It is unwise for me to accompany Rasulus at all, let alone as far as the door. After he threatens the poor worker, he turns to me.

“Thank you. For everything.”

I can’t be flippant and tell him it’s nothing. The sacrifice comes at a cost. My entire body aches as if it has been beaten with sticks, and I feel both so tired that I could drop to the ground and so starved that I would eat just about anything. Still, when Rasulus runs a gentle finger down my face, I have the energy within me to respond. I cannot help but lean closer to him and flutter my eyes closed. Something in me comes to life at his touch. The Savi took good care of me, but it wasn’t the same. I was practically asleep the entire time I was with them. Now that I am back with Rasulus, I feel alive again.

“Please come back to me safely.”

“Of course, I will.” I think he wants to say something else, but he turns from me. He doesn’t look at me again. He’s afraid of something. I don’t know what it is, but the only thing that brings me comfort is feeling like he wants to be away from me as little as I do him.

I remember where I am as soon as he leaves. The people at the palace had stammered and stuttered before giving me the name and address of the place. They could have just said the brothel, and I would have known what they meant. I don’t need any euphemisms. I gulp, fury and confusion warring together in my mind.

Is this where he went when that beautiful woman appeared at his door?

I turn to the manager who had been threatened by Rasulus. My mouth half-opens. I intend to tell him I would like a private room, but he is nowhere to be found. A half-dozen Arietan women surround me, dressed in little more than jewelry and strips of silk. Like all of their kind, they are tall and lean. Six faces peer down at me with a fascination that startles me.

I get up the courage to speak first. “Um, excuse me.”

“What a pretty voice you have!”

“Are you from Rigel, or perhaps from Sephorn?”

“How small you are but so curvy!”

I start to explain that I am from Earth. I yelp when one of the girls reaches forward and pinches my hip.

“Ouch! Don’t do that!”

The leader of the girls lets out a snort.

“If you are going to tame Prince Rasulus, I hope you are tougher than you look.”

I can feel my temper start to smolder. “What do you know about taming him?”

The girls laugh, pushing at the girl who spoke and turning their teasing attention to her.

“Don’t mind Meena,” says another girl, slinging an arm over my shoulders. “She wishes she could get the prince to look twice at her.”

Meena glares at us, trying to regain some of her dignity. “I’m not jealous if that’s what you mean. He doesn’t fuck any of you either.”

She has my immediate attention. Does Rasulus come to brothels regularly without sleeping with any of the girls? I know my feelings for Rasulus are strong, but I try to go into relationships with eyes wide open. The idea of a rich, handsome man like Rasulus spending time at a brothel full of women who look like they are all made from the same mold is easy to believe. The thought that he has not slept with one seems unlikely.

I start listening to the girls more closely. The way the girls talk makes it sound like none of them have ever had the prince.

“You must tell us all about the sex,” says another girl. “Is he good? We are all extremely curious.”

I start to say it is absolutely none of her business. Before I can get a word out of my mouth, I let out a loud yawn. I have been on my kashak for hours. I can feel my body starting to ache. “I’m sorry. I think I need a place to rest.”

Rather than directing me to a place where I can pass out, the girls gather into a quick knot. One steps forward. Before I can ask what she is doing, she pops something in my mouth, and I swallow it.

“What was that?”

“Something that will make you feel better. We promise!”

I’m wondering if I should try to throw up whatever it was they gave me before I turn into a pumpkin. A wave of energy courses through me, leaving me feeling as light as a bubble. Fatigue dissipates from my body, and I suddenly feel as if I have gotten twelve hours of sleep in the world’s softest bed. I no longer ache, my vision is sharper, and my body relaxes.

“I hope whatever you gave me isn’t addictive.”

“It’s not! It’s a little concoction they sell here in the capital. It’s totally safe if you use it sparingly. You feel better, right?”

“That’s one way to put it. I feel like I could run a marathon and bake a cake afterward.”

“We can’t let you go outside to run, and the cook who runs the kitchen won’t let any of us inside. Perhaps we can entertain you here.”

I start bouncing on the balls of my feet, smiling at the girls around me. They’re gorgeous. Being with them reminds me of the companionship shown by the women of the Savi clan. They are offering me the same kind of affection and care.

“What do you suggest we do? If we keep our clothes on. You’re all very beautiful, but I prefer Rasulus.”

Some of the women have been giving me a speculative glance that I mostly know from men. They look disappointed.

