His kisses had rendered her almost drunk, but she was a queen, and not to be bullied or disobeyed. Taking the whip from his hand, she arose from the bed. "Stand upon the floor, and bend, bracing yourself with your hands upon the bed," she commanded him.

The gods! Would she really do it? he wondered, then winced as the fingers of the leather whip bit into his buttocks. Dagon grit his teeth. She would raise no cry from him, but to his surprise she struck him only three times before ceasing. His flesh was burning nonetheless, and there was a tingle in his manhood.

"You may reenter my bed," she said loftily. "Are you now chastised, and comprehending of my authority over you?"

He lay gingerly upon his back. "You are utterly beautiful when you are so masterful, my queen," he told her.

Her exquisite features darkened with her displeasure. "Must I give you over for common pleasures then, Dagon?" she demanded of him.

"Why are you angry with me because I find you beautiful?" he countered. "You have hair like thistledown." He took up a strand between his fingers, rubbing it, and then bringing it to his lips to kiss.

Kalida felt a catch in her throat. This man was confusing her. She was used to abject obedience, utter devotion, a quick, pleasant sheathing, and then she would send the slave away. Men did not speak as this man was speaking to her. Men were rough, crude creatures whose baser nature must be kept under strict control.

His hand wrapped about a length of her long hair, and he drew her down so that their faces were but inches apart. "You have always held the upper hand, my queen," he whispered so only she might hear him. "Have you never wondered what it would be like to give yourself over totally to your lover's care? It takes avery brave woman to do such a thing, but I believe that you are as brave as a woman comes.Are you, Kalida? Are you?" He drew her closer, his lips brushing hers softly. "My queen. My beautiful queen," he murmured low.

"Stop it!" she cried. "You are confusing me. Lay back so I may rouse, and sheath you. You talk too much, Dagon of Aramas!"

"By the gods!" he swore softly."You are afraid!"

"I am not!" Her cheeks were pink with the denial.

"Then trust me, Kalida," he coaxed her.

"I did not give you permission to address me by my name," she scolded him nervously.

"Give yourself to me," he gently pressed. His lips brushed her brow.

"It is forbidden," she protested.

"Is not forbidden fruit the sweetest?" he countered teasingly, kissing the tip of her nose.

"I am the queen!" she cried. "You must let me have my own way! I shall send you to the mines if you do not!"

"I will be a king one day, and must havemy way," he teased her mischievously. "And if you send me to the mines, you will never know the sweetness that only I can give you, Kalida, my fairest queen." He wrapped his arms about her, and pulled her against his chest. "Iwant you." But then he saw the real fear in her eyes, and quickly released her, reaching into the basket and drawing forth a crystal vial of pale-pink lotion. "I will massage you, with your permission, my queen."

"Yes," she answered him, and her voice was shaking.

She rolled onto her stomach, and he began to smooth the liquid cream onto her long back. It smelled of apricots. His hands moved rhythmically and soothingly. Dagon felt her begin to relax beneath his firm touch. Without realizing it, Kalida had given him the key to her conquest. He would stake his life on the fact that she had never felt real passion, and was possibly even afraid of it. The first man to bring true joy to her would be the man with whom she would fall in love and take for her mate. But cajoling her into giving herself over to him would not be a simple or an easy task. Still, it must be done tonight lest Zeras, who had obviously taught Kalida to stifle her emotions, intervene to prevent the queen from favoring him.

Dagon leaned over as he worked. Pushing aside her lovely hair, he bent to kiss the nape of her neck. It was soft, and delicately perfumed. His fingers dug gently but with strength into her shoulders. She murmured contentedly beneath his touch. His cupped hand took a dollop of the apricot lotion and smoothed it over first one buttock, and then the other. He kneaded the rounded halves of her tempting bottom firmly, his finger running teasingly down the shadowed groove separating the twin parts. Now he was spreading her thighs, his lotioned fingers sliding along the satiny flesh, caressing them, brushing gently.

Kalida was purring with contentment. She had certainly not expected an evening such as this one was turning out to be. Usually her male slaves were brought to her like a plate of pretty sweetmeats, all oiled and muscled, and she would choose one to favor that night. She roused him, sometimes allowing him to kiss, or even caress her. Then she sheathed him, and when he had released his tribute to Her Majesty she would send him from her bed. They rarely spoke to her, although some would murmur inane things. Only the boldest would reach out to fondle her breasts as she rode them. They certainly did not suggest the forbidden as Dagon had done; or massage her with such expertise as he had. Kalida had always wondered why other women made such a fuss about lovemaking. The queen took lovers because it was expected of her, but she frankly found it boring. None of the men she took to her bed had ever touched her emotions in any way. Tonight, however, was different. She was beginning to feel strangely. While she was a little fearful, it was nonetheless quite exciting, and she was enjoying herself very much. How far would he press her? Would she allow him to do so?She was not afraid! She was a queen.

He rolled her over gently, and seated himself upon her thighs. The hard flesh of his rump against her soft skin was strangely stimulating. Kalida could not see it, although Dagon could, but her cheeks were flushed pink with her arousal. Sapphire eyes met emerald eyes. He smiled faintly, knowingly. Then he poured a stream of lotion directly from the crystal vial onto her belly, and began to rub it into her skin, with light, delicate strokes. Kalida sighed with delight. This was absolutely wonderful! Her masseuse in the bath did not make her feel so delicious and tingly all over."Ohhhhh!" The sound was drawn forth from her as he began to cream her breasts. She watched his big hands, mesmerized, bronze against ivory; the delicate feathery touch as his fingers brushed across her flesh, teasing and gently pinching the little nipples. Her eyes closed with pure enjoyment. His fingers pressed against her mouth. Unable to help herself, Kalida kissed them. They were quickly gone, caressing her face gently, tracing her features tenderly.

