“Very well, West Gardens, same time,” Max smiled, Rezzu’s hesitation was endearing.
“Thank you.” And with an elegant bow the hologram dissolved.
“I don’t like it.” Deas growled, going to his feet.
“Sweet ’verse. If I didn’t know better I’d think you have something stuck up your butt gears.”
Deas sputtered, “What? You know I don’t…”
“Shhhh,” Max stood up and patted Deas’s cheek. “I know your pretty behind is all flesh. Why don’t you go and have some fun with it, instead of worrying about me?”
“You’re insufferable sometimes.”
“That I’ve been told.”
****
Twenty-five standard minutes later…
A bird flew onto a high branch. It must be a bird because it had feathers like the doves Rezzu had seen on Nova Gaia. They didn’t have birds on Mireeh. It was a blue, green and orange thing with a long tail and a fancy crown. He asked Max what it was.
“It’s a peacock. Want to see him closer?”
“Sure.” What else could he say?
“Luddi!” Max had his hands around his mouth to make the sound go further. “Come here, boy!”
“Is he a pet?”
“Yes. He’s very smart.” And to prove it, the bird gracefully flew from his branch and landed in front of them. “Well, done, Luddi. This is my friend Rezzu.” Max put his hand over Rezzu’s shoulder. Lightning traveled through his arm, but Rezzu remained outwardly impassive. “Give him a show, big boy,” Max cooed.
Luddi shook, similar to a man loosening his shoulders before a race. His long tail rose and spread like a fan. It was one of the most beautiful things Rezzu had ever seen. The colors, the forms, all were regal and impressive. Luddi started to strut, a performer on stage. And then Rezzu realized with a shock that Luddi’s tail feathers resembled eyes.
Feathers like eyes.
Nah. Sweet Lady of the Shields, help me focus.
After a moment, Max stepped close to the beautiful bird. “He wouldn’t let anyone else do this.” He took a feather from the tail and offered the jewel-like marvel to Rezzu. “Would you try some hats? If you find one that you like, we can furnish it with this.”
“For The One Thousand Ball?”
“Well, yes. You can’t have the perfect outfit without the perfect hat.”
Rezzu shouldn’t have been enjoying Max’s smile so much. Everything in this man was delightful, even the way his hat rested a little sideways over his dark locks. “I’ve never worn a hat before, and we usually don’t wear so many pieces at once.”
“You don’t go around naked, do you?” But the way Max eyed him said he’d like the idea of Rezzu roaming around unclothed very much.
And something in Rezzu wanted to please him very much too. Maybe he was getting sick from the lack of mirium in the air. It was a lame excuse. Nova Gaia didn’t have mirium in its atmosphere and Rezzu was always fine there. It has to be another thing; he just couldn’t name it— yet. It couldn’t still be horniness after all the attention his hands had given to his cock. “No, we don’t.” He looked for a topic that didn’t involve thinking of the governor undressed too. “Tell me more about this ball. What does it celebrate?”
“It’s a commemoration. The One Thousand are those who were left stranded here, founders of our culture. This planet was a desert, and with sweat, blood, and tears they built a future for themselves and their children. We are proud of our heritage, of those miners, technicians, scientists. You might still see a lot of arid zones, but what we’ve conquered we made into heavenly gardens.”
It was true, the grass was emerald green, luscious trees, sparkling flowers. Tall, graceful, stone buildings and ample squares adorned their city. Rezzu wondered about their energy sources. He hadn’t seen panels for it to be solar; nor visible blades, slats or sails pointing to wind force. There were no gas emissions. The technology might seem to some outmoded, but there was something nostalgic about it, perhaps hinting at a time when things were simpler, more in tune with their surroundings. He shook his head and set the evasive energy aside; it wasn’t relevant in this precise moment.
Rezzu would say the weather was somewhat stuffy to be wearing so many clothes though. His uniform was insulated, so he only felt it in his face and hands, but, still, he would rather be shirtless like he could in the nice weather of Mireeh. Although on Nova Gaia, people had the same layer-upon-layer dress code going on.
Out of nowhere, Max produced seeds and gave them to Rezzu, “Here. He’ll let you feed him if you are with me.”
