The Tigrens' Glory (23 page)

“You’re perfect,” Kyerion said just before he leaned in and ran his hot, rough tongue over her in a long, slow swipe.  Glory’s knees buckled again, but they supported her easily with their free hands. 

That strange feeling that she couldn’t identify came over again.  She tried to focus on it but lost all reason when Kyerion’s lips surrounded her clit and sucked it into his mouth.  His tongue stroked it, flicked it, lashed it, then he sucked on it harder, his deep rumbling sending a vibration from his mouth to her clit that caused an explosion within her.  Her head went back against Cade’s chest as every muscle in her body tightened and quivered, a rush of hot cream slipped out of her sheath, coating her thighs.  Bright lights exploded behind her eyes as intense pleasure consumed her mind and body.  When her body began to relax, she wondered what had happened, worried for a moment.  Then she remembered the stories she’d read and realized she’d just had her first orgasm.  She smiled.  Even though this was a dream, it was still far better than she’d imagined it would be.  She opened her eyes and looked down to see Kyerion and Kirk staring at her with expressions of desire so intense it bordered on pain.  Kyerion leaned forward and flicked her clit with the tip of his tongue, causing her entire body to shudder.

“Great Gods,” Kirk said, then swallowed before looking up at Glory, his silver eyes glowing with heat.  “You have the most luscious clit, Glory,” he said.  “It’s nearly as long as your nipples.”

“You’re kidding,” Cade groaned, his fingers tightening on her nipples as he pressed the hard length of his erection into her back.

“I’d never joke about Glory’s beauty,” Kirk said seriously.  “As Kyerion said, she is every erotic fantasy we’ve ever had come true.  Just looking at her makes me want to come.”

Cade shuddered, then released her nipples and moved to her side.  He picked up a section of her hair, now hanging loose to her hips, and pulled it to him.  Glory looked down, mesmerized as she watched Cade wrap a length of her hair around his cock.  She wasn’t sure if it was the sight of his cock, something she’d never seen before, that did it, or the sight of him stroking himself with her hair, but her knees buckled for the third time. 

“My turn,” Kirk said, drawing her attention away from Cade in time to see him lean forward and take her clit into his mouth.  He set his teeth gently at the base, then stroked it slowly, over and over again, with his tongue.  Glory’s head went back again as the intense pleasure threatened to consume her.  When she felt Kyerion’s finger slip inside her just below Kirk’s mouth, she nearly came again.

“You are so responsive, so hot and wet for us,” Kyerion said as he slid another finger in and stroked in and out before he began scissoring them, gently stretching her, preparing her.  “You’re so tight,” he said through clenched teeth. 

Kirk lashed her clit and Cade pinched one nipple gently between his fingers and tugged on it while continuing to stroke himself with her hair.  Glory shuddered again, whimpering with the need to come again.  She was so close.  She buried her fingers in Kirk’s hair and tried to pull him closer.  He squeezed her clit gently with his teeth, and Glory knew he was going to make her come soon.  Then Kyerion exclaimed in surprise.

They all froze.  Kirk leaned back, releasing her clit, but she barely noticed as she stared down into Kyerion’s face.  He was smiling up at her with a rather smug look on his face, but she had no idea why.

“What is it?” Kirk asked.

“She’s untouched,” Kyerion said. 

Kirk’s eyes widened, then he shrugged one shoulder.  “Maybe.  We need to remember that this is a dream.  We could be projecting some things.”

Glory was immediately hurt, then insulted, and finally, furious.  “Of course I am untouched,” she growled, pulling free of their hands so suddenly that they didn’t have a chance of preventing it.  She tugged on her hair until Cade released it, then backed away from them.  She saw her clothing on the ground at their feet, but no way was she going close enough for them to touch her.  She didn’t think she’d be able to stand that at the moment.  She met Kyerion’s shocked gaze, but refused to look at Kirk. 

“On Ramouri, an accusation such as that would destroy a woman’s life,” Glory said.  “Most women would have no recourse, no way to prove their innocence other than to allow a public examination of her body to demonstrate that her hymen was still intact.  The shame of such an examination would insure that no decent man would ever wish to take her as wife.”

