Ceremony of Seduction (15 page)

“Witch!” His lips curved into a sensual smile as he continued his slow assault on her senses. “I was having breakfast with my parents when a sudden, extremely vivid vision of you, me, and your maid in the bathing pools popped into my head and couldn’t be dislodged. I almost came in my breeches at the thought of fucking your tight ass while you pleasured your maid. Then I rush down here to find you and Sasha pleasuring each other—a scene that will live in my fantasies forever. I think my cock is about to burst.”

Even though her body was on fire, smug satisfaction at pushing Stone beyond his normal limits filled her and she threw back her head and laughed, the sound echoing around her.

Freedom and exhilaration flowed through her and large sparks of electricity shot out from her to sizzle around her on every available surface. Stone took the opportunity to rain a row of open-mouthed kisses against her neck causing her to cry out as the now familiar wave of energy began its relentless path through her. He nipped her shoulder and then licked the spot to soothe away the pain, but it only served to spiral the maelstrom of energy even faster.

Stone continued pumping against her, pounding her against the stone steps until she thought she would go insane if he didn’t plunge his thick cock inside her. Then, he reached between them to rub her clit and she spiraled suddenly higher, her breath backing up in her lungs, as small black dots danced before her eyes.

Stone pumped against her faster and then stiffened and cried out her name as he soaked his breeches for the second time in the last few days. The undone look in his lavender eyes pushed her over the edge and she shattered as power again spun outwards to sizzle along the pink seams of
balda
embedded in every wall, floor and counter.

Stone lifted her higher before he fell limp against her so his essence wouldn’t touch her. She wrapped her arms around him, enjoying the closeness of his body and the way his clothes rasped over her still sensitive skin.

“Mmmm.” The sound escaped from her throat and she smiled at the contentment of it. Something she’d never known before she’d met him.

Stone braced his forearms on either side of her and raised himself in a push-up motion to face her. His chiseled lips curved into a very self-satisfied grin. “I will never be bored keeping you well pleasured, Princess. But I may have to see about having several sets of replacement boots at the ready in case of any more
ponga
incidents.”

She reached out to caress his freshly shaven cheek. “I’m sorry about the vision. It seemed the quickest way to get rid of the overdose of
ponga
. I didn’t realize I’d shared it with you as well as Sasha. After what we saw in the garden, I seem to have a lot of fantasies centering around several variations on threesomes. But since you saved me today, I’ll wait until later to scold you for the way you treated me this morning.”

His eyes widened in shock. “What do you mean? I don’t recall treating you badly this morning.” He didn’t meet her eyes, and she knew he was lying.

She snorted. “Of course you don’t.” Her irritation returned full force and she poked a finger against his broad chest, chasing the afterglow of her orgasm away. “I know you’re hiding something from me about my vision, and you just ruined the effect of a really good orgasm.” He opened his mouth to say something and she barreled over him. “Let’s get something straight, Stone, I will
not
be treated like a child. Either we have a partnership or we have nothing—planet or not. Are we clear?”

After a moment more of stunned silence, Stone’s lips curved. “I think I’m learning that women are much smarter than I give them credit for.”

She bristled, anger flowing up to heat her cheeks. Before she could open her mouth to tell Stone exactly what he could do with his comments, he crushed his lips to hers, not relenting until Alyssa’s bones had turned to jelly.

“As I was trying to say,” Stone continued, “I’m sorry about this morning. But I’ll make you a deal. We’ll forget about the
ponga
incident and I’ll make sure no one knows about it beyond the guards and Sasha and you let me keep this one secret for a few more days.”

She didn’t like the deal, but she didn’t want to be remembered as the queen who OD’d on
ponga
, so she finally nodded. “Deal. But I’m only giving you a few days before I expect full disclosure.”

“Deal.” He brushed a kiss across her frowning lips. “Anyway, I’m intrigued that you were able to share your vision, and not sure how I’ll face all of Sasha’s smirks for the next few days.” He kissed the tip of her nose. “Why don’t we make sure to explore that whole scenario in more detail right after the ceremony? As well as all manner of threesomes.” He nipped her bottom lip before standing and signaling for one of the guards to bring him fresh clothes.

