Omnes Videntes (The Space Merchants Book 4)

by Wendie Nordgren

  “Mara thinks I’m beautiful? That’s sweet,” I thought back. I left the restroom, and Zeth followed me back to the observation deck.

  “Princess Probus, there you are. Euryalus Comet will soon come into view,” Merick said as he escorted me to an area a little away from the others.

  “This has been a very nice evening, Merick. Your sisters are very sweet and kind. Perhaps they will visit me at the Palace.”

  Merick pointed. A large light-grey rock sped past with smaller rocks and dust trailing behind it. The mass appeared to swirl within a cloud of blues, light-purples, and white.

  “Wow.”

  I realized that I was pressed against the viewing window with my hands, face, and everything else as I watched.

  “You are the most adorable woman who I have ever met,” Merick said.

  I pulled myself off of the window as the comet left my sight. “I smudged the glass. I’m sorry. I’ll clean it.”

  “No, a crewman will clean it unless I decide to place a frame around the evidence of your visit.”

  I snorted at him. “You’re silly. Oh, Merick, I should probably mention something to you. Please, don’t be mad.” He looked down at me with concerned brown eyes. I whispered, “Zeth has fallen madly in love with your sister.”

  I followed Merick’s gaze. Mara stood on the far side of the deck watching the comet as it disappeared. Zeth had crept up behind her. When he spoke to her, Mara turned to him in surprise, and her eyes grew large. Then, Zeth dropped to one knee. I hoped Merick wouldn’t become violent. I wished I could hear what they were saying. I bit my nail.

  Nico brought Niklos to me and asked, “What’s going on with Zeth?”

  “Mara has his heart so tightly twisted around her little finger that he can barely think,” I said. “Um, Merick?” Mara’s face had been transformed by sparkling eyes and a beautiful smile. Thunderdrop came back to me when Mava stopped playing with him to spy on her sister. “Merick, are you okay?”

  He glanced at me in shock. “Yes, excuse me.” Merick walked over to his sisters.

  “Something tells me we should be going home soon. Do you think he’s mad?”

  Fitz said, “Why would he be mad?”

  “I think Zeth just proposed to his sixteen-year-old sister.”

  “She accepted him,” Phillip said.

  “What? Is that legal? On Earth, you have to be eighteen to work or get married.”

  Fitz and Nico looked appalled. Fitz said, “That is a waste of a woman’s reproductive years.”

  I blinked at them. Then, I cringed as Merick approached Zeth. I blew out a breath when he shook Zeth’s hand. Yukihyo said, “If Mara has children by Zeth, they will have abilities exceeding those of other Parvac children, he is an Imperial guard, and your adopted brother.”

  “Merick’s sisters live with their grandfather and servants in their family home. Occasionally, they accompany Merick on missions, but with their parents gone they are alone a great deal. The girls will be safer with Zeth watching over them,” Nico said.

  Merick walked back to us. Zeth was holding Mara’s hand. “Princess Probus, please excuse me. I will return the ship to the land port.”

  I nodded.

  “Cupcake, are you gonna give Zeth the night off or not?” Phillip asked.

  “Of course,” I said as I yawned and tried to hide it behind the baby, but they all saw.

  Soon, we were in the transports and on our way home to the Palace. Zeth did not return with us. Izaac and Zared waited for us at the entrance with dumbfounded expressions on their faces having experienced and continuing to experience Zeth’s thoughts and feelings.

  Yukihyo laughed. “You can’t block your brother, can you? The two of you are dismissed for the night. Continue to monitor for dangers.”

  “Yes, clan leader,” they said as they bowed.

  Lorca took Niklos to his bed. When I yawned again, Yukihyo did the same with me. Once I had been tucked into bed, Yukihyo and Nico grinned at me and then went to the guest wing in search of Luca Braga. I stretched my arms and legs out in my big empty bed.

  “Teagan?” Fitz said softly from the doorway.

  “Yes?” I whispered back.

  “May I come in?”

  “Yes, have you come to hold me until I fall asleep?”

  “I would like nothing more,” Fitz said as he got into bed and moved close to me.

  I sighed contentedly as the warmth from his chest seeped into my back. Carefully, he put his arms around me. Even though he was hairless which I didn’t like, he was big and strong. “You were quiet tonight. Is everything okay?”