Meena laughs. “Don’t worry about your virtue, little Earth woman. Let us teach you to dance.”

Her suggestion is greeted with laughter as they drag me farther into the Pearl. I start to wonder what in the world I am doing, but before long I start laughing. I don’t care.

It’s good to dance.

Two days later, Meena is patiently showing me a twist of my hips when I hear a commotion in the hallway beyond the practice room. I look up in time to see the door fly open, making the other girls in the room shriek with surprise. Rasulus looks around wildly. His eyes flicker over every woman in the room until they land on me.

“Perri!” He comes over to my side, wrapping me in an embrace that smells of wood smoke. He is shaking, and I realize with some wonder that the emotion affecting him so much is relief.

“I’m still here, Rasulus.”

“I couldn’t stop thinking about you. I’m so glad you are safe.”

“Everything is fine. Where have you been?”

“You wouldn’t believe it.” He cuts off sharply, pulling back to look at me. His eyes narrow. “What are you wearing?”

When I arrived at the Pearl, I only had the riding clothes Miruska loaned me. They were filthy, and I gratefully traded them for whatever clothes the girls had available. Of course, the only things they had to lend me were harlot silks. It hadn’t seemed particularly scandalous when only women were around me. Things are different now that Rasulus is staring at me.

“I have a new outfit! It’s very comfortable for dancing.”

Rasulus’ grin looks wicked. “Is it, now?”

I start to answer, but a yelp comes out of my mouth. I feel one of his large hands come down to press against the side of my thigh, between the long strips of silk that form my dancing skirt. His hand is warm against my skin. I gasp as he slides his hand up and I cling to him, trembling as his hand comes around to my rear, caressing my buttocks before moving back down.

“Perri, lean against me.”

I do as he says, burying my face in his chest. Behind me, I know the other girls are watching avidly. My cheeks burn with embarrassment, but I do not stop him when his hand slides between my legs, parting them slightly.

“I see you are dressed appropriately for the Pearl’s dance.”

“The other girls said I should use my time here wisely.”

I had been curious to go along with them without putting up much resistance. I gasp when Rasulus’ hand starts to stroke my breast through the thin silk.

“They didn’t pierce your nipples, I see. Maybe that’s something I can do for you.”

I keen slightly as he strokes my nipple to an aching hardness. I’ve seen the other girls nude before. Their nipples are pierced with gold rings or hung with dangling pearls. I thought that the pain wasn’t worth the beauty, but if it were Rasulus doing the piercing, things might be different.

“Rasulus.” Even I can hear the needy whine in my voice. I feel a different kind of tension sweep through Rasulus’ body. It’s been weeks since we were last together, and he only has one thing on his mind. I want to ask him what the message I delivered to him meant and about what his relationship with the Savi is, but right now, all I can think about is the intense heat between us and how his hand feels cupping my breast.

Rasulus steps back from me, looking over my head at the girls still watching behind us. “Get out. We’re not to be disturbed.”

They dash out, giggling, and Rasulus bolts the door behind them. I’m left standing in the middle of the practice space, watching him as he slowly turns toward me. The hunger I see in his eyes when he gazes at me awakens a deep pulse of need in my own body. Instead of returning to me, however, Rasulus strides to a chaise pushed against the far wall. It is an enormous piece of furniture, large enough to support his frame, and he sprawls on it, still watching me.

“Show me what you’ve learned.”

There’s a commanding tone to his voice, and his words seem to echo throughout the room. It is the sound of a man who is used to being obeyed, and I stand up a little straighter. It occurs to me that I could still protest. If I wanted to, I could scuttle away and find clothes which completely cover me up. Something about being on display for Rasulus, however, and the notion of showing off the new skills I have learned in his absence, makes my heart beat faster. I start to smile.

I cue up some music from a computer embedded into the wall. The thudding of a drum line starts playing. It’s so low and deep that it feels like the room has a heartbeat. A sharper ringing cuts through the bass line. I stand in the middle of the floor, stretching my arms toward the ceiling while standing on my tip-toes. Following my training, I do not look at Rasulus as I bring my arms out in front of me and start to sway my hips.

The dances the girls at the Pearl taught me are slow and sinuous, things it would take years for me to master. They are all geared toward one specific end—showing off the female body to its best advantage. Everyone who sees the movements should imagine what they could be doing with my body, which is offered up to the watcher.

