Dark Queen’s Quest

by I. T. Lucas

  She was boneless, exhausted in the most wonderful way, and thoroughly satisfied.

  After the series of explosive orgasms Yamanu had pleasured her into, the only way he’d allowed her to repay him was with kisses, only on his face, and caresses only above the waistline.

  He hadn’t even allowed her to kiss his flat nipples or nip at his neck.

  The message was clear. He was open to intimacy, and he was fine with pleasuring her, but he refused reciprocation.

  Which was a damn shame.

  Even though he couldn’t get fully erect, he could probably feel pleasure if he let her lick and suck on his shaft.

  But it was likely a matter of pride for him.

  He had to maintain the illusion that it was his choice to abstain from sex and not a disability.

  Perhaps in time, when he felt more comfortable with her, he would confess the truth and allow her to pleasure him back. It might not bring him to a climax, but it would be pleasurable.

  In either case, his problem was definitely not a deal-breaker for her. She could spend her life with this man regardless of his erectile dysfunction. He had so much to offer that his inability to penetrate and impregnate her was insignificant in comparison.

  Well, not insignificant, that wasn’t true, but it wasn’t of utmost importance either.

  She would have loved to have kids of her own one day, but this relationship would probably not last until she was ready to have them anyway. Something would come up that would either end it or it would fizzle and die on its own.

  For some reason, men hadn’t stuck with her. Was it because she was too independent?

  Nah, that wasn’t it, and she knew it. The real reason was that she hadn’t really loved any of her other boyfriends. She liked them, enjoyed their company, but her feelings had never run deep. Not even with Shimon, who she’d thought she’d been in love with. If she had really loved him, she would have been heartbroken over the death of their relationship. Instead, she had been a little sad for about a week.

  “You should get some sleep,” he murmured. “It’s after two in the morning.”

  “I don’t feel sleepy. I need to use the bathroom, but I’m too boneless to move.”

  He chuckled, sounding very satisfied with himself. “I can carry you.”

  “I think you’ve worked hard enough for one night.” She sat up in bed and glanced at the mess they’d made.

  The sheet was rumpled, leaving part of the mattress exposed, and the blanket was on the floor.

  Yamanu’s eyes trained on her breasts and he licked his lips. “I would love another taste, but I think you’ve had enough of my attentions.”

  Her nipples were a little sore from all the pinching and nipping, but in a good way.

  She leaned and kissed his lips. “I loved every moment, but I really need to use the bathroom.”

  As she slipped off the bed and turned toward the door, he slapped her bottom playfully. “You have a great ass.”

  She cast him a smile over her shoulder. Her butt was the only place on her body that had a little padding. No wonder he found it appealing.

  “I’ll be right back.”

  In the bathroom, she used the commode and then got into the shower for a quick wash. Wrapped in a thick towel, she stood in front of the vanity mirror and wiped the condensation with her hand. Her hair was all tangled and messy, her cheeks were rosy, and her eyes sparkled despite the lack of sleep.

  This had been by far the best sexual experience of her life, and not because her other lovers had been subpar.

  It had been different with Yamanu, and not only on the physical level. She felt a connection with him like she hadn't felt with men she’d dated for months. Not with Shimon who she’d believed she’d been in love with, and not with Oliver with whom she’d lived for over a year.

  Was it because Yamanu was so unique? Or was it because she was at a vulnerable stage in her life and needed a protector?

  Probably both.

  In either case, she wasn’t going to analyze it to death. The bottom line was that she wanted a relationship with Yamanu, and she was going to do her best to make it work.

  After brushing her teeth and her hair, Mey opened the bathroom door, half expecting Yamanu to be asleep. Instead, she found him standing next to the dresser with a small brown vial tilted over his mouth.

  It was smaller than a shot glass, so it wasn’t alcohol, and liquid medications usually came in larger containers as well.

  Emptying the contents down his throat, he grimaced and threw the bottle into the trashcan.

  “What was it?” she asked. “Vitamins?”

  He shook his head. “I need this to control my sex drive.” He smiled sadly. “Without that, it would have been impossible for me to keep my vow. In fact, since I met you, I’ve had to double the daily dose. I tripled it today.”

  He’d been telling her the truth?

  Stunned, Mey sat on the bed. “What made you make such an extreme vow?”

  Sitting on the bed beside her, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “That’s one of the things I cannot tell you, but I can give you a hint. If you knew that your sister was in mortal danger, and that the only way to save her and keep her safe required you to make a great sacrifice, what would you be willing to give up?”

  “Anything.”

  “Same here.”

  36

  Yamanu

  “Can I make you coffee?” Mey asked as they entered her apartment. “It will take me about half an hour to get ready.”

  Yamanu glanced at the kitchen through the open door. “I’ll make the coffee. Is there a particular way you like it?”

  “A little bit of cream and no sugar, thanks.” She cast him an apologetic smile. “I’ll be as quick as I can.”

  Once he was done loading the coffeemaker, Yamanu decided to sweep the apartment for bugs. Arwel had planted two, one over the front door and the other one on top of the bookcase, but he hadn’t thought to check if there were other bugs in there already.

