And just like that, the moment was gone. Antares closed his eyes and drew a deep breath. Then he pulled away from her. She felt oddly bereft. He placed his arm around her while a large Nordic-looking man with wild and long, light-colored hair greeted them with a warm smile.
“Kai, this is Naveenah, one of the human females.”
She wasn’t certain she appreciated being introduced like that and hoped this Kai would not react to her the way Antares had at first, with prejudice and contempt.
“It is a great pleasure.” He took her hand in both of his and bent over, making him less intimidating and more level for making eye contact. Something she appreciated. “Please come in. It’s not safe on the streets after dark.”
They entered what looked like an old machine shop. Work benches lined the walls. Chains suspended from a very high ceiling and a large turntable, like those used to turn a train engine, took up the entire center of the floor.
“You’ll both stay here tonight. I’m not allowin’ ya to be crossin’ the city after dark.”
Panic started to rise in her chest as Kai spoke because she wasn’t prepared to stay here. Strange how much she longed for the room she’d been given at the hotel. Then Antares put his hand on the small of her back and rubbed gently. The gesture calmed her instantly.
“Vaheel, we’ve got two guests for supper!”
She had no idea to who he yelled, since there was no one else anywhere in sight. Antares stepped ahead of her, placing his hand on Kai’s shoulder as he spoke. “Any word from Rodolph yet?”
“Nothing, but I take that as good news,” Kai answered, as the men ducked to pass through an arched hole in the wall. Naveenah found she passed through just fine standing straight up. They walked down a hall, past what looked like several doors. It felt like a submarine, what with the corridor narrow, the walls metal, the doors riveted on. When they reached the end of the hall, the men again had to duck under the arched opening. The new room was entirely different from where they entered the building. Candles lent softness to the space, and there were several lounges and sofas placed in a circle. To the left, a large piece of metal had been propped up on cylinders, creating a dining table. The men went directly for the table. Antares held out a metal chair that almost looked more like a sculpture than dining furniture.
He and Kai took spots at the table, but not before Kai set glasses before each and filled them with a burgundy liquid. Naveenah smelled hers, wondering if it was safe to drink. Antares placed his hand over hers and leaned close to whisper, “It’s plain nectar made from wild berries. I think you’ll like it.”
She sipped slowly, finding the flavor very pungent but delicious. She looked over her cup as a second man came in the room from a different direction than they had arrived. He was darker than even Nikolai. His shoulder-length hair was jet-black beneath a headdress made of deep blue. His beard shadowed his features, and he carried with him a white bird, some distant relative of a hawk, she thought. A chill shook her. Antares stood, and they clasped hands across the table.
“Hador.”
“How’ve ya been, ya ruddy bastard?”
Antares laughed and replied in a thicker accent than she’d heard him use before. “Better than you, mogeep.”
She shook her head. Male bonding rituals were a mystery to her even when they were in her language. She was thankful the Vaturians spoke enough of the same words that there was no real language barrier, but every now and again they’d slip in a word that meant absolutely nothing to her. It could be terribly confusing.
“Naveenah, this is Hador.”
She stood and was about to reach across the table to shake his hand the way Antares did when she got the very distinct impression it would not be appreciated, so she smiled shyly and averted her gaze to the floor as she sat back down. No more was said of it, but the vibe in the room had definitely changed.
Antares turned to Kai. “I know you both plan to set out in the morn, but I had an urgent need to ask something of you, Kai.”
Then, turning to Naveenah, he explained, “Kai and Hador are two of my most loyal warriors. They fought beside me through the civil war and brought great honor to themselves by their actions. I trust them both with my life. There are seven men who have this honor. These are the men helping me reform Vaturia into our utopia.”
She smiled and took another sip of her nectar as she had no idea what to say to that. She imagined he just didn’t want her to feel awkward or left out, but she was really getting the impression she shouldn’t be there.
“It has come to my attention that there is farmland near the castle grounds. I want you to take the land, gather the people you need, and start a royal garden that can begin to feed our people. I know your trip to the northern cities was planned for tomorrow, but perhaps one of the others can go in your place. I would like to start on the farming at the earliest possible.”
“Another blessing from the gods to be sure, Antares. I’ll head out there first thing on the morrow. Vaimok only recently returned from the eastern cities. Might need a day or two to recover, but then, ta be sure, he’ll take my trip to the north. Good God, this is magnificent news!” He pounded his fists on the table, his laughter speaking of his sincere joy.
“We need to assign you a permanent replacement in the north, I would think. Kai, I don’t just want you to start a crop. I want you to take on agriculture and food resources for our entire planet. Start that fish project we discussed, see if we can re-domesticate the chickens, the goats. Can you do it?”
“It would be my greatest honor, Antares.”
He bowed his head to his king, and Antares reached over and tousled his hair like a five-year-old.
“My replacement needs to come from the seven. Kadir hasn’t been assigned a territory, but he’s in the west with Andor now. They aren’t expected back for another month. This trip to the north can’t wait that long, but if I’m hearing you right, neither can the farming. That only leaves Vaimok.”
