Hers to Command (13 page)

“
I think you are being very hard on yourself. You show more discipline than I had at twenty-one.”

“
Do you think so?”

“
Yes, Madam, I
know
so. Of course, you may thank the
cinnagin
for your constant arousal. It does seem to be lingering in you.” He sat quietly, stroking her hair.

She
sighed and wiggled in his lap. “In my more rational moments, I know how patient you are being with me. I don’t know it is only the
cinnagin
driving my physical state. My arousal becomes more intense when you are near me.”

“
I have been considering going to our embassy on Raegill II. A summit meeting with the Joint Forces High Command is scheduled there in ten days,” Ari said. “The summit will take several weeks. I could prepare there as easily as here. I had thought to stay to direct the cleanup but Captain Rickard’s Blue Daggers are dealing handily with any remaining resistance. I am not really needed here.”

Her warlord’s
smile was sardonic. “And we were honored. The High Council of the LFP will grace us with their presence. I told Admiral Lockwood we would have some sort of a reception. I think they wish to renegotiate their quota of
cinnagin
.” He frowned. “At least, I hope that is what they intend.” Ari tipped Fleur's face up and brushed his lips across hers. “I consulted with Elder Patricio.”With a wry smile, he stroked under her chin. “Close your mouth, Princess. Stupefied is not a good look for you.”

She
snapped her jaw shut and looked at Ari narrowly. “You
consulted
with Elder Patricio?”

“
Yes.”

“
And he was alive when you left?”

He
refused to respond to her baiting. “There is nothing in the near future you cannot deal with on your own or with his help.”

“
All right. Go. I will be a brave little princess,” she scoffed, then dropped all teasing. “I will miss you, Conte DeTano. Come back to me as soon as you can.”

“
And I will miss you, my Princess. But in addition to all of your other duties, you must plan a wedding and a coronation, and, of course, there is that reception for the LFP Council to coordinate. You will be thoroughly occupied.”

He
tipped her face up. “Now, Princess, are you going to keep me in this condition?” He bumped his still rigid cock into the side of her thigh.

Slipping off
his lap to kneel between his legs, she ran her fingers up the insides of his thighs, tickling his balls and stroking her fingers up his erect cock. She smiled seductively. He groaned as she licked her lips, wetting them in preparation.

“
No, Conte.” Her voice was honeyed. “It will be my joy to relieve you of your ‘condition’. However,” sounding like the queen she was soon to be, she continued, “put your hands on the arms of the chair, hook your feet around the legs and don’t move.”

He arched his eyebrows but complied.

With a silky smile, she continued. “A little payback. You must ask for my permission before you come.” Her glance was evil. “Expect to ask more than once.”

He closed his eyes and let his head fall back.
Pained amusement filled his voice. “Goddess, save me! A monster, I am going to marry a monster.”

The view screen with its vast expanse of black interstellar space blurred as Ari fought to keep his eyes open.

“
Doral, take over from me. I am falling asleep in this chair. At this rate, I will fly us into the side of an asteroid.” Ari unbuckled himself from the padded seat in front of the command console for the hyper-light cruiser,
Vestry
.

“
I am going to try to get some rest before we dock at Raegill II. We need to be at the top of our game for this Joint Summit.”

“
Yes, sir. I'll let you know when we are in the final approach corridor.” Doral swung over and flipped a variety of switches transferring command overrides to his station.

“
Is there anyone I should pay particular attention to when we arrive?” The visconte flashed a glance up at him.

Ari
rubbed his chin in thought. “I would like to know what occurred in that last council meeting. And what the LFP's reason is for the two heavy battle cruisers in our orbital space—the ones that arrived forty-eight hours ago. Admiral Lockwood will be our best source. Find her. See if she will meet with me. Alone.” He caught Doral's nod as he looked up. “We desperately need to find out who the traitor is among the LFP. I know I don’t need to tell
you
that.”

“
Consider it done.” Watching his console readings, Doral asked quietly, “Is there a personal message you would like me to give Admiral Lockwood?”

“
Tell her I will forever associate
chaleureuse
brandy with an intimate portion of her anatomy. She will enjoy that.” He lifted a wry eyebrow. “It also happens to be true. Oh, and Doral,” he looked at his second for a long moment, “try not to frighten her to death.”

His eyes still tracking his displays,
the corner of Doral’s mouth lifted. “As you command, High Lord.”

*
* * * *

“That is an
unconscionable
violation of the League’s charter,” Admiral Charise Lockwood shouted at Council Head Herrimon. “What you are proposing will eliminate Verdantia’s autonomy. They will be nothing but your puppet.” Her angry voice rang against the exotically paneled walls of the council meeting chamber on Raegill II.

“
My dear Admiral, Verdantia’s government has deteriorated to the point where it is ineffective. There is no social organization. Their Parliament has vanished. Their House of Lords is an empty building. The High Enclave, a collection of geneticists and
magicians,
is running the country. Their monarch is a twenty-one year old girl. Without us, their military cannot mount any sort of defense. The planet is in chaos. We will be helping the Verdantians regain their feet,” Herrimon oozed. “They will welcome our restructuring efforts. The presence of our military forces will allow them to sleep securely in their beds.”

“
This is a very thinly disguised move to take over that planet, Councilman, and don’t think I don’t see it,” said Admiral Lockwood.

