Orient Fevre

by Lizzie Lynn Lee

  “The prince has also instructed me to notify your condition to your captain, in the event you refuse my care.”

  “Oh, don’t you dare!”

  “Then let me examine you, and we shall keep this matter between us.” Dr. Hayworth opened his medical bag and proceeded to sanitise his hands. He donned a pair of medical gloves. “It won’t take long. I need to check if there’s any bruising or tearing. I also need to run a test to find out if the joining was fruitful.”

  “You have got to be kidding me.”

  “The prince is in his mating cycle. He’s very fertile. Your birth control device could have been rendered obsolete when you mated a Draconian during this phase. Don’t worry, Miss Cross, it won’t take long, I promise. It’ll be over before you know it. I’ll also give some ointment for your discomfort. You’ll be yourself again in no time.”

  Dr. Hayworth watched me under his stern gaze, assuring me he wasn’t bluffing. He’d go to Hawk if I refused to be examined. I had no choice. Half-heartedly, I scrambled up and unbuckled my belt.

  Yes, I was fucking pathetic.

  Chapter Three

  After Dr. Hayworth examined me, Levy came and announced he had requested Captain Hawk to have me moved into his stateroom, saying he needed my protection around the clock until we arrived at D’Keghan. I was so ticked, having had to endure the last half hour with Hayworth prodding my intimate places and asking me all kinds of embarrassing questions. I ‘d had enough of Levy’s shenanigans for the day. I marched to my captain’s office to protest.

  Someone had beaten me in there. I saw Mac when I barged in. My ex was in the middle of griping about the fact we had changed course to D’Keghan without informing him in advance. As Chief Security Officer having the ship’s plans cancelled at the last minute meant he’d had to revoke his emergency leave.

  I stood in silence as Captain Hawk listened to Mac’s rants. My captain caught my eyes and lifted an eyebrow as if to ask, “What’s up?”

  Mac stopped and looked at me.

  “No, no, continue. I can wait.” I gestured to Mac in a casual manner and took a seat without being told by my captain.

  “Do you mind?” Mac seemed annoyed.

  “Yes, I mind,” I snapped back. I was in a dark mood and nobody could kick me out of Hawk’s office except my own captain. “I have something important to discuss with the captain.”

  “Can’t you wait outside?” Mac demanded.

  “No. This chair is comfortable.”

  “I think Cross should hear about this,” Captain Hawk interjected, taking the middle ground.

  Mac looked pissed that Captain Hawk had taken my side. “We aren’t fit to fly to D’Keghan. Our engine core is running at less than two-thirds of its capacity since the last refitting from Mazur.”

  I straightened up in my seat, alarmed. “How come I haven’t been informed of this? The last time I checked our pre-flight status, our core reactor was running perfectly.”

  “The report you had wasn’t accurate.”

  “It’s your men who gave me those reports. Are you telling me your own men did a sloppy job?”

  “Don’t try to pin this bullshit on me because some idiots under me did a sloppy job.”

  “Of course I’d pin this bullshit on you since you’re the head of your department. You’re responsible for the quality of their work.”

  “Enough!” Captain Hawk broke our argument. “How do you propose to fix this problem? Headquarters put us on a high priority that we fulfil the contract with the Draconians.”

  Mac crossed his arms, his face stony. “I have a suggestion.”

  “Let’s hear it.”

  “Fuel buster.”

  I snorted. “Are you nuts? You want to put Orient Fevre out of commission?”

  “It’s the only alternative until we can bring her home and have a complete engine overhaul.” Mac turned to Captain Hawk. “You should take my advice into consideration, sir.”

  “Have you consulted with our engineers in Headquarters about this procedure?”

  Mac spread his arms theatrically. “You can read their recommendation on my report, sir.”

  Captain Hawk pondered.

  I had a bad feeling about this. I didn’t know why, I just did. And what my guts told me was always right.

  “Fine,” Captain Hawk decided.

  I groaned inwardly.

  “Have Cross look at your report and arrange what you need to keep us flying to D’Keghan.”

  “I also require grounding continuance, sir. The cryofuel needs to be ordered and loaded into Orient Fevre. This alone would take at least six to ten standard hours.”

