Zac stumbled awkwardly into the baths; although the gold chains he’d been forced into didn’t bind his arms tightly, it was still difficult to keep his balance when a heavy palm shoved him into the room. The door slammed decisively behind him, and for a moment, he thought he was alone.
Then he saw him.
Prince Taylor of Auret was reclining in the sunken bath, his blond hair draped over the side, looking deceptively like a halo. Zac knew it was anything but.
“Are you planning to just stand there?”
Zac blinked slowly. “I was awaiting instructions.”
“Of course,” Taylor replied, hints of amusement and confusion in his voice, a reminder to Zac that he was likely the first pet Taylor had kept. It was yet another strange piece of the puzzle, another new piece of information about the prince who he was still no closer to understanding.
Taylor pulled himself out of the water slowly, almost sensuously. Then again, there was a strange sexuality to his every moment, one that Zac found it difficult to ignore, though he would not have said he was attracted to it. Still, it was magnetic. He pointedly allowed his vision to blur, not willing to show Taylor that his movements were having their desired effect. Despite that, he took in the full picture in front of him—a long, lean body with a cock to match. Golden blond hair trailed down to it, threatening to draw Zac’s eyes in despite his best efforts to appear unaffected.
“Well?” Taylor said, as if he expected Zac to read his mind. Zac wasn’t afraid of much, but he dreaded to imagine what he would find if he could reach inside his owner’s brain. Zac held his breath as Taylor walked around behind him, close enough to feel his body heat. He leaned in and practically whispered in Zac’s ear as he produced a key from gods-knew-where and unlatched the handcuffs. “Clean me.”
Zac hesitated for only a moment, but Taylor seemed oblivious. He gave a slight tug on Zac’s collar, inching him closer to the baths. An array of bottles and a fluffy sponge sat by the side; Zac hadn’t noticed them before. Taylor stood on the top step, a look of amusement on his face.
This wasn’t far from the sort of services that Zac’s own slaves had provided for him back in Caltoia. Although he did not want to think of home, he was forced to rack his brain for memories of how this was done, the delicate touch and distinct ritual with which his slaves had lavished his body.
Since being kidnapped and forced into servitude, Zac had diligently tried not to think of his home. All his friends and palace slaves had been slain, he was sure; he had seen no familiar faces amongst the other Caltoian slaves he had encountered during the past few weeks.
He started at the top, sending suds dripping down Taylor’s shoulders. They were broader than Zac had expected; the overall effect of Taylor’s body was feminine, but he was clearly all man, at least in the spots where it counted. Zac would have, if pressed, said that he was more attracted to women. To see someone who so neatly combined the qualities he enjoyed of each gender was more confusing that he’d like to admit.
His confusion and frustration only grew as he worked his way down Taylor’s body. Given his current owner’s seeming laziness, he was surprised by the muscles he found in his arms and abdomen. Then again, Zac had been secluded to his room for days. He spent relatively little time attending Taylor. He did not know what Taylor did with the rest of his time.
Zac had worked diligently to remain upright, his feet firmly planted on the marble floor, but he was forced to admit that he couldn’t proceed that way. Taylor seemed to reach that conclusion at the same time. With one hand delicately fingering the leash Zac had almost forgotten he was wearing, the other hand landed on Zac’s shoulder and pushed him to his knees. Zac was ashamed to admit how easily he moved under Taylor’s hand, even though he was clearly the stronger of the two when he was at his best.
He kept his attention planted firmly on Taylor’s legs and feet, fascinated by the way the soap bubbles clung to the fine, golden hairs that trailed up his legs toward—no. He could not look there.
It was too late, though. The mere thought of it was, apparently, enough. Zac could feel himself hardening. He could only hope that the thin bit of cloth he wore would keep Taylor from—
“Well.” Taylor cleared his throat. “I feel like that deserves punishment, but you know, I find myself too amused to bother.”
