by Zena Zion
Still shaking with laughter, Errion led them to their seats beside his father.
Avery spent the entire meal answering questions about her planet and her species.
She was relieved when the time came for the meal to conclude.
“I suppose that I should allow my son to return to his chambers early tonight.” The King laughed.
“I wouldn’t complain.” Avery covered a yawn with her hand and allowed her shoulder to lean against Errion for support.
“You’re tired, I see.” The King laughed knowingly and Avery felt her cheeks redden at the implication. This only increased the Monarch’s pleasure. “Go! Go!” He waved them off. “I need an heir as soon as possible. I command you to go!”
The pair bustled off while the rest of the dinner party moved off toward the terrace.
By the time Avery crawled into bed she could barely keep her eyes open. She felt the bed sag beside her with Errion’s weight.
“You know,” his voice was a whisper in the darkness, “I can’t remember my father being this happy. Not since before my mother passed.”
Avery rolled toward him, not knowing what to say.
“This is all my fault.” She murmured. She had not thought that she had spoken loud enough to be heard until she felt Errion’s cool hand come settle on her cheek.
“He’ll get an heir, eventually.” His thumb stroked her cheek, wiping away the silent tears that had fallen.
She could not say who leaned forward. Maybe it had been him. Maybe her. More likely, both.
In the darkness their faces mouths met with a gentle fervor. Avery’s mind began to swirl with need as she threw all of her pent up emotions into the kiss. She felt his tongue slide across her lower lip and opened her mouth to grant him access. Her own warred against his as they battled for dominance.
Their bodies drew against each other, aligning in a way that their mismatched heights would never allow while standing. But here, as they lay on their sides, Avery felt herself mold against him as if she had been made to fit along the gentle curve of his body.
His hard frame against her soft curves created an intoxicating effect. They were a study in polar opposites.
He was hard. She was soft.
She was hot. He was cold.
He towered over her short stature with his immense height and perhaps most significant of all, she was riddled with emotions that Errion seemed an expert at controlling.
As her need grew, she felt his body respond against her. She froze for an instant, but the instant was enough to send reality crashing down around them.
Errion pulled away with ragged gasps as he attempted to collect himself.
Avery felt both an instant sense of loss, and thankfulness, as he rolled to his back to create some space between them.
“I’m sorry.” She felt as if she were forever apologizing to him. She was having a difficult enough time resisting his appeal without sending him mixed signals of encouragement. “That was out of line and unfair. It won’t happen again.”
“Let’s just focus on getting you home.” His voice sounded strained with discomfort and she tried not to think about the obvious reason.
Avery rolled away from him and buried her head in the pillow. What had she been thinking? First she had agreed to the contract. Then she had backed out on the agreement. So, why now did she find herself kissing Errion? Surely, it was completely insane to consider encouraging his attentions, when it was clear that they would take their interactions no further.
She released a long sigh. She wished that he would find a way to return her to Earth soon because, despite her concerns about making love to him, Errion was already proving to be a major test of Avery’s willpower.
Chapter 4: Waiting
The following weeks passed without suspicion.
Avery and Errion played the role of attentive lovers while under the watchful eyes of his people. Behind closed doors, however, they kept their distance.
Their avoidance, when alone, stemmed from an inexplicable tension that had built due to their pretended affection.
If Avery were being honest with herself, the tension was not all that difficult to understand but, she refused to evaluate the situation more closely, afraid of what she might discover.
The truth was that the artifice had transformed into heart-wrenching anxiety.
Each lingering touch left her skin burning where his hand had been.
When they would feign a lover’s whisper, she would agonize over the mere inches between their mouths. His warm breath on her shoulder or neck as he spoke would cause the fine hairs on her skin to stand on edge. What would happen if she leaned further in to him? What would he think if she closed that impossible distance, and kissed him once again?
The worst of all though, was that she found herself blushing every time she was caught under his watchful gaze. Even if there was no one to witness, Avery could not keep the color from her cheeks. She was keenly aware of Errion’s interest in this matter and, whenever he asked her what had caused distress, she quickly changed the subject.
She was embarrassed by her thoughts. Her traitorous thoughts that rages with sensual fantasies and covert longing. She reminded herself that the contract was over. That she should feel no obligation to this man, but Avery was no longer certain that it was obligation that drove her.
