Ceremony of Seduction (19 page)

Several stopped to talk with her about her words at the Klatch Council meeting. They echoed her sentiments and assured her they were behind her and believed in her as their future queen. Before his eyes, she blossomed into a confident, self-assured woman, and he began to feel superfluous. With or without him, this woman was a born queen.

Two hours more and Stone’s patience began to ebb. The celebration was a success, the people of Klatch loved her, but he was ready to have her all to himself. Suddenly each smiling face vying for her time grated against his nerves and he had a sudden urge to throw her over his shoulder as he shouted, “Mine!” and steal her away to the closest bedroom. Maybe the effects of the drinks Grayson and Ryan had provided were wearing off.

He’d briefly spoken to King Darius who confirmed that his possessiveness would get worse as the ceremony neared. Apparently, it was Tador’s way of ensuring the attachment between the future king and queen. There was no problem from that quarter, he was already quite attached. He just hadn’t counted on the strength of the impulses. He had to lock his jaw to keep from warning everyone away from his mate.

He breathed a sigh of relief when a gong sounded from the back of the cavernous room, signaling the arrival of the king and queen. The crowd drifted away from them, ready to watch the presentation. He steered Alyssandra toward the center of the room and stood waiting for her parents to emerge and present their daughter as the future queen.

A
lyssandra took a deep breath as her mother emerged wearing a similar dress to her own. She was surprised to see that even though her mother had been ill, her body was shapely and firm below the transparent material. Her breasts just as pert as Alyssa’s even though she’d given birth and had gone braless her entire life.
Looks like the Klatch women have something up on Earth’s women.

The queen’s hair was pulled back away from her face and the transparent cloth of her gown glowed a rich purple. Stone had explained that the energy that constantly traveled between the queen and the planet would resonate with the
balda
crystals causing the dress to glow. Apparently, once Alyssandra ascended the throne she would have the same effect on any crystals nearby—especially the native
balda
.

When King Darius entered behind his wife in a dark purple tunic and trousers emblazoned with the royal crest—a curved sword crisscrossed with a red rose—the entire assemblage kneeled and bowed their heads in respect.

A lump formed in Alyssa’s throat as she looked up at her parents on the small dais. She still woke every morning afraid that the entire thing would be a dream and that these two wonderful people only existed in her fantasies. But with only one more day until the coming-of-age ceremony, her heart was beginning to believe this life was real and could really be hers.

“Welcome to all.” The queen spoke, startling Alyssa out of her musings. “We have waited many years for this day, as have all of you. The king and I are proud to present your future queen, our daughter, Alyssandra de Klatch, the First Princess of Klatch.”

Cheers rose in every throat and Alyssandra stiffened against Stone who squeezed her shoulder to reassure her before leading her forward toward her mother. They had explained the presentation to her over and over, answering all her questions, but Alyssa was afraid that it wouldn’t work and her entire fantasy world would fall apart. Or, even worse, that she would prove the legend true and funnel more power than Annalecia. They hadn’t yet told the king and queen about the legend. They’d opted to wait and see if it was even necessary before they added more worry to them both.

This ceremony would prove to the people that Annalecia had an affinity for the energy of the planet. If all went well, the crystals in her dress would begin to glow like Annalecia’s when they linked hands. Stone had no doubts it would work perfectly. However, Alyssa wasn’t so confident.

Annalecia held out her hand and Alyssa raised her chin and took a deep breath before she stepped up onto the dais.
You can do this, Alyssa. You are no longer the invisible nobody you used to be.
She looked down at her mother’s outstretched hand and swallowed hard before reaching forward and grasping it. Immediately, energy whipped through her and she gasped in surprise at its intensity. Even in her energy lessons with Stone, she never knew this level of energy existed. She reminded herself to breathe deeply and relax as the power flowed through her. She glanced out at the crowd and noticed a proud smile on Stone’s face, and only then did she realize her own dress glowed.

The sizzle of energy continued to flow through her faster and faster, the glow intensifying until she had to close her eyes against the blinding glare. Her mother’s fingers tightened around her own and she mentally stepped back and allowed the power to flow through her. Every pore of her body pulsed with energy and every erogenous zone in her body buzzed just on the verge of overload. She said a silent prayer that she wouldn’t either spontaneously combust or have a sudden orgasm in front of everyone. This may be a sexual society, but Alyssa didn’t think she could face anyone in the crowd after an onstage orgasm.

