Page 32 of Master of My Life

sensing something was wrong. In his arms, she had peace. Why would she give that up?

Kathy returned a few minutes later wearing a short green satin dress. “Ready?”

Sabrina gave a jerky nod, and Kathy led her down several hallways and stairways until they

reached the heavy white curtain that hung in the arched entryway of the Gathering Hall.

Sabrina paused at the last step, remembering what had happened the last time she was here.

Kathy squeezed her hand. “You’re protected now, remember?”

Sabrina nodded and took several deep breaths, working up the courage to go inside.

“Ready?” Kathy asked.

No. “I guess.”

Kathy nodded to the man standing guard, and he pulled the curtain aside, revealing the enormous

room Sabrina remembered, but this time it was full of people. The gigantic golden eagle glowed in

the light from the numerous diamond chandeliers. Clusters of leather couches and chairs spread out

across the room, nearly all of them occupied by men in tunics and pants of various dark colors. Slave

girls, some naked, some wearing blue dresses, tended to the men, on their knees or on their laps. A

few played with each other in the center of a group of men. Older women in green sat in the chairs

and couches, chatting or kissing a man.

Kathy guided Sabrina toward the long platform in front of the Eagle where Richard and Chase sat

in carved wooden thrones. Richard leaned to one side, speaking to Damian who sat nearby in a

brown leather armchair. An empty black chaise sat a few feet away from them. Richard and Chase

both wore white linen tunics, though Richard’s had gold and emerald embroidered designs on the

cuffs and collar. Damian wore tan.

“Is there a significance to the men’s colors?” Sabrina whispered to Kathy as they weaved their

way through the room.

She shook her head. “No. They wear whatever they choose, though they wear a red bracelet if

they’re interested in other men.”

“So red on girls means they like the rough stuff, but red on the men means they prefer men?” Many

men wore red bracelets.

Kathy laughed. “Not prefer. Well, not most of them. Some men enjoy a little variety here. They’d

never court a man in their normal life, but here there are no stigmas for sexual appetites. It’s to help

them find each other without offending anyone.”