Pirate's Price Page 2

  Aching memories stirred within Rana. This entire situation was far too reminiscent of her relationship with Jaque. He had lavished her with affection, but he had loved Pavel.

  She took a sip of wine as Umar kissed the king. Umar stroked Vega boldly, his gaze still locked with hers.

  “Enough, my love.” Vega pushed Umar backward. “I know you can arouse me.”

  “How should we proceed, sire?”

  If Vega detected the subtle mockery in Umar’s tone he didn’t react. The king looked about the room as he stroked his goatee. “Stand there, beside the divan. Kiss her until she gets wet. I want her good and juicy before I interrupt you.”

  With a regal bow, Umar took her half-empty wineglass from her hand and set it aside. He swept her into his arms and steered her toward the low, backless couch. “You really are lovely. I suspect we’ll get along just fine.”

  Before she could judge his sincerity, his mouth covered hers. The kiss was harsh and wet. Jaque always nibbled at her lips and introduced his tongue gradually. Umar thrust into her mouth as soon as their lips touched, inhaling her startled gasp as his hand cupped her ass. He was declaring his dominance, establishing his position in the pack. She had no interest in being the alpha, but she’d expected a little finesse!

  “Kiss me back and curve your leg around my hip.” He sounded impatient and annoyed.

  She wanted to shove him backward and storm from the room, but this night might well set the tone for the rest of her life. She would not accept this sad farce without a fight. If she felt nothing more than annoyance, she would find another way to deal with her mother.

  Pushing her fingers into Umar’s thick hair, she took control of the kiss, slowing his pace and fitting their mouths more snugly together. She rocked her hips and rubbed her nipples against his chest. His cock stirred to life between them and she explored his broad back.

  “I’ve missed you,” she whispered against his kiss moistened lips. “Each night I spend without you is agony.” She heard Vega’s pleased chuckle, but Umar was too busy trying to regain control of the embrace. She would soon be queen and regardless of Vega’s feelings for him, Umar was her subordinate. She couldn’t allow him to treat her with disrespect. “I want your mouth on me.” Daring him to object, she urged him to his knees. “Lick me! Fuck me with your tongue. I want my cream all over your face when I come.” Vega made a strangled sound as she raised her chemise with one hand and boldly caressed her smooth mound with the other.

  “Take it off,” Umar growled. “If I’m going to eat you, by god, you’ll be naked and squirming while I do it.”

  She tugged off the undergarment and tossed it aside.

  “Very nice,” the king whispered, momentarily abandoning his character. “Turn around. Let me look at you.”

  Feminine power surged through her, new and intoxicating. Perhaps there was some appeal to this role-playing after all. Keeping her gaze downcast, she rotated on the ball of her foot. A slow flush crept across her skin as Vega visually devoured her naked body.

  The pleasant moment ended abruptly when she faced Umar again. His features were tense with barely suppressed anger. Swallowing past the lump in her throat, she reinforced her determination and wrapped herself in her role.

  “I ache, my love. Please.” Stroking her breasts, she licked her lips and swayed toward him.

  “Like this?” Umar grasped her hips and pushed his tongue into her folds. He flicked her clit, the touch firm and sudden. She gasped. “Or like this?” He traced her crease over and over. Heat spiraled into her belly and beyond, making her nipples tighten. Teasing her mercilessly, he licked her folds and nudged her opening, never venturing deeper.

  She shifted her feet and parted her thighs, restless and needful.

  “If you want more,” he taunted, “show me.”

  Helpless to resist the temptation, she raised one of her legs to his shoulder and opened herself to him. He framed her with his lips, denying her the penetration of his tongue. “In me,” she gasped out the words. “I need you inside me.”

  Vega’s arm wrapped around her waist and dragged her off Umar’s face. “You whore!” He slapped her ass hard and Rana cried out. He hadn’t said anything about hitting. “I no sooner leave your bed and you have another man waiting to fuck you? Are you never satisfied?” He pushed her to her knees and bent her over the divan. “Spread your legs, my lady slut; let me see how well you like it.”

