Raised in a strict religion that forbids association with foreigners as well as love between men, Arieh Sef’ea cannot imagine a worse fate than to be sold as a love-slave to a Keshen soldier. Both men must learn that bodies may be purchased, but hearts must be won.

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Chapter One

The sun beat down on the dusty city square, drawing up beads of sweat on the flesh of the men and women shifting uncomfortably in their chains. They were waiting to be slicked with the golden oil that would make their skin gleam attractively, showing more clearly the contours of their bodies and muscles as they were paraded before the crowd.

Arieh Sef’ea, chains heavy around his wrists and ankles, burned with more than the afternoon heat. Hatred, anger, embarrassment and terror squirmed in his belly, making him glad he hadn’t had the appetite for the meager breakfast the slavers had provided that morning. He had offered his portion to the slave beside him, a quiet girl from the western desert province of E’ea who did nothing but cry softly from morning to night, but the blue eyed barbarian across from her had stolen it instead. The girl hadn’t seemed to notice.

The slave caravan had been large enough before Arieh was added to it, and in the three days he’d been traveling with them, they had picked up several more slaves about his age, some younger and several older. There were a few exotic, light skinned girls who had joined them at the last stop. Arieh had understood enough of the slavers’ rough tongue to know they were prisoners from the war in Agul to the north, captured by soldiers and sold to the caravans after a thorough sampling. Others, like himself, were native sons and daughters taken as payment for exorbitant taxes their parents couldn’t afford. (continue reading…)