“Praetor Jiri is surrounded by beauty here. It’s almost as though he selected the loveliest rays of the sun to illuminate further the most beautiful woman in this paradise of the Empire,” Phillip said.
Fitz and I glanced at each other and then strained to hear.
“Yes, Princess Probus is very beautiful,” a woman said.
“Her? I was speaking of you.” The woman laughed at him. “I haven’t been able to take my eyes off of you all morning.”
“As the personal physician to her majesty, shouldn’t she hold your attention?”
“Don’t worry. I watch out for her. I love her like the kid sister I never had.”
“Just as a sister?”
“Yes, a favorite one, but I’d like to love you in a completely different fashion. Let’s go back to your place, and I’ll explain in detail.”
The chaise lounge chose that moment to collapse on the other side. I failed to stifle my laughter sufficiently. Taking my hand in his, Fitz led me from our no longer secret assignation. The woman with Phillip was pretty and as big as Nico. Flustered, she curtsied deeply to me and remained down.
“Please, don’t mind us,” I said as I curtsied to her in return.
Fitz turned his back to tuck in his shirt and straighten his jacket.
“Princess, may I introduce Sophia?” Phillip asked. Through our familial bond, I could sense Phillip was almost as sexually needy as I had been moments before.
“Hello, Sophia. It’s nice to meet you.”
She stood but seemed nervous. “It is an honor, your majesty.”
Phillip said, “Sophia is a photojournalist. Praetor Jiri hired her for this occasion.”
“Well, maybe Phillip can convince you to take some pictures for us while we vacation here,” I suggested to help Phillip out.
“I’d love to,” Sophia stammered.
“Cupcake, wait. I’ll be nice,” Phillip said as he reached behind me and pulled the back of my skirt out of my underwear.
“Thanks, Phillip,” I said as I kissed his cheek and shot Sophia a nervous look of my own.
Fitz gave me his arm and walked with me back to the main room and a quiet corner with a view of the ocean. “I will get you something to drink, my love,” Fitz said as he kissed my cheek.
Nico sat beside me with empty arms. Pointing with his nose for me to look, I saw my new father walking around with Niklos in his arms. “You have made powerful allies of your own with this marriage.”
“Yes, but not powerful enough to dissuade Licinius.”
“Such attentions are inevitable.”
At the same time that Fitz returned with fresh pineapple juice for me, his father returned with Niklos who was emitting a powerful smell from his diaper region.
“Come to Mommy. I’ll get you cleaned up.”
“Princess, allow me,” Lorca said.
“No, you just made yourself a plate. Go eat. Where’s the bag?”
“In the nursery,” he answered.
Fitz showed me to the room. Yukihyo and Neema came with us. Niklos wasn’t the only one in need of a clean diaper.
Eventually, the party ended, and Fitz helped us board his yacht. He sailed us a few miles from his family home to an island. Men came to secure his boat to a berth. Leaping to the dock, Fitz held his hand out to me.
“Princess, I have a surprise for you.” His smile was charming.
We walked along a path that was shaded by flowering tropical trees with large deep orange blooms. A woman wearing a sheer, blue, sleeveless dress came forward, curtsied, and handed me a bouquet of orange and yellow flowers.
“Welcome, Princess Probus. We hope you enjoy your stay. Should you want or need anything, my name is Hako.”
“Hako, please show the Princess to her suite,” Fitz said.
With a kind smile, she said, “Right this way.” My guards had dispersed, but the rest of us followed the lady.
“What’s going on?” I asked.
“I rented out the resort for you. There is plenty of room for your entire entourage. You will have exclusive use of the spa, restaurants, and guest services as well as the beaches.”
“Wow, Fitz.”
“I thought you might enjoy a degree of privacy while not sacrificing any of the amenities.”
The room Hako showed us was open and airy. All of the retractable walls were open allowing the breeze to make the curtains dance as it came through. A light tinkling sound caught my attention. Hanging from the balcony, a delicate wind chime made of shells gave voice to the breeze. I wandered into a bedroom that had been built out over the water. The walls were of plasti-glass, and the waves seemed as though they rolled toward the bed.
