight before? Now they ached with need. And her pussy felt so wet and hot she was afraid her juices would start seeping through her underwear!

Thank goodness she had panties on to keep him from realizing what he was doing to her, she thought. If he knew it would be so embarrassing!

But the next moment, Malik was reaching up to tangle his long fingers in the lace sides of her panties and pulling them down.

“Wait—wait a minute!” Nikki put out a trembling hand to stop him. “What are you doing? You said just one kiss.”

“But I haven’t kissed you yet,” he rumbled. “I have only scented you. And gods, Nicole, your scent is so damn sweet.” His voice was a low, lustful growl. “Love the warm, feminine scent of your pussy, sweetheart—I could come just from breathing you in. But now I need to taste you.”

“You…you mean kiss me,” Nicole corrected him in a shaky voice. “That was what you promised—just one kiss.”

“Of course.” He rubbed her inner thighs soothingly with his big, warm hands. “But in order to kiss you properly, I have to take off your panties and spread your pussy. How else can I pay my obeisance to my Mistress properly?”

“Oh, I…I guess so,” Nikki heard herself say. They were getting deeper and deeper here but somehow she couldn’t seem to stop herself. It’s just one kiss—only one, she reminded herself desperately, but she no longer knew if she believed that.

“Relax, sweetheart,” Malik murmured, still stroking her thighs soothingly. “I’ll never hurt you—I only want to bring you pleasure. I only want to bring you back to me.”

Nikki could scarcely believe this was happening—was she really about to let an unknown client go down on her in the middle of showing a listing?

But he’s not unknown, whispered a little voice in her head. If what he’s saying is true, you do know him—intimately.

Well, if she didn’t she was about to. Because no matter how wrong it was, she was going to let him do this, she realized. She just couldn’t make herself stop.

“All right,” she whispered. “You can…can kiss me that way. You can spread me open and taste me…Malik.”

His soft growl of approval seemed to rumble through her entire body.

“As my Mistress pleases,” he murmured as he finished taking off her panties. Then he spread her legs even wider and ducked his head to press between her thighs again.

Nikki felt his thumbs spreading her outer pussy lips and then his hot mouth was pressing against her, invading her inner folds to kiss her deeply, as though he was kissing her mouth.

She moaned and her hips did that little involuntary jump again and suddenly her clit was pressed right against his tongue. Malik made a sound somewhere between a groan and a growl and then his muscular arms were winding around her thighs, splitting her even wider.

Nikki gasped and arched her back as he lapped upward, starting at the entrance to her pussy and dragging his hot tongue over her tender folds, licking her swollen inner cunt and stroking her aching clit as he tried to capture every drop of her honey.

“Malik!” she gasped and somehow found that her fingers were buried in his long, wheat-colored hair as she pressed up to meet him. Oh God, was she really doing this? Was she lying on a strange bed with her legs spread wide, riding his mouth, writhing against his tongue?

It seemed that she was and it further seemed that she couldn’t stop.

“Malik!” she cried again. “Oh God, yes…yes, please!”

Suddenly she heard him speaking to her—but not with his mouth, which was busy at the moment—with his mind. At least that was what it seemed like, as she heard his deep, growling voice in her head, not with her ears.

“Does my Mistress approve of the way I pay obeisance to her sweet pussy?” he growled softly. “Do you like it when I lap your hot little clit?”

At any other time, Nikki would have demanded how exactly he was doing this—how was he talking inside her head? But at the moment, it seemed like the most natural thing in the world to talk back to him the same way.

“God, yes, Malik—don’t stop!” she begged, through the strange mental connection they seemed to have. “Right there…right there. I’m so close!”

“Here?” He tongued the side of her throbbing clit again, sending sparks of pleasure through her entire body, making her toes curl.

“Yes!” Nikki’s fingers tightened in his hair but he seemed to like it. Pressing forward, he lapped more forcefully, rubbing his hot, wet tongue over the sensitive spot again and again until Nikki felt like she was about to come out of her skin. His tongue seemed to be vibrating somehow, sending shivers of desire and need all through her, pushing her higher and higher until she felt like she was going to explode…

“That’s right, sweetheart,” he sent. “Come for me—want to feel you coming against my tongue. Let your honey come down so I can taste it straight from the source.”

The combination of his hot, relentless lapping and the dirty words in his deep growling voice being projected directly into her brain was too much for Nikki. With a cry, she felt her orgasm sweeping towards her like a tidal wave. She knew it would be a pleasure so great it might drown her but she didn’t care—she only wanted to come. Only wanted to give Malik exactly what he asked for—her honey straight from the source.

So close…oh God, she was so close…

And the two long fingers found her pussy entrance and he was entering her, pressing deep to fuck her as he lapped and sucked relentlessly, pushing her over the edge of orgasm as her pleasure crashed over her like the pounding surf.

“Oh…Oh!” Nikki cried. Her back was arching, her pelvis tilting to give herself to him completely. Every muscle in her body felt tight with need and she was coming…coming so hard she could hardly breathe.

With the pleasure, came the memories—a veritable flood of them. Waking up in Mistress Hellenix’s bizarre spa, being afraid that Malik would hurt her but then realizing that he would help her instead. Flashes of him kneeling before her and flashes of her kneeling before him, taking him in her mouth. The salted caramel taste of his cum…the way he had kissed her afterwards, as though searching for the taste of himself in her mouth.

Then she saw him tied before her at the Banquet of Pain—the way he had opened himself for her, the intimacy of fucking him. Then later, the intimacy of letting him fuck her—take her—bond her to him. They had been together such a short time but they had shared their souls…

“That’s right, sweetheart—we’re bonded. You’re my mate,” she heard Malik murmur through their link. “I have crossed both time and space to be with you again. I love you, Nicole!”

“Oh Malik…I love you too!”

She dragged him up and fastened her lips to his, moaning as he kissed her mouth with the same fervor he’d used on her pussy, pressing his tongue deep inside her, feeding her the secret taste of herself as he crushed her to him, delirious with hunger for her.

At last they broke apart, panting.

“You came back for me!” Nikki gasped, looking into the now-familiar silver eyes. “But I thought you were supposed to dissipate or disappear or dry up and blow away after you used the time device?”

“Our bond kept me anchored to reality,” he told her, running his hands restlessly up and down her back as though to reassure himself she was really here, really real. “But I found myself back on Uriel Two of ten years ago with nowhere to go and nothing to do.”

“But your family—” she began.