“As a warrior, I’d be expected to challenge you.  If I didn’t, everyone would believe me guilty of the deceit you accuse me of, and name me defiled one. Slut.  Whore.  I’d be shunned by all decent Ramourians for allowing my body to be corrupted outside of marriage, and for attempting to deceive three innocent men into believing me pure.  If I lost the challenge, even against the three of you at once, all would believe it a fair punishment for my deceit.  If I won, all would believe it proof that I am not a true woman, for no woman should be capable of besting a single male in combat, let alone three.”

She had a few other things she wanted to say, but she felt tears spring to her eyes and decided she’d rather die than let these men see her cry.  She turned and ran to the river.  The stepping stones were gone, which seemed odd, but she gave them little thought.  She plunged into the water, waded across as fast as she could manage, glad that the water only reached her thighs since she didn’t know how to swim, dream or not.  It took only a couple of minutes to reach the safety of the far side.  Her side.  She went to her hands and knees in the sand and closed her eyes, willing herself to wake up.

A moment later she opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling above her bed, her heart racing as she tried to catch her breath.  Her body was painfully aroused, her skin covered in a thin film of sweat.  She swung her legs off the bed and padded into the bathroom.  She wrapped her braid around her head and pinned it in place to keep it dry, then dropped her pajamas to the floor and stepped into the shower.  As she let the cool water flow over her body she replayed the dream in her mind, searching for any clue that would tell her whether or not the Tigren had actually been there. 

Her feeling that one side of the river was hers, while the other side was theirs, hinted that the Tigren controlled what happened on one side of the river, while she controlled the other.  On the other hand, she’d dreamed of them for years, and that’s all they’d been.  Dreams.  Then again, she’d never remembered her dreams of them once she woke up, and she certainly remembered this one.  By the time she turned off the water and reached for a towel she was no closer to knowing the truth one way or the other. 

She dried off, then left the bathroom for a fresh pair of pajamas.  She spotted her reader on the dresser and frowned.  She’d been reading a shockingly explicit story earlier in the evening.  Maybe that had caused the dream.  She thought of the story, comparing it in her mind to her dream.  Her face heated as she realized there were several similarities between the two.  She sighed with relief as she pulled on clean pajamas and let her hair down before climbing back into bed.  It had been just a dream.  Thank goodness.  She wasn’t altogether certain how she’d ever face the Tigren again if it had been more than that.

***

“That didn’t end well,” Kyerion said tightly.

“I truly didn’t mean it the way she thought,” Kirk said, getting to his feet.  “I meant only that we shouldn’t expect her to be as we wanted.”  He shook his head.  “Even that sounds bad, though I don’t mean it in a bad way.  I don’t care what she looks like, or whether she’s a virgin or not, I’ll still want her and care about her.  That’s all I meant.  I’ll apologize to Glory the next time we see her, and try to make her understand what I meant.”

“That may not be a good idea,” Cade said.  “She will probably think what happened was just a dream.  It’s probably better for all of us if we leave it that way.”

“I want her to know that was really us touching her in the only way we can,” Kyerion said.  “If we are never found, never rescued from wherever it is our bodies currently reside, it will be the closest we’ll ever get to making love to her.”

“I wanted that too,” Kirk said.  “But I want it to be a good memory, and after what just happened, it won’t be.”

“Let’s see how she reacts to us the next time she Dream Walks,” Cade suggested.  “After that, we can decide what to do.  Maybe we can admit the truth to her, or visit her again.”

“You’re right, Cade,” Kyerion said.  “That’s the best idea.”

“I hope her reactions are as she projected them,” Kirk said.  “She was so hot, and so responsive to us.” 

 “She was…is…amazing,” Kyerion said.  “The only thing missing was her scent and taste.  I’d give just about anything to taste her.”

“We need to change the subject,” Cade said.  “I know we’re in a dream state, but I’m still in pain here.”

Kyerion laughed.  “You are not alone, brother.  Perhaps we should take a dip in that cold river.

The brothers fell silent as they created a bridge with their minds and crossed the river.  They climbed the rise, returning to the center of their projection of Glory’s valley.  “I’m troubled by what she just revealed about her world,” Kirk said as they walked past the heavy door.  “It’s vile that any woman would be treated with such little honor and respect by a single man, let alone an entire society.”

“I hate the thought of her growing up in such an environment,” Kyerion said.  “Fortunately, she will never return there.”

“I’m not sure her plan of traveling alone through the galaxy is much better than living on Ramouri, regardless of how primitive the planet sounds,” Cade said.

“We need to find a way to help Glory find us,” Kyerion said.  “So far every attempt I’ve made to awaken myself has failed.  Have either of you come up with any ideas?”

