SEDUCED BY THE SUN GOD
Sahara Kelly
Smashwords Edition
Copyright 2010 Sahara Kelly
Smashwords Edition, Licence Notes
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Cover art copyright 2010 Sahara Kelly
Dedication
This book is dedicated to my family, as always, and to my friends who have listened to me whine, rant and generally make a nuisance of myself. It's also dedicated to those readers who believe in love and laughter, and who believe - as I do - that the two are not mutually exclusive.
Author's Note
Ancient Sumer has long been a source of fascination for historians and archaeologists. It is known today as the "Cradle of Civilization", justifiably so since it left a legacy that included the wheel, crop cultivation, the earliest writings known to man and irrigation. Also beer.
Located in what is now Iraq, and snugly settled into the fertile delta created by the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, it lasted for several thousand years until the rise of Babylonia in the early second millennium B.C. It's a fascinating time and thoughtfully bequeathed cuneiform records of a society that grew and developed and provided the foundation for future civilizations. I have taken considerable liberties with Ancient Sumer, of course, since I'm a writer not a trained archaeologist, and I apologize to those offended by any inaccuracies. However, I hope the fundamental flavor of the time remains part of these tales. There was no such place as Kushuk, but there were many such villages at the time, and there was indeed an Akkad to the north.
Hammurabi became the sixth King of Babylon and the first king of the Babylonian Empire when his father abdicated (not murdered as in my story...sorry!). He left behind the "Code of Hammurabi", one of the first written codes of law in recorded history. Another fascinating man whose legacy as an ancient law-giver lasts to this day.
These two stories were originally published as separate volumes ("The Sun God's Woman" and Nerin's story "Visions" - in the "Mystic Visions" anthology) - but have been revised to provide a complete look at my version of Ancient Sumer and some of the fun goings-on back then. After all, what can you say about a culture which left us not only the first writings and a recipe for beer (still usable but a bit heavy on the barley) but a lifestyle that was not only tolerant of sex, but actually encouraged it? Not to mention "Huk Gil", an extract of poppy used extensively in many of their ceremonies. I like to think of it as sort of an early Woodstock without the mud and the electric guitars.
I thoroughly enjoyed learning about Ancient Sumer while researching this book's settings. I hope you'll enjoy visiting my version and perhaps find yourself interested in learning more.
SEDUCED BY THE SUN GOD
Prologue
The lights in the conference room dimmed and the polite babble of conversation diminished to an expectant hush as the dulcet tones of the moderator swirled around the guests. "Ladies and gentlemen, it is my pleasure to present our keynote speaker this evening. From Pendrake Industries, here to tell us about his exciting new discoveries, may I ask you to join me in welcoming Dr. Kyle Pendrake."
An enthusiastic round of applause greeted this comment, and in the back row of the room Annie Lynden caught her breath. He was gorgeous. He was one hot babe-magnet whose pictures hadn't done him justice.
And he was a dedicated scientist who had made magic. Literally.
There were some quiet moments while Dr. Pendrake's assistant carefully wired in hooked up the small computer system next to the podium.
Annie's mouth watered as she used the time to study the notorious Dr. Pendrake.
Easily topping six feet, his hair was dark and longer than fashionable. Today he had tied it back neatly, but there were still fiery glints shining through when he bent to straighten a cable. His clothes were neat and well tailored, and reeked of expensively casual chic. His round-necked shirt was definitely a silk knit, and was topped by a jacket that probably had been custom made for his broad shoulders. Tasteful khakis fell in perfect creases to his gleaming loafers.
Not a pocket protector in sight.
He stood and glanced around the audience, and Annie caught a flash of light from incredible green eyes. Sheesh, he was sex on a stick. She dropped immediately into a fantasy of licking her tongue up the sensitive flesh just inside his very naked hipbone. And back down. And over slightly.
A tap on the microphone brought her attention back to reality, although to judge by the parted lips and squirming bodies of the few other women present, she wasn't the only one picking up the major sex vibes from this luscious set of walking hormones.
"Good evening."
His voice was as appealing as the rest of him. He should probably have a government warning stamped on his butt. Just thinking about his butt distracted Annie and she wrenched herself back to business - to take notes on the lecture for her editor.
It was a coup for her to be here, because this was very much an 'invitation-only' affair. There were some pretty impressive looking suits in the front rows, and even a military uniform or two. Her editor had sworn that this project would probably end up classified within months, and would have come himself, but his wife was due to produce a little editor any second, and he was a confirmed science-hater.
So here she was, Miss Junior Reporter, still months away from graduating with a degree in journalism, covering what promised to be the hot technological topic of the year - Dr. Kyle Pendrake's 'Magic'.
Developing a severe case of lust for the noted scientist wasn't going to help her write the feature article she'd been promised, or get her the spot on the front page above the fold where her byline would appear. Her palms started to sweat as she worked the first sentences in her mind...
'Dr. Kyle Pendrake may have discovered magic, but in the eyes of many of his audience, he managed to create a little of his own at last night's symposium...' Yeah, that would make a nice intro...oops, he was beginning his lecture.
Annie leaned forward, unwilling to miss a second of what this guy was selling. Whatever it was, she'd take some.
"Merlin." The word floated through the now-silent room like a wisp of fog. "A name synonymous with the forces of magic, the forces of nature, a command of the most fundamental elements of our existence."
The audience was hushed, all its attention focused on the man at the podium. The lights struck his head and upper body, leaving much of the rest of him in shadow. A nice dramatic touch, thought Annie, and one that worked well when you looked as yummy as the good professor.
"Magic," he continued, meeting as many eyes in the audience as he could. This guy knew how to work a crowd. "The premise that magic exists is not new. Scientists have played around with the idea for many years. At Pendrake Labs, however, we don't 'play'...we get serious!" A quick smile made three women in the second row squirm a little. An obvious case of wet-panty syndrome.