Her hair whipped around her face in a stinging mass and joy welled up inside her so bright that it shoved its way out her throat in a bubbling laugh that echoed around the cavernous room. She’d never felt so alive. If this was anything like what it was to share energy with the planet as queen, it definitely wouldn’t be an unpleasant job. Especially with Stone helping her build up that energy. The vision of Stone, Grayson, and Ryan naked flashed through her mind again, making the energy howl as it increased, and for a moment, Alyssa thought she’d be blown off the dais from the force of it.

Her mother squeezed her hand once more before breaking their contact. She kept her eyes screwed shut until the glow receded before risking a glance toward the crowd. Hushed murmurs spread throughout the room like fire, building in intensity until they were shouts of celebration. Alyssa let out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding and turned toward her mother.

“You are the true Princess of Klatch, Alyssandra. Do you have any more doubts?”

Her skin tingled with aftershocks and she brushed her hands over her arms to chase them away. “I’m not sure, but damn! That was amazing.” She laughed at the sound of stunned awe in her voice.

Darius enveloped her in his strong embrace and brushed a simple kiss against her forehead before relinquishing her to Stone’s care and turning back to his wife to help her into a chair. The queen’s skin still glowed with energy, but in her weakened state, she tired easily.

The cheers still rioted around them like a living thing, and she turned to Stone in awe. “Was that supposed to happen?”

He reached out to rub a strand of her hair between two fingers, as if he were imprinting the texture on his memory. His sculpted lips curved up into a smug grin as he studied her. “As far as I know, it has never happened like that. I’m not sure if you realized it, but you just proved you’re the princess of the legend.”

Shock slapped at her, but before she had a chance to ask any more questions, the crowd flowed up onto the dais to show their undying support to their future queen.

Shawn slammed his fist on the table in front of Sela, enjoying the quick look of surprise that twisted her features before she masked it with anger and arrogance. “The ascension is nearly here and you have yet to find the princess. Where is your little whore, minion?”

Her blue eyes glittered with malice as she slowly stood and returned his stare. “Watch your step, Klatch. We offered you a way to redeem your race, but my patience has its limits.” She picked invisible lint off her skintight blue tank top and slowly raised her eyes to his. “Debbie has located the portal, but we have yet to find a way to get the princess to be near enough where we can take her.”

Shawn raised one eyebrow in what he hoped appeared to be mock surprise. He had assumed they had someone on the inside to help them recover the princess. How else would they know which portal to take? He’d never been through the
between
but he’d heard about it. Bone deep cold and the neck ruffling smell of dank mold combined with the sensation of walking through air as thick as honey.

“Time grows short and I’m no longer willing to wait for your underlings to carry out their tasks. Give me the location and leave the luring of the princess to me.”
She’ll feel me near and come out to meet me.

Sela snorted and raised her chin, looking down her nose at him. “If I thought you could walk all over Tador until you found her, we’d have sent you through any portal and waited for you to bring her back long ago. You may look like a Klatch, but I won’t risk our entire future because you manage to get caught.”

“I won’t have to venture away from the portal at all. Just give me the location.” He stared her down, enjoying the battle of wills. He stood so close, he could see the small imperfections in her eyeliner.

She crossed her arms tapping one manicured nail against her forearm while she studied him. Silence fell between them until she let out a hostile sigh and pierced him with a steely gaze. “A contingent of Cunts must go with you to ensure both of you come back.”

“Agreed, but no more than four. I’ll not risk
my
future because you’re paranoid.” He watched impassively as Sela ground her teeth and her eyes sparked with fury. He knew she had no choice but to agree, but he truly enjoyed baiting her.

She grabbed her cell phone from the table and hit buttons with her knuckle since her manicured nails were too long to allow her to use her fingertips. Then she placed her phone against her ear. “Escort Shawn to the portal location and take three others with you to ensure his compliance and return.” She flipped her silvery blond hair back over her shoulder and glared at him with open hatred.

“Don’t worry, Sela, I’ll be back. My destiny is here, I don’t plan to waste it.”

A soft brush of awareness teased at the edges of Shawn’s mind and he sighed in his sleep. In the next instant, the woman who’d invaded his thoughts, his dreams and his fantasies formed inside his mind as if out of vapor.

Her ripe lips curved into an inviting smile and her lavender eyes were rife with mischief. She opened her arms to him and he willingly went, molding himself against her luscious curves.

