Dark Empress: The Onic Empire, Book 5

by Anitra Lynn McLeod

  Buttocks tightening, he cupped her cheek, watching his length disappear into her mouth. All his senses cut to acute awareness. Beyond the massive doors, he heard the murmurings of hundreds of people. Would they be shocked to see the daughter of their ruler on her knees sucking a former prisoner? That Farjika would even take the risk spoke volumes and appeased the beast within.

  Farjika seemed to understand his need for dominance, as she expressed no shame in her actions. When he probed her mind, he found only her longing to please him and reassure him that she loved him as much as she loved Gabriyel and Errion. In her mind, they were equally heroic. All of them had made sacrifices of one thing or another to be with her, and she was willing to make sacrifices in turn.

  Teasing her lips and tongue over and around the sensitive head, she closed her eyes, savoring the first few drops of his release. Placing himself within her, he was able to taste himself and feel how his girth stretched her lips. The dual sensation was heady, knocking him sideways with possibilities. To be in his body and hers at the same time presented entirely new erotic vistas. Letting her into his mind almost dropped him to his knees. The round and round of feeling, doing, tasting, knowing spun his head. Fearing that he would lose his identity if he continued, he pulled back, staying firmly within his own mind and body. Once he stabilized, he opened his eyes and peered down at her, a whole new appreciation for her indulgence washing over him.

  As she worked him, her breasts pressed tightly against the bodice of her dress, the tops threatening to spill over the edge.

  “Expose your breasts to me.”

  Without taking him from her mouth, she slid the fabric down until her nipples popped over the edge. His control all but evaporated when small pearls of milk beaded at the tip. Longing to taste her, needing more than this pathetic display of mastery, he pulled his cock from her lips, yanked her to her feet and then pressed her against the wall.

  “Ha! I knew you wouldn’t go through with it!” Errion’s tone was playfully mocking as he moved closer to them.

  Lorren took one of her nipples into his mouth as Errion took the other. Sucking lightly, they tasted her, causing her to moan and clutch their heads, holding them firmly against her.

  Dropping his hand, Lorren grasped the fabric at the edge of her dress and pulled upward, exposing her panty-clad sex to the cool dry air. Plunging his hand between her legs showed how unbelievably wet she was. Her slickness had soaked the panties, making them almost frictionless as he rubbed his fingers back and forth along her slit.

  Farjika moaned and writhed against the wall, her whispered pleas thrashing across his inflamed body like a soft leather whip. Alternately ordering then begging him, Farjika became frantic as she yanked down Errion’s trousers. Freeing his cock, she took each of them in hand. But her victory was short lived. Working with Errion, they each pinned one of her hands, then got her panties off so they both had access to her swollen sex.

  The scent of her arousal was strong, filling the hallway with musky need. Together they fingered her, one holding her pinned while the other tormented. When her cries grew too loud, they took turns covering her mouth with theirs, kissing her and muffling her growling pleas.

  Unable to take anymore, Lorren pulled her into his arms and thrust his cock into her. Her walls clamped around him so tightly he felt wedged within, barely able to thrust. Errion came up behind her, pulling up her skirt, exposing her plush and inviting bottom. With a glance of acknowledgement, they enacted one of their most talked-about plans.

  “Do you know what we did while we were locked away?” Lorren asked.

  Barely able to focus through the haze of lust, Farjika shook her head as she dug her fingers into his shoulders.

  “We thought of all the ways we could use your lovely body. All the creative and nasty ways we could tease and torment your beautiful form.”

  “In ways you haven’t already?” she asked lightly.

  “Oh, we haven’t even begun.”

  While Lorren held her against his chest with his cock buried deep, Errion slipped out his ever-present lube and condom holder. Farjika heard him fumbling, but Lorren wouldn’t let her look and see what he was doing. From bits and pieces he’d collected from her mind, her culture didn’t have condoms, mainly because they had no sexually transmitted diseases. Still, for this they thought it would ease Errion’s entry. After rolling the sheath down his prick, Errion applied a generous amount of lube, then teased his gooey cock against her bottom.

