by Viola Grace
The trip to his home was relatively short and Eleanor was amused at the modest stone manor in the center of a vineyard. He held his hand out to her as she left the skimmer. "Come along, I want to show you my home." His pride was unmistakable and she took his hand with a smile.
They walked through the trellises covered with vines and he explained the wine making process that his family had been engaging in for centuries. Her robes fluttered in the gentle breezes and he stopped to just look at her for a moment. "You are absolutely beautiful today, Eleanor. The formal robes suit you."
"You should have seen me back on earth. I would wander around in jeans and a t-shirt." She looked at his perplexity and realized that the words hadn't translated. "Tight blue trousers and a form fitting tunic with short sleeves."
His eyes flared at the thought of the form fitting clothing. She laughed as the urge to give her the tour fought with the urge to throw her to the ground and ravish her. His emotions were clearly stamped on his face and she admired the tick in his jaw that his control was causing.
She stroked his chest slowly and then laid her hand on his jaw. "We will soon have all the time in the world to be together. Show me the rest of your home." His face calmed and they walked back to the manor house.
His housekeeper was named Keliah and her family had worked for his at the winery since it started. She was on the border of elderly and had a grandson that she was training to take over the care of the property while Herun was away.
She was also delighted at his promotion and gave him a hug that had him squirming for freedom. When she was introduced to Eleanor, her manner changed. "The new King's whore?"
Herun's face blackened and he drew his breath to scold Keliah. "No, I was never Naccar's whore, and am now classified as his mother under Alliance law. I was his tutor and dance instructor, as well as teaching him a bit about self-defence." Eleanor was quick to speak as Herun seethed with irritation.
"Tutor? But Count Hagen has been putting it about that you fed him in public." Keliah looked embarrassed.
"Did he also mention that Murron had gutted him and he was bleeding out? And that I was the only one inside the barrier?"
Now her face was positively pink with humiliation. "No, that has not been made public. Count Hagen posted a public announcement and I am ashamed to admit that I believed the worst."
Herun spoke. "Even though he could marry her off to anyone, Naccar is allowing me to take this courageous woman as my wife. She is loyal, passionate, and a very skilled fighter." He grasped her hand and kissed it. She was warmed by his praise.
They left and discussed the manipulation of Hagen. He had obviously tried to win a popularity campaign against the new King. She was an easy target for him to focus on.
When they arrived back at the palace she strode straight to Naccar and said, "My son, we need to talk."
Herun had been hard pressed to keep up with her sweeping stride as pure fury ran through her. She had made her announcement to Naccar, then turned her back and made her way to his private quarters.
Herun explained the media report that Hagen had leaked, and Naccar purpled in fury. Eleanor was seething and pacing as he spoke and finally Naccar asked her, "Would you mind disclosing the details of our contracts?"
"Of course not. If you are to find a suitable wife yourself, wiping the spectre of an off-world whore will only be an asset to your search." Her fury had the men looking a little hesitant.
"Contact the Empress Amanda Tyrell of the Haldis Imperium. She can get you a full list of my training and contract histories that will be accompanied by Alliance seals." She threw herself into a chair and put her head in her hands. It was really too much for one day. Wait, her day wasn't over. "Do I still have to be at that party this evening?"
"Of course. I have had it planned for days." Naccar had the look of a host for whom all was not going as he planned it.
"Fine I will be there." She checked the chronometer on the wall and cursed. "Then I had better get ready. I am assuming that the appropriate clothing has been left in Kita's care once again?"
"It has."
"Then I will see you this evening. Which is only two hours away. Dammit." She surged out of the chair and tried to storm out of the room, only to be stopped by the Imperial guard. They took their assignments very seriously, any sudden moves and they were on alert.
"Out of my way, boys. I have to do my hair." She shoved them aside and was brought up short by the fist that tangled in her hair. Her head twisted and she glared at Herun and the grip he had on her.
"I am still your bodyguard, Eleanor, until I choose replacements," He dropped his head to whisper in her ear, "and that won't be for some time. I will indeed enjoy watching your body closely."
