Consort (Beyond Ontariese 6) Read online

  “You didn’t give me any indication that you’d taken Betaul’s warning seriously.”

  “Did I make it clear that I’d heard him?”

  “Yes, but—”

  “Then I took him seriously. I take everything I hear, see or sense seriously. Too many people depend on me to approach life any other way.” He lowered his arms but didn’t budge from the doorway.

  “As long as Ametto had access to Betaul, I wasn’t comfortable with the arrangement.”

  “And, of course, you told me this, gave me the opportunity to make adjustments or at least allay your fears.”

  Regret sparked in her wide blue eyes before she smoothed her expression and glanced away. “I didn’t and that wasn’t fair.”

  No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t stay angry with her. The urge to pull her into his arms and reassure her was almost overwhelming. Her life had been sadness and loss, degradation and rage. He didn’t want to waste one moment of their future entertaining anger or pride.

  He touched her arm and waited until she looked at him again. “Twice now Ametto was present when someone I love was attacked. I had every intention of reassigning him even before I compelled him to confess. Contrary to what you obviously believe, I do take your safety seriously.”

  “You compelled him to confess?” Her brows drew together and a shiver shook her bare shoulders.

  Lowering his arm, he tried to keep the irritation out of his voice. “It seemed more humane than torture.”

  She crossed her arms, rubbing her hands up and down. “I’m sure what you did was necessary, but I don’t have to like it.”

  “Very true.” She’d been on the receiving end of coercion and pain. It was doubtful she’d ever be comfortable with the darker side of life.

  “What did Ametto tell you?”

  “Fahdeal, the guard from the rooftop, was working for Eagin. Fahdeal disabled a section of the security shield so Eagin’s thug could move into position. Ametto found the shooter and took care of him, but Ametto also wanted to expose Fahdeal as a traitor. There was no concrete evidence, so he compelled Fahdeal to attack you. You were never in any real danger. Ametto would have stopped him before he reached you.”

  “Does Ametto often ‘take care’ of problems for you?”

  “I prefer to work within the system, but I won’t pretend to be upset. The bastard shot at two innocent children. There is no justification for such evil.”

  “So what happens to Ametto now? Why didn’t he just come to you with what he knew?”

  “Ametto is not blameless. He has been providing one of my enemies with information for several months now.”

  She shook her head, clearly upset by the news. “Why would he do that? Ametto has always been so kind and attentive, especially with Betaul. It’s really hard to believe he’s a traitor.”

  “There are extenuating circumstances. His daughter is being used as leverage against him. He has been working very hard to protect you and Betaul without endangering his daughter, but he’s running out of time. His employer is becoming more demanding.”

  “His employer?” Her hands stopped rubbing and her gaze narrowed, eyes more silver than blue. “Am I not allowed to know which of your enemies is threatening me and Betaul?”

  “At the moment, I don’t know,” he assured her. “Ametto asked that I use him to set a trap for his employer without telling him the specifics and without his telling me who she is. He’s afraid she’ll sense a direct betrayal.”

  “You need to find his daughter then all the precautions are unnecessary.”

  He smiled, desperately needing to touch her again. “Now that we know who shot at Betaul, my best trackers are searching for his daughter.”

  “I’m glad.” She lowered her gaze as she licked her lips, then looked into his eyes as she said, “I didn’t give you the benefit of a doubt. That was wrong.” She stepped closer and placed her hands on his chest. “Let me make it up to you.”

  He pictured her spread-eagle on his bed, wrists and ankles bound, utterly at his mercy. His body responded to the image with such force it made him groan and clench his fists. “I need a night to cool down. I’m feeling particularly savage right now.”

  She moved even closer and wrapped her arms around his neck. Then she pushed to the balls of her feet and whispered, “I’m not afraid of you.”

