Empress Hiding

  Without turning around or even breaking his stride, Rafal replied, “Her animal, Dalis,” then he stopped and turned toward his faithful steward – his words harsh and nearly spat, “Her over-protective and kahrolasi annoying animal.”

  Dalis shook his head to clear it. The steward was determined not to wake Mischief again whom he had convinced the whole incident with Rafal was a nightmare and that the monger should just go back to sleep. But what Rafal had said really just did not make any sense …

  The old steward furrowed his brow considerably at Rafal’s words.

  “But, Prime Magistrate, your speaking with … with … well, while the cognate is present … uh, it is not poss …”

  Rafal cut him off abruptly as he turned to finish walking back to his chambers.

  “I realize that, Dalis,” Rafal’s tone was biting and angry, “But your stating that reality should not be possible does not make it any less real, now, does it?”

  Dalis simply stood, speechless, his head machine-gunning between the sleeping female and his retreating Prince. And, just as that Prince was about to enter his chambers, Rafal caught his own forward progress by grabbing onto the door frame and looked back at Dalis.

  “Did you find out anything about that jewelry like I asked?”

  Dalis nearly choked – that request was made just before the female had arrived and Dalis had been occupied with her for … honestly, was his Prince serious? Dalis stopped his head’s back-and-forth movements and eyed Rafal in extreme disbelief once again.

  “My Lord, we have not had time to …”

  But Rafal interrupted him again.

  “Well, could you make the time, Dalis?” Rafal lowered his voice further, whispering to himself as he walked into his chambers, “It could prove to be an advantage in this kahrolasd mind game of hers.”

  Frowning and confused as to what game the Prince could even be referring, Dalis nodded and was about to simply acknowledge when, even now that Rafal was inside his chamber, the Prime Magistrate issued another request in a forced whisper.

  “And let me know the moment there is some food available!”

  Dalis just turned away and walked back into the food prep area – his gray hair rippling with his headshakes as he mumbled to himself about Mischief perhaps being correct.

  Maybe it would turn out that the Prime Magistrate was going insane.

  Even though the elder steward knew for certain that such was not the case – Prince Rafal Sadid seemed even more sane this past day or so than he had in a very long time.

  Chapter 17

  Sila was in the deepest sleep imaginable when a scratching and pounding at the door awakened him. He very groggily and almost incoherently turned toward his chronometer only to find that he had been asleep less than two hurs – a fact of which Hiroto was quite snarly about reminding him at the same time the impatient chestryl advised his dazed cognate not to open the door but to simply use the vid-adaptor. Sila rubbed his large, calloused palms up and down his face as he grunted to acknowledge the pounding and stepped toward the keypad to open the straight vid-feed from the hallway.

  At the sound of his grunt, the pounding backed off to the usual scratching for entry, and the sound of Jaylis’ deep voice boomed through the door.

  “Open the door, Teyman!” Jaylis sounded even more annoying than normal – and that was saying something. In fact, Hiroto hissed angrily in challenge to the Captain the altre had not liked even in the least since the first day of training last cycle – that dislike having graduated to more of a not-so-subtle hatred during Detail tryouts earlier this cycle. “I need an explanation for” – Jaylis’ more than aggravated face appeared as he finished his statement – he jerked in what must have been a response to the ping and the illumination of the vid-active light – “your non-compliance and absence …”

  Sila interrupted him – perhaps it was his sleepy state or perhaps Hiroto’s emotions were feeding them both – his state of obedience to the Khedive’s ass-licker no longer in existence.

  “I have been removed from the Detail, Jaylis,” both Sila and Hiroto knew the absence of his title would rub Jaylis the wrong way – they both enjoyed it.

  A look of shock ran across the Captain’s face only to be immediately replaced by one of suspicion.

  “And who …”

  Sila interrupted again – Hiroto tried to get his own hiss to register in Sila’s voice, but Sila valiantly kept the chestryl’s cry of challenge muted.

  “By order of the Prime Magistrate,” Sila tried like godsfall not to let the smile he felt broach his lips, “I will remove my belongings from the guard house upon our arrival planetside.”

  And move them to the main residence where they belong, you kahrolasi pich.

  Hiroto internally taunted Sila for his thought language with his frequently-used jab of such being just one of the reasons they could never serve in the Auger Order.

  Jaylis still remained undaunted outside the door.

  “So, why, then, do you have a private suite, Teym …”

  Sila’s and Hiroto’s patience were at an end.

  “You will have to take that up with the Prime Magistrate, Jaylis,” Sila felt his and Hiroto’s entire being lighten with the final words, “We came to the bed on which our belongings were placed, and we are no longer under your command. Elveda Jaylis.”

  Sila ended the conversation by cutting the transmission even though it was quite evident the Captain had not completed his questioning of the situation.

  Neither he nor Hiroto cared as Sila once again sprawled his large, mostly nude frame across the small bunk – the only thing that could have been better right now was to have their jedan nestled tightly next to them.

  Because they were exhausted and needed the physical touch of one or both of their beloved.

  But their Empress-Heir was safe.

  And they were finally headed back home to their mates.

