Pleasure's Offering (3 page)

Despair crashed down as he remembered that his need was useless, impotent. Even if he got Zoa into any of the thousands of positions his mind invented for her, it would all come to nothing. He would never find release, and then she would laugh at him, just as all the others had. With that bitter thought, Jeric bit his lip and forced his lust down in a sheer act of will, adjusting his trousers so that his erection was not so noticeable.

* * * * *

Zoa could not believe her luck. She hurried up the stairs, gripping Jeric’s hand hard in her own. She’d thought it would take her all night to find the new Avatar in the crowd, but here he was, delivered to her in the very first hour by Madame Rosa’s own hand. Truly, she thought with a wide grin, Dezira took care of her Own.

Still, she’d almost been too late. Zoa could feel his enormous need, the frustrated power pressing against her own, overwhelming her. He’d been unaware of his true nature for far too long, but it would all be over soon. Soon, he would be one of them.

Zoa looked over her shoulder, taking a moment to enjoy the view. Jeric was taller than his captain, as dark as the other was fair, and covered with the hard muscle that came from a life of horse riding and drills. His shoulders were broad from sword work, his hands long fingered and strong.

The sight of Jeric’s body sent thrills down her spine that she hadn’t felt in a long time, but what struck her most of all was his face. All Avatars of Dezira were comely to look at, but Jeric was already handsome as a prince, and he hadn’t even Awakened. His features were fine and masculine beneath his dark, heavily defined brows. He was looking at his feet, his dark eyes burning, his curling black hair licking the tips of his ears.

There was such a look of shame there, such loss, such deep frustration. Zoa wanted more than anything to take him in her arms and show him it would be all right, to Awaken his power right then and there, but she stomped on the longing. Awakening an Avatar was a delicate thing and must be handled with care.

The Chosen of the Dezira were masters of all human pleasure, from the simple joy of eating a ripe apple to the blatant lust going on all around them. Right now, thanks to her own efforts, the atmosphere in Rosa’s was potent as oil-soaked wool. If she let herself get carried away, she could well burn Jeric out before he even knew what he was capable of.

Plus, there was still the issue of Rosa promising her to his captain, who was apparently Jeric’s best friend. It was said that the Moon’s Own could be cruel, but Zoa wasn’t about to start an Avatar’s Awakening by driving a divide between friends. Of course, she thought, shifting her gaze to the exceedingly handsome captain, who was grinning like a schoolboy as she led him into her chambers, his sparkling blue eyes darting back and forth between herself and Jeric, if she played her cards right, maybe she wouldn’t have to.

The crowd in the great hall cheered as the three of them appeared on the balcony of her room. The sound broke the captain out of his lust-filled haze, and he turned to wave at his men, slipping a strong arm around Zoa’s waist as he did so. Down below, Rosa climbed up on the stage along with Sonya, the second-highest-earning girl after Zoa herself. The crowd went even madder, which didn’t surprise Zoa at all. Sonya was a tall girl with red hair, freckles everywhere and an innocent look that made men go crazy. Tonight, with Zoa’s moon-given lust seeping through everything, she was undeniable.

“Captain!” Madame Rosa cried, arching her neck to look up at Zoa’s balcony. “Tell me, which of your green boys will have the honor tonight?”

At her feet, the crowd began to hoot and cheer. Zoa grinned as well. She’d heard about this. It was tradition that the Legion’s night at Rosa’s always began with the recruit who’d proven himself the bravest of his class. Beside her, the captain scratched his chin, making a great show of mulling it over while his men shouted names.

“No easy task this year,” the captain said at last. “There’s been a lot of heroics going on. You’d think they were trying to outdo each other.” A wave of laughter went up at this, coupled with more name calling. Finally, the captain nodded, and a hush fell over the room. “It has to be,” he drew the words out with great gravity, “Dannith Cookson!”

Cries of
Danny-boy!
went up all across the room as a tall, tanned youth from the back was physically hoisted up and carried to the stage. Sonya helped to pull him up, her breasts nearly slipping out of her sheer, low-cut dress as she did. Danny was blushing furiously. He’d already lost his shirt, most of the soldiers had, for the hall was getting very hot, and his heavy trousers did a poor job of hiding his excitement as Sonya pulled him to a chair that had been set up at the center of the stage.