Max must be really quick with his hands because Rezzu didn’t see him get those seeds from his pocket. Nah, the governor’s presence just made him nervous, and he was blowing simple things out of proportion. They have prestidigitators both in Mireeh and Nova Gaia, sleight of hand wasn’t that an extraordinary thing. It just took him by surprise.
Was the governor waiting for Rezzu to comment on it?
For some reason he couldn’t quite fathom, Rezzu decided it was better to not mention it. It had been so casual, it didn’t seem to be intentional. Usually when people had that kind of skill, they bragged about it.
“Don’t be afraid, Ambassador. He won’t bite.” Max was smiling, using the kind of smile that made Rezzu want to run and never stop, even before knowing what he was running from.
“Hey, Luddi, want some of these?” Rezzu asked as naturally as his conflicting nerves allowed his voice to come out, extending his hand toward the bird.
The peacock looked at him quizzically for a heartbeat or two, his head sideways, as if he was taking the measure of Rezzu. He apparently decided Rezzu wasn’t dangerous (or that he could take Rezzu down if needed) and moved confidently to pick from his hand.
Rezzu had mentally braced himself for the pain of the sharp looking beak, but the action was surprisingly smooth, and accomplished without a single puncture. A movement made him look from Luddi to Max, and he found the governor appraising him greedily. The strange sensation spiraling inside him wasn’t completely unwelcome.
Your pet won’t bite me, but what about you, Governor?
****
4. INHERENT
With the ball in full swing, and after all the appropriate rounds of introduction and mingling, Max finally had Rezzu Ki Muselet to himself, at least for a while until some plump old lady requested him for a dance. He needed to get the ambassador away from the party for a spell.
No. Not that kind of spell.
“I haven’t had the opportunity to show you the Palace of Government properly with one thing and another. Would you care for a tour? I can see the party is a little overwhelming for you.”
Rezzu sipped his Calvados. “You said this brandy is made from apples?”
“Yes, we don’t have grapes in Aletta, but we love our liquors. So we improvised.” Max smiled. In Aletta, they would make liquors out of rocks if they could. One thing magic couldn’t do was transform minerals into wine; the chemistry was just not right.
“It’s delicious.” Rezzu almost moaned after a bigger pull. “Let’s have that tour.”
Empty glasses found the tray of a passing helper, and Max took fresh drinks for them both. He gave a last look at the revelers below them. Couples twirled, jewels sparkled, and the Colviri among them were not necessarily the biggest people in the room (with so many members of the Alettan community brutally enhanced), but they stood out by their long, alabaster hair and their refusal to wear hats. Rezzu was the only one who had accepted the challenge, and he didn’t force his people to follow his lead. The humans among his party were mostly from a planet called Nova Gaia, and their customs and wardrobe were uncannily similar; thus they blended easily (at least physically) with the Alettans. Max hadn’t seen the discomfort Deas mentioned, but they were at a party; drink and food always softened recalcitrant hearts for a while.
They moved away from the balcony. Max led the way, still in awe of how dapper Rezzu looked in his broca
de tailcoat, navy blue waistcoat, cravat and trousers, and velvet top hat. “Please follow me.”
Luddi’s feather had influenced the decision for the paisley design and tones of Rezzu’s coat, and the blues and greens made his single white braid shimmer like the long tail of an ivory stallion. The darkness of the hat made his sun-like eyes more radiant, more intriguing. For someone who claimed never to have worn a hat before, he was carrying it with flying colors. In contrast, Max wore red and black brocade with burgundy waistcoat and cravat, and black trousers.
“I haven’t complimented you on your outfit. The burgundy brings out the color of your eyes.” Rezzu smiled shyly.
“You’re most gracious, pan Rezzu.” The right thing to do would be to comment on Rezzu’s appearance too, but Max chose a different road. “I hope I’m not imposing, but I’d love to wear one of your uniforms. I haven’t been in a uniform in a long time.”
“You’ll look magnificent.”
“I’m not as big as you, Ambassador.”
“But you’re bigger than most humans in my crew. I’ll see that you receive one uniform tomorrow.” Rezzu grinned and winked. “Then we can get together to see how it fits.”
“A brilliant idea.”
