“I have no control over my tattoos,” she said dryly.
“Not consciously, no. Yours are triggered by your peripheral nerves and bodily functions; things that you control indirectly. Lord Galen’s tattoo is much more cerebral and conscious. If he wishes his tattoo to change, it does, although it can be subconscious too, like when he dreams.”
The bear had turned into a lion. She wanted to know more. “I don’t understand. How does he do it?”
Sentaria didn’t seem to mind her question. “If he wishes a dragon to paint his body, he thinks of that creature and tames it, drawing it mentally upon his chest and abdomen. The inks respond according to his wishes.”
“So why is he training a new tattoo?”
Sentaria shrugged his shoulders. “I gather it’s a gorilla. The judge has a fascination with Earth’s more primitive species. He has chosen it. It will take a few sessions of mental agility and persuasion for his body to adapt to the new tattoo so that it appears quickly and seamlessly.”
“I can’t control mine?”
He pursed his lips. “I should not tell you, but yes, to the extent you can control your lust if you wish. Just as you find release when you orgasm, you can submit to your lust and through it control your body.”
He spoke a little too enigmatically, she thought, but enough for her to realize when the tattoos darkened, it wasn’t because she didn’t want them to, but because deep down she did want Galen to see her aroused, even when she suffered under a firm spanking or was humiliated by his stern voice.
“Oh,” she said softly.
Sentaria leaned forward on his chair and cleared his throat. “This mental ability is why I also wish to speak to you.”
“Me?”
He lowered his voice. “Bisma explained about your sister’s condition.”
Zara rushed toward him. “You can help?” Her hands shook as she clasped them together. The excitement caused heat to rush to her cheeks.
Sentaria pulled a face. “I’m not sure. It’s a condition similar to one that afflicts the Vendu; however, we generally can cure it.”
“How?” With her legs weakening with nervous energy, she knelt in front of his chair.
“The same way the inks can be controlled—”
“She needs a tattoo—”
“No, no,” he chuckled. “She needs to direct a drug the same way—”
The door behind them opened. Sentaria’s face blanched. Zara pivoted on her knees.
It was Galen. He saw the doctor in the chair and Zara on her knees and his nostrils flared. The color of his cheeks turned an angry shade of red. He slammed the door behind him and the noise reverberated around the room.
“What are you doing with my girl?” he roared.
* * *
Knelt before the doctor, close to his legs with her face upturned, Zara had her mouth open. They were within arms’ reach of each other. He’d caught them in the act! Sentaria, having arrived early for his appointment with Galen, was in the house under false pretenses. The treachery Galen witnessed was nothing to do with his new tattoo. His prisoner, his girl, was humbling herself before Sentaria and she was ready to submit. But to what?
Galen’s hands formed two fists and he strode toward the couple. Sentaria, his eyes wide open, sprang to his feet and held up two placating palms. The doctor might be a Vendu, but he wasn’t of the warrior class and no match for Galen’s fighting experience.
“You want my girl?” Galen demanded an answer. He stopped short of reaching the doctor and stood over Zara. She appeared to be cowering with her head bowed and shoulders bunched. How small and feeble she looked down there. His anger wasn’t abated, though. She should not be alone with any other man but him and Sentaria should know better than to seek her out without permission. The doctor’s reputation would be ruined if Galen decided he’d interfered with the sanctity of an ordeal.
Sentaria backed away from the chair and pointed at Zara. “Lord, there is nothing amiss, here. We were talking—”
Galen cut off his excuses with an uncompromising glare. The doctor was red-faced and embarrassed. Caught with Zara in a pose of meekness, the kind Galen encouraged her to adopt before she offered her mouth to him, he found it hard to believe they were just talking.
He prodded her with his foot. “What have you done? Have you lusted for this man? Tempted him?”
Facing down, she shook her head.