  “Please, sire. I will never --”

  He interrupted her plea with another firm spank. Heat spread through her bottom and her feminine core throbbed. Jaque had never handled her roughly, never dared suggest a spanking. The brocaded upholstery abraded her nipples as Vega pulled her wrists to the small of her back.

  “I promote you from common soldier to palace guard and this is how you repay me?” Vega sneered at Umar. “I should have you executed for touching her. It is within my right.”

  “I know, sire. I am so ashamed.”

  “Ashamed? You lie to me with her cream on your lips! Spread her legs. I want to see your fingers sink into her faithless cunt.” Umar dragged her legs apart and stroked her inner thighs. “No! Do not caress her. Thrust into her fast and hard. She is a whore and you will treat her as such.”

  She couldn’t deny the leap in her pulse as Vega snatched control from her completely, but why was it necessary to make her feel… demeaned?

  Umar pushed into her pussy and she pressed her lips together to keep from crying out. She was wet, not just wet, sopping, and his fingers felt fantastic. Without warning he added another finger. Was that two or three? If he’d just brush his thumb across her clit, she’d blast into orgasm.

  “Harder.” Vega smacked her ass again and Umar effortlessly matched his rhythm, obviously used to the routine. “Tell me what you feel.”

  “She is --”

  “She is my queen!” He punctuated the point with an especially hard slap against her burning ass. “Say your queen’s pussy is hot.”

  “Your queen’s pussy is hot.”

  Thrust. Slap. Heat and tingles.

  Rana clenched her teeth against the mounting pleasure. She wasn’t a whore, so why was her body responding so intensely to being treated like one? Her inner muscles fluttered and tension built with alarming speed.

  “Your queen’s pussy grips me tightly,” Vega prompted. “Say it!” Slap. Thrust.

  “Your queen’s pussy grips me tightly.” Umar was almost yelling. “She’s about to come.”

  Vega shoved Umar’s hand back and Rana moaned. Her channel throbbed painfully as the orgasm slipped away. Damn them! She had never needed to come so badly in her entire life.

  “Lie down and spread your legs over the sides of the divan. I want to see everything this bastard does to you.”

  Shaky from the averted release, Rana turned around and stretched out on her back. The rough material made her bottom burn, which only accented the ache in her pussy. She lowered her feet to the floor on either side of the divan, spreading her legs wide in the process. Both men stared at her with a combination of lust and contempt. Real or pretend, the hostility upset her. She wanted to be cherished and appreciated, not resented and despised.

  Being the focus of two lusty men had teased her imagination as long as she could remember. Pavel had only been interested in Jaque, so the fantasy had never been realized. Now she was the center of attention. It just wasn’t the sort of attention she craved.

  “Raise your arms above your head. Thrust out those tits.” Vega circled her, taking in the view from every angle. “We’ll have to pierce your nipples and your clit. I want to watch chains swing as Umar fucks you from behind.”

  She looked into his eyes, but his gaze was fixed on her pussy. Was he talking about eventually or before the night was through? “Are we --”

  “Silence! You will only speak when I ask you a question.” He returned to the foot of the divan. “Your cunt is deeply flushed and you’ve made such a mess with your cream that I
could fuck you up the ass with no other lubrication.”

  He sure as hell better not put that opinion to the test! She glanced toward the door. Was Kashi still listening?

  “Finger her ass. I want to see that tight little hole spread around your finger.”

  Fear poked through her uncertainty. Jaque had played with her bottom from time to time, but he’d never taken her there. She licked her lips, desperate to ask questions and needing reassurance.

  Pushing his middle finger into her pussy, Umar rubbed her clit with his thumb. He studied her expression, waiting for her to relax. “Tilt your hips and I’ll make you like it,” he coaxed. Before Vega could object to his tone, she planted her feet more firmly and canted her hips. Umar painted her anus with her own juices, preparing and teasing her with his slick fingertips.

  His entry was surprisingly gentle. He gathered cream again and eased inside with steady pressure. She held perfectly still, relaxing her internal muscles as he gradually filled her.

  “Is she tight?”

  “Very.”

