now. Just let go, Rio. Enjoy yourself.Nay!Riodan gasped. He felt a downward tug on his breeches. Leave mealone! He tried to pull away but only succeeded in aiding Ithan tolower his trousers farther.Hetwisted about and landed on his belly. A mistake he realized to hishorror when Ithan laughed and yanked his drawers down, exposing hisbuttocks.Forsomeone who doesnt want this, youre quite cooperative! heheard the other Deir say through the looming shadows over hisconsciousness. There was a popping soundas of a stopper eased outof the mouth of a bottle.Ashe teetered on the edge of darkness, Riodan vaguely felt somethingslip between the cheeks of his arse. He vainly struggled against it.Then there was the pressure of entry and the burn of intrusion. Withhis last ounce of strength, Riodan cried out in despair.Thedarkness overcame him at last, and everything faded to black.** * *Dylenswore as he hurried down to the front door. Who in heyaswas all but hanging onto the doorbell chain? And why did whomever itwas choose to visit at this unholy hour?Heunlocked the door and yanked it open, ready to bawl out his insistentguest. The choice words died on his lips as soon as he saw Riodan.Eyes red and cheeks raw, he stood forlornly before Dylen, shiveringquite violently despite the warmth of the night.Aboutto speak, Dylen noticed the state of Riodans clothing. His rumpledtunic and wrinkled shirt were both undone, revealing half-buttonedbreeches. As if stricken by Dylens examination, Riodan tremblinglypulled his tunic close around him. A terrible suspicion struck Dylen.He quickly ushered Riodan into the house and shut the door behindhim.Dylenturned and gazed intently at Riodan. What happened? he terselyasked. Riodans eyes moistened with held-back tears, and he loweredthem in abject miseryandobvious shame. His mouth quivered tellingly before he masteredhimself and mumbled the answer. Dylen swore again. He caught Riodanby the shoulders and forced him to look at him.Whodid this to you, Rio?ChapterFiveReprisalAsense of foreboding hounded Ithan Soleri as he made his way down thecorridor to his room after a barely eaten lunch. The feeling had beenthere all morning, almost from the moment he awakened, still affectedby his encounter with Riodan the previous eve. It had been alamentable lapse of judgment on his part, and he doubted hisrelationship with the other Deir was salvageable. He shook his headin self-reproach.Thathad been his mistake in the first place. He should have known betterthan to presume that he hada relationship with Riodan. Or that the handsome Sidonan would easilyget over his first heartbreak and take a lover soonest to salve hisfrustration. Well, the opposite had become painfully clear last nightbut only afterIthanblew his breath out shakily. His meal felt like a leaden weight inhis belly. There was no excusing his actions no matter how much hejustified them to himself. Hard as he tried, he could not banish thememory of a horror-stricken, tear-streaked face and dark eyes glaringat him with distrust and abhorrence.Whatwill come of it,he wondered uneasily. Riodan was no mere student of amplemeansbut the only son of a distinguished diplomat. Worse, the seniorLeyhar was a stiff-necked Deir who would be beyond infuriated by anytransgression against