  Gasping, she clung to Lorren’s shoulders, trying to brace herself against Errion’s careful but inexorable invasion. Carefully, he and Errion entered each other’s minds and bodies so that they could feel her from both sides. Their cocks were practically touching but for the thinnest membrane. When they pulled Farjika into the mix, the sensations were overwhelming, forcing Lorren to retreat to his own body, his own cock, his own heart-stopping feelings.

  Watching Errion and Farjika’s erotic torment twist their faces into animalistic snarls propelled Lorren higher than he’d ever been without climax. Crushing Farjika between their bodies, wrapping their arms around her to touch one another, added to the intensity. All his frustration and longing over the last season poured into her, filling her.

  Surrendering, Farjika dropped her head to his shoulder as their forceful thrusts lifted her off her feet. Dangling helplessly between them, she thought of herself hanging from the ceiling of their mansion. That image of her body bound by crimson rope pushed them over the edge. Together, they climaxed in a shuddering mass of muscle and bone, their mouths seeking as their hands clung, holding each other through the maelstrom.

  After what seemed far too short a time in the afterglow, they returned to reality. Errion was the first to slide out of her, his growl matched by a wince. With practiced finesse, he removed the condom and disposed of it within the dispenser. He buttoned up his trousers, straightened his shirt and brushed the wrinkles from his jacket. In a flash, he looked as if nothing had happened.

  Errion looked up into Lorren’s eyes. His smile was a slow spread of wickedness. “The night hasn’t even begun.”

  Lorren slipped out of her too, hating the loss of contact but warmed by the gleam in Errion’s gaze. This was just the beginning. But first things first. As Lorren made himself presentable, Errion helped Farjika return herself to rights. Her panties were a sodden mess on the floor, and rather than put them on, she had Errion slip them into his pocket.

  Lorren saw an image of other panties in his bedside drawer. He realized Errion had taken Farjika’s tiny little crimson panties after their tryst in his father’s study. His openmouthed shock was greeted with a shrug and a flippant, “We all have our little secrets.”

  “Not so much anymore.” Lorren tucked his shirt in, careful not to jostle his still-sensitive cock.

  “I guess not.”

  Farjika’s dress was a bit wrinkled, the bodice a bit moist, but nothing that would stand out too drastically. However, the smell of sex in the hall was pervasive.

  “Anyone walking by will know after half a breath,” Lorren said.

  “Who cares?” Farjika touched her hands to her hair, ensuring it was mostly in place. Errion stepped forward and tamed a few wayward strands. His hand lingered on her cheek. Turning his hand over, she kissed his palm and then lifted one brow as she licked the center.

  His pupils dilated and his chest hitched.

  “Like you said, the night hasn’t even begun.” Darting her gaze to Lorren, flashing him a mischievous grin, she added, “I too spent time thinking of what I would do with you.”

  Into her mind flashed images of their bodies entwined in such creative ways Lorren almost became hard again. When she twisted the scenario of him dominating her into her dominating the two of them, Lorren’s eyes almost popped out of his head. Back on Avalith, he’d imagined her as a dominatrix, but to actually bring that luscious image to life had him alternately excited and a little bit afraid.

  “I’m game if you
are,” Errion said.

  One lifted brow asked the question to Lorren.

  “I think I could be persuaded,” Lorren said. “Provided I teach you the rules.”

  “It wouldn’t be any fun if it wasn’t safe.” She kissed the edge of his ear. The main doors swung open, and they all spun guiltily toward the man standing there.

  “Are you going to address the circle, Farjika?”

  She glanced to Errion, who nodded consent, then to Lorren.

  Without hesitation, he said, “I would be honored to be your consort.”

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  “That’s it?” Errion glanced down at his empty hands.

  Farjika shrugged. “To make you both official consorts, all I do is state my wishes before the circle. It’s recorded and that’s that.”

  “I thought there would be a ceremony, like what you did with Gabriyel.” After watching what her mother had done, Errion was looking forward to putting on an amazing show of his physical prowess. He already had plans on how to best market their bonding images.