Malik shook his head. “My family wouldn’t have known me, even if I had tried to contact them. Besides, I was already there—the past me was, anyway. And he hadn’t gone through any of what I had gone through in the ten cycles I worked and waited to restore my home world. He was with my old lover—Havlah.”

“The girl you tried to bond with but couldn’t?” Nikki asked.

He nodded.

“In that timeline—this timeline, I suppose—he was able to bond her to him. She was expecting a child.” He shook his head. “I just…didn’t belong there. I don’t belong anywhere but with you.”

“I’ve been so sad these last few weeks,” Nicole confessed. “I didn’t understand why but now I know it’s because I was missing you—longing for the other half of our bond.”

“I’ve been going nearly crazy with need for you, too,” Malik told her, in a low, rough voice. “Gods, sweetheart—I’m so glad you were able to remember!”

“Me too.” Nikki hugged him close again. “And to think I almost left! I just felt so crazy—all these thoughts were popping up in my head and your bonding scent was making me so…” She blushed.

“So aroused?” he growled softly. “I understand, sweetheart—your scent does that to me too. Gods, I’ve been so hungry for you.”

“I feel the same.” Nikki was about to suggest that they renew their bond right there when she heard the front door open and someone called,

“Hello? Nikki are you here? I hope you don’t mind but I have someone else who wants to see the listing.”

“Crap!” Nikki hissed. “It’s Missy from my work.” “Quick—where are my panties?” she sent through their link.

“Here.” Malik found them and handed them over.

Quickly, Nikki pulled them on and then straightened her skirt. She tucked in her shirt and ran both hands through her hair, wondering wildly if she looked like someone who had been having hot oral sex in a place she definitely shouldn’t have.

While she had been straightening herself out, Malik had been re-making the rumpled bed. By the time she was finished with her hasty make-over, it looked pristine. Thank goodness because just a moment later, Missy charged up the stairs with a nice-looking young couple right behind her.

“Nikki?” she asked uncertainly. “I called but you didn’t answer.”

“Oh, sorry! We were, uh, looking at the master bath,” Nikki said quickly, improvising. “There are so many echoes in there you can’t hear a thing from outside.”

“Oh.” Missy looked slightly mollified. “Well, I hope you don’t mind—the Robinsons here would like to see the house.”

“No problem at all.” Malik nodded agreeably at the young couple. “I believe Mrs. Davis was about to show me a few other listings.”

“Yes,” Nikki said quickly. “We were just moving on—so help yourselves.” She smiled at the couple and she and Malik beat a hasty retreat down the stairs.

Once outside, with the door safely closed, she collapsed into nervous giggles.

“Oh my God, I can’t believe we did that!”

“I can’t believe we didn’t do more,” Malik growled, his silver eyes hungry. “I was about to bond you to me all over again.”

“It’s a good thing we didn’t start that!” Nikki said, remembering how long bonding sex with a Volt Kindred took and how it was impossible to stop once you started.

“But I still want you.” Malik’s voice was a deep, needful growl.

Nikki felt her own lust rise again in response to his.

“God—I want you too. Luckily, we’re not far from my house and the kids aren’t coming home for another two hours.”

The thought of her children put a slight damper on her mood though. For a moment she’d been so high on lust and love she’d forgotten her most important responsibility. She was a single mom now and that meant baggage.

“I can’t wait to meet your sons,” Malik murmured through their link. “Or to adopt them as my own.”

Nikki gave a shaky laugh. “Well, I think we’re going to have to take things slow on that front. They just lost their own father, after all. They might not be ready for a new one right away.”

“So your worthless ex-mate left you as he said he would?” Malik asked, frowning.

“Oh, that’s right, I forgot you don’t know. He didn’t leave—Mistress Hellenix took him,” Nikki told him. “She said he amused her, which is a hell of a lot more than he ever did for me.” She shook her head. “Look, I can tell you all about it at my house. If…if you still want to come, that is.”

“Didn’t I just say that I did?” Malik murmured gently. Stepping closer, he cupped her cheek and tilted her face up to his. “I want you, Nicole, no matter how many bags you come with.”

Nikki realized he must have caught her thought about baggage earlier and had to fight to stifle a smile.

“Thank you, Malik,” she whispered. “In that case, let’s go—come home with me.”

“Home. That sounds right. Wherever you are is my home, sweetheart.”

He smiled at her, his silver eyes filled with love and warmth and for the first time in a long time, Nikki felt like her heart was whole. As they turned to go back to her house, she realized that her life was complete. And no matter how many crazy adventures she’d had to go through, they had all been worth it.

After all, she never would have found Malik if she hadn’t switched places with Mistress Hellenix and her life hadn’t gotten so…Twisted.

EPILOGUE

“This emergency meeting of the Kindred High Council will now come to order.” Sylvan banged the speaking rock on the circular table and looked around at the other Council members. “I am afraid I had to call this meeting because the Kindred of the Mother Ship are facing a very serious threat,” he said. “For an explanation of that threat, I call on Malik of the Volt Kindred to speak.”

Malik rose and Sophie—who was also included in the meeting at Sylvan’s request—noted how the Volt Kindred’s silver eyes seemed to crackle with electrical sparks. Beside her, Nikki, who was Malik’s mate, sat with her hands squeezed tightly together. Sophie patted her arm reassuringly.

“Hey, it’s going to be okay,” she murmured.

Nikki spared her a tight smile. “Thanks. I don’t know why I’m nervous—Malik’s the one giving the speech, not me.”

“Well, he’s going to do great,” Sophie said, smiling.

She had been showing Nikki around the Mother Ship and giving her information about the Kindred’s universal health care program and excellent schools. She already liked the other woman a lot and had the impression that she and Malik were thinking of moving up to the Mother Ship at the start of the next school year with her three boys.

Though Nikki had explained that her sons had been having a rough time after losing their real father, apparently they got along with Malik wonderfully and the big Volt Kindred was doing his best to fill the void in all their lives. Sophie thought it was wonderful that the new family was doing so well together—it took a special male to raise another man’s sons but if anyone was up to the task, Malik seemed to be.

Then the Volt Kindred began to speak and a hush fell over the room.

“Members of the Council, High Chancellor, and guests,” Malik said, nodding around the room. “My tale is strange but it must be told—you are all in grave danger…”

He spoke for almost an hour, going over many details, and no one interrupted him until he was finished. At last he nodded and asked if anyone had questions.

Everyone did.

“But how can we possibly know if this fantastic tale is true?” one of the Council members demanded.

