When Raxstad could speak again, he smiled and patted her head. “Well done. You may go back to your cushion now.”
Michaela crawled back to the middle of the room without complaint. She seemed content despite the hell Govi knew her body was in.
The Imdiko barely watched the rest of the kurble match. Instead he watched Michaela, loving her. Adoring her. No, worshipping her. Even with her face strained, the makeup smeared and a film of perspiration coating every inch of her body, Govi felt himself falling into adulation. If she would love herself half as much as he did, all her problems would be at an end.
How could one little Earther have come to own him so completely?
* * * *
“I think that will do, my Nobek. If Michaela is satisfied she has learned her lesson?”
Michaela looked up at Korkla’s words. Was it over? Had she convinced the three men that she would never fuck up so badly ever again?
It seemed she had. Raxstad rose from the spread of lounging cushions and approached. He knelt behind her, his big hands reaching around to turn off the clit stimulator.
She cried out at his touch. Her body hurt all over, throbbing insistently with the need to climax. Raxstad whispered something in her ear, but Michaela couldn’t make it out. She was too overwhelmed to understand him.
However, she did understand that her hell might be ending. Govi knelt before her and unlocked the cock cage. He carefully slipped it off her. Michaela’s prick immediately filled, no longer constrained. It clamored to be touched.
Instead, she was lifted and laid down upon the floor on her back. Korkla had joined them as well, and the three men removed the vibrator and butt plug.
Every touch heightened Michaela’s hell rather than relieving it. Yet it was the loving expressions on her clan’s faces that made her cry hard yet again.
Korkla’s sharp features worked with emotion. “Enough, my Matara. This is over, thank the ancestors.”
Govi blinked out his own tears, though he smiled through them. “We are proud of you for taking responsibility for your mistake.” He looked hopefully at Raxstad. “I know you thought she shouldn’t be allowed to climax after punishment, but she’s done so well.”
The Nobek nodded. “She has. She has suffered greatly and yet not hesitated to do as told. I think a reward is due.”
With the clan’s disciplinarian’s blessing, the men lost no time to hesitation. They pinned Michaela to the floor, at the same time kissing and stroking her all over.
Fingers entered her womanhood and anus and dove in and out. A hand seized her cock and pumped while another rubbed her balls. Mouths suckled at her breasts. A tongue plunged into her mouth.
It was over in an instant. Michaela’s agonized body, held so long on the edge of orgasm and refused time and again, went supernova. Her scrotum seized and boiling lava surged from there to blast liquid fire through her cock and out. Her pussy clutched at the fingers plumbing it, drawing them in deep before ecstasy blasted from her loins. Every hair stood on end as she poured elation and screams.
Michaela’s body strained for deliverance and found it over and over. Her cock drained in shattering bursts until she ran dry. For several minutes after that her pussy continued to seize, ripping orgasm after orgasm from her as if terrified it would never have the opportunity to do so again. She twisted and wailed. The men held her as still as her writhing body would allow. They coaxed her to climax until at last she was depleted, gasping and trembling and unable to move any longer.
They brought her water and a protein drink to replenish her wasted body. Then they carried her to the bathing chamber. The three men washed her in the great basin, their touches kind. They dried her lax body with soft towels, combed out her curls, and spread lotion all over her skin.
Michaela was half-asleep by the time she was carried in Korkla’s arms to the sleeping mat. The sheets had been changed that very morning, and she sighed to smell the fresh linens they set her to recline upon. She sighed again as warm, strong bodies surrounded hers, sheltering her, keeping her safe.
Michaela blinked sleepily as she looked into Korkla’s smiling face. The Dramok held her close, and in a few seconds she would burrow her face against the wide, muscled chest. But first she told him, “I will not disappoint you again. I swear it.”
His smile stretched wider, making his stark features handsome. “We believe you, my love, my precious girl.”
Michaela sighed and snuggled against him, hearing his heart beat against her ear. Behind her, Govi spooned close. Raxstad reached over the Imdiko’s body to rest his hand on her hip. Michaela let the closeness settle her to sleep.
At last, the horrid day was over.
