by Regine Abel
I related a short version of the incident, keeping Ravena’s part a secret, as per her prior request. Raylor grew paler with each word, his incredulous eyes flicking between his guests and me.
“A most unfortunate occurrence. I’m glad to see you’ve escaped unharmed,” Hartuk said with false sympathy. “Are you certain they were Guldan ships? Such a scandalous act would jeopardize the alliance efforts between our peoples. I can assure you that forming a bond between our two people is a high priority for our Emperor.”
With a head gesture, I indicated for Captain Baldur to proceed. Rising from his clan’s table, he approached the central area of the main table and displayed a holographic replay of the Guldan ships de-cloaking, capturing the escape pods, and then exploding.
Angry cries filled the room as the clans shouted for vengeance. I let them run for a moment longer before raising a hand to demand calm.
“And yet,” I said, “on the same day the Guldan Ambassadors arrive on Braxia and begin campaigning without my consent, your people attempt to assassinate me.”
“An upsetting coincidence,” Hartuk said, waving a dismissive hand. “We certainly didn’t mean any disrespect by sharing information with your people about the technological and financial benefits for Braxians in the case of an alliance between our peoples.” His gaze rested on Ravena, speculating, before returning to me.
I narrowed my eyes at him.
“That said, it appears we’ve underestimated Braxian technology,” Hartuk continued, rubbing a hand over his right horn. “Aside from the Tuureans, no other species have managed to break through our cloaking shields. Are you already trading technology with Guldans?”
Hartuk pointedly stared at Ravena. I bristled at the insolence of his gaze upon my woman.
“Guldan females are normally not allowed off planet, let alone without a guardian. I do not see him anywhere, Sana…?” Hartuk asked Ravena.
Anger flared inside of me that he would dare address my female without asking permission first. It was grounds to issue a challenge. I barely held back. Officially, Ravena was a distinguished guest at my table, not my concubine or my property. He, therefore, could speak to her like he would any other guest. However, he had to know it to be an implied rule, similar to those observed on Guldar.
Ravena leaned back against her chair, crossed her legs, and clasped her hands on her lap, an impertinent look on her face. “Ravena Vrok, not that it’s any of your business, Sen Tellin.”
More shocked gasps rose around the room that a female should address a male in such a fashion. Hartuk’s pale skin reddened in outrage. He opened his mouth, as if to snap at her—which would have given me leave to fuck him up—but stopped, his eyes widening as if in sudden realization as his gaze roamed over her black horns.
“Vrok?” he asked. “As in—”
“Yes. As in the daughter of Gruuk Vrok.”
“You are orphaned and unmated! Where’s your guardian?” he snarled.
I straightened in my chair, my muscles tensing as I prepared to challenge him. Ravena’s soft hand caressing my arm stopped me. I turned to face her, but her eyes remained locked on the white-haired Guldan.
“His ass is where it needs to be; back on Guldar where it belongs.”
“You are violating our laws!” he shouted, jumping to his feet. “This female must be returned to our home world,” Hartuk said, looking at me.
“This female is a free woman and under my protection. Guldan rules do not apply here. This is Braxia,” I snarled.
Despite their displeasure at Ravena’s lack of submission, Braxia patriotism prevailed as the men within the room all grunted or shouted their agreement with my statement.
Hartuk’s jaw worked as he pondered on an appropriate response. Then his lips stretched in a borderline malicious smirk.
“I didn’t mean to imply otherwise, Magnar,” Hartuk said, his tone obsequious. “But this female just inherited the greatest wealth on Guldar, with some of the most advanced technologies and scientific discoveries known to our people.”
Despite the shock of that revelation, I forced my features to remain neutral, while Ravena’s hardened.
“It strikes me as an odd coincidence that the first ever Guldan attack against you should occur the same day this female traveled on your ship,” Hartuk said, his tone growing in confidence. “Her guardian is duty-bound to bring her back home to be mated and to breed a suitable heir for that wealth. Could it be that in his effort to uphold his word to her sire, as honor demands, he has attacked your ship not realizing who she was traveling with? After all, they didn’t shoot the pods but carefully retrieved them.”
