by Lisa Lace
“TerraMates has certainly brought you a loyal little wife. And you seem devoted to her as well.”
There is something speculative in Crucis’ tone, but I know better than to push. I shrug. “She belongs to me. I have never liked sharing very much.”
“Yes, selfishness is very much a family trait, isn’t it? Well, I see no choice but to settle this. The two of you will fight. Let’s get everything out in the open right now.”
Seyonn grins. A bloodthirsty look appears in his eye. “To first blood, or to the death?”
“To first blood, of course. Rasulus’ poor wife looks like she is going to faint. I don’t think she wants to see Rasulus’ guts spilled on the floor.”
The courtiers giggle dutifully at his remark. I struggle to keep my expression flat. No one in this room grew up with me. They do not know what I can do.
A glance at Perri’s face tells me Crucis is right. She looks horrified, and she is shaking her head in denial. As we file toward a large open area in the center of the hall, she grabs my hand.
“Don’t do this. Please. You can’t risk anything for me.”
“Have a little faith. I promise everything will be fine.”
She doesn’t look convinced. Seyonn and I are being drawn toward each other in the makeshift ring. Someone has produced a case with dueling knives. There are four, a long blade and a short one for each of us.
As the challenged party, Seyonn chooses his weapons first, looking down their deadly length and grinning. “There’s still time to pull back, prince.”
“Under no circumstances.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I see Crucis pull Perri to stand beside him. Despite the anxiety she must be feeling, she holds her head up high and even smiles coolly at something he says. I feel my heart lurch as if she has squeezed it within her hands. I knew she was a beautiful woman before, but for the first time, I wonder what she would be like as my queen.
A man steps forward to officiate the duel. He gestures for Seyonn and me to come to the center of the cleared space and touch our knives together. The chime of good steel silences the rest of the crowd.
“Fight with honor and only to first blood. May victory go to the one whose cause is right and whose arm is strong.”
He steps back. Seyonn and I circle each other slowly, knives pointed out and ready to cut. He is larger than me, but I am faster. He is an experienced duelist and has fought to the death on more than one occasion. As far as anyone in the crowd is concerned, I have no experience dueling.
Seyonn offers a compromise. “Throw down your knives. I will be merciful. A quick nick on your arm is first blood as well as a deep cut. We don’t need to worry anymore about this misunderstanding.”
“No. I challenged you, and I will have my satisfaction.”
“That’s a pity. You know, prince, things go wrong even when the duelist is as skilled as I am. Knives slip. Accidents happen. Who knows what might happen today? Perhaps even more than a simple cut.”
“I’ll take the chance.” The words are barely out of my mouth before he lunges toward me. Seyonn is faster than I thought. His short knife is fending mine off as his longer knife seeks my arm. I pivot, getting out of his way and avoiding both sharp blades.
Seyonn laughs as I spin around to face him again.
“Is talking your opening move?” I ask. “Not very impressive for a great duelist.”
He jabs at me again. This time, I see him coming and manage to dodge. I know what he is doing. He is testing my defenses and trying to figure out my weaknesses. Despite appearances to the contrary, Seyonn is no fool, and I remind myself to be careful.
I let him thrust again before I make my move. As he recovers from his charge, I turn toward him, feinting at his ribs. I don’t need to test him any longer. I have gotten his measure already.
He falls back with a curse. It is a close miss, and he narrows his eyes. He can tell I almost cut him, and I can see him resolving to take me more seriously.
I let him come at me a few more times. The people around us would be shocked if I ended the battle too early. They don’t expect skill from me. In fact, most of my plotting for the throne relies on them seeing nothing more than a foppish prince when they look at me.
Except now. I am in a fight I cannot bear to lose, and I do not care in the least if it costs me everything.
Seyonn is tiring rapidly. It occurs to me that his reputation has won more battles than his skill in recent years. I am younger than he is, and he is bulkier than I am. His face is flushed an unhealthy red, and his brow is wet with sweat.