“Nothing of use,” Kirk said.  “If we had Spirit, there is much we could do.”

“True,” Cade agreed.  “But then, if we could access our magic we wouldn’t need Spirit to begin with.”

“Let’s return to our own minds so we can rest up for our next visit with Glory,” Kyerion said.  “Maybe something will come to us.”  Before Kyerion was finished speaking Cade’s eyes widened and his body faded quickly before his eyes.  He opened his mouth to say something, but no sound came out.  Kyerion’s gaze went to Kirk, who was frowning at the spot where Cade had stood when he, too, faded away.  Then Kyerion felt his energy drain away in an instant.  He fought it, willing himself to remain in the rapidly vanishing valley, but it was no use.  A heartbeat later he, too, was gone, as was the valley itself.

Chapter Twenty

“Did you receive the summons from Mother?” Narliq-Li asked Zarnia-Te.

“Of course,” Zarnia-Te replied.  “Xaqana-Ti didn’t waste any time, did she?”

“No, she didn’t,” Narliq-Li replied.  “How do you plan to respond?”

“I haven’t had a chance to read it, not that it matters,” Zarnia-Te said.  “I’ll get to it later.”

“I don’t think you’ll want to decline,” Narliq-Li said. 

“Why not?” Zarnia-Te asked, her tone suddenly suspicious.  “We agreed on this.”

“We did,” Narliq-Li said.  “Unfortunately, the Summons states specifically that if we fail to present ourselves at Palace Hive on the day and time indicated, she will cut our strands from the Great Web.”

Zarnia-Te froze in shock.  “She can’t do that.”

“Of course she can,” Narliq-Li said.  “She’s the Supreme Queen.”

“Failure to attend a meeting is not just cause for that level of punishment,” Zarnia-Te retorted sharply.

“I’m not sure that annihilation can properly be termed a
punishment
,” Narliq-Li said.  “Just cause or not, we must attend, so that’s an end to it.” 

“When?” Zarnia-Te asked.

“Two days,” Narliq-Li replied.  I’ve already sent my acceptance, and I suggest you do the same.”

“I shall,” Zarnia-Te replied.  “How many ships do you have left?”

“Less than half,” Narliq-Li replied.  “You?”

“The same,” Zarnia-Te replied.  “I was hoping we could grab a few of Xitura-Re’s ships, but Xaqana-Ti has finally remembered they’re there, and hers by right of conquest.  My spies report that she’s given orders for them to be prepared for launch.”

“If she launches all of them, we’ll be finished,” Narliq-Li pointed out.  “Even with our forces combined, we’ll be hopelessly outnumbered.”

“It will take at least three, maybe four days to prep that many ships for launch,” Zarnia-Te replied.  “I think this meeting between us, Mother, and Xaqana-Ti is the perfect opportunity for us to finish this once and for all.”

“Agreed,” Narliq-Li said.  “The longer this goes on, the more Xanti ships are destroyed.  Once you’re Queen Mother, you’ll surely want there to be some ships remaining.”

“Precisely,” Zarnia-Te said.  “The more I think on this, the more I see how easy this will be for us.  Killing Mother will require very little effort.  She is old and weak.”

“Unless Xaqana-Ti defends her.”

“Why would she?” Zarnia-Te asked.  “It’s to her benefit to have Mother out of the way.”

“It’s not to her benefit to fight both of us at once, without aid,” Narliq-Li pointed out.  “Besides, she said she’s concerned that the Xanti are in danger, which means she’ll want all of us to work together.”

“Ridiculous,” Zarnia-Te spat.  “That’s just another one of her little games.”

“Nevertheless, I believe she will defend Mother.”

“You may be right,” Zarnia-Te said thoughtfully.  “I will attack Mother, you will stand back and act as though you are in a panic.  Xaqana-Ti will then attack me, and you will jump in behind her.”

“All right,” Narliq-Li said.  “Just remember, I’m the smallest of the three of us.  I doubt I’ll do much more than divert her for a moment.”

“That will be enough,” Zarnia-Te replied.

***

Glory turned off the vid-terminal, checked the time, then stretched before standing up and heading for the bathroom.  She’d accepted an invitation to an early dinner with the Dracons and Lobos before joining them in the Pinnacle for the jump into the LMC.  It was going to be an intense night, and she wanted a quick shower to help her relax from her long, stressful day first.