“It’s nothing like that,” heinterrupted. “It’s true I’ve reached the Crux—thepoint of no return when it comes to you. But that’s not why I’m doing this. I’mdoing this because I lo—” He broke off abruptly, shaking his head. “Never mind.You wouldn’t understand.”

“I might.” Trin’s heart wasbeating hard. “Try me, Thrace.Tell me…what you were going to say.”

But he only shook his head.“Look, all you have to know is that I’m devoted to you. Didn’t I tell you I’dhold nothing back?” He lifted his chin. “A Havoc always keeps his word. This isme, baby, holding nothing back.”

“Thrace…”

“Listen to me.” He caught bothher hands in his and faced her, looking earnestly into her eyes. “Mistress,” hesaid gravely, “I submit to you and offer my neckfor your collar. I will serve you until I die or until you set me free.”

Trin bit her lip. Those words…the words… Whydid they echo in her head like the tolling of a great bell? Why did they makeher feel so uneasy?

Sayit! Say the words, boy! Say them, damn you!

But Thracewasn’t done yet. Still looking into her eyes, he continued softly.

“I will belong to you body and soul. I will protectyou with my life, shield you from harm in times of danger, and pleasure you intimes of peace. To the last drop of my blood, I…am…yours.”

Saythe words! Say them!

Suddenly his face flickered before her eyes andTrin saw something else—someone else.Another Thrace—a younger Thrace—lookedout at her. He was bound by his wrists and ankles, chained up beyond hope ofescape. And there was a male—an older male with graying hair and a paunchstanding behind him…hurting him…forcing him…

“No!” Trin sat back with a gasp as everythingsuddenly came rushing back. The dream…the nightmare…only it had been nonightmare. It had been a memory—reality!

“Trin? Mistress?” Thrace was looking at her withconcern.

“That dream I had last night.” Trin knew her voicesounded accusing but she couldn’t help it. “It was about you. You andwhat happened to you in the past. Your father…murdered. And you were bought bysome horrible old male…with graying hair and purple robes. He beat you and tiedyou up and…and…” But she couldn’t continue. She could only shake her head andstare at him. “It was real, wasn’t it?” she whispered. “All of it was real. Youreally were a slave.”

“Yes, it was real.” Thrace sat back scowling. “My Sireand I were taken when I was only sixteen cycles old—caught unaware by slavers.We were taken to the Flesh Bazaar. My Sire was killed but no onecared—doubtless none of the Masters or Mistresses there thought they couldhandle a full grown Havoc. A half grown one, though…now that was adifferent story.”

He sighed and rubbed a hand over his face, pinchingthe bridge of his nose as though trying to drive back a headache.

“Thrace—”she began but he wasn’t done yet.

“The Master who bought me was the same one whomurdered my Sire,” he went on in a low, growling voice. “He paid fifty thousandcredits for me—just as you did, Mistress.” The word held a bitternessthat Trin had never heard him use before. “He kept me intact for a good longwhile, hoping to get me to give my oath—to pledge my love and loyalty.”

“The words,” Trin whispered. “He wanted you to saythe words—the words you said to me.”

“I wouldn’t though.” Thrace sounded grim. “I never gavethose words to anyone…until I took your collar and gave them to you.” He lookedat Trin but she found she couldn’t hold his burning gaze and had to look away.

“Did he…”

“Eventually he got tired of waiting, of course,” Thracecontinued. “He took me—used me as hard as he could. It was a punishment, yousee. For failing to give him what he wanted…for refusing to…” He choked.“Refusing to love him.”

“Thrace…”

“He used me almost every night after that,” the bigHavoc continued, speaking relentlessly as though he was determined to get thewhole sordid story out. Every muscle in his big body was bunched with tensionas he spoke. “He didn’t always do me the courtesy of using lube, either.” Henodded at the small cylinder Trin had left lying on the side of the bed. “Thosetimes hurt…but it was worse when he…when he took his time and did use it. Whenhe spent time on trying to prepare me, as you were doing.”

“Why?” Trin couldn’t help asking although shedidn’t really want to know. But somehow she knew that Thrace had totell it. “Why was that worse?”

“Because those times were when he did more thanjust fuck my body…he fucked with my head.” Thrace clenched his jaw and a musclein his temple jumped and twitched. “He…made me come for him, you see. It’s aninvoluntary response—you touch a male in the right way, rub against the rightspot inside and it’s going to happen. I know that now. But for years Iwondered what the hell was wrong with me…why I couldn’t stop myself from comingwhen he…when he took me.”

“Thrace…”Trin felt like her heart was breaking. Knowing this…finding it out was toomuch. Just too, too much. “How…how did you get away?” she whispered.

A slow, grim smile spread over his face.

“Three cycles he had me. And for two of those heused me. I was desperate to escape…little more than an animal after a while.And I finally got my growth.”

Trin remembered the young Thrace she’dseen in the dream—the way he was tall but not nearly as muscular or huge as hewas now.

“I could see it coming on—I could feel my strengthgrowing,” he went on in a low growl. “But the Master was blind to it—he onlysaw what he wanted to see. A slave he liked to fuck. So one night when he’dsent the guards from the room and one of my manacles was a little loose, Ifinally freed one hand. I reached for him and dragged him to me—that rapingson-of-a-bitch.” He made an unconscious motion with one hand, clenching ittightly into a fist.

“And then?” Trin whispered, her heart beating inher throat.

“Then I gouged out his eyes and ripped out histhroat. With my teeth.”

The look on his face was so fierce…so predatory,that she couldn’t help drawing back with an involuntary shudder.

“Goddess, Thrace…”

“His blood tasted so fucking sweet.” Thosesilver-blue eyes were blank now, filled with a fierce, animalistic light. “Ikilled him and left his corpse chained where he always chained me—left him forthe guards to find. Well, the ones I didn’t kill on the way out.” He shrugged.“After that I went back home and swore I’d never be a slave again. And I wasn’tuntil Solar and I got drugged in that fucking bar on Padge.” He looked at herintently. “Before you bought me I swore to myself I’d kill my new master ormistress and get away before it could happen again. Before anyone could useme…that way again.”

Trin could barely speak.

“Then why…how could you… how could you even thinkof letting me do this?” She gestured at herself—at the way she had nearlytaken and penetrated him at his request.

“I told you.” The fierce light in his eyes was forher now and he gripped her by her upper arms, pulling her close. “You own me—bodyand soul. I’m yours, Mistress. And if this is what you need to do, thenby all the Gods, we’ll do it. So why don’t you just fucking get onwith it?”

“No!” Trin shoved away from him, tearing herselffrom his grasp. The phallus within her which had felt strange but intenselysexual before, now seemed abhorrent—an instrument of torture. She reached downand pulled it out, gasping as the unfamiliar length slid from her core.Throwing it to the side she pushed herself to her feet and staggered backwards,trying to get away from the huge Havoc still kneeling by the side of the bedwith an awful light burning in his eyes.

“Trin…” His voice was a low, warning growl.

“No, stay away from me!” She shook her head. “Iwon’t do this to you. I won’t. I don’t care if it costs me my career andmy reputation and my relationship with my mother—I don’t care.”