Zoa felt Jeric tense as Sonya stood in front of the young solider and slowly, beautifully, began to untie the flimsy straps that held her dress together. In a long, exotic motion, Sonya let the straps fall, revealing her full, freckled breasts. As they came into view, Zoa felt the balcony railing quiver as Jeric gripped it, yet when she stole a glance at him, the tall, dark lieutenant wasn’t looking at the stage. He was looking at her with a burning hunger that made her ache. She let her eyes drift across him, wondering what all that hard muscle would look like naked beneath her, clenched in pleasure as she rode him.

Zoa didn’t even realize she was staring as well until the captain pulled her to his side. She looked back to the stage with a start, alarmed at how tight and hot her skin had become, how ragged her breathing. The soldiers’ jeering had become a single, great roar as Sonya peeled off the last of her dress and stood in her full, naked glory before Dannith, whose blush now covered most of his body and whose pants were now straining against his rock-hard erection.

Sonya smiled a wide, knowing smile and walked over, hips swaying, red hair tumbling from the nest of loose braids that kept it up as she bent over the young soldier and slowly undid his pants. Danny gasped when she slid them off him and tried to stand, but she pushed him back down, his erect penis jerking as he landed in the chair.

Sonya straddled him in one graceful movement. She hovered over him, the edges of her slit brushing the throbbing head of his cock. Zoa took a deep breath. The sexual tension in the room was raging through her like a rapid. The soldiers on the floor were going crazy and the women waiting up on the gallery were matching them, shouting promises at the men below.

Lust trembled in the air, teetering on the edge of action. The enormous power of it hovered under Zoa’s skin, feeding into her own powers, making her wet with throbbing desire. She could work great magic with power like this, but she did not use it. She simply let it flow through her, doubling and redoubling as her moon-powered lust fed back and forth with the natural sex of the crowd below, each feeding on the other until even she wasn’t sure where one ended and the other began.

Unable to wait any longer, the women ran down the gallery steps to join the soldiers on the padded benches where they watched the show on stage. As Dannith forgot his embarrassment and began to reach for the beautiful woman who danced just out of range, the men and women on the floor were taking things into their own hands. Soldiers pulled women into their laps, kissing them and grabbing them wherever they could. The women kissed right back, thrusting their hips into the men’s laps. One girl lay sprawled out across several soldiers, gasping in pleasure as one worshiped her breasts while another kissed her and a third was hiking up her skirt, his fingers sliding up her thighs.

Everywhere couples and trios were forming, yet still, all eyes were on the stage as Sonya teased the lucky boy whose bravery had won him the night’s first taste. She trailed kisses down his blushing face and guided his hands to her breasts, which she pressed against his chest. Meanwhile, her dripping pussy slid back and forth across the head of his cock, hovering just out of reach as Dannith moaned and writhed beneath her until even Zoa could barely take the teasing.

Then, with a final wicked smile at Dannith and a wink at the crowd, Sonya slid herself down his throbbing cock. The room went wild as Dannith cried out, grabbing her hips as he began to pound into her. From his very first thrust, Sonya was lashing on top of him, moaning in pleasure. Down on the floor, the soldiers cheered one last time before turning their attention to the women in their own laps.

Zoa let out a low breath and turned away from the crowd to smile at the men in her bedroom.

“The night begins,” she said in a low, promising voice. “Now that your soldier has had the first taste, I think you two deserve a break from defending our borders.”

She turned to the captain and, with a quick mental tug, focused the lust flowing through the room until she was its center. It was a small trick, and one she scarcely needed. The captain’s eyes were already dilated with lust. He looked ready to agree to anything she asked.

“Madame Rosa promised you a night you wouldn’t forget,” she said, reaching out to trail her fingers down the captain’s shirtfront. “But you brought quite the host with you and I’m afraid we’re a little short on girls. However, judging from what I’ve heard of your second…” She let her hand wander to Jeric, threading her fingers into the laces of his leather vest. “He deserves the best we have to offer. So what do you say, Captain, Lieutenant? Would you be up for sharing me tonight?”