“So be it. I hate to send him back out. He’s been on the road several months already.”
“We do what we must, Antares.”
Naveenah was impressed by the loyalty Antares evidently inspired. She’d seen it all day with the men and women at the castle, and now here. It spoke well of him.
“And, Hador, what of you? How is the guard coming?”
“Is this something we should really speak of in front of her?”
Naveenah gulped, wishing she could simply disappear into her chair. Two rather large women came into the room then, carrying platters of food and placing them on the table. One turned and spoke to the king. “Antares, it is so good to see you again. You stay away too long.”
Antares rose and hugged the women. This was the first Naveenah had seen of Vaturian women, and as she’d been disparaged repeatedly in their favor, she was anxious to get a good look.
They were both taller than she by at least six inches, bigger stock, too. Not fat, just a bigger overall build. Their skin color was hard to define. It was dark, like coffee, only with an undertone of peach making them look almost orange at first glance. Their hair was long, dark, and straight, pulled back into a series of bands and beads. The women looked almost identical. Naveenah wondered if they were family, or if all the women of Vaturia looked the same. Whatever the case, though, they were beautiful. They didn’t seem so spectacularly stunning that anyone should pity her for unfortunate looks however.
Naveenah thought that Hador’s comment about her had simply fallen by the wayside due to timing, but once the greetings were exchanged, Antares’s tone became dark and menacing.
“For the sake of Vaheel and Raj, I will not tell you what I think about your comment, but we will discuss whatever I please in front of whomever I please. Do we have an understanding?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Naveenah realized that though these men had all been warriors together and seemingly good friends, at the end of the day, Antares was king and they respected that.
She admitted, at least to herself, as she and Antares were being led to where they would sleep, it had hurt her, although she wasn’t certain why. She didn’t want to be a part of these people’s lives. She wanted to go home, so it should make no difference whether they included her in their conversation or not.
After the last good night was said, Antares closed the door to her bedroom, on the same side as she was.
“Wh–what, what are you doing?”
He pulled off the long jacket he’d been wearing all day and loosened the strings at his neck, allowing the loose-fitting shirt to fall open like a sail released from a mast, exposing his bare chest and a patch of dark hair she was tempted to run her fingers through.
He smiled at her rather lasciviously, reminding her far too much of his brother.
“I am preparing for sleep, as should you.” He tapped her on the nose. “We need to start off early tomorrow if I am to get you back to the hotel before I start out for the farmland with Kai.”
She felt somewhat disappointed that he wasn’t inviting her to go with him again and even a little disappointed that despite the fact he seemed intent on sleeping with her, he wasn’t planning on seducing her.
He pulled his shirt over his head, proceeded to yank off each of the knee-high boots, then loosened the strings on his trousers.
“Are you planning to sleep in all of that?” He pointed up and down her body with one finger.
She looked down at her booted toes peeking out from beneath the gown. “I hadn’t…no.”
She was a grown woman, and she refused to revert back to a giggling schoolgirl simply because there was a gorgeous half-naked man in her presence. She walked over to him and turned her back.
“Would you mind?” She pulled her hair up on her head to provide him better access to the strings keeping her in her dress. She thought it awfully telling that the apparent custom of dress for Vaturians did not allow a woman to easily undress herself when the men seemed to be able to strip down at the drop of a hat. She waited, wondering for a moment if he would refuse her, in which case she was going to pick an argument with him.
What kind of man tells you to undress, then won’t help you?
However, moments later, she felt his fingers playing through the elaborate pattern of ribbons and cording. She felt him draw each thread through, felt the dress begin to loosen, and then he froze. She held her breath, waiting to see what he would do next. She felt his lips then, feather light on the back of her neck.
“Forgive me, Naveenah.”
He pressed his mouth to the curve of her neck, sending a shiver through her body. His hands stayed in the ties on her back as he lightly placed kisses along her neck. He pushed forward the fabric of the dress to reveal her shoulder and kissed that as well. He tortured her with soft, deep kisses along her shoulder, and then his hands went to her waist and he turned her in his arms.
She was astounded by the dark passion she saw in his eyes as he stared into hers. It froze her in place. She could do nothing more than wait for him to make the next move—wait and pray such a move would come.
“There is so much between us. I could love you tonight, Naveenah, but the morrow would bring such complications.”
His voice was tender and rolled over her like a soft breeze. The look in his eyes had switched from drunken passion to a mix of pain and desire, and though a part of her knew he was right, she wanted to be entirely selfish and lose herself in him tonight.
He stepped away from her and touched her cheek as he smiled sadly. “I have forgotten something downstairs. I will return. Make yourself comfortable.”
He gestured toward a makeshift bed on the floor made out of a large, soft pad covered in piles of blankets and quilts and then buried under pillows. The sight of it made her even sadder that he had not made a move on her. It was a very sexy-looking bed, and with the candles lit, it was a scene meant for seduction.
