Zack woke in his room that was now quite dark. Turning onto his side he replayed the dream in his mind. He felt strangely disconnected and alone. He wondered what time it was. Had dinner begun without him? He could not remember ever feeling so good from an afternoon nap. Must have been the potion, he thought. The brew was not like wine, which made you feel sleepy but robbed you of rest.

Zack stood and stretched and yawned deeply. He walked to the door and opened it to see what was going on outside. The smell of roasting meat was strong and seductive. He could see the women in the courtyard. Joseph with his son James was seated near them.

There was no sign of Josh or Eran. Were they hiding? Zack wondered if they knew it was he who had come upon them earlier.

His gaze settled on Liz with her uptight and somber scowl. I should just give her some of the potion he thought to himself. That might improve her mood.

Zack washed his face and combed his wavy hair. Better not to appear as if I just woke up, he thought. He poured some of the brew into a small flask and slipped it into a pocket in his robe. He left the room and approached the group with a relaxed gait, trying to make light of his late appearance.

"You slept the afternoon away, Zack. Come sit with us and have some wine," Ann called to him.

When Liz turned to him, she raised her brow and smirked. She did not enjoy parties. Everyone would drink except for her, and she definitely did not enjoy drinking. She barely tolerated it when it was for religious ceremonies. She dreaded the evening that lay ahead.

"Can I get you some wine Liz?" Zack asked knowing full well that she would not indulge.

"Of course not!" Liz snapped, ever the killjoy. Just some fruit juice, thank you.

Zack went to a nearby table and poured some juice into a cup for Liz. Turning to one side, he searched out the corner of his eye to see if anyone was watching. Feeling unobserved, he took the flask from his robe and poured a small amount of potion into Liz's juice.

Not too much to start with, he thought. He would wait to see how she reacted to it. Too much might make her sick. Not the best way to help her enjoy herself!

Zack poured himself a generous cup of wine and returned to the group, handing the juice to Liz and settling onto the couch next to her.

"How about a toast to our hosts?" Zack said, looking to Joseph and James. "Yes, a toast," Joseph repeated, raising his glass.

"Speaking of hosts, where's Josh?" Zack asked, looking at Ann.

"He's inside having a bath," Ann said. "He and Eran have only just gotten back from their rounds. They were gone all day, and are pretty road weary -- and clearly have had a lot to drink already. The smell of roasting meat will draw him from his perfumed bath soon enough!" She teased. "We can still make a toast. I'm the host too." Having overseen the dinner's preparation she felt entitled. She had also already enjoyed a bit of wine herself.

All raised their glasses toward Ann and toasted their generous hostess. "L'haim."

Zack took a big gulp of wine. He would party tonight. Why hold back? Out of the corner of his eye he watched Liz as she sipped her fruit juice. Eyeing her intently, Zack wondered what would happen. Would the potion have any effect on her?

Zack felt a guilty pleasure thinking about his little secret. He couldn't share what he had done -- making a potion at the direction of the messenger, with it's unknown effects or intended purpose. He had best keep that to himself.

"So Joseph, Josh says that you are a master carpenter as well as a master weaver. That's a rare combination. Isn't it?"

"Well," Joseph smiled. "Managing craftsmen might be my best "skill" when it comes to carpentry. Of course, I know how things are built, but I rarely do that myself anymore. I leave that to younger men who have the strength and endurance to spend all day cutting wood and fitting it all together. What they often lack is the focus required to keep work proceeding on schedule," he said glancing toward James, who smiled sheepishly. James knew his father had high expectations that he often fell short of.

"Weaving is something that I learned at an early age from my father, and he from his father. Our people are shepherds. Wool is our harvest. We do not raise sheep primarily for meat and milk. We use their beautiful wool as He intended. I am blessed to be able to profit from my skills. I will pass them to my son," he said, again glancing toward James.

"Father is a good judge of men," James volunteered. The sound of pride in his young voice was evident, even if his voice cracked a bit when he spoke. Still just a teenager, James was eager to be seen as a full-grown man. He was slowly gaining confidence among men.