"You are so beautiful," he said softly, "but you know it, my queen. How could you gaze into your mirror, and not see how very, very lovely you are, Kalida, my precious love." Lowering his dark head, he took a nipple into his mouth.

The warm wetness startled her, and her eyes flew open. Then he tugged upon the nipple sharply. Another small cry escaped her. Other men had fondled her breasts, but none had ever worshiped them as he was now doing. He continued to suckle strongly upon her. She sensed a hot thrill in the hidden place between her nether lips, and shivered with budding wonder, for she had never before felt such a sensation, and she liked it. She moaned low.

He raised his head briefly only to renew his attentions to her breasts when he had ascertained she was enjoying them. This time he sought out her other nipple, which he licked and encircled with his tongue until she began to squirm beneath him, unable to help herself.

He leaned forward, kissing her deeply, coaxing her lips apart, his tongue dancing about hers until finally she engaged him in battle. Now, he thought coolly, the time for the real seduction had come. He nibbled upon her mouth like a bee taking honey from a flower. She murmured, moving gently beneath him. Then he was gone from her lips; his body moving down her torso, slowly, seductively, placing a trail of fiery little kisses upon her quivering flesh.

"Wh-what are you doing to me?" Kalida's voice was tremulous.

He raised his dark head from her perfumed skin, and looked directly at her. "Will you trust me not to harm you, my queen? If you do, I shall give you a new pleasure such as you have never known." Because she had posed the question, he realized, amazed, that never before had any man ventured to really make love to Kalida.

"Y-yes," she whispered to him, wondering even as she said the word if she was mad to allow him to continue, but she simply could not help herself. Her body was filled with a powerful languor such as she had never before felt. She was astounded by her newly discovered ignorance and wanted to know more. While Zeras had always warned her about allowing her body to overrule her head, did even he know all she had learned this night? And if he did, why had he forbidden her to avoid such sweetness? Zeras had much to answer for, but for now she wanted to know more!

Dagon gave Kalida a moment to reconsider her decision, and then he proceeded forward. He had hoped that once he began to make passionate love to her, her natural curiosity would encourage her onward. He had been right. He nuzzled at the soft inner flesh of her closed thighs, gently nudging them apart, placing a warm kiss upon her lover's mount. Her legs fell open as if to offer him everything she had. He ran the very tip of his tongue up from the bottom of her moist cleft to its top. Kalida shivered. Tenderly Dagon drew her swollen nether lips apart, and again using the tip of his tongue, delicately touched her pleasure point. She shivered a second time. He could hear her breathing growing harsh and strained with her rising lust.

What was he doing? In the name of Suneva, what was he doing to her? His tongue flicked relentlessly back and forth over that place Zeras had taught her to deny even existed. She should make him stop, but she could not muster the strength to forbid him. There was a hot sweetness flowing through her. Kalida, always honest with herself, knew that she didn't want her lover to cease this glorious torture.

"Ohhhhh, yes!" she moaned eagerly. "I command you to continue!" But even as she said the words, something new was happening. She could feel the burning, tingling tension building and building within her. Then, like a wave crashing onto the shore, it burst inside her and slowly drained away, even as she strongly protested its loss.

Dagon rolled away from her and onto his back. Reaching out, he lifted her above his loins, lowering her slowly as he said hungrily to her,"Now, my queen! Mount me, and take your pleasure of me!"

Breathlessly, she slowly, carefully, absorbed his great length into her hot, wet sheath. She wasn't certain if she could consume all of the great penis, but she could feel the walls of her sheath opening to accept him, then closing about the hard length of him. He fit her perfectly as no man before him ever had. Amazed, she rode him furiously until, finally exhausted, she half sobbed, "Why will you not give me your tribute, Dagon?"

He had closed his eyes with relish as he had felt her taking him in, using him until he thought he would perish with delight. His eyes flew open at her poignant cry. Her beautiful face was a mask of striving,but not attaining. Shocked, he realized in that blinding moment that Kalida had never in her entire life reached the zenith of love. She believed that a man's release was all there was to a coupling.

In a single motion he rolled her beneath him, saying, "If I die for it, Kalida, you shall have this night the full pleasure every woman deserves! Wrap your legs about me, my queen!" To his delight she did, offering no resistance. He began to slowly delve into her hot, throbbing sex, each thrust taking him deeper and deeper. He was drowning in pleasure, but he wanted her to have an equal share of passion.

It was forbidden! But who had forbidden it? Kalida wondered. It was glorious, and splendid! She did not feel at all intimidated by the fact he was so lustily riding her. Indeed, her very bones were melting. Behind her closed eyes golden starburst followed golden starburst until she seemed to soar into the night skies. She was acutely aware of the powerful thrusts of his great, hard manhood as it plumbed into her very depths. She could feel herself trembling wildly, utterly consumed by a fierce heat; and then a wild abandon devoured her, her very innards convulsing as his tribute thundered into her secret garden.