She looked at him as he walked out the door. “Will you be back?”
He stopped, his hand on the door as he was about to close it. “I will. But go to sleep. Do not wait up for me.”
A coldness swept in. It suddenly struck her as funny that at the start of this day, she never would have imagined it ending with her in a bed, longing for Antares. Yet here she was, doing exactly that.
Chapter Eleven
When Antares returned, she was asleep. He crept in quietly so as not to wake her. He didn’t want a replay of earlier when he’d nearly lost all control. He pulled his shirt over his head and loosened his trousers before he lay down beside her. She stirred only for a moment to turn into him and curl up like a kitten at his side. He settled himself, then wrapped his arms around her, bringing a kiss down to the top of her head before resting his cheek against it.
He groaned.
Simply lying beside her made him hard to the point of it being painful.
What a complicated world he’d put himself in. Hador had brought the point home tonight with his attitude. Though his plan had merit, selling it to his people might prove difficult, but what other choice did they have?
“Somehow, sweet one, we will save Vaturia and I will owe you a gratitude beyond measure,” he whispered against her hair, inhaling deeply of her scent, a mix of exotic spices and unassuming flowers. It would be so easy to peel her clothing back, to make love to her. She would consent. He knew that from all they had shared already today, the least of which was the mutual desire.
“What are you thinking about?”
He blinked in the darkness to see her looking up at him. “Did I wake you?”
She rubbed the backs of her fingers across one eye. “Maybe, but it doesn’t matter. Why are you staring at me so intently? For a moment I felt the need to say, ‘Grandmamma, what big eyes you have.’” She giggled, but the humor was lost on him. “Never mind, Earth fairytale. Guess you had to be there.”
“Folklore?”
“Yes, exactly.”
He brushed her hair back from her face, looking down on her. “As a boy, I fell madly in love with this one particular tale of a king and a wizard. There were dragons to slay and maidens to be saved. I loved it.”
“We had stories like that on Earth. One of the best-known was about Camelot, King Arthur, and his knights of the round table. I have to admit, I was charmed by it, and being with you today...” She shrugged and looked away. “In many ways it felt as though I’d stepped inside that story.”
“Do tell me it, please.” Adrenaline started to pump through him. “The writer of these stories here on Vaturia died over a millennium ago and there were no other works found by him. I craved to read more, but none could be found. You would honor me by telling me your Earth story.”
“Well, the Arthurian legend is sort of a mix of truth, myth, and folklore. There are many versions of it back home. I’m not sure what to tell you.”
He moved positions, sitting up more and laying her across his lap. He gently played with her hair, burning with anticipation of her story while she looked up at him.
“Tell me all of it.”
“It’s the middle of the night.”
“Yes.”
She narrowed her eyes at him. “This is that king thing again, isn’t it?”
He waved his hand over her and looked upward. “I have no idea what you mean.”
“Yes, you do. You go into king mode where you just expect people to bow and say
yes, Your Majesty. Well I’m not doing it.” She pulled away from him and slid to the far edge of the pallet of bedding. Antares was mystified. He would not admit that she was right, but at the same time, he was king and there had to be some perks that came with that, like having someone tell him a story when he asked for it.
“You cannot refuse me.”
She laughed into her pillows. “The hell I can’t.”
He caught on to her game and joyfully signed on, grabbing her by the waist and pulling her across his lap, down onto the pile of bedding on his other side where he could entrap her by holding her wrists down and laying atop her. “You will tell me. I command it.”
She laughed and wriggled. “I won’t!”
As she laughed and wriggled beneath him, a wave of lust broke hard across his body, only this time it wasn’t that raw desire from earlier. This time it came twisted up with the sheer childlike bliss she brought out in him, sensations he hadn’t felt in more years than he could remember.
He stared down into her eyes. She must have seen the desire take over him because she stilled, her breath shortened by her previous fuss, and her wild hair spilled all about her beautiful face.
“Ah, Naveenah, how can I resist you?”
His kiss was purposely soft, testing the waters at first, but her light sigh told him he was more than welcome, and he immediately deepened the kiss, lingering in the erotic vibrations swimming through his body.
There was a moment, when his tongue met hers, that he thought he might spontaneously combust. He’d never had such a hard punch of…it was not lust, and it was not about sex at all. It was about her. It was a hard punch of how right it felt being with her. Like his soul was melding with hers.
She wrapped her tongue around his, and he entwined their fingers as he still held her hands pinned beside her head. He ground into her, pressing his hardness against her, waiting to see what her response would be.
Her soft moans intoxicated him. He was completely at her mercy. He moved his kisses down her throat to the sweet curve of her neck. She writhed beneath him invitingly. Mating with her would be effortless, but he needed to pull back now. There was still much to discuss before they could go through with this. Things would need to be put down on paper so they both would have complete understanding of where they stood.
To Love a King [The Reformation 1] (Siren Publishing PolyAmour) Page 10