Minder (4 page)

Chapter Seven

Two rows of guards, each eight guards long
,
stood in the sun of the afternoon. Sweat beaded on the heads of several and one or two swayed in the heat. They snapped to attention the instant that Bai and herself came onto the practice field.

“Shall I introduce you, Madam?” The Captain of the Guard hovered nearby.

“Not necessary. I simply need to ask them a few questions, is that acceptable?”

“Certainly, Madam.”

With Baileez and the Captain trailing in her wake
,
she was a little nervous, but she got in touch with her talent anyway. “I have a few questions to ask of you and I will need you to honestly answer me.”

She took a deep breath and raised her voice. “How many of you really want to be here today?” All raised their hands, but two in the second row had been coerced by family obligations.

“How many of you think it is beneath you to guard the queen?” That was one of the first and two new dissidents.

“And finally, how many of you are capable of dealing with a woman who is breeding? The next few months are going to be a little rough for everyone.” Seven of the minds recoiled at that sentence. She tapped seven of her rejects and told them that they could leave.

It now left her with nine candidates.

“Now for the absolutely last question. Who amongst you is revolted by your king taking an alien as wife?” She looked as deep as she dared and then smiled, all nine were within tolerable levels of enthusiasm and curiosity. No contempt was visible.

“Okay. I have asked my questions. Any of these men would be welcome as my guard. The rest is up to the Captain, or you
,
Bai, if you have any objections.” She was secure in her ability to determine that none of these men meant her harm. They would guard her for the honour of being the Queen’s Guard, the job opportunity of a lifetime as the King’s Guard was already full and had backups for any and all personnel.

Baileez asked a few pertinent questions and her guard were being sent for fittings so that they would be wearing her livery. “Blue and red. Black trim.” Were his only comments when the men selected bowed deeply. The Captain nodded and sent off her new guard.

Baileez pulled her tightly to his side. She laughed and asked him, “When do they have their first shift?”

“Tomorrow. Mara will have their uniforms ready by then. The Captain will brief them on etiquette and my guards will take over your safety at night, if I am not up to the task.” His lecherous grin left her in no doubt that he was going to take guarding her body very seriously indeed.

“Are all of my guard shape shifters?”

“Of course. It is a requirement for the position.”

Interesting. Perhaps claws and fangs were more useful than they looked. “What is on the schedule for the rest of the day?”

“A small dinner with a few dignitaries and then meeting with the court events coordinator, we have a formal wedding to plan.”

“We do? I thought today’s announcement was all that you needed.” She was genuinely puzzled.

“It is all
I
needed, but your people have differing traditions. You have rites and events that you need to keep.”

She smiled, a small tear coming to her eye. He was so much more than she had anticipated. She was so wrapped up in her feelings that she almost missed the surge of hate as she passed the open doors to the audience chamber. “Whoa. That was nasty. The people around here are mostly pleasant, but there are some who really despise me.”

He sounded pleasant
,
but there was a threat to his tone, “Is there anyone who has spoken to you in a less than polite manner?”

“No. But when they project hate it, it is hard to miss.”

He sighed heavily, his guards tightened around them and were visibly alert. “Only one week and they will be unable to attack you.”

“Six more days of it?”

“Yes, and the closer you stay to me
,
the safer you will be.” The hard muscle of his arm flexed around her waist and she wove her fingers with his on her hip to calm him.

“I will know when they are coming, even before they do. But they only get to attack me when I am entering the throne room?”

“Indeed. It has to be done in front of witnesses.” He sighed heavily again. “It is one of our oldest traditions. If a woman with no appreciable bloodlines marries the heir or occupant of the throne, she has to prove her ability to defend both her life and the life of any heir she may bear. It is archaic, but still law.”

“We have some funny ones back home as well. The owner of every hotel in Hastings, Nebraska, is required by to provide each guest with a clean and pressed nightshirt. No couple, even if they are married, may sleep together in the nude, nor may they have sex unless they are wearing one of those provided nightshirts.” She nodded at his look of disbelief. “The Citadel has a few
,
too, you can’t use your mental skills to train animals to engage in any behaviour that they would not engage in in nature.”

“Interesting and you will not distract me. I don’t want you going anywhere without either your guards or my own.” It was an order. There was no mistaking it for anything else.

“Yes, your Majesty.”

He winced. “Don’t call me that. If you must use a title, call me Sir.”

