The Spider Queen (The Space Merchants Book 5)

by Wendie Nordgren

  I rolled my eyes at my momma and made gagging noises.

  “None of that, little princess. I’ve seen all of the videos, all of them. You will be nice to him. I am having Tavere order Drex to take you on a date. You will spend the morning together and have fun.”

  “But, Momma, I was nice to him already today. I kissed his cheek.”

  Momma rolled her eyes at me. “I can assure you that your newest husband would rather have your lips somewhere else entirely.”

  “Momma!”

  “Go to your father, immediately. Tell him to come to me at once. I have need of his parts that I lack. You will say those very words to him when he asks you what is the matter.” Her eyes glittered with mischief. “Well, go. If you don’t mind me, I’ll have other things in store for you and Drex. Teagan, Drex is the one who discovered my location. Without him, we might never have been reunited.”

  I kissed Momma’s cheek and slid my hand over her soft hair. “I won’t forget. I have been mean to Drex. For someone so smart, he can say some really stupid things.”

  Momma smiled and patted my hand. I refilled my cup and took it with me. I had to walk past members of Papa’s Military Advisory Committee in my gown and robe, with messy hair, and with a cup of coffee in my hands. Catching sight of Lucius Braga, I curtsied deeply. When our eyes met, our pain was reflected back to each of us.

  “I miss him so much,” I whispered. Lucius nodded but didn’t speak. I knew it was too difficult.

  The encounter had saddened me so much that my attire no longer concerned me. Papa sat in a meeting with Larkin, Ambassador Stine, Uncle Kagan, and Praetor Jiri. My appearance in his meeting frightened Papa. Quickly, he stood and eyed me from toes to hair. “Teagan, what’s the matter?” he asked as he came around the table to me.

  My face burned. “Momma wants you.”

  “Is she alright?”

  “Yes.”

  Papa was relieved. “Well, I’m quite busy at the moment.”

  I shrugged. “That’s fine by me. She ordered me to tell you something about needing your parts that she lacks.”

  Papa erupted with deep laughter. My eyes widened. I had never heard such boisterous joy from him before. “Carry on, gentlemen. I’ll be back in a while,” Papa said as he sped from the room.

  “Uncle Kagan, does Momma enjoy embarrassing people?”

  “Only those she loves. Why? What did you do?”

  Scowling, I said, “I went looking for Papa last night and saw what I should have never seen.”

  That admission got me laughed from the meeting room. Skulking away, I found Drex and my own Military Advisory Committee waiting for me in the hall. However, amongst Cormac Gordian, Merick Carus, and Dario Galerius was a new face. The Parvac General saluted me. He was older and had a shaved head. This was Luca’s replacement. An ache rose from my soul to my throat. I managed a curtsey.

  “Princess, please allow me to introduce Major General Ridley Varro of Naxa,” Drex said.

  I knew my nose had turned red. Nodding, I clutched Drex’s arm with my free hand. “Drex, please walk me back to my wing.”

  “As you wish.” My Advisory Committee followed us. “Princess, might I have the pleasure of your company today?” Drex asked.

  Looking up at Drex, I said, “Sure.” Drex and I had been given our orders. “I need to get dressed.”

  “Just throw something on,” Drex said.

  “Why?”

  “The Empress is sending us to the Serenading Springs Spa for the day.”

  I heard a snort of laughter from behind us and made eye contact with Cormac. “What’s so funny?” I asked.

  “Nothing, your majesty,” Cormac replied with a grin.

  In my sitting room, Pierce, Lorca, and Fitz were watching Thunderdrop and the children. Yukihyo and Zeth were at Ponidi Propulsions. Phillip and Ryan were busy in the infirmary with Zared, and Nico had gone to work in one of the Palace’s offices. I slipped on pants, a shirt, and a pair of sandals, put my hair in a ponytail, and joined Drex. Xavier and Jazon were guarding me for the day. Drex gave me his arm and led me out to my back lawn where a small shuttle awaited.

  “Oh, hey, Dario. I wasn’t expecting for you to be flying us around today.” I fastened my harness.

