Her tablet caught her eye. She picked it up and threw it over her shoulder, not caring where it landed or if it broke in the process.
Why would any self-respecting jattikan want to understand and speak English anyway? Vieve had only suggested the project as a way of shutting Starling up. Bekion liked the convenience and went along with it.
Behind her, Nausic heaved a sigh before leaving the doorway.
Good.
She hoped they all left her alone. They could lock the closet door and only open it again when they needed to change her paper and give her food and water.
Her pity party lasted only long enough for her anger to cool and boredom to set in. She looked over her shoulder at the closet door. If anyone occupied the rooms outside, they weren’t making noise.
She didn’t want to see anyone though. Her gaze traveled to her discarded tablet. She left the bed and retrieved it.
The tablet started with no problems. Her abuse hadn’t damaged it. She continued the section on slang terms and compound phrases. She almost felt sorry for the poor translation program. It kept trying to correct her on words like bad and cool since they didn’t fit any previous usages.
She’d found out some days ago, the tablet was a type of artificial intelligence. It liked to point out the convoluted nature of her language. She spent most of her time having to explain why certain words meant one thing when in one situation but something totally different in another. In this instance, firefighter, crime fighter and freedom fighter were giving it fits. The AI assumed a freedom fighter fought against freedom. Starling spent a large chunk of time arguing it down. The computer probably thought she was stupid or didn’t have the proper grasp of her own language.
The little power struggle with a logical entity made Starling giggle in spite of her upset. The closet door opened, interrupting her amusement. A maid entered, carrying a tray. She set it on the end of the bed, uncovered it, bowed and then left. Starling guessed Nausic had instructed the woman not to speak to her.
Good. Starling didn’t feel like talking to anyone but the tablet. She did nibble at the food because it was there. She didn’t protest or even acknowledge the maid who returned some time later to retrieve the tray.
Nausic peeked in on her a few times but he didn’t speak either. He simply nodded and left once more.
Starling didn’t register how much time had passed until another maid brought in another tray of food. Dinner this time. Starling didn’t have an appetite so she ignored it. The slang section was almost finished. That meant she could move on to idioms. If the AI gave her fits over slang, it would burn out a few circuits with the idioms.
Noise drifted into the closet from the outer chamber. The servants were bustling around more than usual. Bekion must have returned or would soon. Neither mattered since she refused to see him. She didn’t even want to hear him.
She picked up the dinner tray, put it outside the closet and then slammed the door. The sounds of the servants stopped for a minute. Her actions must have surprised them into silence.
She went back to her bed and the tablet. Her arm cuff beeped, startling her. She looked down at it.
A message of tiny printed red letters from Nausic appeared. King Bekion wishes to know if you are well.
So many responses came to mind. She settled on the one that took the least amount of effort on her part. Using her finger, she wrote back, Fine!
She could have given a voice reply but she refused to waste the energy. Nausic had shown her the many functions of her armbands in case she had a non-dire emergency that didn’t require the personal alarm bells.
The cuff beeped again. Nausic wrote, King Bekion is entering to disable the cuffs so you can sleep.
The door started to open after the message appeared. Starling ran to it and threw her full weight against it, slamming it shut once more.
She wrote back, Stay out!
Silence stretched for several breaths before she heard a loud sigh and Bekion’s retreating footsteps.
The cuff beeped once more. Muffle the armbands if you refuse to let them be deactivated. I don’t want to be summoned by accident.
Fine. Go away.
Nausic replied with the jattikan equivalent of a winking smiley face. Sleep well.
She kept her flip reply to herself and stayed leaning against the door until all sound outside the closet stopped. When she was sure no one else would try to enter, she left the door.
Pulling down some scarves from a nearby shelf, Starling wrapped her arm cuffs. She planned to go to sleep later but she didn’t want to forget and receive a rude awakening.
She returned to her tablet though sleep claimed her soon enough. Her last thought was a silent prayer for a restful sleep with no dreams.
The sensation of floating and warmth encompassing her body roused Starling. A soft beep made her open her eyes.
Bekion whispered, “I didn’t mean to wake you.”
She stared at him in confusion. “What’s going on?”
“Nothing. Go back to sleep.”
He laid her against his pillows then settled down beside her.
“What are you doing? You don’t want me on your bed.” The statement made sense to her sleep-muddled brain. She rolled to the edge of the bed.
Bekion grabbed her back and tucked her against his chest. “It’s fine. Go to sleep.”
She stared at him a little longer.
He passed his hand over her face, closing her eyelids. “Sleep.”
Something about the situation bugged her but she couldn’t think what. She normally slept with Bekion. That thought made sense. She settled against his warmth and returned to peaceful slumber once more.
The error of her sleeping arrangements became apparent when she woke the next morning. Then her anger returned. She wanted nothing more than to kick Bekion in the head for his wakeup call.
She might have followed through on the urge if she could move. He held her trapped against his chest with one of his hands beneath her shirt, cupping her bare breasts. That seemed to be his favorite position. He even had his thigh between her legs, locking her in place. She couldn’t budge him though she tried without waking him.
