Pet's Pleasure

by Renquist, Zenobia

  Webber yelled, **What? He’ll sell our kids!**

  Starling said in a deadpan voice, **Like any owner who decides to breed their pets.**

  **That…that…** Webber stopped.

  Silence stretched. Bekion remembered that moment. Webber had hugged Starling. She’d looked so sad. He had thought his attentions caused that sadness. He couldn’t have been more wrong.

  Webber asked, **You want children, don’t you?**

  **Wanted. Past tense. I won’t bear a child only to watch it be taken away.**

  Bekion stopped the playback and let his head fall into his hands. “How can she believe I would sell her children?”

  “Because you never told her otherwise, Bekion.” Rois bowed when Bekion looked over his shoulder at him. “I knocked but you didn’t answer.”

  Bekion tensed. How long had Rois stood there? What had he heard?

  Wait.

  Why was Bekion worried? Rois wouldn’t be able to understand the conversation because the man’s nanites hadn’t been updated with Starling’s language. Rois had only answered the question Bekion asked but wouldn’t know what had prompted it.

  Bekion asked, “What do you want?”

  Rois bowed farther. “I wanted to apologize for my earlier words. I was out of line. Though you threatened exile, I knew I couldn’t leave things the way I had. I apologize for my impertinence.”

  “Yes, you were impertinent.” Bekion shook his head. “But it was what I needed to hear. You’re right. I do need a proper heir. I cannot have one with Starling.”

  “That doesn’t mean you cannot have her.” Rois straightened and moved closer. In a low voice, he said, “None of us judges you for your actions, Bekion. In fact, though this may upset you, many of the guards find Starling quite attractive and pleasing to be around. They envy you her presence in your bed. She isn’t like the other humans. She looks and acts like any other jattikan woman, albeit shorter. That makes it hard for us to remember she is supposed to be an animal.” He stopped and looked a little worried. “I’m sorry I called her that. I don’t think of her that way. But I needed some way to impress upon you the importance of the situation.”

  Bekion said in a rueful voice, “Perhaps Supreme Emperor Udo might be persuaded to see Starling and Webber are not animals if I introduce them to him.”

  “It’s worth a try. I’m sure the movement would thank you for helping them achieve their goal.”

  “Yes.” Bekion looked at his arm cuff.

  “Do you want me to leave? I didn’t mean to listen but I didn’t feel right interrupting.”

  Rois’ expression of embarrassment gave him away. Bekion stood. As he did, Rois took several steps back.

  Bekion said, “You were the one who told Vieve I was in a bad mood.”

  “I passed her in the hall prior to her coming here—yes.” Rois’ embarrassment shifted to guilt. He glanced over his shoulder at the door.

  Bekion looked at the cube. “It isn’t your place to invade my privacy more than is necessary to do your job, Rois.” His voice grew louder with every word. He pinned the man with his angry gaze.

  “I know that. I assumed you would make the translation available to the guards once you—”

  “The others have it too?” Bekion yelled.

  “No, Bekion. No. Vieve only allowed me. She said she would deliver the cube and let you decide who else would be privy to it. She values Starling’s privacy and knows Starling’s mother language is one of the few freedoms she is allowed.”

  Bekion snapped his mouth shut and turned away. He needed to calm down. It might not be as bad as he thought. “How much did you hear?”

  Rois didn’t answer.

  Bekion faced him once more. The man had moved closer to the door and appeared ready to flee at the first chance.

  “You heard it all.”

  Rois sighed then nodded.

  Bekion sank to his seat. There was no help for it. “This information is private. You will treat Nausic no differently, do you understand me?”

  “I would never… He’s my friend as much as you are, Bekion. We’ve known each other too long to let something so inconsequential come between us.” Rois’ lips lifted in a mischievous grin. “I will, however, feel the need to tease him. You understand, of course.”

  “So long as it is in a jovial manner and not malevolent, I have no problems. He shouldn’t either.”

  “Of course.” Rois relaxed.

  Bekion regarded his arm cuff. As much as he wanted to tell Rois to leave, what was the point? “There is only a little left.”

  He pushed play.

