Planet Mail (12 page)

The stable master was shocked that she even contemplated riding but she refused to let his disproval bother her. With Sven at her back she found very few of the men she encountered were prepared to argue with her.

On her way back to her suite, she turned to Sven who followed her at a discreet distance. He came up alongside her, one eyebrow raised.

“Do you think you could arrange for Mistress
Freya
to leave Lillian alone for a few minutes?”

Sven’s broad face broke into a slow smile. “I can arrange that, consort.” He winked at her. “Mistress
Freya
would be delighted to think that your personal server was interested in her instead.”

Douglass kissed his cheek. “Thank you, Sven.”

His voice was gruff as he stepped away. “The king is not happy. You make him happy, not the Lady Lillian.”

To her delight, it took Sven very little time to spirit Mistress
Freya
out of Lillian’s apartment. When she stepped through the ornate doorway, Douglass found herself in rooms very similar to her own. The silken drapes were closed tight, leaving the room in darkness. Lillian lay on the enormous bed eating the small yellow
ozan
fruit that grew in profusion in the palace orchards.

Her mouth formed a small O when she spotted Douglass. She struggled to sit up, her hands resting protectively over her belly. Her long thick brown hair fell to her waist like a child’s.

“What do you want?”

The bowl of fruit fell to the floor. Douglass bent to pick it up and set it on the table.

“I don’t want to frighten you. I just wondered if everything was all right.”

Lillian’s lip trembled. “Why should you care? You hate me. Everyone knows it.”

“Who told you that?”

Lillian’s lip stuck out even farther, making her look about five.
“Everyone.”

“Even the king?”

“Of course not.
He won’t talk about you even when Mother complains.”

Douglass fought a smile. “I understand why your mother dislikes me but you and I should be friends. There are very few women here to talk to. And we have something in common. We both love the king.”

Lillian’s face crumbled. “I’m afraid of him.” She gasped and covered her mouth, her eyes fearful. “Please don’t tell my mother I said that…please.”

“Why are you afraid of him?” Douglass edged closer until she could sit next to Lillian on the bed.

“Because he is the king.”

“But you bear his child. You will be his queen.”

Lillian looked away. “But I feel so ill. What if the babe is sick? What if it dies? He will kill me.”

Up close, Douglass took another less jealous look at Lillian. Her stomach seemed swollen, her face was pale and her ankles bloated and misshapen. Douglass’ antipathy fled and was replaced by a niggling concern. “Have you told the king’s physicians how you feel?”

“They are like a bunch of frightened old women.” Lillian sniffed. “If I tell them something is wrong, they will tell the king.”

Douglass sought for patience as Lillian’s expression became mulish. “He is a good man, Lillian. He would never hurt you.”

Lillian’s head drooped. Douglass studied her as the door to the chamber crashed open. One of Lillian’s personal guards from
Hammersford
stood there. He glared at Douglass.

“Has she been upsetting you, Lillian? I…I mean, my lady?”

Douglass got up and walked toward him. “She was upset before I got here.” She stared hard at the red-faced young man. “I’d say she’s been upset for quite a while now.” She turned to Lillian, who cowered in her bed, her brown eyes fixed on the guard. “If I were you, I’d talk to the king and tell him the truth.”

Lillian shook her head, her eyes frantic,
her
attention still on the guard. “There’s nothing to tell. I didn’t say anything to her, Randall, I swear it. She is just making trouble.”

The guard grabbed hold of Douglass’ arm. “You do not understand how it
is,
you have no right to judge her.”

Douglass shook her arm free. “I’m not judging her. I don’t have that right, but if I cared for her happiness I might try and help her avoid a terrible mistake.” She nodded at Lillian. “If you need to talk to anyone, just ask for me. I might be able to help you.”

Douglass escaped to her own chamber, her feelings in an uproar. How could she hate a child like Lillian? Someone was manipulating her, but it could be any number of people. From what Marcus had told her, bearing the king’s child meant that Lillian’s future and that of her village would be assured forever. She pictured Lillian’s terrified face and sighed. What difference did one frightened girl make to a future such as that?

