“If you’ve got a big, male animal as a pet backhome then you’ve certainly seen a hard shaft before,” he rumbled.

“Yes, but not directed at me,” Trin said.“Not because of me.”

He sighed. “Sorry about that. Like I said, it’s anautomatic response. The same way your pussy gets wet and your nipples get hardwhen you’re with another female you like.”

“I don’t…” Trin cleared her throat, embarrassed byhis frank words. “I don’t have that kind of reaction to other females.”

“But I thought that females from Zetta Prime alwaysmated with each other and since there are no males—”

“You’re right—they do. And a mating between twofemales can be a beautiful and fulfilling thing,” Trin said. “I’ve always wishedI could have that,” she admitted in a low voice. “But I just can’t…can’tseem to feel that way for another female. I’ve tried but it never worksand that’s not fair to the other girl. Women want a loving commitment and all Icould ever offer was friendship. So I decided to keep to myself—it’s betterthat way. Easier.”

“And it never occurred to you to even try witha male since you’re clearly not wired to love the company of your own sex?” Thracesounded incredulous.

“Why would it?” Trin demanded. “You know what mypeople think of males—the misconceptions they have. Why, I bet not one femalein a hundred back home would believe me if I told them you were able to carryon an intelligent and thoughtful conversation like this. They’d as soon believethat I taught my pet stallion, Swift to talk.”

“Huh.” He grunted thoughtfully. “I guess that makessense then. You wouldn’t want to form a relationship with a creature youconsidered no better than an animal.”

“That’s what the other daughters of ZettaPrime would think—not what I think,” Trin protested. “Not anymore.You’re not what I was taught to expect, Thrace. You’reintelligent…interesting…protective…different.”

“Glad you find me so entertaining,” he murmureddryly but there was a trace of humor in his voice.

“I didn’t mean it that way and you know it.” Trinsighed. “But it’s not just the misconceptions that stopped me—having a sexualrelationship with a male is actually against my religion—well, thereligion I was raised in, anyway.”

“Your religion?” Thrace sounded incredulous.“Forgive me but you don’t strike me as the religious type. And I thought yourpeople worshiped the Goddess. The same one the Kindred revere?”

“We do worship a Goddess—the Goddess of Judgment,”Trin said. “I don’t know if our beliefs coincide with the Kindred—I doubt it.Our belief is that the Goddess wanted us to leave Yonnie Six because of all thesexual depravity going on between the mistresses and their male body-slaves andeschew contact with males as much as possible. That’s why we broke off fromthem in the first place and moved to a whole other planet.”

“So why did you go looking to buy a male body-slavethen if you’re so devout?” he asked.

“I didn’t go looking to buy a male to…to penetrateme,” Trin pointed out. “I simply needed one as a prop, so I could tradewith the entitled, snobbish mistresses of Yonnie Six.”

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

Trin felt her cheeks get hot but she tried to speaklightly.

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

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

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

“Huh,” he grunted. “Your people really don’tthink much of males.”

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

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

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

“The who?”

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

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

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

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

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

“Exactly. And yet, as proud as we both are, I don’tsee you being too proud to snuggle up with a male to get warm,” hepointed out.

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

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

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

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

“I’m sorry,” Trin said again. “Look, maybe I shouldjust scoot over and let you be.” She started to scoot to the far side of thebed but Thracestopped her.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“What if I put my back to you again?” Trin turnedover on her other side. Somehow it seemed safer that way—though she couldn’tsay why.

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