  Chiyoto awoke with a start, trying for the first few moments to get her bearings as to where she actually was. But realization dawned as the unusual sound of Rafal’s quiet laughter mixed with some prolonged moans filtered through to her sensitive hearing. She looked around the sitting area as she sat up, only to find no sign of Dalis. Not bothering to wake Runa, Chiyoto stood and walked on purposefully silent feet in the direction of Rafal’s voice. She could smell his heated scent – the one that she had only detected when she was in his arms – as she tip-toed down the passageway, Rafal’s growls and grunts grew more pronounced as she approached the closed door at the end.

  As Chiyoto reached for the hatch release, she hesitated, wondering if Rafal might be working out with weights or gym equipment as she and Runa had read about in some of the vid-mag readouts some of the townspeople in Haven had given them for reading. If such were the case, she wondered if he would be dressed appropriately for a female to enter.

  The groans increased as did Rafal’s scent, but then she heard him whisper insistently, “Yes, ashia, just like that,” a deep-throated growl from Rafal’s beast, “Take me all the way.”

  Chiyoto’s heart leapt into her throat at the words as she jerked open the hatchway.

  And her world fell apart.

  There was her Rafal with the female from the bili last night astride his tense, nude form – one of his hands helped her beautifully shaped hips ride him while his other hand was buried in the female’s hair holding her face to his as he licked it hungrily with the same stroking rhythm as his hips.

  Chiyoto felt a part of her shatter as she was barely able to mutter his name through her gasping sobs that started from the depth of her being.

  Rafal turned and his eyes gleamed at her, as he released the female’s hip and reached a hand toward her.

  “Fear not, shioliah,” he licked the breathless female’s pulsing neck as she looked ready to explode – his focus still
intensely on Chiyoto, “This is but one of my consorts. It is customary that I should find true fulfillment with a female who knows how to please a male since you would not …”

  Chiyoto felt her knees give out underneath her as she began to shake all over. She reached inward for her Runa, but found only emptiness there.

  She looked up at the two of them as the female did nothing but smile vindictively at her as she began to ride Rafal faster. Rafal’s scent surrounded the frozen Chiyoto as his growls reached a crescendo when her body hit the hard floor – her chest aching so badly that she found breathing too difficult …

  She was smothering.

  Rafal’s growls grew louder until pain suffused the darkness and she awoke in his arms, taking a deep, clean breath of fresh air as he cradled her against his large body – the pain, she slowly came to realize, emanated from his teeth clamped on her ear and the force with which he held her mane.

  Chiyoto’s entire body shook with the tremors that ran through it as her nails penetrated the skin on his arms and his back where she had tried to claw her way out of the darkness, but now held onto her Rafal with all that she was.

  “I have you, shioliah,” his voice droned with the hum of Runa’s soothing melody inside of her, “I have you, my Chiyoto.”

  Chiyoto opened her tear-soaked eyes, trying to even out her own breathing as she tried to process the heartache she had just experienced.

  Or thought she had experienced.

  Without realizing it, she actually inhaled Rafal’s scent in an attempt to anchor herself here in this reality – the reality where there was no jalang with her Prince – where her Rafal still belonged solely to her.

  He did, did he not?

  She raised her gaze to his face and reached out with a hand to touch his face. She felt his body relax and a long exhale escape him at the action. His intense gaze softened with her touch.

  Rafal grasped her palm and kissed the inside of her wrist – she relaxed yet another notch.

  “Of what was the nightmare, shioliah?” His voice was softer than she had ever heard it as he brushed his lips over hers, “Tell me so that I may permanently vanquish it.”

  Chiyoto averted her eyes quickly – she did not know how to explain what she had just seen – it was so … so …

  But Rafal grasped her chin and turned her face back toward him – it was not a rough pull, but it certainly carried some force.

  And his voice lost some of its gentleness.

  “Tell me, Chiyoto,” he demanded.

  She was taken aback initially at his tone, but then she reached out and felt him – he was fearful and in a very, very protective state right now. Chiyoto’s entire being warmed at the realization that he was being protective of her.

  “How did you kn …”

  Rafal did not even allow her to finish.

  “I feel you, shioliah,” Rafal voice softened again as did his hold, “Inside of me and on my skin. Everywhere.”

  Runa caught her breath and could not move. Trying to ignore her shocked altre, Chiyoto gave Rafal that crooked little questioning stare again that he had come to adore, and he managed to smile at her.

  “It tingles when you are near, it burns when you are angry, but, just now, it was ice cold even to the point of pain, and it called to me for help.”

  Chiyoto could only stare at him in unbelief – was it even possible for her self-contained magic to affect another without her willing it to do so? Especially a Crimson?

  She felt Runa pacing nervously inside of her – it seemed to bother the dragoness quite a bit.

  Apparently, she took too long to reflect on these things because Rafal demanded again.

  “Now, shioliah. Tell. Me.”

  She frowned at his near-aggressive tone, but decided she liked being held so protectively by him. So, instead of being stubborn as his tone had originally pushed her, she decided to snuggle into him even deeper.

  Both Rafal and his beast growled approvingly as he smoothed a large hand down her body to grasp her buttocks.

