Red Planet: The Rebel War (Tamarians Book 3)

by Snow, Jessica

  “No need,” I reply, patting Justine's shoulder. “You were on private time, in a staff area, doing what you are totally allowed to do. Just with Lady Gwyndolen coming by more often, I get the impression she's not used to that. A little more soundproofing would be useful, that's all.”

  Justine nods, relieved. “Thank you, my Lord. And I'll talk to the people who need the playroom about being more discreet until we can soundproof the room. You know, Lord Jensen, that room is open to you and Lady Kelbara as well.”

  Kelbara raises an eyebrow, chuckling. “Perhaps, Justine. When we get back, let's get together where you can tell me more about what's in there. We'll start there.”

  “Of course, Lady Kelbara,” Justine says, then blushes. “Although, if you don't mind my Lord, would you be okay if I took the evening off tomorrow? I.... I got asked out on a date.”

  “A date?” I ask, intrigued. “One of Sir Liston's workers?”

  Justine shakes her head, smiling slightly. “Ah.... no, my Lord. Sir Liston himself.”

  I nod, hiding my shock. “Of course, Justine. Go on, head back and relax, and take the whole evening off tomorrow. Enjoy your date, and you can tell us about it if you like afterward.”

  Justine smiles in relief and hands over her flexi before getting back in the shuttle, taking off back for the capital, the sonic booms coming to us just before she disappears into the dark sky. Kelbara looks at me, and I shrug. “Good for her. I'm a little surprised that she'd take a date with Liston, but if she's feeling up to that, well, I'll support her in it.”

  “He must be handsome,” Kelbara says. “Won't you say?”

  “He's got charisma, that's for sure,” I reply. “Who knows? Justine's beautiful, and it would be nice to have her find someone who treats her the way she deserves to be treated.”

  “Charisma, huh?” Kelbara says, smiling openly. “And handsome enough to charm our Justine so quickly on one meeting. Maybe I need to meet this man.”

  “Why, you planning on inviting another man into your bed?” I ask, playfully growling, and Kelbara laughs.

  “My love, I can barely keep up with the one I have. Come on, I need to get some food in me before I get shot this evening. Would you join me for a ration pack?”

  “Sounds like a feast to me.”

  Chapter 6

  Audra

  “She got shot twice?” Mogar says again in clear amusement as I take my time adjusting myself before sitting down in his office. “How'd that happen?”

  “Two plasma balls at the same time,” I say with a laugh, settling in. “One in the front, one in the back. You know, this is why I like coming to your estate, Mogar. You've got the most comfortable chairs for me. Thank you.”

  Mogar chuckles, shaking his head. “I'm glad they can be useful to you, Audra. I purchased them years ago when I realized that I can't, or maybe it's better to say I don't want to cure my bad habit of trying to stay up too late reading, so I decided if that's the case, I might as well be comfortable sleeping upright. You ought to recline the chair. It's very comfortable that way.”

  I look to the side, and adjust the chair back a few degrees, sighing happily as I do. “Okay, I'm stealing your chair Mogar. Queen's orders!”

  “Buy your own chair,” Mogar jokes back, handing me a flexi. “In the meantime, let's review the data from yesterday. So far, the best that our intelligence resources can figure out, Tauria is on the far continent, but that's about all we can be sure of. With ten million square kilometers of space and seven hundred million people, there's a lot of places for her to hide.”

  I sigh, reading the report. Rumors, rumors, false sightings, and more rumors. “Heaven and stars Mogar, why do we keep missing her?” I grumble, feeling Audren kick and I sigh, sitting back before I can upset him in my belly. “Three months and the closest we've been in four cases is of being an hour behind. I'm getting tired of reading reports that include what she had for breakfast, and not that she's eating lunch in custody.”

  Mogar grumbles as well, taking another flexi from his desk and nodding. “You're not the only one, Audra. I did a statistical comparison, and I've noticed something disturbing.”

  I look over, raising an eyebrow. “You're thinking the same thing I am. Someone in the government is talking.”

