"So that's what you call love on your planet?" Kor asked doubtfully. "Being able to completely ignore each other in favor of work?"

"It's our kind of love. I mean, we're both scientists. What do you expect-a freaking bodice ripper romance?" Maggie demanded.

"I think the question is what do you expect?" Kor said frowning. He took her hand. "What do you want?"

Maggie lifted her chin, ignoring the way the touch of his large, warm hand made her pulse race.

"What I want is to study more trees."

"Oh, no." Kor frowned. "After I almost lost you in the first one? I don't think so. Come on, Mistress, you've had enough tree dreams for today."

Maggie pulled her hand out of his. "No, I'm not going. This is the most interesting phenomenon yet! How do the trees give the dreams? I've never experienced anything like that-it was the most vivid hallucination imaginable. I could feel the warm breeze, smell the flowers-"

"Hear the male you claim to have given your heart to express his irritation at having to join with you," Kor finished for her dryly.

Maggie felt a surge of irritation. "For the last time, that's my business-not yours! And I'm going to study these trees as long as I want to. After all, I'm the Mistress here, aren't I?"

His face immediately went cold. "So you are, my lady. Please..." He made a sweeping gesture with one hand. "Be my guest."

"I will." Uncertain why she was so angry, Maggie flounced off, deeper into the woods.

Kor watched her go with a surge of irritation. What was it about this curvy little female that got under his skin so much? He'd only known Maggie a little while but it felt like much longer-probably because of the strange dreams they'd shared. A few things were clear however: she was brave, compa.s.sionate, beautiful, and completely dedicated to her work. She was also blindly committed to a male who didn't appear to deserve her.

He shrugged uneasily. Why should it bother him who Maggie chose to spend her life with? True she had rescued him and true he had sworn to protect her-at least until he could see her safely back to her ship. But it wasn't like they were bound together for life or anything like that.

The very thought of such a foolish, starry-eyed notion made him shake his head. Living as a slave, he had seen romantic attachments torn apart more times than he could count. It didn't matter how much a master valued a slave-if he was offered a high price for the female that slave had foolishly allowed himself to love, then she would be sold away and her lover would never see her again. How often had he seen broken hearted couples parting for the last time, crying in anguish as one or the other was led away to a new master? Of course, it was even more heart wrenching when the parting was between a mother and her child. It- Kor shut that thought down immediately and shoved it away. The point was, love was a fool's game and there was no way he would allow himself to grow such an attachment to Maggie.

Why did you bring her here, then? whispered a little voice in his head. You could have hotwired a hovercar on Yonnie Six and had her back to her ship in less time than it takes to tell. Across the chasm is a good place to steal a ship, too-you could already be five systems away by now instead of hanging around in a place where you're a wanted male.

Kor didn't have an answer for the questions the little voice was posing. It was true, he was in danger here and any sane male would have acted to get himself out of it by now. Instead he was hanging around like a love-sick fool while Maggie ran off into what was possibly a dangerous forest like a spoiled brat.

"Shouldn't even go after her," he muttered to himself, crossing his arms over his chest. "It might teach her a lesson to get trapped for a while." Besides, there were spa slaves wandering around everywhere-surely one of them could help her if she had problems.

Except he had promised to protect her. And the very thought of another male laying hands on her filled him with possessive rage. Kor couldn't fight the feeling any more than he could fight the urge to go after her and make sure she was all right.

With a muttered curse, he plunged into the trees in the general direction she had taken. He just hoped she hadn't touched another joining-day dream tree-he didn't want to have to see that narrow-faced, rude b.a.s.t.a.r.d she called her fiance again. If he did, he just might punch him-dream or no dream.

Chapter Eleven.

Maggie stumbled through the trees blindly. Though she told herself she was studying them, she barely saw a single one. Her mind was still fixed on the fight she'd just had with Kor. Why couldn't he just leave her alone? What was his problem, asking all kinds of personal questions like that?

You mean all the questions you've been trying to avoid yourself for years? whispered a little voice.

"Shut up," Maggie told it fiercely. "Anyway, it was just a stupid tree-dream. It's not like everything would really happen that way."

Except it probably would. Her mother would cry over the fact that she was finally getting married and her sisters would whisper to each other about how rude Donald was and he would probably leave the reception early to check on whatever work he'd managed to bring with him down to Key West. Then Maggie would end up drinking too much champagne to dull the ache of being alone at her own wedding and by the time she got back to the honeymoon suite she would be well past tipsy. It wouldn't matter if she was falling down drunk, however, because Donald would be so engaged in his experiments they would once again fail to have s.e.x and she would cry herself to sleep and- "Stop it!" Maggie said to herself. "Seriously-this is ridiculous. I'm not even going to see Donald again for six months. This trip is supposed to be all about research and work."