  Webber said in a low voice, **I’m sorry.**

  Starling made a negative noise. **You don’t have to be. I’m beginning to get used to all this. And I wasn’t sure I ever really wanted children in the first place. One request though.**

  **Name it.**

  **If Bekion doesn’t get his head out of his ass sometime soon, could I hit you up for some pity sex? I know I’m not your type but I’m getting kind of antsy and my own two hands aren’t doing it for me.**

  **Bastard should be beat for starting the engine and not going for a ride.** There was a quick wet sound of lips touching. **I’m all for pity when you need me. Okay?**

  **Thanks.**

  **Sorry for interrupting.**

  Starling’s request made Bekion’s blood freeze. Rois stepped back quickly when Bekion stood, sending his chair crashing backward.

  “Go back,” Bekion barked. “We must return to the palace. Now.”

  “As you command.” Rois ran from the room.

  Bekion could only stare at the arm cuff. Starling had asked Webber for sex if Bekion didn’t deliver. Bekion had left Starling alone with Webber these last five days, abandoning her out of misplaced anger.

  “I’m an idiot,” he said then cursed.

  He hoped he wasn’t too late.

  Chapter Seventeen

  “You still moping?”

  Starling didn’t bother answering Webber’s question. Anyone who looked at her could tell the answer. Her depressed mood even had Furielle worried. Furielle, Nausic and Webber had tried a variety of things to get Starling to at least smile. She didn’t feel like it.

  She didn’t understand why Bekion had left her. Not only had he left her, he hadn’t so much as called in the last six days. He hadn’t even contacted Nausic for a report of Starling’s well-being.

  That hurt.

  She sighed. The room was too quiet. Bekion had left and taken the majority of his servants with him. Only Furielle, Nausic and a handful of maids Starling saw at mealtimes remained.

  Webber put his arm around her shoulders. “Come on, Star. You’re starting to depress me.”

  “Then go away,” Starling grumbled, shaking off his arm.

  Nausic stepped forward. “Lady Starling, perhaps—”

  A loud, sharp knock stopped his words.

  Furielle opened the door and then dropped to the floor in a quick curtsy.

  That roused Starling out of her funk. She looked at the door with a hopeful expression. Had Bekion returned?

  Tinette stood in the doorway with her guard at her side.

  Starling sighed again then returned to her brooding.

  “There you are, Sir Nausic.” Tinette entered the room. “You have access to the royal vault, do you not?”

  Nausic bowed to Tinette. “I do, Your Highness.”

  “Good. You will retrieve the green ice diamonds so I can wear them to dinner tonight.” She made an annoyed sound. “It is tedious to ask. I would not need to if I had not abdicated the throne. That is neither here nor there. Retrieve the diamonds and bring them to my room.”

  She left as quickly as she’d entered.

  Nausic straightened with a perplexed look.

  Webber said, “Green ice diamonds. Sounds nice. Are they cold?”

  “They are cool to the touch and small amounts of frost vapor rise from them. As part of the crown jewels, they are mea
nt to be worn only by the current queen of Panagiota. Dowager Queen Tinette knows that.”

  Starling perked up. “Call Bekion. You have to ask his permission, right? Call him.” And while you’re calling him, ask when he’ll come back, she thought.

  Nausic shook his head. “I have my orders.” He sighed. “It doesn’t matter. Bekion is not here. Tinette is. If I disobey her, it could go badly for all of us. I will take her the necklace and then return. Don’t leave this room. Either of you.” He looked at Starling and then Webber.

  “Damn that,” Webber said. “I’m going with you. I want to see this vault.” He elbowed Starling’s side. “Come on, Star. I’ve never met a woman who didn’t get cheered up seeing jewelry.”

  “Pass,” she mumbled.

  “Man.” Webber sucked his teeth. “I’m getting sick of your moody bullshit. Bekion left you. Big flippin’ deal. Get over it. It’s not like he’s not coming home.” He shook his head at her and turned away. “Come on, Nausic. Leave her. Furielle’s here. She’s fine.”

  Nausic nodded and left with Webber.

