“You don’t have to like the damn outfit,” Thracegrowled under his breath from his place behind her. “You just have to wear it.”

He himself was wearing only his black and silverstudded pain collar with a leash and a pair of black leather trousers. But theywere not the same ones he’d had on when she bought him. These trouserscovered only his thighs and lower legs—the crotch and ass area were completelymissing. However, there was a sort of silky black loin cloth that he worebelted around his lean waist which mercifully covered both areas. But even withthat cover, he was going to look obscene if he got…aroused—which he hadwhen Trin had first come out of the fresher in the ridiculous dress.

“Gods,” he’d muttered, looking her over as shesmoothed down the dress nervously. “Fucking gorgeous.”

“It’s ridiculous.” Trin had been irritated to feelher cheeks heating under his scrutiny. She’d never had anyone look at her theway the big Havoc did—as though she was a luscious piece of fruit and he wasdying to take a bite. “Stop staring if the dress is giving you a…a problem.”She motioned at the tent rising under the black loincloth at his waist.

“It’s not the dress—it’s what’s inside it,” Thracehad growled. But he had dragged his eyes away and continued packing her things,which he had miniaturized and now carried in a small black case at his side.

Trin was carrying a small yellow bag that matchedher dress and contained the remote to his pain collar. She also held the end ofhis leash—which she had objected to.

“The collar is enough,” she’d pointed out.

“Not in Yonnite high society it’s not,” Thracehad said. “They like to dominate their males hard. You’re going to haveto do the same if you want to fit in.” He grinned at her. “Treat me like dirt,Mistress—that’s what they’ll be expecting.”

“But I don’t want to do that! And I don’t see howyou can suggest it,” Trin had protested. “How could you stand it if I treatedyou like that?”

“I can stand it because I know you don’t wantto do it—that you don’t mean it.” Thrace had looked at her seriously.“Look, let’s just do what we have to in order to sell the crystals.”

“All right.” Trin had nodded reluctantly. “Iunderstand. I know you want to get this over and done with as much as I do soyou can be free again. But Thrace,you really don’t have to do this. If you want to leave I’ll take the paincollar off and drop you at the nearest station or anywhere you want.”

“I don’t want to leave—I’m fucking wellgoing to see this through,” he’d growled. “So do what you have to do and don’tworry about me—I’ve been through worse.”

His eyes shifted away as he spoke and it was on thetip of her tongue to ask what he meant. When had he been through worseand what were the details? If her first guess about him had been correct, shemight have assumed he was talking about his treatment at the hands of his oldmaster or mistress. But they’d established that wasn’t true. He had never beena slave—he’d been off freedom fighting to keep the Lud’oms from taking over hishome planet. So what was he talking about?

Somehow Trin had managed to stifle the question.There was a foreboding look in the big Havoc’s piercing eyes that told her hewasn’t ready to talk about that time in his life. Besides a few dark, cryptichints, his past was sealed. And since they were going to part ways as soon as theydid this deal with lady Malroth, she would probably never find out…

“At least the scenery is pretty,” she remarked,looking around as they walked down the winding gemstone path. Despite thepath’s shiny rainbow appearance, the rest of the park grounds were surprisinglyunmanicured. Long, slender trees without leaves raised their naked branches tothe sky and there were clumps of itch-grass growing at intervals between them.The estate was set in the foothills of a large range of rusty reddish-brown mountainswith the mansion in the middle perched on the first gentle slope that led upthe steep face of the nearest peak.

Trin liked the natural, wild look of the parklandssurrounding the big rambling white and brown house. It reminded her a little ofthe pastures where she let Swift and Silk out to run. She wondered briefly ifLady Tam-tam kept any kind of domestic animals for riding here. It had been along time since she’d been on horseback and she would welcome the chance to goout galloping—on whatever mount she could find.

“Look sharp—we have company,” Thrace hissed from behind her.

Trin dragged her eyes from the lovely rusticscenery and saw Lady Malroth tottering down the path towards them. Her heelswere even higher that Trin’s, if that was possible, and her hair was definitelyhigher. It was twisted up into a fantastical pink swirl that towered three feetabove her head at least and matched her bright pink dress. Behind her walked abroad shouldered, muscular slave who was quite short. He was barely as tall asshe was but his muscular physique still made him imposing. He had a stern,watchful look on his face as he stalked along behind his mistress.

“There you are!” Lady Malroth managed to totter alittle quicker. Her eyes flickered over Trin’s dress which was very similar toher own bright pink one and then scanned Thrace’s broad form with approval.“And I see that this time you are perfectly accessorized—excellent.”

“I’m glad you approve,” Trin said, trying to keepher voice neutral. “I have the crystals with me so if you’d like to findsomeplace private to work out the deal—”

“Deal? Before we’ve even been to the firstreception?” Lady Malroth sounded offended. “I couldn’t possibly!”

“So…you want us…I mean me to be seen at thereception with you before we can deal?” Trin asked, trying to keep theirritation out of her voice. “Why?”

“Because I’m sponsoring you! It was the only way toget your name on the guest list. It would look very odd for me to put myselfout like that and then you not even show up to the first reception. So yes, youmust come.”

“All right.” Trin suppressed a sigh. “I’ll bethere. With my slave, of course.” She gave a gentle tug on the black leatherleash she was holding and Thracebowed respectfully.

“As my lady wishes,” he rumbled, playing the partof the perfect body-slave to a T.

“About your slave,” Lady Malroth said. “I wasactually just coming to warn you—when you meet Lady Tam-tam you have toremember she’s a little, well…different. She has these ideas about malesand females and how they ought to interact and well…let’s just say she’seccentric. Also, she’s a terrible voyeur. So what you need to keep inmind is—”

“Ah, my children—how lovely to see you all here onthe rainbow path to enlightenment.” The soft, fruity voice appeared to becoming from behind a prickly yanda bush. Its spiny leaves rustled and then anolder woman with snow white hair arranged in a rather messy bun on top of herhead emerged from behind it.

“Lady Tam-tam!” Lady Malroth looked confused anddistressed—doubtless she was wondering how much the other woman had heard ofwhat she was saying to Trin.

“Lady Malroth.” Lady Tam-tam inclined her headgracefully. She was wearing a simple flowing brown dress that covered hereverywhere and comfortable looking flat shoes, Trin saw enviously. Either shewas too old to care about fashion or she was simply wearing what wascomfortable here at her own estate. Either way, Trin envied her—she reallymissed her own black flight jumpsuit and worn boots.

“May I present Lady Trin—my protégé,” Lady Malrothsaid formally. “I sponsored her because I thought she could benefit from thewonderful effects of staying at Dreaming Hills.” She nodded at the ramblingbrown and white mansion. “This is her first time celebrating Landra-Rey.”

“Ah, lovely—it’s wonderful to see young peopleinterested in the celebration.” Lady Tam-tam smiled encouragingly at Trin.“It’s considered outmoded in Opulex now but we do love our traditions here atDreaming Hills.”