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  More kisses rained across her neck, then her shoulder, as his fingers sank deeper into the thin silk barely separating pussy and hand, and she parted her legs to let him touch her more easily. Her breath was the only sound as he slowly began tostroke…stroke…stroke with those big, magical fingertips. “How do you like that, little vixen? Does it feel good to your sweet cunt?”

  Cunt. She didn’t know that word, but she didn’t have to—the meaning was easy todecipher. “Mmm, yes,” she purred. “Yes.”

  “Watch in the viewing glass,” he reminded her again, his voice warmly demanding at her ear. “Watch me touch you.”

  She focused on the reflection before her, but it was hard to believe the girl she saw was her, Teesia of Myrtell, royal virgin, writhing in the grasp of a dangerous man in black who she’d never met before. Hard to believe—and delicious. A most decadent indulgence that would’ve made her throw her head back with wicked laughter had she not been so deeply caught up in passion.

  The large hand between her thighs began to bunch and gather the fabric of herdress, closing it into a strong fist. Gathering, gathering, slowly pulling her formal skirting higher and higher, revealing first calf, then knee, then thigh.

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  Her desire rose higher, too, with each inch the silk climbed, with each bit of herbody his hands revealed to both their eyes.

  He’d stopped kissing her neck now, both of their gazes locked on the viewing glass. His other hand twined around her waist, making her feel all the more captive within his

  well-muscled arms, and he used his hand to pull back what remained of the sea green skirting until her pussy was on display.

  “Oh,” she murmured. She’d looked at that part of herself in the viewing glass in her chamber at home, but the vision before her now was the most erotic she’d ever witnessed. And she was at the very center of it. “Touch me,” she pleaded.

  Ralen let out a small growl as his fingers sank into her wetness, making her cry out.

  “Shhh, quiet,” he cautioned, reminding her for the first time that they were still in the fortress and that someone could come upon them at any time. Dear Ares, talk about risk!

  But his fingers stroking so deep into her pussy produced the most wonderful sensation she’d ever felt, so rather than think about risk, she chose to concentrate on

  pleasure.

  She watched in the glass as he fondled her with fingers clearly experienced at the task, and soon she found herself moving, gently thrusting to meet his hot touches. “Yes,” she whispered. “So good.”

  His eyes, next to hers, glazed with pleasure as he witnessed her response. “That’s right, little vixen, fuck my fingers.”

  Fuck. Another word from Bella. It meant the sex act, but she thought it must mean

  more than just the cock and pussy coming together given his usage just now. It spurred her to move more energetically against his hand, to soak up the delights he delivered more enthusiastically.

  “Mmm, yes, good,” he said. “Just like that. Just like that.”

  Teesia began to feel lost in his incredible caresses, her limbs going weak, every part of her feeling heavy, hot—her whole body tingling with a maddening intensity.

  “Keep going,” he urged, and she realized her instinctive thrusts heightened the joy not only from his fingers, moving in rhythmic circles over her wet flesh, but also brought her into firmer contact with the powerful erection at her back. She found herself grinding her bottom against it just as feverishly as she ground her pussy against his hand.

  His breath had gone heavy, too, by the time she realized something was happening, growing inside her, the heat getting hotter and hotter, like the flames that turned from orange to blue in the ovens at home.

  “Oh Ares,” she moaned, reaching up to brace herself, flattening her palms against the viewing glass. She didn’t plan it, simply did it, understanding instinctively that sheneeded the leverage to lunge more powerfully against his fingers. “Yes. Oh yes.”

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  And then— Oh, oh, oh! It thundered through her like a hundred horses racing overthe land. Sweet, hot echoes vibrating like enormous heartbeats through her entire body. Total pleasure. An amazing transport to someplace entirely new. Nothing else existed.

  Nothing else…until it faded and she opened her eyes to find her dark man of mystery studying her in the glass. “Lovely,” he murmured, clearly pleased by her reaction to the startling sensations—but he didn’t seem nearly as surprised by it as she did.

  “Fuck me.” The words shot out of her without forethought, a request Bella had told

  her filled a man with great desire. sex, and I still don’t know how it feels, and IFuck me, because whatever just happened to me, it wasn’t want tha

  t wonderful hardness in your pants, I want

  to know it better.

  They were up close to the viewing glass now, since she’d leaned forward against it, and his eyes felt ominously near. She drank in his musky scent as his heated gazedevoured hers.

  “Goodnight, my little vixen,” he whispered, a hint of a smile playing about his lips.

  And quick as that, he kissed her on the cheek and disappeared into the darkness from which he’d come.

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  Chapter One

  3589 AD

  Teesia stood before her father’s throne, peering up at him and her mother, who sat at his side. She couldn’t help beaming. She had finally reached royal bride’s age and had been summoned to the great hall of her father’s fortress to learn the identity of her husband-to-be.

  Everyone who lived and worked in the fortress at Myrtell had gathered to hear the news, as well, but Teesia thought only of her parents—her strong father, whom she knew instinctively had chosen for her an equally strong and powerful man, and herraven-haired mother, still a beauty and much beloved by her husband many years intotheir marriage. Jalal was the wisest, most influential woman in all of Caralon and Teesia

  not only admired her mother greatly, but she also admired her mother’s sway over her father. All Teesia’s life, people had said she favored Jalal, both in looks and temperament, and she’d never been prouder to be her mother’s daughter than she was today.