"The result of our research is here with me tonight. Ladies and gentlemen, it is my pleasure to present to you...Merlin." A wave of his hand and a click of the remote control button produced a spotlight focused on the small unit at his side. He passed his hand over it and it began to glow.
Infrared sensors. Annie busily jotted down her impressions, and refused to be seduced by the show.
"Merlin is an acronym, standing for 'Magical Energies Resonator and Linear Integration Network" board. Actually," another smile crossed his handsome face, "...it's more correctly known as M.E.R.L.I.N. dash B." The large screen behind Dr. Pendrake lit up with the Pendrake logo and a sleek graphic of the name Merlin.
"In our labs, it's the SR388 unit, and in our system here, it's...well, it's pretty special."
A shade of excitement had crept into his voice, and Annie paused in her note-taking to watch him. She could just make out a pulse beating at the base of his neck as he turned to his unit, and a faint sheen of sweat was beginning to film his forehead.
A period of very technical information followed, which Annie wisely let slip by. Her readers wouldn't care about the operating system, whether it would work on the latest PC, or MAC, how many bazillion gigs of memory it needed, or whether Microsoft would be releasing a bug update within the promised time frame.
No, her readers wanted the whole picture...the images of what she was seeing, the end result of what this machine was rumored to do.
His scientific presentation winding down, Dr. Pendrake laid his notes back onto the podium. "You are probably all a little bit curious about Merlin." He smiled. "We were too, when we realized what we had developed. A plug-in board that can harness every bit of magic that is lurking near it. And there is magic everywhere, ladies and gentlemen, make no mistake."
He crossed to the front of the small dais and raised the lighting in the room with another click of his remote control. He could now see his audience more clearly, and the feeling of intimacy was heightened as he swept his gaze over the forty or fifty faces that intently watched him.
Annie felt his glance like a bolt through her body. His eyes hesitated a moment as they passed over her, and the pull of his attraction shocked her right down to her thong! Sheesh, what she wouldn't give for a night with this guy. No holds barred.
"There is magic in the materials we use to create our buildings, and magic in the earth they stand upon. There is magic in the plants that grow, the wind that blows, and the air we need to sustain our very lives. "
I'll just bet there's some pure magic in your shorts, too, buddy.
His gaze flickered back to her, and for a second Annie was aghast at the idea he might have heard her improper thought. She blushed fiercely.
"This magical energy is collected by our friend Merlin, and converted into digital impulses. The result?" After a suitably dramatic pause, the monitor behind Dr. Pendrake lit up with some kind of movie. There were carriages moving up and down a busy street, and people bustling about their business. But unlike old films, this one was in glowing color and the movements of the crowds were natural.
"A viewer, if you will. A glimpse through the veils of time. An opportunity to see the past!"
There was complete and utter silence as mouths fell open and eyes widened. Unable to believe what she was seeing, Annie was as startled as everyone else.
"Yes, you are really looking at the past. We estimate this to be New York in about 1890 or so, judging from the clothing styles. I'll leave those details to the historians amongst you - our goal is to continue to provide opportunities to peek at our past, and to learn its secrets. Merlin is truly a magician in that respect."
A murmur rose in the room as people started to question, wonder, puzzle, and in general react in a variety of ways to the outrageous claims made by Dr. Kyle Pendrake.
"I understand your shock. Believe me, the day we first discovered these amazing results, we were pretty much in shock too. But let me assure you that this is quite genuine. These images are being generated now, here, in this room, by the Merlin system. They are not recorded, digitized, enhanced or in any other way altered. You are seeing a moment in our history - as it happened."
The murmur rose to a hubbub as the scientists in the audience started firing questions at Pendrake, the historians struggled to get their hands on pencil and paper to note what they were seeing, the military whispered to each other, and a couple of women tried to get closer to the Professor.
Annie watched it all with skeptical eyes. Could it be possible? There had been a lot of ongoing research into the nature of magic and its presence, so that had a ring of truth to it. But capturing it? Turning a computer system into a wizard? And then casting a spell to create a window on the past? This was all sounding way too much like a bad science fiction novel. If it hadn't been for the man on the dais who was expertly fielding questions, and the images playing on the huge monitor behind him, she might well have dismissed his claims as just another hokey experiment that was designed to rip people off.
But she could see the carriages rolling along the broad street, kicking up dust from the horses' hooves. As she watched, one horse deposited a large pile of steaming droppings and a woman crossing the street behind the carriage had to do some very fancy footwork to avoid it. Now that was realism.
The conversations around her continued, and many people had now moved closer to the unit and the dais. Dr. Pendrake stepped back to allow them a chance to get a good look at his system and eased away from the crowd, standing alone for a few moments. His eyes scanned the room and found Annie.
Once again, she felt something startling in his gaze. She knew he'd looked for her this time, and was not fooled into thinking it was because he'd developed a sudden case of lust for her body. She was pretty much used to this reaction.
Her white-blonde hair separated her from her peers on a regular basis, and her unusual violet eyes finished the job. Why she had been born with the genetic flaw that resulted in albinism, she had no idea, and neither had her parents. In fact, it had been several years after her birth that her pediatrician had actually realized that Annie was an albino. She had the less severe form, and her eye color was proof of that. But her hair remained obstinately platinum, her eyebrows were practically non-existent unless she used her makeup properly, and she burned to a crisp at the beach.
Her glasses took care of her minor vision problems, and it really had been no hardship after she'd learned how to deal with it. But it still attracted attention.
Just like the attention she was now getting from Dr. Hotbody.
She raised her chin slightly and held his gaze, refusing to look embarrassed that she hadn't joined the gushing throng of salivating techno-groupies. If he wanted her attention, he was going to have to come and get it. Always assuming that she didn't drop to her knees and offer him whatever sexual favor he wanted, which wouldn't further her image as a cool, calm, representative of the Fourth Estate. Drooling and humping his leg was probably out, too. She sighed as he turned away, summoned by a two-star general.