“I’m sorry,” Bekion said in a husky whisper.
Starling stopped trying to wiggle free.
“I don’t see you like that.” His hold on her tightened. “You are not a dumb animal to me.”
She whispered back, “I’m not a woman to you either.” She gasped when Bekion moved his hand, massaging one of her breasts. His movements edged her nightgown up, exposing her chest.
“Shall I prove you wrong?” He laid a kiss on her neck.
Starling started struggling but to no avail. “What the hell do you think you’re doing? What about all that talk of deviants and low nobles?”
“I said those words to make you shun me, which you did.” He turned Starling onto her back then claimed her lips in searing kiss that left her breathless. “Thank you. It didn’t help my wayward situation but I made the effort.”
Starling freed one of her arms and pushed at Bekion’s head. “Stop. This cannot go anywhere. You know it and so do I. It may piss me off but I don’t expect you to do this.”
“I want to.”
“Because you know you shouldn’t. The forbidden is always the most attractive.”
“Yes, you are.” He rolled his head out of her hands and aimed his mouth at her exposed nipple.
All Starling’s arguments ceased as her body flooded with heat from that one point of contact. She clutched at the edge of the blanket, balling it into her mouth so it muffled her sounds of pleasure.
What time was it? Would someone knock at the door soon and announce breakfast? Did Bekion lock the door?
She couldn’t lie here and let this happen. She also couldn’t make her body obey the command to move away from the sweet sensations Bekion’s lips gave her. It had been too long. Her body craved this intimate attention.
A familiar chime
from Bekion’s arm cuffs pulled Starling out of her semi-euphoric state. She buried her fingers in his hair when she meant to tap his head. She rasped, “Your armband is chiming.”
He said around her nipple, dancing his tongue against her flesh, “Ignore it.”
“What if it’s important?”
“It’s not or they would use the emergency line. Your attention should be for me.” He settled his weight on top of her, pressing her into the mattress.
He braced his upper body on his elbows so his full weight didn’t crush her. Starling didn’t mind and wanted to feel more of him. She liked having him above her. The thin blanket spread over Bekion’s back enveloped them both, trapping his spicy scent so it filled her senses.
The chiming cuff faded into the background. Bekion trailed kisses from one breast to the other before taking one nipple into his mouth. Her breathing turned shallow. She pressed upward, wanting to feel more.
She couldn’t believe how hot Bekion’s mouth made her feel. Every delicious sensation from his tongue vibrated through her whole body, which felt more sensitive.
“Bekion!” yelled Vieve as she slammed open the door. “You didn’t answer your cuff.”
Starling ducked down at the same time Bekion let himself drop to the bed, covering her fully with his body and the blanket. She held her breath and hoped Vieve hadn’t seen her.
Bekion gave a groaning sigh. “Vieve, I locked that door. Only my guards have an override code. How did you open it?”
Vieve snorted. “Please. Like some simple lock or lack of an override code could keep me from performing my duties.” She waved a tablet in Bekion’s direction. “I gave this to you to sign before you retired for the night.”
“I have no intention of signing that.”
“Bekion?” Rois stood near the door.
Another groan escaped Bekion before he snapped, “Close the door.”
Rois nodded and pulled the door closed, leaving Vieve, Bekion and Starling alone.
Starling used the momentary distraction to try shifting in an inconspicuous way so she could breathe. Bekion moved as well but he covered her more. He probably thought she was nervous. Meanwhile her body struggled for more air.
Vieve said, “This document is important, Bekion. It’s also time sensitive. I thought to have it out of the way by this morning and—” She stopped with an annoyed sound of her own. “Stop squirming around like that and let Starling out from beneath that blanket before you suffocate her.”
Starling stopped trying to get free and held her breath.
Bekion asked in a disbelieving voice, “Vieve, you knew?”
“I don’t care. I do care about these forms you refuse to sign. Give me a valid reason or sign them.”
Starling pushed at Bekion’s chest.
He moved to the side, lifting the cover. She thankfully sucked in the cool air. When she would have left the bed, Bekion grabbed her wrist and pulled her back against his chest once more. She looked over her shoulder at him and then Vieve.
The woman seemed unfazed at Starling’s state of semi-undress.
Bekion said, “Vieve, sometimes you surprise me.”
She shrugged her indifference. “What you do in private is not my concern and not worth wasting breath repeating. However—”
“I have no intention of signing a request I have not fully read.”
She thrust the tablet out at him. “Then read it.”
Bekion raised an eyebrow at her. “Vieve, I allow you much. Do not overstep yourself.”
Vieve looked at Starling and then back at Bekion. “Fine. You two are talking again. I’ll leave you to it. You are reading this while you eat, however.”
“Leave.”
She sketched a quick bow and exited.
Bekion left the bed, followed her to the door and locked it.
Starling sat up, straightening her nightgown as she went. “Now what?”
He returned and sat beside her. “I am lucky those who surround me are loyal to a fault. They protect me no matter what I do.” He caressed her cheek. “Even when what I do is wrong.”