  “Granted.”

  Mac shot me a triumphant look and stalked away after Captain Hawk gave him permission.

  My captain turned to me. “What’s your problem?”

  I rose from my seat. “Levy Frye al’Tarakh.”

  Captain Hawk tapped his pen on his writing pad and drew a long breath. “Him.”

  “That asshole doesn’t need round-the-clock protection and I don’t want to move into his stateroom.”

  “I see. Be frank with me, Cross. Did you marry him last night?”

  “What?” My mouth opened and closed. “How did you know, sir?”

  Captain Hawk gave me a chastised look.

  “It was an accident.” Boy, that was lame.

  “You should know better than to mess with the Draconians.”

  “That marriage is bogus.”

  “Sadly, it ’s not.”

  “I must disagree.”

  “Cross!”

  I jumped. “Sorry, sir.”

  “I had a meeting with Prince al’Tarakh and his counsellors earlier. They convinced me that you are now the newest member of al’Tarakh first family and you should be relinquished from all your duties on Orient Fevre once we reach D’Keghan.”

  I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “You can’t be serious. With all due respect, sir.”

  “I have to give you an indefinite leave until you solve this problem with your husband. Blue will take your position as the Chief Mate once she returns.”

  “He’s not my husband!”

  Captain Hawk looked as if he wanted to grin, but covered it with a frown instead.

  “As the captain of the ship, can you divorce us, sir?” I pleaded. “You can marry people. Do you have the power to divorce a couple, too?”

  “You’re shitting me, right? Divorcing you while we’re heading to the D’Keghan system?” Captain Hawk’s eyes bulged from their sockets. “We would never get out of D’Keghan territory alive. Find a solution to your problem yourself, Cross. We’re a transport company. Not a divorce court.”

  I felt bummed. Indefinite leave? But I loved my job. It was the best job I’d ever had.

  “If I may suggest something, you should start looking for a lawyer once you arrive in D’Keghan. Find someone who can give you advice on your marital status.”

  “Will it work, sir?”

  “Highly unlikely. You married their crown prince.” Captain Hawk gave me a hearty roar as if this whole ordeal was nothing but a funny joke. My captain had a strange sense of humour. “Dismissed, Cross.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  God damn it.

  Yule Ball, Chereshaz-X. Three days later…

  Each time I thought my life was under control, something always came out and bit me in the ass—like Levy Frye for instance. Or my ex-fiancé, Mac. Both men hounded me while we were on our three-standard-day’s journey to Chereshaz-X. Mac wanted to amend things between us, while Levy…well, he was very persistent about the soul mate thingy. I didn’t feel like talking to Mac, other than about work-related matters. I also didn’t feel like socialising with Levy because I was afraid I’d lose my panties. That man, God in heaven, had a special power that could make a proper woman lose her inhabitations like a tavern whore. I did my best not to accommodate them, especially Levy. But when Orient Fevre docked in the Chereshaz-X space statio
n for the Yule Ball, I knew that the dragon prince had some dirty tricks under his sleeves.

  It was day three on the job with me playing as his bodyguard, and so far, I’d survived his seduction. I didn’t know how much longer I could keep my panties intact when he was near. As pathetic as I was, my body rebelled to what my logic advised me. As I’d said before, Levy Frye was like an irresistible piece of over-priced gourmet chocolate that you drooled on when you were dieting, only now that you’d had a bite, you were addicted to its chocolaty goodness, making you want more. He was a delicious evil—a sexy delicious evil.

  “Too bad you aren’t pregnant.” Levy furrowed his eyebrows. He wasn’t joking either. He looked dead serious. “We should try, at least a couple more times. It’ll do the trick.”

  “Don’t. Touch. Me.” I took a step away when he was about to pull me into his arms. “It’s bad enough you forced me to wear this stupid outfit.” I scowled. “In case you haven’t noticed, I’m your bodyguard. I should be wearing more flexible clothes instead of this stupid gown.” My mood hadn’t improved since I’d found out he wanted me to wear a gown. I hated gowns. How did women wear these deadly contraptions and still manage to walk? I found myself almost tripping every five feet. I hoped I could survive the night without embarrassing myself.