It had been a nice fantasy.
Returning to their seats, the crowd settled and waited for Dr. Pendrake to conclude his presentation. "Well, you've had a chance to take a look at Merlin and what he can do. As I mentioned to some of you, we have only looked to the nineteenth century thus far, but tonight, in honor of your presence..." he bowed politely to his audience, "...we are going to set our parameters a bit farther back. Tonight we will attempt to sneak a glimpse into the age of Shakespeare, Sir Francis Drake, and the magnificent Virgin Queen herself, Elizabeth the First."
Incredulous gasps met this announcement, and an excited buzz of conversation covered Dr. Pendrake as he leaned down, adjusted settings, typed in commands, and tapped nervous fingers on the data-crystal case in front of him.
He straightened, and another tense silence fell.
The monitor grew blurry and the images of Victorian New York pixilated into darkness. The room lights dipped, and for a moment nothing but the glow of the LCD screen illuminated the faces staring at it.
Then all hell broke loose.
A picture appeared. It was of the ocean, and sailing upon that ocean, two enormous galleons. The picture panned around to the wharves along the oceanfront. There were sailors meandering to and fro, barrels, crates, casks and ropes piled everywhere, and women walking - in enormous gowns. Cheers and applause and cries of surprise and wonder erupted through the conference room.
He'd done it.
Grinning from ear to ear, Kyle Pendrake also stared at the screen.
The crowd stood in unison, and Annie joined them. She was applauding as loudly as anyone and adding a couple of whistles to the cacophony. The excitement was infectious and the enthusiasm enormous.
Annie stood on a chair to watch Pendrake's reaction, and as she did, she noticed the Merlin unit next to him. It was vibrating slightly, its glow changing from a soft blue to more of an electric green. The greater the applause, the greater the change.
The size of its aura was getting larger too. Annie frowned and stopped clapping as she wondered if she should bring it to anyone's attention. But the crowd, as the saying goes, went wild. Cheers brought out more cheers, and shouts of "Bravo" and "Magnificent" were tossed around with the applause. The green glow was intensifying, now shining onto Pendrake's expensive khakis. There was a golden center to it, surrounding the unit, and it was pulsating. Annie realized that it was pulsating in time with the roar of the crowd.
They were the ones producing the energies that were feeding Merlin. It was eating their emotions, and liking them from the looks of it.
Little sparkles started flashing through the glow and suddenly Kyle Pendrake looked over at his creation. He froze for a second, then moved casually toward it.
God, was it going to explode?
Annie held her breath as the others continued their approbation, probably not realizing that this wasn't part of the show. The images had faded on the monitor, and the biggest source of light was now Merlin itself. A woman, who hadn't taken her eyes off Pendrake all night, let out a loud yipping cheer, and Merlin lapped it up.
A giant fireball of light swelled around the unit, enveloping Kyle as he reached to disconnect the power.
There was a sudden hiss, followed by a screech of deafening proportions.
And Kyle
Pendrake was gone.
Chapter 1
Four years later...
"Oh Annie," the man moaned, thrusting himself in even deeper. "Oh Annie..."
Annie wriggled her hips beneath him, trying to get into some kind of position that would give her sensations other than that of a nail being mercilessly hammered by a mallet.
"Oh Annie," he muttered, obviously not worried about lack of originality in his sexual dialogue.
Oh Annie - my ass. Her head inched ever closer to the headboard, driven by energetic thrusts. This night probably marked the end of her "relationship" with Frank. He was, not to put too fine a point on it, a lousy fuck. She considered running her hands across her breasts to see if she could charge her sexual libido up a bit, but realized that even if she did, it would be too little, too late. He was nearing his peak.
"Oh Anniieeee..." He shuddered and shook above her, as he pumped the last of himself into the condom she'd thoughtfully reminded him to use. With a sigh, he collapsed into a sticky heap on top of her.
Annie sighed too.
Frank Hartwell had been pursuing her for months, his dinner invitations and suggestions for drinks and movies had finally worn her down. He'd been good company, his conversation was reasonably bright, if a little one-sided, and his body was very nice. He kissed well, and Annie had finally relented and allowed him into her bed. Unfortunately, his talents had not extended quite that far. Apparently he belonged to the school of thought that said a woman should be responsible for her own orgasm since he certainly wasn't.
This was their fourth - or was it fifth? - time between the sheets, and she was damn sure it was going to be the last. Her thighs would probably have a few bruises for a day or so, his skinny hips having been revealed when he first slid off his briefs. She should have known, right then and there, that this relationship was doomed to disaster. She loved a man in boxers. Preferably silk boxers. Skimpy briefs over bony hips were not a turn on for her.
Frank was easing off her body and rolling onto his side with a groan of contentment. "My god, Annie, that was wonderful."
"Ah."
"I think sex is just terrific for relaxing one's nerves after a long week at work, don't you?"
She grunted. Frank's week seemed to consist mostly of meetings, and workouts at the gym, interspersed with business lunches and the occasional formal dinner. Yeah, sure, that was work.
"So whaddya say, babe, you and me? Tomorrow night? I've got a friend who wants me to house-sit for him this weekend...he's got a hot tub..." Frank rolled on one side and looked hopefully at her.
She prayed for the right words. Not even if hell freezes over in the interim. Nope, not strong enough. I'd rather get a root canal. Close, getting closer. No fucking way are you getting those skeleton hips and that ugly dick anywhere near my silken pussy lips ever again, buddy. That might do the trick.
She compromised. "I'm sorry, Frank. This weekend is out of the question. I have research time scheduled at the Pendrake Facility. Why don't I call you next week sometime..."
Like maybe never.
"You got research time?" Frank's voice nearly screeched as he tumbled out of bed and discarded his condom.
That was another thing she decided she really disliked about him. He was up and off right afterwards. Not that she wanted him to cuddle her anyway, but still...