  “That’s for a bondmate.” Farjika saw the images of her mother flash in his mind. She threw up a hasty shield. “And as I’ve told you both, I can only perform that ritual once.”

  “Sorry.” Errion forcefully turned his mind off her mother. He understood how that could give Farjika the creeps. “There isn’t even a fancy scroll or anything?” Never one to hold with traditions, Errion felt bereft, as if he’d missed out on something vital. He’d never really envisioned his wedding day, mainly because he couldn’t see any woman allowing him to stand with Lorren at his side, but Farjika was different. She accepted both of them. Hell, she had another guy too. So why couldn’t he have his day?

  “Does it really matter?” Lorren seemed less concerned now that he’d assured himself that Farjika was indeed willing to indulge his need to dominate.

  “It matters to me.” Errion wanted to turn away, to hide his vulnerability, but he knew secrets wouldn’t last for long, not when they were all interconnected. “This just feels terribly anticlimactic. I mean, we sit in prison for a season, waiting for you, and then all we get is you making a brief statement and blam! We’re yours for eternity.” He toed the slick marble floor with his naked toe. “Hardly seems fair.”

  Farjika wrapped her arm around his waist, moving him back from the glut of people emptying out from the circle. “Then we’ll do something.”

  Somewhat mollified, he glanced around at the decadent splendor. “Something fancy?”

  She nodded. “I’d be honored to have my protocol liaison plan—”

  “No!” Errion shook his head. “I want to plan it.”

  Casting him a dubious expression, Lorren flashed several horrible pictures of the garish weddings they’d attended back on Avalith.

  Rolling his eyes, Errion promised, “I don’t want anything like that, nothing ostentatious, but something.” He sighed. “I just feel I need a ceremony to commemorate our relationship.”

  “Yes, a magical mystical bonding that bestows incredible powers on us and our mate just isn’t enough.” Lorren sighed, already bored by the idea. His thoughts focused exclusively on getting Farjika alone, and what he would do to her when he did.

  “Not for me.” Errion stood his ground.

  Farjika smiled as she kissed his scruffy cheek. “I think it’s sweet.”

  Errion met her gaze. “Do you think it’s a waste?”

  “No.” She straightened the placket of buttons on his shirt. “If you want a ceremony, then we will have one.” Hesitating, she narrowed one eye. “On Avalith, do you bond in the nude?”

  Errion laughed and flashed her images of the elaborate dresses and suits most chose for their wedding day.

  Farjika’s eyes went wide. “I have never seen such detailed costumes.” She shook her head. “There is a problem, though, in that I cannot wear white.”

  “Only crimson for you.” Errion looped her arm through his. “Not only would you look awful in white, but I understand that’s what acolytes wear.” Considering, he flashed her a perverted grin. “Although, that white robe you wore when you came to us does have several kinky possibilities.”

  “I only wore that to gain access to all of you,” Farjika said. “Not a soul on that ship would have stopped and questioned an acolyte. And I needed to strengthen our bond so we could connect no matter how far apart we were physically.”

  Lorren looped his arm through hers and they moved toward her rooms. Errion tried to memorize his way but Farjika insisted that he would never get lost.

  “First of all, you’ll have guards escorting you wherever you go, and they know the way. Also, I’m always just a thought away.”

  “What of Gabriyel and Javon?” Lorren asked, trying to hide his tension but doing a miserable job of it. His anxiety at having to share Farjika with not only Gabriyel but also now a child bordered on pathological.

  “They will be staying with my aunt for a few days.” Farjika kissed each of them on the cheek. “He thought the three of us needed some time to reconnect.”

  “And the hero strikes again,” Lorren grumbled.

  “Stop it,” Errion said, leaning around Farjika. “You know you’d be just as pissy if he wanted to stick around.”

