He yanked the plug from the wall and stuck his head under the stream of water pouring out. He ran both hands through his hair, sweeping it back off his forehead as he squeezed out the water. Picking up one of the jugs on a ledge around the basin, he filled it from the stream. Then he poured the water over his chest with one hand, scrubbing away bits of green slime with the other.
The sight was so compelling Lexi forgot her own nudity. Her eyes followed his every movement. She knew it was rude to watch him doing something so intensely personal, but she couldn’t help staring. His body gleamed in the torchlight. For a moment she wished it was her hand rubbing over his smooth bronze skin. Behind her, Mara made a low noise, half sigh and half moan.
He seemed oblivious to the effect he was having on the women. At least until he reached for the cloth slung low around his hips. Nadina drew in her breath sharply. The sound seemed to remind him where he was. His hands stopped just short of unfastening the garment, and he settled for splashing water over it instead.
Ayron stepped out of the tub. The wet cloth clung to his hips and thighs, molding itself to his body. He wore nothing beneath it, and she could clearly see the outline of his penis, still semi-erect. Lexi didn’t realize she was staring until he spoke.
“I hope you’re ready to behave now.”
She caught herself just as she started to nod her head, turning it into a submissive lowering of chin to chest instead.I’ll have to be on my guard, or they’ll figure out I can understand their language.
Ayron strode to the door. “It’s been a long night. I’m going to get some rest. Come and get me if you have any more trouble with her.”
Lexi allowed the women to pour fresh water over her, rubbing away the last bits of goo. Her skin tingled, and their touch set off tiny shivers. She tried to divorce her mind from her body, cataloging her responses as though she was a subject in a lab study.Heartbeat — elevated. Physical sensations — abnormally heightened. Nipples – puckering again.
But she couldn’t separate herself from what was happening when Nadina started wiping away the matted leaves between her legs. She bit her lip and fought to remain still. Fingers rubbed the folds of her vulva, touched the tip of her clitoris. Setting off strange cravings. It was all she could do to keep from grinding herself against that soft, insidious hand.
Forbidden images filled her mind — thoughts of the barbarian who’d crushed her in his arms. How would it feel if his hand stroked between her legs, teased her clitoris into an aching bud?
She didn’t want to admit that she suffered a pang of disappointment when Nadina stopped. Mara took her hand, helping her out of the deep basin. Both women began drying her with soft cloths, talking nonstop all the while.
“Her hair is so beautiful,” Mara said as she toweled it dry. “Such a lovely color. And the hair below is the same.” She bent and dabbed water off the soft curls between Lexi’s thighs.
“She could not have been in the Outlands very long. I wonder where she came from?” Nadina wrapped a fresh cloak around her body and led her, barefoot, out of the room and down another series of long passageways tunneled into the rock.
They came to a door, the first one Lexi had seen. All the other rooms were open to the corridor so any passerby could see in. Mara knocked.
A familiar voice bade them enter. Nadina opened the door and motioned for Lexi to go in.
“Mother Eva, we have cleansed the female as you bade us.”
The white-haired woman sat in the center of a room more luxurious than anything Lexi had seen so far. Thick rugs of animal skin covered a stone floor dotted with benches and sturdy chairs made of twisted vines as big around as her wrist. Brightly colored fabric panels hung on the walls, with figures of strange plants and animals woven into them. The curiosity that led Lexi into studying science kicked in. She took a few steps forward to get a better look at one of the tapestries.
Mutations. Mutations caused by the effects of the superweapons that had all but destroyed the planet. That was the only explanation Lexi could come up with for the bizarre plants and animals depicted. She’d been taught that Iridia, like its sister planets, was colonized by life forms transported there from Earth. But she knew from her studies that being separated from their roots for a few millennia wouldn’t have been long enough for evolution alone to cause the amazing genetic anomalies.
Her study was cut short by Eva’s voice.
“Bring her here.”
Eva stood in front of a wooden table covered with a thick fur pelt. Nadina pulled off her cloak, leaving her naked, and gestured for her to lie down on the table.
Lexi backed away. What horrid things would they do to her now?
“I heard she gave you a bit of trouble earlier,” Eva said. She walked up to Lexi and put a hand on her chin. “You will do as you’re told” she declared in a stern voice, “or I’ll call Ayron back here.”
Lexi shuddered, her bottom still stinging from the spanking he’d delivered.
“She can’t understand you, Mother,” Mara broke in.
Eva never broke eye contact with her while replying to Mara. “She knows well enough. Even wild creatures understand who is in charge just by the tone of voice you use with them. Firm but not so harsh that they will attack out of fear.”
She gestured to the table. “Get up there.”
Lexi could see no other alternative but to comply. Painfully aware of her nakedness, she climbed onto the table and lay down.
Chapter Seven
“Hold her so I can examine her thoroughly.” The two women grasped her shoulders firmly. Lexi could have broken free, but the threat of having Eva call in the huge warrior to witness this new humiliation was enough to keep her in place.
