“He just…wasn’t into it,” Selena said, breaking into his thoughts. “Not everybody is interested in domination and submission, you know. I, um…wasn’t sure if you were interested in it or not,” she added hesitantly. “I…I was worried that you might think I was sick or weird for wanting—no, for needing—to be dominated.”
As she spoke, Valen heard the tremor in her voice and her heart rate increased. Much was riding on his answer.
“You’re not sick or strange for needing what you need,” he objected. “It’s a part of you—like my own need to consume blood.”
“Thank you.” Some of the stiffness went out of her curvy body and she relaxed against him more fully. “But how do you feel about the Lifestyle—I mean, about domination and submission?”
“Well, I didn’t even know about it until I met you,” he said carefully. “So I’ve never thought about it, I suppose. I mean, I never longed to dominate a female before. But I do find it quite enjoyable, playing your ‘Master’,” he added.
“Do you?” she twisted around in his arms and looked up at him again, her heart in her eyes. “Do you really?”
Valen’s own heart ached when he saw the need and hope in those velvety brown depths.
“I do,” he murmured, leaning down to kiss her forehead. “Though I would enjoy it more if I could be sure I wasn’t pushing you too far.” He raised an eyebrow at her. “Would you choose a safe word, please? You might need it tonight,” he added darkly.
Her eyes went wide.
“Really? At the Pet Parade?”
“Possibly,” Valen murmured. “Or maybe even before the parade. How does one choose a good safe word, anyway?”
“Well…” she was nibbling her lower lip with her little white teeth nervously, Valen saw. “Some people choose the name of their first pet, for instance.”
“And what was your first pet?” he asked, smiling.
“A guinea pig named Peaches,” she said promptly.
“A guinea pig?” Valen frowned. “If that is an Earth animal, it is one I’m not familiar with.
“It’s a furry little rodent that gets about this big.” She held her hands a little way apart to show him. “Mine was really tame. He would come right up to me and beg for treats and skritches between his ears—blueberries were his favorite.” She smiled, getting a far-away look in her eyes. “God, I loved that little guy! It nearly broke my heart when he died.”
“So…would you like to remember him by using his name as your safe word? Or would it make you too sad?” Valen asked.
“Oh, thinking of Peaches could never make me sad! He was a happy little guy, all his life. And he lived about two years longer than most piggies do. Yes…” She nodded. “Peaches is a good safe word—it’s certainly nothing I’d ever shout out in, uh, the heat of the moment.”
“Peaches it is, then,” Valen said gravely. “Now I know when I’m ‘Mastering’ you, that you’re all right unless you shout out your pig’s name.”
“Guinea pig,” she corrected, half laughing. “But I still don’t know why you’re especially concerned that I have a safe word for tonight.”
“You’ll find out soon enough,” Valen said grimly. “I just hope you won’t hate me after you do, little one.”
“Hate you? Why would I hate you?” Selena looked genuinely startled.
“Let’s just say that of all the misogynistic Ma’shorkan customs, the Pet Parade is probably the worst. And the preparation for it is no laughing matter, either,” Valen said.
“But—”
At that moment the lift landed gently back at the base of the mountain.
“Come,” he said, forestalling the many questions he saw in her big brown eyes. “We must give back our furs and get to my domicile to get you ready. There isn’t much time before the parade starts.”
43
Selena was desperate to know more about the Pet Parade, but Valen appeared to have clammed up entirely. He would barely speak at all on their walk back down the beach. Selena contented herself with holding his hand and watching the glorious sunset over the ocean. It turned the water red as blood, then brilliant orange and pink and finally purple, fading to a deep blue.
The beautiful sight only partially distracted her, however. She couldn’t help wondering what lay in store for her.
The driver was waiting for them at the entrance to the beach and they rode home in silence with Selena curled up in the big Kindred’s lap. She hoped he didn’t mind her laying all over him like this, but she couldn’t seem to help herself. His warm, spicy scent drew her to him and she just wanted to get as close as possible.
You could get even closer if he didn’t have those shorts on, whispered a naughty little voice in her head. She was tempted to reach inside and touch him, as she had at the banquet at the palace the day before. But she wasn’t sure how the big Kindred would take it.