Wicked Empress: The Onic Empire, Book 4 (32 page)

Drahka had never seen his eyes so intense. Viltori had longed to give to Bithia since he’d met her. To continue to hold back must take self-control beyond measure. Captive below her as she teased him mercilessly was only solidifying his determination. Drahka could not wait to witness that moment. If they came together without him, he would never forgive either of them.

“Promises, promises.” Bithia offered a lazy smile and kissed him again. “I’m going to use you to climax. I’m going to hold myself right here and make you watch me.” Bithia’s hand moved across his chest, then to the space between her thighs. When contact came, she sighed and arched her back, thrusting her breasts forward, holding them well out of the reach of Viltori’s hungry mouth.

“And you, just sitting there letting her use me like this?” Viltori woke Drahka from his trance. “Why don’t you do something?”

“I am.” Viltori’s frown prompted him to add. “I am watching.” Drahka lowered his hand to grasp his own prick. “I like to watch.” Giving his cock one good, long stroke caused Viltori’s entire body to tighten. Bithia too tightened her legs as she watched him, which in turn clutched her more firmly around Viltori. A swell of pride filled Drahka that he could arouse them both without contact. Again, he stroked himself, this time drawing up on his knees, showing off the muscles in his legs, hips, chest and arms. Left hand firmly wrapped around his shaft he squeezed lightly, teasing himself further. “Both of you like to watch.”

Eyes riveted to him, Bithia continued to rub herself as she watched Drahka stroke himself and Viltori rocked his hips, getting some satisfaction against Bithia.

“You said you wanted to watch me.” Drahka lowered his face but lifted his gaze to his teacher. Connection hit. The link between them was so strong Drahka almost looked away. In his eyes, he felt his longing, almost as if Bithia’s sweetly slick sex was against Drahka’s own aching cock. But he knew if he pulled her from Viltori now, he would not be able to resist. He would plunge into her with abandon, damning the consequences.

“That day in the mirrored room, you wanted to watch me lose control.” Holding his hand steady, Drahka rocked his hips, plunging his cock rhythmically into his fist. “Watch me now, my friend. Watch me climax while I watch you getting tormented.”

Increasing her pace, Bithia worked her body against Viltori as she rubbed her finger across the tight nub of her clit. Breasts bouncing as she worked, her gaze held steady to Drahka, which infuriated Viltori. Determined to get her attention, he lowered his hands and cupped one ample breast.

“Look at me,” Viltori commanded. Pulling her down as he angled up, he managed to pull her breast to his mouth and suck hard at her nipple.

“Greedy man.” Cupping the back of his head with one hand, she continued to rub her clit as she squirmed above him. “You know I’m not going to help you climax.”

“I want to feel you.” Biting at her breast, he switched to the other and nibbled hard. “Use me to climax, but look at me, not him.”

“Jealousy?” Bithia mocked him, but gently. “I will make you my whole world.” Drawn to him, she leaned forward, rotating her chest, feeding him one breast, then the other, as she rocked her slick sex over Viltori’s cock. “Look only at me.”

Viltori did.

Drahka lessened his strokes, giving Bithia the opportunity to go first. Determinedly she moved atop Viltori, who demanded her attention with his aggressive handling and sucking of her breasts. Each pass she made along him caused him to lift up, a mimic of what each truly wished to do.

“Are you close, my lady?” Drahka asked.

Bithia nodded, increasing her movements, working her hand firmly until she jerked forward, collapsing against Viltori’s chest. Delicate quivers contracted her form. Viltori placed his bound hands around her head, holding her to him, letting her wring the last of pleasure before he let go and placed his hands behind his head. Much to Drahka’s delight, Viltori had not climaxed. When Bithia rose up, Drahka whispered in her ear. Her smile was sweet and ruthless all at the same time.

Viltori watched them both with lowered brows. Bithia moved back slightly and, using her slick climax, she grasped Viltori’s cock in both hands.

“Watch Drahka.” Bithia turned her head, following Drahka’s timing. Each time he stroked his fist down, she stroked her fist down Viltori.