  Dario’s eyes glittered with amusement. “The Empress ordered me to serve as your captain today. Are we all ready to go?” he asked. Dario winked at Drex and went to take his seat in the cockpit.

  Drex became stiff and stoic as we got closer to our destination. “What’s with him?” I silently asked Jazon.

  “You’ll see,” he answered in my mind.

  Drex had taken on the dead vacant expression that Kaoti so often sported which comforted and endeared him to me. Smiling, I took Drex’s arm and pressed my face to the window. “Oh! Pretty!”

  Serenading Springs was a spa resort. The palatial building stood sentinel over grassy fields near a lake where swans floated on the still water. Mountains surrounded the place giving it a private seclusion. Decorative trees and gardens dotted the landscape around the tall pink building with its orange roof.

  “Oh, it’s like the sky! I’ve never been here before. Have you?”

  “No, Princess.”

  “Drex, call me Teagan. Why do you sound like you are in pain?”

  He didn’t answer. Once we were inside, I understood why. All of the spa’s employees were very attractive men whose uniforms consisted of tiny white shorts and sandals.

  “Princess Probus, welcome!” a muscular, oiled man said as he bowed.

  “Thank you. I’ve never been here before. It’s so pretty.”

  “You honor us with your presence. The Empress Probus has planned the day for you and your husband. If you will follow me?”

  I smiled back at Drex who looked like he was going to be sick which made me even happier. Tall fountains like spiraling stairs were at intervals. When the water rolled across the tympanic-like metal surfaces at each level, a different tone sounded creating a lovely natural music.

  “Oh, Drex! Doesn’t that sound pretty?”

  “Indeed, Teagan.”

  Grabbing his healthy hand, I dragged him along. We were led into a room where a vase full of pink roses sat on a table. Next to it was a cabinet for our clothes. A wall of water was to the right.

  The attendant said, “Please, disrobe completely and walk through the waterfall when you are ready.” He bowed and left us.

  “Drex, what’s wrong?” I slipped out of my shoes and put them in the bottom of the cabinet. Then, I took off my pants.

  Distracted by my actions, Drex answered. “Only attendants who are disinterested in females are allowed to work here.”

  “So?” Tossing my clothes into the cabinet, I waited impatiently for Drex.

  He hung his uniform on hangers. Nothing else about Drex was hanging. Seeing me unclothed had made his manly appendage stand at attention. Involuntary heat pooled between my legs. My Parvac pheromones compelled Drex forward. His hands covered my back as he brought his lips down to mine and kissed me with more need and desire than I believed him to possess. He pulsed like living stone against my stomach. My breasts were pressed to the muscles of his chest. Gently, I pushed away with my hands against his sides.

  “We should go. Come on,” I said quietly.

  Drex took my hand, and with his upright member leading the way, we stepped into the warm shallow pool of the waterfall. It lapped at our ankles as we passed through the wall of water. Laughing, I wiped water from my eyes and took in the new setting. We stood on the first of three rounded steps leading down into a rectangular pool. The room was warm and steamy. Flowers grew to either side of us and climbed the walls up to the plasti-glass ceiling. Yellow butterflies flitted to and from the flowers.

  Eager to hide my nakedness, I submerged myself in the four feet of water, but then ended up floating on my back so that I could watch the colorful insects. Drex walked through the water beside me with desire clear on his face. When we reached the
end of the pool, attendants greeted us. Drex’s rigid member relaxed to lay along his thigh. I held my lips between my teeth so that I wouldn’t laugh.

  The typical soaking and exfoliation occurred for the next hour or so. During that time, Drex’s phallus continued rise in my presence only to fall when an attendant appeared. It was hilarious. I began to wonder if it was tired from all of the activity.

  “Please, relax in the steam room,” an attendant said.

  A large reclining wooden surface, draped with a blanket-sized white towel, was in the center of the room. On a low table beside it, ceramic glasses of sparkling juice sat waiting with condensation dripping down their sides. As I sat and allowed the heat to relax me, I began thinking about what had spurred Momma to plan this excursion. Drex reclined beside me and handed me a glass. Taking a sip of the tart, cold juice, I noticed his member stood tall once more.

