Kidnapping Keela (12 page)

A cynical grin came over his face. He pushed his lower body harder against her and his hand wandered to her bottom to stop her moving away from him.

“I wonder how I’d find you if I were to put my hand between your legs? - As dry as the skin of a desert koloch or wet and slippery like a shanika?”

Keela blushed. She hoped that he would not check because she was wetter and more ready than ever before in her life.

“What will your parents say when I tell them what outrageous liberties you’re taking?” she threatened with the last method of defence left to her.

He smiled.

“I think it’s the latter, isn’t it. Wet and slippery,” he murmured huskily.

Without warning he pressed his mouth against hers to stifle her cry as he moved his hand from her bottom, in between their bodies, and then pushed it under the material of her wrap. She squeezed her thighs together, but as his kiss became more passionate her resistance lessened and his hand found its way between her thighs and up to her pussy. A triumphant groan left his lips as he found her to be hot and wet, as he had expected. Keela turned her head away and tried one last time to resist the onslaught of his passion and her own emotions. She pushed her hands against his chest and turned in his arms. It was a ridiculous attempt.

“No,” she gasped, only to groan in the next moment as his thumb stroked her pearl whilst his finger slipped inside her.

Her fingers clutched the material of his shirt and she threw her head back as he began to kiss his way up her neck until he reached her ear and searched out her ear lobe with his tongue.
 

His hand was working at full speed between her legs. His thumb rubbed her clitoris in circular movements, faster and faster until she shatterd into a thousand pieces in his arms, trembling and groaning loudly. It was only his strong arms that prevented her from falling to the floor because her legs had been incapable of holding her upright for some time now. He took his finger out of her and put it to his mouth to taste her nectar. He seemed to like it as he groaned quietly. Keela had never seen nor heard anything so erotic.
 

“Ah, Keela,” he murmured. “You’re even sweeter than I dreamt you might be.”

He swung her up into his arms and carried her to the bed where he gently lay her down. Keela stared up at him. His dark eyes seemed to swallow her up. He was breathing just as heavily as she was. Her eyes moved down his muscular body, stopping half way down. It was very clear to see how aroused he was. And the thing that was pressing hard against his tightly fitting trousers was bigger than anything she had ever seen before. A mixture of desire and fear made her tremble.
 

“Sleep well, princess,” he murmured and bent down to kiss her on the forehead.

Confused, Keela watched him leave the room. She groaned unhappily. She could not believe that he had simply left her. How could he? The fact that he desired her as much as she desired him was clear. But why he was denying them both what they both yearned for was inexplicable. She had fled last time and he had then avoided her. And now, after her initial resistance, he had brought her so far that she had melted like wax at his touch, and he had simply left.

Chapter 8

Y-Quadrant, Karrx7

Royal Palace of the Arr’Carthian

2
^nd
day of the month of Manao in the year 7067

Federation Time

After the incident in her bedroom she had hardly seen Marruk and when she had they were not alone. She avoided looking at him. After the inflamed passion had calmed again a little and she had realised what she had done, and how she had reacted to him, she began to feel ashamed. She had conducted herself like a lecherous tart, quite shamelessly. She simply could not look him directly in the eye any longer and she dreaded the day when she was to return to his castle. Perhaps she could ask Moreena to arrange alternative accommodation for her.
 

There was a knock at the door. Keela’s heart leapt excitedly.

“Who is it?” she asked tentatively. She had learnt from the last time. She was not going to make that same mistake again.

“Solima!” came the answer, and Keela breathed a sigh of relief.

“Come in!”

The door opened and Solima rushed into the room. The girl literally flew into Keela’s arms and they both laughed, happy to see one another again. Keela had visited Solima regularly in the medical unit, but she had been put into a slight coma to speed up the recovery time.
 

“I thought you weren’t going to be discharged until this evening. How are you?”

“I’m fine. I feel as if I’ve been reborn,” answered Solima, wrapping her arms round Keela’s waist and putting her head on her chest.

“That’s good to hear. I was very worried about you.”