  Mogar nods. “The evidence is pretty clear. One or two escapes for Tauria, that I can understand. Some of the places we've raided, they're the sort of towns and cities that will proclaim their loyalty to whoever is pointing a weapon at them at the time. They're more than happy to take Guard and Lancer credits, smile and say they love you and Tauren, but then as soon as our people leave, they're just as happy to say the same thing to the Rebels.”

  I nod. “I understand, perhaps better than you might know. It's the mindset that a lot of slaves had. We'd be able to smile and look very convincing to the faces of our owners, but still want to kill them. Remember who owned me.”

  “The two biggest sociopaths on the planet,” Mogar replies, shaking his head. “I don't even know how much damage they caused.”

  “I wouldn't call Neyilla or Neyton the biggest sociopaths,” I counter. “We're trying to chase down the worst of them all. Without Tauria and her mad lust for power, Neyton and Neyilla would never have had the chance to inflict on people what they did.”

  Mogar thinks, then nods. “Perhaps you're right. So how do we defeat that?”

  “There's a few ways,” I reply, adjusting myself as Audren rolls in my womb. “First, we can just kill or crush the will of everyone who opposes us. Use fear.”

  “Sounds suspiciously like what you lived through,” Mogar says, but he's not rejecting what I'm saying. He's a scholar, he knows that I'm stating just an option, not endorsing one.

  “It is. And in some ways, the method worked for thousands of years, considering humanity's life on this planet since our arrival. Still, it did eventually fall. The next option is to try and win their hearts and minds. Now, we can do that by leaving Tauria alone and letting the people who want to follow her initially see how much of a drug-addled bitch she is, or we can remove her from the equation. As she's going to be used by any Rebels who can get their hands on her as a figurehead if nothing else, I don't think leaving her out there is a good idea. Still, while I understand Tauren's point of view that it might be easier to eliminate her, there's another part of me....”

  “That doesn't,” Mogar finishes when my words trail off, and I nod. “Why?”

  I shrug, thinking about how to frame my words. “Mogar, so far there's already been a lot of blood spilled in this war. Sure, compared to some of the historical records I've gotten to read, wars on Tamaria seem like nothing compared to the ancient wars on Earth, where millions could die in a single day even. Tamaria does that, and we're talking global levels of devastation. Still, I'd like to say... I guess what I'd like is at least a sense that we're doing the right fucking thing when this is all over and my son is born.”

  Mogar nods, giving me a small smile. “Have I mentioned that you make a great Queen?”

  “Tell that to me after this war is over,” I return, sighing. “Have you been able to analyze how Tauria's getting her head starts time after time?”

  Mogar shakes his head, tapping at his flexi. “Some ideas. I can guarantee you one thing: it's coming from within the government somewhere. She's able to react with too much speed for it to be getting out through just public rumor and speculation.”

  I rub at my forehead, wishing it wasn't that. “I thought the same thing. Mogar, you know I can't be on the front lines of this like Jensen and Kelbara, and recently I haven't even been feeling well enough to be doing a lot of the public relations work that Tauren does, but still....”

  “Your efforts are not being ignored,” Mogar says quietly. “Not by your family, not by me either. And don't discount what public appearances you have made. You're busier on the public front than Tauria ever was.”

  I roll my eyes, snorting in derision. “Great, it's still not e
nough. But Mogar, if what your analysis says is true, that this is a result of a leak within the government, we need to find out a way to isolate it quickly.”

  Mogar nods, his face going back to the introspective look that he often has when his mind's whirling in ways that I'm not sure anyone else on Tamaria can keep up with. “I am working on ways of doing that now.”

  * * *

  “Where in the heaven and stars have you been?”

  I don't want to sound nagging or worried, but when Tauren wasn't back home by nine o'clock, I started to worry. When ten o'clock passed and I still hadn't heard anything, worry gave way to irrational fear. Part of me said that Tauren goes everywhere with at least two Royal Lancer guards, that's he's the King of Tamaria for fuck's sake. If anything happened to him, I'd have a line of people lining up to tell me, Pretton probably at the front of them all, trying to buffer the shock for me. Even if Tauren had engine problems on his shuttle I'd get a notification.