"Yes, Frank, I got research time." She couldn't keep a little bit of satisfaction from creeping into her voice.
"But...but you're a..."
"A what, Frank?" she said sweetly.
"A writer, for God's sake."
Oh boy. He'd just put the very final period on their relationship. Perhaps even their friendship. Hell, he'd be lucky if she didn't hire someone to "off" him. Where did contract assassins hang out? How much did they charge for a justifiable and sanctioned termination?
"Yes I am, indeed, a writer. And as of this moment, I am the writer you are no longer seeing. Good night. I believe you can find your way out."
She unfolded her legs from the tangled sheets and stalked, defiantly naked, into her bathroom. The door closed behind her with a firm click. Her last image of Frank was of a guy who'd just been whacked in the nuts and goosed up the ass at the same time. It was quite delightful.
- - -
The alarm was shrieking loudly as Annie reached over and gave it the usual thump.
Something was different. Oh yeah, it was dark. This wasn't eleven o'clock in the morning, it was eleven o'clock at night, and it was the night of her most exciting research opportunity.
Leaping out of bed, Annie rushed through her shower, and hurried into the kitchen. She had a big date with a computer. She grinned widely at the coffee pot as it sang to her, its bubbles and popples making lovely music to her ears.
A copy of her latest novel lay on the kitchen table, the large print shrieking at her that it was from "Best-selling writer Anne Lynden". She still got a kick out of seeing that, even though this was her second novel to make it to the Holy Grail of writers - the New York Times best-seller list. It had been those successes that had given her the courage to apply for a chance to use the Pendrake Merlin facility. To actually see things happening in the early nineteenth century would be of inestimable value to her as a writer. To peek in at an evening at Almacks - well, she just drooled at the thought.
It was still a surprise to her when her request had come back marked "Approved" - apparently there were a couple of her readers on the Pendrake approval committee - and now here she was, readying herself for the drive out to the lab. And the chance to see the machine that had haunted her dreams for the last few years.
Well, okay, it wasn't so much the machine that had haunted her dreams, it was more the man who had disappeared. But that was simply a minor detail. Annie looked at the packet from the lab and re-read the instructions, even though she knew them by heart.
"Please arrive promptly, time is scheduled very carefully. Make sure you bring all necessary recording devices (check batteries first, we are not your local corner store), and notebooks. You will find two tablets enclosed, please take them with a glass of water one hour prior to viewing. They will suppress any stray emotions that might cause an unwanted reaction from the viewing system. Thank you for your cooperation."
The two pink pills lay on her palm. She knew that they were very important and she would not be allowed anywhere near the viewer if she hadn't taken them. A breath test would confirm that she'd ingested the weak tranquilizer.
These were the pills that would keep the machine from going nuts and eating her. Or so it was said. At least no one had disappeared since that stunning night five years ago when the most delicious man she'd ever seen had "poofed" out of existence right in front of her eyes.
She well remembered the panic and confusion that had struck the conference room as the cheering crowd realized that their hero had disappeared before their very eyes. It had been hushed up, of course. Men in dark suits had "interviewed" - read de-briefed - everyone who had been present, herself included. This had been followed by a strong suggestion that her story downplay the facts of Dr. Pendrake's disappearance.
She didn't need any urging. She had felt saddened, depressed and discouraged that Kyle Pendrake had vanished. In fact, this had led her to start her first novel - her emotions poured out through the words onto the paper and had led to her new career as a writer.
Then, a couple of years ago, the Pendrake Labs had announced that their "viewer" was ready for use, and since then it had been booked solid with no further misadventures. Apparently, these tranquilizers had been the key. Restrain the emotions, restrain the machine. That was how it was supposed to work, anyway.
And here she was, bag packed with microcassette recorders, digital cameras, and even good old pencil and paper. And a tin of breath mints. After all, one never knew...
The Pendrake Facility was quite impressive. Long, low, glass-roofed buildings welcomed visitors who entered via a beautifully landscaped courtyard. Plants were everywhere, inside and out, and Annie felt more like she was entering a spa than a research facility. Her reception was cordial, and before she knew it, her reservations had been confirmed, her ID validated, and she was respectfully ushered into the control room of the viewer itself.
"Hi Merlin," she whispered.
The door closed behind the technician and Annie seated herself in the comfortable leather chair that faced an impressive control panel. Merlin himself was sitting quietly on a rather bland table, with his umbilical connections leading to a very large wall-mounted flat panel screen. She began her run-through of the procedures, opening her notebooks, assembling her recording devices, and preparing for the exciting adventure ahead.
She was forty minutes early.
- - -
"Don't sweat it, baby. There's nobody due for nearly an hour..."
Mark Everton, Senior Technician at Pendrake Laboratories, ran his hands over Kimmy Johnson's luscious body. It had taken him all of three months to get her where he wanted her, on a night shift, alone with him, in the Merlin Room.
They'd chatted, had a couple of dates, shared a hot kiss or two, and tonight - yeah, tonight Mark was going to get lucky.
"So what happened next, Mark?" Kimmy's big blue eyes gazed up at Mark as she waited for him to continue his story.
His fingers tripped down the front zipper of her lab jumpsuit. "There was nothing left of him but a pile of clothes..." he whispered dramatically.
Kimmy gasped. Whether it was from hearing his story, or from the fact that his hands were now inside her suit and kneading her breasts was another matter.
He didn't particularly care because she had really quite remarkable breasts.
She shivered under his attentions, and moved her hips close to his, grinding her pelvis against his erection. He was already hard and by God, she was making him even more ready. He eased her suit over her shoulders and revealed those magnificent breasts, which were skimpily covered in something lacy. The lights were low, so Mark couldn't see exactly what it was, but that was okay because he didn't really care. All he needed to know was - back or front fastening?
"Are you sure, Mark?" Her hands rested on his seconds before he popped the clasp.