Chapter 16
Michaela ate with good appetite the next morning. Govi and Raxstad, who fed her, found themselves hard pressed to keep up with her ravenous devouring of breakfast.
“Please leave me my fingers, my love,” Raxstad chuckled. He snatched his hand away from her face as she attacked the grilled ronka strip he gave her. “I need them to use a blaster against the bad guys.”
“Ish yer fault fer lash night,” she mumbled around her mouthful of food. She swallowed and looked at the hard-boiled pilchok egg Govi warily offered her. “I’m starving.”
The Imdiko popped the small egg into her mouth, nearly tossing it in to avoid her teeth. She’d nipped them both on purpose a couple of times. Recovered from yesterday’s punishment and exhaustion, Michaela had decided she would get a small measure of revenge. She might have asked for the discipline, but it had been hard to get through. She thought she deserved compensation.
If they guessed at her motives, the men put up with her bratty behavior with good humor. All three of Michaela’s clanmates were loving and warm to her this morning. All any of them wanted was to be on good terms again. Michaela enacted the petty vengeance more in the spirit of fun than any real wish for retribution.
Despite the play she engaged in, Michaela worried. She could hear Korkla muttering on his personal com one room away. He’d been manning communications since before Michaela had wakened that morning. The calls had been nonstop with Prince Clajak and the newly minted father Councilman Rajhir. It was Rajhir, who had law training, who would represent Jessica’s claim to the throne ... and her clan.
Michaela didn’t need anyone to tell her a lot hinged on the next few days. Her part in yesterday’s debacle made her feel sick inside.
Michaela was chewing her last mouthful of food when her Dramok came into the room. She, Govi, and Raxstad looked up expectantly from their seating cushions around the table, hoping for good news.
Korkla gave them all a smile, though the undercurrent of worry was plain to see. “It’s a go. We’ve all decided that the Crown Prince Clan will take Jessica on a week-long tour of Kalquor. The hope is she’ll win the populace to her side.”
Michaela’s feelings of disquiet grew. “Do you have to go with them?”
He nodded. “I must be at Clajak’s side for this matter. I’ll do what I can to help his clan make their case. Soon all of Kalquor will be voting on who our future empress will be: Jessica or Narpok.”
Michaela hated hearing he’d be gone for so long. A Kalquorian week was ten days. Not having Korkla at home for that amount of time seemed to stretch for an eternity.
She made herself concentrate on the glimmer of hope she saw. “I heard Narpok is a spoiled brat.”
Her Dramok nodded. “She is a self-centered creature, but her father Head Councilman Pwaldur is quite popular with the people of Kalquor. Make no mistake; Jessica has a hard road in front of her.”
Michaela’s full stomach suddenly felt queasy. She was part of the reason Jessica’s clanship was in jeopardy. Worse still, she had a big part in Korkla having to leave her so soon after their arrival at her new home.
He must have sensed her upset. Korkla came to her side, shoving between her and Raxstad to kneel down. He cupped her face in his hands and gazed searchingly into her eyes. In
a tone as gentle as any Govi had ever used with her, Korkla said, “My beauty, you have made your penance. What you did was out of love and loyalty to Jessica. There are worse mistakes you could have made.”
Michaela blinked back tears. Hadn’t she cried more than enough already? Her voice still came out choked when she said, “But now you’re leaving me.”
“Only for a week.” He kissed the tip of her nose. “Smile so I have that to take with me.”
Michaela managed to do that, though she felt how her lips trembled. “You’ll com us, right? Every day?”
“As much as I’m able.”
Michaela scowled. “That Pwaldur. Why do the people like him so much? He acts like a complete jerk. You can’t tell me people approved of the way he called Jessica out at the council meeting! Even before that, he behaved like an asshole to the emperors and Clajak.”
She hadn’t much liked the way he’d looked at her either, but Michaela thought it was best she kept that to herself. She’d probably imagined the lust in Pwaldur’s expression. Even if he had found her attractive, discovering Michaela was intersex would certainly cure him of any salacious thoughts.