Their argument had been raging for the better part of two hours
, observed by the majority of the League’s council heads.

“
But Admiral,” the council head for Theropossa interjected, “our good Nuovo Terra Chairman is offering his own territorial guard to protect the Verdantian population. The cost to him will be exorbitant. He should benefit somewhat. It’s only fair.”

She swung her furious glare
to the Theropossa council member. “Precisely! He proposes to use his personal army to promote his private agenda on Verdantia in a direct conflict of interest with this League’s founding charter! Councilman Jerxthi, even
you
should see that this is
not
protection. This is
occupation
. Ask yourself, who stands to benefit? Not the LFP. What Councilman Augoust proposes will eliminate Verdantia’s representation, its standing with the LFP that Conte DeTano fought three years to acquire. It will put him in control as Protectorate General. It puts Verdantia at the mercy of this
poseur
from Nuovo Terra and whoever
he
is in bed with. I believe it is the
Haarb
.”

A roar of voices and shouting erupted at her
accusation.

B
am! Bam! Bam!
The gavel wielded by the Hunlo Kanta, Secretary General for the LFP, accompanied his voice. “Order! I will have order!” The heated voices gave way to boiling silence.

“
We will table this issue until after the Verdantian reception. I wish to view the conditions myself before deciding whether to declare them a protectorate of the LFP.” The Secretary General cut Herrimon’s protest short. “You may deploy your territorial guard, Councilman Herrimon, and we thank you for your generous provision of troops. We –”

Lockwood burst out of her chair.
“With respect, Secretary General, I most strongly object!”

Eyeing her, Kanta ground out, “Keep it short, Admiral.”

“I must protest Councilmember Herrimon’s participation. Any military involvement should remain strictly LFP forces. If the League is concerned with the rising cost of such deployment, we can renegotiate with the Verdantians in terms of
cinnagin
export, fair trade for protection. We cannot—“

“Thank you, Admiral. Please be seated.”

“Secretary General, you must –”

“Madam, that is enough! Be seated or you will be physically removed!”

Kanta stared her down until she unwillingly sat.

“As I stated before I was interrupted, Councilman Herrimon has our approval to move his personal militia to Verdantia’s surface.
However, the voting on the status of the planet will be postponed until I can personally observe conditions on Verdantia. This meeting is adjourned.” The gavel descended with a thunderous
BAM!

Lockwood gripped the arms of her chair, motionless, until the room emptied. Her usually reliable self-discipline had deserted her
. Her fury raged such that she might physically attack Augoust Herrimon, an action certain to destroy her credibility with the LFP Council. Feeling her emotions subside back under her normally formidable control, she rose and walked out into the deserted hallway—the
almost
deserted hallway.

“
Admiral, I should be careful about the enemies you make.” Augoust’s unctuous tones slithered around her. “You are too easy to find.”

“
You threaten me, Augoust?” Her contemptuous laughter removed his smile. “You?” She turned in disdainful dismissal, her strides putting distance between them.

“
I have powerful friends, Admiral,” he threw at her back.

Her hand gestured obscenely
behind her. Her steps never slowed.

Admiral Lockwood’s
enraged strides took her quickly down the hallway of her residence on Raegill II. She nodded to the elite personal guards flanking her quarters in the private home the LFP had acquired on Raegill II. The extensive grounds surrounding the large, palatial residence had the tightest and most up-to-date security available. She felt secure with the knowledge nothing could penetrate the perimeter of the property undetected, not even Herrimon’s “powerful friends”.

Entering her suite, she walked to her bedroom
, unzipping her jumpsuit as she went. She was looking forward to getting out of her uniform and into a loose caftan, then having a very stiff drink. Her head ached. The heated debate among council chairs weighed on her. What Herrimon proposed was a hidden treachery of the highest order. She knew why the council stayed willfully blind. They had been paid off. But why couldn’t the Secretary General see it? If Augoust succeeded in occupying Verdantia, the wealth and, by extension, power, that would flow to the Haarb could destabilize the entire LFP. Augoust had to be stopped but so far she had no proof of his link to Krakoll and she was burning bridges left and right trying to make people believe her.

She hoped her lover, Mic, would not be long. He gave very good massages. She could use one—as well as the other forms of relaxing release he performed expertly.

Standing in the darkened room, she shrugged out of her uniform and lingerie leaving them on the floor for her attendants to deal with.
Naked, she walked into the large closet for her silk robe.

“
Admiral Lockwood, please don't react, ma'am. Do not turn on any lights. It would be best if the security vids did not record this.” A male's quiet, confident voice came from the darkness behind her.

Charise Lockwood froze.
“Who the hell are you? Identify yourself immediately before I call my security guards in here.” She clutched the robe in front of her.
Where is my pulsar emitter?

“
My name is Doral DeLorion. I am Conte DeTano's aide.”

Hell and damnation, where is
that emitter?
She scoured her closet for her weapon. “I know your name. Your reputation precedes you. Why are you here?”

“
Admiral, please, put on your robe.” She could hear the smile in his deep voice. “I have your weapon.”

With
impotent fury, she flipped the caftan over her head hastily then turned. Her eyes gradually adjusted to the darkness. She could see a vague outline of a man standing between her bed and the curtained courtyard door. He was a mere two feet from one of the ‘elite’ security guards standing outside her quarters. “How did you get in here? How did you get past my security?”