He glanced at Kitty. Dressed in a long burgundy felt gown, she fluttered around the room like a royal princess entertaining her court. The tight material pushed the lush swell of her breasts forward until the rosy buds of her nipples were almost visible.
His mouth watered. The image of how he planned to feed on her creamy flesh later flashed through his head. But then, the added pleasure of sex with a shape-shifter could come crashing down around him if she discovered his true objective for bedding her. He still needed to know if she was Noelani or not.
She strolled across the room, and his gaze followed her to Sloan’s side. He commandeered a large black chair near the back wall of the room. Another man by the name of Homer Lane sat beside him smoking an expensive cigar.
Somewhere during the course of the evening, the title of governor had slipped from Jack’s mind as a conceivable name for the man. Maybe because of the way Sloan demanded Kitty’s attention. If she wasn’t standing by his side, he snapped his fingers and demanded her return for some lame reason or another.
Yet, Sloan didn’t expect such devotion from the other women at the party. Was Kitty his personal sex slave? Or did he only use her to please his guests? And why did she stick around? She could always change into another form and escape.
What hold did the man have on her that made her stay?
Jack pondered the questions and glanced at the brunette sitting next to the portly gentleman on the sofa to his left. She smiled and brushed her hand along her escort’s thigh. “Jack, if you’re feeling a little lonely, I’ll bet Willoughby here wouldn’t mind if you joined us for a romp in bed later.”
Willoughby grinned and patted the lady’s hand. “Stella likes multiple partners.” He lowered his voice and leaned forward so Jack could still hear him. “She enjoys having a cock in every available orifice.”
Stella giggled and stroked her hand over the seam of her companion’s crotch. Willoughby’s eyes widened, and he leaned back on the sofa to enjoy his partner’s seductive touch.
Jack pictured his rod sliding deep into the woman’s pussy while she sucked Willoughby’s cock. The temptation to agree brought similar memories to the forefront of Jack’s mind. Should he accept? After all, she might be the princess in disguise.
“Willoughby, you old scoundrel,” the man sitting in the chair on Jack’s right commented with a low chuckle.
Willoughby caressed Stella’s head and gripped a handful of hair. “Come on, Luke, you’ve met my wife. She has a pole up her ass and doesn’t want sex unless she’s hoping to wedge money out of me.”
No, Kitty is the princess of Ardenia. Jack’s gut twisted into a knot, and he locked in on the truth. He turned to the balding man, “You could always join them.”
Luke, easily forty years older than the young raven-haired wench at his side, lifted the hand of the lady next to him. “No, I have all I desire with Candy.” He kissed her fingertips.
Jack studied the other guests. Most, wanting to escape their wives, hoped to enjoy the pleasure of good food and sex with younger women. The card game might capture a little of their interest, but it wasn’t their main objective.
“Is anyone up for a friendly game?”
Jack turned to a pair of young men standing by the bar.
Rosco Portcelio, the taller and thinner of the two, continued in a loud voice, “We can play for simple pocket change.”
His partner, Elmer something-or-other chimed in, “Yeah, or to see who gets first deal tomorrow.”
“The governor always deals first,” Homer, the stout man sitting next to Sloan, spouted off in a huff.
“All right then, how about a game of Pontoon?” Rosco prodded. “I’ll cover everyone’s bets and be dealer.”
“Never heard of the game,” Willoughby commented then tugged Stella close and covered her breast with his free hand. “Personally, I prefer a different activity for the evening.”
“You can fu—er, enjoy the ladies later.” Rosco strolled to the center of the parlor. “Twenty-one is a simple game where ace is high. The value can be used as an eleven or a one so you don’t topple over the total of twenty-one.”
“And do you have a deck of cards?” Sloan’s voice broke through the sound of people shuffling from their seats.
“Thought you could lend us one,” Rosco addressed their host. “After all, not everyone has the connections you do to acquire a deck.”