  “Drex?”

  “Yes, dearest one?” he asked in a husky voice.

  “Papa and Larkin were arguing about something the other night after dinner. Do you know what it was about?”

  “Perhaps.”

  “Well, what was it?”

  “I will tell you for another kiss,” he said as he stared into my eyes.

  I lifted his hand and kissed his knuckles. “There,” I said with a smug smile.

  The warmth of the room combined with the fermented juice had my arms feeling languid. Drex took my glass from my hand and set it on the table. Then, he covered me with his body. He kissed me with an uncontrolled hunger that stirred me. I began to wonder what would be so wrong with allowing a man who was legally bound to me has my husband to ease the growing ache within me. Drex had a terrible personality, but inspired terror in those he hunted. Drex was dangerous and shrewd. However, at the moment, I only wanted one hard thing from him.

  Spreading my legs, I lifted my left knee and ran my foot along the back of his thigh as I shifted beneath him. Drex’s heart pounded through his chest and into mine. I felt the head of him at my entrance pushing until my lips covered him. Drex groaned. He pushed harder, and I climaxed at the feeling of hard silky steel pushing my inner walls apart. Drex pushed in and out of me in slow motion. Thrashing beneath him and begging him to move faster had no effect on his movements, neither did clawing at his back. Realizing that I was powerless to influence his slow, sensual assault, a dizzying orgasm left me boneless beneath him. It was then that Drex became strong crashing waves against my shore.

  Afterwards, he sat and watched me. With his fingers, he spread my damp hair out around me. The air had grown thick with steam. Drex coaxed me to my feet and into the next room. The cool fresh air had me breathing deeply. Attendants gave us glasses of cold water and led us off to a cool mineral bath. It took several moments for my head to clear.

  Leaning back, I rested my neck against a rolled towel and watched Drex as he lifted my feet to his lap and massaged them. He pushed his thumbs into the pads of my feet until I groaned.

  In the next room, we were coated in mud. We looked at each other and laughed.

  “Drex, what were they arguing about?” I asked during our couple’s massage.

  “The Eloneave and Talpa struggle to coexist. The Eloneave attempt to assimilate to the Talpa’s culture, but communication is challenging and many misunderstandings have occurred. Queen Spectra and King Rorgowyn have requested the council of the Spider Queen. Emperor Probus is adamant that his wife and daughter remain under his roof on his home planet. He would rather destroy the entire Talpa Sector than allow you to leave.”

  I mulled his words over in my thoughts. During our pedicures, Drex looked as though he plotted the torture of his attendant. “Drex, stop or I’ll tell Momma.” Drex put a more neutral expression on his face. “What kind of misunderstandings?” I asked.

  “Those of an antagonistic variety.”

  “They’re fighting?”

  “Our officers keep the peace.”

  The hands of Drex’s attendant shook while giving him his manicure. To him, I said, “Please, carefully file my husband’s nails.”

  Drex raised an eyebrow at me and looked pointedly at my own fingernails. An attendant had placed a few band aids on Drex’s back. “Well, you shouldn’t have given me fermented juice,” I said as I scowled at him.

  “Had I realized the deleterious effects a few sips of juice would have on my back, I would have been giving it to you rather than roses,” Drex said.

  Next, Drex sat and watched as I had my hair trimmed and curled. “Drex?”

  “Yes, dearest one?”

  In a pained whisper, I said, “Nico told me that Quaid and Eric are investigating the manufacture of the exploding blade that Felix used to kill Luca.”

  Drex stared at me with the dark unreadable eyes of an inquisitor. “Our best defense against such weapons is force triggered personal defensive shielding embedded within the layers of our body armor. Hunting down a few weapons experts will not eradicate the problem.”

  “No, but hunting down their funding might slow them down.”

  “The funding came from Jiri. My question is about the connection between Jiri, Dano of Aurilius, and your hybrids.”

  Shocked, I said, “Certainly, you don’t think my men are culpable?”

  “They are loyal to you. If we weren’t certain of that, they wouldn’t be near you. However, there are thousands of illegal weapons experts spanning the universes. There is a connection between that blade and the thermo-resonator missiles. There remains a very dangerous missing piece to the puzzle, and I intend to find it.”