  Starling picked up her tablet and continued the translation project. It didn’t require actual thought, something she appreciated. She cleared a section and then started the next.

  Someone else knocked.

  Furielle opened the door. “Lady Aurelan?”

  Starling looked at the doorway in surprise. Everyone knew Bekion had left. Why would Aurelan be here?

  The woman smiled bright enough to light up the room. “I have come to visit. I felt almost distraught when I thought of Bekion’s beautiful humans here alone without him. They must be so lonely.”

  “I thank you for your concern, Lady Aurelan, but I cannot allow you entry to King Bekion’s chambers without his permission.” Furielle edged the door closed.

  “Oh, that’s perfectly fine.” Aurelan jammed her hand forward. “I don’t need his permission.”

  Furielle grunted before she hit the floor in a faint.

  Starling jumped out of her seat and ran for the bedroom. She didn’t get two steps before something sharp hit her neck. She slapped at the wound and shook her head as the room started swimming.

  She looked over her shoulder at Aurelan. “You drugged me,” she said in a slurred speech. She dropped to her knees and then pitched to the side. The room spun, making her feel nauseated.

  Aurelan stood over Starling. The woman’s face spun madly but Starling could still see her smug smile of triumph.

  “As promised,” Aurelan said.

  A man said, “I guess that nanite suppressor came in handy after all, huh?”

  Cold sweat broke out over Starling’s body. Nanite suppressor? Had they poisoned her? Did Aurelan mean to kill Starling to get back at Bekion?

  Aurelan said, “Yes, it did, My Prince.”

  Prince?

  Dear God, no.

  Starling forced herself to move. It took an eternity for her to tilt her head back. She recognized Kuruk from pictures she had seen. The boy next to him had to be Cavell. Nausic said the boy never left Kuruk’s side. All of them smiled down at her. Starling felt herself crying.

  Kuruk said, “Get her and let’s go.”

  Cavell crouched down. Starling wanted to shy away from him. She couldn’t control her body. He ran his hands over her front. He ended with one of her breasts in his palm.

  “I’m going to enjoy playing with her.” He looked up at Kuruk. “We need to make sure not to break her too quickly.”

  “I’m not the one who breaks my possessions. You are,” Kuruk snapped.

  Aurelan asked, “Where is Nausic, by the way?”

  Cavell hefted Starling over his shoulder and stood. “We locked him and Webber in the vault.”

  Kuruk said, “I didn’t think he would actually go but he did. He’s such an idiot. He knows Mother isn’t allowed to wear those diamonds. She couldn’t do anything to him if he refused her request. Getting Mother to ask was so simple, as was locking the vault after that idiot when he entered.”

  Cavell headed for the door.

  Kuruk followed, grinning at Starling in a ghoulish way. “You’ll be rewarded for the return of my pet, Lady Aurelan.”

  Aurelan said, “Getting rid of her is reward enough, Your Highness.”

  “Fine, then you won’t get anything. Let’s go, Cavell. I want to start playing with our new pet.”

  Thankfully, Starling felt oblivion closing around her. She hoped she died. She prayed for death. She didn’t want to live to see what Kuruk had planned for her.

  Her prayers went unanswered. She regained consciousness. The dizziness had passed. She looked at her surroundings, a small replica of Bekion’s inner chamber and as sparsely furnished.

  Cavell crowed, “She’s awake, Kuruk.”

  “Good.” Kuruk came into Starling’s line of sight. “It’s a good thing I witnessed your little altercation with Lady Idruc’s pet or I would have never known about these.” He tapped her arm cuffs.

  He had to reach over her head to do it. That’s when she realized she was bound. They had chained her wrists over her head and covered each arm cuff with fuzzy cloth. A thick black band bound her stomach to the plank behind her and chains bound her ankles. The worst part was her lack of clothing.

  Kuruk said, “Very clever of my brother to give these to you. Though like your guard, they are completely useless.”

  Starling couldn’t stop herself from writhing against her bonds. Her body felt on fire. What had they done to her?