  “Has anyone ever fucked you up the ass?”

  She shook her head, afraid to breathe as that long finger began to slide.

  “Then I will take your virginity on our wedding night,” he muttered, his gaze glued to the steady penetration of Umar’s finger. “Then Umar will fuck your pussy, while I’m still in your ass. You will come so hard you’ll see stars.” He reached down and pinched her clit. She yelped but bit back a scream, unwilling to give him the satisfaction. “Do you need to come, my lovely whore?”

  “Yes.” Her whimper was real. Her entire abdomen ached with the need to climax.

  “Too bad.” He unfastened his pants and freed his erection. “I will feel the silken heat of that traitorous mouth first. Perhaps if you please me well enough, I’ll allow your lover to reward you at the very end.” Umar moved to the side of the divan, maintaining the firm slide of his finger in her ass. “Use your tongue on her clit, but don’t let her come until I release my seed.”

  “Yes, sire.”

  She caught a glimpse of Vega’s cock as he pushed it into her mouth. It felt about the same as Jaque’s, perhaps a bit longer. Swirling her tongue around the flared head, she kept her lips snug as he rocked in and out. Two men were touching her, arousing and teasing her, just as she’d always imagined, yet she felt -- used.

  Would he come in her mouth? Jaque always timed his release so his come slid immediately down her throat. Somehow she didn’t think Vega would consider anything but his pleasure.

  Vega groaned and hesitated in mid-stroke. “You wicked, wicked man.”

  Umar had thrust his finger into Vega’s ass. Rana watched his hand move, but couldn’t actually see his fingers. He was fucking them both, expertly controlling the pleasure. She sucked Vega deeper into her mouth and Umar circled her clit with his tongue. Their movements synchronized, driven on by Umar’s clever skill. Tension gathered again, her senses focused as an orgasm built within her.

  “Now, for fuck’s sake, now!” Vega thrust to the back of her mouth and jetted his seed into her throat. She gagged then forced herself to swallow. “Yes, sweet slut. Swallow again and again. Take all of it. Lick me clean.”

  Like an obedient “whore” she swallowed every drop then bathed his shaft with gentle licks and tender kisses. All the while her fury grew. Nothing in the galaxy would be worth spending the rest of her life playing the unfaithful wife for a disinterested husband.

  Panting harshly, Vega staggered back from the divan and casually righted his clothing. “That was…remarkable. I dare say we are more than compatible.” He laughed, obviously proud of his performance. “If you two want to play a while longer, I have no objection. I’ll see you in the morning and we’ll set a date for our wedding.” He strutted from the room and discreetly closed the doors.

  Was the man daft or just oblivious? What little interest they’d managed to ignite had been snuffed out by their cruelty.

  Umar slowly withdrew his finger. Rana shuddered. She’d forgotten he was still inside her.

  “Not quite what you were expecting?” Any hint of warmth in his gaze iced over. She tried to close her legs and he grasped her thighs, his fingers biting painfully into her flesh. “Don’t ever try and control me again!”

  She reared up and swung her fist at his angry face. This farce had gone on long enough! He caught her wrist and crawled onto the divan, kneeling between her thighs. “Let go of me.” She mimicked her mother’s imperious tone, thanking god he was still wearing pants.

  He laughed. “Save your queenly airs for someone who gives a shit. The only pleasure you will ever know, from this day forth, will be given to you by me.”

  Rather than argue, she glared into his eyes. As soon as she got out of this room, she intended to pack her bags and return to Devaunt. His threats held no power over her.

  “How did you like being the king’s whore?” He tweaked one of her nipples. “I know you didn’t come, because I made damn sure you didn’t. But it doesn’t have to be like that.”

  “What do you want?” She ignored his touch as he turned his attention to her other breast.

  “I want you to understand the reality of your position.” He pinched her viciously and she cried out despite her clenched jaw. “Look at me when I’m speaking to you. In a few weeks you will be queen, but you will also be a whore. You will suck my cock whenever I crook my finger and raise your skirts whenever I feel the need for your pussy or your ass.”

  “And the king will have nothing to say about it?”

