Charged: An Otherwordly Reverse Harem (The Otherworlds Series Book 1)

by Gillian Zane

  She slumped over in relief, her knees making contact with the floor.

  “No communications.” The door hissed open and the guard grabbed Lagara’s wrist, touching some sort of pen looking object against her comm cuff and forcing the communication screen to cut out.

  “The Emperor has ordered us to remand you under penalty of espionage. You’ll be spending the rest of your days in the palace prison.” The guard slapped something on Lagara’s arm and pulled her from the room.

  “You can’t do this,” she wailed, still holding onto her nose as best as she could. She tried to plant her feet and fight him, but the guard was much bigger and he pulled her along like she weighed nothing.

  The other guard approached Bobbie.

  “What are you going to do with me?” she asked, hating the quiver in her voice.

  “You are to be secured.” He grabbed her by the upper arm, hard enough to bruise, and dragged her to the bed. Using those same wrist restraints, the guard tied her to the footboard of the Emperor’s bed, not caring that he had it so tight she was losing circulating fast.

  “The Emperor will be here shortly.”

  “Great,” Bobbie muttered, twisting her wrist to try and loosen the restraint.

  “He is greatly worked up, I would not fight,” the guard said. Bobbie was unable to discern if the man said this to help her or to threaten her. Either way, the message was received.

  Bobbie collapsed onto the little cushions in front of the bed, not wanting to get on the mattress to seem more compliant. She wouldn’t cry. She wouldn’t break down. Roc knew where she was.

  That had to mean something. He would come for her. He would save her. The thought gave her hope, but at the back of her mind, a niggling bit of doubt wondered if he would make it in time.

  47

  Status Update: Single

  The Emperor changed his status from mated to single with a flick of the wrist and a communique sent to the House. He also took the time to record a professional release declaring his new status to the media outlets in Thames Virdan. He stated a simple reason: treason.

  He also did something unexpected. He declared war on Lividiania.

  Roc watched as the live broadcast began to roll. His father sat on his throne in the robes befitting a man of his title. A crown the color of the sea, made of one seamless piece of gemstone, sat upon his head.

  “I declare to you, people of Thames Virdan, with the utmost sincerity, I had no notion of the Consort’s intentions. Today, she took it upon herself to steal away my son, the heir, Prince Rochford Tameratti Vondan Finnrod’s Charge Mate, and bring her to the realm of Lividiania with the intention for harm. Consort Tormi of Lividiania did this to secure more power for her brother who is seated upon the throne of that realm. As of this moment, I have severed our bond, and Tormi of Lividiania is no longer Emperor Consort of Thames Virdan. She has also been declared an outlaw of this realm—the charge is treason.

  Because of this, with great reluctance, I have also declared war on Lividiania. I urge my citizens to not take offense to this grave topic. The people of Lividiania have done nothing wrong; it is only their royals. They have tried to destroy the sacred bond of a Charge Mate, and their actions cannot be without repercussions. Until they release the Prince’s Charge Mate, unharmed and untouched, will Thames Virdan relinquish their declaration. I have authorized the Prince to take charge of the royal air and ocean forces, fleets 792 and 918 to take them to the border of the offending realm.

  If his Charge Mate is not released, they have permission to bomb. The realm of Balavanta and Polari have offered their support. That is all, my citizens. Please, lift up your voices to the Creators and grant the royals of Lividiania clear minds to do the right thing.”

  The Emperor leaned back in his throne and wiped at the bead of sweat on his forehead.

  “Get her back,” he said.

  Roc nodded and left the throne room. He had his orders.

  48

  Childhood dreams coated in animal fat

  The Emperor of the 2nd to last influential realm of Polaridis entered his room like a strutting peacock. He wore all the colors of the rainbow in a flowing silk-like fabric that flounced around him like a piñata. His hair was dyed an odd-looking orange color, and he seemed to be wearing fake teeth, they were too big to be natural. When his eyes found hers, Bobbie noted they were a mud brown color beneath dark eyelashes, ugly and plain. His sister had obviously gotten all the good genes in this line, but missed the morals and brains.

