"But, Maggie..."

But she was already leaning forward and emulating the other slave girl. Starting at the thick root of Kor's c.o.c.k, she dragged the flat of her tongue up his long shaft, savoring the salty taste of his skin, breathing in his warm scent.

Kor made a soft, strangled sound and she felt his big body quiver under her tender a.s.sault. Maggie couldn't help but feel a surge of power, knowing he was reacting so strongly to her touch-anymore than she could help the surge of desire that followed it.

Part of her knew she shouldn't do this, knew that she had been trying to avoid this exact thing for an entire week. But I can't blow our cover, she told herself, justifying her actions. And besides I'm just licking him-that's not sucking, not an actual b.l.o.w. .j.o.b. Right?

Except just then the other slave girl pulled back and looked up at her master for instruction.

"Very good, Belindah," he murmured. "Now show her the Shallow Kiss."

"Yes, Master," the girl murmured. Leaning forward again, she took the head of her master's c.o.c.k into her mouth and sucked it lovingly, opening her mouth slightly so Maggie could see the way she swirled her tongue around the tender nugget of flesh.

Maggie only hesitated a moment. You shouldn't whispered the snarky inner voice but she silenced it at once. It's only the head. And I've been sucking the tip already for almost a week. What does a little bit more matter?

Leaning forward, she took Kor's shaft more firmly in her hand and sucked the entire, broad, plum-shaped head of his c.o.c.k deep into her mouth.

"Maggie...G.o.ds!" she heard him groan as she swirled her tongue around him and then explored the tip of his slit, lapping up the pearly droplets of prec.u.m that came out. It tasted, as always, like warm melted ice cream and Maggie eagerly sucked harder, wanting more, wishing she dared to go further. But it would be wrong, wouldn't it? Her implant throbbed, urging her on and at the same time, the guilty little voice nagged at the back of her mind, saying it was wrong. Just then she heard the other master saying that it was enough.

Belindah, his slave girl, sat back obediently and Maggie reluctantly did the same. G.o.d, why was she so eager to do what she knew she shouldn't be doing? Why couldn't she seem to stop? Was it the implant? Or did she simply love the way Kor groaned when she went down on him? Love giving him pleasure? Love...him?

No, that's crazy, she told herself uncertainly. I can't have fallen in love with him-I haven't known him long enough. And besides, I made a promise to Donald...

"And now," the other master said. "The Deep Kiss. This one takes practice to master, so don't feel bad if your slave can't get it at once," he told Kor. "Just let her watch and copy what Belindah does. Belindah?" He nodded at his slave girl who bent over his lap again.

This time she took his entire c.o.c.k into her mouth. Maggie watched with growing l.u.s.t as she sucked her master deeply.

"Ah! That's good!" he exclaimed and nodded at Maggie. "Well, go on. Do your best for your master, girl."

I shouldn't, Maggie thought. Shouldn't do it. Shouldn't go so far-shouldn't want to go so far. But somehow she couldn't help herself-she did want to. Wanted to so d.a.m.n badly. She craved the melted ice cream taste of Kor's c.u.m but even more, she craved the feel of his thick shaft throbbing between her lips and longed to hear his deep voice calling her name as she sucked him.

"Maggie," Kor murmured and she looked up to see him watching her. "Sweetheart," he murmured, cupping her cheek. "You don't have to."

"I want to," she whispered. Unable to help herself, she leaned forward and took him deep in her mouth.

Kor watched in disbelief as she did what she had been avoiding the entire past week. No matter how much the implant made her crave his c.u.m, Maggie had been extremely careful to only suck the tip of his c.o.c.k. Now she was taking his entire shaft into her soft, sweet mouth, taking it as far as she could. And G.o.ds, it felt so d.a.m.n good. So f.u.c.king unbelievably incredible. And not just because her technique was considerably better than he'd told the other master, but because it was Maggie doing this. Because it was the woman he cared for so much. The female he...loved?

No, that can't be right, he told himself. I can't love her. Why would I do something so stupid and self destructive as to fall in love with a female I can't have?

But as he stroked her soft curls and watched her lush lips caressing his c.o.c.k, he had to admit that he felt deeply for her-more deeply than any other female he'd ever been with.

Then Maggie released him. Well, that was that-clearly she'd finally come to her senses and- "Master," she murmured, looking up at him. "Master, please...come for me. Please."

"G.o.ds, Maggie," he muttered hoa.r.s.ely, watching her flushed face as she returned to her work on him. As she sucked him eagerly, he felt himself throb and knew he wanted to come for her. But not necessarily in her mouth. No, what he wanted more than anything was to bury his c.o.c.k to the hilt in her p.u.s.s.y and fill her with his c.u.m there. Somehow he knew if he did that, he would form an unbreakable tie that would keep them together forever. Then he would never have to let her go.

Just thinking of tying Maggie to him forever made his c.o.c.k throb even harder and he knew he was going to come.