She sighed as he threaded his fingers through her silky waterfall of hair and fused his lips with hers. She responded eagerly, her lips parting to grant him entrance, the fresh honeyed taste of her sweet on his tongue. When she gently nipped his bottom lip and then sucked it, hot arousal arrowed straight to his cock and he ground himself against her, enjoying the needy mewling sounds she made in the back of her throat while she clung to him.

He slipped his hand under her soft half top to cup the weight of her breast and gently pinch her nipple until it pebbled into a tight nub. He moved his attention to the other breast enjoying the way it fit perfectly in his large palm as if made just for him. In fact, every inch of this woman seemed to be tailor-made just for him. She was all lush curves, soft skin, and soft sighs and he swore he would make her his. This would be the woman who helped him redeem his race.

The inner voice that had protected him since childhood had decreed it to be so and he reveled in the knowledge that soon, very soon, he would be able to thrust himself deep inside this tempting seductress, claiming her as his own. She would bear him a son, the start of the rebirth of his race, and the redemption of the Klatch people.

She broke the kiss to nibble a path down his jaw and neck causing his already swollen cock to swell almost painfully inside his jeans. Her questing hands cupped him, rubbing his aching shaft through the rough denim, an exquisite friction that tightened his balls against his body and threatened to shatter him.

He caught her hand and guided it back up toward his chest. She chuckled deep in her throat and then dipped her petite hands under his tunic to trace the lines of his chest and tease his flat male nipples.

He threaded his hands through the hair at her nape and tipped her head back until he could fuse his lips with hers. She immediately opened for him, inviting him in to explore her lush mouth. Her tongue dueled with his and she pressed her full breasts against him, her pebbled nipples poking through the soft cloth of her top and begging for his touch.

His fingers dipped under her cotton top again to trace one dusky areola, and he enjoyed the way the soft skin puckered under his teasing touch. She moaned against his mouth, the erotic sound vibrating against his lips and causing his groin to tighten. When he slowly rolled her engorged nipple between his fingers she gasped, her head falling back, baring the long line of her creamy neck.

He gladly accepted her offering and laved his tongue over the smooth expanse of skin, nipping and licking as she shivered with reaction. He pulled on her nipple, enjoying the needy mewling sounds rising from the back of her throat.

“Please…”

He chuckled and continued to feast on her neck while he traced his hand down her ribs and lower to dip inside her bikini underwear. The smooth skin of her mons felt like silk under his questing fingers and he traced a slow line down to dip between her wet folds to find her swollen nub.

She gasped and ground her hips against his hand, silently begging for release, her petite hands digging into his shoulders.

He dipped inside her, gathering her juices to lubricate his movements as he massaged her swollen clit. Her breathing quickened, and her skin heated as he drove her toward her release. “Look at me. I want to watch you when you come against my fingers.”

She slowly raised her head to meet his steady gaze. Her eyes were glazed with desire, her skin flushed and her full lips parted as she watched him.

He increased the speed and pressure on her clit, enjoying the mindless noises she made as her peak neared. “Let go, sweetheart, come for me.” The pungent scent of her arousal rose around him and he knew he wouldn’t be able to last much longer. Her clit pulsed under his fingers and her eyes widened with shock as the orgasm hit her. Her eyelids drifted closed and her brows furrowed as the contractions continued to flow through her. She bit down on her bottom lip as she rode out the tide of her ecstasy, and the red flesh pillowed around her perfect white teeth undid him.

Hot come spurted forward to soak the inside of his jeans as his balls continued to contract tight against his body. Pleasure rolled over him in waves so large they threatened to drown him. He held on to her lush body, to anchor him until his release flowed away, leaving him lightheaded in a languid haze. He leaned his forehead against hers, as he tried to relearn how to breathe. No other woman had ever held him like this one. Even in his dreams—he knew she was the only one for him.

When she spoke, her warm breath feathered against his skin causing him to shiver in reaction, her smoky voice tightening his groin once more.

“When will I see you? My coming-of-age draws near. I want
you to be the one to take my virginity, to fill me, to spill your essence inside me.”

Her erotic words hardened him further and he brushed his lips lightly over hers, fighting for control before he found his voice.
“Keep watch for me, I’m on my way, Princess.”

She stepped back as if he’d slapped her, her eyes wide, a small crease forming between her dark brows as her ripe lips parted in shock.