“Mm, let’s see what you can do,” he murmured, pushing harder, insistently.
The low words washed over her and a scene from the forbidden manuals flashed through her thoughts. He wanted her to do that?
He put his hand on his cock, guiding it toward her lips. She gasped, placing her hands on his thighs for support as she leaned over his lap. The tip of his shaft slid past her lips.
Sebastjan groaned. “Suck me. That’s it. That’s what I like.”
No man had ever dared to say such a thing. Maybe it was the sound of his voice, both pleading and insistent. Maybe it was the taste of him, or the smell, or the way his hand pressed downward. Ariella found herself obeying, letting her knees bend so she could find a better position.
He fell back on the bed, holding her head with both hands. Ariella felt powerful. She clutched his thighs, digging her nails into them as she tentatively took him deeper between her lips. Closing her eyes, she refused to think of the ramifications of her actions.
Sebastjan pressed his hips up as he pushed down, trying to force himself deeper. The warm, salty essence of him filled her mouth. She licked along the shaft, exploring the length. Her fingers slid to his cock, touching everywhere—his balls, his hips, the secret place at the base of his shaft.
“Ah, that’s what I like,” he moaned. His movements became jagged and frantic. Suddenly, he tensed, finding release. The taste of him filled her mouth and she swallowed. His hands fell to the side, letting her go. She pushed up, curious to see his face. He was breathing hard. Narrowed eyes stared at her. “You will make a very fine wife.”
Heat warmed her cheeks as she tried, unsuccessfully, not to blush. He grabbed hold of her hips and flipped her around on the bed. She gasped, hitting the mattress. Her hands landed over her head.
His hands and knees anchored her down, trapping her to the bed. He licked his lips, his eyes roaming over her chest. Sebastjan worked his knees between hers, parting her bare thighs.
Ariella stiffened, unable to catch her breath. There was no question as to who was in control now. He ran his hand over her leg, openly exploring her with his eyes.
She wiggled beneath him, drawing her arms down to her sides. Ariella felt exposed, unsure. Sebastjan began at her neck, caressing her throat, her shoulder, each breast and nipple. Lips followed behind, continuing lower as he discovered her ribs, stomach and hips. Each time she tried to move her hands to stop him, he brushed them aside, continuing on.
As he kissed along her hip, she clamped her legs tight against his head. He didn’t seem to notice. His lips moved against her thigh, closer, achingly closer to her sex. With a moan, he pressed his open mouth against her pussy. He licked hard, moaning while he did so. She pushed up on the bed, only to find his hand pressing her back down.
Heat exploded between her thighs, sending shivers of pleasure over her. He twirled his tongue, testing her, tasting her, tormenting her. As her whole body jerked, he glided over her. His hips instantly found their place between her thighs. The thick head of his cock brushed her sex. With a groan, he angled himself to her.
Ariella opened her mouth to speak, unsure what she wanted to say. She squirmed as he thrust. The tip of his cock slid inside, stretching her with its insistent push. Sebastjan groaned, his hips jerking.
Pleasure-pain erupted at the intimate contact. She gripped the bedding at her sides. He worked his hips, moving forward, pressing deeper and deeper until he’d conquered her with every inch of his arousal.
Almost breathless, he asked, “Mm, you’re so tight—did you have a procedure done?”
“I…” she mumbled, “no.”
Sebastjan moved in tiny circles, staying deep as he stretched her to fit him. “You must have. I don’t mind. I find I quite enjoy the experience. It makes me want to…” He groaned, pulling out and thrusting forward. “Mm, I want to pound into you.” He withdrew and thrust, hard and sure. She clamped her legs against his hips. His claiming hurt, but there was a curious pleasure there too. “Ah, you’re so wet and hot and tight. Relax your legs. I want to fuck you hard. I have to…”
“I…” she managed weakly. She touched his arms. The fullness of him rubbed her in a way she’d never imagined possible.
Sebastjan’s cock slid in and out. He pushed back on his hands. “That’s it. So good. So, uh, good. I don’t want to stop. I can’t stop.”
