Minder

by Viola Grace

  “Interesting and you will not distract me. I don’t want you going anywhere without either your guards or my own.” It was an order. There was no mistaking it for anything else.

  “Yes, your Majesty.”

  He winced. “Don’t call me that. If you must use a title, call me Sir.”

  “Ah, is that why Von calls me Madam?”

  “Yes. I don’t like the extra strictures of title unless I am dealing with other heads of state.”

  “Ah. A rebel. It’s a good thing to know.” He was removing his hand from around her waist and she found that she missed it. They stood in front of two closed double doors.

  He placed her hand on the back of his wrist and took a deep breath. “Cocktail hour. I do so hate it.” He nodded and the doors swung open.

  Aleyn leaned over and whispered in his ear as they started to walk into the room full of courtiers and dignitaries, “It’s show time.” Then raised her head and sailed in at his side. In for a penny, in for a pound.

  Chapter Eight

  Aleyn swung through their bedroom door and immediately ran to flop on the bed. “Well that was fun. Let’s never do that again.”

  He chuckled and started to strip off his shirt and trousers, pausing to remove his boots. “I would apologize, but you were magnificent and they were impressed with you despite themselves.”

  “Eh. They were all full of themselves. I doubt I registered much. The food was amazing though.” Fighting the strictures of her clothing, she tried to get back on her feet. The wrap was holding steady. Von had done a good job.

  “Let me help.” Baileez stood in front of her and gestured for her to twirl with one finger. A few sharp tugs later and he had the loose end in his hand. He pulled gently and she began to spin, unwinding her wrap with each rotation. When the tail of the fabric slipped free, she stumbled into him. “Caught you.”

  “Yes. Yes, you did.” Pinned to his chest, she looked up and admired the strong line of his jaw, the clean full shape of his lips and the twinkle of lust and good humour in his eyes. She reached up to tug at the golden strands of his shaggy hair to run her fingers through it. Clenching her hand at the base of his skull, she brought him down for her kiss, a smooth brush of lips that rocked her to her core. She inhaled sharply, caught up in the musk of his scent and went back to him for another meeting of the lips. Practice certainly did make perfect and she held back the twinge that went through her at the thought of his educational companions. Jealousy could wait. Now was time for more serious pursuits.

  The pressure of his hands on her spine, ribs, belly and breasts had her shaking in mere moments. “My queen, you seem unsteady.” Laughter was rippling through Bai as he held her, trailing small kisses across her jaw and down her neck, stimulating nerves that she didn’t realize she had.

  “Must have been a hard day.” Aleyn pressed her hips to his and rocked them from side to side as the ridge of his flesh heated her skin through the gauze of her gown.

  “Very hard and if it gets much harder I am going to come in my trousers.” He set her back from him and rapidly and efficiently removed his clothing. The flared head of his cock was dripping with precum and arched almost to his belly. Smiling, she folded her fingers around it and used her hand to spread the moisture along his length.

  She hummed happily as her hand worked him, enjoying the way he closed his eyes and shuddered as she stroked and teased. Her own arousal had run high the moment that he had run his lips across her neck and she simply blanked her mind to all thoughts to enjoy the moment.

  “Not so fast little one.” He pried her hand from him and she pouted. “I don’t want it to be over before I get inside you. We have time, Aleyn, don’t forget that. The rest of our lives.”

  “I don’t know if I believe that yet. I think I need convincing.” Her smile was coquettish, a first for her. It was the first time she had really felt like a flirt in her entire life, not including the night she lured Baileez into bed.

  His hands gripped her waist and she was flying through the air to skid across the bedding, slowing down just before she came to rest against the headboard. He shifted his hands into claws and tore through the gauze of her gown, stripping her in seconds. Those same claws traced her neck, the slope of her breasts and scrapped the apex of her nipple until she was panting with the effort to remain still. Those claws were sharp.

  His jaws elongated to form a muzzle, licking and nipping at her flesh as she struggled not to squeal with urgency.

  Chapter Nine

  Waking up in Baileez’s arms was wonderful, having Von do the waking was a bit disturbing though. She reluctantly stumbled to the bathing chamber and took a quick shower. Von kept Bai from joining her, much to her mate’s disgust.

  The royal couple had to make their daily appearance and nothing was going to hold up the schedule. Aleyn’s dress for this day was a brilliant blue with a red wrap that Von put in place in record time. He really didn’t seem to mind the role of lady’s maid, he performed his duties swiftly and politely.

  Her guard was waiting for her when she left their chambers and she nodded to the four on duty. She would learn their names later. Aleyn could just pluck it from their heads, but that would be rude as well as a stab in the eye of Citadel ethics.

  Today, no one was willing to take a run at her. A few wanted to, but none would commit to the act. Good for them, she could live without gripping someone’s mind again.

  The rest of the week flew by in rounds of formal occasions, dances, dinners and nights spent in the arms of the father of her child. She almost relaxed her guard. Almost.

  The final day of her probation there was another attack. This time, five wolves attacked her at the same time. Four engaged her guard while one lunged for her throat.