  “Daughter Teesia,” her father Enrick began in his deep, authoritative voice, “you have reached the age to be given in marriage, and the man I have chosen for you is Ralen of Charelton.”

  Pure joy flooded Teesia’s body from head to toe. She’d known it would be Ralen—she’d just known it! And whereas Maven had at first resented being awarded in trade forborder protection, Teesia had no such concerns. It was the way of their world, and shewas only thankful that her fervent prayers to Ares these past two years had been answered—she was to be wed to her dark warrior from the corridor, a man whom she knew, both from experience and intuition, would pleasure her infinitely.

  “Very well, Father,” she said, still smiling wide, certain her happiness must be evident in her eyes. “When shall I be given?”

  Enrick delivered a soft grin, clearly pleased that she liked his choice. Much talk had been made about the looks exchanged between Teesia and Ralen at the feast two yearspast—but only she knew about the delights he’d delivered in the hallway. “You shall be given tomorrow, daughter.”

  She drew in her breath. Tomorrow! That was highly unusual. “So soon?” She was anxious to begin her new life, certainly, but there was so much to be done first!

  Enrick nodded. “Ralen and his entourage camp outside Myrtell even now, awaiting the Giving Ceremony. He and I met only yesterday and he seemed eager to take you as his wife, so we agreed to dispense with the customary waiting period.”

  Teesia nodded, but said, “What about my Orientation?”

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  Her father only laughed—probably at the enthusiasm in her voice, or the fact that she was broaching the subject before ev
eryone in the great hall without a care for their

  presence.

  It was Jalal who answered with her motherly yet regal smile. “Not to worry, dear. You and I shall discuss everything shortly. Perhaps, though,” she said with a glance to her husband, “we should adjourn, as there is much to be accomplished before tomorrow morning.”

  “Agreed,” he said, then looked down on Teesia. “Tomorrow at dawn,” he announced in a loud, ceremonial voice, “you shall be given to Ralen of Charelton, daughter!”

  The crowd filling the hall cheered their approval, and Teesia’s heart felt near to overflowing. All her dreams were about to come true! She couldn’t wait to take Ralen as her husband, and she couldn’t wait to discover the joys to be had in his bed.

  * * * * *

  “What about my Orientation?” Teesia asked again, kneeling at the center of her fur-

  covered bed as her mother entered the room.

  “Well, obviously, you will not have the usual three nights, so your Orienter will

  have to work fast.”

  “Who is it and when will she be here?” The Orienter was always another female, someone close to the bride-to-be, and her job was to teach the royal bride what she needed to know about sex before she entered into marriage. For most royal and wealthy girls who were kept so ignorant of sex until Orientation, it was a large task—but given what Teesia already knew, she’d hopefully not miss out on too much. Thank goodness Bella had broken the rules for her!

  “Soon, soon,” Jalal answered with a light laugh. “And you shall see who your

  Orienter is when she arrives. For now, daughter, might I suggest you practice your

  Maran tiles?”

  Teesia let out a heavy breath, trying to absorb how quickly everything washappening. And yes, that was a good suggestion. Maven had had three whole days tokeep practicing the sacred game in between her nights of Orientation. Ares above, maybe being given over to Ralen tomorrow wasn’t so wonderful, after all—a girl needed time to prepare! Then yet another thought struck her. “But if I practice the Maran tiles, who shall pack my things?” There was simply no time!

  “Relax, my dear,” Jalal said in a calm, soothing tone. “Willa has already emptied your chamber of most of your belongings and set about putting them in trunks. Youdidn’t even notice?”

  Teesia looked around her. Indeed, other than the fur bedcover, leather wall hangings, and a thin silk nightslip, her maid had emptied the room of everything personal. It was startling in a way—to think she’d never again see the bedchamber of

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  her girlhood as it had always been, filled with her clothing and hair ribbons and everything else that was distinctly her own. “I’ve a lot on my mind suddenly, I suppose,” she said, feeling sheepish.

  Her mother sat down beside her and took her hand. “You must be calm now,

  daughter, and trust that all is as it should be. Tomorrow you go with the man with whom you’ll make your life. Use today to prepare for that life, and to anticipate it. Everything important has already been taken care of—your only task for today and tonight is to ready yourself to be a wife.” With that, Jalal leaned in to deliver a kiss to Teesia’s forehead, then rose from the bed.

  Opening the heavy wooden door, she looked over her shoulder with the reminder, “Practice the tiles, Teesia,” and was gone.

  Teesia was determined to heed her mother’s advice. Like all royal girls, she still didn’t know how the ancient Maran tiles fit in with the marriage rituals, but was always

  told she would learn soon enough. She settled before the same set of tiles Maven had used to learn the game before her betrothal, and tried to focus—both on playing and relaxing.