She felt Jeric swallow beneath her grip and the captain began to grin.

“I certainly don’t mind sharing,” he said, moving a little closer to stroke the white skin of her collarbone. “Jeric and I have shared the worst, why not the best?” He looked over at his second. “What do you say? Care to share this fine and obliging lady with me?”

Zoa looked at Jeric, focusing her lust on him. The power in the room was thick as honey now. Zoa could feel it all around her, begging to be used, but she left it untouched. If it was to be a true, powerful Awakening, he had to come to her on his own.

Jeric stared at her, his dark eyes burning, and Zoa pulled him in closer, pressing herself against him until their faces were inches apart. His erection pressed into her stomach and she felt his chest vibrate against her breasts as he moaned. She smiled up at him, wrapping her arms around his neck as the captain came in behind her, his strong fingers gripping her hips as his long hardness pressed into her ass and his hot mouth found her neck.

Zoa moaned at the sensation, but her eyes were on Jeric. She raised herself on tiptoe, sliding her body against both the erections currently pressed against her, until her lips were pressed against his cheek.

“Jeric,” she whispered, her lips moving against him. “I can give you what you want.” She tilted her head, locking her gaze with his. “I can give you release.”

Jeric’s eyes widened and he pushed her away. She stumbled back into the captain’s arms, breathless and confused. She held out her hand again, but Jeric moved out of reach.

“I’m sorry,” he said, dragging his hands through his short hair. “I really don’t think I’m up for this.”

“Jeric,” the captain said, reaching out for his friend. “It’s all right.”

“No,” Jeric said, sharper now. He was looking down, avoiding both their eyes. “You go ahead, enjoy yourselves. I’m going to go get a drink.”

Zoa started to say something, but the captain’s hand tightened on her shoulder.

“Have it your way,” he said, smiling. “But you’re welcome back whenever you like. We’ll be here all night.”

“I know,” Jeric said, his voice shaking as he turned for the curtained door. “Have fun.”

Zoa sighed as he left. That had gone terribly wrong. Maybe she’d been too forward? But as soon as the worry crossed her mind, something inside her rejected it. A confidence not her own told her firmly that all was well, the hook was in deep. He would return. Zoa smiled at the feeling and offered a silent prayer of thanks to her goddess.

The captain, meanwhile, stepped away, flopping down on her silk-strewn bed with a sigh. “Do you have something to drink?”

“Of course.” Zoa took a heavy glass bottle and two bone cups from the cabinet by the door. She poured them each a finger of clear liquor and sat down beside him. The captain took the cup she offered with muttered thanks and took a long draught.

“Did I offend him, do you think?”

“I don’t think so,” Zoa said, taking a sip from her own drink. “This is his first night here, right? It’s probably overwhelming. He’ll be back.”

The captain looked at her. “How do you know?”

Zoa gave him a long smile. “My dear Captain, if war is your profession, love is mine. You gain good instincts when you make your living in the pleasure houses.”

The captain laughed at that and drained his cup. “I know better than to question a professional,” he said when he was finished. “So,” he looked at her almost sheepishly. “What now?”

Zoa’s smile widened. “Now,” she said, setting her cup on the wooden ledge beside her bed. “We give him a reason to come back.”

The captain started to chuckle, but his laughter died as Zoa climbed on top of him, straddling his hips. He stared up at her with wide eyes, and then, in a lightning-fast motion, he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her hungrily. She returned the kiss with gusto, grinding down as his hands slid over the thin silk of her dress to grip her ass and pull her tighter against his erection.

But even as the need of his kisses threatened to overwhelm her senses, a part of Zoa was all too aware of the man standing on the opposite side of her curtained door, his need and frustration a thorn in her mind. Even as the captain’s hands moved from her backside to her shoulders, sliding the straps of her dress down to free her breasts, her pussy ached for the man with dark hair and burning eyes, the man she knew wanted her just as badly, but whose pride and fear kept him away.