With each tattered confession he began to quicken his pace until she found her body being bounced on the bed with the driving force. She began to move in rhythm with him. A light sigh escaped her and wondrous sensations filled her, building toward something she couldn’t quite reach.
Sebastjan jerked violently with release before collapsing against her. Eyes wide, Ariella stared at the ceiling. He rolled next to her, his hand resting on her thigh. The light brush of his fingers caused her leg to jerk.
“You are very quiet.” He rolled onto his side next to her and she saw him squinting in the dim light. “Did you not…?”
“I, ah…”
His hand moved between her legs and he leaned close to her ear. The heat of his breath fanned over her cheek. He drew his fingers to her sex. “Let it never be said I am a greedy man.”
Fingers stroked her sex, continuing where his body had left off. His thumb encircled her clit, rubbing lightly as he thrust a finger into her. He worked his hand against her, rebuilding her pleasure.
Teeth grazed the lobe of her ear. “Mm, there it is. You like when I do this, don’t you?” He pressed his finger inside her, causing her body to tense and release. His words were a low whisper, as if telling her a secret even though they were alone in the room. “I can hear it in the way your breath catches.” He did it again, pressing and releasing his finger inside her.
Ariella bit her lip and moaned. The sensations burst through her, spilling over her entire body. She trembled, sighed, tensed. Her mouth opened and she turned toward him. He still spoke, but she couldn’t understand what he was saying. Blood rushed in her ears. His lips moved against hers and she realized he’d stopped speaking and was instead kissing her. The slow passion in the light brush of his lips made her feel weak. Or perhaps it was the aftermath of tremors dying and calming inside her.
“I suppose if we have nothing else in our marriage, there is that,” he said against her mouth. He rolled onto his back, closing his eyes.
Ariella tugged at the blankets to cover herself. She watched Sebastjan’s face. A small smile curled the corner of his mouth, but he didn’t look at her again. Even as her heart slowed and her breathing regulated, she could barely gather a thought in her head beyond, “Oh.”
Chapter Three
Sebastjan left his new “wife” asleep as he left his room to face his father. Despite his desire to dislike the choice his father had forced upon him, he found his step lighter than it had been in weeks. Though a little quiet, and with what he could only assume was shyness due to the newness of their situation, Ariella was quite sweet. She tasted like decadence and looked like the model of medical perfection. He‘d seen the way her eyes took in everything around her, the depths of them filled with an astuteness not said with words. It made him wonder what secrets she held, what mysteries.
“Where is she?” Supreme Walter asked his son as soon as Sebastjan sat down at the long, narrow, metal table for his morning sustenance.
“Sleeping,” Sebastjan answered drolly. “Would you like me to wake her for your inquisition?”
“Why? Is there a reason I should need to question her?” His father began to stand up, his brow knitting just as it did before a long lecture.
“Not that I would know,” Sebastjan said. Had he been in the mood, he would have tormented the man, stringing him along with his worry. But somehow, discussing the completion of his marriage with his overbearing father didn’t seem like a topic for…well, for ever.
“Ah, good!” His father clapped his hands. “I see I did very well grooming her for you. You will not be disappointed. She’s a perfect so
cietal gem—meek, controllable, not like your willful mother before she died. Ariella will be perfect for this family, and with the unique genetics from her plane, she will give you magnificent children—beautiful, physically perfect, strong, smart.” Then grinning, he said knowingly, “And there is nothing like untouched, trainable fruit, eh?”
Sebastjan frowned, eyeing the bowl of cream-colored gruel set before him by a maid. “Untouched fruit?”
“If you insist on being indelicate,” his father scolded, “then I suppose you’d say there is nothing like a pure woman untouched by man.”
Sebastjan’s frown deepened and he refused to eat. Out of the two men in the room, he was hardly the indelicate one. Standing, he said, “Excuse me.”
“I expect you to greet your guests!” the Medical Supreme yelled behind him as Sebastjan hurried to go back upstairs. “This match will be made official!”
