Judged (7 page)

He was enjoying it, but there was a tension in him. Alice leaned up and whispered, “Whatever you like.”

He kissed her quickly and withdrew from her, arranging her so that she was on her knees and he was behind her.

When he touched her, she could feel exactly how close to the edge of control he was. The line between beast and man was blurring and that was why this position was preferred. She literally wouldn’t see it coming.

Claws took the place of fingertips, reaching under her to stroke and cup her breasts. A muzzle nibbled at her shoulder, and she felt the heat of the breath a moment before the warm tongue came out to explore.

Alice’s arms trembled as she kept herself upright while the claws traced across her body and his tongue drew heated pathways over her skin. She closed her eyes, but his senses lit up her mind.

In Kadenz’s mind, she tasted like sex and that was enough for her to begin rocking into his touch. She wanted to feel him inside her again, but this exploration was on his clock.

He worked down her spine, lipping and nipping as he went, when he got to her backside, he parted her thighs wide and she felt the long, warm unfurling of his tongue inside her, accompanied by a deep growl.

The wriggling thrusts were too much for her. She shook violently and her release rippled through her.

Kadenz remove himself from his burrowing post between her thighs, and she felt him pressing into her.

Hard, fast thrusts rocked her forward on her arms, and she heard him grunting with each jolt as his body tried to completely merge with hers.

She could feel his release coming and something else, a strange pressure at the base of his cock as he thrust into her and lodged in place. Teeth bit into her shoulder, and he held tight as he shuddered, the pressure around her clit sent her into a climax as well.

Her body jerked sharply against him, spasming over and over as his weight slowly bore her to the bedding.

She could feel the furring on his torso fading away until he was once again the man she had known. They were still bound by the swelling at the base of his cock.

Alice didn’t want to say anything. She relaxed under him and smiled as he eased them to their sides and under the bedding.

They were firmly jammed together.

“How long is that going to last?”

He chuckled. “I apologise, I should have warned you, but I didn’t realize you were receptive until it was too late. We will be together until dawn. This is one of the reasons my people left the Alliance. We were throwbacks to the earliest days of the Oefric, so they rounded us up and shipped us off to the imperium. Our small settlement has done well here. We don’t have much of a variation when it comes to population.”

She shifted but the tugging in her opening was locked in place. “Ah. Well, it isn’t completely unexpected. When you shifted, I had an idea that something would change.”

Is it too uncomfortable?

Not if I don’t move, Kadenz. It will be fine.

She grinned and nestled into his arms.
Well, that took the edge off.

Speak for yourself, Alice. I have many devious plans for your body, and I plan to work on my list as soon as I can arrange it. Is there anything you need?

No. I am waiting for the court case so I can reclaim my possessions from the shuttle. Everything I own aside from the clothing with me is in that shuttle.

I will have my father look into whether it was included with the inheritance. I might have the men pick it up and bring it here.

So, you are the clan Alpha?

I am. It was my father’s position before he retired, and I fought the candidates for the title. During my time at the vineyard, they came to me once a week for clan matters.

Would you be upset if my clothing didn’t match the norm?

As long as I am the only one allowed to undress you, I don’t much care. Wear what you like.

How charming.

I know you will dress according to your station and your surroundings. You have engaged in any number of difficult situations before. I trust you.

You only trust me because you are in my mind.

Ah, you know it goes deeper than that.

Alice smiled and relaxed against him. It did indeed go deeper than that. She had trusted him the moment that she saw him, and when she had looked him over, her concern had been for his deteriorating condition.

From now on, if you want to do penance for the ills of the world, Kadenz, give me a backrub.

His amusement ran through her mind as he fell asleep. It had been a long day for both of them, and they needed their rest. Alice stilled her thoughts and joined him in well-deserved relaxation. Tomorrow would bring its own challenges.

Judge Roarcroft senior looked up as Alice and Kadenz entered the smaller breakfast room.