  “You should be.” Dark desire spiraled through his chest and lodged in his groin. He needed her now, naked, beneath him, wild with passion. “If you could see inside my mind, you would be.” He took her wrists and disentangled her arms from around his neck. “I mean it, Cinarra. I don’t think I can be gentle with you tonight.”

  She allowed him to unhook her arms, but rather than leaving, she slipped past him and into the room.

  Damn it. Why was she provoking him? He couldn’t make it any clearer. Unless… Did she want him as badly as he wanted her? Had fear and helplessness awakened the dark side of her passion?

  “If you stay, it’s on my terms,” he warned her. “You demonstrate your trust with every move you make, every word you utter.”

  “That’s no more than fair.” She kicked off her shoes and reached back for the fastenings of her dress. “Would you mind helping me, Sire?”

  “Indric,” he corrected. “To you I will always be Indric.”

  “All right, Indric.” She presented him with her back. “Would you please help me out of this dress, Indric? I can’t quite reach the fastenings.”

  He’d given her every opportunity to retreat, warned her of his dark mood. If she wanted to play with the beast inside him, he was more than willing to let it out. He slammed the door with his mind and activated the lock.

  “Are you sure this is what you want?”

  She looked over her shoulder, a soft smile on her lips, and said, “I want all of you.”

  Cinarra shivered as the rings in Indric’s eyes blazed like polished metal. She’d always sensed the power, the raw energy he kept so carefully contained. He was a Bilarrian male, a king, and she understood what that meant. To find the ultimate pleasure, he had to be in control. Which meant she had to surrender—submit. Surrender sounded soft and romantic, while submit had an erotic edge she never thought she’d find exciting. So why was she trembling with need and anticipation?

  His fingers brushed against her neck then rubbed her shoulders, but he hadn’t spoken since she told him she wanted all of him. He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her back into the heat of his body. He pushed his fingers into her hair and made a loose fist, drawing her head back and sharply to the side. Then his mouth covered hers and their breaths mingled in a stream of moist heat. His lips urged hers wider as his tongue traced the opening.

  She touched his tongue with hers, but he retreated as suddenly as he’d advanced. His mouth lifted and he eased back, his fingers flying down the row of fasteners, releasing each with skillful speed. The bodice loosened and then slipped, baring her breasts as it caught on her hips. He paused to cup her breasts. His thumbs teased her sensitive nipples while his fingers shaped the soft swells.

  Unsure what he wanted from her, she remained still and enjoyed his touch. One of his hands moved up, caressing her chest and sliding up and down her neck. She rested her head on his chest, savoring the heat and hunger that followed in the wake of his touch.

  His silence built the tension, adding to the mystery of what was to come. Would he bind her, command her, expect something she wasn’t ready to surrender. She closed her eyes and banished the uncertainty. This was Indric, her noble champion. He would never harm her or pressure her. She was safe in his arms.

  This is about trust, showing him that you trust him with your life and your pleasure.

  He pushed the dress past her hips and it pooled around her ankles. She wore only lace-trimmed panties and thigh-high stockings. Moving out from behind her, he took her by the hand and led her toward the center of the room where his bed sat upon a small dais. Draped in diaphanous hangings o
f gold and black, it was truly a bed fit for a king.

  A smile tugged at her lips, but she pressed them together, not wanting to reveal her thoughts.

  “Why are you smiling?” He paused beside the bed, obviously expecting an answer.

  “When you came to my house, it was easy for me to forget who you were. You’ve always been so approachable, so real. And even when you came to my room, it didn’t feel like this. I’m about to climb into bed with San Adrin’s king. It’s a little overwhelming.”

  “I am the same person I was when I visited your house. I will always be Indric to you.”

  The gentle reminder didn’t ease the tension building in her stomach. But it wasn’t unpleasant, just different. “King Indric of San Adrin,” she whispered. “It is the same and yet so different. I see you clearly now.”

  He looked as if he would argue and then he nodded. “You’re right. We can no longer pretend I’m not shaped by my responsibilities and my authority. Do you still want to be my lover, knowing I am king?”