Later that evening, Douglass was surprised when all three of her pleasure servers appeared in her chamber. Sven held up a bottle of perfumed oil.

“We decided that you needed to relax, consort.”

Douglass rose up on one elbow as the men distributed the oil between themselves. Despite her miserable state, how could she not enjoy being the focus of three men’s attention?

“Don’t you have to be somewhere else?”

Harlan glanced at Sven. “Lady Lillian did not require our services tonight. She was dining with—”

Bron
elbowed Harlan in the gut. Douglass managed a smile. “It’s all right,
Bron
. I’m sure she and Marcus will have a delightful evening together.”

“He doesn’t share her bed.”

Harlan’s quietly spoken words made Douglass want to cry again. Marcus hadn’t shared her bed since Lillian’s arrival either. “I should think not. Her precious child would surely be disturbed by all that poking and prodding.”

Sven grinned as he slid his oiled hands over her breasts. “Let’s not worry about that, I am eager to suckle your breasts. They seem more sensitive recently.”

Douglass glanced down at her chest. Not only were they more sensitive but they seemed to be getting bigger as well. All this sitting around and moping made her eat more and she was definitely getting fat. She sighed as Sven caressed her nipples, his big thumbs circling in an unhurried pattern. It was fitting that all three of her men were here tonight. She intended to leave tomorrow, despite what Marcus wanted.

Perhaps it would be easier for both of them if they were apart. Harlan kissed her mouth, his dark eyes serious, his lips gently asking for admittance. She kissed him back as
Bron
oiled her butt and the folds of her sex. Sven’s cock brushed her cheek and she turned to take it into her mouth, loving the rough feel of him, determined to give them all pleasure before she had to leave.

Soon oil covered them all and Douglass was beyond caring whose fingers slid inside her or who touched her breasts. She’d sucked them all more than once, her mouth ached from the constant suckling but she didn’t mind. They’d made her come more times than she could count, allowed her to scream and moan and cry with abandon. She settled to sleep between them, her body satiated, her mind at peace.

She was jerked out of sleep when another body joined them on the massive bed. Through half-opened eyes she saw Marcus was already naked and aroused. Her senses thrilled to life as he closed in on her, like a big cat on the hunt. He crawled up the bed, pushing his way through the other men until he crouched over her. Before she could react, he worked his stiff cock deep inside her and began to thrust. Her body, primed by hours of stimulation made no protest at his huge presence.

He pumped into her, his balls hitting her butt, his hands braced on either side of her head. She wrapped her arms around his neck and hung on as she climaxed again and again. He didn’t stop, if anything his shaft seemed to grow bigger inside her. Without withdrawing he put his hands beneath her buttocks and drew her higher into his thrusts, grazing her clit with every hard stroke.

She forgot about the other men, she forgot about herself. Her whole body existed for his lovemaking, for the pounding of his hips, the gathering of his seed and the roar of completion when he finally spurted his hot come right into her very center.

He rested his head on the pillow next to hers, his breathing harsh,
his
heartbeat unsteady. Sven and the others had disappeared, leaving them alone. Lazily, Douglass turned to lick Marcus’ neck. The scent of Lillian’s perfume caught at her throat. She struggled to be free. Marcus rolled off her and lit the lamp next to the bed before he headed for the door.

Douglass scrambled off the bed and stormed after him. She turned him back toward her. His head snapped back as she slapped him hard on the cheek.

“You smell like Lillian. Did she refuse your lovemaking so you thought you’d crawl between my thighs and work out your frustrations here?”

“You smell of four men and you seemed to be enjoying yourself quite well enough without me, consort.” Marcus sneered.

She clenched her hands into fists. “I thought I was supposed to enjoy them. Isn’t that why you gave them to me?” She laughed in his face. “Don’t tell me you are jealous when you can fuck any woman on the planet.”

Marcus drew in a sharp breath, his expression lethal.

Douglass thumped him in the chest with both of her fists. He didn’t try and stop her as she pounded out her frustration against his muscled flesh. Her fists hurt and still she hit him, tears pouring down her face. She was almost glad when he caught her wrists and pressed her against his chest.