“True.” Sloan glanced around the room as if gauging the consensus of who wanted to participate in the additional activity. Then he turned to Kitty. “Go fetch the extra deck from the top drawer of my desk.” He waited until she’d stepped out of the parlor before addressing Rosco again. “But I’ll warn you. The cards are worn, so some of the suits are hard to read. I’m keeping the new deck for our game tomorrow.”
“That’s fine, Governor. We just need to read the value of the cards.” Rosco glanced around. “You blokes in?”
His partner now stood in the doorway of the parlor. Luke rose to his feet with Candy by his side.
Jack turned to Willoughby. He shook his head and toyed with the strings holding the front of Stella’s dress together. Sloan and the man next to him didn’t move.
“Here you are gentlemen.” Kitty held out the deck to Rosco and walked back to Sloan’s side.
Rosco fingered the cards. “Are you in, Jack?”
The extra women in the room filed out. The sound of their footsteps and chatter echoed on the stone staircase leading up to their rooms.
Jack stood. “Are we playing in here or Sloan’s study?”
Rosco lifted his gaze from the cards. “Governor, you wouldn’t be a minding if we use your study, will yah?”
Sloan shook his head. “No. Kitty will check on you periodically to see if you need anything. Won’t you, my dear?”
A tight smile lit Kitty’s face, and she strolled across the room. “Why certainly. Let me help you get settled.”
****
Jack entered Sloan’s study and took a chair in the corner between the fireplace and the door. With his back to the wall, he observed the other men’s placement at the table. Rosco choose the high back chair on the far side while the other two men moved the extra chairs out of the way and settled into the ones left at the table. Elmer sat on Jack’s right with Luke one seat beyond, Candy hovering near the aging man.
Kitty lingered by a large cabinet on the opposite side of Sloan’s desk. “Can I get anyone a drink?”
Rosco and Elmer lifted their tall crystal glasses to show they were set.
“I’ll take a glass of port.” Luke touched Candy’s hand. “And what would you like, my dear?”
“The same please.” She walked around the desk and waited for Kitty to pour the dark rich liquid into a glass.
“I’m fine.” Jack studied the cards Rosco scattered across the table. The thin sheets of wood had worn paint of black and red on one side while the back of the cards offered etched scenes of knights, queens, and kings.
The design sparked a memory of a similar deck his mother owned. A witch, gambler, and self-proclaimed soothsayer, she’d used the cards for a multitude of purposes, his favorite being the ability to read one’s opponents’ hand.
He glanced around the table. Was this how Sloan won? Did he invite his rich friends to a few days of friendly fun, serve them wine and provide them women, then cheat them out of their money at cards?
Jack reviewed the information he’d learned about Governor Sloan. A wealthy recluse, who rarely traveled out of the area, he occasionally sponsored a game of cards for his friends. That is, of course, if the friend could afford the entry fee.
After seeing the marked cards, Jack knew the truth. The man might have acquired his castle and land after the war with the giants, but he didn’t really belong with the upper class of society.
Hell, he’s no more than a thief.
Jack smiled.
A brilliant scam.
He stretched his neck to one side to release the tensi
on in his shoulders. He didn’t have to worry about falling out of the game. If things worked out correctly, his knowledge of Sloan’s deceit might even help him wrestle Kitty from the man.
Rosco gathered the cards.
“Well, if everyone has what they need, I’ll leave you to your game.” Kitty strolled to the door.
Jack lifted his gaze from the cards.
The forced smile on her lips and the impatient clutching of her hand over the doorknob revealed her uneasiness with the situation. Her gaze met his for a brief moment, and then she quickly stepped away.
Her elegant form glided through the doorway, and Jack wished he could demand all of her attention. Why allow Kitty to sleep with him if Sloan wanted her all to himself?
The question reminded Jack of some of the rumors he’d heard about Governor Cedric Sloan. Well-educated, Sloan might socialize with the rich and powerful, but he didn’t court the ladies or attend the expensive parties of his friends. He showed no desire to marry or have a woman around, other than Kitty. If she wasn’t his concubine, did the man find his pleasures elsewhere?
