by Emma Dean
Nash also detested Nadyah’s blatant sexuality.
Adelina shoved the thought to the back of her mind. Nash was a Corinthian. They didn’t have the courtesans and rarely married more than one partner while her people, the Kalans, were flexible and fluid. They’d made no promises of monogamy to each other, even if it were possible for someone like her, Adelina had to entertain Raena’s options. And if Adelina refused to explore what she desired, refused to finish her camerraleto because a male who did not understand her ways might disapprove, then was she really allowing herself to become the person she truly was, the person she wanted to be?
He would simply have to understand.
Adelina considered the feelings she had swirling inside against Nadyah’s confession. “Is this too much?” she gently asked her courtesan. “Will finishing my camerraleto hurt you? The last thing in the world I want is to cause you pain.”
“No, sweet girl,” Nadyah murmured, moving closer to Adelina so that their thighs touched. “I want you to find happiness wherever you can. If that happiness is with me or with Varan, then so be it. He is one I cannot have regardless.”
The whole matter made Adelina feel uncomfortable. “We need to ensure he is not your mate. I will not consider him if he is.”
Nadyah kissed Adelina’s cheek, her lips lingering. Her courtesan was so close, their noses practically touched. She was a wonder and a beauty. Adelina reached up and just barely touched her face, skin softer than velvet.
Those gorgeous sapphire eyes never once looked away; Nadyah did not flinch or shy from the truth. “You cannot wed a female, my princess.”
It was Adelina’s turn to pull back and look away. As much as she may want to at some point, Nadyah was right. She would have to marry a male. Perhaps if there was love between them and Nadyah did not find her mate, she could be Adelina’s mistress. There were those who had married a male and a female when heirs were required, such as the Baron of Seprilles the male he loved, Baron Romeo, and then their wife Baroness Leslie. It was not unusual to have more than one spouse.
But the male would be the one who became prince, and as Adelina was not Nadyah’s mate then marrying her would be short-sighted.
She heaved a huge sigh and pulled Nadyah into her arms. The taller female rested her head on Adelina’s shoulder and they sat that way for a long while, not saying anything as they both considered the murky future. If the Neprijat came and they couldn’t hold them back the whole matter was pointless.
“I may not ever be able to marry you,” she told Nadyah. “But if you like, you could be my mistress for as long as you want.”
Silver tears rimmed her courtesan’s eyes. “It is a lovely offer.” Nadyah kissed her, cupping her face tenderly. “But you don’t worry about Nash?”
Adelina rested her forehead against Nadyah’s. “Nash knows me, and he knows how I feel about you. If it truly bothered him he would have asked me to stop this. I only hope he will be in the Hai galaxy when we are.” She pulled Nadyah to her feet and rang for the servants to clean up the study.
“If Nash cannot handle my love for you, then we will never be able to overcome the differences in our cultures. Even if I were to explain it was a part of my courtesan DNA…he would have to accept me as I am and understand I can love more than one person at a time.”
Adelina knew her teasing smile held a note of sadness and she tugged Nadyah along to her rooms. They had some time before the Games.
“Let’s finish the camerraleto first,” Nadyah murmured. “And then you may present the offer to be your mistress if you’re still interested.”
Adelina nodded and placed her hand on her door. When it shushed closed behind them she turned to face her courtesan and flicked the clasp at the nape of her neck. Her dress fell to the floor like water running over her skin. Nadyah’s sharp intake of breath was everything and more. The scrap of lace she had on hardly covered her sex, but it was more than she normally wore.
“Would you mind instructing me in the fourth position between females before the Games?” Adelina asked.
Nadyah’s sapphire eyes burned with lust and something deeper. Her nails trailed over Adelina’s peaked nipples and she nodded. “Kneel and I will prepare.”
It was nothing to fall to her knees and submit to her courtesan. Adelina needed this. She needed this gorgeous, wondrous woman who would remind her what it was like to be loved, and to love another.
