"What are you thinking, sweetness?" Emerald Vex asked me as he escorted
me to dinner.
    I studied his beautiful profile through narrowed eyes.  'I'm thinking
of how much I'd love to cut out your black heart with a wooden knife and
sell it to an alchemist!  I'd trade my victory over Mehrunes Dagon in
Battlespire for your death and my freedom!'  But of course, I said none of
those things.  I only said, "I'm looking forward to seeing Zerith again, my
lord.  I trust he is well?"
    The daedra count looked momentarily...vexed, but he only smiled.  "He
is well enough.  I assure you that nothing will change.  You will still be
permitted to see him now and again as a reward for proper conduct, even
after our bonding."  His emerald gaze slid over me.  "And should you
misbehave..."
    "Red and Blackie will deal with me."
    He smiled cruelly.  "Just so, my lady.  You must admit that it is a
most effective deterrent."
    I nodded stiffly.  "It is, my lord Vex."  In fact, I might not have
hated him so fiercely had he not allowed the two spider daedra to indulge
in their lust for me, a lust I didn't fully understand.  Even now, garbed
in the finest clothing and jewels, I saw myself as little more than average
looking.  I was far from beautiful, and yet all three daedra seemed to
desire no other.
    Emerald Vex opened the door to the dining room for me, then stood aside
so that I might enter.
    Zerith sat in a chair to the right of an ornate, darkly beautiful seat
that was more throne than chair.  Seeing me, he stood and stared as though
he couldn't believe what he was seeing.
    And oh, gods, he was so beautiful.
    His coppery auburn hair was loose and wavy against his shoulders.  His
sleeveless robes were deepest violet, a vivid contrast to his hair and
dusky skin.  The dark elf was as festooned with jewelry as I was, though
his was purple sapphires set in red gold.
   "Nyx," he breathed, awed.  "Oh gods!  My love!"
    And then we were in each other's arms, kissing over and over.  The
sapphire and diamond pins fell out and clattered to the floor, and I didn't
care at all.  Tears of joy poured down my face and the dark elf held me so
tightly I feared my ribs would break.  I didn't care.  "It's me, Zerith," I
told him, gently stroking his cheek.  "I came back for you."
    "That will be quite enough."
    I turned, expecting to see Emerald Vex.  I gasped to see Red and
Blackie leering at me--at us.
    Blackie nudged his brother.  "The wench never kisses us like that, does
she, Red?"  He pretended to pout.
    "No she doesn't, my brother.  We have to keep at her for a while to get
response."  He smiled cruelly.  Red, as ever, was the more sadistic of the
pair, and didn't limit himself to physical cruelty.  Blackie was the more
aggressive and dominant brother.  Red's smile widened.  "And we always do."
    "What are you doing here?" I demanded.  Zerith's arms tightened
protectively around me.  I was grateful for his concern, but I knew how to
deal with these bastards.
    Blackie tossed back his mane of night black hair, a wicked little smile
on his face.  As always, I marvelled at their striking looks.  Nature--and
the supernatural--could be quite perverse in handing out beauty, and many
spider daedra had good looks in abundance--provided you ignored the spider
bodies.  "We're guests, of course," he told me.  "Lord Vex wished us to be
present at the bonding."  His deep blue eyes took me in.  "I wouldn't mind
being bonded to you myself.  Of course, you'd be bonded to Red, too, since
we share everything."
    "Keep dreaming, spider boy!"
    Emerald Vex laughed.  "Your long absence has not dulled your sharp
tongue," he noted wryly.  He gently but firmly pulled me away from Zerith.
My soul cried out, but I refused to let him see my pain.  
    As for the dark elf, he struggled to keep from glaring at Vex and
failed.  The daedra count returned his stare.  "Sit down, pet.  I will
tolerate no nonsense from you."  His tone was silken soft, always a
dangerous sign.  "Unless, of course, you'd enjoy being corrected."  His
eyes moved to Red and Blackie.
    Zerith turned a trifle pale.  "Of course not, my lord."  He sat down,
yet the glare was still in his eyes.
    I was only mildly surprised by Vex's threat.  I knew of his...unusual
proclivities.  As to Red and Blackie, half-bloods or no, they were, after
all, spider daedra. 
    The daedra count pulled out my chair for me.  "Do sit down, my dear
Nyxalinth."  When he made certain that I was seated, he took the seat at
the head of the table.
    Red and Blackie took a position behind their lord.  Emerald Vex made an
idle gesture, and morphoid daedra dressed as servants--six in all--came to
serve the meal.
    The two spider daedra enjoyed leering at me over their lord's broad
shoulders, making it difficult for me to eat any of the wonderful food
before me.  Finally, I put my fork down.  "Must you keep staring at me?" I
demanded.  "Don't you two have your own dinner to eat?"
    "We ate earlier," Red explained with a wicked grin.  "We just enjoy
looking at our dessert."
    Blackie chuckled.  "You wouldn't want to see us having dinner."  He
licked his fangs.  It occured to me that their venom served a purpose other
than immobilizing playmates for their amorous pursuits.
    They used it to feed, as well.
    I shuddered and turned back to my dinner.  I'd quite lost my appetite,
but Vex would be annoyed if I didn't eat.  "I don't want to see either of
you at any time," I shot back.
    They only laughed.  Emerald Vex smiled.  Zerith grinned, pleased by my
wit.  I gently toed him under the table with one gilt-sandled foot, a
gesture he returned.
    "Mouthy minx, aren't we?" Blackie asked.  He grinned wickedly.  "I know
how to shut that mouth."
    "So do I," Red leered.  "But then we wouldn't hear her say--"
    "Enough," Vex said mildly.  "This is neither the time nor the place.
Besides, I'm sure we're all very well acquainted with what the lady says
while in passion's embrace."
    I wanted to die right there and then.  I settled for imagining the
battle that would ensue when my friends caught up with me.  'Too bad a
daedra's entire body vanishes when killed,' I thought.  "I'd love to put
all their heads on pikes!'
    Zerith toed me under the table again, and I smiled, glad to know
someone loved me, and didn't merely lust to possess me.
    At last dinner was over.  I trembled madly, for I knew what was next.
Zerith saw my terror and turned to Emerald Vex.  "Please, my lord.  If you
have to punish someone for Nyx's escape, punish me.  It was my fault."  His
eyes pleaded with words he was too proud to speak.
    Emerald Vex shook his head.  "Bonding myself with Nyxalinth is hardly a
punishment."  He took my hands and kissed it.  "It is an honor for her, for
I have quite fallen in love with the minx."
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