As I dance, I feel a heavy veil of sensuality fall over me. I know Rasulus is watching me, and I am so sure of it that I don’t need to watch him. I concentrate on the routines the girls have drilled into me, swaying my hips and rolling my shoulders to make my breasts strain under the silk. I run my hands along my body, trying to emphasize my curves and draw attention to my warm, soft flesh.

I am aware of Rasulus’ rising desire the same way I am aware of the ground under my feet. I can feel his gaze on my breasts, ass, and the way my flesh is revealed when I spin and send the silks flying up.

Meena says the dance is a kind of waiting. You bet your endurance against the desire of the person watching you. If you can hold out, eventually you will draw in the person you are dancing for.

“Come to me.”

I turn slowly, taking my time as I walk to Rasulus. I feel his gaze fall on me like a brand, hot and searing. He manages to stay still until I am standing close in front of him. He moves to the very edge of the seat and pulls me to stand between his legs. Never breaking eye contact, he reaches up and starts pulling the silk from my body. The clasps, designed to reveal, give way. In a matter of seconds, I’m standing naked before him, my breath coming fast and my body slick with sweat. He buries his face into the soft rise of my belly, making me flinch even as his hands land on my hips to hold me steady.

“Do you have any idea what you are doing to me? Do you have any idea how much I want you?”

I start to answer, but his hand comes up between my legs, parting my thighs and gliding like silk along my slit. He feels so good that my knees start to buckle.

“Come here.”

I jump at his command and give him a questioning look as I come to stand by his side. I feel the bottom drop out of my stomach as he takes my hand and guides me to lay face down over his lap. I think of the girl getting thrashed at the palace, and my heart beats faster.

Instead of spanking me, however, Rasulus has other ideas in mind.

“Perfect little Perri. I want you. I want all of you, and I know exactly how I’m going to get it.”

I begin to wonder what he means. He reaches for a kit that sits under the couch. I whimper a little. The kits are everywhere at the Pearl, full of all the supplies that the workers might need. I start to lift myself up to see what he is pulling out, but he firmly pushes my head back down.

“No peeking, Perri. Not unless you want to see what the discipline rooms look like.”

I shiver and keep my eyes focused on the floor. Bent over his lap and naked as I am, I feel perfectly and utterly vulnerable. At first, I think the butterflies in my stomach are anxiety, but I realize they are excitement. I squeeze my legs tight, rocking slightly against Rasulus’ hard thigh. It makes him laugh.

“Perfect eager girl.”

He holds something in front of my face. I have trouble understanding what it is at first, then I let out an undignified squeak. The object is about the length of his hand, bulbous, with a narrow neck above a flared base. It is crafted from a kind of stone, and it gleams slightly in the dim light.

“Do you know what this is, Perri?”

“I think so. It’s a plug.”

A quick spank to my rear makes me yelp, but when he rubs the insulted spot, I whimper in surprised pleasure. “Don’t be so vague. What does it do?”

“It’s supposed to sit in my ass. The narrow neck and flared base lets it lock to the person wearing it, so it can’t slip all the way in or be pushed all the way out.”

“You seem to know a lot about it.” He rewards me by sliding two fingers inside me. The dance and my position have aroused me intensely, and he purrs to find me so wet. Long before I am ready for him to stop, he pulls away, taking the plug and doing something behind my back with it.

I feel the blunt, hard head of the plug sliding between my ass cheeks, pressing softly against my tight hole. I make a high-pitched noise in surprise. Rasulus’ free hand comes up to curl over the back of my neck.

“Don’t worry, Perri. I’m not going to hurt you. It’s well-lubricated. There won’t be any pain if you can relax.”

I can’t imagine being anything but tense. The plug looks big enough in his hand. When it is pressing between my cheeks, it feels enormous.

“I don’t know if I can do this.”

“Of course, you can. You will.”

The simple assurance in his voice defeats me. It tells me he is getting his way, and the best thing for me to do is to submit. I don’t even want to resist, and the realization lets me relax in a way that I wasn’t able to before. I take a deep breath, and as he starts to push again, I rock against him.

It still feels gigantic. As Rasulus said, he has lubricated it, and the slipperiness eases its passage, but I have never stuck anything up there before. He moves slowly, rocking the toy and only letting it advance in millimeters. After he pushes it forward, he slides it back slightly, drawing the process out. He is stretching me slowly, and by degrees, I relax, entering a mindless world of sensation.

I keep up a high whine as he presses it into me, and he doesn’t tell me to be quiet. The more I squeal, the harder his cock gets. I can feel it through the thin fabric of his trousers, and I grind down against it.