“Because I remember it too.” Nikki’s voice was a little shaky, but she stood and lifted her chin, supporting her man in a way that Sophie admired. “I saw what the Knower had made out of Uriel Two and I saw Malik destroy its core processor,” she said. “I was there.”

“I have memories of our concerns about the Knower and Uriel Two as well,” Sylvan spoke strongly. “We were concerned because the facility where it made its Replicants had increased production. And let us not forget the attempt on my life by one of those self-same Replicants—an assassin bot sent by Mistress Hellenix of Yonnie Six.”

“I do remember that,” Councilor Lor’iim said. “But…I don’t remember where the assassin bot came from.”

The other Councilors murmured in agreement.

“Because it came from a timeline that is no longer open,” Sylvan told them. “That is why you cannot remember the origins of the Replicant that was sent to kill me.”

“So you’re saying that this AI—this Knower—is still out there somewhere?” Councilor Tagon asked.

“It is. I was told by the Time Warden that it had projected itself into the body of one of its remaining Replicants—probably one of the ones in a Replicant brothel it owns in the Cantha System,” Malik said. “I was also told that we must find the Shannom-rah—the ancient crystal capable of recording and storing trillions of complete personalities—before the Knower can get its hands on it and use it to transfer Kindred personalities into Replicant bodies.”

“The Shannom-rah? I thought that was a myth,” Councilor Lor’iim objected.

“Unfortunately not. It is very real,” Malik said. “It used to be in the collection of Mistress Hellenix—I thought that it might have been sent back there when the timelines were changed.”

“It was but I’m afraid it isn’t there anymore,” Sylvan said regretfully. “When Mistress Hellenix was seized at her domicile, the Sacred Seven of Yonnie Six confiscated some of her more valuable collections and auctioned them off to pay for her legal fees. It is how they do things on that planet,” he added.

“So…where did this crystal that records people go?” Sophie asked, speaking up for the first time.

Sylvan had asked her to be there because she also had memories that didn’t jibe with the current timeline and he wanted her to be included. He had asked Dark, the warrior who had helped Nikki get home in the current timeline, to be there for the same reason but so far the big Kindred hadn’t said a word. He just sat silently beside her, staring at Sylvan as though he was trying to stare a hole through him.

“I’ve been tracking the Shannom-rah,” Sylvan said grimly. “The new owner is a Trollox by the name of Gorn G’rime. And he makes his home in the Cantha System.”

“You mean the same place the Knower’s Replicant brothel is located?” Sophie exclaimed.

Sylvan nodded. “Unfortunately, yes. And to make matters worse, the intelligence we have on him suggests that he visits the brothel often and has even bought some of the Replicants to serve as domestic help in his household—he’s apparently very wealthy.”

“We have to get that crystal from him!” Councilor Lor’iim exclaimed. “We can’t allow the Knower to get its hands on it!”

“Has an offer been made to buy it?” Councilor H’jas asked.

“It has. But Gorn has refused. He is apparently very proud of his new acquisition and will not be parted from it,” Sylvan said.

“Then we take it!” one of the Councilors said, frowning. “By force if necessary.”

“Unfortunately, Councilor Bel’icos, that would cause an altercation with the Trollox race and they number in the trillions and are notoriously ready to kill not only the warriors they fight but all of their families as well,” Sylvan said dryly. “So taking the Shannom-rah by force would put us in a less than optimal situation.”

“Then what are we going to do?” Councilor H’jas demanded. “The crystal cannot be left in the hands of this Gorn person—it could be taken by the Knower at any time.”

“I agree.” Sylvan nodded. “If we cannot buy the Shannom-rah or take it from Gorn, we must steal it. Though I do not usually like to resort to underhanded practices, in this case it is the only way.”

“And how do you propose to do that?” Councilor Lor’iim asked, frowning.

“In such a way that Gorn never even knows that it is gone,” Sylvan said. “We are in the process of manufacturing an exact replica, but the process of making a credible fake will be a long and delicate one due to the intricate shading of the crystal. We need someone in Gorn’s home to plant the fake when it is ready and to guard the real Shannom-rah from the Knower until that time.”

“So you need someone to go undercover as…what? A servant?” Councilor Bel’icos asked.

“I was thinking, why not a Replicant?” Sylvan said. “Our intelligence indicates he trusts them more that humanoid servants—a Replicant would be beyond suspicion and probably have full access to the Shannom-rah.”

“So someone has to go to the Replicant brothel and just hope that he buys them?” Councilor Lor’iim asked, raising one eyebrow skeptically.

“Not for long,” Sylvan said. “There is an auction coming up in a few days time. We could plant our agent there. My understanding is that Gorn will be at the auction, looking to buy a Replicant who can cook to his satisfaction.”

Suddenly Dark, the Kindred warrior who had been silent at Sophie’s side all this time, jumped up and began to pace.

“Dark?” Nikki looked at him uncertainly. “Are you okay? What’s wrong?”

“This is it—this is the mission I dreamed of.” Dark looked up, speaking to Sylvan. “Forgive me, Head Councilor, but I believe that I am meant to do this—I and no other.”

“Oh?” Sylvan frowned. “And why do you say that?”

“I had a dream last night.” Dark was still pacing, still running his hands through his hair as he spoke. “It was so strong—so real—I couldn’t forget it. In it, I saw a female with a bruised face and then she faded and I saw a crystal that was pure white with rainbow colors shot through it.”

“That’s the Shannom-rah,” Nikki said excitedly. “Did you ever see it in Mistress Hellenix’s collection when she had you as her slave?”

Dark shook his head. “No—she never trusted me with it. She held the key to that particular collection herself. But I saw it in my dream and I heard a female voice saying to me—‘You must go. A life for a life.’”

“A life for a life?” Sylvan frowned. “What does that mean?”

“I think it means the way in which I was saved from Mistress Hellenix in the first place,” Dark said. “Mistress Nicole traded her ex-mate for me and my younger brother. I owe a life-debt for that.”

Sophie looked at her new friend in surprise.

“You, uh, traded your ex husband away to Mistress Hellenix?” she asked in a low voice.

“Well, it wasn’t like she gave me much choice.” Nikki pursed her lips. “She liked Gary, for some reason. And who knows where he is now that she’s been captured and taken into custody?”

“Her slaves were auctioned off as well,” Sylvan said, addressing her implied question. “I’m afraid they went to all quarters of the galaxy so it’s impossible to know where your ex-mate is now.”