“I also wanted to thank you for making my shoulder better. I can’t remember it all very well now but I know that I was in a great deal of pain, but that after you did something with my shoulder it was suddenly better.”

“No need to thank me. I would have liked to have done more for you, but now let’s talk about something more positive than your accident. Have you heard that Lory and Charly have been found? They’re on their way here.”

Solima’s whole face lit up.

“Really? That’s wonderful. Are they OK?”

“Yes, they’re OK.”

“I’ll tell grandmother that we must have a party when they get here. But not such a big event as last time. Just a little party with a big white marquee in the garden and a big barbecue. We need lanterns and music and a dance floor … and acrobats to perform something or dancers. Perhaps both. And my father and you must dance together, then he must kiss you and claim you and then you’ll be my mother. That’s good! That’s what we’ll do!”

Keela was glad that the girl had her head on her chest and therefore could not see her blushing. She had really grown fond of Solima. She decided not to enter into a discussion about Marruk with her. What was she supposed to say to the girl? - ‘Your father only wants to go to bed with me?’ that would hardly be appropriate.
 

“Your idea for a party is great. A proper garden party,” she agreed, trying hard not to let her emotional turmoil show.

Two days later Keela was sitting in the garden with Moreena and Solima when the king rushed up excitedly. His eyes were bright and a huge grin was spread across his face.
 

“Mortociar, what are you so excited about?” asked the queen in amazement.

“I have news,” declared the king, beaming. “Good news.”

“Are the Verkuzzi extinct?” asked Moreena, teasing.

“Who are the Verkuzzi?” asked Keela.

“Oh, they’re people who live on the other side of the Jade Mountains. They’re our enemies. They’re murderers and criminals. For a while they’ve been relatively quiet, but from time to time they attack villagers who live too close to the border and they kill everyone except the women. They carry them off. We’ve been at war with these barbarians for centuries.”

“Oh, I hope that’s a long way from here?”

“Yes, my love. You have no need to be afraid. The Verkuzzi have no gliders and without one it takes weeks to get from here to the Jade Mountains,” explained Mortociar.

“So, please tell us what news you have,” the queen brought the subject back to the actual reason for the king coming to them.

“The
Cordelia
is in our orbit. The two women will be here shortly.”

“Hurray!” Solima rejoiced.

“That is good news, my love,” cried Moreena in delight. “I’m so looking forward to this. Has someone told Berka? He absolutely must come with Amber.”

“They’re already on their way,” declared Mortociar happily.

“Keela!” a joyful cry was heard and everyone turned round.

Amber came running up to them and a grinning Berka trotted on behind her. Keela got up from her chair and embraced her friend. They were laughing and sobbing at the same time.

Berka slapped his father on the back and kissed his mother on the head. Then he looked at Amber and a warm smile lit up his face. Amber returned his smile and blushed slightly, as she realised the way Keela was looking back and forth from her to Berka.

Moreena had clearly also realised that something must have happened between Amber and her son since they left the palace, because she was looking at them both very closely and a knowing smile spread across her face. She was clearly happy with what she saw.

“Excuse me a minute,” said Amber, blushing. “I need to go to the little girls’ room. The excitement.”

“I’ll come with you,” said Keela hastily. “The tea’s started working on me.”

“You go, girls. But come back quickly. Your friends will arrive soon,” said Moreena.

Berka reached out to Amber before she could get away and pulled her into his arms. They looked deeply into one another’s eyes and Berka kissed her gently before letting her go. Against her will Keela had to admit that she was envious of these two, who had obviously found happiness together.

They went into Berka’s chambers and Keela waited on the couch for Amber to come back from the bathroom. It seemed to Keela that her friend was actually glowing with happiness. At first she had put it down to Amber being pleased that they had met up again, but now that she had been witness to the tender feelings between Berka and Amber she knew the probable cause.

“Am I right in presuming that you’re now no longer resisting Berka’s claim?” asked Keela with a smile.

Amber grinned.

“Is it so obvious? And how about you and Marruk?”

Keela blushed.