  If the government was involved, he was not likely to find anything without the proper equipment. Those with access to unlimited resources and the newest technology could plant bugs the size of a fly or even smaller.

  On top of that, the place was a bug heaven.

  Dozens of framed photographs were hanging on the walls, and each frame could hide a tiny bug. Other than that, there were plants and figurines and books and DVDs, not to mention the assortment of throw pillows. Each item could be hiding a miniscule camera, and that was in the living room alone.

  It would take hours to perform a thorough sweep. The smart thing would be to come back with the proper equipment that would pick up the signal. William could probably order one for him online and have it delivered to the hotel.

  In the meantime, Yamanu could do it the old-fashioned way, patting items one by one.

  By the time Mey emerged from the bedroom, he was partially done with the bookcase.

  He put his hand over his heart and whistled. “Stunning, my lady Mey. Absolutely stunning.”

  And he wasn’t saying it to make her feel good. Wearing spiky black heels and a red wrap dress that flared from her hips and reached just below her knees, Mey looked like the cover model she was. Elegant, sophisticated, confident.

  “Thank you.” She put her large bag down and twirled around. “I like this dress, and I get to keep it, which is a nice bonus.”

  He rubbed his hand over his jaw. “The coffee is ready.”

  “Thanks. I’ll grab a paper cup. Derek is going to pick us up in five minutes.”

  “What did you tell him about me?” He followed her into the kitchen.

  “That you are Arielle’s business manager and that you want to check out a live shoot.” She poured the coffee into a paper cup and closed it with a lid. “Do you want coffee to go as well?”

  “No, thanks. I already drank mine. Did he buy it?”

  Mey shrugged. “It doesn't matter if he did or not
. He and Julie are going to guess that we hooked up. But there is no reason for me to spell it out for them.”

  He didn’t like her thinking of them in terms of hookups. This was much more than that. Then again, she might have been hesitant to use the term boyfriend. It wasn’t as if they’d made any long-term promises to each other.

  Should he tell her that he wanted more than that?

  Right, like that was a good idea. Mey was incredible, and forgetting her would be impossible, but she was a human and he couldn’t keep her. Once this assignment was over, and he went back home, it would be the end of it.

  His heart squeezed hard at the prospect of losing her, but his mind slapped the silly organ into compliance.

  He would have to double his meditation time to get over her.

  Mey took the cup and walked back into the living room. When she bent to lift the bag, he reached for the strap.

  “Let me.” He took it from her.

  “Are you sure? It’s not unisex.”

  The thing had hearts and the word love printed all over it.

  “You don’t say.” He slung it over his shoulder. “What do you have in there?”

  “A pair of flip-flops, yoga pants, a T-shirt, and a change of underwear. I’m probably going to sleep over at your place again.” She looked at him, the high heels making her so tall they were almost at eye level. “If you don’t mind, that is.”

  “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

  Her shoulders relaxed. “Thanks. I’m scared of sleeping alone in here. During the day it’s okay. I’ll go back tomorrow morning.” Then her lips lifted in a mischievous smile. “Besides, I’m looking forward to a repeat performance. I need to make sure that it was as good as I remember it.” She winked.

  Laughing, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “It would be my pleasure to prove that to you, my lady Mey.”

  As they entered the elevator, she leaned against him and whispered in his ear, “Had you been checking the bookcase for bugs?”

  “That’s very perceptive of you,” he whispered back. “And yes, I was. Thank you for not saying anything out loud in there.”

  She smirked. “The moment I saw what you were doing, I figured that I shouldn't mention anything about you suspecting bugs in the place.” She frowned. “But if they are monitoring my phone conversations, they know about you.”

  She was right, and he should have thought about that. His phone was safe, but hers wasn't, and he couldn’t suggest her switching to a burner phone because her sister might call or text her. Still, it was a good idea to stash the thing inside the safe once they were back in the hotel. It was possible to use the device to listen in on people even when it was off. Which meant that they should watch what they were saying while it was in her purse.

  He leaned to whisper in her ear again. “We shouldn’t talk freely while your phone is near.”

  Her eyes widened. “Oh, crap.”

  He put a finger on her lips. “All they know is that you called a guy when you were scared that some creep was following you and that you slept over at my place. Nothing unusual about it. But just to be safe, call one of your girlfriends and tell her about how you were scared for no good reason and called your new boyfriend for help.”

  She smiled. “Are you my boyfriend, Yamanu?”

  The elevator reached the lobby level and he took her elbow as they stepped out. “I’m an old-fashioned kind of guy. In my book, what we did last night makes us a couple.” He stopped in front of the lobby’s door. “If that’s okay with you.”

  Mey turned to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. “It’s more than okay.” She kissed his lips. “It’s what I want.”

  “Good.” He pushed the door open. “Because I want that too.”

  37

  Mey

  “So, you are the famous Yamanu,” Derek said as they entered the van.

  To make room, Julie moved to the third seat while mouthing “hot” and fanning herself. As if Yamanu couldn’t see what she was doing.

  When Mey rolled her eyes at her, Julie fanned herself some more, and then she added a few more mouthed words that Mey couldn’t decipher.

  Was the last one stud muffin?