"Maggie," he growled hoa.r.s.ely. "G.o.ds, sweetheart-that's good."

Maggie looked up at him, her lovely deep blue eyes half-lidded with l.u.s.t and he knew what she was thinking. Knew what she needed. He could almost hear her soft voice whispering that he should come for her, begging him to give himself up to the pleasure she was giving him.

With a low groan, he felt the o.r.g.a.s.m ripple up from the base of his b.a.l.l.s and then he was coming, coming deep in her mouth with her sweet lips wrapped almost around the base of his c.o.c.k, taking him as deeply as she could.

If only it was her p.u.s.s.y. If only I was truly inside her! he thought. If only I could tie her to me forever... And then he lost himself in pleasure and couldn't think anything at all.

Maggie drank his delicious melted ice cream c.u.m thirstily, the implant pulsing strongly in her belly b.u.t.ton as she did. She was aware of the guilt that was waiting to consume her but she wanted to hold it off just a bit longer. Wanted to enjoy Kor's pleasure the way he told her he enjoyed hers when he went down on her and licked her p.u.s.s.y.

And anyway, I had to do it, she defended herself against the guilt. The implant was throbbing so much I couldn't stand it. And now it should leave me alone for a good long time so that's good at least.

But no matter how hard she tried to justify her actions, she simply couldn't. Why had she acted as she had? Why had she done what she had avoided all week? Was it the implant...or was she becoming emotionally entangled with a man she barely knew?

Well, not barely-she knew Kor well enough to know he was sweet and warm and kind and many, many other things. But still, she'd barely known him a week and most of that time she'd had a device in her that forced her to rely on him to quench her insatiable s.e.xual thirst.

It was hardly a good basis for a relationship-if Kor even wanted a relationship. It was true he had admitted he wanted her s.e.xually but he had never said he wanted anything else. Never hinted he wanted any kind of a life with her after all this was over. Never...

"Very good-she seems to be a quick study." The voice other master, who Maggie had practically forgotten about, interrupted her guilty thoughts as she sat back and licked her lips.

"Indeed. She's...amazing," Kor murmured thickly. "More than I even ever thought possible."

"Well, it seems that your problem is solved. You won't have to visit the House of Denethor to get her implant fixed after all," the other master said.

"I guess not." Kor still sounded distracted as he fastened his trousers. "The House of Denethor, you say?"

"Indeed-Master Hobbs did my slave's implant there. He truly is the best, don't you think?"

"I suppose so." Kor seemed to realize something was wrong with Maggie because he was looking at her anxiously. "Are you all right, sweetheart?" he asked in a low voice.

"Fine." Maggie looked away. "Just...fine."

"Well you don't look so fine," he said, frowning. "In fact-" But just then, the pa.s.s...o...b..which he had hung around his neck for safe keeping, began to flash and jingle.

"Well, look at that," the other master said, smiling jovially. "It appears that your block is ready. Better run-Belindah and I missed ours the first time and it took forever to come round again."

"Of course. Good bye and thank you for the, er, instruction." Kor rose and helped Maggie to her feet as well. "Come on, blondie-let's go."

Chapter Twenty-eight.

"All right, what's wrong?" Kor demanded as soon as they were safely aboard their moving gla.s.s block in privacy. Well, relative privacy, anyway. On either side of them, as well as above and below, Kor could see other masters with their slaves in their respective blocks. Some were engaged in s.e.xual acts, some simply relaxing on their beds. It was an odd and somewhat invasive environment despite their isolation, but Kor barely noticed it-what he was mostly concerned with was Maggie. "Well?" he said again when she didn't answer.

"Nothing," Maggie murmured, but she wouldn't meet his eyes. Wouldn't even look at him.

Kor sighed and sank down on the large double sleeping platform which took up much of the small room. "I can tell you're lying. You're upset about what happened-about what you did, aren't you?"

"Yes, all right?" she burst out at last. "I feel guilty, Kor-I can't help it."

Kor rubbed his temples, trying to push back the tension headache that was building there.

"Then why did you do it? I could have made some excuse for you or just point blank refused. You didn't have to-"

Maggie rounded on him suddenly. "I did it because I wanted to. Because I wanted to so much I just...couldn't stop myself." She put a hand over her eyes. "Oh G.o.d, what's happening to me? What am I becoming?"

Kor frowned. "We talked about this over and over again, sweetheart. The implant-"

"I don't know if it was the implant! I don't know if it was that or just..." Maggie's voice dropped to a whisper. "Or just the way I've been feeling lately."

Kor's heart thumped hard but he tried not to show it. "And how are you feeling lately, blondie?" he asked quietly.

"I don't know." Maggie dropped her eyes. "I can't...I don't know what I feel anymore."

"Maggie..." He reached for her but she pulled away.

"Don't, please. I...I feel guilty enough already."

"All because of that fiance of yours? What's so great about him, anyway?" Kor demanded. "What does he offer you that I don't?"