  Fitz rubbed his leg against my right one and snuggled closer to me. “I laid awake last night alone and thinking of you.”

  Fitz hardened, and I could feel him growing and throbbing between us. “I take it they were pleasant thoughts,” I said with a small smile as I pushed back against him.

  “I thought of the way your hair smells and feels between my fingers, of the warmth of your soft flesh against mine, and of the feel of you hot, wet, and tightly surrounding me as I pushed into you. That and the way the diamonds I draped across your throat rolled from side to side across the mounds of your breasts as I filled you to my base.”

  “Fitz!” I whispered. I was shocked. No one had every spoken like that to me.

  Fitz pushed his tongue into my mouth and kissed me with a ferocity I never would have imagined my rather dignified plantation owner could possibly possess. As he plundered my mouth, his hands moved over my hips removing my undies. I moaned as he rubbed his fingers against me and found what his naughty words had done. Fitz moved down my body with his tongue and lips until he lowered himself to my center.

  “All throughout dinner this evening, all I could think was how I would so much prefer being alone with you so that I might do this,” Fitz said as he licked me.

  Fitz began kissing me between my legs as he had kissed my mouth moments ago. He plunged his tongue within me and twirled it. Then, he licked, sucked, and began again. My folds felt as though they swelled, and heat pooled between my legs. I tore at the bedsheets with my hands frantic for release and desperately trying to be quiet. Painful throbbing consumed me, and just when the ache became too much, pleasure spiraled and bubbled up through me. I gasped and sobbed with each wave of pleasure. Fitz’s calloused hands were holding my legs as he entered me. He pushed into me a few times and then withdrew, turned me over to my stomach on top of pillows, lifted up on my hips, and groaned as he pushed himself back inside of me. It felt like he was even deeper inside of me, and I pulsed with another orgasm as it tore through me. I yelled my release into the pillows and was relieved that they also muffled my monitor.

  Fitz whispered, “The only thing that could make this better would be if I could watch your face while I enter you.”

  “Do you want the light on?” I asked between his strokes.

  “I have another idea,” he said as he left my body. He slid from the bed and then picked me up carrying me into the bathroom where he shut the door and turned on the lights. Fitz turned me to face the mirror. “Put your arms up and wrap them around my head.”

  I did as Fitz asked, and from behind he lifted me with his hands under my thighs. I blushed furiously at the sight of myself so openly displayed for his eyes in the mirror.

  “Don’t close your eyes. Watch me as I enter you. I want to see your expression.”

  I lowered my eyes to the bottom half of the mirror and watched as Fitz nudged apart my folds with his tip and pushed until it vanished within me. I came hard. My reaction drove Fitz wild. My breasts bounced with his energetic thrusting, and just as my arms became too tired to hold onto him any longer, he came. He withdrew from me and held me in his arms as he kissed me. Then, he held me in the shower. Fitz only placed me on my feet long enough to dry us.

  Chapter Eight

  I woke in Fitz’s arms to the incredibly loud snores of Nico. Yukihyo was on the other side of Fitz. I yawned and stretched.
Then, I rolled pleasure through Fitz with my touch to alleviate what I perceived to be a painful discomfort in his lower extremity. Oddly enough, this morning I had no desire at all and wondered if the implant below my naval had anything with which to do with it. I scooted out from under the covers and off of the end of the bed. After checking on my babies, I tidied myself up in my bathroom, grabbed a robe, and crept into my sitting room.

  Rolf handed to me a cup of coffee that I carried out to my patio where I sat and enjoyed the lightening of the pink and orange sky with the coming of dawn. Fitz quickly followed me wearing a pair of pants and nothing else. He grinned at me and took the cup Rolf offered to him. Then, Rolf handed me my vid-screen and opened it to the news reports. There were several pictures of me with Fitz, Dario, and Cormac. However, the ones plastered everywhere were of me in the arms of Dorian Avitus. I also appeared kissing the cheek of a smiling Lady Cassie Avitus. I remembered all of the hired photographers.

  A few newsfeeds were devoted entirely to Neema and Niklos. They even had pictures of me getting into Captain Carus’ transport from directly in front of the Palace which annoyed me. How had they gotten that? House Jiri had Fitz and my wedding announcement in every news feed.

