by Zena Zion
Avery quickly lifted her skirts to reveal baby smooth legs closer than any wax or shave she had ever experienced. Even her arms had lost the almost invisible layer of fine hair that had once dusted her skin.
She shifted her hips and felt her cheeks grow red.
“All of it?” She grimaced.
Dremena placed a knowing hand on Avery’s shoulder and gave her a candid smile.
“I did make your hair quite a bit longer.” Her soft chuckle did little to ease Avery’s embarrassment. “Are you ready?”
Avery nodded. As ready as she was ever going to be. On shaky legs she followed the woman through an immense doorway and into the Chamber of the Throne.
If possible, this room was even more beautiful than the last. The pale walls and glittering ceiling allowed light to flow in from the bright sunlit day. Avery followed Dremena up the center aisle, toward the platform. The room was filled with people, making it impossible to make out any details at the far end of the room.
As her presence became known the room quieted to a low hum of excited whispers.
She felt like a child in a sea of adults, her head barely reaching the shoulders of most of those gathered.
Avery focused on Dremena’s back as she walked, too nervous to return the curious gazes that were threatening to catch her eye. She held her chin high, trying to add what little height she could muster despite her flat shoes.
It felt like ages before they reached the raised platform which was dominated by two enormous thrones.
The larger of the two was filled with the man that must be the King. She was taken aback for a moment by the striking resemblance that he bore to his handsome son. Though his hair had started to turn grey and his face was creased at the corners of his eyes, he was still a captivating creature.
His son stepped forward to stand beside Avery and he offered her his arm.
Avery stared at it for a moment before lightly resting her hand in the crook of his elbow.
Errion furrowed his brow, and gently removed her hand, placing it instead on top of his own.
Avery bit her lip. It was all too easy to forget that the customs of this planet were not likely to resemble anything she had known on earth.
Errion led her up the marble steps to stand before his father. There, he waited in silence until they were addressed directly.
“Welcome, Earthling.” The King’s deep voice boomed through the hall. “I am Erious, King of Lanox.”
As his name was spoken the hundreds of people gathered behind them dipped into low bows of respect. Errion shook his head once, indicating to Avery that she should remain erect beside him.
“We have searched for many years,” The King addressed the people now, “for a compatible species to continue the royal bloodline.”
Cheers erupted from the crowd. This was clearly a moment they had long awaited.
“With your presence we have new hope for the future. Upon your union my son will have his offspring, our people will receive their new King, and you will have the gratitude of our planet with the freedom to return to your own planet.”
Avery thought it strange that the details of the arrangement were so widely known and discussed. On Earth, this would be a union of questionable nature, not necessarily one to celebrate and certainly not something to make public knowledge.
She decided the best option was to remain silent. It appeared that this response was well received. She was here to do a job, she reminded herself. It was not a real relationship and it was for the best that no one treated it as such.
“Now!” The King stood will an enormous smile upon his face. “For the union!” Cheers and shouting rocked the chamber as Avery and Errion were lifted by the crowd behind them.
She tried to hold tight to his hand, afraid to be carried off by the boisterous crowd, but they were ripped apart and funneled through a nearby door.
The third room was set for a feast. Hundreds of long tables made an intricate maze through the room. They weaved through the rows before Avery found herself tossed onto a plush velvet bench at what was clearly the head table, Errion landed with a thump beside her.
On the table was a single gilded plate, and single goblet. She understood the concept immediately. Everything was meant to be shared.
Slowly, the King made his way to stand before them.
He made a speech that Avery, in her bewildered state, understood none of. Did he really mean to perform the wedding ceremony, or union as he called it, immediately?
She tugged on Errion’s sleeve.
“Already?” She whispered.
Errion smiled at her like an adult comforting a child. “Is there really any reason to delay? You’ve already agreed.”
Avery nodded. That was true. It was not as if a contract required a courtship or any period of getting to know each other. She should have realized that. Avery supposed that she needed to put aside her antiquated view of marriage and love. She had known that this was not that kind of agreement, yet it was hard to face a wedding knowing everything that she had agreed to give up.
She tried to console herself with the reminder that she could take the time to fall in love and have the beautiful wedding of her dreams, after she returned to Earth.
With the blessing performed by the King, it seemed to Avery that the union was complete.
The crowd sat down to eat and the celebration began.
Avery found that sharing food and drink with Errion was not difficult, mainly because she merely picked at the food.