“Good morning, Duchess, I am delighted I could see you. The imperium judge arrives this afternoon. I just got the notice.”

Alice’s stomach flipped. “All right. Good.”

Kadenz kept his arm around her waist until he pulled out her chair for her.

He sat at her side and kept his right hand over her left.

The judge smiled and returned his attention to his data pad. “Daughter, they delivered your shuttle this morning. You will be able to gather what you need.”

Alice was surprised. “Thank you. I didn’t think that the Kalian would let the vehicle go.”

Judge Roarcroft smiled, “None of them can fly it. I subpoenaed it on behalf of the imperium judge. They may need it, and it would be more convenient in the Oefric settlement. We just happen to have the most secure compound in the area.”

“Sound logic. Thank you, Judge Roarcroft.” She smiled at the older man.

“Please, call me Karoon. You look lovely this morning, by the way.”

Alice smiled brightly and turned her hand to squeeze Kadenz’s. “Thank you; it is a Weefin day dress. It covers most of the bits that your race is a little too fascinated with.”

Kadenz grinned. “And yet has slits in the legs that allow you to move freely. Very practical.”

She wrinkled her nose and blinked as a full breakfast was put in front of her. The server patted her shoulder and said, “Welcome to the clan, Lady Roarcroft.”

Alice rubbed the bridge of her nose. “Please tell me that I didn’t just gain another title.”

Kadenz chuckled and started in on his meal. “Get used to it. Titles are the key to life on Dyango. My mother has five, my father four and I have three.”

“Kadenz, when are you going to return to work as a judge?” Karoon sipped his caf and flicked his gaze up and toward his son.

Kadenz sighed. “In a week. I will need help with the winery, the harvest is imminent.”

“I will send the regular workers back this afternoon. When are you going to resume full duties as Alpha?”

Kadenz made a face. “In about a week.”

Karoon laughed. “Fair enough. We have missed you, and to think, it only took a little thing from an alien world to bring you back to present day.”

Alice made a face and kept working on her breakfast. She ate as much as she was comfortable with and set the rest aside.

Kadenz grinned and lifted her plate from in front of her, pushing his own empty plate away.

She sipped at the caf and offered Kadenz some. He nodded, and she poured until his cup was full.

He drank some of the caf and gestured with his chin toward the door opening.

Denitha swirled in and stopped next to Alice. “Did you mean what you said about giving instruction to young ladies?”

Alice felt the affirmation running through their clasped hands.

Kadenz gave her fingers a squeeze in case she missed his mental urging.

“Yes, Denitha. I did indeed mean that I have given instruction. Would you like me to engage in something of that nature right now?”

Denitha inclined her head. “Please. I have a deportment class in the atrium. The ladies would love a little musical instruction, but I lack the skills.”

Alice got to her feet, kissed Kadenz and nodded to her new mother-in-law. They left the Judges Roarcroft to finish their breakfasts.

Outside the breakfast room, Alice asked, “You ate earlier?”

“I eat at dawn. Karoon is normally with me, but he waited until you and Kadenz woke before taking his meal. I am guessing he wants to ask my son a few questions.”

Alice smiled, “He did.”

“You and he have bonded?”

“If that is what you call it here.” She chuckled at Denitha’s grimace. “Yes, we linked minds and the link is growing stronger.”

“I am sorry to take you away during your bonding time, but you have a full day ahead and this won’t make a difference.”

Alice laughed. “Fair enough. I am guessing we get some alone time after my life is settled?”

“You will have at least five days together, but after that, he must resume his duties and you have to begin yours.”

“I have duties?”

“As Alpha female, you do indeed. You are responsible for the education and wellbeing of all women in the clan.”

“Wow. That is unexpected.”

“You will have a hard road of it as well, not being Oefric and all. I will be here to help you during your adjustment.”

That was all the warning she got before Denitha opened two doors into a large atrium. A gathering of teenagers in long gowns greeted her. Several instruments were also waiting for her, surrounding the outer edge of the room.