Coming to his chambers, he went inside. Ariella stood in the middle of the room, concentrating on her buttons. At his entrance, she glanced up. Sebastjan didn’t go to her, instead choosing to stare. Hair tumbled around her shoulders, messy from the night’s sleep. Wide eyes watched him, seeming to grow wider with each passing second of silence.
“Is it true?” Sebastjan managed, well aware that his voice sounded faint.
She furrowed her brow and carefully asked, “You mean to ask if we are truly married?”
Sebastjan took a step forward, noticing how she took an involuntary step back. “Why didn’t you stop me? Why didn’t you say anything?”
She paled. “Your father warned me never to speak of it. I wasn’t sure how you would react if you discovered the truth or if you already knew. I couldn’t trust that you would do the right thing. I still don’t know if…”
“Of all the meddling,” he muttered. Then, going to her, he touched her cheek and forced her eyes to meet his. “You should have told me you were untouched. I would not have acted… Women on this plane are not…I didn’t even think that you would be.”
“Untouched? Oh, you mean…” She laughed nervously and began picking at her buttons. “I, um, it is fine. The goddesses say that with a husband is when a woman must—”
“Goddesses?” Sebastjan tried to keep the superiority out of his tone, but the confession took him by surprise. The woman clearly had primitive beliefs. His people had abandoned such thinking for the logic of science and the tangibility of facts.
“The guiding spirits,” she answered. “My family served in their house.”
“Ah. I see.” He let her go, moving to sit on the bed. She continued to pull at her buttons, her fingers fumbling. He wondered if he made her nervous. “How did you come to be on this plane?”
“Divinity Corporation’s inter-dimensional portal.”
“I assumed that much since they have control of all of the portals. I meant why did they bring you?”
“I was sick and needed medical attention. My father was a political official, a very important man. Divinity Corporation wished to please him. They brought me here for a cure. When my family was murdered, they left me here for my safety. You father took me in as his ward.”
“How altruistic of him,” Sebastjan mumbled sarcastically. “Undoubtedly he found something in your genetics that would make you highly compatible to mine. Medical Supreme Walter only thinks of himself and the continuation of his legacy.”
The overhead air-filtering sterilizer turned on, misting the room with its light fragrance. Ariella looked up and breathed deeply several times. After a few seconds, she turned back to her task, fastening her clothes with steadier hands. Finishing, she turned her full attention to him. “I need to get back to my chambers. I can’t greet your guests looking like this.”
Sebastjan let her leave, despite his urge to draw her back to his bed. He couldn’t touch her, not after what he’d learned. Women on his plane were not shy when it came to sex, and often by the time they were well into adulthood, they had experience. Adult virgins were practically a myth. He’d never even considered meeting one, let alone marrying one. When he’d come back up and looked at her face, remembered the hesitance he’d taken for shyness, he wanted to kick himself. He should have seen it. He should have known. She should have told him.
* * *
Ariella raced toward her chambers, feeling physically stronger now that she had her medicine. She’d almost made a big mistake. She’d almost told Sebastjan about her “forced illness”. By the stricken look on his face when he walked into the room, she’d just assumed he’d been told about her entrapment. Instead, he was worried about her lost virginity.
The door slid up automatically as she neared. Once inside her chambers, she took a deep breath. She barely had time to process what had happened—the wedding, the wedding night, a husband—when a maid walked in holding a syringe.
“Sans Ariella,” the maid said, “your lidic levels are high and your plytomikin and homytobin levels are low. I’ve been instructed to—”
“I know,” Ariella grumbled, pulling her hair aside and tilting her head. The maid injected medicine into her in the neck. She didn’t need the long explanation that came with her shots—half of which she didn’t have the background to understand. If she didn’t take them willingly, they’d be forced on her by Chiron’s medical laws.
“There is a little extra in there to help you smile for your guests,” the maid added, “and to take away any pain.”
“Pain?” Ariella repeated before noticing the soreness between her thighs lessened. After a lifetime of chronic pain from her bones, she didn’t even think twice of a little sexual discomfort. “Oh, never mind. Thank you for the shot.”