  “I think your family approves of us.”

  “My family has wanted you to accept me since news of your existence became know.”

  Rolf refilled my cup.

  “Princess, Lord Yukihyo has a visitor,” Otto announced.

  “Please, send him in.” I had wondered when Uncle Kagan would show up. I braced myself for the storm. However, Otto brought Galina out to me. Standing, I went to her with my arms open. She gave me a firm hug around my waist. “Galina, I don’t sense your mother or grandmother with you. Did you come here by yourself?”

  White eyes streaked with orange and pink gazed up at me. “Mother thinks I’m a baby. I’m not. I’m twelve. I want to meet my grandmother on Chione, and she won’t let me go.”

  I kissed the top of Galina’s head. “I see. Have you had breakfast?”

  “No, Aunt Teagan.”

  “Well, how about you sit right here, and I’ll go get your uncle.”

  “Okay.”

  I met Fitz’s eyes, and he nodded that he would watch her. I took my vid-screen with me and called Adini on my way to wake up Yukihyo. Her husband answered. “Good morning. May I speak to Adini?”

  “She is still asleep.”

  “Galina just showed up here alone,” I said as I gently shook Yukihyo.

  I heard Lonon as he woke Adini. “What?” she said in alarm. I listened to the sounds of her jumping from bed and saw the screen move with Lonon through their house as he followed her to Galina’s room. “Teagan, Galina is at the Palace?” Adini asked with eyes full of orange, grey, and red.

  “Yes, Rolf is getting her some breakfast. She wants to talk to her Uncle Yukihyo because she is upset with you.”

  Yukihyo threw back the covers and went into our dressing room for clothes.

  “I’ll be there in a few minutes,” Adini said.

  I left my vid-screen on a table and returned to the patio where Galina’s attention had turned to Thunderdrop and the plate of breakfast in front of her. Fitz rose from his seat, kissed my cheek, and moved inside to give us privacy. I noticed that Galina wore black shorts and a white T-shirt with exercise shoes. It was similar to what the Palace guards usually wore during their daily runs. Yukihyo strode out to us and stood with his hip against the door frame and his arms crossed over his chest. Hot needy desire slammed through me. So much for my theory about the implant. Sensing my feelings, Yukihyo gave me a slow seductive smile that I really didn’t need right then before turning his attention to our niece.

  I wouldn’t want to be Galina at the moment. If it had been me in her place seeing him standing there like that, I would have begun to cry. However, Galina slammed her fork down and stood up.

  “Uncle Yukihyo, I’m not a baby. I have a right to meet my grandmother and see our home world. I’ve never belonged here. Mom has her Parvac husband and children. I love Dad and my brothers, but I’m different. We’re Laconian. I don’t fit in here. I’m not like the other girls. I want to see where I belong.” Galina had her arms crossed over her own chest and returned Yukihyo’s own stern look to him.

  “I will speak to Adini. Leaving home and coming here alone and unescorted was impulsive and dangerous. It was not the way to demonstrate your maturity. To be considered mature enough to visit Chione, you should demonstrate your ability to discuss your anger with your mother calmly and rationally. Acting out is not the way to handle your problems.”

  I felt explosive anger coming toward my wing. I squeezed past Yukihyo in the hope of calming Adini before she spoke to Galina. The doors to my wing were opened by the guards stationed there. Rolf and Otto stood at attention as Uncle Kagan strode inside. Smiling, I ran to him and hugged him. I held onto his arm and lifted up on my toes to kiss his cheek.

  “Good morning, Uncle Kagan. Aren’t you going to hug me back? Are you angry with me?”

  “No, Teagan. I’m not angry with my sweet girl.” He kissed my forehead.

  “Come sit with me and tell me what’s wrong.” I gave him my sweetest smile, sent love to him through our bond, took his hand, and led my huge, fierce uncle to my white couch. I lifted his huge hand in mine and kissed his palm. He was wearing hastily thrown on black pants with a black shirt and shoes. Giving him a sad look, I asked, “What’s wrong?”

  I could hear the sound of his teeth grinding.