He bares his teeth and slashes at me. For a moment, I wonder if he remembers we are only fighting to first blood. He seems almost crazed as the duel goes on, attacks getting sloppier and sloppier. He manages to evade my attempts to wound him, but as the fight continues, I can tell it is more due to luck than anything else.
Finally, he lunges too far, and I step forward at the right time. With a swift slash of my smaller knife, a red line opens on his arm. It is a minor wound, something he could have gotten hunting or from a young kashak.
At first, I am not certain if he has felt anything at all. Seyonn still looks like he wants to fight, spinning around and staring at me with furious eyes. His large hand comes up to the wound, wiping at the red and staring in dismay. The courtiers, fickle as ever, rise in a cheer, and I finally let out a long breath. The fight was far closer than I cared to think about, and I paint a lazy smile on my face.
“It’s finished, then. No hard feelings?” I turn to the man officiating the duel. “Will you declare me the victor and let us all go on with our night?”
The exhilaration from ending the fight has left me slower than I should be. It takes me a moment to realize that the officiant is staring behind me in shock. I turn around, dimly aware that I may be too late to save myself.
I see a flash of green silk from out of nowhere. Perri hits me from the side. She’s much smaller than I am, but she manages to push me aside as Seyonn’s blade comes slicing down where my body was a moment ago.
It was a poor attack, clumsy and slow, but it might have killed me. If Perri hadn’t turned me away, he would have cut me. With a furious growl, I push Perri back into the crowd and launch myself at Seyonn. I’m not angry about what has happened to me. The rage comes because I see the blades come too close to Perri. She shouldn’t be in danger.
I throw myself at him without pretense or any intention of stopping at first blood. I cut him again, a deep slash across the shoulder, then another across his chest. He is faltering now, driven back by my furious attack. He wounds me once. It’s a shallow slash over my thigh, but I barely feel it. All I see before me is someone who has tried to hurt what belongs to me. Slowly, Seyonn understands our fight is now to the death, and his face turns into a mask of fear.
In the end, he throws the knives down, holding up his clasped hands and asking for mercy. I stop myself from slitting his throat, taking a deep breath and making sure he is not tricking me again.
“That’s enough, brother.” Crucis steps forward, holding his hands up to bring an end to the proceedings. For a moment, I consider killing him as well and ending all my problems. I could cut him down in the middle of his pampered courtiers. To hell with my plans. Sanity reasserts itself, and I shrug, stepping back from my defeated foe.
“Well done, Rasulus. I genuinely didn’t think you had it in you.”
There is something menacing in his voice and a speculative tone, as well. He watches me with a predator’s stare. I wonder who sent Seyonn to Perri’s room. It seems like Crucis would send a man to pick a fight with me. It would let him measure my strength in a way that couldn’t be traced back to him. If tonight was a test, Crucis has won, and I have lost.
“I didn’t like his attitude.”
“Well, you made short work of him. Finish him off, brother. His life was forfeit as soon as he attacked you from behind. I certainly won’t complain.”
For a moment, I w
ant to do as Crucis suggests. Seyonn attacked me when I wasn’t looking. Even worse, he almost hurt Perri. I take a step forward to do it, ready to bathe in the revenge waiting for me.
Out of the corner of my eye, I see Perri’s pale face. Seyonn might deserve retribution, but I can’t frighten her more. I pull back with a shrug.
“I don’t care about this anymore,” I say casually. “It doesn’t matter to me what a man with no honor does. I will not be troubled by him, Crucis.”
Crucis nods as if my statement decided something for him. He is all smiles as he hands Perri back to me.
“My soft-hearted brother, I suppose we should all take lessons in mercy from you. Seyonn, stay out of sight for a while. You are not wanted. Brother, I wish you joy for your evening.”
Seyonn slinks off. The courtiers return to the business of pleasure as if my duel hadn’t happened. It is just another night for them.