“My control is weak, Alyssandra. I’ve waited too long for you.” He turned back to her and smiled. “Mark my words, when we are well and truly mated, I intend to tie you to the bed, cover you in
ponga,
scented oils, and anything else I can find, and fulfill every one of our fantasies.”

Her sex clenched at his erotic promise and she licked her lips. The way he stared down at her swelled her heart with emotions she wasn’t yet ready to name. This man studied her as if she were something infinitely precious—something to be treasured. Before she knew it, she’d opened her mouth to speak. “I intend to fully hold you to that promise, my prince. But I think you’d better be careful, or it will be
you
who finds himself tied to the bed.”

Stone’s eyes darkened with desire and he started forward toward her until the soft scrape of a boot on stone told him the guard had returned with his clothes. “Soon, beloved. Very soon.” He knelt on the wet
balda
to brush a tender kiss across her forehead. “For now, you’d better finish your bathing. I must go to the king’s archives to ensure I have everything in order for the ceremony.”

She caught and handful of his tunic in her hand. “There’s a king’s archive too?” She almost laughed at the excitement in her own voice.

He grabbed her hand and placed an open-mouthed kiss in the center of her palm. “Yes, my curious witch. All are welcome to the archives of both the king and queen. I’ll be happy to escort you sometime, but Sasha advised me you already have plans to go to the queen’s archive this morning.” He caressed her cheek with his fingers before he stood. “I’ll find you later for lunch…and whatever else you desire.”

She nodded. Her quick fantasy picture of Stone flashed inside her mind and she sighed with regret as he winked over his shoulder before disappearing down the hall, his boots ringing against the stone.

A gentle touch feathered against Shawn’s mind and he sighed and closed his eyes waiting patiently. The familiar presence had always brought comfort and peace ever since he could remember. In fact, when he was but a small boy, the soothing voice inside his head had kept him sane when he’d been locked away in dark rooms or beaten for some imagined transgression at the hands of the Cunts. He’d long since stopped questioning where the voice came from or why it had chosen him, and instead embraced it as a gift.

Throughout the years since he’d grown into a man, the voice had given him knowledge and allowed him to outmaneuver Sela and keep her on the offensive. He may have grown up under her “care,” but that didn’t mean he trusted her. Sela didn’t do anything that wasn’t for her own gain. If it hadn’t been for the fact that his own people were even worse than the Cunts, he would’ve broken away from Sela’s hold long ago. However, if he had a chance to redeem the name of Klatch, he would readily take it. He would ensure that the Klatch race could hold their heads high once again.

Watch and see your destiny…
The voice beckoned.

A lovely face coalesced inside his mind’s eye. She had similar olive skin to his own as well as lavender eyes and flowing mahogany hair that reached down past her rounded ass, almost to the floor. Her lovely oval face was set in a smile and her ripe lips fascinated him. He reached for her and she vanished like vapor on the wind.

Soon,
the voice promised.
Trust only yourself, and you shall find your true destiny. Beware of lies and deceit that could steal her from you…

He opened his eyes, but the memory of her burned into his mind. He’d seen her in his mind’s eye many times. Yet tonight she seemed closer somehow, almost as if he could reach out and touch her golden skin. “I will find you,” he promised the empty room. “I swear it.”

Stone entered the king’s archives and breathed deep as the familiar aroma of pine polish, hard wood, and wine filled his senses.

“I know what you mean. I’ve always loved the way this place smells.”

Stone turned to look over his shoulder at Grayson. “It’s one of my earliest memories. As soon as I was old enough to understand that I was betrothed to King Darius’s daughter—not that I had any idea what that meant at the time—the king would bring me here and sit me on his knee while he read to me. He would drink wine and I would drink
salda
juice from a goblet.” Stone smiled as the vivid memory flashed into his mind’s eye. “I felt like I was privy to the inner men’s sanctum. I was almost disappointed when I found out all were welcome in the king’s archives.”