  With all the minds in frenzy so close to her, the wolf knocked her down before she could grab his mind. Teeth gnashed as he approached her face and she struck out with her mind. She didn’t strike to stop him, she struck to kill. With a yelp and a twitch, her attacker fell aside. His limbs thrashed for a moment and then stilled.

  The audience chamber was silent. Baileez was on his feet, staring in horror. Her guards had made quick work of the other wolves, two shifting into that form to battle. Shaking, she took two of her guard’s hands to get to her feet. She straightened her gown, unintentionally swiping blood across the bodice. The courtiers in the room were still watching silently. She slowly made her way to her new throne, next to Baileez’s. Her beloved took her hands and kissed her bleeding palm, then helped her sit next to him.

  The master of the petitioners called forth those who would bring concerns to the King. No one moved.

  He called out again. This time there was an answering voice from the back of the room. “I would speak to you, King Baileez.”

  “What about?” He called out and took Aleyn’s hand. She squeezed his hand back gratefully. It was only when the petitioner made his way to the front of the crowd that she felt the sting of dread.

  The Citadel Chancellor bowed low. “I am here to address the theft perpetrated by Minder Aleyn Zargas of the Alliance protectorate of Terra.”

  Baileez looked confused and Aleyn sighed. She knew that it would come to this, the instant that he had told her of the charges he had laid at her door. The Citadel would not stand for someone using their training to abuse another creature.

  “Chancellor, is there any way that we could do this with slightly more privacy? I am assuming that you brought a tribunal with you.”

  “We can. Do you have a place?”

  “Von? Would you please arrange somewhere more private for us? This is going to share private information about me and my training that I would not like to be made common knowledge.” Von nodded to her and gestured for her and her two humanoid and two wolfen guardsmen to follow. Baileez and his guardsmen brought up the rear, followed by the Chancellor who was speaking into his com.

  The room was one of Aleyn’s favourites. The library. Von even sent for tea. Sh
e took up a comfortable position on a couch and, with her prodding, Von moved some desks into a row across from her. The Chancellor took the centre desk, and as the other Citadel representatives came through the doors, she was ready for any questions.

  It was a good thing, they started with the question she didn’t want to answer.

  “All these proceedings will be recorded for the Citadel Archive. Do you agree?”

  “I agree.”

  “King Baileez? Do you agree?”

  “I don’t know where this is going, but I agree.”

  “Excellent. Minder, did you rape or force in any way the sex between you two?”

  Bai looked shocked, but Aleyn answered, “No. I simply used my body. He appreciated it and fell under my spell.”

  “Minder, the next morning, you completed an illegal mind wipe. What memories did you take?”

  “I took his memories of me. Of our coupling. I gave him a memory of being with his mistress instead. I don’t know how he jogged the memory loose.”

  “Your Majesty, how did you manage to know that something was missing from your mind?”

  “Chancellor, it was the smell. She has a bright sweet smell, like sunlight and citrus. Vaiu has a muskier scent. It could not have been my leman.”

  “Ah. Very good. Did your memories come back?”

  “They did, Chancellor.”

  “Then the charge of her wiping memories is answered. Not guilty.”

  Aleyn drew a deep breath. She knew what was coming next.

  “Minder, on your first public exposure here on Hickom, you were attacked and you soothed the attacker’s anger with your talents. Could that have been avoided?”

  “No, sir. I was caught by surprise. It was a reflex that I should have sensed the attack to avoid it.”

  “Why did you not know it was coming?”

  “I was not using my powers to scan the crowd. I did not feel it was necessary.”

  “Very well.” He looked to the other three chancellors and then back at her, “On that charge, not guilty. Now, for the final charge. Using your training to kill. We saw it first hand this morning. For this charge, in front of witnesses, you will have to serve a sentence term.”

  Baileez sat up and slammed his hand down on the nearest piece of wood. “No. You cannot take her from me.”

  “We can. We are the Citadel and she is a Minder of the Citadel.” A woman on the end was smug.

  Baileez debated whether she should or should not be sent anywhere.

  She held up her hand and stood. “I will not be going anywhere. Today, I became Queen of Hickom and as queen, I am allowed to defend my body and my offspring by whatever means necessary. If that means is by mental attack, I will do it and not think twice.”

  “You cannot! As a Minder of the Citadel…”

  Aleyn held up her hand. “I was retired forcibly from the Citadel for this very reason before I left. I am now simply a mentally educated citizen of the Alliance, as are thousands of others over the worlds. I cannot be punished by you because you no longer have any right to my or the fruits of my work.”

  She turned to the tribunal and addressed them all, feeling Baileez’s hand engulf her own. “Each patient that I took on, each mind that I healed, I had to match before I could help to take the fear, hate and madness. I officially retired two months ago, there is a signed witness statement in the Archive. They only existing hold on my contract was lack of an offspring and Bai has taken care of that. There is nothing to create a hold over me, but I let you speak your piece. You are now done. This is concluded. I need to get into the rhythm of being Queen of Hickom. They are a tricky race you know. But lots of fun and I love them all.”

  The tribunal nodded and stiffly left the room.

