Consort (Beyond Ontariese 6) (7 page)

Suddenly Eagin shifted both her wrists
into one hand and pinched her nipple hard. The pleasure/pain made
her gasp and jarred her from her troubled thoughts. “He doesn’t
want you any more than he wants me. Stop thinking about
him.”

“
I wasn’t thinking about
him. Now get off me or I’ll catch your hair on fire.”

Obviously unafraid of the threat, he
found the hem of her cropped bodice and inched it up along her
torso. “You intentionally interrupted my pleasure. I think it’s
only fair that I finish inside you.”

Desire sparked to life between her
thighs, but Nasrin did her best to ignore it. Allowing Eagin to
know how easily he aroused her gave him an advantage she wasn’t
willing to yield. “Tell me about this woman who has Indric so
enthralled. Is she beautiful or just especially
skilled?”

He pulled her arms above her head and
crossed her wrists, then he slowly let go. “Stay like that. If you
move, I’ll flip you over and finish the way I like
best.”

A secret thrill sent lust rushing
through her. No one dared to speak harshly to her, much less
suggest she submit to the sorts of pleasures Eagin “liked best”. It
was part of the reason she found him so exciting. He was dark and
demanding, forceful in ways she’d never dreamed could be so
pleasurable. She closed her hands into fists but kept her arms
positioned exactly as he’d left them.

With torturous slowness, he tugged her
bodice up, baring her breasts, then forming a loose binding around
her wrists. She could tug her hands free at any time, yet it added
to her excitement when she pretended she was helpless.

Her breasts were firm and round, so
she seldom bothered with support garments. Golden rings pierced her
nipples, a delicate chain connecting the two. She’d done this for
him, never guessing how decadent she’d find the experience or how
often she used the chain to bring herself pleasure.

Hooking the chain with his index
finger, he pulled until the rings tugged on her nipples and lifted
her breasts. “I suppose she’s pretty, in a pale, puny sort of
way.”

Nasrin blinked. What the hell was he
talking about? Oh, that’s right, she’d asked about Indric’s
mistress. With sleek black hair streaming to womanly hips and full
breasts, she would never be described as pale or puny. “He’s
surrounded by dark hair and golden skin. Perhaps it’s simply the
novelty.”

Eagin shook his head. He let the chain
drop then pinched both nipples until she cried out. “She has some
sort of hold over him and I will find out exactly what it
is.”

Annoyed by his obsession with another
woman, Nasrin pushed up, rubbing her mound against his erection.
“Let’s talk after.”

His brows arched and he lifted her
skirt to her waist. “I want to talk now.”

Eagin loved games, the more twisted
the better. If he needed to talk, then fine, she’d talk, as long as
he kept touching her. “Tell me about Indric’s slut.” She rolled her
hips, drawing his gaze to her lace-covered sex. “Does he share her
with his guards? How long has their liaison been going
on?”

“
He brought her home like a
stray pet nearly ten cycles past.” He tore off her panties and
tossed them over his shoulder.

“
Ten cycles?” Air wafted
across her slit, making her folds tingle. Part of her wanted him to
ram himself home and take her hard and fast. Yet another part
wanted him to tease her for hours with his fingers and mouth before
he finally pushed inside. “Isn’t that a long time for a man to stay
with one woman?”

He grabbed the backs of her knees and
pushed her legs farther apart. “Depends on the woman.” He released
her legs, but she kept them bent and open, offering herself to
whatever pleasure he chose to give. He traced her slit with the tip
of one finger then sucked her cream from his fingertip. “We hunger
for this like starved animals, yet what we really want is a fertile
ground in which to plant our seed.”

Farming metaphors. How romantic. She
closed her eyes so he couldn’t see her frustration. “But in
Indric’s case the problem is with the seed, not the ground in which
he’s planting.” She was tired of talking, tired of thinking up
pointless questions. Then a legitimate thought popped into her mind
and she opened her eyes. “Any chance he’ll legitimize the
boy?”