* * *
The finest of Asclepius society filtered past the newlyweds’ receiving line. Ariella felt herself smiling and nodding politely at each individual doctor. After some time in Asclepius, she recognized many of them. Women in fine-cut cotton and linen clothing intermingled with the dignified men. The soft sound of laughter and muted amusements created a constant background to the “thank you for coming” and “it is so kind of you to say” phrases she was forced to repeat like a trained animal.
Many of the guests looked at her with vacant eyes, seeing past her as if she were unimportant. The only exception was a few of the men. She didn’t need a lifetime of sexual experience to know what they were thinking about. In fact, she overheard one of them offer to buy her from the Medical Supreme. The exact words were “I would be most honored to give the darling woman a place in my home, if you would be so good as to part with her” to which Walter answered, “Not this one. Not this time. She is not like the others.”
“Congratulations, Dr. and Sans Sebastjan Walter,” a woman said, looking down her hooked nose at the new bride. Ariella couldn’t remember her name, but she’d talked to her often. The woman’s disapproving demeanor never changed. Taking the offered gift, Ariella handed it over to the waiting maid to be set on the mountainous pile behind her.
“It is so kind of you to say,” Ariella said politely.
“Thankfully it is almost over. I abhor these events,” Sebastjan whispered in her ear. She glanced at him, surprised. It was the first thing he’d said to her in nearly three hours of standing in the front hall.
“Congratulations, Dr. and Sans Sebastjan Walter.”
Ariella glanced away from her husband, about to answer when Sebastjan laughed and said, “Dr. Fauchet, how good of you to come.”
“How could I not?” Dr. Fauchet answered. He had an easy smile with lively brown eyes that seemed to laugh at some sort of private joke.
“Couldn’t miss my reception?” Sebastjan asked.
“I couldn’t miss the Medical Supreme’s summons,” Fauchet corrected. “You didn’t think everyone was here to see you, did you?”
Ariella gave a short burst of laughter in surprise at the insolent joke.
Fauchet winked at her but continued talking to Sebastjan. “Apparently, I am to host two off-plane dignitaries coming here to
learn our secrets. However,” he turned his full attention to Ariella, “while I am here…”
“Sans Ariella,” Sebastjan introduced, “my childhood playmate and local lawbreaker—”
“That is distinguished gentleman and dignitary host,” Fauchet corrected.
“Dr. Gerard Fauchet,” Sebastjan finished.
“A great pleasure,” Gerard said, his playful eyes studying her face. “And it was only one tiny law fourteen years ago. There was a medication mishap, it was hot and it was only the male chairmen who complained about my nakedness. I swear I am a reformed man.” Ariella laughed again before catching herself. She couldn’t help it. The man was just too likeable. Sebastjan cleared his throat. Gerard chuckled, not showing a single second of remorse at having been caught flirting with the new bride. Leaning in to Ariella, he whispered, “An even greater pleasure to see you’ve managed to make Sebastjan jealous over you.”
Ariella blushed. Sebastjan frowned at them. Gerard bowed his head and moved on.
“What? No present?” Sebastjan mumbled after him. Gerard laughed, but didn’t turn back around. “What did he say to you?”
Ariella didn’t answer as another guest came to offer her congratulations.
When the woman passed by, he repeated, “What did Fauchet say?”
“He said he was trying to make you jealous,” Ariella answered, hiding the first genuine smile that day.
“He always did have a strange sense of humor.” Sebastjan stiffly turned back to their guests.
* * *
Five hours. That’s how long it took the procession of his father’s guests to pass through the hall. Thousands of presents stacked behind them, each one demanding to be opened, each one demanding a thank-you message to be delivered.
Sebastjan grimaced. Ariella hadn’t spoken to him since Gerard whispered in her ear. He liked Dr. Fauchet well enough, but didn’t appreciate the fact the man made his bride blush, or that he’d winked at her on his way out of the house. “It will take us ten hours just to deliver a personal message to each gift and another thirty days to discreetly throw half of them into the incinerator.”
Ariella's Keeper (Divinity Healers) Page 3