"Honey, there's no one here. I made sure of that. I've wanted this for so long, do you think I'd chance any mistakes? I want to touch you so bad, Kimmy..." Suiting words to action, he released her breasts from their lacy confinement, sighing with happiness as they filled his hands to overflowing.
She moaned, and reached for his zipper.
He groaned as she found it and whipped it down, freeing his cock to the cool air of the lab.
"Mark," she giggled. "No undies?"
"A guy can hope, can't he?"
She lowered her hands as he nibbled and suckled his way across her breasts. "Oooh Mark. Is this for me?" She stroked him firmly, pulling slightly and flicking the head of his erection.
God, he liked that. He liked that a lot. With a quick shrug his jumpsuit was on the floor, and he pressed his naked body up against Kimmy as he pushed her free of her remaining clothing.
Her juices were running, she was hot as hell, and Mark couldn't wait to get all that fire round his cock. His fingers slipped down, rubbing and caressing and pushing her clit, bringing little cries and gasps of pleasure to her throat. His touch grew more forceful and her hips started an involuntary thrust of their own.
He lifted her off her feet, seating her on the low table behind her. He was a man who believed in doing a thorough job of preparation when it came to seduction, which is why he considered himself so successful at it. And, as he'd thought, this particular table was just the right height for some lovely hot pussy to open wide and suck him right in.
Moving between those spread thighs, Mark teased her clit with the head of his cock, driving them both wild.
Moaning out loud now, Kimmy ran frantic hands across her nipples and then down over him, reaching for his buttocks and driving her nails into the solid flesh she found there.
"Do you want this, baby?" he growled, rubbing his cock against her once again.
"Please Mark, oh please..."
"Please what, honey?" he teased, pushing a little way in and then pulling back. Her legs rose up behind him to lock him to her.
He took advantage and slid his cock between her folds, urging her to lean backwards slightly. He could almost push his way into her ass, and the mere thought of that sensation brought a shiver of anticipation through him.
He slid through her moisture and his cock swelled to impossible dimensions as he felt her slick and heated flesh surround him.
"Touch me everywhere, Mark," she whispered, eyes closed and head thrown back.
Taking her at her word, he lowered his head and sucked powerfully at one enlarged nipple. His hands busied themselves with her clit, and within seconds she was a writhing sobbing squealing mass of desire that wanted nothing more in the entire world than to be fucked. Now!
Mark held off as long as he could, but he was weakening. His balls clenched tightly and he released the nipple so that he could watch the shadows between them as he finally slid his cock inside her.
They both froze for a moment, relishing the sensation of being finally joined together.
- - -
In front of the control panel, Annie was busily typing in her destination codes. She'd already entered her ID, password, social security number, and an assortment of other coded information that told Merlin she was actually who she said she was.
Apparently he had believed her as he was now humming contentedly.
She half-turned at what might have been a slight sound. Listening, she tried to hear it again, but there was nothing. Focusing back on her project, she ran down the checklist again. There were several pages of detailed instructions, and it took her quite a bit of time to make sure all was as it should be.
Damn it, there was that sound again. Almost like a moan.
Annie twisted around in her chair, missing the fact that Merlin was looking a little more perky than he had ten minutes ago. In fact, if she had bothered to look closely, she might have even noticed that he was glowing.
A definite moan came from the shadows at the back of the lab.
"That's it," she muttered. "I'll be damned if I'm waiting any longer for this viewing time. I don't care who's in here, I'm going ahead."
She turned back to the keyboard and entered the final sequence of numbers destined to open a channel to the year 1810.
Looking up at the screen anxiously, she failed to observe that Merlin was now looking like Tinkerbell on steroids.
The screen flickered and began to lighten.
Images appeared, but they didn't look much like London in the Regency. There seemed to be a very bright sky, desert sands perhaps, a palm tree or two...what the hell was this?
Annie frowned.
Behind the rack of electronics equipment, Kimmy gave a final sob and came violently as Mark thrust into her one last time to achieve the most monumental climax he could remember having in his entire life.
Merlin screamed his joy and latched onto the nearest living thing.
Annie disappeared.
Chapter
2
It had to be the worst hangover she'd ever had. Her head was throbbing to the point of agony, and her stomach was upside down and threatening to come out of her ears if she moved. She was scared to moan, the sound might kill her.
Suddenly a gentle hand laid a cool soft cloth on her forehead. Thank god. She must be in a hospital. Her addled thoughts worked through the equation...Merlin, the lab, some kind of explosion and - hospital.
Relaxing, she sighed with pleasure as the cloth stroked its way across her face and down her neck onto her naked breasts.
Whoa. Naked breasts?
What the hell kind of hospital was this? Very carefully, she raised one eyelid. She shut it again just as carefully.
There was a half naked woman next to her bed.
This was really weird. Annie thought for a few moments, and decided to risk both eyelids this time.
Bad move.
There were other women near her bed and they were completely naked.
A moan seemed appropriate at this point.
"Relax, Noble One, all will be well." The cloth resumed its soothing trek over her body, and Annie clenched her eyes shut against the absurdity of it all. "I know you are awake and probably feeling quite dreadful, but if you could just sip some water, you'd do much better."
An arm worked its way behind her and raised her slightly, and a cool cup pressed against her lips. In spite of her reservations, she drank, hesitantly at first, and then thirstily as the cold water slipped down her parched throat.
She lay back and finally opened her eyes. "I'm heavily medicated, aren't I?"
It was the only option she could imagine as she gazed slowly around her. Her headache was receding, but it felt lousy enough to completely preclude the possibility that she was dead. Dead people didn't get thumping migraines.
Nor did they open their eyes onto a scene right out of a Hollywood epic.
Tall pillars soared to the ceiling of the room in which she lay. Mosaic tiles decorated just about everything, and a breeze was blowing gently across her bed. A warm breeze that smelled - different.