“Ah, is that why Von calls me Madam?”

“Yes. I don’t like the extra strictures of title unless I am dealing with other heads of state.”

“Ah. A rebel. It’s a good thing to know.” He was removing his hand from around her waist and she found that she missed it. They stood in front of two closed double doors.

He placed her hand on the back of his wrist and took a deep breath. “Cocktail hour. I do so hate it.” He nodded and the doors swung open.

Aleyn leaned over and whispered in his ear as they started to walk into the room full of courtiers and dignitaries, “It’s show time.” Then raised her head and sailed in at his side. In for a penny, in for a pound.

Chapter Eight

Aleyn swung through their bedroom door and immediately ran to flop on the bed. “Well that was fun. Let’s never do that again.”

He chuckled and started to strip off his shirt and trousers, pausing to remove his boots. “I would apologize, but you were magnificent and they were impressed with you despite themselves.”

“Eh. They were all full of themselves. I doubt I registered much. The food was amazing though.” Fighting the strictures of her clothing, she tried to get back on her feet. The wrap was holding steady. Von had done a good job.

“Let me help.” Baileez stood in front of her and gestured for her to twirl with one finger. A few sharp tugs later and he had the loose end in his hand. He pulled gently and she began to spin, unwinding her wrap with each rotation. When the tail of the fabric slipped free
,
she stumbled into him. “Caught you.”

“Yes. Yes
,
you did.” Pinned to his chest
,
she looked up and admired the strong line of his jaw, the clean full shape of his lips and the twinkle of lust and good humour in his eyes. She reached up to tug at the golden strands of his shaggy hair to run her fingers through it. Clenching her hand at the base of his skull
,
she brought him down for her kiss, a smooth brush of lips that rocked her to her core. She inhaled sharply, caught up in the musk of his scent and went back to him for another meeting of the lips. Practice certainly did make perfect and she held back the twinge that went through her at the thought of his educational companions. Jealousy could wait. Now was time for more serious pursuits.

The pressure of his hands on her spine, ribs, belly and breasts had her shaking in mere moments. “My queen, you seem unsteady.” Laughter was rippling through Bai as he held her, trailing small kisses across her jaw and down her neck, stimulating nerves that she didn’t realize she had.

“Must have been a hard day.” Aleyn pressed her hips to his and rocked them from side to side as the ridge of his flesh heated her skin through the gauze of her gown.

“Very hard and if it gets much harder I am going to come in my trousers.” He set her back from him and rapidly and efficiently removed his clothing. The flared head of his cock was dripping with precum and arched almost to his belly. Smiling, she folded her fingers around it and used her hand to spread the moisture along his length.

She hummed happily as her hand worked him, enjoying the way he closed his eyes and shuddered as she stroked and teased. Her own arousal had run high the moment that he had run his lips across her neck and she simply blanked her mind to all thoughts to enjoy the moment.

“Not so fast little one.” He pried her hand from him and she pouted. “I don’t want it to be over before I get inside you. We have time, Aleyn, don’t forget that. The rest of our lives.”

“I don’t know if I believe that yet. I think I need convincing.” Her smile was coquettish, a first for her. It was the first time she had really felt like a flirt in her entire life, not including the night she lured Baileez into bed.

His hands gripped her waist and she was flying through the air to skid across the bedding, slowing down just before she came to rest against the headboard. He shifted his hands into claws and tore through the gauze of her gown, stripping her in seconds. Those same claws traced her neck, the slope of her breasts and scrapped the apex of her nipple until she was panting with the effort to remain still. Those claws were sharp.

His jaws elongated to form a muzzle, licking and nipping at her flesh as she struggled not to squeal with urgency.

Chapter Nine

Waking up in Baileez’s arms was wonderful, having Von do the waking was a bit disturbing though. She reluctantly stumbled to the bathing chamber and took a quick shower. Von kept Bai from joining her, much to her mate’s disgust.

The royal couple had to make their daily appearance and nothing was going to hold up the schedule. Aleyn’s dress for this day was a brilliant blue with a red wrap that Von put in place in record time. He really didn’t seem to mind the role of lady’s maid, he performed his duties swiftly and politely.

Her guard was waiting for her when she left their chambers and she nodded to the four on duty. She would learn their names later. Aleyn could just pluck it from their heads, but that would be rude as well as a stab in the eye of Citadel ethics.