Raxstad’s arms circled Korkla. The Nobek dragged their leader into his lap. “Pwaldur is an asshole, but most Kalquorians don’t know that. Stay clear of him, Michaela.” The big man muttered in Korkla’s ear, “You watch yourself on this tour, my Dramok. Make sure you set plenty of Royal Guards around Clajak’s clan and stay behind them yourself.”
Korkla smiled at Raxstad and pressed a quick kiss to his lips. “I will, you overprotective beast. I doubt anyone wants to do any harm to the Crown Princes or Jessica, however. The debates over her being clanned are heated, but there have been no threats to her or Clan Clajak.”
Govi dished out a plate full of food from the warming trays. He pushed it towards Korkla. “Tell me you have time to eat, my Dramok.”
“Just enough for that and to pack.” Korkla gave Raxstad a grin. “So you can calm those things I feel pushing at my ass. I can’t spare the time to put you in your place, big man.”
“I’m disappointed, given that my place is in your lovely ass. Oh well, I don’t have time before work either. But you can share in my misery.” Raxstad grabbed a handful of Korkla’s crotch. The Dramok nearly choked on the mouthful of food he’d been chewing on. He elbowed Raxstad hard in the chest.
“Asshole,” he yelled, spraying food.
“Don’t offer what you won’t give,” Raxstad laughed, shoving away and standing up. “You and your hand have a nice week, my Dramok. I’ll think of you while I’m enjoying Govi and Michaela.”
Korkla threw a ronka bone at him and kept eating. “I hope they tie you down and make you wear a cock cage,” he grouched. “Damn it, you need your ass kicked, but I have to hurry.”
Govi had the sympathy their chortling Nobek refused to give. “I’ll pack for you, my Dramok. Slow down with your breakfast before you choke. Raxstad, leave him alone or you’ll be as celibate this coming week as Korkla.”
“Aw, Govi.” Raxstad made a face. “Don’t be mean. Michaela would never refuse me anyway, would you sweet girl?”
By way of answering, Michaela turned to Korkla. “My poor Dramok. Do I need to ignore that big jerk of a Nobek until you get back?”
Korkla grinned up at Raxstad. The Nobek threw his hands up in surrender.
“Fine, fine. I’ll play nice. I won’t send Korkla off with blue balls.”
“Good,” Govi said as he headed towards the hall. “That will save you the same fate.”
The Imdiko paused in the doorway, turning back to smile at Michaela. “How would you like to come with me to the hospital today? We have a lovely meditation garden you can enjoy while I’m seeing to my patients, and we’ll go to the marketplace for lunch.”
The offer brightened Michaela’s mood. She’d been ready to succumb to remorse over Korkla’s absence as soon as the men had departed for their various responsibilities. “Can I? It would sure beat sitting around here all day.”
Korkla waved frantically at Govi. “Just make sure it’s only lunch you’ll be doing in shopping district. I don’t want to return home to find she’s spent all our money.” He winked at Michaela to show he only teased.
As a chuckling Govi left the room, Michaela slugged Korkla on the shoulder. “Hey! I don’t spend that much.”
Raxstad busied himself making sure his Global Security uniform was unwrinkled and nothing from breakfast had spilled on the armored one-piece. “No, you spend just enough that I might not be able to refuse the next promotion that will stick me behind a desk.”
Michaela opened her mouth to sass him. Korkla shut her down by shoving a cream-filled pastry in. She chomped angrily as he laughed at the black look she gave him.
His teasing gentled as he said, “No, my love, you do not buy that much and I don’t begrudge what you do spend. Make yourself happy.”
Michaela beamed. He was so good to her. They all were. More than ever, she knew how lucky she was to have them.
* * * *
Michaela’s first impression of the psychiatric wing was less than positive. The instant she stepped off the hospital’s in-house transport and into the staff entrance, she heard the screams.
If Govi hadn’t been at her side, she would have gotten right back into the transport. The man she heard screaming at some distant point elsewhere sounded rabid. Michaela had a mental picture of a slavering lunatic, foam spewing from fanged jaws. The heart-stopping shriek was joined by more unseen men howling. The place sounded more like a zoo than a hospital.