She turned her head and gasped.
There was no window next to her, just an opening in the wall framed by long panels of gauzy fabric. But it wasn't the lack of a window that stopped her heart for a moment or two. It was the scene beyond that froze her in her tracks.
"Oh shiiiiitttt..."
All tan and gold and brown, a huge ziggurat dominated the horizon, its steps covered with lush foliage. Decorations sparkled and glittered from the walls, and there seemed to be a lot of people walking up and down the enormous staircase leading to the entrance.
Palm trees surrounded it and were scattered all over the gardens nearby. Her view outside was framed by a shrub with some kind of brilliant white flower on it and a man leading a camel strolled down the street outside the house. The heat of the day made the distant views shimmer, the sky was cloudless, and Annie had never seen anything that looked less like her home.
"Where the hell am I?"
A low chuckle greeted her words. "Welcome to Sumer, Noble One."
"I'm not your Noble One," answered Annie, saying the first thing that came into her mind.
"Indeed you are. What else would you call yourself? We found you on the very center point of the Circle of the Moon, you have hair the color of moonlight, and eyes that rival the sky in the moments after sunset. Your arrival has been foretold for many years in our legends. How can you doubt that you are the daughter of the Moon Goddess, sent to help us in our time of need?"
Annie closed her eyes, digesting this speech. Nope, didn't compute. Waaaay too far out. She had to be on some really heavy dope.
"My name is not 'Noble One'," she said, quietly but firmly. "My name is Annie Lynden. Or it was until a short time ago."
"Welcome then, Annilin," said the woman respectfully, working her tongue around the name.
Annie sighed. "I have to face this. I really have to face this. It's probably a drug-induced fantasy, but I have to face it. The only other answer is that I've been...thrown back...in time..." Her voice trailed off as she put two and two together and came up with about four thousand. Years, that is.
Goddamned friggin' Merlin...he'd sent her back through time to Sumer. Not the Regency, where she could have coped quite nicely, thank you. She could probably have handled the French Revolution, or even the court at Versailles. But ancient Sumer? What in blazes did she know about ancient Sumer? She'd taken one lousy course in Sumerian culture and that was only because the guy she'd been in lust with at the time had signed up for it.
This, to make the mental understatement of all time, was not good.
She opened her eyes and took stock of her situation.
Beside her bed was a woman, looking down at her with concern, and a drinking vessel with water in it clasped between her hands. Seeing Annie's gaze, she smiled.
"I am Enshilla, servant of the Moon Goddess. These are my handmaidens..." She waved gracefully at several young women who were fluttering about at the far end of the room. It appeared that fashion was not a problem in Sumer - no one bothered to wear much of anything.
Enshilla was at least partially covered. A wrap skirt of sorts was slung around her hips and held in place with a heavily jeweled belt. She wore a heavy choker of similar design, and a large half-moon pendant swung down between her ample breasts. Her nipples were quite dark, and Annie wondered if they had been hennaed.
Realizing that her mind must be functioning, if she could wonder about henna and nipples, she tried sitting up.
The room swam for a few seconds, but then righted itself.
Enshilla was at her side helping her. "Slowly, Annilin. You will be dizzy for a while. It is the effect of being sent here from the Goddess' home. The last Noble One to arrive this way was very ill. You are lucky, or possibly stronger, being a woman." Enshilla's lips quirked at this statement, and Annie couldn't resist the urge to smile back. It appeared as if feminism was universal, regardless of the time period.
And apparently she could speak the language too, since she understood everything that was being said to her. Another strange occurrence that might lie at Merlin's electronic door. She asked the question that popped into her mind. "There have been others to arrive like me?"
"Just one. Our Shepherd. You will meet him at the Festival. But now we must get you on your feet and well again."
Wanting to ask more questions, but knowing that Enshilla was right, Annie allowed herself to be helped to her feet and across the room. The tiles were warm beneath her bare skin, and the air comfortable. She knew she was lucky to be indoors, because she would have roasted outside in the hot sun.
The naked handmaidens scattered at her approach and revealed a beautiful bath, large and inlaid with exquisite tile work. There was a delicious scent coming from the water and soft linen cloths laid to the side. Obviously this had been prepared for her.
Hmm. It's good to be a goddess.
There was easily room for ten people in the bath, which could have doubled for a small swimming pool. Annie noted an inflow pipe that permitted a trickle of water to continually replenish the tub, and putting her hands beneath it discovered it to be warm.
"It is warmed by the rays of our Sun God, Annilin," said Enshilla, watching Annie's movements and guessing her thoughts.
"Very clever," smiled Annie.
Everybody got into the tub.
"Oh, I...um...well, isn't this fun?"
Enshilla had dropped her skirt and jewelry and stepped into the bath with Annie and the other four women. "We will be honored to wash you, Noble Annilin," she said, bringing the cloths closer.
"I...er, well, thank you." Annie wasn't sure what protocol demanded when naked in a tub with five women from four thousand years in the past. This wasn't covered by any reference books she'd come across.
Hands covered in scented lather swept over her body, and it seemed as though there were a heck of a lot more than five people in the tub all of a sudden. Much attention was paid to Annie's hair, with lots of oohing and aahing over its texture and color.
Annie barely avoided a face full of lather by dodging an over-enthusiastic handmaiden.
"If you will allow me, Annilin..." Enshilla grasped Annie's thighs and pulled them apart.
"Whoa there, your Elegance, Ma'am, we don't do that where I come from." Annie slammed her legs shut tighter than a new pair of scissors.
"But Annilin, you are the representative of the Moon Goddess..."
"Yes. I got that bit. White hair, pale skin, the eye thing..." Annie inched back and away from those eager hands.
"The Moon Goddess, Annilin..."
"I'm missing a few little details here, aren't I?"
Enshilla sighed. "Annilin, your mistress must have bestowed forgetfulness upon you as you traveled to the temple." She brushed a lock of her hair away from her shoulders and straightened herself in the water. "Now pay attention."