“No great loss,” Malik growled and Dark nodded in agreement. Sophie thought Nikki looked conflicted about it—probably on behalf of his kids. From the bits and pieces the other woman had let drop, it sounded like her ex had planned to clean out their mutual account and run out on her. No great loss indeed.

“So, to return to the matter at hand, you think you are meant to be our agent in this matter?” Sylvan asked, speaking to Dark. “Because of your dream?”

“I wasn’t sure until now,” Dark admitted. “But then you said he’s looking for a cook.”

“So…you can cook?” Sylvan raised an eyebrow at him.

“I used to own my own restaurant on Rigelis Prime before I was captured by the Yonnites,” Dark said shortly. “Which isn’t too far from the Trollox home world—so I even know some of the dishes this bastard is likely to want. So yes, Head Councilor, I believe this mission is meant for me.”

“But it is the Kindred of the Mother Ship who are in danger—not your own branch of the Kindred,” Councilor Lor’iim protested. “Er…if you don’t mind me asking, what is your branch? You have fangs like a Blood Kindred but your coloration…”

“I know I look wrong. Most blood kindred look like Commander Sylvan there.” Dark gestured at Sylvan, who had blond hair and pale blue eyes, as did most Blood Kindred. He, in contrast, had flashing dark bronze eyes and black hair, worn a bit long and shaggy. “My mother was a rare Blood Kindred female,” he continued, “And my father was a Dark Healer.”

“A Dark Healer?” Sophie murmured, surprised. “What’s that?”

“Dark Healers are a race of people who can heal the physical and emotional wounds of others, but at a cost to themselves,” Sylvan said. He frowned. “Not that you’ll probably need it, but do you have the ability of your father’s people?”

Dark nodded, grudgingly, Sophie thought.

“I do. Not that I ever use it. I worked in a kitchen, remember? Not a counseling office.”

“Well, most Blood Kindred are able to heal their mates, anyway,” Sophie remarked. “Maybe you’ll use your ability when you find the right woman.”

The look on Dark’s face grew hard.

“Sorry, but I just spent the last five cycles being owned and abused by a female. Forgive me if I’m not in a hurry to commit to one right away.”

“I spent as many and more cycles as Mistress Hellenix’s slave and when the Goddess sent the right female to me, she looked exactly like my Mistress and captor,” Malik remarked quietly, locking eyes with Nikki. “Still, I gave her my whole heart—I couldn’t help it. When the time is right, you’ll know.”

“I believe we are getting somewhat off the subject,” Councilor Bel’icos remarked. “The question before the Council is, do we believe that this warrior—Dark—is the right one to send on this mission?”

“He just spent the last five years serving a tyrannical Mistress so you know he knows how to act like a servant,” Sophie pointed out.

“Also, he can cook the right kind of food to tempt Gorn,” Sylvan said. “And he believes that the Goddess wants him to go.”

“Is that the only reason you want to go?” Councilor Lor’iim asked Dark.

“Hell, no, I don’t want to go,” Dark growled, frowning at the Councilor. “But I need to go. I must repay my debt—a life for a life, as the Goddess said. I would still be in bondage somewhere if Nicole hadn’t traded for me—and my younger brother as well.” He shook his head. “Thank the Goddess she freed him before she was captured and her other slaves were sold. He is safe at home now on Rigelis Prime. I was going to join him there, but now it’s clear I must do this first.”

“I think the will of the Goddess is that Dark should act as our agent in this matter,” Sylvan said quietly. “All who agree—a show of hands, please?”

Almost every hand was raised, Sophie saw approvingly. She didn’t know all of Dark’s story, but he really did seem to be the perfect person for this mission.

“Very well. The motion carries.” Sylvan nodded and banged the speaking stone again. “In that case, we will adjourn so that Dark can get ready for his journey.”

“Thank you.” Dark nodded and looked around the room. “I won’t let you down.”

Sylvan put a hand on the other warrior’s shoulder.

“We know you won’t, Brother, and we thank you for submitting yourself to the will of the Goddess in this matter.”

Dark nodded shortly. “You’re welcome. It’s no less than my honor demands. I will go and serve in Gorn’s domicile and watch the real Shannom-rah until you can get the fake to me and I can exchange them and get the real one back to you.”

“But what about the rest of your dream?” Sophie couldn’t help asking. “Didn’t you say you saw a woman with a bruised face?”

Dark shrugged, his broad shoulders rolling.

“For a moment only. I don’t even know if she was part of the dream or just a fleeting image. She doesn’t matter—the important thing is the Shannom-rah.”

“Oh, I see.” Sophie nodded. But she couldn’t help seeing the look of unease on Dark’s face or noticing the way his bronze eyes wouldn’t meet hers when he talked about the girl in his dream being unimportant.

I bet there’s more to it than just a “fleeting image” she thought to herself. I bet the Goddess has something more in mind for him than just stealing a shiny crystal, no matter how amazing it might be.

But her suspicions would have to wait for another time. The Council meeting was breaking up and Nikki was asking her more questions about the schools aboard the Mother Ship. Before she turned to answer, Sophie sent a quick mental prayer to the Goddess for the girl with the bruised face—whoever she was—and another prayer for Dark, that the Mother of All Life would guide him in his quest.

Then she smiled at her new friend and got up to go. Whatever happened in the future, she knew the Goddess would direct their paths as she always had and always would.

That certainty was a part of being one of the Brides of the Kindred.

THE END?

Of course not!

There are always more Kindred coming. In fact, I have two new stories outlined right now. The first is Dark’s story, Kindred 24, Deceived. And the second is a Kindred Tales novel set on Yonnie Six.

Now bear with me, readers who aren’t big fans of Femdom, because this new story isn’t just about a Mistress mastering her slave—it’s a quid-pro-quo exchange that will have your toes curling. I’m going to list blurbs for both stories below and you can hop on Facebook and tell me which one you want to see first.

Read on and get ready to vote for book 1. Brides of the Kindred 24, Deceived, or book 2. Kindred Tales: Handling the Hybrid.

1. Brides of the Kindred 24: Deceived

Anna is living in a nightmare. Stolen by raiders from the arms of her loving family, she is bought by a hulking Trollox as a wife for breeding purposes and forced to accommodate him any time he wants her. She wants to die until her thuggish husband buys a new robotic cook who also doubles as a guard for the house. At first Anna thinks he is just another Replicant, without emotions but soon she finds herself pouring out her heart to him. It’s safe because he’s just a machine so she knows he’ll never hurt her like a real male would. Is it wrong to think that she’s falling in love with him? Especially since a machine can’t really love her back.

