Chapter 22
At first, she thought the sound no more than another remnant from her dreams, but something was missing. There wasn't the same warmth of arousal stirring in her veins, the same intangible memories of hands caressing her…lips exploring and consuming her skin. Dae almost allowed her conscious mind to sink back into the darkness of sleep, lulled by the rhythmic rumbling of Tricia's low snores, but then the sound came again, clearer and more distinct. She noticed a cold dampness against her cheek and grimaced, shifting her face away from the spot where her breath had condensed on her pillow in the chilly night air. The movement brought her more fully awake, and she strained her ears to listen to the muffled but unmistakable moans of sexual ecstasy that had roused her.
She quickly identified that the sounds were coming from Cass’s bed; just as she’d suspected, the little pixie wasn’t as naive or inexperienced as most in the reformatory. But though the sounds of Cass's self-pleasuring were intriguing, it was the thought of what lay behind them that brought a sleepy smile to Dae's lips.
The balance of power in the reformatory had shifted dramatically since her confrontation with Father Douglas. Without the constant threat of ‘disciplinary action’ hanging over their heads, the other young women were starting to grow bolder, less inhibited, around one another. The changes in their behavior were subtle at first—touches that lingered longer than necessary, eyes that met and held their gaze with deeper than normal intensity—but they quickly grew more overt and daring. Even the most innocent of exchanges had become edged with an erotic undertone. The privacy screens in the showers were now seldom drawn, allowing eyes to explore unhindered over slippery bodies, hands to reach out and caress soapy wet skin. Bathing had become a sensual, erotic experience, and some of the girls seemed to find it necessary to shower twice or even three times a day.
They now listened when Dae encouraged them not to fear their desires, not to feel shame for them but rather to embrace them, give them power and life. Attractions which Dae suspected had been simmering beneath the surface since long before she arrived were heating up, dry tinder ready to catch fire at the slightest spark. The sexual tension in the reformatory had become palpable, and though she had yet to fully consummate her desires with any of the other young women, Dae still reveled in the lustful atmosphere she had kindled.
The priests, on the other hand, spent more time locked away in their private quarters, helpless to stop the rising vibrations of sexual freedom now that they faced the promise of Jaharri retribution. Watching Father Douglas choke back words of condemnation every time he caught someone engaging in prurient activities evoked a special kind of satisfaction in Dae's heart. It appeared Douglas had decided to simply wait out the storm, for Dae to be returned to the Jaharri, before he tried regaining control over his wards. The concern for what might happen to Kaylee and her other friends once she left niggled at Dae's mind, but she didn't let it deter her from spreading the ideals of Jaharri enlightenment.
Because the subject of exclusively female—or, indeed, exclusively male—relations was so taboo, so utterly forbidden in the Heartland, Dae had come to realize that most of the other young women were every bit as naive concerning how those relations were actually consummated as she herself had been prior to her time in the harem. The sins which had brought them to the reformatory were mostly quite innocent—youthful explorations, stolen kisses or revealed fantasies which had been overheard and reported. A few were more worldly than the others, had actually allowed their unnatural urges to find unspeakable fulfillment, and with the mood around them growing more electrified day by day, Dae noticed these young women were having little difficulty enticing those with less experience into indulging in private, more intimate explorations behind closed doors.
She had been approached herself by no fewer than a dozen girls in the last few days. Some came seeking words of counsel or encouragement, while others wished to test their growing confidence on someone they knew would welcome their advances. She’d shared kisses which ranged from sweet to passionate, and indulged in some light petting which left her aching for something heavier, but so far Dae had yet to tempt any of her companions into her bed. Cass was certainly one of those who’d been eyeing her lately with unmasked interest, and Dae wondered whether she featured in the fantasies that now stirred her arousal.
Dae was just starting to wonder if she should offer some assistance when Cass’s squeaks and whimpers became suddenly faster and higher pitched, quickly reaching a crescendo. It was impossible to make out her movements in the dark, but Dae heard the rustle of blankets and a long, purring sigh of satisfaction.
Listening to Cass's breathing slow in the aftermath of her climax, Dae grinned in the darkness and whispered, “You know, if you’d like some help next time, all you need do is ask. I’ve found such pleasures far more enjoyable when they’re shared with another, and I’d be more than happy to offer my assistance.”
There was a long moment of silence, and Dae imagined the other girl was probably more than a little embarrassed to realize her private pleasures had been overheard. Then came her quiet reply, a shy admission. “I…I’d like that.”
“Just remember, the Scion is getting closer every day. Don't wait too long or you might miss your chance.”
The sound of booted footsteps came from the hallway outside, pausing at their door; Father Douglas had his priests patrolling the corridors every night in an effort to curtail any amorous antics. Cass made a noise that sounded like an amused snort and whispered, “I'd say I'm ready for another round right now, but we wouldn’t get too far before they interrupt us. I don’t fancy being dragged out of bed in the middle of the night.”
Almost as though to prove her point, there came a sharp rap on the door and a muffled, “Quiet down, ladies! Get some sleep.”
Dae remained silent until the priest’s footsteps moved on (though she detected the sound of choked laughter coming from Cass), then she whispered, “Maybe we’ll just call it something to look forward too. Remember…all you need do is ask.”