“Oh, Fitz. I love it.” I felt one of the soft, pale-blue opaque curtains that could be drawn for privacy and stepped out onto the balcony.
“I took the liberty of buying you some clothing for our time here. I hope it’s okay,” Fitz whispered against my neck while slipping his arms around me. I closed my eyes savoring the feel of his lips to my flesh. “Now, let all of your worries and concerns float off with the wind and go with Hako. My wife deserves only the best.”
“Will you put these away for me?” I asked Fitz of all of the diamonds I wore.
Minus my jewelry, I followed Hako down shaded and flowered paths to a small lagoon. A small pier led out to a square platform built about a foot above the water’s surface. A massage table was centered upon the platform. Hako helped me to disrobe and lie upon the table. She gave me nothing with which to cover myself which made me uncomfortable. I concentrated on the sound of the waterfall that splashed into the lagoon a few feet away from me and closed my eyes. I heard someone approach. Soon, strong hands and fingers stroked the tension from my shoulders and neck. I groaned when the masseuse began working between my shoulder blades and to either side of my spine.
At some point, I dozed off but woke when he moved to my feet. Watching flower petals fall to twirl in lazy pirouettes upon the water’s surface, I again started to doze while he massaged my ankles. I stiffened when his hands moved past the backs of my knees and to my inner thighs. Then, his hands moved even higher.
“Woah, there, mister. How about between my shoulders again?”
I was so glad my monitor was a thing of the past. The massage had made me eager to hunt down a husband. It felt like he moved the heels of each of his palms up the backs of my thighs and over my buttocks. The hands seemed to become even more sensual as they moved across my flesh kneading and pressing.
“Um, okay. Thank you very much. I’d better be going.”
“Instead of going, why don’t you stay and give me a chance to make you come?” a deep voice asked quietly.
Shocked, and with the best heart credits could buy pounding, I sat up, covered my chest with my hands, and crossed my legs. I recognized the voice. “Luca Braga! How did you get here?”
Luca was wearing a tiny pair of swim shorts in the same shade of blue as the dress Hako had been wearing. “I disguised myself as one of your cargo bay crewmen and came along for the ride.”
Dark-brown hair curled on his chest and trailed down past his bellybutton to disappear into the miniature swimsuit that left absolutely nothing to the imagination. That nothing got bigger as I watched. On ragged confused breaths, I managed to raise my eyes back up to Luca’s. “Lay back, and I’ll do your front,” he said seductively.
“Luca, where is the person who was supposed to give me my massage?”
He leaned down putting a hand on the table to either side of my thighs. “I left him bound and gagged in a supply closet. He wouldn’t have appreciated touching every inch of your body the way I did.”
“How do you know?”
Luca grinned at me and leaned closer to whisper into my ear. “He was more interested in appreciating every inch of me. How do you think I got him into the supply closet?”
I narrowed my eyes at him. “Do you always use your sexual appeal to get what you want?”
“Let’s put it to the test.”
Luca leaned even closer, put his arms around me, and brought his lips to mine. I scooched back and over the side of the massage table. Falling, I landed on my butt with my arms flailing.
“Oof!”
“Princess!” Luca said as he rushed around the table to help me.
His grin returned as he looked down at me with my legs spread and my hands braced against the platform. Furious, I got up on my hands and knees and shoved him. It was Luca’s turn to flail and try to catch his balance. Spitefully, I gave him another push. Luca’s splash had me turning my head to the right where I caught sight of Yukihyo doubled over with laughter. Getting up, I grabbed my dress, stepped into it, pulled it over my hips, and held it to my chest. Luca stood with water dripping from him. The pool was just deep enough to lap against his hips and the muscles there that seemed to form an arrow drawing my attention downward. I ran to Yukihyo.
“Princess, please, don’t go.”
I stomped off down the pier. Yukihyo held his hand out for mine entwining our fingers. Hako had a distressed look on her face as I stormed past.