  “People would notice you’re my bodyguard if you wore your uniform,” Levy mocked me.

  “You don’t need me as your bodyguard anyway. You have your own. In fact, you have three.”

  “True. But how can I seduce you if you’re not around?”

  I snorted. “I can’t win an argument with you, can I?”

  “No.”

  “Did I tell you I have an ex-fiancé who I planned to get back with?” I ventured, gauging his reaction. Maybe then he’d leave me alone.

  “The one you caught with his pants down, banging his own assistant? I don’t think so. You’re not the sweet, forgiving type of girl.”

  “Who told you that?”

  “I know everything about you, kitten.”

  “You snooped on me?”

  “It’s only natural. I must know everything about my wife.”

  “I’m not your freaking wife!”

  Levy tsked. “I don’t want to argue about this right now. I’m going to introduce you to the Ambassador of Chereshaz-X. But I know something that’ll cheer up your mood.” He dragged me into a dark corner, and pushed me against the wall. “Sssh, pretend we’re having a serious discussion.”

  His interpretation of a serious discussion involved French-style kissing. He suffocated me with his mouth while one of his hands sneakily slipped under my gown and found its way to my panties. He cupped my mound before I could register what had happened.

  But there was more to come. He hooked my panties down and before I knew it, I felt his fingers on my pussy lips, as well as something cold. He pushed the small, cylindrical, metal object into me and withdrew his hand as fast as a magician performing a trick. I tried to undo what he’d done, but he snatched both my wrists and gripped them hard. The edge of my gown fell back on my four-inches stilettos.

  “What was it?” I was ready to strangle him. “I swear to God, I—”

  “Sssh.” Levy pulled me into his arms and herded me back into the Ball. “It’s a pleasure bullet. Have you ever tried it before? I have the remote in my pocket.” Levy groped his breast pocket.

  “Are you crazy? I…oh, fuck.” I stopped dead in my tracks. Whatever bullet-shaped object Levy had put inside of me started to vibrate, sending delicious thrums into my pussy. I couldn’t get it out without calling attention to myself. I would have to go to the bathroom. Now.

  “Levy, you’re so dead.”

  He laughed. “Like it? I hope this will get you ready for when we’re finally free later.”

  “Ready for what?”

  His grin looked positively mischievous.

  “For the last time, I’m not going to sleep w—”

  Levy ambushed me with a kiss. “I love you, kitten.”

  What? He loved me?

  “I know you love me, too,” he added. “You can’t deny our bond.”

  If bond meant the same as horniness, then I definitely couldn’t deny it. My hormones went haywire whenever he was around. I felt as if I was a teenager again. And that sneaky bullet he’d slipped inside of me…oh, God. If I made it through the night without tearing his clothes off and mounting him in front of the guests, it would be a miracle.

  “I need to go to the lady’s room. Excuse me.”

  “I don’t think so.”

  “But I need to go potty.”

  “Hold it.”

  “You bastard.”

  “The only bastard you’ll ever love, darling.”

  “I hope you choke on your food later.”

  Levy chortled. “I love it when you’re aroused…your eyes get so bright, your cheeks so flushed. Your lips so ripe. God, I really want to fuck you right now. Shall we ditch this party and go to a hotel?”

  I growled out my frustration. I made a note to myself—the next time my guts told me I shouldn’t be messing with somebody dangerous, I really shouldn’t. I reaped my rewards right now, enduring his wicked torture. “Levy Frye, I hate you so much.”

  “Liar.” He tugged my arm and herded me into the ballroom.

  I gnashed my teeth, hands fisted, resisting an unbelievable urge to smack him in public.

  “Be nice, kitten. Or I’ll crank the bullet into a higher setting.”

  “Don’t you dare.”

  “It’s a wicked little toy, isn’t it? The low setting will keep you on the edge, but if I put it on medium or high, you’ll get an instant orgasm. It said so on the packaging.”

  “Remind me to fucking murder you later. I think the jail time would be totally worth it.”