Grayson laughed and stepped past Stone to flop down in an overstuffed chair and prop his booted feet on an equally overstuffed ottoman. He let his head fall back to rest against the top of the chair and looked up. “This is my favorite part. I’d come here with my father and sit and look up at the ten different levels. It was even better when I could see people on all the levels bustling around.”

Stone chuckled and sat down on the footstool next to Grayson’s feet. “It’s amazing isn’t it? In a few short days, the ascension will be complete, I’ll be married and a father-to-be.” He shook his head at the enormity of the changes that faced him. “It doesn’t seem all that long ago that we were children ourselves, and now I’m about to have a daughter of my own. How is it possible that time has flown by so quickly?”

“Spoken like a man with too much responsibility on his shoulders.” Gray pulled his feet from the ottoman and let them drop to the floor in front of the chair, and then leaned forward to look at Stone. “Don’t forget to enjoy some of your life along the way, Stone. Your future looks much brighter than mine and Ryan’s.”

Guilt snaked through Stone’s gut. “I’m sorry, Grayson. Here I am struggling with all of this, when your best prospect is the Eighth Princess who is two years older than your mother.”

“It wouldn’t be so bad if she didn’t talk about the conquests she and my mother have while we are in bed.”

Stone’s eyes widened as shock slapped at him. “You and…”

Grayson threw back his head and laughed, the sound echoing back and forth against the round walls of the archives, making it sound as if a dozen men were laughing on various levels. “I’m just kidding, Stone. Bloody hell, the woman changed my diapers when I was a lad. It would be too close to some sort of warped Oedipus complex to even consider.”

Stone’s audible sigh of relief made them both laugh.

Grayson slapped Stone on the back. “It’s good to shock you now and then, although I have a feeling your princess will do that often enough to keep you from getting too stodgy and old.”

Alyssandra’s sexy half smile popped into Stone’s mind and he smiled to himself. “Yes, I’m sure she will.” When Grayson rolled his eyes at Stone’s reaction, he shrugged self-consciously. “Where’s Ryan? I thought he was joining us?”

“The last time I saw him, he was having a water fight with six serving women in the garden waterfalls. Who was I to dissuade him?”

“Who indeed?” Stone pushed to standing and looked down at Grayson. “Well, we can start up on level four. I think that’s where all the ascension documents are stored.”

“What are you hoping to find?” Grayson unfolded his lanky frame from the chair and started toward the spiral staircase that wound upward for ten floors before ending at the basement door to the castle proper.

“I’ve heard bout the ascension my entire life, but I’d like to read past king’s accounts, history, anything I can to ensure I’m making it as easy on Alyssandra as possible.”

Gray’s hand closed over Stone’s shoulder and Stone stopped before he stepped up to the next step and turned to face his friend.

“Stone, Alyssandra isn’t Lianna. You said yourself that she’s already coming into her powers and that she would be fine. Lianna couldn’t even do a simple spell before the ascension, she should’ve known better. It wasn’t your fault—you tried to warn her.”

Familiar pain assaulted Stone and he closed his eyes against the onslaught. When he opened them, Grayson’s lavender eyes studied him. “I know. But if there’s anything I can do to ensure that Alyssandra is safe—anything at all—I have to know I did it.”

A long slow sigh fell from Grayson’s lips. “I wouldn’t have expected anything else from you, Stone.” He slapped him on the shoulder. “Let’s get started, and as soon as Ryan’s done getting sucked off by the half dozen, he can help. If I recall, the ascension section is only half the fourth level—right?”

Stone nodded. “True, only about ten thousand books and documents, if memory serves.”

A strangled noise emanated from Grayson and Stone turned back to look at him with a smile. “I know…I’ve already ordered wine and food to be sent up while we read.”

An hour and several goblets of wine later, Stone shut the dusty tome he’d been reading and rubbed his bleary eyes.

“Stone.” Ryan leaned forward in his chair, having joined them only ten minutes ago. He rested the small black book he’d been reading on the ottoman they all shared.

Stone leaned forward and noticed Grayson did the same beside him. “Did you find something?”

Ryan pierced Stone with an intense gaze before answering. “You said Alyssandra was more powerful than any princess about to ascend the throne has ever been, correct?”

Stone’s brow furrowed and he nodded to his friend.