“It’s like I’m touching myself and you at the same time.” Leaning up again, showing off his body, Drahka continued his leisurely strokes. Watching Bithia torment Viltori only increased his rise to the inevitable. “All day and most of this night I have been aroused.” Looking now deeply into Viltori’s eyes, he added, “The way you talk about taking control lights up your whole face, and now that I’ve done so to you, I can see why.” Drahka took a deep breath and made one hard slide down to the base of his cock. Viltori moaned when Bithia did the same to him. “Such power, such an incredible rush in overwhelming you, taking command of you, doing what I wished with you.” He could feel his balls lifting, ready to release him from his daylong distress. The rapid rise and fall of Viltori’s chest told him was close too. Concentrating now on the finale, Drahka timed his breathing to his strokes, encouraging Viltori to match with Bithia. As his awareness shifted outward, he connected again to Viltori and, when he climaxed, so did Viltori.

A mutual growl lifted into the air and rumbled against the glass ceiling. Gushing jets of white splattered along the hair of Drahka’s chest as he leaned back, giving Viltori the visual he’d mentioned to Bithia. Watching the same jet along Viltori’s chest only increased Drahka’s pleasure and the connection he felt. Lowering his head, he slumped forward, exhausted. Bithia released Viltori from his restraints. Cautiously she looked at him, ready for anything.

Climbing to his knees, Viltori swept Bithia and Drahka into his arms and shared a three-way kiss.

“You’re not angry?” Bithia caressed the hair right above his ear, smoothing it back from his face.

“No.” He kissed her shoulder, peering up playfully into Drahka’s eyes. “But I will have revenge.”

Drahka took the threat as a promise.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Morning light filled the empress suite with dazzling brightness. Viltori shielded his eyes with his hand, then flipped the covers over his head. Sadly, he was alone in the crimson darkness. Bithia and Drahka had left much earlier to see about the issue of their bonding. Alone and hard, Viltori thought back over last night, amazed at Drahka’s cunning.

“Perhaps I am a better teacher than I realized.”

Initial terror had given way to sublime pleasure. Bithia was so wet and hot he’d forgotten his vow and tried to slip his cock within her. In the harsh light of day, he thanked the gods he’d been bound and unable to give into his lust. The unspoken words of the woman with the silver hair and eyes rolled in his mind:

May nature have mercy upon your surrogate.

The way she’d pushed the words into his consciousness convinced him she meant his child. Each time he considered what she’d said, he saw a helpless innocent suffering untold heartache so that he could live. He considered the idea that he could prevent his shame from touching his child by not having one. There were ways to forever prevent himself from impregnating Bithia; however, if he took such drastic measures, he would be denying himself and Bithia the joy of having a child.

But Drahka could still have one with her.

Viltori thought he could love Drahka’s child just as much as he could love one of his own. What Drahka said was true—what did it really matter who the father was? A child was a gift from the gods. Any and every child between the three of them would be thoroughly loved. But then his heart turned to ice. What if the gods took their revenge on Bithia and Drahka’s child? If Viltori tried to deny his fate, the gods would find another way to punish him. Perhaps something more vile by visiting his shame upon one utterly removed from his crime.

Rolling onto his belly, Viltori hugged his pillow hard, determined to keep his tears at bay. Regret for what Bithia and Drahka had done seemed terribly inappropriate. They’d given him back his life. But at what cost? He couldn’t bear to have what should have been his death placed on another. Still, though, the way of the silver woman’s mind told him it would not be a one-to-one exchange. One would not die to take his place, but one would suffer horribly. How could he do anything with that threat hanging over his head? How could he live his life without constantly considering the due that must be paid?

What if he left? He considered this option for a long time. Actually pictured himself living on one of the few planets he knew something about, but leaving wouldn’t fix the problem. Proximity to him probably had nothing to do with when or how the obligation would be paid. Since both Bithia and Drahka had a part in bringing him back, he feared they were equally guilty. Even if he ran to another planet, his debt would only follow him. He could not run from this problem, and he couldn’t tell Drahka or Bithia. They would dismiss the silver woman’s words, or worse, seek her out and demand an explanation. Viltori couldn’t let the Treagen woman suffer, not after she’d given him back his life. In his heart, he knew that would only increase the magnitude of his debt. Somehow, he had to find a way to pay his own due.