  She lowered her chin and looked at him through her lashes. “Will it please you to know I want you more?”

  Curving his fingers around the back of her neck, he kissed her, a long, slow melding of lips and tongues. She followed his lead as he moved the kiss from her mouth to his and back. “Everything about you pleases me.” He nibbled his way along her jawline then sucked her earlobe into his mouth. She wiggled and gasped as the pressure sent sensations cascading through her body.

  His hands never stopped moving. He squeezed her breasts and stroked her sides, then one hand sneaked behind her and squeezed her ass through the silky material of her panties. He growled impatiently and spun her around.

  “Keep your knees locked and take off your panties.”

  She was facing away from him so she didn’t suppress her smile. Why don’t you just say bend over and show me your ass.

  “If you like. Bend over and show me your ass.” His tone was low and playful, but the words came as a shock.

  She gasped and looked back at him. His expression didn’t change. “Was I broadcasting?”

  “I pulled your thought across an existing link and into my mind. The link was already there. I sensed a transmission and thought you’d tried but failed to push it into my mind. I told you I would never enter your mind without permission. I haven’t and I won’t.”

  Which only proved how effortlessly he could manipulate thoughts. Still, it was a gray area. He hadn’t technically broken his word. She turned her head back around and switched to mind-speak. Communication seems to be the only exception to the panic attack rule. I can send and receive thoughts without totally losing it.

  It’s probably because you’ve had no other choice, since most of your family is on another planet.

  Good point. She knew she was stalling, but she couldn’t make herself bend over and wiggle her ass at him. It was so undignified.

  I’m waiting.

  Tonight was for him, an elaborate demonstration of her trust. She ignored her modest impulses and grasped the sides of her panties, easing them downward.

  And keep your legs apart, so your ass isn’t all I see.

  The rumbling command made her core clench and her nipples tingle. Arousal was quickly eroding her awkwardness. He’d already seen her naked, so why was she making this so difficult? She pulled the panties to mid-thigh then bent from the waist as she dragged them down to her ankles. She held the position for a second, making sure he had time to look his fill. Then she straightened and kicked the undergarment aside, waiting for his next order.

  Now your stockings. Remove them both and then hand them to me.

  Her insides tightened again with a nearly painful combination of excitement and uncertainty. She didn’t ask why he wanted her stockings. He probably meant to bind her with them. Claiming to submit and actually surrendering control were two very different things.

  She was so distracted by his directive that she forgot to make a show of it. She rolled the stockings down and pulled them off then straightened the material and turned around. With the stockings draped over one hand, she faced him. Her heart fluttered wildly in her chest. He was still fully dressed and looking every inch a king.

  “Come here.” He held out his hand when she couldn’t seem to move. “You said this was what you wanted.”

  “It’s what you want, and I want you.” She wanted to suck the words back into her mouth the second after they passed her lips.

  “It’s what I need. The question is, can you be content in the submissive role?”

  Her body was already giving her plenty of indications that this was also what she needed, but she didn’t want to commit to the concept until she was sure. “I say we find out.”

  He kicked his sandals aside and pulled his tunic off over his head. The muscles in his torso rippled and her fingers itched to explore. Somehow she didn’t think indulging her desire to touch him was on the agenda tonight.

  As if to confirm her unspoken suspicion, he said, “Give me your hands.”

  It was the first step on their new path. She’d undressed for him before. This was different, darker, more erotic. She held out her hands, hoping he couldn’t see how they trembled. He tied one end of a stocking around her wrist then bound her opposite wrist with the other stocking.

  “Now put them behind your back.”

  She looked at him, amazed that this gorgeous, powerful man had chosen her. She put her hands behind her back and he circled to stand behind her.