Zack wondered what kind of judge of men Joseph could be, considering his discovery, earlier in the day about Josh and Eran. Maybe Joseph was like Josh. After all, where was his wife? Why was she not here too? There had been no mention of her.

"Your wife must consider herself a lucky woman", Zack offered. Hoping to learn the reason for her absence.

"My wife was called to the Lord some years back," Joseph said, a look of sadness appearing briefly on his face. "It is just the boy and me now. She was a good woman, a good mother to James, but became ill and neither our prayers, nor the physician's medicines could keep her with us."

"My apologies," Zack said, embarrassed that his attempt to pry had brought an unpleasant memory. He felt bad about it, and hoped that the moment would pass quickly.

"Shalom," he offered, hoping to bring closure to the subject, with respect. All echoed back, "Shalom."

Zack turned to see that Liz was now reclining comfortably on the couch, managing a little smile at the corner of her mouth. Her eyes seemed brighter. Though silent as usual in a social setting, she was listening to the conversation in a way that made her seem present for a change. She was looking around at the people gathered, and taking it all in. Good, Zack thought. Maybe the brew was having a positive effect upon her.

Just then, Mary came running out of the main house ahead of Josh and Eran. She was full of energy as usual. Her entry evaporated the seriousness of the previous moment.

Joseph, James, and Zack stood up, to greet their hosts' arrival.

"Some wine Eran," Josh roared, his arms outstretched, ready to share hugs and kisses with his assembled guests.

"How perfect the evening is for eating outside! What a splendid idea Ann! I am starved. And thirsty, of course," he said, as he turned to look back for Eran, who was bringing him a glass of wine and carrying the jug to refill others' glasses.

"How was your day, gentlemen?" Josh asked. "Mine was simply exhausting. All the negotiations. There is so much work to do to open a new factory in this sleepy little valley."

The men nodded to acknowledge his statement, but did not speak. They were waiting for Josh to continue talking, as he usually did. They all knew that a question from Josh, was just a form of speech -- no answer was expected -- he would just continue to talk over any answer attempted. Josh was the lord of his realm, the center of his own universe.

Mary stood among Josh and the men watching them talk. She wished that someone would pay attention to her too. "I have my favorite ball here," she held it up. "Will anyone play with me?"

The men paid no attention to her request, so she dashed off toward the other side of the courtyard, where she batted the ball with a wooden stick against the wall. Mary was an independent spirit. An only child, she was often alone. She could entertain herself.

As the night progressed Zack continued to dose Liz' cups with potion. He was getting drunk himself, so it was hard for him to gage her state of intoxication. She was laughing a lot, though she still spoke little. She was in a much better mood than usual, he thought.

Zack listened to Josh blather on about his day, nodding and smiling -- pretending to be interested. Suddenly, Liz leaned toward him and said, "I'll try some of the wine now Zack," extending her cup to him.

Zack was surprised. His eyes went wide and he could barely contain amazement. "Some wine my dear?" he said, not so much a question but a clarification.

"Yes please, some wine." in a kittenish voice.

Zack looked around to see if Ann was taking this in. She was listening and had the same surprised look on her face. Without missing a beat she raised the wine pitcher and filled Liz's cup.

"Please enjoy, my sister," she said heartened by Liz' seeming enjoyment.

Liz took a sip of the wine and rolled the liquid around in her mouth relishing it thoroughly. She raised the cup and finished off its contents.

"I am so thirsty! I'd like some more wine please," she said. Ann poured her another glass.

It was as if a new Liz had emerged. Zack and Ann were both in awe, taking in Liz's new bright state. Now they were the quiet ones!

The party went on for some time. They enjoyed the many delicious dishes set before them, with lots of the best wine poured and consumed. Liz continued to drink as they all did, and seemed to enjoy herself more and more. The evening was turning out not at all how Zack had expected. He was delighted and curious to see what would happen next.