  “Last night, my lawn was vandalized. It was completely ruined. The repairs will take hours, but the grass will look like absolute shit until next season.”

  I pouted at him. “Oh, no. That’s too bad. Maybe whoever vandalized my warehouse paid you a visit.” I couldn’t keep the satisfaction of my revenge from flowing through our bond.

  Uncle Kagan turned red in the face. “Teagan Probus,” he said angrily as he pulled me over his knees and gave me three hard swats before putting me back on the couch. “Don’t you ever pull a stunt like that again, young lady!” he said as he shook his finger at me.

  Suddenly, that shaking finger was seized, and Uncle Kagan was yanked from the couch and thrown a few feet from me toward the doors. Fitz shoved him farther. Palace guards separated the two of them. Uncle Kagan was full of shock at Fitz who had gone berserk. I sobbed and huge tears fell from my eyes. Galina stood peeking out from behind Yukihyo with an open mouth and large eyes. With my monitor beeping, I got up, ran to my room, and shut and locked the door. It woke Nico. I crawled across the bed to him and sobbed into his shoulder. Nico held me against his chest with big strong arms and rubbed my back.

  “Hey, it’s alright. Don’t cry. Everything will be okay. What’s wrong?”

  “Uncle Kagan spanked me,” I sobbed.

  “What?” Nico’s large hands held my upper arms. He slid out from under me and left the room.

  My bottom stung. I went into the bathroom, got some waste paper, and blew my nose. I heard a soft knock on my bedroom door and peeked out to find Violet and Galina. I let them inside and closed the door. They got into my bed with me and cuddled me. “They didn’t even let me help, and I’m the one who got punished. That’s not fair.”

  Violet blotted at my tears while I sniffled.

  “Your uncle feels ashamed of himself,” Galina said. “So, Uncle Yukihyo and Nico tore his yard up with rollers? Uncle Yukihyo was just telling me to be mature.” Galina snorted.

  “Excuse me,” Violet said as she got up and darted into my bathroom.

  We followed her. I held her hair while she dry heaved into the sink. Neema woke up and Galina got her for me. I turned on the water so Violet could rinse out her mouth and then led her back to her bed. Then, Niklos started crying. I went to him. Adini stormed in while I was feeding Niklos. Within seconds, she knew everything that had transpired without a single word being exchanged. Adini took Neema, changed her diaper, and sent Galina after Pierce and Lorca. Th
en, she went into my bathroom and began filling my tub.

  “Come with me,” Adini said as she led me into my bathroom. “Relax for a while. I’ll go straighten all of this out.”

  I wiped at my eyes and put my robe in the basket. Stupidly, I cried some more as I got into my massive tub. I slipped under the water’s surface. When I came back up, I found Thunderdrop perched on the edge of the tub blinking at me. I washed, got out, dried off, and dressed in soft black pants, a grey shirt, and black sandals. I braided my wet hair. Desperately, I wanted to leave the Palace and think for a while, but there was no way out without being seen.

  “We can get you out completely unnoticed,” Zared said from my bathroom door.

  “Even with Thunderdrop, my babies, Pierce, and Lorca?”

  Zared nodded and said, “Izaac, influence them to take the children out for a walk in the gardens.” Then, he held his hand out to me. I placed my hand in his. Thunderdrop jumped to my shoulder. We walked from my room, down the hall, and out to the patio unnoticed by the room full of people. I kept my attention from them and on my feet. Zared led me along a path to where Pierce and Lorca pushed the children along. “Where do you wish to go?”

  I thought about my pleasure barge, but they would find me there in minutes. “Let’s go to the other side of Parvac and go shopping and have lunch.”

  “As you wish,” Zared said.

  Izaac brought a small transport around to the back of the Palace. He had taken the children’s transport seats and placed them inside. After we were all secure, Zared drove us from the Palace. Neema tried to catch the holographic spiders that appeared in front of her and laughed each time she got one to go to the holographic web. Niklos slept. Zared parked at a public air transport station.

  “Thank you for coming along without asking any questions or telling on me. The reporters have probably already captured us anyway, though,” I said to Pierce and Lorca.

  “It is understandable that you might want some time away,” Pierce said.

  “Princess, no one has observed you as of yet. We have made certain of it,” Izaac said in my mind.