The wind changed as the Braxian males muttered their approval. Hartuk was proving to be a skilled ambassador, playing to our obsession with honor, and to the dominant and controlling nature of my people. They could relate to that line of thinking where females were nothing more than property and broodmares.
Ravena opened her mouth to answer, but my ship’s captain spoke first.
“A fair assumption,” Baldur said in a conciliatory tone, “except for the fact that the virus which sought to force us off the ship and into the escape pods had been planted well-before she was even invited to travel with us. So no, Ambassador, she was not the target; the Magnar was.”
Hartuk pinched his lips and cast a glance towards Raylor who gave him a troubled look.
“So you see, Ambassador Tellin,” I said, with a smug expression, “unless you can bring us those behind that attack, you will not find me overly receptive to your alliance overtures.”
“Your people need our technology to catch up with modern times,” Hartuk said forcefully.
“As you said, Ambassador, I’ve just inherited some of the most advanced technologies and scientific discoveries known to our people,” Ravena said with a taunting glint in her obsidian eyes.
Krygor’s deep chuckle echoed mine.
“Sit,” I said to Hartuk, “my people hunger.”
With a wave of my hand, I gestured for the servants to resume bringing food. His face constricted as if he’d bitten into something sour, but the Ambassador complied. However, it was his silent companion who gave me a sense of unease, his green eyes filled with a hard edge, weighing heavy on Ravena.
Once all the plates were served, three human females in skimpy leather outfits walked to the center area of the main table. The one in front wore a black bustier and thong set, knee high boots with sky-high, needle-heels, and a flogger hanging on her hips. She led the other two females by a leash in each hand. They wore similar outfits to their mistress, but theirs were blood red.
I glanced at Ravena, who observed the females with undisguised curiosity. Sensual music began playing through the hall’s sound system. The submissives stood still while their Mistress circled around them, her hand caressing their luscious bodies, lingering on their breasts, their asses, and slipping under their thongs to finger their pussies.
Ravena cut a piece from her rhomak steak, the red meat traditionally cooked medium-rare, and brought it to her lips, her eyes never wandering from the females. The Mistress directed her subs to kiss and grope each other while she executed a sexy dance around them, stripping some of her clothes, and theirs as well, in the process.
The Mistress suddenly pulled out her flogger and used it on her subs, hard enough to leave some nice red stripes on their backs and their behinds. Although the females hissed under the sting, they clearly enjoyed the careful abuse of their Domme. By the time they finished their show, all three were naked but for their boots. The scent of their arousal didn’t stir me like it used to. A single musk could now have my cock stiffen, and it belonged to the female sitting by my side. Seeing the small patch of trimmed, dark hair on the Mistress’ pussy reminded me of Ravena’s cleanly shaven one.
No, not shaven. Hairless.
Like all Veredians, Ravena’s only body hair could be found on her head, her eyebrows and her eyelashes. The thought of her taste on my tongue a
s I licked her up and down had my pants tightening. The feel of her riding my cock had my blood boiling with the urge to drag her back to my quarters. But I endured nearly a dozen more performances before the meal ended and I could finally take my woman back to my room.
* * *
“Interesting female,” Krygor said, taking a seat across the meeting table in my private chamber.
The sun would rise in another hour, at which point we’d be ready to ride out to hunt the roaming joarkals. Nothing had ever been so hard as parting from Ravena’s delectably warm, naked body, sleeping in my bed.
Fenton sat next to him, and both my sons framed me.
“Indeed,” I said, noncommittally.
“It appears I should visit my son more often, seeing the type of females he forms friendships with,” Krygor said.
“And I,” said Fenton and my sons in turn.
I chuckled. “You’d only end up returning to that concubine you keep going back and forth to,” I said teasingly to Fenton.