Dark is a Kindred warrior on a mission. He must steal the Shannom-rah, an ancient crystal capable of storing trillions of personalities, before the enemy of his people gets it. In order to do this, he has to infiltrate the home of the Trollox collector who owns the priceless artifact. Posing as a Replicant, he is in the perfect position to complete his mission. But he didn’t count on finding a female in danger. Despite his determination not to get involved, his heart is torn by her plight. As his feelings of protectiveness for Anna grow, he longs to tell her the truth about himself. But he knows doing so will destroy her faith in him—she has been hurt so badly by living males, she can only trust him because she thinks he is a Replicant.

When the truth comes out will Anna still care for him, or will she feel betrayed knowing that she has been…Deceived?

2. Kindred Tales: Handling the Hybrid

Tandy has a big problem. She stands to inherit a huge estate and the title of her late aunt, a powerful Mistress of Yonnie Six, a planet where women rule and men are nothing but slaves. But in order to prove herself worthy of the exulted position and the money that comes with it, the Judge of the Change has ruled that Tandy must train her first slave. And the slave she is given to train is huge—a muscular Hybrid Kindred with rage dancing in his mismatched eyes and fangs long enough to tear her throat out. How can she possibly subdue such a massive male without losing her life? Then Tandy has an idea—in the dead of night she steals down to her new slave’s cell to offer him a deal.

Vrox is enraged to be stuck in this situation. Captured by accident, he is determined to kill whoever tries to enslave him and escape at the first opportunity. But then the curvy little female who bought him offers him a deal—if he will pretend that she has mastered him, she will give him his freedom along with a generous settlement. Vrox is intrigued by the deal but he puts his own spin on the bargain. Whatever Tandy does to him by day to prove that she is a true Mistress, he is allowed to do to her by night, in the privacy of her quarters—including any kind of sexual punishment or mastery.

Feeling she has no choice, Tandy agrees to the huge Hybrid’s terms—never expecting to lose her heart. She thinks Vrox cares for her too, but when the huge Kindred escapes and she is left to face the consequences of their deception alone, she fears that her life is over. Will she survive after…Handling the Hybrid?

So…which book strikes your fancy? Be sure to VOTE and let me know which one you want to read first. I can’t promise you’ll get your way but I love to hear from my readers about what excites them.

But before you vote, if you enjoyed Twisted, please take a minute to leave a review HERE. Good reviews are worth their weight in gold to an author. They let other readers know it’s okay to take a chance on a new author or series. Plus, they give me the warm fuzzies. ; ) Thanks for being such an awesome reader!

Hugs and Happy Reading!

Evangeline

April 2019

BRIDES OF THE KINDRED GLOSSARY

AllFather—the evil head of the Scourge, a race that are the byproduct of a failed genetic trade. The AllFather is one of the Old Ones and has the power to reach into a person’s mind to harvest emotional pain and trauma. He lives for the fulfillment of the Scourge Prophesy.

Ancient Ones—beings which live in the Deep Blue—the darkest and most inaccessible part of the Rageron jungles. They are sentient but not related in any way to the Kindred. Each Ancient One has two forms—a bipedal form which resembles a human or Kindred and a beast form which can be deadly and they can change between forms at will. The Ancient Ones predate even the First Kindred and revere the skrillix plant, which they guard jealously.

Bespeak—to contact someone mentally using a Think-me device. It is considered rude to bespeak someone you don’t know intimately.

Beast / Rager Kindred—come from Rageron—a jungle planet full of beautiful but deadly flora and fauna. They have dark hair, golden eyes, and hot tempers but their most defining characteristic is the mating fist. The mating fist is an area at the base of the Beast Kindred’s shaft which engages fully only during bonding sex with his chosen mate. When engorged it swells to keep the Beast Kindred and his bride locked together until she is completely bonded to him. This ensures sex that is both extremely long lasting and multiorgasmic for both partners.

Blackness which Eats the Stars—another name for the Hoard or Grimlax, an ancient enemy of the Kindred. These beings have no souls and so are considered demonic by the Kindred.

Blood Fever—a condition suffered by unmated females on Tranq Prime, the home world of the Blood Kindred. Blood Fever or Burning Blood, as it is often called, is caused by a parasite living on the icy world that affects only women. The parasite—found in the fleeta or blood beetle—reacts with a compound in the Tranq Prime water supply to cause the fever. Symptoms include chills, the feeling of the blood heating in the veins, and increased coloration of the nipples and inner sex. If the fever is not treated in forty-eight hours, it will result in death.

Once a Kindred male has had a female’s blood, he forms a natural antidote to Blood Fever which he can pass on by sharing body fluids with her. The most effective way to get the antidote into the female’s system is for a Blood Kindred to bite her, thereby injecting it along with his essence. However, it is also possible to pass along the healing fluid through sex.

Blood Fever used to be very common on Tranq Prime which is what prompted the cold, proud natives to initiate a genetic exchange with the Kindred in the first place. A recent vaccine has nearly eradicated the disease, however, and the original inhabitants of the ice bound planet have little reason to continue the trade. A faction calling themselves Purists are against any further trade with the Kindred.

Blood/Tranq Kindred—are blond with pale blue eyes and come from Tranq Prime where ice, snow, and arctic-like temperatures are the norm. To combat the severe weather conditions, the Blood Kindred have higher than normal body heat with double the human amount of red blood cells. They have developed specific biting rituals to share their supercharged blood and take the blood of their mates during their own version of bonding sex. They have a set of double fangs located where a human’s canine teeth would be. These fangs do not develop fully or become sharp enough to pierce flesh until a Blood Kindred is with a woman he wishes to mate and bond with.

Bonding Ceremony—a wedding-type ritual which takes place after the Claiming Period if the bride chosen by a Kindred warrior has allowed him to have bonding sex with her and joined her mind to his.

Bonding Sex—the extra step a Kindred warrior takes to bind his bride to him permanently during intercourse. For the Beast Kindred, it is the use of the mating fist. For the Blood Kindred, bonding sex means sex during penetration. Twin Kindred bind a bride to themselves by entering her and coming in her at the same time.

Claiming Ceremony—a sort of engagement service that takes place when a bride is first claimed by a Kindred warrior. He declares his intentions toward her and she vows to obey the laws of the Claiming Period.