Closing her eyes and rolling onto her side, Dae let herself entertain a lush fantasy of such an encounter, enjoying the way it warmed her flesh as she drifted back to sleep.
Unbeknownst to either them, Kaylee had also been woken by the sounds, and she lay in her bed listening and puzzling over what could be inspiring them.
She knew, of course, the noises were somehow sexual; she wasn’t a complete fool, after all. But just as Dae had been before the other pleasure-servants began her “education,” Kaylee was an innocent when it came to carnal matters. She had no idea how two women could make love. Dae’s descriptions of her own experiences were just so tantalizingly vague; she spoke of bodies intertwined in passion, lips exploring and fingers questing, pleasures that shattered the mind and shook the senses…but nothing to help explain these noises now.
How, she wondered, could Cass intertwine with herself?
Despite her ignorance, Kaylee’s body responded with an instinctive understanding. She felt an aching tension spread throughout her abdomen and groin, something warm and not at all unpleasant…a tension she’d not felt this keenly since her own ‘shameful indiscretion.’
That was how Kaylee thought of the events that had led her to this place: her ‘shameful indiscretion.’ It was something she never spoke of with anyone else if she could avoid it, something the priests had told her she would overcome, forget about with time as she grew older. But no matter how hard she tried, Kaylee had never found the strength to completely discard the memory of that sweet, forbidden experience. Instead, she buried it deep, only ever allowing herself to recall those feelings and emotions in moments of quiet solitude.
But since Dae came to the reformatory, those memories seemed to be stirring with fresh vigor and it was growing harder to ignore them.
Kaylee sincerely wanted to get better, and felt she’d been making excellent progress toward that goal. At first it had been a struggle for her; she'd never been good at keeping her mouth shut, and the many questions she’d had regarding her sins angered Father Douglas. Only after numerous sessions of 'discipline' had she learned to hold her tongue and keep her thoughts silent. Compliance made all the difference, and before long Kaylee was working diligently to earn her salvation so she could be redeemed and return to her family. There was only one problem: no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't control the way Lyric affected her.
Lyric.
The tingly heat between her legs grew stronger at the mere thought of her name, and when she squeezed her thighs together to relieve the tension Kaylee was mortified when a soft sigh escaped her parted lips. It was almost like those tendrils of heat were calling to her, inviting her fingers to chart their course with a light caress…
It was a stupid fantasy, one Kaylee knew she had no business indulging but which she couldn't ever quite abandon. So the attraction remained, taunting her every time Lyric entered her field of vision and caused the rest of the world to just wash away. There was some intangible quality about her that held Kaylee mesmerized in helpless, aching wonder. As a child Kaylee had been fascinated to learn how the moon drew the tide without ever touching the ocean; distant and indifferent, Lyric affected her the same way.
Thankfully she doubted that Lyric was even aware of her existence, let alone her infatuation. Kaylee often reminded herself that Lyric would soon be leaving the reformatory to pursue a more honorable and accepted relationship with a man her family had chosen for her. She figured once the distractingly gorgeous girl was gone, she’d be able to focus more fully on the task of getting better.
It had seemed a reasonable enough plan right up until Dae arrived, bringing with her the spirit of unbridled and unrepentant passion she’d acquired in the desert. Like Lyric she was high-born, gifted with an innate sense of grace and charisma. But unlike most of those born into the aristocracy—including Lyric—Dae had no interest in keeping her distance from those beneath her station. If anything, she appeared to genuinely enjoy their company. She offered no apology for her transgressions, encouraged those around her to act upon their carnal desires, and generally behaved as though she’d never left the harem.
Kaylee was well aware that Dae wanted to bed her—in fact, it seemed she wanted to bed pretty much every girl in the reformatory—but she was never forceful in her attempts to seduce the other women, and she never belittled Kaylee for rejecting her playful advances. The sexual undertones to their developing friendship sometimes made Kaylee feel a bit confused and guilty, but she’d found herself looking up to Dae more and more since she arrived. This attraction was different to what she felt for Lyric, yet dangerously familiar, bringing with it the promise of answers to questions Kaylee had kept bottled up a long while.
Every time those dazzling emerald eyes washed over her in wanton appreciation, every time their shoulders or hands brushed together as they went about their chores each day, a thrilling surge of tingles would dance across Kaylee's skin and make her breath catch in her throat. Every night as they all got ready for bed she would order herself not to stare at Dae as she stripped off her clothes, and every night she would curse herself for letting her eyes get lost in all that smooth, alabaster skin…those full firm breasts with that wickedly erotic piercing.
It didn’t help that Kaylee knew Dae was flaunting her naked body quite deliberately, baiting her trap with the allure of her beauty and experience. It also didn’t help that the last few nights Cass had begun shyly copying her by sleeping topless as well. The atmosphere throughout the reformatory had become a whirlwind of sexual tension, and Kaylee was sleeping right next to the eye of that electric storm.
She tried so hard to behave, telling herself it would be shameful to let her hidden desires run free, but Kaylee’s guilt and embarrassment were growing fainter every day. What was the point of being good, she asked herself, when being naughty seemed like so much more fun?
And now, lying silent in the concealing darkness and hearing Dae’s whispered offer to Cass, Kaylee ached with the knowledge of how simple it would be to enlighten her growing curiosity about all those mysterious, forbidden delights.
All she had to do was ask…