Flinging back the covers, he slid out of bed. His wrists and ankles were tender, but not horribly so. Rubbing his belly, he moved toward the table filled with covered platters. He ate without tasting, bathed without feeling, dressed without caring. His mind could not let go of the problem facing him. The only time he’d been free of the all-consuming thoughts was when he and Drahka had been planning their lusty encounter with Bithia.

A twinge of shame hit him then, that he hadn’t been completely honest with Drahka. But he knew if he told him the truth, he would argue against such a stance. Giving to Bithia no matter his station was more important to Drahka than Viltori’s moral dilemma. Still, he should have told him the truth. But he feared that Drahka, amazing and persuasive Drahka, would have convinced him to change his mind. However, when they’d been acting out their detailed scenario, Drahka offered his surprising twist. Watching him stroke himself had been just as arousing as Bithia’s teasing. But he knew they could not make do with that type of sexual activity for much longer. The urge to mate fully and completely with Bithia grew stronger each time she was near. In a moment of weakness, he knew he would surrender.

Determined to find a way to right his own wrong, Viltori left the empress suite. As soon as he did, a contingent of guards fell into line behind him. Somewhat embarrassed, Viltori strode toward the temple. When he’d been an acolyte, he’d never really felt a connection to the gods, but he had found a sensual peace in the rituals. Perhaps if he could center himself, he could determine a solution.

Lingering just outside the fabric door to the temple, his guards let him enter alone. Subdued azure light filled the vast space. When he took a deep breath, he tasted the familiar burning herbs. As he moved toward the massive statue devoted to the god of bonding, his eyes were drawn toward a small rendering. Her features were subdued, her head lowered demurely. Viltori could not remember having seen this goddess before, so he had no idea what she was the goddess of. Still, there was something about the tentative way she stood, with her long, straight hair hiding her face, that intrigued him. Her right hand crossed her body, cupping her left shoulder, as if she were protecting herself from an unknown foe. Unable to see where her left hand was, he rotated the statue, and her tiny hand touched his.

Startled, he almost dropped her as he hurriedly yanked his hand away.

“Have you come to save me?” Her voice was that of a lonesome child, high-pitched and indecently compelling.

He wanted to say no, to turn away, but he couldn’t. He was here to solve his problem not take on whatever issues she had. Shaking his head, he hoped to dislodge the hallucination that was surely brought on by the drug-laced air. Oddities such as talking statues were not common, but they weren’t unheard of, either. Many acolytes claimed the inner workings of the person’s psyche were to blame for most, but not all, of such illusions.

“Are you a coward?” Now her voice took on a sinister edge.

Her accusation enraged him, but he replied, “No, I am not a coward.”

“Then help me.”

“What do you want?”

“A child.”

Now he knew all of this was in his mind. The horrors of creating a child that would suffer for his existence had consumed his thoughts. “I’m not giving you a child to kill.”

“Why would I want to kill a child?” She turned her face up, which slid her hair back, revealing that half of her face was horribly damaged. Twisting scars crossed from her forehead to her chin. She noticed him looking and quickly covered herself with her hair. “I want a child to love me.”

It was as if she’d reached right into his chest and squeezed his heart. “I can’t give you a child.”

“Yes, you can. You can create a child that will worship only me.” Her little face radiated joy. “All over the temple there are those who bow and pray and sacrifice to the other gods and goddesses, but none lay at my feet.” Pain radiated from her voice.

Such compelling distress dropped him to his knees. “I will worship you.” Viltori wanted to alleviate her suffering.

“You are too old and you do not really believe.” She shook her head, her ruined face flashing in and out of the light. “I want a devotee trained only to me. One who lives only for me, one who would sacrifice anything to me, even her very life.”

Viltori shivered. “I wouldn’t ask a child to do that for me, so what makes you think I would give one to you?” In an effort to break free of her commanding presence, he turned his face away, but he felt the pressure of her hand upon his shoulder. A full-sized hand and not the tiny one that had touched him only a moment ago.

“Why do you refuse me? Giving a child unto me would pay your debt.”

Shivering despite the moist warmth of the temple, Viltori wrapped his arms across his chest. “I will not. I cannot.” He would do anything to find another way to pay what he owed.