“The bloke demands a powerful hand before he submits himself to the pleasure of sex.” The comment recalled from Sloan’s ex-groom hinted at a dark side to Sloan’s sexual preference for a partner.
Jack had read Kitty’s desire to break free of Sloan’s control while they were linked. If he was abusive, why didn’t Kitty leave the man?
“All right, let’s see your money?” Rosco waited for everyone to bet then dealt the first hand.
****
Easing the door to Kitty’s bedroom open, Jack slipped inside. The light glowing from the lantern beside the bed showed strands of silky, brown hair covering the white cotton of her pillow. Buried beneath the quilts, her voluptuous body didn’t stir.
He tugged his shirt over his head and threw it onto the chaise lounge. He had no doubt Kitty was really Noelani, the second daughter of the Queen of Ardenia. Her form and face reminded him too much of Kesia for them not to be sisters.
He fingered the cold button of his pants and released its hold. His trousers fell to the floor, and his semi-hard cock sprang forward. He recalled the pleasure of being both physically and mentally linked with Kitty. Her innocent mind hadn’t fully comprehended the connection, nor did he think she’d tapped into his motives for being at Sloan’s party.
But a full mental connection in the next few days wouldn’t be wise. She might learn that he’d come to save her from Sloan and return her to her family, but the real reason for her rescue couldn’t be revealed. This meant he couldn’t fuck her like he wanted.
He palmed his shaft and worked his hands over the stiff length. The other shape-shifters he’d had sex with hadn’t excited him in the same way as Kitty. She alone expanded his cock by simply walking into a room. Her unique scent played against his senses until the idea of not tasting her sweet cunt lay beyond his ability to resist.
He drew in a deep breath, and her slight fragrance filled his nose. His rod swelled, and he tugged on the blanket. Her luscious breasts fell into view. The rosy peaks offered him a taste, and the narrow valley between tempted him with a place to rest. He conjured up one of his favorite fantasies of his cock riding between the plush swells of a woman’s tits.
He pumped his hands faster, and in his imagination her tongue licked the pre-cum from the tip of his rod. Her long fingers toying with her stiff nipples, she’d hold the plush bounty tight against his hard shaft. With each thrust, her breasts would caress his cock until the ache to explode forced his balls to release their load.
The fantasy ignited his lust, and he grabbed a pillow to shoot his sperm into the fluffy mass. A groan whispered from his lips as he imagined the creamy liquid shooting into her open mouth.
Kitty moaned and rolled onto her side.
He tossed the pillow on the floor and sat on the bed to remove his shoes then walked to the dresser to wash. After associating with the scum of humanity, he couldn’t expect to win a woman like her. She deserved better. He needed to remember that. He had to return her to Ardenia.
That’s all, nothing more.
After blowing out the lantern, he threw back the blankets and slid into bed. The cool sheets reminded him to stick to his original plan—bed her, gain her trust, then free her from Sloan. Once he achieved those objectives, he could easily lead her home.
He spooned along the smooth length of Kitty’s back. Naked skin greeted his touch. The small of her back caressed his lower belly while the round curve of her ass nuzzled against his legs. The wet heat of her pussy laid a heartbeat from the head of his reviving cock. He wrapped his hand around the plush swell of her breast and squeezed.
“Jack.” The word whispered through the darkness.
He tightened his grip and kept her from squirming out of his embrace. “Easy, it’s late, and we both need some sleep.”
She relaxed against his chest, and Jack snuggled closer, his cock brushing the wet outer lips of her cunt. Lust coursed through his blood, and he shifted his hips away from her enticing heat and commanded his body to relax.
Sleep avoided Jack while his mind tortured him with erotic images of her submitting to his will.
Chapter Four
The silence in the study bounced off the wall. Kitty, sitting on the stool beside the governor, studied the cards on the table. The day hadn’t been kind to a number of players.