They were supposed to be touring the palace, but they only had eyes for each other. The sound of music was becoming fainter and fainter, the distant reminder that there was a ball in progress. Other couples moved amid the marble and stone corridors, decorated with blue and silver rugs, notables’ paintings, delicate vases, and ornate sconces. A playful idea came to Max, as he realized where they were heading. “Let me show you the Weapon’s Room.”
“That would be nice.” Rezzu settled the drink he had already finished on the tray of a smiling helper.
Max opened the door, hoping nobody was already there. The ball was approaching that moment were people would start looking for places to indulge. He wasn’t planning exactly that, but— he needed Rezzu all alone, against his better judgment. He patted his coat to check for his wand; he’d used a reducing enchantment to make it fit in the tiny pocket because if he’d left it somewhere else it was good-bye, and he couldn’t afford that.
The room was empty of revelers. On the walls and in the display cases were a collection of souvenirs from a time when every mineral on the planet had been forged into a sword or an axe or any other ancient weapon with wicked cutting edges to test its capabilities. Among the founders were several individuals who had learned the ancient art of metal forging and passed it on; thus, in every generation someone had created some decorative and unnecessary combat whatnot.
Moving straight toward the liquor cabinet, Max asked, “Calvados?”
“Isn’t it dangerous to have spirits in a room full of sharp objects?”
“Do you know it is not polite to answer a question with another?” Coming from Max the sole idea was ridiculous; he was the most questioning person in Anatolia, if not Aletta.
Rezzu seemed pleasantly buzzed but answered with an arched eyebrow and a disarming smile. “Isn’t that a question?”
“Touché.”
The ambassador chuckled, waving his finger at Max, “I know that word.”
“I’m glad you do, pan Rezzu.” Max put the glass with two measures of brandy in Rezzu’s hand. The program wasn’t to get the Colviri captain drunk, but it was too tempting seeing the slight coloring emerging on his high cheeks. He followed the sensual movement of the covered Adam’s apple as Rezzu took a healthy gulp.
Those unnatural eyes were heavy-lidded and uncannily trained on Max. “You’re a very handsome man.” Rezzu put his free hand over his chest. “I don’t mean to be disrespectful. I just want to let you know what I think.”
“I applaud frankness, Ambassador.” Max raised his glass in a salute and took a sip. He moved away from Rezzu toward a wall full of elaborate rapiers and knives. The Colviri followed him.
“We’re alone. You can call me Rezzu.” He stopped a few inches from Max but loomed all the same. “Would you tell me what you think of me?”
“I don’t think anything… Rezzu.” Max moved closer and stared into those maddening eyes. “You haven’t done anything to make me think yet.” He noticed how Rezzu swallowed hard.
“You must, at least, have an opinion.” Rezzu had his lips a hairsbreadth from Max’s.
Movement caught his eye, and Max sidled to investigate, leaving Rezzu in an awkward position, tilted over a founder’s bust— almost kissing it. He knew he was being obnoxious to the extreme, and, internally, he wanted to undress Rezzu like he hadn’t wanted anything in a long time. But, if he truly sought to unveil the things he needed to learn from this man the only way was to play hard to get and push him to reveal his secrets in an effort to win Max over.
Through the gilded mirror, Max saw Inall, his assistant, right beside another man (one he didn’t recognize), both on their knees, worshipping the abundantly leaking cock of a Colviri officer, perched on the edge of a desk.
“Annauk and Dominik,” Rezzu murmured beside Max.
“The human is from your crew?”
“The one without, what do you call them, enhancements? Dominik.” Rezzu had left his drink somewhere and had both hands on either side of the mirror, utterly… something— Max didn’t know if Rezzu was shocked by the discovery or impressed by the men’s sucking skills.
Inall had shoulder length, fiery red hair and blue eyes, while Dominik’s curly, sandy-blond hair looked lovely about his ears with those big, brown eyes. Like all Colviri, Annauk’s hair was white (he was noteworthy by wearing it in short spikes. Something Max hadn’t seen before), and his eyes were closed, enraptured as he was in the others’ ministrations, slowly threading his hands in both sets of locks. The one thing visible, though, was his unruly pubic hair; it shone like the fur of a feral cat, and must be utterly fragrant by the way Dominik and Inall kept nuzzling it every time they went down the thick shaft in perfect synchrony, one on each side.
Rezzu loosened his cravat. “Can they see us? They steal glances our way.”