  “According to my sister, I am supposed to rut with you like a common breeder.” He looked down his straight nose at her. “I do not find you attractive enough to engage in such common acts, but she insists. She believes you will help me split. Are you some kind of Healer on your planet?”

  “She’s a moronic short-sighted cow. I can’t help you do anything,” Bobbie spat.

  “You speak odd words that I do not know,” he scoffed. “Odd like your oversized bloated body, so bizarre.” He looked her up and down and turned his head in disgust.

  “I think you need to look in a mirror, cupcake.” Bobbie tugged at the restraint holding her to this man’s bed.

  “Odd,” he shook his head again. “I guess I will do what I have to do. Being only one does make for a lot of tiresome questions. It would be nice to split. If you can help me split, I would be ignorant to not try.” He walked closer to her and she tried to put the cushions between them.

  “Roc was split before we met. He was keeping it a secret so power-hungry skanks like your sister didn’t try something like this. He only came forward so the media would focus on him and not me.” She spoke her words quickly, trying to get the information out so he could understand that she couldn’t help him.

  “Is that so?” the Emperor said in a nasally almost feminine voice. If Bobbie wasn’t scared out of her mind, she might have viewed this guy as comical. No wonder people thought him to be weak.

  “That is so,” she said with an exaggerated nod.

  “I think you make things up so I will leave you alone.” He sighed and inspected his nails.

  “It’s the truth. The Healer knew about it, and she misled your sister for her own purposes. I don’t know what they were, but ask her.”

  “My sister told me the Healer has found her Charge Mate but is married to an old House member. The Healer has been trying to get her life-mate killed off so she can take her Charge Mate to her bed with no complications. What could she gain by lying about you? My sister implemented the blackmail when she found out the Healer’s plans and knew she was close to the Prince.”

  “That’s horrible, on both ends.” Bobbie gaped at the Emperor who discussed killing and blackmail without even a change in tone.

  “It’s life in the court. You can’t trust anyone, but for some reason, Bobbie from Earth, I believe you. Most likely because I never thought an alien could bring about a split in the first place, so let us just say we did the deed and call it a day.”

  “Hold up, what?” Bobbie couldn’t believe what he said. Was he really giving her a pass?

  “What’s the point, right, did you not just say that? We’ll say the split did not take, even though we tried, a lie of course. I do not have to rut with you, you do not have to deal with me. My sister can go back to Thames and leave me in peace. The House will do what they may, or they can try at least.” He sighed and sat on a high-backed chair in the corner of the room. When he relaxed, Bobbie saw the lines on his face that weren’t a usual sight on a man of this planet. He was tired. It was apparent in the way he held himself and the weary pull of his shoulders. This man knew there was a sword hanging over his head.

  “Right. What’s the point?” Bobbie took a seat on the cushions she had been using as a barrier.

  “Honestly, this is quite a relief. I have never been one for all of this.” He waved his hand in her general direction. “Most people think I’m about the men, but not even them, not women, not men, not even myself,”
he yawned loudly. “The only person I’ve bedded is my sister, and that’s only because she incessantly bothered me about it until I finally did it to shut her up. It was rather boorish and messy.”

  “Now that is fucked up,” Bobbie said, her eyes as wide as saucers.

  “What offends you?” His eyes were sharp again. They looked her over with new curiosity.

  “You don’t think having sex with your sister is messed up?”

  “It’s not exactly discussed at social gatherings, but it does happen among the royals. Continue the line, for better or worse, my father always said. She did not get pregnant, thank the Creators, then she would have been quite intolerable.” He wiped at an imaginary piece of lint on his clothes.

  “Yeah, it would have come out barking like a dog with the IQ of a potato,” Bobbie laughed at her own joke.