Perri presses close to me. “Can we go now? Please?”
Perri
On the walk back to Rasulus’ chambers, I am too stunned to analyze what has just happened. A single thought consumes my mind: I nearly saw a man die. Even if he acted like an animal, I didn’t want him dead.
The idea that it might have been Rasulus who died makes me go cold with terror.
“Pushing me out of the way of Seyonn’s revenge was quite courageous for an Earthling.”
“Oh, really? I didn’t think—”
“Never do anything like that again.”
Rasulus pulls me up short, making sure I’m looking right into his eyes as he speaks to me. There is something desperate in his face, and I am almost frightened by his intensity.
“I won’t. Believe me. I have no interest in risking my life again when there are drawn knives around.”
“Good. But it was very brave. Thank you.”
I laugh shakily. “I didn’t think anything like that was going to happen tonight. To be honest, I was getting myself prepared to be snubbed and ignored by the nobles in your brother’s court.”
Rasulus’ laugh sounds bitter in my ears. “Sounds about right. Sex, assault, and a chance for mortal injury. It’s another typical night for my brother.”
We are back in his quarters with the door sealed behind us before I remember he is wounded too. He is walking without a limp, but his unharmed appearance probably has more to do with his pride than a lack of pain. He sits down heavily on the bed and looks down at the wound. I gasp at the blood soaked into his trousers.
“It looks worse than it is. Look, it’s already starting to close up.”
“It still needs to be treated if you want to avoid infection. Show me what to do.”
Rasulus rolls his eyes at my concern, but he directs me toward the same tube of healing gel he had used on me after the incident with the kashak. Without hesitation, he removes his trousers, wincing as the dried blood pulls at his skin. As an afterthought, he takes off his shirt as well.
Rasulus stretches out naked on the bed, and I use a dampened towel to clean the wound before applying the gel. It isn’t as bad as I feared. I can see he would not need any stitches if he were on Earth. Still, it is an injury, and he got it because of me.
Biting my lip, I spread the gel over the gash. The edges roll together, just as they did for my cut. Soon enough, it looks much better. Without thinking, I run my fingers along Rasulus’ thigh, ruffling his coarse and pale hair.
I look up when I sense a movement out of the corner of my eye. His cock is stirring against his thigh. Even though we have been intimate with each other, it makes me blush.
His laugh makes me jump. “You charged unarmed onto a field of combat when knives were swinging. Is a little nudity something to be afraid of?”
“I’m not bothered at all! I’m just not used to it.”
“Used to what?”
I spread my hands to encompass him, move to encircle the room we sit in, and finally gesture to the entire planet. I feel myself becoming overwhelmed. Without sitting up, he reaches for my hand.
“You are doing splendidly. I am proud of you.”
An errant comment shouldn’t make me blush, but it does. He laughs again, gently this time.
“My poor wife. Tonight was difficult for you.”
“That’s an understatement. Your brother’s court is not for humans, and then there was a fight. I didn’t know what to do.”
“Your mind didn’t know what to do, but your body acted. You did exactly what you had to do.”
“I wanted to protect you. I couldn’t think about doing anything else. Come to think of it, I didn’t think at all.”
“Right now, beautiful, I want you to stop thinking entirely.”
I start to protest, but he cups the back of my neck gently, leaning up to kiss me with a sweetness that makes me whimper. It hasn’t been long since we touched each other, but the sweetness of his touch combined with an intense heat surprises me all over again.
“Rasulus—”
“Shush. You are not going to think any longer. You are going to feel. You are going to respond. You are going to obey. There is nothing else. Do you understand?”
I start to argue, but before I realize what I’m doing, I feel myself nod. I don’t want to understand the strange planet I’m on or my status as Rasulus’ wife. There are too many questions I cannot answer. Right now, Rasulus is kissing me. It’s the only thing that matters in the world.