  “How?”

  Drex leaned back in his chair. My hair was done, and it was time to change. We were shown through a dry entrance to the changing room. When I let my robe slip free, Drex ran his hands over my back.

  “My family and everyone I love will always be in danger. Won’t we?”

  “You and everyone you love will always have men like me protecting you. All prominent political figures must be vigilant. It has been so for any species in any time period. It is a universal truth. Your wealth alone would make you a target for thieves. Even your Arachnean relatives have security in addition to the sentient spiders of their forests.” Drex slid his hands down my hips.

  “I guess you’re right.”

  After we had dressed, we found Dario, Xavier, and Jazon outside.

  “Well, don’t you look lovely. You’re absolutely glowing,” Dario said with a wink at Drex.

  Under his breath, Drex asked Dario, “Would you like to examine my pedicure internally?”

  “Do you intend to get me drunk first?” Dario asked.

  I rubbed my temples as all of the relaxation and pampering began to slowly ebb away.

  “Princess Probus is getting a headache,” Jazon reported.

  “Perhaps, some lunch is in order,” Dario suggested.

  Now that I was close to Jazon and Xavier, I could sense their agitation. “Don’t be mad at me. Momma planned this excursion. She wants me to have some fun.” I feared they were judging my behavior. Was it callous of me to have enjoyed my time with Drex? Was I being disrespectful to Luca’s memory?

  “Our feelings are not directed at you. Drex exploited your emotional fragility, got you drunk, and then used sex to comfort you,” Jazon said.

  I blushed. “I did take him as a husband. I shouldn’t have to feel guilty.”

  “There is no reason for you to feel guilty about anything,” Drex assured me. “Your guards should remember their places.”

  “It is their responsibility to protect Princess Probus. Your treatment of her might be considered unfair,” Dario said as he helped me into the shuttle. “After all, I thought your marriage was a ruse to complete your mission without garnering unwanted attention from the fleet.”

  “Enough. I am not releasing Drex. I hold him in the highest regard as does Momma. Also, I would like some lunch. Thank you.”

  Jazon and Xavier became still and took their seats. I was certain that they had just
read the thoughts that had passed through my mind. To Momma, Drex was a hero. Yukihyo was mine. I didn’t love or even particularly like Drex, but I felt bound to him by a debt I could never repay, even if he had been carrying out his duty to the Empire. Yes, he had captured me, angered, and annoyed me, but he had come to our aid in our time of need. Had it not gone well, he would have felt Papa’s wrath. Drex had courage, and not just when it suited him.

  Dario flew us to a quiet mountainside restaurant. Carved into the side of a mountain, two of its sides were made of plasti-glass and metal. Dario landed the shuttle on a landing platform that was braced to the side of the mountain and led us up a set of stairs and into the restaurant. My mouth began to water from the smell of dishes being prepared. Looking through the clear wall and down made me dizzy.

  “Still feeling dizzy?” Dario asked as he handed me a glass of water and a roll.

  Defensively, I said, “Not at all. I’ve had an enjoyable day.” I blushed. Dario knew I wasn’t being completely truthful.

  Drex met Dario’s eyes and smiled. Then, he took my hand and placed a gentle kiss on my palm. “This has been and forever shall be the most remarkable day of my life.”

  I blushed. With a deeper blush, I whispered in Drex’s ear, “It was rather enjoyable.”

  My admission may have been a mistake. The proud, full of himself version of Inquisitor Drex Licinius, the one I had come to despise when he had taken the Palace, returned in full force.

  Dario opened his napkin and draped it over his knee. “Princess Probus, you haven’t been out of the Palace except for short visits to family and friends other than to retrieve Praetor Jiri and Fitz. Perhaps, your expectations are low in the area of enjoyable activities.”

  I held my lips between my teeth so as not to laugh and sipped my water. “On the contrary, I have very high expectations requiring a degree of finesse and sophistication. My husbands spoil me extravagantly.”

  While I placed my order, Dario asked under his breath, “What did you do, study for your date?”