Claiming Period—women who are drafted are required to go up to the Kindred Mothership and spend a thirty day “claiming period” with the warrior who has chosen them. If, at the end of that time, they have managed to resist the charms of their Kindred mate, they are allowed to go back down to Earth and resume their normal life. However, if they succumb to their Kindred male’s seduction, they are mated for life and must move to the Kindred ship to live, leaving everything else behind and seeing their family and friends on Earth only infrequently. Of course, many women are unwilling to give everything up at the drop of a hat, draft or no draft. But the Kindred have a secret weapon—devotion to their female’s pleasure and attention to detail during incredibly hot sex.

Claming Period Rules—The Claiming Period lasts for four weeks during which the Kindred warrior attempts to seduce his chosen bride and she tries to resist him:

The Holding Week: the Kindred warrior may hold his bride.

The Bathing Week: the warrior and his bride bathe together and he is allowed to massage her with scented oils and make her come.

The Tasting Week: the warrior is allowed to perform oral sex on his bride.

The Bonding Week: sex is allowed but it is completely up to the bride whether she will take things a step further and allow bonding sex which is a special and specific process to the three different types of Kindred males. (Most women have given in well before this point but a few do resist.)

The only way out before the claiming period is up is a breach of contract. This can happen if the Kindred warrior does not strictly follow the rules and tries to skip forward in the order of allowed events or by breaking one of the rules laid down by the Kindred High Council. These rules—mostly to do with restrictions on communication with Earth—are for the safety of everyone aboard the Mothership and are nonnegotiable. Ignorance is no excuse for breaking them and will result in immediate termination of the claiming period.

Convo-pillar—A half inch long insect which resembles a brightly colored caterpillar. Convo-pillars were genetically engineered by traders on the fringe colonies around Rageron to translate alien languages by communicating via thought waves to their wearer’s brain. They have been outlawed by the Kindred High Council because their notoriously unreliable translations cause more conflicts than they solve.

Dark Kindred –also known as Enhanced Ones—this faction of the Kindred race broke off centuries ago when there was a shortage of viable females to call for brides. Vowing to overcome their sexual urges, the Dark Kindred made a genetic trade with the cyborg-like residents of Zeaga Four who are ruled by a group of sentient machines called the Collective. Since all emotion is prohibited on Zeaga Four, the organic inhabitants get emotion damper implants to keep them from committing Feel-crime. Anyone found guilty of Feel-crime without a special dispensation from the Collective may be summarily purged.

Deep Blue—the darkest and most inaccessible part of the Rageron jungles

Dream Sharing—occurs when a Kindred warrior’s mind aligns with that of his bride and they begin to see each other’s day to day activities and memories in their sleep. However, the alignment of the two (or three in the case of the Twin Kindred) minds can take several forms and is not limited to sleep.

Fireflower Juice—an alcoholic beverage made from the Fireflower plant native to Rageron. It resembles milk in appearance but has the flavor of honey, vanilla, lavender and blueberries.

High Councilor—the rightful ruler and defender of the Kindred home planet, First World. Only the High Councilor may sit upon the throne of wisdom and see with the eye of foreknowledge. Without a High Councilor in place, First World and the rest of the Kindred race cannot be adequately protected against the evil machinations of the Hoard.

Hoard—an ancient enemy of the First Kindred also known as the Grimlax or the Blackness between the Stars, they are evil, demonic beings with ravenous appetites and a desire to conquer, devour, and destroy every living thing in the universe. They are divided into tribes with the lowest echelon being the most numerous and primitive. The elite or upper echelon tribes are more sophisticated and intelligent but also much more dangerous. They are notoriously manipulative and able to change their appearances using a technique called “shadowing” to look like anyone or anything they choose.

The Kindred—a race of genetic traders who have traveled the universe for centuries looking for viable matches to expand their gene pool. Since a genetic anomaly ensures that their population is ninety-five percent male, they are specifically looking for women.

The three genetic trades the Kindred have already made have resulted in three very specific types of men. But though they take on some of the physical characteristics of the race they are trading with, the Kindred gene always ensures three things: physical prowess, extremely large and muscular body structure, and undying loyalty to the female of their choice.

Krik-ka-re—a Scourge tradition in which the mind life of one being may be traded for or ransomed by another.

Kusax—a special knife made from the tainted metal at the core of the Scourge home planet. One scratch can be deadly as it infects the wounded person with a soul poison which ensures a slow, agonizing death.

Law of Conduct—the Kindred law which says every warrior is responsible for the good behavior of his bride and gives him the right to punish her—within reason. Often the “punishment” is sexual in nature and some brides become serial offenders simply to experience their Kindred warrior’s particular form of discipline. ; )

Luck Kiss—a kiss performed by the best man and maid of honor at a Kindred Bonding Ceremony in order to bring the happy couple good luck.

Mate of my kin—the way Kindred warriors refer to the brides chosen by their brothers. It is analogous to the English term sister-in-law.

Marks of Possession—the Scourge way of marking a female as their mate. The Marks of Possession include a close-fitting collar, piercings in the nipples and clitoral hood, and a brand on the inner hip or the top of the buttocks. Scourge with Kindred blood also desire to scent-mark their mates but they require the traditional marks of their kind to really feel bonded to the female of their choice.

Mother of All Life—the main Kindred Deity, a kind and benevolent goddess whose teachings include respect and reverence for all things female.

Numala—a Blood Kindred name which means “liquid pussy.” It refers to a female who produces more than the regular amount of lubrication when aroused. Numalas are much prized by the Blood Kindred and sought after as mates because they are more likely to be able to accommodate a Blood Kindred warrior’s larger than average cock.

Psychic-Knife—a torture device developed by the Scourge that is able to break the mental and emotional bond between a Kindred and his bride.

Rage—also Protective Rage or Berserker Rage—a state of altered consciousness that comes over a Kindred warrior when his bride is threatened. It floods the bloodstream with endorphins and causes such intense anger and aggression that a Kindred in this state becomes a killing machine who will die to protect the woman he has claimed.

Sacred Grove—an area of green and purple trees that houses the temple of the Mother of All Life. The Kindred Mother ship has been equipped with an artificial green sun like the one on their home world in order to allow these holy trees to grow and flourish.

Scourge—a genetic trade gone wrong, these menacing outsiders have twisted desires and sexual needs fierce enough to frighten away even the most adventurous. Their need to dominate and possess their women completely has led to a strange prophesy that they must fulfill…or die trying.

