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oddity； but not one that spoiled his kisses。
She tugged at his clothes； but they were a dream invention： the dark blue fabric of his shirt； its laces and buttons in fetishistic profusion； covered in tiny scales； as though a family of lizards had shed their skins to clothe him。
She was tender from the bath； and when he let his weight descend on her； and began to work his body against hers； the scales pricked her stomach and breasts hi the most arousing way。 She wrapped her legs around him； and he acceded to her capture； his kisses being fiercer by the moment。
〃The things we've done；〃 he murmured as she kissed his face。 〃The things we've done。。。。〃
Her heart made her mind nimble； it leapt from memory to memory； back to the book she'd found in Estabrook's flat all those months before…one of Oscar's gifts from the Dominions…a manual of sexual possibilities that had shocked her at the time。 Images of its couplings appeared in her head now： intimacies that were perhaps only possible in the profligacy of sleep； unknitting both male and female and weaving them together again in new and ecstatic binations。 She put her mouth to her dream lover's ear and whispered to him that she forbade him nothing； that she wanted them to share the most extreme sensations they were capable of inventing。 He didn't grin this time； which pleased her； but raised himself up on his hands； which were plunged into the downy pillows to either side of her head； and looked down at her with some of the same sadness he'd had on his face when he'd first arrived。
〃One last time？〃 he said。
〃It doesn't have to be the last time；〃 she said。 〃I can always dream you。〃
〃And me； you；〃 he said with the greatest fondness and courtesy。
She reached down between their bodies and slipped off his belt； then pulled his trousers open with some violence； unwilling to be delayed by his buttons。 What filled her hand was as silken as the fabric hiding it was rough： still only half engorged； but all the more entertaining for that。 She stroked him。 He sighed as he bent his head towards her； licking her tips and teeth； letting his chocolate…sweetened spittle run off his tongue into her mouth。 She raised her hips and moved the groove of her sex against the underside of his erection； wetting it。 He started to murmur to her； terms of endearment； she presumed； though…like Concupis…centia's song…they were in no language she understood。 They sounded as sweet as his spittle； however； and lulled her like a cradle song； as though to slip her into a dream within a dream。 As her eyes closed she felt him raise his hips； lifting the thickness of his sex from between her labia； and with one thrust； hard enough to stab the breath from her； he entered； dropping down on top of her as he did so。
The endearments ceased； the kisses too。 He put one hand on her brow； his fingers laced into her hair； and the other at her neck； his thumb rubbing her windpipe and coaxing sighs from it。 She'd forbidden him nothing and would not rescind that invitation simply because his possession of her was so sudden。 Instead； she raised her legs and crossed them behind his back； then started to whip him on with insults。 Was this the most he could give her； the deepest he could go？ He wasn't hard enough； wasn't hot enough。 She wanted more。 His thrusts speeded up； his thumb tightening against her throat； but not so much it kept her from drawing breath and expelling it again in a fresh round of provocations。
〃I could fuck you forever；〃 he said to her； his tone halfway between devotion and threat。 〃There's nothing I can't make you do。 There's nothing I can't make you say。 I could fuck you forever。〃
This was not talk she would have weled from a flesh…and…blood lover； but in a dream it was arousing。 She let him continue in the same mode； opening her arms and legs beneath him； while he recited all that he would do to her； a litany of ambition that matched the rhythm of his hips。 The room her dream had raised around them split here and there； and another seeped in through the cracks to occupy the same space： this one darker than Quaisoir's veil…draped chamber and lit by a fire that blazed off to her left。 Her dream lover didn't fade； however； he remained with her and in her； more frenzied in his thrusts and promises than ever。 She saw him above her as if lit by the same flames that warmed her nakedness； his face knotted and sweaty； his index of desires ing between clenched teeth。 She would be his doll； his whore； his wife； his Goddess； he would fill every hole of her； forever and ever： own her； worship her； turn her inside out Hearing this； she remembered the images in Estabrook's book again； and the memory made her cells swell as if each was a tiny bud ready to burst； their petals pleasure； their scent the shouts she was making； rising off her to draw fresh adoration from him。 It came； cruel and exquisite by turns。 One moment he wanted to be her prisoner； bound to her every whim； nourished on her shit and the milk he'd win from her breasts with suckling。 The next she was less than the excrement he'd hungered for； and he was her only hope for life。 He'd resurrect her with his fuck。 He'd fill her with a fiery stream； till her eyes were washed from her head and she drowned in him。 There was more； but her cries of pleasure were mounting with every moment； and she heard less and less。 Saw less too； closing her eyes against the mingled rooms； fire…lit and veiled； letting her head fill with the geometries that always attended pleasure； forms like her glyph unraveled and reworked。
And then； just as she was reaching the first of the peaks…a range of stratospheric heights ahead…she felt him shudder and his thrusts stop。 She didn't believe he'd finished； not at first。 This was a dream； and she'd conjured him to perform the way actualities never did： to go on when lovers of flesh and blood had spilled their promises and were panting their apologies beside her。 He couldn't desert her now！ She opened her eyes。 The fire…lit chamber had gone； and the flames in Gentle's eyes had gone with it。 He had already withdrawn； and all she felt between her legs was his fingers； dabbling in the dribble he'd supplied。 He looked at；her lazily。
〃You almost tempt me to stay；〃 he said； 〃But I've got work to do。〃
Work？ What work did dreams have besides the dreamer's mandments？
〃Don't leave；〃 she demanded。
〃I'm done；〃 he said。
He was getting off the bed。 She reached for him； but even in sleep the languor of the pillow was upon her； and he was away between the veils before her fingers came close to catching hold。 She sank back in a slow swoon； watching his figure bee remoter as the layers of gossamer between them multiplied。
〃Stay beautiful；〃 he told her。 〃Maybe I'll e back for you when I've built the New Yzordderrex。〃
This made little sense to her； but she didn't care。 It was her own wretched invention； and worthless。 She let it go； the figure seeming to halt at the door as if for one backward glance； then disappearing altogether。 Her mind had no sooner let him slip than it conjured a pensation； however。 The veils at the bottom of the bed parted and the many…tailed Concupiscentia appeared； her eyes bright with craving。 She didn't wait for any word to pass between them but crawled up onto the bed； her gaze fixed on Judith's groin； her bluish tongue flicking as she approached。 Jude raised her knees。 The creature put her head down and began to lick out what the dream lover had left； her silky palms caressing Jude's thighs。 The sensation soothed her； and she watched through the slits of her drugged eyes as Concupiscentia bathed her clean。 Before she'd finished the dream grew dimmer； and the creature was still at its caressing work when another veil descended； this so dense she lost both sight and sensation in its folds。
4
Like galleons turned to the desert wind and in full sail before it； the tents of the Dearthers presented a pretty spectacle from a distance； but Gentle's admiration turned to awe as the car drew closer and their scale became apparent。 They were the height of five…story houses and more； billowing towers of ocher and scarlet fabric； the colors all the more vivid given that the desert floor； whi