The problem was not that they had grown to dislike each other. In fact, it was quite the opposite.
The more time that Avery spent with Errion, the more impressed she was with what she discovered about him.
He was rigid, when it came to the issues that he ruled over. Yet, he was incredibly fair.
His future subjects adored, and revered him. His father clearly trusted Errion’s evaluations and often deferred judgement to his son. It was clear that Errion was training to become king, and that he would be an excellent one.
Then, there was his treatment of Avery herself. Not including the incredible lengths that he had gone to respect her personal wishes, Errion also went out of his way to ensure her comfort and entertainment while he was busy each day. Avery could not have asked for a more thoughtful host.
All of this made Avery feel even guiltier that she had put both of them in such danger with her prudence. She knew that Errion was still covertly trying to find a way to remove her from the planet, but that he needed to be extremely cautious with whom he approached. So far, the only viable solution was to wait the full year and then claim that they had failed to conceive and he would need to search for a more viable surrogate. The problem with this was that she had passed every medical examination.
Each week she was tested again to see if she was carrying a child. Obviously all of the results were negative and, while she still tested positive as a compatible mate, the examiners were baffled at the lack of progress.
Chapter 6: The Ball
After three months, the King decided to host a fertility ball. Apparently, this was tradition in Lanoxia when a future ruler was attempting to conceive an heir.
Avery thought this entire matter ridiculous considering that there was absolutely no reason to hope for her increased fertility, but she could not object without revealing her reasoning and therefore, was forced to agree to the party.
That evening, she wore a low-cut gown the color of sapphire. The dress accentuated her wide hips and ample bosom, both traits considered ideal for bearing children.
The exposed back and high slit revealed more skin than she cared to reveal. Errion had not seen this much of her body since the night of her arrival and she could tell that he was just as shocked at her appearance.
For the first time, she had been provided heels. The increase in her height increased her confidence significantly. Normally, she felt like a child wandering in a sea of adults because even the shortest Lanoxian bested Avery by at least three inches.
“You look stunning.” Errion’s compliment was not unusual, however, his darkened eyes and husky tone told her that tonight
the words held more meaning than his customary courtesy.
Avery laid her hand above his and allowed herself to be led into the hall.
The room was teeming with people. Each female carried a burning candle, whose smoke was wafted their way whenever they passed.
Avery found the night entertaining, for the most part. There was music and dancing, plenty of food and drink, and even a simulated night sky that darkened the room.
The downside, however, was that her nerves were on edge.
Errion’s constant proximity meant that her body was constantly on high alert. His hand toyed with the tail of her dark braid, the action causing his knuckles to brush against the bare skin of her back.
Chills raced over her skin and Avery hoped that the resulting hardening of her nipples did not show through the thin fabric of the gown.
Intuition told her that Errion was completely aware of the effect and that he was enjoying the act of taunting her.
Finally, she could stand it no more.
“I need a drink.” She had meant to sound cool and collected, but her voice came out in a panicked cry.
Errion laughed. “I’ll have one brought.” He motioned to a nearby servant but Avery stopped him.
“I’ll get it myself.” She needed fresh air. Any air that was not heavy with Errion’s presence.
His deep chuckle caused a flutter in her stomach that had her rushing away, but not before hearing the knowing, “if you must,” that followed her.
She burst out onto the terrace, where the libations were being served, and began feverishly drinking a glass of the drink she had tested on the first night.
She was leaning against the balcony, enjoying the bright sunlight, when she was approached by a group of several young women.
“How long does it take a human to conceive?” One asked, not unkindly.
Avery shrugged. “It depends.” Their curiosity was apparent.
“How long will you carry?” Another woman moved closer to Avery’s side.
“About nine months.” She informed.
“Hmm. That means that once the birth-wife returns to her planet, the Prince will choose his queen shortly afterward.” The woman who spoke was devastatingly attractive. She had long, curly auburn hair and sultry green eyes. Standing nearly as tall as Runford, this female would have made the models on Earth look like amateurs. She was thin, and firm, but still maintained a womanly curve that kept her from looking underdeveloped.
Avery tried not to stare at her perfection. She listened for a few more minutes as the women plotted her replacement. It was clear that they meant no offense, however Avery could not deny that a tendril of jealousy had taken root inside of her. She was, after all, only the hired surrogate. Why should it bother her what these women say?