“He doesn’t want a mate and I don’t only want sex,” she said in response.

“But something has happened between you. Don’t pretend. I can see it in your face. Out with it.”

“Not very much has happened. We’ve only kissed,” Keela resisted.

“Only kissed?” Amber asked sceptically.

“Well,” said Keela, blushing. “And maybe we’ve played about a little, too. – But we haven’t slept together!”

“Has he said that he only wants sex?” asked Amber in disbelief.

“Pretty much, yes.”

“Such a … well I can’t work that out. Keep your head up. This planet has a load of attractive single men on offer. This is a Paradise for girls. If the girls at home knew about his they’d rush here across the planets like locusts.”

Keela giggled and Amber joined in with her laughter.

“Can you wait for me a minute? I want to put something else on. I spilt my drink on the way here,” said Amber, pointing at the stain on her skirt.

“Sure!”

Amber opened one of the trunks next to the bed, and after rummaging around for a long time she pulled out a green dress. Keela watched as Amber pulled her travelling dress up over her head and she held her breath in shock. She could see bite marks on Amber’s right shoulder and on her neck.

Keela got up and went up to Amber.

“Amber? What’s that?” she asked, concerned.

“What’s what? Oh, that. Nothing any more. I was just playing with one of those cheetahs. It was completely harmless. It doesn’t hurt at all any more.”

“You played with a cheetah? Amber, tell me the truth.”

“That is the truth,” Amber insisted, but she did not look Keela in the eye.

“Just tell me one thing. Are the men here … vampires or something? Did Berka suck your blood …?”

“Nonsense!” Amber said dismissively. “You’ve been watching too many films. Berka’s not a vampire. It was a cheetah, as I said.”

Keela wanted to respond but decided to let the subject go for now. Amber was clearly not going to tell her what had really happened. Yet it unsettled her so much that it even marred her joy about Lory and Charly. If only she really knew whether it was a good thing to have been rescued by the Carthians. What if something monstrous was hiding behind the façade of these men? On the other hand Amber seemed to be happier than ever, and the glances between her and Berka were completely tender. Was she mistaken? Had it maybe been the cheetah? - Another reason for avoiding these big cats. Compared with the earthly cheetahs these ones really were disconcertingly big. Whilst the earthly cheetahs had a shoulder height of about two and a half feet, their equivalent here must be a good four feet high. These were not cats that one could snuggle up to. She would prefer to cuddle bears or wolves. She had always had respect for big cats. The way they stalked their prey made her anxious - almost as much as Marruk made her anxious. When she thought about it, he too had something cat-like about him – except when he was avoiding her - but was that not also typical cat-like behaviour?
 

Oh my goodness! What strange thoughts I’m having today.

“We should get back now,” Amber interrupted her thoughts.
 

“Yes, let’s go,” Keela agreed, relieved.

When they got back to the others Marruk was sitting next to his mother. His eyes perused her body and her heart beat sped up. His gleaming eyes followed her until she had taken a seat next to his father opposite him. Amber sat down next to Berka and he put his arm around her shoulders straight away, whispering something into her ear that made her blush. Keela felt a wistful ache in her chest at the sight of the tenderness that Amber and Berka were exchanging.
 

“They’ll be here at any moment,” Mortociar informed the two women. “They contacted us five minutes ago to say that they would now be beaming down onto the planet.”

“I’m already looking forward to the garden party,” cried Solima with excitement.

“Garden party?” asked the queen in surprise.

“Yes, Keela and I have decided to give a small party when Lory and Charly are here.”

“Oh, have you?” said Mortociar, smiling.
 

“That’s an excellent idea,” Moreena agreed. “But we have to prepare for it first, my child. It can’t be organised soooo quickly. We could have the party in three days’ time. We should invite a few guests to it, shouldn’t we?”

“But not too many. And no diplomats,” said Solima, grimacing.
 

Berka laughed.

“No, little niece, I don’t feel like diplomats either. But we should invite a few people so that it’s more fun. You need a few dance partners, too. We could invite Kolisz with his son. What do you think?” Berka winked at his niece.