Annie suddenly flashed back to elementary school. She hoped there wouldn't be a quiz later.
"The Moon Goddess is a very important member of our Pantheon. She is worshipped for her beauty, and also her gifts to us, her humble children. She gives us darkness that we may rest from our labors..."
"She gives us the rhythm of our time that we may know when to reap and sow..." continued another maiden.
"She gives us the rhythm of our bodies that we may know when we are to bear our children..."
"She gives us the softness of her night that we may enjoy the pleasures of love under the light of her rays."
"Aha, that's the kicker, isn't it?" Annie listened attentively.
"Yes, indeed, Annilin. The Moon Goddess gives us all that is pleasurable about sharing our bodies with another."
"Another...that would be a man, right?"
The maidens laughed merrily, and Enshilla smiled. "It is as you desire, Annilin. We have no boundaries or rules on pleasure. We take it as we find it or as the mood strikes us. Our gods encourage such happiness. Here, in this particular temple, we are all dedicated servants of the Moon Goddess, so we do not take our pleasures lightly. We wait until one of the many festivals, when our visitors are allowed to share their bodies with us and receive the blessings of the Goddess at the same time."
Annie bit her lip. "So you are sort of like temple...umm..." Oh hell. They were bathing her and being nice to her. The last thing she wanted to do was imply that they were hookers. She struggled to find the right words.
"You give yourselves to people who come to the temple?" Not a great improvement, but hopefully not too insulting.
"Sometimes, yes. We still get to choose with whom we share our bodies, however. It's a great incentive for our citizenry to make sure they present themselves to the Goddess in the best way possible."
Enshilla's look of sly amusement made Annie laugh out loud.
No, these certainly weren't temple hookers. These were very smart ladies. In fact, this could be fun.
Whoa! What was she thinking? Fun? Gang bangs on a sacrificial altar? There must be something in the water. "What's that fragrance?" she asked, as a maiden gently shampooed her hair.
"It's the Sacred Lotus, Honored One," answered the girl, extending a hand full of lotion for her to touch.
"They are harvested under the light of the full moon, thus are held sacred to our Goddess," added Enshilla.
"My, the Moon certainly gets her fair share of choice perks, doesn't she?" muttered Annie, breathing in the fragile floral scent. It was something like lilac or lily of the valley, but with a richer undertone.
"Now, Annilin, if you will permit..." Strong hands grasped her thighs, and once again she involuntarily assumed the wishbone position. This time, there was no chance for argument, because she was held quite firmly in the water by several pairs of hands.
"Oh heavens." She closed her eyes tightly, knowing that a bright red blush was staining her pale skin.
- - -
He stood behind a thin curtain in the darkness of an inner room and watched the women as they bathed. He had no idea what had drawn him to the Temple of the Moon, other than a few vague rumors of a new arrival whose hair was white as the body of the Goddess she worshipped.
He saw soft hands spreading soapsuds gently around delicate breasts, and noted the stranger had a most attractive pair of pale pink nipples that tightened into nice pouty berries as they were caressed.
He saw her toss her wet hair back as her maidens rinsed her breasts and spread her thighs apart.
He moved nearer the curtain to watch what came next. His bare feet made no sound on the warm tile, and his long skirt swung noiselessly around his legs. He couldn't stop his cock from pushing at the fabric, but ignored it, concentrating instead on the scene before him.
The women had splayed the newcomer's legs wide, and raised her so that her mound was shining from the water. And it was true - her hair was almost pure white.
Even between her legs.
In contrast to her companions, who sported hairless flesh, this woman was a textural feast.
He heard a slight whimper as a pair of soapy hands began to wash her soft folds.
"Are you sure about this?" she asked.
"Oh, yes indeed, Annilin," came the response.
Annilin. A good choice of names for one so perfect. His cock got harder at the sight of her, moving slightly now beneath the hands of her women. One more step and he was almost behind the tub, only a sheer curtain and a carved screen separated them.
From here he could see her pussy clearly. He caught his breath, silently stifling the sound. He should not be here, and yet he could not leave.
She was all pink and white and glistening wet. Her shoulders were taut, and her eyes slitted as she allowed her maidens to cleanse and arouse her. Hands slid from hips down over thighs and back up again, soothing with fragrant lotion and exciting with little fingertip touches.
He swore he could see her heart beat faster as the women's attentions became more specific.
Two maidens were now caressing each other, and the sexual tension in the room had definitely risen. Soft moans of pleasure were beginning to cover the sounds of the water lapping against the tiles, and the stranger was moving provocatively beneath the gentle hands that were arousing her.
"Join with us Annilin," came the urgent request.
A strange smile spread over her lips and light glinted from violet eyes. She raised her hands and delicately fondled the breasts of the woman next to her. A happy sigh encouraged her to continue her actions.
"Oh mistress, your touch is magic," crooned the maiden thus honored. She slid a hand down between her legs and touched herself, as Annilin continued to play with her nipples.
Enshilla moved closer between Annilin's thighs, sliding her hands beneath and raising her out of the water.
His cock was near to exploding and it was the work of an instant for him to slide the fabric aside and grasp his swollen length.
As Enshilla's mouth touched Annilin's mound she cried out, and his hand moved firmly in a stroke he could not prevent.
He couldn't tell if she was welcoming this pleasuring or trying to escape it, but she was writhing beneath Enshilla's hands and lips. Her breasts were swollen, their nipples red now against the white of her flesh, and begging for the lips of her handmaidens who bravely suckled her when the mood struck them.
The water in the tub was becoming rough as hips swayed, fingers flickered, mouths sucked and bodies thrust in search of stimulation.
The two handmaidens screamed out their orgasm as their bodies clashed together, and the others soon followed, one by her own hand, one by Annilin's. All that was left was Enshilla's mouth, sucking, licking, soothing, then arousing all over again.