  But there is another side of me, the side that whispers that I'm just a little human slave girl who's pretending to be Queen, that I'm lost in a dream and the reality is that I'm tied up in Neyilla's play room and under the influence of something or she's hit me in the head one too many times. That Tauren's been hurt, and already the slavers are coming, ready to drag me off, my son to be cut out of my stomach and bashed on the floor, that my body's going to be raped like it used to be...

  “Highness, the King has returned home,” Pretton says quietly, breaking my internal fear driven rant. I look up, relief evident in my face as Tauren comes into my study, tired but smiling until he sees my face. Pretton bows slightly and pulls the doors closed, always the master of reading expressions.

  “Audra? What's wrong?” Tauren asks, coming around and reaching for me. I pull away, anger taking the place of my fear.

  “What's wrong? Tauren, it's ten thirty at night, I haven't heard from you since I left to go to Mogar's for my daily work, and I've been sitting here trying to keep calm all the while my brain's telling me that there's a war going on, and you want to ask me what's wrong?” I ask, my voice rising to a yell by the end. “Where the fuck were you?!?!”

  “I... I was out at the latest Rebel bombing site, working with the relief teams,” Tauren says, his face still surprised. “I thought you knew that.”

  He's right, it was on his itinerary, but I'd forgotten to read it. Heaven and stars, I could have just asked Pretton and he would have told me. “So? It's ten thirty Tauren!”

  “Here.... but it's only eight thirty at the relief site,” Tauren says, still confused. “I was never in any danger, love. I'm sorry if there was confusion, maybe the local time was used for my itinerary instead of capital time.”

  “So? You were at a bomb site, putting yourself in danger again!” I yell, tears in my eyes. “You keep going out, putting yourself in danger, and here I am, sitting around unable to help and all I can do is worry about if I'm going to be a widow before the end of the day and....”

  I start sobbing, and Tauren comes forward, wrapping me in a hug. “Audra... oh Audra, I know this is tough for you. But don't you understand, I must do this. It's who I am.”

  “You're my husband too!” I yell, pushing him away, angry again. “Yes, you're the King, and yes I knew that being Queen meant I couldn't have you totally to myself. But you can't just run out doing things every day putting yourself in danger! Putting our lives in danger!”

  Tauren licks his lips, and I know he's trying to restrain his frustration. I'm being irrational, but I can't help it. “Audra... what do you want me to do? Sit on my ass in the palace and let other people do the things that need to be done? Let a bunch of nameless, faceless workers rebuild that bomb site while I sip wine and eat organic prime rib? Sit here safe and sound while our entire world rips itself apart? I can't do that!”

  “I know!” I scream, slamming my hands down on the desk before sobbing. “I know... I just... I'm so scared Tauren....”

  Tauren comes around, hugging me again, and this time I let him. “I know. I'm scared too, Audra. I'm scared that Tauria's going to win, that she's going to somehow take you away from me. I'm scared every time Jensen and Kelbara go out training or on a mission. And I'm scared that Audren's not going to have a mother or a father when he comes.”

  “I don't want you to risk your life,” I whisper, hugging him. “I just...”

  “I know,” Tauren says, kissing my forehead. It helps, and I feel the fear giving way, something sweeter, better taking its place. “And you know why I can't stop doing what I'm doing. To ask other people to protect us, to ask other people to protect my son and my wife without being willing to do it myself... I'm not that sort of man.”

  “I know...” I say, turning my head up and kissing Tauren. He kisses me tenderly, stroking my back until he reaches down, cupping my ass and making me moan. “Mmmmm, here?”

  “Why not?” he asks, smiling. “A good way for me to not put my weight on your stomach.”

  “And here I was thinking you were ignoring me when the doctor told me about that,” I laugh, desire fully replacing the anger. “I'm sorry I yelled.”