She excused herself without revealing the agony that welled inside. Despite the fact that she knew Errion would still need an heir, she had not truly considered the fact that it would mean he would be with someone else. She definitely had not imagined that he would choose a Lanoxian female to raise the child.
Despite their obvious flirtations, Avery reminded herself that she was no better than a means to an end, or worse, because she was not even fulfilling her duties.
She finished the party on autopilot. Though Errion initially attempted to continue his torture, he quickly realized that she was distracted.
As early as was appropriate, Avery asked if they could leave. Errion consented and she quickly put herself to bed.
She could tell that he was awake beside her, but she stubbornly stared into the darkness. She did not want to think about what she was feeling. She certainly did not want to talk about it.
Thankfully, he did not press her, but that night they both lay awake, restless with frustration.
Chapter 7: The Change
Two days later, Avery was brooding on the terrace. The scene of her intense frustration.
She held a cup of steaming liquid in her hands as she leaned against the stone railing. Similar to coffee, the drink kept her awake through the day, despite her inability to sleep.
She had been avoiding Errion, and he knew it.
Avery knew that he was too observant to be around, that she could not hide her emotional turmoil from his watchful eyes. The only solution, was to stay away until she had the situation under control.
Or, at least until she could fake it.
She sipped the hot liquid, wishing that she could draw some magical reserves of strength from its depths.
She had been so deep in thought that she had not heard him approach.
“You’ve been hiding.” His deep tone was a statement, not a question.
Avery jumped at the unexpected sound and she felt the cup slip from her fingers as she half-spun to face him.
He moved a quick as lightening in an attempt to grab the cup, but it was too late.
Together, they watched as it plummeted hundreds of feet below to smash in the garden.
Too late Avery realized that the action had brought Errion much too close. He stood with both hands braced on the stone ledge, one on either side of her waist.
He shifted and tightened the frame around her. The determination in his eyes revealed that, now that she was trapped, he was not going to allow her to slip away without an explanation.
Avery expelled a burst of air.
“How have you been?” She smiled nonchalantly.
“Very funny.” He grumbled. “You’ve been avoiding me.”
“I just thought that you seemed really busy with your dad, I mean your father, and I figured that I know my way around well enough now to… to take care of myself.”
He raised his eyebrows and nodded, pretending to humor her.
“So… yeah!” Her voice was unnaturally cheerful. “You don’t need to entertain me any longer.”
A low hum told her that he had not fallen for her lie.
“You know,” He leaned forward. She pressed herself more firmly against the rail. “People are going to think we aren’t trying if they never see us together.”
She smiled, caught in the act. Her mind raced for a solution,
“Well, as long as we are together at night.” she shrugged and gestured toward the terrace, “It’s not like we are going to make a baby here.”
She instantly regretted her words. Errion’s eyes narrowed and the pulse at the base of his neck beat faster.
“No?” His sultry smile revealed that he was a enjoying making her uncomfortable. “You don’t think we would have tried here?”
“What I meant was…” but her words were cut off when his mouth descended to hers.
Avery gasped in surprise but not a single part of her pulled away.
Instead, she leaned into him. It was as if her body had been calling for this, and he had somehow known to answer.
Her eyes fluttered shut and her hands curled in to the collar of his shirt, pulling him closer.
Errion’s hands fell to her waist, where they began to roam freely across her torso.
His thumbs rolled across the sensitive peaks of her breasts and Avery moaned against him.
The sound, broke whatever resistance he had, for a moment later she found herself seated on the high ledge with the object of her attention standing between her knees.
Avery matched him with vigor. Her arms wrapped around his neck and her ankles hooked themselves around his waist, pulling him close.
The idea of him taking her right here, on the terrace, did not seem as far-fetched as it had a moment before.
His hands cupped her bottom and lifted her against him so that she could barely feel the solid presence of the rail any longer. Instead, she felt something else that felt similarly firm beneath her.
She had never wanted anyone this badly and the concept both frightened, and exhilarated her.
A low cough at their side had both of them freezing instantly.
Avery pressed her face into the collar of his shirt, using Errion’s body to shield
her from the intruder, as well as to cover the impressive blush that she knew would brighten her skin.
“The council is meeting.” Runford’s voice revealed no reaction to the scene he had just witnessed.
Errion cleared his throat. “I’ll just be a moment.” There was a heavy dose of amusement in his voice.