Govi’s hand covered her shoulder, and he squeezed it. “It’s all right. There is a containment field between this part of the department and the violent patients. Those you hear are locked down in their wards anyway.”
She shuddered at the vicious cries. “Good. I hate to be unsympathetic about their pain, but they sound like animals.”
At least the place looked orderly and clean. Three corridors stretched away from the transport system; two on either side and one in front of Michaela. Dug into the cliff face like the Government House and her clan’s home, the hospital did not look anything close to primitive. While the floor looked like marble polished to a high sheen, it had give beneath Michaela’s sandaled feet. She suspected it was cushioned for the patients’ safety.
The corridor walls were even more obvious in the attempt to keep anyone from inadvertent injury. Their entirety, stretching up to ten feet, was covered in padded surfaces. The hall to Michaela’s left was colored a soft pastel blue. The one before her was an equally soft seafoam green. To the right, the color scheme was a soothing lilac.
Diffused lighting came from the ceiling, almost seeming dim. Michaela knew Kalquorian eyesight was much more sensitive than hers, so that didn’t surprise her. Free-floating vids with pleasant landscape pictures dotted along the walls. Except for the wild cries, it would have been a nice enough atmosphere. However, the antiseptic scent was an obvious giveaway that this was a hospital.
Kalquorians dressed in loose trousers and tunics moved up and down the corridors. Some pushed hover carts before them, the surfaces crowded with instruments and vials. Michaela couldn’t even guess the use for those items. Medical supplies, she supposed. Medications for the screamers too, she hoped.
Two men moved towards her and Govi as they started down the blue hallway. They wore darker green tunics than the other people working in the wing, the same shade as Govi’s.
Michaela took them to be doctors, especially since they wore the same insignia as Govi on their tunics. The moment they saw her and her Imdiko, the two men stopped the conversation they were having. They had been intent on whatever they were discussing. It had definitely been a debate ... maybe even an argument.
The instant they spied Govi and Michaela however, their intense expressions eased. Both men smiled at Michaela’s Imdiko and bowed to her.
The taller of the two straightened first. “Good morning, Dr. Govi. I s
ee you have a guest today.”
This man’s voice was soft, rolling thunder, a voice meant to charm. Michaela couldn’t help but smile at him. He was handsome with flowing black hair and a strong jaw, though nowhere near as beautiful as her Govi. He also had a more commanding look to him, an aura that reminded Michaela of Korkla. Was he a Dramok?
The shorter man smiling at her was definitely an Imdiko. His wavy midnight locks fell all the way to his waist, a curtain of coarse but beautiful hair. He was ruggedly handsome in a way that made her think he would be more at home outdoors than doing rounds in a hospital ward.
Govi grinned at Michaela, as if she’d done something he was proud of. “Dr. Kivokan and Dr. Conyod, this is my Matara, Michaela. She’s spending the day with me. Dr. Kivokan is one of our best psychiatrists, and Dr. Conyod is working on it.”
The three men laughed at what was apparently a joke between them. Michaela joined in politely, though she always had to respond when Govi’s stunning face lit in a smile.
Govi was quick to add, “Actually, Dr. Conyod is quite gifted, the newest member of our team concentrating on the Earther Mataras. We are very happy to have him work with us.”
Conyod looked delighted with the praise. “Thank you, Dr. Govi.” He turned his attention to Michaela. “How are you enjoying Kalquor so far, Matara?”
“It’s a beautiful planet,” she started to answer, then howls from the other corridor rose louder than before. She winced at the savage sounds.
Kivokan gave her a calm smile. “Don’t let the yelling bother you, Matara. Those men can’t get into this part of the wing. You are quite safe.”
Michaela grimaced. “Maybe, but it’s not pleasant to listen to. Tell me this isn’t where you keep the women under your care.”
Govi shook his head. “We have none in residence but the two severely affected patients I’ve mentioned before. The rest of the Earther Mataras residing on Kalquor are clanned with homes. They’re all on an outpatient basis, and we have our therapeutic sessions in soundproof offices.”
Michaela Page 25