Zac held himself stock still, willing his blood to flow elsewhere and for Taylor to be true to his word. He had forgotten about the fine gold leash attached to his collar until he felt Taylor tug on it, forcing him to look up. He could not avoid seeing it then. He wondered what sort of game Taylor was playing, but decided he truly did not want to know.
When Taylor put a hand on the back of his head and nudged it closer to his body, he didn’t need to wonder. Though Taylor’s dick was not hard, it gave a slight twitch at Zac’s closeness that made Zac realize that his master was indeed human and in possession of something resembling a sex drive.
Zac let out a shaky, nervous breath; he was surprised to see the effect that small movement had on Taylor.
“Are even the slaves prudes in Caltoia, then?” Taylor asked. He gave a sharp tug on Zac’s hair. “Honestly, this hesitation wouldn’t even be attractive in a lover, and certainly not in a pet. Stop wasting my time.”
Zac wondered if this was how Taylor treated his lovers, too; he had to assume it was, although he still found it difficult to imagine Taylor actually taking a lover. He would have to be capable of emotions for that. In any event, Zac couldn’t stand for much more of what passed for Taylor’s sense of humor. He would show the prince that he knew as much about how to please a man as he did.
In one fell swoop, he sucked the prince’s dick into his mouth.
Zac was amazed at how quickly Taylor hardened, his already formidable length reaching its full size in a matter of seconds. If Taylor didn’t insist on being so elusive and aloof, perhaps he wouldn’t be so desperate when he finally let himself give in to his needs—not that Zac would ever risk telling him that, of course, even when he had the prince in such a precarious position.
He would not take that lightly. It meant something, somehow, that Taylor trusted him to use him in this way. He wasn’t sure what had shifted in their—it was wrong to call it a relationship—or how, but he was sure that it had happened.
With respect to that, Zac began to move slowly, yet careful not to be too much of a tease. He found an easy rhythm, listening for the way Taylor’s breath caught and hitched. Of course the prince wouldn’t say a word now, would barely do anything to indicate whether or not he was enjoying himself. Yet Zac had no doubt that he was.
When Zac felt it, that almost imperceptible, yet tell-tale throb, he pulled back and let his tongue circle just around the head of Taylor’s dick. A bead of come had already gathered at the slit, and Zac allowed himself to lap it up, knowing there was more to come soon—very soon, he thought.
Taylor let out a soft swear in his own language; Zac wasn’t familiar with the word itself, but the tone, the almost moan, said it all. He dove back in, taking Taylor’s entire length at once and bobbing fervently. It had been too long since he’d been with a man, he decided. That was all. And it wasn’t like the prince was unattractive; anyone would be lucky to have his dick in their mouth.
A tug on Zac’s leash reminded him that it wasn’t his choice to do so. He pulled back, gasping a bit for breath as he watched Taylor’s orgasm strike. He used his own hand to finish himself off, a soft moan escaping his lips as his come splattered Zac’s chest—another reminder that Zac was his property to do with as he liked.
Taylor turned from Zac and lowered himself back into the bath. Zac stumbled forward slightly before regaining his composure. He did his best not to watch as the muscles in Taylor’s back rippled as he cleaned himself again. He remained on his knees, not knowing what to expect next.
Moments later, Taylor emerged from the bath, his expression completely blank, as though nothing had happened. He dressed himself in a robe that hung by the door and walked out without another word.
Zac stared in disbelief. Carefully, he inched closer to the edge of the bath and splashed himself with the warm, perfumed water. He didn’t dare use any of the soaps Taylor had left behind. He’d been given enough latitude as it was; it wasn’t the time to take advantage of it.
Sure enough, he had only just managed to wash away the evidence of this odd encounter when the door opened and his guard walked in. It was as though nothing had happened, Zac realized, as the guard pulled him to his feet and replaced his cuffs. Back to whatever passed for normal, until he could plot a way to escape. As he allowed himself to be led back to his room, Zac idly wondered what strange things his guard had seen in this palace. What had just happened, Zac suspected, barely even rated as strange at all.