“Forgive me, Princess. Were you displeased with Aaron?”
“Aaron never showed up.” Hako looked appalled. “One of the Warrior Caste tied Aaron up, left him in a supply closet, and took his place.”
“Oh!” Hako curtsied and rushed off to free him.
“I came as soon as I sensed your annoyance. Luca will go to any lengths to win you. He is unconventional, and now he may become even more tenacious.”
“Did you know he was on our ship?”
Yukihyo spread out his hands with his palms upwards. “Tavere ordered that no action be taken against your courtiers unless you are in danger.”
“That’s not fair. Eli and Kaoti are mine. I can’t handle these warlords on my own. I need them and our clan to help me.”
“Teagan, have you failed to notice the distance the hybrids have been keeping? Through the bonds you share, they experience your…feelings. They struggle for control.”
“Oh, I’m sorry.” I felt badly for leaking my emotional havoc all over them. “I don’t know how to prevent it.”
Yukihyo kissed me. “I do not believe there is anything you can do to prevent it.”
Heavy footsteps hurried after us. Turning to look, I scowled at Luca, turned, and kept walking.
That evening under the stars with the gentle breeze caressing our skin and the waves whispering to us as they rolled onto the sandy shore, Yukihyo made love to me in our private cabana and then held me until morning came.
Chapter Thirteen
It was after breakfast, and I lounged under a pavilion while sipping my coffee. Niklos slept beside me in his bassinette with Lorca nearby. Yukihyo was playing with Neema in a few inches of water. Nico, Fitz, and Phillip were swimming laps in the ocean. I had ordered Kaoti to take some time off to be with Violet. He had made me promise that I would call him if I wanted anyone assassinated. Violet had rolled her eyes and dragged him away. Yukihyo had compromised on my promise to him and was allowing me to wear the sheer dresses the other women sometimes wore on the beaches. I was wearing a pink kaftan that didn’t hide any part of me.
My scars were still visible and had anyone who looked at me treating me like a sand dollar. I was wearing my narwhal necklace hoping that it would bring me luck and keep the Warrior Caste away. It didn’t work. A soft sound had me looking to my left. Coming right at me and carrying a huge bouquet of pink roses tied with a big white ribbon was Inquisitor Drex Licinius. At least the flowers were beautiful.
“Princess, you are the horizon brought to the surface to be worshipped by those of us with no wings to fly.” His pretty words actually made me blush. Licinius kneeled before me and placed the flowers in my arms. “I removed each thorn by hand. Forever, I will take the utmost care never to cause you the slightest hurt or unhappiness. I am yours and care only for your wellbeing.” Licinius was wearing a pair of tan shorts in the thin fabric popular on Thalassa.
“Thank you for the roses. They are lovely.” Hako glided forward. “Will you please put these in water for me?”
“Yes, your majesty.”
“Coffee?” I asked my unwanted guest while I pondered how he had found us.
“Please.”
I poured him a cup. He sat in a chair beside me opposite of Niklos and Lorca. As I handed him his cup, I said, “I read this morning that Commander Pax Cyprian was badly beaten.” I gazed down at Licinius’ knuckles. He made no attempts to hide his hands or the nanite patches. “It must have made you angry to have the prize for which you had worked so hard snatched out from under you before you could enjoy it.”
Licinius had become dark and unreadable. “I could not let his insult stand.”
“It was cruel of you to beat him. He didn’t take me to spite you. He took me to give me back a sense of control. I’m sure you know my history. Capturing me, even in such an organized and civilized manner, was one of the most traumatic things you could do to me. Then, you attack Pax?”
“Pax and I settled our disagreement like gentlemen.”
“I find your violent display of temper unsettling.”
“I find your sudden squeamishness hypocritical. You’ve had no problem with men settling their differences in the past. You’ve even bet on the outcomes.”
My cheeks heated.
“Princess, are you alright?” Eli asked having soundlessly approached.