Chapter Four
Nadyah
Draga Royal Palace
Planet Draga Terra
Nadyah’s hands shook as she undressed. She slipped on a piece of leather that framed her breasts, leaving the nipples exposed. The leather pushed her breasts up and together. The burning lust she felt made them feel heavy.
The last week had been torturous, wonderful, awful, sweet, and lovely.
Another scrap of leather framed her sex, wrapped around her hips, and around her thighs. It left everything important exposed and available to be touched and ravaged. She slipped on the anklets, small bells on the chains to give thanks to the goddess of love, Amora.
Instructing Adelina with Nash had made her wetter and hotter than Nadyah could ever remember being. It had been…difficult when she could hear them on the other side of the door. Nadyah had left and snuck out to the House of Kismet where she could have her desires sated, otherwise she would have joined Nash and Adelina in the bed.
They’d gotten through seven of the fifteen male to female positions and Nadyah had been shocked at how quickly her pupil had learned. A sip of the ice cold water waiting on her nightstand helped cool some of the flush she felt from her head to the tips of her painted toes.
Once they’d begun the female to female positions, Adelina had chosen to learn with Nadyah and not some other female. It was not particularly easy to give direction while an orgasm rocked her entire body, but it was worth the struggle to see the way her princess flowered. She grew more confident every day despite Nash’s departure.
Until today.
Nadyah had never felt fury like she had when Raena offered her princess to that monster. All twenty-five cycles she’d spent training to control herself were required to stay on the sidelines and not leap over the courtiers to rip Raena’s head from her body with her bare hands.
Even now her heart pounded and the adrenaline lingered in her veins. Every instinct to protect had been triggered and she’d had to leave, hiding in an alcove to watch the rest on the livestream from her simulcast. She still felt the urge to hunt the crown princess down and bleed her dry.
It was why Nadyah planned to stay out of the Games. She didn’t trust herself. Instead she’d gather the supplies and speak to Caspian, anything to get them as far away from Raena as quickly as possible. It was why she planned to show Adelina she was not alone. Teaching her pupil another position was just an excuse to show her she was loved.
Nadyah pulled her hair into an elegant knot on top of her head and closed her eyes to regain some shred of control. Once she felt the trembling ease she entered Princess Adelina’s bedroom. The look of the female on her knees was enough to make Nadyah slick. Her thighs were wet, but she managed to stay on her feet, bells tinkling at her ankles.
“Rise and crawl onto the bed,” she ordered.
Adelina licked her lips and did as she was told, eyes downcast.
“Quarto posto di lupo is the fourth position between females and quite erotic for both involved. First I will demonstrate on you, and then I want you to repeat the action.”
Nadyah walked seductively towards the bed, letting every ounce of her courtesan nature rise to the surface. “Look at me.”
Those amethyst eyes blazed when they looked at Nadyah. It made her entire body tremble in anticipation. “Move to all fours,” Nadyah instructed, barely keeping the quaver from her voice.
Without a word the princess followed the command. Nadyah would never forget Adelina allowed her courtesan to command her.
She crawled up on the bed, trail
ing a nail down Adelina’s spine. “The quarto posto is meant to be enjoyed by both partners,” she whispered as she got into position behind Adelina.
The princess had her ass in the air and she glanced over her shoulder at Nadyah, waiting. Adelina knew what came next, but Nadyah wanted her to feel appreciated, to forget about all the bad and lose herself in the sensations of her body.
Nadyah pressed her hips against Adelina’s ass and slowly ground against her. The sensation on her clit was delicious. Then Nadyah reached around, sliding her hand from the curve of Adelina’s ass, over her hip, and around to her clit. Gently she rubbed, keeping time with the circles she pushed into her princess.
Adelina gasped and leaned back on all fours, pressing into Nadyah. She rolled her own hips and the added sensation nearly had Nadyah losing control. “Once you’re in position,” she whispered, trying to keep her thoughts straight. “You can use your free hand to massage the breast.”
Nadyah slid her other hand up Adelina’s back, making sure to keep the right pressure and rhythm on the sensitive spot between her princess’s legs, and then traced the curve of her breast. Then she gripped the flesh firmly and ground her hips hard into Adelina’s round, full ass.