Denitha made the introductions quickly. “Ladies, it is my pleasure to introduce my new daughter, Lady Alice.”

Alice inclined her head as the girls curtseyed. “It is my honour to meet you. What instrument shall we learn first?”

Several arms lifted in the air. Alice pointed to one young woman with dark brown hair. “Yes?”

The girl smiled, “Angitia Weatherscore, age ten. I would like to learn the harp.”

“Angitia, that is a good place to start. Would anyone care to work on rhythm?”

Two more girls were given percussion blocks and they were able to hold a solid beat. “Surprisingly, there are many practical applications to learning to keep a beat. You can use it for dancing, housekeeping, walking and keeping time.”

Once the girls had all taken turns with the percussion blocks, Alice sat at the harp and played a quick tune. When she finished, the girls applauded.

“Angitia, have a seat. Put your fingers in the following places and pluck, don’t pull the strings.”

The first few notes were more buzzing than anything else, but when she managed to make a clear sound, the group applauded.

“Keep trying that until your fingers sting. It takes time to build up callouses and you can’t use your claws.”

Her pupil tucked her tongue between her teeth. “Why not?”

“You will slice the strings and they can be wicked if they snap.” She extended her hand and showed them scars on her forearm. “When I was training, they tried to teach us while we wore metal nails on our fingers. It turned out that it was better to let us have the rough skin.”

The other girls looked at the scars and a few touched them. Angitia began to explore the range of her reach and that meant that the stringed instruments could be tried.

The atrium was arranged in a series of archways, and each arch created a sound bubble of its own.

Angitia was pinging away at the harp, Loria and Whenican took the stringed instruments, some girls practiced the rhythm blocks and one shy girl in the corner didn’t look like she was happy to be there.

Alice walked over to her. “Hello, miss. Is there an instrument that you would like to learn?”

“No.”

“You seem unhappy to be here.”

“My mother said that you were a bad woman and you had ensnared our Alpha.”

Alice looked around and found a bench. She gestured for the girl to have a seat and the quiet girl followed the order.

“I am a woman who met a man who was unattached. He found me attractive and we got along. We are two adults who each chose to be with each other for the rest of our lives. I didn’t ask him about the women in his life and he didn’t ask me about the men in mine.” It wasn’t precisely the truth, but it was the best bet when dealing with a child.

The girl nodded. “It sounds fair.”

“Tell your mother she can address all questions to me. Now, may I know you name?”

“Telia Crowsong.”

“How old are you?”

“Eight.”

“Well, Telia, what would you like to learn?”

Telia looked at the remaining instruments. “What is that?”

Alice grinned. “Stay here.”

Alice picked up the holochime and took the half-sphere back to Telia.

She put the instrument between them on the bench. “Now, think of something happy and touch the surface.”

Telia closed her eyes and stroked the surface. A chime rang out and shimmered in the air and the young lady opened her eyes wide, seeing a picture of a fat baby chick hovering in midair.

Telia gasped and the image dissolved. “Can I do that again?”

“You can, but the image is never the same twice. Watch.”

Alice focused and ran her fingertips across the surface. A beam shot out and covered the ceiling of the atrium with stars moving and shifting in blinding waves of light.

She let the notes flow as she concentrated on the holochime. All muted sounds came to a halt as she played and showed the girls stars that marched above them and sights that would never be seen by anyone again. A moment in time was caught in her thoughts and it would never happen to anyone else.

When she had finished her trip through her memories, she let the chimes fade as she pulled her fingers back into her lap.

The light brightened, and when Alice looked around, awed faces surrounded her.

Telia was looking at her in amazement. “Can I learn to do that?”

“You will see your own memories. This brings it out and uses sound to tap into your thoughts and keep them resonating. Like humming one note for a really long time.”

Telia smiled and stroked the surface again and the image she saw was of her mother.

One of the older girls asked, “How is that music?”

Alice smiled, “You can hear the chime and enjoy it with your mind. It is personal music, designed to entertain the person playing.”