  His laugh exploded. Levy wrapped his arm around my waist and drew me closer. He was about to kiss me when he caught sight of somebody he knew. “Ambassador Rothwell. Delightful to see you.”

  “Prince al’Tarakh. I see are you enjoying this lovely evening.” The ambassador eyed me with curiosity. “And who is this enchanting creature?”

  “This is my dhamari, Violet Cross.”

  “I’m not your freaking wife!”

  Levy laughed. “We’re still ironing out a few kinks. Violet isn’t yet accustomed with D’Keghan tradition.”

  The ambassador let out an understanding sigh. “But you claimed her in the Kisacte-nya Zharaiha?”

  “Indeed.”

  “Then it’s official. When are you going to break the news to the king?”

  “Soon.” Levy looked at me. “Very soon.”

  “Congratulations.” The ambassador beamed. “Then you won’t mind if I have Miss Cross’ dance?”

  “Absolutely not.” Levy lifted my hand and proffered it to Ambassador Rothwell. He winked. “Behave,” he mouthed. He patted his breast pocket where he had the remote to my pleasure bullet.

  I wondered what the penalty was for murder on this planet? The ambassador took my hand and I had no choice but to dance with him. He swept me to the middle of the floor and we glided among the guests. I was a terrible dancer, but the ambassador was a good sport. He didn’t mind I stepped on his foot so many times.

  “Miss Violet Cross,” Ambassador Rothwell broke our ice. “If you would be so kind as to quench my curiosity, how did you meet Prince al’Tarakh?”

  “In a bar.” I was to the point.

  “In a bar?” the ambassador echoed. His voice was laced with amusement. “Did he approach you and tell you you’re his mate? Draconians are brazen when it comes to claiming their women. I heard the prince had been on a quest for a bride for a while.”

  “No. I paid him a thousand credits for a quickie. And he tricked me.”

  The ambassador laughed heartily. “My dear, that is simply enchanting. The king will be delighted when he hears this story.”

  Oh, brother. I obliged the ambassador in small talk as I caught Levy’s eyes. He
stood near the ice sculpture. He had a flute of champagne in his hand, sipping it as he watched me dance. When I flipped a finger in his direction, he reached into his pocket. I stiffened a moment later. The bullet hummed harder. Fuck. A hot flush rushed through me. I had to stop. I couldn’t dance anymore. All I could feel was the thrumming of the bullet. I had to end this madness. And kill Levy. Forget the gun, I’d strangle him with my bare hands.

  “Are you okay, child?” Ambassador Rothwell looked concerned.

  “I need some air, Ambassador. You don’t mind, do you?”

  “Of course not.” The ambassador patted my hand lovingly. He escorted me back to Levy. “Thank you for the dance, Miss Cross. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” He gave my hand back to Levy. “Your dhamari is a lovely woman, Prince al’Tarakh.”

  I’m not his freaking wife, I muttered under my breath. Geezes! I grabbed Levy’s arm and dug my nails into his expensive suit, letting him know that his shenanigans were over. “Let’s go back to the ship. Party’s over.”

  “Wonderful. My stateroom or yours?” Levy put down his champagne flute.

  “Neither. I’ve had enough of your game.”

  “No deal. I’m enjoying this party.”

  “As your bodyguard, I’ll say your safety had been compromised. I have the authority to haul your sorry ass back to the ship.”

  Levy cast me a naughty grin. He patted his pocket.

  “Don’t you dare!”

  “Let’s go, kitten. I know just how to scratch your itch.” He seized my arm and swept me towards the balcony.

  “Levy!”

  “Sssh, you don’t want to make a scene, do you?”

  Like a fool, a semi-dazed, lusted drunkard, I let Levy steer me to a private balcony. He paused to close the glass doors. A cool breeze whispered around us. The terrace sounded so silent. The noises from the music and the crowd were muffled.

  “Now, where were we?”

  I groped his pocket hunting for the remote. Levy snatched my hand and held it firmly.

  “Give me the remote.”

  “Kiss me, Violet.”

  “Screw you. Give me the fucking remote.”

  “I’ll give you the screw and the fucking. But I don’t know about the remote. I love seeing you like this. You look so beautiful when you’re horny.”