Scourge Prophesy—“One of two, alike and yet different—the double fruit of a single womb from the third planet of a yellow sun. She shall be marked with a white star between her breasts.” These words were spoken by Mee’ah—the last living female of the Scourge race who was believed to be a great seer. The Scourge are a dying race, forced to create new members in test tubes and artificial wombs because they have no females. Yet, because they have some of the same genetic characteristics as the Kindred they are able to create only male children and each new generation is weaker than the last. The prophesy refers to the woman the Scourge believe will be able to mate with the AllFather and bear only daughters to rejuvenate their race.

Skrillix Plant—also known as the Pain Vine. This plant is found only in the heart of the Rageron jungles called the Deep Blue. The brilliant crimson berries of the skrillix are said to cure many illnesses, including stasis sickness and can also dissolve an improperly placed or artificial soul bond. The thorns are said to be as poisonous as the berries are helpful. One prick from a skrillix thorn can give waking nightmares, forcing the victim to relive painful memories. When minds are linked by the juice of the berries, these visions can be shared with others who can witness them via a chemically induced neural link.

Take-me—an animal native to Twin Moons that has been domesticated by the Kindred for transportation aboard their ship. The Take-me has green fur and two heads, one on either end. Each head has three purple eyes. The Take-me has the unique features of being to expand and compress its mass which makes it ideal for storage. Because they originally lived in caves, most Take-mes stay very contentedly in small dark areas in the Kindred food prep areas where they live off the scraps and leavings of their master’s meals. They can eat almost anything except banana peels which they are allergic to.

Tharp—an animal that looks very much like a thin fur blanket which can be worn as a garment. Tharps are cultivated on Tranq Prime and prized for their ability to multiply their host’s body heat and keep them warm in even the most frigid conditions. A tharp can be worn by only one person— as a neophyte or youngster it imprints upon a host and will slowly starve if parted from them. Tharps are intelligent and capable of limited movement. They live as long as their host and subsist only on body heat, needing no other form of sustenance to survive.

Think-Me—a thin silver wire worn around the temples which facilitates mental communication between people who already have an intimate connection.

Touch-U—a flat black mat-like animal native to Tranq Prime which the Kindred have adapted to be a home health appliance. The Touch-U is capable of giving a gentle massage or an all-out erotic experience depending on which button is pushed.

Twin Kindred—come from Twin Moons—a world of vast, stormy oceans dotted with craggy but beautiful islands. True to their namesake, Twin Kindred always come in pairs. The brothers are not identical, however. There is always a light twin and a dark twin. These labels refer not just to skin, hair, and eye coloring but to the twin’s moods and perceptions of the world. The dark twin in the pair is usually more moody and withdrawn while the light twin takes a substantially brighter view of life. The twins are closely linked and able to sense each other’s emotions. They cannot be separated by long distances or for long periods of time without severe pain. They must also share a woman, linking her into their mental and emotional exchange for very intense ménage sex.

Urlich—a type of dog bred by the Scourge. At maturity they are modified with machinery to heighten their sense of smell and intelligence which results in a cyborg-type animal. Once in pursuit of whatever scent has been programmed into their brains, the urlich are utterly single minded and incapable of stopping until their prey has been cornered and captured.

Wave—a Kindred cooking appliance which emits thousands of finely collimated beams of heat to cook food in under a minute.

Zichther—an animal native to the jungles of Rageron, the zichther resembles a small bright blue teddy bear in appearance until it opens its mouth and reveals three rows of incredibly sharp, shark-like teeth.

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ALSO BY EVANGELINE ANDERSON

Below you'll find a list of available and upcoming titles. But depending on when you read this list, new books will have come out by then that are not listed here. Make sure to check my website for the latest releases and better yet, sign up for my newsletter to never miss a new book again.

Brides of the Kindred series

(Sci-Fi / Action-Adventure Romance)

CLAIMED (Also available in Audio)

HUNTED (Also available in Audio)

SOUGHT (Also Available in Audio)

FOUND (Also Available in Audio )

REVEALED (Also Available in Audio)

PURSUED (Also Available in Audio)

EXILED (Also Available in Audio)

SHADOWED (Also Available in Audio)

CHAINED (Also Available in Audio)

DIVIDED (Also Available in Audio)

DEVOURED (Also Available in Audio)

ENHANCED

CURSED

ENSLAVED

TARGETED

FORGOTTEN

SWITCHED

UNCHARTED

UNBOUND

SURRENDERED

VANISHED

IMPRISONED

TWISTED

BRIDES OF THE KINDRED VOLUME ONE

Contains Claimed, Hunted, Sought and Found

BRIDES OF THE KINDRED VOLUME TWO

Contains Revealed, Pursued and Exiled

BRIDES OF THE KINDRED VOLUME THREE

Contains Shadowed, Chained and Divided

BRIDES OF THE KINDRED VOLUME FOUR

Contains Devoured, Enhanced and Cursed

BRIDES OF THE KINDRED VOLUME FIVE

Contains Enslaved, Targeted and Forgotten

BRIDES OF THE KINDRED VOLUME SIX

Contains Switched, Uncharted and Unbound

All Kindred novels are now available in PRINT.

Also, all Kindred novels are on their way to Audio, join my Audiobook Newsletter to be notified when they come out.

Kindred Tales

The Kindred Tales are side stories in the Brides of the Kindred series which stand alone outside the main story arc.

These can be read as STAND ALONE novels.

MASTERING THE MISTRESS (Also Available in Audio)

BONDING WITH THE BEAST (Also Available in Audio)

SEEING WITH THE HEART (Also Available in Audio)

FREEING THE PRISONER (Also Available in Audio)

HEALING THE BROKEN (a Kindred Christmas novel) (Also Available in Audio)

TAMING THE GIANT (Also Available in Audio)

BRIDGING THE DISTANCE

LOVING A STRANGER

FINDING THE JEWEL

BONDED BY ACCIDENT

RELEASING THE DRAGON

SHARING A MATE

INSTRUCTING THE NOVICE

AWAKENED BY THE GIANT

HITTING THE TARGET

KINDRED TALES VOLUME 1

Contains Mastering the Mistress, Bonding with the Beast and Seeing with the Heart

KINDRED TALES VOLUME 2

Contains Freeing the Prisoner, Healing the Broken and Taming the Giant

KINDRED TALES VOLUME 3

Contains Bridging the Distance, Loving a Stranger and Finding the Jewel

Born to Darkness series

(Paranormal / Action-Adventure Romance)

CRIMSON DEBT (Also available in Audio)

SCARLET HEAT (Also available in Audio)

RUBY SHADOWS (Also available in Audio)

CARDINAL SINS (coming soon)

DESSERT (short novella following Scarlet Heat)

(Also in Audio)

BORN TO DARKNESS BOX SET

Contains Crimson Debt, Scarlet Heat, and Ruby Shadows all in one volume

Alien Mate Index series

(Sci-Fi / Action-Adventure Romance)

ABDUCTED (Also available in Audio)

PROTECTED (Also available in Audio)

DESCENDED (Also available in Audio)

SEVERED (Also available in Audio)

ALIEN MATE INDEX VOLUME ONE

Contains Abducted, Protected, Descended and Severed all in one volume

All Alien Mate novels are now available in PRINT.