“You’re a good girl, Perri. That’s almost all of it.”

I cry out because it should be over now. I don’t feel pain, but the emotion is intense and consuming.

“All right. I think I have been patient enough.”

That’s the only warning Rasulus has for me. He suddenly pushes, letting the last half-inch of the plug slide all the way inside me. I shout with surprise at the electric shock and sting of it lodging in my body. My hand flies back to touch it in disbelief, and he lets my fingertips graze over the round base.

“Oh, my God.”

“What a perfect woman you are! You took that so well.” He is stroking my back. A new sweat breaks out all over my body, and I shake from the intensity.

“How does it feel?”

“Strange. Big inside me.” I barely recognize my own voice. It is soft and high, almost quivering. My nipples are rock hard. I’m sure my pussy has never been wetter. I feel as if my body is too sensitive. At the same time, I will die if I don’t get more. More of something.

“Is there any pain?”

I think about the question. “Not really. Only for a moment, when you pushed it inside me.”

“It’s good for you to be reminded of what I can do. Now kneel in front of me.”

The plug makes even simple movements exquisitely sensitive. Rasulus is patient as I climb to my feet and stand between his spread legs. I get down on my knees, aware the entire time of the invader in my tight ass. Rasulus lies back on the couch, watching me with bright and hungry eyes.

“Open my pants and take out my cock, Perri.”

It’s a struggle to pull his dick out. It sits in my hand, heavy and silken. Without thinking, I draw my hand along its shaft, making Rasulus groan. His hand comes down to tangle in my hair, but he doesn’t pull or push my head.

“I want your mouth. Suck on my cock.”

I whimper at the way his voice shakes. I wrap my hand around the base of his cock, and I cover the tip with my lips. I slide my lips back and forth over the tip, marveling at the liquid he produces and how sensitive his head is. When he starts to rock his hips into my mouth, I take more of the shaft. I’ve never been able to successfully deep throat a cock, but I try again, wanting all of him inside me. I need to hear the starved and pleasured sounds he makes. When I nearly gag myself, he pulls me back with a gasp.

“I didn’t say you could do that.”

“But I thought it would make you feel good.”

“Don’t gag yourself. If you do that again, there will be consequences.” He reaches into the kit beside him on the chaise and pulls out a plug identical to the one inside me. Identical in every way except for one. It’s almost twice as big as the other. I gasp in fear, tightening my ass inadvertently. Surely, he’s joking. Such a thing could never fit inside me.

Could it?

Rasulus chuckles. “I see you understand my meaning. Use your mouth on me again.”

I am careful to avoid gagging myself, and I work my mouth over his cock. I’m suspended in a strange state of arousal, his cock in my mouth, the toy in my ass, and my pussy desperate for attention. I know I’m making a puddle of my juices on the floor between my knees. If Rasulus let me, I would grind myself to a climax against his leg. I work over his cock until I’m a mess, my mouth sliding easily over the shaft, my lips red and tingling.

“That’s enough.” He pulls me back from his cock, and I look up at him, wide-eyed and panting. He stands and lifts me from the floor, moving me as easily as he might a doll. He thrusts me down onto the chaise, drawing a sharp yelp from me as the plug is jostled. He ignores my whine as he spreads my legs and comes down on top of me. With one stroke, he’s inside me, and he starts to thrust.

“Wrap your legs around me. Hold me tightly against you.”

I couldn’t disobey even if I wanted to. He feels amazing inside me. When I wrap my legs around him, it makes me wail. My god, he’s gigantic, and he takes me as if it were his sole right to do so. I’m slick for him, dripping wet, and he finally drops his head and starts to kiss me.

I almost don’t notice his touch. Heat is rising in me, and I have been aroused for such a long time that the sensation has become normal. He stokes it higher with every thrust, angled so his pelvic bone grinds against my clit with every motion. I cling to him because he is the only solid thing in the universe. My entire body goes stiff as the pleasure washes over me.

“Rasulus! Rasulus, please!”

He growls against my mouth, sounding practically savage. With one more stroke, he drags us both into a climax. He floods me with his pleasure, and I start to shake, unable to think or feel anything besides the intense, overwhelming pleasure. In the moment, the only things that matter are how he makes me feel and how completely spent we both are.

He stays inside me for a long time, slowly softening before he pulls out entirely. He starts to murmur sweet words in an alien language I do not understand. What he says matters less than the sweetness of our bodies fitting together.