Much later Mary and Ann went off to bed, as did Joseph and James. Josh was still enjoying himself, happily surrounded by his male servants; gabbing away to no one in particular. They were all laughing and dancing around the fire pit in the center of the patio.

Liz had been watching the men dance for some time and suddenly stood up and walked toward them. She approached their circle and raised her arms overhead, moving her hips rhythmically, swaying from side to side dancing, alongside the handsome Eran, while the others looked on in disbelief and amusement.

Zack watched, not feeling drawn to join them, but fascinated by Liz's behavior. This potion was something special indeed, he thought. He wondered if its effects would be permanent, or if Liz would wake up tomorrow, in her typical sour mood -- and with a hangover as well.

Zack slouched deep into the couch, tired from the long day and drunk from too much wine. He closed his eyes and fell asleep.

After dancing with Eran a while, Liz broke from the group and stumbled over towards Zack. Looking down at him on the couch she realized he was asleep.

"I suppose I shall have to pour my own wine," she mumbled to herself.

The effects of the brew and all of the wine she consumed had put Liz in a frisky state of mind, with a heightened sense of awareness, yet deeply relaxed. She felt uninhibited and giddy. She was feeling a sense of enjoyment; her first in a long time.

She looked over at Zack as he snored loudly into a pile of pillows on the couch. Wasn't that just like him to abandon me, just when I'm having fun, she thought.

Looking away, Liz realized that Eran was standing near her with a pitcher of wine and her cup in his hand. "More wine my lady?" he asked. Liz nodded and took the cup.

"I am suddenly so ... so tired," she yawned. "I ... don't know ... if I can ..." Liz reached for Eran with her free hand, and leaning forward, fell into a pile of pillows. She had passed out. Eran caught her cup before it crashed to the ground. Seeing this, Josh called over to Eran, "Carry her to bed. She's done for the night!" he laughed.

Eran gathered Liz's small frame into his arms and carried her across the courtyard. He pushed open the door of the guest apartment with his foot, and entered the dark room not being able to see where the bed was. Feeling his way through the darkness, he encountered something big and soft. "This must be the bed," he thought, and he lowered Liz down. Unsteady from all the wine, he lost his footing and he fell forward on top of her.

"Forgive me," he said, attempting to push himself off her, a task made more difficult by his drunkeness. To his astonishment, he felt her small hands take hold of his manhood through the fabric of his robe. He was startled at first. He was sure she was out cold. Even so, he quickly became aroused.

Liz was now wide awake. She pulled Eran's robe over his head so that he was naked on top of her. She pushed her own robe aside and, stroking his cock she positioned herself underneath him and guided his erect penis inside her.

Eran had grown accustomed to the feel of his cock inside Josh's ass. This is unexpected, but not unpleasant, Eran thought. Before Josh had purchased him at auction, Eran had trained as a sexual surrogate in the priesthood of Astarte. He had been taught how to please both men and women taking the active, or if required, passive role. Although with his strength and endowment, being passive was rarely required of him. His current master, Josh, had no interest in Eran's ass. All things considered, he reasoned, it would be a shame to refuse this show of passion from Liz, even if she was another man's wife. She was drunk and they were alone. Her husband was passed out on the couch outside, and Josh would not be requiring his services tonight after the thorough fucking he'd received this morning.

Before long, Liz was moaning loudly, lost in waves of ecstasy that she had not experienced before. Hoping desperately to keep their lovemaking from being discovered, Eran kissed Liz on the mouth deeply, as he thrust deep inside her.

Eran climaxed, his seed flowing into Liz. And at the same moment she climaxed too. Both of them experiencing moments of pleasure that subsided gradually. They were both spent and lay there for a moment, breathing softly. Eran, aware of the precariousness of his situation, pulled away from Liz and got out of the bed.

"I must go," he whispered. He threw on his robe and quickly left the room.

Liz lay in the dark, confused. She wondered why Zack would need to go anywhere at this hour? She was still flying from the wine and the drug. It all seemed like a pleasant dream to her. She closed her eyes and fell asleep.

(End of Chapter 10)