Today, no one was willing to take a run at her. A few wanted to, but none would commit to the act. Good for them, she could live without gripping someone’s mind again.

The rest of the week flew by in rounds of formal occasions, dances, dinners and nights spent in the arms of the father of her child. She almost relaxed her guard. Almost.

The final day of her probation there was another attack. This time
,
five wolves attacked her at the same time. Four engaged her guard while one lunged for her throat.

With all the minds in frenzy so close to her, the wolf knocked her down before she could grab his mind. Teeth gnashed as he approached her face and she struck out with her mind. She didn’t strike to stop him, she struck to kill. With a yelp and a twitch
,
her attacker fell aside. His limbs thrashed for a moment and then stilled.

The audience chamber was silent. Baileez was on his feet, staring in horror. Her guards had made quick work of the other wolves, two shifting into that form to battle. Shaking, she took two of her guard’s hands to get to her feet. She straightened her gown, unintentionally swiping blood across the bodice. The courtiers in the room were still watching silently. She slowly made her way to her new throne, next to Baileez’s. Her beloved took her hands and kissed her bleeding palm, then helped her sit next to him.

The master of the petitioners called forth those who would bring concerns to the King. No one moved.

He called out again. This time there was an answering voice from the back of the room. “I would speak to you, King Baileez.”

“What about?” He called out and took Aleyn’s hand. She squeezed his hand back gratefully. It was only when the petitioner made his way to the front of the crowd that she felt the sting of dread.

The Citadel Chancellor bowed low. “I am here to address the theft perpetrated by Minder Aleyn Zargas of the Alliance protectorate of Terra.”

Baileez looked confused and Aleyn sighed. She knew that it would come to this, the instant that he had told her of the charges he had laid at her door. The Citadel would not stand for someone using their training to abuse another creature.

“Chancellor, is there any way that we could do this with slightly more privacy? I am assuming that you brought a tribunal with you.”

“We can. Do you have a place?”

“Von? Would you please arrange somewhere more private for us? This is going to share private information about me and my training that I would not like to be made common knowledge.” Von nodded to her and gestured for her and her two humanoid and two wolfen guardsmen to follow. Baileez and his guardsmen brought up the rear, followed by the Chancellor who was speaking into his com.

The room was one of Aleyn’s favourites. The library. Von even sent for tea. She took up a comfortable position on a couch and
,
with her prodding, Von moved some desks into a row across from her. The Chancellor took the centre desk, and as the other Citadel representatives came through the doors
,
she was ready for any questions.

It was a good thing, they started with the question she didn’t want to answer.

“All these proceedings will be recorded for the Citadel Archive. Do you agree?”

“I agree.”

“King Baileez? Do you agree?”

“I don’t know where this is going, but I agree.”

“Excellent. Minder, did you rape or force in any way the sex between you two?”

Bai looked shocked, but Aleyn answered, “No. I simply used my body. He appreciated it and fell under my spell.”

“Minder, the next morning, you completed an illegal mind wipe. What memories did you take?”

“I took his memories of me. Of our coupling. I gave him a memory of being with his mistress instead. I don’t know how he jogged the memory loose.”

“Your Majesty, how did you manage to know that something was missing from your mind?”

“Chancellor, it was the smell. She has a bright sweet smell, like sunlight and citrus. Vaiu has a muskier scent. It could not have been my leman.”

“Ah. Very good. Did your memories come back?”

“They did
,
Chancellor.”

“Then the charge of her wiping memories is answered. Not guilty.”

Aleyn drew a deep breath. She knew what was coming next.

“Minder, on your first public exposure here on Hickom
,
you were attacked and you soothed the attacker’s anger with your talents. Could that have been avoided?”

“No
,
sir. I was caught by surprise. It was a reflex that I should have sensed the attack to avoid it.”

“Why did you not know it was coming?”

“I was not using my powers to scan the crowd. I did not feel it was necessary.”

“Very well.” He looked to the other three chancellors and then back at her, “On that charge, not guilty. Now, for the final charge. Using your training to kill. We saw it first hand this morning. For this charge, in front of witnesses, you will have to serve a sentence term.”

Baileez sat up and slammed his hand down on the nearest piece of wood. “No. You cannot take her from me.”

“We can. We are the Citadel and she is a Minder of the Citadel.” A woman on the end was smug.

Baileez debated whether she should or should not be sent anywhere.