Then how had she wound up at an alien spa dressed in a skin-tight cat suit getting high on improbable tree-dreams and questioning her relationship?

Maggie didn't know. It seemed like she had gotten herself into a mess, as usual. Only this time she had no one to help her out of it.

Never mind. I'll help myself out, she thought determinedly. And the first thing I'm going to do is march right back to my room and get out of this ridiculous getup. Then I'm going to find out who the night porter is and offer him every single piece of Lady Pope'nose's ridiculous jewelry to let me make a call to Ferna and Ratner. I'll tell them to come pick me up and I'll be out of here and on my way to Gaia tonight! Kor can steal a ship or whatever he wants to do and go his own way. I don't care-I really don't!

Mind made up, she lifted her chin high and started for the edge of the forest...only to find it was nowhere in sight.

"This is ridiculous," Maggie murmured to herself, turning in a circle. "Where is it? I couldn't have come that far in...could I?"

She looked around for anything familiar but saw nothing she recognized. Somehow, she seemed to have gotten into a darker part of the Dreaming Wood. All the brightly colored trees were gone, replaced by trees with black leaves whose bark was made of things like cracked concrete, stained brick, and some nasty barbed-wire looking stuff with cruel, sharp points sticking out all over.

"Ugh!" Maggie made sure to keep her hands tucked to her sides. She didn't know what kinds of dreams these trees would give but she was betting they weren't of the happily ever after variety. She didn't want to take a chance that- Just then, something long and sinuous slithered over her foot. Maggie only caught a glimpse of it from the corner of her eye but it looked like a foot-long caterpillar with long black bristles all over its body.

Scientist and Xen.o.biologist though she was, Maggie still didn't like bugs. She screamed and jumped back from the horrible thing which put her off balance in the ridiculously high black platform heels she was wearing. She went staggering backwards, pinwheeling her arms madly, trying to keep her balance. Something sharp raked along her back, tearing the tight cat suit open in several places and drawing blood. It was one of the trees with barbed wire like bark but Maggie didn't know that. She was sure the giant caterpillar was back for more-only this time it had somehow gotten up in a tree and decided to take a bite with its huge pinchers.

Screaming again, she lunged forward and nearly face planted on the soft mossy ground. Flailing madly, she managed to get her arms out in time and stop her fall by grabbing onto a slender tree with shiny black leather-looking bark.

Oh no, she thought, even as her fingers closed around a branch of the tree. I shouldn't have- Before she could finish the thought, she was transported out of the forest and into someplace lit with low, red light.

"Mistress?" someone said in her ear. "Excuse me, Mistress?"

"Huh?" Maggie looked around. Maybe she had somehow ended up in another part of the spa. After all, they called everyone "mistress" and "my lady" here so maybe- "Mistress," the voice said again. "Pardon my intrusion but the slaves you ordered to be lined up for discipline are ready for you."

"What?" With a sinking feeling in her stomach, Maggie turned to see a small man who looked a little like Lady Pope'nose's slave, Jonas, standing beside her. No, not standing-he was actually crouching. Crouching and shivering in a submissive posture that made it clear he expected to be beaten at any moment. Now why would he think a thing like that?

Maggie realized there was something in her hand and looked down at it-a whip. Great. No wonder the poor little guy was shivering. And even if she hadn't been holding a whip, what she was wearing would have scared anyone silly. It was a black leather bustier which barely covered her b.r.e.a.s.t.s and a pair of tight black leather panties with silver studs on the sides. On her feet were high black leather boots that went all the way up to mid thigh, Pretty Woman style. Wonderful. She was dressed like the s.e.x G.o.ddess from h.e.l.l-what else could go wrong?

"Mistress, please," he said humbly. "I have them all lined up but if you wish to discipline me first..." Without finishing the sentence, he turned and showed that the tight black leather pants he was wearing were a.s.sless. Hairy white cheeks stared out at her from the round cut-outs, looking to Maggie like undercooked hamburger buns.

Gross! Maggie took a step back involuntarily. Okay, so she hadn't found her way into another part of the spa. Instead, she was trapped in another tree-dream. A really weird one. So how did she get out of it?