  “Again, with all the strange Earth words. What is this dargh, and a pohtater?” His words were heavy and accented.

  “A dog is a four-legged domesticated animal that likes to pee on random objects and can lick its own crotch, and a potato is a starch that grows in the ground and tastes like childhood dreams when coated in animal fat, fermented milk, and fried meat.”

  “I do not think I like the things of your world. Do you really coat things in animal fat?”

  “Heavenly,” she sighed, missing butter. “How long do we have to pretend we are having sex? Should I make some noises to solidify your rapist mojo or something?”

  “Maybe you should scream or something. Might make my guards respect me more, at least.”

  Bobbie screamed and screamed. She called him every name in the book she could think of. She screamed like there was a red-hot poker up her ass. She cursed his sister, she threatened his life, she cursed the entire realm. The Emperor stared at her with wide eyes the entire time.

  She screamed until someone crashed through the door, nearly breaking it off before it could slide into the wall.

  49

  General kiss-ass and the two dumbasses

  “Your Grace.” A man in the most pompous military outfit Bobbie had laid eyes upon skidded to a halt in the middle of the room. He was flanked by the two guards she had seen earlier.

  “We tried to knock, but we couldn’t be heard over all the—” He looked to Bobbie and then the Emperor. He raised his eyebrows at their position in the room and their state of dress.

  “She was quite the demon, I could not get close to her.” The Emperor yawned from his comfortable chair in the corner.

  “What were you two doing?” Tormi stormed in the opened door and accessed the situation. “Were you pretending to take her? Is that what you were doing?”

  “Nope,” Bobbie said.

  “Yes,” the Emperor yawned again.

  “I cannot believe this!” Tormi threw up her hands in exasperation.

  “What is it, General Tah?” The Emperor dismissed his sister and took in the military man.

  “There are two Virdan fleets on the Balavantian border. They are demanding the return of the Prince’s Charge Mate, and they have declared war, your excellency.” The man bowed so low Bobbie could see the crown of his head. His hair was thinning. She hadn’t seen that a lot on this planet. Lividiania must not have as good of plastic surgeons as Thames did.

  “War? How did they even find out we had her?” Tormi sputtered, her face flushed with anxiety and consequences.

  “Do we know how they found out?” the Emperor asked the general, who looked as perplexed as the two guards next to him.

  “How about this bit of genius deduction,” Bobbie interrupted their confusion. “Tormi here didn’t wait to confirm that Roc left orbit. She high-tailed it to Lividiania without even hiding her flight path. You think that might be it?” Bobbie was still tied to a bed, but she felt more in charge than the rest of these goons. When no one answered her, she kept prodding.

  “Hit home, Consort—err, I mean ex-Consort, since the Emperor knows what you’ve done.”

  “Her words are odd. Why would one want to hit their home, but I believe she speaks the truth, is that what happened sister?”

  “Nonsense, I don’t know how they found out,” Tormi sputtered, staring at Bobbie with as much hatred as she could muster. Bobbie took a cue from the Emperor, looking down and studying her nails, which were in need of a manicure. Did they have those on this planet? She could only hope. She loved the act of having someone do her nails. She didn’t want to stick them in some hole and have them come out fixed. A little attention and pampering worked wonders for a girl’s psyche.

  “You tragic oversized tramp.” Tormi stormed over to Bobbie, ripped at her hand restraints and pulled her to her feet.

  “General, Hail the Virdan’s fleet now! We’ll let them know if they don’t leave our borders, we will kill the Prince’s precious Charge Mate.”

  “Do you think that’s a logical plan, sister?”

  “It’s the only plan. Get your laser at the ready,” she ordered her brother. “General, get the Virdan’s on the comm screen now.” The General looked torn, but when the Emperor nodded consent, he did as he was told.

  The Emperor slowly got to his feet and glided past Bobbie. He picked up something from a shelf near his bed and clicked it. A laser akin to a mini lightsaber jumped into existence. Bobbie’s eyes were drawn to the bright instrument, and when the Emperor saw it held her attention, he flicked it in a graceful arc, making the light fan out.