  “I'm sorry I make you worry about me,” Tauren says, kissing me. He's strong and demanding, his tongue demanding entrance to my mouth and I open for him, feeling him clutch me and pull me closer. His hands pull at my dress, and I realize one of the advantages of not wearing pants as he finds the closure on the back and pulls it from my shoulders, letting it pool at my feet, leaving me in only my underpants and the indoor flats that I wear. Tauren kisses along my neck, lifting me and setting my hips on the edge of the desk. “Just the right height.”

  “For what, my King?” I ask, feeling the chill on my ass as the cold desk presses against my legs. My library's desk might be real wood, but it's a cold real wood. Still, it doesn't stop the heat between my legs as Tauren steps back and pulls at his tunic, nearly tearing it off before he steps back, throwing it to the side and pushing his pants down. His cock in nearly fully hard, and I lick my lips, hungry. “I see.”

  Tauren leans down, kissing my belly even as I feel his hand run up my thigh to rest on top of my panties, his thumb stroking up and down. I moan, unclipping my bra and letting my breasts tumble free. Since getting pregnant my nipples have been so sensitive, and Tauren knows this, his eyes gleaming as I tweak and play with them. “Do you want to watch me suck?”

  He nods, smiling as I lift my left breast up. There was no way I could do this before my breasts started to swell, but now they're heavy, sensitive and starting to fill with the milk that will nourish my son. I reach out with my tongue and lick my own nipple, the thrill combining as Tauren strokes my pussy with his thumb, rubbing the fabric between my lips and setting my body on fire. I can't see what he's doing with his other hand, but it feels so good, I'm on fire for my man.

  Tauren pushes my legs together and eases my panties off, the passion mixing with the care he has for my pregnancy that just adds to the feeling inside me. When they're all the way off he pushes my knees apart and pulls me just a little bit closer, the edge of my ass hanging off the desk. “Are you ready?”

  “Yes, my love,” I moan around my nipple, sucking until I feel a sweet stream of milk flow onto my tongue. Tauren eases his cock in, taking his time and relishing the feeling as we let go of everything. No King, no Queen, no war, and no Tamaria. Just Tauren and Audra.

  Tauren's hips move in perfect concert with the desires inside me, going slow at first and building thrust by thrust. I'm groaning, switching to my other breast when Tauren reaches up and paws at it, squeezing and tweaking it just this side of rough, causing me to cry out. His cock starts hammering, stretching open my pussy with every powerful flex of his hips and sending fireworks shooting to explode deep in my chest.

  Tauren’s breath quickens, and I know he's holding back, nervous about hurting me, but I want more, I need the powerful, strong man that I love. “Fuck me, Tauren. Give it to me, I can take it.”

  Tauren's onl
y reply is to growl and let go of my breast to hold onto my thighs, his cock speeding up, hammering deep inside me with each thrust. I hear a soft whining screech fill the room, and realize that he's moving the desk each time his thick cock slams into me, and I push back as best I can, giving myself to him as much as he's giving himself to me. We're both moaning, deep sounds that come from the center of our souls as we reach higher and higher, my fingers digging into the edge of the desk to hold on as Tauren drives himself soul-deep with each thrust.

  The feeling starts not in my pussy, but in my toes, which curl all on their own before rippling up my legs to my hips, exploding in a silent detonation of pleasure that drives the breath out of me. My back arches as I come, and I feel Tauren thrust one more time before he groans, his cock spurting deep into me as his hands pull my thighs against him, his mouth open as we come together.

  We stay there, Tauren's cock buried inside me even after we come down, Tauren letting go of my thighs to entwine his fingers with mine. His eyes are tender and loving, and I feel tears start to form again, but these are of happiness. “Audra, I know it's not fair right now. I know that... I know that I should be here with you more. But I love you, and you are always first and foremost in my heart.”

  “I know,” I whisper. “I know you're doing what you're doing to protect me and protect our baby. So, if I get hormonally emotional... give me a little patience?”

  Tauren nods, smiling. “I can do that.”

  “One more thing?” I ask. “Can we go to bed and maybe do this one more time?”

  He grins, moving his hips even though his cock is softening a little, ready to droop for a little while before he's ready again. “I think by the time we get to bed; I'll be up for one more time. Or two.”

  Chapter 7

  Kelbara