She held up her hand and stood. “I will not be going anywhere. Today, I became Queen of Hickom and as queen
,
I am allowed to defend my body and my offspring by whatever means necessary. If that means is by mental attack
,
I will do it and not think twice.”

“You cannot! As a Minder of the Citadel…”

Aleyn held up her hand. “I was retired forcibly from the Citadel for this very reason before I left. I am now simply a mentally educated citizen of the Alliance, as are thousands of others over the worlds. I cannot be punished by you because you no longer have any right to my or the fruits of my work.”

She turned to the tribunal and addressed them all, feeling Baileez’s hand engulf her own. “Each patient that I took on, each mind that I healed
,
I had to match before I could help to take the fear, hate and madness. I officially retired two months ago, there is a signed witness statement in the Archive. They only existing hold on my contract was lack of an offspring and Bai has taken care of that. There is nothing to create a hold over me, but I let you speak your piece. You are now done. This is concluded. I need to get into the rhythm of being Queen of Hickom. They are a tricky race you know. But lots of fun and I love them all.”

The tribunal nodded and stiffly left the room.

“So you knew they couldn’t take you.”

“Yep.”

“And you were going to share this information with me when?”

“Uh, now?”

“I am so going to paddle your ass until you can’t sit.”

“Brave words from a guy who needs a flea dip.” She made the mistake of looking into his eyes and he was deadly serious. “No way, you can’t spank me. I outgrew spankings years ago.”

He scooped her into his arms and strode to their private rooms. She thought he was kidding until he sat on the chest at the foot of their bed and laid her face down in his lap.

The slow drag of the gauzy fabric up her calves and thighs had her hoping for a different outcome, but as soon as he had wedged her wrap so that her buttocks were clear for his hand, he pounced. Smack. She exhaled heavily and braced herself for the next one, but he had a detour in mind. He reached between her thighs to slide two fingers into her. He grunted and then his hand fell again and again. The smacks took on a sharp rhythm and every now and then, when she was braced for it, he would slide two digits into her. She knew what he was finding, wet heat. It had started about a minute after he did. He kept smacking her butt cheeks with harsh strength, but did not cause her agony, just discomfort and lust.

“You did not outgrow spankings, you merely outgrew your parents. I am not your parent and you fit me just fine.” Smack. “You are never—” Smack. “To surprise me—” Smack. “With the knowledge that someone can take you from me.” Smack. As suddenly as he had started, he stopped and flipped her on her back to the bed.

Her reddened skin burned as it pressed into the fabric. Aleyn gasped as he parted her thighs and used his tongue to cool her heated core. He made sure that her body was well ready to receive him and then with a tug and a loosening of his trousers, his cock was free and he was inside her.

She moaned as each thrust irritated her inflamed buttocks, the pleasure and pain flared into a confusing mixture as she grew closer to her release. She gasped, shuddered and shrieked as he reached beneath her to dig his fingers into her buttocks. He held her to him as he pounded into her. Her breath whooshed out of her when he stopped, her eyes opened in surprise.

He was glaring at her and he punctuated his next statement with a thrust for every word. “You are. Never. To. Endanger. Yourself. Or our child. Again.” His face hadn’t shifted, but his eyes glowed yellow.

“I won’t. I promise.” She touched his mind lightly, he was furious and concerned. He had suffered fear of loss when the Citadel came for her and more fear all week as his people tried to kill her. It was typical really, when men felt fear, anger was on its heels. When anger showed up, lust was in its wake. “I promise.”

He leaned forward and rested his forehead on hers. He whispered, “I don’t want to lose you. I have only just found you.” His lips took hers in a gentle kiss, and with one more shift of his hips, she went over into her climax. Her inner muscles convulsed around him and he answered with an arched back, a hard thrust and a guttural groan. His release took everything out of him. He dropped onto her sweaty and still clothed body.

Blinking in surprise, Aleyn unwrapped her legs from his hips, she hadn’t even realised that she had done it. “I am truly sorry, Bai. I knew that they would come for me the instant that you put out that APB. That you didn’t realize it surprised me, but you don’t know the ways of the Citadel.”

He nuzzled at the side of her neck, her cheek and forehead. “I am no longer angry, I should have known that given your responsibilities there would be repercussions.” The feel of his lips and chin stroking at her made her feel safe, protected, and despite her burning backside, incredibly loved.