“
You bitch,” Eagin sneered
and flipped her over onto her stomach.

For a terrified moment she couldn’t
figure out what she’d done wrong. Why was he so angry? Then she
realized her mistake. Eagin had been legitimized when he was just a
boy only to have the honor yanked away the day his father
died.

She started to apologize, but he
pulled up on her hips and kneed her legs apart and then thrust into
her brutally. Fortunately, he filled her core not her back passage
as she’d feared. She released her breath in a ragged hiss and tried
to relax. The steady movement of his thick shaft should rekindle
her desire. It really didn’t take much to get her off.

“
Knowing my luck, he’ll
bond with the bitch.” His fingers dug into her flesh and his hips
missed a beat before resuming their forceful rhythm.

“
She’s nobody.” She
tightened her inner muscles and concentrated on the sensual slide,
trying to find the right angle so he’d hit her internal trigger.
“The people would never allow it.”

He pulled out and moved to her side,
his expression tight with worry. “The people of San Adrin adore
Indric. It’s just as likely they’ll welcome this mysterious woman
with open arms and rejoice in the long-awaited happiness of their
king.” Bitterness rang through in every word.

“
You could openly challenge
his right to rule. Like it or not, your father already established
your blood claim to the throne. Indric would be honor bound to
answer the challenge.”

Hatred hardened his features. “I can’t
beat Indric in single combat. I’m not foolish enough to try. But he
has many enemies. It’s just a matter of time before one of them
removes my obstacle for me.”

“
Or until whatever
you
arrange is made to
look as if they did?”

He just grinned and rolled to his
back, pulling her on top of him. She settled astride his hips and
guided his cock to her aching passage. Questions buzzed through her
mind. She was dying to know more about this mystery child and learn
Indric’s plans for the future. Even so, she kept her mouth shut and
established a strong, steady rhythm. There was no way in the five
hells she was going to say another word until after they’d both
found pleasure.

* * * * *

Cinarra sat on the thickly padded seat
of a luxury skimmer, hands folded in her lap. She was making a
conscious effort not to fidget, but her nerves were stretched so
tight she wanted to scream. True to his word, Indric had returned
at dusk with an armed escort. The two luxurious skimmers each had
four outriders. And if that weren’t conspicuous enough, the royal
seal was clearly visible on each vehicle. By this time tomorrow
everyone in Camp Rabadah, perhaps everyone in San Adrin, would know
King Indric had moved his mistress to the palace. Anonymity and
secrecy had failed to keep Betaul safe. Hopefully this royal
spectacle would be more effective.

The skimmer was smooth, quiet and
climate controlled, so different from the crowded heat of the
public trams. Not that she spent a lot of time on public trams. To
be honest, she seldom left the house, but she still couldn’t shake
the feeling that she was leaving behind everything she knew and was
about to be thrust into an utterly alien environment.

Ametto rode with the boys in the first
skimmer, leaving the second for Indric and Cinarra. Indric looked
particularly handsome with amusement shining in his dark eyes. “You
holding up okay?”

“
I don’t know what I’m
doing,” she whispered the confession with a sigh. “I don’t know
what you expect from me.”

“
I expect nothing from you.
I hope we can use this time together to learn more about each other
and explore our options as a couple. Does that sound so
horrible?”

“
It’s not that simple and
you know it.”

“
It’s only as complicated
as we choose to make it.” His expression grew tense and serious
before he added, “If you’re not ready for this, I can wait. It’s
already been nine cycles. What’s a few more days?” He tried to
soften the observation with a smile, but his gaze remained
intense.

She nodded and turned her attention
out the window. The city had begun as five unique tribal camps, so
even hundreds of cycles later each section had a distinct
personality. Her house was in the area settled by the Vistalba
tribe. They were skilled artisans and free thinkers, which was
reflected in colorful murals and street-corner vendors selling
handcrafted wares. It was a popular area for tourists, but the
Vistalba were considered uncouth by the nobility.