There is an element of hunger in the way he touches me. He manages to leash the primal need which consumed us the first time we fucked. Now he takes his time, relishing my mouth, sliding his tongue between my lips with an aching sweetness.
“You taste amazing. I wonder if you taste like this everywhere. Strip for me.”
For the first time, I hesitate. When we fucked before, there was no time to be nervous or embarrassed. I can’t stop thinking about all the beautiful women in the king’s chamber. I start to shiver.
Rasulus’ eyes narrow. “I told you one thing. No thinking. I can take you out of your mind with pleasure, but if you resist, there are other ways to do it. I believe you saw a young woman being thrashed in Crucis’ chambers, didn’t you?”
“It was cruel. He was hurting her.”
“Yes, it was cruel, but there can be a pleasure to the pain as well. A set of thin switches across that beautiful ass of yours, applied with judicious strength—that would get your attention, wouldn’t it? Your mind wouldn’t be filled with foolish and distracting thoughts any longer.” He leans forward to slide a hand under my silk skirt and up my thigh. “They shaved you. You’re beautifully smooth, sweetheart.”
The comment makes me want to moan with embarrassment, but before I can react, he’s sliding his hand between my pussy lips, finding them wet and swollen. He draws back fingers that shine in the low light of his quarters.
“Maybe you’re not opposed to the idea of being bent over for a punishment at all.”
I open my mouth to answer. He presses his damp fingertips to my mouth, making me taste my own arousal from his skin. I start to pull back, but he catches me and prevents me from moving. After a moment of shock, I realize that I do taste good, a combination of salt and slippery like oil and seawater.
“I won’t beat you tonight. I want something else. Take off your clothes.”
This time I comply without a second thought. He was right. I want to do what he says. I want to relinquish all control to him. I stand and unfasten the silk dress, letting it fall to the ground around my feet. I am wearing nothing underneath, naked except for the pendant around my neck that holds Rasulus’ name.
“You’re so beautiful. And you’re all mine.”
His words make me shiver. My eyes close as he approaches me. I can sense him without vision. He is a roving heat, a silken footfall, and a feeling of great hunger. Almost gently, he sweeps my hair behind my shoulders, feathering soft kisses over my collarbones.
I gasp when he cups my breasts, taking one in each hand. He squeezes them, almost
, but not quite enough to be uncomfortable. I tense as I wait for a pain that never comes. Instead, I let out a groan when he leans down to pull on one nipple and the other with his lips, suckling until they are taught and hard.
“You are very responsive.”
He pulls away abruptly. When I open my eyes, he is pulling a length of silk from the bed and throwing one end over the heavy chandelier hanging over us. Two ends are dangling down in front of us. He gives them a tug before handing them over to me.
“Take one in each hand and hang on.”
I’m reminded that he is taller than me as soon as I get a good grip on the fabric and am almost lifted onto my toes. My body is stretched for his pleasure, my ass taut and my breasts shown to their best advantage.
Rasulus presses his face to my throat before nuzzling my neck. I flinch, remembering the bite he gave me earlier. This time he kisses his way down my body, running his hands up and down my back and then my ass and my thighs as he kneels. The sight of him on his knees makes him look submissive, but nothing could be farther from the truth. Imperiously, he urges my legs apart, giving him access to run his fingers along my damp slit, wetting them thoroughly before working me open. His motions are restrained, just barely short of rough, but I don’t care. When his hand moves forward to roll against my clit, I groan, almost letting go of the straps. I manage to remember where I am and hang on.
“That’s right. Use your body and bear down. Want me as much as I want you.”
Following his instructions, I press anxiously against his taunting fingers. He presses up against me but doesn’t follow through, falling back and making me whine with need. Every touch seems to bring me closer to completion, but he will not let me finish.
“Good girl. That’s a beautiful girl.”
I think he might have some mercy on me, but compassion is not in the alien’s plans. He curls his hands around my hips, holding me still as he presses his face between my legs.