  “You like that feeling, little human? You will feel it from now on. I’ve reprogrammed the nanites to replicate, indefinitely, a very powerful aphrodisiac in your system. No matter what I do to you, you’ll love it.” He grabbed her chin and made her look at him. “Which is a good thing. I’m so sick of listening to things scream as they die. I should have thought of this before. I’ll definitely remember it with my next pet, which I know I’ll get. Mother will get me another, a living one, because that’s what I want.”

  Even as his words sent wave after wave of terror through her, Starling couldn’t react the way she wanted.

  Kuruk released her and faced Cavell. “What killed the dragon-bird?”

  “This.” Cavell held up a rod with a glowing hook.

  “Let’s save that for last then. She doesn’t look as tough as a dragon-bird.”

  Starling opened her mouth to speak and barely kept herself from begging for release of some kind. She had never had to concentrate so hard on forming coherent speech in her life. “Please…please, dooon’t do thisss.”

  Kuruk looked back at her. “Why not? Are you scared to die?”

  “Bekion…won’t let you…” Heat rolled over her body and she had to grit her teeth. She breathed deeply several times. “Bekion…will punish you.”

  “Ha! You think he cares about you? You’re a plaything to him. I’ve heard the rumors and know they’re true. Bekion likes to rut. I’m sure he’s had you many times. That doesn’t make you special. If he cared, he wouldn’t have left you here while he went on a fifteen-day trip to search for his queen.” Kuruk smirked at her. “I’m glad he has sense enough not to choose that idiot Aurelan. The woman is a waste.”

  He lifted a whip then put it down and reached for a riding crop. “It’s too bad he didn’t give you to me when he tired of you. Then I could take my time. I could make you like the pain.”

  “Never.”

  “Oh really? I had a cat once. It grew to be quite big and ferocious but my mother got it for me because I asked. As a kitten, I trained it. It hated the pain at first and would fight me. I should have scars now except the nanites fixed that.” He slapped the crop against the edge of the table several times.

  Each crack of the crop as it hit made her wince.

  “I starved it. That did the trick. A random servant had told me animals will do anything if they are hungry enough. When my kitty let me hit it without rebelling or retaliating, I fed it. Years passed and my kitty would become despondent
if I didn’t hit it. Every day, I used my fists, my feet or whatever object was handy. He loved it.”

  “I got to hit him too,” Cavell said in a proud voice.

  Kuruk smacked the boy’s arm with the crop. “Shut up or I’ll beat you along with her.”

  Cavell shrank from Kuruk but didn’t make a sound. He didn’t cry out when Kuruk hit him. Starling wondered if Cavell had faced Kuruk’s abuse before.

  Kuruk said, “My kitty loved when I hit him. He loved it so much that he let me beat him to death.” He faced her. “A maid saw it all and had the nerve to tell Mother. I put on the perfect act of the distraught youth. Mother believed me when I said the maid had done it. Mother even bought me another pet the very same day she had the maid executed.”

  “Evil,” Starling rasped.

  “The fifteen days is almost over. I blame Mother for the delay. She took her time requesting that silly necklace. I don’t have enough time to train you like I did my kitty. The aphrodisiac helps greatly in that regard though.”

  She closed her eyes and prayed. Whether for a quick end or to endure until someone could stop Kuruk and save her, she didn’t know.

  “No, no. That won’t do. Open your eyes.” Kuruk grabbed her chin and shook her head hard. “I said open your eyes or I’ll rip off your eyelids.”

  Starling looked at him.

  “Good. Keep them open. The next time you close those pretty brown eyes, I’ll gouge one of them out.” He snapped the riding crop against the table a few more times. “I may not be able to go as slow as I like but I can enjoy this. Bekion isn’t due back for a while. You’ll probably be dead by then though.”

  Psychological torture. Starling wanted so badly to close her eyes, to think of something pleasant and distant. She fully believed Kuruk would make good on his threat if she did.

  Only one thought filled her mind.

  Bekion.

  * * * * *

  Bekion ran down the halls toward his chambers. He didn’t know what he would do if Starling wasn’t there. He hoped she hadn’t turned to Webber yet. She had to give Bekion a chance to redeem himself.

  He frowned as he neared his chambers. The door stood open but no one walked through it. His servants knew not to leave it open.