“Stop now, consort. Stop now before you hurt yourself. Hush.”

“You have to let me go, Marcus. I don’t want to live like this.”

He stroked her hair. “I know that. It is my duty to honor the future mother of my child. But I find it impossible to be with her when I would rather be with you.”

Douglass pushed away from him and sat on the side of the bed. “Then it would be better for both of us if I leave.”

He came down on his knees in front of her. “You think me cruel but all my life I have been told I must have children. If I can’t give my planet an heir how can I convince my people to keep on living here when the chances of having a child seem to decrease every year?” He grasped her hands. “You are a
woman,
you must understand the desire to hold your own child in your arms.”

“I have a child, Marcus.”

His whole body shuddered. “You have a child?” His expression softened. “Is that why you insist you cannot stay here with me?”

Douglass bit her lip. “Danny probably thinks I’m dead by now.”

“Nay, if he truly is your son, he will be certain you will return.”

“He’s only five,” she whispered. “He will not understand.” Damn it, she wanted to weep again. What was the matter with her?

Marcus got slowly to his feet as if he had suddenly aged ten years. “Then we must get you home. If it pleases you, I will send a party of men into the Purple Desert to try and retrieve your ship’s black box.”

Douglass rose too, trying to ignore the pain she sensed behind Marcus’ words. “You would do that for me?”

He smiled then and stroked her cheek. “If I can help reunite you with your son, I will consider myself a lucky man.”

She closed the distance between them and he dragged her into his arms. Suddenly, duty and honor seemed unforgiving and harsh, their love for each other too painful to speak of.

“Thank you, my King.”

Marcus stepped back and bowed. “And you, my consort.”

With that, he walked away. Douglass sank back onto the sheets. She could smell Marcus’ unmistakable scent on her skin and in her bed. She curled up into a ball and lay down. By granting her dearest wish, Marcus had doomed himself to a loveless future. She stuffed her fingers into her mouth to stop herself from wailing her grief aloud and rocked herself to sleep.

Chapter Eight

“Mistress
Freya
says I did what?”

Douglass stared at
Thorlan
, the chief advisor of the king’s Council, as she struggled to wake up and get dressed. He was a tall man with gray hair and a long flowing beard. His eyes were the same pale watchful blue as a Siberian
Husky
dog.

“Mistress
Freya
claims you threatened the Lady Lillian.”

“That’s ridiculous.” Douglass shoved her arm into a silk tunic and glared right back at
Thorlan
. Where was Sven when she needed him?

“Is it true that you visited the Lady Lillian without her mother’s permission?”

Damn, the young guard must have told tales. “I didn’t realize that a grown woman couldn’t receive her own guests.”

Thorlan
inclined his head. “Our ways are different than yours. Women are expected to remain in seclusion and obey their elders.” His gaze wandered over her short tunic.

Douglass tugged it down until it covered her knees. “If I offend you, perhaps you could’ve waited to give me this lecture until after I dressed.”

He smiled. “You do not offend me at all. It is always a pleasure to see a woman’s form, especially one as beautiful as yours.”

“What do you want me to do?” Douglass demanded, “Apologize?”

“It’s more serious than that. As mother of the future queen, Mistress
Freya’s
word carries considerable weight.”

Douglass managed a careless shrug. “I intended to take up residence in the spaceport today anyway. Does that clear up your problem?”

Thorlan
frowned. “The king didn’t mention this. When did he make the decision to release you from your vow?”

“I made the decision. Now if it’s okay with you, I need to pack and get out of your hair. You can tell Mistress
Freya
I’ve gone. I’m sure she’ll be delighted.”

Two of the king’s guards appeared at the entrance to her room and blocked the door.
Thorlan
nodded at them. “Consort, you are not taking this seriously. Mistress
Freya
has made a formal complaint against you. You are the king’s acknowledged consort. The matter will have to be investigated by the Council.”

“Fuck the Council.” Douglass raised her chin. “I’m leaving.” She marched up to the guards but they refused to budge. She barely controlled her desire to smash her way through, even knowing it would be useless.