  Farjika nodded to some guards who stood before two massive wooden doors. Bowing, they pushed them open. Farjika lead their group into her quarters. Everything was crimson with accents of black and white. Through her eyes and Gabriyel’s, Errion had seen her rooms, but somehow, seeing everything with his own eyes was entirely different. He thought his manor was something to behold, but this put his displays of luxury to shame. Everything was not only functional but also beautiful. Each item, from a simple chair to a casually thrown rug, was crafted of the finest materials. What stopped him cold, jerking both Farjika and Lorren to a halt, was when he looked up at the ceiling. There wasn’t one. Open to the sky, the space above her room showed a huge swath of azure with wispy clouds scudding by.

  “It’s beautiful.” Errion had never seen anything so impractical, so whimsical. He loved it on sight. It did, however, present a unique problem—how would he anchor his ropes for Fentaru?

  Farjika pointed to a discreet button on the wall near the now firmly closed door. “Pass your hand over that, and the glass panels will cover the ceiling.”

  “Good to know.” He nodded, but his attention was on looking for a suitable anchor point.

  “I thought it was winter again,” Lorren asked, peering upward, his mind working out the mechanical details of the ceiling. One of the ways Errion had kept him occupied was by presenting him with a host of mechanical problems for him to solve. When they returned to Avalith, they had a slew of new improvements for their robots.

  “It is winter, technically, but today is warm because tonight it will snow.” Farjika sighed as she too looked up. “The first snow of the season.” She captured Errion’s gaze. “Winter is late this year.” Holding his gaze, she pushed into his mind. Frowning, she turned away.

  Knowing at once what had caused her displeasure, Errion cupped her hand. “Not for always, but we do have to return. We need to find a suitable person to run things in our absence, someone we can trust as we live here.”

  She nodded, knowing the practicalities, but there was something inside her that broke at the thought of them going.

  “You realize that you, Gabriyel and Javon will have to come with us.”

  Her face brightened.

  “Did you really think we were going to leave you here?” Lorren hugged her from behind and Errion from the front. Squeezing her just a bit, they stood entwined as a rising wind whipped around them.

  “I didn’t know what to think.”

  “Why would I want an elaborate ceremony only to turn around and leave? Does that make any sense?”

  “No.” Farjika buried her face in the hollow between his shoulder and neck. “I guess I’m just feeling unsure.”

  Chuckling lightly, Errion pulled th
e decorative pins from her hair and dropped them carelessly on the floor. “You and Lorren were made for each other. No matter how much someone tells you or shows you how thoroughly they love you, you still think in the back of your mind that that person will walk away at the first opportunity.”

  Unable to deny the truth, she tightened her arms around him. “Eventually I’ll get over it.”

  “So will I,” Lorren whispered. “I think the best way for me to overcome my trepidation is with massive amounts of kinky sex.”

  “Oh, yes, that would help me too.” Farjika lifted her head and turned her neck to kiss Lorren.

  From sweet to selfish, they locked lips and dueled tongues. Each of them wanted to submit and dominate, which would make for thoroughly marvelous encounters. Watching them inspired new and creative forms of sexual torment to burst into Errion’s mind, but for tonight, they would indulge in the simplest of acts. What need did they have for accoutrements when everything felt new all over again?

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  “Just once I’d like to go through a bonding ceremony where I wasn’t already pregnant.” Farjika considered the clinging crimson dress in the mirror. Walking down the aisle had been difficult, but she’d managed because the look on Errion’s and Lorren’s faces as she moved toward them made her sacrifice seem trivial. And despite the fact it wasn’t an official empress bonding ceremony, Lorren and Errion seemed pleased.

  Taking a moment to regroup after the lengthy ritual, Farjika turned sideways and examined herself with critical eyes. Ornate didn’t begin to describe the ruffle-infested, gem-encrusted monstrosity that Errion had selected. She loved him and loved him dearly, but the wedding dress was unbelievably garish. Sadly, she had to wear it throughout the reception.

  The lower panel cupped her still-flat belly, but she knew it wasn’t going to look that way for long. She sighed. Was she destined to spend the rest of her life moving from one pregnancy to the next? Not that she resented her children in any way. To the contrary, she loved Javon with a fierceness that was frightening, and already her next child, Lorren’s daughter, made her presence known. But with so many men and all of them so determined to fully mate with her…