The Cougarville series

(Paranormal / Action-Adventure Romance)

(Older Woman / Younger Man

BUCK NAKED (Also available in Audio)

COUGAR BAIT (Also available in Audio)

STONE COLD FOX (Also available in Audio)

BIG BAD WOLF (coming soon)

The CyBRG Files with Mina Carter

(Sci-Fi / Action-Adventure Romance)

UNIT 77: BROKEN

UNIT 78: RESCUED

The Institute series

(Daddy-Dom / Age Play Romance)

THE INSTITUTE: DADDY ISSUES

(Also available in Audio)

THE INSTITUTE: MISHKA’S SPANKING

The Swann Sister Chronicles

(Contemporary Fairy / Funny / Fantasy Romance)

WISHFUL THINKING (Also available in Audio)

BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR (Also available in Audio)

Detectives Valenti and O’Brian

(1980s M/M Romance)

THE ASSIGNMENT

I’LL BE HOT FOR CHRISTMAS

FIREWORKS

THE ASSIGNMENT: HEART AND SOUL

Compendiums and Box Sets

ALIEN MATE INDEX VOLUME ONE

Contains Abducted, Protected, Descended and Severed all in one volume

BORN TO DARKNESS BOX SET

Contains Crimson Debt, Scarlet Heat, and Ruby Shadows all in one volume

BRIDES OF THE KINDRED VOLUME ONE

Contains Claimed, Hunted, Sought and Found

BRIDES OF THE KINDRED VOLUME TWO

Contains Revealed, Pursued and Exiled

BRIDES OF THE KINDRED VOLUME THREE

Contains Shadowed, Chained and Divided

BRIDES OF THE KINDRED VOLUME FOUR

Contains Devoured, Enhanced and Cursed

BRIDES OF THE KINDRED VOLUME FIVE

Contains Enslaved, Targeted and Forgotten

BRIDES OF THE KINDRED VOLUME SIX

Contains Switched, Uncharted and Unbound

HAVE YOURSELF A SEXY LITTLE CHRISTMAS

Contains Kidnapped for Christmas, Cougar Christmas and Season’s Spankings

KINDRED TALES VOLUME 1

Contains Mastering the Mistress, Bonding with the Beast and Seeing with the Heart

KINDRED TALES VOLUME 2

Contains Freeing the Prisoner, Healing the Broken and Taming the Giant

KINDRED TALES VOLUME 3

Contains Bridging the Distance, Loving a Stranger and Finding the Jewel

NAUGHTY TALES: THE COLLECTION— Volume One

Contains Putting on a Show, Willing Submission, The Institute: Daddy Issues, The Institute: Mishka's Spanking, Confessions of a Lingerie Model, Sin Eater, Speeding Ticket, Stress Relief and When Mr. Black Comes Home.

ONE HOT HALLOWEEN

Contains Red and the Wolf, Gypsy Moon and Taming the Beast

Stand Alone Titles

(Sci-Fi OR Paranormal Action-Adventure Romance)

ANYONE U WANT

BLIND DATE WITH A VAMPIRE

BLOOD KISS

CEREMONY OF THREE

DEAL WITH THE DEVIL (Also available in Audio)

DEFILED

EYES LIKE A WOLF (Foster Brother romance)

FOREVER BROKEN (M/M romance)

GYPSY MOON

HUNGER MOON RISING

PLANET X (Also available in Audio)

PLEASURE PLANET

PLEDGE SLAVE (M/M romance)

PURITY (Now available in Audio)

RED AND THE WOLF

SEX WITH STRANGERS

SHADOW DREAMS

STRESS RELIEF

TAKE TWO

TAMING THE BEAST

THE LAST BITE (M/M romance)

THE LAST MAN ON EARTH

THE LOST BOOKS (M/M romance)

THE PLEASURE PALACE

THE SACRIFICE (Also available in Audio)

Stand Alone Titles

(Contemporay Romance)

A SPANKING FOR VALENTINE (BDSM)

BOUND AND DETERMINED, anthology with Lena Matthews, includes The Punishment of Nicollett

COUGAR CHRISTMAS (Older Woman / Younger Man)

DANGEROUS CRAVINGS (BDSM)

DIRTY GIRL

FULL EXPOSURE (with Lena Matthews)

KIDNAPPED FOR CHRISTMAS (BDSM)

PICTURE PERFECT (Step-Brother romance)

STR8TE BOYS (M/M romance)

Naughty Tales

(Short Reads to Get You Hot and Bothered)

CONFESSIONS OF A LINGERIE MODEL

PUTTING ON A SHOW (Step-Brother romance)

SIN EATER

SPEEDING TICKET

THE SWITCH (An erotic interlude with the characters of DANGEROUS CRAVINGS)

WHEN MR. BLACK COMES HOME

NAUGHTY TALES: THE COLLECTION— Volume One

Contains Putting on a Show, Willing Submission, The Institute: Daddy Issues, The Institute: Mishka's Spanking, Confessions of a Lingerie Model, Sin Eater, Speeding Ticket, Stress Relief and When Mr. Black Comes Home.

YA Novels

THE ACADEMY (Now available in Audio)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Evangeline Anderson is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Brides of the Kindred, Alien Mate Index, Cougarville and Born to Darkness series. She is fourty-something and lives in Florida with a husband, a son, and two cats. She had been writing erotic fiction for her own gratification for a number of years before it occurred to her to try and get paid for it. To her delight, she found that it was actually possible to get money for having a dirty mind and she has been writing paranormal and sci-fi erotica steadily ever since.

You can find her online at her website www.evangelineanderson.com

Come visit for some free reads. Or, to be the first to find out about new books, join her newsletter. She’s also got a mailing list for updates on audio books.