Annilin had given up all pretense of resistance, and was joyfully thrashing beneath the attentions of her skilled Priestess. Her hips thrust out of the water and with a mighty cry she came, her body spasming in the other woman's hands.
Beautiful. Just beautiful. He could see her pink and turgid folds twitch with her passion and could only imagine what his cock would feel like buried inside that heat. He could almost taste her nipples between his lips and, helpless before the onslaught of lust, he stroked himself to his own climax.
Shuddering, he came, catching his life's essence in his clothing.
As the shivers died down, he was left with a handful of sticky silk and a major problem.
If just watching her orgasm could make him come like that, would he ever have enough nerve to kill her?
Chapter 3
The new arrival, Annilin of the very white hair, rested her elbows on the window ledge and gazed out over the panorama before her.
The journalist and historian in her desperately tried to take mental "snapshots" of what she was seeing. Farmers brought grain past her window in wagons drawn by assorted beasts of burden, while their wives carried baskets of fruit, sometimes on their heads, other times on their backs.
Traders worked the passing crowds, calling out to attract attention to the freshest dates, the loveliest beads, the best fabric.
It was noisy, colorful and completely mesmerizing.
The human woman inside Annie savored the smells of roasting lamb, the feel of the warm breezes against her skin and the complete and utter lack of anything familiar. No phone lines, no airplanes humming above, no boom boxes...it was truly a different world.
She watched as a mother played a little game with a toddler while the baby on her hip gurgled and laughed. She noticed a couple strolling very close together, gazing into each other's eyes as their hands absently stroked over soft skin.
She sighed.
Instead of relishing this she ought to be trying to figure out a way to return to her own time, but there was something very seductive about the culture and the people of Sumer.
She'd learned that Akkad was to the North, and the principal town of Ur was to the south. They were in a smaller town - Kushuk. It was small by virtue of the fact that it only had four ziggurats.
One was the Moon Goddess's, of course. Annie thought of it as "hers". One was dedicated to the Sun God (very awe - inspiring, and definitely male), a third to the River Goddess, and the fourth to the Earth God. Annie liked looking at that one, it was kind of like a greenhouse crossed with a pyramid.
She'd been encouraged to ask questions, but not encouraged to go outside. It was terribly hot, but she did yearn to wander around.
Enshilla had been very useful, providing much information. She'd been strangely silent about the upcoming festival though, and Annie was starting to wonder what her silence meant.
As if her thoughts had conjured her up, Enshilla entered the room.
"Greetings, Annilin." She smiled.
"Hi Enshilla. What's up?"
Enshilla giggled at the strange terminology used by the Noble One.
"The sky is up, Annilin. My spirits are up. The birds are up...at least some of them are. And the people are 'up' as you would say. Tomorrow is our dedication festival."
"Ah yes. Don't you think it's time you told me about it?"
Annie settled herself comfortably on the wide ledge, arranging her silk skirt around her. She'd become a little more used to being bare breasted, but it was still a strange feeling. The long skirt swished around her ankles and the cool breeze swished around her nipples. She shrugged and told herself to get over it.
Enshilla stepped over to the window and looked out, but her gaze was unfocused. It was as if she was looking for the right words. "Tomorrow's festival..." she began.
"Yes?"
"It's very important."
"Okay. I can understand that."
Enshilla sighed. "It will be the time when you dedicate yourself to the service of the Goddess."
"Ah." Annie sat still for a moment. "Just me?"
"Well, anyone who has applied for a position within the temples will be fulfilling the dedication ceremony to their god. This time around, here in our Moon Goddess's home, it is just you."
"All right. That makes sense. What do I have to do?" Visions of long, elegant ceremonies, bowing, kneeling, and chanting ran through Annie's mind.
"You have to give the Sun God your virginity."
Annie froze. "Pardon me?"
"You have to give your virginity to the Sun God, as the Moon Goddess did before time began. This allows your fertile womb to become open to the seeds of life from the gods and the people, and will help bring good fortune and the blessings of the gods to us for another year."
"Hooookay. I see a major problem here..."
Enshilla raised her brow.
"Um...how do I delicately say this? Enshilla, I am not a young girl. The moons have passed over my head many times..." She gave up trying to mathematically convert moon-passes into years. "I suppose I'd better come clean. I'm not a virgin."
She sat back and waited for the explosion of horror she felt was sure to come.
"So?" asked Enshilla, raising one brow.
"So how can I offer some god something I don't have left to give? It's been gone since my high school prom, and unless your Sun God drives a Pontiac Firebird and likes to wrestle in the back seat, I don't think he got it!"
Enshilla grinned and shook her head. "You speak so strangely, Annilin. But you are funny too." The woman reached over and took Annie's hands in both of hers. "It is strictly symbolic, Annilin. Very few of our Priestesses and handmaidens come to us as virgins. We will take care of the matter for you, and show you how to present your 'virginity' to the God tomorrow."
Annie drew her brows together. "I don't understand."
"Come, perhaps it is time for you to see the Dedication chamber. Then you will understand better." Rising, Enshilla took her arm and led her from her quarters and out into the Temple itself.
She was on the Sumerian version of the second floor, Annie realized, as she could see people coming and going in a large atrium-like foyer below her. Enshilla ignored them and led Annie to another staircase that rose one more flight to a pair of massive wooden doors that must have risen a good twenty feet above them.
Annie was glad to see a small door cut into one of them, because she knew she'd never be able to open them by herself. She started silently humming "Fee - Fi - Fo - Fum..."
Enshilla ushered her into the most enormous chamber Annie had ever seen. Dominating the space was a statue of the Moon Goddess. Made of white, glittering stone, she was at least fifteen feet tall and was dressed in the appropriate Sumerian garb of low-slung skirt and bare breasts. Her hair was parted down the center of her head, and fell in long stone tresses down her back almost to her buttocks.