“I’m very gratified to be here, my lady.” Trininclined her head.

“And who, may I ask is this?” Lady Tam-tam noddedat Thracewho had been standing silently behind Trin with his head bowed.

Suddenly Trin remembered that she was supposed tobe playing the harsh mistress and treating him horribly.

“This worthless male is my body slave,” she said,making her voice icy with distain. “On your knees, Thrace! Make your obeisance beforethe Lady Tam-tam.”

At once Thrace fell to his knees before theold lady.

“My lady,” he murmured, his head bowed low.

“Lower!” Trin demanded, nudging him with her foot.“The Lady Tam-tam demands your greatest respect!”

“Oh, no, no, no!” Lady Tam-tam looked positivelyaghast as Thracecrouched even lower. “What are you doing to this poor male?”

“I’m…treating him like the slave he is,” Trin saiduncertainly. Behind Lady Tam-tam’s back she could see Lady Malroth making widegestures with her hands and shaking her head but she had no idea what the otherwoman wanted her to do.

“And what’s this—a pain collar around his throat?”Lady Tam-tam glared at the black leather and silver spiked collar. She lookedup at Trin, her mild blue eyes flashing. “How can you use such an inhumandevice? Do you not know what the Landra-Rey Celebration is all about?”

“Well, I…” Trin faltered.

“It’s about the love bond between a slave and amistress. He ought to serve you out of adoration and devotion—not becauseyou’ll shock him silly if he doesn’t make the proper obeisance!” She lookedangrily at Lady Malroth. “How could you bring such a cold hearted girl to myhouse? Clearly she understands nothing about Landra-Rey! Here atDreaming Hills, we have only loving couples in attendance—it’s not like therest of that horrid Yonnie Six high society and I won’t have anyone here thatdoesn’t understand that.”

Lady Malroth looked mortified.

“Lady Tam-tam, I assure you—” she began.

“No!” the older mistress exclaimed. “I want none ofyour assurances! You and this awful girl can leave—at once!”

Trin’s heart sank. How could things have gone badso quickly? They’d barely gotten here and already they were being thrownout—along with the outraged Lady Malroth! She would never agree to buy thecrystals now and what’s more, she was influential enough that she couldprobably ensure no other mistress of Yonnie Six would ever deal with Trin againeither. Slowly, she began to back away from the angry older woman.

“I…I’m sorry,” she said as Lady Malroth glareddaggers at her. “I never meant to offend.”

“Well, you did. So just go,” LadyTam-tam snapped.

She was in the act of turning to storm off in ahuff when Thracerose from his crouch at Trin’s feet and turned to her.

“Mistress,” he rumbled, pulling Trin into his arms.“At last a place where we need not hide our love.”

Then he kissed her. A long, slow, passionate kissthat took Trin’s breath away. She opened her mouth to gasp and Thracewas there, his tongue teasing its way inside as he licked her gently…as thoughhe was desperate to taste her.

At first Trin tried to push him away instinctivelybut he held her close against his broad chest. After a moment, to her intensesurprise, she found she was kissing him back.

She’d never kissed a male before and this was verydifferent from the few kisses she’d traded with females. There was no stickygloss or lipstick to contend with for one thing. Thrace’s mouth was firm anddemanding but gentle at the same time. And the way he was running his big, warmhands over her back made her shiver and want to press closer for some reason.

Somehow Trin’s arms drifted up to rest around hisneck as she leaned into his big body. Once again she felt surrounded byhim—overpowered and out of control in a way that made her heart pound and herbreath come short.

Goddess, what was happening to her? How was hedoing this to her and why couldn’t she make it stop? Why didn’t she want itto stop?

Then, from behind her, she heard Lady Malrothclearing her throat pointedly. Trin’s eyes, which had drifted shut, flew open.

LadyMalroth! Oh my Goddess! Can’t believe we’re doing this in public! Forget that—Trin couldn’t believe they were doingthis at all.

“Thrace!”she gasped, managing to break the kiss and push back from him at last. “No, wecan’t—”

“Oh, yes you can, my dear.” Lady Tam-tam’s fadedblue eyes were shining as she held out a hand to Trin. “You absolutely canhere at Dreaming Hills—that’s what this place is all about. It’s one reason Ibuilt it so far from that horrid capital city, Opulex.”

Trin took her hand uncertainly.

“You…built your house so that males and femalescould have…relationships here?”

“I did.” Lady Tam-tam squeezed her hand tightly.“My body-slave, Nales and I were deeply in love but no one would accept us inYonnie high society.” She lifted her chin. “So I moved out here and since I amricher than the Goddess herself, I made my own society. Which onlymistresses and slaves who truly love each other are welcome to join.”

“Well, that’s…beautiful,” Trin said uncertainly.

“It certainly is,” Lady Malroth said, soundingrather sour. She and her own body-slave were holding hands now, probably in deferenceto the passionate display Trin and Thrace had just put on. But neitherof them looked very comfortable doing it. In fact, Lady Malroth appeared to bestanding as far from her body-slave as she could while still touching him.

Lady Tam-tam didn’t appear to notice that, however.Her eyes were glued on Trin and Thrace,who still had one long arm possessively around her waist.

“Tell me, my dear,” she said to Thrace. “How long have you lovedyour mistress?”

“From the moment she bought me, my lady,” Thracerumbled, bowing his head respectfully. “My Lady Trin saved my life—the slaverwho had me was going to kill me with the pain collar. Lady Trin didn’t allowit—she punched the bastard and forced him to stop shocking me. Then she boughtme for an exorbitant amount to keep me from falling into the wrong hands.” Helooked Trin in the eyes and his voice got softer. “I owe her everything and Iam completely devoted to her. There is nothing I wouldn’t do for her.” Helifted Trin’s hand to his mouth and brushed a kiss to the back of her knuckles.“Nothing.”

“Oh…” His gentle kiss seemed to burn her butsomehow Trin found she couldn’t pull her hand from his and couldn’t look awayfrom him either. She knew the big Havoc was just putting on a show for theirhostess but those silvery-blue eyes ringed with black seemed to be staring intoher very soul. Goddess, he was a really good actor! She could almostbelieve he meant what he was saying. Almost.

“Thrace,”she whispered uncertainly, her mouth dry. “I…I…”

“Oh my.” Lady Tam-tam put a hand between herbreasts and sighed deeply. “My dears, that is just the most romantic storyI have ever heard! Truly, the two of you belong here. In fact, I wantyou to sit with me at the grand reception tonight.”

“Of course, Lady Tam-tam. It would be our honor,”Trin said. Somehow she pulled her gaze away from Thrace’s at last but he continuedholding her hand in his much larger one. “And…will we get to meet yourbody-slave, Nales?” she asked the older woman.

“Alas, no.” Lady Tam-tam dabbed at her eyes with ascrap of lace she produced from her sleeve. “Poor Nales has been gone theselast seven cycles and I do miss him so.” She sniffed. “But it doescheer me up a bit to watch sweet young people like you and your own body-slaveso devoted to you. Just like Nales was devoted to me.” She smiled at Trin. “I’mso glad you could come!”

“It’s kind of you to have us. And kind of LadyMalroth to sponsor me in the first place,” Trin said, nodding diplomatically tothe forgotten Lady Malroth who smiled back sourly.