  And as much as she wanted to protest that too, she could not deny that she liked it.

  “How many consorts do you have, Rafal?”

  She watched his gorgeous emerald eyes cycle through surprise, anger, and, finally, amusement.

  “I have never had a consort, shioliah,” Rafal’s voice was actually soft with the admission.

  It was Chiyoto’s turn to frown as well as Runa’s turn to internally voice her chorus of doubt.

  And Rafal’s visual amusement increased.

  “You do not believe me?”

  Chiyoto only shook her head almost timidly – her gaze never leaving Rafal’s – as Runa protested vehemently inside of her.

  “Why?”

  Chiyoto swallowed hard – here they went again – talking about subjects that she would rather leave unsaid. She reached up to rest her hand on his broad chest as she tried to speak coherently.

  “Because, Rafal, you are the Crowned Prince and you are so … . well, I mean the other day when you were in the middle of the Commons Area in your black vestments” – Chiyoto’s mouth went dry and she felt her body physically stir at the memory of the sight of him there and she could not help but lick her lips that had suddenly gone dry – “and, well,” – she smoothed her hand back and forth across his gorgeously-hewn chest – “I cannot imagine the number of females that should be lined up to … well, you know.”

  Chiyoto’s gaze fell away from his as that lovely blush crept up into her cheeks. And a purely masculine chuckle rose up from both Rafal and his beast.

  “Believe me, shioliah,” Rafal leaned forward and – turning her face toward his again – gently licked the side of her face – even mixed with the salt of her tears, her peppermint and musk were heaven-sent. And her body clinging to his so tightly only increased the sensations, “There is no line. And there are no others.”

  Her beautiful face crinkled up in an almost playful ‘I doubt it’ – the complete face involving even a wonderful pouting of her lips. Rafal felt himself grow hard under her body weight on his lap.

  Oh, what he and his beast wanted to do to those lips …

  A crooked smile graced his lips.

  “You do not believe me?”

  She got a mischievous glimmer in her eyes, although there was still quite a bit of disbelief there, as she slightly shook her head in the negative.

  Without warning, Rafal stood Chiyoto on her feet in front of him.

  “Go ask Dalis, female!”

  Rafal’s voice was demanding and playful all at once – if such were even possible. And his entire face lit with delight – he was enjoying this!

  Chiyoto placed her hands on her hips, a slight grin of question and even disbelief on her face.

  “But, Rafal, maybe you should …”

  Rafal’s eyes still gleamed at her as he sat back on the couch and spread his arms wide across the back on either side of him.

  “Oh, no, shioliah,” Rafal narrowed his gaze at her and angled his head toward the eating area, “You ask him without me around so you will not think his answer was coerced,” Chiyoto watched as Rafal’s playful gaze slowly seemed to transition to one of hunger – and she truly smiled in spite of her earlier fear and trepidation, “Just know this, though: Dalis could not lie even if his or his animal’s life depended on it.”

  Chiyoto took a deep breath and turned toward the eating area, and she and Runa swore they could feel Rafal’s hungry gaze upon them. That feeling was confirmed when he and his beast growled lustfully after them.

  She ignored them both and only glanced curiously to the side as she turned through the doorway into the kitchen – Runa still stewing on the fact that Rafal could physically feel Chiyoto’s emotions – it seemed to trouble her dragoness greatly.

  Rafal was so very hand
some that she knew she should have some self-restraint, but simply his presence was all that she needed around her to anchor her fully. The dream … the dream had seemed so real … so much so that she could not even find her Runa for protection as she usually did.

  And her Rafal was the one that had rescued her this time.

  But his presence in our lives was actually the cause of it.

  Yeah, Chiyoto got that. But she grinned a coy little smile at Rafal as she cleared the doorway, reminding Runa of how so very much warmer and reassuring it had been to wake in his arms than alone with only their magic to hold her.

  Runa winced again at that thought – Chiyoto could feel that her Runa was not comfortable at all with Rafal’s presence in her life, but it was getting to the point of her not ever wanting to leave his side.

  And with that thought, Runa practically roared in protestation – reminding her Chiyoto that they had a job to do and that they must return to Haven.

  Alone.

  But Chiyoto managed to completely contain the outburst and her altre’s babble about leaving Rafal – she did not want to even consider such at present – as she spied Dalis exiting the bili down the passageway.

  Dalis was quite a gentle one, she thought to herself and to Runa as a means of changing the subject, but she knew he had to have some spine to hold his place of esteem in the Crowned Prince’s household in addition to having a monger as his altre. Chiyoto could just imagine how trying his Mischief must get at times – mongers were not known for their restraint nor for their subtle nature – in fact, the mischievous creatures could be downright vexing and even quite naughty at times.

  She smiled happily at him and Dalis warmly returned the greeting.

  “Hanfendi, you are finally awake!” his warmth rushed all over her and Runa – even the troubled dragoness calming at his presence.

  It was quite obvious and Runa confirmed that the monger still slept. “Did you rest well?”

  “Yes, faithful one, we …” Runa roared at her to lose the ‘faithful one’ spiel – probably not what a normal female would call him – Chiyoto ignored her emotional altre, “We slept much sounder than last evening.”