"Mistress?" The slave who had stuck his a.s.s out for "discipline" turned to face her, a confused look on his face. "Aren't you going to punish me?"

"Uh, no. Not now-maybe later," Maggie muttered distractedly, looking around the dark chamber for an EXIT sign.

To her disappointment, no such sign appeared but the more she looked, the more details popped out at her. There were lots of people dressed in tight black leather and many of them were using pieces of equipment she had never seen or even imagined. In one corner, someone was getting spanked with a hairbrush. In another, a female slave with large, bare b.r.e.a.s.t.s was whimpering with pain as she got her nipples pierced with cruel looking silver barbells. One poor soul appeared to be tied to a huge wooden wheel and was upside down while two more leather people, (as Maggie was beginning to think of them,) did painful looking things to his genitals.

"What the h.e.l.l?" she muttered, shaking her head. "Whose idea of a sick, perverted fantasy-"

"Mistress, the slaves. They grow restless waiting for their punishment."

The new speaker was much taller and more muscular than the shivering one who had begged for a spanking. In fact, he was so big and tall that at first Maggie thought he was Kor. But that couldn't be-Kor had let her go off on her own-a move she was regretting more and more. Also, he was wearing a black leather mask that covered his entire head with slits for eyes and a zipper for a mouth.

"Um..." She looked up at this huge, forbidding figure and took a step back. "Okay, I'd like to go now."

"Of course, Mistress. Allow me to escort you."

That, of course, wasn't at all what Maggie meant but it was too late. Without another word, he took her firmly by the arm and began leading her through the weird black and red-lit dungeon. Maggie tried to protest but he didn't appear to hear her. She wanted to break free but he was too strong. He simply propelled her along until they came to a large free-standing platform in the middle of the s.p.a.ce which could be seen from all corners of the room.

Kneeling in the center of the stage, were three slaves-two men and one woman. All were completely naked except for black leather harnesses fastened with shiny silver buckles which held their hands behind their backs.

"Oh, my..." Maggie didn't want to go up on that stage but the fierce looking giant leather man compelled her, practically dragging her up to stand behind the slaves.

"They have come for their punishment, Mistress," he whispered harshly through his zippered mouth. "You must not disappoint them."

"But I don't know how...I mean I can't...can't do this," Maggie protested.

"Yes, you can," he a.s.sured her. "And you must. Whip them, Mistress. Whip them until their bare bottoms bleed for the crimes they have committed. Punish their indiscretions, their blasphemies and wrongdoings."

Maggie flinched-she didn't want to make anyone or anything bleed. She wouldn't even have killed the foot long caterpillar that had gotten her into this mess in the first place as long as it would have just left her alone. But the huge leather man was looming over her, looking like he might start whipping her if she didn't get started on the slaves.

The whip! Maggie looked at the instrument in her hand and had a sudden burst of inspiration.

"Well, I would start whipping them and punishing their, uh...their indiscretions," she said. "But you know, this whip is just not...it's not right."

"Is it of inferior quality, Mistress?" The giant leather man sounded genuinely concerned.

"Um, yes. Yes, as a matter of fact it is." Maggie nodded firmly. "I can't ever remember holding such an, uh, inferior whip in my life. This is just ridiculous," she went on, getting into it. "I mean, how am I supposed to punish slaves with something like this? How can I do my job if I don't have the right tools to do it with?"

"My deepest apologies, Mistress." The leather giant bowed deeply. "Another instrument of torture will be provided at once."

"Oh, no-no you don't have to bother with that," Maggie protested. "Honestly, I was just thinking I could really use a break to go powder my nose and you know how tight this getup is." She nodded at the black leather bustier she was wearing. "I mean it takes half the night to uh, unlace it so you probably should go on without me and-"

"A flogger," the leather giant interrupted. "Perhaps you would prefer a flogger?"

"Oh, uh, no. Not really," Maggie said weakly. "Floggers are so, you know, last season."

"Indeed?" He frowned. "Well, then, a paddle. That will be perfect for you, Mistress. You can sit upon the chair and I will have each slave come to you in turn. They will lay across your lap and receive their just desserts."

"But I don't want to give out desserts-with a paddle or any other way," Maggie protested. "And I especially don't want naked strangers in my lap!"

But the muscle bound giant was already in action. He whisked the whip out of her hand and replaced it with a huge, thick, black wooden paddle which had multiple tiny holes drilled in its flat surface. Then he pushed Maggie into a straight-backed wooden chair and grabbed the first slave-a tall lanky man with a very obvious erection-by the scruff of the neck.