He took her arm and escorted her at a stately pace to her apartments.
Chapter Ten
The ball that evening was actually one of the highlights of her time on Vimpyr. The dancing was entertaining and only a few of the noblemen dared to ask her as Herun glared at them over her shoulder.
When she was finally allowed to choose her own partner she turned immediately to Herun.
"I don't dance much."
"I have seen you fight, it's not that much different." She hauled him onto the floor and set about teaching him the finer points of the waltz.
"This dance is extremely, intimate. Is it common?"
"It is actually antiquated by my people's standards. It caused quite a stir when it first came out, but it does suit the Vimpyr music, don't you think?" After long moments of staring at them, a few adventurous souls took to the dance floor and mimicked the smooth movements that Herun had mastered.
The crowd began to ebb and flow with the music, couples swirling, and laughter during collisions became common.
The musicians took their cues from the dancers and soon almost all in the ballroom had tried the new style.
Naccar came up to them as they moved to the music and finally gripped their shoulders to get their attention.
"I have some matters of state for you to attend to." Herun shrugged and she took his arm, trying not to let her disappointment show. She had been having fun dancing, it was one of her favourite pastimes.
The 'matter of state' was a wedding contract. Once signed it was legal and binding. Herun raised his eyebrows at the clause requiring him to spend no less than four nights every seven days in his wife's bed. No matter his obligations at the time.
The section on children interested Eleanor, including the astronomical amount that Naccar would settle on his brothers or sisters, not to mention the titles. One of her children would be appointed as his heir if he had no children of his own.
A judge had met them in the council room. "Are you willing to abide by the terms of the contract? To fulfill them in mind and spirit as well as body?"
"I am." Herun stepped forward and affixed his signature, a bold scrawl that made her despair of his penmanship.
"And you?"
"I am." Her signature was everything that hours of calligraphy lessons had made it, graceful, bold and distinctively feminine.
He looked at both the signatures and nodded. Then he turned to Naccar. "And do you agree to the settlements and the enforcement of this contract?"
"I do." He affixed his own signature, and then handed the contract back for the judge's seal.
At the heavy stamp of metal on wax Herun grabbed her and flipped her over his shoulder. He strode out of the room to the sound of Naccar's laughter and Eleanor's question of "What the hell?"
Her room was no longer a safe haven as Kita rose to greet her when the door opened and Herun barked, "Out." She giggled and scampered away. No doubt to spread the rumour of the wedding in the palace.
Herun peeled the robes from her as soon as he divested her of her bladed fans. Her sash fell and the robes sighed as they met the floor.
As soon as she was nude he placed her carefully on the bed and then shed his formal uniform all at once. His boots were kicked
free as he loosened his trousers and he opened only enough buttons to pry the jacket and tunic over his head. The pants seemed to be caught on something and she smothered her giggle as she realized that his erection was holding up the disrobing.
With an impatient mutter he shoved his trousers off his hips and then he was on the bed, crawling toward her with sensual intent. His full lips parted and she saw the ivory hint of his fang glinting in the dim light of the candles.
He wasn't going anywhere until he got what he wanted, and right now, he wanted all of her. The intensity in his eyes caused a dampness between her thighs and the wave of heat that assailed her was welcome. She was going to need all the co-operation that her body would provide.
As he moved up her body he licked, sucked and nipped his way to her throat, then nuzzled her jaw aside until she let her head fall back in surrender.
The blunt head of his cock was nudging her at the petals of her sex and lodged in her opening. She gasped at the heat that was demanding entrance and parted her thighs in invitation. His teeth parted her flesh as his cock surged into her and she trembled and kept herself relaxed as he began to feed. Her hands stroked restlessly down his back cupping his buttocks as he began to pump within her.
It only took a dozen strokes until he groaned and thrust his hips into hers as he spilled his seed deep in her belly. His teeth took much longer to finish their penetration and he licked at her neck as she stroked him, enjoying the feel of his body on hers after so long.