  His fingers brushed from her shoulders to her wrists, drawing her attention to the gentle pressure of the stocking as he bound her wrists together. It wasn’t painful, just intrusive and more stimulating than she cared to admit. He took her by the shoulders and turned her to face him again. His discarded tunic was on the floor between them and his pants soon joined the pile.

  “On your knees.” No other explanation was needed. The heat of his gaze made it obvious what he wanted.

  She carefully bent one knee and then the other, glad for the padding of his cloths between her knees and the cold, hard floor. He was fully erect and angled toward her, but he stayed just out of reach. Instead, he brushed the hair back from her face and traced her bottom lip with one of his thumbs.

  “I’ve dreamed about this for so long, pictured you bound and kneeling before me.”

  The thought of him alone and aching for her stoked the fire inside her. But he hadn’t just wanted her, he’d wanted her bound and subjugated. She waited for uncertainty’s twinge to hamper her desire, but it never came. In this environment, Indric was free to be himself, which brought her closer to him than she’d ever been before. This felt natural, real, right.

  Gazing up at him, she slowly licked her lips. “Then what are you waiting for?”

  He guided himself to her mouth then moved his hand, clearly wanting her to do the rest. She was happy to oblige. Circling his velvety tip with her tongue, she enjoyed the texture and heat. He didn’t move, didn’t rush her, but his thighs flexed and his abdomen tensed.

  A clear drop of fluid formed as she teased him, a sure sign of his building arousal. She caught it with her tongue and absorbed the faint taste, salty yet uniquely Indric. Wanting more, she closed her lips around him and began to suck with slow, firm pulls.

  She took him deeper, lubricating the thick shaft with her tongue so he slid more smoothly. His skin was soft, but the flesh beneath was so hard, so ready to fill her. He bumped against the back of her mouth before she reached the base and she instinctively tugged against her bindings.

  “Just your mouth, love.” He adjusted the angle of her head and rocked his hips, sliding in and out of her with even strokes.

  This was different than anything she’d done before. She was passive, unable to do more than maintain firm pressure with her lips and swipe his tip with her tongue, but it obviously excited him and his pleasure aroused her. He caressed her face and moved faster, filling her mouth completely with each stroke.

&n
bsp; “Yes.” He gasped, his cock twitching against her tongue. “So good.”

  He caressed his way down to her breasts, rolling and carefully pinching her nipples. Sensations zinged through her torso and the ache between her thighs became a persistent pulse. She wanted him there, deep inside her, moving between her thighs as strongly as he shuttled in and out of her mouth.

  The need to touch him was driving her crazy. She clenched her fists and imagined the feel of his strong legs beneath her fingers and the rhythmic flexing of his butt cheeks as he pumped into her mouth. She tugged again, but the stockings held her securely, so she concentrated on the steady slide of his shaft against her lips and the tantalizing pull of his fingers.

  His movements accelerated and his hands returned to her face. She looked at him, absorbing the heat of his gaze, surrounding herself with his passion. If she opened her mind, she could feel what he was feeling, know exactly how this felt. But he looked possessive and dangerous. He’d never appeared so primal. Desire was etched into his features, not to mention the rapid shuttle of his hips. She closed her eyes, resisting the temptation and settling for purely physical sensations.

  He threw his head back and groaned, shoving as deep into her mouth as he was able to go. She tensed. None of her lovers had dared to finish in her mouth. The first hot splash startled her, but she instinctively swallowed and the fluid slipped easily down her throat. He shuddered and she swallowed again, growing bolder as the taste spread through her mouth, salty, a bit sharp, but strangely evocative.

  She swirled her tongue around and around as he drew out of her mouth. He was still semi-hard even after reaching orgasm. Was that normal for Bilarrians, or was Indric particularly excited? He’d flashed out of her bedroom immediately after they made love the first time, so she honesty wasn’t sure.

  He pulled her to her feet and kissed her deeply. Apparently the taste of his pleasure didn’t bother him either because his tongue slid over and against hers where the taste was strongest.