The princess moaned and pressed back harder, the speed increased and Nadyah was losing control as her own pleasure built. She felt her wetness covering her thighs and she wanted nothing more than to have Adelina lick her clean.
“From this position it would be easy to slip in a finger,” Nadyah said, following her own suggestion. “Or to change positions completely.” She slid down and rolled onto her back, yanking the princess onto her mouth.
Nadyah sucked and licked and teased until Adelina screamed her pleasure, pulsing around Nadyah’s tongue. Oh, she tasted exquisite. She flicked Adelina’s clit one last time before getting back up.
She rode them both hard, teasing Adelina slow at first while the aftershocks dissipated and then she sped up the pace. Nadyah didn’t bother instructing Adelina further. Her own pleasure spiked as she pressed against the princess and she could feel Adelina trembling underneath her. Nadyah brought them both to climax before gently pushing Adelina onto her back.
They rested on the bed together, panting and spent. Nadyah kissed Adelina sweetly and then pulled her into her arms. “That is the quarto posto,” she said with a smile. Nadyah felt sated and relaxed. It eased some of her triggered instincts. “Do you feel better?” she asked her princess.
Adelina nodded and sighed, resting her head on Nadyah’s shoulder. “Thank you for that, though I am supposed to be the one to use the quarto posto,” she teased.
Nadyah grinned and kissed the top of her blacker-than-night head. “Later, we have plenty of time.”
These moments they had together made Nadyah doubt her feelings for the Prince of Thieves. The relationship between her and Varan had always been strained outside of work. Her unrequited feelings had made a friendship difficult. Nadyah didn’t feel as though a love that was meant to be should be so hard.
They should fall together like shooting stars.
Why hadn’t she scanned Varan’s DNA during all those cycles? Nadyah suspected some part of her subconscious doubted her feelings, but they were still there like a bur under the skin. Perhaps her lovesick desire for Varan was due to him being off limits to some degree.
Nadyah sighed and stroked Adelina’s hair. The feelings she had for the Prince of Thieves paled in comparison to the ones she had for her princess, but she thought it might be from the proximity. She was allowed to touch, kiss, lick, and pleasure her princess. The tips of her nails trailed over the bare skin of Adelina’s shoulders in lazy circles.
Cuddling after an instruction wasn’t against the rules, but it was frowned upon. It tended to blur the lines between Mistress and pupil. The grey area between her and Adelina had already started long before the camerraleto had officially begun though.
“We should get ready for the Games,” she said softly, afraid to break the spell. These peaceful moments were so rare, and Nadyah doubted the trip to the Hai galaxy would be as relaxing as she wanted it to be.
“I’ve no idea what to wear,” Adelina moaned, rolling onto her stomach. “I wish we could skip the Games. No doubt they will be tense. Raena will be on edge after the incident with the Neprijat King. Everyone saw it on the livestream. I only hope they all keep their mouths shut on the matter.”
Nadyah agreed. Who knew what the crown princess would do if someone confronted her outright? “I have the perfect outfit in mind,” Nadyah reassured her. “The rest of the events have been settled and the various ensembles are already taken care of.” She slid off the bed and padded towards the washroom.
“You’re a wonder,” Adelina murmured. The words held enough emotion it made Nadyah’s heart ache.
Nadyah cleaned up and then went back to her own rooms to get dressed. The space was still so bare. They were exactly as they’d been before she’d arrived at the palace. The difference was her clothes filled the closet. Nadyah knew it was temporary and most of her personal belongings stayed in her rooms at the House. Just her favorite jewels had come with her.
It took only moments to put on her purple dress. It hugged all her curves and Nadyah liked how it matched Adelina’s eyes in a show of fealty. Another moment and her hair and makeup were perfect.
When she returned to Adelina’s rooms the princess was fresh and standing in her closet, looking at the racks and racks of clothes displayed like glittering jewels. Adelina eyed her favorite pieces and Nadyah knew she wondered if they would send the right message to the Drakesthai.