  “What are you going to do with that?” Bobbie asked, her voice quaked only slightly.

  “If the Virdan’s don’t back down, he’s going to stick it into your forehead and we’ll get to understand what charred Bobbie smells like,” Tormi said with a laugh.

  “Do not be crass, sister.”

  “Not good, charred Bobbie smells awful, I wouldn’t do that,” Bobbie said, her nervous joke habit kicking in again.

  The General cleared his throat and pressed his hand on the wall, activating the communications screen and drawing all of their attention away from the Emperor’s laser.

  “Making the connection now,” the General said.

  The Emperor walked over to Bobbie, grabbed her by the neck and pushed her in front of him in a startling act of violence. He controlled her with only one hand. He was much stronger than he looked. She could feel the heat of the laser as it neared the skin of her neck. She tried not to breathe.

  Roc’s handsome face appeared on the wall in all its glory and Bobbie cried out, stepping forward as if he was in the room with her. The Emperor didn’t let her move an inch, though, and her cry turned into a gasp. Roc’s eyes found hers, but showed no emotion. She saw the tick of the muscle near his mouth as the only reaction to seeing her.

  “Good evening, Prince Rochford,” Storma said with surprising civility.

  “Emperor,” Roc said through gritted teeth. “I see you have my Charge Mate in your possession. She did not willingly cross into Lividiania, so I’m assuming you are holding her against her will. I ask that you deliver her to the border where our ships lay in wait immediately, or we will retaliate.”

  “You assume much, Prince,” the Emperor said.

  “Do you deny you hold my Charge Mate against her will?”

  “I neither deny or acknowledge. She is here and we seem to be at a loss as to what we can do to rectify this situation.”

  “You can return her and that will rectify this situation,” Roc growled.

  “And risk having nothing to hold over your heads? I think not, Prince. This is my directive. You shall pack up your little ships, fly back to Thames, and I will think about returning your Charge Mate with all of her pieces intact.” Bobbie could almost hear the smug smile in the Emperor’s voice and knew it would grate at Roc’s irritation. He waved the little laser in the air for effect and Bobbie tried to convey with her eyes that these people were batshit crazy and Roc had to do something now.

  Roc smiled back, and Bobbie knew in that instance she was going to be safe. She felt the tensio
n drain from her body when she saw that look in his eye. He had this. He had this all figured out. He would get her out of this situation, she knew it. Never before had she been so secure in her faith in another person. In four people, to be exact, because she knew even though the Emperor spoke to Roc, all four of her guys were up to bat.

  “Have you checked your communiqués lately, Emperor?” Roc asked. “Maybe get your General, or that treasonous bitch of a sister to check them for you.”

  The Emperor sent a glare at the General and he pulled up something on his cuff. Bobbie watched the information from what was in those messages sink in. The General went pale as a ghost. Tormi, who read over his shoulder didn’t go pale, but her cheeks flamed red. It wasn’t a good color on her.

  “What does it say?” the Emperor demanded.

  “Thames Virdan, Polari, and Balavanta have all declared war on the realm of Lividiania. Namei remains neutral. A death order has been issued for the Princess of Lividiania, Tormi Alavani Lividi Boucvett, and her Consort status with the Emperor of Thames Virdan has been nullified, the reason stated is treason. The messages states that if the Charge Mate of the Virdan Prince is returned within six spaces of the receipt of these messages, the declarations of war will be lifted.”

  “What about the death order?” Tormi shrieked.

  “There is no mention of that, my lady.”

  “I’ll never be able to leave Lividiania!”

  “Serves you right.” The words popped out of Bobbie’s mouth and she kind of wished she would have stayed quiet. Logic said you shouldn’t provoke the person that wanted to kill you.

  “Kill her, Storma! The Virdan bastard doesn’t deserve a Charge Mate!”