It was delicious, she could not deny that. But her stomach was churning with the knowledge that tonight was meant to be their wedding night. She watched the light through the frosted ceiling, waiting for the sky to darken but it never did.
The anticipation was killing her. How much longer? How many hours until she was expected to be the compliant bride? How could she go through with it after knowing this man for less than twenty-four hours?
After the meal was done and the dancing began, Avery laid a hand on Errion’s arm when he offered to take her out onto the floor.
“Can we not?” She was overwhelmed and just wanted to stay behind the safety of the table, where she could pretend that she was calm and collected. “I don’t know any of these dances.” It seemed like a valid excuse, she told herself, but it was clear that Errion saw right through her bravado.
“Of course.” He leaned back into the far corner of the bench, giving her the space that she had not realized that she had been wanting.
For a while they sat like that, forcing themselves to opposite sides of the bench. Avery pretended to watch the entertainments provided but found that her focus was always drawn to the man beside her, whom she watched out of the corner of her eye.
Errion was extremely attractive. More so than any man she had ever met on Earth. She began to reconsider her agreement to this arrangement. Self-consciousness about her distinctive curves made her question if she should have remained on her own planet.
He shifted beside her, stretching his long legs more comfortably beneath the table. Avery felt the color rise in her cheeks as tried not to imagine the night’s intended purpose. It was more than nerves, she realized. It was pure, uninhibited anxiety.
The light from the brilliant sun never faded, giving Avery the false impression that she had much more time before the fated act.
Finally, the crowd gathered round and began to chant at their feet.
“The Union. The Union. The Union.”
Her time was up.
Errion watched Avery like an animal whom he feared might bolt. He pulled her hand into his own and pressed his face into the curve of her neck as he spoke. The action, would appear like a lover’s embrace to the watching crowd, who began to cheer with pleasure, but he used the moment to speak softly into her ear.
“You have no need to worry. I promise you no obligation once an heir is produced. I’ll complete my father’s wish, you’ll complete your contract, and I promise that I neither
expect, nor desire, any permanent commitment on your part.”
He spoke the words as if certain that they would make her feel better. They only increased the fear and agony that she felt, but forced herself to suppress.
“You understand the arrangement?” His cheek brushed against hers and the crowd went wild.
Avery nodded. She must not show any hesitancy, she told herself, this had been her decision and she had agreed to it willingly.
“Good.” The word was a mere breath of a whisper as his hand slipped beneath her knees and he stood with her draped across his arms.
The crowd had now worked itself into a frenzy as Errion carried Avery from the room. With one last look at the dining hall she buried her face into his shoulder and forced herself to take deep, calming breaths.
The silence fell immediately as the door swung shut behind them. Errion carried her down a long, dimly lit hallway. She refused to raise her head to look at the details.
After what seemed like ages, she heard the deep voice that she did not recognize.
“Welcome home, your Highness.” The voice continued from close to the ground, revealing that he had bowed.
Avery pressed her face further into Errion’s neck, she could not bring herself to look. It was all happening too quickly.
“We have ensured that your guest will have every possible accommodation during her stay. If there is anything that she needs, Dremena will provide care and support. She will also assist in the delivery, when the time comes.
“Thank you, Armon.” Errion’s voice rumbled in her ear. “That will be all. You are all dismissed.”
Avery heard several pairs of feet shuffle down the hallway as Errion pushed the door open with his shoulder. Once inside, he set her on her feet and moved toward what appeared to be a personal buffet.
She allowed herself to take in the details of the room. It was not nearly as lavish as she had expected. Much less ornate than the previous rooms had been. Avery realized that it probably was a result of the more masculine design.
The room suited Errion. It was bright and functional, but not overly glamorous. The furniture was oversized and tall ceilings made the sitting room feel much larger than it actually was. The walls were adorned with several doors that led off to places Avery did not want to think about.
Errion returned to her side with a large goblet of amber liquid.
“No thanks, I’m not a fan of liquor.” She admitted, taking a casual step away from him.
Errion smiled. “Try it.”
She accepted the glass and sipped tentatively at the drink. It was unlike anything she had ever tasted before. Sweeter than wine, yet hearty like an ale. The liquid had the most appealing, and complex, flavor of anything she had ever tasted. In a way, it reminded her of the man beside her.
She smiled and continued to sip from the goblet as she walked around the room. By pretending that she was evaluating her surroundings she was able to put a significant amount of space between them. Errion was not fooled.