He was still hard inside her and she moved her hips against him, clenching lightly around him. His mouth came to hers and their tongues tangled in a heated duel that had her moving her hips feverishly under him as her body flared to life.
The rocked together, shifting and writhing in passion as her body sought satisfaction and in a frenzy of lust she dug her own teeth into his flesh, tearing lightly into his neck as she twined her arms and legs around him. He shuddered and bucked against her as she sucked at the blood welling from him, drinking him in as she had wanted to for the last several months.
His fingers wedged between them and stroked at her clit as she fed, a heady moan broke against his flesh as the first of a wave shattered within her, convulsing her around him.
He kept her orgasm going by riding her gently, stroking her inner flesh with his erection as he moved back and forth in a gentle rhythm, then unexpectedly grinding against her with a hard thrust that kept her moaning against his neck.
As his neck recovered, the wounds closing, she fell back exhausted in repletion. "Oh, no my wife. You don't get away that easily." His kiss was gentle but insistent. His hands ran over her breasts and belly, stirring her and coaxing her body to respond.
"Wife?" She blinked and the reality of the day's events hit her. Her hands stroked down his back and she arched against his hands as they covered her hips and belly with a possessive touch. "Mmm. Husband."
Her legs were hooked around his hips, and she remembered something he had said when they had their first night together so long ago. "How long can you stay hard?"
He laughed and rolled her across the bed until she was on top of him and she was impaled to the hilt once again. "Let's find out."
Epilogue
"So, what can Naccar want us here for?" She was sleepy, and had been since her third month of pregnancy. It took nothing for her to nod off and Herun found it wise to keep an arm around her just in case she relaxed while standing.
"He said that there is a new statue in the Royal Gardens. Each King is only allowed one in his reign. For Naccar to have chosen one, he must have had a fantastic idea." He steered her through the crowd and to the dais that had been erected for the occasion.
Naccar went to her and hugged her warmly in front of the gathered crowd. The mood was jovial, Naccar's reign having become one of the most successful in the last five hundred years. It was still early days, but his reforms were proceeding at a slow and deliberate pace that allowed everyone time to adjust.
She was escorted to her seat by the King and her husband of six months, her pregnancy just beginning to show. General Matias held his wife's hand and his gentle caresses kept her awake throughout the proceedings.
They were in the Royal gardens looking at the silk draped statue that was about to be unveiled.
Naccar stood and walked to the edge of the dais and took hold of the cord that would drop the covering. "Welcome one and all. I know that it is unusual for a new king to have chosen their addition to the garden so soon in his reign, but it was in my mind from the moment that I took the throne."
"Without further delay, here is my addition to Vimpyr culture." He tugged at the cord and the silk slithered to the ground.
Eleanor's jaw dropped and Herun hooted with amusement. Naccar was grinning like a fiend.
It was a statue of Eleanor. The figure was dignified yet amused. She was wearing her formal robes and had one Vilar fan open in her left hand and a closed one in her right. It was a statue of grace and beauty, and the plaque at the foot of the statue declared its meaning.
In honour of Eleanor Palmer Hala Matias
Mother, tutor, warrior, friend and Companion.
She protected a child not her own, for a planet that would see her dead.
A true defender of those she loves.
Queen Mother of Naccar Hala I
The flutter of a kick in her belly let her know that she was not the last of her line, nor the last warrior of her blood that this world would see. She gave Naccar a blinding smile through her tears and held onto Herun for dear life.
A strange wind had blown her to Vimpyr, and she couldn't be happier to be a registered bloodsucker.
About the Author
Viola Grace was born in Manitoba, Canada where she still resides today. She really likes it there. Her hobbies have included cross-stitch, needlepoint, quilting, costuming, cake decorating, baking, cooking, metal work, beading, sculpting, painting, doll making, henna tattoos, chain maille, and a few others that have been forgotten.
Her writing actively pursues the Happily Ever After that so rarely occurs in nature.
A brilliant mind, with a twisted sense of humor.