Starling sighed as she leaned back, pulling away from Bekion’s touch. “Different words, different tone, same meaning.”
Bekion let his hand drop. “Yes.”
“I know.” She left the bed. “I know. It’s bestiality.”
“Don’t say that.”
“It is. Everyone in this empire knows it. You know it. All someone has to do is report you and you could lose your crown.”
Bekion smiled at her. “I see you measure Gorov by the laws of your world. In this matter, our justice systems differ. One needs to do more than report a crime for it to be tried. There must be proof. As my pet, you cannot testify.”
“So if Vieve had snapped some pictures and presented those, then you would be in trouble.”
He nodded. “As well, if more than five credible witnesses all report seeing the same thing.”
“Bribery would take care of that.”
“To falsely accuse is to chance suffering the same punishment the accused would have endured. The same is true for those who accuse without proof. Such laws passed generations ago to dissuade people from abusing the laws for their own gain. Many past lords and monarchs lost much because of false accusations.”
“Witch hunts. I know all about those. So, not much finger-pointing happening here. That doesn’t matter. We’ve been lucky. Vieve and Rois are loyal. Can you say the same for everyone else who might barge through that door, locked or not? What’s to keep someone from blackmailing you if they catch us?”
“Blackmail carries twice the sentence as the crime of the one blackmailed. As well, those who witness a crime and do not report it are tried along with the accused as conspirators.”
“But you said they couldn’t testify without proof or four other people to corroborate their story.”
“There is a difference between reporting and accusing.”
“So if I see someone doing something wrong, don’t report it and that person goes to trial and it’s found out that I knew about their wrongdoing and said nothing, then I would be on trial right along with them—if I were a jattikan.”
“Yes.”
“Vieve and Rois won’t file the reports.”
“No.”
Starling would have asked another question but a saddened look crossed Bekion’s face. She put her hand on his knee. “What’s wrong? Are you worried Rois and Vieve will file the report?”
“No. I said already they are loyal to me. I think of my father.”
“I haven’t met him.”
“You won’t. He exiled himself shortly after Kuruk’s birth. Supreme Emperor Udo needs my father and the proof he has in his possession before Udo can accuse my mother.”
“Accuse your mother of what?”
“That I cannot say because I do not know. My parents kept their secrets far from me so I could ascend the throne without contest. I have heard rumors and whisperings. Knowing my mother as I do, I believe most of them.”
Starling stepped back, a little overwhelmed. What had started out as a simple conversation about restraint and denial had turned into so much more. “But why does Supreme Emperor Udo need your father? He’s the supreme emperor. He should be absolute.”
“My father once told me the supreme emperor rules only because the monarchs of the empire allow it. The empire wasn’t always known as Gorov. It once carried the name Valneut, now the poorest planet in the empire even after all these centuries. They abused their power. The monarchs rose up with Gorov at the helm and overthrew them. Gorov’s then monarch was declared emperor and the empire’s name changed.”
“What’s that got to do with your mother? Is she planning a revolution?”
“She isn’t that ambitious. However, Tinette is much beloved the empire over. She championed many lost causes and fought against unfair laws. Her actions benefitted several planets of the empire. True, she did so to put those planets in her de
bt but she did it nonetheless. Udo knows her popularity. If he accuses her without solid proof, his position will weaken.”
“Which is why he wants your father so badly. Haven’t you people ever heard of spousal privilege?”
“No.”
Starling blinked at him in surprise. She’d expected him to say yes. “It’s a law where I’m from that says something like the courts cannot compel a person to testify against their spouse about things shared in confidence.”
“An interesting law but not one we have here. Only pets and slaves carry such immunity.”
“And no one else witnessed any of Tinette’s crimes besides her husband?”
He gave her a rueful smile. “None would be foolish enough or brave enough to speak out against her. Tinette knows a great deal of damaging information about many monarchs and nobles of the empire. She alone is privy to the information though I suspect she has a way of relaying it to my father. The chance that she may speak out against others to lighten her own punishment keeps her accusers at bay.”
“Smart woman.”
“Very.”
Starling met his gaze. “She gave birth to a smart son. One who knows this thing between us cannot happen. Ever.”
Bekion folded her hands in his and brought her close. “It would be easier for me to accomplish such a feat if you found my attentions unappealing. I do not force myself on the unwilling.” He kissed her hands one at a time. “Tell me you don’t want me. That will end it.”
She tried but her lips refused to speak that lie, not even to save them both. Her body craved Bekion’s touch. This longing went far beyond loneliness or sexual frustration.
“I can’t.” She dropped her gaze and freed her hands. Separating from his warmth and denying the promise of more passion took more willpower than she had ever used before.
She shook her head at him as she turned, presenting him her side. “But that doesn’t mean anything, Bekion. I know you pretty well after watching you these past two months. Even if everyone on Panagiota vowed never to tell, you won’t do it. The guilt of breaking the law would eat you alive.”
He laughed but there was no humor in it. “My mother always accused me of being too honest. It is interesting to hear the same insult from you.”
Pet's Pleasure Page 15