He shrugged dismissively. I never quite understood why he hadn’t simply taken her as his wife. Thala came from a good bloodline. Graceful, submissive, adept at running a household, she also clearly had affection for him. Yet, he seemed indecisive.
“Ravena is as beautiful as she’s smart,” I said, making no effort to hide my pride.
“And cocky,” Krygor said. “I would never have expected to find that sexy on a female.”
“It is disconcerting,” said Ganek, my youngest son.
“And yet, oddly appealing,” Keran said.
I nodded, baffled myself by how much her strength and confidence turned me on.
“Will she truly share technology with us, or was she merely placating the Guldan?” Keran asked.
That sobered us. My oldest son, ever the practical one, always went straight to the point.
I sighed. “Honestly, I don’t know. In truth, I had no idea of the extent of her wealth until that Guldan revealed it.” My eyes flicked towards Krygor. “Your son had mentioned her close friendship with the Tuureans, and that we should seek an alliance with them instead.”
“That would be phenomenal!” Fenton exclaimed. “The Xelixians are the only ones who managed to get through the cold exterior of those cyborgs.”
“Yes, but we have nothing to offer them in exchange… for now,” I said pensively. “I have to tread carefully so that Ravena doesn’t think I’m using her for her connections or inheritance.”
Fenton nodded. “She’s an invaluable asset right now. One that you cannot afford to alienate if the Guldans are going to launch other attacks against you.”
I glared at him.
“Spare me the angry looks, old friend,” Fenton said. “We’re all well aware that your interest in her is genuine, but you remain the Magnar. The needs of your people come first. And if that means using her, then so you must. However, she appears to have genuine affection for you. The Ancestors willing, she will volunteer her assistance so you do not have to manipulate her into it.”
I clenched my jaw, my hands fisted on my lap. This felt wrong and yet, his arguments remained valid. Krygor gave me a sympathetic look. Yet he, too, shared Fenton’s advice.
“She wishes to go to her brother’s house when she wakes,” I said, changing the unpleasant topic.
“My clansmen have already secured the perimeter,” Krygor said. “My youngest son, Gorav, has offered to escort her inside to make sure it is safe there as well while we go for the hunt.”
I shook my head. “That second Guldan, Ambassador Zorak, is up to something. The way he looked at her last night, I don’t want Ravena this isolated while all of our warriors are off in the woods hunting.”
Krygor bristled.
“Relax, Krygor,” I said, in a conciliatory tone. “I do not question your son’s combat abilities. He is a Berserker after all. But no amount of combat skill will keep him safe against Guldan technology.”
“So what do you propose?” Keran asked.
“She comes with us.”
“To the hunt?” Ganek exclaimed, disbelieving.
“She’ll refuse to stay here, and I cannot imprison her,” I said, irritated. “Our best warriors will be present. Ravena isn’t unreasonable. She’ll stay at the back.”
“Very well,” Krygor said. “Just beware of Caldes. Even though they’re not warriors, his clan insisted on joining the hunt.”
“What the fuck for?” I asked.
“Respect,” Fenton said. “Despite his clan’s elder status, their lack of prowess on the battlefield and systematic absence in the large hunts make them look inferior. They have still not recovered from the shame Gerwin brought upon them, while Krygor’s clan keeps climbing in fame and power.”
“And he sure hates me,” Krygor said, with a sadistic smile.
As much as I admired Anton’s father, sometimes he creeped me out. After Gerwin—Raylor Caldes’ firstborn son—had nearly murdered Grace, Krygor had carried out Gerwin’s execution. He’d taken a sick pleasure skinning him alive, making it as slow and excruciating as possible. That punishment had served as revenge against all those who had abused his son for years for merely being a half-breed.
“Should we fear foul play from him then?”
“I highly doubt it, although we shouldn’t dismiss any possibility,” Fenton said, shaking his head. “For all his faults, Raylor isn’t stupid, and he is fiercely patriotic. Only a fool wouldn’t see the danger of allowing a foreign force to take out or control our ruler. Raylor wants to return to our old ways, not to be under the thumb of the Guldans.”