He appeared a few moments later and took the cup from her hands, setting it on the low table nearby.
“It’s stronger than you think.” He came to stand before her. Her frame was dwarfed by his enormous build.
Avery nodded. He was probably right, she was already feeling the effects muddying her thoughts.
“What time is it?” She wondered, hoping to distract him with conversation but also very curious as to the bright sun that was still illuminating the room.
He chuckled. It was a deep, sexy laugh that sent a flutter through her stomach, and below.
“It is past what you would call midnight.” He explained. “We have perpetual sunlight on this planet.” He looked up at the ceiling and made a motion with his hand toward the bright surface.
Instantly, the room was cast into a dim lighting similar to the hallway before. It was as if an impenetrable curtain had been drawn.
“Is that better?” He asked. His voice was low, and husky. Avery nodded, though truthfully she wished he had not done so. The room now felt much more intimate, the play of shadows across the wall making it feel as if they were in a room for lovers, not the bright living space it had been a moment before.
Errion stepped closer and Avery found herself staring into his chest. She did not raise her eyes to his face until he raised his hand to her chin and applied a slight pressure.
She told herself to conceal any doubt or fear. She raised her eyes to his and what she saw shook her. Pure, unrestrained lust intensified his charcoal eyes.
He wanted her. Of that there could be no doubt. A small part of her mirrored his attraction, though it was not strong enough to temper her fear. He was the most glorious being she had ever laid eyes on, she should be wanting nothing more than to be in his arms, she told herself. Why then, did she have to force her hands to stop shaking?
His eyes moved past her face and Avery realized that, from this new position, he had a direct view down the neckline of her dress. Her ample cleavage rose and fell with each controlled breath. She did not back away. She needed to pretend that this was what she wanted. She had signed the contract, after all. She had known that this is what it would take to provide an heir. It was only that she had expected more time to prepare herself.
His fingertips moved over her collar bone. They were cold and felt soothing against her heated skin.
“I like this.” He murmured. His hand moved to cup her cheek and she realized that he was talking about the rosy color that was staining her cheeks.
“Don’t your women blush?” she whispered.
“I don’t have women.” He laughed. “But no, Lanoxians do not blush.”
“I’m sure you have plenty of women.” The statement burst forth before she could stop it. Avery had been thinking about how certain she was that women fell upon this man in droves. How could they not when, even in her fear, she felt drawn to him.
Again, he laughed.
“Could I?” His thumb stroked a distracting circle over her flushed cheekbone. “Of course. But, I’m quite a bit pickier than the average male and I can afford to be.”
The overconfident response caught her off guard. He knew exactly how appealing he was and he had no shame in flaunting it.
Avery scoffed. “Maybe on this planet.” The false bravado made her feel more in control but she never expected him to challenge her statement.
“Are you so certain?” His mouth hovered a breath away from hers. She resisted, but refused to pull away as he expected. The achingly sexy chuckle that resulted was enough to make her suppress a groan of frustration.
He was toying with her and she did not have the expertise to know how to turn the tables.
“Well...” She taunted, “If it takes a contract to get a woman in your bed…”
This was the wrong thing to say, and she knew it the moment the words crossed her lips.
Errion’s hands rose to her shoulders and held her in place. His hands were gentle but his quiet voice was full of power.
“It takes a contract to produce an heir. I have no problem enticing a female, if I want to.” His mouth settled against hers and Avery expected herself to push him away.
Instead, the soft, pliant way his lips moved over hers had her hands, once pressed against his chest for the official shove, curling into the fabric of his shirt.
Avery melted against him. His mouth tasted like the intoxicating drink that they had shared only moments before. She wanted more, and yet, she knew it was not the drink she desired.
She stood on her toes and leaned more fully against him. His arms settled against her ribs and lifted her to stand on the low table at his feet.
With their heights more evenly matched there was nothing to keep Avery from thrusting her fingers into the silken strands of hair at the base of his neck. She gasped against him, allowing her mouth to open and grant entrance to his searching tongue.
His arms linked behind her back and he crushed her against his chest. Errion him
self seemed just as frenzied as Avery.
The moment his mouth disconnected from hers, moving instead along the line of her neck and down toward her collar bone, reality crashed back over her.
Kissing this man was pleasurable enough but she knew that he would take it as consent to go further. That was the ultimate goal after all.
Avery tried to force herself to enjoy his attentions but she could no longer lose herself in the pleasure of the moment. Sheer panic raced through her mind.