  “The king is a sniveling fool. I can make him whimper like a baby with the swirl of my little finger. Imagine what I can do with my cock.” He paused for a cruel smile. “Vega will allow me to do whatever I want with you as long as we play his ridiculous game.”

  Pride blasted through her caution. She despised bullies. “What’s to keep me from telling the king you’re threatening me?”

  “The well-being of your precious people.” He arched his brow in challenge. “Unlike Vega, I take time to learn everything there is to know about my adversaries. If you seem hesitant at all, I’ll convince him to abolish the treaty. And we both know how badly the people of Devaunt need the promised reforms.” He leaned in, his lips brushing her cheek as he added, “That’s the beauty of this arrangement. I will have both king and queen at my beck and call.” He crawled off her and snatched his discarded shirt off the floor. “I won’t make you suck me tonight. Consider it your wedding gift,” Umar said as he left the room.

  She scrambled off the divan and donned her chemise as Kashi rushed into the room.

  “Are you all right?” her handmaiden cried.

  “I’m fine.” She was fighting back tears and her hands were shaking so badly she couldn’t fasten a button, but she would not let Umar get the upper hand.

  “You don’t mean to go through with this do you?”

  “Of course not.” She shuddered, drawing calm from her renewed purpose. Her people must be protected, but never again would she consider sacrificing herself in the process. “I need time to figure out what to do about Mother.”

  “Say the word and I’ll arrange --”

  “I’m not going to murder my mother.” She finger combed her hair away from her face. “Not even if she deserves it.”

  “She doesn’t have to die. We can just make her disappear.”

  Rana rubbed her temples and shook her head. “If there is any doubt about her fate, the cabinet will appoint a regent. After her dreadful rule, they are not anxious to empower another empress.”

  “They want a man on the throne?”

  With a stiff nod, Rana focused on strategy. “Her cabinet is even more corrupt than she is. I need the backing of four of the six great houses before I make my move. I can’t do this alone. I’m not sure I can do it at all, but this is not an option.” They said nothing as Kashi helped her dress. Rana slipped her feet back into her shoes and washed her mouth out with the rest of her wine. “I
can use this wedding as a stall tactic while I set things in motion, but how do I avoid the actual marriage? No one can suspect anything is amiss until it’s too late.”

  Kashi’s hazel eyes gleamed with mischief and she offered Rana a reassuring smile. “You leave that to me. I know a man who would be perfect to swoop in and ‘rescue’ you right before your wedding can be consummated.”

  Chapter Two

  Leaning his chair back against the wall, Vihlok Torral rested his boot on the cross-rung of the chair beside him and studied the two men standing at the bar. One was his best friend, Fibros Jivan; the other represented a prospective client.

  Laughter and music mixed in a boisterous cacophony. Gaming tables lined one end of the crowded nightclub and the bar dominated another. Images flashed in time to the driving beat, scrolling from one vidscreen to the next in a mesmerizing ripple of color and light. Despite the numerous distractions, Vihlok’s attention focused entirely on the stranger talking to Fibros.

  Vihlok’s knack for interpreting body language had served him well in the past. Tall and lithe, with the vivid blue markings of an Elloni, the stranger moved with practiced grace and intentional precision. His gestures gave nothing away. He passed Fibros a datapad, waited silently as the stocky Devauntian browsed through the information, then made a final comment. Fibros nodded in response to whatever the Elloni said then the stranger inclined his head and left the bar.

  Fibros ambled across the room, shoulders tense, gaze averted. A chill raced down Vihlok’s spine. Why had the exchange seemed…rehearsed?

  “One of the children of Bliss?” Vihlok asked as Fibros slipped into the chair across from him.

  “I didn’t recognize him, but he sure looked like the real thing to me.”

  Elloni pleasure givers had become so popular on Spaceport Makar others emulated their appearance. With some hair dye and a skillful tattoo artist, a back alley trickster could improve their reputation and significantly raise their prices. Bliss, a top tier Madame, genetically tested all of her “children,” ensuring their authenticity before they interacted with her exclusive clientele.