Licinius made a sound of disbelief. “You find my behavior unsettling, but you keep Eli Beck close at hand? I left Pax in one piece. Eli tends to leave those who cross you in tiny bloody pieces. Isn’t that right, Eli?”
With wide shocked eyes, I turned to Eli who stood at attention in uniform under the shade of my pavilion.
“You didn’t tell her what you did to those miners? Their screams must have hurt your ears?”
Eli stared straight ahead.
“Leave us,” I said to Licinius who appeared smug.
My heart pounded. I knew that Eli had been spying on me ever since my blood scans and genetic code had been run through the databases on Arachne. I had also discovered that he had captured and brought Nathan Green to justice. Eli turned and began quickly to walk away. I had to run to catch him.
“Eli, wait!” He stopped but wouldn’t turn to face me. I placed my hand on his arm and walked in front of him. Eli’s eyes were unreadable. “What he said is true?”
“Yes, your highness.” Putting my hands to either side of his face, I made him look into my eyes. “Please, do not make me look into your eyes as you dismiss me from your service.”
Eli had guarded me, protected me from a distance, and sought bloody retribution against those who had harmed me.
“You’ve been fighting my monsters for me since before we ever met. Can we go someplace more private to talk?”
With Eli’s nod, I took his hand, and we walked to an enclosed cabana that was stocked with towels. I hopped up on the counter and patted its surface for Eli to join me. I reached for his hand, but he pulled it away.
“I would not have your hands stained by mine,” he said with a quiet voice. I grabbed his hand and held it close to my face examining even his fingernails. “Princess, you mock me,” he said with pain evident in his voice.
“No, I’m just struggling to understand your metaphor. I don’t see stains on your hand. What I see is a strong hand. If your hands have been stained with the blood of my assailants, it is my duty to cleanse them because some of those stains are the result of my own naivety and folly. Had I been wiser, you would have had no cause to sully them.”
Eli’s hands engulfed my own. “You are not at fault,” Eli said in affronted manner. “If ever there was a kinder or sweeter woman, I have not met her. Your gentleness and beauty made you the target of vile scum. It is my duty to fling such filth from you. However, should seeing me remind you of traumatic past events, I will hide myself from your sight. I could never forgive mysel
f were I to become one of the assailants against your happiness,” he said with weighty sincerity.
“Oh, Eli,” I said as emotion choked me. “Never leave me. When I see you, I’m reminded that I’m safe now. I don’t have to fear strangers in restaurants or being separated from my new happiness. When I see you, I see only my defender, the man who will use any means to keep me from harm. Don’t ever think I’d be better off with you out of sight. Every time I see you, I feel safe. Eli, you’re very important to me. I’d never dismiss you from my service. Alright?” I asked as I wiped my tears with my hand.
“Yes, your majesty.” I gave him an annoyed look. “Yes, Teagan.”
“Good. Now, we’ve let Licinius make us both upset and sad. Let’s punish him.”
“What do you have in mind?” Eli asked with deadly intent.
I laughed at him. “Nothing like that. Come play in the water with me. We’ll let the waves take all of this heaviness away from us. Then, your hands and our hearts will be clear of all stains between us. What do you say?”
Eli paled. “I would do as you ask, but I do not have with me the attire that pleases you.”
Wickedly, I smirked at Eli, hopped down from the counter, and with a blush slipped out of my pink kaftan. “Then, let’s go play in the ocean like true Parvacs and really piss off Licinius.”
Eli grinned at me. “Are you sure?” I nodded but tried to hide my breasts with my hair. I averted my gaze while Eli disrobed but noticed he hadn’t even been wearing underpants. “May I be of assistance?” he asked as he offered to carry me. I grinned and lifted up onto my toes to put my arms around his neck. “This is going to infuriate Drex.”
I smiled and nodded. We laughed all of the way to the water. Eli carried me out until the water was up to his chest and almost over my head. I moved my right hand back and forth over the water but stayed in his arms. He didn’t seem to mind.
Omnes Videntes (The Space Merchants Book 4) Page 21