  Who used that anymore?

  Stifling a laugh, Mey mouthed, “Stop it.”

  “Depends on what you’ve heard,” Yamanu said. “If it’s bad, then I’m not that guy.”

  “It’s all good. Mey said that you are managing the new girl’s career. Arielle, right? She is going to do that Korean beauty line.”

  “That’s the one. Are you going to be the photographer?”

  Derek looked at Yamanu in the rearview mirror. “I’m not a studio photographer, and makeup is always done in a studio.”

  “Not in Europe.” Mey rushed to save the situation. “They do outdoor shoots for everything.”

  Yamanu nodded, but smartly didn’t say anything. Oftentimes keeping quiet was the best strategy. Especially when not knowing much about the subject.

  “We are going back to Central Park today,” Derek said.

  “Why? The client didn’t like what we shot there. That’s why we are redoing everything.”

  “He changed his mind. His only instructions were to find a less shitty corner where everything was green and not wilting. His problem was that the background wasn’t manicured.”

  “You could’ve Photoshopped it.”

  “Dalia tried that angle. It was a no go.” Derek shrugged. “He is the client, and he gets what he pays for.”

  Mey crossed her arms over her chest. “I hope he pays a bundle.”

  “What do you care?” Julie asked. “We get paid by the day.”

  “Yeah, but I don’t want some prima donna client screwing Dalia over.”

  “Don’t worry about the dragon lady.” Derek glanced at her through the rearview mirror. “Dalia can take care of herself.”

  Mey wasn’t so sure. “You know her motto. The client is always right. She will take a loss on a project rather than have the agency’s reputation suffer. The schmuck might be taking advantage of that.”

  “Not our problem,” Derek said as he turned into the paid parking lot.

  As they unloaded the equipment, Yamanu took Julie’s chair and makeup case, and he also insisted on carrying Mey’s bag.

  “He is a keeper,” Julie whispered.

  “I know.”

  The question was for how long. Mey was still giddy over him declaring them a couple, but it was too early to celebrate.

  Besides, things always seemed perfect in the courtship stage, with the nasty little things hiding until much later.

  One thing she could be sure of, though. He wasn’t going to cheat on her while she was away on a shoot.

  Except, if a vow of fidelity could be broken, so could a vow of celibacy. Yamanu didn’t strike her as the type, but she didn’t know him well enough to be sure.

  At the park, Derek led them to the spot he’d scouted yesterday afternoon.

  It was early morning, so the only passersby were joggers, and they tended to mind their own business. They had jobs they needed to get to, and they didn’t have time to stop and gawk.

  “Over here is good?” Yamanu unfolded Julie’s chair.

  “Perfect. Thank you.”

  He put her makeup case down by the chair. “How long will the makeup part take?”

  She waved a dismissive hand. “Ten minutes tops. Mey has beautiful skin. I can go light.”

  “I think I’ll take a walk. Is that okay?” He looked at Mey.

  He probably wanted to scope the area.

  “Sure. Take your time. Derek is going to spend the first half an hour testing.”

  He saluted her with two fingers and walked away.

  “Girl, you are so lucky,” Julie said as Mey sat in the chair. “I’ve never seen a man as gorgeous as that. He should be a model.”

  “Hey, what about me?” Derek asked. “I’m gorgeous too.” He flicked imaginary hair back.

/>   “Yes, you are, just in a different way.” Julie winked. “For a teddy bear,” she whispered as she applied primer to Mey’s face.

  “How come this Arielle didn’t grab him?”

  “She has a boyfriend, and he’s also very handsome.”

  “Oh, yeah? I’m sure he is not of Yamanu’s caliber. No one is. Where do they make guys like him?”

  “Nowhere.” Mey chuckled. “Yamanu is one of a kind. Arwel’s charm is different. He rocks that tortured soul look. I bet women fall for that left and right. It’s the motherly instinct to fix whatever is wrong and provide comfort.”

  “I don’t have it,” Julie said. “I cured myself of it. God knows that I’ve dated enough broken ones. This time I want a guy who doesn’t need any fixing. Like that hunk of yours.”

  If Julie had only known.

  Not that Yamanu needed fixing, but perhaps he needed a change in perspective. He’d taken that vow years ago, and whatever situation had prompted it was probably long over.

  Besides, it was nothing more than wishful thinking. God, or whatever power that Yamanu believed in, didn’t listen to vows and fulfill the wishes of those who made them.

  Yamanu was denying himself for no good reason. But it was too early in their relationship for her to suggest that it was time for him to move on.

  Hell, she’d been willing to accept him the way he was when she’d thought he had a medical disability. Except, now that she knew that the possibility existed, she was less willing to settle for what he was willing to give her.

  Was she a bad person for thinking like that?

  Yamanu was entitled to his beliefs, and it wasn’t her place to question them. If he insisted that she forget about kosher rules, she would be upset that he demanded it of her.

  Then again, she might be willing to do that if it meant being a couple in every sense of the word. Every gain required a sacrifice—it was a universal law.

  Keeping kosher wasn’t the same as a celibacy vow, though. Besides, she had a feeling that Yamanu would never ask her to give that up or anything else that was important to her.