The skimmer passed through the
Wendroth section of the city with its grand houses and immaculate
common greens. The closer they drew to the palace the larger the
houses became until Cinarra had to drag her gaze away from the
imposing scenery.

“
I don’t think I can do
this.” She pressed her hand over her pounding heart. “I’ll seem so
unsophisticated, so…naïve.”

Indric moved across the passenger car
and sat beside her, extending his arm along the top of her seat.
“There is no reason to be frightened. Regardless of their preening,
the courtiers are no better than you. In fact, most are far lower
on the social scale than High Queen of Ontariese.”

She shook her head, unable to meet his
gaze. “Krystabel dar Aune is dead and I don’t intend to resurrect
her. I am Cinarra Mazodie, Bilarrian widow with a murky
past.”

“
Are you attracted to me?”
Challenge returned to Indric’s deep voice and Cinarra looked into
his eyes.

“
You know I am.”

“
Do you think you could
feel more than physical desire?”

Charlotte had encouraged her to be
honest with Indric, and with herself. It would be easier to assure
him that her heart was open and ready for love. Instead, she told
him the truth. “I’m not sure. That’s why I’m here. I don’t want to
shut the door on something special just because I’m intimidated by
the unknown, but I’m not going to pretend to feel more than I
actually do. That wouldn’t be fair to either of us.”

“
Good answer.” He raised
his hand and brushed his knuckles along her jawline. The touch was
featherlight and still her skin tingled. His thumb teased the
corner of her mouth for just a second and then he lowered his arm.
“We’re almost there.” He nodded toward the window.

She turned her head and
gasped. She’d seen holofiles of Indric’s palace, but the images
hadn’t begun to capture the grandeur or scale of reality. The
palace sat atop a tiered hill, effortlessly dominating the horizon.
The main building was three stories high with railed galleries and
five majestic domes. A wide, tiled promenade stretched from the
base of the hill to the arched front entrance. Lined by
towering
amolik
palms, the promenade was obviously designed to accommodate
visitors as they waited for their chance to be admitted to the
palace.

“
Wow,” she
whispered.

Indric chuckled. “Wait until you see
the inside. The palace was built by my grandfather and he had a
fondness for extravagance.”

The skimmer circumvented the promenade
and pulled to a stop on the curved drive directly in front of the
palace. Liveried servants rushed forward, helping her out of the
skimmer and unloading her luggage. Indric pressed his hand against
the small of her back as he ushered her into the palace.

Massive transparent doors swept open
before them and Cinarra’s steps faltered. Cool air swirled around
her, sending a chill down her spine. It was hard to believe they
were in the middle of Bilarri’s largest desert. A wide reception
hall stretched out before her, polished tiles gleaming white on the
floor and walls. Tall pillars, capped with golden palm fronds
supported the dramatically vaulted ceiling. Everything was clean
and opulent, rich yet elegant.

Indric cupped her elbow and guided her
toward a small cluster of uniformed staff. A distinguished-looking
couple separated themselves from the others. “This is Mores, my
head steward and indispensable right hand.”

“
Welcome, Madam Mazodie.” A
warm smile softened the head steward’s craggy features. “We hope
your travels weren’t too exhausting.”

“
Not at all. It’s nice to
meet you.”

Mores bowed briefly before he
introduced his companion. “This is Terez. She is entirely at your
disposal. If you need anything, don’t hesitate to ask. She’ll help
acquaint you with palace protocol and answer any of your
questions.”

Terez inclined her head and Cinarra
smiled.

“
Take some time and settle
in,” Indric advised. “I’ll see you at dinner.”

He started off across the lobby with
Mores and panic lurched through Cinarra. “Wait. Where were Betaul
and Dravon taken? Will I be allowed to see them?”