  “So you knew they couldn’t take you.”

  “Yep.”

  “And you were going to share this information with me when?”

  “Uh, now?”

  “I am so going to paddle your ass until you can’t sit.”

  “Brave words from a guy who needs a flea dip.” She made the mistake of looking into his eyes and he was deadly serious. “No way, you can’t spank me. I outgrew spankings years ago.”

  He scooped her into his arms and strode to their private rooms. She thought he was kidding until he sat on the chest at the foot of their bed and laid her face down in his lap.

  The slow drag of the gauzy fabric up her calves and thighs had her hoping for a different outcome, but as soon as he had wedged her wrap so that her buttocks were clear for his hand, he pounced. Smack. She exhaled heavily and braced herself for the next one, but he had a detour in mind. He reached between her thighs to slide two fingers into her. He grunted and then his hand fell again and again. The smacks took on a sharp rhythm and every now and then, when she was braced for it, he would slide two digits into her. She knew what he was finding, wet heat. It had started about a minute after he did. He kept smacking her butt cheeks with harsh strength, but did not cause her agony, just discomfort and lust.

  “You did not outgrow spankings, you merely outgrew your parents. I am not your parent and you fit me just fine.” Smack. “You are never—” Smack. “To surprise me—” Smack. “With the knowledge that someone can take you from me.” Smack. As suddenly as he had started, he stopped and flipped her on her back to the bed.

  Her reddened skin burned as it pressed into the fabric. Aleyn gasped as he parted her thighs and used his tongue to cool her heated core. He made sure that her body was well ready to receive him and then with a tug and a loosening of his trousers, his cock was free and he was inside her.

  She moaned as each thrust irritated her inflamed buttocks, the pleasure and pain flared into a confusing mixture as she grew closer to her release. She gasped, shuddered and shrieked as he reached beneath her to dig his fingers into her buttocks. He held her to him as he pounded into her. Her breath whooshed out of her when he stopped, her eyes opened in surprise.

  He was glaring at her and he punctuated his next statement with a thrust for every word. “You are. Never. To. Endanger. Yourself. Or our child. Again.” His face hadn’t shifted, but his eyes glowed yellow.

  “I won’t. I promise.” She touched his mind lightly, he was furious and concerned. He had suffered fear of loss when the Citadel came for her and more fear all week as his people tried to kill her. It was typical really, when men felt fear, anger was on its heels. When anger showed up, lust was in its wake. “I promise.”

  He leaned forward and rested his forehead on hers. He whispered, “I don’t want to lose you. I have only just found you.” His lips took hers in a gentle kiss, and with one more shift of his hips, she went over into her climax. Her inner muscles convulsed around him and he answered with an arched back, a hard thrust and a guttural groan. His release took everything out of him. He dropped onto her sweaty and still clothed body.

  Blinking in surprise, Aleyn unwrapped her legs from his hips, she hadn’t even realised that she had done it. “I am truly sorry, Bai. I knew that they would come for me the instant that you put out that APB. That you didn’t realize it surprised me, but you don’t know the ways of the Citadel.”

  He nuzzled at the side of her neck, her cheek and forehead. “I am no longer angry, I should have known that given your responsibilities there would be repercussions.” The feel of his lips and chin stroking at her made her feel safe, protected, and despite her burning backside, incredibly loved.

  Chapter Ten

  Shopping with her guard and Vaiu was usually fun, but the ache in her back was driving her nuts. Aleyn had to fling her parcels at one of the guards when her stomach got in on the action.

  “Madam! Are you alright?” Vaiu held onto her as she doubled over in pain. The ex-leman was now engaged to be married to a charming Earl who worshipped the ground she walked on.

  “I think his tiny lordship is trying to make his entrance into the world. We had better get back to the palace.” The wrap that Von had put over her belly gave her enough
support and she was able to walk well enough between contractions.

  The instant that they did hit however, she buckled over and held her enormous belly until they passed. Her guard wanted to carry her, but the classes that she had taken with the midwife had advocated walking to bring on labour. The two kilometres back to the palace should do it.

  It was a slow progress, but one of the townspeople had run to the palace to alert Baileez. He came out to get her just as a particularly crippling tightening of her uterus was racking her.

  “Why did you walk out, Aleyn?” He scooped her into his arms and carried her bulk back to the palace.

  “I needed some more things for the baby.” She felt the hostility an instant before the moron struck. “I am so not in the mood for this.”

  “For what?”

  The assassin plunged out of the crowd that had gathered to watch Bai bring her home. She simply looked at him and fed him her labour pains. “That assassin twit. The idiot thought that you were vulnerable because you were caring for me.”

  Baileez looked down at her. “What did you do to him?” He looked over at the man writhing and clutching his belly and groin.

  “I just gave him my contractions. All of them. He should be out of it for a while.” She was smug as her guard took up the assassin and Bai’s fought their laughter.

  “Is it very painful, love?” His murmur was against her hair and she felt the depth of his concern.

  “It is just a necessary part of the process. A few hours from now and we will have our son.”

  “Hours? I don’t know if I can watch you like this for hours.”