“Some of those have already been selected for your wardrobe on the trip. If you would like anything specific, please send me a list and I’ll take care of it. Otherwise, leave it to me,” Nadyah said with a smile. She’d trained for cycles and knew exactly what was required for each situation that could possibly occur. It was fantastic to finally be able to use the skill to its fullest.
She selected a piece made of glittering black spidersilk. It was light and airy, near gossamer. The pants were black leather and soft as butter. Nadyah handed those to Adelina. “Was Raena’s declaration to marry Lord Alock finalized?” she asked. It was something she’d been wondering about. The Choosing Ball was still scheduled, and no official announcement had been made.
Her princess hopped a little to get the pants over her thighs thick with muscle. Nadyah couldn’t help but stare as Adelina’s breasts bounced when she pulled the pants over the round curves of her ass.
“There are no contracts signed,” Adelina replied. “Nothing official or filed from what I could see. Raena still has until the Choosing Ball, and she could legitimately change her mind and select someone else as her husband. Until there is a diamond and official contracts nothing is set in stone.”
Nadyah cocked her head as she contemplated. She doubted Raena had known the War Council was broadcasted at the time and had thrown out Lord Alock’s name as a reason to deny the Neprijat king. Now everyone knew, and therein was the problem. Raena still had to deal with the fallout, but now only one had more power than she. Nadyah supposed Raena could do whatever she wanted until contracts were signed. And even then only honor would hold her to them.
“Do you have a target for me to practice during the Games today?” Adelina asked.
Games were only held during times of celebration and on holidays. The Choosing Ball and Coronation were right around Summer Solstice. Of course, Raena had chosen the most perfect day to be crowned.
Nadyah smiled as she considered the options and picked up the next piece from the armoire of jewelry. Thin strands of gold were secured first around Adelina’s throat and then her waist. The loops were connected by one strand that went down her front, between her breasts and secured the bottom half right above her navel.
Once that was done Nadyah gave Adelina the top half of the outfit. It was black and wrapped around Adelina’s waist and breasts, leaving a slice of skin exposed around h
er middle. The sleeves were sheer to her elbows and left her shoulders exposed. Removable half-skirts at the waist fell to the floor in glittering waves.
It still looked like a gown from the back, but they only framed the hips, leaving her legs free so it would be easier to move. Adelina’s usual heels were replaced with jet-black riding boots.
“Hm, Jayden d’Seprilles is certainly handsome.” Nadyah’s forehead wrinkled as she considered. “There is also Leo d’Deytis, and Rashad m’Ushanov.”
Adelina shivered. Nadyah understood. Marcel of Ushanov had grabbed her at the princess’s coming-of-age party, but his younger brother Rashad had been nothing but polite. Flirting with Rashad could cause issues though after Adelina had denied Marcel.
“Jayden and Leo could be fun to play with,” Adelina mused. “I wonder who will respond to my attentions.”
Nadyah shrugged and eyed the ensemble. She kept the rest of the princess’s jewelry to a minimum. There were gold strands in her upswept hair, the small bits of gold in her ears, and the thick kohl rimming her eyes for decoration. Despite the lack of her usual jewels, Nadyah had made Adelina look like a fierce, princess warrior.
“You do amazing work, Nadyah,” Adelina whispered, staring at herself in the mirror.
Pleased, Nadyah fussed. “It’s not the jewels and the dresses. It is the person wearing them who truly draws the eye. The decorations merely accentuated the beauty already there.” She winked at her friend, pupil, princess, and lover.
Adelina turned from the mirror and hugged Nadyah. “We will attend the Games, the dinner, and then when the sun sets we will cross Stella di Draga to see Varan,” she said. “Tomorrow I have plans to visit the spidersilk factories to see if there isn’t something I can do to help with the war.”
Nadyah could see the plans whirl in Adelina’s mind like paint in water.
“Keep me apprised, Adelina,” Nadyah said. “Are you going to participate in any of the Games?”
Nadyah knew with Giselle gone and the king unable to join in there would be few royals in the games. But Adelina shook her head.