"Stability for one thing," Maggie shot back. "And there's also the fact that I've known him for more than a single week."

"We've known each other for more than six solar months," Kor argued.

"Known of each other, you mean. And don't forget, I was asleep in stasis for most of that time," she pointed out. "So it's really only a week."

"That doesn't matter!" Kor growled, his frustration coming to a head. "A week is plenty long enough. Long enough to know-"

"To know what?" Maggie demanded.

To know I love you! The words trembled on his lips but the look in her deep blue eyes stopped him. What if he offered her his heart and she tossed it back in his face? What if she really did love that stupid fiance of hers and all she really wanted was to get the d.a.m.n implant out and go home to him?

She doesn't care for you. Not really, whispered the dark voice in his brain, the one he had been trying to shut out and ignore ever since he'd rescued her from the Flesh Bazaar. She isn't for you, Therron. What you seek is to be found one place only...the Black Planet.

Who's Therron? That's not me-I'm Kor, he told himself. Maggie named me when she first rescued me.

She had named him and claimed him...but how did she feel about him now? And how did he feel about her? Was he willing to risk humiliation and rejection to win her?

"To know what?" Maggie repeated and he realized he hadn't answered her question.

"To know...to know I care about you," he said, trying to be careful, feeling for the words. "To know I have only...only your best interests at heart."

"Oh." Maggie looked down at her feet in the high, black boots she was wearing. "Of course I know that, Kor. And I appreciate it, really I do." She sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "Look, I'm just really tired right now and really, really homesick. I think...I think the closer we get to the end of this thing, the more I want to see my home and family again."

"Of course," Kor said stiffly. "And Donald."

"Yes. And Donald." She looked away. "Although I don't have any idea what I'm going to tell him or how I'm going to explain...all this."

"If he loves you, he'll understand," Kor said roughly.

"I guess..." She sighed again. "Is there a bathroom in this box or block or whatever it's called? One that's not made out of gla.s.s so everyone can see in?"

Kor pointed to a small, opaque door in the corner. "The fresher's over there. Take as much time as you need."

"Thanks. Are we in for the night then? Can I get out of this, uh, getup?" She motioned to her leather slave outfit.

"Of course. I packed a sleep shirt for you in the carryall."

"Thank you." Maggie took a hesitant step toward him and laid a hand on his arm. "Thank you for everything, Kor. I mean it."

"You're welcome." He looked away. "Think I'll turn in early. It's been a long day."

"You can say that again." She yawned and headed for the fresher, apparently fine.

After she closed the door behind her, Kor got undressed and lay down on the sleeping platform. All around him was a never ending parade of masters and slaves doing all sorts of perverted things as the gla.s.s blocks slid slowly past each other. Kor didn't see any of them-his vision was turned inward, his thoughts only of Maggie.

She doesn't care for you-she never did.

He was beginning to think the dark voice was right. Her words echoed in his head, I'm just really tired right now and really, really homesick. I think...I think the closer we get to the end of this thing, the more I want to see my home and family again.

That's all she cares about, the dark voice insisted. Getting rid of the implant and leaving you, never seeing you again.

Or maybe that's not true at all. Maybe you should have had the guts to tell her how you really feel-that you love her, whispered another voice-one that sounded more like his own, internal monologue. Maybe if you would have come right out and said that you wanted a life with her, she might have reconsidered going back to that stupid fiance of hers. Maybe- Suddenly, the lights went out, everywhere on the ship at once.

Kor heard a commotion in the fresher, a sound like someone fumbling for the door latch.

"Kor?" Maggie's voice sounded frightened as she poked her head out the door. Kor could see her fairly well, even with no light-his eyes had always been well attuned to the darkness. He could see that she was wearing only a large towel wrapped around her-obviously she'd just stepped out of the shower. "Kor?" she said again, her eyes wide and apparently blind in the darkness.

"It's all right, blondie. I'm here," he said roughly.

"What happened?" She made her way by touch to the edge of the bed.

"Not sure," Kor said. "Could be more technical difficulties. Or it could be just time to turn out the lights. I think they have an enforced curfew on this kind of ship-probably because all the blocks are gla.s.s and if anyone left their own personal light on it would keep everyone awake."

"Well, they could at least warn us they were about to turn out the lights!" She tried to get into bed by feel and nearly sat on Kor's head. "Oops, is that you? I'm sorry."

"Don't worry about it," he said gruffly. "Here." Leaning over he put his hands on her waist and lifted her easily, depositing her on the far side of the bed. He made sure to put some distance between them when he put her down. He didn't want to touch her if she didn't want to be touched.

"Curfew is now in effect," a tinny voice suddenly said, emanating from some hidden speaker in the far corner of the room. "Lights out will be observed for the night. Patrons are asked to keep to their blocks until tomorrow morning. That is all."

"Well, I guess that answers that," Kor murmured.

"I guess so." Maggie shifted restlessly beside him in the darkness. "Kor..." she said tentatively.