  Her whole world was changing, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t be civilized and adult about it. She wanted more than anything for her new husband to think of her as the woman she’d wanted to be for him that night two years ago. To this day, she didn’t know why he’d left her in the corridor without taking their encounter further, but soon she would learn all there was to know about him. And she didn’t want him to mistake her for any sort of young miss or little girl. She wished to be all woman for him in every way, and that included behaving in a mature and confident manner.

  She had just finished the first practice game—successfully clearing the board of nearly all the tiles!—when a prim knock came on the door.

  She almost thought she recognized the knock, but couldn’t be sure. She blinked and looked toward the door, hopeful. “You may enter,” she called.

  Her beautiful friend Bella swept into the room, a charming smile gracing her face. Voluminous red hair spilled over her shoulders and eyes as green as the rare and ancient marbles from the Before Times glimmered in the pale light admitted through the high, thin windows. Her silken frock was green, as well, the shade of summer leaves, draping her womanly curves in such a way that no one could miss them.

  Teesia pushed to her feet. “Bella! Is it you? Have you been chosen to orient me?”

  Bella’s smile widened. “I have, my sweet little Teesia.”

  Teesia padded quickly across the smooth stone floor and gave her friend a long, heartfelt hug. Bella’s arms folded warmly about her as their bodies pressed together,and she’d never felt more content. It was fitting and perfect that her dear older friend be her Orienter, especially given how much Bella had already taught her about the ways ofsex. “I’m so glad it’s you.”

  Bella held her at arm’s length and gave a conspiratorial grin. “Fortunate, given our shortness of time, that I’ve already oriented you quite a bit on my own, yes?”

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  Teesia nodded. “Indeed. Otherwise, I’d be left completely unprepared for Ralen.”

  At the mention of his name, Bella’s smile took on a wicked slant. “He is a strong, virile man, my Teesia. Everything you could hope for in a husband.”

  Teesia let out a dreamy sigh as she plopped backward on the bed, the juncture of her thighs swirling with fresh desire for the man who would soon be her husband. “Mmm, I know.” She’d told Bella about Ralen stroking her pussy at Rawley two years ago. That’s when she’d learned the word orgasm from Bella—which had explained theheights of pleasure his fingers had lifted her to.

  “But never fear, my girl—we will have you good and ready for Ralen’s cock, I promise you that. Good and ready for him in every way he could want.”

  Teesia lay back on the bed, turning on her side and propping her head on one fist. “What else can you tell me to make me ready, Bella? Is there more I don’t yet know?”

  Bella joined her, lounging lengthwise next to her, the green silk clinging to her ample breasts and curving hips like dramatic ocean waves. “Do you have any questions I haven’t answered? Anything you’re not clear about?”

  Teesia tried to think through it all. She knew from Bella how their bodies would come together, and she knew about the fleshy little knob at the top of her pussy called the clit, which was the source of orgasm. She knew about the cock, how it grew—and mmm, she remembered with pure delight and longing the way Ralen’s had grownagainst her bottom in the hallway! She also knew how it would spurt seed, into her or onto her, depending upon her husband’s whims. She knew about sucking his cock, too, and that he, in turn, would lick her pussy, and that all of it would culminate in insurmountable pleasure for them both. “There’s only one thing,” she said, wondering if Bella would dare break one last rule.

  “What’s that, sweet Teesia?”

  “What significance do the Maran tiles have? What will happen when I play the game on my wedding night?”

  Bella’s eyes sparkled with a hint of wildness at the mention of the Maran game— but then she disappointed Teesia, as she always did when Teesia asked this particular question. “You know good and well that you are not meant to find out until the game is played. If you knew, it would…” She let out a lascivious little laugh. “Well, it
would wreck your concentration, to say the least, and affect the outcome of the game.”

  Teesia gave her head the persuasive tilt that so often prodded information from her friend. “Not even a hint? Please.”

  Bella let her head drop back to the fur bedcover with a sigh. “All right—I’ll say only this. The Maran tiles will bring you more hot and decadent pleasure than I have ever known.”

  This surprised Teesia, so she leaned over to look into Bella’s eyes. “You have never known these pleasures? The ones I shall soon know?” Bella was a widow with many lovers, so it seemed impossible.

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  The woman’s curls fanned out about her like a wild mane. “You forget, my girl, only the royal experience this.”

  Bella had been married to a well-to-do clothier before his untimely death—she was a very well-respected and financially comfortable woman, even now, having taken upthe business herself. But she wasn’t royalty or even part of the truly wealthy. Bella was so elegant and beautiful that Teesia sometimes forgot certain boundaries separated them.

  “So then, it’s something truly unique—something the average woman cannot do?” Teesia pried.

  Bella let out another rich trill of laughter. “Oh, the average woman could, my sweet—and someday I may just indulge in such wantonness myself—but not many have this treat, no. And, I daresay…” She stared up at the ceiling, looking thoughtful. “I suspect it will be better for you than it would for me, for there comes a certain added pleasure in having such delights thrust upon you unexpectedly, without thought or decision.” Finally, she rolled to her side, graceful as a cat, and peered into Teesia’s eyes. “Trust me when I tell you, Teesia, to enjoy every minute of this pleasure when it comes. Savor it.”