Master of Desire by Lacey Alexander (read out loud books .TXT) 📕

gave his head a short shake as a wry chuckle left him. “I think not,  vixen. I don’t desire your company, I’m afraid.”

* * * * *

The ride in the horse-drawn cart was lonely, even with various members of Ralen’sparty occasionally happening past to greet  her, some giving her  more flowers, others bringing snacks of cheeses and sweet breads  for sustenance on the journey.

One handsome young man who introduced  himself as Laene explained to her thatthey would arrive in Charelton by midday tomorrow.

“So soon?” she exclaimed. She could have sworn Charelton lay farther away.

“Horses make the travel much faster, Lady  Teesia.” He motioned slightly to the mount he rode alongside her wagon.

She felt silly, for it was so obvious. But she’d never traveled in a  caravan with somany horses that the speed of movement  was increased. “Of course,” she said, rather flattered by the way he’d addressed her, and wondering if Ralen would appreciate the designation as much.

Laene smiled, his pale blue eyes striking  beneath a swatch of messy blond hair. “So you shall be Ralen’s bride by tomorrow eve.”

“Oh,” she  said on a heavy breath, trying  to appear happy rather than horrified. Shestill couldn’t believe how catastrophically her betrothal had turned  out. What yesterday had seemed dreamlike had now become a hideous nightmare of the unknown. She’d counted on having a  much longer journey to absorb all that had happened, and tosomehow try to prepare herself for the sexual punishment her husband-to-be plannedto deal out. She had no  idea how one could even  turn  sex into punishment. According to Bella, sex was always a wondrous, joyful  thing shared between willing participantswho wished to experience pleasure together. Could sex ever be a  bad  thing?

Then she shivered with the thought that Ralen had certainly succeeded in making it

sound  rather ominous.

“Breeze chilling you?” Laene asked from his mount.  In her terror, she’d nearly forgotten his presence.  “The roof can be removed if you’d prefer the sun.”

She glanced up to the awning and forced  a pleasant shake of  her head at the

handsome Laene. “No, no, I prefer the shade.  Thank you, though.”

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Lacey Alexander

That night, when the caravan stopped to camp, Teesia had no idea  what to expect.

She soon got her answer, however, when a young woman with silky chestnut-colored tresses approached and announced she was to  accompany Teesia to her tent.  Teesia followed and found a sizable space with a bed erected, as well as a dressing table complete with a small viewing glass. Under  other circumstances, she’d have thought it very luxurious traveling accommodations.

“My name is Shaena,” the woman said, offering a friendly smile within theshadows of the tent, “and I am to be your maid.”

Teesia worked to return a smile. It wasn’t  Shaena’s fault her employer was an ogre.  “I’m happy to meet you, Shaena.”

“I cannot tell you how honored  I was when Ralen appointed  me to this position.  I shall work hard to please you in every way.”

“I’m sure you shall.” Teesia liked the  young woman’s earnest  brown eyes and ready grin. The leather frock that wrapped Shaena’s thin frame revealed soft cleavagedarkened by the sun,  and her arms and legs were tanned, as well, but  there was something very natural about the girl that made  Teesia  think the look attractive on her, even if not fully in fashion—well, at least  not in Myrtell. It suddenly occurred to herhow little she knew of the world beyond  her homeland—the world she was set to become a part of.

“Shall I undress you now?” Shaena asked.

Teesia nodded. She loved her yellow silk frock, but the day it had been made for had not turned out as she’d expected  and she was well-ready to shed it.

Approaching, Shaena untied the gold cord that circled Teesia’s waist, then drew the yellow silk off over  her head. The maid’s eyes  gravitated toward Teesia’s breasts and it briefly reminded her of all she’d learned from Bella yesterday—perhaps because Shaena’s gaze held the same sense of sensuality as her friend’s. “Do you wish a bath this evening? We did not bring a  bathing tub on the journey, but I would be happy togive you a cool sponge bath if you like.”

“That sounds refreshing, yes.”

Teesia sat naked in the chair at the dressing  table waiting for Shaena to return with  a sponge, the softening night air of the coast  wafting through the tent to make her skin prickle and nipples pucker. When the tent flap opened, for a brief second she thought— even hoped—it might be Ralen, coming to  mend things with her. She had the instant  thought that maybe seeing her like this, bare  from head to toe, might excite him and even somehow endear  her to him, making him forget all this silly sex slave business.

But, of course, it was only her new maid  bearing a ewer of water  and a sea sponge.  She came to stand behind Teesia so that their eyes met in the viewing glass as Shaena  began to run the cool brownish  sponge over Teesia’s skin.

“How is it that Ralen has so many horses?” she found herself asking. She’d been  wondering about it since meeting the caravan  early this morning, but until now, graver  topics had kept her mind fully occupied.

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Shaena smoothed the  sponge down the length of Teesia’s arm.  “Ralen believes horses are the future of travel, not to mention warfare. He is breeding them with great success on his estate.”

Despite herself, Teesia  was fascinated.  She’d always loved horses, but even her father—the ruler of all Caralon—only owned  a stable of ten or so of the  expensiveanimals. The idea of living in a place so rich with them appealed immensely. Perhaps they would provide her with  some much-needed cheer.

“Forgive me if this is out of line,” Shaena  said, “but you look sad. Especially for a woman who’s marrying a strong, wealthy  man like Ralen.” When Teesia didn’t answer—unable to come up with any simple  way to explain, Shaena went on. “Ralen’sfortress is very fine, filled with every luxury. And