“Agreed,” Keran said, “But I still want increased protection for my father.”
Seriously?
I turned to look disbelievingly at his face, so like my own.
He held my gaze and shrugged. “Whoever attacked your ship will want to finish the job. Regardless of technology, the Magnar cannot be allowed to fall to an alien force on his home world while surrounded by his men. Braxia would not recover.”
I harrumphed but nodded my consent. Although he had a point, I hated being babied. In my fifty-one years of existence, I’d never been defeated in single combat. It irritated me to no end that my sons and counsel would feel duty-bound to protect me when I was Braxia’s protector.
“Any word from Pattel?”
“He will arrive within the next three hours,” Krygor said. “He did a few of the media tours you requested but cut it all short to return promptly. Too many of our fiercest warriors are with him. The old man will gladly face your wrath for his disobedience, but he will not let you fight without him.”
Shaking my head, I snorted. “Pattel is just eager to spill blood and not let us catch up to him with our hunt trophies.”
“As if that were even possible. That old bastard had thirty-year head start on me,” Krygor grumbled.
“And yet, he’ll remain in the lead for at least another thirty years,” Fenton said.
“More like fifty,” I said with a chuckle. “Remember how his father continued to crack skulls in battle and hunt large predators well past his 130th birthday?”
My companions nodded with respectful smiles at the thought of the late Dolgir, former leader of Clan Veelan.
“You have a couple more hours to rest,” I said. “Then gather the men and meet outside the stables. I want us ready to depart as soon as Pattel lands.”
The men acknowledged my order and nodded before taking their leave. Keran stayed behind, an unreadable expression on his face.
“Has any servant provided Ravena with moon juice?” Keran asked, as soon as we were alone.
I stiffened and gave my son a disbelieving look. He held my stare, unflinching. I clenched my jaw, controlling my flaring temper. Although his question felt out of line, it remained valid.
“You are my heir,” I said, hoping to placate him.
“That’s not the point, and you know it, Father,” Keran said in a tone that brooked no argument.
While
my annoyance grew, I couldn’t help the sliver of pride and respect that blossomed in my heart. My son would be a great ruler after me.
“You have made a lot of changes already that the people are struggling to adjust to,” Keran said in a reasonable tone. “No one can challenge you taking such a beauty to your bed, but her boldness and independence adds salt to the wound. If she births you a hybrid…”
“Veredians are technically barren,” I snapped. “Only mating with Xelixians and Korletheans yields a minute chance of a successful pregnancy. So there’s nothing to worry about.”
“That stopped being true a month ago,” my son countered. “They’ve recently found the cure for their reproductive issues and inability to birth sons. Multiple Veredian pregnancies have been confirmed in the past few weeks.”
I turned away from him, my gaze roaming blindly over the hunting trophies hanging on my walls; horns, bones, and skulls of Braxia’s fiercest predators. I barely knew Ravena, and yet, I knew beyond any doubt that she was meant to be by my side. The mere thought of letting her go had my blood boiling with rage. But to imagine a Braxian infant with her golden skin and black horns suckling at her teat had my chest tightening with longing—a feeling soon replaced by the searing pain of Lissy’s memory.
Keran’s hand rested on my shoulder in a comforting gesture. “I can see the chemistry between you, and I do want your happiness, Father. None deserve it more than you. But now is not the time.”
“I will not send her away,” I said, daring him to challenge me.
“I certainly hope not,” Keran said, his smirk widening at my surprise. “She saved you once, holds the patents to some of the best technology available in the galaxy, and has powerful allies. Keep her close, bind her to you, but do not impregnate her… yet.”
“Yet?” I asked, confused.
“Stabilize Braxia, get rid of the Guldans, and settle your score with the remaining Fifteen.”
I stiffened, shocked that he would bring them up before me. Of course, everyone, even my own sons, knew of my shame, of my crime. Still, I found no condemnation in my son’s eyes.
“And then?”