“They only see their own reflection. On that side, this is a full length mirror.”
“Oh,” Rezzu closed his eyes and tipped his head back as Max’s mechanical hand settled on his shoulder. “It’s hot here, isn’t it?”
“Yes,” Max whispered and helped Rezzu out of his tailcoat, caressing muscles in a completely unnecessary way for the action.
One moment later, both coats rested on the floor on top of each other, possibly mimicking the road their owners would follow if Max didn’t control the urgency rapidly filling him.
By now, the roles in the other room had reversed. However, Annauk wasn’t sucking cocks but taking care of willing holes, after positioning both men over the desk on all fours. Max couldn’t see their faces, and yet, by the way their bodies bucked and they pushed into the Colviri’s face and digits, they were enjoying themselves greatly.
Max aimed his covered erection sideways to Rezzu’s upper leg, and (without questioning himself) unbuttoned the strained placard of the ambassador. “Beautiful, aren’t they?”
“Extremely,” Rezzu moaned as he, perhaps unconsciously, centered himself over Max’s bulge and pushed, seeking friction.
Unfaltering hands freed Rezzu’s erection. Good thing those trousers were dark because the ambassador’s cock was a broken faucet. Max wondered if all Colviri men seeped as much after seeing the flood Annauk was putting forward. Wickedly, Max traced his drenched fingers over Rezzu’s lips. Thanks to the magic of the planet and their technology, his robotic hand (resting on the Colviri’s naked hip) sensed the tremor that seized Rezzu and culminated in a breathless moan. He gathered more liquid and tasted it, and his own moan was equal in ardor and sound to Rezzu’s.
His forehead rested on a broad shoulder; Max was following a path he shouldn’t even be considering, but the command fired at his taste buds by the exquisite flavor was stronger than him. He stroked the solid roundness of Rezzu’s ass using one hand,
and procured more juices with the other for lubrication. Something primal and possessive guided him, and Rezzu was a fluid mass, pliant and accepting.
Metal met flesh because Max needed to enter Rezzu with his part that was not human— that was artificial but as intrinsic to him as his own skin. In an absolute act of aggressive domination, he coiled the long white braid and pulled down, hissing in that kissable ear, “Otherworldly. That’s what I think you are.”
And Rezzu groaned and pushed urgently into the metallic finger breaching him. He tried to reach behind, but Max growled, “Hands on the wall.”
In the other room, Annauk was on his back, sucking Dominik, who loomed over him with a piston-like rhythm in tandem with Inall’s penetration of his exposed hole. By virtue of their own need to watch themselves, the three lovers kept a very clear visual of all their actions for Rezzu and Max.
“Do you know how inappropriate this is?”
“I have an idea, but I’m enjoying myself too much to stop. Do you want me to stop?”
“Sweet goddess, not at all.”
“Good.”
Rezzu stared at the men but undulated and impaled himself on Max’s digit. Max had found his own tempo, stroking Rezzu’s cock and fucking him with his middle finger, almost as if following Inall’s lead but not completely. His own cock screamed for release, but Max knew that if he risked it and liberated it, he’d lose the last shred of control he had over the thing growing inside him that was unruly and illogical and unnamed. He shouldn’t be doing this; more than undiplomatic it was almost barbaric, and if he went further and let himself entirely inside Rezzu— the battle would be lost forever against that nameless enemy, getting stronger inside him.
“Kecoswe nurguvaek…” Rezzu sighed breathlessly. Stretched in an impossible arch, he rested the back of his head on Max’s shoulder and pleaded, “Let me touch you, please.” This time his voice came out husky and needy, weakening Max’s resolution.
“No. This is your moment. Mine will come another day.”
Dominik had finished his turn at Annauk’s hole, and now both humans were chest on the desk as the Colviri officer prepped them for his own round of penetration. Redheaded Inall was the first to receive Annauk’s length, his head backwards thanks to a massive hand pulling his hair. Dominik kissed Inall’s exposed throat, moving upward until they were lip-to-lip and swayed by the violent wave of Annauk’s thrusts. Annauk kept Dominik’s hole busy, using his free hand (was it really free as deep as it was inside the other man?) and making them a complete circuit with their bodies all secured in the ultimate connection.
Wand-Losing & Other Things You Shouldn't Be Doing Page 3