Luke, Willoughby, and Homer, their money dwindling, had already tossed in their cards for this hand. Only the governor and the three younger men of the group remained in the game.
Kitty glanced at Jack. He fingered the wood disks stacked in front of him.
“Is this the last hand of the day, or are we playing after dinner?” Jack checked his cards again.
“We—” the governor started to respond.
“What difference does it make? Just place your bet.” Rosco drummed his fingers along the rim of the table.
Jack grinned and placed his cards on the table. “Then I guess I’ll fold. The stakes are too rich for my blood anyway.”
The comment sparked a disturbing image in Kitty’s head, one of a poor child begging for food. Where did that come from?
“And what about you?” Rosco pressed his friend Elmer. “The governor and I have both raised the bid so it’ll wipe you out of the game if you call and then lose the hand.”
“So you don’t think I should bet.” Elmer kicked up his chin as if he was defining his play. Kitty sympathized with the man’s decision.
“I don’t care what you do. Simply decide.” Rosco squirmed restlessly in his seat and stared at the pile of money in the center of the table.
A determined glint glowed in Elmer’s eyes before he shoved all but a few wooden disks forward. “Then I’m in.”
“What do you have?” Rosco turned over his hidden card and revealed a full house, nine high.
Kitty uttered a silent gasp and rose to her feet.
“Oh, you lousy bloke.” Elmer stared at his three tens.
The governor laughed and shoved back his chair. “Elmer, it looks like you’ll need to amuse yourself with ladies for the rest of your stay.”
Kitty examined the two pairs lying in front of her boss. He didn’t come close to besting either hand. So why did he bet?
She peered again at Elmer. His young face marred by a frown, he shuffled to his feet amidst the ruckus of everyone heading to the parlor for drinks before dinner. “I could contribute a little more money and keep playing.”
Still resting in his chair, Jack shook his head. “Isn’t that against the rules?”
“Yes.” The governor followed Rosco out of the study.
Hoping to raise Elmer’s spirits, Kitty waited by the table. “That’s not to say you still can’t have fun. The governor has a number of ladies to entertain you and a well-stocked stable of horses to ride.”
Just rising, Jack piped in, “And before too long, you’ll have a few other men to converse with. Willoughby and
Luke are already running short on funds.”
Elmer groaned and shook his head. “Yes. You, Rosco and the governor seem to be the only ones with any luck today.”
Kitty clasped Elmer’s arm and tugged him toward the door. “Don’t worry, we’ll find something for you to do.”
“Yes, well, at least Rosco is getting the money he needs.” Elmer patted her hand. “But if you’ll excuse me, I want to run upstairs and change before dinner. The heavy odor of Homer’s cigars is clinging to my clothes and making me a little nauseous.”
“Certainly.” Kitty released him and stepped into the hallway. He walked past her on his way to the staircase while she waited for Jack.
He slipped his arm naturally around her waist and drew her close. The hard line of his cock rode against her thigh. “Why don’t we go upstairs, too? I’m not interested in any pre-dinner chatter.”
Her nipples tightened into taut buds and the carnivorous hunger of her sex sprang to life at his suggestion. Tempted, Kitty remembered he hadn’t woken her for sex when he came to bed the night before but allowed her to rest. Could this man care more about her than himself?
She shook her head. “And then what would we do later after dinner? The governor told me he’s going for a ride tonight, and that I should keep you entertained.”
Jack blinked. “Does Sloan often ride after dark?”
Kitty smiled. The governor’s desire to visit his friend in the woods didn’t concern her. Those were the evenings she had free. “Yes, he likes the peace and quiet of the night. He says it awakens his senses and puts him in touch with nature.”
“Good. Then why don’t we go for a stroll outside, too?” Jack leaned closer and nibbled his way along her neck to her ear. “I’d like to see you in one of your other forms, maybe a cat with your sleek coat glistening and your tail swishing against my belly.”
Banished Page 13
