Women and men alike glanced up when the Hellions arrived. Men averted their attention, but the women's gazes lingered. Though many of them smiled at Atreau, none would meet Javier's cold gaze. When two women caught sight of Kiram their seductive and coy expressions failed utterly. One woman's jaw dropped; another choked on her wine. He wanted to tell them that he was no more pleased about the situation than any of them were, but that would have defeated the entire point of him being here.
Master gnacio laughed and, for the first time, his reserve towards Kiram dissipated. He clapped Kiram on the back as though they were sharing a joke at the women's expenses. "Too much for that one to swallow, aren't you, Kiram?"
"Apparently so," Kiram agreed.
A tall woman in her mid-forties rose from one of the red chairs. Scarlet flowers bloomed across the short expanse of her white bodice. Both hips and breasts flashed briefly as she walked towards them. She lifted a dainty liqueur glass to Master Ignacio.
"The Sagrada champions. We had hoped we could celebrate your victories with you." She smiled at the Hellions in an almost maternal manner; though, like the younger women, her gaze lingered a little too long on Atreau and moved too quickly past Javier. Her smile did not falter as she met Kiram's gaze. Nervous dread spread through Kiram as she stepped closer to him.
"Ybu must be Lord Tornesal's underclassman." She caught hold of a ringlet of Kiram's hair. "They say you impressed even Prince Sevanyo." As she pulled her hand back she stroked Kiram's cheek. Her fingers felt warm and slightly moist.
"I'm Kiram Kir-Zaki, madam." Kiram bowed to her just as he would have bowed to any Cadleonian woman. She laughed and Master Ignacio seemed amused. The other Hellions snickered at the misstep, except for Javier, who looked annoyed.
"Such a gentleman," the woman said softly. Then she turned to Master Ignacio. "Padme and Ania would be happy to entertain you privately, good master. And the grand chamber is free for your boys. How many of my young fillies for your Sagrada stallions?"
"Eighteen of your best." Master gnacio paused, surveying the Hellions. "And a few bottles of white ruin as well. They've done well this year."
With that Master Ignacio strode up the staircase as if the Goldenrod was his own home, calling over his shoulder. "Send Padme and Ania up to the pearl room directly."
"As you wish." The woman bowed to Master Ignacio's back. Then she turned to the remaining Hellions. "Well, you know where the grand chamber is. Make yourselves comfortable. Your entertainment won't keep you waiting long."
As a mass, Hellions tromped and bounded up the stairs, Atreau at the lead and Elezar taking up the rear. Kiram stumbled along, trapped between Javier's even strides and Morisio's impatient push.
Eighteen. That meant two women for every Hellion. A clammy sick feeling spread through Kiram. He couldn't do this but also could not find a way to escape.
They surged through the narrow hall and poured into a humid room. The only source of illumination blazed from the flames of a large fireplace. Light glinted across the silk tassels and strings of glass beads that cascaded down the posts of an immense bed at the center of the room. Scarlet pillows spilled off the huge mattress and lay scattered across the floor. Through the heavy scents of perfume and spices, Kiram still picked up the smell of spent semen and sweat.
Atreau tore off his boots and threw aside his coat. Javier, too, removed his shoes, but with far less enthusiasm. The rest of the Hellions also stripped down to their trousers and undershirts. Kiram followed suit, laying his coat and vest beside Javier's.
Atreau scooped up one of the pillows, sniffed it appreciatively and then he hurled it to Elezar.
"She was a wet one," Atreau called. And suddenly the reality of what they were here for sank through Kiram. He swallowed hard. If he fled now he'd never live it down. Worse, he would probably confirm Master Ignacio's suspicions about him. After the women came in, he thought, the other Hellions would be distracted, then he could slip out.
Elezar hurled the pillow to Atreau and Atreau flopped back on the bed laughing. Other Hellions joined him on the bed. They passed the pillow between them and snickered at its lingering odor.
"Ybu look like a bunch of benders," Elezar told them. Morisio waved his ass at Elezar and Elezar bounded onto the bed and wrestled Morisio into a headlock. Atreau drove Elezar back, playfully smacking him with the pillow.
Javier strode past the bed and picked up a liquor bottle from the mantle over the fireplace. He uncorked it and took a deep drink.
"Hey, what have you got there?" Morisio demanded.
"White ruin," Javier replied after a second drink. He strode to Morisio and pushed the mouth of the bottle between his lips. Morisio swallowed as Javier tipped the bottle back.
"A gift from the previous occupants, no doubt." Javier pulled the bottle back.
"Javier, give some here," Elezar demanded. He leaned forward, allowing Javier to catch his jaw and tip the bottle between his lips.
Kiram wasn't sure if it was just a play of the light but for an instant Elezar's expression seemed to soften, becoming almost tender as he gazed up at Javier. Then Javier pulled the bottle from Elezar and turned on Kiram.
"Come here," Javier ordered. His tone was so harsh that Kiram balked. He didn't want to move away from the door and its implicit promise of escape.
"Come," Javier growled.
Kiram cautiously walked to Javier's side. Though heat poured from the fire, Kiram felt clammy. Javier shoved him onto the bed where he fell half across Elezar.
"To a Hellion's life." Javier held out the bottle.
Kiram started to reach for it but Elezar pulled his arm back. Javier caught Kiram's jaw as he had held Elezar's earlier. He tipped the bottle and a harsh antiseptic tang of alcohol filled Kiram's lungs. Javier pushed the bottle into his mouth none too gently. Scorching liquor spilled across Kiram's mouth. He swallowed to keep from choking, taking deep gulps of the liquor. His stomach rolled and burned. His throat tightened. Just as Kiram started to choke, Javier lifted the bottle.
Elezar clapped Kiram on the back.
"Taken like a man," Elezar congratulated him.
At first Kiram felt nothing but relief, then a wave of disorienting heat rolled over him. His tongue felt numb.
Javier took a quick swig himself and then handed the bottle to Atreau, who drank deeply and let out a whoop. He passed the bottle to the man beside him. Moments later young women, clothed in nothing but gold powder paraded into the room. Several carried bottles like the one Javier had forced into Kiram's mouth. The Hellions howled and hooted as the women ran their hands over each other's breasts and slid their fingers between their thighs and lips.
"White ruin!" Javier shouted. A young girl pranced to the bedside holding a bottle at a provocative angle in front of her groin. Javier snatched the bottle from her hands, nearly pulling her off her feet. The girl fell half on Elezar and half on Kiram. Javier wrenched the cork free and drank more.
More women tumbled and bounded onto the bed. They giggled and squealed as Hellions grabbed their bodies. Kiram evaded jiggling breasts, jutting nipples and closely cropped pubic hair as girls wiggled past him. A strong smell of alcohol and sweat rolled off the girl lying across him. He felt one of her hands grope at his hip. Kiram shifted quickly, rolling her onto Elezar.
"May I have a kiss?" Atreau purred from across the bed. Some dark-haired woman smiled at him and spread her legs wide. Atreau shoved his face into her glistening crotch. A wave of nauseous dread rose through Kiram. He could not do that. No matter how much he wanted to impress Master Ignacio, he just couldn't.
Next to him, the young girl crouched over Elezar's newly bare hips, but leaned forward to where Javier stood beside the bed. She grasped the front of Javier's trousers and opened them with agile hands.