"Come, slave," he thundered, herding the man toward Maggie on his knees. "Lay across the Mistress's lap and take your punishment."

"Ugh!" Maggie exclaimed involuntarily when the naked man was shoved face down across her lap. His bare, boney a.s.s was sticking up in the air, practically in her face and something stiff and sticky was rubbing against her leg. Was that-? Unfortunately, yes it was.

Gross! He's leaking on me! Maggie moved her thigh, trying to get away from the eager slave's body fluids. She wanted to shove him off her lap altogether but with the leather giant looking on, she didn't quite dare.

"Mistress," the lanky slave murmured. "I await your punishment."

"But I don't want to punish you," Maggie protested.

"Then perhaps you would prefer me to lick your boots?" he asked humbly, looking up at her. "Or perhaps remove your boots and suck your toes? I am told I have a most talented tongue..."

"Ewww!" Maggie was completely grossed out by now. "No, I don't want you to lick my feet! Are you crazy or just-"

"Just what, Mistress?"

Maggie took a deep breath. "Don't freak out," she muttered to herself. "None of this is real. It's just a tree-dream."

"A what, Mistress?" the naked slave asked.

"A-never mind. You wouldn't understand because you're part of it. h.e.l.lo? h.e.l.lo, I'd like to get out now!" Maggie raised her voice and looked at the ceiling, hoping that someone in authority could hear her. Who was in charge of the Dreaming Wood anyway? Whoever it was, they needed to get over here now before she was forced to use corporal punishment on naked slaves whether she wanted to or not.

"What's the matter, blondie-not liking the Mistress thing as much as you thought?"

The familiar, deep voice startled her because it was coming from her lap. Looking down, Maggie saw that the skinny toe-sucking slave had been replaced by a very large, very naked Kor.

"Kor!" she gasped. "What are you doing here? And how-"

"Never mind 'how,'" he said. "What I want to know is why? Why did you pick this particular tree? Are you into bondage and submission?"

"Absolutely not," Maggie protested. "At least, not this way, I mean..." She trailed off, her cheeks heating up as she realized she'd said too much. There was no way she was going to tell him she'd tried to get Donald interested in doing a little kinky s.e.x play-with him as the Master and Maggie as the willing slave-girl-and her fiance had turned her down flat. That was way too embarra.s.sing on too many levels to count.

"No, please go on," Kor said politely. "I'd be very interested to hear exactly how you're interested in this particular scenario."

"It was an accident, all right? A huge freaking caterpillar ran right over my foot and it scared the c.r.a.p out of me. I tripped in my ridiculous heels and fell into a tree with black leather bark. Then I found myself here and I couldn't get out."

"That does seem to be a problem for you." Kor's deep voice was remarkably calm. If it bothered him to be lying mostly naked across her lap, possibly about to be spanked, he didn't show it. Maggie had to try hard not to look at his muscular, bare a.s.s which was right in front of her. It was certainly an improvement over Mr. "Let me suck your toes'" boney b.u.t.t.

"Will you stop making fun of me and get off my lap and get me out of here?" she pleaded. "Come on, Kor-I'm really uncomfortable here."

"Then maybe some apologies are in order?" He was still looking up at her, his head c.o.c.ked over his shoulder with one eyebrow raised.

Maggie frowned. "I'm not going to apologize for getting upset about the things you said about Donald. I've been with him for five years and I haven't even known you a whole day yet."

"But I bet you've had more adventures in this one day than you have in the entire five years with him," Kor pointed out. "Right?"

"Well..." Maggie sighed. "If you don't want me to apologize for the Donald stuff, then what? Hurry up and tell me so we can get out of here."

"I believe I told you that the Dreaming Wood was dangerous and you shouldn't touch any more trees," Kor said pointedly. "Then you go and get lost and when I find you, you're up on stage about to beat some poor slave with a paddle."

"I didn't want to," Maggie protested. "Only that big leather giant guy with the zipper mouth made me. He sat me in the chair and pushed this guy into my lap and insisted that I start giving out just desserts with the paddle."

"So this doesn't get you off at all?" Kor narrowed his eyes, looking at her closely. "You really don't like punishing people?"

"Of course not." Maggie was horrified. "Who do I look like-Lady Pope'nose?"

"No." His face relaxed into a smile. "As a matter of fact, you couldn't be less like her. Come on, let's get out of here."

But just as he was getting up, the leather giant came back. Maggie couldn't read his expression because of the full-face mask but from the set of his zipper, she guessed he was upset.